Open Defecation Free Village Shikdamakha Assam

 Open Defecation Free Village Shikdamakha Assam

Shikdamakha near Guwahati Assam Northeast India organizes a number of cleanliness drives and competitions. The village is in the process of surpassing Mawlynnong in Meghalaya as India's cleanest village.

Mawlynnong Village Meghalaya
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Mawlynnong Village Meghalaya
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Situated around 100 km from Guwahati, Shikdamakha village earned maximum points in the cleanliness sub-index of national gauge as per a Village  Cleanliness Index published by the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

Image Courtesy Abdul Gani

The cleanliness drive started in this village four years before Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015. It was the initiative of the youth of this village who motivated the villagers and conducted cleanliness competitions among households which helped them in getting the entire village area clean. A group of the villagers went to Mawlynnong village also to see how they maintain the cleanliness.

Shikdamakha village has also earned the coveted Open Defecation Free  (ODF) status. The inhabitants of the village also advocate for a plastic-free way of life. The villagers are aggressive cleanliness conscious even though they do not have television and there is no mobile network available in the village.

"Amar Gaon" Assam India - A Village for Only Dwarfs!

"Amar Gaon" Assam India  - A Village for Only Dwarfs ! 

Yangsi, a remote village in Sichuan province of Southwest China has baffled scientists for decades as most of the inhabitants here are dwarfs and that is why  Yangsi is known as "village of dwarfs". The scientists have been unable to determine the cause behind the large number of height-challenged residents. It remains as mysterious today as it was some 60-odd years ago.

Yangsi village China
Image Courtesy: dailymail.co.uk

There is a village in Assam which can also be called "village of dwarfs only" but this village is unlike Yangsi village as residents of this village have been brought from different parts of Assam. This village has come up with the noble intention of making such people live with dignity and away from the being stigmatized by society.

This village is the brainchild of Pabitra Rabha, a National School of Drama (NSD, Delhi) graduate and a well-known theatre personality of the state. He has set up the special home for these height-challenged people in Jalah village near Tangla in lower Assam's Udalguri district, about 90 km away from Guwahati - capital of Assam state of Northeast India.

Image Courtesy: the weekendleader.com

The name of the village is Amar Gaon  - a place for dwarfs to live in with dignity and comfort.

Pabitra Rabha hails from a family with musical leanings and artistic talent. At one stage he left behind a promising career in films. He acted in Hindi films like 'Tango Charlie' and 'Mukhbir' directed by Mani Shankar to take up theatre seriously. Pabitra wants to promote theatre in Northeast India and create plays to highlight social  issues. 

Image Courtesy: thehindu.com

Pabitra Rabha started 'Dapon' in 2003. In 2008 he got the idea of associating dwarfs in Dapon as he felt they were hugely ignored community. Dapon also provides vocational training to the dwarfs and funds those who want to pursue their education. It is a tribute to Rabha's initiative that dwarfs who were stigmatized by society once, are now being looked up with newfound respect and dignity.

Skilling India To Save Lives - Vivo Healthcare South Extension Delhi

Skilling India To Save Lives - Vivo Healthcare 

South Extension Delhi


(All the images are subject to IPR)

A large front page add in The Times of India & Navbharat Times about job in Healthcare Sector as part of the initiative Skill India Mission of the Central Government took me to one of its centre in South Extension Part I  New Delhi adjacent to Mc Donald's restaurant just near the ring road easily approachable from all sides.

It has thrown open the opportunities for career in vastly expanding health care sector with loan facility for students of 10th/12th/graduates.

"सूत्रधार अब राजनीति के हो जाएँ आश्रमवासी" - प्रो (डॉ ) रवीन्द्र नाथ ओझा

"सूत्रधार अब राजनीति के हो जाएँ आश्रमवासी" - प्रो (डॉ ) रवीन्द्र नाथ ओझा 

आज  भारत देश के केंद्र में श्री नरेंद्र मोदी की सरकार  है और देश के सबसे बड़े प्रदेश उत्तर प्रदेश में योगी आदित्यनाथ की। दोनों ही आश्रमवासी की तरह हैं और देश को विकास के पथ पर अग्रसर करने हेतु कृतसंकल्प।  निस्वार्थ भाव से। ऐसा प्रतीत हो रहा है कि आज देश सुरक्षित हाथों में है और देश का भविष्य उज्ज्वल है। 

योगी आदित्यनाथ एक प्रखर -प्रभावशाली वक्ता हैं जो तथ्य पर आधारित तर्कों से सबको निरुत्तर कर  देने का सामर्थ्य रखते हैं , संवेदनशील - लोकप्रिय - राष्ट्रभक्त युवा नेता हैं  जो प्रधान मंत्री श्री नरेंद्र मोदी के उत्तराधिकारी होने की क्षमता रखनेवाले प्रतीत होते हैं। 

प्रो (डॉ ) रवीन्द्र नाथ ओझा 

प्रो (डॉ ) रवीन्द्र नाथ ओझा की यह कविता देशवासियों को प्रेरित कर रही है कि   सब तरह के घृणा व द्वेष को त्यागकर "हम हों केवल हिन्दुस्तानी हों बस केवल भारतवासी"...      इसी कविता के माध्यम से प्रो ओझा ने देश में परिवर्त्तन के लिए यह भी अभिव्यक्त किया है कि " सूत्रधार अब राजनीति के हो जाएँ आश्रमवासी " जो आज  सर्वांशतः सत्य प्रतीत हो रहा है।  

प्रो (डॉ ) ओझा की दूरदृष्टि व दिव्यदृष्टि को शत शत नमन। 

"मिट जाएँ अब जाति - धरम सब मिट जाएँ  नफरातरासी 
हम हों केवल हिन्दुस्तानी    हों  बस    केवल भारतवासी। 


मानववाद ही एक धरम हो,   मानववाद हो एक करम ,

मानव सब धरमों से प्यारा ,  कोई न  मन में रहे  भरम ,

हर नर राजा , नारी रानी ,    मिटे सभी वैषम्य -कहानी ,

गूँजे चहुँदिसि  दिग्दिगंत में साम्य और समता  की बानी 


मिट जाएँ अब जाति - धरम सब मिट जाएँ  नफरातरासी 

हम हों केवल हिन्दुस्तानी    हों  बस    केवल भारतवासी।


हर पंछी को नीड़ हो अपना , हर नौका  को लंगर ,

हर राधा को सहज  सुलभ  हो    वंशीधर पीतांबर , 

हर सीता को मिला करे , मनभावन श्यामल सुवर ,

धरती का हर प्रणय निवेदन     सुना करे नीलांबर ,

लक्ष्मण को कोई बाण लगे नहीं , राम न हों वनवासी,


मिट जाएँ अब जाति - धरम सब मिट जाएँ  नफरातरासी 

हम हों केवल हिन्दुस्तानी    हों  बस    केवल भारतवासी। 


यहाँ नहीं बाणों से आहात क्रोन्च करे कोई क्रन्दन ,

फँसे नहीं अभिमन्यु व्यूह में , सभी काष्ठ हों चन्दन ,

हर सरिता को पास बुलावे       उसका प्रेमी सागर ,

हरी भरी सब यौवन क्यारी     भरी - भरी हो गागर ,

सूत्रधार अब राजनीति के     हो जाएँ  आश्रमवासी ,


मिट जाएँ अब जाति - धरम सब मिट जाएँ  नफरातरासी 

हम हों केवल हिन्दुस्तानी    हों  बस    केवल भारतवासी।"



"विप्रा : बहुधा वदन्ति "(२००८ )
(रवीन्द्र नाथ ओझा के व्यक्तित्व का बहुपक्षीय आकलन )
पुस्तक से साभार 

                                                      प्रो (डॉ )   रवीन्द्र  नाथ ओझा 

Echo of "Echoes" : A Restaurant with a Difference

Echo of "Echoes" : A Restaurant with a Difference 

Image Courtesy : hangouts.co.in

Positive development or initiative hardly becomes the punchline in media or "food for thought or discussion" in political or intellectual circles. But these initiatives inspire  the people, creates a ray of hope in a  gloomy or depressing situation.

Image Courtesy: zomato.cum

Echoes कैफे (Eat Engage Energize)  is a unique कैफे. Opened in December 2015 with a new concept, with a new thinking, with a new attitude - with the objective of motivating people.

Image Courtesy: youtube.com

With this theme in mind, six friends of Delhi are running a restaurant, first of its kind in India,  in Satya Niketan Market (Delhi) where serving staff (Waiters) can neither listen nor speak.

Image Courtesy: indianexpress.com

Sahib, Shivang, Kshitij and Sahil used the golden experiences of their hostel career and brought this cafe in reality. Later on Prateek and Gaurav also came forward in realizing this dream.

Image Courtesy:news18.com

In this restaurant every table is connected with bell for order. Play cards are used for placing orders. For making the restaurant a hit, " Listen with your eyes and speak with your hand " has been the mantra.

Image Courtesy:hangouts.co.in

These unsung heroes, the  differently abled staff, are the real life heroes as in fact they are managing the restaurant and that too better than other restaurants - and also they are great motivators for others.