Category Archives: Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

A brand ambassador for palliative care

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Science & Technology

Wheelchair-bound Baby Fatima is the inspiration behind Saira of 'Bangalore Days'. Insert : Fathima with Parvathy (R)
Wheelchair-bound Baby Fatima is the inspiration behind Saira of ‘Bangalore Days’. Insert : Fathima with Parvathy (R)

Remember Saira of ‘Bangalore Days’? The character of Saira, who vanquishes the handicaps of the body using sheer willpower, is based on a real life character who caught Anjali Menon’s attention at a ward in the Kozhikode Medical College. Baby Fatima, a wheelchair-bound young girl who went to each patient, made them smile and consoled them, was the real life inspiration behind Saira.

Baby Fatima, like Saira, is also fast becoming a rage in the campuses. Fatima is visiting campuses to garner support of the students for the palliative care work in connection with the ‘Becoz I Care’ campaign jointly conducted by the Institute of Palliative Medicine and Students in Palliative Care.

Even though not a radio jockey like Saira in ‘Bangalore Days’, Fatima, too, has the gift of gab. The palliative care workers contend that once Fatima speak a few words to them, any patient will be able to forget their woes. Ask Fatima how she came to possess such boundless positive energy, and she will wax eloquent about her family and her childhood.

Parvathy (L) with Anjali Menon (R) during the making of the movie, 'Bangalore Days'
Parvathy (L) with Anjali Menon (R) during the making of the movie, ‘Bangalore Days’

 Fatima grew up with her ‘moothumma’ Malappuram Kottappadiyil Kiliyamannil Mumtaz Usman’s family as the pampered lone sister of moothumma’s four sons. It was not as a handicapped child that the family treated her. Having been raised in such a way as to instill confidence in her, proved to be her strength, according to Fatima.

Fathima is a second year BSW student now, though she has not gone to school or college for studies. She studied from home. It was as part of the ‘Becoz I Care’ campaign that Fathima had her first glimpse of a campus, giving her immense joy.

BSW was a natural choice for her as social service is her ambition in life. Soon after completing Class 10, Fathima took the lead to meet up with palliative care workers and became part of their activities.

Apart from all these activities, the entrepreneur in Fatima has launched a designer clothes boutique in her own home. Fatima’s muthumma Jamal Ayesha accompanies her to the Medical College every morning, where patients await the girl, who has been a regular presence there for the past five years with a beaming smile and soothing words of care.

Life +ve Becoz I Care campaign is about each student reaching the brochures and registration forms of palliative care to ten households. The goal is to make the kind-hearted souls who are willing to set aside Rs 3 daily (Rs 1000 annually) as members in the ‘Tracks We Live’ project. The palliative care workers will then be able to deliver one time painkillers to one patient at Rs 3. The project aims at alleviating the pain of a patient using one person’s donation.

For registration form visit: www.instituteofpalliativemedicine.org
Phone: 82816 64752

source: http://www.english.manoramaonline.com / OnManorama / Home> Lifestyle> Health / by Kapil Raj / Friday – July 25th, 2014

Manorama’s free heart surgery programme begins

Amazing Feats, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Science & Technology

Representative image
Representative image

Kottayam: 

The first medical check up camp organized by Malayala Manorama as part if its free heart surgery programme, Hridayapoorvam, for 100 needy persons began on Sunday.

The medical examination for people from districts of Thiruvananthapuram to Ernakulam is taking place at a specially arranged camp at Malayala Mnorama office premises here.

More than fifty children with heart-related ailments has already arrived for a check up organised by Malayala Manorama in association with Madras Medical Mission.

The medical camp is conducted by a team of doctors led by Dr. Ajith Mullassery, Director of cardiology department, Madras Medical Mission. Dr. K Shivakumar, head of pediatric cardiology division, Dr. V.M. Kurien, consultant, cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Sreeja Pavithran, Dr. Bharath and Dr. P. Balaji are other team members.

The check up is being conducted in a mobile diagnostic clinic (MDC) with complete diagnostic facilities.

source: http://www.beta.english.manoramaonline.com / Manorama Online / Home> News> Kerala / by Manorama’s Correspondent / Sunday – August 24th, 2014

Scoring music for a noble cause in Kozhikode

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All

Music directors (from left) Jassie Gift, Afzal Yusuf, Rahul Raj, Gopi Sundar, Bijibal, Anil Johnson, and Mejo Joseph at a press conference in Kozhikode on Wednesday. Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup / The Hindu
Music directors (from left) Jassie Gift, Afzal Yusuf, Rahul Raj, Gopi Sundar, Bijibal, Anil Johnson, and Mejo Joseph at a press conference in Kozhikode on Wednesday. Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup / The Hindu

They are performing to raise funds for the Cochin Haneefa Foundation, which helps struggling artists in films. Music directors raising funds for Cochin Haneefa Foundation.

Eight music directors of Malayalam cinema are coming together for high-voltage live shows.

Bijibal, Gopi Sundar, Alphonse, Jassie Gift, Rahul Raj, Afzal Yusuf, Mejo Joseph, and Anil Johnson will kick off the tour at Swapna Nagari here on September 27.

They are performing to raise funds for the Cochin Haneefa Foundation, which helps struggling artists in films. The show, titled Jamgrab, is being organised by the Film Employees Federation of Kerala, the Music Directors Union, and the D Cutz Film Company.

“We are glad that we are beginning the series of shows in Kozhikode,” Mr. Gopi Sundar told presspersons here on Wednesday. “This incidentally is my first ever live show.”

Mr. Rahul Raj said it was great teaming up with fellow composers. “It has been an opportunity for us to know each other,” he said. “I do not think that eight music directors have come together for a show in the country before.”

Leading playback singers will be performing at the show, which will have a sound of 3,00,000 watts.

Film director Shajoon Karyal will direct the show, while Vinod Vijayan and Seven Arts Mohan are the producers.

After Kozhikode, the show will travel to the UAE for a performance in Sharjah on December 19. The ticket sales were inaugurated earlier in the day in Thrissur by actor Mammootty.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kozhikode / by Special Correspondent / Kozhikode – August 21st, 2014

A ray of hope to differently abled

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

Volunteers of Helping Hands Organisation (H2O) along with the children whom the organisation is supporting. / The Hindu
Volunteers of Helping Hands Organisation (H2O) along with the children whom the organisation is supporting. / The Hindu

Charity sets up physiotherapy unit for the poor

A physiotherapy unit that would support differently abled children and the elderly belonging to financially backward families was launched by Helping Hands Organisation (H2O) at Karyavattom here on Monday.

The unit will be set up at the H2O Rehabilitation and Facilitation Centre launched in 2013, primarily to screen children below the age of 10 for autism and to provide check-up and treatment facilities for them.

The unit will initially cater to 64 elderly persons and 54 children who have already registered with the organisation, besides physically challenged persons in and around Karyavattom.

Earlier this year, H2O had organised an event for them at the Museum grounds. The event, ‘Pratheeksha – Ray of Hope,’ saw the distribution of stationary and other study material to over 100 children.

The new unit will strive to rehabilitate the children. Toys, play area and other material have been provided at the unit to coax the best out of the autistic children.

This is in addition to medical care being provided by the centre.

The inauguration of the physiotherapy unit coincides with the launch of Safe Physio, a software developed by Technopark-based company Safesource Systems and Data Services (SDS). Described as a management tool for physiotherapists, this single digital platform will cover details about the patient, clinical treatment and financial management.

SDS is handing over the software free of cost to H2O, who will be able to keep track of the increasing number of patients affiliated to them more efficiently.

Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar inaugurated the unit.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Kaavya Pradeep Kumar / Thiruvananthapuram – August 12th, 2014

Kick-starting ‘Lady Freedom’

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

On Sunday, brand new scooters will be delivered to 1,000 women under a ‘mass bank loan’ scheme of the Calicut City Service Cooperative Bank. The initiative, titled ‘Lady Freedom,’ is part of a ‘women empowerment’ programme conceived in connection with the Independence Day celebrations,

The loan scheme with a reduced interest rate (11 per cent) was introduced by the bank in collaboration with the authorised dealer of a major two-wheeler company in the city, said bank chairman C.N. Vijayakrishnan at a press meet here on Thursday. “A sum of up to Rs.50,000 is being given as credit by the bank which will be repaid by the borrowers in 30 monthly instalments,” said Mr. Vijayakrishnan.

The borrowers had made a down payment of Rs.2,225 and produced one person as guarantor. The vehicles will be distributed at a public function at the Zamorin School grounds at Chalappuram in the city at 10 a.m. on August 17. Mayor A.K. Premajam will inaugurate the programme.

District panchayat president K. Jameela will inaugurate the distribution of free helmets to all the women. Cooperative Society registrar S. Lalithambika will hand over the first key. Mr. Vijayakrishnan said around 15,000 women had registered for the loan scheme. “The scheme will be made available to the rest of the applicants as well in the coming weeks,” he said.

Following the “overwhelming” response to the scheme, the bank had decided to launch a car loan scheme for women in the coming days, said the bank chairman. “Up to Rs.5 lakh will be given in loan as per the scheme,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kozhikode  / Staff Reporter / Kozhikode  – August 15th, 2014

A lone woman’s crusade against the sand mafia

Amazing Feats, Green Initiatives & Environment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nature

Jazeera along with her children protesting in front of the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram. Photo: Kaavya Pradeep Kumar / The Hindu
Jazeera along with her children protesting in front of the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram. Photo: Kaavya Pradeep Kumar / The Hindu

Jazeera is on a silent campaign, in defence of the Neerozhukkumchal beach in Kannur

The so-called sand mafia of a little taluk in Kannur rues the day Jazeera returned home. Dismissed as an insignificant voice of protest against the rampant exploitation of a stretch of shoreline near Pazhayangadi town, this woman has soon come to be known as a force to be reckoned with. All the way from the northern district of Kannur, she has brought her silent campaign to the State capital, as she sits in front of the Secretariat with her three children — protesting without loud sloganeering or politically coloured flags or leaflets.

Entering the fifth day, Jazeera’s protest has thus far been eclipsed by a far more populous Left protest.

Now that they have left, the presence of this family has become more conspicuous, leading the Chief Minister to meet them briefly on Monday afternoon on the issue of sand-mining in her hometown. For Jazeera, the cause is intensely personal, as the Neerozhukkumchal beach is the canvas all her childhood memories are painted upon.

She is an autorickshaw driver, a profession she has struggled to be part of, in a conservative society. She does not let herself to be affected by such taboos and continued working until after her marriage in 2004, when she moved to Kottayam with her husband.

She has found the new district far more accepting. It was only one and a half years ago, when she returned home during the final month of her third pregnancy, did she see to her shock the daylight robbery of a natural landscape.

Countless visits to the Kannur collectorate and police stations have proved futile.

And for the past one and a half years, her silent protest has involved a sit-in, along with her daughters Rizwana, Shifana and her son Mohammed. The two girls, aged 12 and 10, know everything about the case and have flanked their mother every step. Her husband, Abdul Salaam, is a teacher at a madrasa in Kochi.

While he has not been a visible part of Jazeera’s protest, his support, despite pressure various quarters, has been a huge boon for her.

She is clear about her objective despite the obstacles strewn before her in terms of muscle and money power. Even the police, she says, have pleaded with her to give up. “Their greed is despicable. In broad daylight they commit this heinous crime of emptying our lands, oblivious to the fact that there are so many creatures that depend on it. The sudden depth of water is dangerous as well,” she says.

She is glad to have met the Chief Minister personally and she said he assured her that he would ensure that the vehicles carting away the sand would be immediately dealt with.

She will leave once she obtains something in print promising a complete halt of the activities.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Kerala / by Kaavya Pradeep Kumar / Thiruvananthapuram – August 08th, 2013

3 Keralites for Mission Palliative Care in Rural West Bengal

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Science & Technology

Kozhikode :

Three Keralite Civil Service officers would soon add a new chapter in palliative care in rural West Bengal, inspired by similar initiative in their home state.

‘Sanjeevani’, an end-of-life care project to be launched in September in the Nadia district of WB, is the brain child of IAS officers P B Salim and Bijin Krishna and Amarnath, an IPS officer. The project has been conceptualised by the Kozhikode based Institute of Palliative Medicine (IPM), the training, research and outreach arm of Pain and Palliative Care Society, which pioneered community volunteering in end-of-life care.

Salim, hailing from Muvattupuzha, is currently working as the District Magistrate of Nadia while Amarnath, a native of Moozhikkal in Kozhikode, is the ASP of South 24 Parganas. Bijin from Meppayur in Kozhikode is the Assistant Collector of Murshidabad district. “Both Amarnath and Salim had associated with IPM years ago. Salim suggested starting a palliative care programme in West Bengal. He along with Amarnath then approached me. Later, Bijin also extended support to the initiative,” said Dr Suresh, director of IPM, which provides technical support for the project.

According to Salim, Sanjeevani is aimed at improving the quality of life of the terminally ill in Nadia.

“The project intends to introduce a new culture of providing care for the bed-ridden patients utilising a network of physicians, nurses and volunteers,” he said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by Shafeeq Alingal / July 25th, 2014

As she turns 100, nurse takes a walk down time

Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All, Science & Technology

Chennai :

With a rusty trunk in hand and a plethora of instructions in mind, Anna Jacob boarded SS Franconia from Bombay to Liverpool to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. “It was 1947. There were 3,500 passengers on board, and most of them were Britons returning home,” says Jacob, 67 years later.

The journey lasted three weeks. “There was a badminton court, a swimming pool, a live band. Many of them were upbeat as they all were returning home at last,” says Jacob, her face breaking into a wrinkled smile.

Jacob, who will turn 100 this month-end, was among the first batch of students who completed the higher grade nursing course from Christian Medical College, Vellore, in 1936. In the city to attend the centenary celebration of Women’s Christian College, where she did an intermediate course in 1946, she recounts her days with Dr Ida Scudder, founder of CMC, and Vera Pitman, her nursing tutor.

Jacob, fondly called Annamma by her family and friends, surprises people with her sharp memory. “I still remember the day Miss Pitman came to our school in Tiruvalla, Kerala,” she recalls. “She was really tall and graceful, but what drew people to her was her passion for what she did — nursing. Fifteen minutes into her talk on the need for dedicated nurses in the country, I had already made up my mind to join her team in Vellore.”

Her family members were aghast as “Nursing was looked down at that time. No woman from a good family would get into the profession.” When I broke the news to my family that I was moving to Vellore, they were aghast. News spread fast and my father received condolence letters,” said Jacob, who was the third among five sisters. Undeterred, she went on to be among the first batch of nine students under Pitman. “It was the best move I made in my life,” says Jacob.

After completing her course three years later, Jacob moved on to work in Delhi, before she got a scholarship in 1947 to do a bachelor’s in Canada. “A month later, I saw myself on board SS Franconia and later made my way from Liverpool to Montreal,” she said. She returned to Vellore two years later, where she was made the Nursing Superintendent. She worked there from 1949 to 1974.

Pitman continued mentoring her through letters from London. “She said it was up to me to now to pass on what I was taught. And that’s what I did and continue doing,” says Jacob, who stays on her own in Vellore and continues mentoring young nurses.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by  Ekatha Ann John, TNN / July 20th, 2014

Where music is only a memory

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

R. Baiju, an alumnus of the Sri Swathi Thirunal College of Music, makes ends meet by driving an autorickshaw. / Photo: Special Arrangement / The Hindu
R. Baiju, an alumnus of the Sri Swathi Thirunal College of Music, makes ends meet by driving an autorickshaw. / Photo: Special Arrangement / The Hindu

This is all the music that there is in Baiju’s life these days. It was not so, in 1997.

When R. Baiju goes on long drives, he listens to old Malayalam film songs, particularly those sung by Yesudas. Often, he hums along and when he does, a wistful smile plays on his lips. This is all the music that there is in Baiju’s life these days. It was not so, in 1997.

Back then Baiju’s days used to be filled with the lilting notes of Thodi, Mayamalava Goula or Kaappi. Back then Baiju was one in a class of 20, aiming for a Gaana Bhooshanam qualification from the Sri Swathi Thirunal College of Music.

“All the others had some previous knowledge of Carnatic music. I had only a burning passion for the same,” says Baiju, whose house at Onaampaara, near Peoroorkada, did not have a burning light when he was a student. So, writing only the second year examinations and after completing the four-year course he bid goodbye to the ‘thampura’. He keeps in touch with only one batchmate of his, and that person now works as a clerk at a medical college in the city.

Baiju is but one of the many college alumni for whom music did not become a vocation or a way of life. There are many college alumni who work as government clerks, in private firms, as entrepreneurs.

“Even as a child I used to love riding the bicycle. So it is that I became a newspaper delivery boy; something that I continue to this day. I drive an autorickshaw and taxis for a living. But even now, I can’t help thinking one thing: if only I had the opportunity to study some music before going to the music college, I may have been a professional musician now,” he says. “Maybe, one day, music will play a part in my life again.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com /  The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Special Correspondent / Thiruvananthapuram – July 23rd, 2014

Seven, Including Five-yr-old,Selected for Bravery Awards

Amazing Feats, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

Abhaykrishnan, Akhil Biju, Girikrishna, Muneer Mohammed, Shalef Shaji, Subin Mathew and Yadukrishnan
Abhaykrishnan, Akhil Biju, Girikrishna, Muneer Mohammed, Shalef Shaji, Subin Mathew and Yadukrishnan

Thiruvananthapuram :

Seven boys, including a five-year-old who rescued his younger sister from drowning and a sixth standard student whose presence of mind saved the life of his ten-month-old brother, have been selected for the bravery awards instituted by the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare for the year 2013.

The winners are Muneer Mohammed, 14, of Manippuzha, Kottayam; Shalef Shaji, 9, of Panambukad, Ernakulam; Akhil Biju, 9, Subin Mathew, 10, and Yadukrishnan V S, 13 of Erumeli, Kottayam; Girikrishna, 5, of Kumarakom, Kottayam; and Abhaykrishnan, 11, of Kowdiar in Thiruvananthapuram. Social Justice Minister M K Muneer announced the winners here on Thursday.

Muneer Mohammed won the award for saving the life of Immanuel aka Appu, 72, who was grievously injured in a road accident on the Sabarimala route. When motorists ignored the accident victim, Muneer had run to the middle of the road, waved down a vehicle and rushed Immanuel to hospital. This tenth standard student of St Thomas High School, Erumeli, is the son of Mohammed and Aseena of Venkurinji Keecheri Purayidom, Manippuzha.

Shalef Shaji, a fourth standard student, was selected for the award for saving the life of Alna, the four-year-old daughter of Antony, Panambukad Veliyil, who fell into the backwater while playing with her friends. Shalef had jumped in and holding on to the ropes of a stake net, swum up to Alna and rescued her.

Abhaykrishnan, Akhil Biju, Girikrishna, Muneer Mohammed, Shalef Shaji, Subin Mathew and Yadukrishnan
Abhaykrishnan, Akhil Biju, Girikrishna, Muneer Mohammed, Shalef Shaji, Subin Mathew and Yadukrishnan

Shalef is a student of the St Joseph’s LP School, Panambukad.

Akhil Biju, Subin Mathew and Yadukrishnan V S saved Kalimuthu, 39, who got trapped in an eddy while bathing in the river.  Ten-year-old Akhil jumped in first, but he couldn’t get a hold on Kalimuthu. Yadu dived in next and they managed to reach the drowning man. Subin threw them a towel, and grabbing it, the boys managed a miraculous rescue. All three are sons of daily-wage labourers.

Akhil is the son of Biju and Lekha of Kannimala Puthuvelil and is a sixth standard student of St James UP School, Kannimala, Erumeli. Subin, who is his schoolmate, is the son of Mathew and Sheeba of Kattupurachakal House, Kannimala.  Yadukrishnan is the younger son of Sasidharan Nair and Sajini of Vattaparmbil House, and is a ninth standard student of St Joseph’s High School, Kannimala. He is also a recipient of the President’s award for bravery in 2013.

Girikrishna, aged 5, won the award for saving his four-year-old sister Gowri from drowning in a canal near their home. Although he could not swim, he jumped in and dragged young Gowri to the bank. Girikrishna is the son of Satheesh and Babitha of Peedikachira, Kumarakom. He is a first standard student of SKM Public School.

Abhaykrishnan of Kowdiar, Thiruvananthapuram, won the award for saving the life of his ten-month-old brother Adidev.

A huge tree had fallen on to their home in the heavy rain, and their mother, seeing the roof crashing down, tried to shield them with her body. But she collapsed, hit on the head by falling tiles and wood. Abhaykrishnan frantically dragged Adidev and sought cover under a cot.

All three were dragged out of the debris by the neighbours. Abhaykrishnan is the son of Sreenivasan, who is personal assistant to the Chief Secretary, and Sunanda. The award carries Rs 10,000 in cash, a plaque and certificate.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Express News Service / July 11th, 2014