communication – Page 100 – Take off with Natarajan

Neither Email nor SMS, He Communicates with 58 Lakh People in Rural India via Postcards…

November 23, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Pune-based social entrepreneur, Pradeep Lokhande, communicates with about 58 lakh people of rural India through postcards. He has a database of about 49,000 villages in 10 states across the country, and receives at least 150 postcards from different villages each day.

Better known as the postcard man of India, Pradeep has a one line address – Pradeep Lokhande, Pune, 411013. Mail to his address is so heavy that the postman does not need specific details anymore

Why is he doing this? For a simple reason – to keep the communication tool alive in this generation of emails and text messages.

“A postcard still brings a smile to my face. I have received 94,000 of them from the children of villages in Maharashtra, where I have helped open around 3,055 libraries,” he told The Times of India.

Pradeep is the founder and CEO of Rural Relations – an organization started in 1996 with the aim of developing rural India. He has launched several rural initiatives across 10 states since then, including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. By being the rural resource partner for corporates like Telco, P&G, Tata Tea and more, Rural Relations helps generate job opportunities in the villages. These villages are very critical for Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies as they sell their products to rural consumers, and Pradeep provides them with all the required information.

It started with his wife and father writing 20,000 postcards to school teachers, sarpanchs, and postmasters in 4,700 villages. They enquired about the weekly bazaar. When he did not receive much response, Pradeep started travelling to these villages himself, gathering information about their markets, employment rate and more. He has visited about 5,800 villages across the country. During his journey, he came in contact with opinion makers in the villages and started recoding details of the local economy. The response to postcards also slowly increased, making him the consultant for several MNCs on rural marketing.

Today, the postcards have become a way for him to communicate with the villagers at a regular basis. He receives job queries in his mail, and ensures that the sender gets a helpful and quick reply. He also writes to school students now.

As a part of Rural Relations, Pradeep also started the Gyan Key library scheme, with the help of which he has helped establish libraries in the villages to inculcate reading habits among children. This was a part of his Non-Resident Villager (NRV) Movement.

“Each one of us has an NRV within us, because ultimately, our roots can be traced back to the villages. Therefore, as an NRV, we can always reach out, support and contribute something meaningful to the development of our rural India. With the help of NRV’s, till date we have installed 3,055 Gyan-Key libraries in 3,055 rural secondary schools in 1,075 working days benefiting 8,50,000 students,” he says onRural Relations’ website.

To keep going with the promotion of postcards, Pradeep even got his daughter to invite her friends for her wedding by printing invitation cards on postcards.

All pictures: Facebook

Source……..Tanaya Singh…www.the betterindia.com

Natarajan

Joke of the Day…” How about giving a pensioner a break …” ?

November 23, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Working people frequently ask us, as a retired couple, what we do to make our days interesting.

Well, the other day my wife and I went into town and went into a shop. We were only in there for about five minutes.

When we came out, there was a policeman writing out a parking ticket. We went up to him and said, ‘Come on sir, how about giving a pensioner a break?‘

He ignored us and continued writing the ticket. So I called him a fascist bastard. He glared at me and started writing another ticket for having worn tyres. So my wife called him atotal pillock. He finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first. Then he started writing a third ticket. We continued to call him every name under the sun, and he just kept writing those tickets…

This went on for about 20 minutes, and then our bus arrived.

There’s always something fun to do as a pensioner...!!!

Source……..www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

Fun-loving Sports You’ve Never Heard of….!!!

November 23, 2015November 23, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

You think you know the sports, don’t you? Everyone has heard of soccer, football, rugby, tennis, swimming and running, but not everyone knows about wife-carrying or chess boxing. Different sports are enjoyed by people in different climates and countries. Here are 10 of the most unusual and fun-loving sports events from around the world, some of these may seem truly bizarre!

1. Sepak takraw

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A popular sport in Southeast Asia, this action pack game resembles volleyball but instead of hands, players use their feet, knees, chest and head to move the ball, made from soft wood. The International Sepak Takraw Federation holds competitions with teams from over a hundred countries.

2. Quidditch

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This sport was first described in the popular Harry Potter book series, which involves a semi-contact ball sport, played on broomsticks. Real world enthusiasts have invented a land version which is played on a hockey field. The game first began in US colleges and has spread across the states. Supporters refer to the game as muggle quidditchbecause muggles are what the series characters call non-magic folk.

3. Tuna tossing

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This sport began in South Australia in the small fishing community of Port Lincoln. It was inspired by the local fishermen who would toss fish onto their trucks with a force and used as a way to spice up the local festival. The winner is the person who throws a 20 pound fish the furthest. Nowadays the competition has become somewhat cleaner: participants use a rubber fish.

4. Toe wrestling

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This sport is similar to arm wrestling with players attempting to pin down their opponents toes for three seconds. Players play with their bare feet and alternate between their left and right feet, and play the best of three rounds. There are separate men and women’s divisions. The World Toe Wrestling Championship has been ongoing since the 1970’s and enjoys growing participation.

5. Chess boxing

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This unlikely combination of sports involves brains and brawn. Competitors play 11 alternating rounds of chess and boxing for 3 minutes each. This little known sport has fans in Germany, India, Russia and the UK.

6. Hotdog eating contest

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One of the more prominent forms of competitive eating; the rules involve participants trying to eat as many hot dogs as they can in a ten minute period. The sport began in US county fairs and has gained recognition due to Nathan’s Hotdog Eating Contest, held annually on the 4^th of July. The sport has spawned a huge industry and enjoys popularity in the US, Canada, and Japan.

7. Man vs. horse marathon

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This marathon began as a way to settle a pub argument in 1979 when Welsh locals Gordon Green and Glyn Hones wondered who would win a marathon: a horse or man. Ever since then an annual 22 mile |(35.4 km) marathon is held in Welsh Town, Wales with both men and horses running. Men have won on two occasions, but usually the horses are seen winning. If a human wins, they are eligible to win a $40,000 cash prize.

8. Redneck games

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Held in East Dublin, Georgia every summer since 1996 this athletic event involves unique sports you might not usually see in any other sporting context. Some of the events include toilet seat tossing, seed spitting, mud belly flops, armpit serenades and dumpster diving.

9. Wheelbarrow racecourse

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You might have played this as a kid, using a friend’s legs as the wheelbarrow. Some people make this activity a competitive race. Some participants even have taken to using real wheelbarrows. In Kenya, there is a race called “To Hell’s Gate on a Wheelbarrow” so named after the National Park that holds the 5 kilometer (3.1 miles) race course. Funds raised from this fun event go to conservation efforts for the park.

10. Wife carrying

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While this activity sounds like it could be a race held in a quaint European town this sport enjoys global appeal. The game has its origins in Finland where local women were commonly abducted. The World Wife Carrying World Championship has teams competing from Australia, Germany, Great Britain, Estonia, Ireland, and the United States. The United States team is competitive: participants need to win their state championship to qualify for the global championship. Despite the title, any team of two can participate.

Source…..www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

Message for the Day….” Today Offer Your Heart to God and Gladly Let HIM transform You…”

November 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

It serves no purpose if you merely acknowledge that the Lord has come but do not yearn to benefit by the Advent. Offer your entire self, your entire life, to Him; then your adoration will transform and transmute you so fast and so completely that you will merge into Him. He thinks, He feels and acts as you do; you think, feel and act as He does. You will be transformed as a rock is transformed by the sculptor into an idol, deserving the worship of generations of sincere men and women. In the process you will have to bear many a hammer stroke and chisel-wound, for He is the sculptor. He is but releasing you from petrification! So today, offer your heart to the Lord, and gladly let Him transform you. Practice the three disciplines of silence, cleanliness and forbearance. In silence you can hear the voice of God. Through cleanliness you earn purity. By forbearance, you cultivate love.

” The Guardian Angels…”

November 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Source…..www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

She Turned Something Heartbreaking Into Something The Whole Community Could Enjoy….

November 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

When Sarah Sanders bought her house, she was drawn to a particularly gorgeous tree on the property. Over the years, however, it began to rot. The city soon came calling, since the dead tree posed a safety hazard for Sanders and nearby residents.

Although she was devastated, Sanders enlisted the help of a local artist to remove the tree and turn it into something beautiful that the whole neighborhood could enjoy.

Although the tree no longer exists in its original form, people in the community will get to cherish it for years to come.

Source…..www.viralnova.com

Natarajan

This Man’s 10,000 km Long Journey on Foot Is the Most Inspiring Thing You’ll Watch Today…

November 22, 2015November 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Arjun Bhogal is on a unique mission. He has been walking since the past three years with the aim of raising funds for two organizations which are working in the fields of water and marine conservation. In 2012, he started off from the UK with a friend, and is right now moving towards Australia. Watch this interesting walk and talk with Arjun who was recently spotted in India.

On April 1, 2012 two men started off on a unique mission – that of raising money for organizations which are working in the fields of water and marine conservation, and of raising awareness about water conservation. And this, they decided, would be done completely and entirely on foot – no cars, no buses, no trains.

So they started walking, and one of them has been walking till date. Starting from Cardiff, Wales in UK, they aim to reach Cardiff, New South Wales in Australia by the end of this year.

That’s mind boggling – 10,000 kilometres on foot, covering 15 countries.

Arjun Bhogal and Kieran Rae are calling this the Borderwalk Project, and they began walking with the hope of raising £25,000 for the organizations, WaterAid and Marine Conservation Society.

Sometime in 2014, Kieran had to go home, and Arjun is continuing the journey solo. He was in India recently, when an organization called Million Ways to Live got a chance to catch up with him.

Since more than 3 years now, he has been camping and recording his journey, living off local food, water, and the supplies that people have generously offered on his way.

Except for ferry rides, boats or flights to cross over water bodies, this entire journey has been and will be on foot.

He is carrying gadgets and equipments powered by solar panels provided by an organization called Goal Zero.

On his journey, Arjun has also learnt about the various ways through which he can get access to clean drinking water for himself, in areas where he does not have any other option.

According to Arjun, the random acts of kindness that he has got a chance to witness all through his way have made the entire journey possible.

“A Russian man called Valentine, the nicest man on this planet, knocked on my door and offered me a kilogram of walnuts. We had dinner with his friends, and a month later, he drove up behind us and said he has come to have lunch…he even booked us a hotel…” remembers Arjun.

He has walked through some of the harshest conditions in terms of climate and social surroundings. “You can adapt to anything…you just have to accept the situation you are in,” he says.

WaterAid is an initiative which works in about 37 countries worldwide, helping different communities access safe drinking water and sanitation. These are some of the most marginalised communities, and WaterAid work with local partners in setting up sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene projects for them. Marine Conservation Society works for securing the future of living seas and protecting the marine wildlife.

“We wanted to spark people’s imagination, hopefully inspire younger people and serve as an example, that if we can do this, then you really could do anything,” says Arjun in an interview here.

The duo met at the University of Wales where Arjun studied film and video and Kieran studied graphic design. They plan to produce a documentary of their journey and raise awareness about environmental issues through it.

Watch Arjun on his walk in New Delhi:

You can read more about the project here. Watch videos from other parts of their journey here.

Source….Tanaya Singh….www.the betterindia.com

Natarajan

படித்து ரசித்தது …ஆபிரகாம் லிங்கன் சொன்ன கதை !!!

November 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

அமெரிக்க ஜனாதிபதி ஆனார் ஆபிரகாம் லிங்கன். தேர்தல் சமயத்தில், அவர் வெற்றி பெற உதவிய சிலர், தங்களுக்கும் பதவி கேட்டு, அவரை நச்சரித்து வந்தனர். இது சம்பந்தமாக ஒரு பொது மேடையில் லிங்கன் பேசும்போது, ஒரு கதை கூறினார்…
‘ஒரு மன்னன் வேட்டை யாடப் புறப்பட்டான்; தன் அமைச்சரிடம், ‘இன்று மழை பெய்யுமா?’ என்று கேட்டான். ‘பெய்யாது…’ என்றார், அமைச்சர். அதை நம்பி பரிவாரங்களுடன் புறப்பட்டு சென்றான். வழியில், கழுதை மீது அமர்ந்து சென்று கொண்டிருந்தான் ஒரு விவசாயி.
அவனிடம் மன்னன், ‘என்ன குடியானவரே… இன்று மழை பெய்யுமா?’ என்று கேட்டான்.
‘கட்டாயம் பெய்யும்…’ என்றான்.
சற்று தூரம் சென்றதும், கடும் மழை பெய்தது. தொப்பலாக நனைந்து விட்டான் அரசன். திரும்பும் வழியில் அதே குடியானவனைக் கண்டார். ‘மழை பெய்யும் என்று எப்படி உறுதியாக சொன்னாய்?’ என்று அவனிடம் கேட்டார்.
‘மழை பெய்யுமா, பெய்யாதா என்று எனக்குத் தெரியாது; என் கழுதைக்குத் தெரியும். அவை தன் காதுகளை முன்பக்கம் நீட்டிக் கொண்டிருந்தால், அன்று மழை பெய்யும்…’ என்றான் குடியானவன்.
அரண்மனை திரும்பிய அரசன், அமைச்சரை பதவி நீக்கம் செய்து, குடியானவனின் கழுதையை அமைச்சராக்கினான். அதன்பின் தான் பிரச்னை. ஊரில் உள்ள எல்லா கழுதைகளும், தங்களுக்கும் அமைச்சர் பதவி வேண்டும் என்று நச்சரிக்க துவங்கின…’ என்றார் லிங்கன்.

Source….www.dinamalar.com

Natarajan

படித்து ரசித்து சிரித்தது ….” நாதிரா …காதுரா ….சாக்கா …பேக்கா …” !!!

November 22, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

‘புரியாத சங்கடம்’ என்ற கட்டுரையில், கி.வா.ஜ., எழுதியது: ஒரு சத்திரத்து திண்ணையில், இருவர் படுத்திருந்தனர். அவர்களில் ஒருவர் தெலுங்கர்; அவருக்கு தமிழ் தெரியாது. கையில், நீண்ட தடி வைத்திருந்தார்; அதன் பக்கத்தில் ஒரு வளையம் இருந்தது.
மற்றொருவர் தமிழர்; அவருக்கு தெலுங்கு தெரியாது. அவர், காதில் கடுக்கன் அணிந்திருந்தார். இரண்டு பேரும் வயது முதிர்ந்தவர்கள்.
இரவு நேரம் அது! தடியை தலைமாட்டில், சுவரோரமாக படுக்க வைத்து, தூங்கி கெண்டிருந்தார் தெலுங்கர். வளையம் வெளியே நீட்டி கொண்டிருந்த நிலையில், அதற்கு சற்றுத் தள்ளி படுத்திருந்த தமிழர், சற்றே புரண்டார். தடியின் வளையத்தில் கடுக்கன் மாட்டிக் கொண்டது. இதனால் தமிழர் புரள, தடி அசைவதை அறிந்த தெலுங்கர், அதை மற்றவர் எடுக்கிறாரோ என்று எண்ணி, ‘நாதிரா…’ (என்னுடையதடா) என்று தெலுங்கில் கூறினார். கடுக்கன் அகப்பட்டுக் கொண்ட சங்கடத்தில் தமிழர், ‘காதுரா…’ என்றார். தெலுங்கில் காதுரா என்றால், ‘இல்லையேடா…’ என்று பொருள். அதனால், தெலுங்கர் கோபத்தோடு தடியை இழுத்தார்.
தமிழர் ‘ஐயோ… காதுரா…’ என்று அலறினார்.

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கன்னடம் பேசும் மாத்துவர்கள் வீட்டில், விருந்து நடந்தது. பெரும்பாலும் கன்னடம் பேசுபவர்களே விருந்துண்டனர். அவர்கள் நடுவில் ஒரு தமிழர் இருந்தார்; அவருக்கு கன்னடம் தெரியாது. சாப்பிட்டுக் கொண்டிருந்த போது, ஒருவர் பாத்திரத்தில் எதையோ கொண்டு வந்து, ‘சாக்கா… பேக்கா…’ என்று கேட்டார். தமிழரோ, ‘இரண்டு வித பட்சணங்களில் எது வேண்டுமென்று கேட்கிறார் போலிருக்கு…’ என்று எண்ணி, ‘சாக்கில் ஒன்று போடு; பேக்கில் ஒன்று போடு…’ என்றார்.
கன்னடத்தில், சாக்கா என்றால், போதுமா என்றும், பேக்கா என்றால், வேண்டுமா என்றும் பொருள். ‘போதுமா இன்னும் வேண்டுமா…’ என்று பரிமாறுபவர் கேட்டார். அவர் பேச்சு புரியாத தமிழர், இரண்டு விதமான பண்டங்கள் என்று நினைத்து விட்டார்.

………………..Source……..www.dinamalar.com

Natarajan