Sulabh Swachh Bharat - VOL: 2 | ISSUE 43

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Mahatma Gandhi Convention

Lifetime Achievement

HS Doreswamy

The making of a legend”

Dr Pathak’s work has made a critical difference in the lives of millions

He entered his 100th year, but has not lost the zeal to fight for equality & justice

PM Modi addressing Indian Diaspora at the Ricoh Coliseum in Canada

MGISC being organised to mark the start of 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Gandhiji

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Vol - 2 | Issue - 43 | Oct 08 - 14, 2018 | Price ` 5/-

Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, Amola Pathak, Ram Bahadur Rai, Qaisar NK Jani, Dr Bhaskar Chatterjee with erstwhile scavengers celebrating Gandhi Jayanti

October 1869- 2018

Tribute To The Father Of The Nation Sulabh International Social Service Organisation celebrates commencement of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary festivities

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Gandhi Jayanti

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Quick Glance Mahatma Gandhi believed in non-violence, which is relevant now more than ever Dr Pathak with erstwhile scavengers paid floral tribute to Mahatma on his samadhi Dr Pathak separated Gandhi’s fundamentals from secondaries for modern society

Swastika Tripathi

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“I may be a look-alike of Bapu but Dr Bindeshwar Pathak has given him a practical form” – Qaisar NK Jani, aka Living Statue of Mahatma Gandhi

rapped in a simple loincloth around the body, a stick in hand, slightly bent, looking through his round glasses, he gave India its freedom without using any sword or shield and taught the world valuable lessons of sanitation, hygiene, cleanliness and nonviolence.

“De di hamein aazadi bina khadag, bina dhaal…”

The Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi believed in non-violence, the relevance of which is more now than ever before when the forces inimical to peace, amity and tranquillity are taking centre stage and posing a serious threat to civility. There is an immense need to understand and implement the Gandhian philosophy of truth and non-violence. This is imperative in the present day world in general and in our country in particular, which is braving many challenges.

The challenges be they of casteism, classism, gender bias, orthodox ‘traditions’, and most importantly sanitation, hygiene and health. Fondly called ‘Bapu’, Gandhi fought against caste system and was instrumental in abolishing the practice of untouchability. He also preached non-violence and spoke of its significance. A true Gandhian is someone who works on all the issues once addressed by Gandhi and strives

to give them the shape that the Mahatma had dreamt of.

One such Gandhian is Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement, who not only took upon himself to bring a cleanliness revolution in India and abroad but also took under his wings the socalled-untouchables and the widows and turned their life around.

While the nation is gearing up for the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in 2019 by aiming to achieve a true ‘Swachh Bharat’ and fulfil Bapu’s dreams, Dr Pathak has dedicated the last five decades to the same task.

To mark the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Pathak along with the erstwhile women scavengers from Alwar & Tonk (now elevated socially as Brahmins), women from Hirmithla (ODF village), widows from Vrindavan, village folks from Ludhiana, students from Jammu Skill Development Centre and members of the Sulabh family paid homage to Bapu by offering prayers and flowers at his samadhi at Raj Ghat, New Delhi.

Mahatma Gandhi was the first person, whose attention was drawn towards the plight of the scavengers, and after him, it is Dr Bindeshwar Pathak who worked for the betterment of scavengers. The happy women from Alwar & Tonk, Rajasthan, are an example of the pioneering and triumphant campaign

against the five millennia old malaise of untouchability and social discrimination as well as the fight against the prevailing practice of open defecation and manual scavenging.

Dr Pathak has given a new lease lives of the former untouchables, enabling them to embrace Brahminism, and thus fulfilling the noble dreams of Mahatma Gandhi without having any power of money, post or authority.

A staunch believer in Gandhian views, Dr Pathak also interacted with children at Raj Ghat and explained to them the importance of Gandhi then and now in the modern era. He encouraged them to follow in his footsteps to set upon the right path of life and take India to new heights.

After this, a colourful ceremony was held at the Constitution Club of India Annexe, New Delhi, where an exhibition was also on show that represented the life and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and beautifully portrayed his early life through various photographs.

The Integrity of Truth - Ram Bahadur Rai Addressing the gathering as Chief Guest on the occasion, Ram Bahadur Rai, veteran journalist and chairman of Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, said, “Earlier the topic ‘cleanliness’ was limited to household discussions only, but today it is the talk of the nation. When the prime minister of the nation himself appeals to the nation for cleanliness then he

Gandhi Jayanti

Oct 08 - 14, 2018 is directly connecting the masses to Mahatma Gandhi. People are today enthused to be a part of the 150th birth anniversary year of Mahatma Gandhi by participating in cleanliness drives. This motivation has come to them from one source of inspiration – Dr Bindeshwar Pathak.”

“Dr Pathak says his books and saplings speak for him and that is evident from his book ‘Road To Freedom’ which not only speaks of the plights of scavenger women but also gives solutions to tackle them,” he added.

He said that Dr Pathak is connected to Gandhi in his characteristic of the integrity of truth. He recalled there was a time when Dr Pathak was often faced with misrepresentation by society and family. He could have taken violent actions against those but he instead, maintaining his stature of a truthful and non-violent person, knocked the doors of law. He fought many cases and in the midst of it all, he taught that truth triumphs. He gave a new definition to non-violence.

“Gandhi will live on because he is the soul of India, voice of India, and that source of inspiration for India which taught humanity to the world.

Cleanliness cannot be adopted by merely reading books. It is a portion of life which was taught by Gandhi, and taken forward by Dr Bindeshwar Pathak and Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he added.

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Who Is A Gandhian?

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person who has a heart to help someone, someone in distress, he is a Gandhian. Gandhi was very fond of this Gujarati bhajan of Narsinh Mehta: “Vaishnav Jan To, Tene Kahiye Je Peed Paraaye Jaane Re Par Dukkhe Upkaar Kare Toye Man Abhiman Na Anne Re Vaishnav Jan To, Tene Kahiye Je Peed Paraaye Jaane Re.” So anybody, who is ready to help others, who is kind to others, he is a Gandhian. Aufie Zophy says the same thing, but in a different way in the following lines: “If love and kindness are your way of being And in everyone some good you’re seeing, Then happiness and peace of mind In every little corner of this world, you’ll find.”

Dr Pathak Today’s Mahatma Gandhi - Qaisar NK Jani Present on the occasion as Special Guest of Honour, Qaisar N K Jani (who is known as the Living Statue of Mahatma Gandhi) said, “I travel to foreign countries and at almost all relevant spots, there is a statue of Mahatma Gandhi. There is no university or library across the globe where there is no book on Mahatma Gandhi. Such respect and reverence

has never been given to any leader of the world, except for the Mahatma.”

“I maybe a look-alike of Bapu but the person really next to him, in reality, is sitting on the dais – Dr Bindeshwar Pathak – who has given Bapu a practical form. I see a lot of Bapu in him. His simplicity, sincerity, down-to-earth behaviour all of them are imbibed in Dr Pathak. He is his true descendant.

He is today’s Mahatma Gandhi,” he added.

Fundamentals & Secondaries of Gandhi - Dr Bindeshwar Pathak Delivering the keynote address on the occasion, Dr Bindeshwar Pathak clarified separately the fundamentals and secondaries of Gandhi. He said, “When I founded Sulabh in 1970, I decided to separate the fundamentals of Gandhi from the secondaries of Gandhi. The fundamentals of Gandhi are: truth, non-violence, honesty and integrity, ethics and morality, love and compassion for others, no difference in speech and action, trusteeship of wealth, welfare of people, constructive work, prohibition, sanitation, eradication of untouchability and social discrimination especially against the untouchables (manual scavengers), health, village development, small-scale and cottage industries, female education, equality in all religions, etc.”

“The Secondaries of Gandhi are: the food habits, the choice of wearing clothes, freedom to choose one’s lifestyle, language, freedom of faith and expression. In the Gandhian fundamentals I adopted first the

Dr Pathak emphasised that to implement the Gandhian philosophy we have to apply our mind and think how the society can accept Gandhi’s teachings

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Gandhi Jayanti

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Dr Bindeshwar Pathak felicitating Ram Bahadur Rai and Dr Bhaskar Chatterjee with book and memento

truth and second the non-violence. I have used non-violence for creating and reconstructing. Had we not maintained honesty and integrity, Sulabh would not have gotten the acceptance by the government and the society. “The kind of acceptance Sulabh enjoys today is due to our honesty,” said Dr Pathak.

“Through the use of non-violence, as enunciated by Mahatma Gandhi, I have rescued the untouchables from untouchability and social discrimination.

Technological invention (such as the two-pit pourflush compost ecological toilet) and human compassion have helped to

“Dr Pathak is connected to Gandhi in his characteristic of integrity of truth” – Ram Bahadur Rai, chairman of Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts

restore the human rights and dignity of the untouchables and bring them in the mainstream of society,” he added. adopt fundamentals to implement philosophy Dr Pathak emphasised that to implement the Gandhian philosophy we have to apply our mind and think how the society can accept the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. He was of the opinion that everybody takes and likes the food that one’s mother had fed him when he was a child. If the family is non-vegetarian, then the child will have non-veg food, and vice versa. So when a person comes to him to join Sulabh at the age of 30, he never asks them to change their food habits. To be a true Gandhian one doesn’t need to adopt his secondaries (food and clothing habits) but adopt his fundamentals to implement his philosophy.

Truthfulness, non-violence, honesty, integrity, ethics, morality coupled with vision, mission, commitment, capabilities, action and efficiency are some of the ingredients of the philosophy that Dr Pathak follows and urges others to consider, too. He, indeed, is a Gandhian with a difference.

Gandhi of My Life Dr Bhaskar Chatterjee, IAS (Retd) and former director general and CEO of Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, presided over the function.

Also present were Sulabh officials Awadhesh Sharma and S Chatterjee, Amola Pathak, and erstwhile scavenger Usha Chaumar (now Sharma). Usha narrated the story of how from manual scavenging to living a life of dignity, she has come a long way with the help and support of Dr Pathak, whom she called the “Mahatma Gandhi of my life”.

Re-inventing Gandhi Speaking on the occasion, Anil Dutt Mishra, advisor to Sulabh, recalled that 50 years ago when the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi was celebrated, then in the form of Dr Bindeshwar Pathak a new avatar of Gandhi emerged. Now when we are gearing up for the 150th anniversary celebration, Dr Pathak has pledged to ensure that there isn’t anybody who is poor, hungry and if there is any, then they will be immediately addressed.

He said, “Gandhi was a creative soul. Being Gandhi means ancient wisdom in a modern context; it means never compromising with the fundamentals of the life and this

we need to learn from Dr Pathak.

He has given true tribute to Gandhi.

Sulabh is the name of simplicity and the Sulabh revolution is of nonviolence. Gandhi is not a person but an ideology. Similarly, Dr Bindeshwar Pathak is no more just a personality but a thought process which we know as ‘Sulabhvaad’,” Mishra added.

Later a cultural programme was presented by the students of Sulabh Public School. The students attired in colourful dresses, presented a short skit on ‘Bapu Gandhi’ which enthralled the audience. As a mark of respect to the father of the nation, students shared their views to give out a message of Mahatma Gandhi.

Members of the music department presented a short play on the plight of a newly married bride who was forced to do the family occupation of manual scavenging to which she was never accustomed to before marriage.

The entire programme created the perfect ambience for remembering this great leader who is looked upon as a role model for embracing truth and non-violence all through his life not only in India, but also by the Global community.

Sanitation

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Swachh Bharat Mission

India Elevated Challenge Of Ending Open Defecation: WHO Under PM Modi’s leadership, the Swachh Bharat Mission is coordinating action across many sectors to ensure basic sanitation

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hile in as many as 90 countries progress towards basic sanitation is too slow, India has elevated the challenge of ending open defecation to the highest level, the World Health Organisation said.

Launching the first global guidelines on sanitation and health, the WHO said the world will not reach the goal of universal sanitation coverage -- where every person in the world has access to toilets that safely contain excreta -- by 2030 unless countries make comprehensive policy shifts and invest more funds.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Swachh Bharat

Mission (Clean India Programme) is coordinating action across many sectors to ensure basic sanitation rapidly reaches and improves the lives of millions, the WHO said in a statement.

Worldwide 2.3 billion people lack basic sanitation, with almost half forced to defecate in the open.

They are among the 4.5 billion without access to safely managed sanitation services -- in other words a toilet connected to a sewer or pit or septic tank that treats human waste.

“Without proper access, millions of people the world over are deprived of the dignity, safety and convenience of a decent toilet,” said Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy DirectorGeneral for Programmes, WHO.

“Sanitation is a fundamental foundation of human health and development and underpins the core mission of WHO and ministries of health worldwide. WHO’s Sanitation and Health Guidelines are essential to securing health and wellbeing for everyone, everywhere,” she added.

The new guidelines recommend that sanitation interventions should ensure entire communities have access to toilets that safely contain excreta.

The full sanitation system should undergo local health risk assessments to protect individuals and communities from exposure to excreta -- be it from unsafe toilets, leaking storage or inadequate treatment.

Further, the WHO said sanitation should be integrated into regular local government-led planning and service provision to avert the higher costs associated with retrofitting sanitation and to ensure sustainability.

The health sector should invest more and play a coordinating role in sanitation planning to protect public health.

Adopting these, countries can significantly reduce the 829,000 annual diarrhoeal deaths due to unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene, said the WHO. Besides India, Senegal in Africa also recognises the role of pit latrines and septic tanks in ensuring services for all, the global health body said.

ODF

Ghaziabad Tops Cleanliness Chart In UP The agency had been appointed under the Centre’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to carry out the survey

Agency

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haziabad has topped in Uttar Pradesh in a cleanliness survey conducted by an independent agency, District Magistrate Ritu Maheswari said.

The agency had been appointed under the Centre’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to carry out the survey.

Speaking to the media, Maheswari said the parameters of the survey

included sanitation, cleanliness, plantation, segregation of solid waste, rejuvenation of ponds and facelift of primary schools in remote villages.

Ghaziabad tops Uttar Pradesh, ranks 11th in India in cleanliness The government, through the agency, conducted a survey of 685 districts across the country, in which Ghaziabad stood 11th, Maheswari said at a press conference. The

agency also surveyed 6,867 villages across the country.

Satara in Maharashtra stood first in the all-India cleanliness ranking, Maheswari added.

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ODF

Jharkhand Will Be ODF By November 15 “We have achieved 99 per cent in making the state ODF”

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harkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das said the state will be Open Defecation Free (ODF) by November 15.

“Jharkhand will be ODF

by November 15. We have achieved 99 per cent in making the state ODF,” Das said while taking part in Gandhi Jayanti celebrations.

He announced that the Audrey House situated near Raj Bhavan will now be known as Mahatma Gandhi Smriti Bhavan.

On the occasion, 144 prisoners lodged in different jails of the state were released.

Das appealed to the people to shun violence.

“Violence is no solution for any problem. Give up the violent path of terrorism, Maoism, and adopt the non-violent path.”

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MGISC

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Sustainable Goal

Sanitation Is Everyone’s Business International Sanitation Convention organised in New Delhi to mark the start of 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Gandhiji MGISC has been a 4-day international conference that has brought together 53 Sanitation Ministers and more than 200 delegates from around 68 countries with their leaders in WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) from around the world.

In the last four years, rural sanitation coverage has made groundbreaking progress from 39 per cent in October 2014 to over 90 per cent in September 2018 with behavioural change being the key focus of implementation.

The sustainable development goals have been envisioned as a bold universal agreement to end poverty in all its dimensions and create an equal, just and secure work for the people, for our planet and for the prosperity of the world by 2030.

Swachh Bharat is a revolution Inaugurating the 4-day Convention,

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Urooj Fatima

he Father of the Nation ‘Mahatma Gandhi’ deeply believed that cleanliness is next to Godliness and also the path towards national progress for the greater good of the people of India.

He said we can no more gain God’s blessing with an unclean body than with an unclean mind. A clean body cannot reside in an unclean city. The greater tribute that we can give Bapu is to follow in his footsteps and his mantra of cleanliness.

To mark the beginning of 150th birth anniversary celebration of Mahatma Gandhi which also coincides with the fourth anniversary of the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission, Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention, inaugurated by President Ram Nath Kovind, organised in Delhi by the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation.

“Bapu’s Ideals Inspire Lesson In Cleanliness” Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded the MGISC

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rime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention (MGISC) in New Delhi. The Prime Minister visited a Digital Exhibition, accompanied by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres.

From the dais, the dignitaries launched commemorative postage stamps on Mahatma Gandhi, and a medley CDs based on Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite hymn – “Vaishnav Jana To.” In fact, artistes from as many as 124 countries have sung the bhajan, written by 16th century Gujarati saint-poet Narsinh Mehta. In his address, the Prime Minister mentioned the emphasis that Mahatma Gandhi placed on cleanliness. He recalled Mahatma Gandhi’s “Constructive Programme”, published in 1945, where

rural sanitation was an important subject.

He said it was Mahatma Gandhi’s inspiration, that led to the Swachh Bharat Mission. He added that inspired

by Mahatma Gandhi, Indians have made the Swachh Bharat Mission the world’s biggest people’s movement. He informed that rural sanitation, which stood at 38 per cent in 2014, has now reached around 90 per cent. More than 5 lakh villages are now ODF, he added. He expressed satisfaction at the changing lifestyle of people in India, following Swachh Bharat Mission. He said India is on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. He highlighted the importance of the “4 Ps” in making the world clean: Political Leadership, Public Funding, Partnerships, and People’s participation.

MGISC

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

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“Sanitation For The 2030 Agenda” António Guterres- Secretary-General of the UN

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ahatma Gandhi was ahead of his time when it came to safe, hygienic sanitation – as he was in so many areas. He demanded the right to sanitation for everyone. And he demanded respect for that right from everyone. And the Clean India Mission builds on his genius and lifelong quest for human dignity. It is by far honorable Prime Minister, not only the largest investment, but the largest campaign of people’s mobilization in this area around the world. It is inspiring to see the international community come together around this important issue. It is essential that we are ready to break taboos and speak out when lives are at stake, even on the most sensitive matters. An estimated 2.3 billion people worldwide still do not have basic sanitation facilities -- I believe that what’s happening in India is quickly changing the statistics -- almost 1 billion still practice open defecation.

Dr Bindeshwar Pathak was amongst the esteemed jury along with RA Mashelkar, Robert Chambers, Sue Coates, Peter Harvey

President Kovind said Swachh Bharat has become a mass movement and a revolution is playing out in real time.

“Swachh Bharat is a revolution playing out in real time. As an instrument of mass mobilisation, as a people’s movement, and as a national goal towards which there is near total commitment, it represents the spirit of our independence movement,” he said. Talking about the progress of the mission, Kovind said the relentless and strenuous labours of the past four years have led India to significant milestones.

“India is striving to eliminate open defecation in its entirety by October 2, 2019. This is the best 150th birthday gift we can give to Gandhiji,” he said.

He, however, feels achieving universal access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene by 2030 is a major challenge in many parts of the world. Drinking water, sanitation and hygiene are central to sustainable development goal, he said.

When the mission will be

completed, it will provide every Indian – one-sixth of humanity – an opportunity for a dramatic leap, he said, adding the focused sanitation effort and the broader sustainable development goals represent a once-

in-many-generations moment. “We are the chosen generation,” he said.

From global problem to global Solution Yuri Afanasiev, UN Resident Representative applauded the progress of Swachh Bharat Mission and said, “Swachh Bharat, one of the biggest initiative that has been undertaken anywhere in the world for a social change, was always more than a scheme.

It was a movement for behavioural

All people have the right to safe water and sanitation. If we are to build resilient societies on a healthy planet and achieve the overarching ambition of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we must tackle this issue urgently, as is being done in India. I commend India for making the elimination of open defecation a priority at the highest level and throughout government, and I congratulate all governments that have agreed plans and allocated budgets to eliminate open defecation.

change and as we know behavioural change is the most difficult thing to tackle. It demonstrates an exemplary partnership between government, civil society, NGO and co-partners and citizens at large. This conversion of political leadership and action has led to about 400 million persons being provided toilet access and sanitation just over the last four years. This mission serves as an important model with a lesson for the rest of the world.

In four years India has managed to shift from being part of the global problem to be an important part of the global solution. This is an inspiring achievement given the shortness of time.”

Parameswaran Iyer, Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation said in his keynote, “The convention is aptly named after the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, who famously said back in colonial India that sanitation was more important than political independence. Gandhiji’s vision of an open defecation free India is now being translated into reality under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Swachh Bharat Mission is not only the infrastructural process. It is something more, it involves dynamic

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MGISC

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Proud Moment For India

PM Modi Receives ‘Champions Of The Earth Award’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after receiving the ‘Champions of The Earth Award’ from the United Nations, said Indians were committed to save the environment

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rime Minister Narendra Modi courted global fame when the United Nation Secretary General Antonio Guterres presented him its highest environmental honour ‘Champions of The Earth Award’ at a special ceremony. PM Modi has got this award jointly with Emmanuel Macron, the president of France.

The award was announced on September 26 on the sidelines of 73rd UN General Assembly in New York. The UN chief praised PM Modi, saying, “We are recognising a statesman who embodies true leadership.”

“In PM Narendra Modi, we have a leader who realises the issue of climate change and understands the benefits of climate action. He knows the problems and also works

to solve them,” Guterres added. The Award was for PM Modi’s extensive efforts to ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’including an ambitious pledge to eliminate all single-use plastic in the country by 2022, the UN Environment said.

PM Modi was also recognised for his International Solar Alliance initiative, a global partnership that aims to scale up solar energy in ‘solar-resource-rich countries’ and reduce humanity’s dependence on fossil fuels.

Guterres also hailed India in his speech. “I thank India for setting an

“We are recognising a statesman who embodies true leadership”

example and was pleased to present Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Champions of the Earth Award,” the UN chief said.

While accepting the award, PM Modi said, “I accept this award on behalf of millions of Indians who protect the environment each and every day... From fisherfolk who only take what they need or tribal communities who think of forests as their family. We will never be able to tackle climate change without bringing climate into our culture. And this is why India is taking so much action for our climate.”

Gandhiji was the most deserving candidate for the United Nations Champions of the Earth award, the prime minister said while addressing a gathering here after inaugurating a museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi.

There can’t be a more powerful torchbearer of India’s vision for the world — woven around ancient India’s famous principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’than Narendra Modi shift because it involves behavioural change and that is where the good news is staring us in the face. I cannot recall any political leader in India other than our PM Modi after Mahatma Gandhi who took an initiative on the issue of sanitation and took it to the global level,” said Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of State with Independent Charge in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Cabinet Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Uma Bharti said during the inaugural address, “The main message from the convention we want to give is that Sanitation matters.

It matters for poverty reduction and sustainable development. It matters for economic growth and combating environmental degradation.

We urgently need long-term solution to the world’s sanitation need and this can only be achieved through working together.”

A book titled ‘Champaran ka Swachhagraha’ documenting the Champaran campaign released on the occasion. Uma Bharti presented the first copy of this book to the President of India.

A technical session was organised on Day 1 of the convention, i.e.

29th September, 2018, on the subject “TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONS IN SANITATION”.

In this session, the finalists of the competition presented their innovations to an esteemed jury of innovators and sanitation experts.

Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, founder, Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement was amongst the esteemed jury along with RA Mashelkar, Chairman High Level Technical Committee, MDWS, India, Robert Chambers, Professor, IDS, University of Sussex, United Kingdom, Sue Coates, Deputy Executive Director, WSSCC and Peter Harvey, Chief Water, Sanitation and Education Centre, UNICEF. On the second day of the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention, 116 foreign delegates including sanitation ministers visited select sites related to the life and work of Mahatma Gandhi on the “Gandhi Trail”.

Interview

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

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PUSPADHAR DAS

From IIM-Bengaluru To Farming in Sonapur He graduated from IIM but chose to become a farmer. He is already creating waves. Here is an excerpt from an interview Second is the issue of irrigation. Third is the problem of stray cattle. Unless everyone grows, it is difficult for me to protect my crops in the six different locations. In my free time, I develop software. Currently, I am working on a system of information management for a dairy cooperative. If completed, the system will look into the entire value chain, starting from breed management, milk production, feed management, procurement to marketing. It’s an ambitious project for me and for our entire team working for the development of the farmers of our state.

Raj Kashyap

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uspadhar Das is an IIM graduate from Bengaluru but he decided to travel along a path which was in sharp contrast to the established norm. Instead of sitting in a swanky corporate office and drawing a hefty salary, he decided to become a farmer and till his own plot of land at Sonapur near Guwahati. He was born at Baksa and after completing school in Guwahati, he was admitted in the prestigious St Stephen’s College in University of Delhi with honours in physics.

What did you learn at IIM? Three things that I learnt at IIM have had a tremendous impact on what I do and how I do. First is the difference between problem and symptom. Many times, we tend to confuse between the two. The adage that if you know what the problem is, it is almost as good as solved. So, even in our practical lives, we have this confusion and we tend to overlook the problems and start looking for a solution based on the symptom and we never arrive at the solution. Secondly, I learnt that one should always defer judgments. What we see is not what it is, so before concluding, we should look at things objectively and try to

analyse. The hundreds of case studies and numerous tools that we learnt at the institute were useful to us to distinguish between symptoms and problems and postpone judgments. Third and the most important is what our professors used to call unlearning. The essence is that learning is a never ending process, you keep unlearning and learning.

technologies have developed so much, technologies we use in agriculture are not up to the mark. I aspire to be a part of the process to create an environment that fosters innovation and attracts new talent in agriculture through a steady, self-developing system.

What have you been doing as an agriculturalist?

I am going through a continuous process of improvement. First was the community farming, then mechanisation, then irrigation infrastructure and then marketing. Right now, I am working

Unlike your colleagues, you chose to take a different path. What motivated you to become an agriculturalist?

As a child, I always wanted to become a physicist. Slowly I realised that higher levels of physics are on the brink of physics and philosophy and we have far more real and We are trying to mechanise vivid problems on the ground. farming, especially rice So, I decided that I should go for something that gives me cultivation a practical learning scope to solve real-world problems of the country. So, I decided to go for a on various marketing solutions for our management course. The barren fields, agricultural produce, starting with rice the unutilised natural resources and the and dairy. The cycle is not complete yet, shoddy condition of the agricultural but as we go on, we have been facing new system of our state have always motivated problems and trying to solve them one by me to become a farmer. A decade ago, one. As a farmer, I face all the perennial systems were still archaic compared to problems that a farmer faces in Assam. many agriculturally developed states: First is the fragmented land holding. I low productivity, little mechanization, have 6 hectares of land at six locations. minimal market linkage. Even after a So, if I have to build infrastructure, I have decade, even after digital and other to do it in six locations, which is difficult.

What have you achieved so far as an agriculturalist?

I have miles to go before I sleep. What I have achieved is insignificant compared to what I endeavour for. We have been trying to promote community farming, without which production is not possible, for the simple reason that we still practice open grazing of cattle during the non-rice growing period. Community farming also helps reduce the per capita cost of infrastructure development. Through grants received from other organizations, we have been trying to create irrigation and other agriculture infrastructure in a few places. We are trying to mechanise farming, especially rice cultivation. I feel this is one of the ways to attract the young generation to agriculture.

What are your future goals?

Be a part of the agricultural revolution that is happening.

The essence of this revolution is that we the farmers are creating and nurturing corporates and the agriculture value chain is slowly being controlled by the farmers. What could be more revolutionary than this! If others can make agriculture a profession, why not the indigenous Assamese farmers? Currently, I am involved with Sitajakhala, one of the oldest dairy cooperatives of the state, established in 1958. I wish that there shall be a thousand Sitajakhalas all over Assam.

This is the ultimate goal and the rest will follow.

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Award

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Fiinovation’s Legend Award

Legend Award to the

‘Father of Sanitation’

Dr Pathak’s work has made a critical difference in the lives of millions of severely disadvantaged and his efforts to improve the sanitation infrastructure in the country a traditionalist and a modernist, the kind of a socially engaged person who keeps his doors and windows open while being firmly rooted to our Indian soil.

Some people say that my motto of love and compassion for all has empowered me to make impossible things—like the liberation of scavengers and freeing the widows from a life of misery—possible.

Anyway, I would not have been able to do anything noble and great without love and compassion for people-indistress. I deeply and passionately want an Indian environment that is healthy, an Indian society that is harmonious, and an Indian heart that is filled with love and compassion for all.”

Dr Pathak was honoured along with the renowned change-makers Dr MS Swaminathan and Dr Bhaskar Chatterjee.

A True Living Legend

D

Urooj Fatima

r Bindeshwar Pathak, the “Father of Sulabh Sanitation Movement”, is a true Living Legend who is widely recognised in India and abroad for dedicating his life to build nationwide sanitation movement spanning five decades.

He has worked tirelessly for human rights of manual scavengers who clean dry latrines, come from the lowest stratum of India’s caste-based system and are mostly women.

Fiinovation conferred “The Legend Award” upon Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder, Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement, at its 10th Foundation Day celebration at Hotel Hyatt Regency, New Delhi, in recognition of Dr Pathak’s efforts to improve the sanitation infrastructure

and accessibility in the country.

Dr Pathak said, “I believe the person who is appreciating you is greater than the person who is being appreciated. This is because it is of great difficulty for people to appreciate and uplift the work of others. I am grateful to the Fiinovation family, especially its Chief Executive Officer Dr Soumitro Chakraborty, and its distinguished award jury for considering me worthy for this special recognition and appreciation.”

“I am deeply touched and honoured and I want to assure them that this award will strengthen my spirit and commitment to do more for the national cause and the suffering humanity,” said Dr Pathak while receiving the award.

He further added, “Based on my

nuanced understanding of India’s cultural plurality, I have tried to adopt an idealistic and yet pragmatic approach to problems, and have succeeded in pushing radical things in a reformist mould, taking along all sections of society. Like Gandhi, whom I adore and follow, I am a sort of critical traditionalist—thankful for the values of tradition that enhances our love, compassion and humanity, and ashamed of its vulgarity that degrades and divides us. I think, changing the entrenched mindset and social prejudice is difficult but living in the past is dangerous. To be vibrant and creative, the individual and society need new ideas and new movements. Such thinking makes me embrace the virtuous, irrespective of its origin—ancient or modern, Eastern or Western. Thus, I am both

“If you look at these three individuals, you will realise an era where there were no social media.

They actually decided to carry on despite all the hindrance. That act of resistance we saw and the spirit that they showed during the course of the journey is what we celebrate today,” said Dr Soumitro Chakroborty, CEO of Fiinovation.

“Dr Pathak’s work has made a critical difference in the lives of millions of severely disadvantaged poor who cannot afford individual toilets, and those who worked as manual scavengers and faced untold discrimination in the society.

Dr Pathak believes that a social system that is not inclusive must be changed. He runs nation-wide sanitation campaigns, highlighting the plight of manual scavengers as well as the cause of the longsuffering widows whose lives had seen a tremendous change after he stepped in to ensure that the society treats them fairly as fellow human beings.”

Award

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

11 07

PHD Chamber

Dr Pathak Conferred Upon with ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ The Jury recognised Dr Pathak’s work for the improvement of sanitation and production of bio-gas that is changing health and wealth outcomes for the poorest people “My Source of inspiration”

Dr Bhaskar Chatterjee in his speech praised the selfless work done by Dr Pathak in the last 50 years and said, “You were and are the inspiration throughout my journey of CSR. I feel so privileged to share a stage and award with you. He led the country in the field of sanitation. The connection of Dr Pathak with Mahatma Gandhi is almost natural. What Mahatma Gandhi started, the whole idea of taking class and caste away carrying night soil on the head is reminiscent of all of that is carried forward by Dr Pathak. He is a true Gandhian.”

Father of Revolution

Indian

Green

Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan (born 7th August, 1925) is an Indian geneticist and international administrator, renowned for his leading role in India’s Green Revolution, a programme under which high-yield varieties of wheat and rice seedlings were planted in the fields of poor farmers. Swaminathan is known as the “Father of Indian Green Revolution” for his leadership and success in introducing and further developing high-yielding varieties of wheat in India.

Father of Corporate Social Responsibility

Dr Bhaskar Chatterjee is widely acclaimed as the Father of “Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)” in our country. He was instrumental in framing and issuing the CSR guidelines for Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs) in April 2010. Thereafter, he played a major role in the inclusion of Section 135 in the Companies Act of 2013 and in the framing of the rules thereafter.

Today, as the DG & CEO of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), he spearheads the National Foundation for Corporate Social Responsibility (NFCSR).

Innovative Financial Advisors Pvt. Ltd. (Fiinovation) is a global consulting company operating in multiple disciplines of the social development sector with emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability.

F

ounder of Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement, Dr Bindeshwar Pathak was felicitated with the “Lifetime Achievement Award 2018” by the Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Government of India, Dr Suresh P Prabhu, the Chief Guest at the Annual Session of the PHD Chamber of Science and Commerce held on 28th September, 2018, at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

Dr Pathak was selected by an esteemed external Jury for being an active social reformer, prolific writer and speaker. The Jury recognised Dr Pathak’s work for the improvement of sanitation and production of biogas that is changing health and wealth outcomes for the poorest people.

“The rules which are becoming obstacles need to be closed. I have also asked the PHD Chamber to outline those rules so that the process of business can be made smooth,” Commerce and Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said during his speech.

On this occasion, awards were given to many celebrities of the country who contributed in different fields.

Anil Khetan, President of PHD Chamber welcomed Suresh Prabhu and prominent guests.

Sulabh founder Dr Pathak has been playing an active role in cleanliness as well as in other social sectors for the last 50 years and for his social work, more than 100 such awards as ‘Stockholm Water Prize’, ‘23rd Nikkei Asia Prize for Culture and Community’ have been presented to him. He invented many techniques for the country’s two greatest challenges untouchability and sanitation. The result of these inventions is that today ‘Sulabh’ is synonymous with sanitation and toilets.

Other awards were also given besides ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’.

Powergrid was honoured with ‘Good Corporate Citizen Award’, Gail (India) Limited and Dabur India Ltd were given ‘Award for Outstanding Contribution to Social Welfare’. On behalf of Ravikant

Jayapura, Chairman of Varun Beverages Limited, Rishi Anand, the founder of ‘Distinguished Entrepreneurship Award’ and ‘Laksham’ was presented the Special Jury Award for Social Work by a Woman.

PHD Chamber Annual Awards for Excellence are one of the most coveted honours in the industry which are given once a year during the Annual Session of the Chamber. The sanctity of the Awards is further enhanced because

each nomination goes through a strict process of screening and finally decided by an esteemed external Jury which this year was chaired by Justice TS Thakur, Former Chief Justice of India, who was supported by eminent Jury members like Meera Shankar, an Indian diplomat who served as an Ambassador to the United States of America, PK Malhotra, Former Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, and H K Dua, Former MP (Rajya Sabha).

12

Gandhian

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

HS Dor eswamy

A Century, and Still Going Strong He entered his 100th year, but veteran freedom fighter and activist Harohalli Srinivasaiah Doreswamy has not lost the zeal to fight for equality and oppose injustice and corruption in society G Ulaganathan

H

e is Karnataka’s precious centurian. He is the most prominent face even now on any issue concerning the citizens of Bengaluru or Karnataka. Be it an agitation against bad roads, corruption in high places, environment issues, anything that worries the people of the state will see him leading from the front.

Yet, it is difficult to believe that HS Doreswamy has just celebrated his 100th birthday on 10th April, 2018.

He is mentally as well as physically very alert and often walks without any help.

Harohalli Srinivasaiah Doreswamy hails from Mysuru and has seen the rule of the British Empire, the rule of the Wodeyars and Independent India under democratically elected governments-both at the Centre and the state of Karnataka.

He studied in the famous Central College, Bangalore and had been an active participant in not only the independence movement, but also the anti-corruption movement launched by Anna Hazare in 2011.

The centenarian is today very bitter about the way politics is managed in the country, about the shallow promises of political parties and the dismal quality of politicians.

But his fight goes on –and the recent one was when he joined hands with the citizens to strongly oppose the construction of a steel bridge connecting the city centre to the Bengaluru International Airport.

Doreswamy was raised by his grandfather after the death of his father, Srinivasa Iyer, who died when he was five years old. After completing the primary school education, he came to Bangalore. The book “My Early Life”

by Mahatma Gandhi, which he read through when he was in 9th standard, influenced him to join the Indian Freedom Movement.

Doreswamy was keen on spreading the activities of national movement across the masses. He started publishing a newspaper that used to

come up with a series of articles against British Government. He even started a Bookstore where literary stalwarts like R K Narayan and KS Narasim has wamy used to spend time. British Government was closely monitoring the activities of this book house and eventually seized it in the year 1947.

During the pre-independence days, many leaders were coming to Bangalore. By 1942, he had completed his B.Sc and had joined a college as a

lecturer. In August, the Quit India freedom movement began and students participated in large numbers.

On completion of graduation, HS Doreswamy started teaching physics and maths for high school students.

The freedom movement was gaining momentum and in August 1942 Gandhiji started Quit India Movement.

Doreswamy along with brother HS Seetharam and two friends, Sardar Venkataramaiah and AG Ramachandra

He travelled over 500 km to Belagavi to launch a satyagraha outside the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, seeking land for the landless

Rao, joined the freedom struggle. Their mode of operation was innovative.

They used to prepare Time Bombs and drop these Time Bombs in Post Boxes and British Government Offices, These bombs were effective in destroying the official documents maintained by the British.

A brief jail term brought about a change in their approach. When he was jailed for the first time for 14 months, Doreswamy decided to follow Gandhi’s ideals of non-violence and Satyagraha.

According to him, the jail was like a university where he mastered the two principles of Gandhi –non-violence and Satyagraha-- and also he was able to learn Hindi and Tamil languages.

The jail term gave a new dimension to his hunger for freedom struggle.

Once he was released, there was no going back to throwing bombs. He was instead guided by the powerful tools of non-violence and satyagraha.

Doreswamy has witnessed all the elections in Independent India, and even contested the election in 1951 for the corporation polls. Unfortunately, he lost by just one vote. And, that was the first and last time he contested.

“I have not kept count of the number of elections I have voted in, but I never missed an election. During the preIndependence movement, the then Dewan of Mysuru CV Rungacharlu had called for the election for Mysuru Representative Assembly.

After Independence, in 1951, we were allowed to vote for the Lok Sabha election, which was followed by Mysuru state Assembly election in 1952. I was 32 years old then and I went to a government school in Hanumanth Nagar with pride to cast my vote in a democratic India,” he recalls.

“Those days’ people used to travel two to three km in buses and carts in Bengaluru to vote. Those days, people contesting the elections were popular faces and they would go door-to-door campaigning. They even knew their voters by name. These leaders would appeal to the voters without money or liquor. They were the real Jana Nayakas (people’s leader),” he says.

Gandhian

Oct 08 - 14, 2018 Now, he says, elections are fought on caste basis and money power. There are promoters for each caste - be it a politician or a seer.

Those days, the winners would come back to visit the voters, thank them and get down implementing various promises made by them. These days also they come back, but only to grab civil works so that they can get their commissions from contractors, he says.

Doreswamy had contested the Bengaluru City Corporation election in 1951. According to his wife Lalithamma, who is in her late eighties, “We got married in 1950, the next year he contested the election from Kalasipalya ward. He would campaign door-to-door from morning till night.

His brother H S Sitharam had contested from VV Puram. While Doreswamy lost by one vote, his brother became the Mayor. He realised that contesting elections is not that easy without money power. After this, he did not bother to contest any election,” she adds.

Only a few freedom fighters stuck to Mahatma Gandhi’s idea of staying away from power politics. Doreswamy is one of them.

After independence, Doreswamy fully engaged himself in fighting for the downtrodden people like the slum dwellers, homeless and poor landless farmers, cobblers and porters. It was at the same time Acharya Vinoba Bhave had started Bhoodan Movement to persuade landlords to donate a piece of their land to the landless people of the country.

He travelled extensively from village to village to create awareness about Bhoodan Movement. He used to travel 24 days in a month to make this a big success. He used to get an honorarium of 100 Rupees which he used to give to his wife to run the family.

HS Doreswamy, who was part of the freedom movement in Bengaluru, still remembers the thrill he received on seeing Mahatma Gandhi for the first time at the National High School grounds, Basavanagudi, and climbing the Nandi Hills twice a day to get a glimpse of him. But his favourite leader was the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who was a bigger crowd- puller than even Gandhiji, he says.

To a question on Gandhi and Nehru, he says “Gandhiji and Nehru visited Bengaluru on many occasions.

Gandhiji visited the National High School, Yeshwanthpur, and stayed for a long time at Kumara Krupa and the Nandi Hills. Nehru visited Dharmabuddhi Kare and hoisted the national flag, which was brought down and the flag post removed by the then administrators. But the Binny Mill workers pooled in money, built a new

flag post at the same place and Nehru once again came down to hoist the flag.

“We did not have social media or smartphones for quick dissemination of information those days. The major tool of information was the Press. We spent a lot of our time reading magazines and newspapers and it was from them that we received information about the freedom struggle and meetings that were to be held.

When was the first time you saw Mahatma Gandhi?

I saw Mahatma Gandhi for the first time when he came to the National High School in 1927. When he was unwell, he camped at Nandi Hills for treatment and it was then that I stayed at my relative’s place at Chikkaballapur and climbed up the hill twice, once in the morning and again in the evening, to take part in Gandhi’s Prarthana Sabha, admiring him and deriving inspiration from him.

But, I like Nehru for many reasons.

He was my favourite. He was well educated and a great orator. People used to go crazy just to have a glimpse of him passing by in his car. He was a bigger crowd puller than Mahatma Gandhi.

He never met the Mahatma in person, but his admiration for the great man started early in life. “Gandhi was a humble person,” he says, “a good man who dreamed of a genuinely democratic India with much more participation from the people. It was Gandhiji’s charisma and single-minded devotion to the cause of India’s freedom that drew him to the national movement.

“As a student, I was moved by the inspiring and invigorating speeches of Gandhiji. In the Intermediate College, I attended a public lecture by KF Nariman, the then Mayor of Bombay, in Bangalore. It was a very powerful speech. While Nariman was speaking, the police dragged him off stage.

All hell broke loose, and an enraged crowd resorted to street-fighting.

That incident ignited the fire within me. Soon after, the students of the Intermediate College observed a bandh in protest. I was an active participant.

We were beaten black and blue by the police and put behind bars. That was the beginning. I haven’t looked back since then.”

As a young Gandhian and a peace activist, Doreswamy regularly read

Harijan, the magazine edited by Gandhi, avidly and with anticipation. “Reading the ideals envisaged in Harijan, I could almost feel the Freedom Movement moving closer to me. I wanted to get involved in the Movement and give my best to it.”

“Gandhi was a deeply religious man. He was free from any religious biases. His simplicity of manner was captivating, his prayers rejuvenating, and faith inexplicable. I used to attend his prayer meetings while he was at Nandi Hills and at Kumara Park. He was a crowd-puller that gave me a lot of impetus.”

During Emergency, Doreswamy couldn’t remain a silent spectator and strongly opposed the ‘dictatorial attitude’ of the prime minister. He wrote a strong letter to Indira Gandhi demanding that she end the emergency and even warned her that he would take the issue to every village mobilizing the public against this dictatorial attitude.

She promptly arrested him citing the draconian Defence of India rule.

Doreswamy spent four months in jail.

Finally, the court ruled that a citizen has every right to question prime minister in a democracy and ordered his release.

Agitations, Fights & Rallies Today, Doreswamy even at the age of 100, joins hands with agitators in all types of fights against the misrule of governments.

Doreswamy has led many agitations and protests. In the Eighties, he, along with 2,000 young men and 500 women, staged a Satyagraha against the Kaiga nuclear power plant. They spent five days in the forests of Uttara Kannada.

Their struggle went in vain as the authorities concerned failed to respond.

But he was not disappointed. “We can only try to persuade them to stop the project; talk to the authorities on its ill effects. We cannot resort to violence and destruction. That’s no solution.

We had protested and expressed our displeasure to the people concerned.

That’s what matters.

13 07

He also waged a struggle against the Kudremukh Iron Ore Project.

“The iron ore is taken away, leaving water containing mud. This water is let into the river Bhadra. It clogs the river and reduces its flow. They say it is for earning foreign exchange but are unconcerned about the immense damage it causes to the environment and the people. The Adivasis have been evicted. Multinational companies have been invited, and they are exploiting the forest cover for their narrow selfish gains.” In 2016, he travelled more than 500 km from Bengaluru to Belagavi to stage a satyagraha at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, demanding land for landless people. In 2017, he was an active participant in the fight to save the lakes of Bengaluru. In September, he also fought against the encroachment of land, calling on the government to pass an ordinance to acquire encroached land.

He, along with MLAAT Ramaswamy, Justice Santosh Hegde and the AAP party, led a rigorous fight against land grabbers and persuaded Government to bring in legislation. He also joined hands with common citizen groups to fight against proposed Steel-Flyover in Bangalore, and the protest succeeded in making the government to step back from the decision of building steel bridge thus saving thousands of trees.

He said in an interview to a newspaper that he takes up only those problems for which solutions can be found; one such issue was the dumping of Bengaluru’s garbage in the nearby town of Mandur. An eventual protest yielded a written agreement from authorities that pledged to end the dumping and the removal of the garbage within three years In a recent interview to BBC, he clearly mentioned that age-related problems were haunting him but his zeal to fight for the needy has not diminished.

His life motto, as he puts it, is “A social worker should embrace voluntary poverty”.

14

Development

Oct 08 - 14, 2018 Assam

Clean And Green Village Mission ‘Forest Man of India’ Jadav Payeng has launched ‘Clean and Green Village Mission’ at Torajan in Tinsukia district of Assam

Raj Kashyap

T

he Assam government has launched the Clean and Green Village Mission with the twin objectives of promoting conservation of the environment and hygiene.

One village has been selected from every district across the state which takes the total to 33 villages where the project will be implemented. It is an initiative of chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal under MyGov Assam which is an online platform.

The project has been launched at Chakial gaon under Athkhelia gaon panchayat of Golaghat district by brand ambassador of the state forest department Ananda Khataniar.

Addressing the gathering, environmentalist Ananda Khataniar made a case for promoting conservation of the environment and made an appeal to senior citizens to educate the youths about the importance of conservation and the need to plant more saplings. He also focused upon reducing the use of plastic and banning plastic materials for single use and appealed to the villagers to maintain hygiene and sanitation at all cost. At Torajan village in Tinsukia district, the scheme was inaugurated by Jadav Payeng, better known as the “Forest Man of India”

where he spoke about the need to promote a plastic-free environment and conservation of the environment.

As a part of the programme, tree saplings and sports items were distributed by the department of forests and environment to the people.

The project assumes importance since Assam and the Northeast is a biodiversity hotspot – one among the three such zones in the country.

The Northeast has suffered massive deforestation in the past couple of decades which prompted the Supreme

Court to ban felling of trees in 1996.

However, continuous media reports and data released by the Assam government reveal that encroachment of forest is on as also deforestation and earth cutting.

On 22nd December 2015, the government informed Parliament the 19 lakh hectares of forests are under encroachment with Madhya Pradesh topping the list at 27 per cent and Assam in the second position.

In a recent reply to an RTI query

by Nityananda Kalita, the Assam

government disclosed that close to 4 lakh hectares of forest land has been encroached upon in the state which includes national parks such as the World Heritage Site of Manas, reserve forests, and numerous wildlife sanctuaries.

It identified as many as 26 out of 33 districts in the northeastern state that have suffered encroachment of forests.

The total encroachment adds up to 3,87,885 hectares which is 22 per cent out of the total of 17,36,301 hectares of the state’s forest cover.

According to the Indian State of Forest Report, 2017, of the Dehradun based Forest Survey of India, 567 sq km of forest cover has increased in Assam compared to the cover assessed in 2015.

However, another study carried out by the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing has predicted a depletion of 9,007.14 square km (2.94 per cent) of forests in parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by 2028.

The study titled Forest Cover Monitoring and Prediction in a Lesser Himalayan Elephant Landscape, which has also been published in Current Science argues that deforestation and loss of wildlife habitat in Upper (eastern) Assam is likely to influence not only adjoining Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh but western Assam as well.

Kerala

RUBBER BOARD TO FOCUS ON QUALITY IN TRIPURA Tripura has the second-largest area under rubber cultivation in the country Raj Kashyap

T

he Rubber Board has firmed up plans to produce quality rubber sheets in Tripura to ensure maximum value addition to the product.

Deputy Commissioner of the Rubber Board Agartala, Dilip Kumar

Das told the media that the new strategy has been planned for the welfare of rubber growers. He added that only 20 per cent scarp rubber was sent outside the state which has increased substantially due to value addition.

Natural rubber production in Tripura has increased from 46,815

MT in the 2014-15 to 65,330 MT in 2017-18 though the area under cultivation has not expanded much during the period. It is estimated that around 4,000 hectares have been

brought under rubber cultivation during the past four years. At the same time, the Rubber Board has been able to meet its targets of quality improvement and value addition to scrap rubber or latex by imparting training to rubber growers and tappers.

After Kerala where around 550,000 hectares have been brought under rubber cultivation, Tripura has the second-largest area under rubber cultivation in the country. The Deputy Commissioner said the state has been producing quality rubber sheets like RSS-5/4 and efforts are on to produce graded rubber sheets like RSS-3/4 in order to get better prices.

He explained that the Rubber Board

Farming

Oct 08 - 14, 2018 has set a target of producing 60 per cent graded rubber sheets of the total production in the next two or three years. Das made a case for setting up small scale industrial units which could be a game changer in Tripura’s economy, instead of opting for large rubber-based industries. He cited the example of a tyre manufacturing unit which may not be economically viable here because it requires only 20 per cent raw rubber while the remaining ingredients, mostly chemicals, would have to import from outside the state.

The official also dismissed reports of a sharp decline in rubber prices and said that growers were getting a good price by selling rubber at Rs 110-120 per kg. It was during the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) that the Rubber Board had decided to double the existing natural rubber cultivation areas in the Northeast. Currently, natural rubber is being cultivated in 113,685 hectares in the region, including 61,000 hectares in Tripura and 36,000 hectares in Assam.

According to an earlier assessment of the Rubber Board, about 450,000 hectares may be available in the states of Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland.

The region has extensive areas that are agro-climatically suitable for natural rubber cultivation.

India is now ranked first in rubber productivity (1,841 kg per hectare), second in consumption (971,000 tonnes per year), fourth in production (912,000 tonnes in 2012-13) and sixth in terms of area (0.79 million

The Rubber Board has been able to meet its targets of quality improvement and value addition to scrap rubber hectares) of rubber cultivation in the world.

It is estimated that the total cultivation area would rise to 986,000 hectares and production and consumption would go up to 1,583,000 tonnes and 1,731,000 tonnes respectively by 2024-25. In India, rubber is traditionally grown mostly in Kerala and Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. The non-traditional lands are found in Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra, Western Ghats, and to a smaller extent, along the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

In Tripura, the Rubber Board has also been focusing on providing adequate marketing linkage to the growers and small entrepreneurs to sell their products without facing any hardship.

15 07

Organic Farming

“Sufal Bangla” To Showcase Organic Produce Sufal Bangla has bagged Rs 18 crore grants from the union agriculture ministry under the Parampara Krishi Vikas Yojna

Prasanta Paul

“

Sufal Bangla”, an initiative of the West Bengal government, that has been launched to ensure delivery of fresh vegetables at reasonable prices at the door step of the customers, plans to accord stress on organic farming and organic products. The state agriculture department has decided to build a mall

at Rajarhat which will be exclusively showcasing a variety of organic products that are being produced in various parts of the state.

“The proposed mall to be dedicated to showcase products produced through organic farming is a unique idea that will not only inspire the farmers to increasingly adopt organic farming, this will also contribute to

“The proposed mall to be dedicated to showcase products produced through organic farming is a unique idea that will not only inspire the farmers to increasingly adopt organic farming, this will also contribute to a great extent towards environment protection,”

Tapan Dasgupta

West Bengal Agriculture Minister

a great extent towards environment protection,” West Bengal agriculture minister Tapan Dasgupta said.

According to Sampad Ranjan Patra, the director of the state agriculture marketing department, Sufal Bangla has bagged Rs 18 crore grants from the union agriculture ministry under the Parampara Krishi Vikas Yojna for undertaking organic farming in about 120 clusters in as many as 13 districts across the state. Each cluster comprises 50 farmers. Organic farming follows certain prescribed rules. A specific stretch of land identified for organic farming, will require three years to yield organic produce. It takes nearly a couple of years to rid that land of toxic material and during this period, the total yield from that land goes down.

The Central grant, Patra explained, is meant for financial assistance to farmers belonging to the clusters during that initial year so that they continue with organic farming. On the third year, the toxicity of the land is tested and once it is found that there is no toxic material in it, the agricultural produce in that land gets the “India Organic Logo” certificate which guarantees its authenticity of organic farming.

“The mall is aimed at showcasing only those products that have obtained this certificate. Not only this, the mall will house a special laboratory which will test the products before certifying their organic quality,” the agriculture minister claimed. Interestingly, besides tea, various other organic products are being produced in West Bengal in an unorganised fashion. For instance, at Badabon village in the remote Sunderbans Island, farmers have begun pisciculture through organic means.

Some at East Midnapore district, instead of taking the crop to the rice mill, have still been using the traditional ‘dheki’ to remove the husks from rice.

“Our idea is to bring them under one roof and to give a major push to the process of organic farming,” Dasgupta said.

16

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Dr Vinay Rajath

Discipline and united action are the real source of strength for the nation Lal Bahadur Shastri

VIEWPOINT

Professor and Chairman Dept of PG Studies and Research in Sociology Mangalagangotri, Mangalore University

Understanding Sanitation : It’s bearing on society and culture There are different dimensions to understand the whole world of sanitation

Prayer is a cry of soul

The act of praying itself has the power to bring transformation

W

e often hear people say that behind every successful man is a woman. I will modify this by saying, behind every success, there is the Divine, saying, “I am behind you”. The Divine dawns in you when you pray for

Grace; when you cry for it.

Prayer is a vital tool to improve your life. What you can do, do it. What you cannot do, pray for it! When you feel the obstacle is too much to handle, deep prayer can work miracles. Whatever you do, know that a higher power has the final say and you can tap that power through your prayers.

You don’t need any special qualifications or abilities to pray. Whether a fool or a wise person, rich or poor, anybody can pray. Prayer doesn’t mean just sitting and chanting some words. It’s about being in that serene, calm, meditative state. That is why, in vedic tradition, dhyana (meditation) is done before prayer as well as afterwards. When the mind is focused, prayer becomes far more powerful.

Prayer is the cry of a soul. To whom you pray is not so important. Whereas religion puts words to the prayer, and adds symbols and rituals to it, prayer itself transcends them. It happens at the subtle level of feelings; feelings transcend words and religion. The act of praying itself has the power to bring transformation.

(Sri Sri Ravi Shankar)

Editor-in-Chief

Kumar Dilip Edited, Printed and Published by: Monika Jain on behalf of Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation, owned by Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation Printed at: The Indian Express Limited A - 8, Sector -7, NOIDA (UP) Published at: RZ - 83, Mahavir Enclave, Palam - Dabri Road, New Delhi - 110045 (India) Corporate Office: 819, Wave Silver Tower, Sector - 18, NOIDA (UP) Phone: +91-120-2970819 Email: editor@sulabhswachhbharat.com, ssbweekly@gmail.com

S

anitation refers to the safe management of human excreta and grey-water, the principles and practices relating to the collection, removal and disposal of human excreta, refuse and wastewater, and the provision of facilities and services for the safe disposal of waste and maintenance of hygienic conditions. Hence, it includes hardware (facilities) and software (rules, regulations, hygiene). Sanitation facility refers to infrastructure for the disposal or treatment of waste. It is a system of the combination of technologies for safe collection, transport, treatment or disposal of human waste. On the other hand, there are specific norms, policies, rules and regulations and hygiene practices related to the whole process of sanitation.

The main objectives of sanitation are, to protect and promote health; and to protect the environment against pollution. There are different dimensions to understand the whole world of sanitation. In a specific sense sanitation is the process of managing with the human excreta; however, in a broader sense, the term encapsulates all the environmental aspects around us that are detrimental to human life, if not taken care of.

1.Health and environmental aspect.

2.Technological and operational aspect.

3.Economic and financial aspect.

4.Institutional and political aspect.

5.Social, cultural and gender aspects of sanitation.

The first four in the list account for the objective factors; while the last, the subjective element in the understanding of sanitation.

Hence, the understanding of sanitation varies across the cultures and societies. This has led to misunderstanding and also discrimination of human beings in relation to the objects and process of sanitation. India suffers the most in this respect. This paper tries to elaborate the subjective elements of sanitation, the metaphysical aspects of the cultural items, the state of orientation, socialisation and domination within the culture.

Sanitation Criteria

We may consider the sanitation criteria under two categories as objective criteria and subjective criteria. The objective criteria, though complex and in multiple applicability, is realistic, scientific, observable and measurable.

The objective criteria may be viewed under two categories. The normative criteria - availability, accessibility, quality/safety, affordability,

The main objectives of sanitation are, to protect and promote health; and to protect the environment against pollution

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

OpEd

17

Adequate and healthy sanitation system is a necessary condition in India. Planning, measures and several strategies are deployed to improve the sanitation condition in India acceptability and the cross-cutting criteria non-discrimination, participation, accountability, impact and sustainability. However, the subjective criteria are very difficult to measure or predict. They are rooted in the culture and the social upbringing.

Socio-cultural bearing on sanitation

Culture is the particular knowledge, beliefs, and understanding of art, law, morals, customs, and other skills and habits that a person acquires as a member of a given society. Beyond their individual differences, the members of a group or a society have particular ways of thinking and behaving, and will react to situations in similar ways. Culture is also an instrument; a tool by which we assign meaning to the reality around us and to the events that happen to us.

In our day to day life, everything is defined socially and culturally.

People and groups interacting in a social system create concepts or mental representations of each other’s actions, and that these concepts eventually become habituated into reciprocal roles played by the actors in relation to each other. In the process, the meaning is embedded in society.

Reality is therefore said to be socially constructed. We not only construct our own society but we also accept it as it is, because others have created it before us.

In this context the whole reality of sanitation, whether a concept, understanding or as a practice is socially and culturally constructed. Its criteria are relevant and interpreted in a given social structure. Nourishment to thought comes from the cultural roots, from the social milieu where the person is (born and) brought up.

In the west there is an aesthetic sense in designing toilet articles; however, there is some detest in India. Any person or caste, or anything that is associated with the toilet is considered dirty or polluting. Sanitation systems, even when they are properly designed, may not be appropriate when social and cultural factors affecting sanitation and hygienic practices of the community members are not considered.

I would like to focus on three important aspects in sanitation which are solely conditioned by the cultural context, especially in India;

open defecation, gender element in sanitation and caste stigmatisation.

Open defecation

In many rural areas, the practice of open defecation is ritualised and bound in tradition. The behaviour and attitudes of the ethnic groups resist the use of latrines. Open defecation is related to factors specific to the culture of the ethnolinguistic group that practises it.

It is not the scarcity of water or lack of access to toilets that pushes people to open defecation. Some claim that the concept itself is alien to many.

While some choose to use the fields because toilets close to the vicinity of the house are considered to be polluting, others do not use it because the eventual cleaning of the latrines is perceived to be ritually degrading.

Since emptying one’s own latrine pit is socially unacceptable, as it is something they believe only an outcast can do, households tend to use a latrine only for emergencies – when someone is too weak (woman, old and children) or sick to go out in the open.

Manual Scavenging and gender

The manual scavenging still exists till date despite being banned under the constitution via various legislations.

As per the 2011 census data, it exists in all states except for the states of Goa, Sikkim and the UTs of Chandigarh and Lakshadweep. The 2011 SocioEconomic Caste Census lists, 1,68,068 households as engaged in manual scavenging for a livelihood. Surveys have revealed that 93.96 per cent of the manual scavengers in the country are women. They become vulnerable to being women, for being a Dalit, and for being a manual scavenger. The girl child faces discrimination at all levels and is usually compelled to take up the occupation once married.

In a modern context, the availability and accessibility of sanitation to girls and women is a major concern. When it comes to school going, helping girls and female teachers to access safe water and sanitation is very important. Lack of sanitation, especially in rural areas, causes many girls to fall behind and even drop out. Hence, sanitation crisis is detrimental not only to women’s health but also to education, dignity, community status, and overall wellbeing. Most women without access to basic sanitation, such as a latrine,

must wait for nightfall and an empty field in order to defecate in private.

Waiting so long to defecate leads to increased chances for urinary tract infections, chronic constipation, and psychological stress. Many women who are going out alone at night are also at risk of physical and sexual assault.

‘Where India Goes’, a book by Coffey and Spears comes up with new insights on why the toilet has remained an incomplete solution to poor sanitation. The prevalence of open defecation here is not explained by under-development or poverty; nor is it a matter of education levels or governance, access to latrines, availability of water or quality of available toilets. Poor sanitation persists in rural India because of unique social forces, in particular, caste. The lack of privacy due to inadequate and sometimes nonexistent sanitation access translates into far more damaging consequences, with women and young girls becoming ‘prisoners of daylight’. Due to privacy concerns and the shame of open defecation, many women are forced to wait until night-fall till they are able to relieve themselves.

Caste discrimination

Sanitation in India cannot be separated from the ideology of caste.

Through the rigid caste system, a certain social stratum, i.e. the Dalits are forced to such inhumane jobs as cleaning (dry) latrines with their bare hands. Their occupation reinforces the social stigma that they are unclean and perpetuates widespread discrimination. Further, very strong stigmata are attached to those dealing with human excreta. Indian society has a unique composition where the scavenger is a scavenger by birth. They face discrimination and are considered

fit only for the most polluting labour, that is to manually dispose of human excrement, manual scavenging.

The caste system is something absent in all the better performing countries in South Asia as compared to India. In developed countries, manhole workers are provided with proper safety equipment before they descend into the gutter. On the contrary, Indian sanitation workers wear loincloths or shorts. Handling human excreta is not voluntary employment, but a form of slavery sanctioned and imposed through an exploitative and inhuman caste system.

Conclusion

Adequate and healthy sanitation system is a necessary condition in India. Planning, measures and several strategies are deployed to improve the sanitation condition in India. Growth in science and technology, democratic policies, health and sanitation requirements have responded to the objective criteria of sanitation.

However, it is a greater challenge to understand the subjective criteria in sanitation. Sanitation in India is socially constructed, especially in terms of concepts like, clean and pollution. When it relates to sanitation practices and management of human waste, the element of caste and gender are the main determinants. Mere sanitation policies and technological innovations will not solve the problem of sanitation in India. It requires awareness and sensitization on ethnic and gender issues. In other words, we need to deconstruct and reconstruct the whole concept of sanitation how it is explained and understood in Indian caste-ridden society. Thanks to Sulabh and Dr Pathak for initiating practical steps in building a new sanitation culture, beyond caste, region and religion, in ‘Action Sociology’.

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Photo Feature

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Nostalgic Kolkata!

Kolkata before the Puja Fervour PHOTO: jairam

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Photo Feature

19

20

Gender

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Piramal Swasthya

Midwifing Change How maternity deaths were reduced to zero in remote tribal hamlets

Mohammed Shafeeq

T

he scenic beauty of Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh is in stark contrast to the lives of indigenous tribespeople inhabiting the region. Living in virtual destitution, these tribals -- like their counterparts scattered in remote locations across the rest of India -- lack access to basic amenities like safe drinking water, healthcare and education. Till a few years ago, some of these habitations were not even covered in the national census and nobody knew they even existed.

But efforts of a leading NGO over the last seven years have yielded results in 181 habitations around Araku. This is testified by the fact that no maternal deaths have been reported here over the last two years -- a giant step forward for a place where maternal mortality was double the national average.

Before emerging as a tourist destination about a decade ago, Araku, 100 km from the port city of Visakhapatnam, was an area that was the redoubt of Maoist extremists.

Politicians and officials used to stay away from this forested area in the Eastern Ghats.

The population in scattered and inaccessible hamlets was suffering from malnutrition, leading to high maternal mortality and neonatal mortality rates. Some traditional practices of the tribals and deliveries at home were also contributing to this situation.

When the NGO Piramal Swasthya, the health vertical of Piramal Foundation, launched the Asara Tribal Health Programme in 2011, maternal mortality in this tribal area was over 400 per 100,000 live births as against the then national average of around 200.

No maternal deaths have been reported over the last two years while the percentage of institutional deliveries has risen from 18 per cent to 68 per cent. The neonatal mortality rate too has come down from 37 to 10 per 100,000 live births, say the officials of Piramal Swasthya.

The neonatal mortality rate too has come down from 37 to 10 per 100,000 live births, say the officials of Piramal Swasthya

The agents behind this change are Auxillary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) like P. Padma who toil selflessly to help the pregnant women in these remote hamlets. The 27-year-old has been working with the NGO for six years and has attended about 3,000 women.

She has seen the transformation.

“The situation in the tribal hamlets was pathetic as women were reluctant to come to hospitals for delivery. A major reason for this was the superstition

among tribals. Piramal Swasthya has removed the superstitions and motivated the women,” Padma told.

Padma travels 12-13 km in a fourwheeler and, when the road ends, she goes on a bike driven by a “pilot”, covering another 11 km. When this narrow path also ends, she hikes across mountains and valleys for another 1213 km to the last habitation of Araku.

This is what she does every day, explains Vishal Phanse, Chief Executive Officer, Piramal Swasthya.

Once in the habitation, the ANM identifies every pregnant woman, conducts basic tests, provides counselling on healthy practices and fixes an appointment for a consultation with a specialist at the telemedicine centre. The next day, a four-wheeler is sent to pick up all pregnant women registered and get them to the telemedicine centre, where an expert gynaecologist sitting in Hyderabad provides the consultation through teleconferencing. Free medication, along with nutrition supplements, is also provided to the expectant mother and she is then dropped back to her habitation.

“If a woman can’t walk we arrange ‘palki’ (a kind of palanquin) to bring her till the four-wheeler to take her to the telemedicine centre,” Padma said.

Last month, a woman delivered a baby on the palki in Colliguda village. She helped the woman and later safely transported her and the newborn to the hospital.

Saving Life

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

21 07

Patna

Asia’s First Dolphin Research Centre

National Dolphin Research Centre is likely to be set up on the banks of River Ganga in Patna University premises

ANMs support the women and children through their pregnancy, childbirth and neonatal period while keeping the government machinery in the loop. Piramal Swasthya overcame all odds to achieve its goal of ending preventable deaths in 181 habitations, serving 49,000 pregnant women.

Adding some more interventions like training traditional birth attendants and health education of adolescent girls, it is now expanding the programme across 11 “mandals” or blocks comprising 1,179 habitations in the tribal belt of Visakhapatnam district to reach 2.5 lakh populations.

It is currently running six telemedicine centres and plans to add five more. The NGO will also be opening two more community nutrition hubs in addition to existing one, where women are educated about a healthy and nutritious diet and trained in the use of traditional and locally available food items.

Based on the learning in Visakhapatnam, the NGO wants to create something which can be replicated in the entire tribal belt of India. More than 10 per cent of India’s population is tribal and among them, maternal mortality is two-and-a-half times the national average.

“If what works in Araku, works in Visakhapatnam, then we can replicate it in the entire tribal belt of the country,” said Phanse.

Niti Aayog, India’s policy thinktank, is looking at this model with key interest as to how they can scale it up.

“In fact, a lot of people including the United Nations, governments in states and at the Centre are looking at it. We had a lot of visitors trying to understand how we managed to do this. We ourselves are learning every day. Technology is a great enabler if you have to scale it up at the national level.”

Phanse believes that 80 per cent of what worked in Araku can be replicated in tribal areas across the country and 20 per cent could be a

local customisation that they have to work on.

What worked for Piramal Swasthya in Araku? “We have doctors, public health professionals and experts with the youngest aged 26 and the oldest 78.

That’s the kind of expertise we have with actual feet on the ground. Our actuality to work with them, for them, staying with them and understanding them is what I think has worked best for us,” said Phanse.

“If you want to make anything sustainable in healthcare you have to create health-seeking behaviour in the community. We were successful because we changed the community,” he added.

Phanse feels that the community engagement and participation in the programme is key to its success.

For Piramal, winning the trust of the local community was the key challenge. As Araku was an extremist stronghold, gaining the trust of locals took time.

Most of the 38 people that work for the organisation are from the local community who are wedded to the cause. Forging the local partnership by using the services of dedicated individuals who can speak the language of the community ensured smooth implementation.

With 4,000 employees in just its health vertical, Piramal Swasthya is perhaps the largest NGO in India, implementing 29 healthcare projects in 16 states.

India ranks 131 among 188 countries on the Human Development Index (HDI) 2016 released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). India was placed behind countries like Gabon (109), Egypt (111), Indonesia (113), South Africa (119) and Iraq (121), among others.

The government is working towards improving this rating by creating competition between states to perform better on key social indicators like infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate and life expectancy.

Imran Khan

W

ith the population of the endangered Gangetic river dolphin decreasing and its habitat changing, there is finally good news that the much-awaited National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC), India’s and Asia’s first, would be a reality soon -- with October 5 being hinted at as the date for the groundbreaking ceremony.

After remaining in a limbo for nearly six years on one or the other pretext, the NDRC is likely to be set up next month on the banks of the Ganga River in the Patna University premises.

It will play an important role in strengthening conservation efforts and research to save the endangered mammal.

“We are in final stages to commence work to set up the NDRC after some formalities are cleared between the department and Patna University,” Surendra Singh, Conservator of Forests and Additional Secretary, Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, told.

Echoing this, Santosh Tiwari, Chief Conservator of Forestscum Chief Executive Officer, Wildlife Conservation Fund, told : We are ready to set up

the NDRC as soon as possible because it is a priority for us.”

The process to set up the NDRC started after the Patna University agreed nearly two months ago to provide the land.

The university’s Syndicate had earlier stalled the proposal for over three years.

A well-reputed expert on Gangetic river dolphins, RK Sinha, who is currently Vice Chancellor of the Nalanda Open University in Patna, said the NDRC will prove a boon for research and conservation of dolphins.

Gangetic river dolphins fall under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act and have been declared an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Gangetic river dolphin is one of the four freshwater dolphin species in the world. The other three are found in the Yangtze river, the Indus river in Pakistan and the Amazon river.

The Gangetic river species -found in India, Bangladesh and Nepal -- is almost completely blind. It finds its way and prey using echoes -- with sound being everything for them to navigate, feed, escape danger, find mates, breed, nurse babies and play.

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Feature

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Hope

Angels Of Hope They make the poor and helpless aware of their rights Mudita Girotra

W

hen Rambabu, a 27-yearold who worked in a ration shop in Patna, got to know he was suffering from brain tumor, he was devastated. But his nightmare was compounded when he travelled over a thousand kilometres in that condition to New Delhi for treatment only to find there was a waiting period of six months at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) referral hospital.

He could not afford treatment at a private hospital and a wait of six months at AIIMS seemed as good as being on death row. It was in that moment of hopelessness that lawyer and community worker Ashok Agarwal came to his rescue and made him aware of the government policy under which people from the economically weaker sections (EWS) are entitled to free treatment at large private hospitals built on government land.

Not only that, Agarwal also got Rambabu admitted at the Max Hospital, Patparganj, where he has already started receiving treatment.

“He used to complain of excruciating pain in his head 24 hours a day. Doctors in Patna suggested he should be taken to Delhi, where we arrived on July 18,” Rambabu’s brother Shambabu, 35, told.

“At AIIMS, we were given a date in December for his operation but his condition was deteriorating.

No matter what he ate, he would eventually throw up. He needed urgent attention,” he said.

An acquaintance then suggested

they speak to Agarwal who got a bed arranged for the tumor patient at Max Hospital.

Thousands of people like Rambabu have benefited from the provision of 10 per cent charity beds meant for the EWS category, Agarwal told.

About four years ago, Agarwal came across an entire family in the Harijan Basti in south-west Delhi which were affected by a fire caused by a cylinder blast. Three small girls had their faces terribly burnt and their father had bandages all over on one of his legs.

Agarwal referred them to Gangaram Hospital where they underwent plastic surgeries. The father’s leg was so infected so it had to be amputated but had the operation not been done, he would not have survived.

“There have been a dozen such episodes where I randomly came across a suffering person who was not able to avail any health facility.

They were referred to various private hospitals that come under the government policy of charity beds,” he said.

Every Saturday, Agarwal meets people who need similar help at his chamber in Tis Hazari court. He helps them fill up the declaration form stating they belong to the EWS category and can’t afford costly treatment. But it took several decades for the advocate and other activists like him imbued with similar altruistic passion to ensure that private hospitals adhere to government guidelines and don’t turn away poor patients.

It was in 1949 that the Central government decided to allot land to hospitals and schools at highly concessional rates so as to involve them in achieving the larger social objective of providing affordable health and education to people. In 2002, Agarwal filed a petition because private hospitals were not serving the poorer sections of society. In his petition, he said even those hospitals where the allotment letters clearly said that up to 70 per cent beds had to be reserved were not following the rules.

A 2007 judgment by the Delhi High Court said that hospitals had to pay hefty fines if they earn profits on beds that had to be reserved for the poor. In 2012, the Delhi government ordered hospitals to implement the Delhi High Court’s judgment under which they

Thousands of people like Rambabu have benefited from the provision of 10 per cent charity beds meant for the EWS category were bound to reserve 10 per cent of the beds -- with all medicines and tests included -- and 25 per cent of all outpatient consultations for the poor.

But even that was not enough because, while beds were reserved, there was a time when none of them were occupied due to lack of awareness among the poor.

In order to spread awareness, Kapil Chopra, who served as the president of Oberoi Group of hotels for five years, joined hands with Agarwal and simulcasted an audio recording about this provision over WhatsApp, which went viral.

While Agarwal’s battle for the poor was on, Chopra independently made efforts to make people aware and help them through his web portal to get treatment in private hospitals. He started a website charitybeds.com which gives real-time availability of over 650 beds in Delhi and NCR every day.

“We realised there is a big difference between issuing an order and its implementation. We thought

why don’t we help in bridging the gap between government, patients and hospitals because it’s very difficult for a poor person to enter a big private hospital like Max and tell them it’s his right to get treatment there. It is very intimidating for them,” Chopra told.

The website has been running for the past five years now and is administered by his associates Lalit Bhatia and Gagan Bharti who answer all queries of poor patients, counsel them, help them get to hospitals and also with all the required documentation.

“We help patients when someone calls us, we go to government hospitals and pick up patients from there, we help people reaching private hospitals directly. We help people who have BPL (below the poverty line) cards and people who do not have any card as they are not aware because they are so poor,” Chopra said.

“Finally, I can say that around 85 to 90 per cent of these charity beds are occupied today,” said Agarwal with some satisfaction.

Health

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

23 07

Kapalbhati

Detoxifying The Brain Through Kapalbhati Yogis claim that practicing it cleans the brain and gives a shining quality to a person’s appearance

n Anil K. Rajvanshi

harmful effects of toxin invasion of brain through breathing. apalbhati is a part of Today, rapidly growing Pranayam kriya where one research shows that a small forcefully exhales rapidly and part of the polluted air we in short bursts. Practitioners claim breathe through our nostrils that it helps in cleaning lungs and goes directly to the brain via in exercising the abdomen muscles. the olfactory lobes (this is the It is, therefore, recommended for area which gives us the sense reducing tummy fat. of smell) and the rest (major The word Kapalbhati means portion) goes to the lungs skull illumination. Yogis claim that supplying the necessary oxygen practicing it cleans the brain and to the blood. Thus the action of gives a shining quality to a person’s inhaling affects both the mind appearance. Modern science may and the body directly. give credence to this claim.

Medical researchers have Researchers have known since also shown that though the 1941 that nanoparticles (10-30 pollutants are most of the times nanometers which are almost 10-20 flushed out of the lungs by the body’s times smaller than those emitted in immune system the toxic particles in cigarette smoke), can directly reach the brain go on accumulating. the brain by breathing through the This has alarming implications nose and bypassing the blood-brainfor modern living since the inhaled barrier (BBB). pollution from household and However, this field of research automobile smoke, dust and general remained dormant industrial environment till the 1990s when the ability to Natural designs are has scientists, alarmed by directly affect the rising environmental very efficient and take nervous system. pollution, revisited Recently scientists have into account all paths shown that incidences the early research and and forces started discovering the of increased cancer,

dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, etc., have been attributed partly to the toxin invasion of the brain caused by these pollutants.

There are, however, indications that some of these small particles might be flushed out by the cerebrospinal fluid which floods the brain. During dreaming episodes, this flushing mechanism is very active. However, not all the particles leave the brain and hence affect the brain functioning.

Since these small particles go into the brain through the olfactory

lobe it is quite possible that they could be flushed out by the forceful exhalation of the Kapalbhati process. This follows the principle of equivalence.

The forceful exhalation creates a venturi effect in the nasal passage thereby creating a partial vacuum which might suck out these particles from the olfactory lobes. Natural designs are very efficient and take into account all paths and forces.

Thus the forceful exhalation of breath not only exercises the abdomen muscles but also cleans the lungs and the brain.

This cleaning of toxins from the brain is the true meaning of Kapalbhati.

For people living in the present polluted atmosphere a good strategy would be to wear a nose mask which filters out the pollutants during outdoor activities and practice Kapalbhati daily to remove the particles which inadvertently might have gone into the system.

Naturally it is preferable if we reduce the pollution in our cities so that the air becomes clean. Then the loading of brain with pollutants can be drastically reduced.

your hands, it’s way more important that you wash your hands than if... you didn’t get any obvious poop on your fingers,” Schaffner said. “My gosh, if you’ve got poop on your hands and you have the time, certainly, get in there, lather up real good and do a real good job.”

Compared to feces, urine can be pretty clean when we’re not harboring any infections, though it’s not totally sterile.

“People who use urinals probably think they don’t need to wash their hands,” Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, said. (In studies, women tend to be better about adhering to hand washing than men.)

But it’s best to wash your hands after every trip to the toilet because

human feces carry pathogens like E. coli, Shigella, Streptococcus, hepatitis A and E, and more.

You can also easily catch norovirus by touching bathroom surfaces that have been contaminated with a sick person’s poo or vomit, then putting your hands into your mouth. The super-contagious illness is the most common food poisoning culprit, and causes diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain.

A wide variety of other microbes and bacteria can be found in bathrooms, too. Some strains of Staphylococcus, or staph, are “found on almost every hand,” as a team of hand washing researchers pointed out in a 2004 study.

Public toilets can house many different drug-resistant strains of that bacteria.

Even if your own hands are clean and poo-free, can you say the same for the last person who touched that toilet handle, used the sink, or opened the bathroom door? Hand washing is a life-saving routine.

K

handwash

Do You Wash Hands After Every Bathroom Trip?

We’ve all been taught to wash our hands after using the restroom. But not everyone does n HILARY BRUECK

W

e all know what we’re supposed to do after using the toilet.

But survey after survey (including one in which scientists secretly camped out in bathrooms) have revealed a dirty truth: people don’t always wash their hands before they leave the bathroom.

One study suggested that only 67% of people wash their hands after they go.

Don Schaffner, a professor of food

science at Rutgers, has been studying hand washing for years and says the conventional wisdom shouldn’t be ignored.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re peeing or you’re pooping, you should wash your hands,” he told.

Here’s why.

Germs can hang out in bathrooms for a long time. Each trip to the restroom is its own unique journey into germ land. So some occasions probably require more washing up than others.

“If you’ve got diarrhea all over

24

excerpts from the book: “NARENDRA DAMODARdas MODI: the making of a legend”

Canada

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Address to The Indian community in Canada Canada has the potential to provide all natural resources that India requires for its growth. Our country has many problems, but the solution lies only in development.

(16 April 2015)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a huge gathering at a Indian Diaspora event at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Canada.

T

he visit to Canada on April 15 and 16, saw Modi visiting Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa. He met his Canadian counterpart Stephan Harper and addressed an 8,000-strong audience of Indo-Canadians at Toronto’s Ricoh Coliseum.

Both sides signed an agreement for the long-term supply of uranium to India (3000 metric tons by Saskatchewan-based Cameco over the next five years at a cost of 254 million dollars); both sides agreed to increase collaboration in the fields of energy efficiency, oil and gas development and renewable energy; Canada agreed in principle to invest Canadian dollars 2.5 million in five health innovations in India; Air Canada announced plans to have direct flights between Toronto and New Delhi soon, and both nations

agreed to deepen cooperation in the fight against terrorism and extremism.

Besides this, 13 MoUs were signed between the National Skill Development Council of India and 13 Canadian colleges, institutes and sector skill councils in fields such as agriculture, automotive, aviation, construction, healthcare, hydrocarbons and IT. The Indian Government also announced that Canadians would be allowed to apply for tourist visas online which would be valid for ten years.

The Modi visit to Canada generated business worth over 1.6 billion Canadian dollars through sixteen commercial agreements and announcements.

Both nations committed to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership.

I consider people to be the strength of India. If we have a situation of India plus Canada, you can visualise how we will emerge as a big power centre on the global stage. Canada has the potential to provide all natural resources that India requires for its growth. Our country has many problems, but the solution lies only in development.

The trilateral visit was more significant economically than politically, as the singular agenda was to attract investment and technology to generate employment for Indian youth under the government’s “Make in India” initiative.

If we can

really entrench a strong trading relationship between Canada and India, given the economic vitality that’s going to occur

PM inspects the guard of honour at a ceremonial reception in Ottawa.

there, the sheer growth of the middle class, there are wonderful opportunities for Canadian business to do more.

Gary Comerford PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CANADA-INDIA BUSINESS COUNCIL

Especially for the people of Indian origin, this is very important, it will better the relationship between Canada and India, for sure. I can see that this is going to be a huge, huge transformation whatever is being done between Canada and India.

Vinay Sharma

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi with the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Justin Trudeau, on the sidelines of Nuclear Security Summit 2016, in Washington DC, USA.

VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE VEDIC HINDU CULTURAL SOCIETY

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

excerpts from the book: “NARENDRA DAMODARdas MODI: the making of a legend”

25

China

You received me very warmly in your hometown. I am very glad to receive you in my hometown.

Xi Jinping, President of China It is very rare for Chinese leaders to accompany foreign guests outside Beijing.

State-run Chinese daily

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the Daxingshan Temple in Xi’an, China.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tours the Terracotta Army sculptures, a world heritage site in Xian, Shaanxi Province on May 14, 2015.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the President of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Xi Jinping, at Shaanxi Guest House, in Xi’an, on May 14, 2015.

T

he second week of May 2015 saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertaking a three-nation sixday tour of China, Mongolia and South Korea. The visit was from May 14 to 19.

Modi’s first destination was China, long regarded as India’s biggest economic and regional competitor. It was a reciprocal visit in response to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India in September 2014.

The visit commenced from President Xi’s hometown Xi’an. It was unprecedented in the sense that for the first time a Chinese President was welcoming a leader from another country on an official visit outside Beijing. President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi held bilateral talks at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and both also graced a cultural programme organised in their honour in Xi’an.

Moving onto Beijing, Modi held one-to-one and delegation-level talks

with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang.

Both countries inked a record 24 bilateral agreements, including the ones on trade, research and development, defence, education, geo-sciences and infrastructure among others.

During Modi’s visit, a meeting of the India-China Forum was held in Beijing where emphasis was placed on statecentre coordination. Modi pronounced the Forum as a unique and innovative move that would further strengthen relations between the two nations.

Prime Minister Modi also addressed the India-China Business Forum in Shanghai and interacted with top Chinese CEOs, including Alibaba’s Jack Ma. He urged them to invest in India under the Make in India initiative.

Modi launched around 25 business plans and agreements worth 22 billion dollars between Indian firms, including

There is no doubt in my mind that the Indian gathering at Shanghai in Modi’s honour will reverberate amongst the Indian community in China for a while yet. It was that sort of an event.

Dr Shameen Prashantham Associate Professor In International Business & Strategy At Nottingham University Business School, China the Adani Group, Bharti Airtel and Welspun, and Chinese business houses in Shanghai. He also addressed the Indian community in Shanghai.

On May 16, Modi visited some of China’s top universities, including the Tsinghua University in Beijing. He rounded off his three-day visit to China by thanking President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang for facilitating a warm reception and hospitality.

Address to The Indian community in China Today You had woken up early when the people of India were sleeping to ask about the result of the parliamentary election.

(16 May 2015)

T

oday is May 16. One year back, on May 16, 2014, the time difference between India and China had troubled you. You had woken up early when the people of India were sleeping to ask about the result of the parliamentary election. You were eager to know the result. In a democracy, the people are the embodiment of God. People have a third eye, they have great collective wisdom and the people of India have risen for “Sarvjan Hitaya, Sarvjan Sukhaye” (Collectve gain, Collective happiness).

Continue in next issue

26

October Read

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Books

Books To Look Forward To In October Here are the four books that we can’t wait to read this October

, -Chief

er-in fluenc

There will be other significant releases during the month, primarily “The Girl in Room 105” by Chetan Bhagat; an “Intimate Portrait of Jahangir” by Parvati Sharma; the final book from the late Professor Stephen Hawking; and John Grisham’s “The Reckoning”.

t the

er a : In t n pow R ashtriya i a ) w P g J Bha wer ty (B in the g ta Par ing interest ed as the po nce a Mohainngshuk Nia n a J a ue perceiv is grow harat y

by K SS infl

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n Saket Suman

nternational titles by acclaimed authors there ich is oes R the B ce? Is With since 2014, h (RSS), whHow much d this influen ats of will once again rule the roost in October, along Centre sevak Sang Is this true? w does it use on the dikt t role with a biography of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat Swayamthe throne. the day? Ho t dependentortantly, wha g the and a splendid story for children, woven around behindvernment of e government? More imp ay in bringin n not the life of late President APJ Abdul Kalam. l the go making in th verse correc Bhagwat p 2019 electio elons e n h e r y a c polic S or is the halak Moh er? With th he upper e t will the RS S Sarsanghc Modi to pow thinking in t n alliance tha did RS d Narendra s the critical se to forge a aid, lisher snner BJP an away, what i does it propor again? b u p e i h too far Sangh? How arty to powe -in-Chief ”, t ld view, its t also r I p r e . e o t c n h e w t n o s e fr of the saf im to t: Influ and its n mind propel han Bhagwa the Sangh ed the India hat propels h “Mo isively at has mould amines w ion. at ex it inc looks gs, and how Bhagwat and h across the n n worki s on Mohan e of the Sang focuse the influenc ps. own-uave r g t spread u witho who h f”. k Thie r of a houseturned and ry, forever o o B Ro The ts, alo e re pular “ perfect squ why has h ical, poetic; nctional pe by o p e h t u ted the Bu ysf cyn of t sak y the authogr, loving -- inght back in.”is Matthewh, ouse with dung life haun u Z s i b , u r n yo ve Marbkack-to-fronhtting, dreambiout to walnkformed IANpSopulated thee, his whole ll in lopic y e f b , o n i a h y g d o s i la an ha iet -- f o is her an e her w e ofolCd inside-oeurts are livingthem long amg, the publios llector whso Clay, the qu nd fat is said to be g a r d i e r h t t B th on hel the pet c en there’ mo t. lay” ar bro a story d out t the s, to a Bridge of C tragic secre e v i l This is e five Dunbwho walke antime? A nd Tommy, llie. “And th r i s “ les, s the e boy’ “Th e father ung coloure with no ru nbury one the m y-spinner; a e border co l l n i h i t t s es of Yo , e r y h u s e u s k t u o e n t o e e w r r h Toda oys becom the mon nd Rosy t e v a al s The Ad, by Stuti Agld cient Gs dwell in aby love, com n ult a the b ing; Henry, the mule a e h m a rt l hou adlam, son ries and s o a t s f e K y e n v h l i n l a f w i o u i , h e tr lly Ka ct.” by sto e pass ing Ac , wher And fina the fun? Meet well includ speakable aather, whospresent day ld together im ll h a have know rest little u o an un m a grandf no, to the e family, he y perhaps He is the cleve ps even Fro islaid pia mshackl a m r a a already! is school, perha . He is i over it of how k u r boy in hwn, R ameswaram f crazy y Ha b portra , e r in his to ly curious, full ovations. dato ething n m e o s m s 0 i 3 m h annoying up to mad inno inks he o y a C b , g ” d e e n ideas and around him th ed -- all Killi akami mmendatoris abandon mountain o r e .

Ever yoners and best avoid friends Mu Killing C in Tokyo d up in th o Amada “ k e , r l i c e t ti is bonke is dad, two best andran, ho oh In it painds himself rtist, Tom ing in the at ous a r t r o except h fessor R amach whose p a nt eri fin i t s s a u d y p o n a m e m and Pronce teacher in all his wife of a fa rs a strang circle of complete e e a t v s a u the scie orator y he tests school’s hom he disco ly opens he m inging bell, a, , l n t i a e n h e e r io little lab s. But when the nnakai, W intent es. To clos a strange on of an Idlley, n u e s inventionrrid teacher, Pu fessor ’s i h lve anifestat ss the va n anc t o s v n m i u most ho es about the pro throw circ ney that ysical m ives acro assinatio r l s h u s p e o a o j h h i t h a spreads lints and plots toreation, ot-hig inessman w girl, a Naz na, a pit in rld o f o w s d n t experimeut for his latest c to fight ie bu -ol r wo V r e r a e d n e i p n y I p u I a da ocious 13 orld War Kalam o ave to find a way and an , e c m W e , o r s g h es a p pt durin the two h w artist’saphors. onelinThe l e m h d iconic nem t e . n t k n d a t c a a t a n s b “ e i t e s v h a o o c e M e t e b k fl e le The boo like Chhota Bhative woodsed by Doub r de force oving homag er said, is r r a u t h r o n s l o n r te i l t c l hau ed as a “ well as a the pub chara ing a fictiona ia’s late of ou Bill art -- as ok, n from one o b by weav ren around Ind s i d th io war an Gatsby ” -- of imaginat for childt APJ Kalam. t k a r e o Gr Presiden ning wers. n u t s a st writ greate

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Inculcating Values

27 07

Gurukul

Imparting Values In The US Through Ancient Texts Was the Brahmaastra more powerful than today’s nuclear weapons, one child wants to know Ashok Nair

Courtesy: News India Times

O

n a Sunday afternoon in Naperville, a Chicago suburb, 30 Indian American students pay close attention while the teacher explains the battle on the tenth day of the Kurukshetra war - in the ancient epic tale of the Mahabharata – in which Bhismapitamaha is grievously wounded by Arjuna’s arrows.

The children, aged four and half years to 14, listen as the teacher, Ajay Jain, narrates the story, illustrating it with slides. Then he asks the students what qualities of Bhismapitama they admire. One tiny hand after another goes up. “Loyalty to the motherland, a warrior who kept his promise no matter what the cost, exemplary courage” were among the responses.

As American-born children of Indian descent, some of the students want the epic to be translated into a modern context. Was the Brahmaastra more powerful than today’s nuclear weapons, one child wants to know.

The students are participating in a Hindi Gurukul class, run by Ajay Jain and Kunjal Harshavat, both MBAs from the University of Chicago’s business school. Ajay and Kunjal have been teaching students Hindi since 2008, earlier in association with local temples.

Recently they established the Gurukul to include the teaching of Hindi and Indian culture, in addition to yoga and meditation, to school students.

Even in Chicago’s bitter winter, the Gurukul attracts enthusiastic students and parents, with only the occasional snowstorm disrupting attendance. The class begins with a ‘savdhaan’ (attention) from the teacher followed by prayers in Hindi. On Indian festival days, a student is called on to explain the meaning and significance of events

like Maha Shivratri, Makar Sankranti et al.

The teachers invoke technology to make things easier. Homework, phonetic lessons and grading are done using Google Classroom.

Mamta Garg, another teacher, puts the students through the basic yoga postures and breathing exercises, explaining that yoga would help them concentrate on their studies and help them remain serene

The teachers invoke technology to make things easier.

Homework, phonetic lessons and grading are done using Google Classroom

in the face of stress.

Recent studies here have shown high levels of stress among school students facing the burden of academic excellence and peer pressure. A study in Naperville showed that seventh graders cited “fitting in and having the approval and acceptance of peers” as the top stress factor.

To Indian American students, faced with the prospect of defending their religion and culture, the Gurukul reinforces in them a sense of pride and community in their origin. When explained the significance of events in the Mahabharata and Ramayana, what would otherwise have appeared an inexplicable ritual takes on a new and deeper significance.

One can see this rising awareness among the students, who appear eager to learn about ancient Hindi mythology, and more important, how its lessons can be imbued into their daily

lives.

Ajay and Kunjal spend a considerable amount of time devising the curriculum. “I do not expect the students to have any grounding in the language when they come here,” says Ajay. His personal experience has helped him shape the curriculum. When he visited the Jain temple here, he found that his young son did not understand the slokas.

So, he explains the prayers in class, with the pronunciations in Roman text and the meanings in English.

Ajay’s ambition is to see that the Gurkul eventually grows to have nine levels of classes from elementary to intermediate and advanced. “The kids are very smart,” says Ajay, “they pick up very quickly.”

What motivates two busy professionals to devote so much time to community service? “In our MBA class, one of the lessons is to create an impact. We are impacting the next generation because this is the age when they easily assimilate values,” says Kunjal.

Eventually, Kunjal hopes that the study of Hindi would be counted towards school credit along with foreign languages like Spanish and French.

Ajay grew up in a middle-class family in India. For him, it is also about a contribution to the land of his birth, and an implied tribute to his mother, whose discipline still inspires him. “Even today, she gets up at 4 a.m.,” he says, “and I too do it now because it gives me a few extra hours of solitude to devise and plan the Gurukul curriculum.”

The Hindi Gurukul recently received recognition from the Illinois State Board of Education for having met its ethnic language programme standards. Ajay said this recognition holds great promise.

“This takes us a step closer to get our students recognition for foreign language skills at the high school and college levels in future,” he said.

28

Sports

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

hima das

Goddess Of Speed The daughter of a rice farmer from Dhing village in Nagaon district, she has worked hard to get to this position ssb bureau

E

ver since she was a kid, Hima Das woke up every morning before the crack of dawn and would go to the local grazing ground in a remote Assam village. With no proper gear or even a playground, she practised running at this grazing ground, around 50 metres from her house, before the villagers let their cattle loose post sunrise.

What a phenomenal story Hima has to share. The daughter of a rice farmer from Dhing village in Nagaon district, she has worked hard to get to this position. Would you believe it if I said that she trained in her father’s rice field and that it was only last year that she took up racing seriously?

The youngest of five siblings, for Hima, athletics was never a serious option.

The teenager left the world awestruck when she ran at a track and field stadium in Finland during the 400-metre final at the U-20 World Championships, becoming the first Indian sprinter to win a gold medal at an international track event.

The 18-year-old from Kandhulimari village in Dhing -- followed that with gold in the women’s 4x400 metres and silver medals in the women’s 400 metres and mixed 4x400 metres events at the recently-concluded Asian Games at Jakarta, Indonesia.

Not many in the country would Hima became the second Assamese have been familiar with Kandhulimari athlete after Bhogeswar village in Dhing -- a small town Baruah to win an situated approximately international gold 20 kilometres from medal. Baruah had Nagaon district While her father did clinched the yellow headquarters, not have the money metal in the men’s narrowed by 800m event at the the land-eating or the resources to Bangkok Asian Brahmaputra get her the required Games, way back -- until 18-yearin 1966 and had old sprinter, training, her village once lamented Hima Das did not have any if he would live scripted history infrastructure to see another by clinching a 400 Bhogeswar but felt metres gold at the either glad that he was proved IAAF World U-20 wrong.

Championships at “We have someone better,” Tampere in Finland.

the 77-year-old said when asked about Hima’s feat.

After winning the 400 m race of the Federation Cup, Hima tried to call her mother to share her joy and tell her about representing India at the Commonwealth Games. It took a long while to get connected, given that her village has low mobile connectivity.

Her mother’s response to her winning the race and representing India is also something that will warm your heart. Jonali Das, said, “Commonwealth Games? What’s that?

Will you be on TV? Then it’s probably a good thing.”

Recalling Hima’s childhood, her mother Jonali recalled she was always

competitive and hated losing and related how she practised running at a local grazing ground every morning before dawn as the villagers came there with their herds of cattle after sunrise.

Hima took to athletics when she was nine under her father’s tutelage and continued doing so till Samsul Hoque, the sports teacher at Dhing Nobodoy Vidyalaya, noticed her at an interschool competition in which Hima, then a Class IX student of Dhing Public School, had participated.

Hoque had then spotted the talent in the youngster and he introduced her to the district and state selectors, as she went on to train under Nipon Das in Guwahati for the past 17 months and the rest is history.

Besides her sporting abilities, the teenager has leadership skills too and she displayed that in style when she led a group of local women in dismantling an illegal liquor outlet at Auni-Ati, a nearby village.

The owner of the outlet dragged her 52-year-old father to court but, he appeared unperturbed and said: “The case is going on but I am not at all worried. After all, my daughter hasn’t done anything wrong. I am proud of her and her feats.”

She spent her childhood playing football and cricket with boys in the neighbourhood. Seeing her running on the paddy and dusty football fields, two years ago, she saw the athlete’s spikes when she came under the wings of Nipon Das, the athletics coach with the Directorate of Sports and Youth Welfare. In the last year or so she has had a roller-coaster ride, but she has been on the move, each race taking her to newer heights.

Once she got serious about track running, she journeyed by a passenger train daily from her native village to Guwahati to train using the facilities in the state capital. Nipon prevailed upon her to shift to the state capital and once she made the move, was no looking back. Come to think of it, she started with 100 and 200 metres and has taken to running 400 metres less than a year ago. It’s remarkable of her to have gone on to win a world gold.

Entertainment

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

29 07

S hashi K ap o o r

“Mere Paas Ma Hai…” Rakishly good looking actor who became India’s first international star

n Vikas Datta

A

n actor with a charming personality, known as a thorough gentleman, and belonging to the illutrious ‘Kapoor’ family, Shashi Kapoor set new standards in the film industry with his choices of cinema that he acted in and also directed and produced The youngest of the famous Kapoor brothers of Bollywood, he did not have their one defining and enduring cinematic image – Raj’s simple, honest ‘tramp’ in the Charlie Chaplin tradition or Shammi’s Elvis-like jiving, rebellious ‘playboy’ persona.

Shashi Kapoor, however, surpassed both in sheer variety of acting. Be it romantic heroes, ‘common man’ roles, decadent princes, aging poets and even angels, he brought the same charm and intensity to all of them.

Though among his first appearances onscreen were as a young Raj Kapoor in his elder brother’s directorial debut “Aag” and the more acclaimed “Awara”, his first lead role was a Hindu fanatic in Yash Chopra’s bold “Dharmputra” (1961). This happened to be one-off as Shashi, with his copybook good looks, rakish smile, infectious charm, toothy grin and languid drawl, was more suitable as a lover-boy who always got the girl. In this avatar, he once even pipped Amitabh Bachchan – in “Kabhie Kabhie”.

He was also famous as a reasonable foil to the smoldering angry man in a number of films and it was in one of these roles where he once spoke the four most iconic and immortal words in Bollywood’s history - “Mere paas Ma hai” in “Deewar”.

Born on March 18, 1938 in the then Calcutta to Prithviraj Kapoor and Ramsarn ‘Rama’ Devi, Balbir Raj ‘Shashi’ Kapoor not only straddled commercial and ‘art’ cinema, but also became India’s first international star, starring in several acclaimed Ivory-Merchant films among others.

In these he was not only cast in predictable roles – a decadent nawab (“Heat and Dust”), a prince-turnedascetic (“Siddhartha”) or a devious local notable (in “The Deceivers”, opposite Pierce Brosnan) – but also in more realistic, nuanced ones – a lower middleclass teacher (“The Householder”), a flamboyant Bollywood star (“Bombay Talkies”), a narrator to Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s life (“Jinnah”) and a poet in the twilight of life and reputation (“Muhafiz”/In Custody”).

But Shashi Kapoor, for all his

This was still not the entirety of Shashi Kapoor’s contribution.

In 1980, he started his own film company, using his Bollywood earnings into making films with the likes of Shyam Benegal and Aparna international Sen. These included gems like “36 prowess, was also Chowringee Lane”, which saw his wife, a major player in veteran theatre actor Jennifer Kendall as Bollywood with an aging teacher in a changing, oblivious appearances in 148 world, “Junoon”, “Vijeta” – a paean films between 1945 and 1998, in which to the Indian Air Force – “Utsav” and he was the sole hero in 61 and a lead “Kalyug”. hero in 53 multi starrers, supporting He also had acclaimed performances actor in 21, did 7 guest appearances in some of them, particularly the 1857 and did four roles as a child artiste revolt drama “Junoon” where it takes (including the two RK films). a stern Naseeruddin Shah to remind These included such evergreen hits him of his duty. His contribution was such as B.R. Chopra’s “Waqt” (where recognised with the Filmfare Lifetime he again happened to be the youngest Achievement award in 2010 and the brother to flamboyant elder siblings highest accolade –the Dadasaheb Raj Kumar and Sunil Dutt), Phalke Award in 2015.

“Jab Jab Phool Khile” In his life too, he played opposite Nanda, the several roles – a member He began his madcap “Pyar Kiya of an already famous acting career as Jaa”– which happend film clan, marrying a child artist in to be among the into another the 1940s and his funniest movies performance1961 debut film made in Bollywood, inclined family “Haseena Maan – the Kendalls, “Dharmputra” as Jayegi” opposite but after difficult an adult Babita, who later romance with catapulted him became his sisterJennifer Kendall – to fame in-law and mother of India’s first international Karishma and Kareena, star, arguably, the most “Fakira”, “Kaala Patthar” – handsome Hindi film actor where he held his own against Amitabh of that period, a producer who backed and Shatrughan Sinha, “Do Aur Do some of the best independent movies in Paanch”, “Silsila”, “Shaan”, “Namak India in the 1970s and 1980s, a theatre Halaal” and “New Delhi Times”, where enthusiast, the family man who did all he played a crusading newspaper editor. he could to support his household, even Then, there were some grey roles in if it meant acting in a few rather terrible films like “Roti Kapada Aur Makaan”, (but well-paying) movies, as recent “Satyam Shivam Sundaram”, “Kalyug” biographer Aseem Chabbra maintains.

– a contemporary retelling of the A star definitely, he was above all Mahabharata in which his character he was an eminently likeable star as all is named Karan, and is totally like his his contemporaries and co-stars attest mythological namesake, including in the willingly. And that is ultimately what’s manner of death. important.

30

Sulabh Parivar

It was a great day for the Sulabh Campus as H.E. Niouga Ambroise Ouedraogo, Minister of Water Systems and Sanitation from Burkina Faso, Ouedraogo Kiendrebeogo Iwaoago Josiane (Minister’s Spouse), Nonguierma Andre P, Officer from Burkina Faso, Majeda Alawneh, Director, Palestinian Water Authority, Palestine, Adel Yasin, Acting Director General, Palestinian Water Authority, Palestine, U V K V Shastri, Expert Monitoring and Evaluation , Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation,

Babita Komal, Eminent Poetess, Novelist, Story and Column Writer from Nalwari, Assam along with her husband Aashish Jain, Business Person

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Govt. of India, Neeta Goyel, Expert - Social Development, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Govt. of India, Piyush Bhardwaj, Liaison Officer, Subhash Chander, Protocol Officer, Embassy of Burkina Faso and Ratan Singh, P.S.O. (Security Delhi Police) visited Sulabh Campus. They were warmly received by Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder Sulabh Sanitation Movement and Social accompanied with senior Sulabh executives, liberated scavengers of Alwar and widows of Vrindavan.

& Dr Dravid, Product Manager, BD India Pvt. Ltd., Gurugram, Haryana visited Sulabh Campus.

They saw different activities of Sulabh Gram.

Arnaud Robert from Swiss Media Heidi, a group of 30 students of Social Work from Sree Sankaracharya

Susan Partnow, Author and World Authority on compasssionate listening, Kathy Michom, Psychotherapist, Lou Ann, Street Art and Meditation

University of Sanskrit, Kalady, Cochin, Kerela and some other visitors visited Sulabh Campus.

Teacher, Hayat Amiree, Peace Trainer, Augustine Veliath, Chairman (India) for Non Violence Misssion Foundation, Geneva visited Sulabh Campus.

Events

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

events & more...

Across 4. We hear of two envoys being sent to the Roman kings, one in 27-28 AD to the court of Augustus and the other in 110-20 AD to the court of 7. The use of Kharoshti in ancient Indian architecture is the result of India’s contact wit 11. The two principles monuments of Alaud-din Khilji’s reign - the Jama at Kana Masjid and Alai Darwaza - were constructed at 14. The term yavanika meant 16. The term samanta, meaning a feudatory from the sixth century AD, originally meant a 17. the republic of Buddha belong?

18. The troops raised by the emperor but not paid directly the state and place under the charge of mansabadars were know as 19. The treaty of Srirangapatna was signed between Tipu Sultan and 20. Pulakesin II was the most famous ruler of

Press Enclave Road, Sector 6, Pushp Vihar, Saket, New Delhi 20 Oct 11:00 AM - 21 Oct 11:00 PM

SSB crossword no. 43

events

Foodies, Get Ready For A Trip Around The Globe Venue : DLF Place SAKET

SOLUTION of crossword no.41

Theatre Lovers, Don’t Miss Live Show Of Shakespeare’s Macbeth Venue : Little Theatre Group Auditorium, MANDI HOUSE 1, Copernicus Marg, Mandi House, New Delhi 6 Oct 7:00 PM - 20 Oct 9:30 PM

Bridal Asia Will Spoil You For Choice This Festive Season Venue : The Ashok Hotel CHANAKYAPURI

50-B, Diplomatic Enclave, Chanakayapuri, New Delhi 13 Oct 12:00 PM - 15 Oct 7:00 PM

1.Gurdeep Singh

11.Udhampur

2.Germany

12. Maharashtra

3.Gorakhpur

13.Sheik Hasina

4.Bihar

14.Hockey

5.Goa

15.Artist

6.Vijay Gokhle

16.Kepler

7.Jakarata

17.Bikaner

8.Bengaluru

18.Iraq

9.Chennai

19.Omnipotent

10.Mumbai

20.Infosys

solution of sudoku-41

Enjoy Kolkata’s Delicious Street Food, In Delhi At Monkey Bar! Venue : Monkey Bar, VASANT KUNJ Local Shopping Complex, Plot 11, Upper Ground Floor, Pocket C-6 & 7, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 4 Oct 5:30 AM - 21 Oct 5:30 AM

31

Down 1. The term Nirgrantha is associated with 2. The language of discourses of Gautama Buddha was 3. Tipu sultan was the ruler of 5. Velu Thampi led a revolt against the British in state of 6. The Vijayanagara ruler, Kirshnadev Raya’s work Amuktamalyada, was in 8. Ustad Mansur was a famous painter in the region of 9. To meet the educational needs of the people, the Madarasa-I Nasiri was built in the region of 10. The trident-shaped symbol of Buddhism does not represent 12. Vikramaditya, a king of Ujjain, started the Vikrama samvat in 58 BC in commemoration of his victory over 13. To which king belongs the Lion capital at Sarnath?

15. Todar Mal was associated with

sudoku-43

The Sorbet Soiree’s 6th Edition Will Get You High On Fashion Venue : The Grand New Delhi, VASANT KUNJ Nelson Mandela Road, Phase 2, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 17 Oct 2018, 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM

on the lighter side by DHIR

Please mail your solution to - ssbweekly@gmail.com or Whatsapp at 9868807712, One Lucky Winner will win Cash Prize of Rs 500/-. Look for the Solution in the Next Issue of SSB

32

Newsmakers

Oct 08 - 14, 2018

Unsung Hero

Gita Gopinath

First Woman Chief Economist at IMF

She is also the second Indian after former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan to hold the position

I

ndia’s economic crisis in 1991 ignited the spark in a young Malayali girl from Mysuru to pursue the field of economics and eventually, foray into the world of international finance.

As time passed by, not only did she display an extraordinary streak of intellectual leadership, but after garnering extensive international experience, she also went on to emerge as one of the world’s

outstanding economists.

Gita Gopinath’s appointment as the chief economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which makes her the first woman and second Indian to assume the prestigious post, has taken her highly illustrious career graph a notch higher.

The daughter of a farmer-entrepreneur father and homemaker mother, Gita originally hails from Kerala’s Kannur district. She later studied at the Delhi School of Economics where she met her future husband Iqbal Singh Dhaliwal.

Gopinath is the third woman and the first Indian after Nobel laureate Amartya Sen to become a tenured professor at Harvard’s Department of Economics.

In 2014, she was named one of the top 25 economists under 45 by the IMF and was chosen as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2011.

Nidhi Mayurika

She Won a NASA Contest Thrice!

The three-time winner, who’s passionate about space and its elements, is keen to become a cosmologist

M

eet Nidhi Mayurika, a class 9 student who is way smarter than most of us doing a 9 to

5 job.

This young lady aspires to be a cosmologist one day!

Bengaluru school girl’s innovative, space-based projects have helped her win the prestigious NASA Ames Space Settlement Contest for three consecutive years since 2016.

In an interview, Nidhi said, “When I was in Class 5, I’d always take part in the science competitions held at the school level. Seeing my interest, my school principal told me about the NASA Ames

Space Settlement Contest (ASSC).”

In 2016, when the NASA contest announced that the students must design something on the lines of the virtual space colonies in which settlers can live inside a gigantic spacecraft, Nidhi dedicated all her time after school working on the project called Saikatam.

In 2017, she came up with Soham, to launch satellites from satellites. Soham is a habitable space colony located 350 km away from Earth at LEO, to build and launch satellites; it comprises an Inflatable Space Station.

The time Nidhi spent after school has helped her achieve what she’s always dreamt of. Her dedication is commendable and an inspiration for all of us to take up something that challenges us and broadens our horizons.

Ritu Sain

From Stinking City To Cleanest City It was something she took up the moment she entered the district capital of Ambikapur—a small city with a population of more than 140,000

R

itu Sain, IAS officer who is not just a name but really proved an all-out effort to make her city as India’s Cleanest Smallest City 2018. Survival was becoming tough in Chhattisgarh’s Ambikapur city in Surguja district. Sain stepped in and turned the stinking place into the cleanest town where now people wish to live.

Ritu Sain, a 2003-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, took the dare to change the city with her determination and dedication. She changed the picture of the town.

In an interaction, she said, “There was a big signpost welcoming people to the municipal corporation of Ambikapur, and bang opposite that was a huge open dumping yard. The stink was unbearable. I thought to myself, what kind of impression the city would create if this was the first thing a person saw after entering.”

Sain took charge of the city as a collector, she knew about the challenges. “There was no looking back since that day. I was clear about what I wanted to do,” Sain, now Chhattisgarh’s additional resident commissioner in Delhi, said.

“It was a challenge. The city with a population of 1,45,000 had mere funds and hardly any capacity to take up the cleaning task.

I knew whatever I did would have to be participatory, viable and replicable,” said Sain, who studied international relations from Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University.

So after the deep thoughts and analysis of the root cause of the problem Sain decided and laid a plan with strategies where she made the solid and liquid resource management model was started on a pilot basis in one ward, which was her inception towards cleanliness.

“It’s a self-sustaining model. Each woman gets to earn Rs 5,000 per month from user fee and sale of recyclables. We have spent Rs 6 crore to put the entire infrastructure in place and have already earned Rs 2 crore. The money earned is being spent on the sanitation workers,” Sain said.

“It’s very fulfilling to see that something we started has come so far and is sustaining itself,” she added.

RNI No. DELENG/2016/71561, Joint Commissioner of Police (Licensing) Delhi No. F. 2 (S-45) Press/ 2016 Volume - 2, Issue - 43 Printed by Monika Jain, Published by Monika Jain on behalf of SULABH SANITATION MISSION FOUNDATION and Printed at The Indian Express Ltd., A-8, Sector-7, NOIDA (U.P.) and Published from RZ 83, Mahavir Enclave, Palam-Dabri Road, New Delhi – 110 045. Editor Monika Jain