New Year Message for 2010 - Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

New Year Message for 2010 31/Dec/2009 : New Delhi When we are entering into 2010, it reminds me that we have only 10 more years to transform India into a developed country. While the nation is busy in realizing the goals in all the sectors, particularly for the New Year 2010, let all the citizens and the 540 million youth in particular resolve to take up and execute the following special missions during the year 2010. 1. Initiate creation of at least 100 PURA complexes in the states of Bihar, Orissa, North Eastern states, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Eastern UP. 2. Initiate nation wide programme for desilting, revival and interconnection of all the water bodies static and dynamic, and creation of waterways so that the water availability to our farmers and citizens is assured in spite of the vagaries of monsoon. 3. Each citizen may undertake the plantation of 1 to 3 fruit bearing trees which will lead to creation of at least “One Billion trees for one billion people” at the end of 2010. This will lead to absorption of 20 billion kg of carbon-di-oxide and release 14 billion kg of oxygen annually in few years time. 4. Let all of us resolve to keep the public places clean, neat and tidy from 1 Jan 2010 onwards. 5. Let us all practice and propagate - Righteousness in the heart which gives beauty in the character leading to harmony in the home, order in the nation, leading to peace in the world. Let us start this New Year 2010 as the decade of hope for the youth to realize the vision of the nation and make India the best place to live. Wish you a happy and prosperous New Year 2010. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam 31 DEC 2009

Vice-President wishes citizens a happy 201

Vice-President wishes citizens a happy 2010

2009-12-31 13:50:00

Vice President Hamid Ansari on Thursday greeted all citizens on the occasion of the New Year 2010. Ansari said, "I greet all citizens on the happy occasion of New Year 2010." He further said in his message that like every year, this New Year also brings renewed hopes and expectations along with more challenges, which can only be fulfilled by working unitedly with greater resolve and dedication. "Let us work together in the New Year to meet these challenges facing the country and strive towards building a strong, united, peaceful and prosperous India, and may this New Year bring peace, prosperity and happiness to all," he added. (From ANI)

Muslim+Hindu = Musdu -a wonderful real story that gives us hope (from The Hindu)

A Comment from The Hindu upon 'A quiet triumph for humanity' - 19th September

 http://beta.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/article22199.ece

This is a wonderful story that gives us hope in hard times. I have been fortunate to be married to a Pakistani for 20 years. We have a daughter,Mira Husnara Ahmad, who is, as we somtimes joke,a proud "MUSDU" (Muslim/Hindu). 



My husband's family left their home in Gaya District in Bihar during partition. I know how much they still miss their traditions, their language, their neighbors, and their home. My mother-in-law, Husnara Begum, has three daughters in law - an American Jew, a Pakistani Muslim, and an Indian Hindu. She loves each of us and has welcomed us into her home as her own daughters. She has never once asked us to change our faith, our names, or our traditions. The 3 of us are good friends with one another and with our 2 sisters-in-law, although we live apart from one another in New York, Karachi, Montreal, Islamabad, and San Francisco. My parents have three sons-in-law, a Pakistani Muslim, an Indian Hindu, and an African American Baptist Christian. They joke about their "Amar, Akbar, Anthony" status. Our family has visited Pakistan and the Pakistani side of our family has been to India, despite all the hassles of visas and police registration. But, most importantly, our children, the next generation - there are 10 first cousins in all - are proud to be cousins and to be part of a family that believes in an inclusive, tolerant humanity. We dream of a day when India and Pakistan will not need nuclear weapons, armies of millions, and border patrols. We dream of a day when our children can easily celebrate Eid and Diwali with one another and with their extended famlies in both Pakistan and India. We dream of a time when we can give up our American passports that now make it easier to travel to one another's countries.

from:  Kavita N. Ramdas

Posted on: Oct 10, 2009 at 21:32 IST

I Could not believe that this is true in some university in India

I Could not believe that this is true in some university in India, "Novel evaluation system works wonders for JNU", Dec 28th. The process of syllabus setting, weightage for attendance, question paper setting, evaluation in front of students, campus environment and teacher-student interaction are all healthy and promising. We can expect that JNU will continue to provide great minds to India to progress.

Sad decline in journalist values - by B.G. Verghese

"Sad decline in professional values" by B.G. Verghese (28th Dec in Tribune) has rightly called for 
reforms in Press Registration Act. 

All his four recommendations 

1.Public interest directors to act as guardians of the public interest,

2.mandatory broadcast regulations as found in every part of the world,

3.“private (ads for shares)treaties” be required to be disclosed mandatorily,

4.separate accounting of all advertisements and advertorial support for candidates under election expense" needs to implemented if we want to prevent our democracy from peril.

To Let / For Sale? Legalising prostitution is not the answer. Nab the traffickers. By RUCHIRA GUPTA

My comment on this article can he seen as comment number 16, posted on DEC 28, 2009 12:57 PM.

Constitution for Happier Homes - Part 3

For Children below 16 years:
Moral Behaviour:
Teach meditation and Kayakalpa	Knowledge about Gita, Bible, Koran, Granth Sahib etc
Knowledge about “Who am I?”	Viewing only Good Films
Meeting role models like A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, Dr.Ramakrishnan, Dr.M.S.Swaminathan, Suinta Williams, V.Anand, P.Gopichand, Sachin, Pt.Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan etc	Thinking above sectional divisions like sex, colour, mother tongue, race, caste, nationality etc
Perform to get National Bravery Award	Understanding that smoking, consuming alcohol and taking to drugs is ruinous
Participate in Social/Constructive work	Earning even though a small sum through producing tiny goods through handicraft or intellectual work
Moral Conduct, Austerity, Humanism should be practised	Habit of writing Diary
Learn the techniques to analyse thought, Organisation of Desire, Avoidance of Anger, Eradication of Worry	Children should learn to respect other sex especially towards girl child and women
Saving Habit
Daily keeping records of income and expenditure	Saving money in Bank account
Education
Reading literary works in mother tongue	Participating in more quizzes and competitions
Learning national language Hindi from Dhakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha(a Gandhian Institution)	Read books like ‘Our Constitution’, My Experiments with Truth, Discovery of India, Glimpses of World History etc
Learning foreign languages (especially Asian languages first)	Learn Vedic Mathematics, Drawing good diagrams for school examinations etc
Participating in Social/Constructive work	Learn to read Phonetics written in Dictionaries
Become scholar in mother tongue	Learn typing
Pass National Talent Search Examination
Sports
Participate and try to win state level sports tournaments
Other Skills
Learn First Aid	Learn basic cooking
Join NCC/ NSS/ Green corps/ Scouts & guide etc	Learn Self Defence skills/Martial Art (Must for Girl Child)
Get Driving licence	Wash/ Iron clothes

For Children below 20 years:
Moral Behaviour:
Should get spiritual enlightenment	Should be broadminded person with wide world outlook
Get immense pleasure from doing social work	Should regularly donate blood
Should become Highly moral, Truthful and Respected	Should pledge to donate body and its parts upon death
Should become a great leader who removes sufferings of other living beings	Should respect elders and give importance to their advice and counselling
Saving Habit
Should become partially self supporting for ones day to day and educational expenditure by taking up part-time or apprenticeships etc	Should spend only for the essential things and activities. Should not hesitate to buy time or health or education
Education
Should become scholar in National language Hindi	Should have a deep scientific temper
Should actively seek for mentors and teachers to get personal education from scholars	Should take up self learning to get well versed in various fields of knowledge be it Accountancy or Agriculture. Should have an encyclopaedic knowledge.
Should have deep knowledge about Indian and world History	Should continue learning through correspondence or part-time for life
Should learn and master as many languages as possible	Should aim to do at least one doctorate
Should be well versed in compute operation
Sports
Should participate in National and International competitions and aim for medal at that level	Should have as high certificate as possible from NCC
Should deeply imbibe sportsmanship attitude	Should also take up adventure sports as hobby
Other Skills
Can become member of Nehru Yuva Kendra	Should not miss any voting opportunity during elections
Should actively participate in Youth parliaments events	Should read more than one newspaper and magazines
Should have deep knowledge about politics of the day	Should read newspapers and magazine from other countries and continent through internet
Should learn shorthand	Should actively write to letters to the editor
Can write story, novel, dramas, essays etc	Should be a citizen journalist
Should be well versed in public speaking and group discussions	Should have deep understanding of Government laws and social customs
Can become member of Youth Hostel movement	Should go for All India/ International tours
Should get passport

General Organisation of Family and children:
Family Children Club:
Children should form a club, have a club name, Emblem, motto, flag, Uniform etc. Can also be formed among the neighbours too	Should educate one another from what one learns from school, friends and relatives
Should have a common library, toys bank etc	Should cooperate and coordinate with fellow children without the need of external watch
Should jointly subscribe newspapers and magazine	Can jointly present programmes to TV and Radio
Should jointly celebrate Family day, Festivals including festivals of other religion and culture, under least cost	Elder children should be role models in studies and right behaviour
Can create a family magazine, blog or website
Things that should be there for children in every home:
Dictionary, Spelling Dictionary, Atlas, Encyclopaedia, National Book Trust books, Vigyan Prasar books etc	Wall Map, Globe, Telescope, Microscope, Magnifying Glass, Vigyan Prasar science self study kits etc
The Tribune, The Hindu … Newspapers and other magazines without only objectionable content. Remove the objectionable contents before they are read by children	Young World(The Hindu), Gokulam (Tamil/English), Tinkle, Tell me why, Magic Pot, Champak, Bal Bharathi(Hindi) etc
Check lists for Home
Outdoor games list	List of Toys at home
Indoor games list	Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly activity/Work/Plan chart for individual children
List of books in Home Library	Diary to track food, sleep, diseases etc of the child
Reminders for Home
Immunisation of the child	Wishing others on their birthday, anniversary etc
Bill payments	Renewal of memberships, insurance etc
Cleaning of overhead water tank etc

The highest gratitude a son/daughter can pay to his/her father is that when the father sees people admiring his sons/daughters character and education and when they exclaim “What hardship his/her father would have endured in upbringing him/her”. Thirukural (70)

To bring greater happiness, peace and harmony within our families, all members should have the desire, effort and patience

Source: From our forefathers; Word form: Murugaram, 2004; Email: peace2047@gmail.com

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