Learn from life

Approach experiences and interactions without judgment.

A friend who had travelled extensively in India said that beyond the clichéd postcard images of the country, what she took back was the Visit India tourism slogan, Atithi Devo Bhava. A line that very simply and beautifully extols the virtue that the guest is god. Or that anyone who enters your home should be treated with reverence and respect. In most parts of the country, she observed, one could walk in unannounced and be greeted with a cup of chai and a smile, and, more often than not, a meal. She told us that in the more affluent part of the world where she comes from, people were so cloaked in the notion of privacy that this idea was non-existent. In the rural communities we worked in, even the most cynical among us could not help but be touched by the openness with which families welcomed us to their homes. We were definitely happy ‘gods’ for a few hours!

Handling hostility

The whole notion of guest as god can be seen as a metaphor of how we approach life. In whatever role we are playing, student, working professional or homemaker, life presents to us a series of interactions and experiences. Often we find we have no control over the experience. The only control we have is how we treat the experience that is presented to us. We can choose to turn the experience away at the door by building walls of anger, hate, resentment and fear. Many years ago, in a metro residential complex, a small quarrel between two children escalated into a world-war-like scenario between the two neighbours. The families, who had shared both birthdays and loss, were now strangers to one another. The walls they built within themselves caused many more episodes of misunderstanding, and neither felt completely free of the other. Even in their deepest animosity, they were unknowingly attached to each other. The irony was that the two children, in a few weeks, forgot their quarrels and became friends again. However, by then, egos had ballooned to gigantic proportions and neither family wanted to take the first step to hand the olive branch.

The children, now in their teens, shared this story with us in a discussion on forgiveness. They said that they would remain friends and that the adults just needed to grow up! In our own personal experiences, we would have observed (always on hindsight!) that those experiences and interactions we turned away because of fears, were like guests who, turned away from the door, go away leaving both hearts feeling burdened in different ways.

The uninvited guest

In contrast, when we approach experiences and interactions without judgment or preconceived notions, we can discover a whole new way of opening our hearts to what is present. Recently, a friend’s son had a horrific accident at a birthday party. It was a period of great stress as physical and emotional scars needed healing. It was a personal lesson that the family taught me on how to really accept what is. Their entire energy was devoted to addressing the needs of the situation. Finding creative ways to keep the young spirit engaged, the initial shock had been transformed into a loving environment. At no point was undue energy spent on blaming anyone — by focusing on what was needed for the situation, they were able to find the strength to deal with what the situation required.

By channelising their own hurt and grief into something larger, they gave the biggest gift to their child. An environment where one could truly heal. The anger felt was later used constructively when the family communicated the incident to the community. The ability to transform the personal into something larger is certainly a gift. The attitude to this uninvited guest of experience was certainly an eye-opener.

Lifelong learning

The guests in our own lives come in the form of thoughts (most of them uninvited).Our attachment to these thoughts is often the foundation of our judgment and decision-making. To be able to stand and watch these guests visit the home of your heart and mind is a lifelong learning. One of the ways to do this is to engage and have a dialogue with people who have had experiences alien to your own.

A family friend, who had experienced the atrocities of war and then had his own personal battles in life which took him from depths to elevated heights, always said that there was something within him that believed in the innate goodness in people. He said that this one simple thought kept him going through his most trying times, and by creating this belief system, the universe responded. Angels in the form of good Samaritans would always be willing to lend a helping hand. Nelson Mandela, during his 26 years of imprisonment, spent mostly in solitary confinement, is a perfect example of how thoughts of the greater good can keep the spirit alive.

There are Nelson Mandelas all around us, and more importantly, within us, who surface when least expected.

A family I knew would always keep one extra plate during meal times. Apparently, it was a tradition handed down from their Irish grandmother. Her belief was that angels passing through might just stop by for a warm meal in the guise of an unknown guest! A beautiful message that one can not only use for mealtimes, but for life itself.

If you would like to share your ideas and comments, do write to: lifeplus590@gmail.com

‘Healthcare needs to be scaled up’

The healthcare industry in the country has to find an effective way to scale up to meet demands, said experts at the CII session on ‘Challenges and opportunities in Indian healthcare’, on Sunday.

“Healthcare is unorganised in India. There are a number of doctors who have done some great work, but not enough is invested in organisation as in clinical excellence,” said E.S. Krishnamoorthy, founder director and chief consultant of Neurokrish hospital.

“Doctors tend to be very territorial, we should learn to be more collaborative,” he said.

“The healthcare industry needs to look at other industries and their growth patterns to be able to develop systems and processes that drive growth.”

Ramakrishnan, a partner at the investment consultancy firm, Spark Capital, said: “At some level, the problem is a professional one. There are only around 10 healthcare companies that have Rs. 500-crore-or-more turnover. There is a second set of companies that is catching up, but there is a problem of fragmentation in the industry.”

Speaking of medical tourism, Mohan Kameshwaran, managing director of Merf India, said, “India scores over many centres in the U.K. and the U.S. in terms of quality healthcare and the rates are just 10 per cent of the prices in these countries. There is still large scope for the industry.”

Another potential area of growth, which is not being tapped, is manufacturing of medical devices, said Dr. Kameshwaran. “Many people think that manufacturing of medical devices needs large investment, but in reality, around 90 per cent of devices are low-tech and can be easily produced in the country,” he said.

The session also featured talks by R. Senthil Kumar, COO of Vasan Eye Care, Raju Venkatraman, founder director of Medall Healthcare, Vikram Rajan, senior health specialist, World Bank, and Mathew Elliot, principal investment officer at International Finance Organisation (IFC), Health and Education, South Asia.

Nov 03 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)

India must revisit plan on climate change: Pachauri





The world will have to totally phase out fossil fuels in power generation by the end of this century and reduce their use to 20% by 2050 if disastrous consequences of climate change are to be avoided, the UN-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said in its synthesis report released in Copenhagen on Sunday .It said if all nations failed to bring greenhouse gas emissions to nearly zero by year 2100, climate change would leave “severe, widespread and irreversible impacts“.
The report, seen as the most reliable source of climate information, will form the basis for talks leading, hopefully , to a global deal in Paris next year on reducing emissions. The findings and recommendations of the synthesis report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on completely phasing out fossil fuels are expected to be discussed thoroughly when more than 190 countries would assemble for a climate conference in Lima, Peru, next month.
Expectedly, representatives from Saudi Arabia and other oil exporting countries protested against such drastic recommendations during the consultations round before accepting the IPCC report in Copenhagen.
In his advice to the Indian government, IPCC chairman R K Pachauri told TOI, “India has a national action plan on climate change that, I think, will need to be revisited in the light of the findings of the report. I hope that will be beneficial.” Asked whether he envisaged a world that would be without fossil fuels, Pachau ri said, “We have brought out very clearly (in the report) that if we want to keep global temperature increase to below 2 degrees Celsius from 1880 level, then by the end of this century, fossil fuel based power generation will be phased out unless weuse carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility technology”.
For the full report, log on to http:www.timesofindia.com

Nov 03 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)

Women tech honchos to head 5 NIT boards

Akshaya Mukul

New Delhi:





For the first time, top women executives of technology firms have been appointed chairpersons of the board of governors of five National Institutes of Technology (NIT) in a bid to encourage enrolment of more girls and break the glass ceiling in engineering.Kumud Srinivasan, president of Intel India, has been made chairperson of the prestigious NIT Trichy; Vanitha Narayanan, managing director of IBM India Private Limited, NIT Suratkal; Aruna Jayanthi, CEO of Capgemini India, NIT Calicut; Vasantha Ramaswamy , founder director of Aprameya Associates, NIT Rourkela and Jaya Panvalkar, formerly head of NVIDIA's Pune design centre, NIT Surat.
Eleven NITs did not have chairpersons.
“Getting women to head NIT board of governors will have an impact in making these institutions more attractive for girls,“ highly placed sources said. “Since many of the new chairpersons went to technology institutes and have worked at the highest levels in technology firms, they are best placed to break the stereotype that engineering is essentially a male profession. The HRD ministry expects that with so many wom en heading the board of National Institutes of Technology , the NIT Council, the supreme governing body, will help to increase the enrolment of girls in these institutes.
“The HRD ministry is focused on increasing the enrolment of girls in engineering institutes. CBSE has already launched `Udaan', a scheme to attract girls to engineering,“ sources said. Kumud Srinivasan (appointed to board of NIT Trichy) has worked with Intel for over 25 years and made India the company's largest non-manufacturing site outside the US. Vanitha Narayanan (NIT Suratkal) is also in IBM's integration and values team.

Generating constant income imperative for successful farming

If anybody asks a farmer what he considers successful farming is all about, the answer in all probability would be low investment and a good, steady income.

“It could be a small farmer or a farmer with 10 acres; the bottom line is generating revenue from his crop. And modern technologies should aid him in improving income and his standard of living. Take the case of Mr. Umesh, a small farmer with 2.5 acres — he earns a net annual income of Rs. 4.8 lakh,” says Dr. Sreenath Dikshit, Zonal Project Director, ICAR, Bangalore.

Role model

The synergistic integration and optimal utilisation of resources by Mr. Umesh, hailing from Kalya village of Magadi taluk of Ramangara District, Karnataka, is one such role model for the impoverished farmers of the State.

“In fact, persons like Umesh could be the right model for farmers of Karnataka facing the scenario of low yield and income coupled with unpredictable rainfall,” says Dr. Dikshit.

Initially Mr. Umesh’s traditional farming included only arecanut in one acre along with a small dairy unit. The technical support from Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ramangara helped him to shore up and integrate his farming through introduction of improved crop varieties, stall feeding of sheep, upgrading a dairy unit, growing azolla as cattle feed, vermicompost manufacturing, poultry, developing a fodder bank and drudgery reduction through farm mechanisation at his level. “The most crucial intervention is the introduction of rose and marigold along with vegetables like pole beans, cucumber, tomato and brinjal as intercrops. He has a stall feeding unit of sheep (15+2) that has drawn the attention of neighbouring villagers,” says Dr. K.H. Nagaraj, Program Coordinator of the Ramanagara dist. KVK.

Last seasons

During the last three seasons Mr Umesh earned Rs.2,40,000 from vegetables alone. Everyday he sells flowers in the nearby market earning Rs.800-1,000 per day.

Keeping the requirement of the market demand the farmer had planned these two varieties in such a way it starts flowering in September-October when the demand for fresh flowers would be high in the state.

Earlier, the only source of income for him was from arecanut which fetched him a net income of Rs.1,45,000 annually.

He was advised to establish a fodder bank comprising Co-3, Co-4 grass varieties and azolla to feed his small dairy unit (one HF & one Jersey cow) and sheep unit. He has also planted silver oak trees all along the borders of his farm.

The trees act as a wind barrier to the arecanut garden. KVK guided him in preparing his own feed mixture for the sheep as well as dairy animals. The combination of azolla and the feed mixture has reduced his feed cost by Rs.150 per day.

Irrigation

The entire garden is irrigated through a micro sprinkler. To reduce drudgery, the farmer has opted for mechanisation by deploying a chaff cutter, rotowater and a cycle weeder that has helped him to reduce the cost of labour.

He recycles farm waste through a vermicompost unit. The average production from his farming per year is 0.8 tonnes of green areca nuts, about one tonne of vermicompost, 15 tonnes of cow dung, 40 tonnes of fodder grass and vegetables worth Rs.2,40,000 .

Owns a car

“Till about three years back I did not even own a two wheeler but today thanks to the income generation from my farm I own a car,” says Mr. Umesh, with a sense of pride.

His successful farming has already drawn the attention of hundreds of farmers within and outside the district.

For more information interested farmers can contact Mr.Umesh, Kalya colony, Kalya post, Magadi Tq,Ramanagara Dist-562120, mobile: 9886882610 and Program Coordinator,Dr. K.H. Nagaraj

Krishi Vigyan Kendra, chandurayanahally, Magadi Tq, Ramanagara Dist-562120, mobile: 9449866918.

Keywords: constant income generation, successful farming, traditional farming

ADB pledges support for skill development in Odisha 

The Asian Development Bank has pledged Rs 660 crore support to the Odisha for implementing an ambitious Odisha Skill Development Project (OSDP) which envisages to address issues of employability and ensure achievement of time-bound targets.

The project will be undertaken by Odisha State Employment Mission (OSEM) over six years with an estimated cost of Rs 1,050 crore, of which the State Government will contribute Rs 390 crore.

It has already received the Central nod and is set to be taken up by the State Cabinet soon. The project would be rolled out by the beginning of 2015-16 fiscal and will continue till 2021-22.

The demand for skilled workforce in the State is estimated to grow from 7.6 million in 2011 to 13.6 million by 2026.

The major areas are construction, textile and apparel, driving and manufacturing, healthcare assistants, hospitality, IT&ITES, retail, telecom, banking and security.

- See more at: http://digitallearning.eletsonline.com/2014/10/adb-pledges-support-for-skill-development-in-odisha/#sthash.Xgqpfyz1.dpuf

New Delhi: The Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate the Institute of Driving Training & Research (IDTR) during his visit to Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), Pune on November 1, 2014. 

The IDTR, set up by CIRT, is a part of the Road Safety initiative of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. Eight such IDTRs are being set up across the country under the aegis of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways during the 11th Five Year Plan. CIRT also plays the role of monitoring agency on behalf of the Ministry for setting up such IDTRs. The IDTR at Pune has been set up on PPP basis with Tata Motors Limited acting as a private partner. 

The IDTR has state-of-the art facilities including spacious classrooms equipped with audio-visual facilities, driving range for imparting driving practice on road for various maneuvers, driving laboratory displaying aggregate and cut section models, testing laboratory for checking the physical characteristics, workshop for routine maintenance activities, library and hostel with a capacity of 75 participants. Two driving simulators have also been installed at IDTR for imparting a pollution-free training to the trainees on a range of cognitive skills to deal with complex road way and traffic conditions. 

Institute of Driving Training & Research to be inaugurated today at Pune

The training will be conducted by well-trained driving instructors to impart practical, systematic and scientific training to new drivers as well as in-service drivers along with trainers. The IDTR also proposes to train exclusive batches of the women drivers for city cabs. This will give a boost to the Road Safety initiative of the Ministry of Road Transport and will also play a catalytic role for the development programme of the Government of India. 

The highlight of IDTR at Pune is the camera based innovative driving testing system which will ensure a technology based assessment of the driving quality on the various tracks of the IDTR without human intervention. This technology will enable promotion of a corruption free platform for grant of driving licenses and selection of drivers ensuring the quality of the applicant. The camera based driving testing system has been developed by CIRT as an advanced version of the earlier sensor based testing technologies which are in place at some locations. 

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has given a push to reduce the number of fatalities due to road accidents and has kept an ambitious target of reduction by 50 per cent in the next five years. This would be achieved with improved driver training, better road conditions, efficient enforcement and safer vehicle technologies. The Ministry of Road Transport has already released a draft of the new Road Transport & Safety Bill 2014 inviting suggestions from the public and stakeholders. It has also discussed the provisions of the Bill in the recently concluded Transport Development Council meeting with the Transport Ministries of various states. The Ministry aims to introduce the Road Safety & Transport Bill in the winter session of the parliament.