Life value.....

Sulekha Rani.R ,P.G.T chemistry,K V NTPC kayamkulam

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the following straight through, and you'll get the point.
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America Contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

AN INSPIRATIONAL EXPERIENCE

An Inspirational Experiance

At a Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100 m race. At the starting signal, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, others except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back......every one of them. One girl with Down's syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better" Then all nine linked their arms together and walked together and finally reached the destination. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course. I would say that, you do not have to slow down. Rather by helping difficult areas, the feed back will make you go faster. If you pass this on, we may be able to change our hearts as well as someone else's.

"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle".

Great teacher

quote from the great philosopher Dr. S. Radhakrishnan particularly for the benefit of students and teachers - “The sense of human need is there and the teacher can satisfy it by giving to the youth an idea of the fundamental power and worth of man, his spiritual dignity as man, a supra-national culture and an all embracing humanity.” This can be achieved only by a teacher who loves teaching.

EDUCATION WITH A VALUE SYSTEM

We have seen that the seeds of peace in the world have their origin in the righteousness in the heart of every individual. Such righteous citizens lead to the evolution of enlightened society.

Education with value system has to be so designed that the righteousness in the heart is developed in young minds. That should be the mission of education.

The prime learning environment is five to seventeen years of age.

This reminds me of an ancient Greek teacher's saying,

"Give me a child for seven years; afterwards, let God or devil take the child. They cannot change the child, that’s the power of education".

This indicates the power of great teachers and what they can inculcate in the young minds.

Parents and teachers must inculcate moral leadership amongst children.

It requires the ability to have insights into the uniqueness and universality of human consciousness.

True education is the acquisition of enlightened feelings and enlightened powers to understand daily events and to understand the permanent truth linking man, to his environment, human and planetary.

INDIA'S FUTURE CHALLENGES

INDIA'S FUTURE CHALLENGES

During the next decade, India will have the following challenges that will propel a number of business opportunities:
1. Agriculture and Food processing: Increase the productivity into 3.4 times and concentrate on Food processing and marketing. 2. Infrastructure: Apart from rural and urban infrastructure, one hundred million homes have to be built with energy efficient and water efficient systems. Annual investment in this sector will be around $80 billion per year. 3. Automobile: The export has to be 50% of our output. We are expecting a business volume of $200 billion by 2016 from the existing $45 billion.
4. Ship Building: High Dead weight ships have to be built in the country. This will have a business volume of over $50 billion. 5. Information and Communication technology: We have to keep pace with the growth inspite of global recession by applying ICT for India. We are expecting to reach business volume of $200 billion per year by 2012. 6. Pharma: India must account for atleast 25% of generic drug produced world over. Pharma vision aims to reach the business volume of $50 billion by 2016.
7. Aerospace: 70 seater passenger jet aircraft has to be designed and developed involving 20 billion dollars of market for the next 10 to 15 years. 8. Rail-vision: Railway length has to be increased, metros have to come for faster transportation and multi-level station systems have to become operational to reduce city crowding, average speed of the train has to be doubled. Average annual investment will be over $25 billion. 9. Energy Independence: By 2030, we should attain energy independence through renewable energy sources such as solar and wind; nuclear and bio-fuels for transportation. Average annual investment will be over $30 billion.

UNIQUE QUALITIES OF THE YOUTH

UNIQUE QUALITIES OF THE YOUTH

COURAGE
Courage to think different,
Courage to invent,
Courage to travel into an unexplored path,
Courage to discover the impossible,
Courage to combat the problems
and succeed, Are the unique qualities of the youth.

Oath to the students By Abdul Kalam

Oath to the students By Abdul Kalam

1. I realize that small aim is a crime. I will have a goal and work hard to

achieve that goal.

2. I will work with integrity and succeed with integrity.

3. I will be a good citizen, a good member of my family, a good member of the

society, a good member of the nation and a good member of the world.

4. I will always try to save or better someone's life. Wherever I am, a thought

will always come to my mind. That is, what can I give?

5. I will always protect and enhance the dignity of every human life.

6. I will always remember that, Let not my winged days, be spent in vain.

7. I will always work for Clean Green Energy and Clean planet Earth.

8. As a youth, I will work and work with courage to achieve success in all my

tasks and enjoy the success of others

LEARNING INTEGRATED SYSTEM DESIGN

LEARNING INTEGRATED SYSTEM DESIGN

While I was studying aeronautical engineering in MIT, Chennai, (1954-57) during the third year of my course, I was assigned a project to design a low-level attack aircraft together with six other colleagues. I was given the responsibility of system design and system integration by integrating the team members. Also, I was responsible for aerodynamic and structural design of the project. The other five of my team took up the design of propulsion, control, guidance, avionics and instrumentation of the aircraft. My design teacher Prof. Srinivasan, the then Director of MIT, was our guide. He reviewed the project and declared my work to be gloomy and disappointing. He didn’t lend an ear to my difficulties in bringing together data base from multiple designers. I asked for a month’s time to complete the task, since I had to get the inputs from five of my colleagues without which I cannot complete the system design. Prof. Srinivasan told me "Look, young man, today is Friday afternoon. I give you three days time. If by Monday morning I don’t get the configuration design, your scholarship will be stopped." I had a jolt in my life, as scholarship was my lifeline, without which I cannot continue with my studies. There was no other way out but to finish the task. My team felt the need for working together round the clock. We didn’t sleep that night, working on the drawing board skipping our dinner. On Saturday, I took just an hour’s break.

On Sunday morning, I was near completion, when I felt someone’s presence in my laboratory. It was Prof. Srinivasan studying my progress. After looking at my work, he patted and hugged me affectionately. He had words of appreciation: "I knew I was putting you under stress and asking you to meet a difficult deadline. You have done great job in system design”.

Through this review mechanism Prof Srinivasan, really injected the necessity of understanding the value of time by each team member and brought out engineering education has to lead system design, system integration and system management. I realized that if something is at stake, the human minds get ignited and the working capacity gets enhanced manifold. That’s what exactly happened. This is one of the techniques of building talent. The message is that young in the organization, whatever is their specialization, be trained to systems approach and projects, which will prepare them for new products, innovation and undertaking higher organizational responsibilities. Teacher has to be a coach like Prof. Srinivasan.

An interview with Kalam.

Kalam.... about Politics 1. In your opinion, what is the significance of vote? and what do you suggest to the voters in view of the Forthcoming elections ? Ans: Vote is the privilege and responsibility of a citizen in a democracy, particularly now, when large number of youth have been included in the voter list. It is a tool of people’s power. The voters should exercise their franchise with discretion, so that the nation gets the right type of people’s representatives to serve and govern the nation and provide growth and prosperity to the citizens.
2) How do you describe an ideal candidate or the right candidate and do you think political parties fielding right candidates in elections? Ans: Ideal candidate is one who considers nation is above himself/herself and his party. “Work with integrity and succeed with integrity” must be the motto. Political parties should field such candidates for election who have concern for the national development and passion to implement national development programmes.
3) What could be done to eliminate candidates with criminal track record as well as increasing influence of money and muscle power? Ans: As per the representation of people (Amendment) Bill 2006, a person against whom a court of competent jurisdiction has framed charges for commission of an offence or offences, punishable with imprisonment for tenure of 7 years or more, such person shall be deemed to be disqualified for six years for contesting election from the date of framing of charges. This is definitely an improvement from the past. It is for the voter to be aware of all the conduct and characteristics of the candidate contesting for the election. They should be judicious in the selection of the right candidate. In this respect, not voting is a great injustice to the nation.
4) Do you support Dynastic politics? if so why so? if not why not? Ans: In a democracy, people’s power is mighty and right choice is the responsibility of the voter. Right type of person who will deliver justice and development of the constituency should be the selection criteria and voting. Our aim is to become a developed nation by 2020. We have many challenges to meet this. We have to concentrate on development and politics oriented to development is crucial.
5) Who is your ideal Political leader ? Did you ever feel tempted to join politics ? Ans: I have not been inspired so far in politics by anyone. I am very much influenced by my Primary School teacher Shri Sivasubramania Iyer and in professional career by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai and Dr. Satish Dhawan.
6) Do you agree with the contention that India is progressing? Ans: There is no doubt about the growth of India. After the 1991, economic liberalization, India has progressed in agriculture, Pharma, industry, ICT, automobile, road transportation, air-transportation, healthcare and higher education. Definitely I can see the growth. But what is needed today, is the rural development through PURA (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) should be the focus.
7) How do you feel when people confine you to one Community? What kind of politics should be encouraged to make people rise above caste and creed and identify themselves with the nation ? Ans. Ignorance, ignorance and ignorance.
8) You have been inviting the youth to join politics. What kind of reforms do you suggest to attract youngsters towards politics and to make them choose politics as a serious career option ? Ans. So far I have met over 5 million youth. I have asked in every forum, how many people will join politics? The number is slowly increasing. I would like to give typical answers: Jalandhar girl said – her main aim in joining politics is to remove corruption from all levels. At Shimoga a boy said, I will enter into politics to remove castism in the country. Lucknow girl said, I will promote the vision of the nation and transform vision into missions and projects for time bound development of the nation.
9) The educational qualifications of a majority of public representatives remain pitiably low. Do you feel that some educational qualification should be prescribed for MLAs and MPs? Ans. It is not true. Number of graduates/postgraduate and PhDs in the different Lok Sabha from independence till now is constantly increasing. Nation is working towards higher and higher levels of literacy. When the country realizes, high percentage of literacy, we will definitely have more qualified legislature and parliamentarians.
10) Though members of weaker sections like SCs and STs are getting elected on the basis of quota system, the real power continues to be concentrated in the hands of the upper classes. What should be done to ensure that the weaker sections are really empowered? You know that the situation at the level of local bodies remains even more pathetic. Though women get elected to the seats under quota system it is their husbands or brothers that really run the show? Suggest something on that. Ans. Education, Education, Education and empowerment through the training to understand their rights.
11) Do you ever feel disturbed by the rise of corruption in public life? how can we eliminate corruption from the system? Ans. Every right thinking citizen is disturbed. Whenever I meet children, this is one of their serious anxiety. Adichunchanagiri story.
12) Tell us an instance where you felt that the politicians have terribly let down the nation ? Ans. If the money allotted for rural development, if it does not reach the people, it is injustice. Political leaders and the administration have to ensure that money reaches. If the water bodies are not periodically de-silted and connected and water shortage in the village, it is injustice to the rural population. If pendency of the court cases are constantly increasing without solution then it is injustice. If illiteracy in the country is not removed within a prescribed time for both male and female, then it is injustice. If the opportunity for earning capacity is not generated for the youth of the nation, then it is a injustice. If the people vote by getting money, it is injustice to themselves and the nation.
13) Do you feel the Election Commission should have more powers? What punitive powers should the Commission possess? Ans. It will be better to have a more transparent system of selection of Election Commissioners and Chief Elections Commissioner as is being done in the case of Central Vigilance Commissioner and the Vigilance Commissioners

Kuthiyottam

Kuthiyottam is one of the main offering at the Chettikulangara Devi Temple. It is a ritualistic symbolic representation of Human Sacrifice.

Young boys between 8 to 14 years are taught Kuthiyottam, a ritual dance in the house amidst a big social gathering before the portrait of the deity. Early in the morning on Bharani, after the feast and other rituals, the boys whose body is pierced with a silver wire, one end of which is tied around his neck and an arecanut fixed on the tip of a knife held high over his head are taken in procession to the temple with the accompaniment of beating of drums, music, ornamental umbrellas, and other classical folk art forms, and richly caparisoned elephants.

All through the way to the temple tender coconut water will be continually poured on his body. After the circumambulation the boys stands at a position facing the Sreekovil (Sanctum Sanctorum) and begins to dance.

This ceremony ends with dragging the wire pierced to the skin whereby a few drops of blood comes out. Kuthiyotta Kalaris’, run by Kuthiyotta Asans (Teachers or leaders), train the group to perform the dances and songs. Normally, the training starts about one to two months before the seasonA team of artists perform this song and dance ritual.

The songs include those in praise of Durga and other deities, padapattu (war songs) and kalaripattu (martial art songs). Instrumental accompaniments are mainly percussions, ganjira, bells and chaplankatta. Faces are painted and red curtains are used as partitions on the stage Kuthiyottam is a ritual art exclusive to the Devi temples of South Kerala. A team of artists perform this song and dance ritual. The songs include those in praise of Durga and other deities, padapattu (war songs) and kalaripattu (martial art songs). Instrumental accompaniments are mainly percussions, ganjira, bells and chaplankatta.