I am an author, writer and a trainer in spoken and written English.
My journey of stepping into writing began I realized that there are many ideas I wished to convey to all without sounding judgmental or patronizing. Writing then became my passion as I was able to do all of this quite effectively. This connected me with a variety of people who shared their journeys with me. In the midst of all this, I was diagnosed and recovered from multiple sclerosis that also got published as a book. I am certain that my recovery was possible not just because of the techniques that I used, most of which was alternative healing techniques but also because I used the approach of body, mind and spirit healing, where the spirit gives us faith, mind gives us positivity and the body follows the instructions that it receives. I have been the Asst Editor of Life Positive magazine and trained people, both children and adults in spoken and written English. All through my journey, I have realized how powerful writing is to convey messages of who we are. Now, six books of mine have been published. These comprise of two books for children; a collection of short stories on religion and an adventure story published by Rupa & Co. A book of Teaching Stories published by Life Positive in 2008. More Teaching Stories published in 2011, Elixir for Zylake, a childrens’ book published by Life Positive in December 2013 and Dancing with Life published by Hay House in 2015. I have also self-published a novel on Kindle recently. The novel is all about the quest of identity interwoven in the loves and lives of three generations of people in India and Afghanistan. The story conveys the emotions of people in the pre-independence era when Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan and Mahatma Gandhi were pretty active in spreading their message of non-violence. It shows how common people were affected both by physical violence and non-inclusion in their own land. Some pre-Independence violence and disharmony is conveyed while even the current terrorism and intolerance is brought out with the end ending on a note of hope and love. The primary message that the novel seeks to convey is the commonality of all people and their emotions and a search that all of us have for our own roots and identity. The novel ultimately brings out the fact that humanity is indeed one and our identity, no matter what the origin may be, is one of oneness, unity and love. For, we all are indeed from the same source, whatever we may call it.am an author, writer and a trainer in spoken and written English.
My journey of stepping into writing began I realized that there are many ideas I wished to convey to all without sounding judgmental or patronizing. Writing then became my passion as I was able to do all of this quite effectively. This connected me with a variety of people who shared their journeys with me. In the midst of all this, I was diagnosed and recovered from multiple sclerosis that also got published as a book. I am certain that my recovery was possible not just because of the techniques that I used, most of which was alternative healing techniques but also because I used the approach of body, mind and spirit healing, where the spirit gives us faith, mind gives us positivity and the body follows the instructions that it receives. I have been the Asst Editor of Life Positive magazine and trained people, both children and adults in spoken and written English. All through my journey, I have realized how powerful writing is to convey messages of who we are. Now, six books of mine have been published. These comprise of two books for children; a collection of short stories on religion and an adventure story published by Rupa & Co. A book of Teaching Stories published by Life Positive in 2008. More Teaching Stories published in 2011, Elixir for Zylake, a childrens’ book published by Life Positive in December 2013 and Dancing with Life published by Hay House in 2015. I have also self-published a novel on Kindle recently. The novel is all about the quest of identity interwoven in the loves and lives of three generations of people in India and Afghanistan. The story conveys the emotions of people in the pre-independence era when Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan and Mahatma Gandhi were pretty active in spreading their message of non-violence. It shows how common people were affected both by physical violence and non-inclusion in their own land. Some pre-Independence violence and disharmony is conveyed while even the current terrorism and intolerance is brought out with the end ending on a note of hope and love. The primary message that the novel seeks to convey is the commonality of all people and their emotions and a search that all of us have for our own roots and identity. The novel ultimately brings out the fact that humanity is indeed one and our identity, no matter what the origin may be, is one of oneness, unity and love. For, we all are indeed from the same source, whatever we may call it. It can be seen at https://www.amazon.in/Quest-Love-Enlightenment-Jamuna-Rangachari-ebook/dp/B075YCQGXC
187-Year-Old Jonathan the Tortoise of St. Helena Is the World’s Oldest Land Animal
If you ever have the chance to visit St. Helena—a volcanic island situated remotely in the South Atlantic Ocean—make sure to drop by Plantation House to catch a glimpse of the 187-year old Jonathan, said to be the oldest land animal now living on Earth.
Black man convinces 200 Ku Klux Klansmen to leave white supremacist group by befriending them
‘I never set out to convert anyone in the Klan. I just set out to get an answer to my question: ‘How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?’’ says blues musician
Haryana milkman’s son wrestles his way to gold at world meet
ENDING AN 18-year wait for India in the World Junior Championship, Haryana wrestler Deepak Punia Wednesday clinched gold in the 86kg category event in the Estonian city of Tallinn.
Love Story 1946: Separated During Freedom Struggle, Kerala Couple Unite After 72 Years!
Meeting after more than seven decades, 90-year-old Narayanan and 86-year-old Sarada were left speechless and teary-eyed — a touching reunion that will remind you of Veer-Zaara!
Foot-Soldiers Of Freedom: The Courier And His Anti-British Barrage
He sits calm and unruffled by the blazing heat on a small bridge atop this compact dam in Kolhapur that he brought into being over half a century ago. Patiently continuing to answer questions we had sprung on him earlier at lunch. He also walks, sprightly and energetic, all over the bridge with us – explaining how this barrage came to life in 1959.
Worried Of Plastic Bottles? This Man’s Bamboo Bottles From Assam Come To Rescue
An entrepreneur from Assam has come up with an out-of-the-box idea to make his product stand out. Dhritiman Borah, an exporter of Bamboo products, has given the world a sustainable and eco-friendly product – bamboo bottle to quench your thirst.
In a world full of plastic products which are not biodegradable and make its way to marine ecology eradicating several species, Borah’s idea saves the day.
The Zen teacher’s dog loved his evening romp with his master. The dog would bound ahead to fetch a stick, then run back, wag his tail, and wait for the next game. On this particular evening, the teacher invited one of his brightest students to join him – a boy so intelligent that he became troubled by the contradictions in Buddhist doctrine.
“You must understand,” said the teacher, “that words are only guideposts. Never let the words or symbols get in the way of truth. Here, I’ll show you.”
With that the teacher called his happy dog.
“Fetch me the moon,” he said to his dog and pointed to the full moon.
“Where is my dog looking?” asked the teacher of the bright pupil.
“He’s looking at your finger.”
“Exactly. Don’t be like my dog. Don’t confuse the pointing finger with the thing that is being pointed at. All our Buddhist words are only guideposts. Every man fights his way through other men’s words to find his own truth.”
Interpretation : As the master says, we need to find our own truth using all that is shown to us in our journey of our lives.
Meet Surabhi- A Village Girl Who Cracked All Exams In First Attempt To Become IAS
Dream is not the one that you see in sleep but the one that doesn’t let you sleep and it was in Class 10 that Surabhi Gautam made up her mind that she wanted to become a proud IAS officer. Since then, she started ideal preparations and tirelessly worked hard day and night.
Manipur CM Makes 9-Yr-Old ‘Green Ambassador’ after Video of Her Crying Over Felled Trees Goes Viral
A 9-year-old girl was recently named a “green ambassador” of Manipur after a video of her crying after the cutting of two trees she had planted went viral.
Kashmir’s Only Woman DC Smashes Stigma Around Periods, Brings Girls Back to School!
“As a woman, I can empathize with their plight. This negative mindset towards menstruation isn’t limited to the illiterate, but also affluent and educated families. They don’t talk about menstrual health.”
Giving
CPR to Rescuing a Family From a Mob: 5 Civil Servants Who Saved Lives
Recently,
Daman Collector Rakesh Minhas was hailed as a hero after he stopped his car on
the roadside to administer emergency first aid to a person electrocuted by
high-tension wires! #Respect #RealLifeHeroes #LeadingByExample
Parable:
Traditional Sufi Stories About the Intricacies of Life
Many years ago, in a poor Chinese village, there lived a farmer and his
son. His only material possession, apart from the land and a small hut, was a
horse he had inherited from his father.
One day, the horse ran away, leaving the man
with no animal with which to work the land. His neighbours, who respected him
for his honesty and diligence, went to his house to say how much they regretted
his loss. He thanked them for their visit, but asked:
“How
do you know that what happened was a misfortune in my life?”
Someone muttered to
a friend: “He
obviously doesn’t want to face facts, but let him think what he likes, after
all, it’s better than being sad about it.”
And the neighbours went away again,
pretending to agree with what he had said.
A week later, the horse returned to its
stable, but it was not alone; it brought with it a beautiful mare for company.
The inhabitants of the village were thrilled when they heard the news, for only
then did they understand the reply the man had given them, and they went back to
the farmer’s house to congratulate him on his good fortune.
“Instead
of one horse, you’ve got two. Congratulations!” they said.
“Many
thanks for your visit and for your solidarity,” replied the farmer. “But how do you know that what
happened was a blessing in my life?”
The neighbours were
rather put out and decided that the man must be going mad, and, as they left,
they said: “Doesn’t
the man realise that the horse is a gift from God?”
A month later, the farmer’s son decided to
break the mare in. However, the animal bucked wildly and threw the boy off; the
boy fell awkwardly and broke his leg.
The neighbours returned to the farmer’s
house, bringing presents for the injured boy. The mayor of the village solemnly
presented his condolences to the father, saying how sad they all were about
what had occurred.
The man thanked them for their visit and for
their kindness, but he asked:
“How
do you know that what happened was a misfortune in my life?”
These words left
everyone dumbstruck, because they were all quite sure that the son’s accident
was a real tragedy. As they left the farmer’s house, they said to each other: “Now he really has gone mad;
his only son could be left permanently crippled, and he’s not sure whether the
accident was a misfortune or not!”
A few months went by, and Japan declared war
on China. The emperor’s emissaries scoured the country for healthy young men to
be sent to the front. When they reached the village, they recruited all the
young men, except the farmer’s son, whose leg had not yet mended.
None of the young
men came back alive. The son recovered, and the two horses produced foals that
were all sold for a good price. The farmer went to visit his neighbours to
console and to help them, since they had always shown him such solidarity.
Whenever any of them complained, the farmer would say: “How do you know that what
happened was a misfortune?” If
someone was overjoyed about something, he would ask: “How do you know that what happened
was a blessing?” And the
people of the village came to understand that life has other meanings that go
beyond mere appearance.
Father-Son Duo Helped Create 51,000 New Beehive Colonies Across The Globe
The bee population is shrinking. But this duo is saving them.
Stuart and Cedar
Anderson spent a whole ten years trying to figure out how to harvest honey
without disturbing bees. Their solution was an Indiegogo-funded invention
called Flow Hive that replicates a real beehive without putting the bees at
risk when you harvest honey. The Flow Hive allows the honey to flow out of the
hive straight into a jar without crushing or disrupting the bees inside. What a
brilliant design!
12-year-old boy designs a ship which could clean and save Oceans from humans
There are over 5 trillion pieces of plastic that are floating under the surface, gradually eliminating marine life.
Oceans
are not the same anymore. Everything has changed and ‘Humans’ are responsible
for it. Due to human’s big blunder of expelling plastics and waste to the
ocean, the entire marine system is in ‘red alert’ zone. The shocking fact is
that there are over 5 trillion pieces of plastic that are floating under the
surface, gradually eliminating marine life. We might have to react quickly
before it’s too late.
Odisha IAS Works In Fields With Farmers, Peels Off Posters From Walls Himself
“I am a fan of Spiderman and of his famous dialogue ‘with great power comes great responsibility.’ I am responsible for the welfare of my people and the district. Whenever I get an opportunity, I go outside my office to understand people’s problems, it is an easier way to address the crisis.”
Artists installed seesaws at the border so kids in the US and Mexico could play together
Seesaws on the border bring both sides together
(CNN)It may seem like an
ordinary scene: Children and adults playing on pink seesaws, carelessly
laughing and chatting with each other
But this is a
playground unlike any other. These custom-built seesaws have been placed on
both sides of a slatted steel border fence that separates the United States and
Mexico.
Fable : The Place Where Nothing and Everything Meet
If you walk into a forest and put your ear against a tree, you will hear a silence in there that is like your own. It is a silence that has no end. Empty silence is the background to everything we perceive, in the same way that space is the background to everything we perceive. Most people don’t like listening to that silence because it makes them feel alone, and they equate aloneness with loneliness. But the silent aloneness inside us — and inside all being — is not lonely.
The Zen master, Katagiri Roshi, once said, “When you see the bottom of your life, you see emptiness right there. You are standing by yourself, completely left alone in emptiness. That is a very deep sense of aloneness.”
Accepting emptiness like this, accepting our perfect aloneness, is not isolating; it is an essential part of our awakening. As Katagiri puts it, accepting emptiness allows us “to stand up in a new way.” When we stand up like that, with recognition of the ground of emptiness everywhere, we enter the reality of what he calls togetherness and creativity.
By accepting our perfect aloneness we embrace our perfect togetherness. Our aloneness extends to others because we see that everyone shares this same empty nature. “A bodhisattva,” Katagiri concludes, “constantly becomes alive from emptiness, and that life helps others.”
Sufis have a different way to describe all this, but it amounts to the same thing. “Essence is emptiness,” Rumi tells us. “Emptiness brings peace to your loving.” And this:
Dear soul, if you were not friends with the vast nothing inside, why would you always be casting your net into it, and waiting so patiently? This invisible ocean has given you such abundance…
And this:
…lying in a zero circle, mute… when we have totally surrendered to that beauty, we will have become a mighty kindness.
The sufic equation of dissolving into emptiness and emerging as love is identical with the image of the bodhisattva constantly becoming alive from emptiness. It is the movement of awakening described in Sufi teachings as fana and baqa. Fana is deconstruction of the self-illusion, most often translated as annihilation of the self. “I honor those,” Rumi says, “who empty the self and have only clear being there.”
Baqa is what comes after. As Coleman Barks describes it: “Baqa is the coming back from annihilation with cleansed enthusiasm for particulars. In the state of baqa one reenters the moment fully, doing small quiet work, sewing the robe of absence.” This is Katagiri’s “standing up” in a new way, the way of togetherness and creativity. Or, as Sufis might say, it is the expression of love and of doing the beautiful that naturally flows from emptying oneself into clear being.
In my own life this “move” has become a practice that happens — in shortened form — dozens of times each day. Let’s try it together now. As you follow the practice below, notice the subtle kinesthetic sensations that occur in you. When you do this a number of times, those sensations will begin to elide, and the “practice” will happen almost instantaneously.
As you sit reading this, notice the clarity of your vision. Notice there’s nothing in the way of your seeing these words.
Now notice the clarity of the awareness in which these words appear. That clarity is unobstructed — there’s nothing in the way of the words appearing in your awareness; there’s no color or background, your awareness is perfectly clear.
Bring your attention now to the space between your forehead and the back of your head. Notice that the space inside your head is also perfectly clear. This clarity is emptiness.
Notice the sensations of your breathing. Notice how each inhale arises out of nothing and, at the top of your in-breath, it vanishes into nothing. Your out-breath does the same. Very gently, notice the space surrounding and pervading each breath. Recognize its clear, empty quality.
Now allow your intuitive openness to expand, seeing how this clarity, this empty quality, is not bounded by anything — it is all around and through you, it is everywhere, like space is everywhere.
There is nothing you need to do to “hold” this recognition of the empty quality that pervades you and all the people and phenomena you encounter; it is always present. Relax in, and as, this clear, empty presence.
This is the “intentional” aspect of this practice. What happens next is where the magic is: baqa; “standing up in a new way;” reentering the moment with “cleansed enthusiasm for particulars.” However this occurs will be unique to you and the moment you are part of.
The place where you stand up is the place where nothing and everything meet. It’s not a place where your intellect will be of much use. We might call it a “heart space,” though it’s a heart space that pervades reality, not just the space inside your chest. In the place where nothing and everything meet, love opens all by itself, amazed and kind and creative.
Only this ancient love circling the holy black stone of nothing, where the lover is the love, the horizon and everything in it. — Rumi
Interpretation : Love is all about feelings and never the intellect. When we love this, we know everything.
Mumbai housing society recycles one lakh litre wastewater daily
Located near the polluted
Poisar river in suburban Mumbai, a housing society in Kandivli has been
recycling one lakh litres of wastewater every day at their sewage treatment
plant (STP) into re-usable water for the past 33 months.
“All Of Us Want Clean City, But Not Those Who Clean It” This Couple From Jalgaon Left Their Jobs To Educate Waste-Pickers
Today, we live in a world which is rapidly changing and all of us are striving only to become a part of the rat race. This change has almost made us forget about those who are not even competing, those who are struggling not to fulfil their dreams and ambitions but to survive, each day, with almost no resources. Luxuries are not even something that is there even in their wildest imagination. They are the children without homes, having dreams for them is like a waste.
A boy with one hand met a soccer
player with the same limb difference, and the photo went viral
Joseph Tidd, 1, meets Orlando Pride soccer player Carson Pickett after a game in June. Tidd and Pickett are both missing their lower left arms. (Courtesy of Colleen Tidd at instagram.com/tiddbit_outta_hand)
One-year-old Joseph Tidd
and Orlando Pride player Carson Pickett have a lot in common: They
both love soccer. They’re both athletic. And they both have partially formed
left arms, which they tapped together last month in a photo that’s flying across the Internet.
The arm bump happened when Pickett, 25, jogged over to Joseph’s family
after hearing them cheer at a home game. She repeatedly tapped her arm against
his as he shrieked with glee, said Joseph’s mother, Colleen Tidd, who scrambled
to take pictures as her husband held Joseph, decked out in a purple Pride
T-shirt.
As Daniela Orozco picks
off excess plastic bordering a 3D-printed box, she recalls how many homeless
people she saw on her way to school when she was a high school freshman.
Every Day This Man Drives Hours In Drought To Provide Water To
Thirsty Wild Animals
When it comes to lending a hand to a furry friend in need, there is
nothing an animal lover won’t do.
We’ve seen people go above and beyond to help an injured pigeon,
provide shelter for homeless animals, and even save pigs from a burning barn.
And this story is no different.
‘My School, My Farm’: Mizoram IAS Officer
Tackles Malnutrition With a Brilliant Idea!
“By March 2020, the ultimate objective is to
make every school, anganwadi and child care institution in Lawngtlai
self-sufficient in local varieties of fruits and vegetables,” says #IAS officer
Shashanka Ala, the Deputy Commissioner of Mizoram’s remotest and most backward
district. #Respect #Governance #ImpactThatMatters
A soldier named Nobushige came to Hakuin, and asked: “Is there really a paradise and a hell?”
“Who are you?” inquired Hakuin. “I am a samurai,” the warrior replied.
“You,
a soldier!” exclaimed Hakuin. “What kind of ruler would have you as his guard?
Your face looks like that of a beggar.” Nobushige became so angry that he began
to draw his sword, but Hakuin continued: “So you have a sword! Your weapon is
probably much too dull to cut off my head.”
As
Nobushige drew his sword Hakuin remarked: “Here open the gates of hell!” At
these words the samurai, perceiving the master’s discipline, sheathed his sword
and bowed.
“Here
open the gates of paradise,” said Hakuin.
Interpretation :: The difference between heaven and hell is a matter of perspective. How we choose to perceive the experiences of our journey of life is the difference between heaven and hell.
India’s First Garbage Cafe In Chhattisgarh Will Give Meals In Return For Plastic Waste
Ambikapur, a town in Chhattisgarh has launched the very first ‘Garbage Cafe’ which will allow a full meal in return of plastic waste. The garbage pickers and poor people who sell the garbage, don’t make enough money to have a proper meal. So this initiative by the Municipal Corporation of Chhattisgarh will provide food to the homeless and the poor.
Chennai Engineers Develop Nozzles To Cut Water Wastage By 95%, Save 35 Litres/Day
Normally, about 600 ml of water is used in a single hand wash. According to UN, about 350 ml of this is being wasted. Now consider that this simple nozzle reduces the water used in a single hand wash to only 15 to 20 ml!
Crazy about books? These 5 L.A. book events offer inspiring stories from Los Angeles and beyond
Author Janet Fitch in the L.A. Times Festival of Books photo studio April 13 at USC. Her latest book is “Chimes of a Lost Cathedral.”
As we descend into the hazy thick of summer, this week’s book events remind us that one day in a life has the power to change everything. Indeed, it’s all that ever changes anything. In the memoir corner, we have a traumatic encounter at the train station, a knock on the door of a rundown mansion, and the day a poverty-stricken kid joins Snoop Dogg’s football league. Painful or fortuitous, all the experiences lead to a richer engagement with life.
Bihar Flood: This Group Of Student Volunteers Are Extending Help Flood Victims
Bihar is facing severe flood resulting in the death of at least 90 people. Additionally, nearly 60 lakh people have been affected within 97 blocks and 921 panchayats spread across 12 districts.
The condition continues to worsen in neighbouring districts of India in Nepal like Madhubani, Darbhanga, and Sitamadhi, pointing to greater dangers for Bihar in coming days. Many people living in these districts have not been able to receive relief materials from the government because of the non-availability of transportation and lack of political will. However, thanks to a local student organization, Mithila Student Union (MSU) who have now become a beacon of hope as they have come forward to lend their support in these areas.
Stories Worth Telling: 10 Extraordinary People
Who Actually Deserve Biopics In Bollywood
India has produced a lot of gems who have made us
proud, time and again. Their stories of grit and compassion have never failed
to impress us and touch our hearts. For a lot of us, privilege can be blinding,
to the extent we cannot see how fortunate we are to have what we
have.
While some people give in to their circumstances,
there are others who rise above them and set an example for the world to
follow. Such is the story of these people who have proved that even though life
is hard, you should stay positive and work towards achieving your
goal.
It is raining biopics in Bollywood – from Dangal to Chhapaak, there are a lot of movies worth watching, but they are not the only ones. So, here here is a list of people who totally deserve to have movies made on their lives:
“One night the moths gathered together, tormented by the desire to unite themselves with the candle. All of them said: ‘We must find one who can give us some news of that for which we seek so earnestly.’
“One of the moths went to a candle afar off and saw within the light of a candle. He came back and told the others what he had seen, and began to describe the candle as intelligently as he was able to do. But the wise moth, who was chief of their assembly, observed: ‘He has no real information to give us of the candle.’
“Another moth visited the candle. He passed close to the light and drew near to it. With his wings, he touched the flames of that which he desired; the heat of the candle drove him back and he was vanquished. He also returned, and revealed something of the mystery, in explaining a little of what union with the candle meant, but the wise moth said to him: ‘Thine explanation is of no more real worth than that of thy comrade.’
“A third moth rose up, intoxicated with love, to hurl himself violently into the flame of the candle. He threw himself forward and stretched out his antennae toward the flame. As he entered completely into its embrace, his members became red like the flame itself. When the wise moth saw from afar that the candle had identified the moth with itself, and had given to it its own light, he said: ‘This moth has accomplished his desire; but he alone comprehends that to which he has attained. None others knows it, and that is all.’” [Attar’s Fables]
Interpretation : One of the truths the beautiful fable tells us is that there is no way of knowing the Ultimate Truth, except through experiencing it by becoming one with it, no way of knowing God except through experiencing him by becoming one with him . Those who want to experience God must be willing to lose themselves in God. God cannot be known from the outside. He cannot be experienced so long as you are there as different from him. And when you cease to be, when you lose yourself in him, when you become one with him, then and then alone you know him.
Rainbow Village: 96-Yr-Old
Former Soldier Paints His Entire Village To Save It From Demolition By Govt
There was a time when former soldier Huang Yung-fu’s quaint, little
village at the edge of Nantun district in Taiwan, bustled with life. Over 1,200
households, mostly comprising military veterans, lived like a large single
family. As years rolled, the elders passed away, one after another, while the
younger generation migrated out.
Towards the end of the 20th century, the Taiwanese government embarked
on a drive to demolish the withering and dilapidated settlements in Nantun,
once constructed hastily to accommodate the military families. Urban developers
stepped into the scene, eyeing the area to construct deluxe housing estates and
skyscrapers. Residents were offered hefty compensation of up to $61,000.
At Just Rs 50, Naresh Bhai’s Van Provides Migrant Labourers With
PAN, Aadhaar or Bank A/Cs
When Kranti Ben migrated to Ahmedabad from her village in search of work, she brought along little of her belongings, unaware how the big city would greet her. She was adept in sewing craft, so she was looking for work as a tailor. However, her skills and experience alone failed to secure her employment for one small reason. She had no identity documents with her.
Kenyan MP Returns To Aurangabad To Repay Rs 200 That He Borrowed 23 Years Ago
In a heart-warming incident, a Member of Parliament (MP) of Kenya travelled to the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra just to repay Rs 200 that he had borrowed from a grocer 23 years ago.
Richard Nyagaka Tongi, the lawmaker
from the Nyaribari Chache constituency in Kenya, met the grocer Kashinath Gawli
recently and it was all emotional. Gawli was overwhelmed with the fact that
Tongi remembered him.
Son’s Rejection From 42 Schools Made This Mom Start a ‘Home’ For Special Kids
“I was pregnant with my daughter, when my son was diagnosed with ADHD. For the next four years or so, no doctor even mentioned the possibility of Autism, so when I heard this, it shattered me. I remember crying uncontrollably for the next few days, but I was not ready to let that fail me. Instead, I was stubborn and changed my problems into my strength! And my daughter, Prerna was instrumental in this,” she shares.
Living in an Orphanage at 5, IAS Officer at 47: Kollam Collector’s Inspiring Story
“I would sneak out from the orphanage and travel some 30-40 kilometres to Kannur. Here getting jobs in hotels and restaurants was easy for a young boy like me,” says the IAS officer who also worked in STD booths and as a delivery boy.
A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, when two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep it was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. She fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as she could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at her to stop the pain and just die. She began jumping even harder and finally made it out. When she got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them that she was deaf – she thought they were encouraging her to jump out of the hole the entire time.
Interpretation: Our mind is very powerful. If we think we can, we indeed can do most things and vice – versa for if we think we can’t, we cannot. So, we need to keep motivating ourselves by telling ourselves we can indeed succeed.
The indigenous Brazilian congresswoman who is standing up to Bolsonaro
This indigenous lawyer has made history as the first native woman ever to be elected to Brazil’s congress. She faces a host of obstacles – but is used to overcoming challenges .
“I’ve
always believed that you can never control a situation, but you can always
control how you feel about it. I was in the office when I saw my medical
reports on my phone. As I googled ‘Carcinoma’, the words ‘breast cancer’
flashed on my screen.
Weirdly, the first thing that popped into my mind was a story from Chicken Soup for the Soul that I’d read as a child. I don’t know why but it had stuck with me. A monkey and a woman are diagnosed with the same disease. While the woman pities herself everyday and stops living her life, the monkey, unknown to its condition, keep living its life as is. Read more…
My Story: From Working At A Vada Pav Cart In Mumbai To Earning Rs 50k Per Month, This Is How An NGO Helped Me
Photo By: Karthik Chandrashekar
One of the
worst problems that the country is facing right now is that of rural migration.
Due to the uneven distribution of opportunities and avenues, people are forced
to venture out of the villages to the cities. The living condition in cities is
more often than not, abysmal. It also often strips them of their dignity as
they are made to work for meagre compensation. Going back is often ruled out
since people think that they would be made fun of or would be labelled as
failures if they return to their village.
Farmer to YouTube Star: Why This 58-YO Telangana ‘Avva’ Has Millions of Fans!
Two years back, Milikuri Gangavva would spend her days growing seasonal produce in her land. Today, her undeniable skills have landed her a role in the biopic on Padma Shri awardee Chintakindi Mallesham! #Inspiration
Gujarat Lady Leaves Job, Turns 5000+ Tribal Women Into Empowered Entrepreneurs!
Once plagued by alcoholism
and unemployment, 5000 tribal women across 55 villages in #Gujarat now have
their own businesses—all thanks to one compassionate woman determined to make a
difference! #Respect #RealLifeHeroine
This couple from Delhi is trying to provide dignified work opportunities to specially abled
By: StreeNews Network
Annie Theodore (Media Professional)
and her husband, Samson Theodore (Learning and Developmental professional) had
never thought they would be setting up a venture that would help in
providing a meaningful and dignified work opportunities to differently abled
people. “We had started off as a training organisation,” says Annie.
However, a personal interaction with a specially abled couple made them realise
that there is a huge untapped potential and if encouraged, trained and guided
properly, they can get into meaningful mainstream jobs.
A carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farm house has just finished a rough day on the job. A flat tyre made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit and now his ancient truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family.
As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands.
When opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss. Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me so I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.
‘Oh, that’s my trouble tree,’ he replied. ‘I know I can’t help having troubles on the job, but one thing for sure, troubles don’t belong at home with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again.’
‘Funny thing is,’ he smiled, ‘when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren’t nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.’
Interpretation : This shows us that we actually worry much more than we need to. Living in the present is what we all need to do to remain happy like this man realised
In Just 3 Hours Of Rain, Chennai Apartment Collects 1 Lakh Litres Of Water
The residents of a Chennai apartment complex have evinced the effectiveness of systematic rainwater harvesting by collecting around 1,00,000 litres of water in just three hours of rain.
My Story: “I Walked Away From My Abusive Family At
2 AM With Rs 750 In My Pocket. Today, I Am A Successful Lawyer”
About 18 years back, Vandana Shah left the house of her in-laws at 2 AM in the morning, with just Rs 750 in her pocket, to walk away from abuse and to live a life of dignity. Read more here..
India’s First Woman Firefighter Broke Gender Barriers, Inspired Millions to Dream
In 2006, 26-year-old Harshini Kanhekar became the first woman in 46 years to graduate from the National Fire Service College (NFSC) in Nagpur and consequently, became India’s first Woman Fire Fighter. Read more here..
This Man’s Eco-Friendly Seaweed Farms Are
Boosting Incomes of 600 TN Fisherfolk!
Seth moved on to start AquAgri, one of the first companies in the country to get into commercial seaweed cultivation.
When seaweed farming was unheard of in India, Abhiram Sethi was driving a project for PepsiCo. He was working as a Director in-charge of exports in agriculture. It would not only prove that seaweed could be cultivated and processed into products, but also become a sustainable source of income for coastal communities in Tamil Nadu.
“It has never been about the money but about the people. As a doctor, it is my duty to use my skills to the best and help them. And there comes a day when we work towards something that simply makes us happy. I was lucky to have found that out rather early.” Read more here..
Fable : The Ritual Cat
When a spiritual teacher and his disciples were practicing their evening meditation, the cat living in the monastery was making such noise that it was distracting everyone. So the master ordered that the cat be tied during the evening meditation practice.
Years later, when the teacher died, the cat continued to be tied up during evening meditation sessions. And when the cat eventually died, another cat was brought into the monastery and tied up during evening meditation sessions.
Centuries later, learned descendants of the
spiritual teacher wrote scholarly treatises about the religious
significance of tying up a cat for meditation practice.
Interpretation : We need to understand logically whether what we are doing makes sense or not. There is no point in doing anything blindly.
Mumbai Cab Driver’s Honesty Is Winning Hearts Online
This heartwarming encounter is making people smile
The story of a Mumbai cab driver’s honesty has gone viral online, and it’s making people smile from ear to ear. The story was shared by a Twitter user who goes by the handle ‘@DarthSierra’. He wrote about the encounter he had with an Ola cab driver, named Asif Iqbal Abdul Gaffar Pathan. In his account of the incident, the Twitter user praised Mr Pathan for going out of his way to return a lost wallet and spoke about the importance of sharing positive stories on social media.
Inspired by Super 30,
Rajasthan Doc Provides Free NEET Coaching to Poor Students
Since they take in 25 students each in classes 11 and 12, the name 50 Villagers came about. A practising doctor, Dr Saran did not see himself take up teaching. “However,” he says, “it was the circumstances and the education system that made me become a teacher and mentor.”
I am 15-Yrs-Old But I Want To Dedicate My Whole Life To Help Elderlies
“About six months ago, I was going back home when I saw an old man wrestling with a dog on the side of the road. When I looked closely, I realised that the dog had a roti in his mouth and the old man was struggling to get a piece of it. That sight impacted me deeply.
106-Year-Old Woman Has Been Drumming For 80 Years, And She’s Still Got It
Musicians rejoice! Legendary percussionist Viola Smith might have discovered the secret for a happy, long and healthy life: energetic drumming as well as the moderate consumption of good wine.
Boxer Tyson Fury Has Donated Entire $9 Million Of Earnings To Support The Homeless
What would you do with $9 million? For most people, the
question would likely need to be pondered for several days. However, for
heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, the answer was easy: donate it to
charity, specifically to help the homeless. After he won the $9 million from a
match with Deontay Wilder, he did precisely this.
“I Played Role Of Involuntary Clown,” An Inspiring Story Of Blind IAS Officer
“A conservative estimate of disabled in India is over 2% of the population. Most of them are fighting silent battles every moment and achieving small wins every day.
Belonging to this community, I feel happy and privileged to be recognised and appreciated to such an extent in the past few months. And at the same time with the existence of the likes of Louis Braille, Helen Keller and many more, I feel humbled.
A Zen disciple approached his teacher. “Master, I have an uncontrollable temper. Can you help me overcome it?”
“Hmmm, that’s strange. Can you show it to me?” asked the master.
“Not right now.”
“Why not?”
“It occurs suddenly.”
“Then it can’t be a part of your true nature,”
said the master. “If that were the case, you wouldn’t have any difficulty in
showing it! Why do you allow something that isn’t yours to worry you?”
Thereafter, the master’s words would come back
to the student whenever his temper rose. Soon, he learned to check his anger
and developed a placid temperament.
Interpretation: Awareness is indeed the first step in controlling our emotions, be it anger or anything else.
Planting 2 Trees Now Mandatory To Get A House In Kerala
The sooner we all realize that climate change is real, the better the chances of us existing! Literally, you will not see the future generations if you keep deforestation going. Global warming is real! Climate change is happening! You need to make the world a better place. Kerala has taken a step to make this world a better place. They have made it mandatory to plant one mango tree and one jack fruit tree to get your house registered.
In Bhutan, teachers, medical staff will now be highest paid civil servants
In a move earning it praise, Bhutan has announced that salaries of teachers, doctors, nurses, and all medical staff will be hiked to make them the highest paid civil servants in the country, The Bhutanese reported. The cabinet decision was taken on June 5.
Know Why Denmark Is Among The Happiest Countries In The World
According to the UN’s World Happiness
Report, Denmark
is one of the happiest countries in the world. The survey classified the
happiness of around 155 countries of the world and Denmark for the last seven
years have always found its name among the top three in that list.
This IIT-Delhi Startup’s Innovation Tackles Air Pollution for Just Rs 10!
Nanoclean was awarded the National Startups Award by former President Pranab Mukherjee in 2017, recognised among the top 25 technical startups from over 118 countries by the Republic of Korea and selected among Top 100 Startups in the World by the Hong Kong government, making it the only Indian startup to achieve this feat.
Women In The Sky: 4 Reasons Why India is a Trailblazer For Gender Equality in Aviation
Besides having the highest proportion of female commercial pilots in any country, India has a booming aviation industry with more and more women entering into the field.
How online grocery startup Grofers’ valuation rose from $310M to $800M in a year, and is now looking to double its revenue
By focussing on its current business model without offline push or faster delivery and not expanding to newer markets, Gurugram-based online grocery platform Grofers is looking to double its revenue to Rs 5,000 crore ($720 million) this fiscal.
Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.
Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!”
“Like this cup,” Nan-in said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”
Interpretation: We are so full of our own opinions that we just don’t know how to imbibe wisdom. Yes, it is indeed important to unlearn to learn.
‘I never set out to convert anyone in the Klan. I just set out to get an answer to my question: ‘How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?’’ says blues musician
He sits calm and unruffled by the blazing heat on a small bridge atop this compact dam in Kolhapur that he brought into being over half a century ago. Patiently continuing to answer questions we had sprung on him earlier at lunch. He also walks, sprightly and energetic, all over the bridge with us – explaining how this barrage came to life in 1959.
An entrepreneur from Assam has come up with an out-of-the-box idea to make his product stand out. Dhritiman Borah, an exporter of Bamboo products, has given the world a sustainable and eco-friendly product – bamboo bottle to quench your thirst.
Sharing positive news 