Shravana Shukla 3 Vik. Samvat 2079, Yugabda 5124 : 1 August, 2022:SM 4009 (For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS: KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI: Krishna Janmashtami, also
known as Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is an annual festival that celebrates the
birth of Bhagwan Sri Krishna. It is observed on the Ashtami of the Krishna
Paksha in Bhadrapada (August 18 this year).
2. IN HUMANS, THE FITTEST WILL HELP THE WEAK TO SURVIVE: RSS
SARSANGHCHALAK: “Mere survival can’t be the goal of life. Even Animals do
survive. Without intelligence, man is the weakest animal on the earth. But in
the course of evolution, cognitive impulse developed in him which changed his
course of his life and he became the best creation. Even animals do things like
eating, drinking and expanding own species,” Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)
Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat said. He was delivering the first convocation
address of Sri Sathya University in Bengaluru on July 13.
Dr Mohan Bhagwat presented honorary doctorates to six eminent personalities
during the occasion. Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence was
established at Kalaburagi district in Karnataka. It aims to impart high-quality,
values-based education, on the foundation of ancient Bharatiya ideals.
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3. BHARAT AN IMMORTAL NATION: DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT: RSS
Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat said Bharat is an immortal nation with a unique
essence of morality which brings peace and unites every country in the
world. Dr. Bhagwat was speaking on July 18 at a religious discourse in a temple
at Nagpur in Maharashtra.
Citing Swami Vivekananda, the RSS Sarsanghchalak said that every nation has a
specific purpose. The nation emerges and prospers to fulfil that specific
purpose. It then becomes history and withers away like the Roman Empire. "But,
our nation's purpose is such that it is amar (immortal). We have the essence of
'dharmatatva' (morality) which balances the life of everyone in the world,
brings peace and unites everyone. Bharat has the unique "dharmatatva" which
keeps people, groups and also nature in a proper form with human development
without harming the environment," Dr Bhagwat said.
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4. BHARAT’S FIRST TRIBAL RASHTRAPATI DROUPADI MURMU:
Marking an incredible journey from Rairangpur to Raisina Hills, Droupadi Murmu
was sworn in as the 15th Rashtrapati of Bharat on July 25. Murmu, 64, the
youngest Rashtrapati yet, and the first to be born in independent Bharat, was
administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of Bharat, N V Ramana in the
Central Hall of Parliament packed with dignitaries.
Wearing a traditional tri-coloured Santhali saree that acknowledged her tribal
roots, Rashtrapati Murmu in her maiden address quoted Odia poet Bhima Bhoi’s
prayer to Bhagwan Jagannath and said that the welfare of the Universe is
important, even if one has to suffer the most for that. She acknowledged the
contributions of all freedom fighters in Bharat’s freedom struggle and also
referred to the sacrifice of ‘Dharti Aaba’ Bhagwan Birsa Munda. Murmu also laid
emphasis on the need to take pride in Bharat’s ancient traditions that blend
growth and environment preservation.
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5. PROTECT ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE: RASHTRAPTI KOVIND IN HIS
FAREWELL MESSAGE TO NATION: In his farewell address to the nation on July
24, outgoing Rashtrapati Ram Nath Kovind said that mother nature is in deep
agony and the climate crisis can endanger the very future of this planet. He
appealed to all to protect the environment for the coming generations.
Emphasising that the country is getting equipped to make the 21st century “the
century of Bharat”, Kovind highlighted the importance of healthcare and
education. Referring to his interaction with the Bharatiya diaspora during his
visits abroad, Kovind said that he found their love and concern for the homeland
very touching. Kovind said that among the most memorable moments of his life has
been visiting his home during his term and touching the feet of his teachers at
Kanpur to seek their blessings.
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6. BHARAT - A TEMPLE OF KNOWLEDGE:DATTATREYA HOSABALE:
During the inauguration of a new building of Maharashtra Education Society’s
Institute of Management and Career Courses (IMCC), Pune, on July 20, RSS
Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale said that Bharat has been a temple of knowledge
since ancient times.
7. SPIRITUALITY IS THE SOUL OF OUR NATION – SHRI NAIDU:
Uprashtrapati Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu on July 24 said that Bharatiya civilisation
stands for the universal values of unity, peace and social harmony and called
for a ‘spiritual renaissance’ to preserve and propagate these age-old values.
While releasing the book, “Sing, Dance and Pray – the inspirational story of
Srila Prabhupada”, authored by Dr. Hindol Sengupta and published by ISKCON
Bengaluru at New Delhi, Uprashrapati appealed to youngsters to take inspiration
from great saints and spiritual masters like Swami Prabhupada. He said that
spirituality has been the soul of our nation and the foundation of our
civilisation since ancient times. Praising our ancient scriptures for their
transcendental spiritual value, Shri Naidu said that for millennia, they have
been manuals directing people to lead an ideal life based on ethics and values.
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8. HSS DALLAS, USA: On July 15, volunteers of Hindu Swayamsevak
Sangh (HSS) and Sewa USA from Flower Mound and Coppell in Denton Texas, along
with their families, served meals at Our Daily Bread facility in Texas. Our
Daily Bread feeds, shelters, and cares for the homeless and at-risk in our
community while maintaining the dignity of the guests and offering opportunities
for a new start. Volunteers from HSS and Sewa USA helped in decorating the
cookies which were then served along with meals to the guests and around 100+
meals were served by the volunteers.
9. BALAGOKULAM NAPERVILLE AURORA: On July 9,
volunteers from HSS Aurora-Naperville-Balagokulam and Sewa volunteers cleaned
the 75th street as part of Adopt-A-Highway program.
10. HINDU SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH - SANSKRITI SHAKHA – MILWAUKEE
- SHAKHA FAMILY CAMP: Approx 118 swayamsevaks and sevikas (36 families) came
together for an overnight family camp in the second week of July. One of the
focus areas of the camp was introducing HSS to Dharma Internship
Program families & encourage them to continue attending shakha. A variety of
activities were conducted during the family camp including nature walk / hike on
the lake, Outdoor games, Indoor quiz, Maha khel. Debate on interesting current
topic, Shakha games and Campfire was also organised.
11. SEWA CANADA INTERNATIONAL AID INC: Sewa Canada
International Aid Inc became instrumental in setting up 6 Oxygen Plants (100 LPM
to 800 LPM) with Electrical Generator units in Bharat. The oxygen plants were
installed & commissioned in Rajasthan & Assam as part of Sewa Canada’s
commitment to provide long term Oxygen requirements in remote and rural
hospitals, as part of the COVID-19 Relief in Bharat program.
12. FIRST HINDU TEMPLE INAUGURATED IN MADAGASCAR: A
grand first Hindu temple was inaugurated on July 26 in Antananarivo, the capital
city of Madagascar. Bharatiya Ambassador to Madagascar and Comoros Abhay Kumar
participated in the event.
13. ANCIENT TEMPLE DISCOVERED IN AN 8000 YEARS OLD
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RUINS IN SAUDI ARABIA: The Saudi Heritage Commission
discovered an 8000 years old archaeological site at the site of Al-Faw,
south-west of the country’s capital, Riyadh.
14. BAPS SWAMINARAYAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE, SYDNEY: At
the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sydney the BAPS Swaminarayan Research
Institute, Australia was inaugurated.
15. 1200-year-old Lord Vishnu idol unearthed in J&K:On
July 27, a Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums team confirmed that
the sculptures, found by residents of Gudasathoo village of Budgwam while
digging land, dates back roughly to the 9th Century AD and is around 1,200
years old.
16. WITH $87 BILLION, BHARAT TOP REMITTANCE RECIPIENT IN
2021, SAYS UNITED NATION REPORT: Bharat received 87 billion dollars in
remittances in 2021, the top remittance recipient, and way ahead of countries
like China and Mexico, according to a World Health Organisation report released
on July 20.
With USD 87 billion, Bharat was the top remittance recipient among low and
middle-income countries, as per 2021 estimates, way ahead of China and Mexico’s
53 billion dollars, the Philippines (36 billion dollars) and Egypt (33 billion
dollars). The United States was the largest source country for remittances in
2020, followed by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland.
Remittances increase or maintain consumer spending and soften the blow of
economic hardship, such as during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The report said that remittances are an “important and positive” economic result
of migration for migrants themselves and for family and friends remaining in
their home countries.
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17. BHARATIYAS TOP IN IMMIGRANT FOUNDERS OF US UNICORNS:
More than half (319 of 582) of America's startup companies valued at $1
billion or more - known as unicorns - have at least one immigrant founder.
Bharat, with 66 companies, tops the chart as the country of origin for the
immigrant founders of US unicorns, shows a report released by
National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP).
Immigrants from Israel founded the second-most billion-dollar companies at 54,
followed by the UK (27), Canada (22), China (21), France (18), Germany (15),
Russia (11), Ukraine (10), and Iran (8).
The NFAP research has identified at least 10 immigrants who have founded two or
more unicorns. Four of them are from Bharat - Mohit Aron (founded Nutanix &
Cohesity), Ashutosh Garg (Bloomreach & Eightfold.ai), Ajeet Singh (Nutanix &
ThoughtSpot), and Jyoti Bansal (AppDynamics & Harness). The others are Al
Goldstein (born in Uzbekistan), Noubar Afeyan (Lebanon), Ignacio Martinez
(Spain), Elon Musk (South Africa), Sebastian Thrun (Germany), and Ion Stoica
(Romania).
The collective value of the 319 immigrant-founded companies is $1.2 trillion,
which is more than the value of the companies listed on the major stock markets
of many countries, including the Brazil Stock Exchange ($925 billion), Madrid
Stock Exchange ($727 billion), and Singapore Exchange ($679 billion).
In addition to the 319 billion-dollar startups with at least one immigrant
founder, NFAP identified 133 other companies with at least one immigrant in a
key leadership position, such as CEO, CTO or VP of engineering.
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18. BHARATIYAS NOW GET VISA-FREE ACCESS TO 60 COUNTRIES:
In a recently released global passport ranking chart, Bharat has ranked 87
among 199 passports.
The Henley Passport Index defines the strength of diplomatic relations of
countries with each other. The more 'ease of access' a country offers to others,
the higher its ranking. The data to compile this index was derived from
International Air Transport Association (IATA).
In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Bharat had access to only 23 countries.
But now, Bharatiya passport holders will get visa-free access to these 60
countries. The Henley Passport Index is published quarterly and in the last
quarter, Bharat had ranked 83, up from the 90th position in 2021's rankings. The
top ranks in the Henley Passport Index were secured by the following countries:
Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Germany. The countries at the bottom are:
Pakistan, Syria, Iran, and Afghanistan. Japan has topped the index with Japanese
passport holders enjoying easy access to 193 countries. In 2020, they had easy
access to 76 countries.
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19. ISRO LAUNCHED SATELLITES FOR 34 COUNTRIES, EARNED $279
MILLION: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), through its
commercial arms, has earned $279 million in foreign exchange by launching
satellites for global clients, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said in the Lok
Sabha on July 27.
The latest PSLV mission was on June 30 when ISRO's warhorse launch vehicle
placed three Singaporean satellites into orbit. PSLV-C53 mission by ISRO,
successfully launched three Singapore customer satellites namely DS-EO, NeuSAR
and SCOOB-1.
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20. HOLY ‘RAMAYANA MONTH’ BEGINS IN KERALA: Reciting
the divine story of Bhagwan Sri Ramchandra, the Ramayana month observance began
in Kerala on July 17.
The Hindus in Kerala observe ‘Karkidakam’, the last month in the Malayalam
calendar as Ramayana month, chanting the verses from Adhyatma Ramayana,
Malayalam translation of Valmiki Ramayana by medieval poet Thunchath Ramanujan
Ezhuthachan.
RSS Pracharak, the late P. Parameswaran, affectionately called Parameswarji,
popularised the Ramayana among the ordinary Hindu families in Kerala. Ramayana
Masacharanam, or observing Ramayana month in Karkkidakam at Hindu temples and
homes, was a concept mooted by Parameswarji at the Vishala Hindu Sammelanam held
in Kochi in the late 1970s.
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21. RSS SENIOR PRACHARAK VINAYAKRAO KANETKAR PASSES AWAY:
RSS senior Pracharak and former Sanghatan Mantri of Akhil Bharatiya Shikshan
Mandal Shri Vinayak Vishwanath Kanetkar (age 83 years) passed away on July 18 at
Kaushik Ashram in Pune. Vinayakrao Kanetkar was born on September 5, 1939. He
did his MA in Economics from Fergusson College, Pune. After serving in Akhil
Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad from 1961 to 1963, he became a full-time Pracharak
of the RSS. He was among the first few swayamsevaks who went to North-East
Bharat for RSS work. He was one of those who laid the foundation of what we see
today as Sangh’s work from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh. He worked in very
unfavourable conditions.
22. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: PRAVAS: VISITORS: Lalit Jha -
USA
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Through selfless service, you will always be fruitful
and find the fulfillment of your desires. ― Srimad Bhagavad Gita
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JAI SHRI RAM
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A YATRA TO UNDERSTAND ANCIENT INDIAN SCIENCE
Balakrishnan Satyam
Vijnana Yatra envisages journey through scientific heritage to ignite
minds to further build greater edifice of discoveries
The word pilgrimage carries immediate connotations. It is a trip undertaken to
offer thanks. We embark on it to experience a higher state, an elevation —
sometimes physically represented by a hill summit. The determined spiritual
seekers go into deep forests and remote mountain caves, while the more ordinary
among us visit major and lesser shrines that honour deities, saints, or
ascetics. Likewise, our scientific teams go as far as Antarctica or dive under
sea to study ancient port cities. They journey to remote places to study the
grammar structure in isolated dialects as spoken currently. So we too ourselves
can undertake modest but stimulating itineraries.
The benefits of a Vijnana Yatra are closely comparable to any Teerth Yatra or
trips to holy sites. Let’s make the comparison in some details. Science has
given our lives many things we can be thankful for — life saving medicine,
effort saving appliances, entertainment devices, speedy transport, and when we
look to our history — Ayurveda, astronomy, semantics, calisthenics with a
holistic approach, textiles, manuscripts on constructing structures, mathematics
and many more.
Our scientific research, like our pilgrimages, connects us with the larger
forces and mysteries of Nature. Like scripture, it gives us an opportunity to
ally with a tradition of belief and dedication. Science has an organised body of
updated theory and ongoing saga of rigorous research. It is a fine example of
proceeding with established knowledge and determinedly pursuing new results. The
struggles of scientists, their perseverance and steadfastness can serve as
lessons for us.
Exploring our scientific heritage in an intensive and educative way is vastly
different from forwarding vainglorious WhatsApp messages about fortress designs,
and rust-free columns. A Vijnana Yatra can be empowering to give insights, while
also being inspirational — a pilgrimage that helps us develop and apply a
scientific approach to more aspects of our lives.
We need better curated walk-throughs of Ayurveda and ancient astronomy. The
emphasis has to be on how the knowledge was obtained, how it was applied, and
the extent of proof or results obtained. An input from today’s scientists can be
of help to us in connecting ancient records with the current frontiers of
knowledge and application.
Scientific knowledge quite often has economic and cultural implications. An
institution such as the Calico Museum in Amdavad conveys information on the
manual, technical, chromatic, aesthetic, social, commercial and historical
aspects of weaving in an inter-related manner. Our prominent science museums
help us understand basic laws in physics through their apparatus displays. The
planetariums create a mind-expanding experience by helping us conceive how vast
the galaxies and nebulae are. The Jantar Mantar in various cities tells us a
fascinating story of how techniques and implements were devised to measure
distances to celestial bodies with remarkable accuracy.
Our manuscript museums and preservation centres in Pune, Thanjavur, Tirupati,
Varanasi, Guwahati, Shravanabelagola, Sambhalpur, Nalanda, Gaya, Kolkata,
Guwahati and elsewhere hold centuries-old commentaries and detailed debates on
methods, rules of evidence, atoms and states of matter, and the experiencing of
eternity.
To really cherish something we have, we should actually feel thankful for it.
Without such a felt gratitude, we merely take all that long legacy for granted,
which we can wave airily at and swagger about. When we sincerely treasure
knowledge, we have an idea of how it is gleaned, refined and transmitted.
We can actually appreciate the human attentiveness and diligence required for
these processes.
Isaac Newton said that he saw because he stood on the shoulders of giants, and
we have more reasons than anyone to be grateful to so many savants, sages,
scholars and scribes for adding to the wealth in almost every generation to the
extent the general circumstances allowed.
Tours need promoters. Traditional bus tour operators typically offer religious
tours of a week or two, and similarly the online travel portals should be able
to
easily market Vijnana Yatras to colleges, where they can do an informative
three-hour pre-tour orientation. Not only would such a trip be relevant to
science and engineering students, it’s easy to chalk out customised itineraries
for life science or mathematics or linguistics students. The idea of relating
concepts to actual places, objects, history and people, is to take the
successors physically closer to their vast legacy in enquiry and systematic
knowledge.
To extend support and encourage such Vijnana Yatras, the railways can subsidise
these bookings or have the fare partially borne by the Ministry of Science and
Technology. Over time, various student groups can be safely expected to assemble
and edit video clips from their tour and upload the content to an online
platform, which itself would be richly informative to all students. Labs,
factory floors, power stations, observatories, botanical hothouses, sanctuary
parks, heritage institutions, museums, archives have lessons to offer about
nature, society and scientific principles. Not only young students, other types
of visitor groups — families, corporate groups, media teams, bureaucrats,
science publishers and others — could find them appealing and useful.
In our country especially, pilgrims derive satisfaction from a dip in a lake or
river, or from wearing certain clothes during the journey. To satisfy such
needs, it shouldn’t be difficult to develop selfie points and suitable souvenirs
to celebrate these Vijnana Yatras.
There is a true saying that you can take a fellow pilgrim to the river bank, but
it’s up to him or her to take a dip. Science itself is a body of evidence about
a unifying supreme principle as there is an unmistakable similarity of structure
across the basic laws operating in Nature. The spirit of science is to share and
explore patterns in the vast universe around us, and not to thrust limiting
conclusions or narrow dogmas. Its message is always to foray towards a further
frontier.
The common faith that drives both the Teerth as well as the Vijnana Yatra is
that with an openness and a seeking, we receive glimpses and have insights by
the hour and by the day. Over a few years, they add up to a vision of what is
true and properly aligned with the universal principle. Thus, pilgrimages are
cumulative. They begin in the very first step of the journey and are not only
about a grand culmination at the end.
This is why inculcating a scientific outlook in our everyday living does so much
for us as it encourages an active intellect and alert senses and reasoning in
every individual. Underestimating the place of science can make us rely heavily
on some revelation experiences of a few. Taking sound guidance where it’s
available can be advantageous. Placing our trust could also serve us. However, a
detailed understanding of a masterpiece in its outer and inner dimensions is the
best tribute and salute to its creator, and reached only through scientific
knowledge.
(The writer is a creative director, advertising faculty.) https://www.dailypioneer.com/2022/columnists/a-yatra-to-understand-ancient-indian-science.html
Saturday, 23 July 2022
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