Category: National

Kerela, [India] : A person can only tackle a single profession, is this saying true? Well, you can get the answer through this article. Perambra born businessman Musthafa Paleri has always volunteered actively as a health and hygiene volunteer during the time of the COVID-19 Crisis as well as the Nipah Virus. Just at the age of 44, he has achieved a lot in terms of humanity, and the title of the health warrior by the common people of his society.  He is always praised by the people for his activism amid the Nipah Virus Crisis and COVID-19 Pandemic in Kerala.

Earlier, during his younger days, he was active in Congress and KSU. Not only in his own district or state he was also engaged in the social welfare and community-building activities in Qatar as he was there from 1997 to 2007. He decided to come back to India just because of his desire to work for the development and betterment of society. He is a very well-known activist from Perambra and Kerala and he mainly focuses on charity and relief work for the weaker sections as well as the needy people of the society.  He is not only an activist or health warrior but also serves as an entrepreneur.

Musthafa has been applauded and recognised by the regional media because of his courage when he went to Sister Lini’s house who died because of Nipah. Even though Sister Lini was a selfless health worker who worked at the forefront against Nipah, but when she died of the same disease, the larger society was apprehensive to even go to her house for her last rites. It was Musthafa himself who organised and asked people to went and meet her family in her house.

Musthafa has also raised his voice against casteism in backward community colony and led people to agitate against discriminatory practices.

Talking about his involvement in his society, one should know that he actively volunteered and led the youngster’s group in times of Kerala floods and assisted government relief activities. He reached out to the poor and affected people with food and resources. He also distributed foods in relief centers and hospitals. And then Mustafa’s volunteer brigade was well acknowledged and got recognition by the leaders of Kerala and regional media.

Musthafa’s best efforts came when he gathered and distributed life-saving medicine in the district of Calicut and Northern Malabar during the health crisis. Nipah Virus was not a small thing, but without any fear, Mustafa worked to help people day and night. As mentioned above he has also contributed a lot during the time of COVID-19 and extended his hand to help the needy as well as the corona warriors.

Musthafa is the general convenor of Santhwanam Charity which is based in Paleri, Calicut.

(Political Strategists starting from Prashant Kishore are the flavour of the day with eminent political parties taking them on board for aregional elections. Subodh Bajpai comes from an entrepreneurial background)

Kochi, Kerala [India] : Kerala’s prominent socio political formation SDF (State Democratic Front) is going all out for the Kerala elections which is going to happen on April 06, 2021. SDF has created ripples across various constituencies of ‘God’s Own Country’ through their civil society activism and social interventions.

In the upcoming 2021 Assembly elections the 4^th Front led by SDF leader Girish Pillai has joined forces with eminent political strategist Subodh Bajpai. Subodh is officially joining as ‘political advisor’ of Girish Pillai and will extensively focus on politics of Kerala leaving his entrepreneurial avenues for a while. Subodh has already started ‘Girish for Growth’ and ‘SDF to #ChangeKerala’ as the new slogans.

“Subodh Bajpai has joined me as my principal advisor, looking forward to working together for the development and betterment of the people of Kerala.” Girish Pillai said.

Girish Pillai had fought major cases against unfair acquisition of land of poor people and has been awarded ‘Kerala Youth Icon Leader’ by Nava Kerala Media for his legal and social interventions.

Election strategist Subodh Bajpai, who is working with SDF and its leader Girish Pillai for the upcoming assembly elections in the Kerala state describes the upcoming polls as a key battle for growth and prosperity in Kerala. Bajpai echoed Pillai in saying that “GIRISH FOR GROWTH” is the new political slogan for the fourth front in 2021 assembly elections of Kerala.

The Journey of synergy

Political circles are looking with eagerness regarding this tie up and to see whether SDF is going to emerge ‘kingmaker’ in Kerala. Kerala politics is very complex, nuanced and layered. Even national parties have struggled to get a good foothold in the state.

SDF through their charity activities, socio cultural assignments have built a brand for their organisation in the past year. They have hit headlines for bringing innovative solutions to problems of youth, various communities of the state. Subodh Bajpai will be spearheading the activities of Girish Pillai and SDF in their next endeavour.

Delhi, [India] : Guru Manish, a renowned proponent of Ayurveda, which he has been propagating since 1997, unveiled a unique online petition’s web-portal https://www.right2health.in on attaining one’s ‘Right To Health’ for all Indians & even people around the globe. The online petition’s web-portal was showcased by Guru Manish Ji at Noida Press Club here during a press meet. Apart from formally announcing the online petition’s launch innovatively named – Right To Health’ Ab Aapke Haath, Vishwa Ka Swaasth’, Guru Manish  also spoke about an ongoing ‘Right To Health’ campaign initiated by Shuddhi Ayurveda.

Shuddhi Ayurveda is an organisation founded by Guru Manish to promote Ayurveda as the first line of medical treatment in India. The corporate headquarter of Shuddhi Ayurveda is located at Zirakpur near Chandigarh. There are 150+ centres of Shuddhi Ayurveda spread across India.

Guru Manish  said, “According to Article 21 of the Constitution, everyone has the right to life, and this right cannot be attained sans ‘Right To Health’. Similarly, WHO’s definition of health says, health is a state of complete physical, mental & social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease. According to these, the ‘Right to Health’ is every individual’s birthright. We want to make people aware through the online petition that ‘Right To Health’ is only possible via Ayurveda, as according to Ayurveda’s ‘Charak Sanhita’, the motive of Ayurveda is to keep a healthy body disease-free & remove disease from its roots in a diseased body.”

Guru Manish added, “The ‘Right To Health’ online petition aims to achieve a ‘Healthful India’, by spreading awareness about the concept. This, in turn, will empower Indians, and they can collectively ask the Government of India to  promote Ayurveda in the right earnest.”

According to the National Survey Organization, 90% of the population still favours allopathic medicine, and it is high time that India shift’s focus to Ayurveda. In keeping with the ‘Vocal for Local’ theme of GOI, Ayurveda should be propagated and not allopathy which is a foreign protocol being promoted by the west. Pharmaceutical conglomerates are making huge profits at the cost of Indians’ health, as these medicines have many side effects and do not have any treatment which removes the ailment from its roots.

The idea behind starting the ‘Right To Health’ campaign and launching the online petition was also to impress upon the government to give Ayurveda its rightful place. Guru Manish Ji opined, “Although WHO’s decision to set up a traditional medicine centre in India and GOI’s decision to allow certain surgeries by ayurvedic practitioners are good moves, a lot needs to be done to change; the step-motherly attitude of authorities towards Ayurveda.”

Guru Manish  explains, “Even today, an ayurvedic doctor cannot sign a simple medical certificate, and there are no insurance systems for ayurvedic in-patient (admitted) treatment, even under Ayushman Bharat Rs. 5 lakh cover for the family is available at only allopathy based hospitals. Ayurveda treatment should also be brought under the ambit of insurance schemes. What’s more, under the garb of archaic laws like the 1897 Epidemic Act and the 1954 Magic Remedy Act, Ayurveda practitioners can’t talk about path-breaking treatments for different ailments, and these need to be repealed or amended.”

Mumbai, Maharashtra [India] : Since our ancient times, India has been known as the land of ‘Sujalam and Sufalam’. The various rivers worshiped as deities has ensured that Indians remain water secure. However, rising urban population and growing industrialisation have taken a toll on water resources and rivers once worshipped have turned into sewage canals. This demanded a fresher outlook towards the overall management of the Urban Water Cycle. An integrated approach comprising of Water Supply and Sewage Treatment with Reuse is the only solution to this crisis.

The thumb-rule is 80% of potable water supplied to a city returns as sewage. Our towns generate over 61,000 MLD of sewage with only 30% sewage treatment capacity available in cities and 3% in small towns. This untreated sewage is a hazard to socio-environmental health. Our cities mostly pollute the very water source they depend on with sewage generated. We lack STPs in place and for the ones we have, we do not have suitable maintenance budgets. We release 15,000 Million Litres of Municipal and Industrial Waste into the Ganga everyday.

Nagpur was no different. With a 27-lakh population, consuming 700 MLD of fresh water daily roughly 80% translating to ~550 MLD converted in sewage. A solution to this issue was treating sewage and REUSING it.

Nagpur’s sewage flowed through three rivers cum drains viz. Pivali, Pohra and Nag. This polluted the famous Gosikhurd Dam, a source of fresh water and irrigation. The Hon’ble High Court on a petition ordered action to bridge the gap of sewage generation and treatment. For Nagpur Municipal Corporation, it was financially impossible to meet this requirement and took a PPP route focusing on Reuse of the treated sewage water.

It involved collection of 200 MLD of sewage from rivers and augmenting a 100 MLD STP to 200 MLD with Reuse of treated water as final goal. The project was structured on PPP model with Vishvaraj Environment Pvt. Ltd. selected through a competitive bidding process for 30 years.

Entire project was built though 100% private investment making it the largest and the first STP on PPP model.

The real innovation was Reuse of this sewage treated water by the industry. MAHAGENCO, the state power generation utility agreedto using treated sewage at its two power plants.

Alongside a path-breaking policy by Ministry of Power made it mandatory for power plants across India to use treated sewage water, if available within a 50 km radius. The cost is allowed as a pass-through tariff by power plants making it financially sustainable.

Work on a 200 MLD STP and Reuse phase commenced in June 2018, withMahaGenCogoing to use 190 MLD for its Khaparkheda and Koradi plants. The challenge involved laying a 1,500 mm dia pipeline through dense urban areas and crossing railway lines at six locations.  The project was completed 9 months ahead of its designated construction period of two years that too in the peak pandemic situation.

The project proved to be a winner for everyone – municipality got a facility,city got its

future fresh water needs taken care off for 35 years and the power plants secured water supply. Citizens benefittedas sewage is treated and fresh water freed up.

For the remarkable execution of this path-breaking project, Vishvaraj Environment bagged the first prize at the FICCI water award 2020 held virtually on 16 February 2021.

Mr. Arun Lakhani, CMD, Vishvaraj Environment expressed his views on the Reuse philosophy saying, “Water Sustainability is a term which should remind us all, how inadequately we are coping with these subjects. This is slowly becoming critical for humanity. The Nagpur Reuse Project was conceptualized keeping reuse as a central theme. The potential for reuse at Thermal Power Plants is 8 billion liters per day initially. Indian cities are growing rapidly and water supply to the cities already scarce. The reuse initiative would release fresh water for 8 crore people. Our cities will have to look for the newer avenues for water security and Nagpur reuse model can act as a torch bearer for the cities.

Kerala, [India] : Born in the Malappuram District of Kerala, Adv KC Naseer has been prominent and headlines because of a lot of pro bono cases for the poor and marginalized sections of the society. He is an advocate as well as a member of – AILC (All India Lawyers Council). Naseer had also contested as a SDPI candidate, in the Kottakkal assembly in 2011 and the Tiruragadi constituency in 2016. And became an SDPI candidate in Vengara in 2017.

Naseer has started running several campaigns for the betterment of society. But he came into recognition and was noticed by all after his speech in Kolkata at the seminar titled “Against Child Labour”. Naseer is also well known for his blood donation drive, anti-alcohol, and anti-drug awareness campaigns. Naseer has started his journey into social activism while working in MSF. Well, nobody can become a social activist in a moment one needs to think of societal issues and the work they can do and how they can contribute to society. Being a lawyer, he was an office-bearer in MES college and Thrissur Law college. He was also part of the Indian council for social welfare.

He got known by the nation and became part of several headlines as an advocate in the controversial Hadiya case before the Kerala High Court and Supreme Court. Naseer’s arguments turned many heads and he also fought for the right of girls to choose the path and partner for her life. He was instrumental in getting human rights and dignity for Hadiya which became a landmark case in the history of the Indian judiciary.

Naseer has not only contributed socially but has also intervened and taken the stand in cases that were against anti-social elements snatching away the cattle wealth. His legal and social interventions in the district of Malappuram have earned his laurel from regional media and leaders of the state, which paved his way in the field of politics and activism. Not only this, the recognition made him more enthusiastic to work more for society.

Naseer has also contributed to several agitations regarding National Highway development, Gail Pipeline, and taken pro-people stands. He is also an RTI activist who is always ready to fight and take a stand for transparency in the system.

One of the most important or the well-known campaigns is for a new district Tirur which can bring more governmental facilities to the people of Malappuram and he has conducted a people’s march for the same. He is also an active part of the National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO) and has been an active speaker in the seminars conducted in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai.

New Delhi, [India] : The AllIndia Artisans and Craftworkers Welfare Association (AIACA) organized the first Craft Kutumb- ShilpUdyam Samman Presentation Ceremony on the 19th of February 2021. The virtual award ceremony was held to support Indian craft businesses that have demonstrated potential to grow, scale and reach new and emerging markets. Prize money of two lakhs has been awarded to the deserving entrepreneurs, craft groups or organizations selected through established eligibility criteria and a competitive selection process. Further, all participating businesses will be part of an acceleration programme to build enterprise development capacities.Around 150 craft enterprises have participated in the awards process across the country.

AIACA also conducted an online panel discussion on Building Resilient Enterprises Post COVID on the same day to delve deeper into the problem facing the crafts sector in India.

The panel discussion was conducted to highlight the critical challenges faced by the Indian crafts sector such as cash flow crunches, wage losses, cancellation or withholding of orders, supply disruptions in the raw material value chain, and uncertainties regarding shipment (both domestic and export) post lockdown. The panel also offered recommendations for reviving Indian craft businesses, which include measures such as government assistance, reductions or deferrals in GST across categories, soft loans, and interest-free working capital loans to aid production and facilitate easy access to raw material supplies.

AIACA has worked with 150,000 artisans and craft producers across 23 states in the country to date. Since its inception, the association has been providing critical technical support across the crafts value chain to make craft-based businesses sustainable. It regularly conducts research to address the challenges faced by individual artisans and craft enterprises. Through its certification programmeCraftmark, it provides a seal of authenticity to genuine handmade craft processes; a certification that is recognized widely in India and globally.

Speaking at the event, MsSreyaMozumdar, ED, AIACA said, “India has an overwhelming presence of micro-craft enterprises that employ, on average, less than three workers. Over 80% of these enterprises are self-financed and a negligible percentage of the enterprises borrow from financial institutions. Since their operations are not as organized as a typical manufacturing enterprise, it affects their ability to access financing and credit from the formal financial sector. Through Craft Kutumb- ShilpUdyam Samman we aim at recognizing the commendable efforts of Indian craft businesses and also provide acceleration inputs to help them stabilise, scale and grow amidst the global pandemic. We hope our initiative will help Indian artisans and enterprises create business viability overall.”

She further added, “Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the crafts sector has seen widespread distress. This is an opportune time for us to stand up for the Indian artisan communitysupport crafts businessesby going ‘vocal for local’. We look forward to joining hands with allies and partners to drive this initiative through our Membership programme – the Craft Kutumb.”

Addressing the guests during the online event, Jamal Kidwai, Founder, Baragaon Weaves said, “The set of awards initiated by AIACA Craft Kutumb – ShilpUdyam Samman – celebrates the creativity of millions of Indian artisans and craftworkers. Such awards acknowledge, inspire, and sustain the entrepreneurial spirit within the crafts eco-system. Especially, post-pandemic, as craft enterprises recover their lost livelihoods, the awards will support potential craft businesses to revive and grow into a sustainable market.”

About AIACA:

The All India Artisans and Craftworkers Welfare Association (AIACA) is an apex body that works to promote market-led growth for India’s crafts sector for improving the living standards of crafts producers.

About Craft KutumbShilpUdyam Samman:

The ShilpUdyamSamman by Craft Kutumb is an initiative to accelerate craft businesses which have the potential to grow by providing a basket of holistic support, ranging from the capital, skills and entrepreneurship training, design and product development, anda more stable and regular marketing platform.

Mumbai, Maharashtra [India] : The Unnao rape scandal has been much talked about in the past years, due to which there was a great rage among the people of the whole country, the discussions of MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s power kept the media busy for many months, but now filmmaker Sanoj Mishra is going to reveal the sensational news in front of the country. Recently, director Sanoj Mishra met the family of Kuldeep Singh Sengar and after getting consent from the family, research work on this subject has started in Unnao, Kanpur, Lucknow and Delhi, Sanoj Mishra is considered a realist director, who has produced films like Gandhagiri as well as films like Shashank based on Sushant Singh Rajput, Ram Janmabhoomi and Kashi to Kashmir.

Sanoj has worked boldly on the subjects that people are reluctant to talk about, now he has taken the responsibility of making Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s biopic, he believes that this is the biggest responsibility of his life so far, in which he is willing to do his job responsibly. The script of the film is about to be completed and the team of writers and research is working in Unnao. The  filmmakers are working on the star cast in which many big names will be revealed soon, the film will be  produced under the banner of Sanoj Mishra Films, produced by Sanjay Dhiman and Manoj Bhatt, the film will go on floors by March- April 2021, shooting will be schedule at real-location of Unnao and  Lucknow. The preparation of the shooting is at full swing.

A lot of questions are also being raised on the consent of his family members. Whether the story of Kuldeep Singh Sengar, accused of Unnao rape case will be shown with honestly? This is still a big question as Kuldeep Singh Sengar is still in jail, so how many such incidents will be shown on the big screen with justice?

While making the official announcement of the film, writer director Sanoj Mishra told that I went to the  residence of Kuldeep Sengar a few days ago, where I have obtained the consent of this film from his family, yet to say that the film is a story of rape happening in the society. How much justice will be done, but this film will raise a question on our society, law and order and politics will put a question on the falling values.

Attachments area

(Adv Sumayya calls on civil society to focus more on family counselling, parenting, pre marital education and women empowerment)

Ahmedabad, Gujarat [India] : Adv Sumayya created ripples across her community and larger society with her initiatives on focusing women empowerment and family counselling. Her single minded focus has brought in scores of people attending parenting, marital education in society and she is urging civil society to focus on these matters that really enhances the quality of life of women from every community.

Sumayya was born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat and brought up in Kerala. The vast experiences she has gathered travelling and traversing through issues of society had inspired the ‘activist’ in her. She has three kids and her husband Mr KM Najeeb supports her in the social interventions she is making. Her parents Jamal and Fasil Jamal also brought her up as a confident and socially conscious women.

She had her education from Kayamkulam, Kerala and pursued higher education from MSM college. It was during that time she says she evolved into a social entrepreneur and for that she did her law graduation from Sri Krishna college in Karnataka. After enrolling as an advocate in 2019, she is working under Adv SukulQadar of Kollam Bar association.

She got a lot of laurels from regional media for conduction Law awareness sessions for women and also Adolescent training which focuses on value education for future generation. It is her special initiative that she inculcates legal values, Indian constitution and ethics in youngsters and sessions are held across schools and colleges in her leadership for the same.

Adv Sumayya says “the 2 most important aspects we women and society need to take care is proper Marital education and sessions on parenting”. She and her social entrepreneurship group provides such sessions free of cost to marginalised sections and backward communities in the state of Kerala.

The women group led by Sumayya regularly visits old age homes, Female jails and facilitate education and awareness sessions there. She is also part of various charity initiatives and heralds her core belief – “Women has to empower herself and also remember that she is a not an island in herself. Her true empowerment comes with family, active social life. The path for this is through education, employment and engaging deeply with family and society”.

Valsad, Gujarat : Celebrated the day of Love , a 24- hour immersive experience at a global confluence of world-renowned inspiring personalities including Spiritual Masters, Industry Leaders, Humanitarian Heroes and many more, together ignited a resolve for a positive, peaceful and better future. In the presence of 14 world-renowned Mentors and Motivators such as Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai, Pujya Gyanvatsal Swami, Pujya Gaur Gopal Das, BK Sister Shivani, Dr. Deepak Chopra, Ronnie Screwvala, Dr. Aditi Govitrikar, Kuntal Joisher, Aarti Shah, Idalene Kesner, Akanksha Singh, Jaineel Shah,  Anish Mehta , Dr Mansi Shah, Atmarpit Shraddhaben  and internationally-acclaimed artists such as Kailash Kher, Kabir cafe , Indira Naik, Radhika Sood . Youth from 14 countries walked into a virtual auditorium for a cutting-edge, digital experience. A stimulated festival layout with convention halls, stalls and exhibit areas. This festival was open to all and which included a multitude of other activities like personal development workshops, minutes of mindfulness series, games and a cultural carnival with soulful music from internationally-acclaimed artists. Launch of a soulful and melodious blend of Bhajans, chants, prayers, instrumental compositions and more, the tune of SRMD Bhakti would  serve as a channel to connect with and dissolve in the Divine. Launched ‘Bhakti Dena Shakti Dena’ – Penned by Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai, Sung by renowned singers Kailash Kher, Sachin Jigar, Kavita Seth, Anup Jalota, Radhika Sood Nayak, Indira Naik, Archita Bhattacharya, Tanishka Sanghavi and more!

On the occassion of Valentine’s Day, Pujya Gurudevshri conveyed that this is not the day of love , rather it’s the day for expressing love! HE explained that Love is the best medicine to all the problems! It is an emotion which is always responsive! The feeling of being loved is the best! And so, we should extend our love to each and everyone around us!

Women empowerment is an initiative of Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care.

SRLC is the charitable ten-fold programme of Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur. SRLC has been granted ‘Special Consultative Status’ by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) and promotes UN’s Sustainable Development Goals like no poverty, gender equality, decent work and economic growth. SRLC supports underprivileged tribal women in their quest towards attaining self-reliance and a respectable source of income.

They are offered end-to-end support through employment opportunities, skill training, raw material and equipment, safe workplaces, as well as product marketing and distribution. These dedicated women produce over 100 desserts, snacks, fragrances and utility products.

All proceeds from the Global Youth Festival 2021 will directly support in uplifting the lives of more and more tribal women in need.

Surat, Gujarat [India] : In the second year of the Pulwama terror attack, a program to pay homage to the martyrs was organized by the Hearts at Work Foundation of Surat and Greenman Viral Desai. The country’s first Pulwama monument is located at the country’s number one Green Udhna junction station. So many eminent personalities of Surat city gathered to pay homage to the soldiers who were martyred in the Pulwama terrorist attack.

In addition, monuments of ‘I Love Green Udhna Station’ prepared by Hearts at Work Foundation were unveiled at Udhna Junction Station. The Heart at Work Foundation also honored the founding members of two organizations in Surat, ‘Jai Jawan Nagarik Samiti Surat’ and ‘Maruti Veer Jawan Trust’ for their commendable work for the martyrs and soldiers of the country.

Kanjibhai Bhalala of Jai Jawan Citizens Committee and Nanubhai Savlia of Maruti Veer Jawan Trust were specially present. The event was attended by NJ Group and NJ Charitable Trust founder and well-known industrialist Niraj Choksi as well as Bharatbhai Shah of Chhayado as guests.

Commenting on the occasion, Greenman Viral Desai said, “Udhna station is now known as the number one green Udhna station in the country. While the country’s first and only Pulwama Martyrs’ Memorial is located at this green station, it is the responsibility of the citizens of Surat to remember our soldiers who were martyred in the Pulwama terrorist attack on this day and to give due respect to their martyrdom. Surat is now known not only for its textiles, diamonds or food, but also for the country’s number one Green Udhna station as well as for the Pulwama monument designed with the environment in mind.

So the special guest of the function, Nirajbhai Choksi, said, “The idea of linking the environment with the soldiers is commendable. With this idea, concrete work can be done in the field of environmental protection. ‘

It may be mentioned that the Pulwama Martyr’s Memorial near Udhna station has a plaque with the names of the martyred soldiers, and several large trees have also been planted in a row in the names of all the martyred soldiers.