The kit is being used by over one lakh students in 16 states of India, according to an official of PROSOC Innovators Pvt Ltd, a start-up incubated at IIT-Kanpur.(sourced)
A start-up incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) has come up with a unique solution to check the problem of bad posture among students. ‘Deskit’ — a study table-cum school bag — is being used by over one lakh students hailing from the economically weaker section in 16 states of the country, said an official of the start-up.
“Our company is incubated in the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at IIT-K. The centre, a launch pad for purpose-driven entrepreneurs, provided our start-up, PROSOC Innovators Pvt Ltd, a platform to come up with this innovation,” said Eshan Sadasivan, founder and CEO of the company. He explained that PROSOC stood for ‘products for society’.
Explaining how he first got the idea for the kit, he said, “I was teaching children of marginalised communities as a volunteer as part of an initiative of IIT-K students. I saw students sitting in a wrong posture while studying. When I surveyed the market for existing solutions, I found that the products were not ergonomically well-designed.”
“I took the help of some friends, a few team members from PROSOC and the technical staff of IIT-K’s design programme to develop more than 40 prototypes before finalising the design that was eventually commercialised,” said Sadasivan.
He said the idea behind attaching the desk to the bag was to make it simpler for students to carry it to school. “Also, in many government schools in our country, children still sit on the floor to study. The kit would be of great help to them,” said Sadasivan adding that recently the Telangana government had placed an order for these special kits with PROSOC.
“Each bag costs around Rs 500. The funding and incubation support we got from the Invent Social Incubation Programme by the technology development board, Government of India, in association with Villgro and UK Aid, was very helpful while we were scaling up,” he said.
‘Deskit’ has design registration and trademark protection. “The PROSOC team is working on taking the kit to more than three crore students,” said Sadasivan.
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Lucknow / by Rajeev Mullick / November 27th, 2019
Yogi also commended the ‘seamless’ implementation of NRC and said it would be adopted by the state.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and The New Indian Express Group Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla with the Devi Award winners in Lucknow on Wednesday (Photo courtesy| CMS)
Lucknow :
The Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya will be followed keenly by the people of India, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said while speaking at the Devi Awards function in Lucknow on Wednesday.
He said his government was fully ready to effectively implement the order. Yogi also commended the “seamless” implementation of NRC and said it would be adopted by UP. “A survey is currently underway in the state and it will be implemented once the initial report is received,” he said.
The CM was honouring women achievers with Devi Awards to recognise their contributions in diverse fields. Twelve women were honoured at the fifth awards function organised in Lucknow. Yogi, while lauding the fact that the UP Assembly currently has the highest number of women legislators in the country, said, “Devi Awards have been for the last few years an important platform to highlight great talents in society… The Devis being awarded today have crafted their own stories of success through much struggle. They all are shining examples of women’s empowerment.”
Enumerating the steps taken for women, he said measures like anti-Romeo squad have made them feel secure. Rani Awasthi, one of the awardees, has created a school for the hearing and speech impaired children in UP. Similarly, Sneha and Suman, famously known as ‘Pad women’ of UP, helped dispel myths around menstruation.
Their work also figured in the Oscar winning short film Period. End of Sentence. Among other winners was Sharda Dubey, who encourages youths to keep alive the spirit of Bhojpuri songs and teaches scores of people.
Lucknow girl Mohsina Mirza inspired youths by becoming a drone pilot and trains children in newer technologies. Neelam Agarwal of Agra motivates youth to help in the conservation of sparrows, now an endangered species.Ranjeet Srivastava from Bahraich was awarded for the hope and joy she brought to the differently-abled people.
Ranjana Gaur who has been at the forefront in fighting child abuse in UP for years said, “At one point, families would see me as a monster who had come to wreck their homes. After tremendous effort, I have been able to change a few lives.” Sagrika Rai who has set up her shop, ‘Warp n Weft’, in Mumbai, has been showcasing the variety and richness of master weavers of Varanasi on the world stage and changed several lives by bringing employment to UP.
Reeta Devi was a farm labourer who learnt masonry to give a better life to her children by building a toilet at home. She then set out to do the same for society and has built 150 toilets across the state. The New Indian Express Group Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla presided over the function, which saw many eminent citizens join hands to applaud the achievers.
Big achievers
Juhi Chaturvedi, script writer of many acclaimed films, and Sudha Singh, who won a Gold medal in 3,000 metre steeplechase at 2010 Asian Games, were among the winners
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Nation / by Express News Services / October 31st, 2019
Dr Ashok Jain is the founder of Roshni Eye bank and Charitable Eye Hospital running in Saharanpur since past many years.
Roshni Eye Bank and Charitable Hospital in Saharanpur (L). Dr Ashok Jain in Hospital. (SNS)
The eye man of the area, Dr Ashok Jain, who served the society selflessly by bringing the vision back to the eyes of hundreds of people was lying on his death bed in the absence of medical help until the Divisional Commissioner of Saharanpur Sanjay Kumar initiated help and ensured that he gets the best of treatment.
Dr Ashok Jain, 72, was admitted to Saksham Hospital on Thursday morning by the district health officials of Saharanpur.
“My father has been moved to the hospital and would be getting proper treatment,” his son Suraj said adding that he is grateful to the Divisional Commissioner Sanjay Kumar for his kind gesture.
Dr Ashok Jain is the founder of Roshni Eye bank and Charitable Eye Hospital running in Saharanpur since past many years. Its brand ambassador is Bollywood actress Kainaat Arora who also hails from Saharanpur.
“So far I have extracted 648 Retinas and given to the Himalayan Institute Jolly Grant and earlier LLRM Medical College of Meerut,” said Dr Jain in a faint voice adding that, however, he could not extract any retina since past four months.
Dr Jain is suffering from the cancer of food pipe and is not able to swallow food due to which he is on a liquid diet. Living in a state of poverty, the family of Dr Jain, which comprises of son Suraj, his wife Anshu, and a seven-year-old grandson is finding itself helpless in getting any relief for him.
Unfortunately, the man who had served the society for years was not reciprocated in kind by society.
“People come here, click photos, and then vanish but no one came forward for any help,” told daughter-in-law Anshu. Suraj is the only breadwinner for the family who makes a living by working as an electrician. Hence, he could not afford to provide better treatment to his father. He was on Ayurvedic treatment, told Anshu.
The family lives in a three-storied charitable eye hospital in Preet Vihar colony of Saharanpur.
“Though Suraj has been trained to extract retina by me the mission has received a serious jolt after the news of my illness spread,” claimed Dr Jain, saying that his desire is to extract one last retina before his death.
The news of the illness of Dr Jain and his poor condition somehow reached the commissioner Saharanpur who immediately called the district health officials and instructed them to visit Dr Jain and report to him. AD health and City Magistrate Saharanpur reached there with a team which performed the check-up and reported to the commissioner. “He is also having heart problem besides cancer and is in a poor condition,” told Kumar, on whose instructions Dr Jain was taken to the hospital on Thursday in an ambulance and his treatment started.
The life of Dr Ashok Jain is truly inspirational. He originally hails from Moga of Punjab. Inspired by his father who was in the Navy, Ashok became a boxer. In the early years of his life, he lost his vision in a boxing match. He experienced the world of blindness and turmoil faced by the visually impaired. He somehow got donors of the retina and got back his vision. It was then that he started working to create awareness about eye donation. In this mission, he got the love and support of his wife Kusum who died in an accident a few years back.
Dr Jain toured the entire country on a bicycle and encouraged people for eye donation. He got a pledge of eye donation from many celebrities as well. Meanwhile, he did a course of paramedical from LLRM Medical College of Meerut and learnt to extract the retina. He settled in Saharanpur and opened Roshni Eye Bank in which he got the support of his wife as well.
Impressed by his selfless service to mankind, DM Saharanpur Alok Kumar helped him in forming a trust and getting funds to build Roshni Charitable Eye Bank and Hospital. Dr Jain continued to provide his services. He used to extract retinas and give them to Himalayan Hospital of Jolly Grant for which he would get Rs 500 each. From Saharanpur to Jolly Grant, Dehradun, he would go on a bike which was also given to him in charity. OPD for Rs 20 per head is still functional and free check-up is done for the extremely poor.
Dr Jain has no bank balance or property but lives with the satisfaction of bringing the vision to the lives of 648 people.
source: http://www.thestatesman.com / The Statesman / Home> India / by Swati Sharma / Meerut / August 22nd, 2019
Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology – Kanpur developed a motion planning and mapping generation software for the Chandrayaan-2 mission which is now on its intended path towards the moon.
This software will help the rover Pragyan in its landing and movement on the lunar surface, reports New Indian Express.
The IIT Kanpur team comprised of Prof Ashish Datta of the Mechanical Engineering Department and Prof KS Venkatesh of Electrical Engineering wing. The 27 kg rover runs on 50 W of solar power and can travel up to 500 m at a speed of 1 cm per second and communicates directly with the lander.
The made in India software would help the rover in drilling the lunar surface, to explore for traces of water and minerals before beaming back its findings for further research and examination.
The rover is expected to soft-land on the lunar surface in the first week of September.
source: http://www.swarajyamag.com / Swarajya Magazine / Home / by Swarajya Staff / July 24th, 2019
Rameshwar Nath Kao (centre) | The Kaoboys of R&AW / Revolt Press
R.N. Kao, whose team was called ‘Kao-boys’, became India’s first RAW chief in 1968. He is also known as ‘architect of Bangladesh’ for his role in 1971 war.
New Delhi :
Around June 1975, a betel-nut exporter arrived in Dacca (now Dhaka). Over an hour-long meeting, he tried to convince the then President of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, that a coup to overthrow him was imminent. He also named the military officers behind the conspiracy.
Rahman refused to believe him. A few weeks later, Rahman and 40 members of his family were slaughtered by the very military officers this betel-nut exporter had named.
The exporter was India’s “philosopher-spymaster” Rameshwar Nath Kao in disguise.
Kao served as the first chief of India’s external intelligence agency Research & Analysis Wing (RAW). As the agency marks its 50th anniversary this month , ThePrint looks back at the incisive “father figure” who first led it.
A deputy director at the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Kao took over as director of RAW in 1968 after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi split the former to carve out an intelligence agency focused on international threats.
He began with a small team, 250 handpicked agents from the IB who would later be called the mysterious “Kao-boys”.
‘Architect of Bangladesh’
Known to be ruthless, Kao has come to be identified as the architect of Bangladesh for his role during the third war between Pakistan and India in 1971, when the erstwhile East Pakistan was liberated.
India’s intelligence forces had been operating in East Pakistan before 1971, becoming “active” only after the war began. Kao was in charge of the silent operations.
In the war, which lasted 13 days, RAW actively helped Mukti Bahini, the Bangladesh liberation force, triumph over West Pakistan. RAW is believed to have trained one lakh people who fought to free the country.
General Zia-ur-Rehman, president of Bangladesh from 1977 to 1981, is said to have told Indira Gandhi once that “this man [Kao] knows more about my country than me”.
In 1974, Kao was reportedly one of the first to warn Gandhi about a possible coup in Sikkim against the then ruling Chogyal dynasty. Fears that the Chinese may step in, and reportedly at the Sikkim ruler’s behest, India took over the state. A subsequent referendum saw most Sikkimese vote for a merger with India, and the erstwhile protectorate went on to join the country as its 22nd state in 1975.
After Gandhi’s government lost power in 1977, Kao too retreated into the shadows. Many say that this may have been because Moraji Desai’s government was suspicious of the agency’s role, especially during the Emergency.
The return
As Gandhi was re-elected in 1980, Kao returned and stayed on as her security adviser till her assassination in 1984.
“A little-known secret is Kao’s visit to China in 1984, laying the ground work for the subsequent ‘historic visit’ of Rajiv Gandhi to China in 1988,” wrote former national security adviser and IB chief M.K. Narayanan in an obituary for Kao after his death on 20 January, 2002.
“For much of this period, Kao continued to function as the ‘eminence grise’ of the security establishment,” he added.
Kao was also entrusted by Gandhi to develop a better and more stable relationship with Mossad, the intelligence agency of Israel.
“Some analysts say Kao also had a substantial role in arming Tamil guerrillas in the late seventies and eighties and played a pivotal role in Sri Lankan affairs, even though he was no longer the hands-on man,” journalist Ranjit Bhushan wrote about Kao in another obituary.
Fiercely personal
Kao was born on 10 May, 1918, to wealthy Kashmiri Pandits in Benares.
He graduated with a Master’s in English Literature from Allahabad University, and went on to join the Imperial Police, the predecessor of the Indian Police Service, in 1939.
On 21 January, 1942, Kao married Malini, the daughter of Justice Tej Narain Mulla of Allahabad. They had a daughter.
Kao was known to have been a fiercely private man, and was rarely seen in public.
On 3 June, 1947, Kao was deputed to the central intelligence bureau, one of the few Hindus on a turf dominated by British and Muslim officers.
After Independence, Kao’s first assignment was to guard VIPs. When Elizabeth II, the Queen of England, visited Independent India in 1961, Kao was assigned to her security detail.
He was also the personal security chief of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. He was sent to Ghana in 1957, where he worked for a year and formed the country’s intelligence agency, Foreign Service Research Bureau (FSRB).
Kao also played an integral role in setting up the National Security Guard (NSG), an elite force that has proved invaluable in dealing with hijackings and terrorist attacks. Along with B.N. Mullick, he helped form the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Aviation Research Centre (ARC).
As a person, he had been described as “suave, brilliant, loving, caring, self-effacing”, with most remembering him as a father figure.
“Kao pulsated warmth and was essentially a father figure to all those who worked with and under him…” Narayanan added in the obituary.
“He was not only the founder of RAW… He is a legend,” former RAW chief A.S. Dulat said
source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home> India> Governance / by Deeksha Bharadwaj / September 18th, 2018
According to an official, the parade of 500 buses would be the longest anywhere in the world ad will make new Guinness World Record.
Pragyaraj :
By rolling out a fleet of 500 buses at the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, the Uttar Pradesh government is eyeing to break existing Guinness World Record. The record of largest parade of buses is currently held by Abu Dhabi of 390 buses. A 5.8 km-long convoy of 390 buses had travelled a stretch of 4 km on the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Highway in Abu Dhabi. The record attempt was to celebrate UAE 39th national day.
According to an official, the parade of 500 buses would be the longest anywhere in the world.
The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses will cover a distance of over 3.2 km. The parade of the saffron-coloured buses will be held at NH-19, between Sahson toll and Nawabganj toll plaza.
“The parade is also to demonstrate the traffic plan which worked very well during the ongoing Kumbh Mela where 1,300 hectare of land was used for parking of vehicles”, Additional Chief Secretary (Information and Tourism) Avaneesh Kumar Awasthi told news agency IANS.
Over 20,000 police personnel were deployed for security and safety of the Kumbh Nagar where millions visit every year, he added.
The UPSRTC had issued directions to all the 18 regions of the state to send the buses along with manpower in the city by February 27.
A couple of observers from the Guinness Book of World Records will witness the record-making attempt on the route on which buses will run.
(With Inputs From ANI, IANS)
source: http://www.ndtv.com / NDTV / Home> All India / by Richa Taneja (with input from Agencies) / February 28th, 2019
Northwestern Memorial used the da Vinci Xi Surgical System to perform the first robotic-assisted lung volume reduction surgery in the U.S.
Northwestern Memorial Hospital has become the first provider in the U.S. to perform robotic-assisted lung volume reduction surgery, using the da Vinci Xi Surgical System.
The system was used by hospital staff to precisely target and remove the diseased, emphysematous tissue within the lungs of a patient with severe emphysema, reducing pain, scarring and risk of infection, and providing a shorter recovery time.
“Milestones such as these give us great pride in the relentless pursuit to always provide better surgical treatment options for patients who are in need,” Dr. Ankit Bharat, MD, surgical director of the Lung Transplant Program & ECMO at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, told HCB News. “I’m ecstatic to be able to now offer this minimally invasive option to our patients who are seeking a surgical treatment option for COPD. Combining this medical innovation with exemplary patient care opens doors for more patients to become good candidates for robotic lung volume reduction surgery because of the decrease in risk.”
Emphysema is a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a condition that affects 16 million Americans currently, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Traditional surgical techniques require a larger chest incision to access the lungs, whereas robotic LVRS relies on three eight-millimeter incisions which reduces scarring, risk of infection and potentially, the length of stay within a hospital following the procedure.
The system enables surgeons with specialized training in robotic surgery to oversee procedures from a computer console, looking through a stereoscopic, high-definition monitor to peer inside the patient. This provides a more detailed 3D view of the operating area compared to the human eye.
Comprising the solution is a tower containing four arms. One carries the system’s 3D cameras, while the other three can hold a multitude of surgical equipment, with a computer controlling and replicating each one’s movement to match those of an operating surgeon.
During surgery, the tower is placed directly over the patient. Using master controls, the surgeon directs the arms to make three small incisions on the right side of the chest to access the lungs and remove the diseased cysts. This allows the remaining, healthy lung tissue to support optimal breathing, with the diaphragm, chest wall and rib cage returning to a more normal state.
“Surgical therapies are evolving to enhance precision using minimally invasive platforms,” said Bharat. “Incorporating artificial intelligence in the imminent future is likely to enhance our surgical decision-making and better manage intraoperative variability. Additionally, the multidisciplinary approach used in our case, incorporating experts from both pulmonary medicine and thoracic surgery, will be increasingly incorporated to provide the most effective and improved treatment options to our patients.”
The system was adoptedd just a little over a year ago by the Montreal Heart Institute for use in cardiac surgery.
It is FDA-cleared and CE-marked.
source: http://www.dotmed.com / Health Care Business, Daily News / Home> News Home> Operating Room / by John R Fischer, Staff Reporter / January 23rd, 2019
Laxmi, the eldest of five siblings, was forced to put her education on hold, when her mother became very ill. Her mother passed away when she (Laxmi) was only 13 years old. From then on, Laxmi had to work as a cleaner to help support her family as her father, an alcoholic, was unable to earn for them.
Former US President Barack Obama’s foundation has invited an alumnus and a student of the Lucknow-based Prerna Girls’ School to address the Obama Foundation Summit 2018 in Chicago where they will talk about how they battled adversity to educate themselves and give their families a shot at a better life.
Apart from the former US President, former US First Lady Michelle Obama will be present at the Obama Foundation Summit 2018 where a film based on the struggles of the Prerna duo, Laxmi Nishad and Kiran Sahu, will be screened. The summit is scheduled on November 18 and 19.
Laxmi is an alumnus of the Prerna Girls School run by the Study Hall Educational Foundation while Kiran studies in class 10 at the same school.
“Kiran Sahu, who is currently a student of Prerna Girls’ School, has played the role of Laxmi in the film. She will also accompany Laxmi to the summit. Interestingly, the stories of Laxmi and Kiran are quite similar. That’s why Kiran was also called by Obama,” said Rakhi Panjwani, the principal of Prerna School.
Panjwani also said, “Laxmi’s story will be an integral part of the summit. The Obama Foundation brought in film- makers from the USA and South Africa to make the film which will be released during the summit in Chicago.”
Laxmi, the eldest of five siblings, was forced to put her education on hold, when her mother became very ill. Her mother passed away when she (Laxmi) was only 13 years old. From then on, Laxmi had to work as a cleaner to help support her family as her father, an alcoholic, was unable to earn for them.
But her life took a positive turn when she enrolled herself in the Prerna Girls’ School.
“I didn’t want a life like my mother’s,” says Laxmi, when asked why she was determined to get an education at the age of just 13 years.
“Prerna gave me a voice and taught me to value myself,” she adds.
“I have completed my post-graduate degree and I have been working as a sales manager at a call centre where the starting salary is Rs 25,000, which is enough for the family’s food, clothing and education expenses,” she says.
Laxmi has been able to improve the condition of the dilapidated two-room house she has lived in with her family for the past 15 years. She has built a bathroom with plumbing and bought a new gas stove.
“I also purchased a scooter to reach my workplace and have just bought a 1,000 square feet plot of land on which I dream of building a house one day,” says Laxmi.
“My life is very different now,” Laxmi says on an emotional note. She adds that she is financially independent, able to look after her siblings and ensure they have a better future, and that she will now have a choice in who she marries and when she does so.
“While my father sold my books to buy alcohol, I see how my sisters’ life is now so different from mine. They have all got an education. I see Kiran, who has similar struggles, but has perhaps more aspirations and strength. I hope that my story will give strength to girls around the world,” says Laxmi.
Kiran’s life too is full of struggle. She says she is one among six sisters and two brothers. Her family, which belongs to Chhattisgarh, migrated to Lucknow in search of work. Her father was a daily-wage labourer before he fell to his death from an under-construction building under suspicious circumstances. She had to drop out of school three times before she finally managed to continue her education. Now, she is studying in class 10 at the Prerna Girls School. Two of her younger sisters are in class 5 and 6 here.
She says, “I still work in five homes to support my mother and five sisters. I have a brother who cannot stand to see me go to school. He burnt my books and uniform when I was 13, and pulled me out of school five times. But my mother was always with me, supporting me. Today, I can proudly say that, much like Laxmi didi, I am the most educated person in my family.”
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Lucknow / by Anupam Srivastava, Hindustan Times / November 14th, 2018
The students, from G D Goenka School in Lucknow, participated in a massexperiment to extract DNA at the ongoing India International Science Festival or IISF, and completed the task in a mere 90 minutes.
Lucknow :
For 550 students of a private school in Lucknow, no moment so far could have been this special. After all, they all just set a world record, acknowledged by none other than the prestigious Guinness World Records.
The feat these teenagers achieved – being the highest number of people in the world to simultaneously extract DNA from bananas.
The students, from G D Goenka School in Lucknow, participated in a mass experiment to extract DNA at the ongoing India International Science Festival or IISF, and completed the task in a mere 90 minutes.
On the successful completion of the experiment, participant Anand Agarwal said he was very happy at seeing the DNA — the universal genetic material of living organisms.
Applauding the students, Guinness World Record official Rishi Nath said, “Congratulations we have a new world record, you have done it children.”
The earlier record was set up in 2017 in America when 302 students performed a similar experiment.
Dr Saroj Barik, director National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, said, “Children have created a world record and done India and Lucknow proud. DNA the children extracted can be seen as a white globule at the end of the stick.”
In 2015, the same festival when held in IIT-Delhi won a Guinness Record for the single largest chemistry experiment.
Last year, at the third edition of the IISF in Chennai, the city students created a huge Guinness record of the single largest biology class.
source: http://www.ndtv.com / NDTV.com / Home> Lucknow> Sections / by Pallava Bagla / October 06th, 2018
Niranjan is a retired primary school teacher who was felicitated with the President’s award for his outstanding services. He received the award from then President KR Narayanan in 1999.
Niranjan can be spotted on the streets of Lalitpur city in Uttar Pradesh, removing polythene bags from canals | Express
Lucknow :
He seems to be in the grip of an obsession which he finds difficult to resist. Approaching 80, Rupnarayan Niranjan is unstoppable. His fetish for work not only inspires but also leaves one in awe.
Clad in shorts and a vest, Niranjan can be spotted on the streets of Lalitpur city in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, mending a pothole, opening a blocked sewer or even clearing roads and canals by removing polythene bags.
The first impression one gets of the man is that of an ordinary labourer at work, but as soon as the interaction starts, that perception is shattered. His polished language and mannerism bring out the quintessential teacher in him. Niranjan is a retired primary school teacher who was felicitated with the President’s award for his outstanding services. He received the award from then President KR Narayanan in 1999.
But now, after retirement, he begins his day by setting out on his mission with a handcart, broom and shovel, looking for patches on roads that need repairs or streets that can do with some cleaning. The reason he gives for doing such work all day at his age is astonishing.
“As I retired as a primary school teacher, the government pays me pension which comes to `600-700 a day. Hence, it is incumbent on me to offer services in return to the taxpayers who bear the burden of my pension,” says Niranjan, adding that his daily work keeps him physically fit and mentally content. He spends his pension to get the roads repaired and arrange for logistics in the Lalitpur primary school.
After toiling for around five hours in the morning, Niranjan, who is a certified Ayurvedic doctor, treats patients free of cost at his residence in Chowkbagh.
For Niranjan, his father, who was the village head, was a source of inspiration. He grew up seeing him always active and concerned about keeping the village clean.
Niranjan, who shuns the limelight, was a reluctant awardee. When asked to complete the modalities for recommendation for the President’s award for his teaching services, he refused. The then education secretary, LK Pandey, had to visit him and convince him to do the required paperwork, which paved his way to Rashtrapati Bhavan on Teachers’ Day to receive the honour.
He took up the mission of repairing roads when he found that his students in Bazarra village primary school were reluctant to come to school because of the dilapidated roads.
Initially Niranjan requested the authorities to get the roads repaired, but when his pleas fell on deaf ears, he decided to do it himself.
With his own money, he got toilets constructed, an electricity connection provided and arranged for clean drinking water for students in the school.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> The Sunday Standard / by Namita Bajpai / September 23rd, 2018
