Did you suffer the July 26 deluge or the temperature hitting 410C lastweek? Do you believe that Climate Change (CC) and Global Warming (GW)are not just gimmicks of the scientific community?
And yet, at the same time, you feel helpless and tiny to undo thismonstrous catastrophe? Then join SPROUTS Environment Trust's EARTHMELA 2009 - `A Carbon Reversal Movement', a movement thatstrongly believes in making tomorrow a greener and cleaner one.
Earth Day - April 22, 2009, is the day in your life, when you need toapply for leave from work and spend the whole day with family & kids,neighbours, friends and even office colleagues. On this day, SPROUTS isgoing to transform the premises of the Maharashtra Nature Park (Mahim,Dharavi) into an engaging, fun, interactive festival to empower all theparticipants with easy-to-implement ideas to reduce our carbon footprint(carbon emissions) & to create more ways to fix carbon via carbon sinks!
So here's your chance to join in making this world a better place tolive in, for all Earth inhabitants!
Cycle for Carbon Reversal (a bicycle rally) 7:00 am - 9:00 am
Encouraging citizens to go low on their vehicular emissions
Picture (I'm) Perfect (a film festival) 10:30 am - 4:30 pm
Screening of short films about our wildlife and efforts across the worldworking towards stemming the effects of climate change & global warming.
Door-Step Biodiversity (a photo-exhibition) 10:30 am - 6:00 pm
Taking the viewers to the beautiful lap of Nature and Natural Treasuresand create a sense of love for our biodiversity, while highlighting therisks they face due to climate change.
The Butterfly Effect (stalls/demos) 10:30 am - 6:00 pm
Giving children, youth, adults, seniors and professionalseasy-to-implement ideas which will cumulatively contribute to a bigchange in our attitude and the global environmental scenario.Essentially, triggering the `Carbon Reversal Movement'!
The Spirit of Adventure (training) 10:30 am - 6:00 pmRock-climbing, rappelling, Zip-line or Commando Bridge, not only prepareyou for helping each others in critical situations of floods,environmental disasters or accidents, but also make you mentally readyto engage in some serious conservation!
Ecological-Footprint Game (game) 10:30 am - 6:00 pm
Allowing you to calculate your own Carbon & Ecological Footprint. It isa fun way to learn about how you are impacting the Earth and how you canreduce your personal carbon emission and try to become `CarbonNeutral'.
Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Venue: Maharashtra Nature Park, Mahim
Timings: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Event Organiser: SPROUTS (Anand Pendharkar, Gaurav Shirodkar & team)Contacts: 98201-40254/98705-05785 Email: sproutsonline@gmail.com
Posted By:
Anand Pendharkar
SPROUTS,
68/4 Tarun Bharat Society,
Chakala, Sahar Road,
Andheri (East),
Mumbai - 400 099.
Tel: (022) - 28368647
Mobile: +91-98201-40254
www.sproutsenvttrust.org
http://www.sproutsenvttrust.org/ ; http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sproutsonline
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Showing posts with label Sports and Adventure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sports and Adventure. Show all posts
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Required COO for Indian NGO
POSITION SUMMARY: CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (COO)
ORGANIZATION: INSTITUTE OF RURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (IRRAD)
Third Sector Partners, a leading CxO and board search firm in the Not for Profit sector has been retained by IRRAD to recruit a COO.
OVERVIEW
Institute of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD), based in Gurgaon, Haryana, is an initiative of the S.M. Sehgal Foundation, registered as a Trust in India since 1999 to further the well-being of rural communities in India. IRRAD's mission is to implement Integrated Sustainable Village Development (ISVD) in select village clusters, build capacity in rural development, undertake rural research, improve village governance, and serve as a premier knowledge institution for rural development and poverty reduction in India. IRRAD envisions rural people across India motivated and empowered to make their lives more secure and prosperous through education, better health, improved skills and supportive governance.
IRRAD implements programs and conducts research in the following areas: (a) Life Skills Education; (b) Rural Health; (c) Income Enhancement including Agriculture; (d) Water Management; and (e) Alternative Energy.
It addresses its mission through the following objectives:
• Develop need-based strategies and programs for poverty alleviation through a sustainable model for rural development (ISVD).
• Undertake research and create knowledge on sustainable and replicable models of rural development.
• Build capacities for rural development through training programs and a network of partner organizations.
• Analyze the impacts of local, state and national policies on rural development, helping the rural poor make best use of policies intended to benefit them; and advocate for policy reforms when needed.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The S. M. Sehgal Foundation is looking for a dynamic individual in the capacity of COO who shall provide the leadership to IRRAD in its efforts to create positive social impact.
The incumbent would have to work with diverse partner organizations, numerous stakeholders, and ensure effective networking with donor and funding organizations. The incumbent is expected to be a self-starter and display initiative, an entrepreneurial bent of mind, and sturdy components of patience, maturity, flexibility, strong interpersonal skills, the ability to work in a cross-cultural and flexible environment and deliver results through innovative problem solving skills.
The role will be based in Gurgaon and report to the Mr. Jay Sehgal, Executive Director, and Board of Directors of the S.M. Sehgal Foundation.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COO
1. Planning, organizing, directing, controlling and monitoring of the operations and overall success of the organization.
2. Lead, motivate, and manage the Human Resources in order to achieve the objectives of the group, and ensure the effective performance of the units. Be a leader and a team builder with excellent ability to get along with people, motivator of people, persuasive and perceptive.
3. Undertake all fund raising efforts for IRRAD and position it to become financially self sustaining.
4. Provide leadership in developing strategic, organizational and financial plans
5. Maintain fiscal responsibility for the annual budget. Implementation of the budgeted activities and reporting on progress to the Board and Executive Director.
6. Represent IRRAD at various conferences and symposiums and establish effective networking with donor and funding organizations.
7. Identify and develop new partnerships with business and community leaders. Work closely with the various project partners to strategize on the way forward on the programs of the Organization.
8. To promote and communicate about the programs & activities of Institute with internal and external stakeholders.
9. Enhance and manage the brand image of the IRRAD as a leading Institute through increasing credibility, accountability and transparency.
10. Ensure development, monitoring and evaluation of all division/departmental functions and ensure implementation of approved recommendations, in order to contribute to the improvement and effectiveness of project operations.
MUST HAVE
• A visionary with minimum 12-15 years of experience with a successful track record of general management experience and leadership in a professional environment.
• Strong operations management skills, which will involve large scale human resources management, financial & budgetary management, fundraising, organizational development, planning and goal setting activities.
• Strong leadership skills and ability to manage and motivate high performing teams.
• Excellent skills in building & sustaining relationships with multiple stakeholders – government, international partners, national NGO’s, funding agencies and target communities.
• Strong communication & representational skills.
PREFERABLE
• Good understanding of the work environment in the not-for-profit sector.
• International exposure.
COMPENSATION DETAILS:
The compensation is commensurate with qualification and experience.
Interested individuals may please submit their CV, a cover note and 3 references by email to application.irrd@gmail.com with the subject line indicating COO - IRRAD. Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted. The last date of receiving applications is 10th April 2009.
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
ORGANIZATION: INSTITUTE OF RURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (IRRAD)
Third Sector Partners, a leading CxO and board search firm in the Not for Profit sector has been retained by IRRAD to recruit a COO.
OVERVIEW
Institute of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD), based in Gurgaon, Haryana, is an initiative of the S.M. Sehgal Foundation, registered as a Trust in India since 1999 to further the well-being of rural communities in India. IRRAD's mission is to implement Integrated Sustainable Village Development (ISVD) in select village clusters, build capacity in rural development, undertake rural research, improve village governance, and serve as a premier knowledge institution for rural development and poverty reduction in India. IRRAD envisions rural people across India motivated and empowered to make their lives more secure and prosperous through education, better health, improved skills and supportive governance.
IRRAD implements programs and conducts research in the following areas: (a) Life Skills Education; (b) Rural Health; (c) Income Enhancement including Agriculture; (d) Water Management; and (e) Alternative Energy.
It addresses its mission through the following objectives:
• Develop need-based strategies and programs for poverty alleviation through a sustainable model for rural development (ISVD).
• Undertake research and create knowledge on sustainable and replicable models of rural development.
• Build capacities for rural development through training programs and a network of partner organizations.
• Analyze the impacts of local, state and national policies on rural development, helping the rural poor make best use of policies intended to benefit them; and advocate for policy reforms when needed.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The S. M. Sehgal Foundation is looking for a dynamic individual in the capacity of COO who shall provide the leadership to IRRAD in its efforts to create positive social impact.
The incumbent would have to work with diverse partner organizations, numerous stakeholders, and ensure effective networking with donor and funding organizations. The incumbent is expected to be a self-starter and display initiative, an entrepreneurial bent of mind, and sturdy components of patience, maturity, flexibility, strong interpersonal skills, the ability to work in a cross-cultural and flexible environment and deliver results through innovative problem solving skills.
The role will be based in Gurgaon and report to the Mr. Jay Sehgal, Executive Director, and Board of Directors of the S.M. Sehgal Foundation.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COO
1. Planning, organizing, directing, controlling and monitoring of the operations and overall success of the organization.
2. Lead, motivate, and manage the Human Resources in order to achieve the objectives of the group, and ensure the effective performance of the units. Be a leader and a team builder with excellent ability to get along with people, motivator of people, persuasive and perceptive.
3. Undertake all fund raising efforts for IRRAD and position it to become financially self sustaining.
4. Provide leadership in developing strategic, organizational and financial plans
5. Maintain fiscal responsibility for the annual budget. Implementation of the budgeted activities and reporting on progress to the Board and Executive Director.
6. Represent IRRAD at various conferences and symposiums and establish effective networking with donor and funding organizations.
7. Identify and develop new partnerships with business and community leaders. Work closely with the various project partners to strategize on the way forward on the programs of the Organization.
8. To promote and communicate about the programs & activities of Institute with internal and external stakeholders.
9. Enhance and manage the brand image of the IRRAD as a leading Institute through increasing credibility, accountability and transparency.
10. Ensure development, monitoring and evaluation of all division/departmental functions and ensure implementation of approved recommendations, in order to contribute to the improvement and effectiveness of project operations.
MUST HAVE
• A visionary with minimum 12-15 years of experience with a successful track record of general management experience and leadership in a professional environment.
• Strong operations management skills, which will involve large scale human resources management, financial & budgetary management, fundraising, organizational development, planning and goal setting activities.
• Strong leadership skills and ability to manage and motivate high performing teams.
• Excellent skills in building & sustaining relationships with multiple stakeholders – government, international partners, national NGO’s, funding agencies and target communities.
• Strong communication & representational skills.
PREFERABLE
• Good understanding of the work environment in the not-for-profit sector.
• International exposure.
COMPENSATION DETAILS:
The compensation is commensurate with qualification and experience.
Interested individuals may please submit their CV, a cover note and 3 references by email to application.irrd@gmail.com with the subject line indicating COO - IRRAD. Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted. The last date of receiving applications is 10th April 2009.
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Silver Innings : 5000+ and Growing Strong
Dear Friend,
We are extremely happy to inform you that your website www.silverinnings.com has crossed 5000 visitor milestone in just 2 months !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks to all of our supporters and well wishers and all the Elders out there.
This website is dedicated to our elders and their family members; it’s our way of honoring them for all they have done for their families, society and country. We at Silver Innings are committed to ensure that ageing becomes a positive, rewarding experience for all. Ageing gracefully is the way of life we promote.We wish to help elders and their family members to overcome the challenges of ageing and show them the way to live with dignity in their sliver years.
Due to impressive and huge response we have decided not to limit ourselves to only web based services but have taken initiative to established an full fledged NGO ''Silver Innings Foundation'', a dedicated organisation for senior citizens and their family members.The details of this will be given later.
We have also started some grass root level work in Mumbai,India:
Memory Camps
Elder Abuse Interactive Lecture Series for organisations
Basic Computer Education in association with Sterlite Foundation,Mumbai
Basic Counseling
Basic Home based services
Website Development and related services
Lecture series in association with HELP Library,Mumbai
Networking with like minded people and organisation
Programme like World Elder Abuse awareness Month
With your support and blessing we would be able to reach out and provided need based services to Senior Citizens and their family members all over India and would expand globally.
You can support us by becoming our Members ,choose membership plan:
Primary Individual Membership , its Free: http://silverinnings.com/primary%20individual%20form.asp
Life time Membership and become Patron,PAID: http://www.silverinnings.com/docs/Paid%20membership%20Form.pdf
NGO & Trust Membership For 10 years Membership,PAID: http://www.blogger.com/
Corporate Membership for 10 year Membership,PAID: http://www.blogger.com/
If you are interested in advertisement : http://www.blogger.com/
Help us, to serve our Elders in much better way.
You don't stop laughing because you grow old.
You grow old because you stop laughing.
-- Michael Pritchard
Warm Regards,
Sailesh Mishra
Founder President - Silver Innings Foundation,A dedicated Organisation for Elders and their Family members
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
We are extremely happy to inform you that your website www.silverinnings.com has crossed 5000 visitor milestone in just 2 months !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks to all of our supporters and well wishers and all the Elders out there.
This website is dedicated to our elders and their family members; it’s our way of honoring them for all they have done for their families, society and country. We at Silver Innings are committed to ensure that ageing becomes a positive, rewarding experience for all. Ageing gracefully is the way of life we promote.We wish to help elders and their family members to overcome the challenges of ageing and show them the way to live with dignity in their sliver years.
Due to impressive and huge response we have decided not to limit ourselves to only web based services but have taken initiative to established an full fledged NGO ''Silver Innings Foundation'', a dedicated organisation for senior citizens and their family members.The details of this will be given later.
We have also started some grass root level work in Mumbai,India:
Memory Camps
Elder Abuse Interactive Lecture Series for organisations
Basic Computer Education in association with Sterlite Foundation,Mumbai
Basic Counseling
Basic Home based services
Website Development and related services
Lecture series in association with HELP Library,Mumbai
Networking with like minded people and organisation
Programme like World Elder Abuse awareness Month
With your support and blessing we would be able to reach out and provided need based services to Senior Citizens and their family members all over India and would expand globally.
You can support us by becoming our Members ,choose membership plan:
Primary Individual Membership , its Free: http://silverinnings.com/primary%20individual%20form.asp
Life time Membership and become Patron,PAID: http://www.silverinnings.com/docs/Paid%20membership%20Form.pdf
NGO & Trust Membership For 10 years Membership,PAID: http://www.blogger.com/
Corporate Membership for 10 year Membership,PAID: http://www.blogger.com/
If you are interested in advertisement : http://www.blogger.com/
Help us, to serve our Elders in much better way.
You don't stop laughing because you grow old.
You grow old because you stop laughing.
-- Michael Pritchard
Warm Regards,
Sailesh Mishra
Founder President - Silver Innings Foundation,A dedicated Organisation for Elders and their Family members
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Role of Voluntary Organizations in Reconstruction of Kashmir
The concept of voluntary organization or NGOs’ in Kashmir is recent. Kashmiri society never felt the need to organize such help-groups on a larger scale. The helping nature of the people was inbuilt in the system in the form of Halshari and Zakat that is used for the greater social good. Kashmir has been traditionally a plural & very close-knit religious society. As a result, the need for NGOs’ in the social sphere was not felt necessary. For example, an orphan in the pre-1989 period would immediately be adopted by one of his relatives or neighbors in accordance with their religious and social practices; hence the need for orphanages was not felt. This phenomenon was so wide-spread that every family in Kashmir could be called an NGO’, since it has always played this role. Thus, very few social welfare or voluntary organizations existed in Kashmir earlier. The period after 1989 marked a watershed for NGOs’ in Kashmir and their need was deeply felt for the first time. With violence increasing, the number of casualties and victims of violence rose. One of the worst affected groups was children, who were rendered homeless, often as orphans. The spurt in the growth of NGOs’ has been spread over different domains.
The main fields in which they are active in Kashmir are, orphanages, self-help groups, dialogue groups, medical care, rural development and employment generation-oriented groups, widow care, coalitions of NGOs’, ecological and environmental groups, and awareness groups. Among the active NGOs’ working in Kashmir, orphanages are the most prominent in terms of their work, reputation and goodwill. Environmental groups have also been active in Kashmir in recent years, especially with the serious ecological problems that the world famous Dal Lake in Srinagar is facing. The need for medical care NGOs’ has also come to the fore in the violence-ridden State. Government and social welfare agencies like the Women’s Development Corporation or the State Social Welfare Board also contributed by providing training in arts and crafts for women.
NGO’ culture has however not permeated the Kashmiri society yet. The movement to revive civil society was never mass-based. It has simply involved and attracted individuals. Then there is the concern that the work of a few functional NGOs’ falls much below expectations, though there are exceptions to the rule. It is well-known that the concept of civil society and the role and importance accorded to NGOs is still in its infant stage, not only in India, but in the whole of South Asia.
By any account, there are hundreds of NGOs registered in Srinagar under the Societies Registration Act, ranging from religious to human rights and community-based organizations, all serving a specific purpose. There are several voluntary and charity organizations that are not registered as NGOs, but are doing the same kind of work and genuinely addressing the needs of the people. Thus, any comprehensive list of NGOs’ working in Kashmir should include such organizations.
While NGOs, as the concept exists now, are by definition independent and distinct from governmental organizations, it is widely believed that they cannot be very effective without the help and co-operation of their counterparts. With increasing popular demand for better quality and delivery of public services, governments everywhere are responding by taking steps to involve the civil society. They recognize that the voluntary sector enjoys certain functional advantages, being community based, more accountable and capable of providing services at a lesser cost. More significantly, voluntary organizations have the flexibility to develop innovative projects based on local needs and resources in contrast to the standardization that normally characterizes governmental actions.
After the 8th October 2005 earthquake, national and international NGOs’ are working in our state for reconstruction of Kashmir. We however have to understand that we should not depend entirely on outsiders to come and help us, we have to take local initiatives with commitment, combined with the organizational and institutional guidance of national and international organizations to show us the way ahead. United Nations Dev Programme (UNDP) extended support to state government of Jammu and Kashmir by deploying staff under the Disaster Risk Management programme to provide technical support to state government in information management of relief and reconstruction activities; reducing vulnerabilities of earthquakes and other hazards, and accelerating implementation of the Earthquake reduction programme in Srinagar. Resource persons are engaged to develop state level capacities for earthquake vulnerability reduction and technical requirements for reconstruction. In consultation with the state Government departments, earthquake resistant designs for the reconstruction of houses using local materials such as stones and wood has been designed; which has helped the state government to develop strategies for reconstruction programmes; and local engineers have been trained on seismic safe construction practices.
UNDP has not been working as the project leader but as facilitator, by supporting the Government on setting up the adequate institutional and administrative system. This project essentially aims to strengthen communities' capacities, along with urban local bodies and administrations in earthquake mitigation, preparedness and response in 38 cities in India.
The project has been demonstrating a suitable model for mainstreaming earthquake risk management initiatives at all levels and for reducing this hazard risk. Project activities have five broad components: 1. awareness generation, 2. development of preparedness and response plans at the community and administrative levels, 3. development of a techno-legal regime for the States, 4. capacity building at all levels and 5. knowledge on international and national best-practices among all the cities and urban centres in the programme. The role of Voluntary organization in Reconstruction of Kashmir will involve restoration of damages which can be classified as visible and not so visible. The visible damages would include the reconstruction of destructed buildings and infrastructure, such as roads, water, telecommunication, health, education and electricity. The not so visible, but more important, damage includes injury to social structures, institutions and human dignity. In order to bring about reconciliation and reconstruction, these structures have to be woven together.Voluntary Organizations need to venture in the field of development of infrastructure, by utilizing the manpower and available facilities to better implement the schemes introduced by the Government.
National and International NGOs’ could provide guidance and financial support to local NGOs’ and enhance their capabilities so as to better fulfill their roles in society. There is an immediate need for environmental groups and environmental activists to raise their voices to save the environmental heritage of the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
The livelihood of many Kashmiris is dependent on the health of the ecology and the environmental balance. In view of the improving governance position in Kashmir, the socio-political situation has become conducive for more NGOs’ to enter Kashmiri society. It is high time that some of the more established NGOs’ come forward with plans and programs to work in Kashmir, however, they should keep in view the unique culture, customs, traditions and distinct faith that we are proud to have. It is necessary to encourage NGOs’ to set up projects based on local customs and traditions, for the capacity building in production as well as marketing, furniture making, handicrafts, tourism and agro-industries. T
here is great potential for development of electronic units, computer hardware, TV and watch manufacturing that would be low in volume, high in value industries, pollution free and benefiting from moderately cheap labour. Sericulture and silk industry, textiles and ready made garments, sports goods industry, processing of gems and precious stones, selective mining projects and mineral based industry, are some other areas that have potential. There is tremendous potential for horticulture, floriculture, fruit processing and food processing.Out State is predominantly mono-cropped and rain-fed with about 40 per cent of the area in Jammu division and 60 per cent in Kashmir division having assured means of irrigation. Agriculture is the mainstay of the state's economy.
In Kashmir, wheat, oil seeds and fodder cultivation can be introduced as a second crop. Walnut is another important crop that has tremendous potential in J&K. The state is already the largest producer of walnut in India with an annual production of approximately 60,000 tonnes. There is scope to increase it in Doda, Rajouri, Poonch and Udhampur. About 20 per cent of the cultivated area in J&K is under fruit cultivation. About half a million families are engaged, directly or indirectly, in horticultural activities. Sopore & Shopian are the main fruit producing areas in the valley that accounts for 50 per cent of the total fruit production. There is however a dire need to improve marketing of these products and other fruits like pears, cherries, apricots and peaches in the temperate areas and mango and citrus in the sub-tropical areas which need proper grading, packaging & marketing. Saffron cultivation is unique to Jammu & Kashmir, the only place producing the flower crop outside Spain & Iran. Annual production of saffron is confined to Pampore in the Kashmir valley and to the Kishtwar valley of Jammu province, the production varies from 10 to 12 tonnes. Honey, herbs and herbal products also have tremendous opportunities for export worldwide. To impel horticultural activities creation of cold storage facilities, through non governmental organizations and public or private investments, is warranted.Our state has tremendous hydropower potential, estimated at over 25,000 MW. Out of this hardly 10 per cent has been harnessed till date. With a view to tapping the available hydel potential, the state government is exploring the possibility of attracting private local and foreign capital. Non governmental organizations could venture into this field.
There is tremendous scope of employment in the field of Eco-tourism. It is possible to identify many other areas for the reconstruction and development of Jammu & Kashmir. The most obvious is tourism, which has attracted attention of the whole world. Another major emphasis of restructuring has to be in the field of health and education. Together a joint and concerted effort by all the stakeholders needs to be made so that we can take Kashmir forward and prepare a holistic programme of reconstruction of Kashmir.
Source: http://www.etalaat.net/english/Dimensions/1068.html
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
The main fields in which they are active in Kashmir are, orphanages, self-help groups, dialogue groups, medical care, rural development and employment generation-oriented groups, widow care, coalitions of NGOs’, ecological and environmental groups, and awareness groups. Among the active NGOs’ working in Kashmir, orphanages are the most prominent in terms of their work, reputation and goodwill. Environmental groups have also been active in Kashmir in recent years, especially with the serious ecological problems that the world famous Dal Lake in Srinagar is facing. The need for medical care NGOs’ has also come to the fore in the violence-ridden State. Government and social welfare agencies like the Women’s Development Corporation or the State Social Welfare Board also contributed by providing training in arts and crafts for women.
NGO’ culture has however not permeated the Kashmiri society yet. The movement to revive civil society was never mass-based. It has simply involved and attracted individuals. Then there is the concern that the work of a few functional NGOs’ falls much below expectations, though there are exceptions to the rule. It is well-known that the concept of civil society and the role and importance accorded to NGOs is still in its infant stage, not only in India, but in the whole of South Asia.
By any account, there are hundreds of NGOs registered in Srinagar under the Societies Registration Act, ranging from religious to human rights and community-based organizations, all serving a specific purpose. There are several voluntary and charity organizations that are not registered as NGOs, but are doing the same kind of work and genuinely addressing the needs of the people. Thus, any comprehensive list of NGOs’ working in Kashmir should include such organizations.
While NGOs, as the concept exists now, are by definition independent and distinct from governmental organizations, it is widely believed that they cannot be very effective without the help and co-operation of their counterparts. With increasing popular demand for better quality and delivery of public services, governments everywhere are responding by taking steps to involve the civil society. They recognize that the voluntary sector enjoys certain functional advantages, being community based, more accountable and capable of providing services at a lesser cost. More significantly, voluntary organizations have the flexibility to develop innovative projects based on local needs and resources in contrast to the standardization that normally characterizes governmental actions.
After the 8th October 2005 earthquake, national and international NGOs’ are working in our state for reconstruction of Kashmir. We however have to understand that we should not depend entirely on outsiders to come and help us, we have to take local initiatives with commitment, combined with the organizational and institutional guidance of national and international organizations to show us the way ahead. United Nations Dev Programme (UNDP) extended support to state government of Jammu and Kashmir by deploying staff under the Disaster Risk Management programme to provide technical support to state government in information management of relief and reconstruction activities; reducing vulnerabilities of earthquakes and other hazards, and accelerating implementation of the Earthquake reduction programme in Srinagar. Resource persons are engaged to develop state level capacities for earthquake vulnerability reduction and technical requirements for reconstruction. In consultation with the state Government departments, earthquake resistant designs for the reconstruction of houses using local materials such as stones and wood has been designed; which has helped the state government to develop strategies for reconstruction programmes; and local engineers have been trained on seismic safe construction practices.
UNDP has not been working as the project leader but as facilitator, by supporting the Government on setting up the adequate institutional and administrative system. This project essentially aims to strengthen communities' capacities, along with urban local bodies and administrations in earthquake mitigation, preparedness and response in 38 cities in India.
The project has been demonstrating a suitable model for mainstreaming earthquake risk management initiatives at all levels and for reducing this hazard risk. Project activities have five broad components: 1. awareness generation, 2. development of preparedness and response plans at the community and administrative levels, 3. development of a techno-legal regime for the States, 4. capacity building at all levels and 5. knowledge on international and national best-practices among all the cities and urban centres in the programme. The role of Voluntary organization in Reconstruction of Kashmir will involve restoration of damages which can be classified as visible and not so visible. The visible damages would include the reconstruction of destructed buildings and infrastructure, such as roads, water, telecommunication, health, education and electricity. The not so visible, but more important, damage includes injury to social structures, institutions and human dignity. In order to bring about reconciliation and reconstruction, these structures have to be woven together.Voluntary Organizations need to venture in the field of development of infrastructure, by utilizing the manpower and available facilities to better implement the schemes introduced by the Government.
National and International NGOs’ could provide guidance and financial support to local NGOs’ and enhance their capabilities so as to better fulfill their roles in society. There is an immediate need for environmental groups and environmental activists to raise their voices to save the environmental heritage of the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
The livelihood of many Kashmiris is dependent on the health of the ecology and the environmental balance. In view of the improving governance position in Kashmir, the socio-political situation has become conducive for more NGOs’ to enter Kashmiri society. It is high time that some of the more established NGOs’ come forward with plans and programs to work in Kashmir, however, they should keep in view the unique culture, customs, traditions and distinct faith that we are proud to have. It is necessary to encourage NGOs’ to set up projects based on local customs and traditions, for the capacity building in production as well as marketing, furniture making, handicrafts, tourism and agro-industries. T
here is great potential for development of electronic units, computer hardware, TV and watch manufacturing that would be low in volume, high in value industries, pollution free and benefiting from moderately cheap labour. Sericulture and silk industry, textiles and ready made garments, sports goods industry, processing of gems and precious stones, selective mining projects and mineral based industry, are some other areas that have potential. There is tremendous potential for horticulture, floriculture, fruit processing and food processing.Out State is predominantly mono-cropped and rain-fed with about 40 per cent of the area in Jammu division and 60 per cent in Kashmir division having assured means of irrigation. Agriculture is the mainstay of the state's economy.
In Kashmir, wheat, oil seeds and fodder cultivation can be introduced as a second crop. Walnut is another important crop that has tremendous potential in J&K. The state is already the largest producer of walnut in India with an annual production of approximately 60,000 tonnes. There is scope to increase it in Doda, Rajouri, Poonch and Udhampur. About 20 per cent of the cultivated area in J&K is under fruit cultivation. About half a million families are engaged, directly or indirectly, in horticultural activities. Sopore & Shopian are the main fruit producing areas in the valley that accounts for 50 per cent of the total fruit production. There is however a dire need to improve marketing of these products and other fruits like pears, cherries, apricots and peaches in the temperate areas and mango and citrus in the sub-tropical areas which need proper grading, packaging & marketing. Saffron cultivation is unique to Jammu & Kashmir, the only place producing the flower crop outside Spain & Iran. Annual production of saffron is confined to Pampore in the Kashmir valley and to the Kishtwar valley of Jammu province, the production varies from 10 to 12 tonnes. Honey, herbs and herbal products also have tremendous opportunities for export worldwide. To impel horticultural activities creation of cold storage facilities, through non governmental organizations and public or private investments, is warranted.Our state has tremendous hydropower potential, estimated at over 25,000 MW. Out of this hardly 10 per cent has been harnessed till date. With a view to tapping the available hydel potential, the state government is exploring the possibility of attracting private local and foreign capital. Non governmental organizations could venture into this field.
There is tremendous scope of employment in the field of Eco-tourism. It is possible to identify many other areas for the reconstruction and development of Jammu & Kashmir. The most obvious is tourism, which has attracted attention of the whole world. Another major emphasis of restructuring has to be in the field of health and education. Together a joint and concerted effort by all the stakeholders needs to be made so that we can take Kashmir forward and prepare a holistic programme of reconstruction of Kashmir.
Source: http://www.etalaat.net/english/Dimensions/1068.html
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Cycling for education
When a media house recently recognised Armene Modi as one of the ’24 Real Heroes’ of India at a glittering ceremony in Mumbai, she attributed it all to the never-say-die spirit of young girls in Shirur taluka in Pune district who had shown such a zest for empowerment through education.
However, the story is that this desire for academic strength has come about only due to Armene’s innovative project under the banner of her NGO, Ashta No Kai. Armene has, so far, provided 300 cycles to the girls of this taluka to enable them to cover the long distance between their homes and schools or colleges.
This simple approach has empowered young women to rekindle their interest in learning and over the past six years, up to 500 of them have found access to education.
Armene is a Columbia University-educated English teacher who teaches the subject in colleges across Japan.
This is, however, balanced with the projects powered by Ashta No Kai, the primary among them being to change the lives of women in the chosen villages of Shirur taluka.
“When I first visited the villages about a decade ago, I saw girls who had been married off at very early ages and were now tending to fields and struggling to take care of their homes and children. After setting up Ashta No Kai (which means ‘for a better tomorrow’) Armene helped set up self-help groups so that women would be able to save money and use it to become entrepreneurs.
“I then started kishori mandals for teenage girls to drive home the need for education as a tool of empowerment,” she informs.
When an appeal in local newspapers for cycles brought forth a reasonable response, coupled with the donation of a 100 cycles from her Japanese friends, Armene started a Bicycle Bank to reach out to those young girls who had decided to opt out of schools because they had no means to attend institutes which were in far-flung areas.
This has helped many girls to clear their SSC examination even though schools in Shirur do not have classes beyond standard VII.
“Most girls were forced to leave their education mid-way because they had to walk up to 10 kilometres for the higher classes. Parents were, but naturally, concerned for their safety and therefore would rather get them married at early ages than run the risk of securing education and special skills,” Armene explains.
Enthused by the success of this project, Armene announced scholarships for those girls wanting to pursue higher education. There were nine applications in 2004. In this year, there have been as many as 50 applications.
“Many of the girls who began using the cycles in 2002 are now on the verge of completing their degree courses in such streams as law, commerce, pharmacy and agriculture,” she states.
Ashvini Shelke and Kalpana Dange, for instance, are two such beneficiaries of the Bicycle Bank who have reached up to standard X.
“I can travel a distance of four kilometres to my school in 15 minutes instead of the one hour it took on foot. I can therefore study as also help out my parents at home,” Ashvini states.
Source: http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/160676/1/7988
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
However, the story is that this desire for academic strength has come about only due to Armene’s innovative project under the banner of her NGO, Ashta No Kai. Armene has, so far, provided 300 cycles to the girls of this taluka to enable them to cover the long distance between their homes and schools or colleges.
This simple approach has empowered young women to rekindle their interest in learning and over the past six years, up to 500 of them have found access to education.
Armene is a Columbia University-educated English teacher who teaches the subject in colleges across Japan.
This is, however, balanced with the projects powered by Ashta No Kai, the primary among them being to change the lives of women in the chosen villages of Shirur taluka.
“When I first visited the villages about a decade ago, I saw girls who had been married off at very early ages and were now tending to fields and struggling to take care of their homes and children. After setting up Ashta No Kai (which means ‘for a better tomorrow’) Armene helped set up self-help groups so that women would be able to save money and use it to become entrepreneurs.
“I then started kishori mandals for teenage girls to drive home the need for education as a tool of empowerment,” she informs.
When an appeal in local newspapers for cycles brought forth a reasonable response, coupled with the donation of a 100 cycles from her Japanese friends, Armene started a Bicycle Bank to reach out to those young girls who had decided to opt out of schools because they had no means to attend institutes which were in far-flung areas.
This has helped many girls to clear their SSC examination even though schools in Shirur do not have classes beyond standard VII.
“Most girls were forced to leave their education mid-way because they had to walk up to 10 kilometres for the higher classes. Parents were, but naturally, concerned for their safety and therefore would rather get them married at early ages than run the risk of securing education and special skills,” Armene explains.
Enthused by the success of this project, Armene announced scholarships for those girls wanting to pursue higher education. There were nine applications in 2004. In this year, there have been as many as 50 applications.
“Many of the girls who began using the cycles in 2002 are now on the verge of completing their degree courses in such streams as law, commerce, pharmacy and agriculture,” she states.
Ashvini Shelke and Kalpana Dange, for instance, are two such beneficiaries of the Bicycle Bank who have reached up to standard X.
“I can travel a distance of four kilometres to my school in 15 minutes instead of the one hour it took on foot. I can therefore study as also help out my parents at home,” Ashvini states.
Source: http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/160676/1/7988
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Laughter becomes a serious business for Mumbai doctor
When doctor Madan Kataria began "laughing yoga" classes 13 years ago, many people laughed at him. Now they laugh with him.
In cities across India, groups of people meet every morning and stand in the open air, stretching their arms, attempting to touch their toes, and chanting: "Ho, ho! Ha, ha, ha!" Crowds that gather to watch invariably end up laughing too.
After all, laughing is infectious and the "Laughing Yoga" movement has proved that, with clubs now in about 60 countries.
The man who started the movement is the bubbly 52-year-old Dr Madan Kataria who lives in Mumbai.
What amuses him these days is that his ideas, at first were thought a joke, have grown in acceptability globally. This year's 10th World Laughter Day on Sunday was one of the most celebrated.
"You don't have to laugh at jokes or humour to get the medical benefits from laughter," he told Reuters.
"Laughing increases the oxygen in the body, which physically makes you healthier. As an exercise, laughter might start out pretend, but the body doesn't know the difference."
Over the years critics have questioned the medical basis for Kataria's amusing yoga but the movement has proved contagious.
Life has changed for Kataria since he came up with the idea while researching an article for a medical journal about laughter being "the best medicine".
"I became so convinced of the health benefits that a few of us got together and told jokes for 10 days. But eventually the jokes became negative, vulgar and racist. That's when I came up with laughter exercises."
Four years later, in 1999, Kataria wrote the book "Laugh For No Reason", gave up his job as a family physician, and travelled to 35 countries training others on his laughing yoga techniques.
A WHITE SHOE FOR LAUGHTER
While joining a laughter club is free, Kataria charges for his services as a trainer. He has taken his idea to the corporate world and even prisons.
But is he laughing all the way to the bank?
"I have more than I need. And I like sharing with others."
He has lived in the same comfortable but not ostentatious apartment complex in the northern Mumbai suburb of Andheri for over 16 years. But he has big ambitions.
"One day I'll be flying my own planes and sailing my own ships, but that will be for the mission, not me. We started as five people. Now there are thousands of laughter clubs all over the world. But I want a million clubs. My goal is world peace."
Kataria is less of a solemn guru and more of bubbly showman.
He greets people with big, smiling eyes, open arms and, of course, a warm belly-laugh. He even answers his phone with a laugh. But he maintains he has not overdosed on his own medicine.
"Look at my shoes. I wear one white shoe for laughter and one black shoe for tears. I express all emotions. But, yes, when I'm publicly speaking, I laugh a lot."
His wife of 22 years, Madhuri, said the movement had not changed him.
"He was always a fun-loving guy," she said. "Making faces at children, talking with strangers. And if he saw people arguing, he would stop them and make them laugh."
When his wife was in intensive care for 9 days after a road accident, Kataria said: "I went into my room and laughed. Not because it was funny, but because laughing made me feel better."
By Lyndee Prickitt
Source: http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-33410620080505
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
In cities across India, groups of people meet every morning and stand in the open air, stretching their arms, attempting to touch their toes, and chanting: "Ho, ho! Ha, ha, ha!" Crowds that gather to watch invariably end up laughing too.
After all, laughing is infectious and the "Laughing Yoga" movement has proved that, with clubs now in about 60 countries.
The man who started the movement is the bubbly 52-year-old Dr Madan Kataria who lives in Mumbai.
What amuses him these days is that his ideas, at first were thought a joke, have grown in acceptability globally. This year's 10th World Laughter Day on Sunday was one of the most celebrated.
"You don't have to laugh at jokes or humour to get the medical benefits from laughter," he told Reuters.
"Laughing increases the oxygen in the body, which physically makes you healthier. As an exercise, laughter might start out pretend, but the body doesn't know the difference."
Over the years critics have questioned the medical basis for Kataria's amusing yoga but the movement has proved contagious.
Life has changed for Kataria since he came up with the idea while researching an article for a medical journal about laughter being "the best medicine".
"I became so convinced of the health benefits that a few of us got together and told jokes for 10 days. But eventually the jokes became negative, vulgar and racist. That's when I came up with laughter exercises."
Four years later, in 1999, Kataria wrote the book "Laugh For No Reason", gave up his job as a family physician, and travelled to 35 countries training others on his laughing yoga techniques.
A WHITE SHOE FOR LAUGHTER
While joining a laughter club is free, Kataria charges for his services as a trainer. He has taken his idea to the corporate world and even prisons.
But is he laughing all the way to the bank?
"I have more than I need. And I like sharing with others."
He has lived in the same comfortable but not ostentatious apartment complex in the northern Mumbai suburb of Andheri for over 16 years. But he has big ambitions.
"One day I'll be flying my own planes and sailing my own ships, but that will be for the mission, not me. We started as five people. Now there are thousands of laughter clubs all over the world. But I want a million clubs. My goal is world peace."
Kataria is less of a solemn guru and more of bubbly showman.
He greets people with big, smiling eyes, open arms and, of course, a warm belly-laugh. He even answers his phone with a laugh. But he maintains he has not overdosed on his own medicine.
"Look at my shoes. I wear one white shoe for laughter and one black shoe for tears. I express all emotions. But, yes, when I'm publicly speaking, I laugh a lot."
His wife of 22 years, Madhuri, said the movement had not changed him.
"He was always a fun-loving guy," she said. "Making faces at children, talking with strangers. And if he saw people arguing, he would stop them and make them laugh."
When his wife was in intensive care for 9 days after a road accident, Kataria said: "I went into my room and laughed. Not because it was funny, but because laughing made me feel better."
By Lyndee Prickitt
Source: http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-33410620080505
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Creative ideas emerge tacitly, when people are relaxed
What are the attributes of a creative manager in a company? “Openness, perceptiveness, flexibility, responsiveness, involvement, a capacity and willingness to draw out the creativity in others, a focus on possibilities, the potential of networking and other opportunities rather than procedure,” says Ms Jane Henry, editor of ‘Creative Management and Development’ (www.sagepublications.com). Facilitation and communication skills help, and so does a participative and inclusive style of management, she adds.
Ms Henry heads the Centre for Human Resources and Change Management at the Open University School of Management in Milton Keynes, UK. A chartered psychologist with extensive consultancy experience, and an author of several books, her research concerns ways organisations can develop their creativity and innovation and how individuals with different styles can best enhance their development over time.
“Creative management is more about open perception than a route map, an attitude that is flexible enough to listen to others and respond intuitively to opportunities, secure enough to allow their staff freedom to find their own way. The right way of doing this will vary according to culture and circumstances,” explains Ms Henry, during a recent email interaction with Business Line.
Excerpts from the interview.
First, what is creative management?
Creative management is a form of management associated with sustainable self-organisation. It is common in organisations wishing to engage the creativity of their workforce in improving products, processes and services, enhancing workforce commitment and customer/client/ staff satisfaction. Also, in the creative industries.
Can creativity be developed in organisations? Are there clear measures of creativity that can be used, for example, in a corporate context?
Creativity can be developed in organisations at the level of the individual, team, organisation and cross-organisation networks. Many people use tests of divergent thinking, i.e. how many uses can one think of for a plastic cup, as a measure of creativity. This is a very poor measure of creativity and not very helpful in organisations.
Another approach measures people’s cognitive style differentiating between different ways of being creative – those who like to do things better and those who like to do things differently. Those with an adaptive preference are more likely to be more comfortable working within existing frames and improving existing products. Those with an innovative preference are naturally more inclined to challenge the status quo and aim for breakthroughs.
Other measures of organisational creativity that have been used include the number of suggestions per employee and level of absenteeism (with the former increasing and the latter decreasing in creative companies.)
Have there been breakthrough findings in recent years about creative management?
This depends on your perspective and location. In the West, creativity had been associated with innovative breakthroughs – inventing processes from scratch, and glorified through individuals such as Einstein, Edison, Anita Roddick or Richard Branson. One of the changes in the West over the last quarter century is that organisations have come to appreciate the importance of engaging the entire workforce in improving processes, and made clear attempts to empower the workforce to do so.
Is increased competition the only driver for creative management?
Definitely not, many creative people are motivated intrinsically, i.e. with a marked preference for working on areas of interest to them. Freedom as to how people engage with tasks is often a sufficient driver for people to develop a more creative approach. Humans are naturally very creative so long as they feel safe enough and engaged enough to bother to try out new ways of doing things. Organisational bureaucracy can sometimes get in the way of these natural instincts.
What is the role of tacit knowledge in organisational creativity?
Tacit knowledge is central to creativity, organisational or otherwise. Cognitive science has shown clearly that we know things long before we realise we do or are able to explain how we know.
Creative ideas generally emerge tacitly, when people are relaxed. Organisations where people feel a measure of freedom, rather than those that are committee-bound and people feel obliged to look busy, are more likely to be safe enough for people to feel able to explore the half-baked tacit notions that develop into new creative ideas with a bit of nurturing. Many processes that attempt to encourage creativity in groups use processes that aim to tap into tacit ideas.
Are there lifestyle features that are associated with creativity?
The socially-embedded do indeed generally report themselves as happier than the more isolated amongst us. There is some work to suggest that those in a positive mood find it easier to make more associations and that these broad associations make it easier for them to be more creative. The creatively-fulfilled tend also to be happier not the least as their work offers meaning and often purpose.
Does creativity run the risk of turning into ‘spin’ or manipulated messages one finds so commonly used by politicians to their advantage?
Creativity is an essential component of human advancement through the ages. Currently it has extra kudos in the UK for example, as politicians wonder if other organisational sectors can build on the success of the creative industries (pop music, fashion, design etc.) ‘Cool Britannia’ seems to be a successful spin building on aspects of creative life in the UK.
Many high-wage economies see creativity as a means of adding value in the face of increasing competition. In more hierarchical cultures there is often an appreciation that organisations might be more creative if the culture could be somewhat more open.
Is creativity linked to income and wealth levels? How far is creativity relevant to developing economies, as compared to the developed countries? Do you think creative solutions can be applied for bigger problems that prevail in the developing countries?
Creativity can be applied at any level from very large to very small issues, and in any country. As I write, scientists all over the world are advancing new technologies to help alleviate climate change, and micro-credit unions finance mini-creative ventures for very poor would-be entrepreneurs.
In my work in India, Malaysia and China I have found managers as open to the idea that they need ways of opening up and pushing more responsibility down as in the West though the form this may take can differ. I also use similar approaches advising and facilitating government officials and NGOs attempting to address large-scale issues such as corruption, for example as when helping companies make technological breakthroughs. The key here is to free up thinking to help people reach new and better way of doing things.
Are there negative states of creativity? What are the differences between creativity of nature and nurtured creativity? Should education be so geared to ensure the development of creativity?
Creativity is generally defined as something that is new and apt, so inherent in the definition is the notion that the creative idea or product is not any old worthless invention but something that offers quality and answers a need. At the same time, it is no accident that Shiva is the God of creativity and destruction embodied, as one usually has to destroy something to create something new.
There are win-win situations where all parties benefit from a new idea, approach or agreement; but often bringing in the new advantages may be involving extra work or disadvantaging others. Shifts to greater creativity in organisations for example often entail middle managers giving up some of their power. Many organisations have found about 10 per cent of their managers are unable to adapt to the new ways of working.
Can there be a tussle between staying course with a sustainable idea, and trying out a creative idea, as for example with product launches? Can dynamism in creativity lead to negative returns, at times?
Generally to make way for something new something else has to be destroyed. We see this with new products and processes all the time, the ice selling industry lost out when home refrigerators came in, film gives way to video, analogue to digital TV. There is generally a conservative tendency in organisations and a preference for sticking with the status quo. Any creative endeavor is going to involve something new, it takes persistence and often a champion or sponsor to steer new ideas through an organisation. Historically companies that stick with what they are good at without creatively adapting to circumstances tend to fare badly in the long-term.
Socialisation, externalisation, internalisation and combination – which of these knowledge conversion modes has the highest impact on creativity?
There are many different ways of being creative and different people favour different routes. For example different people may use very different processes to get to the same creative idea, some people are more comfortable with analytical techniques like checklists and matrices, other warm to the fun involved in lateral thinking, like imagining how your hero/ine (whether Gandhi, Superman or Tata) would tackle the issue, others prefer more intuitive approaches such as visualisation.
Socialisation, externalisation, internalisation and combination modes of knowledge creation can all have their place at different stages of the creative process.
Does luck play a role in creativity, especially in the commercial success of the product?
Luck plays a role in many situations including creative ones. However, experience and good judgment are also critical. Generally in organisations good timing owes as much to the latter two as the former.
On creativity versus type of work, genders, age, and technology.
There is scope for creative action in professional, craft, farm and organisational work. The degree of creativity that is appropriate varies according to the situation. Research scientists have a lot of scope for being creative. In contrast most of us happy that an aeroplane pilot sticks to some standard procedures for checking that the plane is in a good condition to fly.
Both sexes are creative. All ages can be creative though the peak age for important breakthrough varies by domain; in mathematics many breakthroughs are made by the rather young, many writers on the other hand have creative success late in life.
The creative process also varies by sector. Many artists and poets choose to work alone, whereas many innovative technological breakthroughs involve a group of people with different skills combining their talents.
The opportunity for creative action is satisfying to the people involved as they are able to contribute something meaningful. Satisfaction is related to a number of factors including temperament and the degree to which one is socially supported. A key factor is control. On the whole, people who have more control of their lives, including their work, tend to report themselves as being more satisfied than those with less control.
Temperament also plays a big part in satisfaction. In the West extroversion is associated with greater happiness. It would be interesting to see if, in a culture such as India, where surrender is more readily accepted as a route to happiness, a different pattern emerged.
By D. Murali and A. Paari
Source: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/006200804282171.htm
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Ms Henry heads the Centre for Human Resources and Change Management at the Open University School of Management in Milton Keynes, UK. A chartered psychologist with extensive consultancy experience, and an author of several books, her research concerns ways organisations can develop their creativity and innovation and how individuals with different styles can best enhance their development over time.
“Creative management is more about open perception than a route map, an attitude that is flexible enough to listen to others and respond intuitively to opportunities, secure enough to allow their staff freedom to find their own way. The right way of doing this will vary according to culture and circumstances,” explains Ms Henry, during a recent email interaction with Business Line.
Excerpts from the interview.
First, what is creative management?
Creative management is a form of management associated with sustainable self-organisation. It is common in organisations wishing to engage the creativity of their workforce in improving products, processes and services, enhancing workforce commitment and customer/client/ staff satisfaction. Also, in the creative industries.
Can creativity be developed in organisations? Are there clear measures of creativity that can be used, for example, in a corporate context?
Creativity can be developed in organisations at the level of the individual, team, organisation and cross-organisation networks. Many people use tests of divergent thinking, i.e. how many uses can one think of for a plastic cup, as a measure of creativity. This is a very poor measure of creativity and not very helpful in organisations.
Another approach measures people’s cognitive style differentiating between different ways of being creative – those who like to do things better and those who like to do things differently. Those with an adaptive preference are more likely to be more comfortable working within existing frames and improving existing products. Those with an innovative preference are naturally more inclined to challenge the status quo and aim for breakthroughs.
Other measures of organisational creativity that have been used include the number of suggestions per employee and level of absenteeism (with the former increasing and the latter decreasing in creative companies.)
Have there been breakthrough findings in recent years about creative management?
This depends on your perspective and location. In the West, creativity had been associated with innovative breakthroughs – inventing processes from scratch, and glorified through individuals such as Einstein, Edison, Anita Roddick or Richard Branson. One of the changes in the West over the last quarter century is that organisations have come to appreciate the importance of engaging the entire workforce in improving processes, and made clear attempts to empower the workforce to do so.
Is increased competition the only driver for creative management?
Definitely not, many creative people are motivated intrinsically, i.e. with a marked preference for working on areas of interest to them. Freedom as to how people engage with tasks is often a sufficient driver for people to develop a more creative approach. Humans are naturally very creative so long as they feel safe enough and engaged enough to bother to try out new ways of doing things. Organisational bureaucracy can sometimes get in the way of these natural instincts.
What is the role of tacit knowledge in organisational creativity?
Tacit knowledge is central to creativity, organisational or otherwise. Cognitive science has shown clearly that we know things long before we realise we do or are able to explain how we know.
Creative ideas generally emerge tacitly, when people are relaxed. Organisations where people feel a measure of freedom, rather than those that are committee-bound and people feel obliged to look busy, are more likely to be safe enough for people to feel able to explore the half-baked tacit notions that develop into new creative ideas with a bit of nurturing. Many processes that attempt to encourage creativity in groups use processes that aim to tap into tacit ideas.
Are there lifestyle features that are associated with creativity?
The socially-embedded do indeed generally report themselves as happier than the more isolated amongst us. There is some work to suggest that those in a positive mood find it easier to make more associations and that these broad associations make it easier for them to be more creative. The creatively-fulfilled tend also to be happier not the least as their work offers meaning and often purpose.
Does creativity run the risk of turning into ‘spin’ or manipulated messages one finds so commonly used by politicians to their advantage?
Creativity is an essential component of human advancement through the ages. Currently it has extra kudos in the UK for example, as politicians wonder if other organisational sectors can build on the success of the creative industries (pop music, fashion, design etc.) ‘Cool Britannia’ seems to be a successful spin building on aspects of creative life in the UK.
Many high-wage economies see creativity as a means of adding value in the face of increasing competition. In more hierarchical cultures there is often an appreciation that organisations might be more creative if the culture could be somewhat more open.
Is creativity linked to income and wealth levels? How far is creativity relevant to developing economies, as compared to the developed countries? Do you think creative solutions can be applied for bigger problems that prevail in the developing countries?
Creativity can be applied at any level from very large to very small issues, and in any country. As I write, scientists all over the world are advancing new technologies to help alleviate climate change, and micro-credit unions finance mini-creative ventures for very poor would-be entrepreneurs.
In my work in India, Malaysia and China I have found managers as open to the idea that they need ways of opening up and pushing more responsibility down as in the West though the form this may take can differ. I also use similar approaches advising and facilitating government officials and NGOs attempting to address large-scale issues such as corruption, for example as when helping companies make technological breakthroughs. The key here is to free up thinking to help people reach new and better way of doing things.
Are there negative states of creativity? What are the differences between creativity of nature and nurtured creativity? Should education be so geared to ensure the development of creativity?
Creativity is generally defined as something that is new and apt, so inherent in the definition is the notion that the creative idea or product is not any old worthless invention but something that offers quality and answers a need. At the same time, it is no accident that Shiva is the God of creativity and destruction embodied, as one usually has to destroy something to create something new.
There are win-win situations where all parties benefit from a new idea, approach or agreement; but often bringing in the new advantages may be involving extra work or disadvantaging others. Shifts to greater creativity in organisations for example often entail middle managers giving up some of their power. Many organisations have found about 10 per cent of their managers are unable to adapt to the new ways of working.
Can there be a tussle between staying course with a sustainable idea, and trying out a creative idea, as for example with product launches? Can dynamism in creativity lead to negative returns, at times?
Generally to make way for something new something else has to be destroyed. We see this with new products and processes all the time, the ice selling industry lost out when home refrigerators came in, film gives way to video, analogue to digital TV. There is generally a conservative tendency in organisations and a preference for sticking with the status quo. Any creative endeavor is going to involve something new, it takes persistence and often a champion or sponsor to steer new ideas through an organisation. Historically companies that stick with what they are good at without creatively adapting to circumstances tend to fare badly in the long-term.
Socialisation, externalisation, internalisation and combination – which of these knowledge conversion modes has the highest impact on creativity?
There are many different ways of being creative and different people favour different routes. For example different people may use very different processes to get to the same creative idea, some people are more comfortable with analytical techniques like checklists and matrices, other warm to the fun involved in lateral thinking, like imagining how your hero/ine (whether Gandhi, Superman or Tata) would tackle the issue, others prefer more intuitive approaches such as visualisation.
Socialisation, externalisation, internalisation and combination modes of knowledge creation can all have their place at different stages of the creative process.
Does luck play a role in creativity, especially in the commercial success of the product?
Luck plays a role in many situations including creative ones. However, experience and good judgment are also critical. Generally in organisations good timing owes as much to the latter two as the former.
On creativity versus type of work, genders, age, and technology.
There is scope for creative action in professional, craft, farm and organisational work. The degree of creativity that is appropriate varies according to the situation. Research scientists have a lot of scope for being creative. In contrast most of us happy that an aeroplane pilot sticks to some standard procedures for checking that the plane is in a good condition to fly.
Both sexes are creative. All ages can be creative though the peak age for important breakthrough varies by domain; in mathematics many breakthroughs are made by the rather young, many writers on the other hand have creative success late in life.
The creative process also varies by sector. Many artists and poets choose to work alone, whereas many innovative technological breakthroughs involve a group of people with different skills combining their talents.
The opportunity for creative action is satisfying to the people involved as they are able to contribute something meaningful. Satisfaction is related to a number of factors including temperament and the degree to which one is socially supported. A key factor is control. On the whole, people who have more control of their lives, including their work, tend to report themselves as being more satisfied than those with less control.
Temperament also plays a big part in satisfaction. In the West extroversion is associated with greater happiness. It would be interesting to see if, in a culture such as India, where surrender is more readily accepted as a route to happiness, a different pattern emerged.
By D. Murali and A. Paari
Source: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/006200804282171.htm
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The importance of play time
MOST parents don't need to be told that their kids need time to play. It seems obvious to say that kids need time to simply be themselves -- and, yet, increased academic pressures, changing family set-ups and the fast pace of modern living have all placed an enormous strain on the time we spend with our kids -- and how we fill it.
During the 1980s, experts began to move away from the idea that play was useful for a child's development.
Play became something frivolous, from which children learnt little. Parents started talking about 'too much playtime', and school curriculums became more goal-oriented.
Now, parents and teachers are returning to the notion that play is a powerful tool that helps children to socialise, interact with the world around them and acquire vital coping skills.
It is, says the famous Swiss child psychologist Jean Piaget, a child's work.
Research published this week by IPPA, the Early Childhood Association reveals that Irish parents are worried that safety, time and space limitations are preventing our kids from getting enough playtime.
But if we put a little thought into it, there are plenty of ways in which we can ensure that our kids get enough playtime -- and that they're playing in the right way.
"The UK led the way in this," says Irene Gunning, IPPA's chief executive. "They used to have a great understanding of the process of play and believed that play should be thought of as an end in itself.
"But then they developed a curriculum that was outcome-focused where, for example, kids had to be able to count by a certain age.
"When that happens, you stop allowing the child to just play -- and you begin to start teaching. Now they are beginning to go back to their original ideas. We want our children to be ready and eager to learn, but play is so misunderstood."
Psychologist Dr Mark Harrold, author of Parenting and Privilege: Raising Children in an Affluent Society, agrees that play is a vital tool in a child's development, but acknowledges that parents face new challenges in allowing their kids to simply be kids.
"The landscape has changed. Both parents are now out working."
This has intensified the whole experience of parenting, and parents, he argues, feel under pressure to ensure their children are constantly busy doing something -- and that something is usually an 'adult-led', learning-based activity.
"If we're not doing something with them, we feel like we're not being a good parent," says Dr Harrold.
Rushing children from piano practice to gymnastics to swimming lessons -- while obviously beneficial for a child -- can leave them little time to engage in the simple child-centred play that is crucial to development.
And the tightly-structured school curriculum has also edged out imaginative play, argues Dr Harrold.
Modern toys reflect the move away from crucial imaginative play. Most toys designed by toy manfacturers -- and heavily marketed by them -- have a particular play function or in many cases, an educational aspect.
But by offering a child an 'open-ended toy' -- one that the child can use as a prop to stimulate creative play-- parents can open up a whole new world for their youngsters.
Given the opportunity to decide how to use a toy for themselves, children begin to play in a way that is natural to them. "There are lots of opportunities to have open-ended toys in the home," says Irene. "Think about water play in the bath, or up at the sink, once you have the kids safe and are near them.
"Remember when you were little and you made lumps of dough and did your own rolling when your mum was baking...there are great opportunities in the home.
"The marketing experts say to buy this type of toy or that one, and that you're a good parent if you buy this...but any parent knows at heart that those toys that have buttons and lights aren't as good in the same way as an old cardboard box, where kids can have endless fun transforming it into whatever they want."
As the mother of three young children, Carmel Doyle knows the importance of allowing her youngsters enough time to play, and works hard to ensure that they play in the right way.
"Play is power. When my kids play, they are less grumpy, they sleep better and they have better confidence. They love it."
Carmel's family -- husband Gerry and children Jack (5) Tony (3) and Rose (18 months) -- live on a suburban cul-de-sac where the kids have plenty of pals their own age and, as the summer evenings grow longer, spend hours out on the street playing with one another.
As always, safety is the big issue so in order to facilitate the kids to play out of doors, the local parents started up an informal 'play patrol'.
The kids play by themselves, but always with an adult watching from a safe distance to watch out for traffic or 'stranger danger'.
"There is always someone there, but we don't interfere," says Carmel. "Traffic is the big danger, so it's important to get the neighbours used to the fact that the kids own this road, so they have to watch their speed.
"Our kids are outside chasing, skipping or playing hopscotch. They have a den that they made in the garden which they love. At Easter, we had an egg hunt. The kids came into my house while the adults hid the eggs around the road. Then after their hunt, they wanted the adults to come in while they hid the eggs for us!
"One of their favourite things to do is dressing-up. One minute Jack is a pirate, the next he's Buzz Lightyear. Once they're in that 'role play' mode, they can be like that for two or three hours."
Another 'rainy day' activitiy that the children love is good old-fashioned baking, adds Carmel.
"We don't make anything fancy, but things like Spiderman cakes, buns, or when I'm making an apple tartm they can make cookies from the pastry.
"Theres no manual. You have to say, 'let's relax'. Simple things will keep them occupied. My mum gives them bags of clothes pegs and they have endless fun with them, making necklaces and shapes.
"If we think back to when we were small and what we did when adults weren't around, you learnt so much by just managing yourself in those situations and finding out how far you could go," says Irene.
"The sheer pleasure and enjoyment of those old-fashioned games, such as skipping, hopscotch and hide-and-seek, was amazing.
"If we look back to our own childhoods, we can see how much we actually learnt through play," says Carmel.
"Today's business leaders would have learnt lots of their vital skills through games they played.
"When we look at our own kids playing, they are learning great skills for life -- they think beyond themselves. And they have more fun as part of a team.
"The power of children playing with other children is that they develop social skills and learn how to share. Play is as imp-ortant as their homework."
By Liz Kearney
Source: http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/parenting/the-importance-of-play-time-1353770.html
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
During the 1980s, experts began to move away from the idea that play was useful for a child's development.
Play became something frivolous, from which children learnt little. Parents started talking about 'too much playtime', and school curriculums became more goal-oriented.
Now, parents and teachers are returning to the notion that play is a powerful tool that helps children to socialise, interact with the world around them and acquire vital coping skills.
It is, says the famous Swiss child psychologist Jean Piaget, a child's work.
Research published this week by IPPA, the Early Childhood Association reveals that Irish parents are worried that safety, time and space limitations are preventing our kids from getting enough playtime.
But if we put a little thought into it, there are plenty of ways in which we can ensure that our kids get enough playtime -- and that they're playing in the right way.
"The UK led the way in this," says Irene Gunning, IPPA's chief executive. "They used to have a great understanding of the process of play and believed that play should be thought of as an end in itself.
"But then they developed a curriculum that was outcome-focused where, for example, kids had to be able to count by a certain age.
"When that happens, you stop allowing the child to just play -- and you begin to start teaching. Now they are beginning to go back to their original ideas. We want our children to be ready and eager to learn, but play is so misunderstood."
Psychologist Dr Mark Harrold, author of Parenting and Privilege: Raising Children in an Affluent Society, agrees that play is a vital tool in a child's development, but acknowledges that parents face new challenges in allowing their kids to simply be kids.
"The landscape has changed. Both parents are now out working."
This has intensified the whole experience of parenting, and parents, he argues, feel under pressure to ensure their children are constantly busy doing something -- and that something is usually an 'adult-led', learning-based activity.
"If we're not doing something with them, we feel like we're not being a good parent," says Dr Harrold.
Rushing children from piano practice to gymnastics to swimming lessons -- while obviously beneficial for a child -- can leave them little time to engage in the simple child-centred play that is crucial to development.
And the tightly-structured school curriculum has also edged out imaginative play, argues Dr Harrold.
Modern toys reflect the move away from crucial imaginative play. Most toys designed by toy manfacturers -- and heavily marketed by them -- have a particular play function or in many cases, an educational aspect.
But by offering a child an 'open-ended toy' -- one that the child can use as a prop to stimulate creative play-- parents can open up a whole new world for their youngsters.
Given the opportunity to decide how to use a toy for themselves, children begin to play in a way that is natural to them. "There are lots of opportunities to have open-ended toys in the home," says Irene. "Think about water play in the bath, or up at the sink, once you have the kids safe and are near them.
"Remember when you were little and you made lumps of dough and did your own rolling when your mum was baking...there are great opportunities in the home.
"The marketing experts say to buy this type of toy or that one, and that you're a good parent if you buy this...but any parent knows at heart that those toys that have buttons and lights aren't as good in the same way as an old cardboard box, where kids can have endless fun transforming it into whatever they want."
As the mother of three young children, Carmel Doyle knows the importance of allowing her youngsters enough time to play, and works hard to ensure that they play in the right way.
"Play is power. When my kids play, they are less grumpy, they sleep better and they have better confidence. They love it."
Carmel's family -- husband Gerry and children Jack (5) Tony (3) and Rose (18 months) -- live on a suburban cul-de-sac where the kids have plenty of pals their own age and, as the summer evenings grow longer, spend hours out on the street playing with one another.
As always, safety is the big issue so in order to facilitate the kids to play out of doors, the local parents started up an informal 'play patrol'.
The kids play by themselves, but always with an adult watching from a safe distance to watch out for traffic or 'stranger danger'.
"There is always someone there, but we don't interfere," says Carmel. "Traffic is the big danger, so it's important to get the neighbours used to the fact that the kids own this road, so they have to watch their speed.
"Our kids are outside chasing, skipping or playing hopscotch. They have a den that they made in the garden which they love. At Easter, we had an egg hunt. The kids came into my house while the adults hid the eggs around the road. Then after their hunt, they wanted the adults to come in while they hid the eggs for us!
"One of their favourite things to do is dressing-up. One minute Jack is a pirate, the next he's Buzz Lightyear. Once they're in that 'role play' mode, they can be like that for two or three hours."
Another 'rainy day' activitiy that the children love is good old-fashioned baking, adds Carmel.
"We don't make anything fancy, but things like Spiderman cakes, buns, or when I'm making an apple tartm they can make cookies from the pastry.
"Theres no manual. You have to say, 'let's relax'. Simple things will keep them occupied. My mum gives them bags of clothes pegs and they have endless fun with them, making necklaces and shapes.
"If we think back to when we were small and what we did when adults weren't around, you learnt so much by just managing yourself in those situations and finding out how far you could go," says Irene.
"The sheer pleasure and enjoyment of those old-fashioned games, such as skipping, hopscotch and hide-and-seek, was amazing.
"If we look back to our own childhoods, we can see how much we actually learnt through play," says Carmel.
"Today's business leaders would have learnt lots of their vital skills through games they played.
"When we look at our own kids playing, they are learning great skills for life -- they think beyond themselves. And they have more fun as part of a team.
"The power of children playing with other children is that they develop social skills and learn how to share. Play is as imp-ortant as their homework."
By Liz Kearney
Source: http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/parenting/the-importance-of-play-time-1353770.html
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
SHAME SHAME - CM's relief fund used for recreation
Successive governments in the last decade have disbursed crores of rupees from the CM's Relief Fund for non-calamity-related reasons, a reply under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed. The CM's OF Maharashtra Relief Fund was set up in 1967, with the primary intention of providing relief during calamities.
The fund, like the PM's Relief Fund, gets generous contributions from individuals and institutions across the country, especially during disasters and war.
TOI had in its March 15 edition reported in detail how crores of rupees were disbursed from the CM's Relief Fund from 2003 to 2005 for trivial reasons like kabaddi competition, women's football matches and ghazal contests. Now, details of the fund in 1996-97 (Sena-BJP rule) and 2006-07 (Congress regime) have revealed a mixed bag of disbursals.
In 1996-97, Rs 4.12 crore was given to various institutions and individuals, out of which Rs 3.28 crore was given to recipients who got over Rs 50,000 each. In 2006-07, Rs 15.98 crore was given to various institutions and individuals, of which Rs 12.95 crore was given to recipients who got over Rs 50,000 each.
“A cursory look at the two lists reveals that in both these years crores of of rupees were being disbursed for events that were in no way related to calamities,'' said RTI activist Shailesh Gandhi, who filed the query.
For instance, the Maharasahtra Rajya Kustigir Parishad wrestling conference and competition received Rs 2 lakh, the Jagatik Marathi Parishad Conference held in Jerusalem received Rs 10 lakh and the Umesh Shenoy ticket exhibition in Atlanta received Rs 51,000. For a foreign trip to New Zealand, the Beed-based Bhagwan Raosaheb Lomte received Rs 1 lakh. During 2006-07, the CM's Relief Fund gave Rs 1 lakh to Ramdas Padhye for participating in a puppet festival in Czechoslovakia and Rs 5 lakh for the Ishwardas Chunilal Yogic Health Center's international conference.
Meanwhile, the CM's Office held that relief funds can be given to institutions and individuals from different walks of life. “The 2001 government resolution clearly states that funds can be disbursed to cultural, social and educational initiatives and institutions. There is nothing unlawful in the disbursal of funds. Each case has been given on merit and after careful scrutiny by the chief minister himself,'' a senior official with the CMO said.
The CMO stated that in 2006-07, for instance, Rs 2.8 crore was disbursed to 3,708 individuals who needed urgent medical care. In the last three months alone, Rs 3.06 crore was given to 3,751 people.
In 2006-07, Rs 1 crore was given for victims of the bomb blasts and “riots,'' the CMO official said, without specifying what the ‘riots' were. Rs 1.6 crore was given for socially underprivileged people, Rs 65 lakh was given to poor students, Rs 19 lakh to economically backward sportsmen, Rs 3.5 lakh for cultural conferences and Rs 17 crore for assistance following farmer suicides, he added.
But Gandhi said, “The word ‘relief' in the CM's Relief Fund clearly means it is for urgent relief. The fund attracts exemptions under income-tax because the money must be given for calamity-related public causes.''
By Viju.balanarayanan
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/CMs_relief_fund_used_for_recreation/articleshow/2969382.cms
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
The fund, like the PM's Relief Fund, gets generous contributions from individuals and institutions across the country, especially during disasters and war.
TOI had in its March 15 edition reported in detail how crores of rupees were disbursed from the CM's Relief Fund from 2003 to 2005 for trivial reasons like kabaddi competition, women's football matches and ghazal contests. Now, details of the fund in 1996-97 (Sena-BJP rule) and 2006-07 (Congress regime) have revealed a mixed bag of disbursals.
In 1996-97, Rs 4.12 crore was given to various institutions and individuals, out of which Rs 3.28 crore was given to recipients who got over Rs 50,000 each. In 2006-07, Rs 15.98 crore was given to various institutions and individuals, of which Rs 12.95 crore was given to recipients who got over Rs 50,000 each.
“A cursory look at the two lists reveals that in both these years crores of of rupees were being disbursed for events that were in no way related to calamities,'' said RTI activist Shailesh Gandhi, who filed the query.
For instance, the Maharasahtra Rajya Kustigir Parishad wrestling conference and competition received Rs 2 lakh, the Jagatik Marathi Parishad Conference held in Jerusalem received Rs 10 lakh and the Umesh Shenoy ticket exhibition in Atlanta received Rs 51,000. For a foreign trip to New Zealand, the Beed-based Bhagwan Raosaheb Lomte received Rs 1 lakh. During 2006-07, the CM's Relief Fund gave Rs 1 lakh to Ramdas Padhye for participating in a puppet festival in Czechoslovakia and Rs 5 lakh for the Ishwardas Chunilal Yogic Health Center's international conference.
Meanwhile, the CM's Office held that relief funds can be given to institutions and individuals from different walks of life. “The 2001 government resolution clearly states that funds can be disbursed to cultural, social and educational initiatives and institutions. There is nothing unlawful in the disbursal of funds. Each case has been given on merit and after careful scrutiny by the chief minister himself,'' a senior official with the CMO said.
The CMO stated that in 2006-07, for instance, Rs 2.8 crore was disbursed to 3,708 individuals who needed urgent medical care. In the last three months alone, Rs 3.06 crore was given to 3,751 people.
In 2006-07, Rs 1 crore was given for victims of the bomb blasts and “riots,'' the CMO official said, without specifying what the ‘riots' were. Rs 1.6 crore was given for socially underprivileged people, Rs 65 lakh was given to poor students, Rs 19 lakh to economically backward sportsmen, Rs 3.5 lakh for cultural conferences and Rs 17 crore for assistance following farmer suicides, he added.
But Gandhi said, “The word ‘relief' in the CM's Relief Fund clearly means it is for urgent relief. The fund attracts exemptions under income-tax because the money must be given for calamity-related public causes.''
By Viju.balanarayanan
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/CMs_relief_fund_used_for_recreation/articleshow/2969382.cms
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Senior citizens shake a leg to spend free time
Gone are the days when the elderly spent time by taking a walk or playing cards. For the 59-year-old Ehsaan Qureshi and his wife Mehraam, gaming parlours were places where their children frequented. Today, the retired banker spends his evenings with his better half at the nearest entertainment centre in a multiplex trying his hand in “bumper cars” and “an electronic racing game.
Qureshi is not alone. Gone are the days when grannies and grandpas spent their evenings taking a walk in a park or playing bridge with their cronies.
It is more likely that you would find them gliding on a dance floor or manoeuvring gaming equipment at the nearest multiplex. “I would recommend salsa or ballroom dancing for every couple that wants to pursue an activity together,” beams the 54-year-old Mumbai-based Jagjeevan Pathare, who, along with his wife, joined a salsa training class in the evening.
“I read about the salsa classes on the notice board of our community centre and asked my wife to accompany me to the initial sessions,” he says. The Pathares are now hooked to dancing and having discovered the charm of salsa they are now planning to enrol in ballroom dancing too.
Mihir Shah, a professional Salsa trainer, admits that there has been a rise in the number of elderly taking up dancing as a serious hobby. He says, “It helps them in socialising and also provides easy exercise. Some enthusiasts even enter ballroom and salsa dance competitions.”
According to a report by HelpAge India, India is home to over 80 million elderly. The figure is expected to increase to 177 million by 2025. Arguably, this is a new market waiting to be tapped. Nandan Piramal, executive vice-chairman, Piramyd Retail, says they have launched their sixth family entertainment centre —Jammin — that is aimed at senior members in the family.
“We are targeting grown-ups and senior members in a family with our entertainment centres. For this, we have kept the whole look and feel of the games a little mature,” he adds. Piramal is looking at launching six more family entertainment centres, primarily in west and north India. He says, “We expect to garner 20 per cent growth per store and will have professional gaming experts to help players.”
The Oxford Institute of Ageing estimates that in India people over 60 give over 1.3 billion voluntary hours per year, worth around Rs 15.8 billion, to the economy. Minoo Shroff, a retired professor, spends close to Rs 500 each weekend, trying her hand at the local bowling alley along with a group of like-minded seniors.
“I don't expect my NRI son or my daughter to look after me,” she says confidently, adding, “I am independent, they are independent.” Shroff and her buddies carefully plan their weekends in advance, allocating money to various outdoor activities, from gaming to yoga classes.
Shroff's neighbour in Navi Mumbai, the 60-year-old Uma Paranjpe, has been practicing tai chi and now takes classes for the elderly. “It's an alternative to a more dynamic workout.
Similar to martial arts, such as karate, the movements of tai chi are rooted in a warrior stance. However, like yoga, tai chi combines the concentration of breath and movement to encourage the body to increase efficiency and relieve the mind of stress.”
Looks like some people never retire; they just change careers.
By Priyanka Joshi
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?autono=318563&leftnm=5&subLeft=0&chkFlg=
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Qureshi is not alone. Gone are the days when grannies and grandpas spent their evenings taking a walk in a park or playing bridge with their cronies.
It is more likely that you would find them gliding on a dance floor or manoeuvring gaming equipment at the nearest multiplex. “I would recommend salsa or ballroom dancing for every couple that wants to pursue an activity together,” beams the 54-year-old Mumbai-based Jagjeevan Pathare, who, along with his wife, joined a salsa training class in the evening.
“I read about the salsa classes on the notice board of our community centre and asked my wife to accompany me to the initial sessions,” he says. The Pathares are now hooked to dancing and having discovered the charm of salsa they are now planning to enrol in ballroom dancing too.
Mihir Shah, a professional Salsa trainer, admits that there has been a rise in the number of elderly taking up dancing as a serious hobby. He says, “It helps them in socialising and also provides easy exercise. Some enthusiasts even enter ballroom and salsa dance competitions.”
According to a report by HelpAge India, India is home to over 80 million elderly. The figure is expected to increase to 177 million by 2025. Arguably, this is a new market waiting to be tapped. Nandan Piramal, executive vice-chairman, Piramyd Retail, says they have launched their sixth family entertainment centre —Jammin — that is aimed at senior members in the family.
“We are targeting grown-ups and senior members in a family with our entertainment centres. For this, we have kept the whole look and feel of the games a little mature,” he adds. Piramal is looking at launching six more family entertainment centres, primarily in west and north India. He says, “We expect to garner 20 per cent growth per store and will have professional gaming experts to help players.”
The Oxford Institute of Ageing estimates that in India people over 60 give over 1.3 billion voluntary hours per year, worth around Rs 15.8 billion, to the economy. Minoo Shroff, a retired professor, spends close to Rs 500 each weekend, trying her hand at the local bowling alley along with a group of like-minded seniors.
“I don't expect my NRI son or my daughter to look after me,” she says confidently, adding, “I am independent, they are independent.” Shroff and her buddies carefully plan their weekends in advance, allocating money to various outdoor activities, from gaming to yoga classes.
Shroff's neighbour in Navi Mumbai, the 60-year-old Uma Paranjpe, has been practicing tai chi and now takes classes for the elderly. “It's an alternative to a more dynamic workout.
Similar to martial arts, such as karate, the movements of tai chi are rooted in a warrior stance. However, like yoga, tai chi combines the concentration of breath and movement to encourage the body to increase efficiency and relieve the mind of stress.”
Looks like some people never retire; they just change careers.
By Priyanka Joshi
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?autono=318563&leftnm=5&subLeft=0&chkFlg=
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Lecture: Gender Inequality in India and the Power of TV
The experience of listening to Economics Professor Emily Oster’s lecture was similar to reading Freakonomics in discovering innovative relationships between seemingly unrelated trends. The young professor from the University Chicago gave a lecture entitled Gender Inequality in India and the Power of TV yesterday. Oster gave a PowerPoint presentation of her paper that observed the relationship that the growing prevalence of cable network in India is one cause in boosting women’s status in villages.
Oster’s paper is part of her collection of research focusing on economic development and primary health economics. Her paper on Gender Inequality, coauthored with Robert Jenson from Brown University, stemmed from previous research that analyzed the connection between the disease Hepatitis and gender imbalances in developing nations. India, particularly, has “the most salient gender inequality,” said Oster. “When people get access to media, attitudes towards women improve. Women get more autonomy, can go out without telling without telling their husbands, and are more enrolled in school.”
Autonomy from men was the main indicator of women's progress. Oster prefaced the centerpiece of her research by presenting a slew of statistics to show the powerlessness of women in India. 33% of women said that it was acceptable for a man to beat his wife, while 20-40% said that it was accepted conditionally in some situations. “The slides show the decision making things that women don’t have control over,” said Oster.
Families tend to undervalue their daughters because of costs of dowries and dominance of son earning income. Part of the reason sons are the dominant bread-winners are because daughters are not sent to school as often. Economics, however, argues that educating women is more worthwhile than educating men. Educated women tend to spend household budgets more wisely and impart their knowledge onto the children. The heart of the problem lies in the attitudes towards women.
Oster’s data included families in 160 Indian villages that recently acquired cable network in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Through graphs, the research showed that attitudes towards women trended upwards in families who acquired televisions in 2002 and 2003.
But why television? Popular Indian shows include soap-operas, game-shows and sports channels. Although gender equity is not the focus of the soaps, the attitudes towards women on the shows are different than the viewers own environment. The featured families were upper-middle class urbanites with problems of Desperate Housewives.
One specific hypothesis argues that the shows families’ demand in goods to more “stuff,” as in the shows and a shift in preference to have fewer kids. The role of television in new family life also changed time use in opportunity cost to streamline time efficiency.
When Oster opened the floor to questions, one main issue lingered. “Is there going to be a backlash?” One audience member cited a 2004 study that showed that domestic violence began to increase. The question, however, remained unresolved.
By Ramya Gopal
Source: http://daily.swarthmore.edu/2008/03/25/lecture-gender-inequality-in-india-and-the-power-of-tv/
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Oster’s paper is part of her collection of research focusing on economic development and primary health economics. Her paper on Gender Inequality, coauthored with Robert Jenson from Brown University, stemmed from previous research that analyzed the connection between the disease Hepatitis and gender imbalances in developing nations. India, particularly, has “the most salient gender inequality,” said Oster. “When people get access to media, attitudes towards women improve. Women get more autonomy, can go out without telling without telling their husbands, and are more enrolled in school.”
Autonomy from men was the main indicator of women's progress. Oster prefaced the centerpiece of her research by presenting a slew of statistics to show the powerlessness of women in India. 33% of women said that it was acceptable for a man to beat his wife, while 20-40% said that it was accepted conditionally in some situations. “The slides show the decision making things that women don’t have control over,” said Oster.
Families tend to undervalue their daughters because of costs of dowries and dominance of son earning income. Part of the reason sons are the dominant bread-winners are because daughters are not sent to school as often. Economics, however, argues that educating women is more worthwhile than educating men. Educated women tend to spend household budgets more wisely and impart their knowledge onto the children. The heart of the problem lies in the attitudes towards women.
Oster’s data included families in 160 Indian villages that recently acquired cable network in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Through graphs, the research showed that attitudes towards women trended upwards in families who acquired televisions in 2002 and 2003.
But why television? Popular Indian shows include soap-operas, game-shows and sports channels. Although gender equity is not the focus of the soaps, the attitudes towards women on the shows are different than the viewers own environment. The featured families were upper-middle class urbanites with problems of Desperate Housewives.
One specific hypothesis argues that the shows families’ demand in goods to more “stuff,” as in the shows and a shift in preference to have fewer kids. The role of television in new family life also changed time use in opportunity cost to streamline time efficiency.
When Oster opened the floor to questions, one main issue lingered. “Is there going to be a backlash?” One audience member cited a 2004 study that showed that domestic violence began to increase. The question, however, remained unresolved.
By Ramya Gopal
Source: http://daily.swarthmore.edu/2008/03/25/lecture-gender-inequality-in-india-and-the-power-of-tv/
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
SALE SALE :CRICKETERS FOR SALE!!!!!!
The other day I was watching the IPL teams’ bidding process. I was shocked at the amount of money people are willing to spend on the game for the sake of money. The likes of Mukesh Ambani, SRK, Vijay Mallya, Preity Zinta & Ness Wadia and even business houses like DLF and INX Media; these are the guys who can afford this sorta stuff. But, is it for entertainment’s sake or is it for the ulterior motive of making money.
One point highlighted by the media post the bidding was how our team members in Australia were chatting only about the kind of money being raised. I somehow think that, not only is it a way of countering Subhash Chandra’s ICL, but, it’s also a vulgar display of money. Cricket for the love of sport should be encouraged, but, doing it in this kind of manner is stupid. Auctioning cricketers and ensuring that they get that amount every year, puts pressure on them, not just to perform well, but also, to sign more endorsements and entertain more. S Sreesanth is one case in point. He’s an entertainer more than a cricketer, undue aggression, is an expensive wicket-taker and can dance well than he can bowl at times, which is, all-in-all not a good combination.
Some people are right in pointing out that it’s the BCCI’s way of showing its clout. Agreed, that you are the world’s most influential cricket board, not to mention, also super wealthy. But, auctioning cricketers is taking things a bit too far. When India lost the World Cup last year, crashing out of the semis, cricketers were told to limit their endorsements. Why has the rule been lifted now? Why can’t the BCCI rap them on the knuckles now? People primarily want to play for the love of the sport, then the love of the nation, and then the love of money. But, activities like this ‘Cricketers ki Bikri’ Scheme are definitely going to be misleading and blinding. Everyone knows what the colour of money is and how it works! SRK has been keen to announce that it’s for the love of sport et al (by the way, ‘Love of Sport’ is going to be the next big thing in terms of phrases after ‘The Indomitable Spirit of Mumbai’); but anyone who’s got brains can see it’s a huge cash spinner for them all. Why are people like Mallya, Ness Wadia & Mukesh Ambani bidding otherwise?
Why I say it’s a vulgar display of money, is because it’s stupid to be bidding several hundred crores for teams, declaring it to the rest of the world, having promotional campaigns featuring these stars and thus boost potential stadium ticket sales. Like I said, huge cash spinner, this. What’s more is that the IPL franchisees are now setting their sights on the U-19 players. At this age, given that they’ve just entered the global arena, fresh Ranji players, can be swayed easily. Is there a point in doing this? Yes, possibly our players and the BCCI will regain their sanity once they realise that money is not the biggest thing… I don’t think that after this we have a very good reputation with the ICC and also the rest of the world. Some Australian cricketer whose name I can’t recall is of the opinion that the ICC should reschedule international cricket matches for the benefit of those playing in the IPL. That leaves a bad taste in the mouth for the outsiders including the ICC.
Who remembers Lakshmi Mittal ki beti ki shaadi? It was all froth in the opinion of many. Had it happened in India, it would be a rocking affair, like Mr. Mallya’s new year’s bashes are, but, the country was France, most unfortunately. And the French, like simple weddings like they like their wine and cheese. So obviously, it was overrated and over-the-top for them. A wedding is supposed to be a private affair, but in India it’s everything but that. It reminds me of a joke a comedian once came up with: What does 150 crores mean to Delhi? 30‘normal’ weddings!
My point is that a huge display of wealth and clout will achieve nothing but a somewhat tarnished (for lack of a better word) image. Let’s leave sport where it is, we have better means of displaying our clout, more wonderful things, like social causes. If the BCCI donated even 1% of it’s earnings to worthy causes (which it may or may not be doing currently) it will still be a significant contribution, and possibly even earn it fame for more productive purposes than stopping Kapil Dev’s pension and other causes.
Let's hope for the best.
Posted by Sanika: http://o3.indiatimes.com/insanityunlimited/archive/2008/03/22/4906775.aspx
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
One point highlighted by the media post the bidding was how our team members in Australia were chatting only about the kind of money being raised. I somehow think that, not only is it a way of countering Subhash Chandra’s ICL, but, it’s also a vulgar display of money. Cricket for the love of sport should be encouraged, but, doing it in this kind of manner is stupid. Auctioning cricketers and ensuring that they get that amount every year, puts pressure on them, not just to perform well, but also, to sign more endorsements and entertain more. S Sreesanth is one case in point. He’s an entertainer more than a cricketer, undue aggression, is an expensive wicket-taker and can dance well than he can bowl at times, which is, all-in-all not a good combination.
Some people are right in pointing out that it’s the BCCI’s way of showing its clout. Agreed, that you are the world’s most influential cricket board, not to mention, also super wealthy. But, auctioning cricketers is taking things a bit too far. When India lost the World Cup last year, crashing out of the semis, cricketers were told to limit their endorsements. Why has the rule been lifted now? Why can’t the BCCI rap them on the knuckles now? People primarily want to play for the love of the sport, then the love of the nation, and then the love of money. But, activities like this ‘Cricketers ki Bikri’ Scheme are definitely going to be misleading and blinding. Everyone knows what the colour of money is and how it works! SRK has been keen to announce that it’s for the love of sport et al (by the way, ‘Love of Sport’ is going to be the next big thing in terms of phrases after ‘The Indomitable Spirit of Mumbai’); but anyone who’s got brains can see it’s a huge cash spinner for them all. Why are people like Mallya, Ness Wadia & Mukesh Ambani bidding otherwise?
Why I say it’s a vulgar display of money, is because it’s stupid to be bidding several hundred crores for teams, declaring it to the rest of the world, having promotional campaigns featuring these stars and thus boost potential stadium ticket sales. Like I said, huge cash spinner, this. What’s more is that the IPL franchisees are now setting their sights on the U-19 players. At this age, given that they’ve just entered the global arena, fresh Ranji players, can be swayed easily. Is there a point in doing this? Yes, possibly our players and the BCCI will regain their sanity once they realise that money is not the biggest thing… I don’t think that after this we have a very good reputation with the ICC and also the rest of the world. Some Australian cricketer whose name I can’t recall is of the opinion that the ICC should reschedule international cricket matches for the benefit of those playing in the IPL. That leaves a bad taste in the mouth for the outsiders including the ICC.
Who remembers Lakshmi Mittal ki beti ki shaadi? It was all froth in the opinion of many. Had it happened in India, it would be a rocking affair, like Mr. Mallya’s new year’s bashes are, but, the country was France, most unfortunately. And the French, like simple weddings like they like their wine and cheese. So obviously, it was overrated and over-the-top for them. A wedding is supposed to be a private affair, but in India it’s everything but that. It reminds me of a joke a comedian once came up with: What does 150 crores mean to Delhi? 30‘normal’ weddings!
My point is that a huge display of wealth and clout will achieve nothing but a somewhat tarnished (for lack of a better word) image. Let’s leave sport where it is, we have better means of displaying our clout, more wonderful things, like social causes. If the BCCI donated even 1% of it’s earnings to worthy causes (which it may or may not be doing currently) it will still be a significant contribution, and possibly even earn it fame for more productive purposes than stopping Kapil Dev’s pension and other causes.
Let's hope for the best.
Posted by Sanika: http://o3.indiatimes.com/insanityunlimited/archive/2008/03/22/4906775.aspx
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
China's Olympics and the '3 evils'
China's efforts to encash the forthcoming Olympics games at Beijing appear to have been facing severe hurdles even before the Games begin on August 8. However, major infrastructural efforts helped showcase several cities and venues.
It is a foregone conclusion that successful conclusion of Beijing Olympics would give China the much needed fillip to not only rise further in the global order but also the "political legitimacy" in the major capitals across the world. The Tokyo Olympics four decades ago just did that to Japan. However, for a ruling Communist Party (albeit in transition to 'social democratic' set-up), with its Tiananmen stains of 1989, the journey towards great power status is arduous, if not impossible to realise.
Foremost in such challenges are those precisely China considers as its core sovereignty related issues. Mention should be made of the on-going imbroglio involving China's positions on Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Taiwan. All issues related to these have been boiling and spilling over with each country forced to take a pro-Beijing position. At least, Beijing clearly drew 'red lines' that are not to be crossed over by other countries, but relatively content with 'amber lines', and happy with its 'green lines'.
In the on-going crack-down by Indian police on Tibetan activists protesting the holding of Olympics by China, the above issues and lines are clearly visible -- testing waters between New Delhi and Beijing for yet another time. The 'green lines' China would definitely prefer is handing over by Indian forces of over 200,000 Tibetan refugees living in different parts of India. This is expressed in the crucial word "inalienable" as a part of the joint declaration with other countries. While some Indian prime ministers were tempted to include such provision in their joint declarations, no such word was forthcoming so far due to the pressures from the civil society in India.
The 'red lines' China detest is any explicit support to the Tibetan movement by any government. Indeed, to forestall such an eventuality Beijing insisted on including the provision of "opposing 3 evils" [separatism, extremism and 'splittism'] in its joint declarations with other countries. The code words 'separatism' stands for Taiwanese independence (which will be tested on March 22 Presidential elections and referendum process); extremism for the Uighur movement in Xinjiang, while 'splittism' is reserved for the Dalai Lama and Tibetans.
Last few years saw the inclusion of '3 evils' as a part of the joint India-China declarations. During President Hu Jintao's visit in November 2006 this was mentioned. With this provision, Beijing bound Indian feet with its version of containment of the movement in Tibet. However, much before these, India in 1954 (by Nehru), 1988 (by Rajiv Gandhi) and in 2003 (by Vajpayee) have moved closer to the Chinese position on the Tibetan issue.
However, currently, the Indian position on Tibetan issue could be placed at the 'amber lines' level -- neither crossing the red lines nor yet accepting completely Beijing's green lines. This is one reason why the police crackdown -- despite Chinese pressure -- is muted, if firm at Kangra and New Delhi. Similar was the response of the Greek and Czech governments as well as local authorities at San Francisco and New York when such protests were undertaken by Tibetans in the last one week. Mongolians learned the hard way a few years ago when their borders were blockaded and debilitated by Beijing after Ulan Bator gave a visa to the Dalai Lama.
For the Tibetans, protest against holding of Beijing Olympics offers an opportunity to highlight their cause. Beijing decries support to such protests as "politicisation of sports events". However, Tibetans were not alone. Noted Hollywood director Steven Spielberg [Images] walked away from Beijing ceremonies citing the Chinese record in contributing to the Darfur civil war in Sudan. Others have criticised Chinese record in support of Robert Mugabe government in Zimbabwe or its human rights record.
Part of the escalation on the Tibetan issue rests with Beijing itself which ratcheted- up stakes in the region with a railway line operationalised in mid 2006, and other infrastructural projects put in line to fully integrate Tibet into its modernisation drive. Moreover, in early May this year the Olympics torch will be taken to the Chinese side of the Mount Everest [Images], a sacred spot for Tibetans. This would have signified not only generating patriotism among Chinese but also in complete domination of Tibet by China. In the backdrop lack of any progress in the five talks so far between Beijing and the Dalai Lama's representatives, the younger Tibetan elements have been restive of late who are fuelling protests against Beijing Olympics.
While showcasing Tibetan infrastructure has silenced prospective Western, Japanese and Singapore investors, the civil society forces have indicated restiveness -- and this poses major concerns for Beijing today as it touches on the raw nerve of legitimacy.
By Srikanth Kondapalli,chairman of Centre for East Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Source: http://in.rediff.com/news/2008/mar/14guest.htm
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
It is a foregone conclusion that successful conclusion of Beijing Olympics would give China the much needed fillip to not only rise further in the global order but also the "political legitimacy" in the major capitals across the world. The Tokyo Olympics four decades ago just did that to Japan. However, for a ruling Communist Party (albeit in transition to 'social democratic' set-up), with its Tiananmen stains of 1989, the journey towards great power status is arduous, if not impossible to realise.
Foremost in such challenges are those precisely China considers as its core sovereignty related issues. Mention should be made of the on-going imbroglio involving China's positions on Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Taiwan. All issues related to these have been boiling and spilling over with each country forced to take a pro-Beijing position. At least, Beijing clearly drew 'red lines' that are not to be crossed over by other countries, but relatively content with 'amber lines', and happy with its 'green lines'.
In the on-going crack-down by Indian police on Tibetan activists protesting the holding of Olympics by China, the above issues and lines are clearly visible -- testing waters between New Delhi and Beijing for yet another time. The 'green lines' China would definitely prefer is handing over by Indian forces of over 200,000 Tibetan refugees living in different parts of India. This is expressed in the crucial word "inalienable" as a part of the joint declaration with other countries. While some Indian prime ministers were tempted to include such provision in their joint declarations, no such word was forthcoming so far due to the pressures from the civil society in India.
The 'red lines' China detest is any explicit support to the Tibetan movement by any government. Indeed, to forestall such an eventuality Beijing insisted on including the provision of "opposing 3 evils" [separatism, extremism and 'splittism'] in its joint declarations with other countries. The code words 'separatism' stands for Taiwanese independence (which will be tested on March 22 Presidential elections and referendum process); extremism for the Uighur movement in Xinjiang, while 'splittism' is reserved for the Dalai Lama and Tibetans.
Last few years saw the inclusion of '3 evils' as a part of the joint India-China declarations. During President Hu Jintao's visit in November 2006 this was mentioned. With this provision, Beijing bound Indian feet with its version of containment of the movement in Tibet. However, much before these, India in 1954 (by Nehru), 1988 (by Rajiv Gandhi) and in 2003 (by Vajpayee) have moved closer to the Chinese position on the Tibetan issue.
However, currently, the Indian position on Tibetan issue could be placed at the 'amber lines' level -- neither crossing the red lines nor yet accepting completely Beijing's green lines. This is one reason why the police crackdown -- despite Chinese pressure -- is muted, if firm at Kangra and New Delhi. Similar was the response of the Greek and Czech governments as well as local authorities at San Francisco and New York when such protests were undertaken by Tibetans in the last one week. Mongolians learned the hard way a few years ago when their borders were blockaded and debilitated by Beijing after Ulan Bator gave a visa to the Dalai Lama.
For the Tibetans, protest against holding of Beijing Olympics offers an opportunity to highlight their cause. Beijing decries support to such protests as "politicisation of sports events". However, Tibetans were not alone. Noted Hollywood director Steven Spielberg [Images] walked away from Beijing ceremonies citing the Chinese record in contributing to the Darfur civil war in Sudan. Others have criticised Chinese record in support of Robert Mugabe government in Zimbabwe or its human rights record.
Part of the escalation on the Tibetan issue rests with Beijing itself which ratcheted- up stakes in the region with a railway line operationalised in mid 2006, and other infrastructural projects put in line to fully integrate Tibet into its modernisation drive. Moreover, in early May this year the Olympics torch will be taken to the Chinese side of the Mount Everest [Images], a sacred spot for Tibetans. This would have signified not only generating patriotism among Chinese but also in complete domination of Tibet by China. In the backdrop lack of any progress in the five talks so far between Beijing and the Dalai Lama's representatives, the younger Tibetan elements have been restive of late who are fuelling protests against Beijing Olympics.
While showcasing Tibetan infrastructure has silenced prospective Western, Japanese and Singapore investors, the civil society forces have indicated restiveness -- and this poses major concerns for Beijing today as it touches on the raw nerve of legitimacy.
By Srikanth Kondapalli,chairman of Centre for East Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Source: http://in.rediff.com/news/2008/mar/14guest.htm
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
NGO JOBS : Good Opportunity in Magic Bus,India
Magic Bus is a non- government organisation which promotes children’s right to play through a developmental program using sports and outdoor adventure as a platform to reach the most marginalised and at risk children and Youth.
Magic Bus is a 9-year old not-for-profit organization in Mumbai working through the medium of sport and experiential learning to improve the personal and social skills of at risk children and youth. The organization is at an exciting stage in its growth and is exploring opportunities in partnership with various government bodies and UNICEF to scale its programme across India. The organization has won a number of global awards and is now in need of a carefully managed human resource strategy to nurture and grow the employees in the organization. The organization has over 100 employees in Mumbai and at its development centre on the outskirts of the city.
Position: Human Resources - Head of Department
Reporting to Chief Operating Officer
Magic Bus is looking for a talented human resource expert with a Masters degree, preferably in human resources or a related field. We need someone with 5 to 7 years of professional experience, a proven track record of developing and implementing a human resource strategy in a team-oriented environment, and excellent oral and written communication skills. If you feel that you have the required drive and skill to be part of our exciting organization send a cover letter, resume and salary requirements to savitha@magicbusindia.org
Principal responsibilities:
Your role is responsible for developing and delivering the HR strategy for Magic Bus. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, this role will provide a full generalist HR support to all areas.
Key Areas of Responsibility:
- Ensure that effective resourcing solutions are applied to select the right candidates within the timescales required.
- Plan and implement recruiting strategy in order to meet the hiring plans in a timely and cost effective manner.
- Set up and manage performance management processes to maintain a high performance culture.
- To help develop and implement an appropriate reward strategy which attracts and retains the right staff, and rewards and encourages high performance
- Develop and implement efficient HR systems. Will also be involved in the design, implementation and maintenance of employment policies.
- Ensure employee benefit programs are communicated and implemented, so that benefits are well understood and smoothly administered.
- To provide Employee Relations support to the business to effectively resolve employee relations and performance management issues.
- To identify, develop and retain talent within the organization
- Development of personal growth strategies in line with the objectives of organization
- To ensure continued implementation of the Magic Bus culture and values through communication, events and mentoring
- Additional HR projects and responsibilities as assigned
Tenure - Full time position.
Remuneration - Salary will be best in industry. Offers will commensurate with qualifications and relevant experience.
Position: Centre Head
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer
The Magic Bus Learning and Development Centre in Karjat is one of India’s leading development centres. Approximately one and a half hours from central Mumbai the centre sits on over 20 acres of land. In addition to marginalised children it also has a facility to accommodate corporations and private schools to earn additional revenues to sustain itself. The Centre Head will be responsible for all operations at the centre, responsible for managing all facilities staff and will report directly to the Chief Operating Officer
The candidate should have a hospitality related Masters qualification with a minimum of 5 years experience. The candidate should have experience in the core functions of running a hospitality or learning institute that include Finance, Operations, Human Resources and Sales and Marketing. If you feel that you have the drive and skill to be part of our exciting organisation please send your details to savitha@magicbusindia.org
Key Responsibilities
Staff
• Develop and maintain high moral of all the staff and ensure an environment which is ethically aligned to the values of the organisation.
• Create opportunities of personal development for staff in align to organisation development.
• Provide daily and weekly reports and communicate to personnel about pertinent information and centre policies.
• Supervise and evaluate all facility staff.
• Maintain records of staff and facilities.
Operations
• Achieving overall occupancy rates given by the Chief Operating Officer
• Scheduling of all group bookings, and overseeing the booking system
• Scheduling of all resources efficiently
Programme
• Correct resource allocation of centre staff for each programme
• Overnight supervision when necessary
• Define and monitor crisis management plan, including emergency procedures.
Food and Hospitality
• Ensure the kitchens are run efficiently
• Cost controls on all purchase of food and hospitality
• Ensure the centre is continually kept clean and safe as per guidelines established
Relationship Management
• Ensuring good relationships with the local communities and key community stakeholders
• Ensure good relationships with all visitors to the centre
• Accompany or conduct where appropriate meetings with potential and existing new partners and clients at the centre
• Manage local centre events.
Financial / Governance Management
• Supervise centre finances and manage profit and loss account
• Assist Chief Operating Officer in strategic planning.
• Present financial results
• Facilitate preparation of annual budget resource planning, and allocation of all resources for the centre to meet annual objectives.
• Putting cost control, MIS reports
• All legal permissions for construction
• All legal documents for purchase of assets including land
Construction of Phase 2
• Liaise with Project Manager, Site Manager to ensure project plans/times adhered to
• Liaise with architect and construction company when required
• Manage all timelines for projects
• Sign of all completed work
• Budget control of ongoing activities
Tenure - Full time position.
Remuneration - Salary will be best in industry. Offers will commensurate with qualifications and relevant experience.
Position: Finance - Head of Department
Reporting to CEO
Magic Bus is a 9-year old not-for-profit organization based in Mumbai working through the medium of sport and experiential learning to improve the personal and social skills of at risk children and youth. The organization is at an exciting stage in its growth and is exploring opportunities in partnership with UNICEF to scale its programme across India. The organization, which has over 100 employees is also registered in the UK for fundraising and awareness building purposes and has started raising funds in Dubai.
Magic Bus is looking for a dynamic, hard working Head of Finance to be responsible for the Magic Bus to provide financial, administrative and governance leadership. He or she will head the Finance team and work closely with the senior executive to mange the finances and administration of the organization.
The candidate should have accounting experience and take the accounts from a trial balance level produce an Income statement/Balance sheet. He /she will have sound accounting knowledge and can prepare meaningful/timely /accurate management information such as cash flow projections, prepare budgets and provide budget/actual comparisons. He or she will be capable of developing office policies and procedures. Whilst a trained Chartered Accountant is not necessary you will need a minimum of 10 years experience.
Responsibilities:
Financial Management & Reporting
• Understanding the financial needs of the organisation and working with the management (Programme & Administration) team to draw a realistic budget based on the cost centres.
• Ensuring that the budgets are in line with the organizational strategy and plans
• Reviewing the budget to fine tune the future projections
• Funds Planning and Management
• Preparing a funding plan that spells out the sources of funds and the timelines for fundraising
• Tracking the funding status (Actual vs Planned)
• Ensuring that the funding is in line with the organizational strategy
• Cash Planning and Management
• Projecting the cash out flows and preparing an investment and liquidity plan accordingly
• Liaising with the banks and supervising the account activities
• Monitoring and Controlling Cost
• Tracking the expenses of all the cost centres, highlighting the cost over runs and suggesting cost control measures based on the analysis
Creating and Implementing Accounting Systems and Processes.
• Accounting processes will ensure allocation of funds and expenses to the appropriate cost centres
• Accounting system will enable cost centre wise tracking and reporting of income (funding) and expenses on a periodic basis
• Accounting system will also enable review of budget and will ensure more efficient budgeting
• Financial Reporting
• Financial reporting to the CEO and to the Board (India and International)
• Ensure flow of information on budget and expenses to the Directors and the Managers for better financial planning and control at the department level
• Provide inputs on financials for all the funding proposals and reporting to the funding partners
• Other responsibilities
• Assist CEO in financial and strategic planning and preparation of annual budget
• Manage the Finance Officer at the Magic Bus Centre
Corporate Governance Issues
• Creating and implementing policies
• Liaise with CA and lawyers to ensure the company complies to all the corporate governance issues
• Liaise with Company Secretary to ensure all the documentation for compliance
Office Infrastructure Coordination/ General Administration
• Maintain Office Systems and Infrastructure
• Responsible for relationship with Landlord, Electricity, water, society, Internet provider, IT maintenance
• Contractors – carpenter, repairs
• Office maintenance and development
• Order and budget for office supplies and kitchen supplies
• Maintain inventory of all equipment both in office and on grounds
Tenure - Full time position.
Remuneration - Salary will be best in industry. Offers will commensurate with qualifications and relevant experience.
Interested applicants should submit their CV with position applied for with salary expectation by 20th March 2008.
Magic Bus, Victory Mansion, R/No.3, 2nd floor, Sitladevi Temple Road, Mahim, Mumbai - 400 016 OR Send in your resume through email at savitha@magicbusindia.org Telephone: 91 22 24448691 / 24445569/ 24459125 Mobile – 9820451358.
For more information please go through our website: www.magicbusindia.org
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
YOGA IS GRADUALLY MAKING A NEW NICHE IN THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR
Inaugurating the National Yoga Week – 2008 organized by the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), the Indian Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss said the treatments in the modern medical hospitals are becoming expensive affairs for general public and so Yoga is gradually making a new niche in the healthcare sector. It is a traditional system of Indian medicine and has the vast potential of prevention and therapeutic dimensions. Smt. Anita Das, Secretary, AYUSH, Dr. R.K. Srivastava, DGHS and other senior officials from the Ministry of Health were present at the function organized in technical collaboration with DGHS and WHO
The following is the summary of the Health Minister’s speech:
Yoga is a holistic system of health care and has a legacy of in-depth prospective of spiritual, social and medicinal values, especially in the era of Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization (LPG), where every one wants peace, harmony and satisfaction from the untidy and hyperactive social milieu. With the advancement of modernization, busy and hectic schedule of the social life, the significance of Yoga have greatly increased and gradually becoming a blissful way of life.
In spite of being a discipline of spiritual advancement in the ancient days, Yoga has fittingly unleashed its horizon all over the world, particularly in the western hemisphere like USA, Canada, England, Germany, France and many other nations of the world. At the same time, it is conveying profound thought and getting worldwide popularity for its physical, physiological and psychological healing responses. However, this is not the end; the community of Scientists, Yoga researchers, Educationists, and Therapists has started churning the very possible use and zest of Yoga in every field and walk of life. This enthusiasm will facilitate a new paradigm of Yoga for overall development of human beings. A large number of researches and studies are going on in various medical institutions and research centers both at the national and international level on Yoga so that the importance of this unique form of treatment can be visualized at a larger level.
Yoga has the capability of developing self-realization with in-depth potential of spiritual and ethical values. In the age of urbanizations and globalization, the various components of Yoga are gaining momentum and becoming popular field of medicine to treat the several health problems and malaises of the present day. Even in a number of places, it is given preferences to the modern medicine because of larger faith and beliefs of the people. It is also playing a pivotal role in the management of diseases that is generally declared incurable by the physicians.
Yoga converts distress to de-stress and disease to ease. Yoga practices help in alleviating distress and thus producing therapeutic benefits. It has also the potential to strengthen the inner vigor. It is a proven system of techniques used to create health of mind and body by well-controlled experiments. It has become imperative to gain maximum from our ancestral medical practices like Yoga so that maximum advantage can be harnessed where modern medical sciences have limited to offer.
The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga is engaged in multifarious and multidimensional activities and programmes related to Yoga. The Institute is putting its best efforts to bring the system of Yoga in the mainstream of health care delivery system. The Institute has also taken a new initiative of starting Yoga Therapy and Research Centres in Government and Tertiary Hospitals of Modern medicine. Its contribution in Yoga demonstration and participation in AROGYA melas organized by the Ministry is much more appreciated by all. It has initiated to publish a quarterly journal – YOGA VIJNANA. I hope these unique moves will gather momentum to the propagation of Yoga and create more avenues for the public to use Yoga for their health problems. I appreciate the sincere efforts of the MDNIY for the promotion and propagation of Yoga by keeping the traditional values intact.
The National Yoga Week is a Mass Awareness Programme for Health, Happiness and Harmony through Yoga. It is a good initiative from the Institute where eminent Yoga experts, professionals and experts of allied sciences will share their enriched knowledge for stimulating and inspiring holistic approach for the betterment of the society. A need was being felt for a forum where active and dynamic researchers of this area can meet periodically to report new experiments and theoretical developments to examine hypothesis, explain physical phenomenon, and discuss common problems faced by people working in this domain. I hope the deliberations in this National Yoga Week would lead us to explore possible collaborations at multilateral fronts for systematic development of Yoga in all its aspects at the regional and global levels.
On the same wavelength, the various Yoga Institutions and Departments in different parts of the country should take an initiative to organize National Yoga Week event simultaneously on the said theme/events at least for a day or two to preserve the very purpose and sanctity of this event so as to make it a truly national event in the days to come.
Source: http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=35562
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
The following is the summary of the Health Minister’s speech:
Yoga is a holistic system of health care and has a legacy of in-depth prospective of spiritual, social and medicinal values, especially in the era of Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization (LPG), where every one wants peace, harmony and satisfaction from the untidy and hyperactive social milieu. With the advancement of modernization, busy and hectic schedule of the social life, the significance of Yoga have greatly increased and gradually becoming a blissful way of life.
In spite of being a discipline of spiritual advancement in the ancient days, Yoga has fittingly unleashed its horizon all over the world, particularly in the western hemisphere like USA, Canada, England, Germany, France and many other nations of the world. At the same time, it is conveying profound thought and getting worldwide popularity for its physical, physiological and psychological healing responses. However, this is not the end; the community of Scientists, Yoga researchers, Educationists, and Therapists has started churning the very possible use and zest of Yoga in every field and walk of life. This enthusiasm will facilitate a new paradigm of Yoga for overall development of human beings. A large number of researches and studies are going on in various medical institutions and research centers both at the national and international level on Yoga so that the importance of this unique form of treatment can be visualized at a larger level.
Yoga has the capability of developing self-realization with in-depth potential of spiritual and ethical values. In the age of urbanizations and globalization, the various components of Yoga are gaining momentum and becoming popular field of medicine to treat the several health problems and malaises of the present day. Even in a number of places, it is given preferences to the modern medicine because of larger faith and beliefs of the people. It is also playing a pivotal role in the management of diseases that is generally declared incurable by the physicians.
Yoga converts distress to de-stress and disease to ease. Yoga practices help in alleviating distress and thus producing therapeutic benefits. It has also the potential to strengthen the inner vigor. It is a proven system of techniques used to create health of mind and body by well-controlled experiments. It has become imperative to gain maximum from our ancestral medical practices like Yoga so that maximum advantage can be harnessed where modern medical sciences have limited to offer.
The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga is engaged in multifarious and multidimensional activities and programmes related to Yoga. The Institute is putting its best efforts to bring the system of Yoga in the mainstream of health care delivery system. The Institute has also taken a new initiative of starting Yoga Therapy and Research Centres in Government and Tertiary Hospitals of Modern medicine. Its contribution in Yoga demonstration and participation in AROGYA melas organized by the Ministry is much more appreciated by all. It has initiated to publish a quarterly journal – YOGA VIJNANA. I hope these unique moves will gather momentum to the propagation of Yoga and create more avenues for the public to use Yoga for their health problems. I appreciate the sincere efforts of the MDNIY for the promotion and propagation of Yoga by keeping the traditional values intact.
The National Yoga Week is a Mass Awareness Programme for Health, Happiness and Harmony through Yoga. It is a good initiative from the Institute where eminent Yoga experts, professionals and experts of allied sciences will share their enriched knowledge for stimulating and inspiring holistic approach for the betterment of the society. A need was being felt for a forum where active and dynamic researchers of this area can meet periodically to report new experiments and theoretical developments to examine hypothesis, explain physical phenomenon, and discuss common problems faced by people working in this domain. I hope the deliberations in this National Yoga Week would lead us to explore possible collaborations at multilateral fronts for systematic development of Yoga in all its aspects at the regional and global levels.
On the same wavelength, the various Yoga Institutions and Departments in different parts of the country should take an initiative to organize National Yoga Week event simultaneously on the said theme/events at least for a day or two to preserve the very purpose and sanctity of this event so as to make it a truly national event in the days to come.
Source: http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=35562
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
5 Easy Steps to Living Long and Well
Living past 90, and living well, may be more than a matter of good genes and good luck. Five behaviors in elderly men are associated not only with living into extreme old age, a new study has found, but also with good health and independent functioning.
The behaviors are abstaining from smoking, weight management, blood pressure control, regular exercise and avoiding diabetes. The study reports that all are significantly correlated with healthy survival after 90.
While it is hardly astonishing that choices like not smoking are associated with longer life, it is significant that these behaviors in the early elderly years — all of them modifiable — so strongly predict survival into extreme old age.
“The take-home message,” said Dr. Laurel B. Yates, a geriatric specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston who was the lead author of the study, “is that an individual does have some control over his destiny in terms of what he can do to improve the probability that not only might he live a long time, but also have good health and good function in those older years.”
The study followed more than 2,300 healthy men for as long as a quarter-century. When it began, in 1981, the subjects’ average age was 72. The men responded to yearly questionnaires about changes in health and lifestyle, and researchers tested their mental and physical functioning. At the end of the study, which was published Feb. 11 in The Archives of Internal Medicine, 970 men had survived into their 90s.
There was no less chronic illness among survivors than among those who died before 90. But after controlling for other variables, smokers had double the risk of death before 90 compared with nonsmokers, those with diabetes increased their risk of death by 86 percent, obese men by 44 percent, and those with high blood pressure by 28 percent. Compared with men who never exercised, those who did reduced their risk of death by 20 percent to 30 percent, depending on how often and how vigorously they worked out.
Even though each of these five behaviors was independently significant after controlling for age and other variables, studies have shown that many other factors may affect longevity, including level of education and degree of social isolation. They were not measured in this study.
Although some previous studies have found that high cholesterol is associated with earlier death, and moderate alcohol consumption with longer survival, this study confirmed neither of those findings.
A second study in the same issue of the journal suggests that some of the oldest of the old survive not because they avoid illness, but because they live well despite disease.
The study of 523 women and 216 men ranging in age from 97 to 119 showed that a large proportion of people who lived that long and lived with minimal or no assistance did so despite long-term chronic illness. In other words, instead of delaying disease, they delay disability.
Dr. Dellara F. Terry, the lead author and an assistant professor of medicine at Boston University, said the study showed that old age and chronic illness were no reason to stop providing thorough treatment. “We should look at the individual in making treatment decisions,” Dr. Terry said, “and not base our decisions solely on chronological age.”
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/19/health/19agin.html?_r=1&ref=science&oref=slogin
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
The behaviors are abstaining from smoking, weight management, blood pressure control, regular exercise and avoiding diabetes. The study reports that all are significantly correlated with healthy survival after 90.
While it is hardly astonishing that choices like not smoking are associated with longer life, it is significant that these behaviors in the early elderly years — all of them modifiable — so strongly predict survival into extreme old age.
“The take-home message,” said Dr. Laurel B. Yates, a geriatric specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston who was the lead author of the study, “is that an individual does have some control over his destiny in terms of what he can do to improve the probability that not only might he live a long time, but also have good health and good function in those older years.”
The study followed more than 2,300 healthy men for as long as a quarter-century. When it began, in 1981, the subjects’ average age was 72. The men responded to yearly questionnaires about changes in health and lifestyle, and researchers tested their mental and physical functioning. At the end of the study, which was published Feb. 11 in The Archives of Internal Medicine, 970 men had survived into their 90s.
There was no less chronic illness among survivors than among those who died before 90. But after controlling for other variables, smokers had double the risk of death before 90 compared with nonsmokers, those with diabetes increased their risk of death by 86 percent, obese men by 44 percent, and those with high blood pressure by 28 percent. Compared with men who never exercised, those who did reduced their risk of death by 20 percent to 30 percent, depending on how often and how vigorously they worked out.
Even though each of these five behaviors was independently significant after controlling for age and other variables, studies have shown that many other factors may affect longevity, including level of education and degree of social isolation. They were not measured in this study.
Although some previous studies have found that high cholesterol is associated with earlier death, and moderate alcohol consumption with longer survival, this study confirmed neither of those findings.
A second study in the same issue of the journal suggests that some of the oldest of the old survive not because they avoid illness, but because they live well despite disease.
The study of 523 women and 216 men ranging in age from 97 to 119 showed that a large proportion of people who lived that long and lived with minimal or no assistance did so despite long-term chronic illness. In other words, instead of delaying disease, they delay disability.
Dr. Dellara F. Terry, the lead author and an assistant professor of medicine at Boston University, said the study showed that old age and chronic illness were no reason to stop providing thorough treatment. “We should look at the individual in making treatment decisions,” Dr. Terry said, “and not base our decisions solely on chronological age.”
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/19/health/19agin.html?_r=1&ref=science&oref=slogin
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Physical activity is important for aging well
After a life of working hard, when you are older you just want to relax and put your feet up, right?
Well, no.
As we age, regular physical activity is a cornerstone of a healthy retirement.
According to the experts, it helps your body function more effectively in many ways – aiding in the maintenance of a healthy weight, combating anxiety and depression, keeping bones, muscles and joints working properly, relieving symptoms of arthritis and reducing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and some types of cancer.
Actually most of us are aware of the importance of exercise. According to recent surveys, 91 percent of Albertans agree that physical activity will keep them healthy. Despite knowing this, it can be difficult to actually make sure that you are getting enough physical activity in your life.
Of course many people of retirement age and beyond are very active – perhaps they are bodybuilders or do triathalons.
But for the majority of us who need to be more active, it will require a conscious effort to make changes to our current habits.
The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends that people start slowly, accumulating 30 to 60 minutes of moderate activity most days. It doesn’t have to be done all at once – 10 minutes at a time is fine.
It is best to do a variety of activities that help improve your endurance, flexibility, and strength and balance. These can include walking, swimming, dancing, skating, cross-country skiing, cycling, yoga and aquatic exercises and weight training.
However you can also get benefits from building activity into your daily routine by doing the activities you do now, just more often.
Walk wherever and whenever possible, get up every hour to move around and stretch for a few minutes, and take the stairs instead of the elevator. Gardening and housework also count as exercise. Finding a way to build regular physical activity into your daily routine will yield great results.
There are many different inventive and creative strategies you can use to become more active, but no matter the strategy, becoming more active requires making plans and pursuing different opportunities.
In order to identify a few different methods that can help you become more active, you can investigate activity opportunities in your community, talk to others about how they stay active, read books or articles about trying new activities, or take a course about becoming more active.
As your body slows down, you might be tempted to skip the exercise because it is harder to do and you feel challenged physically. This is the wrong thing to do. As you age, you might need to change the types of exercise you do, but anything that gets you moving is good.
The most important thing to remember about exercise as you get older is that it does not need to be strenuous, it just needs to be consistent.
Calories burned by exercise
Here are the approximate calories burned per 15 minutes and 30 minutes of participating in the following activities:
• Circuit Training 185/320
• Cycling (six miles per hour) 75/130
• Dancing (swing) 110/205
• Elliptical Trainer 235/548
• Golf (walking and carrying clubs) 80/170
• Hiking (average incline) 105/190
• Swimming 130/250
• Tennis (singles) 110/225
• Walking (3.5 miles per hour) 65/130
• Yoga 70/120
Source: http://www.seniorsdaily.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=991&Itemid=36
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Well, no.
As we age, regular physical activity is a cornerstone of a healthy retirement.
According to the experts, it helps your body function more effectively in many ways – aiding in the maintenance of a healthy weight, combating anxiety and depression, keeping bones, muscles and joints working properly, relieving symptoms of arthritis and reducing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and some types of cancer.
Actually most of us are aware of the importance of exercise. According to recent surveys, 91 percent of Albertans agree that physical activity will keep them healthy. Despite knowing this, it can be difficult to actually make sure that you are getting enough physical activity in your life.
Of course many people of retirement age and beyond are very active – perhaps they are bodybuilders or do triathalons.
But for the majority of us who need to be more active, it will require a conscious effort to make changes to our current habits.
The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends that people start slowly, accumulating 30 to 60 minutes of moderate activity most days. It doesn’t have to be done all at once – 10 minutes at a time is fine.
It is best to do a variety of activities that help improve your endurance, flexibility, and strength and balance. These can include walking, swimming, dancing, skating, cross-country skiing, cycling, yoga and aquatic exercises and weight training.
However you can also get benefits from building activity into your daily routine by doing the activities you do now, just more often.
Walk wherever and whenever possible, get up every hour to move around and stretch for a few minutes, and take the stairs instead of the elevator. Gardening and housework also count as exercise. Finding a way to build regular physical activity into your daily routine will yield great results.
There are many different inventive and creative strategies you can use to become more active, but no matter the strategy, becoming more active requires making plans and pursuing different opportunities.
In order to identify a few different methods that can help you become more active, you can investigate activity opportunities in your community, talk to others about how they stay active, read books or articles about trying new activities, or take a course about becoming more active.
As your body slows down, you might be tempted to skip the exercise because it is harder to do and you feel challenged physically. This is the wrong thing to do. As you age, you might need to change the types of exercise you do, but anything that gets you moving is good.
The most important thing to remember about exercise as you get older is that it does not need to be strenuous, it just needs to be consistent.
Calories burned by exercise
Here are the approximate calories burned per 15 minutes and 30 minutes of participating in the following activities:
• Circuit Training 185/320
• Cycling (six miles per hour) 75/130
• Dancing (swing) 110/205
• Elliptical Trainer 235/548
• Golf (walking and carrying clubs) 80/170
• Hiking (average incline) 105/190
• Swimming 130/250
• Tennis (singles) 110/225
• Walking (3.5 miles per hour) 65/130
• Yoga 70/120
Source: http://www.seniorsdaily.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=991&Itemid=36
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
WE SHOULD CARE YOUNG TALENTS WHO MISS THEIR CHILDHOOD
Indian Finance Minister Shri P. Chidambaram has said that we should care young talents who have lost their childhood as many children move into adulthood bypassing the joy of childhood because of harsh realities of life. All efforts should be made to identify and bring forth the creativity of the socially challenged children.
Stating this Shri Chidambaram said that the requirement for their food, clothing and even shelter are usually met but what is most important is to encourage the creative and natural talents which these children possess but are not expressed as they do not get a proper platform for expression. Shri Chidambaram said that children possess original and natural talents which should be encouraged particularly in the field of Songs, Music, Dances and other similar arts.
The Finance Minister appreciated the original idea and initiative by two professionals Alpana & Neeraj who with the assistance and enrollment of other professionals organized a show called “Small Wonders” to bring forth the creativity and talents of these special children at a function here last evening at the prestigious Balyogi Auditorium of the Parliament. Appreciating the role of different voluntary institutions working for the welfare and development of socially challenged children (Orphans) like Ashadeep, Shishu Sangh Open Griha/St. Michel’s Hostel, Bhatia School and Bal Bhawan, the Finance Minister said that similar efforts should be made to empower the children by exploring & then developing their potential.
The programme, which was based on the theme of Basant Panchmi, will be telecast on Lak Sabha TV Channel from 4 to 5 p.m. on Sunday i.e. 10th February, 08.
Source: http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=35262
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
Stating this Shri Chidambaram said that the requirement for their food, clothing and even shelter are usually met but what is most important is to encourage the creative and natural talents which these children possess but are not expressed as they do not get a proper platform for expression. Shri Chidambaram said that children possess original and natural talents which should be encouraged particularly in the field of Songs, Music, Dances and other similar arts.
The Finance Minister appreciated the original idea and initiative by two professionals Alpana & Neeraj who with the assistance and enrollment of other professionals organized a show called “Small Wonders” to bring forth the creativity and talents of these special children at a function here last evening at the prestigious Balyogi Auditorium of the Parliament. Appreciating the role of different voluntary institutions working for the welfare and development of socially challenged children (Orphans) like Ashadeep, Shishu Sangh Open Griha/St. Michel’s Hostel, Bhatia School and Bal Bhawan, the Finance Minister said that similar efforts should be made to empower the children by exploring & then developing their potential.
The programme, which was based on the theme of Basant Panchmi, will be telecast on Lak Sabha TV Channel from 4 to 5 p.m. on Sunday i.e. 10th February, 08.
Source: http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=35262
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
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