I have known Carol since I went to US for my studies. She was a very warm person  - always ready to help people and animals in need, and always willing to share her wisdom. She loved her pets. Animals were very close to her heart. She battled a lot of health problems and was brave through it.

When we met her in Minneapolis, before leaving for India, I never thought it would be the last time I would see her. We shared so much together. Laughter, joys, ups, and downs in life….

Carol, words cannot express my grief. I really cannot believe you are not around. Your laughter, your warmth is not around. I miss you lots Carol…More than you will ever know…

Rest in peace my dear….

First discovered in the swampy lowlands (altitude less than 65 m) of Travancore by Bourdillon in 1894,  it is a large tree sparsely distributed in evergreen hill forest and deciduous forest, occurring up to 1,000 m. It is found in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala states. 35 trees of this species were discovered in the Myristica swamps of Siddapur taluk in Uttar Kannada district of Karnataka.

Syzygium travancoricum. a) Habitat; b) coppicing stump; c) floating water roots; d) a single flower and e) twig with fruits. Image courtesy: www.ces.iisc.ernet.in

The Western Ghats contain diverse ecosystems. Among them, are rare fresh water wetlands confined to low altitudes. Characterized by the slow flowing streams of the Western Ghats’ river system, these wetlands are called Myristica swamps. Trees belonging to a primitive family of angiosperms; “Myristicaceae” are the dominant tree species of this unique wetland ecosystem. These wetlands also host the critically endangered Syzygium travancoricum  and play a critical role in water storing and maintaining ground water level. Myristica swamps are critically endangered ecosystem in Western Ghats.

Syzygium travancoricum occurs over a range extending from South Kanara in Karnataka to the southern tip of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu.

The tree population has declined considerably because of over-exploitation (logging and wood harvesting) and habitat degradation. According to researchers, regeneration appears to be very poor. For more information, visit IUCN website, IISC website

Ranjita Singh. Image source: www.indiatoday.in

Ranjita Singh is 27 years old and represented India at an international championship organised by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) in 2003. Few years after that, a  nagging knee problem forced her to quit playing. Though she wanted to join the National Institute of Sports, financial difficulties forced her to take up a job as woman constable of Bihar Police.

Today, this enterprising woman lures extremely poor children, including slum-dwellers and street children, to soccer to give them new lives.

“I have been coaching football to 65 youngsters, including one girl, from extremely poor families to help them represent the state and the country in various tournaments,” Ranjita said.

What is interesting about the kids is their family background.

“Four of the six players who represented Bihar are the sons of sweepers with the Homeguards or the Railways while the two others are the sons of a daily-wage labourer and a milk vendor,” she says.

Apart from love of the sport, the main reason for her coaching football is to teach kids how to respect each other as human beings, how to resolve problems amicably and most importantly how to live a clean life free of drugs and alcohol.

“I saw about a dozen young boys loitering around aimlessly in the streets. Most were addicted either to drugs or gutkha. I casually invited them to play soccer with me at a local playground one morning. I started practising soccer with them every day and discovered that some of them were very gifted players,” Ranjita said.

When the boys started attending her morning practice sessions regularly, she  told them that she would not practice with them anymore because of their addictions and other bad habits. This brought about a sea change in their behaviour and they promised to give up all their bad habits to play football with her. With the help of her colleague Sushma and a physical training instructor Chandan, she got them admitted to different schools and even got their tuition fee waived.

So far,  six children she trained have represented Bihar in the under-13 national championships and three others to make it to Sports Authority of India (SAI) hostel at Kishanganj, Bihar.

A fine example of how much each one of us can do to help our society!

Thus reads a press release brought out by Jaypee Group , constructing the race circuit called Buddh International circuit, which will host India’s first ever F1 Grand Prix in October 2011.

Construction of the track has provided an economic boost to hundreds of farmers in the area. Compensation payments made to farmers to build over their land have transformed the farmers to a wealthy lot overnight.  They are constructing huge houses and purchasing expensive cars.With no land to cultivate, these wealthy farmers are out of a job, leading many to alcoholism and domestic violence.

Life was tough but simple not very long ago for farmer Sanjay Singh and his tight-knit family of six who say they were content with their small piece of land on which they harvested cucumbers, vegetables and other crops. Construction of the F1 circuit has turned their lives upside down.

“We sold away our land for the organisers of the race,” Singh told AFP while supervising the construction of his new two-storey house in Dankaur-Sarlarpur village which overlooks the race circuit. “We are building a new house and we have a car now, but we are not happy because our means of livelihood which was farming has been snatched away,” he added.

Singh says there is “ill-will among the villagers” because of jealousy and suspicion.

“Even in the families, sons are fighting over their share of money,” he said. “They are giving up on their studies as they think they have enough money to last a lifetime. They roam around the whole day drinking beer and picking petty fights.”

In some villages, farmers have been unhappy with the compensation paid to them.  However, a spokesperson for JPSI, the firm promoting the event, said all the land required for development of the Formula 1 motor racing track at Dankaur had been acquired under a compensation plan that farmers had agreed to.

It is hard to say whether the transformation of these farmers is for good or for worse. Read more here.

On a related topic,

Over 300 farmers  whose lands were acquired for Jaypees Formula One race track threatened to dismantle the racing track with force if necessary if their demands were not met. The farmers are opposed to the districts land being given to the builders. Instead, it should be allotted for industrial purposes so that our children may have employment in the future. Read more here.

Black Pika Image source: wwfindia.org

Black Pika (ochotona nigritia) is closely related to hares and rabbits. Discovered in China in 2000, it was believed to be endemic to Yunan province.

Last month, a team of wildlife experts from WWF – India stumbled upon the Black Pika in West Kameng district, in Western Arunachal Pradesh. WWF members sighted two black pikas in Pangila and Potok areas at an altitude of 13000 feet, while conducting surveys in the Thembang Bapu community-conserved forest area in West Kameng district.

Western Arunachal Pradesh Map. Image source: www.clsp.jhu.edu

The black pika , a close cousin of rabbits and hares, is a small mammal with short limbs, rounded ears, a short tail and, as the name suggests, is covered in black fur. Another distinctive feature of the pika is its high-pitched distress call, which it makes when diving into its borrow on being threatened by predators.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists the black pika under the “data deficient” category. Information related to its occurrence, status, threats and ecological requirements are yet to be ascertained.

According to divisional forest officer of Bomdila, Surabhi Rai , Eearlier, the mammal was thought to be found only in China, but now it has also been found here. This is an important discovery as it would provide more knowledge about the species.

Read more here.  Though it is exciting that we are discovering new species, we should also be mindful about living in harmony with nature and take measures to stop species extinction.

Filthy Streets. Image source: http://theuglyindian.com/

Filthy Streets. Image source: http://theuglyindian.com/

Paan Stains. Image source: http://theuglyindian.com/

A group of committed individuals has decided to make a change in their surroundings. The group called the “The Ugly Indian” has identified areas around Church Street, Bangalore which were cleaned by volunteers and are maintained by the community. Some of the changes can be seen below:

Cleaned, ready to walk. Image source: www.theuglyindian.com

Hats off to these committed individuals!

Here is what we can do to keep streets clean:

• Let us not throw anything on the streets. Dispose trash in a dustbin, even if it means carrying the trash some distance to the nearest bin.
• Let us educate people around us by being an example.
• Find the nearest toilet and not use the walls on a street to urinate.
• Be a part of a cleaning campaign as this would strengthen our resolve to keep your surroundings clean.
• Let us not spit on the streets.
• Let us take pride in our surroundings as it reflects on everyone who lives and uses it.

Let us all put effort to create a ‘Cleaner’ India!

Bastar map. Image source: www.wikimedia.org

Bastar is a district in Chattisgarh. In recent times, it has been associated with political conflict, arising from lack of development. The district boasts of immense natural resources.

What strikes one are the luxuriant forests that stretch for miles and miles from any one point. The adivasis who have inhabited the region for centuries have evolved a way of life, a culture that worships nature, preserves it for the present generation of course, but really speaking for posterity.

As a child, growing up in these surroundings, Virendra Singh would often revel

Chitrakoot waterfalls across river Indravati. Image source: www.explore-chattisgarh.blogspot.com

in the joy of nature. The respect he developed for nature manifested in his contribution towards it.

” Chhattisgarh is a rice-producing state and the paddy crop from which it is derived is dependent heavily on water sources.”

Not only has he started a campaign of saving traditional water sources, he has taught school children also, to care for our environment.

For material like posters, paints and brushes, Virender contributes from his salary. But local people chip in with food and other items and in that sense; it has become a community initiative. Virender is glad that he has found a job as a Communication Officer in a private company, Godavari River Ispat Ltd which pays him a princely sum of Rs.5000/ and allows him that luxury.

Virender Singh was chosen from amongst 146 nominations in the country for the ‘Dainik Jal Star Award’ this year. It is evident that to make a change in the society, all one needs is the will to do. Read more here.

Manoj Kumar is founder and CEO of Naandi Foundation. Naandi Foundation provides food, safe drinking water and education to over five million poor in India. Naandi is on the verge of releasing a first ever Hunger and Malnutrition (HUNGaMA)  report on the nutrition status of children in 100 rural districts of India. He discussed data as a critical tool in creating change.

Naandi’s team of researchers interviewed nearly 1,00,000 mothers in 84000 rural households. Their main challenge was to get mother’s talk in areas where India’s most malnourished children live. It was found that mothers did not understand what ‘malnourishment’ meant. “My child is normal, playing, and there are so many other children just like my child” was the typical response. Privileges and rights were not available for women. Women would resume their usual hard work on 2^nd or 3^rd day of delivery. Almost all habitations do not have access to clean water. A girl marrying between fifteen to seventeen years is common. There is a correlation between mother’s education and child’s malnourishment. The most recent National Family Health Survey was conducted in 2005-2006 and currently when there are preparations to draft a Food Security plan, absence of real-time data on child nutrition is a hindrance. Manoj was wondering if  cloud computing could be one of the options to obtain real time data from Aanganwadi’s across India.

Vishwajeet Kumar directs the Center for Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health, Habitat for Global Health in Shivgarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. He has been working closely with rural communities to co-develop simple yet effective solutions that can empower families to save their mothers and newborns. He uses a unique multi-disciplinary approach, unifying science with local wisdom and rigorous evaluation through large-scale social experiments. The Shivgarh model demonstrates the power within communities to reduce neonatal mortality by over 50%. He discussed achieving change within a cultural context.

“Common assumption is that giving people information will lead to desired changes in behavior. A low literacy rate does not mean that communities are “empty cups” that can be filled with new knowledge. In fact, they have been extensively schooled, but in a completely different way; their education is based on traditional knowledge and practices handed down over centuries by word-of-mouth. Ignoring this reality is a recipe for failure. The socio-cultural context and worldview of communities has to be very carefully integrated into the design of behavior change interventions.”

Infant warmer. Image source: http://tech.nepalko.info

Peter Singer is CEO of Grand Challenges Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people in developing countries by integrating scientific, technological, business and social innovations. He discussed scientific, social and business innovations in women and children’s health.

Some examples mentioned include ‘Embrace’, a sustainable social enterprise addressing the issue of global infant mortality. Embrace has created a low-cost infant warmer for the developing world where expensive incubators are not available.

1298 was set up in 2004 by a group of young professionals determined to reduce unnecessary deaths in emergency situations in India.  1298 has commissioned over 90 life support ambulances (which include a defibrillator, ventilator, E.C.G., and cardiac monitor) in Mumbai, Kerala and Bihar.  The company has made an impact in saving over 50,000 lives in Mumbai alone. 1298 has a cross-subsidy model, where the wealthy pay a premium and in turn, subsidize the poor with free service.

Sushma Devi Vishwakarma serves as an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker in village Babaganj of India. She works directly with mothers and their family disseminating critical information on maternal and neonatal health. She discussed her personal experience as a government-recognized Accredited Social Health Activist. When she started her work, she was criticized by the villagers, but once they realized her importance, she has been the go-to person for their health issues.

Melinda Gates is co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She spoke about the challenges of maternal and child malnutrition, the benefits of working with private sector health providers, and the need to develop and deliver new technologies to solve old problems.

All speakers were informative and inspiring. They not only stated the problems, but offered creative solutions. They led by example. I would strongly suggest you to attend a TEDx event if given an opportunity. They are inspiring for those of us who insist on making a change to make the world a better place.

Websites of interest: www.grandchallenges.org – Currently accepting proposals for grant opportunities on health topics.

www.ted.com/talks – Talks worth your time.

Tactile Patterns. Image source: www.artagogo.com

The National Museum in Delhi has become the first museum in India to enable visually challenged individuals to appreciate art through a blend of sensory experiences. The National Museum Institute (NMI) has installed monograms, signs and Braille inscriptions to make objects in the museum blind-friendly. The main passages, ramps, and galleries have also been reworked so that they are barrier-free.

Tactile diagram of the Parthenon. Image courtesy: www.artagogo.com

Tactile diagrams have been used in other parts of the world to make art accessible to the visually challenged. Replicas of the artifacts are created incorporating different types of raised patterns. An outline of ancient sculptural art of India to the special audience will be presented through replicas display, supported by bilingual Braille text, self-guided floor path facility and audio guide. This would allow individuals to feel and touch the artifacts thereby aiding to create a mental picture of them.

“Though visually impaired visitors used to come earlier also, they had to take the help of guides and could only listen to the narrations. Now they can feel and learn by touching the objects” says Dr. Bose, who is also the National Museum Institute vice-chancellor.

The museum has completed pilot programs to accommodate visually challenged individuals.

“The exhibition will explore the nature of the perceptual power of the Indian images and gives audience an aesthetic, educational and spiritual experience through touching and feeling. It will give an overview of Indian sculptural art through ages,” says Dr. Bose.

These facilities will become operational from April 2011.

Admission
10.00 A.M. to 5.00 P.M. (Monday Closed)
Entry Fee
Indian Citizens – Rs. 10 each.
Other – Rs. 300 each (inclusive of Audio Tour Charges).
Students – Rs. 1 each.
Visit the National Museum website for more details.

Computer training at Cherlapally jail. Image source: www.bbc.co.uk

It will specialise in non-voice based, off-line outsourcing work like digitising records, legal documents, scripts, manuscripts and text books, and medical transcription, says K Mohan Menon, a manager with Radiant Info Systems, a Bangalore-based company which is assisting the venture as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Typically, the convicts would be paid 15 rupees [33 cents] per day for work like making steel furniture or working on looms in the prison, but authorities expect to pay them 100 rupees [$2.2] to 150 rupees [$3.32] a day for working in the BPO unit.

Mr. Nageshwar has contested his case in the Supreme Court.

“I am excited about the project. Educated people like me can easily slip into depression when they are incarcerated. It is a relief for convicts like me and a good opportunity to prove ourselves,” he says.

Other inmates of the prison hope that this project would enable them to integrate into the mainstream after completion of their jail term.
Read more here.