Some Remarkable Women - As shared

1. Juana Ines de la Cruz, (1651-1695) 

Juana was a child prodigy, learning how to read aged 3, to write and sew aged 6, and to compose poetry aged 8. She was 15 when she appeared at the Mexican royal court, becoming the nation’s first lady-in-waiting. With her pure beauty and cultivated skills, she was courted by all the most handsome suitors of her day. 

However, being a devotee of the arts and of knowledge, she rejected their advances and pursued a life of study by joining a Catholic monastery. Her poetry and findings in science have ensured her name and her legend have remained up to our own time.

2. Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204)

Eleanor is often considered the most shining and luminous beauty of the dark middle-ages. She married two powerful kings. First she wed Louis VII of France, who was unable to tame her wild temperament. Though they were married for more than a dozen years, the King divorced her. And unlike for most people of pre-modern times, this was no stain on her honor. She was even more sought after now than before. 

She eventually settled with Henry II, monarch of England, a new European power. She loved him and bore 8 children with him. Unhappily, he started to lose interest in her as she aged, and he imprisoned her in a castle. However, her brave son, Richard I (aka the Lionheart) freed her. She died aged 82.

3. The Mirabal Sisters (1900s)

The three sisters, Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa, were political rebels who opposed the tyrannous rule of Rafael Trujillo in Dominica. They fought for revolution and democracy as hard as they could. The regime fought back by assassinating the ladies on November 25th, 1960. 

This, though, made martyrs of the sisters, and created a mass uprising which resulted in the regime being toppled a mere six months later. Did you know that the day of their murders has now become the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women?

4. Nancy Wake (1912-2011)

Nicknamed the ‘White Mouse’, Nancy was one of the Nazis’ most successful enemies. The Gestapo put a 5 million Franc bounty on her head. Working as a secret agent for the French Resistance, Wake had some hair-raising war adventures. A skilled martial artist, she once reputedly killed a German guard with her bare hands. She continued her life as an intelligence operative long after the war had been won. She died at the ripe old age of 98.

 

5. Joan of Arc (1412-1431)

Joan of Arc was one of the most incredible military figures of her time. With no background or training, and despite being female, she inspired French armies against their English rivals during the bitter conflict summarized as the Hundred Years War. As a war chief, she won many battles, and is particularly celebrated for her exploits at the Siege of Orleans

She was captured, however, by the English and executed by being burned at the stake as if she were a witch. Few people in history have matched her amazing bravery.

6. Lilian Bland (1878-1971) 

Lilian was a photographer and journalist who was piqued by the chauvinist comment she heard come from the mouth of an impudent young man. He claimed that women had no place in the world of technology. So, to prove the proud young man wrong, she decided to build an airplane from scratch. Though she had no training in engineering or piloting, she managed to fly 100 feet. Having left her native Ireland, she emigrated to Canada. She died there aged 93.

7. Tomoe Gozen (1157-1247)

Tomoe was no ordinary woman. In fact, as a samurai warrior, she was counted extraordinary even among men. She was Minamoto no Yoshinaka’s top officer, and he sent her first into every battle. She carried a very large sword, mighty armor, a huge bow, and rode unbroken horses with such manly vigor that no one dared to cross her path. During the Genpei War, she was considered the most valorous of all fighters. Today, in Japan, Tomoe is a well-known symbol of female power.

 

8. Rosa Luxemberg (1871-1919)

Rosa is one of the most important anti-war advocates of a century full of terrible conflicts on a global level never seen before. People have often wondered what war would be like with women like Rosa in charge of diplomatic affairs, and I think there are few doubts that the world would be a safer place for all of us.

Late in her life, she constantly tried to help people see the futility of the First World War, writing dozens of articles and brochures. Rosa made it her special role to encourage other women to fight against war too. Unfortunately, her views put her life in great peril, but she died with the opinion of history firmly on her side.

9. Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000)

Hedy is a great example of the kind of rare polymathic genius that has occurred only a few times in history. She left Austria aged 16 intending to pursue an acting career. However, marriage to a wealthy man dented her dreams for four dull but secure years. After this, she ran off to Hollywood to put her name among the stars.

Not only did she achieve this dream, she also pursued a scientific career as an inventor. Modern technology has benefited from her noise-resistant radio transmission invention, helping to create GSM, GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. What an unbelievable (and very beautiful) lady!

__._,_.___

A Tribute to Parsis

A Tribute to Parsis

Parsis are just 0.1% of total population, or maybe even less..........YET.........

They never asked for minority status...

They never asked for reservations...

They never fought with Indian Government...

They never felt threatened by Hindus...

They never throw bombs or stones or damage public property...

They never indulge in crimes or run the underworld...

All they do is to contribute mightily to the progress of India...

They gave us the best.....

Mr. Dadabhoy Naoroji...Mr. Firozshah Mehta....Mr. Bhikaji Cama...Mr. Ratan Tata... Mr. Adi Godrej...Mr. Cyrus Mistry...Mr. Homi Bhabha...Mr. Zubin Mehta... Mr. Nari Contractor...Mr. Farokh Engineer...Mr.Soli Sorabjee...Ms. Persis Khambata...Ms. Daizy Irani...Mr. Homi Wadia...Mr. Rustom Karanjia...Mr. Dinshaw Petit...Mr. Shapurji Pallonji...Mr. Rusy Mody...Mr. Boman Irani...Ms.Perizad Zorabian...Mr. Cyrus Poonawala...Mr. Shyamak Dawar...Mr. Cyrus Bharucha...Ms. Bachi Karkaria...Mr. Busybee... Mr. Keki Mistry...Mr. Bejan Daruwala...Mr. Mehraboon Irani....the list is endless....and above all, the one and only FIELD MARSHAL SAM MANEKSHAW !!

Each one of us Indians love & respect Parsis...They are best gift by Almighty to India...

They are a beautiful People...A beautiful and dignified Race....

I wish we had more of the Parsis who could teach our other greedy minorities as to what minority really means......It means NOT to be parasite or a leech on the host country...It means to give, & NOT to take...

All those who are asking for minority status, then and today, ought to be ashamed of themselves.

You owe a lot to this nation. Pay back, rather than asking from nation.

Kindly circulate. Let it reach to all those who are already minority and to all those who are still asking for minority status

EAT, EXERCISE AND ENJOY!

EAT, EXERCISE AND ENJOY!

Last year on the eve of International Yoga Day, I shared the stage with a remarkable woman. She held the audience spellbound with fascinating tales on dietary habits, and their impact on human body.

 At 47 she was sprightly without a strand of grey hair and blessed with a haemoglobin count of 17. The lady had once been afflicted with a grievous asthmatic condition, till she turned a vegan. Now endowed with enormous energy, she begins her day with several glasses of warm water with lemon. This according to her is a quintessential technique to ward off morning blues and alkaline conditions prevailing in our bodies.

‘Eat only when hungry ‘is her second mantra. And like Milind Soman (actor, model and a barefoot runner) she relishes eating fruits. Fruits need to be partaken as a complete and wholesome meal and rather than as a supplement to the main course.

Foodies and epicureans, do we know what our stomach is and what is its size? This internal organ, in which major part of the digestion takes place, is a pear shaped enlargement of the alimentary canal linking the oesophagus to the small intestine.

Now let us examine the size. If we joined our palms and gaze at it intently, that is the proportion of this organ. As per Ayurveda, there are containments for air, liquids and solid in the stomach, each measuring one-third.  Yet we stuff this delicate organ, resulting in baleful consequences for our body and minds.

How many of us can become vegans?  Especially with a large spread of delicacies, eating joints, packaged and junk food quite easily available and salivating our taste buds. Food should nourish our bodies and not engineer problems in our system and so that   we fall prey to various ailments. Improper diet takes a heavy toll on the system of an individual.

The architect of Delhi Metro and Konkan Railway, Shri E Sreedharan advocates light vegetarian food, long walks, yoga and a dash of spirituality for healthy and peaceful living. This provides him with immense energy to execute tasks on hand.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says there are four sources of energy (prana or chi); namely food, breath, rest and a calm and meditative mind.

 Breathing techniques and meditation can be learnt only under the supervision of expert guidance or a qualified teacher. But the reality is that attrition rate among participants tends to be pretty high; humans can at least monitor the food they consume. That is in our hands. Do we recall the iconic movie ‘PIKU’? The movements of Bhaskor were severely crippled by an irritable bowel syndrome and bloated feeling.

Gandhi ji (who maintained a strict diet regimen and walked to remain fit) advised his eldest son Harilal Gandhi (an alcoholic) to walk 15 miles a day to overcome the problem of dyspepsia.

Excessive consumption of alcohol had a debilitating effect on my internal organs. I developed high blood pressure and suffered from   fistula for which I was under the knife of a surgeon. Having regained sobriety through various Art of Living programmes and the grace of the Guru, my dietary pattern has radically altered. Once cramming down junk food, I do not even eat eggs! Mystified?

  Consumption of alcohol and improper diet resulted in malfunctioning of my abdominal system. I realised that elimination is paramount to good health. Toxins from human bodies are expelled through sweat, faeces, urine and breath. The human body gets diseased when discharge of these functions does not occur seamlessly. And then begin our expeditions to doctors and experimentation of various techniques to regain physical and mental health.  Impaired elimination process, particularly the bowel movements may result in arthritis and heart conditions.

Thus taking care of the gut is of paramount importance. Gut is also called the second brain. This hosts the solar plexus. With a healthy diet, regular practice of yoga (in particular the Surya Namaskar), breathing practices and meditation, an individual can develop intuitive abilities and sport a smile and not a scowl like Bhaskor of ‘PIKU’.

 How many of us really relish what we eat? We eat at a frenetic pace, barely chewing the morsel consumed. It is recommended to eat in a cool and calm place and without the distraction of mobile phones, television, CD players or logging on to laptops or other gizmos which the wired world has provided us with.

It is essential the previous meal is digested in its entirety before consuming the next meal. Ayurveda strongly advocates not consuming water before and after the meal as it dilutes the digestive fire present in the stomach.

Taittiriya Upanishad says, ’From food (anna) verily, creatures are produced, whatsoever (creatures) dwell on the earth ……For truly, food is the chief of beings.’

Before we eat food, we need to bless what has been served and contemplate on the positive elements inherent in the food. By reciting ‘Annadata Sukhibhava’ we become grateful to the producer of the food- that is the farmer. In this process positive energy gets imparted to the food making it easily digestible.

Sitting in Vajrasana on completion of a meal facilitates digestion. This is the only asana one can perform after eating. It may be mentioned that several South East Asian cultures favoured sitting in  a similar posture during mealtime.

Different religions proscribe fasting before, after or during religious festivities as it detoxifies the system and provides the abdominal chambers with adequate rest. So eating limited and healthy food and exercising in a moderate manner provides a human with the required energy to fulfil his responsibilities. 

Various foods that we consume provide us with calories, vitamins, and proteins for our sustenance. But only the right type of food, cooked and consumed the right way provides us provides us with good health, nourishment and vital prana.

Philosophy of Mahabharata - as shared

It is mentioned in the texts that eighty percent of the fighting male population of the civilization was wiped out in the eighteen days Mahabharata war. Sanjaya , at the end of the war went to the spot where the greatest war had taken place; Kurukshetra.

He looked around and wondered if the war really happened , if the ground beneath him had soaked all that blood, if the great Pandavas and Krishna stood where he stood.

" You will never know the truth about that! " said an aging soft voice.

Sanjaya turned around to find an old man in saffron robes appearing out of a column of dust.

' I know you are here to find out about the Kurukshetra war, but you cannot know about that war till you know what the real war is about.' the old man said enigmatically.

'What do you mean ? '

''The Mahabharata is an Epic , a ballad , perhaps a reality , but definitely a philosophy'' said the old man.

'Can you tell me what the philosophy is then' Sanjaya requested ,

Sure, began the old man.

'The Pandavas are nothing but your five senses- sight, smell , taste, touch and sound ..........,

and do you know what the Kauravas are?' he asked narrowing his eyes.

'The Kauravas are the hundred vices that attack your senses everyday but you can fight them ...... and do you know how?''

Sanjaya shook his head again.

'When Krishna rides your chariot ! '

The old man smiled brighter and Sanjaya gasped at that gem of insight.

' Krishna is your inner voice, your soul , your guiding light and if you let your life in his hands you have nothing to worry.'

Sanjaya was stupefied but came around quickly with another question.

'Then why are Dronacharya and Bhishma fighting for the Kauravas if they represent vices?'

The old man nodded , sadder for the question posed.

It means as you grow up, your perception of your elders change. The elders who you thought were perfect in your growing up years are not at all that perfect . They have have faults . And one day you will have to decide if they are for your good or your bad. Then you may have to realize that you may have to fight them for the good. It is the hardest part of growing up and that is why the Bhagvad Gita is important.

Sanjaya slumped down on the ground , not because he was tired but because he could not understand and was struck by the enormity of it all.

'What about Karna?' he whispered.

'Ah ! said the Old man .'You have saved the best for last' . Karna is the brother to your senses , he is desire, he is part of you but stands with the vices. He feels wronged and makes excuses for being with the vices as your desire does all the time.

Does your desire not give you excuses to embrace vices?

Sanjaya nodded silently . He looked at the ground , consumed with a million thoughts , trying to put everything together and then when he looked up the old man was gone ..... disappeared in the column of dust ........

Leaving behind the great philosophy of Life .

THE METRO MAN - E SREEDHARAN- FINALLY HANGS HIS BOOTS- as shared

THE METRO MAN - E SREEDHARAN- FINALLY HANGS HIS BOOTS

A legend hangs up his boots On the last day of this month . Finally, Elattuvalapil Sreedharan has been allowed to retire, at the age of 79. A man who built the Calcutta Metro, Konkan Railway and the Delhi Metro. But he is best remembered for re-building in just 46 days the Pamban bridge which in 1963 was blown away by a cyclone into the sea. 

Here is a man who is honest to the core, brooked no nonsense and set an example for others. A true leader who walked his talk. He truly deserves the Bharat Ratna. Now he is going to Kerala to fulfill the dreams of Mallus "The Kochin Metro "

India has much gratitude for this great engineer. He is known as the The "metro man of India". He is quite a sensational project manager, who almost always gets the project completed on time or before schedule. He fought all the delays caused by bureaucratic red tape, corruption and lack of funds.
Sreedharan's willpower has moved mountains. He is not just a dreamer but also a builder, but most of all, one who has dedicated his achievements to every Indian. He stands out as a legend in Indian Engineering history. His major projects being the Delhi Metro and the Konkan Railways.

This 75+ year-old Managing Director of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation only desires the progress of his country. He wanted Delhi to have a world-class metro rail project to change the meaning of urban transport in India. And he did it.

The Konkan Railway project came to him in his retirement. It was a challenging task----760 km of rail tracks from Mumbai to Kochi through the rugged hills of the Western Ghats. This project was found as not feasible, by the British engineers in pre-independence era. But for Sreedharan nothing was impossible.

Environmentalists protested, politicians said it cannot be done and the project ran short of money. 
Sreedharan raised public bonds to finance it, taking everyone ahead.

Kiran Bedi explains why Sreedharan is worthy of the title: “He is not in his 40s or 50s, but he is in his 70s, a time when we normally retire. Sreedharan has given the best metro concept for the railway of the country with integrity, vision, with commitment and with remarkable professional skills. There is no other person better than him in this category.”

Sreedharan insists he does not have any special skills to get the best out of people. "I always found that people cooperate if you work for a good cause," he says. 

Sreedharan studied in an ordinary school & college and later on took his civil engineering degree from a govt engineering college. But he went on to become the boss for hundreds of IIM, IIT graduates! 

People still wonder what really makes him tick at 80 while a young man in his 20’s struggles to begin his day at 6 or 7 in the morning. Sreedharan's day starts at 4 am, meditation and Bhagwad Gita. 

He reaches office at 9:30 am and gets straight to work. In the evening, he usually takes a long walk with his wife Radha and allots time to his family of four children. He used to set up reverse clocks to show impending deadlines to his project members during Delhi Metro construction phase. 
The message of the Gita: To act, without desire for the fruits of the action gave him the courage to act.

A plate placed in his Kerala office read as: ‘Whatever to be done, I do. But in reality I do not do anything’.

India says thank you sir. 
Government of India may or may not award him the Bharat Ratna. But for the countless millions that have travelled on the Pamban bridge, Kolkata Metro, Konkan Railways & Delhi Metro and for the knowledgeable public he is already a Bharat Ratna - a real gem of the rarest variety.

Let's all recommend his name to Govt for award of Bharat Ratna. Please share this message. Each one to at least one.

Healthy Living- Sri Sri Ayurvedic Clinics

  Ayurveda is the ancient medical treatment developed in India under the expert guidance of our sages and Rishis. This practice    provides holistic care  to those suffering from a variety of pestilences.

 Man in his insane  pursuit of excellence has lost sight of the Art of Living.  H. H.   Sri Sri   Ravi Shankar  has gifted to humanity the unique breathing technique called  the Sudarshan Kriya  which releases toxins from the body , assuages frayed nerves and brings it to the present moment.  A calm mind can combat several lifestyle related diseases and humans can remain healthy and peaceful.

To tackle these diseases   a chain of  Ayurveda Clinics have been established  by H. H . Sri Sri Ravi Shankar  to attend  and cater to the needs of those afflicted. Several of these maladies arise  on account of  crass commercialization and the  frenetic  pace of  modern day lifestyle  , improper intake of food  and  dietary habits ,  lack of exercise and resultant  leading stressful lives. In an attempt to covet  and garner  everything under the sun , humans have become highly capricious  by nature and  consequently   fall prey to ailments and the  attendant  suffering.

 

 We see students are under constant  pressure to perform well in their examinations  and end up being couched potatoes,  teachers are stressed while dealing with humongous numbers of students they have to impart education,  corporate executives  virtually live out of  their suitcases. Civil Servants seem to be plotting to further their career interests  and to clamber to  higher echelons in the bureaucracy  and trying to ingratiating themselves to the political masters. The list of restless people  is endless - spanning from home makers to political masters. Humans are full of anger and desires which compound to their misery. It is indeed a frightening sight.

In the process  we  have forgotten the Art of Mindful living, the Art of Mindful eating and the skill of Mindful breathing. Our lungs barely uses thirty percent of its capacity. Breath has the power and efficacy to expatriate around ninety percent of toxins.   Those who practice Sudarshan Kriya breathing technique will vouchsafe about the efficacy of the technique.

 

The Sri Sri Ayurvedic clinics specifically attend to ailments like:

 

    - Ano Rectal Disorders ( including Surgeries for Piles, Fissures, Fistula, Pilonidal Sinus)

    - Gastric Problems  & Constipation

    - Varicose Veins

    - Lower Back Pain & Sciatica

    - Chronic, Non Healing & Long Standing Ulcers

   - High myopia & hypermetropia

    - Diabetic & Hypertensive retinopathy

    - Cataract & vision correction

    - Lazy eyes, Eye strain & Rejuvenation of the eyes

    - Allergic conditions of the eye & Headaches due to visual problems

    - Muscular degeneration & Refractive errors

    - Dry eye & Computer vision syndrome

 

 

Thus ordinary people , seekers should all  take a Sankalpa / intent to ensure joyful and a radiant living for their own self, their families and the society at large.  And those who are suffering from the ailments mentioned above should  seek an appointment with the doctors at Sri Sri Ayurvedic Clinics.

A MIND THAT IS AJATASHASTRU

Very Important info:- As shared

Very Important info:-
"A couple lost their 25 year old son in a fire at home on June 4th.
The son who had graduated with MBA, two weeks earlier had come home
for a while. He had lunch with his dad at home and decided to go back
to bed.His father told him to wait, to meet his mother, before he went
back. He decided to take a nap while waiting for his mom to come back
home from work. Some time later their neighbors called 911 when they
saw black smoke coming out of the house.
Unfortunately, the 25 years old died in the three year old house. It
took several days of investigation to find out the cause of the fire.
It was determined that the fire was caused by the laptop resting on
the bed. When the laptop was on the bed cooling fan did not get the
air to cool the computer and that is what caused the fire. He did not
even wake up to get out of the bed because he died of breathing in
carbon monoxide emitted out of burnt laptop.
The reason I am writing this to all of you is that many of us and also
our brothers & sisters sons & daughters friends & family using the
laptop while in bed. Let us all decide and make it a practice not to
do that. The risk is real. Let us make it a rule not to use the laptop
on bed with blankets and pillows around. Please educate as many people
as you can.

BECOME A LION- As shared

In the jungle which is animal is the biggest .....?

I heard you say  ,Elephant *

In the jungle which is the tallest ......?
Someone said , * Giraffe*.
In the jungle which animal is the wisest ......?

I  heard you mumble,* Fox*.

In the jungle which is animal is the fastest ........?

I heard you say,* Cheetha*

Among all these wonderful qualities mentioned , where is the ubiquitous * Lion* in the picture.. ?
Yes, We say the Lion is the * KING*  of the jungle even without possessing any of these qualities .....!
 Why is that so....?
Because , The Lion is * Courageous * , the Lion is extremely * Bold* , the Lion is always ready to face any * Challenges* , any barrier that crosses his part , now matter how large they are.
The Lion walks with * Confidence* . The Lion dares anything and is never afraid . The Lion believes he is * Unstoppable*. The Lion is a risk taker . The believes any animal is food for him.
The lion believes any opportunity is worth giving a try and never allows it to slip from his hands. The Lion has charisma.

*Thus what does one learn from a Lion *

We don't need to be the fastest .
We don't need to be the wisest..
We don't  need to be the smartest .
We don't need to be the most brilliant.
We don't need to be generally accepted to become our dreams and be great in life.
. All we require is courage  and boldness
. All we need to develop faith and a belief in ourselves
. All we need is to believe in our self  that we CAN DO IT

IT IS HIGH TIME TO BRING THE LION IN OUR LIVES

Mysteries of Anatomy- As shared

Mysteries of Anatomy

Where can a man buy a cap for his knee,
Or the key to a lock of his hair?
Can his eyes be called an academy
Because there are pupils there?
Is the crown of your head where jewels are found?
Who travels the bridge of your nose?
If you wanted to shingle the roof of your mouth,
Would you use the nails on your toes?
Can you sit in the shade of the palm of your hand,
Or beat on the drum of your ear?
Can the calf in your leg eat the corn off your toe?
Then why not grow corn on the ear?
Can the crook in your elbow be sent to jail?
If so, just what did he do?
How can you sharpen your shoulder blades?
I'll be darned if I know - do you?

Navaratri and Dussera

The Navaratri festival is  celebrated across the country with tremendous  fervor. This is an incredible time in the year to soak into the  incantations, festivities, music, chanting where the presence of the Divine mother is invoked. In the prepossessing tradition of Navatri , the nine nights of celebration make it a perfect opportunity for the devout to visualize events from a singularly  different dimension. It is believed that on propitiating the Goddess brings the seeker and devout   fortune, peace, wisdom, happiness, success. energy, compassion, creativity and confidence.

The lady of any South Indian  household   is  decidedly specific that Lalitha Sahasranama-  the thousand names of the Goddess need  to be chanted unfailingly. A peacock possesses extraordinary feathers but reveals them only with the first showers as an expression of its jollity. Similarly, chanting of the  Lalitha Sahasranamam during the auspicious days of Navaratri has an efficacious  impact on the body, mind and the consciousness.

This is the  day when Goddess Durga overcomes the challenge posed by the  Asura( demon) Mahisasura. She emerges  victorious and  is also referred to as Mahisasura Mardini.

This is also the time when  Lord Rama overpowers the chicanery of the  ten-headed hydra monster in Ravana . The ten heads are symbolic of the negativity present in the human body.  Righteousness triumphs over the diabolic  and antipathetic forces. The period is called the Dussera.

These festivals are celebrated across India  where the devout and the seeker meditates, undertakes fasts , looks inwards and rejuvenates and replenishes the soul.

This is the Vedic wisdom which  has been imparted to us since time immemorial by several Rishis who observed deep silence. And the esoteric knowledge was passed on by person to person through  the word of mouth.

” You are unimaginably dear to the Divine. This is the message of all the rituals and pujas of Navatri ” says H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Daily Writing Tips as Shared

5 Awkward Sentences Posted: 19 Sep 2016 09:06 PM PDT Innumerable missteps in constructing sentences are possible. Here are five random statements with assorted obstacles to comprehension, each accompanied by discussion and a revision. 1. The past month has seen two major developments. Avoid bestowing the gift of sight on inanimate objects or on concepts such as duration of time: “Two major developments have occurred during the past month.” 2. The question becomes why has everyone been unable to solve this puzzle. Treat the question in a sentence constructed this way as if it were spoken: “The question becomes, ‘Why has everyone been unable to solve this puzzle?’” Alternatively, reword the sentence so that a direct query is not stated: “The question then becomes one of why everyone has been unable to solve this puzzle.” 3. We would welcome your opinions and feedback on the results of this research. Inserting would in an entreaty that expresses what in marketing-speak is known as a call to action, an invitation to the reader to do something in response to a message, is an unnecessary and unproductive (and ingratiating) attempt to sound courteous. Instead of stating, literally, that welcoming opinions and feedback is potential but not actual, make the statement more emphatic by omitting the qualifying word: “We welcome your opinions and feedback on the results of this research.” 4. Additional processes for incident handing and breach reporting may be required to meet these requirements. Does this sentence mean that that the specified additional processes must conform to previously mentioned requirements, or that the processes may be mandated so that previously mentioned requirements are met? Normally, the phrase “in order to,” preceding a verb, can safely be omitted from a sentence. However, in this case, its inclusion will aid in comprehension: “Additional processes for incident handing and breach reporting may be required in order to meet these requirements.” 5. Those pressure tests and related assessments will clarify how prepared the organization is to make the actual transition. Because the reader cannot immediately tell which part of speech prepared is (it can be either a verb or an adjective, and is usually the former), inserting the adverb wellbefore it will send a clear signal: “Those pressure tests and related assessments will clarify how well prepared the organization is to make the actual transition.” (Otherwise, a miscue might occur—the reader might assume that a noun has been omitted before the verb prepared: “. . . how [the (blank)] prepared . . . .”) Click here to get access to 800+ interactive grammar exercises!

Post of noted writer Robin Sharma

We have about 3.5 months left in this year of your lifetime, RAVI. 

You still carry the opportunity to make some moves and take some leaps to end strong. 

I wanted to write to you to remind you of who you really are. 

Deep in my heart, I fully believe that you have a heroic nature within. 

You are royalty. A sovereign over the empires of potential within you. 

The hardships of life may have hypnotized you into forgetfulness of your greatness. 

The pain of dreams gone bad may have shuttered your passion and smothered your conviction. 

The arrows of jealous critics may have caused you to imprison the hero within. 

Please know: this day is a fresh chance. A miracle in waiting. 

This moment is a vast gift. 

This minute presents you with a blank canvas of acute possibility and breathtaking opportunity...

...to reclaim the royalty you have been born into. To conquer vast new lands of compassion, creativity, audacity and humanity. 

You being alive today is no accident. There is a reason you are reading this. And a readiness deep within you to shed the shackles of past pain to make your rise to a new way of seeing the rest of your life. 

Rise up! Own your birthright for your unique form of greatness that we of the world demand from you. 

Be a light. Spot the gorgeousness of the future you can make, via the right thinking, speaking, behaving and producing. 

One small step–done in a single minute of glory on this gift of a day–will be the beginning of a new way of being, when done consistently and devotedly. 

You deserve to remember your highness. To know the privileges of your royal–and finest self. And as you make the leap from your current life to the life that longs for you to know it, I will watch your star blaze. 

Because that’s what I do. 

And we all will applaud your bravery. 

Much love + with boundless belief in the brilliance that you are, 

Govt run by Peon!!!- Not Now in the Central Govt

Govt run by  Peon!!!

A contractor promised minister that he would bribe sumptuously if the
contract is approved. Believing him minister wrote on the file "APPROVED".

But even after two days the bribe money was not given. Minister felt
cheated. Minister’s peon said, "No problem sir, I will bring the file and
you write "NOT" before "Approved", so it became "NOT APPROVED".

Two days later the contractor bribed the minister as the contract. Minister was
worried as to what to do now?

The peon again came to the rescue and brought the file back and said write "E" in front of "NOT" which ultimately became
"NOTE APPROVED".

Minister happy, contractor happy.

so now who is running the government ? PEON.

AN ENIGMA CALLED THE HUMAN MIND

GANDHIAN STRATEGY

                              GANDHIAN STRATEGY

On the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 70th birthday the German born theoretical physicist and Nobel Laureate Albert Einstein was to say, ‘Generations to come, it may well be, will scarce believe that such a man as this one ever in flesh and blood walked upon this Earth.

Mahatma Gandhi may have been a revered Bapu to Pandit Nehru and millions of Congressmen, but his alert and robust mind was that of a saint.

Rabindranath Tagore called Bapu as the Mahatma, while the latter addressed Tagore, the first Indian to receive the Nobel Prize as Gurudev.

Indian political and social firmament in the twentieth century was populated with several iconic figures, but none commanded the respect or were adorned with the aura of Mahatma Gandhi. It is reckoned that for aeons no personality will be able to capture the imagination as the Mahatma did. Several books, movies, documentaries, plays, paintings and statues have been made on this diminutive man with large ears, but it is well-nigh impossible to wholly capture the spirit of this towering personality. Among politicians and social reformers, he was perhaps the closest to the Divine, God or nature……….

Why is that so? Perhaps because of his simplicity, obduracy and brutal honesty. Which political figure discusses his sex life with such candour? None. Political and public figures masquerade their personal lives to maintain their Teflon coat. But that was not the case with the Mahatma.

In the age of subjugation and apartheid, it would have required tremendous courage, resolve and pluck for Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to travel by a first class compartment on the train to Pretoria. And after he was ejected from the train at Pietermaritzburg, he displayed remarkable fortitude and audacity to stay the entire night at the station in a waiting hall. The seeds of Satyagraha were sown in his intrepid mind that chilly winter night, on June 7,1893.

Richard Attenborough has captured this moving scene in the Oscar award winner ‘Gandhi’, which millions across the world have watched. However good Ben Kinsley enacted the role or the director crafted the script, it is next too impossible to encapsulate what would have transpired in the mind of the Mahatma. His feelings, emotions, pain, anguish, pathos and resolve can never be canned by any filmmaker.

‘I do not ask to see the distant goal, one step is enough for me,’ said Gandhiji. This is quite similar to the cardinal philosophy of the Alcoholics Anonymous- one day at a time.

Tactics need to be differentiated from strategy. While strategy is the larger goal, objective, the master plan and act of war, tactics are part of the larger stratagem and manoeuvre to realise these objectives.

His strategy entailed political right and self-government ought to develop gradually in a series of progressive stages. He maintained liberalism and never cut the umbilical cord with the   potentate(British).

The politics of Gandhiji were all embracing. It was a struggle against the policy of Divide-et-impera adopted by the British, a combat against the orthodoxy and prevalent social evils. Negotiate with the masters to seek redressal of issues confronting the masses. As non-violence was his credo, it was important to adopt the tactic of mass action as against mass insurrection. He was staunchly inimical to class struggle, violent upheavals and continuously strove for resolution through parleys and dialogue. Violent thoughts and adopting violent means were not part of his true nature and were thus inimical to his strategy as he appreciated the brutality of the British forces. Thus he singularly gave up the Civil Disobedience movement following the burning of the police post at Chauri Chaura, where 22 policemen were killed. Likewise, he did not champion the cause of Bhagat Singh, Sukhhdev and Raj Guru as they chose pitilessness over Satyagraha. 

 This was his political strategy as against a radical, revolutionary and militant class and mass struggle. He did not espouse the cause of the revolutionaries and extremists while fully in agreement with their patriotism and commitment to freedom. The instrument to achieve freedom was as important as the means. End was as significant and equally decisive as the methodology adopted.

He abhorred violence and any form of killing was an anathema to him. This cardinal principle perhaps may have been implanted in his fertile mind through his Jain-Hindu upbringing. However, he was deeply catholic in his temperament and for him there was hardly any difference between various religious professed and practised by the denizens of this country. While he may have worn the sacred thread around his body, he was deeply opposed to untouchability and the caste system which had engulfed India.

As he appreciated divisive forces at work, Bapu devised his political philosophy, techniques and programmes to encompass all forces and different sections of the society. He rejected communism and the Marxian ideology as he was a practising Hindu and a firm believer in religion and spirituality.  To him religion was not an opium of the masses. Hindu- Muslim unity was extremely dear to his heart and he was tragically felled to the bullets of an assassin while pursuing to maintain communal harmony in the country.

Gandhiji was deeply committed to the demands of peasants, and impoverished farmers, the rights of women and co-operation among various social groups in the country. He undertook a fast unto death opposing the Ramsay MacDonald Award in 1932 which attempted to create a schism among caste Hindus and the Harijans. This culminated in the Poona Pact between him and Baba Saheb Ambedkar which guaranteed a larger representation to the Harijans  in the State legislatures.  One can call him a traditionalist or a status quoist, but Gandhij’s strategy was not to divide the society any further. He espoused the cause of a united front against the oppressive imperialists.

The potent weapon of Satyagraha which achieved astonishing success in South Africa had convinced his robust mind that all sections of the society could join hands and embark upon the freedom struggle in unison. In his arsenal was the Direct action which he pioneered in the Champaran, Kheda and Ahmedabad movements.

The imagery of Gandhiji was to establish a direct contact with the masses. The apparel worn by him was similar to those worn by the toiling masses of the lugubrious countrymen.   He cast away the British stitched clothes and exhorted people of India to participate in mass bonfires of alien and foreign goods. The template and cornerstone of his political and social philosophy became establishment of Ram Rajya (not a euphuism for a Hindu state but as an ideal and egalitarian society) through the 3 Ss- Swaraj, Satyagraha and Swadeshi.   

Likewise, non-violence, non-cooperation and civil disobedience were a three-pronged strategy he unleashed from his arsenal. In the magazine of his armoury were also the twin missiles of truth and fasting. This was a comprehensive positive mind-set of the Mahatma to achieve the desired goals of political and social emancipation of an enslaved India.

However, he was a deeply disillusioned man when Pandit Nehru spoke those immortal lines, ‘At the stroke of midnight as the whole world sleeps……….’. He was deeply anguished with the partitioning of the country. He shed a few tears in solitude and wiped of several more at Noakhali, that fateful night…..

It would be however significant to mention that there were two occasions when the Mahatma did not undertake a fast unto death. One, to stave off the capital punishment awarded to Bhagat Singh and others and secondly when the country was partitioned. Even the Mahatma realised the futility of undertaking such an exercise under the given circumstances. His life was precious then to the humanity and country.

In the ultimate analysis Gandhiji gave the nationalist struggle a deeper connotation and meaning. His strategy, philosophy, technique proved efficacious in approach and nature. More importantly, it fired the imagination of several leaders across the world to fight for civil liberty; be it Martin Luther King Jr, Aung San Suu Kyi, Nelson Mandela, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Barrack Obama, many more and more recently in India- Anna Hazare.