Category Archives: Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

He is different, and yet very special

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

Making an impressive start:Rajeev Rangan turns director with Makan , which has Eldo in the lead.— Photo: By Special Arrangement / The Hindu
Making an impressive start:Rajeev Rangan turns director with Makan , which has Eldo in the lead.— Photo: By Special Arrangement / The Hindu

A special child makes history by featuring in a full-length feature film

A differently abled child will play the lead inMakan: The Kid , a movie directed by actor-singer Rajeev Rangan.

Seventeen-year-old Eldo will don the greasepaint for the venture. “As far as I know, this is the first time in Indian cinema a differently abled child is playing the lead in a feature film,” says Mr. Rangan.

He does not plan the movie as a regular commercial one, but promises that it will be an entertainer.

At the same time, it is an entertainer. “The main objective is to create awareness about the challenges faced by children with Down’s Syndrome,” he says.

In the movie, Eldho plays Varun, the child of theatre artistes John and Bhuvana. The plot revolves around the parents’efforts to help him realise his potential. And, in turn, through him, the parents overcome a difficult phase in their lives.

“Society is not still aware of the fact that all people with Down’s Syndrome need to live full and rewarding lives. Even in the West, with all its material achievements, the awareness has not sunk in.

In Italy, a boy with Down’s Syndrome was recently rejected from a summer school because the staff said he was too difficult to manage. Parents often have negative thoughts after having a baby with Down’s Syndrome. But with most of them, a special relationship develops as the child becomes more responsive,” says Mr. Rangan.

He has been associated with a few schools for children with special needs.

“I have closely watched and interacted with the children. So, I may claim this is a movie straight from the heart,” he says.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by Special Correspondent / Thrissur – June 29th, 2014

90 and golfing strong

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

 
George Varghese celebrated his 90th birthday with the 15th edition of the Kaipattoor tournament. / Photo:S.Gopakumar / The Hindu
George Varghese celebrated his 90th birthday with the 15th edition of the Kaipattoor tournament. / Photo:S.Gopakumar / The Hindu

Golf is still a passion for George Varghese, the oldest member of Kowdiar Golf Club

The nine-hole course at the Golf Club in Kowdiar comes up short in containing George Varghese’s exuberance as he strides across the turf waving his slightly worn-out golf club in the air. After the game, as the 90-year-old man gave a little sprint for the camera, some of his much younger teammates smiled at each other, with a glint of envy in their eyes.

Mr. Varghese, the oldest member of the club here, celebrated his birthday in style on Saturday with the 15th edition of the Kaipattoor tournament, which he started in 2000 as a tribute to the ‘unknown village’ where he was born, Kaipattoor in Pathanamthitta district, in 1924.

All the 50 of them who gathered at the club were wearing the yellow t-shirts designed for the tournament. Mr. Varghese’s was a special one though, with the number 90 stitched at the back. Members, among them retired civil servants and defence personnel, vied with each other to get themselves photographed with the grand old man, whom they affectionately address as ‘uncle.’

“I have been a member of this club since 1986. Four of us have made a team and we play in the afternoons at least four times a week. I have got some great friends from this club,” says Mr. Varghese.

Golf has been a life-long passion for him, even during his stint as the manager of a private firm in Singapore for 40 years.

Since 1952“I became fascinated with golf way back in 1952, as the famed Island Country Club was near my apartment. There were at least 12 international golf clubs in that small city and I became a life-long fan there,” he says.

When he came back to the country in 1986 after retirement, his only consideration was to stay in a place where he could regularly play golf. And so, he settled in Thiruvananthapuram. The golf course here is peculiar in that there are no carts to ferry you to the spot for the next shot. Mr. Varghese walks all the distance, as fast as the younger ones.

“One of my memories of ‘uncle’ is of the day when we were playing at Ootty recently. The golf course is reached by a steep climb and we had ridden up on our cars. Only he was missing from the crowd. After some time we heard loud cheers from the crowd and saw him walking up after parking the car downhill,” says John Thomas, Captain of the club here.

A member of the Golf Addicts Society of Southern India, Mr. Varghese speaks softly but hits the ball with all the force he could muster.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by S. R. Praveen / Thiruvananthapuram – June 08th, 2014

A Tree-loving Ascetic’s Efforts Give Birth to Eden on a Hilltop

Agriculture, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives & Environment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nature

Thiruvananthapuram : 

Living the life of an ascetic is not that easy. But for P Gopalakrishna Swami, who started the Jyothipeetom Ashram on the Thirichittapara hilltop at Thannimoodu near Nedumangadu, life has been a series of challenges for the last 33 years. One may not find anything to be excited about the ascetic in him but his hard work in developing the rocky hilltop into a garden of rare species of trees would leave anyone wonderstruck with admiration for the 78-year-old man.

The real wonder remains with his selection of rare species of trees and medicinal plants. ‘Athi’, ‘Ithi’, ‘Kunthirikkam’, ‘Veppu’, ‘Aryaveppu’, ‘Njara’, Bamboo, ‘Karpooram’, ‘Sampranimaram’, ‘Njaval’, ‘Elanji’, ‘Erukku’, ‘Plassu’, ‘Vellanochi’, ‘Kadukka’, ‘Nelli’, ‘Pulinchi’, ‘Garudakodi’, ‘Parpadakamaram’, ‘Nagagandhi’, ‘Punna’ are some of the exotic species forming the lush green cover on a major part of the rock. Sandalwood, red sandalwood, ‘Neelakadampu’, ‘Arassu’, ‘Kallarassu’, ‘Kattikodi’ (the plantwhich dilutes water), ‘Kallal’ and even foreign plants like African cherry and ‘Rudrakasha’ have been grown at the site. Scores of other medicinal and fruit trees offer food to the monkeys that inhabit the area and keep the tree-lover company. “I purchased one acre of land on the hilltop and a pond was made to store rainwater. Over 150 loads of rock were used to level one side of the terrain and two to five feet of earth was spread over the entire area to prepare the ground,” he recollects. Around 16 years ago, a Hanuman temple was also constructed at the site.

As the rocky hilltop was not conducive to growing even common garden plants, his effort was to develop a layer of earth on the rock surface to allow the tree saplings to sprout roots and hold firm against the whistling winds on the hilltop.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by N V Ravindranathan Nair / June 05th, 2014

Special Machine for Pokkali Farming Launched

Agriculture, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives & Environment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nature

S Sarma MLA inaugurating the land preparation machine suitable for Pokkali wetlands at a function organised by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra near Edavanakkad, Kochi, on Tuesday | express
S Sarma MLA inaugurating the land preparation machine suitable for Pokkali wetlands at a function organised by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra near Edavanakkad, Kochi, on Tuesday | express

Kochi  :

The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) of CMFRI here has launched a land preparation machine suitable for pokkali wetlands.

Inaugurating the launch ceremony near Edavanakkad on Tuesday, S Sharma MLA said that mechanisation of pokkali fields is the need of the hour for the existence of this traditional organic farming system.

According to the KVK, the machine will be great for sustainable pokkali farming, as skilled labourers are not available in many places and this will reduce the expense.

The field capacity of the mini tiller is 1.5 acres in eight hours at a cost of `2,500.

Whereas 15 labourers are required to cover this much area in the same time for a cost of `12,000.

A group of 15 Kudumbasree women from each block panchayat, where pokkali farming exists, will be trained and developed into mechanised pokkali task force.

The KVK has already received funding from the Mahila Kisan Sahshaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) through district Kudumbasree Mission for this initiative.

The KVK had conducted extensive scientific studies on the performance of the machine, popularly known as garden tiller or mini tiller, earlier this month in different pokkali fields.

This 60 kg, 5.5 HP machine requires field dry to the extent that a person can walk over the field without sinking into it.

Most of the pokkali fields would get dry to this extent naturally if the previous shrimp farms are vacated in time to facilitate draining of water during the first week of May. However in certain fields, pumping out of water might be required to dry out the field.Programme coordinator Shinoj Subramanian introduced the machine to a group of pokkali farmers and Padasekhara Samiti office-bearers in the presence of grama panchayat ward member Sajith, technical experts from KVK Pushparaj Anjelo, P A Vikas and  Agricultural Officer Serine Philip.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kochi  / by   Express News Service  / June 04th, 2014

Lessons in Alzheimer’s care from India

Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Science & Technology, World Opinion

A team from Dubai with inmates at the Alzheimer's Centre in the city. / Photo: Vipin Chandran / The Hindu
A team from Dubai with inmates at the Alzheimer’s Centre in the city. / Photo: Vipin Chandran / The Hindu

The Indian model in Alzheimer’s disease care has attracted attention and is going on to become a model to be followed by other countries.

A three-member delegation from Dubai was here recently to learn from the Indian experience of care-giving for Alzheimer’s patients.

The disease affects the memory of the patient and caring for the person becomes an emotional trauma for the family. The disease is more prevalent among the ageing population.

The Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI), over the last 20 years, has created a model for many others to follow. Learning from the ARDSI model, the Dubai health authority under the Dubai government has evinced interest in implementing programmes for the care of elderly.

“We have only begun the programme last year”, said Salwa Abdulla Alsuwaidi, director and specialist senior registrar (Geriatrics). “We have a very limited programme in geriatric care, but we want to expand it on a model that suits our culture,” she said. “Families take care of the elderly like in India whereas elderly care in the West is institutionalised,” she added. A support group for Alzheimer’s disease has been formed and through this group the government plans to educate people on how to handle patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

According to Dr. Alsuwaidi, the caregiver training programme being run by the ARDSI could be replicated in Dubai. The programme devised by the ARDSI equips caregivers with skills to handle patients.

Though the elderly in Dubai make only about 5 per cent of the population, the demographics indicate a rise in the population of the elderly to 19 per cent by 2050. Life expectancy has gone up to 77 years for females and 74 years to males. The Dubai government was proactive in learning about the needs of the future, she said.

The ARDSI was doing a lot of community research from which lessons could be learnt, said Mohammed Elnoamani, head of the medical department, Dubai Community Centre for the Elderly.

Jacob K. Roy, chairman of the Alzhiemer’s Disease International (ADI), told The Hindu that the exchange between the two countries was an initiative of the ADI and the initiative was bringing several countries together.

source:  http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Shyama Rajagopal / Kochi – May 31st, 2014

I am… Radhika M, Kalaripayattu Instructor

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

Radhika M, Kalaripayattu instructor in action / Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup / The Hindu
Radhika M, Kalaripayattu instructor in action / Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup / The Hindu

“I come from a family actively into Kalaripayattu, so my lessons began early. My father, Swami Gurukkal of the Hindustan Kalari Sangam, introduced me to this art. I don’t remember exactly, but I must have been around seven years of age when I began my lessons. Classes would begin by six in the morning and go on for an hour. On some weekends, father would make us practise till noon.

While initially, I learnt Kalaripayatty because it was part of my routine, I grew attached to it as I grew older. The more deeply I got involved, the more I learnt and the more I grew to love it. For me, Kalaripayattu is spiritual. It may be perceived as a martial art, but for me, the fight happens within. The battle is to keep the mind under control and to stay in good health. The annihilation is of enemies within. But it is years of research and involvement with the form that has led me to this realisation. When you stand on the shore, you see only the waves. But one has to swim in the sea for it to reveal its treasures to you. It works similarly for Kalaripayattu.

Classes at the sangam begin at 6 a.m. and I am in the kalari for three to four hours a day. Over the years, I have seen changes. When I was young and learning Kalaripayattu, there were only couple of girls in the kalari. Now, we have about 35. Increased health awareness is drawing many to the kalari.

It takes a lifetime to have a wholesome knowledge of Kalaripayattu. There are four different stages to learning it — Meipayattu, Kolthari, Angathari and Verum kai prayogam. As someone who started young, I went through these stages while growing up. It will take a student at least 15 months to master each stage. In Kalaripayattu, one has to practise what one has learnt so far each day. One begins withvalathu-nere (the right leg up movement) and for every session thereafter, we begin with thevalathunere and go through all the movements learnt thus far. This regimented, dedicated practice brings perfection. Since I started young, I never experienced fear, nor did any movement appear daunting. When I do the sword movements, others get apprehensive. But for me, it is something that I have done every day of my life.

Apart from teaching, another important area is treatment. I was taught the finer aspects of kalari treatment by my father and now I am actively into it. People come to us mostly with bone and joint problems. They come from abroad too, curious to know about Kalaripayattu. We also receive a lot of theatre students who are keen to adapt kalari movements into theatre.

I believe Kalaripayattu is performed to arouse interest in people and lure them to this spiritual form. So I don’t consider it exactly a performance-art. But even if one takes it so, the avenues for performance in Kerala are few. It is better outside Kerala. Whenever I have demonstrated outside Kerala, people, especially women, come and tell me how proud they felt to watch me perform.”

A column on the men and women who make Kozhikode what it is.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Society / as told to  P.  Anima / Kozhikode –  May,  30th, 2014

 

‘Capt Krishnan Nair Model to Younger Generation’

Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Travel

Thiruvananthapuram :

Capt Krishnan Nair, the founder chairman of the Leela Group of Hotels who passed away last Saturday, was remembered here on Friday as an enterprising businessman, a successful Malayali and a multi-faceted individual whose interests ranged from subjects as surprisingly diverse as gardening to international diplomacy.

‘’I see him as a amazing man who created a success story with his own labour. He is a model to the younger generation,’’ Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who inaugurated a commemoration organised by Global Kerala Initiative-Keraleeyam, said.

“He had a vision on Kerala’s development. And he was angry when it did not materliase. Age-wise he was older than many of us. But he interacted with everyone as a friend,’’ Chandy recalled.

Former Ambassador T P Sreenivasan’s first meet with the industrialist was in Fiji during his tenure there. He remembered Krishnan Nair’s avid interest in international matters. ‘’He was there for a week. He apparently had heard about the Regent Resort there and wanted his upcoming hotel in Goa to look like it. I don’t know how he had heard about the Regent,’’ Sreenivasan, who is vice-chairman of the State Higher Education Council and chairs the advisory committee of Keraleeyam, said.

‘’And his knowledge about that small nation was so extraordinary that a Fijian official asked whether he was ‘from your CIA?’’’

‘’In his book he has written how international diplomacy should be conducted. He had a global vision,’’ Sreenivasan said.  Chief Secretary E K Bharat Bhushan recalled Krishnan Nair’s tussle with the State Government over the Halcyon Castle, the industrialist’s interest in gardening and his early days promoting ‘Bleeding Madras,’ the handloom brand. ‘’He was also a keen admirer of V P Menon,’’ Bharat Bhushan said.

Journalist K P Mohanan related how Krishnan Nair, as a young school boy, surprised the then Chirackal ruler with a short verse who then promised to support his education.

E M Najeeb, chairman, Indian Association of Tour Operators, Kerala chapter, also spoke.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by Express News Service / May 24th, 2014

Cinderella story makes govt girls school envy of Kerala

Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nri's / Pio's

SUMMARY

The PRISM concept was shared with Prof Saji Gopinath of IIM-Kozhikode.
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A government girls school in Kerala,patronised mostly by students from poor families seeking free education,has established excellent standards and become the envy of other institutions in the state,thanks to an unlikely group of benefactors — a CPM MLA,a Dubai-based NRI businessman,IIM-Kozhikode,ISRO and Infosys.

From the days of weather-beaten buildings and less than a dozen toilets for 2,300 girls,the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School in Nadakkavu in Kozhikode has seen its student strength rise and is aiming to become one of the 10 best schools in the country while several government schools in Kerala have either closed down or been categorised unviable after students preferred private institutions.

The transformation has its roots in a programme called Promote Regional Schools to International Standards through Multiple Intervention (PRISM) launched by Kozhikode’s CPM MLA Pradeep Kumar.

“Since I became a legislator in 2006,parents in my constituency were seeking my recommendation for their children’s admission in leading private schools in the city. This forced me to think about improving facilities at government schools,which have the best teachers recruited on merit basis. If IIMs and IITs are the best in their categories,why can’t a government school excel,’’ Kumar said.

While the MLA has given the school Rs 5.5 crore from his local area development fund since 2008,Dubai-based businessman K E Faizal,through his Faizal and Shabana Foundation,has donated Rs 15 crore to modernise infrastructure.

Together,the funds helped develop state-of-the-art school buildings – including a new block built under the guidance of Scottish architect William Cooper – an indoor stadium with three basketball courts,hockey ground with astro turf,football and badminton courts,a dining hall with 2,000 seating capacity,atrium,gymnasium,heritage zone,science lab and a library with 25,000 books.

The PRISM concept was shared with Prof Saji Gopinath of IIM-Kozhikode,who roped in a social service group of the institute to prepare a project report. Subsequently,the state education department recognised PRISM as a model project for the overall development of government schools.

ISRO was approached for support when Madhavan Nair was its chairman. It constructed four science labs which are on par with any college. Infosys pitched in with 150 computers.

The academic and infrastructure developments have attracted more students,with student strength jumping to 2,300 from 1,800 from classes 5 to 12 this academic year.

“Ninety-five per cent students hail from the most backward families in the city. There are students who are subjected to torture by their drunken fathers. They do not have a peaceful atmosphere to study at home. Some don’t have basic furniture to do home work. We have even thought about constructing a dormitory so that these deprived girls can stay in school during their exams,” said principal Been Philip.

The PRISM project has boosted the confidence of teacher and students. We are looking for cent per cent result in school exams,” he added.

Although the school is expected to face a rush for admission in the next academic year,MLA Kumar said it has been decided to give preference to students from government lower primary schools over those from unaided private schools.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> News-Archive> Web / by Shaju Philip / Thiruvananthapuram / December 31st, 2014

Clearing all hurdles with determination

Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

 
Akhila B. S
Akhila B. S

She never applied for a medical certificate qualifying her for grace marks or extra time.

“I was told several times that I should do so since I am eligible. But I wanted the examination score to reflect only my work,” said Akhila B.S., a student who scored 1,191 marks, just nine short of the perfect 1,200 score for the higher secondary examinations.

The 18-year-old seemed mildly confused by all the attention she had been getting since Tuesday, when the results were announced.

Her score, 99.25 per cent, becomes a more admirable feat considering the fact that she is physically challenged.

A student of St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School, Pattom, Akhila lost her right arm when she was in kindergarten.

But that should have no bearing on the rest of my life, she says.

“I was very young when the accident happened, so it’s not like I had to relearn how to write with my left hand. It was a long time ago and I became self-sufficient in a while,” she says, almost dismissive of what she has managed to achieve.

There is a conviction that shines through her personality and is even reflected in the choices she has made about her higher studies.

She wants to become a civil servant and to get there, she felt that the five-year long humanities course offered by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras is ideal.

It was a deliberate choice to do science courses till the end of the school, she says.

“For one, I love Physics and I enjoy studying it. But more importantly, I felt it was important to have a base in science for it will help you think more logically,” she said.

source:  http://www.thehindu / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram  / by Staff Reporter  /  Thiruvananthapuram  – May 15th, 2014

Caring Hearts

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

CaringHeartsTF16may2014

Kochi  :

They are 30 in number. Compassion unites these like-minded people. With their inexhaustible love for mankind, the members of the Yuvadhara Arts and Sports Club, Kottooli, Kozhikode, have been rendering selfless service to the deserted people around them, quenching their thirst and hunger, for the past 16 years.

“We believe in the philosophy  ‘service to the poor is the best prayer to god.’ Even now, lots of people in our country are starving to death. If we are not in a position to understand the plight of those who are starving outside, and are not willing to extend our ‘sympathetic ears’ to the woes of the orphaned fellow beings around us, we are not worthy to be called human beings,” says club secretary Pramod K V.

He also says that as many as 200 residents in Kottooli are benign enough to extend their helping hand to the club members in their effort to serve the hapless.

Since its inception in 1998, the organisation has been witnessing a rapid flow of philanthropists from various parts of the district to offer their benevolent service.

“It’s really agonising to see that the vagabonds do not seem to have even one square meal or a roof over their head. Most of them sleep on the pavements of streets in complete vulnerability, especially the women among them. And never can we forget certain moments when they receive food packets from our hands with moistened eyes,” says club president K Vijesh, with an air of contentment. He also adds that the members of the club have become exemplary models for other people in Kottooli, which can be imbibed by the upcoming generations too.

It was in 2000 that the late Kozhikode Zamorin P K S Raja and the former Abbot of the CSI Church, Reverent Jose Peter, made a visit to Kottooli to meet the club members.

“As far as the club members were concerned, the day was really eventful. The Zamorin held the hands of each one of us and whole-heartedly thanked us for making him realise the pathetic condition of some of his subjects and also promised that he would extend his maximum help for the protection of the orphaned lives. Later, he seemed highly elated while taking the inmates of the Kottooli old age home out to the nearby beach for an evening walk conducted by the club,” says Bagyaraj, one of the club members.

He also says that the club is now looking forward to offering an ambulance by the name ‘Janakiya Ambulance’ to the residents of Kottooli with the intention of providing immediate medical facilities to them.

Apart from offering food to street-dwellers, the club has also organised various campaigns against pan masalas and also for the protection of widows in Kottooli.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Vimal Govind / May 16th, 2014