Elder abuse lowest in India among other Asian countries

The study found that elder abuse is common among community-dwelling older adults and is especially prevalent among minority older adults.

India has the lowest prevalence of elder abuse in Asian countries, according to a new global review which found that 14 per cent older adults in the country may face psychological, physical, and sexual abuse and financial exploitation compared to 36 per cent in China.

The researchers said that in Asia, the highest prevalence of elder abuse was found among older adults in China (36 per cent), while the lowest was reported among older adults in India (14 per cent).

The study found that elder abuse is common among community-dwelling older adults and is especially prevalent among minority older adults.

Older adults with cognitive and physical impairments or psychosocial distress are also at increased risk of elderabuse.

In North and South American epidemiological studies, the prevalence of elder abuse ranged from about 10 per cent among cognitively intact older adults to 47 per cent in older adults with dementia, researchers found.

In Europe, the prevalence varied from 2 per cent in Ireland to 61 per cent in Croatia.

In Africa, the prevalence ranged between 30 per cent and 44 per cent.

“The epidemics of elder abuse and our societal inability to sufficiently protect the most vulnerable population are only compounded by their increased risks for premature death, psychosocial distress, use of emergency departments, hospitalisation, and nursing home placement,” said Dr XinQi Dong, lead author of the review published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

“Systematic, coordinated and targeted research, education, advocacy, and policy efforts are needed to protect, prevent, and serve our golden population in diverse communities,” Dong said.

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Because of the 44th amendment

It keeps our democracy safe. By ensuring that an internal emergency has lost its bite

-Even though Indira Gandhi won a massive mandate in the 1971 elections on the slogan of “Garibi Hatao”, her popularity had dwindled by 1975, mainly because of high inflation. The 1971 elections had taken place after she had nationalised banks. The “Garibi Hatao” slogan had led the poor and uneducated to believe that the wealth of the rich that lay in banks would be distributed among them. But no such thing happened. Instead, the prices of essential commodities rose steeply. There was disillusionment in the country.

This was the backdrop of the Allahabad High Court judgment of June 12, 1975. Justice J.L. Sinha not only set aside Gandhi’s election from Rae Bareli, but also disqualified her from contesting elections for six years. There was great jubilation in the country and the poor felt that she had been rightly punished for deceiving them.

Gandhi’s resignation was being demanded all over the country. However, she felt that if she resigned, Jagjivan Ram would take over as prime minister, and even if the Supreme Court, under the chief justice-ship of A.N. Ray, who had been handpicked by her in 1973 and appointed chief justice after superseding three eminent judges, could be persuaded to reverse the HC judgment, Jagjivan Ram would not let her come back as PM.

In such a scenario, she was advised that in order to continue as PM, she had to suppress all dissent and establish a reign of terror. For this, a declaration of internal emergency was necessary. Further, she was told that if an emergency was declared, the government could suspend two important fundamental rights: Articles 19 and 21.

Article 19 conferred on citizens many fundamental rights, including two that are vital for democracy. One was the freedom of speech and expression. The other was the right to assemble peacefully without arms. The suspension of these rights could strangulate democracy and pave the way for the establishment of a dictatorial regime. Article 21 conferred on all persons a fundamental right to life and personal liberty. Hence, no person could be detained or imprisoned without good cause. Even though, on a correct interpretation, this could not mean that a habeas corpus petition would not be heard by the courts even if an arrest were contrary to law or totally mala fide, Gandhi’s advisors were confident that, having packed the SC with loyalist judges, they could manage to get a favourable verdict on this.

This is exactly what happened. Illegal detentions were challenged in nine HCs of the country. The attorney general argued that as Article 21 stood suspended, the HCs did not have the jurisdiction to entertain habeas corpus petitions, howsoever illegal the detentions might have been

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Mobile Governance





Target: Self-sufficiency in electronics, leader in cyber security and hub for innovation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the government's much-awaited Digital India programme on Wednesday, pledging that it will bridge the divide between the haves and have-nots and lead to . 4.5 lakh crore in investment by ` India Inc besides creating 18 lakh jobs.Kicking off Digital India week, the prime minister said he wanted the initiative to make India self-sufficient in electronic goods, turn it into a leader in cyber security and ensure that the country becomes a hub of innovation. “I dream of a Digital India where the world looks to India for the next big idea,“ Modi told an audience on Wednesday that included the country's top industrialists.
The prime minister referred to small children instinctively grabbing mobile phones and pressing their keys as an illustration of the need to get to grips with the power of digital.“We need to understand this ­ that's the need of the hour,“ he said. “If we don't, we'll be left far behind the rest of the world.“ He noted that it was not enough for India to say that it was an ancient civilization and a country of 125 crore with favourable demography. “Modern technology needs to be blended with these strengths.“
The ambitious, ` . 1.13 lakh crore Digital India project is aimed at opening up digital access for all Indians and making sure that government functions and services are available online to citizens.
Digital access is a catalytic agent that needs to be universally accessible, Modi told the audience. Accompanying him on stage were finance minister Arun Jaitley and telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad apart from top industrialists including Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, Bharti Group Chairman Sunil Mittal, Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani, Hero Group Chairman Pawan Munjal and Vedanta's Anil Agarwal. Senior BJP member and mentor LK Advani, accompanied by daughter Pratibha, sat in the front row along with Isha and Akash Ambani, children of Mukesh Ambani. While walking in for the programme, Anil Ambani was seen hugging his niece and nephew warmly.
The main opposition Congress party sought to sour the celebratory mood of the government, dubbing Digital India as a rehash of its own project that had been approved in 2006.The foundation for that had been laid by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi even further back, it said.
“As the BJP government pats its own back today on successfully renaming yet another UPA (United Progressive Alliance) venture, namely the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP), as Digital India, the people of India can only hope that this successfully implemented and underway plan of the UPA government doesn't meet the same fate as the renamed Make in India scheme,“ Congress party spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said.
Modi lamented that India had missed the industrial revolution as it had been enslaved under colonial rule but couldn't afford to miss the latest revolution. “When it comes to the IT revolution, India is a free, youthful nation. We can't lose this opportunity,“ he said.
The PM added that technology plays a big role in making possible the government's slogan of minimum government, maximum governance. Digital access was key to this with e-governance also standing for `easy' and `economic' governance.That will soon be giving way to m-governance, he added.
“M does not mean Modi governance but mobile governance ­ the government will be accessible on your mobile; that day is not far away,“ he said.
India has about 25-30 crore internet users now, which is a big number, he said. “But those without internet access is also a big number.“
As with the rich-poor divide, this distance between those who have digital access and those who don't needs to be bridged, Modi said.
People first settled on river banks or the sea shore, then the highways. “But now people will live where there's optical fibre,“ he said. India has 125 crore people, many of whom are young ­ this strength needs to be equipped with modern technology, he said.
“The demographic dividend has to be given digital strength ­ we need to prepare the nation,“ he said.
In order to make sure that India becomes a ground for innovation, the government is willing to give the youth any help they need in establishing startups, Modi said.
“Design in India is as important as Make in India and will energise Digital India,“ he said.
Modi also pushed hard for India to lead the world in coming up with ways to fight cyber warfare. He said technology was a critical part of his efforts to root out corruption, saying, “I dream of a Digital India where the citizen-government interface is incorruptible.“
He referred to the use of a digital platform for coal auctions as a process that was transparent and free from any taint of corruption. Among future scenarios sketched out by the PM, he referred to banking going completely mobile, kids not having to carry school bags laden with books and storing documents in a digital locker without the need to submit 10 copies of the same certificate at 10 different government windows.
He said India's second-highest import is electronic goods, exhorting Indian companies to Make in India. “Can't we make these goods here that are as good as any in the rest of the world?“ he said. “Digital India will prepare the ground for this.“ Modi rounded off his speech with a list of Digital India dreams to encapsulate his vision for the project, including social uplift, tackling corruption, innovation, cyber security and various others.

Vedanta - Success Needs Willpower

VN MITTAL





You need to have self-control and willpower to reach your goal. No matter what you seek -material gains or spiritual success, a sankalpa shakti or willpower seems indispensable. Vedas highlight the importance of willpower. Rig Veda says, “He (God) alone by His imagination created something from nothing -by His willpower. And this way , the first soul took birth.“ There is a thin line between success and failure. And this thin line, inter-alias, is attributable to strong determination. Just when we are on the verge of succeeding, often, we succumb to temptation and leave the goal unaccomplished.Lack or presence of willpower determines whether we fail or accomplish goals and achieve success.The soul present in the human body governs the intellect and mind and gives strength to the mind to overcome the negative traits and impulses such as laziness, inaction, procrastination, inaction and depression, In the Bhagwat Gita, Arjuna confesses to Krishna, “The mind is restless and turbulent and obstinate and to subdue it -is more difficult than controlling the wind.“ According to MK Gandhi, “Strength does not come from physical capacity; it comes from indomitable will.“
People tend to become weak for want of willpower and start losing self-confidence.
A great way to develop willpower is to follow a regular regime of yoga and meditation.In the emptiness created by the state of no-thought during meditation, you come to know yourself and discover the truth. Yet another way to develop your willpower is to keep fasts. Fasting not only detoxifies the system but also gives a person training in endurance, a spirit of acceptance and self-control.

Cornell University Launches Mgmt Program for Mid-level Pros

Brinda Dasgupta

New Delhi





Cornell University -one among the eight Ivy League institutions -has launched the `Cornell-ILR Experienced Managers Program' (CEMP) with Pearson as its learning partner. Tailored for Indian professionals with a minimum of seven years work experience, the 12-month certificate course marks the university's first offering for Indian learners.“The CEMP is ideal for mid-level professionals and entrepreneurs who want to learn or refresh their knowledge of core management topics, and will develop modern management skills so that candidates can advance within or beyond their companies, professions and industries,“ said Steve Miranda, co-director of the program.
The CEMP focuses on the understanding of four core themes -organisational strategy , business, operations, and people -which will be taught across 14 modules. The university has received about 500 applications for the course, out of which 50 will be shortlisted for the program. With a blended learning approach -a combination of online learning and in-person instruction -candidates will have access to webinars, and will also be able to attend seminars and networking events held by faculty travelling to Pearson's Gurgaon facility.
The highlight of the course, Miranda said, will be the one-week immersion programme at Cornell's Ithaca campus in upstate New York, and in New York City, which will focus on leadership and innovation. The fees for the program is $15,000, inclusive of the immersion programme. The course is slated to commence on October 23. Recruitment for the first batch of candidates has already begun, and the enrolment process will remain open until September 23.

the speaking tree - Ananda Is The State Of Perfect Mental Peace

Shri Shri Anandamurti





Both individuals and society as a whole are dependent on three factors for their existence: Asti, Bhati and Ananda. Housing, food, clothing, education and medical facilities are the sine qua non for `asti' or existence. The term `bhati' means vibhati or development and progress. For the all-round development of an individual or society , a goal is needed. The purpose of development is the attainment of ananda or bliss. The term `ananda' connotes infinite happiness, the equipoise of pleasure and pain, the perfect mental peace. The absence of any of these factors may cause great consternation or convulsion in an individual or society.Numerous factors are needed for the development of a group of people. But the following six are most important.There should be a spiritual ideology in the life of both the individual and the collective body . Much of your energy is misused due to ignorance and your stated destination. This misuse of energy is bound to cause destruction. The second factor is spiritual cult, a sadhana or meditative process. Everyone has a physical structure. The problem of every individual, is for the body to produce more and more ectoplasm (mind-stuff) and then to convert it into Consciousness. A proper process is needed for this conversion. Spiritual cult consists of the conversion of bhutas, the five rudimental factors, into ectoplasm and then into Consciousness through a special scientific process of metamorphosis. Spiritual cult therefore, is indispensable. But only spiritual ideology and spiritual cult will not do.
The third factor, a blending of asti and bhati, is a socioeconomic theory . There should be a priori knowledge regarding the social structure, distribution of wealth and its growth. Without this there cannot be a solid ground for the construction of the social edifice. The fourth one is social outlook. All living beings are children of the same Cosmic Entity . Naturally , they are bound in a thread of fraternal relations. This is the central spirit. A socioeconomic theory is of no use but for this fraternal feeling. The implementation of this theory is impossible without sadhana. The fifth factor for societal progress is for it to have its own scripture. There is a need for satsanga, company of elevated persons in all spheres of life. The authority whose contact means satsanga for you is the shastra, scripture. That which elevates society by dint of shasana, discipline, is called shastra.The last, but not the least important factor for progress is for society to have its own preceptor.
The entire social structure is dependent on these six factors. Weakness of even one factor may jeopardise the very existence of bhati. Its absence might even lead to the extinction of a group of people. Where these factors are present, there is movement towards ananda, and the chance of their extinction becomes nil.
Social groups which possess these six factors will be able to produce sadvipras or spiritual revolutionaries.All their efforts are directed towards the attainment of ananda. They are morally strong and are always ready to fight against immoral activities. Those who strictly adhere to the principles of morality , are ensconced in tapah, austerities, and are ready to overcome immoralists; they are sadvpiras. Only those sadvipras who work for the welfare of society are safe from destruction and extinction. Therefore, it becomes our prime duty to become sadvipras in order to be able to make possible maximum welfare for common good.
Follow Shri Shri Anandamurti at speakingtree.in and post your comments there.

A new multilateral institution

The launch of the $100-billion Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, within two years of its conception, signals the arrival of a new multilateral institution on the world stage. It also represents a challenge to the older such institutions. Mooted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in October 2013, the AIIB took shape with 50 members, including Australia, India, Russia and the United Kingdom. The articles of agreement were initialled at a gathering in Beijing of representatives of the 57 founding-members. The remaining seven are likely to sign in by the end of the year. China will be the largest shareholder (at 30.34 per cent), followed by India (8.52 per cent) and Russia (6.66 per cent). Though one among the Asian giants, Japan has chosen to stay out of the Beijing-initiated AIIB. The Philippines, which has territorial issues with Beijing in the South China Sea, has held itself back from signing, for now. And Indonesia has sought to have the bank housed in Jakarta. These spell geopolitical roadblocks to the success of the China-led initiative, which in a way is meant to counter the purported bias among existing multilateral institutions, that are perceived to be driven largely by the diktats of the U.S. and Europe. Indeed, the AIIB is a culmination of China’s incessant articulation of the concerns of the emerging economies, which felt they were not being given an adequate say in institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Again, the AIIB is the consequence of the inability of these institutions to undergo change to suit changing times.

It is also essential to see the AIIB and China’s ambitious plans for the ‘Belt and Road’ project as being complementary. The AIIB as envisaged by China is clearly meant to use its financial resources and surplus to invest in projects in the Asian neighbourhood, which is suffering from a massive infrastructure funding gap. The infrastructure projects in the neighbourhood, nevertheless, are a way of allowing Chinese companies (among others) to participate and invest in them at a time when there is a situation of industrial overcapacity. The participation of many countries from Europe and elsewhere in the AIIB attests to their understanding of the potential of the projects for which the investments could be used, especially the Belt and Road schemes. India’s participation in the AIIB, too, indicates that New Delhi is keen on a balancing act to suit its interests – to engage with the West and the dominant international finance order, at the same time exploring options with new financial institutions. This is a prudent strategy. Will the AIIB be different from the likes of the IMF and the World Bank? That will depend largely on how Beijing manages the cooperation game.

Keywords: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, ‘Belt and Road’ project