Interesting read – Page 61 – Take off with Natarajan

Message for the Day…….” In our Holy Land, Nothing is Lacking….What Can not be found in India , can not be found elsewhere…”

January 26, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

From the most ancient times Bharatiyas considered Truth as God, loved it, fostered it and protected it and thereby achieved divinity.Bharatiyas were devoted to Truth, wedded to Dharma(Righteousness) and esteemed morality in society as the foremost duty. It is high time you realised what a sacred country Bharat is. In this holy land, nothing is lacking. “What cannot be found in Bharat cannot be found elsewhere” is an ancient saying. In spite of these multifarious endowments, this country is being regarded as poor and backward. This is born of delusion. When everything is available within Bharat, why go begging to other countries? Everything has originated from Bharat. Hence, having taken birth in Bharat, strive to promote the glory of Bharat. Every devotee should take a pledge to protect and promote the greatness of Bharat. Like an elephant that does not know its own strength, Bharatiyas are unaware of their power. Despite their myriad capacities, they are behaving as weaklings like an elephant before its mahout. You have to get rid of this weakness.

வாரம் ஒரு கவிதை …..” தொலைந்து போன கடிதம் ” !!!

January 25, 2016Natarajan1 Comment

தொலைந்து போன கடிதம்

……………………….

நம் முகவரி தேடி நம்மை நாடி ஒரு கடிதம் வந்து நாம் அதை

பிரிக்கும் நேரம்

பிறந்த குழந்தை ஒன்று நம் கைகளிலே தவழ்வதற்கு சமமான

பெருமித நேரம் ! ஒரு பொன்னான நேரம் !

“நலம் நலம் அறிய ஆவல்”….. கடிதத்தின் இதமான நுழை

வாயில் இதில் நம் கால் பதிக்கும் நேரம் … இளம்

காலை இனிய தென்றல் நம்மை தொட்டு நடனமாடும்

புத்துணர்வு ஒரு ஊற்றாய் சுரக்கும் நம்முள் !

தகவல் தொழில் நுட்ப புரட்சியில் பிறந்த புது முகம் தன்

முழு முகத்தையும் காட்டும் முன்னர் , நம் கடித

பரிமாற்றம் எல்லாம் அடங்கின ஒரு அஞ்சல் அட்டையில் !

கிடைக்கும் இடம் எல்லாம் எழுதி எழுதி கடிதம் அதை

திரும்பத் திரும்ப படிக்க வைக்கும் திறன் சிலருக்கு மட்டுமே

கை வந்த கலை !

கைப்பட எழதிய கடிதம் தொடுவது நம் கைகளை மட்டுமல்ல ..நம்

உள்ளத்தையும் உணர்வுகளையும் சேர்த்துதான் ! இன்றைய

கைபேசியும், காண் ஒளியும் ஒரு அஞ்சல் அட்டைக்கு இணையாகுமா ?

வலையின் அலையில் நாம் தொலைத்து மறந்த கடித பரிமாற்றம்

அதே வலையின் அலையால் மீண்டும் ஒரு நாள் கரை வந்து சேரும் !

காத்திருப்போம் நாம் கரையில் அதுவரை !

” மாற்றம் ஒன்றுதான் நிரந்தரம் ஒருவர் வாழ்வில் ” என்னும்

கூற்றை மறக்காமல் , மறுக்காமல் !!!

K .Natarajan

Message for the Day……” How to feel the Happiness and Bliss ….” ?

January 25, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

Overcoming senses that stray outward is difficult – they are attracted by taste, looks, and feels. The internal tendencies are like pure water which has no form, taste, or heaviness and is good for you! Impure water hurts you and harms you. You must purify your mental behavior, which is presently spoiled by the delusions of the world. If you desire happiness, you must first control and conquer the external delusion. Then your internal tendencies will easily move in the direction of securing bliss (Atma-ananda). Spiritual practices and penance (Yoga and Tapas) are only other names for the path to control and conquer these external tendencies and shield you from delusions. Choose any path through which you feel grace is flowing to you. Liberation is achieved by strict adherence to the rules and observances of following your chosen path. The path will give you the strength to overcome delusion and grant you one-pointedness.

Sofa from an Ambassador, Table from a Tractor – This Jodhpur Couple Is Creating Magic from Waste

January 24, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

A sofa made from the discarded portion of an Ambassador car, a table made from a tractor, rugs made of old gunny bags, and so many other handmade products – welcome to the super creative workshop of PRiti International. Started by a Jodhpur-based couple in 2005, it is a company that takes waste material and turns it into something very useful and unique.

“We don’t just want to make things for decorative purposes. We want them to be useful as well,” says Hritesh Lohiya, who founded PRiti International with his wife Priti Lohiya.

The couple came across this idea after several failed ventures, and have been expanding their range of amazing products since then.

Hritesh and Priti Lohiya

“We started many different businesses, but all of them failed. We started a chemical factory, then a stone cutting factory, and a washing powder business. This was the final one,” says 42-year-old Hritesh.

Today, they have spread their work to three factories with over 400 people designing these products. They manufacture many things like handbags from old gunny bags, military tents and denim pants; furniture from waste tins, drums, as well as waste machine parts; and lamps from bike headlights etc.

“We started a handicrafts business in 2003. We were not getting any orders, and it had become very difficult for us to sustain. That was the time when we found some waste tin boxes in the factory. They were chemical boxes and drums. We turned them into chairs and tables. Fortunately, one customer visited our factory that time and liked those items a lot. This was how we entered into the recycling business,” says Hritesh.

They are now exporting to more than 40 countries including China, US and Australia every month, and the company has a current turnover of $8 million. They usually get their raw material from scrap dealers, but as the business is growing, they have also started attending auctions organized by Indian Railways and Army to purchase waste material. The item is first brought to the factory where the couple brainstorms on how to use it in the best possible manner. Once the design is ready, the final product is manufactured by the factory workers. Currently, they are only exporting their products, and they also participate in several exhibitions worldwide where they get several orders.

Take a look at their brilliant work:

Source…..Tanaya singh in http://www.the betterindia.com

Natarajan

10 Facts about the Indian Army That Will Fill You With Pride……

January 23, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

T he Indian Army evokes a sense of pride in all Indians and rightly so. They guard our borders day and night and protect us from external attacks. Here are some little-known facts about the Indian Army that will fill your hearts with pride:

1. The birth of the Indian Army

The army in the Presidencies of Bengal, Bombay, and Madras were unified into a single Indian Army in 1895. However, for administrative needs, it was divided into Punjab, Bengal, Madras, and Bombay commands. The Indian Army fought many wars for the British Empire.

2. Various foreign troops are trained in India

The Indian Army conducts exercises with troops from many other countries. Some of the major drills that have been held are Yuddh Abhyas (with the US), Exercise Shakti (with France), and Exercise Nomadic Elephant (Mongolia).

3. Not a single attempt to overthrow the government

The Indian Army has never attempted a military coup since 1947. It has also never attacked first. There has not been an intention of gaining power or governing a nation.

4. All are welcome to join the services

There is no discrimination in terms of recruitment. The Services Selection Board chooses the candidates. The selection process is apparently a very tough one and the quality standards are never compromised.

5. The largest surrender has been before the Indian Army

Over 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered to India, at the end of the Bangladesh Liberation War. Lt. Gen. A.A.K. Niazi of the Pakistani army signed the Instrument of Surrender.

6. Guardians of the President of India

The President’s Bodyguard is an elite cavalry regiment. Its main aim is to protect and escort the President of India. The regiment is based in the Rashtrapati Bhawan. It is the senior most regiment of the Indian Army.

7. Building bridges, literally!

The Baily Bridge in Ladhak is built at an altitude of 5,602 meters above sea level. It is 30 meters long.

8. Earned praise from Adolf Hitler

Legend has it that Hitler’s very words were, “If I had Gurkhas, no army in the world could defeat me.”

9. Courage in the face of adversity

The Battle of Longewala was fought in Thar desert in Rajasthan. Major Chandpuri with his battalion of 120 soldiers and a handful of BSF jawans managed to defend the post of Longewala, till help arrived in the morning.

10. A rich legacy

The Assam Rifles has served in a number of conflicts, including World Wars I and II. Since 2002, it has been guarding the India-Myanmar border.

Take a bow, Indian Army. You make us proud.

Source…….Meryl Garcia in http://www.the better india .com

Natarajan

Meet Rupa Devi – the Woman Selected by FIFA to Officiate International Matches…..

January 23, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

Rupa Devi, a 26-year-old woman from Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, has been selected by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to officiate international matches.

According to reports, she is the first woman referee from Tamil Nadu to be selected by FIFA.

Photo Credit: (L) YouTube, (R) Flickr

Rupa started playing football when she was a student of Class 6 at St. Joseph’s Girl’s School in Dindigul. Her love for the game continued to grow and she started playing at the sub-junior level in her school very soon. She also started participating in district level football tournaments and became a part of the Dindigul Football Federation in 2006. The federation helped her participate in many national matches and also sponsored her education. She continued to play when she went to GTN college in Dindigul for her BSc degree, and then to Annamalai University in Chidambaram for a BEd in Physical Education. She currently works as a physical training school teacher in Dindigul.

“As a child, I used to stand on the sides of the ground where the game was played and kick the ball, whenever it came to me,” she told The Times of India.

According to a report in The News Minute, Rupa lost her parents in 2010 and 2011. She supported herself through the matches she went to play. But during the same period, there were no matches for women at the national level for two years. This was when senior referees advised that she should become a referee. She joined the referee development school in 2012.

She has been a referee for many matches since then. She was chosen as a referee for Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 2013, for the under-14 football festival held in Doha. She was the only Indian selected as part of the Asian body’s ‘Future referees’ project at that time.

Three years after beginning to officiate matches and giving the FIFA examination, she qualified as an international referee.

Source……Tanaya Singh in http://www.the betterindia.com

Natarajan

10 Rare Pictures of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose That Everyone Must See…

January 23, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

Remembering Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 119th birth anniversary. Generations of Indians admire his patriotism and courage. Here are some rare pictures of him:

Photo credit: Twitter

Source…….Meryl Garcia in http://www.the betterindia.com

Natarajan

The President Shares Pictures as His Residence Is Decorated for Republic Day…

January 23, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

Rashtrapati Bhavan is being prepared for the celebration of India’s 67th Republic Day, and it is looking as marvellous as always. This Tuesday, the much awaited grand parade on Rajpath will commence from the gates of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. And on the evening of January 29, the Beating Retreat ceremony will be held at Vijay Chowk, with the North and South blocks of the Rashtrapati Bhavan visible on both sides.

President Pranab Mukherjee has tweeted some pictures, as his residence is getting decorated:

The Jaipur Column

All pictures: Twitter

Source…. Tanaya Singh in http://www.the betterindia.com

Natarajan

How This Organisation Became the Backbone of Thousands of Farmers in India…

January 23, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

This article is part of a series that covers the finalists of the HCL Grant & made possible by HCL.

The Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals has been working for the empowerment of farmers in India since 2001. It is bridging the gap between rural communities and other stakeholders through innovative use of ICT across the country.

T here’s a farmer in a small village in Bidar, Karnataka, who needs help with setting up a green house. He doesn’t know how to go about it. That’s when his neighbour tells him about a helpline – Kisan Call Centre. The farmer connects with experts. And within no time, he is equipped with all the information he needs.

Kisan Call Centre is one of the many initiatives of ISAP – Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals – an organisation that is engaging more than 150,000 farmers across India.

ISAP, which has been active in the field of agriculture for the last 15 years, is a non-profit organisation working for the empowerment of rural communities by providing them sustainable agriculture solutions.

ISAP was the brainchild of Sunil Khairnar. After extensively working in the agribusiness industry in India, he realised there was so much potential in the field of Indian agriculture that hadn’t been tapped as yet. He wanted to bridge the gap between farmers and experts. Mr. Khairnar also realised the way to fill this gap was by using the power of information. In fact, ISAP’s mantra has been ICT – information and communications technology.

Using ICT, the organisation has been able to reach out to thousands of farmers.

An awareness workshop being conducted in Aurad.

“The organisation, which started out with just a few employees, now has as many as 330 employees,” says Senior Project Manager Gaurav Vats.

What ISAP does

ISAP is currently implementing various projects across India. From an integrated farming system project in Rajasthan to an agriculture extension system project in Karnataka, ISAP is proving to be a backbone to farmers across the country.

The organisation’s targeted interventions ensure economic development in rural India.

“Our processes are very meticulous,” says Karnataka project head, Chandrashekar Maradi.

ISAP organises farmers into groups at various levels. At the grassroots level, the farmers are divided into Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs). At the taluk level, FIGs come together to form Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).

“We believe that there is strength in numbers. When the farmers are organised into groups, they have more bargaining power. For instance, because they purchase seeds as a group, they get them at wholesale prices,” says Mr. Chandrashekar.

The organised groups are also guided on selling their produce. ISAP helps them by providing training on the best harvesting methods, gives them access to warehouses, and so on.

The Agriculture Extension Project was started in 2010 in north Karnataka.

Farmers being taught the dibbling method.

It was launched to improve the production of pulses. In order to achieve this goal, the project stressed on soil and nutrient management. ISAP also helps farmers in marketing their produce.

“We have started Kisan Fresh, a grocery mart, in north Karnataka. Farmers sell fresh vegetables, organic jaggery, pulses, masala powders, and much more,” says Mr. Chandrashekar.

How it’s impacting lives

Gundappa, a farmer in Pattan village, is one of the beneficiaries of the project in north Karnataka. This farmer, who used to only cultivate red gram, was introduced to ISAP’s integrated farming system. Now, he cultivates pulses, grows vegetables, and also raises cattle on his farm.

By expanding his produce, Gundappa has shielded himself from the vagaries of the weather, thereby cushioning himself against disaster in case one crop fails. Gundappa’s success story is an inspiration to many — he is often invited to lecture farmers in his region.

The organisation is also involved in a host of other projects.

For instance, it provides training to rural youth to help them create small and micro enterprises. Together with the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management in Hyderabad, ISAP is running an entrepreneurship development programme for unemployed youth in 12 states. After the training, it helps students set up their own ventures. Under this scheme, ISAP has trained over 4,000 people so far.

ISAP also uses community radio stations to reach out to farmers. It gives out information on agricultural practices, government schemes, etc. Kisan Vani (90.4 FM), at Sironj in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh, was the first agriculture-based community radio station in the state. ISAP now plans to set up more such stations in Rajasthan.

The organisation has provided training to women’s self-help groups (SHGs) in poultry farming, washing power production, vermi-compost, and other relevant businesses. It has also helped SHGs in opening bank accounts through the NABARD-SHG bank linkage programme in Rajasthan. ISAP is funded by various organisations and grants.

It has applied for the HCL Grant and through this grant it wants to set up three skill development community colleges in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Through these colleges, it aims to provide certified skill training and a recognised Bachelor of Vocational Training (B.Voc.) degree to unemployed rural youth. The project aims to directly impact 3,600 beneficiaries from poor households.

To know more about ISAP’s initiatives, contact the team on their website.

About HCL Grant

There are about 3.3 million NGOs in India doing commendable work in various areas aimed at inclusion and development. The HCL Grant has been launched to support the institutionalization of the Fifth Estate comprising individuals and institutions formed and led by the citizens of the country through the creation of strong governance frameworks and management capabilities. An endeavor of the HCL Foundation, HCL Grant envisions to build sustainable communities by supporting NGOs and individuals who are doing path-breaking work towards high impact transformation in rural India. In the first year, HCL Grant has identified the best NGOs in the area of rural education. To know more about the HCL Grant: http://www.hcl.com/hcl-grant

Source……..Meryl Garcia in http://www.the betterindia.com

Natarajan

Ladakh’s First and Only All-Women Travel Company and the Woman Who Started it All…

January 23, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

How many women does it take to start an all-women travel company, set up a women’s welfare network for women in distress, write tirelessly on social and environmental issues, win a bronze at the National Ice Hockey Championship, and keep training an ever-growing number of women to be professional trekking guides in the harsh terrain of Ladakh? Just one, if that woman happens to be Thinlas Chorol.

Back in 2009, Thinlas Chorol set up the Ladakhi Women’s Travel Company, which has the distinction of being Ladakh’s first travel company completely owned and operated by women. It is also known for promoting ecotourism.

Thinlas’ foray into the mountains began as a five-year-old accompanying her father on long treks through the mountains with their goats and sheep.

Thinlas Chorol

Having lost her mother when she was a baby, her father was all Thinlas had. Scared that “something might happen” to him if he were to venture into the mountains alone, she went with him. Today, as one of Ladakh’s best trekking guides, she looks back on that incomparable training fondly, as “the bliss of my childhood.”

Her Journey

What was far from bliss was the assortment of obstacles Thinlas encountered on her way to becoming the pioneering and inspirational woman she is today. Societal restrictions, taboos and narrow mindsets had to be countered for her to become a professional trekking guide at a time when female trekking guides were unheard of.

Despite her trekking competence, many travel companies refused to hire her as a guide, solely on account of her being a woman.

Most men, on the other hand, were hired as trekking guides even without any professional training or knowledge of trekking routes or awareness of environmental impact. She was repeatedly told that a Ladakhi woman going into the mountains with a group of foreigners would be frowned upon by society. But she didn’t let the rejections and social taboos stop her.

Thinlas had met a few female travellers who had been harassed by their male trekking guides and were keen on trekking with a female guide they could trust. With the encouragement she received at SECMOL (Students Education and Culture Movement of Ladakh, an organization that helps educate children from remote regions of Ladakh) and the support of her American English teacher, Thinlas went on to gain some commendable professional expertise. She attended a mountaineering course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (Uttarkashi) and spent a semester at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Ranikhet, Uttarakhand, where she picked up wilderness and leadership skills. She even worked as an instructional aide at NOLS and was the first Ladakhi to do so.

Thinlas started the Ladakhi Women’s Travel Company (LWTC) in 2009 at the age of 29.

Trekkers with the Ladakhi Women’s Travel Company

Since then, many Ladakhi women have approached her to train them as trekking guides and, today, the company has 8 guides, 4 trainees and 20 employees in all. It takes a minimum of one year with the company to become a trekking guide. Thinlas also co-founded the Ladakhi Women’s Welfare Network in late 2013, which helps women report crimes against them and works towards their general welfare.

Responsible Travel and Ecotourism

Given Thinlas’ deep sense of connection with the land, responsible travel is a huge part of LWTC’s work. Having seen a lot of garbage dumped on the mountains by irresponsible campers and tourists, the women at LWTC ensure that the ‘leave no trace’ rule is respected on their treks and the environmental impact minimized.

Trekkers make halts at homestays run by rural women and learn from Ladakhis about their way of life. Clients are told to avoid plastic bottles and instead refill water bottles at the homestays. Thinlas says that since homestays are unprofitable for travel agencies many of them don’t offer this option to clients unless the latter specifically insist on them. As LWTC’s website states, homestays help rural women achieve the same status as their men who are out earning for their families. Homestays also encourage people to remain in their villages instead of seeking jobs in cities.

Homestays are the most eco-friendly way to discover Ladakh as they also put minimal pressure on natural resources, unlike camping, which requires ponies and donkeys that deprive the local wildlife of its share of the sparse grass on the mountains.

The women of LWTC are also highly knowledgeable about the local culture, history, flora and fauna and are glad to share that knowledge with the trekkers. A trek with them can give a city dweller an experience of the real Ladakh more than any typical ‘touristy’ visit could.

The Challenges

The main challenge for LWTC is the seasonal nature of their work, with the season being barely four months from June to September. LWTC has to stretch out the income made in these few months for the rest of the year. In the winter, LWTC offers snow leopard treks but, because this is the off-season, there aren’t many takers. The team also looks forward to more people volunteering to teach English to the Ladakhi women training with the company.

The Vision

In empowering herself, Thinlas has empowered a host of other women as well.

In her own words: “Women should think for themselves and not depend on their families. If they believe in themselves, they can achieve what they want. Women should not listen to what society is saying. They should listen to their own ability to work. Then, definitely, they will succeed if they work hard.”

Her vision for LWTC is to see her trekking guides spread their wings across the globe and, in turn, inspire many others to actualize their dreams.

If you’d like to help, please donate to the Ladakhi Women’s Welfare Network (LWWN). It is not affiliated with any religious or political institution and works independently for the welfare of the women of Ladakh.

Source…..Namita Kulkarni in http://www.thebetterindia.com

Natarajan