Ashadha Amavasya, Vik. Samvat 2072.Yugabda 5117: June 16, 2015


-1. FESTIVALS: Inetrnational Day of Yoga 2. STRIVE HARD TO FULFIL GLOBAL EXPECTATIONS FROM BHARAT: RSS CHIEF
3. HSS UK PRAUDH SHIBIR 4. KUTUMB PRABODHAN FOR RESURRECTION OF FAMILY VALUES
5. YOGA DAY CELEBRATIONS AT UN TO BE BROADCAST AT TIMES SQUARE 6. BANGLADESH CONFERS LIBERATION WAR AWARD ON VAJPAYEE
7.  MODI VISITS DHAKESHWARI TEMPLE 8. PRESIDENT PRANAB MUKHERJEE ANNOUNCES E-TOURIST VISAS FOR SWEDISH NATIONALS
9. HINDU UNITY DAY CELEBRATED IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA 10. DUBAI PARKS TO OPEN EARLY FOR YOGA, TAI CHI
11. PRESIDENT RELEASES YOGA BOOK IN BRAILLE 12.  CULTURAL PUSH: GOVT DECIDES TO POPULARISE RAMAYANA, RAMLILA ABROAD
13. BHARAT'S FIRST INDIGENOUS AIRCRAFT CARRIER INS VIKRANT UNDOCKED 14. ISRO BAGS SPACE PIONEER AWARD FOR LOW COST 'MARS ORBITER MISSION'
15. DELHI BILLIONAIRE WHO GAVE UP RS 600 CRORE TURNS INTO A MONK! 16.  SUPER COMPUTER LAUNCHED, TO IMPROVE WEATHER FORECASTING
17.  ‘AMARNATH YATRA WILL GO ON AS SCHEDULED’ 18. 3-DAY RSS INSPIRED GRAAMA SANGAMA CONCLUDES IN BENGALURU
19. DUBAI-BASED BHARATIYA ENTREPRENEUR TO DONATE HALF HIS WEALTH TO CHARITY 20.  NOW, TREK TO MOUNT KAILASH IN JUST 2.5 DAYS AS CHINA OPENS NEW ROUTE
21. BHARAT TO BE WORLD'S FASTEST GROWING ECONOMY AT 7.5%, SAYS WORLD BANK 22. HASSLE-FREE ACCESS TO BHUTAN, NEPAL, B’DESH
23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Articles:

THE HOT PURSUIT, FINALLY

A UNIQUE HINDU WAY OF APPRECIATING TEACHERS


1. FESTIVALS: Inetrnational Day of Yoga will be celebrated throughout the world on 21st June. 21st June, being the day of summer solstice – longest day in the Northern Hemisphere was declared by United Nations General Assembly as International Day of Yoga after the Bharatiya proposal as put forward by PM Narendra Modi in his UNGA speech was co-sponsored by record 177 member countries. Plans are being made for enthusiastic celebration involving masses, not only in Bharat, but all around the world with the participation of Bharatiya missions, Bharatiyas & local communities, temples, yoga gurus and others.  -goTop

 

2. STRIVE HARD TO FULFIL GLOBAL EXPECTATIONS FROM BHARAT: RSS CHIEF: Experiencing the recent change in Bharat the world is looking at it with great hope and confidence because Bharat has been trusted as the most credible nation. It is now the duty of the Hindu society to reinstall Bharat as Vishwaguru (World Teacher) by internalizing the values and ethos of ‘samarasata’ and togetherness.

This fervent appeal was made by RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohanrao Bhagwat on 5th June at Nagpur while addressing the valedictory function of the 25-day long RSS Third Year Summer Training Camp at the Reshambag ground.

Dr Virendra Hegde, who is associated with the Dharmasthala where Lord Manjunatha (Shiva) is the presiding deity, was the Chief Guest at the program and recalled in his address, how Vishwa Hindu Parishad succeeded in bringing together 170 saints and religious leaders on one platform and made an announcement that all Hindus are brethren. He also recalled his association with the late Sri Guruji Golwalkar, the second Sarsanghchalak of RSS.

Earlier, Yashvantbhai Chaudhary, Karyawah of the Camp informed that that there were 875 participants in the camp who had come from all over the country representing 16 linguistic groups.

Other prominent dignitaries present were ISRO Director M Annadurai, ISRO Group Director SV Sharma, Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of State for Information Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.  -goTop

 

3. HSS UK PRAUDH SHIBIR: Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, UK)  annual jamboree was enthusiastically held on 5, 6 and 7 June at Beaumanor Hall's, near Loughborough, landscaped, pristine gardens and cottages.  This year's chief guest was Shri Ramesh of NELE, (a project of Hindu Seva Pratishthana, Banglore). 

This year around 125 Swayamsevaks up and down the country thoroughly enjoyed meeting each other, listening to thought provoking Bauddhiks, brain storming on various subjects related to Sangh activities, playing games, learning Yogas, keep fit sessions and enjoying delicious, sumptuous food.  Apart from regular Shakha, the highlights of the Shibir were 3 Bauddhiks on the Sangh work in the UK - history, present status and future for our work and group discussion on the influence of Shakha on Swayamsevaks in their social work, fulfilling societal needs.

Shri Dhirajbhai Shah, Sanghachalak UK HSS, UK Kayawah Shri Dhirubhai Shah and pracharak Chandrakant Sharma dwelt on various aspects of role and future of HSS in the society, present status of work, progress of Bal Gokulam, sangh sanskar in swayamsevak etc. 

Dr Ram Vaidya, Sah Sanyojak - Vishva Vibhag, summed up the deliberations and put forward challenges and tasks including next year's Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Sangh work in the UK.  -goTop

 

4. KUTUMB PRABODHAN FOR RESURRECTION OF FAMILY VALUES: The chirp and cheer of a joint Indian family, with elders around to guide and advise, may make a comeback in homes if the RSS-launched programme of ‘Kutumb Prabodhan’ is to succeed in cities and villages across India.

“Kutumb Prabodhan” (Family Awakening) involves swayamsewaks approaching a family and getting all its members to sit together with “disturbing” modern gadgets completely switched-off and kept away at a distance.

The modern technology — Internet and mobile — is seen by RSS leaders as a further catalyst to the disruption of a Model Indian family system which has already come under “tremendous pressure” on account of “demands of modern life” and emergence of nuclear families.

‘Kutumb Prabodhan’ programme— a priority task for the RSS — is seeking all members to love their green offshoots (children) as much as roots (elders) of the family tree.

The RSS efforts may not exactly transform Indian families into the kind of bonhomie presented in the films like “Hum Aapke Hain Kaun” of Sooraj Barjatya or ‘Kabhi Khusi Kabhi Gham’ of Karan Johar but may still help mitigate the toxicity generated by the current “me-myself and my family culture” of the big cities.

Families in big cities are the most affected by the breaking up of the joint family system whereas villages are still free from “this negative development of the modern culture”, a senior RSS Prant Pracharak said. The presence of ‘Chaupals’ in villages still provide  platform to rural families to come together and discuss issues, the RSS leader pointed out.

He said a home is a lab where kids learn by observing elders and “therefore, Sangh wants to preserve the family system for the next generation” and encourage mutual cooperation and sharing with youngsters “learning tools for good life”.

RSS leaders are reaching out to families in villages and cities and asking them to spend at least one hour together every week and know about each others. The discussion may involve family issues, childhood memories or comparison of “this generation with the earlier ones and their challenges”.

Under the programme, newly married couples are also being advised on the ways to negotiate the sharp twists and turns of the nuptial road ahead.

The Sangh programme also involves “selected couples” of nearby villages staying as “guests” in each other’s family “and thus, enlarging their family ties”.

In the cities, RSS is asking families to wean away children from internet and mobiles and draw them to “healthy book reading or sports activities” with elders overseeing them. (By Deepak K Upreti Daily Pioneer, 2nd June 2015)  -goTop

 

5. YOGA DAY CELEBRATIONS AT UN TO BE BROADCAST AT TIMES SQUARE: The celebrations of the first International Day of Yoga at the United Nations , to be presided over by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, will be broadcast at Times Square for the world audience.

The UN will commemorate the inaugural International Yoga Day on June 21 with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and General Assembly President Sam Kutesa gracing the occasion. The Bharat-led celebrations will also feature a special lecture and demonstration by Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

These celebrations would be broadcast to an audience of thousands at Times Square, considered as the global crossroads in the heart of Manhattan. Another celebration of the Solstice Day would be observed at Times Square with thousands performing yoga exercises, according to the Bharatiya mission to the UN. Several Bharatiya-American and other ethnic organizations have joined hands to commemorate the first yoga day.  -goTop

 

6. BANGLADESH CONFERS LIBERATION WAR AWARD ON VAJPAYEE: Former Bharatiya prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was conferred the Bangladesh Liberation War award for his contribution to the liberation of the country from Pakistan on 7th June.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a two-day visit to Bangladesh, received the award on behalf of Vajpayee from President Mohammad Abdul Hamid at a function in Dhaka.

Modi said it was a moment of pride for the people of Bharat. Recalling Vajpayee's speech of December 1971 in parliament, Modi said the former prime minister had said friendship between Bharat and Bangladesh was like a bond which would not break under any pressure, and would never be the victim of any foul play of diplomacy.

Modi said Vajpayee's message had to be passed on to succeeding generations.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina highlighted Vajpayee's contribution to her country's Liberation War. -goTop

 

7.  MODI VISITS DHAKESHWARI TEMPLE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at the 12th-century Dhakeshwari temple in Dhaka on 7th June, on the second and concluding day of his Bangladesh visit. He then headed to the Ramkrishna Mission nearby and was greeted by the monks at the mission.

The Prime Minister spent around 15 minutes at the temple which was closed for nearly an hour for the public in the morning.

The PM was given a replica of Goddess Dhakeshwari and a shawl besides other memorabilia. The 800-year-old Sri temple in Lalbagh is state-owned, giving it the distinction of being Bangladesh's "national temple".

The Dhaka Ramakrishna Mission Math is a branch of the Belur Math, which PM Modi visited last month when he was in Kolkata.

The Prime Minister then inaugurated the newly-constructed Bharatiya High Commission's Chancery at Baridhara. -goTop

 

8. PRESIDENT PRANAB MUKHERJEE ANNOUNCES E-TOURIST VISAS FOR SWEDISH NATIONALS:  President Pranab Mukherjee announced on 2nd June e-tourist visas for all Swedish nationals during an interaction with business leaders from Bharat and Sweden in Stockholm.

Mukherjee, on a state visit to Sweden, assured the Swedish CEOs that the Bharatiya government is "responsive to industry and investors".

Welcoming the enthusiasm shown by Swedish firms in investing in Bharat, he said the three Ds of Bharat - Democracy, Demography and Demand will ensure that their investments are a huge success.

Pointing out that Bharat is going to become a $8-trillion economy in PPP terms by the end of this year and its international trade will soon cross $1 billion, the president called upon Swedish investors to lend their expertise.  -goTop

 

9. HINDU UNITY DAY CELEBRATED IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA: Milpitas, California – May 29, 2015 – In an atmosphere of collaborative spirit, wide spectrum of Hindu organizations came together on the occasion of Hindu Unity Day organized by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS).

Approximately 25 Hindu organizations representing various Bharatiya regions, languages, culture and Hindu philosophies came together to work for common good and in collaboration with each other. Though each organization has its own focus areas, a common thread that emerged in the discussion was their support for victims of recent earthquake in Nepal. Almost all the organizations attended the event were working on some programs to help their brothers and sisters in Nepal.

The shared theme that emerged was to leverage each other’s strengths so that combined community efforts can be maximized not only during the times of need like natural disasters, but also throughout the year for causes both local and international. Mr.Vijay Simha, one of the national executives of the HSS gave an impassioned key note speech to join hands in unity to promote the civil rights and welfare of the community.  -goTop

 

10. DUBAI PARKS TO OPEN EARLY FOR YOGA, TAI CHI: Yoga enthusiasts, joggers and other fitness freaks in Dubai have been allowed early morning access to parks and other facilities without an entry fee.

"We understand the need to encourage physical activities such as yoga, Tai Chi, and Art of Living for example," said Mohammed Al Fardan, the head of Parks at the Parks and Horticulture Department of the Dubai Municipality.

Fardan was addressing a press conference to announce the first International Yoga Day celebrations to be hosted by the city municipality on June 12, the report said.  -goTop

 

11. PRESIDENT RELEASES YOGA BOOK IN BRAILLE: President Pranab Mukherjee has released Yogikasparsh, a yoga manual in braille written by Nivedita Joshi, at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

He said that Yoga is an art, science and philosophy that helps to join the powers of body, mind and soul for achieving self-realization. The President added, "It is perhaps only yoga that provides the complete answer to a person's physical, mental, moral and spiritual well-being."

The President said that the publication of a Yoga manual in Braille was a welcome pioneering step in the right direction. The yoga manual in Braille was prepared by young yoga teacher Nivedita Joshi in association with scientists at the IIT - Delhi.

It is expected to help millions of blind people learn and practice Yoga. Nivedita Joshi, daughter of senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, suffered from a critical ailment some 19 years ago and got fully cured with the help of Yoga. Later, she dedicated her life to this ancient art of Bharat and became a Yoga teacher herself. -goTop

 

12.  CULTURAL PUSH: GOVT DECIDES TO POPULARISE RAMAYANA, RAMLILA ABROAD: The government has decided to popularise the Ramayana and Ramlila abroad through festivals and exhibitions as part of a broader cultural push to invigorate ties across the globe, said culture minister Mahesh Sharma.

The promotional events may be held in China, Mauritius and countries where the Ramayana and Ramlila are already popular, sources say.

One key component of the diplomatic effort, The Festivals of India,  is a combination  of dance performances, musical shows and other theme-based exhibitions and will showcase the traditions of Ramlila and Ramkatha (story of Ram) to portray Bharat’s “rich cultural diversity”. Such festivals have been organised in Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa and China with the latest edition scheduled for Australia in December. The government also has plans to organise these festivals, called Bharat Parv, at the district level.

Sources said the government was also working on ways to collect and preserve types of folklore associated with Ramlila. To propel this, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts is organising a seven-day international conference from November 23 to showcase traditional and contemporary forms of Ramlila and Ramkatha manthan. The IGNCA has also documented a 31-day film on ‘Ramnagar ki Ramlila’ that it plans to send to Doordarshan for screening. -goTop

 

13. BHARAT'S FIRST INDIGENOUS AIRCRAFT CARRIER INS VIKRANT UNDOCKED: Bharat undocked its first indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant at a simple ceremony at Cochin Shipyard on 10th June.

Bharat’s largest aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant's induction into the Navy will be done after a series of static and dynamic trials. 

The successful completion of the 40,000 tonne aircraft carrier puts Bharat in the elite group of four nations -- the US, Russia, the UK and France -- in the world capable of designing and constructing aircraft carriers.

The basic design of the indigenous aircraft carrier was done by the Bharatiya Navy's Directorate of Naval Design, which was developed into detailed design by the design team of CSL.

The ship has a length of over 260 metres and breadth of 60 metres. It has two take-off runways and a landing strip with three arrester wires, capable of operating STOBAR aircraft including the indigenous LCA, as well as a range of helicopters with hangar facilities.  -goTop

 

14. ISRO BAGS SPACE PIONEER AWARD FOR LOW COST 'MARS ORBITER MISSION': The country's low-cost Mars mission which is in rendezvous with the red Planet for an extended period has been presented with the Space Pioneer award for the year 2015 by the US' National Space Society. It was presented to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in the Science and Engineering category during the 34th Annual International Space Development Conference held at Toronto in Canada during May 20 -24, 2015.

It said the National Space Society (NSS) of USA presented this award in recognition of ISRO’s efforts in accomplishing Mars Mission in its very first attempt. National Space Society (NSS) is an independent nonprofit educational membership organisation dedicated to the creation of a space faring civilisation. -goTop

 

15. DELHI BILLIONAIRE WHO GAVE UP RS 600 CRORE TURNS INTO A MONK!: Not every day when we come across people like Bhanwarlal Raghunath Doshi who choose to give up their entire wealth to become a preacher. Yes, the owner of D.R. International, an international trading house dealing in various kinds of plastic raw materials, has given up his Rs 600-crore line-up to embrace the monastic life.

He made the move on 1st June in Ahmedabad in a high-end ceremony where around five lakh people were present. Doshi became the 108th desciple and turned into a monk under the discipleship of Jain Acharya. Along with him over 101 people from the audiences also made commitments to join the spiritual group in another five years by taking Diksha.

Doshi is the 354th postulant to have become a monk under Surishwarji Maharaj's discipleship. While not many know what prompted the 'plastic king' of Delhi to give up the worldly pleasures and lead an ascetic life, but it is being said that he was planning to take Jain Diksha since 1982. -goTop

 

16.  SUPER COMPUTER LAUNCHED, TO IMPROVE WEATHER FORECASTING: Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan inaugurated on 2nd June a 'high performance' computing facility at NCMRWF that will improve the country's weather forecasting capabilities.

Claiming that the supercomputer named 'Bhaskara' has placed Bharat in the league of the US and European countries, Harsh Vardhan said: "Our facilities for predicting weather are world-class. But what we are adding today is a landmark achievement." Housed in the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast (NCMRWF) in Noida, adjacent to Delhi, Bhaskara is part of the Earth System Science Organisation of the ministry of earth sciences that will considerably enhance prediction capabilities like tropical cyclones, heavy rainfall events, cloud burst events and monsoon, using high resolution regional models. -goTop

 

17.  ‘AMARNATH YATRA WILL GO ON AS SCHEDULED’: Rejecting the demands of  Kashmiri separatists to curtail the duration of the Amarnath Yatra, the Centre has declared that the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine will go ahead as scheduled and will last almost two months.

As many as 80 companies (8,000 personnel) of the CRPF will be deployed to secure the routes of the shrine. Medical teams have also been geared up for any emergencies. “The Amarnath Yatra will go on as per schedule. It will commence on July 2 and will continue for 59 days,” confirmed the Home Ministry. The affirmation came after separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Shabeer Shah and others demanded curtailment of the  Amarnath Yatra citing “fragile environmental conditions” of the mountainous region.

As many as 1.50 lakh devotees have registered so far the yatra. 7,500 yatris would be allowed for yatra every day. -goTop

 

18. 3-DAY RSS INSPIRED GRAAMA SANGAMA CONCLUDES IN BENGALURU : Pledged to make their village self-reliant, giving priority youth and women empowerment, and to eradicate the social ailments like alcoholism, untouchability etc; the 3-day RSS inspired GRAAMA SANGAMA concluded successfully at the premises of Prashanti Kuteeram in Jigani of Bengaluru on 14th June.

A total of 1819 participants, attended this 3 day conclave rom 15 districts of Southern Karnataka.

In his key note address, Dr Dinesh, Akhil Bharatiya Samyojak of Gram Vikas Vibhag, said ” The success rural development of the villages can happen because of the presence 3 major factors,. First, the Matrushakti. Second, the Dharmik Shkati,  Third, the Kisan Shakti (Farmers).

RSS Akhil Bharatiya Sah Bouddhik Pramukh, Mukunda CR in his valedictory address, said “Each village should be self-reliant. The rural development not merely done by outsiders or the govt projects. The Villagers should take self initiative to imbue works focusing on upliftment of the own village.”

The 3-day event was completely ORGANIC in its action. All food commodities used were completely organic, grown and contributed by Organic farmers from Karnataka. The Bhagawadwaj used in the conclave was made from purely organic cotton, natural colours were used. The event was ecofriendly, was plastic-free. V Nagaraj, RSS Kshetreeya Sanghachalak, Dr P Vaman Shenoy, RSS Sah-Pranth Sanghachalak, N Tippeswamy, RSS Pranth Karyavah were present on the dais.  -goTop

 

19. DUBAI-BASED BHARATIYA ENTREPRENEUR TO DONATE HALF HIS WEALTH TO CHARITY:  A 58-year-old Dubai-based Bharatiya education entrepreneur has pledged to give away more than half of his wealth for helping teachers around the world by signing a popular philanthropic campaign.

Kerala-born Sunny Varkey joins the likes of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and fellow Bharatiya Wipro chairman Azim Premji by signing Bill Gates's "The Giving Pledge" campaign.

"I am delighted to sign the Giving Pledge. I was fortunate that I grew up in a family where charity was ingrained in us from a very early age. Even when my father earned a small amount, a large portion was shared with the community we lived in, sometimes at the cost of our own comfort," Mr Varkey said.

He is the founder of Gems Education, the world's leading education provider, which covers around 140,000 students across the world from over 153 nationalities. -goTop

 

20.  NOW, TREK TO MOUNT KAILASH IN JUST 2.5 DAYS AS CHINA OPENS NEW ROUTE: The pilgrimage to Kailash-Mansarovar will be a breeze from June 22, thanks to a new route allowed by the Chinese government. Instead of trekking for 12 days over rugged terrain at altitudes up to 19,500 feet as they have been doing for centuries now, pilgrims to Mount Kailash in south western Tibet will be driven all through the Tibetan plateau from Nathula in Sikkim.

While the old yatra route through Lipulekh takes 22 days, the journey from Nathula will take only 19 days (from Delhi and back). Significantly, against 12 days of trekking, the pilgrims will walk for only two-and-a-half days — when they do the 'parikrama' of Mount Kailash. The first batch of 50 pilgrims will cross over into Tibet from Sikkim on June 22 to bus it all the way to Darchen for their holy 'parikrama'. -goTop

 

21. BHARAT TO BE WORLD'S FASTEST GROWING ECONOMY AT 7.5%, SAYS WORLD BANK: Bharat is expected to grow 7.5 per cent this year, surpassing China, and for the first time is leading the World Bank's growth chart of major economies. China is projected to grow at 7.1 per cent this year.

In Bharat reforms have buoyed confidence and falling oil prices have reduced vulnerabilities, paving the way for the economy to grow by a robust 7.5 per cent rate in 2015, the report said. -goTop

 

22. HASSLE-FREE ACCESS TO BHUTAN, NEPAL, B’DESH: The Cabinet has approved the signing of a motor vehicles pact between Bharat and three other SAARC nations — Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal on June 15. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari will visit Bhutan to sign the pact with his counterparts, which will enable seamless transit of passenger and cargo vehicles among these nations.

Signing of the BBIN pact will promote safe, economically-efficient and environmentally-sound road transport in the sub-region and will help each country in creating an institutional mechanism for regional integration, said Gadkari, detailing the Cabinet’s decision. -goTop

 

23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri Ravikumar, sah samyojak Vishwa Vibhag is on tour to US, Hong Kong and Thailand. Shri Shyam Parande, secretary Sewa International visited Nepal for earthquake relief activities. Visitors: Prakash Ranade & family – USA,  -goTop

 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: When we talk about understanding, surely it takes place only when the mind listens completely - the mind being your heart, your nerves, your ears- when you give your whole attention to it. - Jiddu Krishnamurti -goTop

JAI SHREE RAM

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THE HOT PURSUIT, FINALLY

Countering cross-border terror across the border

The successful strike by the Indian Army's Special Forces against militants holed up on the other side of the India-Myanmar border marks an important and welcome change in the country's policy towards terrorism. As a Union Minister remarked, it was “unprecedented and bold”. The strike shows that the Narendra Modi Government is willing to adopt ‘hot pursuit', if need be. The cross-border offensive came days after militants massacred 18 Armymen in Manipur in an ambush. It was known that the militants had fled to the Myanmar side after the attack. While there is still some confusion on the extent of communication the Indian officials had maintained with their counterparts in Myanmar on this particular development, the two sides have coordinated closely in the recent past on tackling militancy directed against India from across the border.

Myanmar was also reportedly informed about the development soon after it happened. There is no reason to believe that the episode will adversely impact the close cooperation that exists between the two countries in fighting terror. On the contrary, it can strengthen the resolve, given that Myanmar has irrefutable evidence that its soil is being used to launch attacks against India. Although reports have it that some important militant leaders have been eliminated by the Special Forces' offensive, the long-term impact remains to be seen.

All the same, it is clear that the fear of the Indian Army must have percolated into the minds of the militants, who, until now, had thought they were safe as long as they were on the Myanmar side of the border. India's strong response cannot be termed as knee-jerk, because New Delhi had tried its best to get the militant groups to the discussion table. Several rounds of talks had taken place, but it was clear that the terror outfits were not in a mood to be reasonable. After the Indian Army's surgical strike, perhaps some of them may now be more receptive. Else, they will learn the hard way.

This apprehension must have spread, or ought to spread, among militant groups operating elsewhere too — along the India-Pakistan line, for instance. Of course, the dynamics are different. The Government in Naypyidaw has been working closely with New Delhi over the last many months on combating terror, whereas Islamabad has not only been uncooperative but has also tacitly backed anti-India militants. While this complicates matters, it should not come in the way of India's resolve to do all it can — diplomatically and otherwise — to neutralise terrorists who either have Islamabad's/Rawalpindi's direct support or are propped up by non-state elements Pakistan patronises.

Given that diplomacy has got us nowhere despite years of effort, perhaps ‘hot pursuit' into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where militant camps are flourishing, will be seriously contemplated by the Modi regime. In doing so, while the Government should naturally take into consideration the fallouts, it must not be overly sensitive to external opinion. The security and sovereignty of one’s country remains supreme. The US showed this with its elimination of Osama bin Laden on Pakistani territory, and Israel repeatedly demonstrates a similar commitment by hitting its enemies on foreign soil, despite being slammed by even its friends in the West. (Editorial, The Pioneer, 11 June 2015)  -goTop

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A UNIQUE HINDU WAY OF APPRECIATING TEACHERS

Ayush Sharma

In the traditional Hindu belief system, the teacher is regarded extremely highly. After the mother and father, the teacher is said to have the greatest influence on a child’s development. Although we all admire and respect our teachers, our actions may not always convey this message. For the ninth year in a row, Hindu Education Foundation (HEF) has taken up the responsibility of reminding us to show our teachers the respect they deserve.

HEF volunteers conduct Guru Vandana, or teacher appreciation, events all over the nation. Last year, teachers were respected in the traditional Hindu way in 39 different locations around the US, including numerous events in Texas.

This year, there were a total of eight events hosted across Texas with four in Houston, three in Dallas, and one in San Antonio. Over 100 teachers were honored in Houston alone, and a total of 252 teachers were honored all over the state. The events took place over the May 9th and 16th weekends.

HEF takes a very unique approach to respecting the teachers. First of all, children are asked to invite all of their teachers, not only their “favorite ones.” And yes, this includes the teacher that gives the incredibly difficult calculus tests every week. This is because Hindus believe that all teachers should be respected since they are the ones who remove ignorance from our lives.

When teachers arrive to the events, they are greeted with student made posters and displays explaining concepts from Hinduism. The events start with the lighting of a lamp to signify the removal of darkness. The main program contains a presentation to introduce the concept of a Guru to the teachers and to discuss misconceptions in Hinduism. There are also cultural programs such as dances, skits, and musical performances. During the program, the teachers are called onto the stage to be honored by being given a small token of respect from their students. The events are followed by an Indian vegetarian dinner that the teachers always appreciate.

HEF is a national organization which works with Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) to increase public awareness about Hinduism and India. Volunteers with HEF have worked with the Texas Board of Education to correct misconceptions about Hinduism in school textbooks and to increase the amount of information about India. These improved textbooks are set to be distributed in the 2015-16 school year.

Ayush Sharma is a second year chemical engineering and pre-med student at the University of Texas at Austin. -goTop

Jyestha Shukla 14, Vik. Samvat 2072.Yugabda 5117: June 1, 2015


-1. FESTIVALS: Kaliyattom

2. 75 years of RSS Prarthana

3. HSS Houston Organizes Hindu Sangathan DIVAS

4. Fourth Hindu Mandir priestS' Conference

5.  Path SANCHALAN BY Shiksharthis, 3rd year Sangh Shiksha Varg

6. Bharatiya-American kids win spelling bee title 8th successive year

7.   Anti-ship Harpoon missile fired from fighter jet

8.   Yeo to be the chancellor of Nalanda university

9.  Bharatiya origin voters played kingmaker in UK polls: Survey

10.  PIO Vaz in charge of UK's main opposition party for now

11. Sikh Youth Federation Celebrates Turban Up Event in Toronto

12. Bharat joins club of nations with ‘road runways

13. Bharatiyas 2nd biggest job creators in London

14.  British students scramble for bharatiya universities

15. Bharatiya-origin businessman Gautam Banerjee honoured in Singapore

16. Obama names PIO prof to key admin post

17.  Sikh man in NEW Zealand lauded worldwide for his selfless act

18. Iraqi Kurds revive ancient Kurdish Zoroastrianism religion

19. PRAVINBHAI PATEL GETS INDIAN UNSUNG HERO AWARD

20.  TOTOS SCRIPT THE BIRTH OF A DYING TONGUE

21. Kalyan Ashram Hostel in Mangaluru

22. Treat Ganga as mother

23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Articles:

BHARATIYA EDUCATION: A HOLISTIC AND INTEGRATED APPROACH

HSS NEPAL EARTHQUAKE RELIEF ACTIVITY REPORT


1. FESTIVALS: Kaliyattom was celebrated on May 29 this year at Bhagavathi Temple at Kaliyattamukku, near Tirurangadi in Keral. People from different places of Malappuram and Kozhikode district gathered for the festival held on the last Friday of the Malayalam month of Edavam. Kaliyattom is a festival of agriculture. It has widely been considered a festival of seed procurement for the farmers getting ready for the upcoming monsoon. Groups of devotees from different parts of the district proceeded to Kaliyattamukku in vehicles, carrying Poikuthira (symbolic horse) made of coconut leaves and bamboo. The processions halted near the Muttiyara, near Thalappara, and paid homage at the graves of Muttiyara martyrs resting at the mosque graveyard. -goTop

 

2. 75 years of RSS Prarthana: RSS Swayamsevaks across the world remembered the 75th anniversary of Sangh Prarthana 'Namaste Sada Vatsale Matrubhoome'. The Sangh Prarthana was first publicly sung by RSS Pracharak Yadav Rao Joshi on May 18, 1940 in Sangh Shiksha Varg held at Nagpur. During the same period, in another Sangh Shiksha Varg held in Pune, the Prarthana was sung by RSS pracharak Anant Rao Kale. The prayer is in Sanskrit except that its last line 'Bharat Mata Ki Jay' is in Hindi. Prarthana was written by Narahari Narayan Bhide, a Sanskrit scholar under the guidance of Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, Madhav Sadashivrao Golwalkar and other senior RSS leaders during 1940. Each RSS shakha will have Sangh Prarthana at the end. -goTop

 

3. HSS Houston Organizes Hindu Sangathan DIVAS: The Houston chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA (HSS) held its tenth annual Hindu Sangathan Divas conference on May 30, at the Sri Govindji Gaudiya Matha in Houston. Representatives of over 50 Hindu organizations from the Houston area attended the conference. Hindu Sangathan Divas offered an opportunity to representatives of Houston area Hindu organizations to network with each other with the goal of synergizing the work of these organizations. Because these organizations serve the Hindu and mainstream community with a common purpose, they could exchange ideas, share material and resources, and learn from each other's experiences, while at the same time maintaining their autonomy.

The keynote address was delivered by Professor Ved Nanda, HSS National President. He emphasized that Hindu organizations should come together to promote the idea of "United we stand, divided we fall". He also mentioned that we Hindus are part of several thousand years of  legacy and great value system and it is every Hindu's responsibility to communicate it properly not only to our fellow Hindu but to world at large to promote the idea of "Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah". -goTop

 

4. Fourth Hindu Mandir priestS' Conference: More than 55 pundits, adults, and youth delegates representing temples and Hindu organizations across US attended the fourth Hindu Mandir Priests' Conference (HMPC) hosted by Hindu Temple of Minnesota (HTM), Maple Grove, Minnesota, on May 15-16. The conference had four sessions on role and relationship of priests, sustaining Hindu temples, community links and Hindu-American youth viewpoint. Professor Anant Rambachan from St. Olaf College, Minnesota, delivered the keynote address on the second day. Koteshwaran Gurukkal from Ganesh Temple, Nashville, Tennessee, Krishnarajan Devarajan from Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, Lemont, Illinois, and S. Venkatacharyulu of Sri Venkateswara Temple, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, were the recipients of the 2015 award. Kandamangalam Gopala Deekshidhar was recognized for his service to HTM. -goTop

 

5.  Path SANCHALAN BY Shiksharthis, 3rd year Sangh Shiksha Varg: A Spectacular Path Sanchalan (Route-March) was held by RSS Swayamsevaks attending Truteeya Varsh Sangh Shiksha Varg in Nagpur on May 27th  evening. Dressed in RSS uniform called Ganavesh, RSS cadres marched with pride on major streets of Nagpur. RSS Sarasanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, Swami Madhava Priya ji from Swami Narayana Ashram, and many other senior RSS adhikaris witnessed the RSS Path Sanchalan. A total of 876 select RSS karyakartas from across the country are participating in this 25-day camp which began on May 11, 2015.  -goTop

 

6. Bharatiya-American kids win spelling bee title 8th successive year: Two Bharatiya-American kids blew past the competition to be declared joint winners of the 88th US National Scripps Howard Spelling Bee championships on May 28. It marked the eighth successive year that Bharatiya-American students have taken the title, extending a winning streak that began in 2008. Bharatiya-origin children have now bagged the title in 13 of the past 16 years, starting 1999 when Nupur Lala won the nerdy word crown. Kavya Shivshankar and Gokul Venkatachalam, both 13, spelled every word thrown at them with aplomb till the judges ran out of time and words and declared them joint winners. They were the last two standing from a field of 285 finalists who came to Washington DC for the widely-followed event that has become something of rite of passage for school children, and a specialty for Bharatiya-origin children.

Such is the ethnic Bharatiya dominance of the competition now that 60 of the 285 finalists who made it to the Capital (from a pool of 11 million of school children across the nation and beyond) were of Bharatiya-origin; 25 of the 49 who made it to the final televised segment on the last day were Bharatiya -Americans, and then it was seven out of the final ten under the klieg-lights, making it a foregone conclusion that one of them would win.

Even allowing for such dominance, Kavya Shivshankar and Gokul Venkatachalam were extraordinary, silkily slaying words such as myrmotherine (feeding on ants), hippocrepiform (shaped like a horseshoe), bruxellois (a native or resident of Brussels), pyrrhuloxia (a genus of birds), and scherenschnitte (the art of cutting paper into decorative designs). -goTop

 

7.   Anti-ship Harpoon missile fired from fighter jet: The Indian Air Force (IAF) launched an anti-ship Harpoon missile from a fighter plane for the first time at a pre-designated target in the Arabian Sea. The missile, built by US defence giant Boeing, was launched on May 22 from a Jaguar maritime strike fighter that flew 200 nautical miles off the west coast to carry out the mission. The fighter belonged to the IAF's maritime strike squadron based at the Lohegaon airbase outside Pune. The Jaguar was refuelled midair during the mission. An official confirmed it was the "first live firing" of the Harpoon from a warplane in Bharat after integration by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. "It was successful," he added. With a range of 124 km, the Harpoon is capable of land-strike missions too. -goTop

 

8.   Yeo to be the chancellor of Nalanda university: Former Foreign Minister of Singapore George Yeo will be the new Chancellor of the Nalanda University. 60-year-old Yeo, who was conferred Padma Bhushan in 2012, is currently serving as a member of the governing board of the prestigious university at Rajgir area of Bihar.  The former Singapore Foreign Minister has been playing a key role in reviving the the ancient seat of learning and has been praised for his contribution in the field of "public affairs". The idea to revive Nalanda University was first mooted in 2005 by then Rashtrapati APJ Abdul Kalam. The university is being built near the ruins of the historic academic place by the same name in Bihar and a number of member countries of the East Asia Summit grouping are involved in the project.  -goTop

 

9.  Bharatiya origin voters played kingmaker in UK polls: Survey: The Conservatives won a majority as a result of one million ethnic minority votes, research by British Future think tank has found. Nearly 6, 15,000 Bharatiya-origin voters were expected to vote in the May 7 elections this year. It found much higher support for the Conservatives among Asian voters this year with 50% in favour of Cameron's party and only 38% supporting Labour. Around 49% of the Hindu votes went to the Conservative Party while 41% went to Labour. Cameron had worked hard in drawing the Hindu vote, visiting the Swaminarayan temple and accorded it the same status as the Stonehenge and the Big Ben. -goTop

 

10.  PIO Vaz in charge of UK's main opposition party for now: Bharatiya-origin MP Keith Vaz has broken the glass ceiling of British politics by becoming Labour vice-chairman, the second most important post of the party. Born to Goan parents in Aden, 58-year-old Keith Vaz - Britain's longest-serving Asian MP - is virtually the top man in Labour for now as the party does not have a chairman after Ed Miliband quit after the recent election rout. Vaz's appointment reflects Labour Party's fresh interest in garnering an all-important Bharatiya origin support in the future, especially after a million ethnic minority votes helped put Conservative PM David Cameron back into 10 Downing Street.  -goTop

 

11. Sikh Youth Federation Celebrates Turban Up Event in Toronto: Toronto's Sikh Youth Federation celebrated an event called "Turban Up" in a bid to spread greater awareness about Sikhism and also to remove some myths about people who wore turbans. Almost 10,000 metres of fabric rolled in to mark the event. An organiser of the event, a 24-year-old law student at the University of Windsor,  Gurjiwan Singh, said, "About four years ago, an event like this, much smaller, was put on at the University of Waterloo. We wanted to take it to the next level. What better place than Dundas Square (it's the second year the event has been held here). It’s about breaking stereotypes, breaking barriers." People thronged Dundas Square and watched live performances of traditional Sikh swordsmanship, listened to music and ate free meals - the mandatory Sikh "langar" served to all in the community. -goTop

 

12. BHARAT JOINS CLUB OF NATIONS WITH ‘ROAD RUNWAYS’: A Mirage-2000 fighter successfully test-landed on the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh on May 21. Though several countries, ranging from China and Pakistan to Sweden and Germany, have such "road runways", it was the first time that such a trial run was conducted in Bharat. "If an airbase is under attack or bombed during a war, the Indian Air Force will need a proper surface from which it can continue to operate," said a senior officer.
"The aim is to activate such road runways on different highways around the country, which we are in the process of identifying. All facilities like a make-shift air traffic control, safety services, rescue vehicles, bird clearances parties and other requirements were set up by our personnel from the Agra Air Force Station for the mission," he added. -goTop


13. BHARATIYAS 2ND BIGGEST JOB CREATORS IN LONDON: Bharatiyas have become the second biggest job creators in London in 2015. Latest data released by London and Partners on May 19 showed that Bharatiya companies have already created 504 new jobs this year in London alone - second only to the Americans who created 1983 jobs. The number of jobs being created by Bharatiya companies for Londoners has been increasing with every passing year. In 2012, Bharat created 404 jobs in London followed by 429 in 2013 and 438 in 2014. -goTop


14. BRITISH STUDENTS SCRAMBLE FOR BHARATIYA UNIVERSITIES: In a reverse trend, Britain is now seeing a mad rush among its students to know modern Bharat and become part of the country's amazing growth story. Over 6000 students from across British universities have applied to fill 400 spots under the first of its kind Generation UK programme - a project under which 25,000 British students will travel to Bharat over the next five years to understand the country and enhance their chances of employability in global Bharatiya business houses. An additional 400 British students have applied for just 100 positions to teach across Bharatiya schools.
The overall batch of 500 will leave for Bharat at the end of June. They will be placed across five Bharatiya universities - Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad), Indian Institute of Science (Bengaluru), Delhi University, Indian Institute of Technology (Bombay) and the National Institute of Design (Ahmedabad) -goTop

 

15. Bharatiya-origin businessman Gautam Banerjee honoured in Singapore: A Bharatiya-origin entrepreneur is among four persons conferred national honour in Singapore for their "instrumental roles" in the continued growth of the country's business landscape. Gautam Banerjee, who is senior managing director at Blackstone and co-chairman of its Asia operating committee, as well as chairman of Blackstone Singapore, was awarded the 'Public Service Medal' by President Tony Tan Keng Yam. 

Having left Mumbai at the age of 16, Banerjee worked with leading financial firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for more than 30 years, with nine years as its executive chairman, until his retirement in December 2012. 
Once nominated a member of parliament in Singapore, Banerjee currently serves on the board of Singapore Airlines Limited, the Indian Hotels Company Limited and is the vice chairman of the Singapore Business Federation. -goTop

 

16. Obama names PIO prof to key admin post: US President Barack Obama has named a Bharatiya-American professor from Yale University as a member of the prestigious National Council on Humanities. The nomination of Akhil Amar, Sterling professor of law and political science at the university since 2008, was announced on May 20 by Obama along with other key administration positions. Amar has been a professor at both Yale Law School and Yale College. -goTop

 

17.  Sikh man in NEW Zealand lauded worldwide for his selfless act: A day after a Sikh man from Bharat broke religious protocol by removing his turban to help a profusely bleeding child in New Zealand, people are praising him on the social networking sites for his humanitarian gesture. The story of 22-year-old Harman Singh has been shared tens of thousands of times on social media as he woke up May 16 to hundreds of messages from around the world praising his humanitarian effort.  Singh said he had changed his shift as a bakery delivery driver the day before. Singh said he was in bed when he heard tyres screeching and rushed outside. He saw a little boy lying in the road and there was a lot of blood coming from the back of his head. A lady was holding him and he wasn't moving. The boy was going to school with his sister when the accident happened outside his house in South Auckland on May 15 morning. Singh, who is from Bharat, is in Auckland studying a business course. His act is considered a hugely significant because it breaks strict religious protocol. The boy was thought to have suffered life-threatening head injuries but was recovering after surgery. -goTop

 

18. Iraqi Kurds revive ancient Kurdish Zoroastrianism religion: One of the smallest and oldest religions in the world is experiencing a revival in the semi-autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan. The religion has deep Kurdish roots - it was founded by Zoroaster, also known as Zarathustra, who was born in Iranian Kurdistan (the Kurdish part of Iran) and the religion's sacred book, the Avesta, was written in an ancient language from which the Kurdish language derives. However this century it is estimated that there are only around 190,000 believers in the world - as Islam became the dominant religion in the region during the 7th century, Zoroastrianism more or less disappeared.

Until - quite possibly - now. For the first time in over a thousand years, locals in a rural part of Slemani (Sulaymaniyah) province conducted an ancient ceremony on May 1, whereby followers put on a special belt that signifies they are ready to serve the religion and observe its tenets. It would be akin to a baptism in the Christian faith.

The newly pledged Zoroastrians have said that they will organise similar ceremonies elsewhere in Iraqi Kurdistan and they have also asked permission to build up to 12 temples inside the region, which has its own borders, military and Parliament.  -goTop

 

19. PRAVINBHAI PATEL GETS INDIAN UNSUNG HERO AWARD: The third edition of Kiwi Indian Hall of Fame was all glaze and glitters on 1st June. An evening studded with celebrities, stars and elites, witnessed more than 400 guests in The Great Room at The Langham.

The most awaited awards of the year for the Kiwi Bharatiya community were given out by the Prime Minister and the Chief Guest for the night, Rt Hon John Key. Pravin Bhai Patel won the Unsung Hero award for his continuous work towards the betterment of the Bharatiya community in New Zealand. Shri Pravinbhai Patel is Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh HSS New Zealand Sanghachalak.

The young achiever award was given out to the very talented Prerna Sinha while Dr Kantilal Naranji Patel was inducted into the Kiwi Indian Hall of Fame for the year 2015 for his extensive work for the community through East Tamaki Healthcare and Nirvana Health Group.  -goTop

 

20.  TOTOS SCRIPT THE BIRTH OF A DYING TONGUE: In a remote village close to Bharat's frontiers with Bhutan, one of the country's most ancient tribes, Toto, has won the battle to save its dying tongue from extinction. Their language, which did not have a script, was declared critically endangered by the UNESCO. However, some neo-literate members of the community led by Dhaniram Toto recently gave birth to the script of their native language comprising 37 alphabets. Boosting their efforts further, an Australian linguist Toby Anderson is developing fonts for the script and making it adaptable to computers. Totos are endemic to the village of Totopara in North Bengal.

The architect of this success story, Dhaniram Toto, a poet and writer, has written two books on Toto folk culture and poems called Lokeshwar and Uttar Banga Lokpath. He was awarded by the West Bengal Government in 1997 in recognition of his writings.  -goTop

 

21. Kalyan Ashram Hostel in Mangaluru: A hostel exclusively for Vanvasi students by the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, the first one in coastal Mangaluru area and the 6th in Karnataka State, was inaugurated by Kajampady Subramanya Bhat, national convener of Parivar Prabodhan, on May 25. The hostel is located at Adkar near Sullia on Mangaluru-Mysuru Highway. The hostel building was dedicated to Kalyan Ashram by Lalita-Ganapati Memorial Trust which is headed by Bengaluru based Company Secretary Ramesh Bhat. In Karnataka,  -goTop

 

22. Treat Ganga as mother: Over 100 senior saints assembled at Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal meeting of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Haridwar from May 25 to 26. They called upon the countrymen to treat the river Ganga as mother and not to pollute her ghats as well as water at any cost. In a resolution passed at the meeting the saints stressed the need that the flow of Ganga must be ensured at every ghat and pilgrimage place.  -goTop

 

23. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri Ravikumar sahsamyojak Vishwa Vibhag will be in USA, Hong Kong and Thailand.  

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Let our workers keep their minds free and work for our people, our Dharma, in the right spirit, lend a helping hand to all our brethren who need help and strive to relieve distress wherever we see it. In this service no distinction should be made between man and man. We have to serve all, be he a Christian or a Muslim or a human being of any other persuation: for, calamities, distress and misfortunes make to such distinction but affect all alike. And may our actions succeed bringing out the glory and effulgence of our Sanatan-Eterna -Dharma  - Shri Guruji M.S. Golwalkar. -goTop

JAI SHREE RAM

 

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BHARATIYA EDUCATION: A HOLISTIC AND INTEGRATED APPROACH

 Mukul Kanitkar

Social changes usually start as an idea. The seed thought of an idea can be the result of deliberate intellectual activity. However, most of the ideas that revolutionise society are spontaneously born. We see that a similar thought expresses itself across different societies within a short span as brief as a decade. If one can keenly observe and map such spontaneously germinating thought processes, it would be possible to predict the collective mind of humanity with relative accuracy. The prophecies of visionaries like Swami Vivekananda and even the 'prophets' are the result of such logical analysis, sometimes intentional, mostly intuitive.

If we observe the social trends of the last decade all over the world, we find that the most dominat current thought is that of 'Change'. All the nations are in search of an ideal and effective educational system. In Bharat also, this craving for total transformation of the education system is evolving in various forms at different levels.

On one hand, several small and medium scale experimentations of innovation in education are cropping up everywhere. There are some schools started by socially concerned activists, which follow an alternate model of education. Innovations in teaching methodology are being experimented by individual teachers, both in government and private educational institutions. On the other hand, government has also initiated a consultative process of formulating a new educational policy. Consultations at grass roots level in lakhs of villages have begun. The next step will be at the bloc level, then at the district level and finally at the State level; all of which will be completed within a year. The successful implementation of any policy depends upon the participation of people and when participation is at such a formative level of policy development, it involves the inclusion of all the aspirations of the majority of the citizens. This sensitivity of governance will inherently result in practical, friendly and effective policies.

Thus this is an opportune time to initiate and activate a thoughtful movement for the creation of an indigenous mode of education. The genuine patriots of Bharat have been constantly endeavouring to de-Macualise the educational system right from the time of Independence. Even during the Freedom Struggle, nationalist education was based on an effort to create an indigenous alternative to the colonial system of education. Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal was born out of this national urge of expressing its own core in the field of education. In 1984, a questionnaire was sent to more than 6,000 educationists, teachers, administrators of educational institutes and researchers of which feedback was received from 4,000 people. Based on this input, a comprehensive outline of education, Bharatiya Shiksha Rooprekha was prepared. It is a holistic and integrated treatise on the complete functioning of the educational system. It includes the aims of education, policy alternatives, and structural reforms. Recommendations on content and proposals for evaluation and examination are also present in this document. The outline proposes a flexible pattern of education where entry and exit at any level is possible without loss of years. Common education till the 8th standard will be followed by a structure that allows multiple scenarios according to the needs of the society. Those who are forced to work for their family after this stage would be considered apprentices and allowed re-entry with a bridge course at a higher standard. Those who opt to continue higher schooling are given ample choice to study the topics nearer to their heart without compromising their carreer opportunities. This pattern of 8+4+3 or 8+2+2 or 8+2+2+2+3 allows vertical as well as horizontal flexibility to accommodate individual interests engaging the complex needs of Bharatiya society. The section of the outline on autonomous self-governance of education, enlists ways of creating a structure of independent educationists to manage all levels of education, without overt interference from the government. Another special feature of this outline is the emphasis on implementation. The last chapter which is incidentally the largest one, elaborates the steps to be taken for gradual transformation of the educational system. Teachers, as the pivot of the education system, must be thoroughly prepared before any policy change is affected. Other changes are also to be brought in one step at a time, so no drastic upheavals are experienced by the society.

Since August 2014, the outline has been republished in various languages. Discussions on this outline are being conducted at district levels. A detailed feedback form is part of this publication. Shikshan Mandal has ignited a thought movement to mobilise an all encompassing public opinion by targeting people from all walks of life.  (The writer is Joint Org. Sect. of Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal) - Organiser 7 June, 2015. -goTop

 

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HSS NEPAL EARTHQUAKE RELIEF ACTIVITY REPORT

Nepal has been hit by two earthquakes in less than three weeks, killing thousands, injuring tens of thousands, and leaving millions more with the burden of rebuilding their lives. A large proportion of population is displaced from their damaged homes. Many structures of archaeological importance, centuries-old architectures, including several Muths, Mandirs, Gumbas (Buddhist monasteries) have been destroyed in different parts of Nepal counting those within Kathmandu valley. Seeing the scene of utter destruction, in the face of disaster, Sangh Parivar including organizations like Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Nepal, Jankalyan Pratishthan, Pragyik Vidyarthi Parishad Nepal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad Nepal, Pashupati Shiksha Prasar Samiti, Janajati Kalyan Ashram and Sewa International Nepal joined hands together to provide humanitarian relief. Assimilating with the grief of the people who lost their near and dear ones, the volunteers swung into the rescue and relief works just 3 hours after the devastating tremor. They started distributing drinking water, rice, Chiwda (beaten rice), noodles, snacks and tarpaulins as an immediate relief in many places of Nepal. Since then the relief material is being distributed for last 4 weeks by in all the 17 worst affected districts.

Working round the clock, racing against time, the volunteers travelled the worst-hit villages in remote districts of Nepal for the distribution of emergency relief to the quake survivors. The initial phase of the relief campaign has been wrapped up covering districts like Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Dhading, Kabhrepalanchok, Lalitpur, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Ramechhap, Sindhupalchok, Dolakha, Khotang, Okhaldhunga, Makawanpur, Sindhuli, Chitwan, Syangja, Gulmi etc. The needs there were incredible; however the volunteers coordinated well to meet them.

Areas served by the relief campaign:

1. Helpline: HSS Nepal established 'Help Desk' in Keshav Dham with Helpline numbers since 25th April for people to locate their near and dear ones who were stranded due to earthquake. People from various countries all over the world contacted here for locating and reaching their near and dear ones who had been in Nepal for pilgrimage, tourism or trekking.

2. Hospitals: Two batches of volunteers assisted the common peoples as well as the medical staffs to cope up with the rush of injured survivors in Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Bir Hospital, Trauma Center, Kathmandu Medical Collage etc. within Kathmandu Valley. A team of volunteers also assisted the staffs in mortuary in tasks like fetching the dead bodies, embalming them, putting them in the bags and readying for transportation etc.

3. Airport and Bus parks: Thousands of people were escaping the capital, terror-stricken by powerful aftershocks and fearing shortages of food and water after the earthquake struck. Volunteers in various teams helped the stranded people in Kathmandu to get the appropriate vehicle to evacuate the valley.

4. Rescue activities: Volunteers assisted the rescue teams comprised of the Nepalese Army, Police and the rescue workers from other countries. They also helped stranded people to reach their near ones within and outside Nepal.

5. Clearing the debris: Volunteers swept the debris lying on the streets and cleared the roads blocked by rubbles in Bhaktapur and Kathmandu.

6. Medical Service: A team of medical experts launched their activities aimed at helping affected populations of 116 villages of Bhaktapur, Sindhupalchok, Lalitpur, Nuwakot, Dhading and Kabhrepalanchok.

7. Relief aid distribution: Quake-victims of 391 villages of 17 districts were provided with relief materials.

Future Plans: The need for rehabilitation services in Nepal is immense. In response to the need to develop rehabilitation services, HSS Nepal and other partner organizations have planned to:

1. Make provisions for the affected children by launching 'Aama Ko Maya Chhatravas' to provide them with food, shelter, education, sanskar etc.

2. To provide the students in affected areas with stationary items like books, notebooks etc. in coordination with the Government of Nepal.

3. To rebuild the demolished Muths-Mandirs-Gumbas in coordination with the local committees and communities in affected areas.

4. On the basis of the aids received, assist the people in rehabilitation, in coordination with the Government of Nepal.

HSS Nepal appreciates the support and cooperation of many local organizations like Marwari Sewa Samiti, Gaushala Dharmashala, volunteers, social workers from various towns & villages of Nepal in the relief operation.

HSS Nepal also thanks the organizations like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Rashtriya Sewa Bharati, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and all the benevolent people of Bharat for rising to the occasion and sending the relief material on massive scale through Sewa International Bharat and Rashtriya Sewa Bharati which took pain to deliver the material on time and continues to send even now. It also extends words of thanks to the Swayamsevaks from Canada, USA, UK, Singapore, Qatar and many other countries.

HSS Nepal appreciates the officials of administration and Defense of Government of Nepal, Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, Journalists from various media houses etc. who extended their cooperative hands in the relief operation.

HSS Nepal will also like to extend thanks to the team of Doctors from Arogya Bharati, National Medicos Organization and many individual groups who joined the relief with medicines and medical kits that have saved many lives. HSS Nepal looks forward to international support in course of time for the long term rehabilitation program. -goTop