மொழி

நேற்று நானும் ஆதியும் வாசிமலை அவர்களின் மகள் திருமணத்திற்கு சென்றிருந்தோம். ஆதி அவ்வளவாக பேசாமல் என்பின்னடியே இருந்தான் (புதிய இடம், நிறைய புதுமக்கள் என்பதால்). திருமண வரவேற்பு நிகழ்சிகள் ஒருவாறாக முடிந்து நண்பர்கள் கூடி பேசிகொண்டிருந்தோம். சந்தானம் சார் , ஆதிக்கு எத்தனை வயது என்று கேட்டார்கள். நான் சொன்னேன் 2 வயதும் 5 மாதங்களும் என்று. சந்தானம் சார் தொடர்ந்தார், அப்போ செப்டம்பர் ல பள்ளிக்கு போவானா? இல்லை நான்கு வயதுக்கு மேல் LKG படிக்கட்டும் என்றேன். உடனே அருகில் இருந்த நண்பர் சொன்னார் என் மகள் இரண்டரை வயதில் பள்ளிக்கு சென்று விட்டாள், என்னாமா பேசுறா தெரியுமா...நீங்களும் அப்படியே செய்யுங்கள் என்றார். 

என் கணவர் சில மாதங்களுக்கு முன்னால் இது பற்றி பேசும்போது கூறினார்... "எப்படியோ பள்ளிகூடத்தில் சேர்ந்த பின்னால் அவனுடைய வாழ்வில் பள்ளி, வீட்டுபாடம், டியூஷன்...விளையாடவே நேரம் இருக்காது. அதுவரை சுதந்திரமாக இருக்கட்டும், சொந்தம், பந்தம், விளையாட்டு என்று வாழ்கையை அனுபவிக்கட்டும்." அது நான்கு வயது வரையிருக்கட்டும் என்று பகிர்ந்தேன். 

இந்த கருத்தை அறிவுரை கூறிய நண்பரிடம் சொன்னேன். எனக்கு என் மகனை பற்றி சொன்னேன், ஆதிக்கு, நிறைய விலங்குகள் தெரியும், ஆடு, மாடு, கோழி, செடிகள் அடையாளம் கண்டுபிடிக்கதேரியும் என்று.. அவன் கையிலிருந்ததோ ஒரு விளையாட்டோ சாமான் (educative toy). Giraffe என்று எழுதி இருந்தது - அதை பார்த்தவுடனே ஒட்டகசிவிங்கி என்று உற்ச்சாகமானான். அடுத்து zebra - வரிக்குதிரை என்றான், எப்படி ஆங்கிலத்தில் எழுதிருந்த படங்களை தமிழிலே சொன்னான், இப்படி பல வார்த்தைகளை சொல்லிக்கொண்டே இருந்தான். 

நான் அந்த நண்பரை பார்த்து கூறினேன், ஆதிக்கு, தமிழில் கஷ்டமான வார்த்தைகள் சில தெரியும், ஆனால், சாதாரண ஆங்கில வார்த்தை கூட ஆதிக்கு தெரியாது. மற்றொரு நண்பர் கூறினார், இந்த வயதிற்கு தாய்மொழி போதும் என்று. 

வேறு வேறு தலைப்புகளுக்கு பேச்சு மாறியது, சிறிது நேரத்தில் கூட்டமும் கலைந்தது. 

விலையும் விவசாயமும்

ஆறாவது ஊதிய குழு பரிந்துரை செய்தபடி ஊதியத்தை உயர்த்தியதோ மத்திய மற்றும் மாநில அரசாங்க ஊழியர்களுக்கு மட்டும் தான். சில தனியார் கம்பனிகளும் ஊதியத்தை உயர்த்தினார்கள் ஆனால் பரிந்துரையின் படி அல்ல. விவசாயிகள், வியாபாரிகள், சுயதொழில் செய்பவர்கள் தான் உண்மையான பாதிப்பிற்குள்ளனார்கள். இரண்டு ரூபாய்க்கு பயணித்த பேருந்துகளை காணவில்லை (வடிவேல் ஏதோ படத்தில் கிணறு காணவில்லை என்று  கூறுவாரே அது போல...). வருவதென்னவோ தாழ்தள பேருந்தாம்! குறைந்த பட்ச கட்டணம் 5 ரூபாயாம். 

பெட்ரோல் மற்றும் டீசல் விலையேற்றம் பாமரனுக்கு அவசிய தேவைகள் எட்டாக்கனி ஆகியது. மத்திய மற்றும் மாநில அரசாங்க ஊழியர்கள் மட்டும் தான் பேருந்தில் பயணம் செய்கிறார்களா என்ன? கேட்டால் பெட்ரோல் மற்றும் டீசல் விலையேற்றம் சர்வதேச சந்தை நிலவரத்தை பொறுத்துன்னு சொல்லிடுவாங்க! அந்த விலையேற்றத்தால் அரிசி, பருப்பு, போன்ற எல்லா பொருட்களும் விலையேறின. ஏறிய விலை விவசாயிக்கு சென்றடைந்ததா? இல்லையே... காய்கறி விவசாயி மட்டும் காலம் முழுக்க சூழ்நிலை கைதி தாங்க. முகூர்த்த நாட்களில் தக்காளி 40 ரூபானா மழை காலத்தில் ரூபாய்க்கு ரெண்டு கிலோ. இதே நிலை தான் எல்லா காய்கறிகளுக்கும். காய்க்கு தான் விலை கிடைக்கல, எடத்துக்கு நல்ல விலையாம்...

பாவம் விவசாயி, நிலத்தை வந்த விலைக்கு வித்திடுவான். அப்படி செய்தால் விவசாயத்துக்கு வாங்கிய கடனையாவது அடைக்க முடியும். இருக்கவே இருக்கு ஒரு ரூவா அரிசி, இலவச தொலைக்காட்சி நாள் பூரா நாடகம் பார்க்க, நடந்ததை மறக்க டாஸ்மாக்....

நாளைய விவசாயம் ?

நிறம்

ஆதிக்கு பழங்கள் படங்களை காட்டி அடையாளம் காண செய்துகொண்டிருந்தேன் போன வாரம். ஞாயிற்று கிழமை தானே நேரம் கிடைக்கிறது ரசனையான வேலைகள் செய்வதற்கு. சக்கரம் போன்ற ஜவ்வரிசி வடகங்கள் பல நிறங்களில் கிடைத்தது - நூறு கிராம் 8 ரூபாய் தான். போரிதுகொடுத்து நிறங்கள் சொல்லிகொடுத்தேன். வெள்ளை, பச்சை, மஞ்சள், ஆரஞ்சு என்று....ஆதி ரசித்து சாபிட்டான்,  நானும் அவன் சாப்பிடுவதை ரசித்தேன். இது என்ன கலர்? பச்சை என்று சொன்னவுடன் பச்சை சொல்லி சாபிட்டான்..., அடுத்து மஞ்சள், சிகப்பு, நீலம்...ஆரஞ்சு சொன்னவுடன் ஆதி கேட்டான் அப்ப சாத்துக்குடி கலர் எங்கே? முந்திரிபழம் (திராட்சையை அப்படி தான் கூறுவான்) கலர் எங்கே என்று... தோற்றுபோனேன் மகனிடம்.

மதிப்பு

24 மணி நேரம் தான் எல்லோருக்கும். எப்படி எனக்கு என் நேரம் முக்கியமோ அப்படியே எல்லோருக்கும். அதிகம் சம்பாதிக்கும் பில் கேட்சின் நேரம் விலை அதிகம்னோ துப்பரவு பணியாளுடைய நேரம் விலை கம்மின்னு மதிப்பிட முடியாது. துப்புரவுப் பணியாளர் ஒரு நாள் விடுப்பு எடுத்தால், நம் சுற்றுபுறம் நாறும். அப்பொழுது தெரியும் அவர்கள் மதிப்பு. 

இது வேலை பார்ப்பவர், இல்லத்தரசி எல்லோருக்கும் பொருந்தும். அலுவலத்துக்கு தாமதமா வந்தா loss of pay போடலாம், வாங்கும் சம்பளத்தை பொறுத்து;  வீட்டுக்கு தாமதமா போனா ஒரு தாயா / மனைவியா loss of pay எப்படி கணக்கிடமுடியும்? ஒரு தாயோட விலையை நிர்நயன் பண்ண முடியுமா? ஒரு கணவனுக்கு என்னொரு மனைவி கிடைக்கலாம், ஆனால் குழந்தைக்கு தாய் கிடைக்குமா?

இந்தய அரசாங்கம் இல்லத்தரசிகளை, பாலியல் தொழிலாளிகள், பிச்சைகாரர்கள் மற்றும் சிறை கைதிகள் பட்டியலில் இணைத்திருப்பதை (2001 ம் ஆண்டு மக்கள்தொகை கணக்கெடுப்பின் படி) என்னால் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள முடியவில்லை. 

Amy's Valaikappu

Many Indian or Tamilians know about Valaikappu. The ceremony with rituals for the benefit of future mother and the foetus. I got an opportunity to attend Amy's Valaikappu. It is usually celebrated in the future mother's parent's house. The One I attended was conducted by colleagues as neither of their parents reside in India. Ananda Mahto, an American with Indian roots, teach communication skills at Tata-Dhan Academy. Amy Jensen Mowl, his wife is Programme Head, Longitudinal Studies, Centre for Microfinance, Chennai. The programme was planned at 10. 30 - 11.30 am. I and Aadhi reached the venue by 8. 30 itself. We were busy watching Amy getting ready for the function.

Amy looked like a princess, the credit goes to Ms. Venkateswari, the beautician who prepared Amy for the memorable event, the sister of the host, Ms. Shanthi Maduresan. Shanthi madam was so caring to conduct this memorable event for every one of us. As it was on August 15th, Indian Independence day, Ananda and many others joined the venue around 10 am.  Many DHAN and Tata-Dhan Academy staff and students of the academy joined the occasion.
Ananda and Amy were brought to the dias where the rituals were performed.
What made this a special occasion is the presence of Ms. Banumathi, Rathika's mother, who explained the reason for performing each and every ritual. A glimpse of it - Valaikappu is performed during the last months of pregnancy as the foetus starts realizing all the activities - can hear and observe. The expectant mother is made to wear a lot of bangles mostly glass ones of red and green colors. the colour are to please the eyes and the sound to reach the womb as music. Arti is performed to clear the evil notions of others (if any). Five or seven flavored food is to tell the future mother and foetus about diversity of life.
Highlight:
Several of the others present at the function wanted to know whether there were any similar events in the US. The closest comparison would be a "baby shower", usually held around the same time. While baby showers have become mostly commercial now, it is also a good opportunity for women who have had babies to buy small gifts that they know the mother-to-be would find useful. 
Ms. Shanti Maduresan (the host) was Amy's stand-in mother to organize everything. Amy felt immobile because of the weight of all of the flowers, great food, and, of course, getting to see everyone out of work.

Amy said unlike in Indian culture, Ananda followed Amy, and she decided to work in India and she actually got Ananda involved in DHAN Foundation by introducing to DHAN Foundation through the ART programme.
About Amy and Ananda:
Ananda:
He was born in Trinidab, a small Island in West Indis, in 1978. He lived there until he was 11, then moved with his mom and his two brothers to Santa Barbara, California. He live in Tamil Nadu for the past five years. His education is BA in economics from the University of California; MA in Education, in Curriculum and Istruction from the University of Phoenix. 
Amy:
Amy holds a Master's degree in Public Administration / International Development from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, as well as a BA degree in economics from the University of California. SHe is currently Head of the Centre for Microfinance's Longitudinal Studies Programme where she is conducting a comprehensive survey of 10,000 households in Tamil Nadu. 
Amy and Ananda:

Amy and Ananda met in Physics/Philosophy class 13 years ago when Ananda was just 18, and Amy almost 21. From that point on, it was pretty clear that they were meant to be togather, but they intentionally delayed getting married until some six years later when they were both finished with their undergraduate degrees. After Amy finished with her master's degree, two of them decided to explore living and working in India, and they've been living and working in Tamil Nadu for about 5 years. During that time, they've adopted several street cats as their children, but in early 2010, they decided that it was time to bring a little human on board ;-)

I reared goats abroad

When I was sitting in my cabin in office, I was surprised to see a man in brisk white jibba (an unique attire) with a big identity card hanging displaying "I reared goats abroad", carrying a suitcase with the same details.

He is Mr. Seran, a skilled tailor. In his early youth stage he was lured to Saudi Arabia by the words of the fake agents. People from rural areas are sent to various places for a mere commission of Rs. 5000 per person. Human traffic is in alarming rate. Even educated people are no exemption to this trap. This man who completed SSLC but skilled in tailoring (was earning Rs. 4000 per month by engaging four persons in his own shop) was excited to go abroad. He even dreamed of getting 20,000 - 30,000 per month. To fulfill his dream he sold what all he had - land, jewels and all resources, even got loans from money lenders to fly abroad, as he had to live in Mumbai for six months. Then he was successful to fly to Saudi Arabia.

He says, the only happiest hours were the hours which I flew in flight. He was received by the landlord for goat rearing. He could hear people talking "Here comes the goat rearer". He was shocked to know that his visa also said the same. He was warned by many terrible things if any initiates were taken to escape or act against the owner. He decided to submit to the authority.

His daily routine was like this - gets up at 5 am and he must be ready for goat rearing by 7 am. He must complete his breakfast containing Tamees. His daily ration is one Tamees (in picture) and little quantity of lentils (daal), five liters of water. Night he has to cook on its own. He was given 35 brisk white jibba as soon as he joined for work. His logic of his generosity is -  the dress will act as an indicator of whether he sat / slept somewhere while grazing. He was grazing the herds in desert, grazing not to feed grasses but to keep the animals walking to maintain their stamina. The livestock will be fed with nutrition feed ignoring the health condition of the man who grazed the animals. The owners had no sympathy at all. Being an Islam some day he may be giving some left overs to him in the month of Ramadan. This went for three years. After he completed his tenure of work, his last month salary was not paid to him instead his return tickets was purchased with that. You know what his salary was? 450 Riyal! (about Rs. 5000 which includes his food expenses too), which is not enough to have even a decent meal.

He returned homeland and decided to act against human trafficking.  From that day (now 10 years have rolled) he wears the attire,   identity card and carries the suitcase and turned into an activist. He was independently walking a lot, counselling students and youngster warning them not to be attracted by the false hope the agents.  Usually any foreign return person will be proud of working abroad and tell stories of luxury, where would have worked one of such 3D (Dirty, Dangerous and Difficult) jobs. It is rare to see such personalities to admit reality and attempt to stop those heading towards disaster. Hats off to such noble personalities. If the youngsters head to his advise, they can live a dignified life in their homeland itself and the nation would have less brain drain.

He dedicated his life for this purpose. Cheran can be reached by aaduseran@gmail.com. He is President of Meetppu Trust, working mainly on awareness among unskilled laborers and rescue the suffering migrants in alien land.

குழந்தை பாடிய தாலாட்டு...

சென்ற வாரம் நாங்கள் குடும்பத்தோடு பாண்டிச்சேரி சென்றிருந்தோம், ஒரு திருமணத்தில் கலந்துக்கொள்ள. குடும்பமாக சென்ற முதல் ரயில் பயணம் என்பது ஒரு சிறப்பு, அதனால் அசதி தெரியவில்லை. திருமணம் மாலை 5 மணிக்கு மேல் ஆரம்பித்து, பின் வரவேற்பும் அங்கேயே தொடர்ந்தது. அறைக்கு வர இரவு 9 மணி ஆகிவிட்டது. வரும்போது, என் பள்ளியில் படித்த தோழி கைபேசியில் அழைத்தாள். எங்களை வந்து பார்பதாக சொன்னாள். அவளும் ஒரு திருமணத்திலிருந்ததால் தாமதம். அவளும் அவளுடைய கணவரும் வந்தார்கள் 11 மணிக்கு. பழைய கதைகள் பேசினோம், இருவரும் அகமகிழ்ந்து. இரு கணவர்களும் வியப்புடன் நட்பு பாராட்டினர். 11 . 30 இருக்கும் அவர்கள் செல்லும்போது. நாங்கள் மறுநாள் காலை 5. 30 க்கு காரைக்கால் வண்டியை பிடிக்க திட்டமிட்டிருந்தோம். 11 .45 க்கு உறங்க தயாரானோம். கைபேசியில் காலை 4 . 30 க்கு எழுப்ப ஏற்பாடு செய்துவிட்டு விடிவிளக்கு மட்டும் எரியவிட்டு படுக்கப்போனோம். ஆதி கெஞ்சினான் "அம்மா விளையாட்டு சாமான்..." தூங்குப்பா ஆதி என்று கூறினார் என் கணவர். ஆதி என்னிடம் கெஞ்சினான். சரி என்று A - Apple, B-Ball, C-Cat மணிச்சட்டம் மாதிரி ஒரு பொம்மை (educative toy)  ஆதி கையில் கொடுத்துவிட்டு நாங்கள் இருவரும் ஆதியின் இருபக்கமாக படுத்தோம். ஆதி பாடியதோ "நிலா நிலா ஓடி வா.., நில்லாமல் ஓடிவா..., " மற்றும் "அம்மா இங்கே வா வா, ஆசை முத்தா தா தா..." ஆதியின் தாலாட்டில் இருவரும் உறங்கி போனோம், ஆதியும் களைப்பிலே உறங்கி விட்டான்.

Beggars

I happen to come across two beggars on my way to office daily. I first cross the lady probably 65 years old. She used to beg alms by saying ammaaa....I gave her a coin and proceeded to office. Then there was a man of the same age sitting in a tricycle for the physically challenged people, had lost his one leg and a hand. He didn't beg alms despite his physical challenges, I was moved by his behavior. I went to him whether he had food and then gave him a coin and reached office. After half an hour, I wanted to pick a thing from the TTS hostel where I was living at that time, the lady again begged arms saying the same ammaaa....I proceeded with my work. This routine continued many days and even years rolled.

I stopped giving coins to the lady and give only to the man. Some time I used to purchase food and give him. As I was moved by seeing the man collecting polythene bags from the Kiruthumal channel (was once river with Vaigai water for irrigation), now it is a sewage dumped with solid and liquid wastes. Also I had seen him cleaning bushes in the gardens in that to get some money from the house owners, he tried to live with dignity. I never saw him begging. My marriage was fixed and I invited only 40 - 50 people for our wedding, I called him to join us in our important moment of our life. I was eagerly waiting for him, but he did not join us. Still we (I and my husband) have high regards and meet him whenever possible.

Like these beggars, there are two type of people and their attitudes. One type sees ways and means to get something from every one possible, where as the other does their their fullest possible honestly and help reaches them without asking.

Grandpa admires Aadhi playing puzzles

We were in Karaikal in my father's house on Saturday. Aadhi felt very new to the environment, as this is his third visit. The earlier two visits I don't he will remember as he was too small. I hope he will forget this visit when he visits next year.

I thought I should give him zig-saw puzzle game of joining two pieces of six animals (his favorite) as an ice-breaking exercise. He was sitting in my lap for few moments and then gradually he got so involved in the game. He even started explaining the game to the two kids who came to see us.

My father, 62 years old man who shaped me started admiring how Aadhi was selecting the right piece and matching them to form the complete animal. He started saying "Very Good" and clapping as he was very proud about his grandson. For him this was something GREAT, because he lives in the village, not exposed to the play schools. This was his first experience of seeing educative toys. Kids younger than Aadhi may do many more things than him though.

காக்கைக்கு தன் குஞ்சு பொன்குஞ்சு!

Aadhi tried to stop water leakage

When we got down in Villupuram, he saw water dripping from the tap, Aadhi was worried water is wasted, and he wanted to stop it. He tried to stop it but failed. I was thinking the whole day why I, my husband and many adults who are crossing could not take initiative to stop it. May be Aadhi being a child wants to play with water, he is attracted to it. I was worried how we are not insensitive to issues around us until it hurts us. I should have reported the railways department.
Children are more sensitive to water issues. See this video. The child in this video is not Aadhi.

Aadhi learns numbers

Aadhi's first train travel was from Madurai to Villupuram. He watched the trees and started saying "தென்னை மரம்" which means coconut trees. I used this opportunity to teach numbers. When there was one tree, I taught "ஒன்னு" when there was one tree, "ரெண்டு" when there were two trees. I am introducing words and names of animals and birds, almost every thing in Tamil. When there was many trees in groves, he said நிறைய தென்னை மரம். Then he stated counting the cows, goats from his windows. He was busy learning numbers or counting till we reached Villupuram.

Education

As a mother, I thought I should give the best education to my son. I made a survey of play schools and Montessori schools available near my office. Later after analyzing pros and cons, I decided one and took my husband by compulsion. We both went to the school and asked details. They were more concerned about the fees and conditions. As an enthusiastic mother, I requested to permit us to have a glance of the school. The lady in charge did not agree to the request. I was successful in convincing the lady and we went around.

She narrated how they will engage the child with toys, alphabets, numbers, communication....She was very proud showing a little girl, whose mother is working in a town (500 kms away), she visits only once in a week, her father takes home only in late night and bring here early in the morning. For her this is her second home......

I came out of the school brimmed with joy. At last I found a place to educate my son where he can feel at home. I started dreaming my son reciting rhymes, counting numbers, speaking in English....I looked at my husband to get YES to my decision..

He replied, Let Aadhi continue going to Palwadi/ Anganwadi. In our home we already have similar set of educative toys like puzzles, activity games and charts displaying Tamil and English alphabets, numbers, fruits, vegetables, birds, animals, English and Tamil rhymes books cassettes and CDs. Let us purchase a new set of everything we have and give it to Palwadi. Let all the poor children get a feel of play school. If Aadhi joins the play school, his world may be limited to the play school alone, exposed to elite people lives and he may demand luxury than need. He may not know the pain of practical life.

I came home very much satisfied for the wise decision of my husband. We gave a new set to Palwadi. Aadhi enjoys playing the toys with other children. I praise the Lord for a wise husband and an opportunity to practice SUBMISSION instead of argument.

Handholding support

Development Matters and Amina are for the first time experiencing 'Hnd holding support'through Mr. Ananda (my mentor). I proof read the January 10, February 10 and March 10 issues at the same time and submitted to Mr. Ananda for editorial support. He took the February first and gave me the corrected issue saying there are many repeated mistakes, which should be documented as a 'Style sheet'. Then Ananda took up editing the January and i took the March issue. I completed the March issue and sent the edited version to Ananda and I continued with the April issue editing. Now I am confident that I can do the proofreading and editing of Development Matters on my own. I thank Ananda for providing me hand holding support and good experience of learning how to be genourous in teaching others.

Write-shop in Hyderabad

I conducted a write-shop in Hyderabad. Mr. Ananda Mahto was the facilitator.

Write-shop is a writing workshop where teaching how to write and various techniques of writings were taught to the Development Professionals, working at grass root level. It was a three-day programme. The main objective of the write-shop is to encourage the development workers write their experience. It is planned as a trainers’ training. They can document all the events in the work front. They also can train their team to document. Though this write-shop may feed articles to Development Matters, it would also enrich documentation at regional, programme level and outstanding works may find a place in annual report of the organization. The write-shop consisted of three different sessions, one session a day. Input session gave details of the guidelines and framework for writing – documenting the developmental works. It also had brainstorming to collect all relevant data related to topic and arranging in a sequence. Amina distributed guidelines and framework and Ananda distributed Style Manual for all the participants.

There were eight participants (four Vayalagam, three Kalanjiam, and one Rainfed), Sadasiva, Giridhar, Vittal Rao and Venkateswarlu were also present in the Write-shop. Though there only eight contributing participants, I received 15 articles from the write-shop.

The best performer was Mr. Santhosh Kumar from Bejjur. His first article received many inputs regarding language and subject from the panel. He edited and showed the second draft, which was far better than the first draft, and then he started writing the second article, here the inputs were less, as the quality of his writing improved. After his second article, Mr. Sadasiva gave him few topics to write. Mr. Santhosh submitted four articles and he was writing the fifth one.

I felt very excited to see one person got the spirit of penning down with enthusiasm. I felt I was there to empower one professional. I have faith that the skills he acquired from the write-shop, we would have an open eye, sharpened ear and documenting hand to write down whatever interesting he come across.

I thought, some encouragement should be there to this. I decided to give prize and he bagged the first prize.

Real Mentor

I had Appraisal - (Annual Performance Enabling Programme) APEP on 26th March, 2010 in DHAN People Academy. I am delighted to have Mr. Ananda Mahto as my Mentor by GOD's Grace. When I shared what are the works I am supposed to complete in the coming year 2010 - 2011 through my Work appraisal interaction report, and the works I did in the last year 2009-2010. He understood the situation and he said he would allot four days for language editing of each Development Matters issue, similarly he would teach me designing (either Scribus or InDesign)so as to enable to complete my tasks in time. It is a big opportunity and challenge for me to make use of the learning scope and get the maximum capacity building (of me) possible. I thank the organisation for giving Mr. Ananda as my mentor and thanks to Mr. Krishnamoorthi (my previous mentor) for suggesting Mr. Ananda as mentor this year. I could give credit to the LORD for such a change.

Beign Genuine

I got an opportunity to discuss with Mr. Ananda Mahto, a gentleman working in Tata-Dhan Academy for more than five hours. He spoke about how Indian don't feel guilty to use pirated software. He was enlisting the cost of Adobe PageMaker, CorelDraw, Photoshop, Microsoft, and much more. We justify saying one reason or the other for the illegal usage. He said why not we Indian go for the available open source freewares. Sure there are many Indians who pay for the original software they use. Point to ponder is the percentage of the genuine users. This made me to resolve to use only the open source software or freewares, or else I would pay for the software and get a license for authentication.