ABVYM Annual Camp 2015

It was about 9 AM of last Sunday, one of those end-Dec. days when Her Highness visits ancestral place to take care of certain other things there. Checked with Ma, she was feeling much better that day (nothing serious, old age has its ups and downs). I made a quick estimate. Yes, I can finish shopping, cooking etc. and push-off for the 2:25 PM EMU local, for a seven-hour round trip to a place called Panskura. It would be 50 minutes train journey from Kharagpur station towards Howrah.

Ma happily obliged. I was going to Panskura to attend the afternoon / evening session of 5-day long annual camp of Akhil Bharat Vivekananda Yuva Mahamandal (ABVYM). The word 'Mahamandal' itself brings joy, a glow in our family for the contribution it had on us and in our neighbourhood. The other day HH came from local market, excited. Has any Mahamandal member of Kharagpur unit joined a book shop in the market? I answered in negative, at least I was not aware of. Came the reply - but the young boy, could be a college student, had the look, and the way he presented himself!


Went to market. Bumped on Anjan, another Mahamandal product, a self-made man who runs two schools and has tremendous entrepreneurial spirit. He visited camp on 25th Dec. and was to go again on 29th because it would have Swami Balabhadranadaji's lecture in the evening session. But, as soon as he heard that I would be going that day, he thought that there was nothing wrong with 27th either :-).

Shopping, cooking, lunch, medicine to Ma - all done and there was Anjan with his bike at our quarter at 1:30 PM. Together we boarded that 2:25 PM train. When we got down at Panskura station, we found Prabodh-da and another young companion of him, all going to camp. Prabodh-da too is from Kharagpur unit. His son and seven other from Kharagpur, are attending this camp for all five days.

Took vacation leave from office for visiting the camp again on 29th Dec. This time Sujoy, Kanchan, Anuj - a different set of Kharagpur unit oldies accompanied and also eight other young persons. While it was pre-planned that myself and Sujoy would go together, Anuj and Kanchan's decision to join was sudden. Anuj rang in the morning thanking me for my facebook post on 27th Dec. camp visit and when he heard that we would be going that day, he was in. For Kanchan, there was celebration of birth anniversary of their diksha-guru, Swami Swarupananda - Babamoni. He freed himself, had early prasad and joined the team. For youngsters in the team, a proposal was made previous evening and the number swelled to eight. Gifted these young companions a small book on "Leadership: Its Concept and Qualities" written by Sri Nabaniharan Mukhopadhyaya from the camp site book stall. Had an interaction with the author in the camp who has been the main driving force of ABVYM since its inception in 1967.


At the end of the picture series below, there are videos that has two interesting lectures on "Vivekananda and Technical Education" by Swami Vedarupananda, Ramakrishna Mission Shilpamandir, Saradapith (Link) and "Vivekanada's Philosophy of Work" by Swami Balabhadrananda, Assistant Secretary, Belur Math (Link). In the first, among others, the theory of adoption of technological skill brings unemployment, is bunked. In the latter, it was explained how work efficiency improves without creating bondage / backlash through practice of non-attachment.

There are few other short duration videos that shows different aspects of this camp - the flag-down ceremony (1), the physical skill demonstration by children's wing (1), prayer (1), song (1), Q and A session (1, 2), camp kitchen / dining, book stall (1,2 ) and also typical camp announcements (1).

Camp Pictures:

Camp Videos:

An audio of evening lecture in Day 2 of camp on "Vivekananda and World Peace" in Bengali by Sri Birendra Kumar Chakraborty, Secretary, ABVYM: Link

Endnote: There was email, phone call, SMS. A discussion was to take place on certain official activity where a faculty from another IIT was to come here. It happened yesterday evening. While we could wrap up the official matters in 15 minutes, the next 30 minutes went in sharing ideas and experiences on certain common interests. The young faculty and his wife work for  rescued children through an NGO, teach yoga in juvenile home etc. They have a team of 10 members in that campus and every weekend, 5-6 members of that team engage some of their time for the social cause in rotation. He showed me some of the photographs of the children he worked with. I showed him some of the activities being carried out here and also nararted experience of this ABVYM Annual Camp and NSS, IIT Kharagpur Annual Camp.

And, I had to email the young faculty twice at his request. The first time, I mailed him the weblink of that official activity. The second mail had link of this blog. I had the opportunity of reporting NSS, IIT Kharagpur 7-day long Annual Camp experiences in NSS, IIT Kharagpur blog (8 posts from Nov. 28 to Dec. 05, 2015). While I could attend ABVYM Annual Camp on 2 days, I visited NSS, IIT Kharagpur camp everyday except for one day as I had to be in the national launch of IMPRINT-India by Hon. President in presence of Hon. Prime Minister at Rashtrapati Bhavan. 

This is where

"This is the day when it began. This is where it all began." We heard Director, IIT Kharagpur starting his Foundation Day speech this way yesterday. Before proceeding further, let me acknowledge that this post is  going to be a highly 'plagiarized' one :-) with many copy - paste material. The reason - the more I write myself, the more I'll dilute the original. And, hence.

We had Independence Day celebration and Foundation Day celebration in a space of four days. On Independence Day, the unfurling of National Flag was followed by Independence Day speech. Let me quote a part of it.

On this auspicious occasion, we pay our respectful homage to our countrymen who sacrificed their lives and earned this freedom. The freedom thus earned, is the job completely done? Should we then sit complacent with this or look ahead?

I understand that what we have is only physical freedom and what we should be aiming is internal and spiritual freedom as well.  

One may gain political and social independence, but if one is slave to his passions and desires, one cannot feel the pure joy of real freedom. Our aim now should be to move towards this real freedom.

Everything that we perceive around us is struggling towards freedom. When the line of action taken is not proper one, we call it evil; and when the manifestation of its proper and high, we call it good. But the impulse is the same, the struggle towards freedom. The saint is oppressed with the knowledge of his condition of bondage, and he wants to get rid of it; so he worships God. The thief is oppressed with the idea that he does not possess certain things, and he tries to get rid of that want, to obtain freedom from it; so he steals.

The freedom which the saint seeks is very different from that which the robber seeks; the freedom loved by the saint leads him to the enjoyment of infinite, unspeakable bliss, while that on which the robber has set his heart only forges other bonds for his soul. 

A video of this speech is available in the video player below. Full text of the speech can be found here (Link). This reminds me a Vivekananda quote, "Bold words and bolder deeds are what we want. Awake, awake, great ones! The world is burning with misery. Can you sleep? Let us call and call till the sleeping gods awake, till the God within answers to the call. What more is in life? What greater work?"

And don't we take this pledge here every year on 15th August morning (Link)?

In this solemn morning, when our people by their suffering and sacrifice, have secured freedom and become masters of their destiny, we do dedicate ourselves to the service and welfare of India, to the end that this ancient land attain its rightful and honored place in the world, and makes its full and willing contribution to the promotion of world peace and welfare of mankind. May we have the strength to hold high the banner that has been entrusted to us, and the devotion to serve till the last breath, the cause that it represents.

Comes the Foundation Day, 18th August. We hear the announcement, "In a first, IIT Kharagpur, the oldest among all IITs, will have a centre exclusively for promotion of human values through meditation, yoga, lectures on spiritualism and character building. To be named after Swami Vivekanand, the centre will aim to combine modern education with development of the personality."

To be named after Swami Vivekanand, the centre will aim to combine modern education with development of the personality - See more at: http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/soon-iit-kgp-to-boast-of-a-centre-for-promotion-of-human-values/article1-1253591.aspx#sthash.ynBvXP3L.jaN9jFOL.dpuf

Director, IIT Kharagpur's message had been:

Vivekananda is the ideal of the youth. Hence the centre is being named after him to honour him and inculcate his teachings among the youth. There is a need for leadership and human excellence in addition to regular academic curricula,

Dean, Alumni Affairs and Internal Relations, IIT Kharagpur had this to say.

Swami Vivekanand had proposed the right mix of modern education drawn from the best western ideals with the goal of total development of human personality as envisioned by eastern sages. The centre would be a sanctuary for the soul. It will be located in the middle of a lake with a pristine environment. We hope to start construction in a few months and the centre may be complete by the end of next year.

Exciting days ahead! And the other student group (known as TTG here) with whom I have now the privilege to work, are making it even more exciting with the launch of this blog on the Foundation Day (Link).

Through the vision and efforts of its patrons and members, TTG aspires to play its role humbly while IIT Kharagpur reaches greater heights in R & D space and on this auspicious day, TTG dedicates  itself once again at the service of our beloved alma mater.

Epic

[Pictures are from yesterday evening's visit to Rathayatra fair, just outside IIT Kharagpur campus.]

We cannot be faulted if we take ourselves too seriously! After all, this is the only life we have!! One suggestion would be to follow Dadi of Kapil Sharma's popular comedy show on TV. When told, "Dadi, think second time," she shot back,"When life is one, why think twice?" For the believers of more than one life, one may say that we had chance before, we shall get chance again - why worry? If nothing works, we have the liberty to become more philosophical than usual - Many like us had come and gone, many like us will come and go, let us not get stressed!!!

Star Plus is now beaming the epic Mahabharata with new castings. "Dharme cha arthe cha kaame cha mokshe cha bharatarshabha. Yadhihasti tadanyatra yannehasti na tadkvachit" i.e. "O scion of the Bharat race, whatever dharma, artha, kaam and moksha exists in the world, exists in the text, whatever is not in the text does not exist elsewhere." We can watch all episodes here (Link) and take life easy. Of course, we should avoid 'what-if's and draw conclusion out of it. For example, if the battle of Kurukshetra could be avoided if Dhritarashrta dealt Duryodhana differently at various stages - Dhritarashrta could become neither a true king nor a true father. Probably if one is true in one, he automatically becomes true in other.

The other epic Ramayana of Ramanand Sagar production, probably holds world record as the most viewed mythological TV serial. Our young days had "Sitaram charit ati pavan / Madhur saras aur ati mann bhavan / Puni puni kitane ho sune sunae / Phir bhi pyaas bujat na bujae" filling the air on Sunday mornings.  All episodes of it can be seen here (Link). This too offers lessons that places eternity over transients. Often it is laced with humour that we can appreciate if we know that life is more than stand-up comedy, but comedy it is!! Here goes one such story from Ramayana that is taken from this place (Link). 

One day in the forest, Lord Rama was standing with his bow rested on the ground and talking to his brother Lord Lakshmana. After some time Lakshmana noticed that Rama’s bow was rested on a frog and it was struggling to survive. Rama took the frog and asked, “Why didn’t you speak up when you were in pain?”. Frog, a self-realized soul, replied “when others hurt me, I call your name “Rama, Rama” – but here it is you giving me the pain – who else can I call? So I accepted this pain as a blessing.”

Endnote: "We play our parts here — good or bad. When the dream is finished and we have left the stage, we will have a hearty laugh at all this — of this only I am sure." - Vivekananda in his letter to Sister Nibedita on 28th August, 1900 (Link)

 

This far

This far, and no further. Where, when and how we draw the line is very important. We need to be at our wit's end if we allow things to go out of proportion. Timing is important as a stitch in time, saves nine. All these sound good. Comes the most important and difficult question, how do we do it. Do we act tough? Do we act soft? Do we not act at all expecting things to fall back on its own weight? There is no one shoe that fits all. 

Bead String

The clock strikes 5:00 AM. Waking up and taking morning walk. Beautiful campus, morning breeze. The loudspeaker of a neighbourhood colony gently pouring in "Om Bhurbhuba Swaha .." You reflect on the past. You gear up for future. You know that yours is to act, to play your character, as long as you are on stage. Many people acted in past, many will come in future. You are only one of the beads in bead string. See that your bead remains shining. Pray, the string that connects all the beads finds mine worthy enough to put on Her necklace. 

An Inspiring Speech

We got more than what we could give in terms of our service to village school children when we listened to one youngster from Gholgharia Primary School in NSS, IIT Kharagpur Annual Day on April 12, 2014 (video link). Even if you do not know Bengali, you may feel like listening to it again and again. His audience was a full house V2 auditorium that included students, faculty, Dean, Director of IIT Kharagpur. He took up anecdotes from life of Vivekenanda where his mother Smt. Bhubaneswari Devi and Guru, Sri Ramakrishna taught him adherence to Truth and - it is Truth that conquers.

Reaching Out

Director, IIT Kharagpur in his speech emphasized on learning experience of an IITians when (s)he goes through program like NSS (video link). Many students for the first time in their life visit a mud house in a village. It surprises how a two-storied mud house gets built and how it survives. He recollected his own NSS Days as student here. He used to visit Balarampur village to teach underprivileged students. Those students often used to come to campus to clarify their doubts. He encouraged NSS team to come up with more programs for the welfare of underprivileged and reiterated institute's commitment to contribute to the development of villages in 20KM radius of IIT Kharagpur campus. A cultural program by village school students followed (video link).

Chandrasekhar Yadala Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is in memory of our departed student Chandrasekhar who died of cardiac arrest soon after leaving his MTech program and joining job. This scholarship is funded by faculty and fellow students of his laboratory at IIT Kharagpur. It was bolt from a blue to all those who knew Chandrasekhar, a very jovial and warm person, good at extra-curriculars too. The NSS function saw the award of late Chandrasekhar Yadala Memorial Scholarship to six high school students of neighboring villages of IIT Kharagpur (video link). There was a slide show where we remembered beautiful moments of Chandrasekhar's stay here.

Candle March

There was also a candle march scheduled on 12th April and it started from Gymkhana later in the evening. It was the last event of the 'Reach Out Week' (April 09-12) and was in memory of two departing souls, who we lost recently. It was a silent procession with candles in hand. The evening was quite windy. People reached out to each other to keep the respective flame burning during the march, whenever it was getting extinguished due to wind (video link). One of the student who I took help from most of the times, was a wing-mate of one of those two boys. There was no apparent reason - he was good in academics, sports and games; probably it was due to overpowering emotion - he was a sensitive boy. 

The Substrate

I saw the poster in Students Welfare Group's facebook page that says, "Never make permanent decisions on temporary feelings." During our walk, we discussed what I wrote in earlier posts - the amount of effort we give to gain control of external world and not a fraction of it for control over internal world. There is knowledge abound on this in this country. We need to take some amount of our attention away from single-minded pursuit of material wealth and glory and build the aadhar, the substrate - that is me. Else, where will we put all those medals? Also, it will help us to know which are the medals to go after.

Taekwondo

Does talking about inner development sound out-of-fashion? Does it sound like prabachan (sermon) which is not meant for youngsters? Well, how about martial art? That probably is fashionable! And one would not feel shy or ashamed to take lesson on that! The other day I was going through basic tenet of Korean martial art Taekwondo (Link). They are: Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-control, Indomitable spirit, Community service, Love. We got to acquire these character qualities.

Making Choices

Each of us is a leader. Someone or the other always looks up to me. We need to know how to lead. It first starts with how to lead oneself. There is no choice but to make choices on what we take as input, what we cultivate within and what we place before others. We have to make choices on our input - the company we keep, the material we go through. We have to make choices on what to cultivate, of various inputs that we receive. Finally, we have to see if what we give back to society, has gone through a value addition, if we are contributing to the making of a better society, and a better tomorrow. It starts from self. Then if we get an organizational responsibility, there too we have to make choices. There is no escape from it. But we always have to ask ourselves, our conscience this question - what are we trying to achieve by making this choice.

Endnote

Every action has a reaction. A leader has the strength and ability, will and resolve to withstand it. It is easier if sufficient contemplation is done, if the decision is for the greater good. To lead is to sacrifice. Sacrifice gives moral strength to the leader, earns him / her respect. That is the real power. Rest is only supplementary. We have to sacrifice many of our smaller propensities to lead ourselves to our greater selves. We should not be afraid of sacrifice. Let me end with a famous quote of Vivekananda, "Sacrifice in the past has been the Law, it will be, alas, for ages to come. The earth’s bravest and best will have to sacrifice themselves for the good of many, for the welfare of all." 

Executive-In-Charge

It was the 3rd evening of this month. Like every year, this year too, Tata Bearings family extended their invitation to be a part of their annual function where they remember Vivekananda's life and message. I worked in this Bearings Division of Tata Steel, situated about 10 KM from IIT Kharagpur campus, in 1992-1993. One may expect that I was at my unconventional best :-) in those years too! And the love, the affection I still enjoy there even after 20 years, shows the greatness, kindness of people there and people at large which we often underestimate. If I am in station, I do not give this annual function a miss.

We had speakers in this evening from Ramakrishna order who spoke nicely and at length. I spoke for few minutes. However, this post is about what Executive-in-Charge of Tata Bearings told in the occasion. He started by seeking forgiveness from the monk for being little late. It was a weekday and he had certain responsibilities. Talking about responsibilities, he said that he can never forget that as head of the organization he has to look after well-being of families of 500 employees. And though he wanted, he could not give as much time to study Vivekanada's works. That he was speaking from the heart and not for the occasion can be found from this youtube video which I dug out later (Link). Here he was taking Economic Times IMEA award and in his acceptance speech we hear him saying, "The only thing I want to say that my heart goes for my 500 people back in my Kharagpur unit who are my direct employees and another 500 who are indirectly associated with us...and it is all because of them I am here."

But in this 3rd Feb. function he did not stop just at that. He went on saying that what he takes inspiration from is an anecdote on Dharmabyadha which Vivekananda told in explaining Karmayoga. This he studied in Class VIII and preserves within him. He narrated the anecdote at length which I reproduce below from Vivekananda's works (Link).

The other day I was requesting a senior person here who is working tirelessly to take the institute forward, to take care of health and to get adequate sleep. This I tell whenever I find a person is not able to give enough attention to his/her health. As an executive, he/she is key not only for the well-being of the organization but also for contributing to the growth of the nation, its success, fulfilling aspiration of thousands.It is in everybody's interest to see that good people have a good going :-) physically and mentally. In fact, all of us should have a good going so that we can serve to the best of our capacity.
--------
"The only way to rise is by doing the duty next to us, and thus gathering strength go on until we reach the highest state. A young Sannyâsin went to a forest; there he meditated, worshipped, and practiced Yoga for a long time. After years of hard work and practice, he was one day sitting under a tree, when some dry leaves fell upon his head. He looked up and saw a crow and a crane fighting on the top of the tree, which made him very angry. He said, "What! Dare you throw these dry leaves upon my head!" As with these words he angrily glanced at them, a flash of fire went out of his head — such was the Yogi's power — and burnt the birds to ashes. He was very glad, almost overjoyed at this development of power — he could burn the crow and the crane by a look. After a time he had to go to the town to beg his bread. He went, stood at a door, and said, "Mother, give me food." A voice came from inside the house, "Wait a little, my son." The young man thought, "You wretched woman, how dare you make me wait! You do not know my power yet." While he was thinking thus the voice came again: "Boy, don't be thinking too much of yourself. Here is neither crow nor crane." He was astonished; still he had to wait. At last the woman came, and he fell at her feet and said, "Mother, how did you know that?" She said, "My boy, I do not know your Yoga or your practices. I am a common everyday woman. I made you wait because my husband is ill, and I was nursing him. All my life I have struggled to do my duty. When I was unmarried, I did my duty to my parents; now that I am married, I do my duty to my husband; that is all the Yoga I practice. But by doing my duty I have become illumined; thus I could read your thoughts and know what you had done in the forest. If you want to know something higher than this, go to the market of such and such a town where you will find a Vyâdha (The lowest class of people in India who used to live as hunters and butchers.) who will tell you something that you will be very glad to learn." The Sannyasin thought, "Why should I go to that town and to a Vyadha?" But after what he had seen, his mind opened a little, so he went. When he came near the town, he found the market and there saw, at a distance, a big fat Vyadha cutting meat with big knives, talking and bargaining with different people. The young man said, "Lord help me! Is this the man from whom I am going to learn? He is the incarnation of a demon, if he is anything." In the meantime this man looked up and said, "O Swami, did that lady send you here? Take a seat until I have done my business." The Sannyasin thought, "What comes to me here?" He took his seat; the man went on with his work, and after he had finished he took his money and said to the Sannyasin, "Come sir, come to my home." On reaching home the Vyadha gave him a seat, saying, "Wait here," and went into the house. He then washed his old father and mother, fed them, and did all he could to please them, after which he came to the Sannyasin and said, "Now, sir, you have come here to see me; what can I do for you?" The Sannyasin asked him a few questions about soul and about God, and the Vyadha gave him a lecture which forms a part of the Mahâbhârata, called the Vyâdha-Gitâ. It contains one of the highest flights of the Vedanta. When the Vyadha finished his teaching, the Sannyasin felt astonished. He said, "Why are you in that body? With such knowledge as yours why are you in a Vyadha's body, and doing such filthy, ugly work?" "My son," replied the Vyadha, "no duty is ugly, no duty is impure. My birth placed me in these circumstances and environments. In my boyhood I learnt the trade; I am unattached, and I try to do my duty well. I try to do my duty as a householder, and I try to do all I can to make my father and mother happy. I neither know your Yoga, nor have I become a Sannyasin, nor did I go out of the world into a forest; nevertheless, all that you have heard and seen has come to me through the unattached doing of the duty which belongs to my position.""

Ishq

I am happy today. Reason? Her Highness is happy. We tend to believe that it is not-so-easy a task :-) One may ask, how much did the gift worth? The fact is different. It was a gift that I gave to myself. And that brought the smile. Yes, I took morning walk this morning after a long, long time.

There was no short-cut either. It was full 4 KM stretch and in my favourite terrain. When was it the last time? Two months back, or more - lost the count of it. Past few months had been very, very hectic. Added
responsibilities. Extra effort to fit into the shoes. Lace tied. I have earned my gift. The morning walk.

Another thing changed in between. The fun of being a part of the crowd and in a shooting spree with camera is being replaced with more formal stuffs. It was a smooth ride in crossing 10,000 marks of shooting pics in last 4 years. Most of them were for NSS (Link) and NSO Health and Fitness (Link).

I attended this year's NSS Annual camp in bits and pieces because of the new responsibilities - had been camp commandant in last five years. And this forced me to change my facebook friends policy. I started accepting friends request from students after two days of the camp. The students were posting their activities, how they were building murram roads, cleaning bushes etc. in their profile. And I could feel the pulse of the camp through them. All NSS camp pictures in this page are taken from facebook upload of students.

I spent longer on the concluding day of the 7-day long camp. The NSS faculty compering the show called me to say a few words. Later I found that another NSS faculty recorded the same and shared that with me. I
find that I thanked all, explained the policy change :-) and felt proud that the worry of what would happen when I move to other responsibility was unfounded. Feel so proud of the NSS, IIT Khaargpur team! Told the NSO Health and Fitness team too last week that they are to get
ready!!

Yesterday, attended an important meeting at Delhi. Watched the movie "Naram Garam", and Kabi Sammelan "Wah! Keya baat Hai" in the flight. As said, things are under control now! Remember that last week on Friday afternoon while waiting at Fortis hospital, Kolkata for our collaborator to finish heart surgery and begin discussion (and a demonstration of laptop version of heart sound analyzer developed by us), I was checking end-semester answer-scripts much to the bewilderment of people in hospital reception.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Amol Palekar - you are prepared for a sweet family drama! But Birju the artist gives a test of both art and artist in the following segment (Link) at 3:30 minute onwards. "Aagar umar ke lehaj se kaha to thik hai ... Kalakar apne Mata, Pita aur Guru ko chhorke kisi ke pao mein haat nehi lagata. Samjhe aap. Namaste."

The "Wah! Keya baat Hai" program in Air India flight had interesting lines. A couplet there asked one to be cautious as "Ishq o nadi hai jiska kinara nehi." Received a mail from a young monk of Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math on Saturday. He says, "Swamiji mentioned work and worship can be performed in three ways: work and worship, work as worship and work is worship. Our way should be the last one."

I don't know which part of this story is Ishq, which is work and which is worship or if the fine line melts somewhere when we think less of our own well-being and more of the society around us.

End-quote from Vivekananda: "The whole gist of this teaching is that you should work like a master and not as a slave; work incessantly, but do not do slave's work...Love and do good to everybody, but do not become a slave. In the first place, attachment degenerates us, individually, and in the second place, makes us extremely selfish. "

Obvious

The clock strikes 8 PM. The person who locks the office appears in your door. Time to leave. Next destination is Dept. to finish the rest of the work. 8:45 PM - phone call from home. Start winding up slowly. Walk past the corridor, stop a while at a colleague's door. A quick rerun of the day. Did you hear correctly - what is more important, being a high achiever or being a good human being? 

Do these two have inherent conflict? Vivekananda said, "Unselfishness is more paying only people do not have the patience to practise it." Can we not have both high achiever and a good human being in one? If we are asked to choose between a high achiever and a good human being, the answer should be obvious. But is that so?

Every choice has a cost. If we choose good human being and not the high achiever, we miss out association with those achievements and additional scores that come with it. If we do not choose good human being, we are on a slippery ground. 

Is it a choice for only today or also for tomorrow or day after? One may ask, tomorrow will come only if we are able to survive today. The fact is, whether we survive or not, tomorrow will come. We have to go one day. But tomorrow will continue to come. That is inevitable.

There was a facebook post this evening! Excerpts below in italic. Immediately three persons come into chat. All from outside IIT Kharagpur community. One is childhood senior, one is childhood junior, and the third is an in-law, cousin brother's side. "Is everything fine?" Can it be otherwise? You post a message which is not that obvious and immediately three persons ping you, comfort you. 

Achievement! What is that? 

And here is a person who thought that the issue deserves a post! Only a blind person or a blinded person cannot see what is obvious!!

Be God's child. You need not fear anything! Fear, according to Vivekananda, is the greatest weakness. He said, "Stand up, be bold, be strong. Take the whole responsibility on your own shoulders, and know that you are the creator of your own destiny. All the strength and succor you want is within yourselves." He further said, "“Face the brutes.” That is a lesson for all life—face the terrible, face it boldly. Like the monkeys, the hardships of life fall back when we cease to flee before them."

Inspiring Words

I was a part of the audience this weekend where Padma Vibhushan, Dr. M. S. Valiathan (Link) was delivering his keynote speech. The occasion was PULMOCON - 2013, 11th All India Update in Pulmonary Medicine organized by Institute of Pulmocare & Research (IPCR), Kolkata. We have active research collaboration with IPCR. The invitation card quoted Vivekananda, "The old religions said that he was an atheist who did not believe in God. The new religion says that he is an atheist who does not believe in himself. " The conference hall had two large sized Vivekananda pictures in between multimedia projection screens.


Dr. Valiathan took us through the history of medicine and medical research in India. It was really 'mesmerizing' as described by one of the two vice-chancellors present there. He talked about lacuna, the disconnect that exist in medical research space. But he did not sound criticizing as such but telling the audience to feel inspired, contribute and be a part of India's growth story. The speech many times referred to Dr. Sambhu Nath De, the discoverer of Cholera toxin, who had nomination for Nobel prize several times but his work remained 'unsung and unnoticed' in India (link).

Dr. Valiathan was at ease to quote Upanishad and making his point across. He narrated the story of Nachiketa, the importance and meaning of Shraddha for which 'there is no equivalent word in English dictionary.' He stressed on the need of firm determination, single minded devotion and obligation of privileged community like us to all, that includes future generation.

I was sweetly surprized when his speech referred to our work on 'lung acoustics' and he said that such type of work is needed. The development of lung sound analyzer is a collaborative research between our lab. at IIT Kharagpur and IPCR. Felt so, so much proud and inspired! Thank you, Sir. We shall keep trying to the best of our ability.

The function felicitated vice chancellor of one university for his contribution to medical research related to medical image processing. Felt proud because he is our Dept. colleague at IIT Kharagpur and is on deputation now. I was overwhelmed to find several medical workers working in remote villages, promoting health and awareness as foot-soldiers, getting felicitated at the function. This is very inspiring. The organizer, IPCR deserves kudos for this.