Feeding everyday

Of the several services an NGO brings to the nation's children the most precious I feel is the Midday Meal ,it is the most daunting.Almost more than one million children everyday waiting to eat,what is for many ,their only food for the day;the hot midday meal brought to the schools.
Each and every meal like the students eating it have a story behind it.This one is  from Helpiya,a small un electrified village ,in Sarda block of Udaipur,up in the Aravalli.It is a 500 family ,one crop no health care and zero road village."After 26 January ,15 august and 2 October these villagers and the 50 students count 21 January ,the day on wards the village school started getting uninterrupted supply of cooked midday meal,  as the most important day in this village .Today no time for a story only fact and figures will reveal the truth .
With at least 450 calories and 12grams of proteins for students up to fifth standard and 700 calories and 20 grams of protiens from sixth to tenth standard is the only source of energy for about 1000000 children in 9535 schools where the 21 kitchens of the NGO works in India .Feeding more than a million children may seem a fair figure at a glance but it pales when compared to the number of children that still crawl without even a single meal everyday.
Everyday ,throwing discipline to the winds ,children come whooping down from their classrooms the moment they spot their food cans cross the stream .The indulgent school teacher lets them from their self styled convoy of excitement to lead the containers of rotis ,pulao and dal up the slopes to the school grounds.
Gratifyingly the school has 80 children now on its rools.The midday meal of sweet dalia ,subzi pulao and other varied menus is ,without doubt ,the biggest attraction that drew them to it.

Stepping forward to Joint tourism

If you visit Mount Abu and then, want to drive down to Gujarat, you will not be required to contact tour operators in Gujarat separately.A person coming to a tour operator in Rajasthan is offered a joint package. Once he takes up the package, the operator in Rajasthan takes care of the tourist till he is in their state and later, hands over the tourist to their counterpart in Gujarat who further plans his tour

You can contact either the Gujarat Tourism department or the Rajasthan Tourism department to assist you to make arrangement for you irrespective of the state you want to visit, thanks to promotion of interstate tourism!

In order to bring in tourists to Gujarat, and to market its sight seeing places, the state tourism department has entered into a pact with Rajasthan, Karnataka and Punjab for interstate tourism.It has already started selling North Gujarat with Rajasthan. The department is promoting Shamlaji, Kesariyaji, Udaipur, Chittorgadh, Haldighati, Nathdwara, Charbhuja, Ranakpura, Mount Abu in Rajasthan along with Ambaji, Kumbharia, Modhera, Bahucharaji in Gujarat.The state has already entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Rajasthan and Karnataka for interstate tourists and also Punjab, which has a large number of NRI visitors and tourists, from Rajasthan the state would be targeting foreign tourists, from Punjab the department will target religious tourists.Signing the MOU is in the interest of the state. 


Rajasthan has been promoting Gir and the effect is that schools from Rajasthan have visited Gir for watching the Asiatic lions. Tourists coming to Rajasthan come for heritage tourism and the operators offer Gir, Somnath and Buddha tourists together.

Examinations.

The latest debate around education in India seems to be about the merits and demerits of abolishing school board examinations.In a nation where over 100 million children are in elementary schools holding a card which says 53 percent of grade 5 don't have grade 2 competency :abolishing or having examination probably makes no difference.
I believe, examinations are part and parcel of our daily life.Even the poorest children take exams every other day.Their exams are often about choices they have to make.Like ,to attend school or to go for work.Their daily examinations are tougher.Take the case of Lomeshwari in Kanker,Chhattisgarh.She had to choose between a .303rifle and an HB pencil;the choice to join the maoists in adjoining Dantewada villages or to be "Nanhi Kali" of educate your girl child project of an NGO.And she choose latter.This means she had to also choose to live with her illiterate grandparents and not parents who are migrant,casual ,unskilled labourers.This led to the frail 11year old Lomeshwari getting for herself a rank amongst the top 5 in district's grade 5 board examination .
Let us ,therefore ,ignore the brouhaha on examinations and examine the plight of rural and tribal children who may be a servant in our vicinity with no affordable school to opt for .Their daily 'Exams' are toughter.I dare say tougher than tests that even President Barack Obama have to appear for in the White House.

tears and anger ...

Born on July 13, 1987 in Pakistan, Kasab was one of the ten terrorists who carried out the three-day long attacks on the metropolis which began on the evening of November 26, 2008 and left 166 people dead.Three blasts rocked the busy markets of Dadar, Zaveri Bazaar and Opera House tomorrow, which also happens to be Kasab's 24th Birthday.Inspite his behind bars, and death sentence awarded by the court ( not executed for no reason....), his hand remains upper against the Maharashtra state government, Maharashtra CM, and the Home Minister Chidambaram don't deserve to stay even a second in their positions!
A shocking coincidence rather call it a striking similarity  between almost all Bomb Blast attacks in several places of India since last 4 years.The Bomb Blasts attacks by Terrorists in India happened to be on a particluar 13th dated irrespective of month.With all these '13th' dated Bomb blasts one finds a shiver in spine and many may call it just a coincidence.Number '13' stands for Evil as many people around world believe it.Are the Terrorists and Anti social Elements planning these blasts with the same belief or they challenge Government leaving a clue of all 13th dated blasts?.Terrorists keep on Blasting leaving innocent people dead with a message "We are terrorising you for your sins".A typical unanswered question remains in every Indian's mind "When can we expect a terror free tomorrow?".

The pitty is Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the bomb blasts in Mumbai.

First explode the bombs,shed crocodile tears and send sympathy messages. Is it from one corrupt government to another.When is the next meeting between S.M.Krishna and Malik leading to meeting of Mr.Singh with Mr.Gilani leading to meeting of meetings.There will be lavish dinners,hand shakes and plenty of good will which both of them know it is fake.System must be change to stop internal terrorist who do corruption and external terrorist who do bomb blast.Despite the intelligence wing having 2000 men, there was no advance information about the bomb blasts.This highlights the fact that the loopholes in the system remain despite promises of intelligence revamp after the Mumbai attacks of 26/11.


Government cannot hang Kasab and Afjal Guru. The culprits are still free despite they have been in jail for a long time. Our government should punish them immediately to send a message .even intelligence failure corruption and terrorism are the major consern for the hour !

Experts say a strategic input was available with the intelligence and security agencies that crowded areas in the Metros could be targeted by terror groups.

पटना में तमकुआ से प्रकाश की ओर.......

पटना से बाहर निकलते ही मानो बिहार अंधेरे में डूब जाता था. रात को तो ज़िंदगी पूरी तरह ठहर जाती थी. ऐसे में तय किया कि मैं इस इलाके के लिए ऊर्जा के क्षेत्र में काम करूंगा.

पहले गांवभर में लोग आठ बजते-बजते सो जाते थे. रात को सांप-बिच्छु का डर रहता था और चोरियां भी हो जाती थीं. बिजली आने के बाद ऐसा नहीं होता. अब हमें तेल खत्म होने पर पढ़ाई रोकने का गर भी नहीं है. हम जब चाहे पढ़ सकते हैं.

हरेश, छात्र एवं स्थानीय निवासी

अंधकार में डूबे इन गांव और कस्बों तक रोशनी पहुंचाने के लिए मैंने अपने कुछ साथियों से भी बातचीत की और मेरे साथ जुड़े स्कूल के दिनों के मेरे साथी ग्यानेश पांडेय.

हम लोगों को एक ऐसी तकनीक की तलाश थी जो सस्ती हो, किफ़ायती हो और गांव की व्यवस्था से मेल खाए.

हमने बिजली बनाने और उसके लिए 'बायोमास गैसिफ़िकेशन' की तकनीक का इस्तेमाल करने का फ़ैसला किया.

ये एक ऐसी तकनीक है जिसमें ईंधन के तौर पर बायोमास का इस्तेमाल किया जाता है और उससे पैदा हुई गैस को जलाकर बिजली बनाई जा सकती है.

ये इलाका धान की खेती के लिए मशहूर है और खेती के बाद कचरे के रुप में धान की भूसी इस इलाके में बहुतायत में मौजूद थी.

ऐसे में हमने ईंधन के तौर पर धान की भूसी का ही इस्तेमाल करने का फ़ैसला किया. हमने अपनी इस परियोजना को ‘हस्क पावर सिस्टम्स’ का नाम दिया.

लालटेन और ढिबरी की रोशनी में जी रहे गांववालों को एकाएक इस नए तरीके पर विश्वास नहीं हुआ, लेकिन आधी से भी कम कीमत पर मिल रही बिजली की सुविधा को वो ज़्यादा दिन तक नकार नहीं सके.

आमतौर पर गांव में हर घर दो से तीन घंटे लालटेन या ढिबरी जलाने के लिए कैरोसीन तेल पर 120 से 150 रुपए खर्च करता है.

ऐसे में ‘हस्क पावर सिस्टम्स’ के ज़रिए हमने गांववालों को 100 रुपए महीना पर छह घंटे रोज़ के लिए दो सीएफएल जलाने की सुविधा दी

आखिरकार साल 2007 को ‘हस्क पावर सिस्टम्स’ की पहली कोशिश क़ामयाब हुई. हमने बिहार के ‘तमकुआ’ गांव में धान की भूसी से बिजली पैदा करने का पहला प्लांट लगया और गांव तक रौशनी पहुंचाई.

संयोग से ‘तमकुआ’ का मतलब होता है 'अंधकार भरा कोहरा' और इस तरह 15 अगस्त 2007 को भारत की आज़ादी की 60वीं वर्षगांठ पर हमने ‘तमकुआ’ को उसके अंधेरे से आज़ादी दिलाई.

कचरे से बिजली.

भारत में सिर्फ धान के भूसे से 27 गीगा-वॉट बिजली उत्पन्न करने की क्षमता है. उड़ीसा, बिहार, पश्चिम बंगाल जैसे कई राज्यों में बड़े स्तर पर धान की खेती होती है और कचरे के रुप में धान की भूसी निकलती है. इन सभी राज्यों मे इसका इस्तेमाल बिजली बनाने के लिए किया जा सकता है.

कुलमिलाकर अपनी इस कोशिश के ज़रिए हमने गांव में बहुतायत में मौजूद एक बेकार सी चीज़ का नायाब इस्तेमाल ढूंढ निकाला.

यही नहीं ईंधन के रुप में इस्तेमाल के बाद बचे भूसे की राख से महिलाएं अगरबत्तियां बनाती हैं और हर दिन का 60 रुपए तक कमा लेती हैं.

साथ ही 'हस्क पावर सिस्टम' के ज़रिए स्थानीय लोगों को रोज़गार भी मिल रहा है क्योंकि प्लांट का सारा काम स्थानीय लोग और गांववाले ही करते हैं.

बिजली ने कई मायने में तमकुआ के लोगों की ज़िंदगी बदल दी है.

छठी कक्षा में पढ़ने वाला हरेश कहता है, ''पहले गांवभर में लोग आठ बजते-बजते सो जाते थे. रात को सांप-बिच्छु का डर रहता था और चोरियां भी हो जाती थीं. बिजली आने के बाद ऐसा नहीं होता. अब हमें तेल खत्म होने पर पढ़ाई रोकने का डर भी नहीं है. हम जब चाहे पढ़ सकते हैं.''

हमारी इस कोशिश को व्यापार और समाजसेवा की एक नायाब कोशिश के रुप में पहचान देने के लिए साल 2011 में हमें 'एशडेन पुरस्कार' से भी नवाज़ा गया.

मेरा और मेरे साथियों का मानना है कि ये बदलाव सिर्फ बिहार तक सीमित नहीं रहना चाहिए.

भारत में सिर्फ धान के भूसे से 27 गीगा-वॉट बिजली उत्पन्न करने की क्षमता है. उड़ीसा, बिहार, पश्चिम बंगाल जैसे कई राज्यों में बड़े स्तर पर धान की खेती होती है और कचरे के रुप में धान की भूसी निकलती है. इन सभी राज्यों मे इसका इस्तेमाल बिजली बनाने के लिए किया जा सकता है.

 लक्ष्य है 'तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय...' यानि अंधकार से प्रकाश की ओर और हम अपनी इस कोशिश को अंधेरे में डूबे भारत के हर गांव तक पहुंचना चाहते हैं.''

Our nation INDIA

{Kindly follow the procedures and respect the National Anthem.}


The world's largest democracy and second most populous country emerged as a major power in the 1990s. It is militarily strong, has major cultural influence and a fast-growing and powerful economy.

The vast and diverse Indian sub-continent - from the mountainous Afghan frontier to the jungles of Burma - was under foreign rule from the early 1800s until the demise of the British Raj in 1947.

A nuclear-armed state, it carried out tests in the 1970s and again in the 1990s in defiance of world opinion. However, India is still tackling huge social, economic and environmental problems.

The subsequent partition of the sub-continent - into present-day India and Pakistan - sowed the seeds for future conflict. There have been three wars between India and its arch-rival Pakistan since 1947, two of them over the disputed territory of Kashmir.

With its many languages, cultures and religions, India is highly diverse. This is also reflected in its federal political system,   

 whereby power is shared between the central government and 28 states.

A peace process, which started in 2004, stayed on track despite tension over Kashmir and several high-profile bombings until the Mumbai attacks of November 2008

various measures have been introduced to empower disadvantaged groups and give them easier access to opportunities - such as education and work.

However, communal, caste and regional tensions continue to haunt Indian politics, sometimes threatening its long-standing democratic and secular ethos.

Poverty alleviation and literacy campaigns are ongoing.

Our country at a Glance

Full name: Republic of India

Population: 1.2 billion (UN, 2010)

Capital: New Delhi

Most-populated city: Mumbai (Bombay)

Area: 3.1 million sq km (1.2 million sq miles), excluding Indian-administered Kashmir (100,569 sq km/38,830 sq miles)

Major languages: Hindi, English and at least 16 other official languages

Major religions: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism

Life expectancy: 64 years (men), 67 years (women) (UN)

Monetary unit: 1 Indian Rupee = 100 paise

Main exports: Agricultural products, textile goods, gems and jewellery, software services and technology, engineering goods, chemicals, leather products

GNI per capita: US $1180 (World Bank, 2009)

Internet domain: .in

International dialling code: +91

President: Pratibha Patil from July 2007

Prime minister: Manmohan Singh from May 2004.

The Hindua Suraj

Titles of Mewar Chiefs : descent from the Sun. These are 
styled Ranas, and are the elder branch of the Suryavansi, or 
' children of the sun.' Another patronymic is Raghuvansi, 
derived from a predecessor of Rama, the focal point of each scion 
of the solar race. To him, the conqueror of Lanka, the genea- 
logists endeavour to trace the solar lines. The titles of many of 
these claimants are disputed ; but the Hindu tribes yield unani- 
mous suffrage to the prince of Mewar as the legitimate heir to 
the throne of Rama, and style him Hindua Suraj, or ' Sun of the 
Hindus.' He is universally allowed to be the first of the ' thirty- 
six royal tribes ' ; nor has a doubt ever been raised respecting 
his purity of descent. Many of these tribes ' have been swept 
away by time ; and the genealogist, who abhors a vacuum in his 
mystic page, fills up their place with others, mere scions of some 
ancient but forgotten stem. 

name was Kausalya.^ The first royal emigrant from tlie north

The country of which Ayodhya (now Oudh) was the capital, 
and Rama monarch, is termed, in the geographical writings of the 
Hindus, Kosala ; doubtless from the mother of Rama, whose

is styled, in the Rana's archives, Kosala-putra, ' son of Kosala.' 

Rama had two sons, Lava and Kusa : 
from the former the Rana's family claim descent. He is stated 
to have built Lahore, the ancient Lohkot ; and the branch from 
which the princes of Mewar are descended resided there until 
Kanaksen emigrated to Dwarka. The difficulty of tracing these 
races through a long period of years is greatly increased by the 
custom of changing the appellation of the tribe, from conquest, 
locality, or personal celebrity. Sen seems to have been the 
martial termination for many generations : this was followed by 
Dit, or Aditya, a term for the ' sun.' The first change in the 
name of the tribe was on their expulsion from Saurashtra, when 
for the generic term of Suryavansi was substituted the particular 
appellation of Guhilot. This name was maintained till another 
event dispersed the family, and when they settled in Ahar, 
Aharya became the appellative of the branch. This continued 
till loss of territory and new acquisitions once more transferred 
the dynasty to Sesoda.

This descendant of one hundred kings use to shows himself in cloudy weather 
from the surya-gaukhra, or ' balcony of the sun.'from the Udaipur city Palace.