Address And Interaction With The School Children And Self Help Groups At Sri Sadguru Seva Sangh Trust, Chitrakoot

Self-Help group a boon to rural economy

I am delighted to be here in the midst of school children and self-help groups members belonging to Sri Sadguru Seva Sangh Trust, Chitrakoot. I understand that Sri Sadguru Seva Trust is engaged in the areas of healthcare, education and rural empowerment. I note that the trust has conducted a number of eye care camps and have treated over fifty thousand patients needing eye care. As a part of women empowerment the trust has provided in-house training to a number of women in the region and enabled them to make home made items and sell their produce in the market centres. This trust has made outstanding contribution to the cause of women in the un-organized sector for the last five decades. It is noteworthy that the trust has been able to generate over Rs. 12 lakhs from a modest share capital of Rs. 5000 invested five years back.

To improve the economic conditions of the poor and as a means to promote enhanced empowerment of women I would like this Trust to create a new avenue. One of the important large scale employment generation for Madhya Pradesh is bio-fuel generation through Jatropha and Pongamia. The bio-fuel is an important requirement for our country especially with the growing price of crude oil in the international market. Many schemes are being planned for cultivation of Jatropha, the basic input material for bio-diesel in Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. I would recommend this Sri Sadguru Seva Sangh Trust to undertake a pilot project with 5000 acres of waste land provided by the Madhya Pradesh Government or marginal farmers on co-operative basis. The Trust must plan to cultivate Jatropha and work towards the production of bio-diesel and glycerin as an integrated package. The investment needed for establishment of the bio-diesel plant and the associated facilities will be of the order of 10 to 15 crores. In addition, five to ten crore of working capital would also be needed. Funds for this project can come from NABARD. Laboratory experiments have shown that Jatropha to Bio-fuel is a cost-effective pollution free proposition. The Central Government has fixed the procurement price of bio-fuel at Rs. 23 per litre. Thus it will provide adequate revenue to the farmers cultivating Jatropha plants. The Chief Minister of Chattisgarh was mentioned to me that cars being run fully by bio-fuel without any modification to the engine. These vehicles are running successfully for the past three months.

Jatropha plantation leading to bio-fuel generation will lead to large scale employment of women and be a wealth generator for Madhya Pradesh. I consider that this would be a good mission for promoting empowerment of women in our rural areas. Simultaneously, Sri Sadguru Seva Sangh Trust can also look at providing cost effective health care to these women, through the Yeshasvini co-operative Scheme model which is successfully being practiced for the last two years in Karnataka. In this scheme Rs. 5 per month is contributed by each member of the family and Rs. 2.50 is paid by the Government as a medical insurance fee. The scheme enables over two million farmers to get the benefit of high quality medicare in corporate hospitals. The trust may consider replicating this model in this region if they can mobilize members to the extent of minimum one million. Now I would like to give some of my early experience.

My early experiences

When I see the Self Help Groups, I am reminded of handicrafts products made by our rural women. I realize that handicrafts work is a task of family tradition uniquely preserved in various parts of our country. Crafts and artisan area provides large-scale employment to rural masses.

As you all know, I come from Rameswaram Island. I remember, it was in 1940s, I have witnessed in many houses palm leaf basket being made. This activity was supposed to be an additional unstructured small-scale business. Each day, a trader used to pay and collect all the finished products from these craftspeople.

Also, during my young days at Rameswaram, I have seen, many houses were involved in seashells crafts work. They used to get these shells from the sea, clean it with acid and do etching. These come out in beautiful shapes and wonderful artwork. The crafts work and handicrafts, what I have seen in Ramanathapuram district and many other parts of our country should be nurtured with value addition. Today, one of the major problems is how to market handicrafts with value addition by technology, how to integrate multi departments and provide assistance in an integrated way in a mission mode. It should also be noted that these days eco-friendly environment through biodegradable plastics are insisted. But it will take some time. Hence the natural material usage for making products has tremendous opportunity. Now I would like to narrate my experience with my elementary school teacher Shri Sivasubramania Iyer.

Bird story and my profession

When I think of my school days, I am reminded of an incident which took place when I was studying in 5th class at the age of 10. I had a teacher, Shri Siva Subramania Iyer. He was one of the very good teachers in our school. All of us loved to attend his class and hear him. One day he was teaching about bird's flight. He drew a diagram of a bird on the blackboard depicting the wings, tail and the body structure with the head. He explained how the birds create the lift and fly. He also explained to us how they change direction while flying. Nearly 25 minutes he gave the lecture with various information such as lift, drag, how the birds fly in a formation of 10, 20 or 30 etc. At the end of the class, he wanted to know whether we understood how the birds fly. I said, I did not understand how the birds fly. When I said this, he asked the other students whether they understood or not. Many students said that they did not understand. Our teacher was a real teacher and very good teacher. He did not get upset by our response.

In view of this, my teacher said that he would take all of us to the sea shore. That evening the whole class was in the sea shore. We enjoyed the roaring sea waves knocking at the rocks in the pleasant evening. Birds were flying with sweet chirping voice. He showed the sea birds in formation in 10 to 20 numbers, we have seen the marvelous formation of birds with a purpose and we were all amazed. And we were simply looking at the formation. He showed the birds and asked us to see when the birds fly, what it looked like. We saw the wings being flapped. He asked us to look at the tail portion with the combination of flapping wing and twisting tail. We noticed closely and found that the birds in that condition flew in the direction they wanted. Then he asked us a question, where the engine is and how it is powered. Bird is powered by its own life and the motivation what it wants. All these things were explained to us within 15 minutes. We all understood the whole bird dynamics with practical example. How nice it was? Our teacher was a great teacher; he could give as a theoretical lesson coupled with live practical example. This is real teaching. I am sure, many of the teachers in schools and colleges will follow this example.

For me, it was not merely an understanding of how a bird flies. The bird's flight entered into me and created a feeling on the seashore of Rameswaram. From that day evening, I thought that my future study has to be with reference to flight and flight sciences. I am telling this because my teacher?s teaching and the event that I witnessed decided my future career. Then one evening after the classes, I asked the teacher, "Sir, please tell me, how to progress further in learning flight sciences." He patiently explained to me that I should complete 8th class, and then go to high school, and then I should go to college that may lead to education of flight. If I do all these things I might do something connected with flight sciences. This advice and the bird flying exercise given by my teacher really gave me a goal and a mission for my life. When I went to college, I took Physics. When I went to engineering in Madras Institute of Technology, I took Aeronautical Engineering.

Thus my life was transformed as a rocket engineer, aerospace engineer and technologist. That one incident of my teacher teaching the lesson, showing the visual live example proved to be a turning point in my life which eventually shaped my profession.

Conclusion

The process for transforming India into a developed nation has already commenced. All of you are working towards this cause in your own way. We find many individual success stories of women for income generation in the fields of agriculture, agro-processing, cottage industry, handicrafts, sericulture, herbal farming etc. Women are also leading movements against social evils with certain amount of success. Now there is a need to make concerted efforts as a nation to work persistently towards the singular goal of making India a developed nation by the year 2020. My best wishes to the members of Sri Sadguru Seva Sangh Trust?s self-help group members in their mission of achieving self-reliant sustainable development in the Chitrakoot district. My blessings to the children for their success in their mission of education.

May God Bless you.

Now I would like to administer the six point oath to the children. Will you all repeat with me?

Six Point Oath

1. I will pursue my education with dedication and I will excel in it.

2. I will plant at least 5 saplings and shall ensure their growth through constant care.

3. I will constantly endeavor to remove the pain of my suffering brethren.

4. I will work for becoming an enlightened citizen and make my family righteous.

5. I will always be a friend of the mentally and physically challenged and will work hard to make them feel normal, like the rest of us.

6. We the children of Madhya Pradesh, promise that we will work hard with honesty to transform our State into a developed State. Happy and prosperous Madhya Pradesh will make happy and prosperous India.

Question and Answer Session

1. Can you give some tips for becoming a good scientist like you?

- Kumar Durga Tiwari, Class VI, Satguru Public School

Ans. Work hard with perseverance for your goal. You can succeed.

2. How can we prevent corruption in the society?

- Kumar Mayank, V standarad, Satguru Public School

Ans. In my view corruption can be removed only by three members in the society. The father, mother and the teacher. You can also correct the situation by prevailing upon your parents, if you notice something wrong in your family.

3. What should be done to eliminate poverty in our country?

- Anand Shukla, V Standard, Satguru Vidyadham Primary School

Ans. In our country, to uplift the 260 million people living below the poverty line, we have a road map of integrated simultaneous action in five areas.

4. How do you feel being the President of India?

- Namo Narayan, Vth Standard, Sadguru Vidhyadham Primary School

Ans. It is challenging. With great aim, with great goals working with the knowledge and efforts definitely certain good performance possible.

5. What will be the role of science & Technology in developing the people of our country?

- Surya Kant Gautam, VI Standard, Sadguru Vidhyadham Hr. Sec. School

Ans. It increases the national wealth at faster rates and helps value addition. Agriculture scientists help us to increase the productivity of food grains; space scientists provide us communication and resource mapping. Atomic scientists provide us the nuclear power plants. Like this, every field of science and technology has application for societal transformation.

6. What are the components of building a nice dream?

- Anurag Ranjan Trivedi, XII Standard, Sadguru Vidhyadham Secondary School

Ans. Every one has to have a dream; it is nothing but a mission in life. You can ask your self a question "What will I be remembered for?" then you will get an answer. That is the dream.

7. As a scientist you have raised the name of the country. Now what is next as the President?

- Mohit, BCA Ist Year, Sadguru Institute of Computer Studies

Ans. Assist transforming India into a developed nation by 2020.

8. What should be the role of Government in promoting Sanskrit language?

- Ish Narayan Dwivedi, Shastri Class, Sadguru Sanskrit Vidyalaya.

Ans. Government is committed to promote all languages listed in the VIII Schedule of our Constitution.

9. What is the contribution of Sanskrit in the field of science?

- Narsing Narayan, Prarthna, Sadguru Sanskrit Vidyalaya

Ans. Sanskrit can be a very powerful encryption language. Also Atharva Veda in Sanskrit provides many scientific facts which can be used by scientists in material science, design of weapons, communication and many other fields. Many epics and Veda?s in Sanskrit. And also the experts say, certain scientific proofs have been reported in long time back, for example in the area of medicine, astronomy, mathematics and materials.

10. How can we contribute to the country in becoming a developed nation by the year 2020?

- Uma Kant Mishra, 2nd Year, Sadguru Opthalmic Course.

Ans. You excel in your study. This will enable you to contribute well in your chosen profession. While you are free, you can educate five persons who cannot read and write. You can also plant five saplings in your neighbouring area and nurture them.

11. How can we encourage eye donation among the public?

- Kanhaiya Lal, 2nd Year, Sadguru Opthalmic Assistant Course

Ans. Keep on propagating the thought of giving and persuade citizens to express their commitment without inhibition. Eye hospitals have to take pro-active steps in this direction. Aravind Hospital in Madurai is one of the leading hospitals getting maximum number of donated eyes in a month.

12. What are your suggestions to develop nursing profession in India?

and

What is your opinion about nursing profession?

- Anmol, II year, Sadguru Nursing School

Ans. Nursing is a noble profession. They are like angels when they walk around the hospital wards nursing the needy in pain in whatever be the hour of the day or night. I have great regards for the profession. There is a need to develop this profession which is in demand world over. Indian nurses have left a great impact wherever they worked. In the next five years, there is going to be demand of more than a million nurses? world over in addition to our own demand of over five lakhs.

13. What should be done to build capacity of women socially and economically?

- Ram Bhai, NA Self Help Groups

Ans. Empower them with education, skill and entrepreneurship training. Culture of any society is measured based on the respect they give to their women members. By empowering the women the stability in the society is assured.