'Sanjha Chulhas': A Way To Unite People In Punjab

Not everything lasts for long. This comes after we carried a story on how Sikkim still retains their culture. Angora shawl is still a favourite among people there, and the tourism Dept. has taken the initiative to do the best the preserve the same. But this, may not be the case in the northern state of India, Punjab.

Sanjha Chulha or, traditional common oven has been a part of Punjabi tradition for ages, however, it has been losing it popularity for quite some time. But the non-governmental organisation is making efforts to save it from being forgotten. So far, the N.G.O. has installed six 'Sanjha Chulhas' or common ovens across Fazilka to popularlise it, and at the same time enable poor housewives to cook their meals twice a day.

When asked on what their take on the issue is, the N.G.O. Says, "In modern times, when prices of LPG cylinders are skyrocketing, it will help poor people cut costs". They add: "A traditional oven like this enables 10-15 families to cook food besides being eco-friendly as well."

Varun Gagneja, project coordinator, Graduates Welfare Association further explains: "We want to send out a message to the whole world that we care about global warming. The fossil fuels generate carbon dioxide, nitrogen and other poisonous gases, which harm the atmosphere. So we have come up with Sanjha Chulha project." He adds: "This will reduce the use of fossil fuel at homes. The natural fuels like wood and coal don't harm atmosphere like fossil fuels. In this way, we will be able to help in the progress of our country and the differences among people will also be reduced when they cook food together."

	In this way, we will be able to help in the progress of our country and the differences among people will also be reduced when they cook food together.

So, what does the newly introduced technique involves? The Sanjha Chulha brings together women from different communities to cook meals at the common oven. And, it strengthens bonds. The process had been quite a popular thing in rural punjab, but with time, less people opted for it.

However, by reviving the tradition of `Sanjha Chulha', Fazilka's Graduates Welfare Association has done a great service to community. The testimony is what people say about it today. "This oven should be kept in different areas of the villages and the cities," said one of the residents. He adds: "It will help improve relations among people. They can share all their happiness, sorrows and pains with each other."

Meanwhile, people of Fazilka are savoring delicious meals cooked in an earthen oven. Breads baked in such ovens are considered good for health and tastes distinctly. So, for those who are planning to be heading to the state of Punjab, one thing is for sure: some relishing time awaits you.

The process has been a part of the initiative by the Graduates Welfare Association, an NGO, working to save the environment and strengthen the community

http://living.oneindia.in/insync/2009/sanjha-chulhas-people-punjab-090709.html

A Gallant Hero- Havaldar Jassa Singh of 14 Punjab-1965 India Pakistan War

Hand-to-hand combat is a legacy of the past, though cases of individual valour have occurred in modern wars also, more as an exception than as a rule


One such unreported case was that of Hav. Jassa Singh of 14 Punjab (Nabha Akal) who fought gallantly against the enemy during 1965 Indo-Pak war. The NCO was a tall man with a jolly disposition. Always willing to lend a helping hand to his colleagues, he was both loved and respected by his juniors and seniors alike. He was an indispensable part of unit's tug-of-war team which was legendary from 1940 to 1954.

The unit was deployed in the Fazilka Sector, some 10 kms off Fazilka on the Sulaimanke Road. Anticipating an enemy offensive from Sulaimanke, the unit was ordered to occupy defences astride Subuwana Drain which was seven kms off Sulaimanke, flowing almost parallel to the international border. Lt Col C S Bhuller, the then Commanding Officer, decided to occupy a defensive position with two companies each to the north and south of the drain astride the road axis. B and C coys moved towards north. Jassa Singh was Platoon Havildar of the centre platoon of B coy. On September 7, 1965 the enemy attacked A coy from the flank, but failed to gain a foothold. They again attacked C coy on September 9, but this turned out to be a diversionary move, and the main attack came on B coy that night.

After heavy shelling, the enemy unit (later identified as 1 Baluch) mounted a well coordinated attack on B coy. Hav Jassa Singh effectively engaged the enemy by ensuring proper fire control and boosting the morale of his men. The determined enemy came forward further and, sensing trouble, Jassa Singh plunged at a lurking shadow which turned out to be a Pakistani JCO. The latter raised his sten to fire at Jassa, but the JCO rose quickly, parried the sten and battered the surprised JCO to death with the butt of his rifle.

Not to be outdone, a section of the enemy rushed towards Jassa with their bayonets fixed. Jassa tried to dodge but was seriously injured at three places. Nevertheless the lion in him surfaced. Grabbling his rifle by its barrel, he hit three Pakistanis. As his fire slipped due to blood on his hands, Jassa picked up a shovel and with brute force struck two more down. The shovel too was snapped from him. With a herculean effort, he then grabbed a slung ammunition box off an enemy and knocked down a few more Baluchs by swinging the heavy ammunition box over his head.

When Jassa's men too joined the attack, the few remaining Baluchis were seen running away leaving their equipment behind. They were given a chase and the attack soon petered out. For this singular act, Hav Jassa Singh was awarded a Vir Chakra in 1965. Thus, he added a lustre to the pages of history of the Punjab Regiment.

- Col Anil Shorey

http://mod.nic.in/samachar/april1-02/html/ch11.htm

Punjab farmers adopt direct seeding method for paddy cultivation

From ANI Ludhiana, July 7: To overcome the problems caused by shortage of farm labourers and scarcity of water for irrigation, farmers in Punjab have adopted direct seeding methodology for paddy cultivation. The technique has come as a major blessing for paddy growers. The 'directly sown paddy' without the troublesome puddling exercise is a boon for the farmers. The technique brings about a saving of as much up to 150 USD per acre.

The method, which is currently being used in Patiala, Amritsar and Fazilka, helps in tackling the problem of labor shortage and in saving water up to a whopping 60 per cent. The paddy growers are extremely happy with the technique. "I gave up the traditional method of paddy sowing. It required water to be filled for 15 days. With direct sowing technique we can save water. I have increased the area under paddy cultivation from 10 acres to 14 acres," said Manohar Singh, a farmer. "We learned about direct paddy sowing from other farmers, who successfully used this technique last year. It is better than the traditional 'puddling'. We are able to save time and water, which is in short supply," said Sarat Singh, another farmer. To promote direct paddy sowing in the state many NGOs like Zamindara Farm Solutions have come forward to provide implements and share knowledge about the technique. "As far as global warming is concerned, we need to stop it by preventing Green House Emissions. We have made a thorough research on the net about the direct sowing technique. We realized that 'puddling' also involves large amount of gases. It is a big source of green house gas emission. We have to save water for a better future," said, Vikram Ahuja, owner, Zamindara farm solutions. Many corporates like PepsiCo, working with farmers from Punjab on contract basis also promote 'direct seeding' for paddy. The success of direct paddy sowing will help to increase the total area under paddy cultivation in Punjab and rest of India. The Agriculture department is also coming up with a 100-acre exhibition plot to make the farmers better informed about the new technique.

By Avtar Gill(ANI)

http://www.dailyindia.com/show/321639.php

Fazilka Achievers : Dr. Devinder Singh Sandhu, Cancer Specialist

Dr. Devinder Singh Sandhu was born on December 2^nd 1964 in village: Hamid Saide Ke (near Mandi Ladhuka), Tehsil Fazilka, Distt. Ferozepur. He completed primary school education from Govt. Primary School Hamid Saide Ke; middle and high school from Govt. High School Ladhuka; Plus I and II from RSD College Ferozepur. He completed MBBS and MD (Medicine) from Govt Medical College, Patiala.

Then he was selected for doctorate of medicine (DM) in Oncology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. He was only one from Punjab and among three from all over India to be selected for this course at AIIMS. In AIIMS he had the distinction of having published maximum number of papers ever by a student of AIIMS in 3 years residency program.

He is member of many national & international cancer societies including American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). He is pioneer in cancer treatment especially blood cancers in the state having performed Punjab's first ever bone marrow transplant (BMT) at Ludhiana in 2006.

He went to USA and received training from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre (MSKCC) in New York. This center is rated as world's number one cancer center. He is the only AIIMS trained as well as USA trained 'Oncologist' (Cancer Expert) in the northern region of India.

He is the youngest member of the governing body (Trustee) of SGPC run Sri Guru Ram Das (SGRD) Medical & Dental College, Amritsar. Presently he runs a 'cancer clinic' at 70-C, Udham Singh Nagar, Near Lions Club, Civil Lines, Ludhiana. He is also involved with DMC, Ludhiana as an Senior Consultant Oncologist

Sanjha Chullah : Times of India : Chandigarh Edition 27th June 2009

Sanjha Chullah Project -Fazilka Tourism A GWAF Initiative

Fazilka revives ‘sanjha chullah’

Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 25
Residents of Fazilka town have initiated an eco-friendly move towards social uplift by reviving the concept of "sanjha chullah" (common oven), first started by Guru Nanak Dev. Conceptualised by the Graduates Welfare Association, Fazilka, under their mission of promoting education, environment and employment in the Fazilka region as part of a pilot study, the concept was launched there today.

According to Navdeep Asija, semi-urban and rural localities have been brought under the project. It will benefit locals in many ways. Besides saving around 50 per cent cost on fuel, it will also replace conventional LPG and thereby reducing carbon emissions. It will also create better social economic structure in the neighbourhood and help in better social interaction leading to friendlier and crime-free community.

The project will also look at the impact of community participation on the crime rate, cost of cooking, domestic and on street violence, etc.

As a pilot project, around 10 sanjha chullahs were set up today in the Nai Abadi locality of Fazilka near all religious places or places where community members gather, keeping in view the security of women during night hours. According to the association, one-year observation on key indicators shall be made to establish the success story of the project across the region.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090626/punjab.htm#13

सांझा चूल्हा दूर करेगा दिलों की दूरियां

अमृत सचदेवा, फाजिल्का पैसे के लिए मची भागमभाग में शहरों से धीरे-धीरे खत्म हो रहे आपसी मेलजोल को पुनर्जीवित करने के लिए फाजिल्का के बाशिंदे शहर में पांच सांझे चूल्हे बना रहे हैं। यह नवेली पहल इको टूरिज्म के तहत की गई है। उल्लेखनीय है कि केंद्र सरकार ने भी इको टूरिज्म के तहत देश की महान संस्कृति को कायम रखने के लिए अनेक योजनाएं शुरू की हैं। उनमें से ही एक योजना सांझे चूल्हे की भी है। सांझे चूल्हे की स्कीम के दो फायदे हैं। पहला लाभ है लोगों में मिल जुलकर काम करते हुए एकजुट रहने की प्रवृत्ति को मजबूत करना और दूसरा फायदा अलग अलग जगह चूल्हे जलने से होने वाली लकडि़यों की बर्बादी और उनके जलने से फैलने वाले वायु प्रदूषण को रोकना भी है। फाजिल्का में इको टूरिज्म को बढ़ावा देने के लिए शहर के पांच अलग अलग स्थानों पर सांझे चूल्हे स्थापित करवाने वाली समाजसेवी संस्था ग्रेजुएट वेलफेयर एसोसिएशन, फाजिल्का (ग्वाफ) के सचिव एवं युवा इंजीनियर नवदीप असीजा ने बुधवार को इस बारे में पूछे जाने पर बताया कि इको टूरिज्म के तहत इलाके में अनेक प्रोजेक्ट शुरू किए जाएंगे। उनमें से सांझा चूल्हे की धारणा को पहल के रूप में लिया गया है। शुरू में शहर के पांच विभिन्न स्थानों पर स्थापित किए जाने वाले पांच सांझे चूल्हों में सबसे पहला चूल्हा नई आबादी में गुरुद्वारा साहिब के निकट बनाया जा रहा है। विभिन्न मोहल्लों के सांझे चूल्हों पर जब मोहल्ले की महिलाएं इकट्ठी होकर रोटियां सेकेंगी, तो एक दूसरे के सुख दुख में भी शरीक होंगी। वर्तमान में तो पड़ोसियों के पास भी एक दूसरे के सुख दुख में शामिल होने का समय नहीं है। फाजिल्का सांझा चूल्हा के नाम से शुरू किए गए इस प्रोजेक्ट के तहत एक प्रयास यह भी रहेगा कि चूल्हा संचालित करने की जिम्मेवारी किसी विधवा या जरूरतमंद महिला को दी जाए जो महिलाओं को झटपट रोटियां सेंककर देने की एवज में परिवार की आजीविका चल सके।

Dainik Jagran, Punjab Edition : 25th June 2009

Rickshaw pullers get insurance cover-First anniversary of Fazilka Pushpak Sewa

First anniversary of Fazilka Pushpak Sewa

Rickshaw pullers get insurance cover
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, June 21
The Ecocab service of Fazilka, popularly known as Fazilka Pushpak Sewa, today turned one year old. Notably, with the launch of the service - a brainchild of the Graduate Welfare Association, Fazilka (GWAF) - a year ago, eco-friendly rickshaw became just a call away in the city.

Celebrating the occasion, the association brought the rickshaw pullers under insurance cover, besides, launching welfare schemes for their kids.

The GWAF provided Digital Identity Cards (DIC) to altogether 250 registered rickshaw pullers of the town. The digital cards were distributed by the municipal council president Anil Sethi.

The notable feature of the DIC is that all the card holder rickshaw pullers have been covered under the health insurance scheme up to Rs 50,000.

The premium of which will be paid by the GWAF. With the health insurance cover, the rickshaw pullers will be entitled to free treatment up to Rs 50,000 at private nursing home of the town, namely Chandravati Hospital, Sachdeva Hospital, Gurpta Nursing Home, Jassi Heart Care Centre and Dhawan clinic.

According to the GWAF general secretary, Navdeep Asija, the insurance cover had been offered to the rickshaw pullers to provide them better health facilities in case of any accident or disease.

The GWAF active member Vikram Ahuja said that besides the GWAF has also made provision to provide education to the children of rickshaw pullers at a nominal rate of Rs 10 per month at a local Satsang Primary School.

The school managing committee would provide the children with free text books, notebooks and a set of winter uniform.

On this occasion, MC president Anil Sethi said that those rickshaw pullers, who had no houses, would be offered residential plots measuring 675 square feet at nominal rates on easy installments to enable them a better living.

The GWAF has suggested the rickshaw pullers that they could display publicity material of different companies like flex board on rear part of their rickshaw and hence earn about Rs 100 per month for such display.

He said that according to a survey conducted by the GWAF, each rickshaw puller runs a distance equal to an auto three wheeler which would consume two litres of fuel per day. Hence about 900 litres of fuel consumption is saved everyday besides preventing air pollution.

To mark the first anniversary of sewa, the MC president Anil Sethi inaugurated the office of rickshaw union opposite the local main bus stand.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090622/bathinda.htm#4

Punjab celebrates success of eco-cabs-Asian Age

AGE CORRESPONDENT

CHANDIGARH

June 21: A group of IIT graduates in the remote south-western Punjab city of Fazilka are celebrating the success of the eco-cab — a new ergonomically designed cycle-rickshaw launch as part of an unprecedented, environmentally friendly public transport service in June 2008.

Mr Navdeep Asija, a young design engineer, and his colleagues who helped launch Fazilka's eco-cabs as part of a community service programme said a number of initiatives have now been included to make the service sustainable.

"All rickshaw pullers who opted for the new eco-cabs have been insured for Rs 50,000 each. They have also been given access to free medical care in five privately-run hospitals in the city," he said adding that as further incentive, "we are offering free education to the 10 brightest children of the eco-cab pilots (rickshaw pullers)."

Much like radio-cab services in bigger cities but completely non-polluting, the eco-cab service was launched with a single call centre in the centre of town where rickshaw pullers respond to calls from prospective customers.

Today there are multiple call centres and the average call rate is happily rising. "We are up from about 20 to 35 calls per day," Mr Asija said.

Joining in the determined venture, Fazilka's municipal council recently chipped in with permanent sheds with proper drinking water arrangement for rickshaw pullers at all the eco-cab call centres.

Mr Asija and his friends say they want to change the face of their city. "People who see our city must wish they had also been brought up on the water of Fazilka," says a single line that seeks to sum it all on the design engineer's blog.

http://203.197.197.71/presentation/133930.aspx

फाजिल्का में शुरू होगा उत्तर भारत का दूसरा वैल्यू एजुकेशन सेंटर

फाजिल्का-रिक्शा ऑन फोन काल सर्विस शुरू करने वाली ग्रेजुएट वेलफेयर एसोसिएशन अब फाजिल्का वैल्यू एजुकेशन सेंटर शुरू करने जा रही है। इस मामले में फाजिल्का का नाम पूरे उत्तर भारत में दिल्ली के बाद दूसरे नंबर पर आ जाएगा। दिल्ली आईआईटी में इंजीनियरिंग छात्रों के लिए वैल्यू एजुकेशन सेंटर का संचालन किया जा रहा है।

फाजिल्का वैल्यू एजुकेशन सेंटर का संचालन फाजिल्का नालेज सिटी कैंपेन के रूप में किया जाएगा। यह प्रोजेक्ट आगामी दिनों में शुरू की जा रही यूनिवíसटी ऑफ एनर्जी एंड इकोलॉजी की स्थापना का नींव पत्थर है। फाजिल्का में स्थापित होने वाली यह यूनिवर्सिटी भारत व एशिया की पहली ऐसी यूनिवर्सिटी होगी, जिसमें ऊर्जा व पर्यावरण, दोनों विषयों को एक साथ चलाया जाएगा। यूनिवर्सिटी की स्थापना के पहले चरण के रूप में शुरू किए जा रहे फाजिल्का नालेज सिटी कैंपेन में भूतपूर्व आईआईटी छात्र शहर के इजीनियरिग रुझान वाले विद्यार्थियों का

मार्गदर्शन करेंगे।

एसोशिएशन के सचिव इजीनियर नवदीप असीजा ने बताया कि यहां जल्द ही एक प्लेसमेंट सेल स्थापित किया जाएगा, जिसके लिए एसो. की विभि

न्न कंपनियों एवं विदेशी यूनिवर्सिटियों के साथ बातचीत चल रही है।

प्रोजेक्ट को-आर्डिनेटर डा. रजनीश ने बताया कि वैल्यू एजुकेशन प्रोग्राम के अंतर्गत विद्याíथयों के पर्सनेलिटी टेस्ट, आईक्यू टेस्ट तथा एंट्रेस्ट इंवेंट्री टेस्ट रचना गगनेजा द्वारा लिए जाएंगे। वह इस विषय में पंजाब यूनिवíसटी, चंडीगढ़ से पीएचडी कर रही हैं।

एसोसिएशन के प्रोजेक्ट इचार्ज वरूण गगनेजा ने बताया कि विभिन्न साइक्लोजिकल टेस्टों के माध्यम से बच्चों को उपयुक्त कैरियर चुनने में सहायता दी जाएगी।

एसोसिएशन के अध्यक्ष उमेश कुक्कड़ व संरक्षक ने 'दैनिक जागरण' को बताया कि फाजिल्का का युवा शहर में पर्याप्त उच्च शिक्षा सुविधाएं न होने के चलते बाहर पढ़ने को तरजीह दे रहा है। इसके कारण फाजिल्का नवयुवकों से खाली हो रहा है, दूसरा यहां की प्रतिभाएं अपनी सेवाएं अन्य शहरों को दे रही हैं।

http://in.jagran.yahoo.com/news/local/punjab/4_2_5549898.html

DAINIK SPOKESMAN, PUNJABI

http://rozanaspokesman.com/fullpage.aspx?view=main&yview=2009&mview=Jun&dview=17&pview=5

University on Energy and Ecology- Fazilka Value Education Center

Dear Alert Citizens and Community Members,

We are in the process of setting up our own university in Fazilka region, University on Energy and Ecology. Process is on. We along with few retired senior faculty members mainly from IIT's and other institutes who hails from Fazilka along with some young members are going to makeup this cause. This is esential for the overall upliftment of our politically ignored region. This will take some more time to launch. Immediately for the betterment of our Malwa Region , we have started Fazilka Value Education Center.

The aim behind Fazilka Value Education Center is to help students to decide which is best for their career, entrepreneurship skills through Guidance and Counseling, and includes Extension lecture series to improve their overall exposure level to meet up challenges of future by keeping their moral level high.

The core idea behind value education is to cultivate essential values in the students so that the civilization that teaches us to manage complexities can be sustained and further developed. Value education is always essential to shape one's life and to give him an opportunity of performing himself on the global stage. The need for value education among the students and teachers, is constantly increasing as we continue to witness increasing violent activities, behavioral disorder, lack of unity in the society etc.

With this project, we dream to come up with Alert Fazilka Youth with high IQ, education, health, quality skills and basic human qualities of honest attitudes and hard working nature

If few members from this community would like to contribute in the form of books or as guest lecture please feel free to Register on our websites.

www.lovefazilka.esmartweb.com and www.fazilkaonline.com


Our Aim : to promote Fazilka as "Fazilka Knowledge City"

For any further inquiries, please feel free to revert back to contact us. First Lecture by Dr Bhupinder Singh,Urja Purash Uttrakhand, Retired Professor from IIT Roorkee is attached with this email


Jai Hind


Navdeep Asija
9464413323

साकार नहीं हो पाया राजीव गांधी का सपना

फाजिल्का-21वीं सदी के भारत का सपना देखने वाले पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री स्वर्गीय राजीव गांधी ने भारत के सरहदी इलाकों में पाकिस्तान टीवी द्वारा किए जा रहे दुष्प्रचार को रोकने के लिए फाजिल्का में एशिया का दूसरा सबसे बड़ा टीवी टावर स्थापित करने का जो प्रयास किया था, वह भले ही उनके इस दुनिया से जाने के बाद सफल हो गया है लेकिन इस टीवी टावर के जरिये सरहदी इलाके की प्रतिभाओं को दूरदर्शन का मंच प्रदान करने का स्व. राजीव गांधी का सपना अभी साकार नहीं हुआ है।

फाजिल्का के लाखों लोग स्व. गांधी को उनकी पुण्यतिथि पर उनके द्वारा दिए टीवी टावर के तोहफे को देखकर याद कर रहे है। साथ ही उनके न रहने से अधूरे रहे सपने की वर्तमान में हो रही दुर्दशा को देखकर भी चिंतित है।

उल्लेखनीय है कि स्व. राजीव गांधी ने फाजिल्का से उनसे मिलने दिल्ली गए शिष्टमंडल द्वारा यह बताए जाने पर कि सरहदी क्षेत्रों में पाकिस्तान टीवी द्वारा भारत के खिलाफ जहर उगलकर सरहदी क्षेत्रों के नौजवानों को गुमराह किया जा रहा है, पर तत्कालीन सूचना एवं प्रसारण मंत्री से बात कर सरहदी जिलों में उच्च शक्ति टीवी रिले केंद्र स्थापित करने के आदेश दिए थे। उनमें से एक केंद्र फाजिल्का में भी मंजूर हुआ था। आतंकवाद के कारण शहादत को प्राप्त हुए स्व. गांधी के न रहने के कारण उनका प्रयास तो कामयाब हो गया, लेकिन सरहदी क्षेत्र के युवाओं को अपनी बात कहने का जो मंच उन्होंने देने का सपना देखा था, वह अभी तक साकार नहीं हो सका।

शिष्टमंडल में शामिल इंडो पाक सुलेमानकी इंटरनेशनल ट्रेड फ्रंट के पदाधिकारी लीलाधर शर्मा ने बताया कि इस दूरदर्शन केंद्र पर कार्यक्रम तैयार करने का भी प्रबंध किया गया है लेकिन अज्ञात कारणों के चलते इसके लिए आई महंगी मशीनें धूल फांक रही है और करोड़ों रुपये की लागत से स्थापित यह दूरदर्शन केंद्र सिर्फ रिले केंद्र बनकर रह गया है।

श्री शर्मा ने कहा है कि सरहदी क्षेत्र के लोगों को उम्मीद है कि कांग्रेस नीत नई सरकार खासकर स्व. राजीव गांधी के पुत्र राहुल गांधी अपने पिता के सपने को साकार करने की दिशा में कोई ठोस कदम अवश्य उठाएंगे।

http://in.jagran.yahoo.com/news/local/punjab/4_2_5484552.html

In Praise of India

1. Will Durant, American historian: "India was the motherland of our race, and Sanskrit the mother of Europe's languages: she was the mother of our philosophy; mother, through the Arabs, of much of our mathematics; mother, through the Buddha, of the ideals embodied in Christianity; mother, through the village community, of self-government and democracy. Mother India is in many ways the mother of us all".

2. Mark Twain, American author: "India is, the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only."

3. Albert Einstein, American scientist: "We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made."

4. Max Mueller, German scholar: If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions, I should point to India.

5. Romain Rolland, French scholar : "If there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India."

6. Hu Shih, former Ambassador of China to USA: "India conquered and dominated China culturally for 20 centuries without ever having to send a single soldier across her border."

7. Mark Twain: "So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his rounds. Nothing seems to have been forgotten, nothing overlooked."

8. Keith Bellows, VP - National Geographic Society : "There are some parts of the world that, once visited, get into your heart and won't go. For me, India is such a place. When I first visited, I was stunned by the richness of the land, by its lush beauty and exotic architecture, by its ability to overload the senses with the pure, concentrated intensity of its colors, smells, tastes, and sounds... I had been seeing the world in black & white and, when brought face-to-face with India, experienced everything re-rendered in brilliant technicolor."

9. Mark Twain: "India has two million gods, and worships them all. In religion all other countries are paupers; India is the only millionaire."

10. A Rough Guide to India: "It is impossible not to be astonished by India. Nowhere on Earth does humanity present itself in such a dizzying, creative burst of cultures and religions, races and tongues. Enriched by successive waves of migration and marauders from distant lands, every one of them left an indelible imprint which was absorbed into the Indian way of life. Every aspect of the country presents itself on a massive, exaggerated scale, worthy in comparison only to the superlative mountains that overshadow it. It is this variety which provides a breathtaking ensemble for experiences that is uniquely Indian. Perhaps the only thing more difficult than to be indifferent to India would be to describe or understand India completely. There are perhaps very few nations in the world with the enormous variety that India has to offer. Modern day India represents the largest democracy in the world with a seamless picture of unity in diversity unparalleled anywhere else."

A call centre for farmers in Punjab

(Punjab), May 20 (ANI): In a first of its kind initiative in the country, a call centre named Zamidara Farmsolutions has started functioning in Punjab. Located in the border district of Fazilka in Ferozepur district, the call centre offers latest updates to the farmers on agricultural techniques and developments.

Besides discussing their problems with the call centre executives, the farmers can also get expensive farming instruments on rent, which they otherwise cannot afford.

Vikram Ahuja, owner, who himself is a farmer said that he was aware of the problems faced by the farmers and tried to ease their problems by making the expensive machine available to them on 'Pay for use' basis. We have tried to make the expensive machinery available to the farmers on 'Pay for use' basis rather than 'pay for ownership'. In this the farmer has to pay for what he uses and nor for what he owns, said Ahuja.

Elaborating on the use of the call center, Khushal Chand a farmer from Begawali village who recently hired a machine for water leveling said it made more sense in hiring these machines rather than buying them. Main reasons for taking this machine on hire was that it is very expensive. It costs 6,285 dollars and it becomes very impractical for small farmers like us to shell out this kind of money for single use and after that this machine becomes a liability, said Chand. Nearly two-thirds of India's billion-plus population depends on agriculture for a living and efforts such as these will really benefit the small farmers. By Avtar Singh Gill (ANI)

http://news.smashits.com/386439/A-call-centre-for-farmers-in-Punjab.htm