tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39099221743823697262024-03-26T23:37:04.161-07:00RV Rajan - Celebrating Life!A place to share my views on this and that; then and now
and my professional and personal lifeRVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.comBlogger436125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-7541108422081991762024-03-23T17:09:00.000-07:002024-03-23T17:09:16.772-07:00Yoga at 82<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">I have always envied people
who have been practicing yoga from a young age to keep themselves fit as a
fiddle. Though I had attempted practicing yoga many times before, I had to give
up unable to withstand the rigorous training. I found my protruding Madhya
Pradesh (generous tummy), considered a sign of prosperity by many, was coming
in the way of performing many difficult Asanas. I remember, as a
young boy, when I was thin as a stick, I used to perform Sirasasana inspired by
the photo of the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru performing this difficult
Asana even in his old age. Of course, I was doing it more as a fun activity
then, than as a part of any regular Yoga programme.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">After coming to CBE I started
attending Chair Yoga sessions arranged by the management of Nana Nani
Senior Citizens Home where I am staying now. It is meant for people like
me who need a helping hand to get up if they sit or lie <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on the floor or after prostrating before their
favourite deities in the temples.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Why yoga at this age?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I was influenced by the
experiences of some friends. I recently attended a get-together organized by a
good friend in CBE, where he demonstrated his proficiency in performing yogic
Asanas. He had learned it in the last three years from a yogic trainer, five
days a week at his home. He is only two weeks older than me. I was amazed at
the way he was twisting and turning, performing difficult Asanas with ease. A
guy who was suffering from acute depression a few years ago is now
bubbling with energy and enthusiasm. What the deadly medicines he was taking
for depression could not do, yoga has done it for him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">A couple of other inmates at
the Senior Citizen Home who have been attending the Chair Yoga sessions for a
few months told me they were never able to sit or lie down on the floor earlier.
Now they can do the same with ease. Some of them have even switched over to
regular mat (floor)yoga classes for young and old conducted by the Home, free
of charge.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This time I am serious as I
have plenty of time and inclination. I find the Chair Yoga not difficult to
perform as it is specially designed for seniors. There are about 25 seniors who
are in their 70s and 80s attending the session for three days a week. Rest of
the week I practice yoga looking at the video of the 45-minute programme
available to all the participants. The young trainer demonstrates each
asana in such a way that anyone can follow easily.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> It is three weeks since
I started attending the programme. Has it had any effect? Yes indeed! For the
last 20 years when I go for my morning walks, the pain in the hip & thigh
joints on both sides would make me stop for about 30 seconds before I continue
with the walk. I would stop at least four or five times during my 30-minute
walk. Now I find that I can complete my walk with just one or two stops.
The yoga teacher told me that this is because yoga has helped to relax my
muscles. I am excited. I am determined to continue the classes with the
hope that someday I will be able to walk long distances without breaks, also be
able to prostrate before my favourite deities in the temples or sit cross-legged
on the floor while performing some rituals which necessitate sitting on the
floor. It is better late than never. Om Sairam!</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-63851458314450034422024-03-09T15:37:00.000-08:002024-03-09T15:37:01.966-08:00Age is only in the mind...Is It?<p> <span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Age is only in the mind; Age is only a number; You are as old as or as young as you think. I hear these words whenever I complain that I have become old and can`t handle certain activities. Like I can`t walk distances, I can`t stand in the same place for long. Climbing stairs has become stressful. Without my hearing aids, I am as good as deaf. I cannot bend and pick up any object lying on the floor. The number of discarded items lying around the waste paper baskets in my home is proof of the problem. The quantity of food I consume has come down drastically. In my younger days, I would order at least three items on the menu in restaurants. Today I found a pair of idlis that make me feel full. I can go on. But I am told that if I think I am young I can get over many of these problems.</span></p><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Many people don`t like to accept that they have become old. And try to behave like youngsters and get into problems. A Septuagenarian friend who wanted to change a fused bulb in his bedroom, instead of calling his son to do the job, got onto a stool, lost his balance, and fell, resulting in a hairline fracture in his hand. Another friend tried to take a brisk walk down from the third floor of a building using the staircase instead of the lift without holding on to handrails, tripped & fell. Fortunately, he survived with minimum collateral damage. I always say, that while walking up the stairs for an old man is stressful, climbing up or down without holding on to handrails is risky. I find it difficult to climb even a few steps in a shop where there are no hand railings for support. I need the helping hand of some other shopper to climb up. </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">To all those who say that age is only in mind, I would like to reply that it may be true if restricted only to thoughts. Like you can be a very spirited person oozing positivity even when you are in your nineties, it is different when it comes to your body. Nobody can stop the aging process and the natural wear and tear of the body resulting in restricted movements. There may be exceptions. People who have led a disciplined life from a young age practicing yoga and other such practices may be more fit than others in their old age. But the masses have to accept the reality of old age and behave keeping in mind the restrictions it imposes on their movements. </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">However, there is no restriction for old people to dream & indulge in fantasies. They can imagine climbing Mount Everest, cavorting around pretty damsels, devouring all the delicious sweets they are banned from eating, or doing whatever they cannot do physically. All only in the mind. Like I do whenever I am down in spirits and need something to pep me up. Because age is only in the mind</span>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-64712101259222444062024-03-02T16:43:00.000-08:002024-03-02T16:43:36.619-08:00 Moving into Nana Nani with Shirdi Sai Baba`s blessings<p> <span style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">It was Sivasankari,
the award-winning writer in Tamil, who told me that Baba decides to enter
people`s lives and bless them, whenever he chose. It seems Baba entered her
life fifteen years ago. Since then she has become an ardent devotee of Baba.
Shirdi Sai Baba entered my life four years ago and has become one of my `Ishta
deivams` along with my all-time favourites; Venkachalapathy and Vinayaka. I
visit his temple every Thursday, wherever I am. I read one or two chapters from
his ``Satcharithra` every day as a part of my daily prayers. These days I can
feel his presence whenever I am facing a problem or I am in a dilemma about
which way to proceed on issues I face in my life.</span></p>
<span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">When I decided to move to a Senior Citizen Home, I was particular that I rent out an apartment in Phase 4 of Nana Nani in Coimbatore. I found phase 4 was the best of the lot of homes I visited when I
was writing an article on Senior Citizen Homes. I was told by some friends who are residents of Phase 4 that the vacancies for rented apartments would be known only in February,24 when some of the tenants get possession of the accommodation they had booked in Phase 6 which was expected to be inaugurated in February. They also told me that there was a big waiting list for rented
apartments in Phase 4. I was worried.</span><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span>
<span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">In December,23 I decided to attend the Navjyoth ceremony of the grandchildren of my good friend and ex-partner Sam Balsara in Mumbai which was scheduled on 20th December,23. When I rang up my
schoolmate Sundaresan about my proposed visit, he not only invited me to stay with him but also informed me about the introduction of the Vandhe Bharath train from Mumbai to Shirdi and back on the same day. I jumped with joy and told him that a visit to Shirdi was very much on my cards. Based on his advice I reached Mumbai on 17th December as the train ticket was booked for the following day. Chatting with him on the 17th evening at his home I casually told him about my desire to get an apartment in Phase 4 and how I will have to wait till February to try to get one. He responded immediately with a call to a close friend who was living in Phase 4. That friend informed me that a tenant in his neighbouring flat was moving to another building in the same complex and
that the tenant was authorised to recommend a candidate of his choice to the owner of the flat who was living in Bangalore. The next day while I was in Shirdi there was a constant dialogue between me and the friend, who wanted me to rush to Coimbatore immediately to firm up the deal with the tenant. Because of my prefixed programme in Mumbai I could visit Coimbatore only the following
week end. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">The tenant looked a pious man. He connected me to the owner of the flat who confirmed that it is okay to deal with the tenant in the matter. I gave a month`s deposit out of the five months deposit required to the tenant and returned with the understanding that I would have to go back to Coimbatore in the middle of February to go through the formalities required by the management of Nana Nani and take possession of the flat. The next month was spent in suspense as I was not sure if I had done the right
thing by dealing only with the tenant. Adding fuel to the fire a good friend who had visited Nana Nani the previous month told me that without the permission of the management of Nana Nani, it is not possible to get a rented apartment. I was confused and worried. However, I did not contact the Nana Nani management or the owner again, but surrendered to Sai Ram and prayed for the success of my efforts. He did not let me down. After going through some ups and downs and all the formalities including a medical check up I am now well settled in Room No G 206 in Phase 4 of Nana Nani. I believe that the fast-tracking of the whole process of getting the apartment was made possible by my
trust in Sai Ram. Om Sai Ram! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">More about my experience in Nana Nani in due course!<br /></span></div>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-7420164081326428202024-02-26T16:25:00.000-08:002024-02-26T16:25:00.048-08:00The beginning of a new chapter<p><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">A new chapter in my life has begun. While I am excited about the prospects</span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"> I am also a little nervous about how things will shape up. My mind goes</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">back to the time when as a 26-year-old man I took the first bold decision in my
life. Within just three years in my dream job with Clarion Mc Cann advertising,
based on the advice given by my well-wishers I decided to move to a
one-bedroom, two toilets attached flat in Santacruz, Mumbai. The rent was Rs.
400 per month. My salary then was only Rs 1000 per month. The 250 sq.ft room in
a chawl in Matunga, where my family of six was staying, sharing two toilets
with 56 others every morning, was costing my father only Rs 20 per month. A
very cautious man that he was, my father refused to move to the flat with the
family. His argument was if for any reason I lost my job the whole family would
be in the streets. However, due to unexpected circumstances, the family moved
with me within a year, justifying my decision. With divine grace and elders'
blessings, I moved up very fast in my career ultimately landing in Chennai,
where for the next 50 years I had a glorious inning realising many of my dreams
and also leaving behind my footprints on the sands of time in several
professional and service organizations that I was associated with. It was a
period of many achievements and new experiences which made my life meaningful.
During this period many out-of-the-box solutions I found to many of the
problems I faced, proved to be right. Including what I did with an explosive
letter my wife wrote to me which became a turning point in her life and our
relationship. I am sure that my well-considered decision to move to Nana Nani,
the senior citizen home in Coimbatore would also turn out right. After all it
was Shirdi Saibaba who fast-tracked the whole process. Look for my next posting
to know more details</span></span></b>.<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-58672861538122403452024-02-18T15:40:00.000-08:002024-02-18T15:40:10.751-08:00A recognition after 30 years<p> </p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Amid many farewell get-togethers, I attended a meeting with a difference. It was organised by the First batch of students of the Post Graduate Diploma Course in Advertising conducted by the Advertising Club Madras that was launched during my year as the President of the club in 19994. Vijay Vasudeven the ever enthusiastic member of the group had managed to get 10 out of 19 participants in the course to attend the <span style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"><a style="animation-name: none !important; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the course and also to honour me for initiating the course which changed their lives for the better. While I feel delighted to get the recognition after 30 years, I think it would be appropriate for me to reproduce an extract from my autobiography which talks about my involvement with the Advertising club Madras and how the idea for the course was mooted and implemented .</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">"When K.A. Srinivasan, a veteran committee member became the President in 1992-93, he invited me to take over as the Convenor of the Club’s own building project. As a first step, I prepared a project report, clearly spelled out the objectives, outlined a structure and also worked out a budget. Armed with this document, I approached some of the leading lights in the agency business in Madras for their support.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Encouraged by the positive response I got, we started looking out for a suitable office space. Over the years, the club had saved about Rs. 5 lakhs. However, most of the premises on offer required more than Rs.10 lakhs. It was then that I came to know that my friend, Tabler Indu Chandhok had some office space available in Carex Centre, the building owned by his group company. Though the total value of the property was Rs. 9 lakhs and we were Rs.4 lakhs short, Indu, because of my personal relationship with him, agreed to sell the property to the Club, on condition that we pay the balance within a specific time. He was kind enough to allow us to take possession of the property and start work on the interiors. The property was registered towards the end of Srinivasan’s term as President. It was a proud moment for all of us when we performed the Pooja at our own premises on the second floor of Carex Centre, centrally located off Anna Salai.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">When I took over as President from Srinivasan in 1993, not only did I have to raise Rs. 4 lakhs to pay Indu Chandhok for the premises, but I also had to find the money for the interiors. R. Krishnamurthy of Eenadu, one of the pillars of Ad Club those days and I called on R.K. Swamy, N. Murali from the Hindu and others for help. Swamy straightaway committed Rs. 3 lakhs, N. Murali Rs. 2 lakhs and another Rs. 60,000/- came from Shanth Kumar of Deccan Herald. An appeal to the members to contribute to the Building Fund helped in donations coming in from several small and big agencies and also individual members.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Once sufficient funds were collected, Srini helped with the interiors which not only served as a classroom for 20 students and a library, but also had a corner where the administrative secretary and his assistant could be seated. I managed to bring in Janardhanan, who helped me run the Round Table India Secretariat, to help set up the Secretariat of the Ad Club Madras. It was a dream come true for all of us when on 24th February 1994, we inaugurated the ’Centre for Advertising’ at our own premises with Arun Nanda, the then President of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) as the Chief Guest. In his speech, Mr. Nanda acknowledged that it was the first time ever that such a centre was established by any Ad club in India. He was also delighted to learn about the proposed PG diploma course in advertising that the club was planning and wished it all success!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">The PG Diploma course was my solution to the perennial problem of man power shortage in the booming advertising industry at that time. A jewel in the crown of Ad Club Madras, as it was called those days, the project was planned as an integral part of the permanent secretariat, to ensure continuous activity in the club and also to provide a regular income. The course initially trained 20 students, the number limited by the capacity of the classroom.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Though I started it, the credit for running the course successfully for more than 20years should go to Past President Jagannath Ramaswamy,as the Course Director. It is not often that a Past President of any club can sustain his interest in any activity for such a long time. I am happy that Vijay and his team also honoured Jagannath at the function.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">It was appropriate that the current office bearers of the club under the dynamic leadership of Bala also participated in the event. It is heartening to note that the course, after a gap due to the pandemcic, has been relaunched, with new syllabi. While I congratulate Vijay for conceiving the idea of the alumni get together of the First batch I hope he will help in forming an alumni Association of all past students of the course. I wish him and the office bearers of the Adclub Madras all the best in their endeavours to take the club to greater heights</div></div>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-48032735826678713712024-02-10T16:17:00.000-08:002024-02-10T16:17:44.157-08:00 11th Anniversary of Prabha Rajan Talent Foundation.<p>Eleven years have flown
by since the passing away of my life partner of 40 years on 5th January 2013.
Instead of mourning her death, I have been celebrating her memory through the activities
of the Prabha Rajan Talent Foundation ( PRTF), which I founded in her memory.
Apart from being an accomplished writer in Tamil, Prabha was also interested in
singing, gardening, and social work. She was a house-proud woman who believed
in maintaining a beautiful home to which one was happy to return every day. I
have been living with beautiful memories of my life with her for the last 11
years!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;">
In the last 11 years, PRTF has held essays, short stories, novella contests,
and many other ideas in association with Kalaimagal, Mangayar Malar, Ladies
Special, and Amudhasurabhi magazines. Has supported 15 budding female writers
in Tamil by co-sponsoring the printing of their books mainly published by
Manimekalai Prasuram. PRTF also contributes towards women-centric projects of
the Rotary Club of Madras South & Inner Wheel Club of Madras South. Many
other projects to support deserving female students are also conducted
regularly.<br />
<br />
Last year PRTF for the first time associated with Kuvikam to conduct a short
story competition and in association with Ladies Special magazine recognized
two women achievers, both senior citizens with the PRTF Role Model Awards, This
year also this programme with Kuvikam and LS repeated.<br />
<br />
This year`s event, held at the Anand Chandrashekar Mini Hall in West Mambalam,
was a modest affair with 60 60-plus audience. Many of them were accomplished
writers in Tamil. The event was conducted with aplomb by Girija Raghavan,
editor of Ladies Special magazine, a guest of honour who also doubled also as
the Emcee of the evening. After the mandatory prayer and the welcome address by
me, the first part of the event witnessed, the 91-year-old Mrs Padma Mani and
the 83-year-old Mrs Padma Rajan receiving the PRTF Role Model Awards, given in
association with Ladies Special magazine. Presented to them to prove that age
is no bar for pursuing one`s passion. This was followed by the release of the
200th book of Kuvikam, containing the prize-winning stories from the short
story contest conducted by Kuvikan, prizes sponsored by PRTF. Kirubanandan one
of the Kuvikam twins, in his talk briefly traced the story of Kuvikam and
briefly explained the process of judging practiced this year. He mentioned that
the first three prizes were from the short-listed entries by a panel of three
judges chosen by the well-known bilingual writer Vasanthy. It was interesting
to hear that over 250 entries were received for the contest this year. The book
was released by the chief Guest Dr. S. Murugusundaram, an accomplished Tamil writer
and a well-known skin specialist. The first copy was received by Ravi
Tamilvanan, Director of Manimekalai Prasuram and a close associate of PRTF
right from its inception. The last event witnessed the chief guest distributing
the cash prizes to the First three prize winners. In his address, laced with
humour, Dr. Murugusundaram, congratulated the Role Model Awardees and the prize
winners in the short story contest. He also appreciated the PRTF's efforts to
bring to the limelight the hidden talents of talented women, age no bar. He
also talked about his second book titled `Dr.Valluvar`, a self-help book in
which he gives useful tips based on the health-related sayings of Valluvar. A
copy of the book was given free to those interested.<br />
<br />
Thank you Kirubanandan and Girija Raghavan for organising and managing the
event this year with your trademark efficiency.</p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-16779879198500554432024-01-31T02:41:00.000-08:002024-01-31T02:41:23.154-08:00Return of my baby after 52 days!<p> <span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>I</b></span>t was on 11th December 2023 that my car was towed away to Cars India Ambattur
Works, where all the cars affected by the recent cyclone were being attended
to. I did not then realize that the works had 350 cars to repair and restore
and my car was one of them. Though I was promised that my car would be back in
30 days, it has taken Cars India, Ambattur, 52 days to return the car, and that
too after persistent & often frustrating follow up with the concerned
persons in charge of my car.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br />
I am a strong believer in the Maruti brand for their maintenance-free cars and
good resale value. Have also had the benefit of their excellent after-sales
service through Cars India, Adyar branch for the last 30 years. Starting with
Maruthi- 800, I have owned an Esteem, Swift, Ritz, and now an automatic
Ceelerio over the years. As an old customer of Cars India, I thought I would
get a preference in dealing with my case. That did not happen.<br />
<br />
It is interesting that in the last 40 years of my stay in the current house
water used to enter my car every time there was heavy rain and there was
flooding around the house. I never had a problem starting the car after the
flood water receded. Though the water level was slightly higher than usual, I
decided not to try and start the car because of the message from insurance
companies going Viral on WhatsApp, warning car users of the severe damage to
the Engines, if the car was started in a flood situation. When I contacted the
Adyar Branch, the person in charge also advised me not to take the risk. He
arranged for a towing service to tow my car to their Ambattur works, which cost
me Rs 8000. I felt sad to see my car being towed away for the first time in 40
years. It felt as if a near and dear one was being taken to a hospital in an
Ambulance.<br />
<br />
I am very disappointed with the way that my case was handled by Cars India
Ambattur. While I can understand that there was a huge pressure on them dealing
with hundreds of Cars, I was upset that I was not being given the correct
picture when I started following up with them after 30 days. False promises and
wrong status reports were being given to me. Unfortunately, the work was so far
away that I had no desire to go and physically check the situation. <br />
Anyway, I am happy that the car is back with me. Needless to say, I was as
happy as one feels when a near and one returns from a hospital after a
successful surgery. After going through the final bill I realized that the car
was not very badly damaged. In hindsight, I feel that the Car could have been
repaired at the Adyar branch and I would have got the car without having to suffer
the undue delay by the Ambattur works. That is the price I had to pay for
overreacting to the viral message on WhatsApp.<br />
<br />
The positive side of the story is that I got used to the idea of living without
a car. Something which I intend to do when I go to Coimbatore. I am not taking
the car with me but will use the excellent call taxi service available in CBE.<br />
<br />
I must thank all my friends and family for providing me the ` CAR SEVA`
whenever I needed it. God bless them!</p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-69227558540176255162024-01-20T15:34:00.000-08:002024-01-20T15:34:34.627-08:00 I am moving to Coimbatore<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">29 years in Mumbai, 3 years in New Delhi, and
after 50 years in Chennai I will be moving to Coimbatore in March 2023 to lead
a life without responsibilities</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I
thought I would share with you the reasons for my decision to move to Nana Nani
(Phase 4) a Senior Citizen Home in Coimbatore, though I already
have a good support system in Sastri Nagar where I am staying with my son`s
family surrounded by siblings living in the same housing complex.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The
idea took root in my mind after I wrote the article titled `Home away from
Home- a Life without Responsibilities` for which I visited several Senior
Citizen Homes and interviewed scores of residents in such homes. Most of them
were NRI parents with their children staying abroad. But many of them
were also seniors whose children were staying in Coimbatore or other cities.
Still, they opted for the Home because of the independent life without
day-to-day responsibilities such Homes offered. I found most of them were very
happy with their life in such Homes. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After
Prabha passed away in 2013, I was enjoying the independent life I was leading,
looking after myself and offering whatever physical help I could offer to
others. In the last couple of years, the aging process and the
consequent steady decline in my health with all kinds of aches and pains have
made me worry about the possibility of my becoming dependent on my children and
a nuisance value. I miss Prabha now. She could have taken
minute-to-minute care of me if I was unwell as only a life partner can do,
without my feeling guilty about it. This has created an anxiety syndrome in me.
My spirit is still willing to take on challenges but the flesh is becoming
weaker and weaker.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Today
well-run senior citizens' homes offer an excellent alternative life for those
who are financially independent and who are living alone leading an insecure
life. They also provide reliable facilities for dependent parents living with
children in nuclear families when they are not in a position to provide any
help to their children because of a lack of energy and stamina. As I find
myself with my two little resident grandchildren. They are fun but I find that
I can`t run after them or cope with their boundless energy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some
children appoint full-time caregivers to look after their dependent parents.
This is not practical for everyone due to space constraints and other reasons.
Many of the senior citizen homes offer assisted living facilities within the
community without the children having to worry about such parents on a
day-to-day basis. Though at present I don`t need such care, I am looking ahead
and being prepared for any eventualities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The
second reason is the condition of the beautiful Home I built 42 years ago. Age
is also catching up with the Home which is witnessing many cracks endangering
the security of the family. Though I have seen water entering the ground
floor of my independent home where I stay almost every year when it rains
heavily, the recent experience because of the cyclone in Chennai has broken my
endurance limits. I don`t want to live in the house to face the nightmare of
another flooding of the house. With the possibility of my siblings also moving
out for the same reason, and the families going for a redevelopment of the
property, I wanted to clear the way for my son so that he can look at
plans without having to worry about me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Why
Coimbatore when there are many Senior Citizen Homes in and around Chennai?
Better weather and the fact that my younger daughter Sowmya is now settled in
Coimbatore who could be a first respondent in case of a health emergency, have
influenced the decision.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I
want to make it clear that the decision is based on my habit of thinking ahead
and looking for out-of-the-box solutions to some of the problems I faced in my
life. I may still come back to Chennai if I am not happy with life in the
new Home as the lease of the apartment is for 11 months only. Besides I will
keep visiting Chennai whenever an occasion demands my visit. So friends in
Chennai, do not bid me goodbye, yet<o:p></o:p></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-60667120474063345422024-01-13T15:42:00.000-08:002024-01-13T15:42:53.791-08:00 How to make at least one person happy every day<p>Since I retired from my job at the age of 65, I have
discovered the great joy of making other people happy. When people around me
are happy I feel happy. In the last few years, I have publicly declared my latest policy to make at least one person happy every day. Friends ask
me, how do I do it? The answer lies in my nature to help others. In all my
life, whenever anyone approaches me for any help I would never say `not
possible` but say, `I will try`. Thanks to the goodwill I enjoy among my large
number of friends and contacts, I can connect the person seeking help to a
person who is in a position to help. In 80% of the cases, the problem gets
resolved making the person grateful to me for helping. It could be anything
from a request for school admission, seeking a job, looking for an alliance, a
medical condition, a problem with a government department, seeking a donation,
a loan, or many other reasons people seek help and advice from friends. This is
one way to make people happy but how do I practice it every day? It happens by
instinct.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Godman Sri Sri Ravishankar of Art of Living fame advises his millions of
followers to keep smiling and create a positive feeling for you. I try to
follow this advice and do not hesitate to greet anyone I meet during my morning
walks or in any public places. I make it a practice to call or visit senior
citizens who are living alone and looking for someone to talk to. Offer them
any help they need then. I know of a nonagenarian friend`s wife who is a
voracious reader. I regularly supply her with new books in exchange for those
she has already read. The reward I get for my good deed is to be fed with some
delicious snacks she lovingly prepares, once in a while.<br />
<br />
Every year I buy the special Diwali issues of some popular Tamil magazines and
circulate them in rotation among a few of my friends, all senior citizens. They
look forward to this unusual service from me with great expectation. I feel
happy when they are happy.<br />
I am also prompt in appreciating people for their little and big achievements.
A handshake, a pat on the back, or even a simple word of appreciation makes
people happy. During my walks in the mornings at Bessy ( Besant Nagar Beach
front in Chennai), I come across families with small, cute kids. Occasionally I
stop and pet the child and tell the parents “ A smart kid. He will go places in
life. God Bless”. The happiness on the face of the proud parents is to be seen
to be believed.<br />
<br />
Then there are scores of other small acts you can perform that make people
happy. Like having small talks with service providers like electricians,
plumbers, and mechanics who come to repair equipment. Enquire about their
background, their families, or the simple act of offering them a glass of water
or a cup of tea. I also derive great joy when I see the surprised and happy
look on the faces of call drivers, auto drivers & vendors when I pay them
more than what is due to them. I can go on. If giving becomes a habit it will
surely generate a lot of happiness among the recipients of your kindness, and
you will be happy that you are leading a purposeful life instead of just
existing in the world.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-72958783345714375372024-01-04T15:25:00.000-08:002024-01-04T15:25:16.877-08:00Remembering Prabha on her eleventh Anniversary<p>Instead of mourning her death on 5th January 2013 I have been celebrating the
memory of my life partner for forty years through Prabha Rajan Talent
Foundation (PRTF) activities which I started in her memory. On the 10th
Anniversary event last year, a new idea of presenting the PRTF Role Model
awards was introduced and two deserving senior citizens were honoured. I
released an advertisement in the 2023 Diwali issues of Kalaimagal and
Ladies Special magazines which briefly highlighted the achievements of three women who decided to
pursue their passion for writing, late in life, like Prabha.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On her 11th Anniversary, I promise that
I will continue with the activities of PRTF as long as I am mentally and
physically fit. Om Sai Ram.<br />
---------------------------------------------<br />
The attached photo of Prabha was taken in Kashmir where we had a- Childhood
dream come true holiday- as she called it. We returned from the holiday on 25th
April,2012 and she was diagnosed of terminal cancer on 5th June,2012. She
passed away on 5th January,2013, exactly seven months after the diagnosis of
colon cancer.</p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-31413579759354720082023-12-23T20:02:00.000-08:002023-12-23T20:02:10.047-08:00 A Farewell visit to Mumbai?<p>The wheelchair service by the Airlines has helped me travel alone more
confidently. My trip to Bombay this week reinforced this belief. My original
plan was to only attend the `Navjote` function of the grandkids of Sam Balsara,
the big Boss of the Madison group with whom my agency Anugrah Madison had
entered into a tie-up as the rural division of the group. It was a lovely
evening where I not only met Sam`s family but also a lot of old friends from
the advertising fraternity. The vegetarian fare at the dinner table with many
typical Parsi dishes like Dhansak, Undhiyu, etc was delicious.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks to my wonderful hosts in Mumbai, Sundaresan and
Leela, a couple who are hospitality personified, I could visit Shirdi Sai Baba
temple by Vande Bharath Express- leaving Mumbai in the morning and returning
the same night after a very good darshan of Sairam. I was traveling by train
after six years and by Vande Bharath for the first time. While the train in
terms of space, ambiance, and spacious toilets stands out as a train with a
difference, I found the dinner served on the train was no different from what
they serve in Shatabdi, which I never liked.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />
During my stayin Mumbai, I had the pleasure of having lunch with 92-year-old
Vijay Menon and his wife Shanthi. Meeting their daughter from New York on a
visit to Mumbai was a bonus. Vijay, a friend for over fifty years, had opened
up a whole new world to me when he roped me as the country representative of AMIC
in 1984. He had left the post to take
over as the Secretary General of AMIC, an NGO headquartered in Singapore,
promoting the cause of Mass Communication in Asia Pacific Region. My long
association with AMIC led to my involvement with WAN-IFRA, another NGO devoted
to Newspaper development headquartered in Germany. While at Anugrah Madison I
had to explore the hinterland of the country, WAN-IFRA gave me opportunities to
travel abroad every year. It was a fascinating experience.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />
One evening with my school friends at the Matunga Gymkhana was memorable. During
the first 26 years of my life, I had seen Matunga Gymkhana, opposite Podar
College where I studied, almost every day. It was a popular Club for Cricket
and Table Tennis with some other basic facilities. It has been redeveloped into
a first-class Club with several additional facilities and a couple of
restaurants with a five-star ambiance serving some unusual dishes as starters.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />
Spending a pleasant evening with a client turned-friend Swamy( ex-Philips) and
a quiet lunch with relatives Rajagopals
also happened during the trip. I visited Matunga where I had lived for
the first 26 years in Bombay. I had a sumptuous and tasty Thali Meal at the
Udupi Sri Krishna Boarding, near Matunga station, an iconic restaurant. It was
a nostalgic experience indeed! Any trip to Mumbai is never complete for me
without a visit to Chedda Stores, ( a small grocery shop turned into a big
department store) and buying my favourite Theplas, Khakras, and other Gujarathi
snacks.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />
Though I am impressed with the several new modes of travel that the government
has introduced to reduce travel time (like the Freeway from Chembur to Masjid
), I am shocked at the number of high-rise buildings that have come up in the
name of redevelopment, making Mumbai a concrete jungle. I found the city
claustrophobic and heavily polluted. Frankly I don`t enjoy visiting Mumbai anymore
. I told my host that this probably was my farewell trip to Mumbai!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-7353758824306286992023-12-16T15:29:00.000-08:002023-12-16T15:29:12.976-08:00My first short story in Tamil in 60 years<p>With the publication of my short story titled `Express Rani`
in the December 2023 issue of Kalaimagal,
the 92-year-old literary magazine in Tamil, I have got rid of one more mental block.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> In my school days, I
was a writer of short stories and plays in Tamil. I have also acted in plays
written by me. Once I got into the demanding advertising profession I had stopped writing in Tamil though I continued
to read popular Tamil Magazines. Since I took a new avatar as a writer/author
in English, post-retirement, some of my essays translated into Tamil have
appeared in the Diwali issues of Kalaimagal and Ladies Special a Tamil
monthly. Impressed by my style of
writing my good friend and well-wisher Kizhambur Sankara Subramanian, editor of
Kalaimagal, has been persuading me to
write original articles/stories in Tamil. But my problem was that I could not
write in Tamil as I had lost touch with writing in Tamil for 60 years. I found
it very painful to compose even simple sentences in Tamil. Instead of writing a
new story, I sent an unpublished story I
had written in Tamil 60 years ago titled `Ilamai Thudippu`. Kizhambur found it
interesting and published it in the Kalaimagal Diwali issue in 2022. He also
insisted that I make a serious attempt to write an original story in Tamil.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> It happened during my
last visit to Coimbatore when I was
staying with my daughter. I had not taken my laptop so I could not type any
new essays during the golden hour in the
morning, as is my habit. Not to waste time I decided to try my hand at writing a short story in Tamil. Though
the thought process was smooth writing in Tamil was
painful. I managed to get a draft ready with lots of scratching and rewriting.
It is based on a real-life story and
does not follow the usual grammar of short stories. Luckily my sister-in-law
Mythili Seshadri who helps me with translations and Tamil typing found the draft legible and typed it. I sent the short story titled `Express
Rani` to Kizhambur and kept my fingers crossed. He found the story interesting and promised to
publish it in Kalaimagal. He kept up his promise by publishing it in the latest
issue of the magazine. I jumped with joy
seeing my story, written in Tamil after
60 years in a prestigious magazine like Kalaimagal. Motivated by the
encouraging feedback I am getting from my near and dear ones I have decided to
explore this new avenue of writing that
has opened to me. That is one of my New
Year resolutions for 2024. But I must first learn to type in Tamil so that I
don`t have to go through the painful process of writing by hand. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you Kizhambur for your encouragement and support.</p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-53877988768431148612023-12-16T15:24:00.000-08:002023-12-16T15:24:46.232-08:00 Life Time Achievement Award for Distinguished Journalism<p>I had the honour of reading the citation for the Life Time
Achievement Award for Distinguished Journalism presented to my good friend S.R.Madhu by the TAG group
& Ramu Endowments on 10<sup>th</sup> December at the Tag Centre. It was a packed audience
of over 200 which witnessed Madhu receiving the Award from the Chief Guest
R.K.Raghavan the former Director of CBI
and Consul General of Cyprus.</p>
<p class="Pa5" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">A well
deserved honour for a writer who in</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> a journalism career
spanning more than 60 years, has made a mark in newspapers and magazines as
well as specialist journals; in both mainstream mass media and development
media; in print as well as audio-visuals. His writing is characterized by
clarity and vigour, precision and elegance. As editor, he promotes the highest
standards in content, composition and presentation, as well as in design and
visual appeal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 9.4pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 9.4pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">With a Gold
Medal in Journalism from Bombay, a certificate in photojournalism from Parson’s
School, New York; and a certificate in communication from Cornell University,
New York Madhu started his life as a
feature writer in 1964 with the </span><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Times of India</span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> Group. He later shifted to </span><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">USIS </span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Bombay<span style="color: #222222;"> as English Editor in 1970. Between 1974-79 he was the
Deputy Editor of </span><b>SPAN</b><span style="color: #222222;"> magazine published by the American Embassy
in Delhi. As the principal staff writer of </span><b>SPAN</b><span style="color: #222222;"> magazine, he wrote articles on
Indo-US relations and covered visits of dignitaries from the USA. He got a
certificate of appreciation from the White House for his wonderful coverage of
President Carter’s visit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 9.4pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> Shifting
to Development Communication, he served for 15 years (1979-1994) as an
International Information Officer with the </span><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">FAO-United Nations</span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> in India and Africa. In
the course of his work, he wrote and photographed UN projects in more than a
dozen countries of Asia and Africa. He founded the newsletter </span><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Bay of Bengal News</span></b><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">,</span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> for the
FAO’s Chennai-based regional programme, the Bay of Bengal Programme.
The FAO in Rome commended </span><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Bay of Bengal News</span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> as a model for all
FAO projects worldwide.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Retiring from the UN in 1995, Madhu has for
the past 28 years been a writer-editor consultant – mainly to UN agencies.
He has been also very active with </span><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Rotary</span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> as a Programme director of Rotary Club of Madras
South for the last 25 years besides being a popular anchor of the </span><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">South India Heritage lectures, numbering over 350, </span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">organised by the </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Tag group<span style="color: #222222;"> in
Chennai.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Madhu`s abiding interest in Cricket and Films is
well known. His recent series of 22 well-researched articles on personalities
in the Hindi and Tamil music world in </span><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Rotary News</span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">, a magazine
of Rotary International has become so popular that a reader, a well-known
journalist remarked, ` Madhu just doesn`t write but `composes` his articles
with his pen`. He has also made eight presentations based on film music
covering the period</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">from the 1940s to the 1980s</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The award function was followed by an engaging video
presentation by Madhu of selected Songs
from films of the yester year star Dev Anand , whose birth
centenary is being celebrated this year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">( Quote from Charis, Raghavan`s and madhu`s speeches)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My friendship with Madhu is six decades old. We
both did our PG Diploma courses in Bharatriya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay in 1962-64.
He did journalism and I did Advertising and PR. We both started our respective
careers in Bombay , went to Delhi and finally landed in Chennai. It is a
friendship that has stood the test of time.I was responsible for roping him
into my Rotary Club. I consider him as
one of my mentors in my second innings as a writer/author post retirement.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Hearty Congratulations Madhu on a long overdue but
a well deserved honour. Hope this is the beginning of many more Awards you will
get in the future. I am proud to have
you as my friend. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-47704536959542622692023-12-06T18:46:00.000-08:002023-12-06T18:46:28.776-08:00 Limping back to normal<p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The 48-hour ordeal is almost over. The water inside the home in my portion on the ground floor has been cleared. I have moved to my portion on the ground floor. The power came back around noon yesterday. But only two phases. Six inches of water is still surrounding our home and the passage to our home. Since water had entered my car filling the portion below the seats, both in the front and back, I am not sure if it has damaged any parts under the bonnet. Awaiting the help of the elusive representative from Cars India to help check the condition and start the car. Because of the dos and don`ts shared by Maruti & other insurance companies scared to take the risk of starting the car on my own. Mobility is therefore restricted.</span></p><br /><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Because my house is built at a lower level than the road I am used to water entering the ground floor of my home whenever there is a cyclone or very heavy rains. But flooding of the entire ground floor has taken place only six times in the last forty years. This time because of the intensity even the toilet in the bedroom overflowed. It was sickening. A few trees inside the compound had also fallen and blocked the passage.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Fortunately, I could move to my son`s portion on the first floor, where we were well-stocked with all the essentials required. However, due to the lack of power, we had to be careful with the use of water and the mobile. No bath for two days. I kept my mobile switched off and used it only to check messages from time to time. Managed it well until a friend of my son reached a Mobile Battery charger. </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The positive side of the story is that I could spend two full days with my son`s family enjoying the personalized hospitality extended to me by both my daughter-in-law Tulse and son Balaji. Besides I could also spend more time with my resident grandchildren Thavam and Bakthi, which was a bonus. I was witness to the great effort that both Balaji & Tulse had to put in to keep them engaged due to lack of screen time. It is always tough to bring up small kids but today`s kids are far more demanding than the earlier generations. Need enormous patience to handle them, which both Tulse and Balaji displayed in abundance. Hats off to them.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">One more year. One more rain-related ordeal is behind us. Thank God we have survived without any collateral damage. Om Sairam!</span>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-80487490794384607392023-11-27T16:06:00.000-08:002023-11-27T16:06:35.262-08:00Adyar & Me<p>I had shared the news that my article titled `Adyarum Naanum
(Adyar & Me)` in Tamil had appeared in the Kalaimagal magazine`s Diwali
issue this year. For those who cannot read Tamil among my FB friends, I am
reproducing below the English version of the article. The article describes my
long association with Adyar, a popular residential area consisting of many
colonies. I have been a resident of Sastri Nagar, one of the colonies forming a
part of Adyar, for the last 49 years.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
Adyar & Me </span></b><br />
<br />
by R.V.Rajan<br />
<br />
A few weeks ago a team from Federal Bank accompanied by executives from their
advertising agency landed in my home. As a resident of Adyar for the last 49
years, they wanted to know what it meant to me and the highlights of my long
association with Adyar. I was told that this was being done as a part of `I am
Adyar. Adyar is Me` campaign that celebrates people and their culture in Adyar.
This gave me an opportunity to go down memory lane.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br />
It was on my first official visit to Chennai in 1967, I had to visit Sastri
Nagar in Adyar, responding to a dinner invitation from the Branch Manager of my
company. I remember that I had to cross a narrow one-way iron bridge over the
Adyar river connecting Gandhi Nagar and the areas beyond, with the city. A
traffic constable was stationed to allow vehicles from either side to go over
the bridge alternately. My Branch Manager’s house was one of the dozen independent
houses in the area, with plenty of open space all around. I was told that
during the rainy season, the entire area would be flooded and Sastri Nagar
would look like a lake dotted with houses! I never imagined that within seven
years I would move to Chennai and settle down in Sastri Nagar, a beautiful
little colony with lovely houses built by retired bureaucrats, upcoming
businessmen, and a few professionals. By the time I moved to Sastri Nagar, the
area had seen some development, with more independent houses.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> <br />Besant Nagar, lying between Sastri Nagar and the beautiful Elliots beach, was
fast developing, with a complex of Housing Board flats serving different strata
of society. For all our daily necessities we had to go to Besant Nagar or walk
up to Lattice Bridge Road (LB Road). Laxmi Sagar, the Udupi Restaurant dishing
out delicious South Indian snacks, was the only restaurant serving the entire
area and it was located (and continues to exist) diagonally opposite Adyar
Telephone Exchange. Today, Adyar, with several well-developed colonies, has a
choice of multi-cuisine restaurants offering Indian, Chinese, Italian, Korean,
Japanese, and Continental flavours. You can get everything- from `pin to
elephant`- in Adyar today.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> <br />In the last two decades, greedy builders have managed to tempt the owners of
the beautiful houses to go in for joint development of plots, with the result
that Sastri Nagar has become a concrete jungle. This is true of many other
colonies in Adyar. Many of the streets are witnessing the appearance of
commercial ventures in a primarily residential area, transforming the profile
of the locality. My home, which is one of the few independent homes in Sastri
Nagar, was a peaceful place tucked inside a small lane facing the colony’s only
Corporation playground. Today, we are surrounded by multi-storied apartments on
three sides leading to a feeling of suffocation.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br />
I will, however, not think of leaving Sastri Nagar because of its strategic
location. Just a ten-minute walk from my home to the lovely Elliot’s Beach
where I can watch the sun rise and breathe fresh air every morning. It is
another matter that I go for a walk in my car! Though I have been walking on the beach road in Besant Nagar, popularly known
as `Bessy` among the younger generation for the last 49 years, I had never
bothered to befriend strangers crossing my path in the old days. It would at
best be a courteous `Hi` and `Bye` to some acquaintances I bumped into! It was
only after I had completely come out of my active professional life that I
started cultivating new friends during my walks because I was not in a hurry to
get back home.<br />
<br />
The two groups of walking friends I am now associated with consist of people
who are in their seventies or eighties. It is a mix of retired professionals
from the private/public sector, bureaucrats, and even educators. Every morning
the groups meet at a fixed time – exchanging the latest gossip in town or the
political situation or a few jokes. Jokes at the expense of some members are
not uncommon. You can judge from the boisterous laughter emanating from the
groups from time to time that everyone is having fun. I make it a point to
spend 60 minutes between these two groups every morning and indulge in some
throaty laughter considered good for the mind and body. Laughter a day keeps
the doctor or the `blues` away! A brisk walk followed by a dose of healthy
laughter and a good cup of filter coffee sets the right tone for the rest of
the day for me. I come back fully charged to spend an active day ahead; which
also involves interacting with a whole set of new friends I have made in the
literary world as a writer/author. One of them is Kizhambur Sankara
Subramanian, the editor of Kalaimagal. <br />
<br />
I first met Kizhambur when I went to hand over a short story in Tamil written
by my late wife Prabha, twenty-five years ago. However, I got closer to him
only after I started the Prabha Rajan Talent Foundation ( PRTF) in memory of my
late wife Prabha, which has conducted a few literary contests in association with
Kalaimagal. His association with Tamizh Puthaga Nanbargal of which I was one of
the founders, cemented our friendship. I am grateful to him for inviting me to
contribute this article for publication in this year`s Diwali issue of
Kalaimagal.<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-57729165759637690672023-11-18T16:24:00.000-08:002023-11-18T16:24:53.264-08:00 Is it Trust in God or Faith in God?<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 12.65pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I
am a god-fearing man who believes in total surrender to the Lord. Though I am
no good at established rituals I do have some of my own. After finishing my
morning ablutions I start playing devotional songs from Youtube. Songs like
Venkateshwara Suprabhatham, Vishnu Sahasranamam etc. While these are going on
in the background for about sixty minutes I get to work on my PC.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Every
morning after a bath I go to the small puja room in my home, clean up the place
by getting rid of the old flowers and replacing them with new flowers. I offer
a couple of bananas and a small silver cup with fresh milk as Neivedyam and
light up the two small silver lamps. After that, I recite a few slokas- some
from memory and some I read from a booklet. The process takes me about 30
minutes. I find the whole experience blissful.</span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">What
do I call my belief in god- Trust in God or Faith in God? I referred to
Google Knowledge to find out. This is what it says.</span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Trust- to
believe that someone is good and honest and will not harm you, or that
something is safe and reliable</span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> Faith means putting your trust in God and having confidence
that he will not fail you.</span></b><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">They say that God constantly
tests his ardent devotees more than he tests the non-believers to</span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> ensure that the devotee
constantly remembers him. This has been very true in my life. </span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> The toughest test that
the Lord gave me involved my son Balaji. He was just a year old and as per</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">family traditions, we
had to get his first </span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFTI1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Mundan </span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">at
Tirupati on a chosen date.</span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Accompanied by my parents, when
we were on our way to Tirupati, my son developed a fever</span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> and severe cold which
got worse that night. The next morning, when I was ready to leave for</span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> Kalyanakatta (common
hall) and the holy pond, my father, the cautious man that he always is, was
furious with me. He insisted that we cancel the whole ritual or alternatively
bring the barber</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">to
the lodge and give the child a bath in hot water at the Lodgings where we were
staying. I</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">stood
my ground and told my father that my prayer involved getting the shaving
ceremony done</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">at
the common hall followed by the child taking a holy dip in the pond. After a
heated argument </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">when
my father realized that I was not going to give in, he let go but refused to
join me. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">With</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">fear in my heart, but
with total faith in the Lord, I went through the rituals as per my plan. After</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">dipping the feverish
baby in the pond three times, I came out and quickly wiped him off and</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">dressed him up in warm
clothes. When my wife placed her hand on the baby’s forehead to see</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">if his fever had
risen, she was surprised to find there was none! In spite of going through the</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">ordeal, Balaji was
smiling at us! I felt that the Lord was smiling at me and telling me, “You have</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">passed yet another
test, young man!” Not only was the fever gone, but Balaji’s cold disappeared as</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">quickly! What I
did may be crazy but that is what implicit faith in the Lord makes you do</span><span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">sometimes!</span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "SFRM1000","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">(<b>I have narrated a few more
such experiences in Part Three titled `My tryst with God` in
my autobiography titled `Courage My Companion</b>`) </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #4d5156; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-14837093716829225042023-11-14T03:14:00.000-08:002023-11-14T03:14:16.446-08:00 When Crocodile Craved for Chocolate & Chips<p>A fascinating book for kids written by my `storyteller`
daughter Sowmya Srinivasan and beautifully illustrated by my younger brother
Srinivasan & Pushpa`s daughter Shilpa and her nine-year-old daughter Janani.
Though the book is meant for kids, I found the story interesting and the
illustrations fascinating. <b><span style="color: #f1765e;">Congratulations</span></b>
to the trio and hope they come up with more such joint ventures in the future.
God Bless them</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br />
I am reproducing below the story of the Book's journey as communicated by
Sowmya herself:<br />
<br />
“ Way back in 2019, I wrote this story for a bunch of 1st and 2nd years, to
inspire them to eat healthy. Somehow I knew the protagonist had to be a
Crocodile! I then sent it across to my artist cousin Shilpa in the US, hoping
she would illustrate it. Surprisingly her daughter Janani, on her own accord,
quickly pencil sketched the entire story in one sitting! Janani was 9 years old
at that time. Shilpa then painted each of the illustrations using watercolors and
it was finally all done! Then of course with the help of Story Weaver (an
online and free publishing platform from Pratham) we uploaded the images along
with the text and voilà, our book was ready in 2023!<br />
The journey has been long, but so worth it. I hope my readers like it as much
as we enjoyed creating it”<br />
<br />
Those interested in reading the book can download the book by clicking the link
<br />
<a href="https://storyweaver.org.in/stories/582091-when-crocodile-craved-chocolate-chips">https://storyweaver.org.in/stories/582091-when-crocodile-craved-chocolate-chips</a><br />
For those who find it difficult to read online, a few printed copies are
available with Sowmya and me. Connect with us by Whats App – Sowmya 9731570615
Rajan -9840392082</p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-18759413832797439942023-11-07T16:17:00.002-08:002023-11-07T16:17:31.909-08:00 Any kind of help any time service<p>One
of the biggest worries for any senior citizen is the fear of falling &
getting injured. However careful he or she is it can happen anytime. It
happened to my walking friend, 92-year-old Sundaram, a few weeks ago. An NRI
parent whose only daughter is settled in the USA, he stays with his wife in a
flat in Besant Nagar. Like most NRI parents he has to fend for himself
for all his requirements. However, during the lockdown in 2020, his
daughter entered into an arrangement with an Elder Care Service
provider to give any help the couple wanted any time of the day.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It
was a Sunday. After his meal at the dining table when he went to the washbasin
in the kitchen to wash his hands he slipped and fell. He couldn`t get up. His
frail wife could not lift him up. As the neighbours were not available, with
help from a nearby vendor he was lifted and seated in a chair. His wife
remembered her daughter`s instruction to contact the service provider for any help.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A
telephone call brought one of the co-founders and her partner from the service
provider within twenty minutes. They took charge of the situation, summoned an
ambulance, and got Sundaram admitted to a nearby hospital.<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At the hospital, they discussed
with the doctors and once the fracture was </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">confirmed </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">they admitted him and
appointed a 24/7 caregiver. They did not
disturb Sundaram`s wife. She was at home
and they kept her and their daughter informed of the doctor’s view and surgery
plan.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span>Luckily for
Sundaram, the next day the senior surgeon discovered only a hairline fracture,
surgery was performed, and a steel plate was inserted. While friends kept in
touch with his wife to give her moral support, it was the caregiver who was
attached to Sundaram 24/7 until he returned home five days later when he was
able to walk around with a walker. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They have continued with the same caregiver at home too and
organized physio for a full recovery.</span> Needless to say, Sundaram`s daughter from the
USA was closely monitoring to ensure that her father was well taken care
of despite her physical absence. As well as she would have taken care of him if
she had been present. A promise made by the service provider which they
kept up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sundaram
confirmed that in the last three years, the services provided by the service
provider called <b>Sakhi4life</b> were exemplary. Both he and his <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">daughter who</span> takes care of the bills, are very happy. <span style="font-family: "Poppins","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Registered
as a company by three ladies with extensive corporate experience Sakhi4life
offers support, care, and companionship for aging
parents with the same kind of respect and effort that the absentee children of
such parents would provide them.</span><span style="font-family: Poppins, "serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Poppins, "serif";">It could be as small as ordering a meal on Swiggy or a car
on Uber or arranging a celebration with friends</span><span style="font-family: Poppins, "serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">, and</span><span style="font-family: Poppins, "serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> they are just</span><span style="color: #179c94; font-family: "Montserrat","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Montserrat","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">one call away for every need. </span><span style="font-family: Poppins, "serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Sakhi Counsellors are trained to help seniors in managing their
daily chores, payments, legal, medical, technical, financial, or government
requirements; dealing with vendors and household staff on their behalf, and
most importantly, companionship. In other words, they can provide any kind of
help that the elders require at any time of the day.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Poppins, "serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> According to Sundaram`s daughter, the payment terms
are reasonable. She told me that a few of her friends with NRI parents have
used the service and are happy. Sakhi4life offers customized package deals
based on the specific requirements of the elders needing their care. While I am
aware of many `Anytime patient care` service providers, this is the first
time I came across an `Any time, any care` service provider in Sakhi4life which
is modeled on similar elder care bodies like</span><span style="font-family: Poppins, "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><b><span style="color: #4d5156; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Aaji Care in Mumbai,
Porosh in Kolkata and Kites in Bengaluru.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #4d5156; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyone looking for
such a service in Chennai can visit the website- sakhi4life.com for more details.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-75070305929884917112023-10-12T16:39:00.003-07:002023-10-12T16:39:28.563-07:00Jayendra Panchapakesan- A socially conscious filmmaker<p>Remember
the famous ad film of yore with the jingle ` Chottu Neelam doi ….Ragual chottu
Neelam doi` for Regaul liquid blue or `Home but not alone` TV spot for
BPL range of products or the `I love you Rasna` commercial for soft drink
mixes. Those memorable brand-building ad films were made by Chennai-based JS
Films founded by two schoolmates Jayendra Panchapakesan and P.C.Sriram, the
award-winning Cinematographer. After producing over 600 films, winning several
awards, and opening the Bombay ad film market for other ad film producers in
Chennai, Jayendra decided to join hands with another friend
Senthil Kumar by merging JS films with Real Image, a leading
provider of technology in the film, video and audio domains.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I
have known Jayendra for nearly 35 years from the time he produced a TV
commercial for MRF Tractor Tyres which was a client of Grant Kenyon
Eckhardt where I was working then. His team had produced more than a dozen
films for my agency Anugrah Madison over the years. A man of few words,
soft-spoken & self-effacing Jayendra has a penchant for experimenting with
new ideas in whatever he does. He is also a perfectionist who never compromises
on the quality of the job he is doing. I remember when he was doing a
commercial for Shriram Chits, he was not happy with the final output of a
particular sequence in a film. He reshot the entire sequence at his own cost. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sixty-five
years old Jayendra is a 100% Chennai boy. He comes from a well-respected,
well-to-do family. He did his schooling at Vidya Mandir where he won many
art competitions at inter-school and national levels. He got his BSc degree in
Chemistry from Vivekananda College. While in college he dabbled in staging
plays with Madu Balaji with scripts written by Madhu`s celebrity brother
Crazy Mohan. He was the Secretary of the Fine Arts club during his final year
in college. Obviously, the creative spark was in him right from his student
days. No wonder the boy with a degree in Chemistry switched to
advertising. How did it happen?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jayendra
says, “ While seeing movies in theaters, I would keenly watch the ads and felt
I could do a better job than what I saw. One day my friend Chakravarthy
(chax) and I walked into the Carborundum Universal office in Chennai because we
thought we had an excellent slogan for Exide batteries. The manager who met us
told us that, that was not the way it works and that all their advertising was
handled by an advertising agency based out of Mumbai”. This motivated Jayendra
to think of advertising as a career.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Armed
with a PG Diploma in advertising from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Jayendra started
his advertising career as a trainee at Inter Publicity in Chennai. Realising
that the real action was in Bombay he packed his bags and left for Mumbai. He
joined Clarion McCann advertising, where his friend Chax was already employed.
As budding copywriters, he and his friend Chax started working on all the
national accounts of Clarion. They soon became the talk of the town. People
spoke about two young writers from Chennai who were making a difference in Clarion’s
creativity.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jayendra
is a restless creative guy. He says, “I was a writer for 8 years. I switched 14
jobs. If the environment was not congenial for good creative output I left.
Once I joined a national ad agency as creative group head. It was my fourth day
in office. Sitting in my cabin I was reading a book as I had not yet been
assigned any work. An elderly man with a grey beard walked through the room. He
saw me reading a book. I looked at him and went back to reading the book. After
he left, a lady rushed into my room and blurted with urgency “ he is our
chairman, even if you are not busy, pretend to be busy”. I stared at her,
packed my bags, and left. I sent a crisp two-word resignation letter.
“Previously yours” Jayendra”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This
is the point when Jayendra, bored with just writing scripts for ads, decided to
make ad films because he felt he could communicate better. On his return to
Chennai, he <span style="color: #3b3b3b; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">had the unique distinction of consulting with
three top agencies in Chennai at the same time – HTA, Mudra, and Sistas</span>. As already
mentioned he joined hands with his schoolmate PC to start JS Films in
Chennai in 1986 which got its first film from Mudra Communications to do a film
for a national brand. Soon Mudra’s chairman Mr. A.G. Krishnamurthy, impressed
with the good work done, decided to give all film jobs from the Ahmedabad,
Mumbai, and Delhi offices of Mudra to JS Films. For brands like Rasna,
Vimal, Apollo tyres, and many more. Based on the success of the films for
Mudra, Balki, the creative director from Lintas (Lowe) started giving film
assignments for Lever brands. Pretty soon the JS team was doing ads for
many Mumbai agencies. The tables had been turned. From Chennai agencies
going to Mumbai for their films, Mumbai agencies started coming to Chennai for
their films. There was no looking back for the JS team.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>What
made Jayendra merge a successful JS Films with Real Image?</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jayendra
says, “When I started doing ads, Senthil who was in college at that time was
doing graphics for me on a computer he had built. We were pushing technology to
do impossible things at that time. When Avid Technology asked him to distribute
their products in India he invited me to join him. <span style="color: #3b3b3b; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In 1993 I teamed up with Senthil to set up Real Image,
introducing non-linear editing with Avid and digital cinema sound with DTS</span>. I was a reluctant
starter as I was more creative than a businessman. But soon we started enjoying
introducing new technologies into the country like Avid, which did to
editing what word processing did to typewriting; DTS brought back audiences to
movies with 6-track sound; Digital cinema changed the economics of a
movie release. Made very wide release possible bringing enormous collection
right up front”.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Once
Real Image (now called Qube Cinema) hired a CEO, Jayendra went back to making
films. But not ad films. He made two feature films titled <b> 180</b> in
Tamil and Telugu and later a Telugu film titled <b>Na Nuvve</b>. He made
two experimental Carnatic music films <b>Margazhi Raagam</b> and <b>One</b>.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jayendra says,” For Margazhi Raagam I came up with the idea
to shoot a concert with 13 red cameras synched with each other (for the first
time in the world) and recorded the sound live and mixed it in 6-track surround
sound. For the first time, people watching this in the theatres got a glimpse
of how much was possible for the presentation of our concerts. Bombay Jayashri
and TM Krishna partnered my friend Srikanth (Aghal films) and me in this
initiative”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif";">For </span><b style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif";">One</b><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif";"> Jayendra got TM Krishna to sing amidst nature
without any accompaniments. This was not a concert but a musician exploring his
music. Again Srikanth of Aghal Films produced this film as well.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif";">Recently Qube Cinema has set up a Virtual production
stage in partnership with Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad. This will help films
to be made in controlled conditions. Be it a location in the Alps or a busy
stand in Koyambedu, the image is created on an LED wall, and when the camera
moves the background moves in synch as if the actors are actually in the
real location. This avoids complex post-production and VFX which are
time-consuming and expensive.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><b>Jayendra
is also well-known in the industry for his deep involvement in social work.
What inspired him to take social causes?</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“I
have always been interested in helping people. In a spur of the moment I
started Bhoomika Trust in 2001 with my wife Sudha and some friends as our
response to the Gujarat earthquake´”.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Over the years Bhoomika Trust has worked extensively with
victims of disasters like the earthquake in Gujarat, the Tsunami in South
India, the Uttarakhand floods, the Jammu & Kashmir floods, the Chennai
floods of Dec 2015, Cyclone Vardah, the Odisha floods, Floods in Assam, Bihar, Kerala
and Cyclone Gaja,</span> <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">providing
immediate relief ( ration kits, vessels), long term rehab- building houses,
schools and helping people restart their livelihoods.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
During the pandemic when the film industry came to a standstill, Qube had zero
business for 2 years with about 1000 employees to support. At the same time
film industry workers who live off daily wages faced the risk of starving with
their families. With Mani Ratnam Jayendra conceived the anthology Navarasa for
Netflix. Everyone in the industry came together to do the project pro bono.
Rs17 crores raised through this initiative was given to the workers in the
industry. Every worker was given a preloaded credit card and every month
Rs1500 was loaded in the card for 12000 workers which could be used only in
grocery stores</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">. Bhoomika
handled the distribution</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Besides providing help during
disasters, Bhoomika also offers </span><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">scholarships
and assistance to deserving students. Has a “Let’s Learn”- Remote Learning
Program for Government School Children</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and </span><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I wanna Learn” a Math learning platform for students in partnership
with Altius Foundation. Bhoomika also has a division called `True Gifts` which
provides an alternative to gifts presented during weddings or any other
occasion that the recipients may not need or use, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Instead
you gift a `True gift` Certificate that says ` to celebrate your wedding we
sponsored a girl child’s education or sponsored an eye surgery for a deserving
villager`. The recipient is thrilled and a deserving cause is supported. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jayendra
is </span>on
the board of Altius Foundation ( running computer math lab in govt schools),
Jeevan ( earlier blood bank and now a public stem cell bank much needed for
treating blood cancer) Sankara Eye Foundation ( running 10 hospitals across the
country) doing free eye surgeries for rural poor.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"> For
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Jayendra
friends</span>
mean a lot. <span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Jayendra’s very close friend and classmate Sriram, married and
settled in Canada, died in a car accident on a visit to India. It shook
Jayendra and disturbed him very much. Unable to come to terms with seeing
Sriram’s wife Sudha and 2-year-old son Ashwin go through this agony he decided
to visit them in Canada and see how he could help. During the visit, he ended
up proposing to Sudha, got married to her in February 1990, and brought them
back to India.</span><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">That was one of the best personal decisions
Jayendra took in his life because not only are they happily married but Sudha has
also been a pillar of strength to him
both in his professional and social activities.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Sudha managed JS films, later moved
on to head Human Resources at Qube Cinema. She is a co-founder of Bhoomika
Trust.</span><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> She is equally involved in all social initiatives of Jayendra.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"> Another example relates to his dear friend
Mahesh, a music director who had worked on many of his films. Mahesh died of
cancer at a young age, leaving behind a Will in which he had expressed a desire
to help Adyar Cancer Institute. Jayendra and his friends started Mahesh
Memorial Trust in 2002 and conducted a mega fundraising event with A.R.Rehman
offering his services free. With the money raised the Trust built the
Paediatric Ward at the Cancer Institute which it continues to support and help
running it successfully since it was started. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p> </o:p>I have always admired Jayendra for his
constant endeavor to innovate and also for his limitless energy for serving
society. God Bless him!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-23430709818361470942023-09-28T17:27:00.002-07:002023-09-28T17:27:20.284-07:00My association with Dr.MS.Swaminathan - a noble soul!<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is a belief in our society that whenever you hear the news of the demise of some known person, it will be followed by news of two more people known to you passing away within a couple of days. The latest news of Dr.M.S.Swaminathan passing away at the ripe old age of 98 is the third news of the death of a person known to me this week.</span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"><a style="animation-name: none !important; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>Before I explain my connection with Dr.MSS, I must briefly narrate the story behind my involvement with an NGO which provided me an opportunity to work briefly with Dr.MSS.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">It was in the early 80s that I became a member of the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC, for short), an NGO headquartered in Singapore set up to promote the cause of mass communication in the Asia-Pacific region. Through a force of circumstances in 1984 I took over as the Country Representative of AMIC in India. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">As the country representative, I was actively involved in promoting AMIC’s membership among the advertising and public relations fraternity, besides academics. When the Indian chapter steadily grew to be a formidable national organization, we appointed honorary Area Representatives to extend its reach to all parts of the country. To cope with this development, I persuaded AMIC headquarters to let me establish a Secretariat for AMIC India with a full-time Manager to help run its activities on a more professional footing. I had earned a good name, making India numero uno among AMIC’s national chapters. This also led to my being inducted to the board of AMIC in Singapore when (late) K. Kurien of Radius Advertising retired after completing his term of six years on the board. It was a great honour. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">After my stepping down as a Board member, my recommendation to form a Trust in the name of AMIC to further boost the activities of AMIC India was accepted. AMIC India Trust was registered in Chennai, with Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, as the Chairman, and me as the Founder Secretary.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"> Working with Dr. Swaminathan, a busy man traveling 20 days a month was a pleasure. But he always found time to respond to any communication from us immediately. I remember visiting him once, just before the annual meeting of the Trust to brief him on the meeting’s agenda. He was hospitality and humility personified! After our meeting during which he asked relevant questions, he invited me and Suresh the manager of Amic India, to the canteen for a cup of coffee. There he waited in queue like every other staff to get our coffee and after consuming the same, dropped the empty cups at the designated place and then walked with us to the entrance to see us off. For a great man, highly revered by the world, he was such a humble person. He would chair the meetings as if he was totally involved with it the whole year and make everybody feel happy with the outcome. During this period, AMIC India also organized a successful international conference in Chennai.. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">A few years later, for strategic reasons, it was decided to wind up the Amic India Trust, and my association with AMIC and Dr.MSS was seized. In later years when I had an opportunity to meet him at a seminar, thinking that he may not remember me, I introduced myself before wishing him. He smiled and said, “ I know you. You don`t have to introduce yourself to me". I was happy that he had not forgotten me!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Though it was only a brief association of six years with Dr.MSS it was a memorable experience. May his soul attain Sadgati!</div></div>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-46403253587535249292023-09-27T05:01:00.000-07:002023-09-27T05:01:08.242-07:00 Another wicket down!<p>Another
friend passed away on Monday morning after fighting a losing battle with Cancer
for over two years. He was 74. Ramani was one of the founding members of a
Seenager group called the Elliot Group which meets every morning at Bessy to
gossip and have fun. I have been a member of this group for the last 11 years
and had the privilege of becoming one of Ramani`s good friends. Every morning
Ramani could be seen bursting with his trademark laughter at every joke anyone
cracked. Otherwise, he was a serious person. A soft-spoken and
caring gentleman he was very popular in the group. He and his wife were
regular walkers at the Bessy. As a man who was involved in the computer
business all his life, he was a tech-savvy person. A go-to person for anyone
with problems with their mobile. While he was an avid cricket buff, he was also
good at creating caricatures of friends using Photoshop. I think I was one of
his favourite subjects. He had done seven caricatures of me over the years. I
am attaching one sample where he made me look like Kamalahasan in Avvai
Shanmughi. Obviously, there was a creative streak in him, and creating
caricatures was his hobby. While one is sorry for losing a good friend, in a
way it is good that he will not have to go through the sheer agony he went
through during the last two years. While offering my heartfelt condolences to
his wife Girija and his two sons, I pray to God to bestow Sadgati on Ramani. Om
Sairam!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-12239712210101766352023-09-20T17:21:00.001-07:002023-09-20T17:21:47.569-07:00 My writing process-How do I get ideas for writing <p> <span style="font-family: "inherit", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The other day I was
going through the folder containing the list of my published articles since the
publication of my first article in the April 2011 issue of Eves Touch. I was
happy to note that more than 350 of my articles have appeared in 27 newspapers and
magazines, both national and local, including a few e-magazines. Taking into
account the articles that were published only on my blog and shared on my FB
page the number exceeds 400.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Many of my readers
ask me how I choose the subject of my articles, which are general and deal with
daily happenings in life. I get ideas any time of the day. While walking,
attending a function, reading a newspaper or magazine, talking to friends, an
unforgettable incident, and sometimes even the death of a person I have known
closely. Very often I also get ideas early in the morning when I am awake but
roll in the bed before I get up and get started with my morning chores.
Whenever an idea comes to my mind, I immediately record a catchword or a line
that will trigger my memory, in the `Evernote` app on my mobile. Anytime the
Evernote reminder section on my mobile has nearly 15 topics on which I can
write articles. I don`t write every day. Whenever I feel like writing a new
article I go through the Evernote list and choose the topic for writing. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Until I got invited
to write my column `Rajan`s Random Reflections` in Adyar Times my articles used
to exceed 1000 words. However, the 600-word restriction imposed by Adyar Times
helped me master the art of writing shorter articles that a reader can read in
less than 5 minutes. This word discipline has certainly helped me get more
readers over the years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am a person who
believes in the `Early to bed, early to rise `policy. I get up at 4. a.m. and I
am at my work desk by 4.30 a.m. I find that I am at my creative best during
4.30-6.00 am considered the ‘Brahma muhurtham’ time. I go for my morning walk
only after this.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Until I got used to
keying my articles directly on my PC/laptop I was writing the articles by hand
and then typing them on the PC. It was a painful process because very often I
could not decipher my own handwriting. As long as I was employed and had a
secretary who could decipher 90% of my handwriting I had no problem. She would
give me the typed article as a Word document on which I would make my
corrections. Even after I retired, the secretary was kind enough to type from
the scanned copy of my handwritten articles which I would send her. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I must confess that
since I started keying my articles directly on my PC, I have been able to make
corrections as I am typing, resulting in a reasonably well-written draft. The
draft then goes through several revisions before I am sure that it meets the
expectations of my readers. I consult Google Knowledge whenever I have doubts.
Since I have never been confident in my grammar, I would share the draft with
my brother and daughter whose knowledge of English grammar is better than mine.
These days I use an app called `Grammarly` to correct my draft. It is good at
pointing out not only grammatical mistakes but also punctuation marks, spacing,
use of caps, etc. It is really a boon for any writer in English who is not
confident in his English.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.75pt;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I believe everyone
has a writer in him/her. Whenever a friend tells me that he cannot write I ask
`Did you not write essays in your school/college days?” It is only a question
of discovering one`s hidden talents. Start with going down memory lane and
record interesting anecdotes from your life. I assure you it is a fascinating
experience and therapeutic. Age is no barrier to starting writing. Don`t forget
I started writing only after my retirement at the age of 65. If I can do it,
you can too!<o:p></o:p></span></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-61899315716467840402023-09-02T16:54:00.005-07:002023-09-02T16:54:53.899-07:00 A Junior School Day to remember!<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The first
time I attended a Junior School Day (JSD) function was when my first child
Kavitha was studying in LKG in Sishya school in Chennai, in 1977.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">All my three children and Kavitha`s two children
studied in Sishya. As an Air Force officer`s children Sowmya`s two kids attended
Kendriya Vidyalaya School, mostly in Bangalore. The last time I attended a
Junior day School event at Sishya was in 2006 when Kavitha`s daughter Nila was
performing on the stage. After 17 years I had the opportunity to attend a JSD
at Sishya to see my resident grandson, Balaji`s son Thavam, studying in UKG,
performing on the stage. What a performance it was! He danced with grace and
total focus not faltering even one step. God bless him.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Junior
School Day functions are events looked forward to by families with small kids. Because
that would be the day when their child- a boy or a girl - would be going on the
stage for the first time. The whole family including the thathas , pattis,
uncles , aunts and cousins would be there at the function to cheer the child. To see their ward positioned in one corner or
the other of a group of at least 20 kids from his/her class. While the seniors would shout with excitement
“ there.. there… he is third from left on the second row”, it was not unusual
for the kid to stop in the middle of his act looking for his parents in the
crowd. The excitement in the audience was palpable judging by the screams,
catcalls, whistling that reverberated
when ever children of a particular class entered the stage. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Those days
it was not unusual to see the exit of
families from the auditorium as soon as their ward`s performance was over. The auditorium which would be
overflowing with families of performing kids in the beginning would be half empty by the time the kids
from the 4<sup>th</sup> or 5<sup>th</sup>
standard in the junior school were performing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I realize
Sishya has come a long way since then. The school has grown in size and
numbers. They have also learnt lessons from every show. It was evident from the
way the whole event this year had been meticulously planned and executed. The
entire programme was divided into two parts. The first part of 60 minutes
mainly belonged to the children from LKG & UKG. There was restriction on
the number of people who could attend the programme- In addition to the parents
only two extra passes per family were issued. There was different colored
passes for families of LKG & UKG students and for students of 1<sup>st</sup> to 5<sup>th</sup>
class. Instead of families of small classes leaving in batches, the entire
audience watching the programme of small kids had to leave the auditorium to
make space for families of children performing after the show by the kiddies. There was a big shamiana
put up in the open space outside the auditorium where people could sit and
watch the programme on a big digital screen. Even the music chosen for the
dance numbers were good and helped keep up the tempo of the show. While the
crowd management was brilliant, the management of incoming cars and parking
facility ensured smooth flow of hundreds of cars coming into the school. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kudos to
the Sishya management and all the teachers and
volunteers from Sishya PTA who were responsible for the well planned and
executed event. It brought back memories of my own involvement with the school
as a Past President of Sishya PTA in 1991-92. Mr.Kit Thomas, the founder of
Sishya used to refer to me as the only `male gender` Past President of Sishya
PTA. Before and after me only ladies have been Presidents of the PTA.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As one who had the longest association with Sishya as a parent first and grand parent later I wish Sishya , which celebrated
its golden Jubilee this year all the best in providing quality education and
ensuring all round growth of its students, which is what Kit Thomas always believed in!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-37359439294910472242023-09-01T17:42:00.001-07:002023-09-01T17:42:14.371-07:00 New educational opportunities in India<p>The
other day I was chatting with my grandson Keshav (20). He is doing his
under graduation at Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence in Noida studying for
a degree in B.Sc (Research) Biotechnology. While the name of the University
intrigued me the course that he was pursuing also made me think of the new educational
opportunities that await young students today. In our days and for a long time
the only popular courses were a degree in Arts, Commerce or Science leading to
a career as a teacher, chartered accountant, engineer, or doctor. Students who
had special talents in sports or any creative field were told that it is safer
to have a degree in some subject before pursuing one`s passion because a degree
can guarantee you a job if the passion does not help you earn a living.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%;"> I
was therefore surprised to see some creative work that Keshav has been doing as
a part of his Biotechnology course. When I probed him about this he said,
“Our Coursework involves a lot of inter-departmental content. Doing
courses in the Fine Arts department demanded a new creative outlook rarely
encountered in the science field. For example, photography submissions asked us
to get inventive with our submissions based on the assignment. The creative
freedom given is virtually infinite and very exciting for everyone. In my art
assignment, I took up the challenge of replicating photo edits using physical
pieces of paper instead of using the software facilities available on the
computer for such an assignment. Though a tricky & difficult process, it was fun!”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%;">The
results of such a creative effort that he showed me were indeed
fascinating. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%;">He
told me that the college also emphasizes the importance of doing internships
during the summer and making sure students get a long enough break to support
that. This vacation Keshav did an internship at the Indian Institute of
science, Bangalore where he explored the field of ecology, working on the
effect of climate change on birds in India. He also did a design
internship working with the marketing team at Seven Sarees, a business run by
one of his cousins. I was impressed with the variety of promotional photos that
Keshav had taken as a part of the assignment.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%;">When
I asked Keshav what he hopes to do in the future he gave the following
reply;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%;">“My
dream has and always will be to never compromise on my passion to explore and
learn as much as I can and follow that wherever it takes me. Every step I have
taken in life till now has shown that there is an infinite world out there and
my goal is to simply experience everything I possibly can while fully investing
every part of myself to help me grow”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%;"> Very
unusual and mature response. God bless him! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%;">His
sister Uthara who did a double graduation in Bsc and BEd in biology from Azim
Premji University in Bangalore is doing her post-graduation in `Evolutionary
genetics, evolution and systematics ` at the prestigious LMU University in
Munich, Germany. A subject I have never heard of! Azim Premji University
is another institution that encourages the all-round development of a student. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%;">Unlike
our times, today`s children, thanks to the internet, are exposed to all
kinds of opportunities available to them. Parents are well advised to allow
them to pursue what they want instead of forcing them to do what they think is
right for them. Very often they try to realize their unfulfilled dreams through
their children.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%;">There
are good institutions like Shiv Nadar & Azim Premji universities that are
helping children realize their full potential. I am sure that there are many
more about whom I am not aware of. I also understand that the New Education
Policy of the government is trying to rectify the anomalies of the old system
and introduce systems and courses that will ensure that children get holistic
education which stands them in good stead in the careers they choose. Hope the
NEP is effectively implemented by State Governments!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%;"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%;"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3909922174382369726.post-51715178341786881272023-08-19T16:56:00.000-07:002023-08-19T16:56:11.348-07:00 Timely aid saves a life<p><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In
today`s world, anything can happen to anyone –age no bar. In situations of
emergency, like a heart attack, or an accident if help is provided within the
first 60 minutes, considered the golden hour, a life can be saved. This is what
happened to a good friend and a popular walker Sridhar on the beach Road in
Besant Nagar(Bessy) recently. Thanks to the immediate attention he got from
Kala Balasundaram, another walker on the beach road who fortunately happened to
be the founder of ALERT, an NGO which is </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a first responder`s
network in case of an emergency. Kala is the wife of Balasundaram , a member of
my Rotary club who is also a regular walker on Bessy.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">On 9<sup>th</sup>
August, early in the morning, Kala was running on the beach road towards
Thalapakatti restaurant with a friend Hubert, who was about 200 meters
behind her doing a slow jog. Past Cozee restaurant, she saw a small group standing
around a man in his late 60s who had
collapsed and was totally unconscious. Another walker was holding his head.
There was blood on the road as he had hurt his head. Herself a trained first
responder of ALERT, Kala got into action and stopped a walker from giving
water. She put him in a recovery position as he still had a pulse.
Thankfully, the ambulance parked nearby reached in time and the paramedic
started giving CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resusitation) after checking his pulse
with an oxymeter. When he asked if anyone else could administer CPR, Kala
offered to help. Meanwhile, the victim`s wife who was also walking with her
friends came to see what had happened and was shocked to see that it was her
husband. She panicked and called her son staying in the nearby Kalakshetra
colony. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Kala
could see the victim beginning to gasp for breath as he was being given CPR.
She asked her friend Hubert to take over CPR, while she went to hold up the
victim`s chin and head to free up his airway. Fortunately, the paramedic had an
AED (Defibrillator)which he got from the van and started connecting it to the
chest. He also got the ambubag used for pumping oxygen to the lungs. The group
managed to carefully lift the victim and place him on the stretcher and then
onto the ambulance. Inside the ambulance, the paramedic connected the
oxygen to him. Within a few minutes, the ambulance was on its way to the
nearest hospital with Sridhar and his family.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">After
giving the staff and family very anxious moments for nearly a week, Sridhar has
fully recovered from a near-death situation and is out of the ICU and expected
back home in a few days. As the doctors in the hospital commented,
"But for the timely aid provided by the good samaritans in the beach and
the paramedic it would have been difficult to save the life of Sridhar"</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.2pt; margin-bottom: 9.45pt;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A few words about
ALERT. It was started sixteen years ago by Kala with just two volunteers. It
now has 2000+ registered volunteers with over 50 active volunteers. So far
ALERT has trained over 2,50,000 people in First Aid, and has scaled over
to 21 out of 28 states, and 4 out of 8 union territories in India. It has
a complete simulation lab, the only one of its kind outside a medical college
in India, meant for the common man. ALERT volunteers have attended
to over 1000 accident victims as the first respondents. Alert is currently
active in Chennai, Bangalore, Puduchery, and Coimbatore. </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">As per the direction given by
Late Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the people`s President, ALERT concentrates on
training volunteers – at least one person from every family in emergency care.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Apart
from the availability of ALERT volunteers in Kala and her friend, it was
fortunate that Sridhar`s wife was nearby to identify him. Very often we come
across accident victims carrying no identity cards on their person. This leads
to their family, unaware of the accident, running from pillar to
post to locate their missing family member. It is for this reason I have been
advocating the need for everyone (age no bar) to carry an identity card ( not
just Aadhar). This card, part from
giving the name and address of the victim should also carry contact details of
the victim`s near and dear ones on the reverse of the card who can be contacted
in case of an emergency.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">It is heartening
to learn that ALERT is planning to have a big camp in Chennai to create
awareness among the public about both these issues on the World First Aid Day
in September this year. Kudos to Kala
and her team for the yeomen service they are providing to the society.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>RVRajan-Celebrating Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525860335999085655noreply@blogger.com0