He wastes nothing

Hey everyone,
I chanced upon this article from Ergo , June 24th 2009 edition. I thought its a must share . I think we all have to learn from Dakshinamoorthy how to waste nothing ! Heres the article...
- Sandhya

Have you ever seen the dogs on your street jump up, wag their tails in excitement and run to hug the litter collector who works in your area? I have. Dakshinamoorthy is the Sembakkam Panchayat’s litter collector whose routine is to feed all the community dogs every morning when he is on duty. He starts as early as 6.30 a.m.
We call him the pied piper of Rajakilpakkam. What’s heart warming about his story is not just his popularity amongst the four-legged ones but the means he uses to do what he does. He never wastes any of the food or bread loaves collected from various houses or bakeries in our area.
Instead, he makes an effort to divide them into equal quantities and offer it to all the homeless dogs. He is a true champion of this cause and makes sure that he at least guarantees them one meal a day.
Even though I feed these dogs on the way to work and on my way back home, the tiny tots don’t even give me a second glance if Dakshinamoorthy is around. The ever-smiling man often tells me proudly that “they have all eaten”. I can sense the exuberance and satisfaction he feels when he says those words.
We are told that charity begins at home and Dakshinamoorthy is our live example, doing whatever he is capable of, his financial status notwithstanding. I draw inspiration from his choices. Offering even a handful of food to a cat, dog or a crow is a process so rewarding that it’s hard to describe. After all, helping animals is a way to stay close to God.
Compiled by Mahalakshmi Parthasarathy. mahaaparthasarathy@gmail.com

Brimming with ideas

Hi everyone,
During my college days, in my final year, i attended a graduation ceremony in our college auditorium, the nostalgic Vivek Audi. Prizes were being given out to the gold medalists and to other achievers(Ofcourse I wasn't one of them :) , i had gone there for a friend ). I was getting myself prepared for a boring programme with the usual long speeches, but when the chief guest was introduced and he started talking i sat upright with interest .I could instantly realize what a great man he is and i found his witty, rambling talk laced with sarcastic humour so very engaging, i didnt miss a word of it . I was thrilled that a speaker in our college auditorium was speaking about animal welfare, and he has also done so much in the field. He was Prof.N.S .Ramaswamy , the founder-director of IIM-B. Read on to know about him, from this recent article in the Metroplus, Banagalore.
-- Sandhya


Professor N.S. Ramaswamy, who has left all his wealth to his village, is the founder-director of IIM, Bangalore. Apart from management, several social issues are close to his heart .

There are so many distinct sides to Professor N. S. Ramaswamy. The thoughtful, brilliant thinker, the Bhishmacharya of the Management movement in the country, a strong campaigner for animal welfare, teacher, consultant, adviser to various NGOs, governmental, educational institutions, an earnest, selfless, concerned citizen, a man with rock-like values, on one side. On the other there is the simple, jocular, kind man, with a sharp sense of humour and a positive attitude to life.
Talk to him, and you understand that each of the versions he represents is authentic and irrepressible, one never too far removed from the other. The Padma Bhushan awardee, has so many portfolios attached to his name that he has a four-page printed bio-data given as a hand out. That’s his visiting card to his pioneering contributions in various walks of life.

Modernisation
Ramaswamy, the founder-director of IIM, Bangalore, was the first to take management science to sectors other than business such as transport, power, rural development etc. An affirmed vegetarian, he prepared reports on modernisation of the meat sector, which would eliminate pollution, wastage and animal suffering, increasing productivity and production of hygienic meat. The first president of the Computer Society of India, he campaigned fiercely for improving agricultural implements and bullock carts.
As Chairman of the Animal Welfare Board of India, he brought economics, technology and management into the movement. He felt that mere sentiment and worship did not help animals.
Even at 84, his energy levels are high, his memory crystal clear. He can reel off names and figures, crack jokes in between, but always gets back to the point of discussion. What is intriguing is that despite being from a management background, Ramaswamy’s inclination towards the social sector is very strong.
His pioneering work on the importance of upgrading The Draught Animal Power (DAP) used for ploughing and carting all over the world, his passion for animal welfare earned him the name ‘Cartman.’ Taking a cue from this Ramaswamy started the Centre for Action, Research & Technology for Man, Animal & Nature, Bangalore (CARTMAN).

Animal-friendly
“The idea is to maintain the symbiotic relationship between man, animal and nature. Apart from the research, field studies and campaigns we have a garden with 300 varieties of plant species, kennel service for dogs, a veterinary clinic, promotion of vegetarianism and lots more.”
He also started the Indian Heritage Academy that focuses on cultural and spiritual revival.
“We organise programmes and regular classes in music, dance, yoga, meditation, lectures in philosophy and culture, among so many other related activities. We believe that it is our duty to spread India’s ancient thought and wisdom in order to save mankind from further degeneration of values and exploitation of animals and nature.”

Multidimensional
Prof. Ramaswamy is a multidimensional person who combines in him pragmatism at the materialistic level and philosophy at the spiritual level.
He believes that India is a unique nation, which can show the world the relevance of spirituality to bring in progress and peace.
One out-of-the-box proposal he put forward to the government that “got the approval of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi” and would have been implemented “had it not been for a quirk of fate,” was splitting 10 large States into 30 smaller units and new electoral reforms where parties would be voted to power instead of individuals.

Nostalgic
There would be de-bureaucratisation and decentralisation of development to the State.
“The linguistic-State blunder can be rectified with the creation of smaller, easily-manageable States, where development will be decentralised. There will be a more equitable distribution of resources, of leaders. It will end the clout of small regional parties and will enable the prominent parties to choose their representatives to the Parliament.”
But he is still nostalgic about his childhood days in Puttur (Thrissur district) where he spent hours diving, swimming in the temple pond, his days at Maharaja’s College, and memories of his handsome father, who was a much-respected police-officer.
In fact, he has bequeathed his entire wealth to his village.
“I’m also deeply concerned about Kerala. There is no place in Kerala for industrial expansion, there is also large-scale educated unemployment. One area that can be developed is tourism. Not the conventional one, but focussing on health, education and culture. With an investment of Rs 1 crore you can generate employment for 100-1,000 people. With festivals, ‘melams,’ rich tradition in art, literature and music, cultural tourism offers a lot of scope. There is need for community colleges, vocationalisation of education. With better educational institutions and hospitals you will win new friends.”

Projects
There are so many projects that Ramaswamy believes can “save the country.” But he has his apprehensions.
“I have written so many articles, presented full-fledged reports to all concerned, spoken to those who matter. Like Ved Vyasa who after writing the ‘Mahabharatha’ lamented that he was not sure if anyone would read it, I’m not sure if people really take me seriously,” says Ramaswamy with a meaningful smile.
K. PRADEEP

-MetroPlus ,Bangalore
Wednesday, Jun 10, 2009

When you thought i wasn't looking !

Because many people liked this forward, im posting it on my blog.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.
When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good, and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and wanted to say,'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'

It’s a dog’s life

Hey everyone ,
This is a News article published recently in the Chennai Metroplus. I know its long , for quick reading just follow the italicized lines.

The legend of Zorro could have ended very differently. After all, unlike his caped vigilante namesake, Doggie Zorro wasn’t discovered fending off bad guys with a deadly sword. (In fact, if he had actually met any bad guys, his first instinct wo uld probably have been to lovingly chew their shoelaces.)
This frightened black Labrador was found sitting sadly on a pavement at Rutland Gate last week. Fortunately for him, Rina Raymond, who was driving past, took him home. He was covered with ticks, undernourished and terrified of traffic, but clearly a beautiful, one-year-old. The next day Rina and her friend Menaka Gulvadi walked him around Rutland Gate, hoping he would be able recognise his home. He couldn’t. By day three, the girls had set up a ‘Find Black Boy a Home’ Facebook group. Almost a 100 people joined. Some offered to adopt the dog.
Menaka decided to keep him in the end, and he was named Zorro.
Zorro’s currently joyfully galloping around her house, cuddling up to visitors and gently playing with Menaka’s four-year-old niece (pilfering her toys sneakily in the process). Meanwhile, Rina is working on making the Facebook group a permanent resource for finding homes for abandoned dogs.
For, Zorro is just one of many pets that end up on the street. He got lucky. Other dogs, most pure-breds (commonly referred to as pedigrees), dumped like this end up getting hit by traffic, attacked by other dogs or starving.
“I have seen people throwing a Great Dane out of a Tata Sumo and driving away,” says C. Padmavathy, managing trustee, Animal Welfare Protection Trust, discussing the alarming trend of abandoning pets, which seems to have increased over the past few months. “We have picked up so many dogs from outside the airport — a golden retriever, a terrier…” she adds, talking of how people callously leave the dogs in the traffic before moving out of the city.

Manifold excuses
The excuses are manifold. Relocating from houses to apartments, which don’t allow pets. Dogs falling ill, and owners don’t know how to deal with it. Worst of all, owners simply changing their minds.
Now, people who bought pedigree dogs (costing up to Rs. 75,000) on a whim, are abandoning them saying they’re expensive to maintain in these times of recession. “They say it’s because of the down turn — as if they needed an excuse,” says Dr. Chinny Krishna, chairman, Blue Cross of India, adding that as these dogs are often bought as status symbols, they’re traded in as easily as a car that’s gone out of fashion. (Think of the Vodaphone pug.) What’s worse is they usually buy from illegal breeders. “They run what are essentially puppy mills,” says Dr. Krishna, “It’s all for cash. The inbreeding is so high, the animals are treated like factories.”
It’s almost always the pedigrees that are abandoned. “Anyone who takes a street dog already knows what he wants,” says Anuradha Sawhney, chief functionary of PETA India. “Pedigrees are a whim. A birthday or Christmas gift.” They’re bought like toys for children… She adds, “People don’t realise that a child grows up. A dog stays a child till the rest of its life.”
Sawhney says she’s seen pets being abandoned startlingly often. “As I’m driving by, I see a dog running desperately in one direction, chasing the car that dropped him off.” She adds that they’re usually dazed, bewildered and terrified. What’s makes this abandonment all the more heartless is the fact that these are often dogs that have lived for years with a family, as part of the family.

Unable to survive
Unlike street savvy mongrels, they are unable to survive on their own. Sawhney says, “If let loose, they’re the first to get hit by cars. They don’t realise that street dogs have territories, and they get attacked. They’re used to food coming to them, and can’t scavenge. And they don’t know how to drink water from a ditch.”
However, no matter how bewildered they are, Padmavathi says she’s found that they always affectionate towards their rescuers. “They seem to have a sixth sense and realise we’re trying to help... so they are calm. They co operate.” And if they’re lucky — like Zorro — they find new families to fit into, look after and love with unbeatable gratitude.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

• Don’t buy a dog. This will discourage illegal breeders. Besides, you wouldn’t buy a friend, would you?
  
• Get a puppy only if you’re ready to take care of it. With the great joy they bring comes great responsibility.
  
• To adopt an abandoned dog call Blue Cross on weekdays (Monday-Saturday)
  during office hours at 2250 1399 or 2250 1839. Or email mailto:bluecrossofindia@gmail.com at any time for details.
  
• You can also call The Animal Welfare and Protection at Trust 22781381 or 99629-68265 to find homes for homeless pets.

- Courtesy 'The Hindu ' Metroplus Chennai

June 22nd ,2009

Pasanga Review !

Positives:

• A refreshing tale that revolves around a group of village kids and their families. The movie progresses at a natural pace , but never bores us even for a moment, as we get drawn into their world.
• Excellent casting. All of them deliver such natural performances , the kids and the adults.
• Kids who remain kids till the very end. They dont talk or act beyond their age .
• A happy movie :) A movie i can compare it to is Veyil which had awesome performances and which also gave us an authentic taste of village life.But Veyil had gory scenes with a lot of bloodshed, and made you feel sad many a times. But this movie will have you smiling and laughing throughout .
• Some good messages are nicely interwoven into the story , without being preached to the viewers .

Negatives:

• If it had to something, it would be the cinematic last 15 mins. But it is quite forgivable.

Watch out for :

The 'Saroja' girl as the charming Sobikannu, the melodious and cutely picturised 'oru vetkam varuthey' and the antics of Jeeva's sidekicks :)

Verdict :

Wow ! Tamil Cinema seems to be improving by leaps and bounds ! Plaudits to the first time director Pandiraj. This movie proves that you can make a good film on a shoestring budget without any commercial elements , and yet make everyone have a good time. Decent movies like these with strong Tamil flavour ought be encouraged.Pass the word about this delightful , feel good movie ! And catch it only in theaters ! :)