The Engineer within

Flurry of messages on 15th September, forcefully reminds me that somewhere in past I did complete a course called Mechanical Engineering. I am not too sure whether the four year period inscribed anything what "3 idiots" movie believes engineering institutions should instill in the creatures called engineers. 

But there was certainly something special in the people around me in the institute, which motivated me to venture into social sector. These special people have cast a spell on my life and I owe them a lot. Few of them appear on the page Architects of my life and there are many others whose names are still due to be acknowledged. 

There was one such special being who taught us Thermodynamics. Buddies from SVNIT would have guessed by now, yes Prof HB Naik. When he got to know that I am changing the path, he shared a very interesting metaphor which serves as a best guide for me in the journey of development sector. He said "Sharda, in social sector you will find two interesting laws of thermodynamics at work. One law says that 'transfer of energy takes time', always remember that social change which you have in mind will not happen fast, it may take months, years and possibly decades. This law instills the faith, the perseverance, the patience whenever I am about to quit. Second law says that 'whenever transfer of energy happens, there is always loss of energy', therefore you should be happy if even 30% (carnot engine) of what you have dreamt gets accomplished. This law makes me re-energized to find out missing links and connecting dots in the hazy picture where all the dots and all the links vanish even after getting linked.

ना  हार  से  ना  जीत  से
बस  केवल  एक  उम्मीद  से
वक़्त के पन्नों पर कुछ लिखता मिटाता हूँ
गीत नया गाता हूँ

BTW Happy Engineer's day!!!

Why do I love Cooperative's

Sunday was spent in grief over departure of the Milkman of Anand  to heavely abode. Today morning I went to a nearby shop for purchasing some stuff, Amul Pro was kept in the front row and I out of curiosity shared with the shop owner that the person who brought up "Amul" is no more. He thought for a while and replied with a relaxed note that now his son will take over "Amul". I was puzzled over the response.

I didn't know what to say. He was perhaps right in his own understanding. He including everyone else have heard, one Tata Leaving and another Tata or relative nominee with a mighty share holding pitching in, One Birla Leaving and another Birla taking the reins, One Ambani leaving and other Ambani becoming Chairman.........

But here is one organization may be not as big as any of the industrial houses whom we know but still considerably big (recently crossed 10,000 crore turn over), has a representative becoming chairman who is democratically elected/nominated  and represents the farmer member-owner of the organization. Here is an organization whose profits get shared back not according to the money invested by share holders but in proportion to the labor/produce contributed by any ordinary farmer member to the growth of the organization viz. Amul.
Without spreading distaste about other forms of organizations (investor owned capitalistic industries), the innocent reply of the shopkeeper gave me a sense of pride that the  institutions created by Milkman from Anand continues to inspire us.

May these institutions and future institutions of similar form in making will keep the spirit alive !!

As was the chief different so was the war;

The chief is gone but the war is on;

The madness, the dream, the revolution is all fresh again;

Asking where are the one's who will form the chain;

The chain of soldiers who will give producers of the nation a strength to fight;

A fight which will make 'cooperative's' a real might;

Chief has glorified the milk cooperative dairy with the little Amul fairy;

"I too had a dream" is left to make the chief merry'

Milkman from Anand.

Photo Courtsey: Satwick Reddy Thumu

 The thought that now this hand will not rise again, makes us sad;

But then it reminds us about the larger dream which made even most powerful mad;

The hand was of chief of army who won every war unfazed;

Now needs soldiers who will espouse the cause the chief embraced;

As was the chief different so was the war;

The chief is gone but the war is on;

The madness, the dream, the revolution is all fresh again;

Asking where are the one's who will form the chain;

The chain of soldiers who will give producers of the nation a strength to fight;

A fight which will make 'cooperative's' a real might;

Chief has glorified the milk cooperative dairy with the little Amul fairy;

"I too had a dream" is left to make the chief merry';

May chief's soul rest in peace.

Architect of the My life: 2011-12 year

Last to Last year, I had decided to dedicate a page for the people who have been a mentor, a guide, a path changer for my life on the eve of every teacher's day (5th September). Unfortunately this time I missed the date, but still going by the argument better late then never, I have this page for................

Mukul Kumar: There are different kinds of people whom we meet both within our work domain and beyond. Prof Raju used to classify people as BOHO (behavior of higher order) and BOLO (Behavior of lower order). I strongly believed in the two classes, untill I met and worked with Mukul. He perhaps transcends this classification and even BOHO will fall short off accommodating him. I will not talk about his contribution to Navjeevan Cooperative's evolution and growth because it is evident to the team here and will become vivid in some time to everyone else as Navjeevan grows and becomes one of the finest community owned enterprises in eastern part of the country. There is something more to him. Two incidents I will narrate which have moved me from within.
1st Incident:
 Majority of us purchase some or the other stuff for home from road side shops mostly being run under temporary sheds. Last summer me and Mukul were in cuttack for purchasing "vinachar" (Soft grass which when wet keeps home cool: used often in air coolers). We were in hurry, I paid for the joint strip of 'vinachar' and when I looked around, I didnt find Mukul. To my surprise, Mukul was busy with something else. The old lady who was tying up two strips as per our requirement in her little temporary shed, got hurt because of some drunkard who had thrown the glass bottle on road side last night. Mukul busy was arranging dettol and cotton and later gave her some money to purchase milk and fruits. I am sure I would have overlooked her pain and moved forward!

2nd incident:
Two week's back Mukul was returning back and on road side found a truck which met with an accident by hitting a electricity pole. Truck driver and another person onboard were badly hurt. There were scores of onlookers surrounding the truck but as usual no one was helping the injured persons. Mukul dropped me a message that he will be on leave for the second half. He arranged a trekker (autorickshaw's are known as trekkers here) and requested people surrounding the truck to help him shift the two injured bodies. Fortunately one person came out and with his assistance, he took them to the local 'sarakari' hospital. As expected there was no doctor. On enquiry he got to know that doctor had gone for extended lunch.(pun intended). He somehow located the doctor's residence and brought him to the treatment room. Upon arrival and after seeing the helpless injured truck driver, doctor said that it was not his time for treatment, fortunately in the crowd which got assembled at hospital sight one person was from media and he shouted back at doctor that if you will not treat him, he will ensure that doctor';s statement appears in tomorrow's news. Finally treatment happened.


Both these incidents reflect apparently small acts of kindness which all of us overlook. It needs sensitivity from within to see, understand and above all ACT to support people who need us but we don't know them personally. It doesnt call for being a development sector professional or a "NGO wala". This 'sensitivity' from within is something which cannot be restricted to dimensions of time, position and people. This comes from within and spreads to all needy. We need not be doctor or a big government official to help people in need. All it needs is a sincere and kind heart and equally willing hand to act. And therefore for the year 2011-12 I place him as an architect of my life.

Later on I got know from Mukul that few year's back he had met with a serious accident and was carried over to a hospital by a "sabji wala". He calls these incidents as "Paying it forward" the act's kindness. Will we add to the link of  "Paying it forward"