Education – Page 62 – Take off with Natarajan

The story behind this picture of a lion getting a CAT scan….!!!

October 29, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

The Koret School of Veterinary Medicine Samson the lion.

Earlier this year, I came across a striking image of a lion undergoing a Computerised Axial Tomography scan (or CAT scan).

I tweeted out the image, and it got over 2,000 retweets.

People were intrigued, and so was I, so I dug into the back-story of how the lion ended up there.

The photo, taken in 2005, depicts a then-2-year-old baby Barbary lion named Samson.

Barbary lions, also referred to as Atlas lions, are the largest lion subspecies known to populate large portions of North Africa.

Zoo keepers noticed that Samson, who lived in the Hai-Kef zoo near Tel Aviv with his sister Delilah, had suddenly stopped being able to walk.

At the time, Samson was suffering from what would later be diagnosed as a rare and life-threatening problem.

After the zoo had veterinary neurological specialist Dr. Merav Shamir from Israel’s Koret School of Veterinary Medicine examine Samson, Shamir observed that the lion “stood on his legs with difficulty.”

“When he tried to walk, he fell after a few steps,” noted Shamir. “He also had no appetite and appeared generally to be in poor condition.”

So Shamir decided to do a neurological exam, which included a thorough study of Samson’s nervous system. It was then that she diagnosed the lion as suffering from “damage to the posterior portion of his skull, which applied pressure on his cerebellum and the upper sector of the spinal cord.”

In other words, the cause of Samson’s trouble was in his skull. It had grown abnormally, putting unnecessary stress on the part of his brain which is vital to carrying out motor functions.

The images below, from a study Shamir coauthored, show a healthy lion skull (A) and an abnormal lion skull (B). The abnormal skull shows a malformation that’s very similar to the one Samson had. As you can see, the foramen magnum — the hole in the base of the skull through which the spinal cord passes — is unobstructed in image A. Image B shows an abnormal bone growth (identified with an asterisk) protruding down from the roof of the foramen magnum.

Comparative Skull Analysis Suggests Species-Specific Captivity-Related Malformation in Lions

After a CAT scan confirmed Samson’s diagnosis, Shamir’s team prepared for surgery.

“We decided to carry out this operation that had never before been performed anywhere,” Shamir told Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

The six-hour operation began after Samson was temporarily put to sleep with an anaesthetic.

According to The Telegraph, Shamir’s team shaved part of Samson’s mane and then used a drill to “remove part of the thickened skull tissue, some of which had become deeply embedded in the animal’s brain.”

The Koret School of Veterinary Medicine Samson undergoing a scan

“We were working in the dark really,” Shamir told The Telegraph. “It is difficult when you are not really sure of the anatomy and in this case the anatomy was abnormal.”
The impressive operation was successful. Within 10 days, Samson was reunited with his sister Delilah at the zoo and was walking without stumbling. Shamir thinks malformations like the one that caused Samson’s symptoms could be caused by a poor diet or other factors from captivity.

“Samson is walking around as a fully healthy lion, and our final worry is that the impressive mane which covered his head before the operation will return and cover any traces of our surgical work,” Shamir said.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Samson and his haircut.

Business Insider reached out to Dr. Merav Shamir and her colleague Dr. Rona Nadler Valency and will update this story if and when we hear back.

Source….AMANDA MACIAS….. http://www.businessinsider.com.au

Natarajan

Image of the Day… ” Dooms Day Vault…”

October 29, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

View larger. | Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

Researchers have been adding seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault – or Doomsday Vault – since 2008. Now, for the first time, they’ve taken seeds out.

Earlier this month (October 19, 2015), seeds deposited in 2012 from war-torn Syria became the Svalbard Global Seed Vault’s first-ever withdrawal. The seed vault – located in Norway, sometimes called the Doomsday Vault – was built in 2008. Since then, researchers there have been storing containers of seeds from all parts of the globe in the vault, and this is the first time they’ve removed seeds.

According to the seed vault’s website, all seed samples in the vault remain the property of the gene banks that deposit them. A nonprofit organization in Syria had originally stored the seeds in the Arctic vault. The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas – which promotes agriculture in developing countries – ran a major seed bank near Aleppo, Syria until 2012, when rebel forces took over that area.

Before the nonprofit shut down its Aleppo operation, researchers there were able to transfer thousands of seed samples from Syria. Some were stored in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

Now, researchers have taken 38,000 seeds back out of the vault. On October 19, the seeds were delivered to Lebanon and Morocco, where the nonprofit will continue the research started in Syria.

This was the first of what they say will be “several shipments” over the next few years.

PBSNewsHour reported on October 19, 2015:

The 138 black boxes stacked on trolley carts and transported out of the vault contained a precious resource — seeds, that researchers hope will restore some of the genetic diversity lost during the Syrian conflict.

Visit the website of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

By the way, earlier this year, a new documentary film about the Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened in theaters. It tracks the history and mission of the vault and its founder Cary Fowler. It’s available on iTunes and Netflix

Bottom line: The Svalbard Global Seed Vault – sometimes called the Doomsday Vault – opened in 2008 for the purpose of storing seeds. Researchers have been adding seeds to the vault since then, but this month – October, 2015 – for the first time, they withdrew seeds from Syria that had been placed there in 2012.

Visit the documentary’s website to learn more. …….http://www.seedsoftimemovie.com/

Source….www.earthsky.org

Natarajan

A Manipur farmer grows black rice that cures cancer….

October 29, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Potshangbam Devakanta from Manipur shows the way in conserving the biodiversity of the state, farming around 100 traditional varieties of paddy and rare medicinal plants, finds Manu A B/Rediff.com.

Image: Devakanta has succeeded in persevering 100 traditional varieties of paddy. Photographs, courtesy: Devakanta

When farmers across India are grappling with weather woes and poor yields, Devakanta from Manipur has succeeded in adopting smart and eco-friendly methods of farming to ensure the harvest is satisfactory year after year.

Like thousands of farmers in India, 60-year-old Devakanta too toils in the paddy fields in Imphal for long hours.

What makes him different from other farmers is his passion to conserve a wide variety of rice in his organic farm, including cancer-curing black rice, called ‘chakhao poireiton’ and drought resistant varieties.

Image: Devakanta’s organic farm is an insiration for many farmers.

He has so far succeeded in persevering 100 traditional varieties of paddy and is cultivating 25 varieties of rice in his lush green farm.

Despite India being one of world’s biggest producers of rice, little is known about the rich variety of rice that is grown across the country.

Manipur has a treasure trove of rice varieties, which can be grown in other states, which too face vagaries of nature.

Image: Devakanta won the PPVFRA conservation award.

Devakanta, who won the PPVFRA conservation award (Protection of Plant Varieties And Farmers Rights Act) in 2012, also cultivates 5 varieties of the rare and highly nutritious variety of black rice, called ‘chakhao poireiton’.

He has travelled all over Manipur, collecting different types of rice – from drought-resistant white rice (crop which needs less water), brown rice and black rice. Manipur is famous for black rice, which has several medical properties as well.

“In Manipur, farmers grow about 20 varieties of black rice and chakhao protein is the best variety.

Image: ‘Black rice, ayurvedic medicines and organic food can lead to a complete cancer cure.’

It has a relatively high mineral content, including iron and amino acids. There are several cases where even cancer patients got cured by having this black rice,” says Devakanta.

Devakanta is currently working with about 200 farmers to increase the cultivation of chakhao poireiton in their farms as well. He inspires other Manipuri farmers to grow this rare rice.

“I am recommending chakhao poireiton to cancer patients who seek my advice. Considering the high prices of allopathic drugs which also have terrible side effects, it is advisable to have black rice. Black rice, ayurvedic medicines and organic food can lead to a complete cancer cure,” explains Dr Anjali Pathak, naturopath and organic consultant.

Image: Devakanta sells organically grown black rice from his farm for just Rs 150.

The rice is also good to fight dieases like viral fever, dengue, chikungunya or influenza.

While some e-commerce sites sell black rice for Rs 300-350 a kg, Devakanta sells organically grown black rice from his farm for just Rs 150.

“I have adopted organic methods of farming. I have also succeeded in convincing many farmers to switch to organic farming. It’s high time we stopped using harmful insecticides and fertilisers. The soil here is very fertile and it is our duty to maintain by using only natural manures and bio-agents to protect the crop,” explains Devakanta.

Image: The produce is high on nutritional value and ensures people who consume it are healthy and have a longer life span.

Many people know that he has an organic farm. So they come to him to buy different varieties of rice. However, if he gets the organic certification, he can package the rice better and sell it for a higher price.

“I don’t have the money to get an organic certification done. I don’t look at the profit aspect. I am more focused on how I farm. Now people who know me buy from my farm. Manipur is one of the few states in India where there is great awareness among people to curb the use of chemicals and fertilizers,” says Devakanta.

There are groups formed by local people who charge a penalty if anyone is found using chemical fertilisers in some districts.

“Traditional methods of farming do not give much yield. From a hectare, I get just 2-3 tonnes of rice every year. However, the produce is high on nutritional value and ensures people who consume it are healthy and have a longer life span, explains Devakanta.

Manipur is a hilly area and farming is done at different altitudes. Most villages are not connected by motorable roads.

Most of the time, Devakanta and his assistants walk for 2-3 days to reach the villages to collect plants and seeds of indigenous crops.

Image: An e-commerce site to sell his products would have helped farmers like Devankanta get good exposure.

Besides the infrastructural issues, there is threat from militant groups who can field workers. “I was once caught by militants. They demanded money. Luckily they let me go after I convinced them that I am a farmer,” says Devankanta.

Farmers like Devakanta need a proper godown to store the rice, machinery to clean and sort the rice, packaging machine machine, computers to keep stock of the inventory, cameras to document the rice varieties and medicinal plants for the benefit of researchers, funds to train the farmers in better methods of organic farming and plant protection.

An e-commerce site to sell his products would have helped farmers like him get good exposure.

Several farmers will stop growing their unique rice varieties unless they have an incentive to grow it on a large scale. Therefore, Devakanta has turned into a small scale entrepreneur to encourage these small farmers to continue growing their indigenous rice varieties. He buys the harvested rice from the small farmers and is willing to supply it in bulk to buyers in any part of India,” says Anjali pathak.

Devakanta and many farmers like him are looking for support to sustain agriculture.

“The government is not doing enough to promote agriculture. Farmers who do organic farming should be given more incentives. Scientists too must work towards growing better varieties of paddy and other crops so that weather will not spread havoc on crop yield,” says Devakanta.

Devakanta also cultivates one of the hottest varieties of chilli called ‘Bhut jolokia’. It is grown in Assam and Nagaland as well but the Manipuri chilli is considered to be better.

Image: ‘Our nature is blessed with plants that can save us from several ailments.’

Though there is a good demand for this chilli, Devakanta needs funds to buy a sturdy drier to dry the ‘bhut jolokia’ chilis during the peak season.

Devakanta is also conserving medicinal plants of Manipur. He runs an NGO called All Manipur Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Growers’ Consortium.

“We have several high medicinal value plants, some of which are good to cure cancer. Several aromatic plants can be used as inset repellents also. It is difficult to grow and maintain medicinal plants. Our nature is blessed with plants that can save us from several ailments. It is important to protest our naturally available medicinal plans before many varieties get extinct,” says Devakanta.

“Devakanta’s major challenge is to find a place to store harvested rice and spices, dry them, clean and grade it according to the quality. With proper infrastructure in place, Devakanta can provide employment to a few locals and also bring Manipur on the organic map of India,” says Anjali Pathak.

If you want to know more about Devakanta’s initiatives, you can reach him at 09862565030 / 09774269517.

Source…….Manu A B in http://www.rediff.com

Natarajan

Fat Face Off: Extra Virgin Olive Oil vs. Virgin Coconut Oil….Which one is Good For Our Health ?

October 29, 2015October 29, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Did you jump for joy when you heard coconut oil was no longer on the “bad foods” list? If you’re one of the many doing cartwheels down supermarket aisles and piling your cart high with every coconut item on the shelf, you may want to read on to find out if your jubilation is truly justified.

When comparing coconut oil to other fats, it does have some redeeming qualities. However, it’s not exactly the healthiest oil out there. It just doesn’t measure up when you pit virgin coconut oil(VCO), which is mechanically extracted from the coconut meat or milk, against extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), the juice squeezed or cold pressed directly from the olive fruit. (Neither oil extraction process involves the use of potentially harmful chemicals.) Take a look at how they fare against each other in five categories: fats, vitamins, antioxidants, health benefits, and cooking.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Virgin Coconut Oil

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1 tablespoonAmount Per ServingCalories 120Total Fat 14 g

Saturated Fat 15%*
Monounsaturated Fat 74%*
Polyunsaturated Fat 11%*
Trans Fat 0%*

Cholesterol 0%*

Vitamin E about 2mg

Vitamin K about 8µg

Polyphenol Antioxidants at least 36

*percent of total fat value

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1 tablespoonAmount Per ServingCalories 120Total Fat 14 g

Saturated Fat 88%*
Monounsaturated 7%*
Polyunsaturated Fat 2%*
Trans Fat 0%*

Cholesterol 0%*

Vitamin E about 0.01mg

Vitamin K 0.1µg

Polyphenol Antioxidants about 6

*percent of total fat value

Winner in the Fats Category: EVOO

The great news is both oils are very low in the worst type of fat—trans fat. But that’s where the similarity ends. EVOO is predominantly heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, while VCO is almost 90% saturated fat (that’s almost double the amount found in butter!). Some research shows coconut oil, which contains lauric acid, a medium chain triglyceride (or MCT) that is easier to burn as energy and less likely to be stored as fat, has the potential to increase good HDL cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, less than half of the saturated fat is lauric acid—the other half is still harmful saturated fat. And even through saturated fats aren’t all bad for us, they haven’t been proven healthy either. It’s still a good idea to limit total saturated fat, including from tropical oils like coconut, as the evidence backing the health benefits of diets low in saturated fat is just too strong to ignore.

Winner in the Vitamins Category: EVOO

The only notable micronutrients the oils contain are vitamin E, an antioxidant shown in studies to have properties that may protect against heart disease and certain cancers, and vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting and healthy bones. And in this case, the olive is mightier than the coconut, as EVOO contains 160 times more vitamin E and 120 times more vitamin K than VCO.

Winner in the Antioxidants Category: EVOO

The main antioxidants you’ll find in both oils are polyphenols. EVOO contains significantly higher levels (40 times more!) with at least 36 different polyphenols—that’s a lot of highly bioavailable, disease-fighting antioxidants. VCO only contains about six different polyphenols.

Winner in the Health Benefits Category: EVOO

There is an enormous body of evidence supporting the health benefits of EVOO. The high levels of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants in EVOO, have been shown to improve heart health, aid weight control, decrease the body’s inflammatory response, and reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Until more research is conducted, the same cannot be said about VCO. Although it has been linked to many conditions, including weight loss, cholesterol, diabetes, chronic fatigue, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and thyroid issues, there is insufficient scientific evidence to rate the effectiveness of coconut oil.

Winner in the Cooking Category: EVOO

Unrefined oils like EVOO and VCO have lower smoke points (the temperature at which oils begin to smoke and become less healthy) than refined versions. According to the International Olive Council, EVOO has a smoke point roughly around 410°F, making it great for sautéing, frying, and baking (below 410°F). VCO has a lower smoke point (up to 350°F) and is best used when sautéing over medium heat, or as a replacement for butter or shortening for medium-heat baking.

Overall Champion: Extra Virgin Olive Oil!

EVOO is the stand out winner when it comes to levels of heart-healthy, monounsaturated fats, vitamins, antioxidants, health benefits, and cooking. Virgin coconut oil can be used occasionally when a recipe calls for a solid fat, such as butter or shortening, or when cooking Asian cuisine—but adding oodles of the stuff to your morning smoothie isn’t going to do you any good. For undisputed health-boosting benefits, make extra virgin olive oil your go-to.

source….Tracy Morris in http://www.blog.fitbit.com

Natarajan

Tracy Morris holds a master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics. She has owned a nutrition consultancy and worked in private practice in Sydney, Australia and Cape Town, South Africa. Over the past 15 years, Tracy has lived in five different countries and has inspired people around the globe to be healthy. Currently, she is happily settled in Northern California where she writes, practices Pilates, runs after her three kids, and sips pinot noir with her husband.

This Canadian giant is being haunted by its decision to challenge Airbus and Boeing……

October 28, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

In 2004, Bombardier, maker of business jets and high speed trains, decided it was going to build a larger airliner.
Called the C-Series, the jet is meant to compete with Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’ A320 — which dominate the medium range airliner market.
Bombardier is a sprawling business, making everything from Learjet’s for wealthy businessmen to cars for New York’s subway system.
But the C-Series has become an anchor around its neck. More than a decade after the plan was conceived, the jets still aren’t in commercial service.

Bombardier spent $US5.5 billion on their development, and delays and cost overruns have meant its debt has ballooned. Ratings agencies are worried about future cash flow, and the shares have fallen by two thirds this year.

The company, which had nearly $US10 billion of debt on its books at the end of June, burned through $US1.6 billion of cash in the first half of 2015, according to Moody’s analyst Darren Kirk.

“Bombardier needs to the get the plane into service, prove that it is successful and generate more demand if it wants to correct its cash flow shortage,” he said.

With this as a backdrop, the Canadian firm will release its results for the third quarter on Thursday. Analysts expect sales and profits to continue falling, but a day ahead of the report investors got a glimmer of hope: Canada’s LaPresse reported Wednesday that Quebec may announce an aid package for Bombardier as well.

The company says things are better than investors recognise. The aviation business currently $US34 billion worth of orders on the books with $US22 billion in business aircraft and $US12 billion in commercial aircraft.
Bombardier’s relatively small size means it doesn’t require nearly as many orders as Boeing and Airbus to keep the factory busy, spokesman Yan Lapointe said.
And the company isn’t way off its target of 300 C-Series jets sold by the time the aircraft is ready to ferry passengers. Bombardier Aerospace vice president Ross Mitchell told Business Insider that, with the jet scheduled to enter service next year, the company has 243 firm orders on the books.

But the concern is that those orders aren’t coming fast enough. A whole year has come and gone since the last time Bombardier announced a new buyer for the C-Series, and one of its largest buyers so far, Republic Airways, could be about to bolt.

Republic, which originally ordered the plane for its now-sold Frontier subsidiary, has said it is considering backing off from its commitment to the aircraft amid a slowdown in its own business.

“The Republic Airways planes are never going to be delivered to Republic,” Airways News senior business analyst Vinay Bhaskara said in an interview.

In June, Bombardier flew both the CS100 and the larger CS300 to the Paris Air Show. The planes arrived at Le Bourget airport with great fanfare, but left without booking a single new order.

The painful thing for Bombardier is that there’s nothing wrong with the aeroplane. In fact, the C-Series has garnered generally positive reviews.

“The CS300 kills the Boeing 737 Max 7 and the Airbus A319neo in terms of ability and efficiency,” Bhaskara said.

Bombardier CS300 in Republic Airways livery.

At the Paris Air Show, aircraft leasing company, Air Lease Corp.’s president and CEO John Plueger told the Seattle Times that it’s not enough for people to like the plane because what Bombardier needs are orders.

It’s a stark contrast to Bombardier’s other aircraft. The company’s CRJ-Series regional jets are among the most in-demand aircraft of its type with nearly 2,000 examples in service. Its Q-Series turboprop airliner is a staple of regional airlines around the world with more than 1,000 of the planes in service. That’s on top of the company’s iconic Challenger, Global, and Learjet families of private jets.

Part of the problem is that the C-Series is tapping a part of the market that the world’s largest aircraft makers have deemed unworthy because of thin profits. Boeing and airbus both discontinued their regional jets, the 737-600 and A318.

All may not be lost.

Analysts such as Bhaskara predict room for as many as 2,500 planes in the 100-150-seat jet category, and Bloomberg recently reported that Bombardier is in talks about a possible order with JetBlue Airways.

Another major buyer, according to Bloomberg, could be United Airlines which told pilots it plans to order small jetliners, Bloomberg also reports.
There’s also room for the C-Series to recover as the older Boeing and Airbus aircraft are phased out and need to be replaced, said Tom Capital, Deloitte’s vice chairman and head of global aerospace and defence.

Boeing and Airbus are focusing on larger aircraft with longer range,” Captain said. “This has left an opening for others such as Bombardier to come in with new and efficient equipment.”

The trick for Bombardier now, is to turn that optimism into actual orders. And fast.

Source….. BENJAMIN ZHANG……..www.businessinsider.com.au

Natarajan

Images of the Day….Hunter’s Moon

October 28, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

See it! Great photos of Hunter’s Moon

Thanks to all friends who shared your fantastic images of the October 2015 full moon – Northern Hemisphere’s Hunter’s Moon – shining down on all the world.

Everything you need to know: Hunter’s Moon 2015

Photo by James Younger who wrote: “Hello and good morning to you! Truly one of my best wild life experiences ever while photographing the moon. I had to keep stopping taking photographs because Smokey my dog was swimming with the whales 30 feet off shore and would not come back to land. I was stuck between exhilarated and freaked out as I could see the whales breaching near Smokey … an awesome night out on the shore of Vancouver Island.” P.S. Smokey came back.

October 27, 2015 moon in Spain by Javier Martinez Moran.

Lynne Pitts took this photo in New Hampshire on October 26, 2015. Lynne wrote: “Went to the lake to enjoy the sunset and the moonrise. Had a beautiful evening with soft colors and a spectacular moon.”

New Delhi skyline seen as a planet – with a moonrise to one side – a panoramic view! Photo taken from New Delhi, India on October 25, 2015 by CB Devgun.

“This is my wife and my two kids watching tonight’s full moon rise above the horizon … The moon is somewhat deformed in the lower half due to atmospheric refraction.” By FotografGöranStrand on Facebook

Moon on a cloud. Photo by Dinh Nguyen

“Spooky moonrise behind clouds from southern Wisconsin, October 26, 2015.” Photo by Suzanne Murphy

Boston, Massachusetts Photo: KL Chipman

Monterrey, Mexico, October 26, 2015. Photo: Raúl Cortés

Hunter’s Moon, via Donna Matthie Pray. October 26, 2015 at Mud Lake in DePeyster, New York

Source….www.earthsky.org

Natarajan

ISRO Releases First Ever Hindi Atlas on MOM to Help More Indians Learn About the Mission ….

October 28, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

India’s Hindi-reading citizens can now get interesting updates about the country’s space missions, especially the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), as the government has released the first ever Hindi Atlas book based on Mangalyaan. –

Photo: Twitter

The atlas has been launched to spread awareness about some of the landmark achievements of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and to engage those citizens who cannot understand English but are well versed in Hindi.

After success of many missions like Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan and ASTROSAT, ISRO has gained worldwide popularity and many foreign space agencies have shown interest in working with India.

This step will encourage young minds across the country to contribute to the field of space research, even if they do not possess the knowledge of English language.

The atlas will contain a compilation of images acquired by the Mars Colour Camera, and data collected by the five payloads of MOM. ISRO had also released a Mars Atlas in English on the occasion of Mangalyaan’s first anniversary on September 24, 2015. It provides a lot of detailed information about the different features of the red planet, such as its craters, moons, volcanic features, tectonic features and more.

– Source….Shreya Pareek…..www.thebetterindia.com

Natarajan

” I Thought I Was a Darn Good Environmentalist. Till I Met This Guy. ..” Says Abhinav Bajpai of Bengaluru

October 28, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

We always like meeting two kinds of people in life. Those who inspire us, and those who get inspired by us. Recently, Abhinav Bajpai got a chance to meet one from the first category – a guy who inspired him to work harder towards the cause that he has taken up. This is his story.

I work for an NGO and my work usually involves going out on the streets of Bangalore to raise awareness among people about the environment. So one day, while I was working in BTM Layout, a neighbourhood in South Bangalore, a young guy named Nikhil came up to me and started asking about my work. He was decently dressed, but did not have any footwear on. He asked what I and my NGO do for the welfare of the environment. I started explaining with a preconceived notion that he must be one of those people who usually criticize NGOs and their objectives.

Once I was done describing what we do and how we work for the environment, he just pointed towards a tree nearby and asked a simple question – “What have you done for this tree?”

Picture for representation only. Source: http://www.atlanticyardswatch.net/

“Nothing really,” I said.

He then took me near the tree and showed how the surface of its trunk was covered with hundreds of staple pins. Nikhil told me that he is terribly pained on seeing a similar condition of thousands of trees in Bangalore, and wished this would come to an end.

During our conversation, he informed that he had left his job a few days back because of lack of interest, and was searching for something new. Also, his footwear had been stolen at a temple from where he was coming back when we met. In spite of all these talks, I was still not taking him very seriously as I did not know anything about him. Another reason for that could be his appearance and the way he was talking with a stammer.

Then he left and I resumed my work. But after half an hour, I saw Nikhil again. He was standing near the same tree.

I went to check what was going on, and to my shock, he was removing the staple pins on the tree with complete dedication.

I suddenly felt really small for judging him before. It was then that he told me how he chooses a tree each day and removes staple pins from it, working for as many hours on a tree as it takes. He was sad though; there are so may such trees in the city that he does not see his efforts having any impact. He also shared that the image of those trees covered in pins did not let him sleep peacefully at night.

I saluted Nikhil’s efforts, and told him that people like him should not work alone. They should be accompanied by a like-minded people who can work together to change the society for the better. My appreciation brought a precious smile on his face and then he continued pulling out those pins with even more energy.

Nikhil taught me that no cause is big or small. What matters is how dedicated you are towards it.

– Abhinav Bajpai

Source…..www.thebetterindia.com

natarajan

How One Award-Winning Radio Channel Forever Changed an Underserved Community in Haryana …

October 28, 2015October 28, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Everyone should be in a position to speak, say, listen and be heard,” says Archana Kapoor. As the founder of a national award-winning community radio initiative in Mewat, Haryana, she is certainly giving voice to many who have long been quiet in this backward community

“I was buying a register during my exam from the nearby shop. The shopkeeper charged me Rs. 184. When I reached home, I opened the packet and saw that the printed rate was Rs 124. I had heard in the ‘Jano Grahak Jano’ program on Radio Mewat that no one can charge you more than the printed rate. So I went back and confronted the shopkeeper. He said as it was exam time the demand was more – I could take it or leave it. I told him that I would go to Radio Mewat and get it announced. Sheepishly he called me back and returned Rs 60 to me.” – Irfan, a resident of Mewat, Haryana.

This is one of the many stories shared by Archana Kapoor, the founder of Radio Mewat and the NGO SMART (Seeking Modern Applications for Real Transformation).

SMART is dedicated to ‘bringing about real transformation in the lives of socially and economically backward communities’ with the use of mass media and different tools of communication, according to Archana who started this NGO in 1997, at the age of 37. She is also known for her work as a publisher, filmmaker, author and activist.

Why Radio Mewat?

Radio Mewat, one of the many initiatives of SMART, is the first community radio station in Mewat, an extremely underprivileged district in Haryana that is located about 70 km from Delhi.

“The community radio was set up in September 2010. The one and only focus of the radio is to disseminate information that benefits the community, empowers them, gives them an identity and provides a platform for the marginalized and vulnerable sections of society to share their stories and talk about their issues.”

The radio station has received two national awards from the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It also won an award for being the ‘Most Sustainable Community Radio Station‘ in 2011 and for the ‘Most Creative and Innovative Programming‘ in 2012.

The radio station, the reporters and the team

While Archana used to visit Mewat every single day when she started out, she now has to go only once in a while because the community is learning to take over. Currently, there are 11 full time reporters, a committed managerial team and an administrative team — 75 per cent of them being from the local community.

But is it a challenge to find people who would be interested to work for the radio?

Archana does not feel so. She has seen the youth in the community being very excited about the entire set up since day one. “They love what they do. The station has given them a status and acceptance in the society. The radio has not only trained over a 100 local people, but has also provided opportunities of employment and exposure…Their involvement is beyond programming and broadcasting. If an FIR is not being lodged, Radio Mewat is expected to intervene; if a ration card is not being issued, we will be asked to help … so it a 24×7 engagement.”

The Impact

Radio Mewat broadcasts 17 hours a day and that shows the kind of impact it is having on the community. As the proud founder points out – “People are getting information which they never had access to…the administration has become an integral part of the station as repeated demands from the community and airing of grievances have forced them to provide answers. Transparency in governance has increased. Panchayats have been made more accountable. For the first time in the history of Mewat, Gram Sabhas were held. This happened only after a sustained intervention through the community radio station.”

Here are some stories from and about people in the community for a clearer picture of how a radio station is actually changing lives:

“I heard about the symptoms of TB from Radio Mewat and called the station. Their reporter came to see me and took me to the hospital for the tests. I am now getting my treatment done and am not ashamed of sharing this story. I am in fact telling everyone to get their sputum tested. I now know that TB is curable.” – Shahid –

Ever since she was a child, Zainab, a 29-year-old woman, wanted to study. But her parents did not let her continue with her education after grade 5. Today, she is married and lives in Palladi village in Mewat. Last year, when the radio came up with a program called ‘Masti ki Paathshala’, where they were teaching Math, she was very excited to join it.

“In this program, for every right answer to questions discussed during the program, we give the listener a star. Zainab is also participating. She listens to it regularly and calls when she has the answer. She has already collected seven stars and says that it is really good that she is able to learn Maths now. This is something she always wanted to do. So even if it is after ten years, she is able to learn now. And it is not just her; she makes her children and everybody in the family sit and listen to the program. On earning ten stars, she will get an award, even if it is a small thing,” says Archana.

The Challenges

While the team has overcome many initial challenges, there are still some that prevail. The most important one of them being the employment of women at the station, as families are still hesitant to send girls to work in the media sector. Archana is aiming for at least half of the content to be produced and broadcast by women. Then there are issues revolving around demands for increased remuneration, and the financial crunch. The team also has to deal with technical challenges because of limited resources.

“I have about 16 people working for me, so I had to get projects to sustain them and for their salaries. Because the guidelines are so strict, we cannot get sponsors from the private sector. So we end up looking at the government for sponsored projects…We have been able to break even now. We have been able to pay the salaries, keep the equipment working, and to keep afloat for five years.”

The Future

Archana now wants Radio Mewat to slowly become an independent community run entity, where the community realises the wisdom in supporting and running it. –

Source…..Tanaya Singh ….www.thebetterindia.com

Natarajan

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See it! Great photos of Hunter’s Moon

Photo: Twitter

This step will encourage young minds across the country to contribute to the field of space research, even if they do not possess the knowledge of English language.

Once I was done describing what we do and how we work for the environment, he just pointed towards a tree nearby and asked a simple question – “What have you done for this tree?”

Picture for representation only. Source: http://www.atlanticyardswatch.net/

I went to check what was going on, and to my shock, he was removing the staple pins on the tree with complete dedication.

Source…..www.thebetterindia.com

natarajan

This is one of the many stories shared by Archana Kapoor, the founder of Radio Mewat and the NGO SMART (Seeking Modern Applications for Real Transformation).

Why Radio Mewat?

The radio station, the reporters and the team

The Impact

Here are some stories from and about people in the community for a clearer picture of how a radio station is actually changing lives:

The Challenges

The Future