Information – News

Tribute to Dr. V. S. Acharya

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Tribute to Dr. V. S. Acharya

Dr V S Acharya passed away on Tuesday, 14th February 2012, morning after a massive heart attack. He was attending a programme in Bangalore at the time, and collapsed on the dais.
Senior BJP leader and Karnataka Higher Education minister VS Acharya collapsed while attending a function and died here today.
Acharya, 71, was soon after rushed to a hospital, officials said. He is survived by wife, four sons and a daughter. He was not keeping well for some time. “He (Acharya) is no more with us”, chief minister Mr DV Sadananda Gowda, said as he rushed to the hospital to pay his last respects.
A member of the Legislative Council, he also held the portfolios of planning and statistics, information technology and biotechnology. A registered medical practitioner, Acharya, born on 6 July, 1940, started his political career in the erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh and was president of Udupi city Municipality from 1968 to 1976. Acharya had served as home minister in the BS Yeddyurappa ministry.

The above photo and video was taken during the inauguration of the 1st year Batch Engineering Students at MVJ College of Engineering Bangalore. at a function held at the college premises on 2nd September 2011.

My sincere prayers to his departed soul.

This entry was posted in Information - News, Tribute.

Poorakkazchakal 2012 – പൂരക്കാഴ്ചകള്‍ 2012

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പൂരക്കാഴ്ചകള്‍ 2012

പൂരക്കാഴ്ചകള്‍ 2012
2012 ലെ ദേവന്മാരുടെ ദേവ മേളയായ ആറാട്ടുപ്പുഴ പൂരത്തിനോടനുബന്ദിച്ചു പങ്കെടുക്കുന്ന 23 ദേവി ദേവ ക്ഷേത്രങ്ങളില്‍ നടക്കുന്ന പൂരക്കാഴ്ച്ചകള്‍ കൊടി കയറ്റം മുതല്‍ കൊടി ഇറങ്ങുന്നത് വരെ, നിങ്ങളുടെ മൊബൈല്‍ ക്യാമറയിലോ ഡിജിറ്റല്‍ ക്യാമറയിലോ ഒപ്പിയെടുത്തു സമര്‍പ്പിക്കൂ. ഏറ്റവും നല്ല മൂന്ന് ചിത്രങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് രണ്ടു വിഭാഗങ്ങളിലും മൂന്ന് സമ്മാനങ്ങള്‍ നിങ്ങളെ കാത്തിരിക്കുന്നു.

ഊരകം പ്രവാസികളുടെ സംഘടനയായ ഗോപുരും ചേര്‍ന്ന് നടത്തുന്ന ഈ ഓണ്‍ലൈന്‍ മത്സരത്തിലേക്ക് നിങ്ങള്‍ പകര്‍ത്തിയ ചിത്രങ്ങള്‍ അയക്കേണ്ട ഇമെയില്‍ വിലാസം gopurevents@gmail.com .

മാര്‍ച്ച്‌ 29 മുതല്‍ ഏപ്രില്‍ 5 വരെ എടുക്കുന്ന ചിത്രങ്ങള്‍ ആണ് സമര്‍പ്പിക്കേണ്ടത്‌. ഫോട്ടോസ് സ്വീകരിക്കുന്ന അവസാന തിയതി ഏപ്രില്‍ 7th ആണ്.

This entry was posted in Events - Photography, Events - Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Information - General, Information - News, Kerala Tourism, Passionate Photographers.

Story across the Window

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Many of us have read several times an email about a patient narrating a storing from a hospital bed. It was one of the most popular email forwards with a proving thought.
The one I am writing is from my real life experience.  The window you see is from a twin sharing ICU support room situated in one of the leading cancer hospitals in Bangalore. My mother in law was in the last stage of her life and was admitted to this room. We were in the first bed which was next to the entrance and there was another bed, which was close to the window outside.
During the last week of her life in this world, she was here. As by standers, me and my wife was also there with her. She was conscious and in the adjacent bed, patients came and went. Most of them returned back to their home from there.
During the course of the day, we made friendship with them, their relatives as we discussed each others conditions. Amma was in conscious state and was able to see people coming and going. All Cancer Patients in various conditions.
On the 2nd day, there came a new patient, a Lt Colonel’s wife, and a Doctor by Profession. Her husband Lt Colonel Ray was with her and working abroad. He was a short tempered man, but witty at times with us and with his wife, giving her courage. His temperament, made her scary at many times as he interacted with the hospital staff. However, he was very nice.
Talking to him as we introduced we became very close, and discussing further our roots, we realized, we have some common friends. My school mate Sarath’s father Dr. Sudhakaran was a friend of him when he was serving with the Navy at Cochin Naval base.  After all, this world is really small.
Mrs. Ray talked to us very closely and openly whenever he was not with her. She talked a lot to our Amma. On the second day of her arrival, amma was still keeping conscious self, although her conditions were becoming severe. A sweet girl from the Yoga and meditation division of the hospital came to Mrs. Ray and was giving her a discourse of Vedas and meditation. She was narrating her several incidents from our epics to give courage and boost her morale to fight the disease, along with some simple techniques. Me and amma were overhearing it from the other side of the room. After the little girl left, she expressed a desire to my wife, I too wanted to do this course, when I recover.

That afternoon Mrs Ray was discharged after her course of treatment was finished. It rained heavily, and we were alone in the room. Amma was sad, why all others coming and going and she was still there.

I thought may be next day, I will ask the doctor to change her to the bed near to the window, so that she will also recover and be able to come back home. But, it never happened, or I never got a chance to speak about it even.

Evening came, and as we listened to the sound of rain from our side of the room, our Amma was recapitulating the stories she listened overhearing from the other side with me. Again, she expressed a desire to learn from that girl the art of meditation technique that she explained. I promised her, I will call her the next day, for our Amma.

Unfortunately, all stories in this world do not have a happy ending. This one too.

Although, I went and booked her for coming to our room to teach our amma yoga and relaxation technique, that afternoon, she developed serious complications related to her disease. Slowly she fell into an unconscious state…. The TV programme that evening being showed was one on learning Hanuman Chalissa, and as it was aired, I felt her tapping her hand slowly and rhythmically for the first time in her life, to the rhythamic chants and narrations and explanations going on. Soon, she had to be shifted to the ICU and then to be put on ventilator as she never regained her conscious self….. Was it a farewell programme to divine world….
For so many things we do not have any answer in this world.. This is one such thing.

She never returned from there, although till the last moment of her conscious self, she was confident, she will come back safe and be with us for a long time. Her hands held close and tight mine as I stood near to her……. 

She will be there and here, forever and ever.

I am sorry Amma, it was probably one wish of yours that I couldn’t fulfill and of course my Aviyal….. Happy New Year Amma……….. I am sorry, I am helpless to control my tears…………

This entry was posted in Clicks and writes, HSE, Information - News, Photo Speaks.

Rituals at Srirangapatna

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Rituals at Sreerangapattanam

Srirangapatna (also spelt as Srirangapattana) is a small town in Mandya district of Karnataka, 19 kms away from Mysore. The entire town is surrounded by river Kaveri.
The Paschima Vaahini section of the Kaveri at Srirangapattana is considered especially sacred. People come from far and wide to immerse the ashes of the departed and perform obsequies to their ancestors in these waters.
Ammas ashes were immersed in this river.

There were many others who came to do the same. It was rainy season and the water thus was clean and good flow and whirlpools were there in plenty.

.

This entry was posted in Clicks and writes, Information - News, Photo Speaks, Rituals.

Pithrutharppanam at Thirunavaya Nava Mukunda Temple

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It was our first visit to this famous temple, Thirunavaya Nava Mukunda Temple.
Thiruvanaya Navamukunda Temple, near Ponnani in Malappuram district is situated on the banks of the river Bharathapuzha.
Thirunavaya was once the capital of Perumpadapu Swaroopam. It is indeed the cradle of culture in northern Kerala. Holding immense historical importance, this is the place where ‘Mamangam’, a grand assembly of the rulers of Kerala was held once every 12 years, in olden times. This extravagant festival was held for the last time in 1755 AD.
The famous and ancient Thirunavaya Temple, known throughout the country as an ancient teaching-centre of the Vedas, was once plundered and destroyed by Tipu Sultan’s army. It was the Zamorin who repaired the temple later.
Thirunavaya is considered equivalent to Varanasi because of the presence of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma temples.
(Reference source : http://www.vaikhari.org/thirunavaya.html)
It is said to be very auspicious to do the religious rituals at the banks of this famous temple to departed souls within and after the stipulated ceremonial days associated with death of our relatives. Therefore, it was our wish to be here on the 12th day of our ammas demise.
The temple is very well organised and the priests or acharyas for doing these detailed pooja and kriyas  are fully devoted and never showed any sign of greed for money, normally associated with those doing services for such rituals.
We were recommended to meet Sri Unnikrishnan Elayath (Mobile : 00 91 9249259226) who is one of the senior most amongst them. Kriyas are done in three batches, starting as early as 5:00 am. The second batch start at 7:00 am and then the third at 09:00 am. It takes normally one and half hour to complete the full set of rituals. He does it in such a way that those who are doing the rituals really feels the presence of their close ones who left them from this world.
It should be noted to carry a coin along with you when going to perform the rituals as there are procedures to place the coin and then offer prayers. For those who do not carry them, he himself gives the coin. It is advisable to offer a nominal dakshina after the rituals and prayers associated. However, he never insists on it, and saw many leaving immediately without offering any dakshina or namaskaram to the priest.
It was really satisfying to see at least one more place of religious importance where greed for money did not rule over the rituals and sanctity associated.

This entry was posted in Clicks and writes, Information - News, Photo Speaks, Rituals.

Vijaylekshmy Menon – 07.11.1945 – 03.11.2011

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With profound sadness, I write to you today (3rd November 2011) the demise of my mother in law Mrs Vijayalekshmy Menon, at HCG Hospital, Bangalore at 8:50 pm. A Kerala state Badminton player and as a person with definite objectives in life and will power to fight, she really fought her final battle with cancer, aggressively than anyone and left me and my family with lots of memories for the future without her.
She worked as a teacher of mathematics at St George School Delhi, St Thomas School Bangalore and later as Librarian at  Our Own English High School Abu Dhabi.
Mrs Vijayalekshmy Menon is survived by her only daughter Rajashree, grandson Suraj and brothers Joy, Santhan, Sethu and Venu.
Her husand Late MRK Menon and son Late Rajeev Menon passed away some years ago.
Cremation will be conducted as per Hindu rites at Kalpally electric crematorium, Bangalore on 4th November 2011 at 11:00 am.
Being with her during the entire period of her final week in this earth and especially the last 3 days, I really felt the campaigners for Breast Cancer should change it’s iconic color from Pink to Red Color and also doubt whether these campaigns on Breast Cancer Care and Awareness really reaching to the audience and purpose intended.

Ramesh
03.11.2011

This entry was posted in Information - News, Obituary, Vijayalakshmy Menon.

Readerspeak IV: Get featured in the newspaper

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Readerspeak IV: Get featured in the newspaper

3 March 2011

Welcome to the latest edition of KT Readerspeak with a brand new topic for discussion to which our website readers, print loyalists and our Facebook community can contribute.

Have your comments and photo appear in the newspaper. Just post your response below to the following question, write in toktreaderspeak@khaleejtimes.ae or log on to http://www.facebook.com/khaleejtimes. This week’s question is:

Is the home delivery system really a boon? Is it making us inactive?

Your responses to the just-concluded edition of KT Readerspeak will appear in the newspaper and website with your photos on Sunday, March 6.

Contributions are welcomed from everyone, regardless of location. Entries need to be accompanied by your photograph, which can be emailed to the above address. Please remember to mention your full name, location and profession.

Let your friends and colleagues know about KT Readerspeak, the weekly forum on which readers can express their views on a specified topic and get featured in the newspaper too

To read this news in original, please visit Khaleej Times Online.

This entry was posted in Information - News.

24/7 helpline for Indian workers is a hit, already Sajila Saseendran

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24/7 helpline for Indian workers is a hit, already Sajila Saseendran

24/7 helpline for Indian workers is a hit, already Sajila Saseendran

26 November 2010 Mir Liyaqat Ali’s 15-year-old son, Ibrahim, was hit by a speeding car on November 7 and suffered a femur fracture. His right thighbone broke into two and he underwent two surgeries, the second one on Wednesday.

The driver of the car, which hit Ibrahim, is out on bail and Ali has been in the dark about the legal procedures to make a claim for the damages. When he read about the helpline of Indian Workers’ Resource Centre launched by the visiting Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Ali rang up the toll-free number 800 INDIA (80046342). “I was given a reference number and they said that they will get back to me at the earliest after consulting a legal expert. They were very nice to me,” he told Khaleej Times.

Devoted toll-free number for Indian expats

Indian expatriates needing help anytime now have a lifeline. All they need to do is call the toll-free number 800 India.

Several Indian expatriates like Ali have sought the help from the Resource Centre since its launch on Tuesday evening. Minutes after the helpline number was announced, a person who was identified as J. Jayakrishnan rang up the centre to ask for procedures to follow in the case of a damaged passport.

It was the beginning of a flurry of calls to IWRC, an initiative of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) to offer a 24/7 helpline and legal, financial and psychological counselling services to Indian expatriates, especially the unskilled and semi-skilled workers.

Amjad Auzam of VFS Global, which is running the Centre, said over 400 calls were received by Thursday evening. “Based on the statistics we collect over these initial days, we will consider increasing the number of agents attending the calls after consulting the Embassy and the Consulate.”

He said that the walk-in counter which functions from 3pm to 7pm daily at the centre in Bank Street in Dubai also received a handful of workers with miscellaneous petitions on the first two days.

Dr K. Elangovan, counsellor (Community Affairs) at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, said the initial response to the centre was “fantastic.”

“We hope the members of the community will also make use of the information provided on the centre’s website — http://www.iwrc-uae.com. The FAQ section on the site answers about 170 questions. These are pertaining to complaints that we regularly receive from people. We have formulated them into points and legally vetted them after consulting lawyers,” said Dr Elangovan, who is also in charge of monitoring the operations of IWRC for the Embassy.

Step-wise information related to passport and visa services, death formalities, emergency certificates, workers and housemaids have been given in the FAQ section.

According to Dr A Didar Singh, secretary in the MOIA, lack of awareness about the legal procedures and services is one of the biggest problems being faced by Indian workers. Secondly, they have individual problems pertaining to employment, salary disbursement, living conditions, financial issues and family problems.

These issues will be discussed during awareness classes to be conducted by the IWRC. “The campaign will begin from December 15. Our plan is to conduct at least two sessions on every Friday and hold about 10 sessions in different emirates in a month. From January, VFS Global will also take charge of the Shelter Home for maids and domestic workers run by the Indian Consulate in Dubai,” said Dr Elangovan.

The president also launched a website of the centre — www.iwrc-uae.com.

sajila@khaleejtimes.com

To read this in original, please visit Khaleej Times online.

This entry was posted in Information - News, TQM, TQM India.

Manzil – a destination, a dream, a hope – gets 27 pcs from GHD

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Manzil – a destination, a dream, a hope – gets 27 pcs from GHD

This entry was posted in Community Service, Information - News, Manzil.

How to Get Blood in an Emergency (for those in India)

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Now it has become easier to get the blood we need. 
(For those in India)
Just type “BLOOD and send SMS to “96000 97000” ( India ) 

Ex : “BLOOD B+” 

A BLOOD DONOR WILL CALL YOU within minutes … 

Please pass this message to all. It certainly would save many lives. 

It’s a Must to Know and Share. Please do it now …  
Forward this to all your friends whom you care … as the minute you spare to share this information can save somebody’s life with a rare Blood Group …

As received from a reliable source

This entry was posted in Information - News, TQM India.