TWO GLOBAL ROLE MODEL VILLAGES OF INDIA...

It's a saying that India lives in its villages. Though a lot has changed with the changing times, still a lot depends on these lively villages which present the better half of India. Each Village has a unique identity, with the best coming out in their own ways. Travelers find these Indian villages extremely fascinating since they introduce them to a completely different way of living. Trapped in their hectic city life travelers find the solace of villages in India completely refreshing. Away from their tensions, these travellers just love to spend some quiet moments amidst natural beauty and new set of people and culture. Recognizing this fact, the tourism department of India has also gone ahead to recreate heritage villages where visitors are treated to a lifestyle that is unique to Indian villages. Out of them I am presenting the first two global model villages of India which are an inspiration for other villages of the world.

PUTTAPARTHI:

Puttaparthi that was once a hamlet and a sparsely populated village with a population of just a little over hundred people, has now population of about a lakh of people. The history of Puttaparthi, as far as the world is concerned, began on November 23, 1926, the birth date of Sathya Narayan Raju, later became famous as miraculous Spiritual Saint Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Set in a narrow farming valley, the village was apparently called Gollapalli, the home of cowherds, before it became Puttaparthi. Located in Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh state, Puttaparthi is a small village about 800m above sea level at a latitude of 15 degrees north and a longitude of 70 degrees east. Peace and tranquility are the salient features of this bustling place and probably no other village in the world is as famous and has so many facilities all in one place like Puttaparthi. The selfless philanthropic works of development done here has brought this village national and international fame. Sathya Sai Central Trust is well known for several welfare activities across the country and around the whole world, as it runs thousands of free Schools, 2 free Super-Specialty Hospitals in Puttaparthi and Bangalore, Universities, free drinking Water Supply to Millions of people in more than 700 villages including metropolitan Madras and many more around the world. In Puttaparthi , there is Satya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, which has now transformed into a University, an exclusive airport, a 220-bedded Super-Speciality hospital, a railway station, a planetarium, a hill-view stadium, a museum of world religions, a music college, an administrative building, an indoor sports stadium.

Institutions, organisations and projects:

Sathya Sai Baba supported a variety of free educational institutions, hospitals, and other charitable works in over 166 countries. The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (now changed to Sri Sathya Sai University) in Prashanthi Nilayam is the only college in India to have received an "A++" rating by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (an autonomous body established by the University Grants Commission). Sri Sathya Sai University of which Baba was the Chancellor, has three campuses, one at Puttaparthi for men, one at Whitefield, Bangalore for men and one at Anantapur for women. His charity supports an institute for Indian classical music called the Sri Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music. Baba's educational institutions aim to impart character education along with excellence in academics with emphasis on human values and ethics. Sathya Sai Baba chaired the Muddenahalli-Sathya Sai Loka Seva School and Sri Sathya Sa Loka Seva Trust Educational Institutions in Muddenahalli-Kanivenarayanapura regions. In addition, a Sathya Sai Baba University and Medical School as well as a world class hospital and research institute are being constructed on over 200 acres (0.81 km2) to serve the destitute population. Baba said that the campus will be modeled after Puttaparthi and will infuse spirituality with academics. The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Puttaparthi is a 220 bed facility that provides free surgical and medical care and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narasimha Rao on 22 November 1991. The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Bangalore is a 333 bed hospital meant to benefit the poor. The hospital was inaugurated on 19 January 2001 by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.The hospital has provided free medical care to over 250,000 patients. The Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital was opened in Whitefield, Bangalore, in 1977 and provides complex surgeries, food and medicines free of cost. The hospital has treated over 2 million patients.

The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust runs several general hospitals, two specialty hospitals, eye hospitals and mobile dispensaries and conducts medical camps in rural and slum areas in India. The Trust has also funded several major drinking water projects. One project completed in 1996 supplies water to 1.2 million people in about 750 villages in the drought-prone Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh. The second drinking water project, completed in 2004, supplies water to Chennai through a rebuilt waterway named "Sathya Sai Ganga Canal".[109][110] Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi praised the Chennai water project and Sai Baba's involvement. Other completed water projects include the Medak District Project benefiting 450,000 people in 179 villages and the Mahbubnagar District Project benefitting 350,000 people in 141 villages.[62] In January 2007, the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust said it would start a drinking water project in Latur, Maharashtra.[113] In 2008, 2 million people in the state of Orissa were affected by floods. As a relief measure, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization, has built 699 houses as a part of their first phase in 16 villages by March 2009.

Sathya Sai Baba's Educare program seeks to found schools throughout the world with the goal of educating children in the five human values. According to the Sai Educare site, schools have been founded in 33 countries, including Australia, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Peru.The Times of Zambia states, "The positive influence of Sathya Sai is unprecedented in the annals of education in Zambia. Sai Baba's education ideals as embodied in his human values-based approach in education are an eye opener to educationists in Zambia." In Canada, the Fraser Institute, an independent Canadian research and educational organization, ranked the Sathya Sai School of Canada as one of the top 37 elementary schools in Ontario. The Sathya Sai School scored a perfect 10 out of 10 in the Institute's overall rating for academic performance.

On 23 November 1999, the Department of Posts, Government of India, released a postage stamp and a postal cover in recognition of the service rendered by Sathya Sai Baba in addressing the problem of providing safe drinking water to the rural masses. On 23 November 2001, the digital radio network Radio Sai Global Harmony was launched through the World Space Organization, United States. Dr Michael Oleinikof Nobel (distant relative to Alfred Nobel and one of the patrons for the radio network) said that the radio network would spread Sathya Sai Baba's message of global harmony and peace.

In January 2007, an event was held in Chennai Nehru stadium organised by the Chennai Citizens Conclave to thank Sathya Sai Baba for the 200 crore water project which brought water from the River Krishna in Andhra Pradesh to Chennai city. Four chief ministers attended the function.

RALEGAN SIDDHI:

Ralegan Siddhi (Marathi: राळेगण सिद्धी) is a village in Parner taluka of Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra state in western India. It is located at a distance of 87 km from Pune. The village has an area of 982.31 ha (1991). It is considered a model of environmental conservation. The village has carried out programs like treeplanting, terracing to reduce soil erosion and digging canals to retain rainwater. For energy, the village uses solar power, biogas (some generated from the community toilet) and a windmill. The project is heralded as a sustainable model of a village republic. The village's biggest accomplishment is in its use of non-conventional energy. For example, all the village street lights each have separate solar panels. Since 1975, the village is headed by the noted Indian social activist Anna Hazare. In 1975, when Anna Hajare, a retired army man, went back to his village in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, he found the village reeling under drought, poverty, debt, and unemployment. He decided to mobilize the people and, with the collective support of all the villagers, he began to introduce changes. One of the works of Vivekananda which he had read was ‘Call to the nation’. Today Ralegaon Siddhi is being taken as a role model for other villages by the Maharashtra government and by other states too. Massive tree plantation has been undertaken, and hills have been terraced to check erosion. Large canals with ridges on either side have been dug to retain rain. As a result, the water table in this area is now considerably higher and the wells and tube wells are never dry, making it possible to raise three crops a year where only one was possible. The villager's biggest achievement is undoubtedly in the area of non-conventional energy. All the streets in the village are lit by solar lights, each with a separate panel. There are four large community biogas plants and one of them is fitted to the community toilet. There is a large windmill used for pumping water. A number of households have their own biogas plants. The village is self sufficient.

Some of the developmental & constructive works done in Ralegan Siddhi are:

Prohibition of alcohol: Hazare and the youth group decided to take up the issue of alcoholism as a means to drive a process of reform. At a meeting conducted in the temple, the villagers resolved to close down liquor dens and ban alcohol in the village. Since these resolutions were made in the temple, they became, in a sense, religious commitments. Over thirty liquor brewing units were closed by their owners voluntarily. Those who did not succumb to social pressure were forced to close down their businesses when the youth group smashed up their liquor dens. The owners could not complain as their businesses were illegal.When some villagers were found to be drunk they were tied to pillars and then flogged, sometimes personally by Hazare. He justified it by giving an example, ‘Doesn’t a mother administer bitter medicines to a sick child when she knows that the medicine can cure her child? The child may not like the medicine, but the mother does it only because she cares for the child.’ The alcoholics were punished so that their families would not be destroyed. Hazare appealed to the government of Maharashtra to bring in a law whereby prohibition would come into force in a village if 25% of the women in the village demanded it. In 2009 the state government amended the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949 to reflect this. It was decided to ban the sale of tobacco, cigarettes, and beedies (an unfiltered cigarette where the tobacco is rolled in tendu also known as Diospyros melanoxylon leaves instead of paper) in the village. In order to implement this resolution, the youth group performed a unique "Holi" ceremony twenty two years ago.[when?] The festival of Holi is celebrated as a symbolic burning of evil. The youth group brought all the tobacco, cigarettes, and beedies from the shops in the village and burnt them in a Holi fire. Tobacco, cigarettes, or beedies are no longer sold.

Grain Bank: In 1980, the Grain Bank was started by him at the temple, with the objective of providing food security to needful farmers during times of drought or crop failure. Rich farmers, or those with surplus grain production, could donate a quintal to the bank. In times of need, farmers could borrow the grain, but they had to return the same amount of grain they borrowed, plus an additional quintal as an interest. This ensured that nobody in the village ever went hungry or had to borrow money to buy grain. This also prevented distress sales of grain at lower prices at harvest time.

Watershed development programme: Ralegan is located in the foothills, so Hazare persuaded villagers to construct a watershed embankment and associated works to stop water and allow it to percolate and increase the ground water level and improve irrigation in the area. These efforts solved the problem of water scarcity in the village and made irrigation possible.Cultivation of water-intensive crops like sugar cane was banned. Crops such as pulses, oil-seeds, and certain cash crops with low water requirements were grown. The farmers started growing high-yield varieties of crop and the cropping pattern of the village was changed. Hazare has helped farmers of more than 70 villages in drought-prone regions in the state of Maharashtra since 1975. When Hazare came in Ralegan Siddhi in 1975 only 70 acres (28 ha) of land was irrigated, Hazare converted it into about 2,500 acres (1,000 ha).

Milk production: As a secondary occupation, milk production was promoted in Ralegan Siddhi. Purchase of new cattle and improvement of the existing breed with the help of artificial insemination and timely guidance and assistance by a veterinarian resulted in an improvement in the cattle stock, increasing production of milk. Crossbred cows are replacing local ones which gave a lower milk yield

Education: In 1932, Ralegan Siddhi got its first formal school, a single classroom primary school. In 1962, the villagers added more classrooms through community volunteer efforts. By 1971, out of an estimated population of 1,209, only 30.43% were literate (72 women and 290 men). Boys moved to the nearby towns of Shirur and Parner to pursue higher education, but due to socioeconomic conditions, girls could not do the same and were limited to primary education. Hazare, along with the youth of Ralegan Siddhi, worked to increase literacy rates and education levels. In 1976 they started a pre-school and a high school in 1979. The villagers formed a charitable trust, the Sant Yadavbaba Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, which was registered in 1979.

Removal of untouchability: The social barriers and discrimination that existed due to the caste system in India have been largely eliminated by Ralegan Siddhi villagers. It was Hazare's moral leadership that motivated and inspired the villagers to shun untouchability and caste discrimination. Marriages of Dalits are held as part of community marriage program together with those of other castes. The Dalits have been integrated into the social and economic life of the village. The upper caste villagers have built houses for the lower caste Dalits by shramdaan and helped to repay their loans to free them from their indebtedness.

Collective marriages: Most rural poor get into a debt trap as they incur heavy expenses at the time of marriage of their daughter or son. It is an undesirable practice but has almost become a social obligation in India. Ralegan's people have started celebrating marriages collectively. Joint feasts are held, where the expenses are further reduced by the Tarun Mandal taking responsibility for cooking and serving the food. The vessels, the loudspeaker system, the mandap, and the decorations have also been bought by the Tarun Mandal members belonging to the oppressed castes. From 1976 to 1986, 424 marriages have been held under this system.

Gram Sabha: The Gandhian philosophy on rural development considers the Gram Sabha as an important democratic institution for collective decision making in the villages of India. Hazare campaigned between 1998 and 2006 for amending the Gram Sabha Act, so that the villagers have a say in the development works in their village. The state government initially refused, but eventually gave in due to public pressure. As per the amendments, it is mandatory to seek the sanction of the Gram Sabha (an assembly of all village adults, and not just the few elected representatives in the gram panchayat) for expenditures on development works in the village.

With the help from sites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sathya_Sai_Baba

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Hazare

REMEMBERING MY GRANDFATHER SARDAR BHAVKHANDAN SINGH JI ON HIS 15th DEATH ANNIVERSARY (Jan 19, 1930 - July 17, 1996)….

by HARGUNPREET SINGH
Today is the 15th Death Anniversary of my grandfather S. Bhavkhandan Singh ji. Though I spent only 8 early years of my life with him but the impact of his great personality will remain on me for my entire life. I learnt from him the earlier basic and important things of my life like walking, talking, reading, writing and dressing style. Now, I will try my best to put light on some of the great features of his personality according to my capability and guidance provided by my father:
• S. Bhavkhandan Singh ji completed his Matriculation from B.N. Khalsa High school, Patiala, and after that he passed out his Giani examination under the able guidance of Giani Buddh Singh ji of Qaumi College Patiala.
• He was firstly appointed as a Language teacher in Govt. High school Sanaur. He did his service mostly in schools of Sanaur, Samana and Bhunnerheri villages of Patiala District.
• In service of approximately 40 years, he was never late and always reached the school half an hour before the prescribed time.
• He was also so much devoted to his work spots that he very rarely availed the casual leaves, not to talk of enjoying other holidays. He had complete mastery over his subject, he focussed more on beautifying the handwriting of his students. To improve the handwriting of his students, he did not even hesitate to make them use the wooden slates (takhtis) even in higher classes. He had so much faith in his hardwork and his students’ talent that once during the time of yearly inspection of his school, he very confidently said to the District Education Officer, “You can put any question to my students from the entire syllabus.” When the officer gave the test, he was surprised to see the amazing preparation of his students.
• While teaching poetry, he sometimes used to sing hymns from Gurbani, shaloks of Baba Farid ji and many other poems so melodiously that it had a bewitching and everlasting impact on the students minds.
• Though he was a Punjabi teacher but he also had a great ability and efficiency to teach History and Geography. He used to draw maps on the blackboard without looking into the book and taught the students to fill the maps with great ease and perfection.
• Whenever there was a shortage of teachers of Social Studies subject in his school, he was given the responsibility of teaching this subject and his students always showed 100% results.
• Some of his colleagues were so impressed by his unique teaching style and skill that in their vacant periods, they used to sit in his class with other students to learn some tips to become a better teacher.
• He was always loved and respected by his fellow teachers and heads because he never said no to any work and did all his duties with great enthusiasm and joyfulness. Sometimes when P.T. teachers were on leave, he even did their job efficiently and conducted the morning assembly very successfully. Whether he was made an incharge of school examinations or an incharge of Admission with-drawal register, or a class incharge, he did his work with full devotion and dedication. Once, when in Sanaur, he was made the library incharge, he maintained the library so beautifully and aesthetically that it was praised not only by the staff of his institution but also by the teachers and Heads of neighbouring institutions as well.
• When several other teachers don’t care to maintain their Teachers Diary properly and think it a useless activity to maintain it, he truly understood its importance and kept on writing his daily diary with great interest during his entire service. His diary was so beautifully maintained that once his Principal S. Harnam Singh was so much impressed and overjoyed that he could not stop himself from writing ‘very good’ on his diary in the way the teachers use to write on students notebooks.
• While working under the headship of S. Basheshar Singh at Govt. High school Samana, he along with his colleagues S. Sukhbir Singh and S. Harbhajan Singh, took free extra classes of his students. Hardwork done by the students and devoted team work of sincere teachers resulted in a miracle and the poor village students studying under the shade of trees and in sheds excelled even the students of big city schools of Punjab by gaining higher ranks in the Merit list.
• He not only decorated and beautified his school with his beautiful writing by drawing charts, but also during the State and District level Sports competitions and Science exhibitions, he alone did the work of 10 persons in filling the merit certificates. Many of the high officials like Dr. S. S. Krishanpuri, Dr. Gurdev Singh Joshi and Sri Dharampal Sharma always admired and praised him for his dedication towards his profession.
• He considered his students as his own children and sometimes, when it required he didn’t hesitate to scold and rebuke them. But this was only done for the sake of their improvement and to make them realize their mistake. Students also considered him as their father and they never minded the punishment for their betterment.
• His kingly and majestic personality exercised its influence on his students and on the academicians and intellectuals with an artistic sense like Prof. Kulwant Singh Grewal, Prof. Kirpal Kazak and Prof. Narinder Singh Kapoor who always admired his Patiala-Shahi dress up, his long height and his royal living style.
• Famous Bollywood actor Sri Om Puri; Dr. Satish Kumar Verma, Director Youth Welfare and Professor Punjabi, Punjabi University; S. Lal Singh, former Rural Development Minister Punjab and Dr. Amarjit Singh Waraich, Station Director, AIR (All India Radio) are some of his internationally known students.
• He was very friendly, compassionate, honest and humble in nature. Though his friend circle was huge but some of his best friends were Prof. Joginder Kaushal, Ret. Director Correspondence, Punjabi University, Tehsildar S. Harbhajan Singh Grewal, Prof. Baldev Kaushal, Dr. Gurcharan Singh and Sri Raj Kumar of Nath Watch Company etc. The bond of their friendship was so strong, pure and selfless that it lasted till the end of his life and some people were seen taking oaths in the name of their friendship.

WHY SIKHS TODAY ARE LEAVING SIKHISM?

There are many reasons of this problem like increasing materialism, westernization, forgetting our Golden cultural heritage and sacrifices of lakhs of great Sikhs for the sake of community and country, selecting wrong role models like singers & actors, increasing drug addiction and many others immoralities etc…. But one significant problem according to me is that most of the Sikhs who are religious outwardly are not religious inwardly i.e. most of the Kathawachaks, Granthis, Sikh Saints, Raagis & Sikh intellectuals etc are not performing their roles in a positive sense and some of them have totally become fanatics and to some extent atheists as well …. Many kathawachaks & so called Sikh vidwans have themselves no particular or one view on any of an important issue related to our religion, whether it may be on bani, calendar or history, and they are busy in quarreling with each other uselessly & unnecessarily….. They are just dictating the sangat or listeners, don’t do this & don’t do that, don’t go here or there, don’t give respect to any other great individual belonging to different faith…. They have wasted whole their life just in critizing & disrespecting others, and have reached no where…. I feel that if some of them are given the power, they would immediately separate or delete the sacred bani of various Great Saints, Fakirs & Bhagats belonging to different religions & castes from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and edit it according to their limited & low thinking or interest….. Religion is based more on the Faith, than on Logic….. Though Logic is also important but not to such extent that we start disbelieving in Truth….. This is also one of the main reason I think, why Sikh sangat have started going to deras or any other places, as they are given better treatment there, whether it may be economic or mental support, than our Gurudwaras, where our spiritual leaders are busy in fighting & making money…. On any of the religious functions celebrated in Gurudwaras, most of the people visit Gurudwaras to have langar only or getting their demands fulfilled by God, but nobody thinks of transforming his/her mind by listening to Guru’s shabads and teachings….. From the beginning of a day in the morning, loudspeakers of Gurudwaras are creating such a noise pollution like if they are forcing people to listen them.... Thus, instead of attaching them, they are being detached and as a result, some people who really want to attain eternal peace through divine sermons, are agitated and finally leave their interest in it…. So, if we really want to bring our religion back in high spirits, we should have to think in a sensible way & do something positive and constructive, unles it will be too late….. At last, I will only say that these are my personal views and I don’t claim that I am totally correct….. However, I don’t have any interest to indulge in any kind of controversies or discussions on any religious matters, nor I say that I am a very great, firm or pure Sikh, but being a Gursikh I am writing what my conscience is suggesting me.... According to Gurubani, "SABH MAEH JOT JOT HAEY SOEY, TIS DAEY CHAANAN SABH MAEH CHAANAN HOEY"; "SABHE SAANJHEEVAL SDAAEN TU KISE NA DISEY BAAHRA JEEO" OR "AVAL ALLAH NOOR UPAAEA KUDRAT KE SABH BANDE, EK NOOR TE SABH JAG UPJEAA KAUN BHLE KAU MANDE" & many more, teach us that Religion is a subjective matter and all people have freedom of doing anything they want, all have different views & ideology according to their different intellect, different personal or spiritual experiences and different family background….. Many more things are in my mind which I will discuss later on some day….. Thanks a lot for reading…. "WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH"….. - HARGUNPREET SINGH.

REAL ROLE MODELS OF SOCIETY

Today, many Punjabi pop singers are using 'Jatt' word mostly in their music albums and are destroying & demolishing the real image of Jatts, which has a very deplorable & negative impact on youngsters…. In their albums, they are always shown having guns in their arms, drinking alcohol, fighting and murde...ring, romancing or just dancing…. These misleading singers have become role models of youth and youth is following & copying them blindly, leaving our great religious, cultural and moral values. In Sikh religion all castes are equal and no discrimination is there according to the teachings of our Gurus & Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji….. But, just to make our young generation aware about the fact and change their mentality that Jatts & Punjabis have been the food generators, great leaders & great martyrs of our country, I have designed this picture with images of great Sikhs so that young generation should get attach to its cultural roots and make them their role models instead of following these misguiding & immoral singers or actors…..

HOW TO BECOME HAPPY?

Who does not want to be happy? But mere wishing for it will not solve the purpose. These steps if taken in the right spirit, are sure to bring happiness in our life.
• Oneness with our work: The people who do not perform their duties well, can never be happy. Is it reasonable to think that a student who is careless at his studies or a teacher not dedicated to his profession is worthy of expecting happiness? Only those people who do their work, however small, with single-minded devotion, deserve true happiness. How true are the following words of an eminent educationist, Dr. D.R. Vij , “ Be one with your work, enjoy doing it and see what happens. I assure you, you will yourself tell me the secret of happiness and success.”
Shirdi Sai Baba has put the same truth in the following words, “ Duty is God; Work is Worship; Even the tiniest work is a flower placed at the feet of God.” Work, when done whole heartedly becomes a form of worship. In the words of Swami Vivekananda, “ Whatever you do, devote your whole mind, heart and soul to it. I once met a great Sanyasi, who cleansed his brass cooking utensils making them shine like gold, with as much care and attention as he bestowed on his worship and meditation.”
Work and happiness are inseparable. In the words of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, “Happiness and work are really wedded together, for there can be no true happiness without the feeling that one is doing something worth while.”
• Helping the Needy: By working hard when we achieve something, we should not keep it to ourselves but should help others who are lagging behind in health, wealth, education and other necessities of life. This will be a true Service to Humanity. Only an egoless and selfless person can do such a pious job. Hard work alone can make a person a specialist and an expert who achieves stupendous success in his specific area of work. In the philosophical language he may be called ‘Good’ in his respective field, but if by shedding his ego he becomes humble and selflessly serves the mankind, he will virtually become an image of God.
The same truth is revealed in these words of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, “ There is no difference between Good and God. The selfish existence in the world is nothing, it is zero. If a good man gets above his egoism, one zero of good is dropped and he attains godhood.”
• Striving for Improvement: The glory of a person who takes the first two steps is sure to resound in the entire universe. This is a very delicate stage and he may fall into the grip of laziness. To come out of this, instead of considering himself perfect, he should strive for improvement because their always remains a room for it. These priceless words of Swami Yogananda provide a valuable piece of advice in this regard: “ When you are told you are good, you should not relax but should try to become even better. Your continuous improvement gives happiness to you, to those around you and to God.”
• Faith in God’s Grace: For all our achievements, we should give full credit to the Almighty Lord for nothing is possible without His eye of grace. We get abundant happiness when sense of doership leaves us. All our virtues are bestowed upon us by God as He is the sole repository of virtues. The following words of Swami Ram Tirtha if remembered well, will provide us a constant protection against ego, a great hazard in the path of happiness: “O Lord, it is not my Labour,
but your Favour that matters.” - HARGUNPREET SINGH.

MIRACLE OF LORD'S FAVOUR & MY LABOUR

As one of the toppers of Ninth class, when I stepped into Tenth class of Budha Dal Public School , Patiala, in April 2003; Medical reports brought the most agonizing fact to surface that I was in the tight grip of Leukaemia i.e. Blood Cancer. 22 weeks Intensive Treatment including Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy followed by a 3-year Maintenance Phase was given at PGIMER, Chandigarh. My treatment was completed in 2007 and I was declared fit and administration of drugs was stopped. As a precautionary measure I still visit P.G.I. for regular check-ups after every 6 months. Heavy intake of aggressive medicines render me too weak to appear in the Matriculation examination in March 2004. My father wanted me to take complete rest during the entire period of treatment but I did not want to lose one more precious academic year of my life. On my insistence he got me admitted in tenth class of Govt. Model Sr. Sec. School Pheel Khana, Patiala. Though my bad health did not allow me to attend the school regularly but whenever I went to school, I got my problems solved in vacant periods of my worthy teachers. With grace of Lord and blessings of all my teachers and elders, I scored 78.46% marks in tenth class. I also stood first in my school in +1 and +2 classes of Humanities group. After that in July 2007, I got admission in Bachelor’s degree of Multani Mal Modi College, Patiala where I made a Hattrick by standing 1st in my College in all the 3 years of my Graduation. In April 2010 Examination, I got 77.13% marks in B.A. Final year and total of 75.13% (First division with Distinction). Now I am doing M.A. Journalism and Mass Communication in Punjabi University, Patiala. Besides my stupendous and extraordinary achievements in academics, I also got First prizes in District, State and National Level Calligraphy, Drawing and Painting, Turban-Tying and Essay-writing competitions related to Gurubani and Bhagwad Gita. I had the honour of standing first among the candidates of Govt. Schools in ‘All India Essay Writing Competition’ organised by United Schools Organisation Of India in Aug, 2006. ‘Jeevan Shakti Award’ for the year 2008 was awarded to me by Sahayta Cancer Sahyog Society Chandigah in recognition of my miraculous achievements despite a horrible disease. Last year in Sep. 2009, I won the first prize in State Level Essay Writing Competition related to the life of Shaheed Bhagat Singh organized by ‘Shaheed Bhagat Singh Vichar Munch, Ludhiana. Spiritual atmosphere at home and my firm faith in God helped me tremendously in fighting the most dreadful disease with a positive outlook towards life. During my ailment, I studied the lives of great men, listened to the spiritual discourses of the holy men belonging to different religions on various T.V. channels. I shared the knowledge thus gained by writing more than 200 inspirational articles which were published in the special issues of prominent Punjabi Newspapers. A compilation of 108 such articles was published in my first inspiring book ‘Museebtaan Ton Na Ghabrao’. I have experienced that a problem when faced in the right way proves a blessing in disguise. - HARGUNPREET SINGH.

PARTIALITY & INEQUALITY IN DISTRIBUTION OF HONOURS OR PRIZES IN OUR COUNTRY

"ਖੇਡੋਗੇ ਕੁੱਦੋਗੇ ਬਣੋਗੇ ਨਵਾਬ, ਪੜ੍ਹੋਗੇ ਲਿਖੋਗੇ ਹੋਵੋਗੇ ਖਰਾਬ।", These words are true in today's context as in our country, there is a great partiality & inequality in distribution of prizes. About 95% of honours and prizes worth lakhs & crores of rupees are given mostly to the players or sports persons and the people related to Art and Culture like writers, poets, painters and intellectuals etc. who play an essentiial role in inspiring, educating & awaring the masses, are always neglected. Every field whether it is Sports or Arts is great & respectable, where one field strengthens our physique and body; the other field, strengthens our psychology, character & behaviour. Government keeps on making the rich sports persons more richer by again & again honouring them with lakhs and crores of rupees, but people related to Literature & religion are never given much economic & moral support or encouragement by our State or Centre governments. Where in Sports, only the person who plays the game is benefitted from it; but a great writer or poet brings revolution & awareness in the whole society. If we see at the school, college or University level, various financial benefits and honours like Role of Honour & College Color are mostly provided to the Sports students, who are generally careless and poor in their studies and never attend classes regularly. This is one of the main reason why our young generation don't like to study Literature, Religion, Ethics and moral values, as they know very well that there are not much chances of getting economic benefits in these subjects. This inturn, reults in materialistic & individualistic approach among the students who only want to earn huge amount of money, whether by moral or immoral ways. Hence, this kind of approach hinders the human happiness, peace and self control, and increases anxiety, tensions, negative competition and finally various mental and physical problems. Therefore, these problems become a big barrier & obstruction in our country's progress, peace & social growth. So, we all should think seriously upon this issue.... - HARGUNPREET SINGH.