Sulabh Swachh Bharat - VOL: 2 | ISSUE 35

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The members of the Nehru cabinet in 1947 belonged to different parties

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Vol - 2 | Issue - 35 | Aug 13 - 19, 2018 | Price ` 5/-

A vision of equality through Gandhian non-violence Be it India or America, the philosophy of humanity remains same

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swastika tripathi

or hundreds of years, missionaries have been influential in bringing about social and political changes. They have been the determining factor. A desire to serve is a natural outcome of one’s conversion, worthiness and preparation. A missionary is not only someone affiliated to a church, but anyone who sets aside their usual pursuits to give full-time service to the God and the humankind.

India too has one such missionary who has been for decades dedicated

Dr Bindeshwar towards the health, Gram. hygiene and above all Pathak gave three Brad Hansen – equality to all. This books to the guests: ( P r e s i d e n t - I n d i a equality is through the Mahatma Gandhi’s Mission of The Church Life in Colour, way of safe and hygienic of Jesus Christ of The Making of a toilets for all. And when Latter-day Saints), Legend, Fulfilling one missionary meets Danna Hansen, Elder Bapu’s Dreams with other missionaries Grant Hurst and Sister from the opposite end of Jeanette Hurst were the world, the visions and missions warmly received by Dr Bindeshwar clear up, gel-up and work out for the Pathak (founder of Sulabh Sanitation greater good of the entire worldly Movement and Social Reform), society. And that is what happened accompanied with senior Sulabh when distinguished guests from executives, liberated scavengers of ‘The Church of Jesus Christ of Alwar and widows of Vrindavan.

Latter-day Saints’ came all the way The Indian and American from America to visit the Sulabh stalwarts gathered on the dais and

Quick Glance The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints visit Sulabh Gram

Dr Pathak tells about Sulabh’s endeavour for equality through non-violence

Brad Hansen believes that a service to humankind is service to God

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Cover Story

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

took up to the podium to spread the message of equality, education, peace, non-violence and innovative reformation.

Doing good in right manner is the solution to worldly problems: S P Singh, Chairman Our distinguished guests are the representatives of the conscious of the world. When they speak and talk to the people, they talk about all good things. Christianity is not a Christian value, it is a universal value. That is how we should live life. When we talk about Christianity, we talk about social human value.

We know very well how much missionaries have caused social and political changes.

In universal society, there are many kinds of discriminations – colour, caste, height, money and many more. But in India, there is ‘toilet discrimination’. Never would have you ever heard in the world that toilet can be the root-cause of discrimination, but here it is a major source of it.

Toilet is not only a sanitation problem. It is a problem around social change. Dr Bindeshwar Pathak says that when we have built toilets all over the world, it is not done until they are clean, rehabilitated and the people are educated about them and brought into the society.

Here is the change making process.

If anybody is suffering anywhere, then somebody is suffering everywhere.

Telling people right things is what our friends (the distinguished guests) here have been doing and for that, we are thankful to them. Sulabh accepts your message of good and right.

We are trying to work things in the right way for the good of people.

With violence, you do not make good people. Good people are made by educating, training, persuading, telling people that this is a good thing to do. This is what the missionaries have been doing, this is what Sulabh has been doing, this is what our future

generations should do. This is the only solution to the problems of the world.

Sulabh technology is not only for India but globally applicable: Dr Pathak Little Sulabh World God has created the world. We have created a small world of Sulabh.

What we feel, as Indians, we should have strong relations between America and India. This will strengthen both the countries.

Former US President John F Kennedy in his inaugural address said: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

In the last five decades, we have solved many problems of India. Or, rather, we have shown the way that how India can solve these problems.

In sanitation, not only India, but 2.3 billion people in Africa, Asia and

Guests were Latin America have no access rights and dignity of warmly received to safe and hygienic toilets. ‘untouchables’ who used

by Dr Pathak, They can be benefitted to clean human feces, accompained from my inventions and excreta of others to earn with liberated discoveries done in the last their livelihood. And scavengers and five decades. before Independence widows The sewerage system of India, they were alone on these three called ‘untouchables’. continents cannot provide safe and Society made it so difficult for them hygienic toilets to those 2.3 billion that they were not allowed to do any people. You saw the two technologies other profession. Because they were – the one for households and the untouchables, so whatever they used other for housing colonies, high-rise to do – either selling vegetables, or buildings, schools, colleges, hospitals sweets or anything – nobody would – that we have. buy it from their hands. So they had The most important is that we no option but to clean toilets to earn have blended innovation, technology their livelihood. So, that you can with sociology, social reform and compare with hell on earth. philosophy, religion, philanthropy Nobody has seen hell, nobody has and charity. It is not alone the story of seen heaven. But people like Usha sanitation or a toilet.

(Chaumar) and Pooja have seen hell My first encounter started from in their own life. How they used to Bihar Gandhi Centenary Celebration live. So this is most important. Now Committee, where I asked to find both, Usha and Pooja, are Brahmins. out the solution to restore the human They are now Usha Sharma and Pooja

Cover Story

Aug 13 - 19, 2018 Sharma. They are now welcome even in those houses where they used to go and clean toilets. They sit with them, eat with them, talk to them, participate together in functions, exchange pleasantries. They have been fully accepted by society.

You already know about Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution in Indian society – from freedom to many more. But even Gandhi could not have thought that untouchables may be accepted as Brahmins in Indian society. Nobody could have thought.

But by social engineering, we have done it.

This is only a gist of it. We have helped them to go to temples which have existed in this country from time memmorial, eversince the Aryan society started. But in 5000 years, they never allowed ‘untouchables’ to go inside these temples and worship the deities. After 5000 years, I made it possible.

Now they can go to temples, take holy dip in the Ganges river, they can worship their deities, they can eat with Brahmins.

All this we have done through peace and non-violence. As our chairman S P Singh said, by violence nothing can be achieved; rather only by education, training and reformative methods, with nonviolence.

Che Guevara, who took liberty of Cuba by violence, when he came to India in 1959, he said that ‘to feed hungry people, one can resort to violence’ but he also added that ‘no, I do not recommend my theory. I recommend Gandhi’s peace of nonviolent, social change because the oppressed will change the oppressor, the oppressor will change the

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Brad Hansen, Danna Hansen, Grant Hurst and Jeanette Hurst visting Sulabh Water ATM, Sulabh Toilet muesum, Sulabh clinic, and Sulabh Biogas plant

Sulabh clinic

Sulabh Water ATM

Sulabh Toilet muesum

oppressed and this will not end. So by non-violence we can change the society.’

Gandhi is the best example; people talk about his non-violence. Today you have seen yourself with your eyes how we have changed the most difficult thing in the Indian society – untouchability. One can touch dogs but cannot touch Usha. And there we have changed the society by nonviolence, without breaking any rules

Sulabh Biogas plant in kitchen

Brad Hansen, Danna Hansen, Grant Hurst and Jeanette Hurst visited Sulabh Campus. They were welcomed with the garland by Dr Pathak and Sulabh family

or anything, without agitation. I cannot fast for long, so I have never fasted for anybody (laughs). We did not agitate against anybody. We did not go in authorities for any strikes.

A country person came to us, a diplomat came to us – ‘What do you suggest whether NGOs could be given funds for a social cause or not?’

I said, you can give to NGOs who are

actionists, those who go for action, those who want to reform. Go to slum, teach children, change the society but not social activists (laughs). They just cry, cry and cry and tell problems.

So that way it is most important that here we are social actionists. We do take actions and we change the society peacefully. Therefore, here is the best example in the world. People

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Cover Story

Aug 13 - 19, 2018 technology is not only for India but globally applicable.

Widows of Vrindavan and Varnasi along with guests

Sulabh Two-pit Pour Flush Technology

Sulabh Training Centre

talk about Gandhi’s non-violence, but we have changed the total society.

These ‘untouchables’ have become ‘brahmins’ now.

Usha was only 7-year-old since when she, with her mother, was cleaning the night soils. Pooja too was of the same age when she started doing it. They had a lot of problems in their life. But now they are standing infront of you. You cannot tell once they were ‘untouchables’, in no way at all. That is the best example we have given to the society. It is my tribute to what John F Kennedy had said. You can see what we have done for our country India and globally.

I was in America last year and there in Washington, I was talking to members of Chamber of Commerce and also some Congress people.

They asked ‘why you don’t do the same in America because here we have septic tanks in villages. Sewer system is only in urban areas.’ So our “Your generosity and kindness and education has made us welcomed to the Sulabh family”Brad Hansen

‘Sulabh World’ should make the entire globe its world: Brad Hansen Thank you for the great honour you have bestowed upon us. Your generosity and kindness and education has made us feel welcomed to the Sulabh family.

Visionary Dr Pathak said that this is your campus, the ‘Sulabh World’.

But I think, in many respects, you should give this world to our world as your campus. Through your words, and mostly actions, you’re teaching the world that we’re all equal in the eyes of God. That is a great lesson for me and for the whole world that we are all equal. No one’s better, no one’s loved more by God than anyone else.

We are all equal.

On behalf of my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we thank you for that inspiring example throughout the world.

It is our philosophy, and also the philosophy of this organisation, that when we are in the service of others, we are really in the service of our God. One of the great commandment or rules that we follow is first to love God with all our heart, mind and strength. The second is the same commandment all of you follow, and that is we are to love our neighbours as ourselves. This means, when someone is hungry, we are hungry; when someone is ill, we are ill; when someone is considered unclean and untouchable, so are we.

We are one

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Aug 13 - 19, 2018

SP Singh, telling about the journey, mission and achievements of Dr Bindeshwar Pathak

Erstwhile scavengers: Usha Chaumar & Pooja

family. We are brothers and sisters.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your family.

Dr Pathak created a place for Sulabh all over the world: S Chatterjee, Executive President It is indeed a matter of great privilege for us that you gave us the opportunity to show you the various activities of Sulabh International. But what you see today is not what it was some 45 years back. The entire achievements of today are at the sole efforts of one man who had a great vision,

who aspired inspite of objections and adversities in the society, and achieved this objective what you see today. But at the end of the day, it is the achievements of the mission of our founder Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, which have created a place for Sulabh not only within the country, but all over the world.

He has been honoured with Padma Bhushan

in 1991 and with various other awards.

He has also had the honour of Mayor of New York City naming April 14, in 2016, as ‘Dr Bindeshwar Pathak Day’ in New York. What greater honour can be there for a person who over the last 50 years has been in the service of mankind.

As Brad Hansen said, ‘Service to humanity is service to God’.

Sulabh also believes in exactly the same motto. Our founder Dr Pathak has brought it into action. He has already shown that from a scavenger to a Brahmin in the course of 15 years, is indeed one of the greatest achievements. A greater achievement is that it has been brought about in a non-violent manner. And that it has

Know About The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), often informally known as the Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian, Christian restorationist church that is considered by its members to be the restoration of the original church founded

by Jesus Christ. The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah in the United States, and has established congregations and built temples worldwide. According to the church, it has

over 67,000 missionaries and a membership of over 16 million.

In 2012, it was ranked by the National Council of Churchesas the fourth-largest Christian denomination in the United States, with over 6.5 million members reported by the church, as of January 2018. It is the largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith during the period of religious revival known as the Second Great Awakening.

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been accepted by the society without any objections from any quarters.

That is a tribute that we all owe to him for all his works.

I am sure that the message that our distinguished guests will carry from here will also be of the similar kind that they have been doing over their church for the last so many years.

Inside the prayer hall, the guests were welcomed in the traditional manner with scarf and garland where they were also gifted Madhubani Paintings and some Mementos.

The guests had also early in the day taken a tour of the Sulabh Gram. They went inside the Sulabh Swachhata Reforms Rath and experienced the arrangements for spreading the message of cleanliness in far-flung areas. They were also taken to the public toilet based biogas plant, Sulabh Health Centre, Water ATM and kitchen using biogas as fuel. At Sulabh Public School they met with the trainees of vocational training branch, they took interest in cutting and tailoring and the manufacturing of cheap and clean sanitary napkins by the students themselves.

The Sulabh Toilet Museum, which is the first of its kind, had them surprised to know that India is the champion of flush toilet and sewer system. While Danna Hansen “enjoyed the museum and surprised to know all the different kinds of unusual toilets that have existed”, Jeanette and Grant Hurst said it was really “exciting to know about all the initiatives and efforts of Sulabh and how fantastic is the approach.” They said their visit to the Sulabh Gram was really “informative” for them.

They also took interest in some major exhibits and saw the models of Sulabh two-pit-pour-flush toilet.

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First Cabinet

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

India’s first government – unity in diversity

The members of the Nehru cabinet in 1947 belonged to different parties and held different views. But they stood together at the time India became independent

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s India became independent at the stroke of midnight of August 15, 1947 to the ringing words of the country’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru about “India waking to freedom as the world sleeps” and the “tryst with destiny” in the special session of parliament, there was also the unique characteristic that the country’s first Union cabinet was an all-party affair.

The Indian National Congress was the party which led the freedom struggle and it was the dominant party in the government, but it was not a Congress cabinet. It was a national cabinet where members who did not belong to the Congress were the leading figures. Prominent among the non-Congress members of the Nehru government were Dr BR Ambedkar, considered architect of the Constitution which was then in the process of being framed, became India’s first minister for law.

Ambedkar has been a lifelong critic of the Congress party, and it is said that it was Mahatma Gandhi who prevailed upon Nehru to include Ambedkar in the cabinet. The other conspicuous figure who did not belong to the Congress and who was a staunch critic of Congress politics was Syama Prasad Mookerjee of the Hindu Mahasabha. He too was part of the cabinet and he held the important portfolio of Industries and Supplies. The general view is that it was on the advice of Mahatma Gandhi that Mookerjee became part of the Nehru team.

There were four other prominent individuals in the first cabinet who did not belong to the Congress.

They were RK Shanmukham Chetty, who held the finance portfolio, CH Bhabha, who was the

commerce minister, Baldev Singh, the defence minister, and John Matthai, minister for railways and transport. Chetty was a member of the Swaraj Party, which was founded

by Motilal Nehru and Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, and he was also with Justice Party, which was mainly in the then Madras Presidency and a rival to the Congress. Bhabha was a businessman who became the first commerce minister. He was not involved in politics. Maulana Azad had apparently favoured the inclusion of Bhabha because he felt there was need for representation of a Parsi in the cabinet. Baldev Singh was mainly the representative of Sikhs in the negotiations leading up to Partition and Independence. He was again a non-Congress man in the government. India’s first government

There were four other prominent individuals in the first cabinet of India who did not belong to the Congress

Quick Glance First government indeed marks the golden moment in Indian politics

DR BR Ambedkar became India’s first minster for Law

People with different points of view was a part of First Cabinet

was in many ways a coalition, though the word was not used to describe it.

At the crucial moment of independence, it was a message to the country and to the world, that people with different points of view and those not belonging to the majority party were part of the government and they stood together.

It was clear that these non-Congress

First Cabinet

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

stalwarts, and they were each one of them strong men, did not agree with Nehru on many issues. But it did not prevent them from becoming part of a team led by Nehru. There was mutual but grudging respect between Nehru and them. It is a different matter that this government of national unity did not last for too long. But it was in place from 1947 to 1951, the key post-Independence years.

Mookerjee, Ambedkar, Chetty, Bhabha, Baldev and Matthai represented a spectrum of talent and they left the government for various reasons, mostly because of their disagreements with Nehru. It is interesting to note that the second finance minister, Matthai, resigned from the cabinet because he felt that the newly-formed Planning Commission was a bad idea, and that it cut into the powers of the finance minister. Mookerjee left the government because of his objection to the Nehru-Liaquat pact. Liaquat Ali Khan was the prime minister of Pakistan. Ambedkar too resigned because of differences with Nehru.

The differences surfaced as they were bound to, but what is noteworthy is that they were all willing to bury their differences when India became independent.

India’s first government has also set an example that without the need for formal political alliances, the ruling party could draw talent from different parties and different walks of life and make them part of the government. What was needed was a vision of broader national unity. The man who provided this idealistic vision was none other than Mahatma Gandhi. He persuaded Nehru to take along people from

India’s first cabinet should always be remembered as an idealistic set up. Even if it cannot be replicated ever, it will always remain a moment to cherish other spheres and parties.

The members of the Congress who were part of the Nehru cabinet were tall leaders like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Jagjivan Ram. Though they were of the same party, Patel and Prasad did not always see eye-to-eye with Nehru. But the differences did not matter. They all stood together despite personality

clashes and personal differences.

But what united them all was their love and loyalty to India. They also felt bound by Mahatma Gandhi.

They respected his decision when he chose Nehru to be the prime ministerial candidate, and they gave their full support to Nehru in the running of the government.

India’s first government indeed marks the golden moment in Indian politics. The leaders did not compromise their strongly held political convictions, and at the same time they did not allow the differences among themselves to become divisive barriers. They held national unity above personal beliefs. They were also not enamoured of power and they had no desire for office. They became part of the first government because of their sense of duty to the nation.

It was inevitable that party loyalties reasserted themselves and the Indian democracy followed the pattern of party democracy in the following decades. When

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political coalitions became a norm from 1989 onwards, it was interesting that no one looked back to the 1947 model of the first Union cabinet which was an ideal combination of talent and ideologies. It was only in 1989 when no party had a majority that then president R Venkataraman toyed with the idea of a national government. It is quite possible that he had in mind the 1947 government comprising Nehru, Mookerjee, Ambedkar, Baldev Singh. But he could not press it. The situation indeed was different. Indian politics in 1989 was quite different from that of 1947.

India’s first cabinet should always be remembered as an idealistic set up. Even if it cannot be replicated ever, it will always remain a moment to cherish. At a time when political rivalries are sharp and intense, it is good to remember that in 1947 political leaders overcame their differences and worked together when the country needed their services the most. India’s first cabinet should be celebrated as a moment of political idealism, and it should serve as beacon for today’s politicians as well as those in the future.

National unity governments need not always be formed only at the time of crisis. They could be tried out at other times as well. There may be or may not be another national unity government like that of Nehru’s cabinet of 1947, but it should serve as a shining example of what politics could be in a positive sense.

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First Cabinet

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

THE NEW CABINET

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ifteen ministers were inducted into the country’s first cabinet.

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru took additional charge of external affairs and scientific research. Here is a brief introduction of India’s first cabinet ministers.

1. Jawaharlal Nehru: Prime Minister; External Affairs and Commonwealth Relations; Scientific Research Jawaharlal Nehru (1889 –1964) was the first Prime Minister of India and a central figure in Indian politics before and after independence. He emerged as an eminent leader of the Indian independence movement under the tutelage of Mahatma Gandhi and served India as Prime Minister from its establishment as an independent nation in 1947 until his death in 1964. He is considered to be the architect of the modern Indian nationstate: a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic. He also held two other post in the first cabinet: Minister of External Affairs and Commonwealth Relations; Scientific Research 2. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: Home; Information and Broadcasting; States Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel (1875–1950) first, was at the forefront of the freedom struggle. Then, after Independence in 1947, as Deputy Prime Minister, he held the crucial portfolios of Home, States and Information and Broadcasting. He was founding father of the Republic of India.

He acted as de facto Supreme Commanderin-chief of Indian army during the political integration of India and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947.

3. RK Shanmukham Chetty: Finance Ramasamy Chetty Kandasamy Shanmukham Chetty KCIE (1892 – 1953) was an Indian lawyer, economist and politician who served as independent India’s first finance minister from 1947 to 1949. He also served as President of India’s Central Legislative Assembly from 1933 to 1935 and Diwan of Cochin kingdom from 1935 to 1941. Shanmukham Chetty is, today, remembered for presenting the first budget of independent India on 26 November 1947.

4. Dr BR Ambedkar: Law Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (1891 – 1956), popularly known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer who inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement and campaigned against social discrimination towards

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3 Untouchables, while also supporting the rights of women and labour.

He was Independent India’s first law minister, the principal architect of the Constitution of India and a founding father of the Republic of India. In 1990, the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, was posthumously conferred upon Ambedkar.

5. Dr John Matthai: Railways and Transport John Matthai CIE (1886-1959) was an economist who served as India’s first Railway Minister and subsequently as India’s Finance Minister, taking office shortly after the presentation of India’s first Budget, in 1948. He was the first Chairman of the State Bank of India when it was set up in 1955. He was the founding President of the Governing Body of NCAER, the National Council of Applied Economic Research in New Delhi, India’s first independent economic policy institute established in 1956.

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6. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad: Education Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1888-1958) was one of the most influential independence activists during India’s freedom struggle. Azad was the first education minister of independent India.

He was posthumously awarded ‘Bharat Ratna’, India’s highest civilian honor, in 1992. As India’s Education Minister, Azad oversaw the establishment of a national education system with free primary education and modern institutions of higher education. He is also credited with the establishment of the Indian Institutes of Technology and the foundation of the University Grants Commission, an important institution to supervise and

advance higher education throughout the country.

7. Dr Syama Prasad Mookherjee: Industries and Supplies Syama Prasad Mookherjee (1901 –1953) was an Indian politician, barrister and academician, who served as Minister for Industry and Supply in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet. He was also the president of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha from 1943 to 1946. On return to Kolkata from England, he became the youngest Vice Chancellor of Kolkata University, and served in that position from 1934-38.

8. Dr Rajendra Prasad: Food and Agriculture Dr Rajendra Prasad (1884-1963) served as

Other Countries

Aug 13 - 19, 2018 Minister of Food and Agriculture in the central government. Upon independence in 1947, Prasad was elected as President of the Constituent Assembly of India, which prepared the Constitution of Republic India, which lasted from 1948 to 1950 and served as its provisional parliament. As the President of India, Prasad quit the Congress and set up new guidelines for the parliamentarians that are still followed.

9. Jagjivan Ram: Labour Babu Jagjivan Ram (1908 –1986), known popularly as Babuji, was a freedom fighter and a social reformer hailing from the scheduled castes of Bihar in India. In 1946, he became the youngest minister in Jawaharlal Nehru’s interim government, the first cabinet of India as a Labour Minister and also a member of the Constituent Assembly of India. He went on to serve as a minister with various portfolios for more than forty years as a member of the Indian National. His contribution to the Green Revolution in India and modernising Indian agriculture, during his two tenures as Union Agriculture Minister are still remembered, especially during 1974 drought when he was asked to hold the additional portfolio to tide over the food crisis. He later served as the Deputy Prime Minister of India (1977–1979) 10. Sardar Baldev Singh: Defence Baldev Singh (1902- 1961) was an Indian Sikh political leader, he was an Indian independence movement leader. After independence, Baldev Singh was chosen to become the first Minister of Defence, hence becoming the “First Sikh Defence Minister” of any country in the world. After serving his time as defence minister, Baldev Singh elected to the Parliament of India in 1952 and represented the Sikh community. He was again re-elected during the year of 1957. And in the wake of India’s freedom, Baldev Singh was rewarded for his bravery in representing and protecting the Sikh community.

Countries That Got Independence in 1947-1948 Here are the four countries, apart from India, that celebrate their Independence Day in 1947-1948: Myanmar January 4, 1948

The Southeast Asian country of Burma, renamed Myanmar in 1989 by its military government was under control of the British for more than a century.

During World War II, the Japanese captured Burma and were driven out at the end of the war in 1945. The Burmese people were unwilling to return to British rule, and when they were given their independence on January 4, 1948, they refused to join the British Commonwealth.

Srilanka February 4, 1948

Prior to the year 1972, Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon. For more than a century Sri Lanka was a British crown colony but on 4 February, 1948 the country achieved its independence to officially become the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Don Stephen Senanayake became Sri Lanka’s first Prime Minister.

11. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur: Health A freedom fighter and the princess of Kapurthala, Amrit Kaur (1889 –1964) was India’s first health minister, the first Asian president of WHO’s governing body and the founder of AIIMS. She was an eminent Gandhian, a freedom fighter, and a social activist. Kaur was also a member of the Constituent Assembly, the body that framed the constitution of India. She co-founded the All India Women’s Conference in 1927, became its secretary in 1930, and president in 1933. She served as one of Gandhi’s secretaries for sixteen years.

12. CH Bhabha: Commerce Cooverji Hormusji Bhabha (1910-1986) more popularly known as CH Bhabha was a Parsi businessman who took charge of the Commerce portfolio in the First Cabinet of Independent India (from 15 August 1947). He was in charge of the “Works, Mines and Power” in the interim government that took office on 26 October 1946 (announced on 25 August 1946). During this period, as the Minister for Works, Mines and Power, he made significant contribution to framing a mining policy for India and initiated work on planning of what would be some of India’s major irrigation dams and river valley projects, soon after independence.

13. Rafi Ahmed Kidwai: Communications Kidwai (1894 –1954) was a major ally of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. After India gained independence from the British Raj in 1947, Kidwai became India’s first Minister for Communications. After the first general elections in 1952, Kidwai elected from Bahraich. Nehru entrusted Kidwai with the portfolio of Food and Agriculture at a time when there was food rationing in the country. The Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award was created in 1956 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 1956 to recognise Indian researchers in the agricultural field.

14. NV Gadgil: Works, Mines and Power Narhar Vishnu Gadgil (1896 –1966) was an Indian freedom fighter and politician from Maharashtra, India. He was also a writer. During 1947-52 period, Gadgil served as a minister in the first central cabinet of independent India. He held the portfolios of Public Works, Commerce, and Mines and Power. In his first year in the central Cabinet, he initiated the project of building a military-caliber road from Pathankot to Srinagar via Jammu in Kashmir. As a cabinet minister, he also initiated the important development projects pertaining to Bhakra, Koyna, and Hirakud dams.

15. Kshitish Chandra Neogy: Relief and Rehabilitation Kshitish Chandra Neogy (1888–1970) was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India, member of the first Cabinet of independent India and the chairman of the first Finance Commission of India. He held a number of important posts in Government of India including Chairman of the Planning Advisory Board and Indian Railway Enquiry Committee. He was also a member of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

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Israel May 14, 1948

The Arab-Israeli War of 1948 broke out when five Arab nations invaded territory in the former Palestinian mandate immediately following the announcement of the independence of the state of Israel on May 14, 1948. “After the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War, Israel- then called Palestine became a mandate of the British Empire. ... During the years of the mandate, which lasted from 1922 until the declaration of anindependent State of Israel in 1948, the Jewish population grew.

Pakistan August 14, 1947

Pakistan’s Independence Day, which is annually held on August 14, celebrates the country’s independence from the British rule on that date in 1947.

Pakistan’s first independence day was also celebrated on August 15 but later on it was advanced to August 14.

One of the reasons is that British Viceroy Lord Mountbatten, who had chosen August 15 to commemorate the surrender of Japan to the Allies Power marking the end of World War II in 1945, sought to transfer power to Pakistan on August 14 so that he could be present in New Delhi to observe India’s maiden Independence Day celebrations.

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Sanitation

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

Saudi Arabia

The Arab Refinement Only the Arab cities in the Gulf Arab established sanitation rules with the objective of separating three types of water: rain water, which was essential for life; grey water, which originated from domestic activities, and waste water SSB BUREAU

S

audi Arabia, the largest petroleum producing country in the world and home to Islam’s holiest shrines in Mecca and Madina, is undergoing rapid changes in terms of modernisation, especially under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia has a population of 33 million people, of which 11 million are expatriate workers in the private sector.

One of the major changes in government policy is to diversify the economy and make it less dependent on the oil exports. At the same time, there is also the attempt to allow private sector to participate more in providing social infrastructure. It is in this context that Saudi Arabia had signed an agreement for three sanitation projects with the private company Atkins to provide advisory services to stateowned National Water Company (NWC) to improve sanitation infrastructure in the cities of Jeddah, Dammam and Northern Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman.

Border Regions.

According to Francois-Xavier Basselot, the company’s marketing director for water in the Middle East, “With strong economic development and rising population, the current sanitation infrastructure across the Kingdom is not adequate and needs to be expanded. Through these flagship projects, the NWC, with support from the consortium, will bring much-needed improvements to the environment,

ecology and public for use in district cooling, construction, health for the citizens mining, industrial, agriculture, irrigation and landscaping. of Saudi Arabia.”

According to a Euro Monitor At the moment, only a small amount of International, there would be increased wastewater is collected waste water reuse and wastage-to-energy and treated by the generation in Saudi Arabia and the existing network. The estimate is that there would be a 2.4 per build-operate-transfer/ cent compounded average growth rate b u i l d - o p e r a t e - o w n (CAGR) during 2016-21. This growth (BOT/BOO) model would be used for will be fuelled by increased in service these projects to finance the wastewater demand from urban populations and treatment facilities. The private sector industries, and also expansion of waste will be involved in building the facility and wastewater treatment capacity.

It is reckoned that sewage collection and then it will be transferred to a public entity. This is the first time that NCW systems in Saudi Arabia cover only 50 has outsourced the work to a private per cent of urban population, and the rest are dependent on septic tanks. enterprise.

In 2003, Saudi Arabia has allocated Household demands are raising by to the Ministry of Water and Electricity 10 per cent, and as standard of living to look after the policy and regulation improves, generation of waste rises of water and sanitation services. While too which gives an opportunity for the National Water Company, in wastewater and waste management collaboration with private companies enterprises to expand their business.

Saudi Arabia faces the peculiar looks after the water and sanitation of cities like Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca challenge. Its oil revenues make it one and Taif, regional directorates under of the rich countries. But it has to deal the ministry look after the water and with a large population, especially sanitation needs of the rest of the country. the rural segment, is scattered. In the The government is looking to connect urban habitations, the lack of public 95 per cent of the urban households by toilets poses a particular challenge. This 2040. In 2014 contracts were given for becomes more difficult when people the construction of four new wastewater travel from city to city. It is only recently treatment plants with a combined that Jedda has pay-and-use public capacity of 70,500 million cubic metres toilets, with the rate ranging from 2 per day. In 2014, Ministry of Water and Saudi Arabia Riayls to 7 Saudi Arabia Electricity has issued a decree to manage Riayls.

A greater task for the sanitation and sell Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE).

The National Water Commission planners in the country is that they have has launched a TSE initiative to to think of prudent water management because of the scarcity of create an environmentallynatural water resources. friendly and financially While plentiful sustainable programme availability of water and to conserve nonSaudi government in other countries renewable water has signed 39 requires a different resources like contracts worth kind of sanitation ground-water and more than SR534 management, to save expenditure million ($68 million) planners in Saudi on extracting for the Aarbia have to drinking water from implementation of reckon with the desalination plants. water and sanitation fact that water is a In 2015, 256 million projects across the scarce resource in the cubic metres of TSE kingdom country. It is also forced was used and helped in to create acceptable preserving ground sanitation systems in water, reduce the country because nearly half carbon emissions and save on expenditure on desalination the population in the country consists plants, which resulted in of expatriates, who work in different a saving of 900 million industrial and business sectors which serve as engine of economic growth in Saudi Arabia Riayls.

Treated Sewage the country.

The other major challenge that Effluent is restricted Saudi Arabia in terms of sanitation is that every year millions of people visit the two holiest places of Islam – Mecca and Madina. The authorities have to make necessary arrangements in terms of hotels, toilets and water supply. The government is opting for public-private participation to deal with the sanitation works in the country.

Conclave

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

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HOPE Conclave

HOPE As A Movement This year Hope Initiative Gurugram entered the 6th Year

Token from HOPE organistion given to Dr Pathak by Dr Choudhuri

T

n Urooj Fatima

here was a boy who was diagnosed HIV positive, as soon as the people of his village came to know about it, they stopped meeting him and talking to him. Even his own mother left him unattended. It is because people have this misconception about diseases like AIDS and Hepatitis that even touching the patient, you will be infected.

The boy ran away from his home and came to Delhi. After a lot of struggle to survive in a new place, without money and dogged by the disease, one day he saw a hoarding of an NGO which was working for patients who have been diagnosed HIV positive or Hepatitis B or C. Well, he somehow managed to go to that NGO and after that his life changed completely. Now, he is a married man, has a son (IVF) and successfully running his own NGO for HIV positive people.

So, it is all about how you treat these patients. People generally give up very soon or maybe we as a society make them give up rather than giving them the courage to fight the battle to overcome the disease. We should make people more aware of these diseases, especially in rural areas, and help the patient to fight it.

Dr Pathak narrated this true story at HOPE Conclave organised by HOPE Initiative as part of a monthlong campaign of World Hepatitis Awareness Day ( July 28) as the Chief Guest on August 4, 2018, at Hotel

Pallazio, Gurgaon. Doctors (Medical Representatives), corporate partners, NGO partners, patients who suffered from Hepatitis, experts from the educational sector, etc. attended this seminar.

Welcoming Dr Pathak, Arundhati Choudhuri said, “I feel honoured that Dr Pathak came here as a Chief Guest. He is the founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation. Dr Pathak is known as the Toilet Man of India. He is into the promotion of Human Rights, Environmental Sanitation, Non-conventional source of energy and mismanagement. He is brand Ambassador of Swachh Bharat for Indian Railways and a pioneer in social reform and movement. If we get more people like him, I am sure India will get a different face.”

“I am enormously grateful to the HOPE Initiative and its dedicated leaders for inviting me to participate in the HOPE Health Summit. Though being organised as a part of Hepatitis Day programme, the HOPE conclave is also committed to bring focus, in the Indian context, to other health issues affecting our people, including the lifestyle disorders arising from high-paced and often unbalanced modern life. These challenges, both at individual and community levels, are

widespread and formidable, as they endanger our lives and also account for a significant portion of healthcare expenditure in our country. It is high time we come together as a community to devise better and more effective ways of first, dealing with life-threatening illnesses like various forms of Hepatitis, and then, making a move towards ensuring an inclusive health system for all Indians. This is a tall order, as it demands nothing less than evolving a new culture of caring, sharing and giving without which our common dream of building a healthy, happy and creative society cannot fructify”, said Dr Bindeshwar Pathak.

“As I was growing up, I became conscious of the environment around me. I would notice the extremely filthy and unhygienic conditions engulfing our life. Even unsanitary dry latrines were few and far between.

Environmental sanitation, which is

A health promoting organisation working towards creating health awareness amongst students

the primary focus of Sulabh movement, is integral to public health, as hygiene is an essential prerequisite for preventing a range of diseases. And Sulabh movement has over the years made many important contributions to make India diseasefree and healthy.

The necessity of a clean and healthy environment for ensuring public health cannot be overstated, and our Sulabh movement, through its various sanitation-related work and initiatives, has set an example in this regard said”, Dr Pathak.

HOPE Initiative organises a number of activities and events throughout the month of July, some of them being a debate, workshop with barbers and beauty parlours, screening and vaccination camps of Hepatitis, apart from their regular school programme of Hepatitis awareness.

This Conclave, though being organised as a part of Hepatitis Day programme, also wishes to bring to focus other health issues affecting various strata of our economy, namely nourishment, sanitation, hygiene and various lifestyle disorders afflicting our country.

Apart from the talk, the Conclave also included a panel discussion, presentation by children on various health-related topics and sharing of experiences by some of the patients.

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Environment

Aug 13 - 19, 2018 ‘Kashmir of Rajasthan’

Children Act As ‘Green Agents’ In Rajasthan The children planted two saplings each of local varieties of trees, as well as adopted a tree near their house

Green agent, witnessed the dwindling water resources in his village

n Mridula Narayan

T

he “green agents” of Baran district in Rajasthan are nurturing foliage in their villages, despite a two-year rainfall deficit in the region. Over 3,000 children across 20 villages have planted 7,000 saplings thus far.

For two consecutive years, most of the villages in the district have not received substantial rainfall, leading to severe drought-like conditions. In fact, according to the Rajasthan’s Water Resources Department and the India Meteorological Department, Baran has witnessed one of the least rainfalls amongst other regions in the past three years.

In the face of this harsh reality, children belonging to the local communities stepped up to save their villages. Taking stock of the dire situation, World Vision India (WVI), a child-focused humanitarian organisation, reached out to the youth in these rain-starved villages four years ago. Through a climate change sensitisation programme, WVI aimed to make children the agents of change in their communities and facilitate a community-led natural

environmental regeneration. Under this programme, the children planted two saplings each of local varieties of trees, as well as adopted a tree near their house. Furthermore, an “Activity Book on Environment” was provided to them to keep them engaged in a series of activities that spelled out the importance and value of trees. In the blistering heat of Baran, these trees now bring much relief to locals.

Radha, an 18-year-old “green agent” from Prem Nagar village, along with her 16-year-old brother Ram, has managed to set up a massive fruit and vegetable garden with lady finger, eggplant, guava, mango, banana and many more.

“Earlier, there was hardly any water or plants to grow and harvest crops.

Our parents were struggling to earn money. At that time, there wasn’t any plant here in our front yard. Now, an entire garden has come up over these

past three years. Now, we hardly buy fruits or vegetables from the market.”

Ram added.

Another “green agent”, Prakash, who witnessed the dwindling water resources in his village, was only a 14-year-old when introduced to the programme. Today, as a 19-year-old, besides caring for the saplings which have now grown into lush green trees, he is a proud owner of his self-cultivated garden, where he grows pomegranates, lemons and eucalyptus.

When Sulochana got married and came to Karwari Khurd village in Baran, she was shocked to find hardly any greenery in her surroundings.

Commenting on WVI’s intervention, she said: “My children are part of the Children’s Club in our community.

Three years ago, I was overjoyed to see them return with saplings in their hands as I come from a village where my father grew many fruits and vegetables near our house. Here, in Karwari Khurd, there are barely any

plants and trees due to lack of water.

Even tube wells don’t help because the ground water level is very low.”

“I immediately helped my children plant these saplings in our front yard.

My three older children and I watered and nurtured them to see them grow into beautiful trees that are bearing us fruits and giving us shade,” she added.

In the blistering heat of Baran, these trees planted by the “green agents” have managed to bring much relief to the local inhabitants both in terms of weather and livelihood. WVI conducted a focus group discussion in four of the 20 villages where the programme was implemented to understand its implications. The following observations were made: * 63.78 per cent of the saplings are bearing fruits and average of 23 kilograms is being procured by each family. * While these fruits are either selfconsumed or sold at the local market, about 58 per cent of them are even sharing it with their friends and relatives * 81.51 per cent saplings given to the children are alive and thriving * Around 71 % said that the saplings have provided shade outside of their homes Baran, however, was not always a dryland. The district was filled with greenery many years ago, as Hajarilal, a former village head from this village recalls.

“This region was considered as the ‘Kashmir of Rajasthan’ with streams of water meandering through the green land. The field landscape was lined with sugarcane and water shortage was an alien concept. Wildlife such as deer, nilgai, wild boar, monkey, sarus crane, vultures and peacocks, thrived in the forests,” he said.

The forests are now unfortunately lost to the forest mafia, who hacked the trees to make profits out of selling teakwood. This resulted in deforestation and degradation of the land, significantly reducing the infiltration of rain water and the water holding capacity in the area.

When some districts of Rajasthan received above normal rainfall in 2016, Baran sweltered away with a deficit rainfall of -28.5 per cent. The following year, the situation worsened to -31.08 percent. Latest data from March 2018 to May 2018 indicates that Baran has not received any rainfall (-100%) despite there being a storm in the region.

In such an adverse scenario, these young “green agents” are tenaciously fighting to build a clean and green future for themselves..

Gender

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

How a grenade blast survivor overcame disability to inspire change

Malvika Iyer

Harbinger Of Change n Bhavana Akella

M

alvika Iyer was a charming 13-year-old girl in 2002 when a grenade accidentally blew up in her hands, ripping her forearm and paralysing her legs, in Bikaner, Rajasthan, where she lived with her parents. An accident that could have ended her life completely changed her perspective, and even though it took years for her to overcome the trauma, she came out stronger and not only found a way to get her life back on track, but also became a harbinger of change for the disabled.

It was a change in the attitude of others, which came along with the trauma, that sensitised her towards the stigma associated with disability and she chose not to take it lying down, but fight against it not only for herself but for many others like her.

Now 29, the Chennai-based activist has overcome her disability by sheer will and

was honoured with the prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar (Women Power Award)

by President Ram Nath Kovind in March, 2018, for pushing the envelope in making everyone understand disability and come to terms with the physically challenged.

Through her talks across countries like the United States, Norway and South Africa as a global motivational speaker, Malvika’s saga has been igniting hope for thousands of people with disabilities the world over.

“I grew up at Bikaner in Rajasthan, where my father was working as an engineer in the state Water Works Department. The incident occurred on May 26, 2002 when I was 13 years old and studying in class IX.” “As I was rummaging in the garage at home, I unknowingly held a grenade in hand that blew up, snapping my forearms and severely injuring my legs, which lay dangling,” recalled Malvika in an interview.

A fire that broke out in the ordnance depot at Bikaner in January 2002 had flung

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disability itself,” Malvika quipped.

In 2013, she delivered her first public speech in Chennai, opening up on how the incident changed her life forever.

Soon she appealed to many nations across the world, demanding better laws and facilities for the disabled.

Through her talks, Malvika has been highlighting the issues of inclusion, attitudinal change towards the disabled, accessible elections, accessible fashion -- where clothing Nari Shakti Puraskar By President Ram Nath Kovind is designed keeping pieces of ammunition in the vicinity, one disabilities in mind -- body positivity, of which claimed her arms. celebrating people with all body types, Though bed-ridden for nearly 18 etc., while allowing people to connect with months after multiple surgeries on the her through her own story. legs, which suffered nerve paralysis, and “Every day, I receive hundreds of the arms that were fitted with prosthetics, messages from people across countries, a restless Malvika soon pushed herself saying that I’ve been a reason why they to face the challenge of her life at such a never gave up in life. It is overwhelming young age. that I’m able to make a difference in With just four months left for class people’s lives,” noted Malvika, who also X exams in 2004, she decided to appear turned a model to advocate accessible as a private candidate in Chennai for the fashion.

Tamil Nadu Secondary School Leaving She is a member of the Chennai hub of Certificate (SSLC), having missed class IX Global Shapers Community, an initiative of in 2002-03 after being hospitalised. the World Economic Forum to encourage The gritty survivor, a bilateral amputee, young people below 30 to work for change, then took her first steps with her parents’ and the United Nations Inter-Agency support and wrote the exams with the help Network on Youth Development, allowing of a scribe as she was still getting used to her to carry her voice across continents. prosthetics. Her determination had the In March 2017, the United Nations nation in awe as she passed the board invited her to deliver a speech at its exam with distinction and was among the headquarters in New York. toppers in the southern state.

“I was humbled to receive a standing “Then President APJ Abdul Kalam read ovation from international delegates about me in a newspaper and had invited when I shared my story,” the gender and me to Rashtrapati Bhavan. He (Kalam) had disability rights advocate added. asked me about my career plans and spoke Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who to me about missile making,” Malvika interacted with the Nari Shakti Puraskar fondly recalled. awardees in March, described her as an “Facing board exams with no arms and “adbhut naari” (wonder woman), Malvika meeting a President like Kalam made me recollected, stating the award makes realise that I should never feel bad about her want to work more for women and anything lost. There was no looking back disabled. after this thought,” asserted the disability “It is unfortunate that accessibility rights activist. remains a major issue in our country. There Since then, Malvika forged ahead with is a need for an attitudinal shift among higher education at the prestigious St. the people, as discrimination is the main Stephen’s College in Delhi in Economics, obstacle for the disabled, making them feel a Master’s in Social Work from the Delhi excluded from society,” she pointed out.

School of Social Work and an M.Phil and Through her PhD research on PhD in Social Work from the Madras reasons for stigmatisation of people with School of Social Work in Chennai, even as disabilities, Malvika urged for a school she learnt to tackle disability and people’s curriculum that sensitises children from a attitudes towards it head-on. young age on disabilities.

“I was very active throughout my “I hope I can work with the statechildhood -- good at sports, dancing and run bodies and educational institutions had a fun teen life. It wasn’t easy to cope to introduce a curriculum in schools with losing my arms and seeing my legs for the youngsters to understand weakened. But I soon felt that people’s disability and eliminate pity and stigma,” attitude to disabilities hurt more than Malvika said.

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Noble Cause

Dr Rajeev Srivastava

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

hands too came forward in his noble mission. They sponsored their school studies. Since they were being guided back home also, the majority of them excelled in their classes. A few managements of schools waived off their fees.

Not many know that Nazneen Ansari, the Founder of Muslim Women Foundation, is his disciple. She came to him in 2000 when his orthodox father, a weaver, forced her to quit studies after attending puberty.

A few helping hands too came forward in this noble mission “When she showed interest to continue with her studies, I adopted her and borne all her personal and educational expenses. She is a PostS Shukla Graduate now and started her own teaching classes to educate poor or the last 20 years, this man’s Muslim children,” he shared shyly. mission is to teach orphaned and Her student Archana and three poor street children to change others have completed their PhD and their lives. So far, the man has educated are into teaching jobs. Others too have over 600 such children, four of them found good jobs and some of them are have completed their PhD degrees and civil servant aspirants. the majority of them are in good jobs “My only aim in life is to make sure to stand on their feet. that these orphaned street children Dr Rajeev Srivastava, an Assistant stand on their own feet and do not fall professor in the History department of into wrong hands or habits,” said Dr the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Srivastava, who completed his M.Phil continues to take classes for street and PhD while continuing in his children on railways station and other mission. places even after getting a full-time job In 2007, he was appointed as in prestigious Central University in Assistant Professor in History 2007. department of the Son of a well-reputed family of BHU. Even after His next goal is to Mughalsarai, Rajeev started his getting a decent ‘Mission Education’ when he was in teaching job at BHU, prepare few of his High School. “I fear used to grip me he did not give students to qualify in whenever I saw rag pickers, orphaned up taking classes “I was shocked next day that those poor children continue children sleeping on railways platforms who had shown no interest also turned to civil service so that they though many of his and footpaths or working in small up to take up the classes. I shared my their education. disciples have started carry forward his supporting his dhabas and restaurants, that they lunch with them and then started For five days mission mission by running remained might end up in drug abuse and crime my classes at Platform number 2 of he his Gurukul School. with someday,” revealed Rajeev.

Mughalsarai Railway Station,” recalled hungry He founded Bharat them but did not Most of these children belonged to he. poor Muslims, Dalits, backwards and One day, one of his close relatives break classes even for a single day. Vishal Sansthan in 1989, a year after he other low castes families and had never saw him with these street children Impressed by his dedication, a food started his unique mission education been to schools since their parents and he informed his father Dr Radhey vendor at the platform offered him free without anyone’s support. Later on, he founded Children Bank in 2008 and had no money to afford their studies. Shyam Srivastava. “My father was very meals for teaching his children.

To support his studies and these Food Bank in 2015 to raise and save At a tender age, they ended up as rag annoyed with me taking classes of dirty pickers, doing petty jobs earn their own street children at railways station. I street children, he took up tuitions money for street children’s education living and to support their families. was badly admonished and warned to and started a job for Rs 500 at a local and arrange two time meal for them “Most precariously placed were stay away from them. But I defied my newspaper office. He then took a small so that they continue to pursue their orphaned small girls who could become father’s orders and continued taking room on rent to turn it into a shelter studies.

“Whatever I am today, it is because house cum Gurukul School. Soon victims of someone’s sexual lust. They their classes,” said he. were sleeping with other boys on the His parents and relatives did not children of poor weavers also joined of Rajeev Sir. I would have ended up platforms since they had no other place speak to him for four years. In 1992, his classes and a number of his students like any other Muslim women but he to live in,” said he. his father finally told him to choose swelled. Most of the children in his not only adopted me but make me One day, he lured some street between his family and street children. Gurukul School write ‘Bharatvansi’ as study to complete Post-Graduation.

Today I have taken up his role to children at Mughalsarai railway station “I was shown the doors when I preferred their surname.

In 1996, he got an ad hoc teaching ensure that no Muslim girl is denied by showing them some books. Few to continue teaching these children. I ignored, but four of them showed their came to Varanasi after completing my job in BHU and bagged Nehru quality education,” said Nazneen interest but said that they never went graduation and Post Graduation from scholarship for Rs 4,000. “For the first Ansari, who is a crusader against social time, I bought a new shoe and a few evils in Muslim society and working on to school in life. He then explained Mughalsarai,” recalled he. what it means to be educated in life He left with a pair of shoes and two pairs of clothing for myself. Rest of the Hindu-Muslim unity.

Dr Srivastava said that his next and offered to teach them and share pairs of clothes. After leaving his house, money was for supporting these poor goal is to prepare few of his students his food if they were willing to give up he had no place in Varanasi to live. children and their studies,” said he.

He got many children enrolled to qualify in civil service so that they the petty work they were doing to carry He spent three months on Varanasi out studies.

Railway station platforms with these in good schools. A few helping carry forward his mission.

‘Mission Education’ For Underprivileged

F

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

Vrindavan Saga

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Quick glance • Orissa’s Promila was just 12 when she got married • Her husband died, and then her daughter, too • She grew close to her granddaughter, yet she decided to leave

Promila Viswas

‘You just have to have a pure heart & God is with you’ Promila was not sure why she wanted to leave home. It just felt right and now she is glad

P

n Swastika Tripathi

romila Viswas roams the streets of Vrindavan and she loves making incense sticks.

“My eyes are a little weak so I am not able to do sewing a lot, but making incense sticks… that is something I enjoy. Something I love doing. Apart from these I read Bhagavad Gita, do jaap, bhajan…” she would tell her daily schedule beamingly, each time you ask her.

But it was not always like this.

Promila originally belongs to Orissa.

She was mere 12 years old when she was married to an 18-year-old boy. The still-in-naïve-age-couple, however, took up on this new phase of life. In course of time, they had a daughter and a son. While her husband would sweat on farm fields to earn bread for

the family, Promila would lovingly take care of her two children. In all, it was a small and happy family.

Time went by. The children grew up. The couple married them off as lavishly as they could.

Then one night, the lesser expected happened. A snake bit Promila’s husband. Before she could do anything about it, the poison fast spread across his entire body and took his life.

Everything happened so quickly that Promila could not process it for some time. Everything was going smooth.

She and her husband were happily living, having performed all their duties towards their children, leading a peaceful, relaxing and merry life. Then one incident, and everything was over.

Forever.

Promila now started leading the mundane, colourless life of a widow.

She started to accept that her life was now this only. But not much time had passed that another sad and devastating news knocked on Promila’s door.

This time it was her daughter. Not of much age, her beloved ‘little’ girl passed away. She had given birth to a baby girl who not many days after her birth was left mother-less. So Promila took upon the task of taking care of her

“Yes, my granddaughter misses me a lot. But I had to give my widowhood an aim through the daily monotone”

granddaughter. She put the sorrows of widow-hood on a pause and instead acted a mother to the baby. She looked after her and the baby got attached to her grandmother.

Five years passed in a blink of eyes.

The baby was a little grown now, so Promila took the difficult decision here. She handed over the baby’s responsibilities to her son-in-law and decided to resume her widow-life.

She had heard about Vrindavan and that the place is home to many other widows like her and that is where she packed herself to.

It’s been seven years since Promila has been living in Vrindavan.

“Initially I used to visit Vrindavan on a two-month basis. Then I used to sing bhajans in Mirabai Ashram and stay at Gurukul. It was seven years ago that I decided to settle down here. That is when I ended up in Sulabh-assisted Ma Sharda Mahila Ashram. Here, Lal Baba (alias of Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation) takes care of everything. Yes, my granddaughter misses me a lot. Whenever I visit her, she would want me to stay back. She says that I am yet alive and even so she feels as though her grandmother is not there anymore with her. But I did what I had to. I had to give my widowhood an aim to live through the daily monotone.”

Promila chooses to look at the bright side of any situation. And that is why she gets all excited when asked about her daily routine now. It’s bhajans, Geeta path, cooking and immersing herself in God’s presence is what she is happy about. And yes, incense sticks – their aroma keep her calm.

“I have never seen God, but I can feel his presence here. I can feel him in everyone and everything. Isn’t God in everyone? You, me, everyone! You just have to look closely with a pure heart.

And that is what Vrindavan has taught me. When I left home, I was not sure why am I doing this. But now I know.

I was to understand the true presence of God.”

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Aug 13 - 19, 2018

Freedom is never dear at any price. It is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living?

Mahatma Gandhi

World Without Photographs The first announcement of a photograph was made on 19th August, 1839, in France

I

magine what would it be like to live in a world without photographs.

There would be no way to explore different corners of the globe without visiting them, no option of sharing your life with your loved ones, no expression describing a thousand words in a single frame – in short,

no visually documented reality.

Today, photography has become an unimaginable part of our lives and has evolved into being a tool that connects us all. In that spirit, people across the world will be celebrating photography with World Photography Day on August 19.

The date celebrates August 19, 1839, when the French government bought the patent for the daguerreotype and released it “free to the world”. The daguerreotype, invented in 1837, was the first practical photographic process. The earliest known permanent photographic image, however, was created by a more complex process called heliography in 1826.

Heliography, required eight hours of work. Daguerreotype, however, required 20-30 minutes. Today, it takes less than a second to click a photograph and a couple more to get it printed.

Digitisation has changed the way we use, click and see photographs. Cheaper smartphones and DSLRs have contributed towards the upward trend in digital photography.

Now, Social media constantly urges people to share the images they see, fuelling the desire to capture this moment and next.

Thus, creating a wide ocean of photographs that embark on the journey of photography.

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

Atal Bihari Vajpayee Atal Bihari Vajpayee is an Indian politician who was the 10th Prime Minister of India, first term for 13 days in 1996 and then from 1998 to 2004

VIEWPOINT

Consensus In Democracy Presenting the confidence motion in the Lok Sabha on March 27, 1998, the edited portion of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s historic speech

I

t is necessary that the flow of democracy should be uninterrupted.

Sometimes it appears that the flow of democracy is caught in the whirlpool of doubt and it loses its way. Then I gave my resignation because I was in a minority and before the umpire asked me to leave the ground I do so, on my own. But the events that unfolded after that should make the country think seriously.

The political system caught in the whirlpool of no-confidence motions raises serious concern.

There was a confidence motion on 21st December, 1989, and the government lasted for 11 months. There was another confidence motion on 7th November, 1990. In 1990 a new prime minister won a confidence vote.

Instead of running the government for five years, it lasted for five months. No party got a majority in the 1991 election. Congress formed a minority government. In the beginning, we supported it. I do not want to go into how a minority government became a majority government. This government was not caught in the whirlpool of instability, but the crocodiles of corruption had buffeted this government. It is for this reason that the Congress lost the election. Congress did not ever lose like this. In 1977, because of the wrongdoings of Emergency, the Congress had to lose power but it emerged as the single largest party. But this time round Congress has lost even the status of being the single largest party. Bhartiya Janata Party because of the increasing confidence of the people had succeeded in emerging as the single largest party. But after the defeat of Congress, there was another period of political instability.

Because of our insufficient numbers, we stepped aside. But speaking in this House on May 27, I said that we will win the confidence of the people and come back. Today we are back.

Congress’ strength increased by one. The number of the United Front has halved.

Even they said that they are not inclined to form the government. Then, His Excellency the President has asked me to form the government. He fixed a time limit and that is ending on the 28th. I am here before you to get the confidence vote. I want to place before this House this issue as to how long this process of winning the confidence from one year to the next to the third will last. I am not raising this question because I need to get the confidence vote. This is a question that is arising in the mind of every person in the country, of every believer in democracy and it right that this question should arise as to why the country is caught in the whirlpool of instability. And as I have said, this process must end.

Two criteria before the President

When the President called us to form the government, he had two criteria before him.

He seriously considered two issues – first, that the Bhartiya Janata Party has emerged as the single largest party and second that the Bhartiya Janata Party and its allies were

We went to the people with two main purposes – one to give the country political stability and the other to give a clean government and administration

Aug 13 - 19, 2018 the strongest formations. The other characteristic was that this coalition was formed before the election, and not after. We went to the voter as a coalition. Pre-election coalitions have a convergence of thought. His Excellency the President had called us to form the government because he had given importance to the fact that the coalition was formed before the election.

We went to the people with two main purposes – one to give the country political stability and the other to give a clean government and administration.

This coalition was formed before the election. Therefore, it would be wrong to say that the coalition was formed for the sake of power. In a democracy, it is natural to share power, and necessary, but the qualitative difference between a coalition formed before the election and one formed after needs to be understood. His Excellency the President understood it and he called us to form the government.

I would like to briefly explain the peculiar electoral outcome. The return of the AIADMK under Ms Jayalalithaa had surprised the political observers. In Karnataka under the leadership of Mr Hegde, our coalition with Lokshakti has brought results. In Orissa, the son of respected Biju Patnaik, Naveen Patnaik by steering the rise of Biju Janata Dal had completely changed the political picture. In West Bengal, under the leadership of Mamataji, Trinamool Congress has shaken the Congress and the Marxists. In Gujarat, unprincipled coalition got defeated and the people have given their trust to us once again.

In some places, we did not the results we were expecting. We are looking seriously into the reasons for the failure. We have an alliance with some parties not just for this election. We were working with them earlier too and ran governments with them. The alliance with the Akali Dal is not just for sharing power. For years, there has been the brotherhood of Hindus and Sikhs and Punjab, and this coalition is for strengthening it. Now in the yellow fields of mustard, you will not see dabs of red. In the Punjabi evenings, one can hear gidhdha. Baisakhi is around the corner, and the whole of Punjab will sway with joy.

As I have made it clear, we did not stake a claim for power because we did not gain majority we did not stake claim to form the government. Today we are in a majority in the House and we will establish our majority. I want to reiterate that in a democracy the majority and the minority is needed but will the democratic system be locked in the game of majorityminority? Will the never-ending period of instability continue? The

The old political parties might be standing where they stood, but the people have moved forward. And the number of those people working with us has increased continuously uncertainty of the last 18 months has put the country into difficulties, especially on the economic front. The situation is worrisome. Because of the uncertainty of 18 months, shortsighted policies, the economic system has been dented badly. Production of food grains has decreased, exports have diminished, the government’s revenues have decreased, fiscal deficit has increased. We have to find ways to stop this. For this, there is a need for a stable government at the centre, which is able and honest. The challenges of the next century need to be faced by all.

This is not a question of a party or a coalition of many parties. When you were on this side we were seeing your difficulties and whenever you needed our help to get out of those difficulties we never denied it, we never refused to accept it. After all, the party is for the country, the state the highest obligation. India is the world’s largest democracy, but political instability is not just disrupting the economic system, but being the largest democracy it is lowering the image of the country in the world.

Our programme is one for all-round development. It is an all-inclusive programme. It is for the development for all sections of society and for all regions of the country. That is why, we did not call this a new programme.

We have given it the name of national agenda. We want it to become a subject of serious discussion. In this agenda we want to reduce the gap between the aspirations of the people and the performance of the government to close.

Multi-party democracy

India is a multi-party democracy and we are proud of this. And we want to strengthen this characteristic of our democracy. For various historical reasons, the dominance of a single party at the centre and in the states after independence has led to many distortions. There were some benefits as well. The situation had deteriorated so much that chief ministers were nominated by the centre. The autonomy of the states was circumscribed. There was no proper forum to voice the expectations and necessities of the regions. It is a matter of gratification today that in different states regional parties are holding the reins of power, and they are seen contributing to the development of the nation through the pan-Indian

perspective. They deserve our praise, our plaudits.

There is no contradiction between a strong centre and strong states.

We desire greater autonomy for the states. We wish to end the process of chief ministers running to Delhi for small things, for small allocations and completing small projects. The distribution of resources should be such that states stand on their own feet and fulfill their tasks for development.

Friends, it is necessary to remove the negativity that has come into politics, to remove the sense of accepting some and rejecting others. Last time, the coalition that was formed to keep the Bhartiya Janata Party out of power has broken and splintered.

People above the party

The old political parties which may be standing where they stood, but the people have moved on and the count of people willing to work with us is increasing constantly. Today the whole country’s representatives are here on this side. We want to take along all classes of society. There are many things in this country. Along with being a multi-party democracy, this country is also multi-lingual and multi-religious.

This country is home to many tribes.

They are small in numbers, and that is why they are worried about their identity. Sometimes those who live in the north-east not only experience the geographical distance, but they also feel a sense of neglect. This has to change and we are committed to change this. But this can be better achieved through consensus and not just through dependence on government.

Diversity is the mark of our richness, it is not a sign of our weakness. Study the literature of all the languages and we will discern a single note and a single view. Those who for various reasons are less in numbers, either because of their language, religion or their ethnicity, have apprehensions in their mind, though we all belong to the same race. We are aware of their apprehensions and we want to remove their apprehensions.

General agreement

On some issues, there has been a general and widespread consensus.

I want to refer specially to foreign policy. When our neighbouring country decided to raise the issue in the human rights meeting in Geneva, the then prime minister, Mr Narasimha Rao, decided that I should represent the country. This surprised

OpEd

17

many in our neighbouring country. A leader had said that Indian democracy is strange because an opposition leader is sent to put forward the view of the government while our opposition leader creates difficulties that it leads to international problems. They said Narasimha Rao is not a simple man but adroit. They said it was not just to show unity but if things were to go wrong and a resolution is passed against India, then Vajpayee would be made a sacrificial goat and he would have to share the blame. I did not believe it. We trust each other’s good intentions.

My friend Mr Gujral is sitting here.

When I became a foreign minister for a short while at that time he was our ambassador in Moscow. We know each other from that time onwards.

A change came about in the country in 1977 after the Emergency, an extraordinary change. Many of the big pillars have been shaken. Perches have been uprooted. A party that was in power for years lost the trust of the people. Even at that time, foreign policy was run on consensus.

Nehru’s picture

A foreign policy expert had asked me as to what change has come about where I sit, what change will come about in South Block. I said the minister has changed but there will be no other change. My Congress friends will not believe this. A picture of Nehruji used to hang in the South Block. I used to see it while coming and going. There used to be brushed with Nehruji in Parliament. I was new and I used to sit at the back. Sometimes, to speak I had to stage a walk-out. But gradually I made my place. I moved on and when I became foreign minister, I saw that the picture of Nehruji hanging in the corridor had disappeared. I asked where the picture was. I did not get an answer. The picture was hung there again. Is there respect for this feeling?

It was not that there were no differences with Nehruji. Differences used to come out sharply during debates. Once I told Panditji that he was a mixed personality, that he was both Churchill and Chamberlain. He did not get annoyed. In the evening we met at a banquet. He said that you have given a forceful speech, smiled and walked away. Today to make that kind of criticism is to invite enmity.

People would stop talking. Cannot the leaders of a nation work together, can we not all face the difficulties together?

A century is ending, another is at the door. If you want to do something leaving us out, I have no objection.

But what we are trying to do, I want that you let us succeed, this I would certainly request you.

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Photo Feature

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

Bac k and For th in T ime “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others”

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

Photo Feature

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20

Off-Beat

Aug 13 - 19, 2018 Bullet train

the funny side

Riding On A Bullet

How To Eat Something Larger Than Yourself

Bullet Train has a lot to offer: child feeding rooms, LCD screens and separate washrooms for men and women

Never eat anything you cannot lift n Nury Vittachi

boy eating a couple of sheep a day.

Could teens really do that? I texted one to ask. “If you put them on n alligator can eat a a pizza, or cooked them as rogan quarter of its bodyweight josh, sure,” was his reply (after in a single meal, translation from teenspeak). equivalent to a human eating 89 But would it be dangerous? I bowls of rice,” a reader told me in phoned a doctor friend who said an electronic conversation. that physicians used to think it I was not impressed. Ever seen was impossible to eat yourself to teenagers eat? Eighty-nine bowls is death. But in 1985, top medical just the appetizer. journal The Lancet reported a case This exchange was triggered by in which a 23-year-old woman a March 3 news report that a snake consumed one pound (450 grams) had been seen in Florida eating a of liver, two pounds of kidneys, an deer larger than itself. The snake eight ounce steak, two became a new Dining a pound of cheese, Hero for my son and How did you eggs, two slices of bread, a myself, replacing TV’s eat pound of mushrooms, Miss Piggy, whose sensible eating plan is: something two pounds of carrots, a cauliflower, 10 peaches, “Never eat anything you larger than four pears, two apples, cannot lift.” you are? four bananas, two pounds How did you eat of plums, two pounds of something larger than grapes, and two you are? glasses of milk.

Snakes She was rushed temporarily to hospital where dislocate their surgeons cut her upper and lower open – but she jaws so that died before they they can eat big could remove her things, including lunch. cows and It reminded buffaloes, said me of a true story a herpetologist from this column friend via email. in 2014. A woman (Humans have to ate so much to celebrate Lunar do the same when eating those extraNew Year that she exploded. A tall burgers.) nutritionist at Beijing Friendship A bird-lover in our office Hospital said the 58-year-old commented that some songbirds patient felt ill from overeating and eat a meal of insects roughly every demanded a lunchectomy. The two seconds during their waking electric knife used by a surgeon hours. That’s 30 meals a minute! provided a spark which met Definitely worth adding them to combustible gases from alcohol, our Dining Heroes list. causing a messy explosion in the Listening to this conversation operating theatre. was a colleague who was on a diet I don’t wish to be morbid or where you have six small meals a anything, but you have to admit, if day. (I told her I totally loved the you have to die, this is pretty cool sound of that, except for the word way to go. You eat all your favourite “small”.) The discussion became a foods, and before even your competition. “Forget alligators. A weighing scale can reproach you, growing hummingbird consumes BOOM. You’re done.

TWICE its weight in food every And someone else has to clean single day,” the bird-lover said. up the mess. Now please excuse me Impressive. In human terms, that would be equivalent to a teenaged while I go dislocate my jaw.

“A

n Arun Kumar Das

D

elay in acquiring land for the upcoming Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor project may push back the date of its launch, but the Railways is going ahead in finalising the various components of the bullet train’s rolling stock and passenger facilities.

Passengers will get a dedicated room for child feeding, there will be facilities for sick persons and washrooms for men and women would be separate -all these being firsts on the Indian rail network. Each train will have 55 seats for business class and 695 seats for standard class. There will be luggage space for passengers.

The E5 series Shinkansen bullet trains to be pressed into service will also have baby changing rooms comprising baby toilet seats, tables for diaper disposal and a low sink for children for washing hands. There will be also two extraspacious toilets for wheelchair-bound passengers in the 10-coach high-speed train. According to the blueprint finalised by the Railways, the 750-seater E5 Shinkansen, a new generation Japanese high-speed train, will also introduce wall mounted type urinals for men, according to a senior Railway Ministry official involved with the Rs 1 lakh crore project.

Urinals and toilets will be installed in alternate coaches in the train. For example, toilets will be installed in coach number 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 while urinals will be available in coach number 2, 4, 6 and 8. Washrooms for men and women will also be placed in a similar way. Coaches will have comfortable automatic seat rotation system.

There will be a freezer, hot case, boiling water facility and tea and coffee

maker in the train while a hand towel warmer will be provided in business class.

Coaches will have LCD screens to display current station, next stopping station and destination, schedule and expected time to reach next stop and destination stations.

Railways is gearing up to acquire 25 E5 series bullet trains from Japan at an estimated cost of about Rs 5,000 crore for the Modi government’s first bullet train project. Most of the Mumbia-Ahmedabad corridor will be elevated, except for a 21 km underground tunnel between Thane and Virar, of which 7 km will be under the sea. The undersea tunnel was chosen to avoid damaging the thick vegetation present in the area, said the official.

The corridor will begin at the underground station in the Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai, and then traverse 21 km underground before emerging above ground at Thane.

The bullet train is aerodynamically designed with a long nose. When a high speed train exits a tunnel a blasting sound is generated due to micro pressure waves.

To reduce this micro pressure, the front car is designed with a nose section, said the official. The coach body is pressurized to avoid discomfort to passengers due to drop in pressure inside the passenger cabin tunnel. Bullet train will take about 2 hours and 7 minutes to travel the 508-km distance between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. JICA has agreed to fund 81 per cent of the total project cost through a 50-year loan at an interest rate of 0.1 per cent and a moratorium on repayments up to 15 years.

Indian Railways will invest Rs 9,800 crore in the high-speed rail project and the remaining cost will be borne by the state governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

North-east

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

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Assam

Skill Development For Surrendered Rebels The government has announced the setting up of a Skill City at Mangoldoi in Darrang

T

n Raj Kashyap

he Assam government has decided to impart skill development programmes to as many as 18000 surrendered militants with the aim to enhance their employment options.

Assam’s Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Minister Chandra Mohan Patwary said that the Assam Skill Development Mission (ASDM) has joined hands with Assam Police for the programme that will select surrendered rebels from the entire state. He added that the government was also planning to set up foreign language learning centers to open up avenues of employment for the unemployed youth.

Militants belonging to different

insurgent outfits have come over ground almost at regular intervals since the early 1990s beginning with a section of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA). Subsequently, rebels from Bodoland Liberation Tigers, National Democratic Front of Boroland and Dima Halam Daogah have also surrendered before the government.

The decision to include surrendered rebels in the programme is part of the larger goals that have been firmed up by the mission in the state. Patowary also informed that ASDM had signed a MoU with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) in Singapore to set up a Multi-Skill Education Institute in Assam where 400 students will be trained every year in retail, tourism and hospitality and beauty and wellness.

The institute will be regularly visited by the faculty from Singapore.

Earlier, the government had announced the setting up of a Skill City at Mangoldoi in Darrang about 60 east of the state capital Guwahati.

Currently, there are 369 skill development centers imparting training on 150 different trades operating in the state. The government’s target is to train 1.50 lakh youths in the current financial year.

The government-funded Placement Linked Skill Development Training Programme (PLSDTP) has been launched covering all skill development schemes with a target to cover 6 lakh people by 2020.

ASDM began implementing the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) through the Directorate of Employment and Craftsman Training (DECT) for ITI students. ASDM will empanel

vocational training providers to impart training under NAPS giving special focus on short-term skill programmes.

While interacting with reporters, Mission Director Anand Prakash Tiwari informed that steps have been taken to utilise unused government buildings to impart skill programmes.

So far 11 such buildings have been selected for training courses under the Recruit-Train-Deploy (RTD) model. These institutes will be called Advanced Skill Training Institutes (ASTIs).

The mission has also developed a mobile application called DAKSHA which stands for Digital Access to Knowledge and Skilled Human Resource of Assam. Aspiring students can register for training programmes using the mobile app which will also facilitate monitoring of training centers online. DAKSHA will be formally launched on 15th August 2018.

2021 at a cost of Rs 1,232 crore. The new building which will be spread over 90,000 square metres will be equipped with world-class passenger facilities. It will also have the capacity to handle 3,100 passengers during peak hours.

Guwahati, the biggest city in the Northeast, is also the gateway to the region. With the focus increasingly on implementing the Act East Policy, Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport is expected to play a crucial role in facilitating to the neighbouring countries as well.

Regional executive director of Airports Authority of India (AAI) Dharmendra Kumar Karma also announced last January that the Guwahati airport will be the hub for Udan (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik)

project in the northeast region and ASEAN. It handled 3.8 million passengers in 201617, 36 per cent more than in the previous year but it had a capacity of only 3.5 million passengers per annum.

According to the new design that will be incorporated, the terminal building will conform to GRIHA 4-star rating which is a national rating system for green buildings. The building will be decorated with forest feature, bamboo artefact and a craft village, highlighting the rich ethos and culture of the region.

Other features of the project would be a solid waste management system, reuse of treated water for flushing and horticulture purposes, rainwater harvesting with sustainable urban drainage system and use of efficient water fixtures.

The new terminal will have 64 check-in counters, 20 self-check-in kiosks, eight immigration counters, eight custom counters, six arrival carousels, 10 aerobridges, 10 escalators, one travelator, 25 elevators, 20 aircraft parking bays and 16 selfbaggage counters, among others.

Guwahati

Second Cargo Terminal For LGBI It will have the capacity to handle 3,100 passengers during peak hours

L

n Raj Kashyap

okpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport in Guwahati will get its second cargo terminal as part of the plan to develop the airport as the regional hub of transportation for the all the states in the Northeast. The enhanced facility will cater to a rise in cargo movement to and from the Northeast which will be linked to the neighbouring countries.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra told the media that work on the Common User Domestic Cargo Terminal-II (CUDCT) at the airport would commence soon and the project expected to be completed

next year. The air cargo capacity of the airport will be increased to 12,000 MT annually.

Guwahati airport being the major airport of the Northeast has witnessed a growth in cargo movement at a compound annual growth rate of 18 per cent for the last 10 years. Inbound cargo at the airport stands at 11,300 MT while the outbound cargo stands at 5,700 MT in 2016-17.

The first cargo terminal was commissioned last year which has state-of-the-art facilities such as dedicated cold storage, valuable storage, modern X-ray machine and an electronic weighing machine.

Plans for the overall revamp of the airport have also been finalised and expected to be completed by March

22

Science & Technology Shrouded in mystery

New Light Shed On The People Who Built Stonehenge Scientists Just Found Out Something Strange About The Human Remains Buried Stonehenge

Aug 13 - 19, 2018 Choose carefully

Is She/He Trustworthy?

Science Says There’s One Way to Know if Someone Is Truly Trustworthy

n MICHELLE STARR

E

ven before Stonehenge became Stonehenge, the beloved and mysterious sarsen monument we know today, it was an important place to the people of the Mesolithic and Neolithic that inhabited the region.

Bone remains suggest it was once an important burial place for at least hundreds of years - and now a new analysis has shown that people travelled from as far as western Wales – from where some of the stones are thought to originate – in order to cremate and inter their dead at the site.

The use of the site for cremations has long been known.

Cremains were uncovered in excavations in 1919-26, from at least 58 individual skeletons, in what are known as “Aubrey holes”.

These holes had once been filled with cremains, with bluestone markers placed on top. The remains were subsequently reburied in one Aubrey hole, to be excavated again in 2008.

And these remains included 25 occipital fragments, bone from the base of the skull, dating back to as early as 3180 BCE, according to radiocarbon analysis. The stone circle was erected in around 2500 BCE. It’s these 25 fragments that researchers from Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium examined with their strontium isotope analysis.

This is a technique usually performed on teeth, which retain strontium isotopes incredibly well. These isotopes can be found

in the soil, and are taken up into plants. When the plants are eaten by a person, these isotopes replace some of the calcium in teeth and bones.

Bone remains suggest it was once an important burial place for at least hundreds of years - and now a new analysis has shown that people travelled from as far as western Wales – from where some of the stones are thought to originate – in order to cremate and inter their dead at the site.

The use of the site for cremations has long been known.

Cremains were uncovered in excavations in 1919-26, from at least 58 individual skeletons, in what are known as “Aubrey holes”.

These holes had once been filled with cremains, with bluestone markers placed on top. The remains were subsequently reburied in one Aubrey hole, to be excavated again in 2008.

And these remains included 25 occipital fragments, bone from the base of the skull, dating back to as early as 3180 BCE, according to radiocarbon analysis. The stone circle was erected in around 2500 BCE. It’s these 25 fragments that researchers from Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium examined with their strontium isotope analysis.

This is a technique usually performed on teeth, which retain strontium isotopes incredibly well. These isotopes can be found in the soil, and are taken up into plants. When the plants are eaten by a person, these isotopes replace some of the calcium in teeth and bones.

place in them.

In a series of six studies, the researchers set up economic games and surveys to measure trustworthy behaviour and intentions.

Individuals who scored high in the personality trait of guilt-proneness returned more money to others than individuals who scored low in guiltproneness. n SANDRA JONES Furthermore, in one experiment, individuals who were hen it comes to primed to behave responsibly as a predicting who is result of reading a code of conduct most likely to act in a were more likely to return money to trustworthy manner, one of the most others than the individuals who read important factors is the anticipation a passage about the importance of of guilt, according to a new study. looking out for themselves.

In the study, researchers identify “Trust and trustworthiness are a trait predictor of trustworthy critical for effective relationships intentions and behavior. They also and effective organisations,” the provide practical advice for deciding researchers say. in whom we should place our trust.

“Individuals and institutions Among the study’s key findings: incur high costs when trust is a person’s tendency to misplaced, but people anticipate feeling can mitigate these guilty, which the costs by engaging in researchers call relationships with Trust and “guilt-proneness,” individuals who is the strongest are trustworthy. trustworthiness are predictor of how Our findings critical for effective trustworthy that extend the relationships and person is — more substantial so than a variety of literature on trust effective other personality by deepening our organisations traits (extraversion, understanding of openness, trustworthiness: agreeableness, When deciding in neuroticism, and whom to place trust, conscientiousness). trust the guilt-prone.”

Guilt-proneness differs from The study is unusual in that — guilt. Whereas guilt elicits reparative unlike existing trust research which behavior following a transgression, focuses on what makes people trust guilt-proneness reflects the each other — this study offers anticipation of guilt over wrongdoing insight into who is worthy of that trust. “Our research suggests that and causes people to avoid if you want your employees to transgressing in the first place. be worthy of trust,” says Levine, People who rank high in guilt“make sure they feel personally proneness feel a greater sense of responsible for their behavior and interpersonal responsibility when that they expect to feel guilty about they are entrusted, and as such, are wrongdoing.” less likely to exploit the trust others

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Health

Aug 13 - 19, 2018 pollution

Air Pollution May Lead To Changes In Heart Structure Higher exposures to the pollutants were linked to more significant changes in the structure n

R

SSB BUREAU

esearchers have found that people exposed to even low levels of air pollution can have changes in the structure of the heart, similar to those seen in the early stages of heart failure.

For every one extra microgram per cubic metre of PM2.5 -- small particles of air pollution -- and for every 10 extra microgram per cubic metre of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), the heart enlarges by approximately 1 per cent, showed the findings of the Britain-based study.

“Although our study was observational and hasn’t yet shown a causal link, we saw significant changes in the heart, even at relatively low levels of air pollution

wonder herb

Healing Benefits Of Neem To Beat Your Monsoon Woes A natural road to health and wellness can start with bringing neem into your life in a significant way n Agency

N

eem has been referred to as a “wonder herb” for the many beneficial properties it possesses. It has as many as 130 different biologically-active compounds that enhance the well-being of several body parts such as skin, hair and blood, among others.

This wonder herb is a cornerstone in preventive health remedies to achieve holistic wellness. During monsoon, there is an increased risk of infections, and your skin and hair also require extra care, all of which neem can help you with.

Dr Hariprasad, Ayurveda expert

at ‘The Himalaya Drug Company’, elaborates on how neem has properties that can benefit various parts of our body.

Skin: During the monsoon, the sebaceous glands that are responsible for producing body oils and regulating perspiration, go into overdrive due to the increased humidity. This can lead to breakouts and oily skin.

The anti-bacterial properties of neem have a positive impact on any pimples or black/ whiteheads. Mild skin problems like rashes,

irritation, burns and infections can also be healed with this herb.

Hair: The change in weather can affect your scalp’s pH balance, making your hair oily, frizzy or dandruff-prone, depending on your skin type. Because of the antibacterial properties of neem, a dry scalp and dandruff can be tackled.

Dandruff, much like acne, can be significantly reduced with the purifying properties of neem. It can also be used to strengthen hair and prevent hair fall.

Blood Purification: The changing seasons are said to have a huge impact on the body and, co m po u n d ed with unfavorable diet and lifestyle, leads to a build-up of toxins in the body.

Neem, which is rich in natural antioxidants, and has other medicinal properties, is traditionally known to be a very effective blood purifier. It is also known to support key organs - the liver and kidney -- that assist in taking out waste and toxins

23 07

exposure,” said one of the researchers Nay Aung from Queen Mary University of London.

For the study, the researchers looked at data from around 4,000 participants in the UK Biobank study, where volunteers provided a range of personal information, including their lifestyles, health record and details on where they have lived.

Participants also had blood tests and health scans, and heart MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) was used to measure the size, weight and function of the participants’ hearts at fixed times. The team found a clear association between those who lived near loud, busy roads, and were exposed to nitrogen dioxide or PM2.5 and the development of larger right and left ventricles in the heart.

The ventricles are important pumping chambers in the heart and, although these participants were healthy and had no symptoms, similar heart remodelling is seen in the early stages of heart failure.

Higher exposures to the pollutants were linked to more significant changes in the structure of the heart, the findings showed.

from the body. Regular intake has also been useful in controlling high blood sugar and regulating blood pressure.

Digestive wellness: During monsoon, the integrity of your food, especially leafy vegetables, is compromised. This often leads to stomach issues and infections or parasites. The herb can be used to treat intestinal worms, nausea, belching and phlegm. The anti-inflammatory properties of neem make it incredibly useful for intestinal health as it soothes the entire digestive system. It is a great immunity booster and its regular use can help one feel naturally energised.

Oral health: Neem is used as an active ingredient in many toothpastes and mouthwashes and can also be used to treat toothaches. During monsoon, complaints about sensitive teeth increase due to the cold air and changing weather. Neem helps stave off gingivitis and suppress swelling and inflammation of the gums. In many places, neem twigs are chewed as a natural substitute for brushing teeth; this is because it is a natural oral deodorant with antibacterial properties.

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

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

The United States of America Modi’s four-day visit to the United States of America from September 26 to 30, 2014 marked a new direction in the strengthening of Indo-US ties.

The relationship entered a new phase with both Prime Minister Modi and then President Barack Obama endorsing their broad strategic and global partnership through a vision statement, that in turn, would act as a guide for cooperation in every sector of mutual interest to both nations

Former President Barack Obama shakes hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Oval Office, White House

P

rime Minister Narendra Modi used the occasion of the visit to say that India sees the United States as an integral part of its “Look East, Link West” policy.

For the first time, the president of the United States and the Prime Minister of India interacted digitally to come out with a joint editorial in the Washington Post titled “Chalein Saath Saath” (Forward Together We Go) to guide

the relationship for a better tomorrow. Modi wrote that he saw US as India’s “natural global partner.”

The two countries resolved to broaden cooperation in the fields of defence, trade, intelligence, counter-terrorism, Afghanistan, space exploration, science, energy, climate change, high technology and health.

Modi’s speech at the Madison Square Garden drew the largest crowd ever by an Indian leader on American soil. Modi in his

speech emphasised that India had the demographic dividend to be acknowledged globally.

The focus of his address was on skill development and use of the domestic and NRI talent pool.

He promised that Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cardholders will get lifetime Indian visas and that American tourists will be given visa on arrival.

While addressing the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly, he appealed to world leaders to work in the direction of a sustainable world.

He spoke elaborately on the issue of terrorism, particularly in the context of Pakistan and the need for peaceful co-existence in South Asia.

At a meeting with leading

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

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

25

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the Global Citizen Festival at Central Park in New York on September 27, 2014.

Former President Obama and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks at the Global Citizens Festival, Central Park, New York September 27, 2014 India and the United States are bound by common values and mutual interests. We have each shaped the positive trajectory of human history, and through our joint efforts, our natural and unique partnership can help shape international security

Mr. Modi’s visit marks a significant positive step toward growing the relationship between the US and India, which is a bond based on shared democratic values and a focus on mutual prosperity and security. I look forward to his visit to Washington, DC,

investors and financiers, Modi urged a look at India as a nation of economic opportunity and to shed their fears of red tape.

In a rare event, Modi &

and peace for years to come. The advent of a new government in India is a natural opportunity to broaden and deepen our relationship.

I am truly delighted to be here. In the open Central Park.

And not inside, a closed conference room...

Among the youth, among you, because you are the future. What you do today, will decide our tomorrow

Excerpts from a joint op-ed

by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then US President Barack Obama in the Washington Post

this week, where I expect

he will continue to build the strong ties between our two great nations. I thank the Prime Minister for sharing his inspiring message of his vision for a brighter future, and I wish him well as he works to carry out his mission of service.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hugh Jackman speak on stage at the 2014 Global Citizen Festival in Central Park, New York city on September 27, 2014

Tulsi Gabbard

It is my dream to put the light of hope in every eye, and the joy of belief in every heart. Lift people out of poverty. Put clean water and sanitation within the reach of all.

Make healthcare available to all. A roof over every head.

Obama visited the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial to pay joint homage to the leader of African-American Civil Rights Movement.

I know it is possible...

Because I feel, a new sense of purpose, energy and will in India.

Because India’s youth can see that, you are joining hands with them.

Congresswoman

Because I believe that we can speak with one voice For one future...

That is why I am here.

Because I believe in you...

Let me end with a few lines that inspire me personally: May All be prosperous and happy.

May All be free from illness.

May All see what is spiritually uplifting.

May no one suffer.

Om Peace, Peace, Peace...

Continue in next issue

26

International Personality

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

J K ROW L IN G

f creating things is the way by which culture is formed then JK Rowling has been a cultural force. In the 21 years since Harry Potter & the Philosopher’s Stone was published, huge numbers of books have been printed and sold, vast sums of money generated, unknown children become globally recognised celebrities and the imaginative world of millions of fans of the Potter-verse irrevocably shaped. The world is a different place because of Harry.

Harry Potter has gone way beyond the books JK Rowling first penned in a humble Edinburgh cafe. You see it in the English Dictionary, where ‘Muggle’ is now officially a word. You see it in school playgrounds, where people valiantly attempt to play Quidditch without brooms. It’s tied to a generation. It will never go away.

Harry Potter will forever be cited, evil no gooders will be referred to as Slytherin, and the boy who lived will never die.

Joanne Rowling was born on 31st July 1965. Dianne, her younger sister, was born almost two years later and Joanne’s earliest childhood memory is of Dianne’s arrival.

Rowling was constantly writing and telling stories to her younger sister, Dianne.

Joanne grew up surrounded by books as her mum and dad loved reading – she says, ‘I lived for books … I was your basic commonor-garden bookworm, complete with freckles and National Health spectacles.’ From an early age, Joanne wanted to be a writer. She wrote her first book at the age of six – a story about a rabbit called ‘Rabbit’. Then when she was eleven she wrote a novel about seven cursed diamonds and the people who owned them.

When she was nine, Rowling moved near the Forest of Dean, which figures prominently in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” and spent

At the height of the Potter craze, she had people going through her bins, stealing her post, and attempting to bribe her friends in order to find out information about the upcoming plot

I

n Urooj Fatima

International Personality

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

27 07

“Professor Snape and Gilderoy Lockhart, both started as exaggerated versions of people I’ve met. Hermione is a bit like me when I was 11, though much cleverer. My childhood friends had the surname ‘Potter’” the rest of her childhood there.

Her parents married when they were 20, and neither attended college: Her father was an aircraft engineer at Rolls Royce and her mother was a high school science technician.

“I was convinced that the only thing I wanted to do, ever, was to write novels,” Rowling said in her 2008 Harvard University commencement speech. “However, my parents, both of whom came from impoverished backgrounds and neither of whom had been to college, took the view that my overactive imagination was an amusing personal quirk that would never pay a mortgage, or secure a pension.

One moment changed her life The idea for the Harry Potter series came to Rowling one day in 1990 while she was sitting on a delayed train commuting from Manchester to London. Unable to withhold the storyline bubbling over inside her, she went straight home and began writing the first of the seven books in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

A hard life From the time she started writing Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to it’s publishing date in 1997, Rowling mourned the death of her mother, had two children and went through two divorces. During this time Rowling struggled financially as a single parent and had to rely on state benefits to support herself and her newborn children.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the author once she completed writing Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone either. Rowling

sent her first novel to twelve publishing houses all of which rejected the story. It wasn’t until she sent her manuscript to Barry Cunningham, the editor of Bloomsbury Publishing, that Harry Potter was accepted.

Cunningham had given a copy of the first chapter to eight-yearold Alice Newton, the daughter of Bloomsbury’s chairman. Alice immediately requested to read the next chapter once she’d finished it and this is when Cunningham knew it was worth publishing. But even he was unawares as to how popular the book was going to be, advising Rowling to look for a day job to support herself as an author.

Within a five-year period, Rowling went from near poverty to becoming a multi-millionaire with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone published in 1997. In the following ten years she would complete the rest of the six books in the series, with the final, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, published in 2007. Rowling is now the UK’s best-selling living author, having sold over 500 million and she is estimated to be worth £650 million.

In 1998 Warner Bros. won the rights to transform Rowling’s books into films. Between 20012011 eight Harry Potter movies

FACTS

•TheNamesoftheHousesatHogwartsWere Originally Written on a Barf Bag • Rowling Made Up Her Middle Initial In Response to Her Publisher’s Sexism • JK Rowling’s parents met at King’s Cross Station, where Harry takes the Hogwarts Express each year • She filled five notebook pages with made up “Q” words before she came up with “Quidditch” • JK Rowling was awarded an Order of the British Empire in 2001 • JK Rowling and Harry Potter share the same birthday: July 31st • She had to wear a disguise to buy her wedding dress • A Jane Austen first edition sits on her book shelf at home •If she could be any character from literature, it would be...”Elizabeth Bennet” • She wanted the last word of the Harry Potter series to be “scar” • The ‘K’ in her name is a tribute to her grandmother • Rowling’s clinical depression inspired the creation of Dementors • She once bought an expensive pair of earrings but felt guilty afterwards for spending the money, so wrote a cheque for the same amount to give to charity.

• In 2013, she donated £10 million to help open the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic at the University of Edinburgh. The clinic is named after her mother, who had multiple sclerosis.

were released based on all seven books and the entire Harry Potter brand is now expected to be worth US$15 billion!

JK Rowling is the author of 15 books, including the seven Harry Potter novels, The Casual Vacancy and, as Robert Galbraith, three crime novels.

Harry Potter is arguably one of the greatest children’s books ever made and it is because of Rowling’s persistence in pouring her heart and soul into the project that has made the stories so magical.

“We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all of the power we need inside ourselves already.” – JK Rowling She always knew that she would become an author of the book. The message that she even has published on her website – “As soon as I knew what writers were, I wanted to be one. I’ve got the perfect temperament for a writer; perfectly happy alone in a room, making things up.”

Rowling’s life has been a tumultuous one. To say, she never walked on a smooth road.

In JK Rowling’s words: “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.”

Thus, if you too have a dream or have been running into failure, don’t let that stop you. Whether you are going through a tough time in your life, but are working passionately on something you believe in, don’t ever give up.

Nobody knows you might end up with amazing results.

28

Sports

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

D h ya n Ch an d

The Wizard Of Hockey, He Was! Dhyan Chand helped India win three Olympic Gold medals in 1928, 32 and 36 Urooj Fatima

S

omeone said rightly during his time, ‘This is not a game of hockey, but magic. Dhyan Chand is in fact the magician of hockey.’ He never stopped and no one could stop him from winning and achieving medals with appreciations.

Enhancing the prestige of Indian hockey in the eyes of the world, by his superior play, Dhyan Chand was held in high esteem both within the country as well as abroad. He helped his country in winning gold medals in hockey in three successive Olympic Games. He was also the captain of the gold medal winner Indian Hockey Team in the historic 1936 Berlin Olympics. Dhyan Chand scored 101 goals at the Olympic Games and 300 goals in other international matches and his record is still unbroken. He had, in fact, a wonderful command in wielding the hockey stick and this earned him the title of the ‘Hockey Wizard’.

SOME FACTS •His birthday 29th of August is celebrated as National Sports Day in India •He was called Chand by his team-mates because he used to wait for the moon to come out for practice •A tube station in London has been named after Dhyan Chand. An astro-turf pitch at the Indian Gymkhana Club in London is also named after him •He played his last international match in 1948 •This great player of hockey left for his heavenly abode on 3rd December, 1979

Dhyan Chand was born on 29th August 1905, in Allahabad (UP).’ He joined army at the age of sixteen. He started playing hockey in army and soon turned into a very good hockey player. He was included in the Indian hockey team for the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics.

Crucial Role in Olympic Wins Hockey was re-included in 1928 Amsterdam Summer Olympics after a lot of lobbying. India played in Group-A with Austria, Belgium, Denmark, and Switzerland. India defeated Netherlands in finals by 3-0 to win its first ever Olympic gold, and Dhyan Chand finished the tournament with 14 Goals as top scorer of the tourney. In the 1932 Summer Olympics, India beat USA 24-1 and Japan 11-1. Dhyan Chand scored 12 goals while his brother Roop Singh netted 13 out of the 35 goals India scored. This led to them being dubbed the ‘hockey twins’.

During a match with Germany in the

The Dutch hockey authorities broke Dhyan Chand’s hockey stick to check for a magnet 1936 Olympics, Dhyan Chand lost a tooth in a collision with the particularly aggressive Germany goalkeeper Tito Warnholtz. Returning to the field after medical attention, Dhyan Chand reportedly told the players to “teach a lesson” to the Germans by not scoring.

The Indians repeatedly took the ball to the German circle only to backpedal. It’s said that Dhyan Chand removed his spiked shoes & stockings in the 2nd half and played with bare foot Hitler found Major Dhyan Chand playing so well in 1936 Olympics that moved even Adolf Hitler by heart by his game to such an extent that Hitler offered him German Citizenship and lifetime allowance to play for Germany, but yet Dhyan Chand refused Hitler for the love of India!

After India’s first match at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, people watching other sporting events thronged to the hockey stadium. A German newspaper carried a banner headline: ‘The Olympic complex now has a magic show too.’ The whole city of Berlin had posters: “Visit the hockey stadium to watch the Indian magician Dhyan Chand in action.”

One journalist reported: ‘It looks like he has some invisible magnet stuck to his hockey stick so that the ball does not leave it at all.’ It doesn’t end here. Hockey authorities in the Netherlands once broke his hockey stick to check if there was a magnet inside!

In-Depth Knowledge His faultless calculations on the field made his team score goals like runs! Once when he was unable to score a goal in a match, he argued with the referee about the measurement of the goal post. To everyone’s surprise, he was absolutely right!

The goal post was indeed in contravention of the official prescribed standards.

Focussed & Always In Control He never lost temper on the field. His singular aim to win the match and a balanced temperament helped him sail through even in the most difficult situations. He once scored 3 goals in the last 4 minutes of a losing match to win it in the end.

His love for Cooking!

Dhyan Chand owned a licensed army gun which he would use for hunting, which was legal in those days. He also loved to fish.

Cooking was his other favorite hobby. He enjoyed making mutton, fish dishes, halwa dripping with ghee. His indoor pastime was billiards. After retirement in Jhansi, he used to play billiards till late in the night.

Dhyan Chand also played cricket well, and was good at batting due to his strong wrists. He used to play carrom and loved photography. He admitted that he was not a good at socializing. While at home or during play, he kept to himself. He thought that it would be better if he kept quiet and just did his duty or job.

Entertainment

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

29 07

R ee m a L agoo

Much More Than A Mother Lagoo stepped into the film industry at a very young age, where she worked as a child artist

V

n Nikita Sanyal

eteran actor Reema Lagoo was undoubtedly one of Indian cinema’s most beloved and popular supporting actors. For the longest time, the onscreen ‘Maa’ were associated with actresses like Nirupa Roy, or even Sulochana before her. That was until 1989, when the baton was passed on to Reema Lagoo. While Reema Lagoo was an extremely versatile actor, she was most significantly known for her roles as a caring and understanding mother in numerous films. Throughout the 90’s, she played mother to various popular Bollywood stars. The list includes Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Juhi Chawla, and Kajol. Her being typecast for the role of a mother was one of the main regrets in her life and she spoke about it at multiple to continue working at the bank ocassions. In an interview she gave during the shoot of an advertisement, while simultaneously pursuing an acting career in both cinema and she confessed, “I was turned into a television. Her name at birth was mother too soon in Hindi films. This Nayan Bhadbhade, but she adopted seems to happen to actresses often in Bollywood. What you know and what the screen name, Reema Lagoo, after getting married to actor Vivek Lagoo. you want doesn’t realy happen Unfortunately, their marriage to you. You know, a lot only lasted for three years, of these stars played after which the two filed the role of my son for a divorce. They when I was a year Being typecast have a daughter, younger than for the role of a Mrunmayee Lagoo, them”. who is a film and Born on mother was theatre actress 21st June 1958, one of the main and also a theatre to Mandakini director. Neither Bhadbhade regrets in her of them remarried who was a life after the end of their Marathi Stage marriage. Interestingly, Actress, Lagoo’s years after their separation, aptitude for acting Vivek Lagoo and Reema Lagoo was noticed when she scripted a play called ‘Dusra Silsila’ studied at Pune’s Huzurpaga HHCP together.

High School. After completing her Lagoo stepped into the film secondary education, she started industry at a very young age, where to act professionally. Another she worked as a child artist. She made relatively unknown fact about the her debut in a Marathi film, Sinhasan actress is that she worked at a bank (1979), which was dirceted by in Mumbai for ten years, where Jabbar Patel. The film also featured she often participated in interSriram Lagoo and Nana Patekar. bank cultural events. She managed

While she was a part of criticallyacclaimed movies like Govind Nihalani’s Akrosh (1980) where she was featured as a Lavani dancer, her first notable role in Hindi cinema was in Kalyug (1981), directed by Shyam Benegal. She played the part of a submissive wife in the film. Her rise into prominence was further propelled with the Hindi film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) where she played Juhi Chawla’s mother.

An actor with an unparalleled range, Lagoo showed her humorous side in television shows such as Tu Tu Main Main, Shriman Shrimati, etc. Her childhood friend, Sachin Pilgaonker says, “Everyone remembers her as the goody-goody Hindi film mother, but before that, she had done many years of excellent work in theatre. When she began to be labeled as this Hindi film mother, she decided to do something really different – comedy.”

Lagoo had immense love for Marathi film and theatre. She would return to it whenever it was possible. Her last play was a play called Ke Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin.

It was a commercial play, a lighthearted comedy, which beautifully portrayed her versatility as an actor, diametrically opposite to the role of a sweet, docile mother she generally plays, her latest television show Naamkarann portrays her as a mean and manipulative lady, Dayavanti Mehta. One of her dreams were of getting an opportunity to work in an international film, but sadly, that didn’t turn into reality.

Her sudden demise in May of 2017 came as a big shock to the entire nation. She was only 59 years old when she lost her life due to a cardiac arrest. At the time of death, she was described as being ‘’perfectly fine’’ and having “no health issues”. The unfortunate incident was mourned by the entire film industry.

Reema Lagoo was a face that we associated with warmth and kindness and her absence is deeply felt by both the film and television industries as well as the audience who adored her.

Seeing her perform, in any capacity is a pleasure to the eyes rewatching the films and shows of which she was a part still leaves a bittersweet feeling in our hearts.

30

Literature

Aug 13 - 19, 2018 story - 1

The Reflections

O

nce a dog ran into a museum filled with mirrors. The museum was very unique, the walls, the ceiling, the doors and even the floors were made of mirrors.

Seeing his reflections, the dog froze in surprise in the middle of the hall.

He could see a whole pack of dogs

Moral The world doesn’t bring good or evil on its own. Everything that is happening around us is the reflection of our own thoughts, feelings, wishes and actions. The world is a big mirror. So let’s strike a good pose!

surrounding him from all sides, from above and below.

The dog bared his teeth and barked all the reflections responded to it in the same way. Frightened, the dog barked frantically, the dog’s reflections imitated the dog and increased it many times. The dog barked even harder, but the echo was magnified. The dog, tossed from one side to another while his reflections also tossed around snapping their teeth.

Next morning, the museum security guards found the miserable, lifeless dog, surrounded by thousands of reflections of the lifeless dog.

There was nobody to harm the dog.

The dog died by fighting with his own reflections.

story - 3

O

A Funny Joke

nce a wise man held a seminar to teach people how to get rid of sorrows in their life. Many people gathered to hear the wise man’s words. The man entered the room and told a very funny joke to the crowd. The crowd roared in laughter.

After a couple of minutes he told

them the same joke and only a few of them smiled.

When he told the same joke for the third time no one laughed anymore.

The wise man smiled and said,” You can’t laugh at the same joke over and over. So why do you cry over the same problem over and over?”

story - 2

Stopped By A Brick

A

successful young executive was riding his brand new Jaguar down a neighborhood street when he noticed a kid darting out from between parked cars. He slowed down a little but as he appeared near it, a brick smashed into his car’s door. He slammed on the brakes and drove back to the place where the brick has been thrown.

The furious man jumped out of his car and caught the nearest kid shouting, “What was that all about? What the heck did you do to my car? Why did you do it?”. The young boy was little scared, but was very polite and apologetic. “I am sorry Mister.

I didn’t know what else to do,” he pleaded. “ I had to throw the brick because no one else would stop for my call to help”. With tears rolling down his cheeks, he pointed towards the parked

Moral Life whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts.

Sometimes when we do not listen to it, it throws a brick at us. It is our choice, listen to the whisper or wait for the brick

cars and said “it’s my brother, he rolled off the curb and fell off his wheelchair and he is badly hurt. I can’t lift him up.”

The sobbing boy asked the man, “Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair?

He is hurt and he is too heavy for me.” The young man was moved beyond words and tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the other kid from the spot and put him back to the wheelchair. He also helped the little kid with his bruises and cuts.

When he thought that everything will be ok, he went back to his car. “Thank you, sir, and God bless you”, said the grateful kid. The young man was too shaken up for any word, so the man simply watched the little boy push the wheelchair bound brother down the sidewalk. It was a long and slow ride back home to the man. When he came out of the car, he looked at his dented car door. The damage was very noticeable, but he did not bother to repair it. He kept the dent to remind him of the message; “Do not go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention”.

Events

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

events & more...

VINTAGE 35.0 : Open Mic : Standup Comedy Venue : Akshara Theatre, Delhi

11-B, Baba Kharak Singh Marg. Next to RML Hospital exit no. 5, Closest Metro Stations: Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk and RK Ashram, Delhi NCR August 19 | 6:30PM

ACROSS 1. From which place did Madan Mohan Malaviya publish his famous newspaper The Leader?

6. Where Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place?

8. What is East Pakistan called now?

9. Who started Satyagraha?

11. Gandhiji was also called _____ in Hindi which means Father?

14. Which was the summer capital of India during the British rule?

15. When Partition of Bengal Happened?

17. Hitavada, the newspaper started by Gopal Krishna Gokhale in 1911 was initially published from – 18. Where was Gandhiji born ?

19. With which of the following leaders is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel equated?

20. 12. What was Gandhiji’s wife’s name?

SSB crossword no. 35

events

SOLUTION of crossword no.34

New Configurations Exhibit, Kiran Nadar Museum Of Art Venue : Kiran Nadar Museum Of Art

NOIDA Plot 3-A, Sector 126, Noida 17 Jul 10:45 AM - 31 Aug 10:00 PM

Aadar Malik Stand Up Comedy Venue :

The Piano Man Jazz Club, Delhi 7/22, Ground Floor, B-6, Opposite Deer Park, Safdarjung Enclave Market, Safdarjung, New Delhi August 19 | 5PM

1.Sagarika 2.Caradom 3.Japan 4.Gujarat 5.Horses 6.Two 7.Dehradun 8.UNESCO 9.PEAT 10.Pallavas

11.Wimbeldon 12.Lead 13.AGNI 14.Gold 15.Apsara 16.Tea 17.Jupiter 18.Amsterdam 19.Accelartion 20.Bihar

solution of sudoku-34

Impasto Workshop with Acrylics! - With Summer Workshops Venue : Culture Chauraha

Culture Chauraha A-13, Block A, Gulmohar Park, Delhi Mon, 20 Aug | 10:30AM - 12:30PM

31

DOWN 2. In which language was Kesari, a newspaper started by Bal Gangadhar Tilak published?

3. Who created Azad Hind Fauj?

4. From which country India got the Independence.

5. At which place did the British Government arrest Gandhiji for sedition for the first time?

7. Dadabhai Naoroji was the first Indian to be appointed as a Professor at Elphinstone College in 10. First organized militant movements for Indian Independence were in _________.

12. Who is the founder of Ghadar party?

13. In which year was the Banaras Hindu University established by Pt Madan Mohan Malviya?

16. Where was the Civil disobedience movement launched in1922?

sudoku-35

Dave Morecroft Matinee Special Venue :

The Piano Man Jazz Club, Delhi 7/22, Ground Floor, B-6, Opposite Deer Park, Safdarjung Enclave Market, Safdarjung, New Delhi August 19 | 1PM

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

Aug 13 - 19, 2018

Unsung Hero Shakila Sheikh

Rags To World Famous Artist Gita Mittal/Sindhu Sharma

Shakila Sheikh discovered her talent in art by chance and there has been no turning back since

Shattering The Glass Ceiling Jammu and Kashmir HC Gets First Woman Judges

i

n its 90-year history, the J&K High Court has got the first-ever woman Chief Justice and also a first woman judge.

The women power would be at display at the High Court in a few days when Delhi High Court Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal takes oath as the new Chief Justice of the J&K High Court and senior lawyer Sindhu Sharma joins as a new judge.

In its 90 years of existence, the J&K High Court has had 107 judges and all of them have

been men. Thus the appointment of Mittal and Sharma as judges marks an important milestone for the state’s judiciary.

Sindhu Sharma, who was working as Assistant Solicitor General of India in the High Court’s Jammu wing, was the first woman advocate to be appointed to that office.

Justice Mittal has been functioning as Acting Chief Justice in the Delhi High Court since April 2017.

Akshay Venkatesh

Mathematics’ Highest Honour ‘Manipulating Numbers Makes Me Feel Happy’, Says Akshay Upon Winning Fields Medal

a

kshay Venkatesh, an Indian-born Australian mathematician, was one of the four winners of the prestigious Fields medal, also known as the Nobel prize for math.

The Fields medals are awarded every four years to the most promising mathematicians under the age of 40. The New Delhi-born mathematician was recognised for his use of dynamics theory, which studies the equations of moving objects to solve problems in number theory, which is the study of whole numbers, integers and prime numbers. When Venkatesh was two-years-old, his parents moved to Perth. From his teenage years, Venkatesh had to deal with being called a ‘prodigy’ and ‘genius’, before going on to become one of the most renowned researchers in the field of mathematics. Venkatesh became the youngest student to be accepted into the University of Western Australia when he was just 13-yearsold. He graduated with first-class honours in pure mathematics at 16 – again the youngest to do so – before studying at Princeton.

T

he life of Shakila Sheikh cannot be dismissed as just another rags-to-riches story. The daughter of a vegetable vendor, Shakila was once living on the streets in unimaginable conditions, but she is now an internationally known collage artist.

Her works have travelled to countries like France, Germany, Norway and America. Avant garde designer Pierre Cardin too possesses one of her works.

The life of Shakila Sheikh cannot be dismissed as just another rag-to-riches story. The daughter of a vegetable vendor, Shakila was once living on the streets in unimaginable conditions, but she is now an internationally known collage artist.

Her works have travelled to countries like France, Germany, Norway and America. Avant garde designer Pierre Cardin too possesses one of her works.

She has slept on pavements and made thongas (paper bags) for hours daily before she achieved her dream of becoming a collage artist.

When she was seven, Shakila started accompanying her mother to the vegetable market. “She didn’t allow me to work but used to take me to the city for a tour. I loved seeing trams and buses plying through the roads and slept on the pavements while she worked,” remembers Shakila.

It was during one such trip that she met the man who changed the course of her life. Panesar used to visit the market every day to buy vegetables.

“A chance meeting with him changed our lives…” Shakila recalls with gratitude. “He not only got me into a school but also provided some financial support to the family. Initially, my mother was apprehensive and thought that Baba might traffic her daughter but was later convinced about his integrity.”

In 1990, Shakila held her first solo exhibition in Kolkata.

She made Rs 70,000 from it, a big amount in those days, and definitely a huge amount for her family.

RNI No. DELENG/2016/71561, Joint Commissioner of Police (Licensing) Delhi No. F. 2 (S-45) Press/ 2016 Volume - 2, Issue - 35 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