Support Jyothi

JYOTHI- To enlighten

(REGISTERED AS PUBLIC CHARITABLE TRUST UNDER SECTION 12AA OF THE INCOME TAX ACT WITH SERIAL NO. 583/08-09 DATED 02.02.2009.
THE TRUST IS ALSO APPROVED BY INCOME TAX DEPARTMENT IN RESPECT OF DONATIONS RECEIVED BY THE TRUST UNDER SECTION 80G OF THE INCOME TAX ACT VIDE DIT(E) NO.2(582)08-09 DATED 02.02.09 VALID UPTO 31.03.2010 )

An educated individual can enhance and empower his immediate society. To enable this enlightenment, since 2004, we at Jyothi, have embarked on a cause to facilitate deserving students financially as well as through counselling and guidance.
So far Jyothi had supported 3 students who have successfully completed their respective education and there by realized their dreams.
For the academic year 2009-2010, we have short-listed 10 deserving students(8 school students and 2 college student) from chennai.

As a part of this academic year, Jyothi intends to support these 10 students to pursue their education, which at this juncture, they are unable to do so in their own individual financial capacity.
Jyothi will also mentor these students from this point till they complete their current education.

Please extend your support financially and otherwise towards our cause. Your contributions, even a less amount, will make a big difference in the life of these students and their families. And any donation made will have a tax exemption under the 80G of Income tax. You can decide to support an individual student or contribute towards our collective fund for this academic year 2009-2010. Please fill out the Donor form while you send your contributions.
For the Details of the Students and the Donor Form pls click the below link or copy/paste the same.

http://groups.google.com/group/jyothi-toenlighten/files


Details of payment
Cheques and drafts to be made in favor of 'JYOTHI' and send it to the below address:
Radhakrishnan.M,
Jyothi Trust Office,
# 06, 3rd St, Shanthipuram, Thirumullaivoil,
Chennai – 600062, Tamil Nadu
Phone - 04426373088

If you would like to make an on-line payment or direct transfer you can send it to:
Savings A/c name - Jyothi
A/c no – 30679190052
Bank name - State Bank of India
Branch – Valluvarkottam, Chennai
Branch code – 2244

If you are a Foreign national the money transfer can be done to the below Bank account:
Savings A/c name – Prabhakar.P
A/c no – 30594228050
Bank name - State Bank of India
Branch – Valluvarkottam, Chennai
Branch code – 2244

For any further detail or clarification please contact:
Jagannath Radhakrishnan
Tel no - +91 9481808577
Email Id – jyothi.toenlighten@gmail.com

".....little drops of water little grains of sand make a mighty ocean and a big land". - Raghavendra C.Tawker

BLOOD DONATION

(You can download the below information about Blood Donation in a pdf format. Click the following link it will take you to a google group page where you can find the pdf document called 'Donating Blood'. Right click and save the file - Donating Blood.pdf )

FACTS

There are four main blood types: A, B, AB and O. The gift of blood is the gift of life. There is no substitute for human blood. Every year our nation requires about 4 Crore units of blood, out of which only a meager 40 Lakh units of blood are available. One blood donation can save as many as three lives. One unit of blood can be separated into several components.

Donating Blood

Q: What are blood groups?

A: Every individual has two types of blood groups. The first is called the ABO - grouping and the second type is called Rh - grouping. In the ABO - group there are four categories namely A Group, B Group, O Group and AB Group. In the Rh - Group either the individual is Rh-positive, or Rh-negative. Rh is a factor called as Rhesus factor that has come to us from Rhesus monkeys.Thus each and very human being will fall in one of the following groups.

A positive or A negative

B positive or B negative

O positive or O negative

AB positive or AB negative

There are also some sub groups as well as a few other classifications.

Q: What is a unit of blood?

A: Blood is collected in plastic bags which contain a watery fluid which prevents blood from getting coagulated. On an average we draw about 350 or 450 ml. of blood from a person, depending on the weight of the donor. A person with body weight between 45-55kgs can donate 350ml of blood. 450 ml of blood can be donated by person with more than 55kgs body weight. This blood, plus the amount of anti coagulant present in the bottle or bag, is known as one unit of blood.

Q: How long can blood be stored?

A: Whole blood can be stored up to 35 days, when kept in CPDA anti coagulant solution and refrigerated at 2 - 4 deg C. But the demand is so great that blood hardly ever remains in storage for so long and is used much before expiry.

Q: In which situations do people generally donate blood?

A: There are three types of blood donors: -

(1) PROFESSIONAL DONORS - They sell their blood, which is of very poor quality and can transmit very dangerous diseases to the recipient. It is illegal to take blood from any professional donor.

(2) REPLACEMENT DONATION - Healthy relatives and friends of the patient give their blood, of any group, to the blood bank. In exchange, the required number of units in the required blood group is given.

(3) VOLUNTARY DONATION- Here a donor donates blood voluntarily. The blood can be used for any patient even without divulging the identity of the donor. This is the best type of blood donation where a motivated human being gives blood in an act of selfless service.

Q: Who is a healthy donor?

A: Any person within the age group of 18 - 60 years with a body weight as minimum 45 kgs, and having hemoglobin content as minimum 12.5 gm%.

Q: Does a donor need to do anything special before donation?

A: The donor should eat at regular mealtimes and drink plenty of fluids.

Q: How long does the donation take?

A: The procedure is done by skilled, specially trained technicians and takes three to eight minutes. However, from start to finish (filling form, post donation rest etc) the entire process should take upwards of 35 minutes.

Q: Does the needle hurt the entire time?

A: There may be a little sting when the needle is inserted, but there should be no pain during the donation.

Q: Does the donor suffer from any harmful effects after donating blood donation?

A: Absolutely not, rather a donor after having given blood voluntarily gets a feeling of great pleasure, peace and bliss. Soon, within a period of 24 - 48 hours, the same amount of new blood gets formed in the body, which helps the donor in many ways. His own body resistance improves, the circulation improves, and he himself feels healthier than before.

Q: Does a donor need to rest after donating blood?

A: Yes. The donor needs rest, preferably lying down, so that the amount of blood that has been donated soon gets poured into the circulation from the body pools in a natural way. The donor should take it easy for about 15 - 20 minutes.

Q: Can a donor work after donating blood?

A: Of course! Routine work is absolutely fine after the initial rest. Rigorous physical work should be avoided for a few hours.

Q: What special diet should a donor follow after giving blood?

A: After resting for a while a donor is given some liquid (fluid) to take. It may be a cup of coffee or milk or fruit juice along with a few biscuits or fruit. The donor needs no other special diet. A routine balanced diet is adequate. The donor's blood gets replenished within 24 - 48 hours.

Q: How long will it take for the body to replenish the blood?

A: The body replaces blood volume or plasma within 24 hours. Red cells need about four to eight weeks for complete replacement.

Q: How frequently a donor can donate blood?

A: Three months time between donations is a very safe interval.

Q: Do any diseases debar a donor from giving blood?

A: Yes, if the donor has suffered from any of the under-mentioned diseases: -

Fever: He should not have suffered from fever for the past 15 days.

Jaundice: A donor should not have his blood tested positive for AUSTRALIA, ANTIGEN. (Different types of Jaundice have different restrictions. In case of normal jaundice 1 year is the deferral time. But its best to discuss with the doctor in blood bank before donating)

Blood transmitted diseases: Like Syphilis, Malaria, Filaria etc. debar a donor from donating blood till he is treated and is free from them.

Drugs: If a donor is taking drugs like Aspirin, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetics, hormones, corticosteroids etc., he is unfit to donate blood.

AIDS: No person having HIV positive can be allowed to donate blood.

Q: Are there any other benefits of blood donation?

A: Yes, blood donation is a noble, selfless service! It gives the donor a feeling of joy and contentment. Also this is an expression of love for Mankind, as blood knows no caste, colour, creed, religion or race, country, continent or sex.

Need for Blood Donation: After blood is donated what happens to it? What does it become?Your 450 ml of blood becomes a vast array of life saving products, and the source is YOU! Do you know that your single donation of 450 ml blood may be separated into different components, benefiting as many as three patients? Blood is made up of different components and, invariably, a patient needs a transfusion of just a particular component. It is now the standard practice of all modern blood banks to separate blood into components and ensure the optimum utilization of this precious resource. Whole blood has cellular components comprising red blood corpuscles, white blood corpuscles, platelets suspended in plasma solution (liquid plasma consisting of water, electrolytes, albumin, globulin, coagulation factors and other proteins). It is needed when both red cells mass and total volume must be restored, as in massive haemorrhage. Your blood may be separated into the following components

Red blood cells: These are separated shortly after collection of whole blood. The cells may be allowed to sediment or centrifugation can be used to separate cells and plasma. Needed to increase red cell mass, when symptomatic anemia is present. In chronic anemia oxygen carrying capacity is increased by transfusing red cells.

Fresh frozen plasma: Plasma is separated from the red cells and placed at -18 deg C (or below) within 8 hours of collection. Needed mostly in bleeding patients with coagulation deficiency problems secondary to liver disease, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and Factor V or Factor IX deficiency.

Platelet concentrate/ platelet rich plasma: This is prepared from a single unit of whole blood. Separation must be done within 8 hours after phlebotomy and the platelets stored at 20-24 deg C. Single donor platelet concentrate can be collected by aphaeresis. Needed in cases of bleeding due to severe thrombocytopenia and prophylactic therapy.

Donor’s

DOs

Let others benefit from your good health. Do donate blood

If...

1. You are between age group of 18-60 years.

2. Your weight is 45 kgs or more.

3. Your hemoglobin is 12.5 gm% minimum.

4. Your last blood donation was 3 months earlier.

5. You are healthy and have not suffered from malaria, typhoid or other transmissible disease in the recent past.

Do abide by our rules - be truthful about your health status! We ensure the health of blood, before we take it, as well as after it is collected. Firstly, the donor is expected to be honest about his or her health history and current condition. Secondly, collected blood is tested for venereal diseases, hepatitis B & C and AIDS. You have to be healthy to give 'safe blood'

DON'Ts

Do not donate blood if you have any of these conditions

1. Cold / fever in the past 1 week.

2. Under treatment with antibiotics or any other medication.

3. Cardiac problems, hypertension, epilepsy, diabetes (on insulin therapy), history of cancer, chronic kidney or liver disease, bleeding tendencies, venereal disease etc.

4. Major surgery in the last 6 months.

5. Vaccination in the last 24 hours.

6. Had a miscarriage in the last 6 months or have been pregnant /Lactating in the last one year.

7. Females should not donate blood if they are having heavy menstrual flow or menstrual cramps.

8. Had fainting attacks during last donation.

9. Have regularly received treatment with blood products.

10. Shared a needle to inject drugs/ have history of drug addiction.

11. Had sexual relations with different partners or with a high riskindividual.

12. Been tested positive for antibodies to HIV.

WATER SCARCITY

This time we would like to throw light on a serious issue that inevitable will touch the lives of each of us. WATER SCARCITY.



Its time to take responsibility for at least each one of our mistakes and correct it today. Because if it doesn't affect you today it will surly tomorrow, unless you turn around and set things right.

"....little drops of water little grains of sand make a mighty ocean and a big land".

Willing to live is willing to make changes and changes that leads to the growth of not just mankind but the entire nature is the path for true survival. Your small efforts in taking care of your activities makes a path for a healthy positive environment for YOU and YOUR KIDS.

Think about it.

EDUCATION - Part -II

Language Education

by Our Guest Writer D.Saravanan( http://oru-thuli.blogspot.com/ )

This time I would like to share my views on language education. Though I am not even sure whether the term language education exists. For me, this term means teaching or learning a language, to be precise – mother tongue, English, and Hindi. Whether to teach three languages or two languages in a school is a political issue, which I would not like to discuss in this article. I would rather like to share my views with you on importance of learning languages. I feel our students should be given a fair chance to study languages of their choice. I would like to insist that it is more important to learn languages than studying science or maths.

To understand the importance of learning languages, we first need to know why language education is ostracized or why learning of languages is not encouraged amongst our students. I guess the national fervor – ‘it promotes no economic or intellectual growth prevails’ is the main reason for this kind of discrimination against language learning.

“Language education provides/promotes no economic growth” – Do you think this is a good reason for discouraging our students from learning languages? I say NO. If you have read Swami Vivekananda’s view on education, you will agree with me that purpose of education is not to facilitate economical growth only. However, I do accept the fact that education facilitates economic growth as well but it is not its only motive or goal. In fact if you analyze closely, you will understand that even science education provides no economic growth; it is the way we apply science that gives financial benefit.

“Language education provides/promotes no intellectual growth” – Is it so? Well, that depends on how we define “intellectual growth”. If you say learning scientific principles or mathematical theorems alone are intellectual growth, then a considerable part of world population is not intellectual. Intellectual growth is perhaps possible by constantly interacting with the world around us and learning whatever we can from our experiences, experiments and education. Through this process, we continuously gain knowledge and use it for our material and intellectual upliftment. And for communicating, we need languages not science or math.

The next question: How is language education ignored or overlooked? It is mainly done by messing up the syllabus of the languages taught in schools. It is messed up to such an extent that it makes no sense to the students. Also, perhaps the curriculum developers make sure to take away its relevance. If you compare the syllabus of subjects such as science or mathematics with that of the languages taught in schools, you will understand what I mean.. Language is a vast subject and we should carefully and responsibly decide what is to be imparted – grammar, literature that reflects heritage, or contemporary linguistics etc. Science and mathematics can stimulate a student and give knowledge of specific fields and kinds, but when you a study language, it not only stimulates and excites but also inspires.

Many of us know that Swami Vivekananda started his speech with “Brothers and Sisters” in the World Parliament of Religions, Netaji said “Give blood, I will give Independence”, and Martin Luther King said, “I have a dream”. But how many of us know what they said after Those legendry words. As I said earlier, if the syllabus of a language is structured properly and taught in detail with interest, we will have a man-making and nation-building education.

EDUCATION - Part I

by Our Guest Writer D.Saravanan( http://oru-thuli.blogspot.com/ )

‘Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man.’ said Swami Vivekananda (January 12, 1863–July 4, 1902). Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) said 'I was born intelligent, but education ruined me'. Of course these two sayings are not interlinked; but I feel this is something that’s actually in most of our schools. I remember an old joke - students go to school and run home.

I am not an academician or expert in educational system; but a victim. So, I feel I have every right to comment on this issue. Some may question what or where do we lack in our education. They may rather make a list of things that we have achieved such as designing the smallest and cheapest car, success in lunar mission, acknowledgements we get in IT-ITES areas, and so on. I never deny this success. But I wonder why our present educational system cannot create Vivekananda, Aurobindo or Gandhi? I support Vivekananda or Aurobindo or Gandhi not just for their achievement but for their values - someone who cherished his Master or someone who cherishes our culture or someone who is a staunch follower of truth.

Coming back to the question ‘why we can’t have an educational system based on the principles of these great educationists’ like many others, I too feel this is because we have been following an old educational policy since 1835. If you do not know how we came to adopt this educational policy, here is a quick recap.

After the Government of India Act was passed in 1833, Lord Macaulay was appointed as the first Law Member of the Governor-General's Council. In 1835 Lord Macaulay tabled a report on education. Based on that, East India Company decided to impart Western education in Indian school and English was made the medium of instruction.

Lord Macaulay said the following about India in 1835 in British Parliament:

"I have traveled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such caliber, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native self-culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation."

Now you can understand what type of education he had suggested for us. If you still can’t, just think of the plight of the value systems in our students. For instance I would like to point out two things. First, the majority of the students feels that malpractices in exams are their right. Next, I feel we simply do not know how to work as a team. If I am not wrong, team building exercises are done only in industries that have well-organized HR department - I don’t think even they succeed in inculcating team spirits in their employees.

If you think that the Macaulay education system will have negative effect after a century from now, you are wrong. It has already done considerable damages. If you have the habit of reading some of the English newspapers on weekends, you will notice a bunch of intelligentsia will highlight the need for sex-education in place of value education. Some grown up bunch of intelligentsia will oppose marriages as it is nothing but a licensed prostitution. However, they will not fail to support gay marriages.

Lord Macaulay wanted to create a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect. But the question is how long we would like to continue this or at what pace we would like to eradicate it?

Having said this, I do not oppose the imparting of academic knowledge. Academic knowledge is mandatory and important for an individual’s mental and intellectual growth. Apart from science, mathematics, and their disciplinary courses, a student should know his mother tongue, history and geography of his place. When I say know his mother tongue, I do not mean that one should only learn the alphabets but he should also take pride in the fact that he knows his mother tongue well. Also, this should not stop him from learning multiple languages. Similarly, History or Geography should not be taught to make students a living database, but to inculcate patriotic fervor. And last but not the least, high moral values and principles ---- Religious teachings to be precise --- should be taught to the students.

In short, the thrust of education should be based upon a holistic approach that promises the physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual growth of the pupil...

D.Saravanan
http://oru-thuli.blogspot.com/
P.S:
I would like to end this article here. However, I will elaborate based on your feedbacks. By comments, I mean if you support me I will write more. If you oppose me, I will write even more. If you do not give any comment at all, I will keep writing until you give one.

'Let's-Just-Live'

Hi all. I am writing this mail not to talk about the chaos that is happening around us and I certainly not wanting to talk about that. I am writing this mail to tell you Guys that 'lets live life'...I mean really just LIVE-OUR-LIVES. I think that's what we ask probably from God (or some power that we cant/don't want to name it), from people around us...from every body. We here just need this nothing more we ask. We want to survive by placing behind us all the chaos and madness around us. We try to survive for our own good. There's is absolutely nothing selfish about it. We are after all mere animals...better social animals...No I am not using it in a sarcastic way or a derogatory way. It's just the way we Humans are. There's nothing wrong about and there is no need to feel any guilt about being selfish. 'We-Just-Wanna-Live'. But....I am sure you guys were expecting what is this guy talking about and surly felt the urge to say I know it...I know there will be a But...'Here we go again' kind of that attitude. Well I am not deferring from any of the above said things that I just wanna live. Not only that I am also adding that I wanna live for a longer time. I want my children, my grandchildren and their grand children to live the way they want. Except when I think of the future it is very dark for everyone because we have a job to do, a responsibility to be accounted for. And we have utterly failed in that so far being just UNAWARE. It is about taking care of the place we live in. No rather the place You…each of You live in. Really what have I don't for the place I live in…No I am not talking about the city I live in…I am talking about the Earth we live in. And we don't have to do anything great live moving the mountains but just make a habit to follow few things. And that is the least we could do to take care of ourselves. I am forwarding a Poster about Tips to be environment friendly... Read that out loud and I am sure it is not too difficult to follow and you will agree with me on that. So I request you guys to read that and read that fully and start practicing those without fail. If time permits do forward this poster to people who you are in touch with. Do this not to protect the environment, but to help your self and if possible little bit for your brother/sister who you share this wonderful home called Earth. I am sure you will feel proud of yourselves if you are able to follow at least 3/5 of these. And because we are here to live our life and no body is going to do that job for us why don't we live it to the fullest by trying everything we could and feel good for having lived it with no regrets. Besides deep down some where in each of us we always want us human to be more of Social and less of just an animal.

Cheers to life

Jagn

P.S- I have asked my colleagues to use the image as their desktop wallpaper for a week. Think about it :)

DREAMS by Raghavendra C.Takwer

BY OUR BELOVED FRIEND AND FOUNDER OF JYOTHI.


In a few moments of dream we live more than a life time, explore unknown places, discover unseen distances, see unexperienced events, fight thrilling dangers, meet unknown people, enjoy an unrealistic experience, having an unrestricted freedom.

Fulfilling an inner desire to reach for the heights, to feel the depth, to stretch across every end possible or impossible , but for the time when reality strikes leaving us with ungasped breath, a smile, a thought...

by

Raghavendra C.Tawker
"...little drops of water little grains of sand make a mighty ocean and a big land."