SOURCE::::UNKNOWN… INPUT RECD. FROM ONE OF MY CONTACTS….MOST INSPIRING STORY TO SHARE WITH EVERYBODY…

Natarajan

:
This is a story that should inspire all right thinking Indians. Surely the inspiration is not the $ 2 Billion Mansion built by Mukesh Ambani on dubiously acquired land!

A hospital story

On 13 April 1971 Shri Sadhan Chandra Mistry, aged 35 years a vegetable vendor (a total non-entity) in the obscure village of Hanspukur, District South 24-Parganas, West Bengal, died of a very common and minor ailment, only because he could not get access to any medical attention whatsoever. He left behind his illiterate wife Subhasini (23 years then) with two sons and two daughters four to eight years in age. Naturally the family plunged into utter poverty and Subhasini was forced out of her home within one month of her husbands death, to sell vegetables in that hamlet market. That day, while she sat under the scorching sun selling vegetables and worrying about her children, she took a vow that one day she will build a hospital in that very village so that no poor villager would die for want of medical attention.

Her fellow vendors and every person who heard of her vow just laughed and made fun of her. How can she build a hospital, they jeered, when she cannot even mend her own thatched hut? Plus she has to feed a family of five and marry two daughters all humbug and pure day dreaming must have lost her mind; was the considered conclusion by the village elders.

However, day in and out, Subhasini went on selling vegetables silently and looking after her children never allowing the fire in her frail body to douse even for a moment. After persevering for twenty full years, ultimately she could start a clinic at her home for poor people. She managed to coax a doctor into coming to her village every week. And week after week, while tens of poor patients got medical attention from this lone clinic in the region, Subhasini became the most popular household name in her village. Now her fellow vendors and all others started respecting her. That was enough of a support for her.

In the meantime, her children grew up. The two daughters were married off. The eldest son chose to be a labourer, working in agricultural fields. Her other son, the youngest of the lot, Ajoy Mistry was identified by Subhasini to carry on her mission. He successfully completed his secondary education and passed the All India Medical Entrance Test. Aided by the German Scholarship, he joined Calcutta Medical College where he completed his medical course. He worked hard as he studied, ran around from friends to well wishers to any person/organization he had access and managed to raise Rs.50,000 for his mothers mission.

In 1993, Ajoy Mistry authored the trust deed of Humanity Trust with his mother Subhasini Mistry as the co-founder trustee. On 5th February 1995, the foundation stone for the Hospital was laid and on 9th March 1996, the hospital was inaugurated and opened to public. Within one year, the trust could raise ten times the initial money to complete the first structure of the hospital. Soon, more donations followed and today, Subhasini Mistry can say with pride that she has fulfilled her pledge made to her husband two and half decades earlier.

The will and spirit of a woman who defied social norms and obstacles all along to establish the first hospital in that region The Humanity Hospital underscores a saga of dedication, commitment, vision, ambition and unflinching determination of a resource less illiterate village woman in acute penury and distress.

Humanity Hospital is certified and registered as a Hospital under the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Act. of 1950, managed by Humanity Trust formed on 4th March 1993. In the year 2000, in appreciation of their service to humanity and poor people in particular, both Subhasini Mistry and Ajoy Mistry were honoured and named as the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary International. Today, despite the financial crunch to meet recurring expenses, the Hospital provides best services to poor and underprivileged sections of the society.

Subhasini Mistry still sells vegetables in Kolkata market to sustain her family.
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SOURCE::: MY FRIEND SHRI. N.VIJAYARAGHAVAN …AS A COUNTER TO MY BLOG ” ENNA KANNADI IDHU ?” !!!!..SWEET AND STRAIGHT POETIC REPLY …NICE TO SHARE WITH ALL…

NATARAJAN

கண்ணாடி மாறவில்லை! மனிதன் மாறிவிட்டான்!

கண்ணாடி கண்ணாடிதான் அண்ணே! உன்
கண்ணாலே உன்னை பாரு கண்ணே!

கருவறையில் இருந்து வந்த உம்முடம்பு!
செருவழிந்து இருமி இளைத்திருக்குமிப்போது!
தெருவழி செல்வோரும் உன்னை அறியாப்போது!
ஒருவழியாய் கண்ணாடிதானே காட்டுமெப்போது!

உயிரில்லா உடலுக்கு எதுவும் தேவையில்லை!
உயிரின்றி நம்மை யாரும் அறிவதில்லை!
உயிர் கொடுத்து ஆளாக்கும் அம்மாவை தெரிவதில்லை!
உயிரில்லா நம்முடம்பை கண்ணாடி காட்டுவதில்லை!

உண்மை உணர்ந்தால் உன்னை உணரலாம்!
உன்னை உணர்ந்தால் உடம்பை அறியலாம்!
உடம்பை அறிந்தால் உயிரை உணரலாம்!
உயிரை உணர்ந்தால் இறையை உணரலாம்!

இறையை முறையாய் அறியத்தான் கண்ணாடி
குறையாத உன்னுயிரே நானுணரும் கண்ணாடி!
இறையான உயிருக்கு உன்னுயிரே உடம்பு!
நிறைவாக இதை நம்புவர் ஆள்வர் விசும்பு!

N.VIJAYARAGHAVAN

SOURCE::::Stalin ksa from chennaipithan.blogspot.com… INPUT FROM ONE OF MY CONTACTS… NICE TO READ AND SWEET ONE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL…

natarajan

கண்ணாடியில் தெரியும் பிம்பம் யார்?!
இக்கால முகம் பார்க்கும் கண்ணாடிகள்
மிகத் தரம் குறைந்தவை!
என் முகத்தைப் பார்க்கிறேன் கண்ணாடியில்
எதிரில் தெரிவது நிச்சயமாய் நானில்லை!
முதுமை அடைந்து சுருக்கம் விழுந்து
பொலிவிழந்த முகம்
அது என் முகம் இல்லை சத்தியமாய்!
நான் இதை விட இளமையானவன்.
என்ன கண்ணாடி இது?
நல்ல கண்ணாடியெல்லாம்
நாற்பது ஆண்டுக்கு முன்!
அப்படியே இளமையாய், அழகாய்ப்
பிரதிபலிக்கும் என் முகத்தை.
கண்ணாடியில் தெரியும் முகம்
வாடிச் சுருங்கியிருந்தால்
வருத்தம் அடையாதீர்.
கண்ணாடியில்தான் குற்றம்
முகத்தில் இல்லை!
கண்ணாடி மாற்றினும் பயனில்லை
ஏனெனில்
இக்காலக் கண்ணாடிகள்
அக்கால கண்ணாடிகள் போல்
மிகத் தரமானவை அல்ல!

coutesy: Stalin ..chennaipithan .blogspot.com

SOURCE::::INPUT RECD. FROM ONE OF MY CONTACTS WHO IS A STAUNCH DEVOTEE OF MAHA PERIAVAA OF KANCHI…LIKE TO SHARE WITH MY FRIENDS AND CONTACTS INTURN..PL READ AND GET BLESSED BY THE GRACE OF MAHA PERIAVAA…

Natarajan

இது மனஸை நெகிழவைக்கும் பேரருள்……

பெரியவா சாதாரணமாக ரொம்ப கூட்டம் இல்லாவிட்டால் கூட, இரவு பத்து மணியானாலும் பக்தர்களின் குறைகளை கேட்டு உபாயமோ ஆறுதலோ சொல்லுவது வழக்கம். ஒருநாள் எல்லாரும் போனதும், பெரியவா ஸயனிக்க உள்ளே போனார். எனவே சிப்பந்திகள் தாழ்ந்த குரலில் ஏதோ பேசிக் கொண்டிருந்தபோது…….

“நான் பெரியவாளை தர்சனம் பண்ணனும்” குரல் கேட்டு யாரென்று பார்த்தால், ஒரு 12 வயஸ் பையன் மிகவும் பரிதாபமான கோலத்தில் நின்று கொண்டிருந்தான்.

“இப்போல்லாம் பெரியவாளை பாக்க முடியாது……..சாப்டுட்டு ஒரு பக்கமா இங்கியே படுத்துக்கோ….காலேல தர்சனம் பண்ணு” பாரிஷதர் சொன்னார். இப்படி ஒரு பரிதாபமான கோலத்தில் ஒரு பையன் வந்திருக்கிறான் என்று பெரியவாளை எழுப்ப முடியாது. சிறுவன் விடுவதாயில்லை.

“எனக்கு இப்போ பசிக்கலை…பெரியவாளை மட்டும் எப்பிடியாவது தர்சனம் பண்ணனும் அண்ணா…” என்று சொல்லிவிட்டு, மிகவும் களைத்துப்போய் இருந்ததால், ஒரு பக்கமாக படுத்துக் கொண்டுவிட்டான். மறுநாள் காலை பெரியவா சிறுவனை தன்னிடம் அழைத்தார்.

“ஏம்பா….எங்கேர்ந்து வரே? ஓம்பேரென்ன? ஒங்கப்பா அம்மா யாரு? எங்கேயிருக்கா?……..” ஸ்ரீ மாதாவின் குரலை அந்த கன்று இனம் கண்டுகொண்டது. கண்களில் நீர் பெருக அந்த குழந்தைப் பையன் சொன்னான்……….

“பெரியவா…..நான் மெட்ராஸ்ல ஒரு ஸ்கூல்ல படிச்சிண்டிருக்கேன்..எங்கப்பா, அம்மா, தங்கை மூணுபேரும் வெளியூர்ல இருந்தா. அப்பா திடீர்னு செத்துப் போய்ட்டார். அம்மாவும் தங்கையும் ரொம்ப கஷ்டப்பட்டா…பாவம்! அப்புறம் பம்பாய்ல ஒரு பெரிய பணக்கார மாமாவாத்ல சமையல் வேலை பண்ணிண்டு இருந்தா…..[சிறுவன் மேலே பேச முடியாமல் விம்மினான்]
…….திடீர்னு எங்கம்மாவும் செத்துப் போய்ட்டா பெரியவா……..” இதற்கு மேல் குழந்தையால் தொடர முடியாமால், விக்கி விக்கி அழ ஆரம்பித்தான்.

“……அப்பா அம்மா ரெண்டுபேரையுமே என்னால கடைசி வரைக்கும் பாக்க முடியலை பெரியவா. அவாளுக்கு கார்யம் பண்ணக்கூட என்னால முடியாது. நேக்கு இன்னும் பூணூல் போடலை..ங்கறதால பண்ண முடியாதுன்னு சொல்லிட்டா…எனக்கு ரொம்ப அழுகையா வருது பெரியவா…..இப்போ அந்த பம்பாய்ல இருக்கற மாமா வேற, “ஒன்னோட தங்கையை வந்து அழைச்சிண்டு போ!” ன்னு எப்போப்பாத்தாலும் ஆள் விட்டுண்டே இருக்கார்……பெரியவா. நானே கவர்ன்மென்ட் ஸ்கூல் ஹாஸ்டல்ல இருக்கேன். என் அப்பா அம்மாக்கு கர்மாக்களைப் பண்ணனும், என் தங்கையை நன்னா வெச்சுக்கணும்..ன்னு நேக்கும் ரொம்ப ஆசையாத்தான் இருக்கும் பெரியவா. ஆனா, நானே சோத்துக்கு வழி இல்லாம இருக்கேனே! அதான்…..ஒங்களை தர்சனம் பண்ணினா எனக்கு வழி சொல்லுவேள்னு மடத்துக்கு வந்தேன்…..” அழுகையோடு தட்டுத் தடுமாறி சொன்னான். அவனையே சிலவினாடிகள் உற்றுப் பார்த்துக் கொண்டிருந்தார். அவன் சொல்லித்தானா அவருக்கு தெரியவேண்டும்? அவனைக் காப்பாற்றத்தானே இங்கே வரவழைத்திருக்கிறார்!

“சரி. கொழந்தே! நீ கொஞ்ச நாள் இங்கியே இரு. என்ன?”

“சரி” என்று சந்தோஷமாக தலையாட்டியது அந்த குழந்தை. நாலைந்து நாட்களுக்குப் பிறகு, நெய்வேலியிலிருந்து சில உயர் அதிகாரிகள் பெரியவா தர்சனத்துக்கு வந்தார்கள். அவர்கள் கிளம்பும்போது, எதேச்சையாக அந்த பையன் அந்தப் பக்கம் வர, பெரியவா அவனிடம் ” சட்னு போய், அந்த நெய்வேலிலேர்ந்து வந்தவா போய்ட்டாளான்னு பாரு! போகலைனா, நான் கூப்டேன்னு சொல்லு”……….அவருடைய திருவிளையாடலை யாரறிவார்?

அவர்கள் கிளம்பவில்லை. ஒவ்வொருவராக பெரியவா முன்னால் வர வர, “நீ இல்லை, நீ இல்லை” என்று திருப்பி அனுப்பிக் கொண்டிருந்தார். கடைசியாக வந்தவரைப் பார்த்ததும் பெரியவா முகத்தில் ஒரு புன்சிரிப்பு. “ம்ம்ம்ம்..இவரைத்தான் கூப்ட்டேன். இந்தாடா! கொழந்தே! ஒன்னோட கதையை இவர்கிட்ட சொல்லு” என்று சொன்னார். பையன் சொல்ல சொல்ல அதிகாரியின் முகத்தில் ஒரே ப்ரகாசம்!

“பெரியவா……..என்னோட அக்கா பம்பாய்ல இருக்கா.அவாத்துலதான் இந்த பையனோட அம்மா சமையல் வேலை பாத்துண்டு இருந்தா. அந்த அம்மா செத்துப் போனதும், என் மூலமாத்தான் இந்த பையனுக்கு தகவல் போச்சு! இவன் தங்கையை அழைச்சிண்டு போகணும்..ன்னு என் மூலமாத்தான் அவா சொல்லிண்டு இருந்தா…….” என்று மனஸார ஒப்புக்கொண்டார்.
i
“ரொம்ப நல்லதாப் போச்சு! இங்க பாரு. இந்த கொழந்தை பெத்தவாளை பறிகுடுத்துட்டு தவிக்கறான்…..இவனோட, இவன் தங்கையையும் ஒன்னோட அழைச்சிண்டு போய், அவாளை படிக்கவெச்சு, ஆளாக்கறது ஒன்னோட பொறுப்பு! மொதல்ல இவனுக்கு உபநயனம் பண்ணி வை. அவனைப் பெத்தவாளுக்கு கர்மாக்களை அவன் கையால பண்ண வை. ஆகக்கூடி, இவா ரெண்டு பேரோட எதிர்காலத்துக்கு நீதான் எல்லாம் பண்ணனும். என்ன செய்வியா?”

அதிகாரிக்கோ சந்தோஷத்தில் தலைகால் புரியவில்லை! பிரமிப்போ அதை விட பன்மடங்கு ! என்ன ஒரு லீலை! எப்படி கொண்டு வந்து சேர்த்திருக்கிறார்! எல்லாரையும் விட்டுவிட்டு தன்னிடம் அவர் கட்டளை இட்டது, தனக்கு கிடைத்த பெரும் பாக்யம் என்று பூரித்துப் போனார்.

அக்ஷணமே பெரியவா பாதத்தில் விழுந்து அந்த பையனையும், அவன் தங்கையையும் தன் சொந்தக் குழந்தைகள் போல் பாதுகாப்பதாக உறுதி மொழி குடுத்தார். பெரியவாளை நம்பினார் கெடுவதில்லை என்று அந்த குட்டிப் பையனுக்குக் கூட தெரிந்திருக்கிறது.

நடராசன்

SOURCE:::::UNKNOWN…..INPUT RECD. FROM ONE OF MY CONTACTS TODAY….NICE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL…

NATARAJAN

The happiness of life is made of little things – a smile, a hug, a moment of shared laughter – it’s not the wealth you amass but what you give to others & the lives you touch that you take with you for eternity!…

Our Birth is our Opening Balance!
Our Death is our Closing Balance!
Our Prejudiced Views are our Liabilities
Our Creative Ideas are our Assets
Heart is our Current Asset
Soul is our Fixed Asset
Brain is our Fixed Deposit
Thinking is our Current Account
Achievements are our Capital
Character & Morals, our Stock-in-Trade
Friends are our General Reserves
Values & Behaviour are our Goodwill
Patience is our Interest Earned
Love is our Dividend
Children are our Bonus Issues
Education is Brands / Patents
Knowledge is our Investment
Experience is our Premium Account
The Aim is to Tally the Balance Sheet Accurately.
The Goal is to get the Best Presented Accounts Award.
Some very Good and Very bad things ….
The most destructive habit……………Worry
The greatest Joy………………….Giving
The greatest loss……………..Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work……….Helping others
The ugliest personality trait…Selfishness
The most endangered species…Dedicated leaders
Our greatest natural resource……………Our youth
The greatest ‘shot in the arm’……….Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome………………Fear
The most effective sleeping pill……..Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease…………..Excuses
The most powerful force in life………………Love
The most dangerous intruder………………A gossiper
The world’s most incredible computer……..The brain
The worst thing to be without……………….. Hope
The deadliest weapon……………………The tongue
The two most power-filled words…………….’I Can’
The greatest asset………………………….Faith
The most worthless emotion……………….Self-pity
The most beautiful attire…………………..SMILE!
The most prized possession……………..Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication…..Prayer
The most contagious spirit……………..Enthusiasm
The most important thing in life………..GOD
‘When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others’

SOURCE::::THE HINDU OPEN PAGE….

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN SITTING IN FRONT SEAT OR BACK SEAT OF A CAR!!!!..THE WRITER EXPLAINS THE SITUATION WITH A HILARIOUS TOUCH…..PL READ FURTHER…..

Natarajan

I told a friend who sat in the back seat of my car while I drove, “Come and sit in front, don’t make me your driver.”

Driving in India is a nightmare. You are one among the numerous autos, buses, lorries, cycles, scooters, bikes and pedestrians, all jostling to get ahead at any cost. Your skills of driving are not at test. It’s more a test of intuition, foresight, astrology and fate. I don’t believe in any of this but India makes me think twice. The people who face the music everyday are the ones behind the wheel. The two-wheelers are all driven by people who want to make the commute and the difficulty faced directly impacts the individual.

As far as cars are concerned, we have a special occupational community: the driver/chauffeur. He is trained to provide the very service that we find very hard to accomplish especially in the Indian environment. In fact, his role is more relevant in countries like India.

In this context, for a long time I have wondered about one thing. As I look out of my car window, I find the seat next to the driver empty. Owners sit in the back and direct the driver. The driver is a professional delivering a service and there needs to be a professional relationship. But I wonder whether this habit reveals a deep-rooted social segregation within. This is an act that we seldom think about. The drivers themselves may not even feel hurt as they believe that this is how it should be. There is no doubt that these class separations existed even when people travelled in horse-driven carts.

Most of us who can afford a driver definitely belong to the creamy layer of society and the drivers are from lower income groups. Therefore, this is also a function of socially accepted hierarchies. We send out some very important messages by sitting behind. I am the owner, the person driving me is not related to me in anyway, and I pay the person to do this job.

I wonder whether there is also a fear that can be associated with this behaviour. How safe am I if I sit next to this person? How much of this safety issue is also related to the social background of the driver? A lot, I would think. We perceive people from poor neighbourhoods as being unsafe, uncultured and maybe even violent. Keeping a distance is important for our safety, we think. These are age-old perceptions that we perpetuate even today. In fact, we don’t even think of what lies behind our action.

The situation is a little more complicated if the person in the passenger’s seat is a woman. Most drivers are men and therefore women rarely sit next to them. But the same lady would sit next to a person she has just met at a party. Where are we actually safer? Sometimes the driver may have been in the house for over a decade, yet the woman will not sit next to him. Is this because it violates a professional border? Is there an unstated line that needs to exist, a separation that places everyone where they belong?

Fear of the person, fear of the relationship, fear that ‘I could be taken advantage of’ and a fear of what the onlooker would think. Probably, a combination of all. But it is also true that physical proximity is not something Indians are comfortable with. There is a lot of suspicion about the man next to us in a movie theatre. The man himself is often uncomfortable with a woman next to him.

Sometimes, when the boss drives with the driver, he will be asked to move to the back seat. This signifies a great discomfort in our having the driver next to us. Ironically, our children travel with the drivers all alone to school, they pick up our kids from friend’s houses at night, and probably even helped us after a party when we could not walk. So what stops us from sharing the space with them? The same young girls and boys who went to school with the drivers seated next to them would move to the back seat once they were adults. The irony is that most people who work at home for a long period of time become part of the family; they are more protective about us. Therefore, this behaviour seems to come from a greater insecurity about ourselves.

Our position in the car definitely establishes power. The CEOs of companies, bureaucrats and, of course, politicians can be seen driving in the morning, reading the paper, may be with a coat hung on the side in the back seat. Authority, power displayed overtly. An onlooker on the bike will actually turn and look at the car, hoping for a similar day for himself. The similar day importantly includes the driver in the front seat. A never ending cycle of social inequalities.

Many of us talk about social empowerment and equality but this simple act establishes exactly that we won’t change. Our position in society and our status are reiterated by such social practices. The most revealing moment for me was when recently I told a friend who sat in the back seat of my car while I drove, “Come and sit in front, don’t make me your driver.”

(The writer is a Carnatic musician and his email is tm.krishna@gmail.com)

விண்ணில் பறக்கும் கற்பனை குதிரை –ஒரு

பண்ணுக்கு கருவாக இருந்தாலும் இந்த

மண்ணுக்கு வருமா விற்பனைக்கு ???!!!!

NATARAJAN JULY 23 2012.

SOURCE:::::ARTICLE BY SHRI.GOPAL KRISHNA GANDHI , FORMER GOVERNOR WEST BENGAL IN THE HINDU….
THIS ARTICLE RECALLS THE DAYS RIGHT FROM THE SWEARING-IN OF CHAKRAVARTHI RAJAGOPALACHARI AS THE FIRST GOVERNOR GENERAL OF INDIA…THE WRITER RIGHTLY ASKS WHY NOT THE SWEARIN-IN CEREMONY OF RASHTRAPATI CONDUCTED IN FRONT OF ELECTORS” ELECTORS—COMMON PEOPLE—-INSTEAD PRESIDENT”S ELECTORS ALONE!!!!!..

Natarajan

A bumpy RAF plane from Calcutta brought to Delhi the first Indian to take the oaths of office in India’s Government House, as Rashtrapati Bhavan was then called.

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, Governor of West Bengal, had been pressed by Prime Minister Nehru and Deputy Prime Minister Patel to accept the appointment of Governor General of India, succeeding Lord Mountbatten. On April 11, 1948, Nehru wrote to Rajaji: “I do hope you will not disappoint us. We want you here to help us in many ways…”

He was met on landing at the Safdarjang airport by Governor General Mountbatten, Nehru and Patel. Within seconds, the radiant young Admiral did a disappearing act to take his position at the head of the red-carpeted grand staircase of Government House to receive its brooding new occupant. Nehru drove with Rajaji to the foot of the stairs lined on both sides by statuesque guards. The swearing-in took place the following morning in the Durbar Hall just beneath the building’s great dome. Rajaji wore what he had always worn – a white khadi jubba and dhoti. His white angavastram resting over his left shoulder, he moved up to the heavily brocaded red throne to take his oaths and say a few words to his people. “I pray” he said, that he would “steer clear of error” in his service to an India “unchangeably committed to…making everyone within her borders find pride and joy in citizenship.”

During his days in that house, Rajaji ennobled the Durbar Hall with a new acquisition. This was a standing 4th century figure from Mathura of Gautama the Buddha. The Sakyamuni, he felt, will help the first citizen cherish the beauty of relinquishment.

Before two years were out, time came for Rajaji himself to face that noble truth. Rajendra Prasad, as loved as he was respected was to be his successor. The ceremony of inducting Rajen Babu was preceded by a quaint transaction. General Cariappa took it upon himself to advise Rajen Babu that he wear an achkan with a blue or grey sash emblazoned with the chakra. Rajen Babu consulted the Prime Minister Nehru. To the relief of good taste and the comfort of sartorial wisdom, Nehru advised against the embellishment. A photograph — the gift of pure chance — has captured Rajaji turning his head towards the statue of the abnegating Buddha, as an un-sashed Rajen Babu draws the colours of office from his predecessor into his own person.

Once again on a plane, this time bound for his hometown of Madras, Rajaji penned a letter: “My dear Rajen Babu…I go out with joy in my heart at the beautiful manner in which the little change-over has taken place. There was nothing to mar the beauty of it. God bless you all…”

Eleven Presidents have been through the “little change-over” since that day.

Have the ceremonies been “beautiful”?

Durbar Hall to Central Hall

It would be truer to call them spectacular rather than beautiful. And they have certainly not been “little” in size. For one thing the venue for the changeover was shifted from the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan to the Central Hall of the Parliament of India. This was a handsome Republican gesture to the electors of the President.

President Radhakrishnan’s inauguration in 1962 was accompanied by an additional ceremony in which the President’s first official act was to decorate outgoing President Prasad with the Bharat Ratna. A photograph of the two of them framed in a door of Parliament House shows the strikingly handsome new President saluting as to the manner born and the outgoing one, wearied with age and wearing, almost like a weight, the country’s highest decoration round his neck.

Over the years, the ceremony of the President’s induction has become a rite of repetitive passage where courtesy is apparent but zest missing, regard is patent but enthusiasm deficient. Regalia is one thing, rapture another. Splendour is one thing, spirit another. A piece of skilful choreography is one thing, a soulful ceremony quite another.

The fainting of an invitee on account of stifling heat and a strangulating bandgala during President Venkataraman’s swearing-in, and the clear absence of enthusiasm at President Patil’s historic inaugural 20 years later only underscored the staleness of orchestrated panoply.

This is not a failing of the physical arrangements for our Presidential inaugurations. It is a reflection of the essential hollowness of all ritual where its inner meaning remains un-understood. One cannot expect the remote fruit of an indirect election to enthuse, much less inspire a billion people. The election and swearing-in of President K.R. Narayanan was a refreshing exception.

Presidential elections now see appeals to the political mind. They are all about the political mind, not about the political heart, if such a thing is left in our body politic, not to speak of political ‘soul’. They are about the give and take of support, assurances and collaboration. With the President’s electors seated on rows upon rows before the President-elect, his inaugural accurately reflects India’s political geography, its abacus, or the counting-frame of power. It does not represent India’s aspirational astronomy, the scattered arrangement of its stellar hopes.

The inauguration ceremony moved, as we have seen, from the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan to the Central Hall of Parliament. This was a democratic shift. The time has perhaps now come for it to make another tectonic shift, nearer the people. Why should the ceremony take place not just before the President’s electors but before the electors’ electors? Can it not be held at the Lal Qila and, if that spot is exclusively identified with the Prime Minister, then, at the Purana Qila?

India deserves a Presidential inaugural where the bugle sounds but the spoken word echoes as well. Where, if hands clap in rhythmic unison, hearts miss a beat or two as well. And above all, where we see in the chosen one a detachment about the office being entered, not a nervous restlessness to enter it.

(The author is a former Governor of West Bengal.)

SOURCE::::THE HINDU….ARTICLE BY VENKATESH…
THE WRITER SUGGESTS THAT A FIXED PERCENTAGE OF YOUR INCOME EARNED SHOULD GO TO YOUR SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT KEEPING IN MIND THE OLD AGE….

Natarajan

Cardinal sins of personal finance and how to avoid them.

As you grow in to an adult and step in to the world of work, it is exciting to receive the first pay cheque, the first pay rise etc.

However, it is very easy to spend all your money and get habituated to a life style that will set you back financially in your later years. So make sure that you do not commit these cardinal sins that can spring a nasty financial surprises when you least expect them.

Not paying yourself first: The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason is one of the best books on personal finance. One of the really cool takeaways from the book is to “pay yourself first,” no matter what. What does that mean? After all, when you start your job or your internship, you always get paid, right? It means that you set aside (at least 10 per cent of your income) enough money towards investments and savings, before you start spending your first rupee from your salary. Most of us get this wrong and do things the other way round. We go to that swanky restaurant or pub with our friends and buy the latest smart phone, and before we know it, we are down to our last rupee. For a successful financial life, get in to the habit of inverting this habit. Save first a definite amount and then do what you want with the rest.

Being the credit card company’s best friend: The customer that the credit card loves is the one who always makes just the minimum payment or the one who habitually pays late. Why so? This is because, when you roll over your credit card debt, the card companies make a killing. Ditto for late payment charges.

Remember that the credit is rolled and the interest is compounded, so you have one of the greatest forces in the world (Compound interest) working overtime against you. Before you know, you may end up paying two or three times the original amount rolled over. Does this mean that you should not use credit cards? No.

Actually, with a bit of practice, you can be the customer the credit card companies like the least — the customer who benefits from the convenience and interest-free credit of the cards, but the one who pays his bills completely and on time.

This way, you get all the benefit without letting the card companies make any money.

Hoping that the intermediaries would take care of your financial health: In almost all cases, financial intermediaries like advisors, brokers, fund agents etc. charge fees, some in a straightforward way and the rest in an opaque manner (insurance agents). While a two per cent fee per annum looks innocuous, remember that a $1 compounded at two per cent, say at the time of birth of Jesus, and would be more than the net worth of the wealthiest person in the world today. Tiny drops really do make an ocean. Besides, in most cases, the intermediaries make money off you, whether they meet your financial objectives or not. Instead, invest in a good course on financial and money education, cut out the intermediaries and get a handle on all your investing activities. With time, the results will surprise you in a positive manner.

Venkatesh is the co-founder and Director of Money-Wizards, a company engaged in financial literacy and money education for adults and college students. Details on workshops at Info@Money-Wizards.com

SOURCE:::::SILICON INDIA…..

Natarajan

Bangalore: There has been an ever-growing debate about whether formal education or college degree is necessary to succeed in this world. A degree certainly will give you a higher paying job than those who don’t have a degree, but there are super successful world famous entrepreneurs who have proved that one can succeed without a degree. Let’s have a close look on such entrepreneurs.

Sir Richard Branson – Chairman, Virgin Group

Branson left school at the age of 16 to start his first successful venture which was a magazine calledStudent. Today his brand Virgin has over 400 companies including Virgin Records and Virgin Atlantic Airways. Branson is the 4th richest citizen of the United Kingdom with an estimated net worth of US$4.2 billion. Apart from his successful business streak, he has also made several world record-breaking attempts. For his exceptional achievements, it is hard to believe that he is dyslexic.

Mark Zuckerberg – Founder and CEO, Facebook

Zuckerberg started Facebook from his dorm room at Harvard with roomates Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes in 2004. He left college to concentrate on his site in his sophomore year. Having great interest in computers, he created a messaging program which he named ‘Zucknet’ when he was just 12. Before Facebook, he had developed projects like Synapse, Wirehog and Facemash. In 2010, he was Time magazine’s “Person of the Year”. His net worth now is $ 14.19 billion.

Frederick Henry Royce – Co-founder, Rolls-Royce

Born in 1863, Royce was originally a paper boy and was selling newspapers and delivering telegrams, having had only one year of formal schooling. He co-founded Rolls-Royce with Charles Stewart Rolls in 1906 and privatized it in 1987. Comparing to the millions the company now makes, Royce first drew his meager average salary of £1,250 per annum and died a decorated engineer who gave the world its best car designs without an engineering degree.

Michael Dell – Chairman and CEO, Dell

As a young boy Delldismantled his first computer in his garage. He then started a computer company called PCs Limitedwhile attending college. It became so successful that he dropped out of the college to operate it. In 2006, Dell donated $50 million to the University of Texas at Austin, which he attended but never graduated from. Ranked as the 41tst richest person in the world, he has a net worth of $15.9 billion.

Ingvar Kamprad – Founder IKEA

Kamprad is Swedish business magnate who founded IKEA, a retail company in 1943. He started doing business as a young boy when he used to sell matches to neighbours from his bicycle. He then expanded to sell fish, Christmas tree decorations, seeds, ballpoint pens and pencils. He founded IKEA at his Uncle Ernst’s kitchen table. IKEA is an acronym for his name and Elmtaryd, the family farm where he was born, and the nearby village Agunnaryd. According to Swedish business weekly Veckans Affärer, he is the richest person in the world. This report is based on the assumption that Kamprad owns the entire company. His actual net worth though is $ 6 billion.

Lord Alan Sugar – Founder, Amstrad

Sugar left school at the age of 16 and later founded the electronic company ‘Amstrad’ (Alan Michael Sugar Trading) which he sold in 2007 for £125 million. He owns several other companies like Amsair and Amsprop. His net worth is $1.14 billion. He has also served Tottenham Hotspur as its chairman from 1991 to 2001. Sugar features in the UK version of ‘The Apprentice’. Sugar was knighted in 2000 for hisexceptional services to business.

Bill Gates – Co-founder and Chairman, Microsoft

Gates started programming as an interest when he was in preparatory school in Seattle. When he was 14, Gates earned $20,000 from his first programming venture. He scored an almost perfect 1590 in his SAT and joined Harvard but left without a degree to co-found Microsoft. For one of his house in Washington he pays $ 1 million property tax annually. Currently worth $ 61 billion, Gates has been continually topping the list of richest people since 1995.

Sir Philip Green – Owner, Arcadia Group

Philip Green inherited his family business at the age of 12. He started working for a shoe importer three years later after dropping from school. His net worth is $ 6.7 billion, which he has earned by buying and selling various British retailers. Since 1992, he has links in different businesses and supports his wife in managing the Arcadia Group. He has also been involved in a lot of controversies.

Steve Jobs – Co-founder, Apple

Known for bringing the technology revolution with Apple products, Jobs left college after just one semester. He was fired from his own company Apple in 1985 but later returned as its CEO in 1997. He has also been the CEO of Pixar Animation Studios which he later sold to Disney. In 2007, he was chosen as Fortune Magazine’s most powerful businessman. He died of pancreatic cancer in October 2011 with a fortune of $ 7 billion.

Simon Cowell – A&R Executive

Cowell is well known as a judge on TV shows like Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and American Idol. He attended Dover College but left after taking GCE O levels. He is also the owner of the television production and music publishing house Syco. He was at number 41 in a list of “The World’s 50 Most Influential Figures 2010” compiled by the British magazine New Statesman in 2010. His net worth is estimated to be $ 331 million.
Giorgio Armani – Founder, Armani

Born in 1934, Armani wanted to make a career in medicine. So he joined Catholic University of the Sacred Heart. After two years, he was called for military services where he worked in the military hospital. Bitter experience there made him to drop medicine and adapt Fashion. He founded Armani in 1975 which makes clean tailored men’s wear. Having a fortune of $ 7 billion, he was billed as the best fashion designer to come out of Italy.

Duncan Bannatyne – Chairman, Bannatyne Group

Duncan Bannatyne is a Scottish entrepreneur, whose net worth is $ 675 million. Apart from business interests in hotels, spas, health clubs, media, property, he also likes writing. He has written 5 books. He says that he did not have a bank account until the age of 30 having spent half of his life with almost no money. He is also involved in politics and does charity too.

Asa Candler – Founder,Coca-Cola

Born in 1929, he founded the world’s favourite drink Coca Cola. Never attending school, he started his business career as a drugstore owner and manufacturer of patent medicines. In 1887, he bought the formula forCoca-Cola from its inventor John Pemberton and several other shareholders for $2,300 and started its commercial distribution. He also served as the 44th Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia from 1916 to 1919 and established Central Bank and Trust Corp.

Ralph Lauren – Founder, Polo Ralph Lauren

In high school, Lauren sold neckties to his fellow students from his store with the name Polo. In his yearbook, he stated that he wanted to be a millionaire. He studied business for two years at Baruch College but never graduated. He is now the 173rd richest person with a fortune of $ 11.9 billion. Fond of automobiles, he has a collection of more than 70 rare cars.

Ruth Handler – Creator of Barbie

Handler was an American businesswoman who is remembered for making the famous Barbie Doll. She also became the president of toy company Mattel. Handler had noted that her daughter Barbara who was a pre-teen played with her dolls giving them adult roles. So she got an idea to create Barbie doll with an adult body. Her husband Elliot Handler and his partner Harold “Matt” Matson, who founded Mattel initially, thought that this doll wouldn’t sell.

David Karp – Founder and CEO, Tumblr

Karp has done home-schooling and never attended college. He founded Tumblr, a blogging platform in 2007. In 2010,he was named as one of the top 35 innovators in the world under the age of 35. He has an estimated net worth of $ 40 million.

Sean Quinn – Founder, Quinn Group

The son of a small farmer, Quinn left school at 14 years of age, took a loan 100 pounds and started doing business. In 2008 he was the richest person in Ireland. He has created a fortune of $ 9 billion. But in 2011 he was filed for bankruptcy.

Dave Thomas – Founder and CEO, Wendy’s

Thomas was an American fast-food tycoon known for his food chain Wendy’s, which he founded in 1969. Born to single mother whom he never knew, he never attended school and got lessons of life from his grand mother. He had worked in the US Army and also in KFC. He is also known for appearing in more than 800 ads for the Wendy’s, more than any other company founder in television history.

Coco Chanel – Fashion Designer

Chanel was the founder of the ‘Chanel’ brand. She was the only fashion designer to be named on Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century. Living a nomadic life in her childhood, she never attended school. She learned the art of sewing and worked as seamstress. Apart from that she sang in a cabaret, where she got the name ‘Coco’. She then founded Chanel which had many of her own inventions.