Daily Archives: September 16, 2014

Service and society

Amazing Feats, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All
IN HONOUR Shobha Gosa receives the Sadguru Gnananda Fellowship.
IN HONOUR Shobha Gosa receives the Sadguru Gnananda Fellowship.


Honour for social entrepreneurs for their contribution to society

Why would Management professionals abandon promising careers or a wheel chair-bound individual serve the disabled through setting up their own NGOs? If heart did not rule head, social entrepreneurs would seldom be born. Fortunately, three such champions of change were identified by the Manava Seva Dharma Samvardhani (MSDS) and awarded the Sadguru Gnanananda Fellowship Program in the city last week.

Having met with a road accident Dilip Patro a software professional suddenly found himself wheel chair bound. This could hardly curtail his passion for reaching out to help others and in 2007 he set up The Ability People (TAP) an NGO that educates and supports rehabilitation of spinal cord injured persons (SCIP) at Vizag.

IN HONOUR Dilip Patro receives the Sadguru Gnananda Fellowship
IN HONOUR Dilip Patro receives the Sadguru Gnananda Fellowship

Appointed as a representative under the National Trust, TAP provides mobility aids and appliances for various disabilities besides working with the police for road safety and promoting Right to Emergency Care in the critical ‘golden hour’ (the first one hour of an accident). The TAP website provides an All India Helpline and a toll free number within the state for easy access to citizens.

With a similar motive to serve the masses, Shobha Gosa, Founder, Young People for Life India based at Hyderabad was chosen for empowering youth from disadvantaged backgrounds with communication skills and behavioural management.

Her years as a Business Coach inspired her to focus on education and training of teenage girls gifting them leadership skills, cross cultural engagement, human rights etc.

The third awardee, Akshai Abraham an MBA from Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal founded Project KHEL in 2012 at Lucknow merging his interest in social work and sports in order to positively impact the lives of underprivileged children. KHEL being the acronym for Kids Holistic Education & Life skills his NGO playfully develops confidence, leadership, team work, trust and addresses important issues of health and sanitation through games. “Across the world sport is being applied to address development issues such as creating health awareness, promoting peace and gender equity,” said Abraham.

MSDS, is a registered Public Charitable Trust that initiates social consciousness amongst people.

The Fellowship constitutes monthly monetary support for a period of one year, extendable on impact.

Their learning Centres for Social Initiative & Management are located at Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Coimbatore.

It’s the helping hand that truly serves the world and the world comes to those that serve selflessly!

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Padmini B. Patell / Hyderabad – September 15th, 2014

Honour and loyalty are this soldier’s hallmark

Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All
Rasool Khan. / -PHOTO: S. HARPAL SINGH / The Hindu
Rasool Khan. / -PHOTO: S. HARPAL SINGH / The Hindu

This former Sepoy of the Royal Indian Service Corps, did not join Netaji’s Army as he had taken an oath to be loyal to the outfit he served

Honour and loyalty are known to be the mark of a perfect soldier. And World War II veteran, Rasool Khan, a resident of Chanchalguda in Hyderabad, fits the bill notwithstanding his age at over 90 years.

This former Sepoy of the Royal Indian Service Corps, a British Army unit active in the Burmese front during WW II, had even denied himself the chance to enrol in Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army as he had taken an oath to be loyal to the outfit he served.

“We were excited when we got an offer to join Netaji’s force but were bound by our oath,” says the ex-soldier, referring to the days when feelers were sent to Indian personnel in the British Army in Burma to desert their units. “We came out of the War with honour,” he adds as he throws light on the crucial period in World history.

The veteran was talking to The Hindu after being honoured at the ex-servicemen rally, which he came to attend in Adilabad, on Sunday. However, he observes, “The uncertainty of those times was quite an experience.”

Born on September 9 1923, Rasool Khan had enrolled in the British outfit in Secunderabad in 1939 at the tender age of 16. He was trained in a military training facility in Allahabad before being shifted to the Burmese front in an anti-aircraft gunnery unit.

“We never got a chance to use the anti-aircraft guns during all the six years I served on the front. Life in the trenches and open jungles, however, taught me to be tough,” says the nonagenarian ex-solider, who has remained single.

The fast paced events associated with the country’s independence made people forget about WW II and its veterans, which had Rasool Khan live a life of virtual seclusion. “Humku koi bhi nai puchte the,” he says in a typical Hyderabadi accent as he talks about the condition of WW II veterans in the wake of independence.

Later in life nevertheless, the ex-soldier was given employment in the Army Supply Corps (Maintenance and Transport) at Ramagundam. He is thankful for the support given by the Army.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by S. Harpal Singh / Adilabad – September 15th, 2014

‘Balotsav’ in Kothagudem from November 7 to 9

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education
Balotsav children festival convener Vasireddy Ramesh Babu releasing the brochure at Kothagudem club in Khammam on Sunday | EXPRESS PHOTO
Balotsav children festival convener Vasireddy Ramesh Babu releasing the brochure at Kothagudem club in Khammam on Sunday | EXPRESS PHOTO

Khammam :

‘Balotsav’ children festival convener Vasireddy Ramesh Babu said that preparations have begun to conduct ‘Balotsav’ at a national level in Kothagudem from November 7 to 9.

He released the Balotsav brochure at Kothagudem club here on Sunday. He said that around 5,000 children are expected to participate in the festival during which competitions on 24 cultural events will be held .

Former minister Koneru Nageswara Rao and school children were also present at the event.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / September 15th, 2014