Rajya Sabha Member Dr.Ram Parkash born on October 5, 1939 at Village Tangore, Distt. Kurukshetra (Haryana). He performed many responsibilities in Haryana and at Parliament. He says future generations must be made aware of their cultural heritage. Man cannot live by blood alone. So emphasis on finding one’s roots is very important.Many attempts have been made. For instance, India has resolved to revive the old Nalanda University in Bihar. The Indian Parliament has passed a resolution in this respect during the monsoon session. Collaboration with Mauritius on this project must be encouraged. He visited Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Germany, U.K., Canada, U.S.A., France, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania, The Netherlands, Belgium, Mauritius and Kenya. Remembering his services and devotion to the peoples radio and TV journalist Madhu Gujadhar sent us a link of his interview from Mauritius by News Now which is given below. we hope you will like it. Professor, we know that over the years you have become a close friend of Mauritius and that you have often travelled to Mauritius. What brings you this time? In 2007, the Arya Sabha Mauritius and the Kurukshetra University, Haryana, signed a Memorandum of Understanding. Earlier the Kurukshetra University had taken certain decisions which enabled Mauritian students to pursue their tertiary education in the land of their forefathers. The MoU formalised the arrangement for Mauritian students to study for a Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree in various subjects. On Sunday there was the first convocation for the graduation ceremony at the Arya Sabha here in Mauritius. The leaders of Arya Sabha Mauritius asked that I deliver this first convocation. How did this first batch of Mauritian students fare? What are your future plans? Dr Udhay Narain Gangoo from Arya Sabha Mauritius made several trips to India to finalise the MoU and solve problems that arose. I was also involved in the process as I am one of the signatories. On Sunday, some 50 Mauritian students graduated. We want to expand this collaboration further. Currently Mauritian students are doing the following courses at the Kurukshetra University: B A in English, B A in Sanskrit, BA (Hons) in Philosphy and BA (Hons) in Sanskrit and various MA degrees. We want to expand this. The first batch were very successful. The degrees are approved both in India and Mauritius, which is something important. The Kurukshetra University approved the conditions of the Tertiary Education Commission. On Sunday, both the Minister of Education and Human Resources Dr Vasant Bunwaree and the Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology Dr Rajesh Jeetah were present at the graduation ceremony. The Vice Chancellor of the University of Mauritius, Professor Konrad Morgan, was also present. There is one good point here. People always talk about collaboration between India and Mauritius at government level. This MoU is a collaboration between the citizens of the two countries. They are the children of the same forefathers. The Kurukshetra University is autonomous; so is the Arya Sabha Mauritius. But I must underline that the agreement has the blessing of the Mauritian Prime Minister Dr Navin Ramgoolam and the Chief Minister of the Indian State of Haryana, Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda. How would you describe the cooperation between Mauritius and India in the education sector? Mauritius and India in the education sector? It has evolved because the two countries share the same cultural heritage. But education is not merely getting a university degree; it is a about making a prefect man. This is possible only through ethical values. India is the homeland of the Vedas, the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads and the six Darshan Shastras. These holy scriptures preach universal truth for the whole world. One must have some roots in the tradition of their forefathers. This constitutes a definite advantage when students come to India for their tertiary education. Through the efforts of the Arya Sabha Mauritius, Mauritian students have the possibility of getting a degree from India. What could be the other areas of cooperation between Mauritius and India? India is a very big market and every country is trying to capture it. I think the children whose forefathers came from India must have access to education, business and the economy in India. They should be benefitting from these facilities.Sunday was indeed a historic day because through the first batch of Mauritian graduates from the Kurukshetra University, the two nations moved closer together.  You appear to have much affection for Mauritius? I love this country more than any other country. I may refuse to go to another country but I will never refuse to come to Mauritius. We have similar roots. How would you evaluate relations between Mauritius and India? The bond between Mauritius and India is natural and so it is very strong. In our country people do not refer to Mauritius as just another country. For us, it is more than that. I have found similar feelings here, especially among the older generation of Mauritians of Indian origin. “Apne desh se aya hain”(He comes from our own country) say the elders here regarding someone coming from India. This bond is going to be strengthened further and we should give credit to our political leaders for that. There is an Indianness in Dr Navin Ramgoolam and Shrimati Veena Ramgoolam. I think this is in the interest of both countries. Because of Dr Ramgoolam’s continued efforts to strengthen this bond of friendship between Mauritius and India, the Kurukshetra University has resolved to confer on him the LLD Honoris Causa. I am carrying a letter from the Vice Chancellor of the Kurukshetra University seeking the prime minister’s convenience to come over to Kurukshetra to collect the honorary degree. You know, whenever we confer honorary degrees to people from other countries, people ask why it is being done. But in the case of Dr Ramgoolam, when the decision was taken, everybody endorsed it. We see the people of Mauritius as our own brothers and sisters. What are the other avenues of cooperation within the education sector – and other sectors as well? As far as education and social reform is concerned, Arya Sabha Mauritius is doing good work. I feel that emphasis should be laid on technical education as well because the sugar cane industry will no longer provide so much employment. The hardworking, down-to-earth and modest people of Mauritius should have some solid knowledge in the technical field. This will enable the younger generation to stand on their feet. There should be more collaboration on the cultural front as well. Concurrently, other areas that can strengthen the economy of Mauritius must be explored. This place can be good for medicinal plants. Close collaboration between scientists of the two countries can help achieve good results. I fail to understand why dairy farming is not getting its due place here. Milk is a very essential commodity. If the small planters are leaving sugar cane cultivation, this is a sector which could be developed. India, as I said earlier, is a very big market. Why can’t Mauritius benefit from that? The government of Mauritius, in particular the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure, is making lots of efforts to attract more Indian tourists. What can be done to achieve positive growth in this field? The idea in my mind is cultural understanding. Many things can be done to make your tourist spots more attractive. Mauritius is preferred by the common tourists. While coming here, I saw many young couples on the airplane. They come to Mauritius because they consider it safer, cheaper and having far more scenic beauty than other destinations. What can be done to preserve rich ancestral culture and values? This is a problem throughout the world, including my own country. Future generations must be made aware of their cultural heritage. Man cannot live by blood alone. So emphasis on finding one’s roots is very important. Many attempts have been made. For instance, India has resolved to revive the old Nalanda University in Bihar. The Indian Parliament has passed a resolution in this respect during the monsoon session. Collaboration with Mauritius on this project must be encouraged. While speaking on the Nalanda University Bill, I emphasised the importance of setting up a department of the various ancient scripts: Devanagri, Brahmi and Krishti. It is a fact that we have very few scholars who are experts in these ancient scripts. So all that is available – I mean, written or carved ancient scripts on stone, copper and other material unearthed after archaeological digs, are useless to us if we cannot read them. Human history is getting lost. Similarly, if Mauritians do not dig for more knowledge about their ancestors, they cannot understand appropriately their cultural heritage. Any other specific project between the Arya Sabha Mauritius and the Kurukshetra University? Kurukshetra University has a positive approach; it is not a commercial institution. It is trying to help and accommodate Mauritian students. Arya Sabha Mauritius wants us to conduct a course in Vedic Purohit (meant for prospective priests). We discussed it and we are happy to say that the attitude of the Kurukshetra University on this matter is very positive. On the other hand, I will work on a project to help prospective Mauritian students from deprived families to follow courses in a polytechnic. I am also running a school bearing the name of my late father, Shri Prabhu Dayal. This project is being looked at seriously. (Courtesy: News Now) | |
| Photos: Jamirouddin Yeadally |
Thursday, October 28, 2010
'Education is about making the perfect man'
Program Helps Guard, Reserve Families Reintegrate
By Elaine Wilson of American Forces Press Service
Posted on: Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 3:59 AM |
| Army Staff Sgt. Luke Summerlin spends time with his wife, Michelle Summerlin, and their 3-year-old son, Trent, during a Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, a post-deployment event, in Houston, Oct. 17, 2010. Summerlin deployed to Iraq with the Texas Army National Guard's 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team. DOD photo by Elaine Wilson |
WASHINGTON : I traveled to my old stomping grounds of Texas recently to speak with a group of Texas Army National Guard soldiers and their families about how they're dealing with the challenges of reintegration after a yearlong deployment in Iraq, and to learn more about a Defense Department program that's aiding them.
The event featured topics such as relationships and communication, financial management, stress and anger management, and health and education benefits.
I spoke with several soldiers, both single and married, and their family and friends. As always, I was amazed by the strength and resilience of our military that has weathered nearly a decade of war.
I was grateful that they spoke so candidly to me, offering me a glimpse into some of the challenges they face throughout the deployment cycle.
I learned a lot in just a few days. I expected military couples to vent about their relationship issues, but was somewhat surprised to find that their issues were more about their kids than each other.
One spouse, Michelle Summerlin, told me that her biggest post-deployment challenge involved readjusting to her husband's stricter ways with their son. In his absence, she had adopted a more flexible style, and his return triggered some parenting arguments that took some time to resolve.
Single soldiers pointed out their challenges with being unmarried and in the National Guard. Upon their return from deployment, soldiers scatter to their respective homes and the single soldiers end up feeling isolated from the support system that had carried them through for the past year.
One soldier, Army Sgt. 1st Class Karen Perry, told me that her live-in boyfriend had broken up with her the day she returned from Iraq. Without the support of her battle buddies around her, she felt completely alone, she told me.
The military is working to combat this isolation through programs like Yellow Ribbon. The program not only offers servicemembers and their families coping and communication skills, but an opportunity to reunite with comrades and create support systems that can help sustain them.
Most importantly, Yellow Ribbon gives them resources and information so Guard and Reserve families have avenues of help and support as they navigate their way back into civilian life, most without easy access to the support of an active-duty installation. (Issued on: Oct. 27, 2010)
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Military Spouses are Heroes, First Lady Says
By Cheryl Pellerin of American Forces Press Service
"These women and men -- they are heroes and it's time that we recognize the challenges they face and the obstacles they overcome and the contributions they make," Obama said at the Women's Conference® 2010, held Oct. 24-26 in Long Beach, Calif. "It is an issue that I believe should be on the agenda of every women's conference, right up there with equal pay, right up there with work-family balance, right up there with breaking the glass ceiling," the first lady told 30,000 attendees who gathered to hear Obama and more than 100 other speakers during the annual forum. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver, hosted the meeting. The Women's Conference also is a global online community with more than 1 million participants. Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, also addressed the conference. "One of the best parts of my role as second lady is the time I spend meeting servicemembers, military families, veterans and wounded warriors – people who honor us with their service across this country and around the world," she said in prepared remarks. Women make up 15 percent of the military and serve in leadership positions in every branch of the service, Biden added. "In recognition of that evolution," she said, "the president is expanding and enhancing care for women veterans and looking for ways to expand childcare." Obama said her husband, President Barack Obama, also has worked hard on behalf of military families -- strengthening support programs and counseling services and increasing funds for housing, childcare and career development. "He's extended the Family and Medical Leave Act to more military families and caregivers, and we're working with states to streamline requirements so that spouses don't have to reapply for professional credentials and take new tests every time they move," she said. "But the truth is that there is so much more that each of us can do and should do right in our own communities ... [and] it's time for each of us to act," the first lady said. Obama called on teachers, school administrators and PTA members to see what their schools can do to better support military kids. Lawyers, accountants or counselors can offer services pro bono to some military families in their communities. Small-business owners or human resources professionals who work in large companies, she said, can make an effort to hire more military spouses and help make the workplace more accommodating to military spouses. People with time to volunteer can go to the United We Serve website to find out how to help military families in their areas, Obama said. The needs and concerns of military spouses "should be on the agenda of every woman and every American because they represent the very best this country has to offer," the first lady said. "It's time that each of us did our part to give them the support they need, the recognition they deserve and the gratitude they've earned," she added. "I look forward to working with all of you in some way, shape or form to make that happen in the months and years ahead." (Issued on:Oct. 26, 2010) | ||
| Related Sites: United We Serve Related Articles: First Lady Calls on Nation to Support Military Families |
Saturday, October 23, 2010
The 28th Dr Lobo Memorial Oration held
The XVIIIth Annual function of the Dr L.H. Lobo Memorial Trust was held on Saturday, 23rd October 2010. It was established in 1983 in memory of late Dr. L.H. Lobo, an eminent renowned Orthopaedic Surgeon and former Professor & Head of Department of Orthopaedics and Principal of the Christian Medical College, Ludhiana. The aim of the trust is ‘Furtherance of Medical Education’. The oration is held in the specialty of Orthopaedics every other year. The function was jointly organized this year by the trust and the Department of Orthopaedics, CMC, Ludhiana. According to the President of the trust Shri S.R. Wadhera and Dr. M.K. Mahajan, secretary of the trust, the function has been held regularly for the past 27 years.
Dr. C.V. Ananthakrishnan, Senior Joint Replacement Surgeon, Ex Clinical Associate Professor, Dept. of Orthopaedic surgery, Texas Tech University, School Of Medicine, Lubbock, Texas, USA was the chief guest. Dr Raj Bahadur, Director-Principal, GMCH, Chandigarh were the guests of honour.
A scientific symposium on “Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty” was held after the oration under the aegis of Punjab Medical Council. Eminent orthopedic surgeons from the country and abroad with extensive experience in the field participated in the symposium. Dr Bobby John, Professor and Head, Department of Orthopaedics, CMCH, felt that Revision knee arthroplasty was the need of the hour, as many patients with knee arthritis are undergoing knee replacement surgeries and would somewhere down the line need a revision knee surgery. This symposium was conducted to sensitise the doctors and patients in the region to the intricacies of revision knee arthroplasty. According to Dr Anupam Mahajan, Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, CMCH, the average age of doing a knee replacement is going down as it is getting more acceptance in the society. Many of these patients may require a revision surgery later and it was useful for all to get acquainted with it.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
A bold move to fix inhumane prisons
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Monday, October 18, 2010
Lynn: Cyberspace is the New Domain of Warfare
Posted on: Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 10:00 PM By Cheryl Pellerin of American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2010 – With the creation of the U.S. Cyber Command in May and last week’s cybersecurity agreement between the departments of Defense and Homeland Security, DOD is ready to add cyberspace to sea, land, air and space as the latest domain of warfare, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said. “Information technology provides us with critical advantages in all of our warfighting domains so we need to protect cyberspace to enable those advantages,” Lynn said during an Oct. 14 Pentagon Channel interview.
This threat has “opened up a whole new asymmetry in future warfare,” the deputy defense secretary said. DOD’s focus on cyberdefense began in 2008 with a previously classified incident in the Middle East in which a flash drive inserted malware into classified military networks, Lynn said. “We realized we couldn’t rely on passive defenses and firewalls and software patches, and we’ve developed a more-layered defense,” he said. Lynn laid out a draft cyberstrategy in the September/October issue of “Foreign Affairs” magazine. He said DOD is working to finalize the strategy. “There’s no agreed-on definition of what constitutes a cyberattack,” Lynn said. “It’s really a range of things that can happen -- from exploitation and exfiltration of data to degradation of networks to destruction of networks or even physical equipment, physical property. What we’re doing in our defense cyberstrategy is developing appropriate responses and defenses for each of those types of attacks.” One element of the strategy –- working with Homeland Defense to protect critical military and civilian IT infrastructure -– was put into place Oct. 13, when Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced a new agreement to work together on cybersecurity. The agreement includes a formal mechanism for benefiting from the technical expertise of the National Security Agency, or NSA, which is responsible for protecting national security systems, collecting related foreign intelligence, and enabling network warfare. Another element is what Lynn calls a “layered defense, where you have intrusion detection and firewalls but you also have a … layer that helps defend against attacks.” In his draft strategy, Lynn describes the defense-layer component of cybersecurity in terms of NSA-pioneered systems that “automatically deploy defenses to counter intrusions in real time. Part sensor, part sentry, part sharpshooter, these active defense systems represent a fundamental shift in the U.S. approach to network defense.” And, since no cyberdefense system is perfect, DOD requires “multiple layers of defense that give us better assurance of capturing malware before it gets to us,” Lynn said. “We need the ability to hunt on our own networks to get [intruders] that might get through and we need to continually improve our defenses,” he continued. “We can’t stand still. The technology is going to continue to advance and we have to keep pace with it.” Envisioned attacks on military networks could impair military power, national security and the economy, Lynn said. Enemy cyberattacks could deprive the military of the ability to strike with precision and communicate among forces and with headquarters, he said, and it could impair logistics or transportation networks and eliminate advantages that information technology has given military forces. “Beyond that, cyberattacks conceivably could threaten the national economy if [adversaries] were to go after the power grid or financial networks or transportation networks, and that, too, would be a national security challenge,” Lynn said. “And over the long run there’s a threat to our intellectual property … basically a theft of the life blood of our economy.” Working more closely with allies is an important element of the strategy, he said, to ensure a shared defense and an early warning capability. The NATO 2020 report rightly identified the need for the alliance’s new 10-year strategic concept -- a draft of which is an expected product of the 2010 NATO Summit slated for Nov. 19-20 in Lisbon, Portugal –- to further incorporate cyberdefense concepts Lynn wrote about in Foreign Affairs. U.S. technological advantages are a critical part of the cyberstrategy and the Pentagon already is working with industry and with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to put these to work, Lynn said. As part of a public-private partnership called the Enduring Security Framework, Lynn wrote in his Foreign Affairs article, chief executive officers and chief technology officers of major IT and defense companies meet regularly with top officials from Defense, Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. DARPA also is working on the National Cyber Range, a simulated model of the Internet that will enable the military to test its cyberdefenses before deploying them in the field. The Pentagon’s IT acquisition process also has to change, Lynn wrote in Foreign Affairs. It took Apple Inc. 24 months to develop the iPhone, he said, and at DOD it takes on average about 81 months to develop and field a new computer system after it is funded. “The Pentagon is developing a specific acquisition track for information technology,” Lynn wrote in Foreign Affairs, and it also is bolstering the number of cyberdefense experts who will lead the charge into the new cyberwar era. The military’s global communications backbone consists of 15,000 networks and 7 million computing devices across hundreds of installations in dozens of countries, Lynn wrote. More than 90,000 people work full time to maintain it, he said, but more are needed. Through the establishment of U.S. Cyber Command and the bolstering of cybersecurity at other defense agencies “we’ve greatly increased the number of cyber professionals we have at DOD and will continue to increase that,” Lynn told the Pentagon Channel.” | ||
| Biographies: William J. Lynn III |
Ajoka's VIRAST Theatre Festival
| Time | Wednesday at 7:00pm - October 23 at 10:00pm |
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| Location | Alhamra, The Mall, Lahore |
| Created By | |
| More Info | Dear friends, Ajoka Theatre is organizing the VIRASAT Theatre Festival in Lahore from 20th to 23rd October 2010 at Alhamra The Mall, Lahore at 7p.m. daily, to highlight the rich cultural & historical heritage of Pakistan by showcasing some of its best productions in recent years. Schedule of the festival is as follows: • 20th Oct BULLHA Alhamra Hall # 1 • 21st Oct RAJA RASALU Alhamra Hall # 2 • 22nd Oct DUKH DARYA Alhamra Hall # 2 • 23rd Oct DARA Alhamra Hall # 2 Ajoka has now decided to ticket performances in order to sustain our work. We are trying to discourage free performances but we will keep the ticket prices low so that everyone can afford to pay. For the Virasat Festival we are charging Rs. 100 per ticket for each performance. We will be donating the ticket money to the flood relief efforts. Tickets will be available from 11th October from the Ajoka office & box office. For further information please contact: •Mr. Uzair Sultan Ph: +92-42- 36686634/36682443: Cell: 03434140005 You can also become a “Friend of Ajoka” by paying an annual membership fee the details of which are: •Complementary Invitations of Ajoka Performances, throughout the year •Quarterly Ajoka Newsletter •Reserved Seats during the performances •25% discount on Ajoka Products •Invitations to screenings of our telefilms and recorded plays Membership forms are available at the Ajoka office, For further information contact; •Mr. Kanwal Christopher, Ph: +92-42- 36686634/36682443: Ph: 03214583164. Membership Charges Adults: Rs. 3,000/- per year Couples: Rs. 5,000/- per year Students: Rs. 1,000/- per year Kindly send us your e-mail address at ajokatheatre@gmail.com so that we can add you to our emailing list. Madeeha Gauhar Artistic Director |
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