The annual training camp of Sewa Bharati Tamil Nadu concluded with an impressive ![]() public function at Korattur Vivekananda Vidyalaya in Chennai on May 26. The trainees demonstrated various physical activities like yoga, Kollattam, Bhajans, games, etc. Shri Sai Sundar, an industrialist, while presiding over the function emphasised on collective strength, which is bigger than individual strength. Shri HS Govinda, Kshetra Pracharak Pramukh, emphasised on sewa attitude and explained why a healthy society is required. He also explained what constituted sewa. He said sewa should not be driven by pity gains but should be viewed as a duty. When it is viewed in this manner, sewa becomes a duty. He said we must perform sewa with the objective that it should help the deprived section of the society. A total of 74 trainees attended the camp. |
| ABVKA SUPPORTS ROHTASGARH VANVASIS' REHAB DEMANDS |
207 Families of Chero Tribe of Rohtas dist. of Bihar has no rehabilitation package and now they are bound to live without roof in these hot days and in coming rainy season. These families were displaced by Govt. of Bihar during implementation of Durgawati River Dam. Families were assured of housing and other rehabilitation facilities by the Govt. of Bihar. All families have been struggling for last five years for their rehabilitation. About 65 families of Badalgarh have been provided Indira Aawas but windows, doors and roofs have not yet been completed. Two hand pumps were provided to villagers which can fulfill only drinking water, leaving out their animal and Poultry needs. Addressing a meeting on 8th June under a mango tree in the temperature of 48 degees Vice President of Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram Shri Kripa Prasad Singh and Zonal Organiser ( Jharkhand, Bihar, Nepal & U.P.) Shri Mahrang Oraon assured of Vanvasi brethren to fight upto its last stage for their rehabilitation .They assured them of utensils, mats & other essential materials to be provided from ABVKA. The persons who graced the occasion were Shri Raghuwansh Prasad Narayan, Dist. President and Vibhag Sangathan Mantri Shri Ram Nagina Pandey. They were assured that their complaint will be forwarded to the Govt. of Bihar and the President of India. Second day, on 9th June leaders of ABVKA visited Athan village on Rohtasgarh hilltop. Five thousand vanvasi bretheren from 67 villages gathered to pay the tribute to vanvasi freedom fighters like Birsa Munda, Jatra Bhagat, Budhu Bir etc who fought for the rights of vanvasi bretheren of Bharat. ABVKA has been working in this area for last 10 years. Ashram workers are running 65 OTS ( One Teacher Schools), 30 Village Health Centers, 30 Eklabya Khelkud Prakalp, 18 Awareness Centres & 10 Women Empowerment Centres in this area. Very essential needs of the day like electricity, housing and drinking water facility are not available for the families on this hilltop. Thanks to forest officers who got success to preserve forest of this area despite all odds from last 10 years. Students of these families are getting education in the hostels of Kalyan Ashram such as Jashpur, Varanasi, Kanpur and Jharkhand. Sabita, Babita & Ashmani are few students of 10th class who participated in this meeting and requested Kalyan Ahram workers to think about the future of students like them. Shri Doma Singh, Shri Chandru Oraon, Shri Rajesh Oraon, Shri Jhari Singh Kherwar and 18 other local tribal leaders participated in this meeting and requested Kalyan Ashram officials to take care of their families. It was decided to celebrate Rohtasgarh Utsav on 31st January and 1st February 2015 at Rohtasgarh fort. |
| SAMUHIK VIVAH: AN EXPERIMENT TO RESTORE SOCIAL HONOUR |
![]() In our country many brothers and sisters of our society are living below the poverty line. Lakhs of people are working in tea gardens in Assam, Tripura and Bengal, unfortunately still they are struggling hard to earn for daily bread. Many youths have dream to get married but due to poverty they could not afford such ceremonial rituals. So, many of them prefer to use short cut of Gandharva Vivah. But society does not give social status to such couples. Kalyan Ashram came forward to help such couples through Samuhik Vivah (Group Marriage). From last one decade Ashram has been conducting such marriages in Bengal and Assam, which gives the couple social status. Urban units of organization afford all the expenses and offer gifts to the couples. ![]() On 25th May, Samuhik Vivah (Group Marriage) was conducted at Salibari near Siliguri of North Bengal where 101 couples got married. All the couples came along with their relatives and villagers with great enthusiasm. They wore traditional dresses. All the rituals were conducted with complete sanctity. After rituals couples visited temple and had blessings. All these couples got social status and honour. Everybody was happy and enjoyed delicious dinner. Such functions strengthen social fabric and accelerate the process of social harmony. Such programme was also organised at Guwahati, Assam where 19 couples got married. |
THE TRENDSETTER: NEW DRIVERS OF DEVELOPMENT
The biggest drawback with the present model of development is that it has failed to ensure public participation in planning and execution of development projects. This is the reason majority of the projects fail to cater to the needs of the target audience. In order to change the situation and also to bring Bharatiya model of development in reality with active participation of people, Pune based YOJAK Centre for Research and Strategic Planning for Sustainable Development has come out with a unique idea, which can really reshape the destiny of villagers. With the help of some voluntary organisations in Central India’s Maharashtra and Gujarat regions it has created a band of educated youth who instead of migrating to cities for jobs owned the responsibility of developing their respective villages. During the last three years, YOJAK and its associated voluntary organisations have mobilised over 2,300 youths, mostly Vanvasis, to take up this challenge. The man leading this silent revolution is Dr Gajanan Dange, national president of YOJAK. The Vanvasi region of Central India, beginning from Southern Gujarat to West Bengal, is among the highly underdeveloped regions. About three years back, YOJAK started a project, Madhya Bharat Vananchal Samriddhi Yojna, to change the development scenario in this region. Mobilising and empowering some voluntary organisations, it started studying the existed methods of development including their impact on natural resources. The second aspect of the study was how to take corrective steps that can meet the local needs. Third was implementation of the new sustainable approach. Following the ideals of Pandit Deendayalji, who said development should be based on janchetana (local conscience) and the government’s role should be of just a guide, motivator and supporter, YOJAK emphasised on this Bharatiya concept of development purely focusing on the needs and aspirations of the people of this region. The model is being implemented with the help of voluntary organisations working on ground by mobilising local youths through Yuva Chetna Jagran Programmes. Before organising such programmes, the organisations' activists met local youth and motivated them to join the programme. During discussions they also tried to know what corrective steps they want in their areas. During the study it was found that majority of the educated youth want to stay in their respective villages, if provided better knowhow and help to live a meaningful life. In order to help the selected youth understand the whole concept, the first Yuva Chetna Jagran Programme was organised at Krishi Vigyan Kendra Nandurbar, Maharashtra, on October 1, 2013. The programme was held with the help of five organisations—Dr Hedgewar Sewa Samiti, Deendayal Vanvasi Sewa Sanstha, Eklavya Adivasi Sewa Sanstha, Bahuddeshiya Birsa Munda Adivasi Sewa Sanstha and Vanvasi Utkarsh Samiti. Prior to the programme, all these organisations had deeply studied Nandurbar region for several months. A total of 1,500 youths had expressed their desire in writing to stay in their villages and sought guidance for taking up activities. Finally, 1,003 youths turned to the programme on their own expenses. They were first apprised of the work being done by the associated voluntary organisations. Then they were told that the problems which they find are basically the problems of all 6 lakh villages. In the third session they were apprised of the successful projects of rural development going on in their regions. They were also told about the availability of technology for resolving their problems. At a session they were administered an oath for taking up developmental activity in their villages. In the last session, their responsibility towards their villages and family was reintegrated through 'Kartavya Bodh'. The participants returned home with renewed vigour and hope. Another similar function was held in Songarh in Tapi district of Southern Gujarat on March 13, 2014. Hosted by Dr Ambedkar Vanvasi Kalyan Trust, Surat, the function was supported by Dang Vikas Parishad, Sarvamangal Trust and Manasi Vikas Sanstha also. It was attended by 1,300 youth. At both the events, an exhibition was organised highlighting the local knowhow. Basically, the instruments which can reduce the drudgery in farming activities were prominently displayed. The exhibition also displayed how the indigenous seeds can be preserved and used. Both these events were also attended by some achievers who have done wonderful work for rural development. In Nandurbar, the villagers who stopped a river at 18 places and changed the farming system in the entire area were invited. Similarly, in Songarh a community representative who is managing forest based livelihood programme was invited. Many similar successful experiments were displayed before them. After analysing the information provided by the youth during the events, YOJAK started work on providing them technological support through local partners. Every individual case is being studied by experts. If somebody is involved in cotton production, he has to be helped in that way. “Since the Kharif season is beginning from June we have started imparting them training as to how they can increase production. The work has begun at rapid pace,” points out Dr Dange. “An army of 2,300 youths has already started fighting against the faulty model of development. They are serious to take it to new heights. They are visiting the projects already going on in their regions to have first hand and practical knowledge. In Nandurbar, the youths were apprised of the work being done in Baripada Village where the villagers preserved a forest of 1,100 acre. Now youths from eight villages have visited that village to see and study the work. This shows the post programme enthusiasm among these youths. When asked how the idea of starting this experiment clicked, Dr Dange says: “While visiting village to village in central India during the last several years we realised that participation of people in present process of development is very less. It is due to the lack of ownership spirit among local people that the impact of majority projects is minimal. We met many officials who too are worried over it. Our overall objective is to increase the people's participation in development process.” The experiment has given a new dimension to rural development process, where the people think they should not continue to depend upon the government agencies for resolving their issues rather they have to be drivers in development. This can go a long way in curbing migration from rural areas to cities in search of jobs. |
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| ANOTHER SEWA PROJECT BY VHP DELHI |
![]() With the inspiration of VHP, the Bhagini Nivedita Sewa Nyas, started a sewa project, cutting-tailoring centre, in jhuggi clusters of Dwarka in West Delhi. Inaugurating the project, vice president of the VHP Delhi and general secretary of the Nyas Shri Mahavir Prasad Gupta said helping those who are deprived due to any reason is the responsibility of every well to do person of the society. He pointed out that the VHP already runs over 100 sewa projects in different parts of Delhi. These projects include health centres, cutting-tailoring centres, computer training centres, beauticians, bal sanskar kendras, etc. The new project was started at JJ Colony of B block in Dwarka sector 3. Shri Ram Bhagat Rajaura, noted social activist, presided over the function. |
HAWKER TO HACKER – CRAKER, HARYANA BOY’S TECH DREAMS SOAR HIGH |
Microsoft offers Virender Raika, son of a labourer, Rs 4.85-crore annual package for his extraordinary anti-hacking skills. He is a golden boy who never had a silver spoon in his mouth. He had dreams, but no wings. Yet he flies high. Twenty-one-year-old Virender Raika, who worked as a hawker to fund his studies, has developed an extraordinary anti-hacking software which has earned him a plum job at Microsoft. The whopping Rs 4.85 crore annual package offered by the software giant comes as an add-on for a lad who couldn’t go to the IIT — despite getting through the entrance — as he had no money. Born in Pehowa village in Kurukshetra, Virender says the going was always tough for him. “After my father who works as a labourer fell sick, I had to take up the job of a hawker. I soon realised that the money won't suffice. So, I started giving Physics tuitions,” says the boy who was in Panchkula to interact with students. A class X topper, Virender did part-time jobs to fund his Class 12 education. He qualified a scholarship entrance to study further and even got through the IIT, but couldn’t pursue it due to lack of funds. Quiz him on his anti-hacking project and his eyes light up. “The idea to develop an anti-hacking system struck me while I was watching a movie. I saw a girl hacking into a system and then I thought why not develop a system that has a foolproof security. There are ways to hack into a system but no permanent way to secure it. So by working on various cyber theories, I made an anti-hacking system,” says the tech-wizard. Virender gave a demo of his project through video-conferencing to a group of expert hackers at Microsoft’s office in Hyderabad. The Chief Financial officer of the Microsoft, Peter Klein, who was keenly observing the demo online, was so impressed by Virender’s skills that he offered him a job straightaway. The Haryana boy, who is pursing his BTech from IGNOU, has been told to join in November. On his future plans, Virender says he wants to open his own company in India. “I want to do something for my country. We are so dependent on the US for technology. I want to turn the tide,” he says. Virender’s father Gyan Chand and mother Shinder still don’t know what exactly their son has developed. “We both are illiterate. We just know that Virender has got a job of 4.85 crore and companies from China and Japan are pursuing him,” says Gyan Chand. |
SARASWATI SISHU MANDIR STUDENT CLEARS IAS EXAMINATION |
Not letting her disability come in the way of reaching her goals has become Sarika Jain's second nature. The polio stricken Odisha woman has cleared the civil service examination in her first attempt, two years after qualifying the tough Chartered Accountancy exam. Sarika , a differently abled girl from Kantabanji town in Odisha's Balangir district, has cleared the UPSC examination 2013 with a rank of 527 among the 1,122 candidates. Jain, who was afflicted with polio in her right leg with 50% disability since the age of two despite taking polio drops, hails from Kantabanji, a small town in Balangir district, Odisha. Her father Sadhuram Jain is a small time trader of sanitary fittings. Third among three sisters and a brother, Sarika studied in local Saraswati Sishu Mandir and later completed her bachelor's degree in commerce from Kantabanji Women's College |
| SCIENCE FAIR BY VIJNANA BHARATI, HYDERABAD |
![]() Hyderabad unit of Vijnana Bharati organised a science camp at Saraswati Sishu Mandir, Badangapet for children studying from 6th to 12th standard from May 16 to 18. The camp was inaugurated by Shri Syam Prasad, coordinator, Vijnana Bharati, Andhra Pradesh describing the essence of scientific temper within India throughout ages created totally different outlook near to the people and provided solutions to day to day problems. He stressed on the importance of developing scientific solutions to medical health care and looking at job creation. The students had the opportunity to experiment with more than 50 experiments on physical sciences. Focus was on learning by doing. The topics covered were sound, optics, magnetism, electronics and Thermodynamics. Many scientists working with DRDO, NGRI, IICT, Infosys also participated as resource persons. |
Sewa International brings together Hindu Australians for the rehabilitation of Dev Bhoomi On Saturday June 7th about 500 people from Sydney’s Hindu community attended a fund raising Cultural Night event at Bowman Hall, Blacktown to help Hindu bandhus in Uttarakhand to rebuild their lives after the devastating floods last year. Leading music and dance artistes from the Bharatiya community in Australia also gave their valuable time and performed free for this charitable cause. ![]() There was also a special guest who had flown in from India for the event who was none other than Shri Shyam Parande International Coordinator ,Sewa International. Shri Parande who is supervising the rehabilitation projects run by Sewa International in Uttarakhand was received and honoured at the function on behalf of the Hindu community by Shri Rajesh Venkataramaiah - President, Sewa Australia. Shri Parande who held the audience spellbound in his inspiring speech remarked that despite the total loss of livelihood, they had encountered, the affected people in Uttarakhand are still positive and in fact did not want any handouts but just opportunities for them to work hard and build new futures. The program was actually a culmination of a year’s work starting from July 2013, when a number of volunteers from about 15 Hindu and Bharatiya organisations in Sydney grouped together and formed the Australian Uttarakhand Relief / Rehabilitation Fund (AURF) to raise funds to help the rehabilitation programme. This group was coordinated and brought together by Sewa International Australia. ![]() The group made direct appeal for donations to the wider public, organised a Bhajan Sandhya (Devotional Music night) program at the ISSO Swamy Narayan Mandir in August 2013 and published a souvenir to raise funds from Sydney’s Bharatiya business community. With the great community support in Sydney, AURF has raised close to $70,000 (approximately Rs 37.1 lakhs) which will be sent to Sewa International Bharat for the funding of a Computer Training Centre in Chandrapuri village to provide computer related job skills to youth. The Hindu community in Australia have therefore adopted this centre in an example of direct action being taken by the community to help their brothers and sisters in Uttarakhand. The Hindu community in Australia is known for its diversity of views and multiplicity of organisations representing many different parts of the community, and so bringing 15 different organisations together was not easy. ![]() However, a unique set of volunteers, drawn from these various organisations in conjunction with karyakarthas from Sewa International Australia worked in harmony and demonstrated true Sanghatan mein Shakti. Speaking at the function, Australian Member of Parliament and the shadow Parliamentary Secretary for immigration and foreign affairs Matt Thistlethwaite remarked on how the Bharatiya community in Australia was strengthening Australia’s overseas development and disaster relief objectives through such activities. He also remarked that the Hindu community through this initiative has brought the people of Australia and Bharat together for greater cooperation.(Contributed by Anand Sundaresan- Karyavah, Sewa International Australia )
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Why I adore Uttarakhand? - Shyam Parande ![]() The images of the horrific floods last year in Uttarakhand hang on our memory more than any other natural calamity. Everyone said this was simply irreparable. The severity of the floods and the images we witnessed on our TV screens will live with us and would be recalled whenever there is a flood. The floods killed more than 30000 people, property worth Crores was lost, businesses lost, not only crops but the rich farm lands were totally washed off, educational institutions washed away, whatever came in the way of the flooding waters was washed away, the loss looked unfathomable.A question arises whether the human society can sustain through such natural calamity and still cling on to the place, the venue of disaster not even a year before? Yes, here is a society which has not only left the disaster behind but resolved to move ahead without a grumble, no grievance against the Himalayas or the rivers or not even the government which performed pathetically, or rather didn’t perform at all. Their faith in the Mother Ganga or Sri Kedarnath and Sri Badarinath remains impermeable. No place for a whimper. The number of pilgrims a year after has dwindled to almost minuscule as compared to earlier aggregate. We the progressive world, do not have the courage to take up the yatras or go up Himalayas, playing safe in our life, people in those villages which were affected last year have not given up the hope. Rather their buoyancy is experienced when one reaches out to them. And what a resilient society is this, the loss and pain has been accepted without a whine. No one complaining about the losses, without a grumble or a grievance, the natural smile that we observed on every face welcoming us, was one that left us speechless. This is impossible, we said to ourselves. The spirit of Uttarakhand has not been lost rather it has levitated to Himalayan heights. This was amply experienced during the next couple of days of our travel through the state while talking to various people who were themselves flood affected. I humbly salute this courageous society for their resilience, their perseverance, their diligence against the toughest climatic and environmental challenges. They are the unsung heroes of real life facing toughest challenges through the din of the day & night. The society in general is deeply spiritual. They love and respect the environment and they have stronger faith and religious beliefs. They are at peace with the problems and challenges of the Himalayas. We realized that these are the strengths of this society which despite last year’s devastating floods, clinging to their smaller farmlands, tinier houses and high Himalayan ranges with those melodically flowing rivers, blooming flowers year around, chirping of the birds, and all that make life pleasant.![]() Why these people live here to face Himalayan challenges year after year, thinks every traveller, as one watches couple of houses or huts atop the hills. Cannot they come down to the plains and lead cosier life like us? That sounds logical to everyone but not to the Pahadi, as they are known, for facing challenges is their way of life. We interacted with different groups of people from different parts of the flood affected districts to understand their love and liking for the environment they are born into. Their respect for the nature is only to be experienced. The first encounter with a local group of youth that had gathered for an informal interaction with us bowled me out clean with their zeal, enthusiasm, know-how of the traditionally available knowledge of Himalayan bio-sphere- environment and ecology. I could not stop myself from pulling out my notebook, wanting to note down every detail that the youth were sharing about the potential of the “Pahad”- the Himalayas. Agriculture, horticulture, spices, herbs, animals, birds and a whole lot of loads of information and know-how about the local potential products was gushing out from the group, making me look dwarf. I satiated myself with the experiences of the youth that were like living catalogues of knowledge. Amazing, I felt. Am I supposed to guide this group? Precisely I cannot, but I have to. Except for some experience and organizational skills I had very little to share with them. Rest is all available here despite the modern day challenges like transportation, technology & marketing, etc. Interaction with locals was enough to generate enthusiasm. Like any other disaster, we were planning for counselling and now the challenge is do we need to! We came to the conclusion that the affected society has an indigenous method of counselling based on culture, tradition and of course the spirit. Their Bhakti and Shraddha are their strengths, while spiritualism is unique. Every one we interacted asking about the disaster was looking forward to better life, and to work harder to achieve that rather than being carping about their loss and inaction on part of government or whatever that might be. We trekked across the river Mandakini which we had to cross on a makeshift bridge to reach the village called Haat. The Panchayat President of this village Smt. Santosh, is a normal homemaker, very soft spoken and pleasant person. She is a graduate who manages her home as well as affairs of the village. The villager respects her for her simplicity and straight forward approach. She gets her children to assist her in cooking and offered us hot crispy Rotes- a local crunchy dish. She was open to ideas and shared all the information with the visitors without any inhibition. Her husband is also a graduate and is a taxi driver by profession. Smt. Santosh takes care of their family agriculture apart from village affairs and does not miss to harvest vegetables in kitchen garden. ![]() Another lady that I should not miss mention is Smt. Baradevi, a born leader with meagre educational background. She runs a federation of all the Self Help Groups in Chandrapuri village and surrounding villages. Her self-confidence and dynamism are her strengths and she does not miss to assert that. She took over the dais to speak about her experiments in farming and everyone was enjoying her speech. We were surprised to note that she guides 191 Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the federation she leads. This federation implements the programs of World Bank. She manages to maintain all the registers and records for her federation with huge membership, including minutes of the meetings. This lady maintains properly organised registers and records, all the database of the members of the SHGs, facilitates loans from World Bank drawn schemes. She started her self Help Group with Rs.10 per day saving and now has grown to Rs.500/- per month. She has impeccable record of repaying the loans without failure. Villages of Uttarakhand still continue with age old practise of community living. Community cooking is normal during marriages and other family affairs. Temple festivals and other social gathering also are celebrated together and responsibilities are shared. However, women support each other during their health problems.Another woman we met in Chandrapuri had to shift to the poly house in her farm as her house was washed away by the floods. In last 10 months or so, she has rebuilt her own house with whatever aid she received from the government and has shifted her family to the new house. She takes care of cattle at home while she has to care for her school going children. The women are indefatigable and work from morn till night without a pause. Besides all the hard work the womenfolk put in, wife beating is a common problem in all the villages. This is the saddest part of the story, I felt. The Pahadi society psychologically seems to be very stubborn because of the challenges they face in their day-to-day life. Their physical stamina and mental tenacity is worth appreciation. Health facility in the Himalayas is scarce and the paucity of Doctors is experienced all over, especially lady doctors are the rarest of all, women suffering more. Calcium and Iron deficiency is most common among the villagers and skin diseases are very common.![]() Education is of prime importance in every family and girls are a step ahead of boys in education. Despite the havoc last year no student has lost the academic year. Most of the youth we came across are graduates or post graduates and women are no way lagging behind in education despite scant educational facilities at their disposal and worst transportation available. Their positive approach towards education like Swami Vivekananda said, “Education is for gaining knowledge and not just for livelihood”, is being put to practice here in this state. We could observe that girls make up for more than 50% if number in every school that we interacted with. It was heartening to see that the last year’s disaster did not hamper the marriages and celebration was usual. Village community and relatives share the cost of weddings making it more joyful. It was quite refreshing to note that dowry is not a common practise here but the in-laws voluntarily might help the young to establish family. Joint families are preferred in the Himalayan ranges, it seems, at least more so in Uttarakhand and we did not come across a ‘nuclear’ family during this tour. Modern junk food is making its impact on the life here with emergence of tourism as a major source of employment yet people have not lost the traditional food that is nutritionally loaded and best suited for the local climatic conditions and terrain. However, an effort to make the younger generation aware of the advantages and benefits of the locally grown food is essential. Spices and herbs are in abundance but society should not lose this in daily intake for enriching diet. We had a great treat with a family where the menu was– “Manduve ki rotee (close to Ragi), Lingode kee subzee, Gahath ki Daal (a cereal that is a little different from Toovar dal), Zigoure ki kheer (some kind close to Barley)”. Cooking this menu might have been laborious but it was a Pahadi treat in its best sense, rather also in tang & flavour. ![]() The natural “energy drink” made out of “Burans” flowers was as enticing as it can be and I would not miss an opportunity to sip it again. This state Uttarakhand can be an organic development model for whole of the country with its unseasonal cash crops and rich horticulture, added to flora & fauna. The beauty of the high Himalayas is always alluring but the call of the Pahadi society is also appealing and fascinating with those smiles. The Pahad is calling and the Pahadis more! |
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Food For Thought:
Varanasi is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together. -Mark Twain |
For Further Information Please Contact: SEWA INTERNATIONAL BHARAT 49, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi – 110 002, Bharat (India) Telephone +91-11-43007650, 23684445 |
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“Balasaheb Deshpande was a Samaj Shilpi, who not only served the Vanvasis, but also united them with complete honesty and integrity. He brought many nationalist and dedicated Vanvasi leaders like Hipson Roy, Anderson Mawari, NC Zeliang, Workle Dindopugh, etc to the Kalyan Ashram fold,” said RSS Sahsarkaryavah Shri Dattetreya Hosabale, while speaking at a function organised in Pune on January 19 to celebrate birth centenary of Kalyan Ashram founder Balasaheb Deshpande.
At the time when lakhs of people die every year in the country in want of organ transplant, one million wait for cornea transplantation and about 30 to 35 young medical professionals are forced to study on one cadaver only, senior advocate of Delhi Shri Alok Kumar has taken a step to change this scenario. Through Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti, he has so far provided 83 human bodies and 365 pair eyes to different Government Medical Colleges of Delhi. With the help of like-minded people and organisations he has now pledged to wipeout the entire waiting list for cornea transplantation in Delhi within 3 years.
A rare combination of philanthropy, spirituality, revolutionary ideas and social entrepreneurial skills to provide space even for the man languishing in the lowest strata of the social order makes Achyuta Samanta a trend setter of different kind.Samanta, who had the feel of being poor without his father’s hand on his head since the age of four, strength of shouldering agonies causes by the untimely death of his father, never ever shied away from putting a brave face to console his widowed mother, while still bleeding deep inside his heart. Samantha withstood the vagaries of circumstances to rise tall enough to dwarf everyone rich and influential, not by material richness, but by ethical values of life.Setting up KIIT- a world class university all by himself with less than Rs. 5000 in his pocket is now history. It is no less a miracle to create an architectural marvel, spreading across 25 sq. kilometers of land in 20 wi-fi state-of-the art campuses, but it was not what he wanted to make. It was his experience that made him to think for millions of poverty-striken children. He dreamt of a world where poverty would not stand as an obstacle to one’s education. In his efforts, he created a slice of heaven on earth, christened it as Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), for fifteen thousand neglected and underprivileged tribal children living far away from civilized world, as he strongly believes: Poverty creates illeterary, literary removed poverty.Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) organised a mega guardian’s meet on Sunday February 2, 2014 with more than 50,000 parents and guardians of tribal students of the institution attending the meeting.Assembly of such large number of triabls representing 62 tribes and 1 primitive tribals communities from Odisha and Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Assam, is one of its kind.While expressing gratitude to KIIT and KISS founder Achyuta Samantha for securing the future of their children by providing free education at par with top public schools, the parents also stressed the need for government support to better the institution that has more than 20,000 tribal children in its fold. A guardian committee is be formed to appeal to the government on problems faced by KISS.
“SEWA is the supreme duty of a man. Majority of the people live for their individual needs, but those who are sensitive live for others too. Sewa is the manifestation of God,” said RSS Akhil Bharatiya Sah Sewa Pramukh Shri Ajit Mahapatra. He was speaking at Bihar Prant’s first Sewa Sangam organised at Shakha Maidan of Patna on February 2. Around 300 sewa organisations of Bihar attended the Sewa Sangam.
I thought it was one of the regular opportunities. The event was – Visit Indian Institute of Science with children. The description stated that the volunteers were required to take care of school children visiting IISc.
Development of a family, society or country starts with an empowered woman. Women are the engines for development,” said Shri Shyam Parande, International Coordinator of Sewa International while addressing a gathering of women farmers in Chandrapuri, Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand. This was the first gathering of women drawn from 10 villages along the river Mandakini in Kedarnath valley that experienced the worst kind of disaster less than a year earlier.
narrated that it will be the initiative of the locals who would bring in development and people from outside can only guide or help. Bara Devi, President of the Federation of the Self Help Groups in that area with 191 SHGs under it helping more than 3500 women, that women in the state are in need of support and guidance in the field of agriculture and would surely benefit out of this program. 
Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission has been in the field of eye care for the last 10 years in collaboration with the Comtrust Eye care Society, Kozhikode. But it was stopped for a few months due to some difficulties.
Bhoomi Pujan ceremony for a project of Vivekananda Health Mission was held at Jubli Village of Dehradun recently in the presence of Swami Padmanabhananda of Shivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, RSS Sahsarkaryavah Dr Krishna Gopal and vice president of Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram Shri Kripa Prasad Singh. The programme was organised by Dr Anuj Singhal, Dr Pankaj Bhatia, national health incharge of Kalyan Ashram, Dr Manish Pandey, cancer expert from Delhi, Dr Rakesh Tyagi from Agra. Dr Anuj Singhal and his wife Dr Tara have worked for 10 years in Waynad district of Kerala with the Vivekananda Medical Mission. Dr Singhal is a product of Agra Medical College, whereas Dr Tara did her MBBS from Mysore Medical College.
public function at Korattur Vivekananda Vidyalaya in Chennai on
In our country many brothers and sisters of our society are living below the poverty line. Lakhs of people are working in tea gardens in Assam, Tripura and Bengal, unfortunately still they are struggling hard to earn for daily bread. Many youths have dream to get married but due to poverty they could not afford such ceremonial rituals. So, many of them prefer to use short cut of Gandharva Vivah. But society does not give social status to such couples. Kalyan Ashram came forward to help such couples through Samuhik Vivah (Group Marriage). From last one decade Ashram has been conducting such marriages in Bengal and Assam, which gives the couple social status. Urban units of organization afford all the expenses and offer gifts to the couples.
With the inspiration of VHP, the Bhagini Nivedita Sewa Nyas, started a sewa project, cutting-tailoring centre, in jhuggi clusters of Dwarka in West Delhi. Inaugurating the project, vice president of the VHP Delhi and general secretary of the Nyas Shri Mahavir Prasad Gupta said helping those who are deprived due to any reason is the responsibility of every well to do person of the society. He pointed out that the VHP already runs over 100 sewa projects in different parts of Delhi. These projects include health centres, cutting-tailoring centres, computer training centres, beauticians, bal sanskar kendras, etc. The new project was started at JJ Colony of B block in Dwarka sector 3. Shri Ram Bhagat Rajaura, noted social activist, presided over the function.
Hyderabad unit of Vijnana Bharati organised a science camp at Saraswati Sishu Mandir, Badangapet for children studying from 6th to 12th standard from 
There was also a special guest who had flown in from India for the event who was none other than Shri Shyam Parande International Coordinator ,Sewa International. Shri Parande who is supervising the rehabilitation projects run by Sewa International in Uttarakhand was received and honoured at the function on behalf of the Hindu community by Shri Rajesh Venkataramaiah - President, Sewa Australia. Shri Parande who held the audience spellbound in his inspiring speech remarked that despite the total loss of livelihood, they had encountered, the affected people in Uttarakhand are still positive and in fact did not want any handouts but just opportunities for them to work hard and build new futures.
However, a unique set of volunteers, drawn from these various organisations in conjunction with karyakarthas from Sewa International Australia worked in harmony and demonstrated true Sanghatan mein Shakti. 
The images of the horrific floods last year in Uttarakhand hang on our memory more than any other natural calamity. Everyone said this was simply irreparable. The severity of the floods and the images we witnessed on our TV screens will live with us and would be recalled whenever there is a flood. The floods killed more than 30000 people, property worth Crores was lost, businesses lost, not only crops but the rich farm lands were totally washed off, educational institutions washed away, whatever came in the way of the flooding waters was washed away, the loss looked unfathomable.
Another lady that I should not miss mention is Smt. Baradevi, a born leader with meagre educational background. She runs a federation of all the Self Help Groups in Chandrapuri village and surrounding villages. Her self-confidence and dynamism are her strengths and she does not miss to assert that. She took over the dais to speak about her experiments in farming and everyone was enjoying her speech. We were surprised to note that she guides 191 Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the federation she leads. This federation implements the programs of World Bank. She manages to maintain all the registers and records for her federation with huge membership, including minutes of the meetings. This lady maintains properly organised registers and records, all the database of the members of the SHGs, facilitates loans from World Bank drawn schemes. She started her self Help Group with Rs.10 per day saving and now has grown to Rs.500/- per month. She has impeccable record of repaying the loans without failure. 
The natural “energy drink” made out of “Burans” flowers was as enticing as it can be and I would not miss an opportunity to sip it again. 
Sixty villages from Gurgaon district have been short-listed for the implementation of Solid and Liquid Waste Management Project under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) for the current financial year. The project will help in segregation of solid waste and considerably enhance wastewater treatment capacity and help in generation of recycled water for agricultural and other purposes. Deputy Commissioner Shekhar Vidyarthi said only those villages which have won or figured in the list of the Nirmal Gram Puraskar have been chosen for the project. The pilot project for waste management is already underway at Mubarakpur, Hasanpur and Kankrola villages in the district. In Hasanpur and Kankrola, the project is being run by the Institute of Global Development, a non-government organisation, with good results. Mr. Vidyarthi said encouraged by the response to the project in these villages, they have now decided to extend it to other villages.
Gujarat government has launched a new scheme “Dattopant Thengadi Karigar Vyaj Sahay Yojana” to help the handloom and handicraft artisans. The scheme has been named after veteran RSS Pracharak and founder of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and Swadeshi Jagran Manch the late Dattopant Thengadi. Finance Minister Saurabh Patel announced the scheme that would help artisans and craftsmen, especially from Kutch to get loans up to Rs 1 lakh from banks. The Government would be guarantor for those loans. The scheme would benefit about 50,000 artisans in the State.
Dhanvantari Sewa Yatra, a service oriented programme comprising teams of doctors from all over India, visited Arunachal Pradesh on
An under construction twin tower building ‘Trust Heights’ in Chennai’s Mugalivakkam area collapsed due to heavy rains on 
Karyakari Mandal meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram was held from 
Kolkata unit of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram organised a two-day medical camp in Simlapal and Ranibandh Blocks of Bankura district in West Bengal from July 19 to 20. On July 19, the camp began at Butsahar village, about 25 km from Garhbeta station deep into forest area, where 450 patients, mostly Vanvasi, were provided 
This turned the whole village into debris. All 44 houses and around 200 locals residing in them were hit by the landslide caused by a burst of heavy rainfall. A team of National 
8th annual day function and the inauguration of Souvenir was organised on 21st August in the premises of 'Sanvedana'.
You must always be prepared to do the duty that your country may demand of you. Love your countrymen and promote unity among them. A large Spirit of toleration and forbearance, and a larger spirit of loving service is demanded of you. We expect you to devote as much of your time and energy as you can spare to the uplift of your humble brethren. We expect you to work in their midst, to share their sorrows and their joys, to strive to make their lives happier in every way you can.
Sewa Vibhag of RSS in Banashankari under Bengaluru organised an old newspapers collection drive as part of the Sewa Sanghik on August 31. The swayamsevaks reached out to individual houses in Banashankari, Padmanabhanagar, JP Nagar and other nearby areas and collected old newspapers from them. The money collected by selling the newspapers would be used for education and food expenses of the children staying in an orphanage called ‘NELE’. Nele is a project of Hindu Seva Pratishthana and has six centres across Bengaluru city. This provides free shelter, food and education for destitute children. People received the drive very well and appreciated the effort. A total of 1,000 kg old newspapers were collected. About 1,000 swayamsevaks participated in the drive for two hours.
Bhagini Nivedita Sewa Nyas Delhi, on 11th October provided cycle rickshaws and other basic necessary things to the Hindus who came from Pakistan. Apart from it, 25 families who came recently from Pakistan were provided with various household things like clothes, mattress, etc. Speaking on the occasion, general secretary of the Nyas Shri Mahavir Prasad Gupta assured the Hindus coming from Pakistan every possible help till they are granted citizenship in Bharat. He also applauded the support of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bharat Vikas Parishad and many other organisations which have been helping the Nyas in this endeavour
Kosalandha Meeriapeththa, an estate village in Uva province of Sri Lanka was badly affected by landslide on October 29. About 1,055 men and women including 162 children were displaced to a relief camp in Poonagala School after the landslide. At present, the camp is managed by Ministry of disaster management with the help of Army. Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) Sri Lanka volunteers in many districts immediately planned to collect the essential material to help the affected. A group of karyakarthas travelled from Colombo to the affected village to assess the ground reality and planned to work in the relief camp.Within a day, swayamsevaks collected materials worth Rs 20 lakhs. Only swayamsevaks and sevikas are working inside the relief camp other than the government officials and the Army.
The cyclone, Hudhud, severely hit three districts of Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam. Although, the north-east monsoon affects every year the coastal areas of Bay of Bengal during October-November, this year the devastation is huge. Visakhapatnam is the worst hit.
The government had taken excellent steps in protecting the life of people. About 5 lakh people from vulnerable areas were shifted to safe areas. The government machinery was pressed into service to provide electricity and water, to restore communication facilities immediately and to supply food, water, milk and other needs to the last man. Several voluntary organisations also joined in meeting the needs of the people.
The Project has been started under the sponsorship of UPAYA Social Ventures early this financial year in the Mission to help the marginalized and poor, especially the Tribals, to make them stand on their own feet. 
Grama Panchayat Ward members Shri CV Haridas, Smt. Sindhu and Tailor Raji Pattavayal made felicitation speeches. 
RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat, accompanied some local Sangh leaders visited a Sewa Basti of Bengaluru on 
Ambedkar Sangha and gracefully accepted snacks and milk offered to him. Before leaving the house, he lighted incense sticks and offered to big portrait of Lord Venkateshwara inside the house.
A programme was organised by the ABVKA to support the disabled persons in Jashpurnagar on 3rd Dec, 2014 in which disabled persons of Jashpurnagar participated. Try Cycle competition was started by Sri Kripa Prasad Singh, Vice President of Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram where as Prizes were distributed by Srimati Thunni Bai, Chairperson ,Zila Panchayat. Sri Singh told that 12036 disabled persons are registered with DDRC office.He also told that more than half of the disabled persons are living in remote areas. 
RSS swayamsevaks on January 1 cleaned the premises of historically reputed bus stand at Gokarna in Karnataka as a part of the ‘Swaccha Bharat Abhiyan’. Gokarna is one of most reputed temple town of Karnataka, where thousands of visitors arrive by buses. The sewa work by the swayamsevaks received applause by the local people.
Sewa Bharati workers distributed relief material to the violence victims staying in relief camps after the violence of December 23 which claimed the lives of 78 people. So far 81 relief camps have been created and more than two lakh people have shifted there. Sewa Bharati Purbanchal provided immediate relief to the victims. The relief materials include food items, clothes and medicines. The Sewa Bharati has also planned for rehabilitation of the orphan children both boys and girls.
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Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram and Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodini jointly organised a three-day national workshop at Keshav Srishti from February 6 to 8. A total of 112 delegates from 12 states discussed various issues concerning the Vanvasis.
Sethu Govindan, 
At 12:56, while we were busy distributing the relief material and talking to the local villagers to understand the current situation Earth shook violently with a damning sound. We could see the earth splitting with fissures appearing on the loose soil. There was considerable hue and cry as many of them were reliving 04/25 all over gain but we along with the whole village who had come to collect the relief materials, were very lucky to survive as we were on an open ground. There were a couple of people who were standing on the edge of the overlooking hill who slipped due to the triggered landslide but were rescued with minimal injuries due to prompt response of CDRT team from US who along with our volunteers pulled the people out and saved their lives, bringing smiles all across.
Handling dead bodies is the last act that anyone would like to do, but when there are hundreds of dead bodies to be handled during the calamity, no one would dare to touch. It was the similar story for couple of days at the Teaching Hospital mortuary. Police personnel deployed there preferred to look the other way as the bodies arrived. Yet, a young man stood constantly through the week after terrible earthquake, handling every dead body arriving, embalming as many as one can, packing them with sheets, helping the relatives of the dead to identify their near & dear who had died, or whatever came his way. The hospital doctors and staff were so impressed that they even offered to employ him which he simply declined. He received an award from Hospital due to his extraordinary service.The trauma of handling dead bodies is enormous and yet this young man never complained, no murmur, just performing his duty without expectation of name, fame, money, absolutely nothing. His dedication to the cause is unique, and makes him a true “Karmayogee”. When a journalist inquired where he received the training in handling dead bodies or embalming them, he responded that he had never done this job earlier. This was the first time he performed this. He is an activist like many others and is presently a full timer for Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in Bihar. He might have handled close to 250 bodies in total within a week, a sort of records. This young man is Sugreeva, a true hero. 
Natives of Charghare Gavisa, Nuwakote district resorted to public agitation on the road. The protest stopped the traffic on the road for hours. The villagers had not received any relief material for almost 9 days after the earthquake.A group of volunteers who were travelling along the route and had to stop, met the protestors and calmed them down with a promise that they would be back with relief within 24 hours.The villagers were delighted to find the group back in village next day morning with relief material. A pracharak of HSS, Teerthraj Khanal, led this group and distributed the material. The district Superintendent of Police Sobodh Ghimire applauded the efforts by talking to Teerthraj on phone and guided him to more such places.One of the beneficiaries in Charghare Gavisa, Nuwakote was a widow with 9 children who had to take shelter beneath a Banyan tree. All 10 of them lived with little food for almost 9 days. The lady and her kids returned to village after some persuasion and receiving the relief material.
On 27th May, 2015, the fifth branch of Sewa Path was inaugurated by C S Chauhan, the Deputy collector of Rudraprayag at Shri A P B Government P G College. Sewa Path (with 10 PCs right now) in association with the College aims at providing computer training to B.Ed and other students on a very nominal charge. Initially, the Centre has facilities in basic courses. However, advance courses and job oriented courses are on prospective agenda.The Deputy Collector in his inaugural address lauded the efforts of Sewa Path and College and encouraged the students to get maximum benefits of this facility. The Principal of the College, Shri P S Jangwan, who was instrumental in opening of this Centre advised the students to get benefit of the facility. Shri Devendra Padiyar deliberated upon activities and efforts of Sewa International, Uttarakhand in Rudraprayag and Chamoly districts in the aftermath of Uttarakhand flood. Shri Prahlad Pushpwan presented Sewa’s memento to the Deputy Collector on behalf of the Organization.
Saraswati Shishu Vidya Mandir schools run by the Shikhya Bikas Samiti, affiliated to the Vidya Bharati, continues to perform exceptionally well in secondary examinations in Odisha. This year 11,432 students from 897 Shishu Mandir schools appeared in the Board Examinations 2013 and recorded the pass percentage of 98.52, which is much higher than the overall pass percentage of the State. This year the overall pass percentage of the State has been 73.11 per cent.
Deendayal Research Institute (DRI) organised a lecture in New Delhi on May 10 on water discipline. The lecture was delivered by noted water expert Dr Sudhirendra Sharma. Dr Sharma said water discipline means arresting wastage of water and making best use of every drop available. He said water scarcity needs everybody’s attention and we all have to understand how we are wasting the water. We waste hundreds of litres of water every day even while shaving or brushing the teeth. Not only this, the flush that we use after going to toilet, also wastes about 14 litres of water every time. We all need to think of it.
During his visit to Nashik, P.P. Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagawat inaugurated the 80-bed Shri Guruji Hospital on April 19. The hospital is run by the Babasaheb Ambedkar Medical Pratisthan. The hospital is equipped with all modern facilities including facilites for cancer treatment, general surgery, endoscopy, eye-diseases, dialysis, clinical research, C.T. scan and dentistry treatment by expert medical practitioners at reasonable rates. Speaking on the occasion Shri Bhagwat hoped that the hospital would bring Nashik on the medical map. The Rs 15 crore hospital is built on five acre land provided by the Nashik’s Central Hindu Education Society. Chairperson of the Pratisthan, Dr Anil Bhalerao, senior Director Arun Nanda were also present on the occasion.
Shristi Tiwari had cataract in both her eyes since birth and despite 11 surgeries, her condition did not improve. In fact, with time it only worsened. Now, she has only five per cent of sight left, that too in only one of her eyes. But she did not let her disability come in the way of her studies. She has been a bright student since the beginning, with many scholarships and certificates in her name.
Eminent economist Dr R Baidyanathan of IIM Bengaluru and RSS Sah Sarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosabale jointly inaugurated the 82nd branch of Thane Jan Sahakari Bank (TJSB) at Jayanagar in Bengaluru on May 7. The TJSB is an RSS inspired initiative in the cooperative sector. It is the second branch of the Bank in Karnataka, first in Belgaum. In his speech Prof Baidyanathan said a multi-state cooperative bank like TJSB serves for a large community. Far greater than the stock market business, the reach and network of a cooperative bank is highly valuable in the national economy. He said Indian women have high sense of economic management. They match the unmatchable income-expenditure ratios in the family. Whether it is gold or any other material, all serve as an economic security for her and the family.
34 and damaging over 160 buildings. Seven people went missing and a chopper and four vehicles were swept away as heavy rains continue to lash the state, Disaster Management authorities said here. Rudraprayag bore the brunt of the disaster accounting for 20 casualties; they said adding seven were killed in Dehradun, four in Almora and two each in Chamoli, Tehri and Uttarkashi districts. Four members of a family were killed in their sleep in Kasta village in Dehradun district when the debris falling from a landslip hit their house, police said. Three of families were killed in a similar manner in Prem Nagar area in Dehradun, they said. In Almora, three persons were killed and 15 injured when a bus in which they were travelling was
hit by a landslide at Dhaulchina. A large number of structures including shrines, hotels, rest houses, commercial and residential buildings collapsed like a pack of cards in Rudraparayag district. Seventy-three houses were totally damaged in Rudraprayag, 60 in Pithoragarh, 19 in Uttarkashi, 10 in Dehradun and one each in Tehri and Bageshwar.The Chief Minister who took information from District Magistrates on the extent of damage caused by the flashfloods through video conferencing, expressed grief at the loss of lives in the calamity describing it as a "huge" one. Rescue operations were going on on a war-footing with the help of ITBP, BSF and the Army but bad weather was proving a hindrance, he said. Chardham and Mansarovar pilgrimages, suspended following torrential rains, would be resumed as soon as the 
weather improves, the Chief Minister said.Thousands of pilgrims were stranded in Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts with 10,000 each at Badrinath and Govind Ghat, 6,000 at Ghanghariya and 1,000 at Joshimath. Hundreds of stranded pilgrims in Govind Ghat were evacuated this morning by the Army and taken to Joshimath, a press release from the Central Command headquarters said. Further evacuation attempts were hampered at some places due to landslides. The first two groups of Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims on way to Tibet were asked to stay put at their respective places at Gunji and Almora till the road network was restored and the weather improved. 
The 91 kms stretch of road from Maneri to Gangotri is totally washed away without leaving any trace of existing road at places, yet, volunteers are working round the clock in Maneri to provide food to at least 1000 pilgrims reaching daily. Other important relief camps like Rishikesh, Shrinagar, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, are also providing food and medicine to the pilgrims. Senior activist of Uttaranchal Daivi
Aapda Peedit Samiti Shri Prem Barakoti reached Maneri by walking many kilometres and managed the relief operation there. The Army jawans 
Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram President, Shri Jagdev Ram Oraon inaugurated a newly built administrative office cum boys hostel named “Aamaako Maya Chhatrabas” run by Janjati Kalyan Ashram Nepal here on 2nd June 2013. 
organised a mass wedding ceremony in Jaipur on May 19. A total of 41 couples from different castes got married in the ceremony. The objective of the function was to help the economically deprived people in arranging the wedding of their children. It also helped in creating the social harmony among different segments of the Hindu society. The Samiti and the Sewa Bharati have been organising such ceremonies for the last three years in Jaipur, Kota, Baran and other cities of Rajasthan. Marriage certificates to all the newly wedded couples were given on the spot.
distribution camp on June 9. Artificial limbs, calipers, tricycles, hearing aids, etc. were presented to 85 physically challenged persons at the camp. Shri Jeevan Dhawan, Member, Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board, was the chief guest. He applauded the nice work being done by the Bharat Vikas Parishad in rendering selfless services to the needy persons. Such camps inculcate a spirit of self-confidence among the physically challenged persons for becoming self-dependent, he said. Presiding over the function president of the Trust, Shri Suraj Jyoti said the Trust has provided artificial limbs, calipers, tricycles, wheel chairs and hearing aids to more than 39,000 physically challenged persons so far. He said regular camps are held every month for performing polio operations and we have already performed over 2,000 free Polio operations successfully.