World Rabies Day,28 September 2012-Rabies: Simple Steps Save Lives

World Rabies Day

28 September 2012

World Rabies Day highlights the impact of human and animal rabies and promotes how to prevent and stop the disease by combating it in animals. Sponsors - the Alliance for Rabies Control and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - report that 55 000 people die every year from rabies, an average of one death every 10 minutes. 

There are safe and effective vaccines available for people who have been bitten by an animal that might have the disease, but usage in developing countries is low due to the high cost. 

 It may surprise some people to know that rabies is still "out there" and still very much a threat to animals and humans around the world. Since 2007, September 28th has been designated World Rabies Day to increase awareness and address prevention and control of this fatal disease.

 Rabies Still A Threat

People and animals are infected by the rabies virus and die from rabies each year.

 "Each year around the world, rabies results in more than 55,000 deaths - approximately one death every 10 minutes. Most deaths are reported from Africa and Asia with almost 50% of the victims being children under the age of 15."

What is Rabies or 'hydrophobia' :

 Rabies is a viral disease that causes acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in warm-blooded animals.^[ The disease is zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted from one species to another, such as from dogs to humans, commonly by a bite from an infected animal. For a human, rabies is almost invariably fatal if post exposure prophylaxis is not administered prior to the onset of severe symptoms. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death

The rabies virus travels to the brain by following the peripheral nerves. The incubation period of the disease is usually a few months in humans, depending on the distance the virus must travel to reach the central nervous system.Once the rabies virus reaches the central nervous system and symptoms begin to show, the infection is effectively untreatable and usually fatal within days.

How Rabies is Spread:

Most often, the rabies virus is spread via bite wounds. The virus lives in the saliva of infected animals, and is passed into the tissues of the victim after getting bitten. The virus can also be spread by getting the virus-laden saliva in an open wound, splashed in an eye, or other mucous membrane, such as the mouth. Rabies may be spread between animals and humans, wildlife and pets.

What You Can Do

The first step is to vaccinate your pets. Rabies is a preventable disease, but 100% fatal in unvaccinated animals. Visit the World Rabies Day site for more ways to be involved in promoting rabies awareness and eradication..

 Prevention 

All human cases of rabies were fatal until a vaccine was developed in 1885 by Louis Pasteur and Émile Roux. Their original vaccine was harvested from infected rabbits, from which the virus in the nerve tissue was weakened by allowing it to dry for five to 10 days.Similar nerve tissue-derived vaccines are still used in some countries, as they are much cheaper than modern cell culture vaccines.

The human diploid cell rabies vaccine was started in 1967; a new and less expensive purified chicken embryo cell vaccine and purified vero cell rabies vaccine are now available.A recombinant vaccine called V-RG has been successfully used in Belgium, France, Germany, and the US to prevent outbreaks of rabies in undomesticated animals. Currently, immunization prior to exposure has been used in both human and nonhuman populations, where, as in many jurisdictions, domesticated animals are required to be vaccinated.

In the US, since the widespread vaccination of domestic dogs and cats and the development of effective human vaccines and immunoglobulin treatments, the number of recorded human deaths from rabies has dropped from 100 or more annually in the early 20th century, to one to two per year, mostly caused by bat bites, which may go unnoted by the victim and hence untreated.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Communicable Disease Surveillance 2007 Annual Report states the following can help reduce the risk of exposure to rabies:

• Vaccinating dogs, cats, rabbits, and ferrets against rabies

• Keeping pets under supervision

• Not handling wild animals or strays

• Contacting an animal control officer upon observing a wild animal or a stray, especially if the animal is acting strangely

• Washing the wound with soap and water for 10 to 15 minutes, if bitten by an animal, and contacting a healthcare provider to determine if post exposure prophylaxis is required

September 28 is World Rabies Day, which promotes information on, and prevention and elimination of the disease.

A Bihari boy, Sanat Anand,was honoured with the prestigious Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) Innovation Award for School Children-2011 for his model 'Standalone GPS System' in New Delhi. Sanat's innovation is to remove external dependence from the navigation system,

Sanat's innovation is to remove external dependence from the navigation system, i.e. GPS satellite. His system is based on a more permanent entity, the Earth. It does not require any input from any external medium or device and provides good navigation in even geographically remote areas, shadows, in dense forests and in the sea also. Not only that, while his device could neither be traced nor jammed, it does not require high economic and technological inputs from satellites. Sanat's device uses only rotation of the Earth and magnetic field of the Earth for its operation.

Sanat, the son of senior CISF commandant SK Mohanka posted in Mumbai, was born at Supaul and started his education from St Dominic Savio High School, Patna. He also studied at DAV School, Begusarai, when his father was posted there. Despite changing school six times due to frequent transfer of his father, he maintained academic excellence and got the NCERT's National Talent Search Examination scholarship. He has keen interest in the mysteries of physics and enjoys solving the riddles of mathematics.

On the basis of his invention, a leading school of the US, The Wasatch Academy, had interviewed him at Dehradun and offered him admission to science stream in class XI. The academy has also offered full scholarship, which includes tuition and boarding charges to the tune of $48,000 per annum.

Meanwhile, 11 young scientists were awarded Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize-2012, India's premier awards in the field of science and technology, at a function held in New Delhi on Wednesday, which was presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is also the chairman of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

source:TOI

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like virus Threatens India.India faces an Acute risk of importing the new respiratory virus.

 It is believed to be caused by a new strain of Corona virus - a family of viruses which has been linked to the common cold.

 Close observation against dangerous global pathogens,capable of being brought into India by International Passengers,is low in india.The country has :
                                                 25 Airport.
                                                 12 port and
                                                   7 International land borders
The Health minister agree that increase in the volume of traffic has led to an emergence and re-emergence of a number of deadly diseases of international concern like SARS Swine flu,avian Influenza and Ebola virus diseases.
India plan to have health units in all its airports,ports and land borders.At present,there are 7 Airport Health Organizations (APHOs) functioning at various international airports:-Delhi,kolkata,Chennai,Mumbai,Trichupalli,Bangalore,Hyderabad,Lucknow,Ahmadabad, and Trivendrum.
  
Let's know about SARS:

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a serious form of pneumonia. It is caused by a virus that was first identified in 2003. Infection with the SARS virus causes acute(severe) respiratory distress ( breathing difficulty) and sometimes death.

SARS is a dramatic example of how quickly world travel can spread a disease. It is also an example of how quickly a connected health system can respond to a new health threat.

Background Information:

 It is a new illness that emerged in the Far East early in 2003, first in southern China, then spreading to Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, Canada and more than 20 other countries. 

 It had killed more than 150 people worldwide and infected more than 3,000 more.

World Health Organization (WHO) physician Dr. Carlo Urbani identified SARS as a new disease in 2003. He diagnosed it in a 48-year-old businessman who had traveled from the Guangdong province of China, through Hong Kong, to Hanoi, Vietnam. The businessman and the doctor who first diagnosed SARS both died from the illness.

In the meantime, SARS was spreading. Quickly it infected thousands of people around the world, including people in Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa, and North and South America. Schools closed throughout Hong Kong and Singapore. National economies were affected.

The WHO identified SARS as a global health threat, and issued a travel advisory. WHO updates closely tracked the spread of SARS. It wasn't clear whether SARS would become a global pandemic.

The fast global public health response helped to stem the spread of the virus. By June 2003, the number of new cases was down enough that on June 7, the WHO stopped its daily reports. But even though the number of new cases dwindled and travel advisories began to be lifted, every new case had the potential to spark another outbreak.

SARS appears to be here to stay. It has changed the way that the world responds to infectious diseases during a time of widespread international travel. The 2003 outbreak had an estimated 8,000 cases and 750 deaths.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

SARS is caused by a member of the coronavirus family of viruses (the same family that can cause the common cold). It is believed the 2003 epidemic started when the virus spread from small mammals in China.
When someone with SARS coughs or sneezes, infected droplets spray into the air. You can catch the SARS virus if you breathe in or touch these particles. The SARS virus may live on hands, tissues, and other surfaces for up to 6 hours in these droplets and up to 3 hours after the droplets have dried.

While the spread of droplets through close contact caused most of the early SARS cases, SARS might also spread by hands and other objects the droplets has touched. Airborne transmission is a real possibility in some cases. Live virus has even been found in the stool of people with SARS, where it has been shown to live for up to 4 days. The virus may be able to live for months or years when the temperature is below freezing.

With other coronaviruses, becoming infected and then getting sick again (re-infection) is common. This may also be the case with SARS.

Symptoms usually occur about 2 to 10 days after coming in contact with the virus. There have been some cases where the illness started sooner or later after first contact. People with active symptoms of illness are contagious, but it is not known for how long a person may be contagious before or after symptoms appear.

Symptoms

The hallmark symptoms are:

• Cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Fever greater than 100.4 degrees F (38.0 degrees C)
• Other breathing symptoms

The most common symptoms are:

• Chills and shaking
• Cough -- usually starts 2-3 days after other symptoms
• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches

Less common symptoms include:

• Cough that produces phlegm (sputum)
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Runny nose
• Sore throat

In some people, the lung symptoms get worse during the second week of illness, even after the fever has stopped.

Signs and tests

Your health care provider may hear abnormal lung sounds while listening to your chest with a stethoscope. In most people with SARS, changes on a chest x-ray or chest CT show pneumonia, which is typical with SARS.
Tests used to diagnose SARS might include:

• Blood clotting tests
• Blood chemistry tests
• Chest x-ray or chest CT scan
• Complete blood count (CBC)

Tests used to quickly identify the virus that causes SARS include:

• Antibody tests for SARS
• Direct isolation of the SARS virus
• Rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for SARS virus

All current tests have some limitations. They may not be able to easily identify a SARS case during the first week of the illness, when it is most important.

Treatment

People who are thought to have SARS should be checked right away by a health care provider. If they are suspected of having SARS, they should be kept isolated in the hospital.
Treatment may include:

• Antibiotics to treat bacteria that cause pneumonia
• Antiviral medications
• High doses of steroids to reduce swelling in the lungs
• Oxygen, breathing support (mechanical ventilation), or chest therapy

In some serious cases, the liquid part of blood from people who have already recovered from SARS has been given as a treatment.
There is no strong evidence that these treatments work well. There is evidence that the antiviral medication, ribavirin, does not work.

Expectations (prognosis)

The death rate from SARS was 9 to 12% of those diagnosed. In people over age 65, the death rate was higher than 50%. The illness was milder in younger patients.
Many more people became sick enough to need breathing assistance. And even more people had to go to hospital intensive care units.
Public health policies have been effective at controlling outbreaks. Many nations have stopped the epidemic in their own countries. All countries must continue to be careful to keep this disease under control. Viruses in the coronavirus family are known for their ability to change (mutate) in order to spread among humans.

Complications

• Respiratory failure
• Liver failure
• Heart failure

Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if you or someone you have been in close contact with has SARS.

Prevention

Reducing your contact with people who have SARS lowers your risk for the disease. Avoid travel to places where there is an uncontrolled SARS outbreak. When possible, avoid direct contact with persons who have SARS until at least 10 days after their fever and other symptoms are gone.

• Hand hygiene is the most important part of SARS prevention. Wash your hands or clean them with an alcohol-based instant hand sanitizer.
• Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. Droplets that are released when a person sneezes or coughs are infectious.
• Do not share food, drink, or utensils.
• Clean commonly touched surfaces with an EPA-approved disinfectant.

In some situations, masks and goggles may be useful for preventing the spread of the disease. You may use gloves when handling any items that may have touched infected droplets.

References

1. Anderson LJ. Coronaviruses. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 389.
2. McIntosh K, Perlman S. Coronaviruses including severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Disease. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2009:chap 155.

Review Date: 2/19/2011.

Reviewed by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Denis Hadjiliadis, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

World HEART Day takes place on 29 September each year Bihar Capital is organising its first East India Heart Valve seminar

This year  we will make 2012 the year of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention among women and children because: 
 
Women/children and CVD are not synonymous:

• CVD is commonly considered an “older persons” and a “man’s” disease
• Women underestimate their CVD risk; even though almost half of the 17.3 million annual deaths occur in women

Children are particularly at risk, since they have little control over their environment and can be limited in choices to live heart­-healthily
Unless action is taken to enable heart-­healthy activity, the children of today are at increased CVD risk later in life
Women/mothers are often the « gate keeper » to their family’s health hence a key influencer in keeping their hearts healthy 
 

Bihar Capital is hosting its first East India Heart Valve symposium on the occasion of World Heart Day here  in which several experts would discuss the reason behind the rise in the incidence of rheumatic heart disease in the country.

According to experts, the incidence of rheumatic heart disease is higher in India than what is believed. Rheumatic heart disease was thought to be on the wane in India because of improving standards of living but the estimated echocardiographically detected rheumatic heart disease in India is as bad as in Mozambique (21.5 cases per 1000).

Prevalence of rheumatic heart disease among children in northern India is as high as 20.4/1000 school children as against 1/1000 children earlier believed. The adult average ranges between 120 and 200 per 100,000 populations, said an expert.

According to Dr Ajit Pradhan, organizing secretary of the symposium - if only the preventive aspect and health care delivery system is improved, this major health hazard can be taken care of and done away with, as in the West. To address this major health problem, ST Iude Medical in association with JeevaK Heart Hospital & Research Institute, Patna, several experts are gathering here.

Valvular heart disease is one of the commonest heart disease afflicting the Indians, and people in other developing nations. The developed countries have witnessed a dramatic decline in incidence of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in the 20 ^thcentury but it is a major health care concern in developing countries.

Most common cause of valvular heart disease is secondary to rheumatic fever and is called rheumatic heart disease, where heart valves are affected. Patients affected with this chronic disabling life threatening illness end up with Open heart surgery where their valves are replaced-----with its own set of problems, said another expert.

Prevention of this disease is very important but, unfortunately penicillin - the basic injection for prevention and treatment is quite often not available, as most pharmaceutical company have stopped manufacturing it.

 The result is that only 36% of patient with moderate or severe disease and only 20% of those, who have undergone valve-replacement surgery in India are receiving secondary prophylaxis with penicillin.

Amongst the speakers are - Dr. Ajay Kaul of Escorts hospital, 

                                           Dr. Pramod Kumar, HoD Fortis hospital, Shalimar Bagh Delhi , 

                                           Dr. Ajit Pradhan 

                                           Dr. S S Chatterjee and 

                                           Dr. R K Agarwal (all both from Patna).

"PITRIPAKSHA" Mela' is beginning on September 30.2012 It will continue till October 15.2012 Approximately 15 lakh people visit Gaya(Bihar) for Pind dan

 

 

 

When actually Lord Rama Chandra came to Gaya to offer Pinda Daan to his Father Dashratha?It is believed that Rama belonged to Treta Yuga,This yuga covered 12,96,000 mortal years.After Treta, came Dwapar yuga covering 8,64,000 mortal years.This is the kali yuga.The period is to cover another 4,32,000 mortal years.In such a situationRama came to Gaya for offering oblation to his deceased father more than 12 lakh years ago. And the pinddaan in GayaJi practice for the salvation of a soul was in vogue since long and still continues to be an integral part of Hindumythology.

Gaya finds mention in the great epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata. In Mahabharat, the place has been identified as Gayapuri.

Gaya derives its name from the mythological demon Gayasur (which literally means Gaya the holy demon), demon (asur, a Sanskrit word) and Gaya. Over its history dating millennia, the word asur got deleted and the name Gaya remained in currency.

A study of Gaya perhaps Cannot be completed without a refernce to the Gaya Mahatmya
In Gaya Mahatmya,

And Gaya Mahatmya also speaks about the powerful demon Gayasur and how Lord Vishnu in his mace bearing form had persuaded the demon motionless with his body and how Lord Vishnu killed Gayasur, the holy demon by using the pressure of his foot over him and forming the panch kosi Gaya keshetra,the most pious land on earth,And Gayasur was the creation of Brahma and his body with his head in the north covers the area from the bodhgaya on the south to prethshilla on the north, and after his death many people have flocked to Gaya to perform shraddha or pinddaan sacrifices on his body to absolve the sins of their ancestors. And It was said that the Gayasura's body would continue to be known as Gaya Kshetra.

It is believed that this place has been blessed by purificatory powers.Hindus traditionally come here to perform pind daan to honour their parents or ancestors and people also participate in the massive get together who perform the final rites of their departed family members to freed from the agonies of Hell and sent to Heaven.

As we say the king of holy place is Prayag. The teacher of holy place is Pushkar.

Thus Gayaji is called the soul of holy place. (it is written in Bedpuran)

Gayaji is only one of the places where hindues worship their parents, ancestors with the Lord.

What is pind dan as per Hindu belief?

Pind is a ball of cooked rice or rice or wheat floor offered to the departed souls on certain occasions like death anniversaries or during visits to holy places, Rivers or during the transit of Sun from one position to other etc.

Hindus believe that the offering will satiate the hunger of the departed souls.

These Pindas are fed to a cow or dropped in water preferably flowing rivers or to crows. If the departed soul enters the earth in any form say a bird or animal or amphibious this wil, meet their need of hunger.

 Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) claims to have made elaborate arrangements for the people who have made bookings to visit Gaya for pindadaan to their ancestors.

A large number of people from Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kochi, Pune, Mumbai, Delhi and other parts of the country have already made their online booking for a back-to-back package which includes arrangement of panda (priest) with puja materials, AC rooms, pick & drop, local sightseeing and food for an individual, family, couples and groups.

"You just have to bring yourself here and we bring everything else to you," claims a senior tourism department official.

Pitripaksh mela is organized every year from the day of 'Anant Chaturdashi' of 'Bhadra Shuklapaksh'. A large number of people visit Gaya during the period to offer 'pinda' to facilitate 'moksh' for their ancestors.

"Our representatives will receive our guests, both at Gaya and Patna stations or airport, on specified date and time. Once they arrive, our guests will not have to bother for anything, be it accommodation, food, panda and puja materials and local conveyance," said BSTDC manager (tour and travel) Gajendra Singh.

"We have booked adequate number of rooms in our hotels at Gaya and Patna for our guests. We also have made arrangements for luxury hotels if someone wants. The package also includes local sightseeing of Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Nalanda,"

The BSTDC has reserved more than three dozen vehicles of different make for ferrying its guests from Patna to Gaya and in Gaya city. In case of additional requirements, BSTDC has tied up with local travel agencies.

It has also decided to introduce 'Phalgu aarti' on the pattern of Patna's 'Ganga aarti' from September 30 till October 17. "Two priests from the famous Ajgaibinath temple of Sultanganj (Bhagalpur district) have been brought to Gaya to perform the hourlong aarti (6pm to 7pm) on the bank of Falgu river daily till October 17," said an official.

A website (pinddaangaya.com) on 'pitripaksha mela has been created with all the details, including mela control room and call centre numbers.

Imporatance of Gaya Sraddha or Pind Daan and PitraDosh Nivaran

 

It would be incumbent upon all sons to offer PIND (oblations) for the salvation of the soul of their ancestors. The soul could be freed from the agonies of Hell and sent to Heaven by performing Gaya-Shraddha or Pind Daan in GayaJi. From our Hindu Mythology,Its is believed that if any person departed from the earth,her soul is  wandering in earth here and there,and they did not get peace untill his any  family member is not visited gaya for performing Gaya Sraddha or pinda daan for him, and it is also believed that if any person sacrifice his life by any means then he or she first of all enter the Preth yoni then enter the pitar yoni and after doing pind daan or Gaya sraddha they got moksha under the foot of  Lord Vishnu in Gaya,And it is also signifies in padma puran,Garud puran, and shri Bhagwat Gita. and it is neccesaary to perform Gaya sraddha or pind daan in Gaya from our Hindu Mythology .

Departed person had in search of that his family member will do the Gaya sraddha for me after the yearly sraddha .And if the Gaya sraddha is not done after the yearly sraddth of any person then the soul of person is not get peace and wandering in the universe,and the soul will give cursh to her family member and creating different types of difficulties to her parents or childrens like losses in business regularly,sickness of any people regularly,e.t.c and create difficulties in any type of Good Work,This is known as Pitra Dosh, so,from Hindus Mythology,any people of the family have to perform Gaya sraddha or pind daan in Gaya for Pitra Dosh Nivaran ,And the every people who is belonging from Hindu culuture have to perform Gaya sraddha or pind daan in Gaya for the salavation of their ancestors or to give peace to their ancestors and to send their ancestors under the foot of lord Vishnu. After doing Gaya sradddha or pind daan in gaya all the difficulties which their ancestors is creating are removed because the souls of their ancestors get moksha or peace under the foot of lord Vishnu,And their ancestors blessed him as well as help in the progress of the family.

Besides Rama,other Mythological personalities who visited Gaya for the pind daan purpose  are the Raja yudhistra,Bhisma Pitamaha, Marichi (Brahma’s son) and others.

AIIMS Patna -Class of 2012 started in on September 25,2012 with around 50 medical students. Another feather in the cap of Bihar

PATNA: The Jai Prakash Naryan All India Institute of Medical Sciences (JPNAIIMS), Patna, which is still under construction, on Tuesday started its first batch of MBBS course on its premises with 50 students, 13 girls and 37 boys, hailing from different parts of the country. They were admitted to the institute through an all-India premedical test conducted in New Delhi.

The Patna high court had fixed a deadline of October 2, 2012 to make the entire hospital function or face contempt proceedings. But it could not be met as in all probability the hospital would become functional 

only in 2013.

The classes were inaugurated by state health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey in the presence of institute director Girish Kumar Singh.

To start with, Singh said, the institute would impart training in four subjects - anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and community medicine - with a faculty of 19 medical teachers and four senior resident doctors recruited by the institute.

Choubey thanked the state government, Patna high court and the media for continual pressure on the centre to make the institute functional. "The union government was not so keen to start the institute this year but after much persuasion, the permission was granted and we could start the first batch," he said.

The director said the institute would cater to the elementary health problems of the local people for which a tele-education programme, 'Sankatmochan Nagrik', would be launched shortly. "Under the programme, a group of volunteers will work at the panchayat level facilitating communication between the institute and the local populace. They will also provide consultation and services to patients."

Singh said once the OPD service starts in the institute, the said programme would become functional. The trauma and emergency centres will become functional by the year end

 Jai Prakash Narayan All India Institute of Medical Sciences (JPN-AIIMS) is a medical college and medical research public university based in Patna, Bihar, The Institute will operate autonomously under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India).Though the foundation stone for the 350-crore project (2004 estimate) was laid in 2004 during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure, the project was delayed owing to the power shift at the Centre and its cost has escalated from 335 crore  to 850 crore .The JPNAIIMS, Patna, is under construction for over eight years. Its foundation was laid by the then vice-president, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, on January 3, 2004. In 2004,

Central government decided to set up NEW AIIMS at
 1. Rishikesh, 
 2. Bhopal, 
 3. Patna,
 4. Jodhpur,
 5. Bhubaneswar and 
 6. Raipur

 AIIMS at:
                 Jodhpur will start the academic session 2012-13 from September 17,2012,
                 Bhopal ,September 18,2012 ,
                 Rishikesh ,September 20,
                 Bhubaneswar (September 21),
                 Raipur (September 24) and
                 Patna(September 25,2012).AIIMS

New Delhi, has been mentoring the two new AIIMS in Patna and Bhubaneswar,
 PGI Chandigarh has been mentoring AIIMS coming up in Rishikesh and Jodhpur,
 JIPMER Puducherry has been overseeing the AIIMS in Bhopal and Raipur.

 AIIMS Patna will be spread over 134 acre comprising residential campus on 34 acre and the main campus on 100 acres.The 100-acre health hub, coming up at Walmi village near Phulwari Sharif, Patna

Equality before the law fails in an unequal society-promoting equality in an Unequal way

 

 There are some familiar and very vocal arguments that have been put forward against the proposed legislation to make reservations in promotions.That it sacrifices merit and severely hampers the quality of output generated by the organization in question,that it perpetuates social divisions,by deepening the fault lines that already exist between castes and that it is yet another example of the type of cynical political transfer payments aimed at building vote banks.The argument for this move comes in the form of a reiteration of the deep-seated nature of prejudice and discrimination,reflected in the abysmal representation of Dalits as one moves up the hierarchy,and draws sustenance from the belief that the vocal middle class speaks from a perch that is ahistorical and narrowly self-serving.

By correcting the access to opportunity that the historically marginalized have been denied,the hope has been to create conditions for equality over a period of time.The process begins with education,which is seen to be the prime engine that creates conditions for both social and economic mobility and continues on to reserving jobs;the assumption in both cases is that without such affirmative action,the bias against  the      marginalized whether overt or embedded in the vast difference in social capital between the two groups,would    continue unabated.

Strong as this argument is,it makes some assumptions that need examination.The whole point of affirmative action is to enable the marginalized to use the same system that everyone  else does to better their lives by helping them overcome constraints.The key strategy is to use a mechanism that has been proven to provide

 a vehicle for self-betterment,but to tweak it so that it does not discriminate between its participants.   The system itself is not altered,for an attempt to do that suggests that the desire is to create an alternative universe rather than make the disadvantaged better able to participate in this one.At the risk of trivializing the argument,a cricketing metaphor might be useful.Getting the so-called minnows into the mainstream involves including them in championships and making them compete with historically advantaged teams,precisely because the process of competing pushes the teams to do better.Teams from the sub-continent,seen earlier as pushovers,are proof that this system works.To see competition as intrinsically discriminatory,and to seek refuge from it is to forgo a principal advantage of the system.

When promotions get reserved,what is being argued is that the job is primarily a social designation,rather than a name given to a task.Change is envisaged not through the actions of the official but through his identity.By arguing this,we are negating other notions of fairness as well as jettisoning our belief in systems that we have designed for our own progress.The process of competition has intrinsic value,for it creates a set of positive effects for its participants.Implicit in the idea of competition is a self-reinforcing mechanism that animates the desire of individuals to push themselves and find avenues of personal growth.The focus needs to be on enhancing the ability to compete rather than on assuring participants of an outcome.In its extreme form,a system based purely on competition can reek of a form of social Darwinism,by ignoring the vast differences in the starting out positions of its participants.

This is why the emphasis needs to be on the system to work better,and for everyone to have equal access to opportunity,not to compromise it,so that one of our objectives from it is better served.For what is being proposed currently are measures that will end up seeking guaranteed outcomes for social groups rather than guaranteed participation in universal processes.By rigging the game,what might seem like a short-term advantage is a long-term admission of the fact that the two groups can never be equal,and must forever operate in different universes.

Particularly when the idea of reservations gets extended to large chunks of the population as is currently the case,and will in all likelihood become the case even in the case of promotions,then the underlying idea that we are moving towards is a world where the present gets determined by the past.As long as the proportion of beneficiaries is small,the idea of affirmative action is easy to justify.The moment more than half the population gets a handicap,then it is no longer a compensating incentive,but a new definition of the game itself.

The problem with being charged with the responsibility of change,is that even with the best intentions,the temptation to seek a total reversal in one go is too great to resist.When the demand of social justice dismantles a mechanism that reconciles the need for self-betterment with that of fairness,then it creates a new kind of asymmetry,one that strikes at the roots of a society based around the individual and the actions he takes in the present.Legislation of this kind is an aerial intensification of intention that rails against the tediousness of bringing about change at the ground level.It re-arranges social configurations but does not take responsibility for the many effects that it sets in motion.Social justice is too complex an objective to come about overnight through a few dramatic gestures.

The idea of social justice extends to the entire populace and not just to a section,however historically disadvantaged it might be.What is currently being sought is a statistical form of equality rather than a deeper more real form of change and for the longterm benefit of those it is intended for,the current proposal needs to be resisted.


















source: TOI

Ninth World Hindi Conference [WHC] in Johannesburg, South Africa from 22-24 September, 2012.

The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India with the support of Hindi Shiksha Sangh, South Africa and other stakeholders is organizing the Ninth World Hindi Conference [WHC] in Johannesburg, South Africa from 22-24 September, 2012.  The Conference will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre, 2^ndFloor, Maude Street, Sandton-2196, Johannesburg, South Africa.

 The tradition of the World Hindi Conferences began with the first conference having been organized in Nagpur in the year 1975.  Since then, these conferences have achieved a global profile and momentum of their own. 

 The subsequent eight World Hindi Conferences were organized in different world cities, namely, twice in Port Louis (Mauritius), twice in India, Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago), London (UK), Paramaribo (Suriname) and New York (USA).   All these conferences have always attracted a galaxy of renowned scholars and followers of Hindi.  In keeping with this growing reach and popularity of this event, the Government has decided to organize the next conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, which would also be an apt recognition of India’s historic, close and growing ties with the whole of the African continent.  South Africa also carries the profound memories of Mahatma Gandhi’s association with that region.

The 9th World Hindi Conference would deliberate on a series of traditional and contemporary themes related with both classical and modern aspects of Hindi.  The theme of the conference this year will be “Bhasha ki Asmita Aur Hindi Ka Vaishvik Sandarbh”.  The conference would also have nine academic sessions on such subjects as Mahatma Gandhi’s linguistic vision; Hindi and modern technology; role of Indian epics in propagation of Hindi; contribution of foreign scholars in dissemination of Hindi; Mass media and Hindi, etc.

The last eight World Hindi Conferences have been held at the following places:

First WHC  –                    Nagpur [India]  :  10-12 January, 1975

Second WHC –                Mauritius  :  28-30 August, 1976

Third WHC –                   New Delhi [India] :  28-30 October, 1983

Fourth WHC –                 Mauritius :  2-4 December, 1993

Fifth WHC –                    Port of Spain [Trinidad & Tobago] : 4-8 April, 1996

Sixth WHC –                   London [UK] : 14-18 September, 1999

Seventh WHC –              Paramaribo [Suriname] : 6-9 June, 2003

Eighth WHC –                 New York [USA] : 13-15 July, 2007

The themes of the previous eight WHCs were as follows:

First to Fourth WHC          :                Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam
Fifth WHC                             :            Apravaasi Bharateeya Aur Hindi
Sixth WHC                            :            Hindi Aur Bhavee Peerhee
Seventh WHC                      :             Vishwa Hindi : Nai Shatabdi Ki Chunoutiyan
Eighth WHC                         :             Vishwa Manch Par Hindi

The Ninth World Hindi Conference at Johannesburg is being organized with the approval of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India and a Steering Committee under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Minister of State for External Affairs, Smt. Preneet Kaur has been set up to guide and oversee the organizational process.  On the South African side also, an Organizing Committee has been set up under the Chairmanship of H.E. the High Commissioner of India in Pretoria Shri Virendra Gupta.  The Committee in South Africa has members from a whole range of local organizations and institutions involved in the promotion and propagation of Hindi, and they are being closely assisted by the Consulate General of India and the Indian Cultural Centre in Johannesburg in this endeavour.

Gandhian industrialist-The man who refused to pay a bribe was Bhavarlal H Jain, whose group became the undisputed king of PVC pipes a decade later.

Jain Agri Park-Jain Hills,Jalgaon Maharashtra ( India)

PATNA: The famous Ajanta caves in Maharashtra are worth a visit, but a few kilometres away, there's a fascinating quiet place called Jalgaon. Here, located in a property called the Jain Hills, is a phenomenon that has already found echoes in distant north Bihar. But first, a story:

It was 1985. A farsighted industrialist wanted to set up a factory to manufacture resin, the raw material for PVC pipes. It was the 'licence raj'. So he needed a licence. The file arrived in New Delhi. The project was accepted. All it needed 

was one crucial signature, that of the minister. The minister called the businessman to Delhi to discuss the deal. The 'cost' of the signature was 5 crore rupees.

The man said that all his life he had accomplished everything on merit, and he had never paid a single rupee as bribe. He told the minister that if there was merit in the proposal, there was no reason to pay the bribe. The signature never went on the file. Fifteen days later, a licence was granted to a competitor.

This Gandhian industrialist, now chairperson of the largest irrigation systems manufacturing group in the country, that has gifted the world one of the most amazing tributes to the Mahatma, the first-ever dedicated multimedia Museum named 'Gandhi Teerth'.

A walk through the museum takes about three hours. On entry, the visitor is handed an electronic gadget with a set of headphones. The guest can choose to receive the narration in Hindi or English.

In the first gallery, 'Wants and Needs', the guest is confronted with a touch-screen and asked to make an 'avatar' of himself - to choose the house, clothes, and lifestyle he wants from a set of visuals. The next exhibit shows his face (recorded by the camera) and along with it his lifestyle and the how 'cost-effective' it is for Mother Earth. This is the first of eleven stages of the 'Gandhi Pilgrimage': the childhood, influences, student life, journey to England, then India, then South Africa, then the return to India and Champaran and so on. Each gallery has surprises, experiences and new learning opportunities.

Mahatma Gandhi's school leaving results, for instance, is an eye opener. He didn't even make it to forty percent! Paintings, sculptures, replicas of lifestyle items, actual artefacts used by Gandhi, and audio-visual magic that transports you to the sights and sounds of the late 19th and early 20th century: it's an experience to remember and cherish.

But that's not all. Before you leave, witness the work being done across India by different 'Gandhians in action', people using their skills and knowledge to make India's villages work.

Gandhi Research Foundation, founded by Padma Shri Bhavarlal Jain, (the industrialist in the story) is an international academic and research organization that doesn't limit itself to armchair philosophy. It is actively involved in helping surrounding villages grow organic crops, adopt waterharvesting, improve the condition of their schools, and aspire to a better economic status through small income generation measures that will be linked to viable marketing strategies.

In Bihar, Bhavarlal Jain, through the Gandhi Research Foundation, has offered technical support to the Gandhi Shodh Sansthan in a sleepy undiscovered corner of West Champaran. Every week, scores of schoolchildren from neighbouring schools go to this ordinary looking building to experience Gandhiji and admire replicas and material made possible by the GRF. They also learn to spin thread on a charkha. This is not all.

Several young people between the ages of 21 and 32 are already making their way to Bhitiharwa. They are educated, articulate achievers from across India, with one vision: to develop an environment friendly, humane, responsible and Gandhian approach to rural development in one of Bihar's most backward districts.

Mahatma Gandhi, on 20 November 1917, had established his second basic school at Bhitiharwa. His development work was based on education, sanitation, and health. In his autobiography, he expressed his regret that his work in Champaran was left unfinished, because of the lack of committed local volunteers. It is just possible, that 95 years on, the youngsters of Bihar will rise to the occasion and by 2017, Champaran will show signs of a vibrant 'gram swaraj'.

Require Eye Bank in Bihar -one can know the importance of their eyes and the important part of their eye that helps us in seeing this beautiful world. Don't you think the blind folks also deserve to see this beautiful world in their life?

“Netram Pradhanam Servendriyanam”
(Eyes are the precious gift given to the humans by the Almighty)
- Lord Krishna to Arjuna,
(Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta, Chapter 15, Shloka 8.1)

“Eyes are a precious gift to a person. But the same eyes bring misery when misused or when they are lost. A wise man utilizes that gift while alive and on death too”.

Unfortunately No Eye Bank in Bihar,

Do you know that we can light the life of a blind person by donating our eyes after our death? 

In India, estimated 4.6 million people with corneal blindness that is curable through corneal transplantation made possible by eye donation. More than 90% of the corneal transplantation is carried out successfully and helps restore vision in people with corneal blindness. Corneal transplantation in infants born with cloudy cornea can make a big difference to their lives. 

"No eye transplantation has taken place in the state for over a decade either at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) or any private hospital in the state," the minister had said.

"An eye bank was opened at the PMCH in 1986 but it never became functional. Later on, in 1990, a regional eye institute was opened under the department of ophthalmology at PMCH which was, later, shifted to Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS). But that, too, could not take off as the institute which had once applied for an eye bank did not get the requisite permission," a PMCH doctor said.

Eye surgeon Dr Sunil Kumar laments, "Not a single functional eye bank exists in Bihar. Though doctors have been posted at the PMCH eye bank, it remains inoperative while the one at Rajgir, run by a trust which gets grant from the state government, is also not functional."

Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi had, in 2011, announced that an eye bank at the PMCH would be opened soon. The government this year announced that an eye bank would be opened in every government medical college hospital in the state. But nothing has been done till date.

Some of the reasons behind no eye transplantation in the state are no eye donation, less awareness and religious superstitions, Kumar said.

 'Gift Your Sight' 

Stunning Facts of Eye Donation in India 

AWAKE, ARISE!

1. There are 12 million+ blind people in India, out of which about 4 million+ are corneally blind. There is a huge backlog of the number of corneal blind people waiting to get their sight.
2. As of today, Eye collection figures stand at around 20000+ eyes per year, from around 400+ eye banks across India. This number itself is not sufficient for the freshly added corneal blind.
3. One startling fact of this is we still import eyes from Sri Lanka, which is 1/4th or even less size than India. Sri Lanka, besides catering to its own requirement, sends the eyeballs to several other countries. Over the last quarter of the century, it has flown over 20000+ eyeballs to 135 centres in the various countries of the world.

Looking at the above facts, dont you think that we should make a difference? If yes, please go and pledge yourself for eye donation or if their is a death in your family / friends circle, motivate the people to donate the eyes of the deceased so that a blind person can see this world thru the donated eyes! 

A well worked stategy to increase Eye Donation awareness called HCRP

Hospital Corneal Retrieval Program (HCRP) is a proactive program initiated in some hospitals across the country. In this programme, a specially trained social worker, called Eye Donation Counselor (EDC) [or Grief Counselor] is positioned at a hospital round the clock at the ICUs, Trauma units, Nephrology centers and so on, to build up rapport with the attendants, staffs and doctors. When the death occurs, after the bereaved family has reconciled itself to the tragic reality, the EDC makes a sensitive request for the donation of the eyes.

It has been found out by the EBAI (Eye Bank Association of India) that the success rate is good and has been effective.

Chief minister of Bihar launched computer education and computer-based learning in 500 secondary schools of the state under the 'Information and Communication Technology' (ICT) for Education programme by the state education department.

PATNA: Chief minister Nitish Kumar spoke to the principal and students of a government school in Dhanarua block of Patna district through videoconferencing. The state government plans to cover 1,000 schools under the ICT@school programme in a year. 

 

He said the state government launched a pension scheme for contractual teachers with effect from January, 2013.

It would benefit over 2.5 lakh teachers. An agreement was signed between UTI and the education department in the CM's presence on the occasion.  

Computer, electronic device that can receive a set of instructions, or program, and then carry out this program by performing calculations on numerical data or by manipulating other forms of information. Computers are playing an increasingly important role in education, for both the teacher and the student. Their use enables each student to develop at his or her own pace and makes the whole learning process more flexible.

Since their arrival on the market in the late 1970s, desktop computer systems have revolutionized business. Computers can also aid the research and compiling aspects of school projects, and many teachers now incorporate the machines into the learning process. A primary advantage of computers is the amount of information they offer via networking to a wide range of databases.

Computers, during the last two decades or so, have been instrumental in bringing about changes in the way we communicate and gather information and/or knowledge to such an extent that it is hard to find any sphere which has not undergone changes after the advent of computers.

The system of teaching in elementary schools, and of course higher education, is one such area where the advent of computers, coupled with the growth of the World Wide Web, has brought about a complete metamorphosis in the way knowledge is being imparted even in elementary schools.

The conventional mode of teaching by way of imparting knowledge only through books and the written word is fast becoming outdated. The transformation is so forceful that not only do schools provide computer teaching but also put them up in classrooms to aid in the teaching process. Those of us, who see children learning with the aid of computers in a manner that is fun as well as educative, lament why these beautiful machines could not be made available to us.

To the traditional teacher or an older person, it might appear that books and the written word are the last word in teaching. The present day scene with computers even in elementary schools is difficult to imagine for those who have not actually seen and experienced the change that come about in the method of teaching.

Varying from school to school, knowledge is being imparted with the aid of PC’s or Macs. Mac’s may appear to be simpler to operate but they serve the same purpose as the PC’s. It depends on the type of deal that the schools strike with the companies and the content that they require as part of the knowledge they intend to divulge to the students. The Internet is a storehouse of knowledge which can be accessed through a simple procedure, resulting, in most of the cases, a bypass to bulky books which in any case are no match for the content that the Web is able to provide through the aid of a computer.

To sum it all, the use of computers as a tool of imparting knowledge to students in elementary schools is a judicious tool in the hands of the teacher.

International Girl Child's Day- 14 th.September 2012

September 24 marks International Girl Child Day,
and this year, CRY (Child Relief and You) is
launching a new effort focused solely on
discrimination against girls.

“Girls are being neglected, marginalized and discriminated in families
and society. Most of the girls are ignorant about their rights.
The ‘Day of the Girl’ will make girls feel respected,
recognized and their contributions valued in society.”

 

 

 The Indian government has assigned today as National Girl Child Day, a tribute to the girl and to celebrate her as an equal in her family and community. Normally, I’m skeptical about days like these – beyond the designation, it doesn’t seem to spur much action. So far, I haven’t seen too much – an awards show held by UNICEF to celebrate responsible gender-sensitive programming and a few other television programs. Regardless, I think that it could be a positive step to raise awareness and promote political action to protect one of the most vulnerable groups of people in Indian society. It’s a chance to open up the floor for discussing female foeticide, education, child abuse, and other issues that prevent women and girls from being partners in India’s current growth and development.

A few tidbits that I gathered:

• Each year 500,000-700,000 girls go missing in India because of female foeticides (that’s 2000 girls a day).
• Even if a girl escapes infanticide or foeticide, a girl child is less likely to gain access to health care or adequate nutrition compared to a male child.
• More than 50% of girls are unable to enroll in school. Many of those that do are likely to drop out before the age of 12.
• One of every two girls in India is undernourished.

Obviously the problem exists outside of India. Globally, the concept of “investing in a girl” could enable us to empower the other half of society, the other half of the equation, the other half of the solution.

As per the latest Census for the year 2011, the total female sex ratio in India is 940 per 1000 males and the female child sex ratio is 944 girl children per every 1000 boy children of the same age group. Quite alarming are the figures seen in some of its states and union territories; a table here shows the bottom five states/ Union Territories and their declining female sex ratio

Serial No.	State/UT	Female sex ration as per Census 2011
1	Haryana	877
2	NCT of Delhi	866
3	Chandigarh	818
4	Dadra & Nagar Haveli	775
5	Daman in Daman & Diu	618

The situation is far worse when it comes to the rural child sex ratio in India, with the results for the Census 2011 showing a further dip in the rural child sex ratiodeclining from 927 in 2001 to 914 in 2011. Amongst the Union Territories of the country, the rural areas of Andaman and Nicobar islands registered the highest child sex ratio at 975, and the shocking fact was that the nation’s capital Delhi registered the lowest number at 809. While amongst India’s states, the prevalent rural child sex ratio were highest in Meghalaya and Chattisgarh, both states having registered a rural child sex ratio of 972, Haryana has the lowest ratio of 831.

Reasons behind female foeticide vary from socio economic conditions to personal preferences, religion, dowry, etc with male children being preferred over females. Many religions do not permit a female child to perform last rights of the soul of the departed parent, with many religious places of worship  not even permitting women to enter. According to Manusmriti (the Laws of Manu) an ideal woman is represented as an obedient and submissive person, always needing the care of a male: first father, then husband, then son.

What do people do?

The International Day of the Girl Child gives people and organizations the opportunity to raise public awareness of the different types of discrimination and abuse that many girls around the world suffer from. On this day, many community and political leaders talk to the public about the importance of girls’ right to equal education and their fundamental freedoms. Various events are held to showcase the work that people are doing to empower girls through active support and engagement with parents, families, and the wider community.

 

Donate online, make permanent change possible

Across India, in over 220 CRY-supported projects, children and their families can look forward to better opportunities and a better life for themselves.

To make this possible, for over three decades CRY has worked at tackling the root causes such as non-functioning schools, unemployed parents, gender and caste bias etc. that lead to children being denied their rights.

You help us bring about permanent change so children can have a happy, healthy, protected childhood, forever. We look forward to your constant support; so that together we can ensure lasting change for children across India.

'Developing urban economies in Bihar', which is being jointly organized by the state urban and housing development department, Asian Development Research Institute, Patna and UK-based Department For International Development (DFID)

BIHAR is one of the least urbanized states in India with only 2% of its total geographical area being urban. Skewed urbanization pattern, high migration, high share of unemployed youth in population, lack of adequate technical education and job opportunities and poor business climate etc have contributed to the lowest urbanization.

The employment rate in the state is only 42% as compared to 52% at the national level and the female employment rate is abysmally low at 6.9% as compared to 25.7% at the national level

 These points have been highlighted in the background paper of a conference on urban planning beginning here on 7th.sep'2012. At the conference, experts will discuss urban local economic development framework and initiatives undertaken at national and international levels.

The conference, intends to address primarily four key Bihar urban development issues.

These issues are: 

(a) What are the institutional and governance challenges and opportunities to shape cities as engines of economic growth? 

(b) What are the city economic cluster development and investment opportunities in urban Bihar? 

(c) How can Bihar improve investment attractiveness of its cities and address infrastructure and skill gaps as part of its urban development planning policy? 

(d) What are the key policy and strategic interventions required to mainstream the urban poor for achieving inclusive urban development?

This conference is expected to recommend key action points for structuring the economic development role of cities, said an official.

Even though the business climate of Bihar, particularly the law and order situation, has improved during the past few years, inadequate private sector investment orientation of local governments, inadequate infrastructure, particularly power, skill gaps, and high transaction costs in doing business remain some of the challenges to give effect to investment promises in the state.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar will inaugurate the conference. A number of experts, including DFID India chief Sam Sharpe and Narayanan Edadan of Support Programme for Urban Reforms (SPUR), besides several senior government officials and entrepreneurs will also attend the conference.

Cinema came to Bihar in the early years of 20th century.'The Elphinstone Bioscope Co'. Patna had its own Elphinstone Theatre which became the Elphinstone cinema,

Cinema, the world's most powerful audio-visual medium, has always impacted young people. Andrei Tarkovsky, the greatest Russian movie maker after Eisenstein, had said, "Unlike all the other art forms, film is able to seize and render the passage of time, to stop it, almost to possess it in infinity. I'd say that film is the sculpting of time."

The movies came to Bihar in the early years of 20th century. J F Madan had acquired the 'Elphinstone Theatre Co.' of Bombay in 1902 and converted it into 'The Elphinstone Bioscope Co'. Patna had its own Elphinstone Theatre which became the Elphinstone cinema, and started showing short silent films. After the advent of Talkies, it started showing films with sound. Its ownership changed after the collapse of the Madan empire in 1930s. Cine Society president Rajendra N Dash writes of another silent cinema theatre built in China Kothi, Patna, which withered away after the advent of Talkies in 1931. 

The first 'Talkie Theatre' of Patna was built at Babu Bazar, south-west Patna, debuting with the talkie, 'Veer Abhimanyu', in 1933 or 1934. Not long after, a huge fire destroyed the theatre, caused by the highly volatile nitrate film reels. It was never rebuilt.

Today, Patna boasts of a multiplex and several cinema halls with 3D and 4D technologies. But a growing number of discerning young people say that these theatres fall short of their expectations when it comes to content.

"Honestly, Patna doesn't offer much to the discerning viewer. One or two English movies screened at the Cinepolis, are mainly action movies, fantasies, and animation films. The rest of the screens in Patna show Hollywood blockbusters dubbed in Hindi, which are poor substitutes," says 19-year-old Manoj Kumar, a second year student of Mass Media in Sikkim Manipal's distance education programme. "When I want to watch a Bergman or Fellini or a Tarantino for example, the place to go is a cine circle. It's great cinema and almost free!"

Film studies and cinema have become an important part of mass media courses, and it is imperative that students watch and analyze classic and contemporary cinema from all over the world.

Film appreciation clubs and societies are emerging in Patna. Here, in private showings to members and guests, enthusiastic youngsters and cinema aficionados can experience the film magic of masters old and new.For the past year, in a small upper room opposite the Sacred Heart Church in New Patliputra Colony, the faithful disciples of cinema gather for their weekend 'screen supper'. Almost every week, the Act Cine Circle screens a documentary or film of the 'independent' variety, sourced directly from the maker, distributor or a private collection. These are strictly non-commercial private screenings for viewing and discussion, insists the coordinator, Shanti Ghimire, a media student at the Malauna Mazrul Haque Arabic and Persian University. "We mention the film on our Facebook status pages, and create an event on our Facebook page. Interested people phone in and accordingly we make seating arrangements. Our capacity is about 24 chairs."

The Act Cine Circle is doing a 'human rights cycle' in September and October, where films such as 'Milk', 'The Mathew Sheppard Story' and 'Sixth Happiness' will be screened along with documentaries and short features from India and South Asia on gay, lesbian and transgender issues.

Another private venue, the residence of Dr Dilip Sen at Buddha Marg has seen the gathering of the film faithful for over a decade. Patna's most venerable film appreciation group, the Cine Society, Patna has been congregating there for at least three days a month to savour screenings from the works of master craftsmen from all over the world.

The Cine Society, Patna is the oldest registered film appreciation society, all of 29 years. It actually started in the early 1950's as the Patna Film Society and is among the oldest cinema societies in India. CSP, with the support of the Bihar Government, organizes regular film screenings at Chhavi Griha on Saturday afternoons, which are open to all. Documentaries, classic Indian and world cinema is on offer to students and enthusiasts.

"The current membership of CSP is about 150, and growing," says Raviraj Patel, an active member. "Under the able guidance of R N Dash and Gautam Dasgupta, the society has been able to embark on an ambitious education programme: the education of Patna's college students in the art and grammar of cinema."

Nitin Chandra, one of Bihar's better-known regional filmmakers and a CSP member says, "Our daily lives are influenced by cinema. When it comes to Bihar, which has a cinema hall density of one to 10 lakh people, it is a matter of great concern that cinema needs to be promoted for its value as art and its importance as livelihood. People need to be told the difference between the good, bad and ugly. CSP can play a big role in reviving a taste for good cinema."

For youngsters who want to watch compelling cinema and at almost no price, the best thing is to find out about a film appreciation club, cine circle or cine society near you. It's an educational experience both stimulating and satisfying.

Dr.Verghese Kurien's contribution to the welfare of the farmer and development of the BIHAR is immeasurable. He was an icon of cooperative movement in Bihar and the dairy industry.

Dr.Verghese Kurien was an Indian engineer and renowned social entrepreneur, best known as the "Father of the White Revolution",

 

Born: November 26, 1921, Kozhikode

 

Died: September 9, 2012, Nadiad

 

Spouse: Molly

 

Education: University of Madras, Michigan State University, Loyola College, Chennai, College of Engineering, Guindy

 

Awards: Padma Vibhushan

Thank U for giving us a dream,
Thank U for showing us a way,
Thank U for guuiding us to better the

Lives of million of farmers,
As e remember all that U have done for us.
We remain dedicated to pursuing & achiving
your vision,
We remain Committed to reaching out to
many more lives.

 

Father of the White Revolution and the founder of the cooperative dairy movement, is also hailed as an iconic figure who transformed Bihar and gave the milk revolution to the state. In fact, he made the ordinary "doodh  wala" (milkman) here a key player in the state's struggle for economic development and progress at the grassroots level and was also instrumental in laying the foundation of democratic enterprises at remote villages and far-flung hamlets.

 Recalling Kurien's enormous contributions to the field of rural development and dairying, Patna Dairy Project's managing director Sudhir Singh, who had a rewarding association with him said, "Kurien's contribution to the welfare of the farmer and development of the state is immeasurable. He was an icon of cooperative movement in Bihar and the dairy industry. He had also been the chairman of the PDP management committee for four consecutive years."

It is because of Kurien that Bihar today contributes about 7% of the total milk production of the country, said PDP sources. From 500 litres of milk a day, the total production of COMPFED today is 12 lakh litres a day in which PDP alone contributes around 3 lakh litres a day, 

It all happened in the early 80s when two units---a cattle feed plant and a dairy at Phulwarisharif---set up by the Bihar State Dairy Corporation under the Operation Flood programme in the year 1977 and 1978, 
 failed to achieve the desired result. Though the progress in the initial years was encouraging, the programme, for obvious reasons could not achieve the goals for which it was established. Subsequently, the then state government felt it worthwhile to request the founder of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) Kurien for taking over the infrastructure created on management basis.

The NDDB took over the management of the infrastructure with effect from October 1, 1981 under the banner of Patna Dairy Project (PDP). However, Kurien laid certain conditions before the takeover like the plant should be free from all political interference and all surplus employees be absorbed by the state government. "He also demanded uninterrupted power supply," said the PDP MD, who was also a part of Kurien's team here.


"From October 30 to December 14, 1981 all milk supply was stopped and on December 15, for the first time PDP started selling 500 litres of packaged milk under the brand name Sudha. Everything was done under the strict supervision of Kurien and till date the team formed by him is continuing with PDP," said Singh.

Kurien also laid emphasis on the fact that majority of the team members should stay in villages in close contact with the farmers. His greatest contribution was to give a position of pre-eminence to a farmer and his or her interests rather than those of middlemen. He strongly believed that by placing technology and professional management in the hands of the farmers, the living standards of millions of rural poor could be improved, he said.
Almost after every six months he used to visit PDP and held board meetings. It was in the year 1983, when the Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation Ltd. (COMPFED) was established as the implementing agency of Operation Flood programme of dairy development on 'Anand' pattern in Bihar. Today six district-level milk producers' cooperative unions are affiliated to the Milk Federation.

It was in July 1988 that Kurien handed over PDP's state of affairs to the state government which, in turn, handed it over to the Vishal Pataliputra Dughdh Utpadak Sangh, one of the milk unions of COMPFED.