In my mind's eye...

Adios!

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:55:06 GMT

Yep!! Shifted my loyalty to Blogspot!!

The bees in my bonnet..

Hehehhe!

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 05:35:37 GMT

This morning, I had this sadistic pleasure of watching this woman sitting next to me in the bus, suffer silently when she couldn't spit out the chewed beetal leaves as the windows wouldn't open!!!! :D

Terribly disturbed...

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 07:32:18 GMT

I take the BMTC to office everyday. When I don’t want to read in the bus, I look around lazily out of the window, at my co-passengers, listen to music etc..

Yesterday, being one of those “I want to look around days”; I saw the seats behind the driver which are facing each other. On one of the seats, reserved for LADIES, I saw a man sitting. (I will come back to my experiences of fighting with such men, later)

One seat in front of him, right behind the driver was vacant. A 10 year old girl got into the bus and tried occupying that seat. This man, trying to be extremely cooperative, held the girl by her shoulders and her arms and made her sit in the seat! I was so irritated! Why the hell did he have to do that when she could have managed on her own? I could even see that the girl wasn’t too happy being “helped”.

I just could not help looking at those two every now and then. I could see the man letching at her big time. A 10 year old girl!!!! Goddammit!

When she got up to leave, he freaking did it again!!!! She tried to break away from him mildly. Shit! My blood was almost boiling. But somehow, I couldn’t do anything. I could not think of doing anything! Am I supposed to do something????

This reminded me of another incident which haunts me even to this day. I was walking from the Majestic bus stop towards my mom’s office, when a man followed me and kept propositioning to me. I ignored him once. But when he came back the second time, I tried making a scene and showed him my fist… He ran away.

Another incident, where I slapped a person in the railway station when he touched me.

This is just getting to me. Cant we be just left alone? Cant we just stand on the road, and wait for some friends/family, without inviting sidey glances?? Cant we just walk on a busy road without having to think how we can avoid the hands of men around us?

Disgusting!

Mon, 07 Aug 2006 09:25:40 GMT

A life story "I want to stand on my feet" I wrote, has been uploaded on our official E-journal.
You can go here and click on Beyond Boundaries.

Fri, 07 Apr 2006 04:04:46 GMT

Yes! I will update my blog soon and regularly...

Wed, 26 Oct 2005 05:13:43 GMT

Schizophrenics can add another feather in their cap. Thanks to this study

Civic Sense! Where art thou?

Sun, 16 Oct 2005 05:38:40 GMT

Why is it with people to decorate the roads with their phlegm and chewed beetal leaves? I simply don't understand why they should spit on the road. When they dont spit in front of their house main door, why should they, on the road? Is it becos nobody tells them not to?
I remember, recently, I just got into this auto and the driver happily spit out a whole lot of phlegm on the road, and then started the vehicle. Then,
Me: Yenri, yaake road mele hange ugithira?
He: Matte innyelli ugibeku madam?
Me: * #%#%????* Neevu nimma mane munde ugithira? Road nimdallwa?
He: Madam!Aavyella nodtha kootre aithu! Yellaru road mele ugithare..Naanu ashte!
Me: even more *#$#%#$%%$#43*..
Felt like telling him, yellaru $%#*& thinthare andre neevu thinthira?
Once I saw this young man riding his bike and I cannot believe how he managed to draw that much phlegm from his lungs, and spit out every 30 seconds!
And the amount acrobatics we have to perform to escape being hit by the spittle ( or even from banana peels to plastic covers) from bus passengers, lorry drivers and other two-wheeler riders. Oh God! Nowadays, giving a dirty stare to these kind of people has absolutely no effect on them..I wonder when everybody will learn to respect the place we live in. It does say something about the character..How much do we have it in us?

Tried my hand at sketching after about 2 years

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 07:35:18 GMT

Wed, 22 Jun 2005 13:33:53 GMT

After a desperate and unsuccessful attempt for Master of Health Administration at Tata Institute of Social Sciences,Mumbai, I am back in Namma Bengalooru. I left on 11th June, reached Dadar next day morning. Stayed for a day in my uncle's house at Borivalli then left for TISS in Chembur on 13th. The weather was sweltering hot and added to that we were stuck in the jam for 1 hour. But the TISS campus was a real treat for the eyes..The whole campus is just green..Dint get a chance to see the new campus which is supposed to be even better.
Each of us were allotted a hostel room for 2 days..Stayed there and met my fellow applicants..Each of them were from different backgrounds..Some Docs, Dental surgeons, BSc gards, experienced fellows, bunch of good freshers etc..I guess I was the only engineer with a minuscule experience...Some thought it was weird..
14th, was the day of the exam.After a brief orientation about MHA and TISS we had an essay writing test for a duration of 45 mins. The topic was " Women empowerment- Is it the only solution to population explosion" Wrote a decent essay of about 2.5 pages.
Then the Group discussion in the afternoon. We were 10 of us in the group and we decided before hand that we would not let the discussion look like a fish market and let everyone speak. The topic was " Birth Control- Is it only women's responsiblity"
The results were out at 7.30 pm that day and to my dismay, dint find my name in the list. I was very disappointed, but life has moved on ever since..
Left the hostel the same day and went back to Borivalli. Next day met up with a friend and ex-colleague.Had a nice time. In the evening, went to Linking Road with Shruthi in Bandra and did a bit of shopping..The hospitality extended by my uncle and his family really helped me pull myself together.
Next day morning, left Mumbai by Udyan Express and came back to Bangalore.
It was a great experience going all the way alone with a mission to crack the exam, trying to be independent and get a hold on myself when things went bad. Survived it and I am back with a bang.
Aage kya hoga, dekha jaayega..

Health care situation in India

Sat, 16 Apr 2005 09:10:44 GMT

One of the best ways to judge the well being of the people of a nation is by examining the standards of health the ordinary people have attained. Healthy living conditions and access to good quality health care for all citizens are not only the basic human rights but also essential prerequisites for a social and econominc development.

With the public health system in a shambles and private hospitals beyond their reach, basic health care proves to be a luxury for a majority of Indians. The basic health indicators in the country are far from encouraging.

The infant mortality rate is 68 per thousand live births every year, and there has been very little imrovement in this situation in recent years.

About 130,000 mothers die during child birth every year.

3 completely avoidable child deaths occur every minute.

18 lakh deaths of under-five children could be avoided every year. The four major killers (lower respiratory tract infection, diarrheal diseases, perinatal causes and vaccine preventable diseases) accounting for over 60% of deaths of under 5 years of age are entirely preventable through better child health care. Around 6 lakh children die from from an ordinary illness like diarrhea.

According to the latest National Family Health Survey, half of all Indian children are undernourished and half of all adult women suffer from anaemia.

About 5 lakh people die from tuberculosis every year.

The number of cases of malaria has remained at a high level of around 2 million cases annually. Cancer claims over 3 lakh lives per year and tobacco related cancers contribute to 50% of the over allcancer burden, which means that such deaths might be prevented by tobacco control measures.

One Indian commits suicide every 5 minutes.

Private health care and essential drugs are increasingly unaffordable. 40% of the hospitalised people are forced to borrow money or sell their assests to cover expenses. Over 2 crore Indians are pushed below the poverty line every year because of the effect of "out of pocket" spending on health care.Due to irrational prescribing, an average of 63% of the money spent on prescriptions is a waste.

These are some of the startling facts that is flashed at the faces of our health policy makers. Is this inevitable? Can only developed countries manage good health for their people? Does India have the resources to provide health for all?

As a country, Indians spend more on health care than most other developing countries. Health care facilities have grown substantially, but these are mostly in the private sector. The system is producing more and more health care professionals, but we lose them to the private sector, or to the western coutries.

As a nation, today there is a need to look closely at the deeper problems in the health system, rather than make exaggerated claims. There is a need to recognize the growing health inequities, and urgently implement basic changes in health system.

With political will and people's involvement, ensuring good quality health care for every Indian is possible.

Sun, 16 Jan 2005 14:43:53 GMT

Well, long time since I updated my blog. I wrote a life story on 7th Jan and I am so happy after writing one. I wish I could put it up here but unfortunately, I need to get it signed off from my programme manager.
The person I wrote about was suffering from mental illness for the last 15 years. He had tried committing suicide so many times and luckily he was saved by some one or the other everytime. He had completely withdrawn from social life for so many years even after being treated in a couple of general hospitals in Chennai.
He with his family moved to Bangalore 9 years ago and his condition remained the same.The family had resigned themselves to the fact that his illness was not curable until he was identified through an organisation called APSA and then the intervention began from Basic Needs India(an organisation which is working in collaboration with ADD India on Community Mental Health). He was ensured necessary and right treatment from NIMHANS and also the right counselling.
Throughout his trauma, his daughter took care of him like a baby. His wife worked arduously from 6 am to 8.30 pm. Talking to the daughter was a reveting experience.Now, he has improved so much that he wants to work like before and has taken up the responsibility of getting his daughter married.
I marveled at the way the family has supported him through thick and thin. Their survival strategies and their resilience are truly astonishing. So is their will to support their family honorably and live their life with dignity. He is en route to complete recovery and his success story is one of the best I have heard so far.

The height of brutality...

Mon, 20 Dec 2004 16:45:21 GMT

I was reading The Hindu newspaper today morning and I came across this article about a mentally retarded Iranian teenage girl who is going to be sentenced to death soon because of her "immoral activities". Apparantly her mother forced her into prostitution and now the daughter is a victim to merciless torture.
I think executing her is the most cruel and barbarious thing to do. She has the right to live and nobody should/can deny this right to her.
An organization called Amnesty International which works for the human rights of people all over the world has started a campaign against the execution of this girl. I googled for this issue and got a whole of information regarding this. Anyone interested go could go through this website
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/action/irandp.shtml
and send an email or a letter to the given addresses in the website. But please dont take the risk of mailing from your personal email ids.Create a new id and then send because you could land into trouble.One of the first rules of the internet .. "BE ANONYMOUS FOR ANONYMOUS" and besides this is a political issue. It can get messy with your name getting plastered at some place .. !! DO NOT PUT UR REAL NAME !!
Even though it is not practical to fight for this cause actively, the least we could do is support this campaign.

Thu, 16 Dec 2004 16:46:17 GMT

I was coming back to Bangalore from Doddabellapur and I got down at the Majestic bus stand. As I elbowed myself through on fly over to reach the other side, something caught my eye. I saw this small polio-stricken boy, his hands totally disabled, hanging from his shoulders like a pair of socks, begging his lungs out.. People passing by just threw some change on the towel he had spread in front of him. I felt a chill running down my spine..I closed my eyes and walked a little distance away from him. Then I just gathered myself up and went upto him and asked his name. He never expected this from me and he gave me a blank look.Then slowly he said "Sathisha". When I asked him his age he said he was 13. I asked him what he does the whole day.He said "I sit here and beg the whole day", right on my face. Then I asked him about his parents.He just shook his head. By this time some people started gathering around us..I just dint want to look around and feel uncomfortable. I asked him if he wants to go to school. Again he shook his head.I dint know what to do. Then I asked him if he wants any help. Again he shook his head. I started feeling like a fool there. Then I took out my book and pen and whote down my office address and shoved it in his hand and asked him to come to our office if he wanted any help and left.
All along I was thinking why this happened. Why dint he want to talk to me. Then I realised that I was thinking only from my point of view. I should have thought about his experiences being out in this wicked world and dealt with him in a better way and convinced him to take advantage of the resources that are available for him.
Then I caught an auto to get back home and all along the way I had mixed feelings. I felt really happy because, I think this was the first time I actually did what I am for in this field. I felt a little bad because I dint make an effect on the boy. I hope I meet him tommorrow again and hopefully I can do a better job this time.
This experience has just made me realize that doing social work is not just about working with the people assigned to you from 9AM to 6PM. Its about keeping your eyes open all the time and making yourself available 24/7 in all possible ways...

Visit to APSA, Namma Mane

Sun, 05 Dec 2004 16:24:21 GMT

The other day I visited APSA(Association for promoting social action). This organisation is a child-centred community development organization.I spoke to some of the kids who were woking before as child laborers, rag pickers, beggers and construction workers.The kids seemed to love the atmosphere in APSA and they were so happy to be among the other kids. They told me they have made friends and that APSA has given them a life.I was really surprised to hear that kind of a thing from such small kids.I got to know that it is against the law to have a child (below the age of 14) working as a laborer at home or anywhere for that matter.
These children are brought to this organisation and are given some non formal education and are allowed to attend the open university exam for the 7th standard and also 10th standard. I think the way this organization works is just amazing. They also provide vocational training for these kids in tailoring, embroidery, electronics stuff and screen printing.
APSA runs a 24 hour toll free hotline for children in distress.They provide emotional support as well as direct intervention to children who call 1098. Interventions range from medical help, shelter, to protection from abuse and rescue.
So guys! Next time you see a child, in distress, begging or being used or abused as a child laborer, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE call 1098 and give a life to the child which it rightly deserves.

A great unexpected experience!

Tue, 30 Nov 2004 17:39:30 GMT

Today I was supposed to visit an organization by name Paraspara,which works with street children and against child labour.They have also agreed in joining hands with our organisation in identifying mentally ill persons and proceed with our interventions in their project areas.Little did I know this morning that we would be visiting one of the areas in which they work - Akkyappa garden - a slum near Mattikere.I was really surprised and excited about going there.This was my first visit to a slum.And I must say it was a memorable one which left me wondering about a few questions that seem to have no answers.

We all assembled in a small school at 10.30am.Our development workers in that area had identified 12 mentally ill persons and only 6 turned up,along with their carers.The PWMIs(Persons with mental illness)were very hesitant in the beginning to even speak a word.They seemed to be very restless and a couple of them even walked out even before we coud start our programme.Everytime we had to run behind them and get them back.Finally we had to bribe them with tea and biscuits to keep them in one place.

Then we started with some activities for the PWMIs and their carers to form into groups and answer the following questions:
1.Who or what forms their world?
2.What are their requirements to lead a normal life?
3.What do they think should be done by them, their carers or the organization to fulfil their needs?

We found that while some of them had the capacity to think and come up with some answers,some others refused to say anything.They were very hesitant to let out their feelings.One lady having suffered a lot because of ill-treatment by her family members refused to stop talking and went on lamenting about her problems.Then we spoke to their carers to know the actual story behind their illness.We discovered some thought provoking facts about each one of them.A chill ran down my spine when I heard the fact that one lady had spent about 9-10 years under her cot in darkness.I could then relate to what pain and fear she was going through.Phew!I am never going to forget this lady and just hope that she will be better soon.

There was this small 13 years old girl who was taking care of her mentally ill mother.Her father left them and remarried.Her determination to help her mother and the kind of responsibility she was shouldering, just amazed me.The number of barriers and social stigma she was bearing is something I just cant put it in words.One major thought that was provoking me was,What about the security of that small girl?Who is going to take care of her?Who is going to protect her from evil hands, in the absence of our workers who cant be with these people all the time?

Then we came up with an action plan as to what should be done next.So it was decided that a good rappot should be built with these PWMIs so as to gain their trust and see to it that the right treatment is given to them.And also make sure they take their medicines regularly.Plans for providing them with some means of livelihood, that is suitable and within their capacity is on our agenda for the next session.

Workshop on Awareness of Accessibility

Thu, 25 Nov 2004 16:55:32 GMT

Today was an eventful day.I went to attend this workshop on accessibility in Mobility India.It was conducted by two professors from The University of Reading,UK.They were really good.Well a building or environment that is designed to be accessible, or inclusive, allows any activity like to give shelter,to house,to work in or to play in, to take place without restricting access to people with certain abilities only. This has become a major issue of concern nowadays with every architect wanting to design buildings keeping the persons with disabilities in mind.The main point that is being stressed everywhere is the "inclusive approach" in which, in this case, the buliding managers consider the abilities rather than the disablities,and as far as possible integrate a range of needs into one solution that can be used by everyone.This just aims at providing complete freedom of movement to any kind of person with disability in any building.Some of the major issues that are being tackled are the non slippery flooring, wide doors, the appropriate colour contrast for the walls, ceilings, railings,doors,windows,accessible reception unit,embossed and Braille illustrated sinages,the toilets, the lighting arrangements (especially for the partial visually impaired)alarm systems and many more.We were shown slides of some of the worst designed buildings in England.That made us feel proud of Mobility India which is excellently designed for the disabled.These special designs are not all that prominent unless u notice acutely.The workshop ended with some exercises in which we were given some situations and asked to come up with our areas of concern in designing.One common point everyone came up with was the right attitude of the people or the staff members and their sensitivity towards these kind of issues.

Messy day!

Tue, 23 Nov 2004 14:14:09 GMT

Man! Today was horrible..I lost my 20 day old mobile today early morning.I had to attend a pooja in Malleshwaram and so I left home at 6.30 in the moring with my mobile( I remember taking the mobile with me).Then I went to Malleshwaram in a car.I just went up to my uncle's house and realised that I dont have the mobile with me anymore.I was shocked.I searched everywhere desperately.Searched the car and found things that wouldn't want to find..Then I remembered that I have one year theft warranty.But, when I actually found out how it works,was I disappointed or what!It seems I have to lodge an FIR with the police,then mail a whole lot of documents to New Delhi.And after 15 or 20 days they will decide whether 60 or 70% of the money should be reimbursed back to me!This is so unfair!God!I then got my sim card deactivated and got it replaced with another one..I came back home and thought over the whole thing...Then I happened to remember that I lost my nike shoes some days back.Oh!god!!! thats another story which I wouldn't want to get into right now.Otherwise all the effort I have made to reconcile with the mobile loss will be in vain..I am so careful about these kind of things...still everything ends up so messed up...:(

Had a blast!

Sat, 13 Nov 2004 15:17:23 GMT

Yesterday we celebrated Diwali in a friend's house and we had a blast.We were about 13 of us and had a great time bursting crackers and fooling around. Amazing fun!!!

A sneak peek till date....

Tue, 09 Nov 2004 17:18:54 GMT

Now to add something about myself, I am working for an NGO, called ADD,India(Action on Disabilities and Development,India) which works mainly with persons with disabilities.I am here mainly to gain some experience in this field and I am enjoying every moment of it.I am on a project to do some documentation and case studies on mental illness. I have been travelling to some of our project areas in Karnataka like Koppal and Bassetahalli.

Last night it was suddenly decided that I should be going to Hoskote today to do an awareness programme on rain water harvesting with a couple of schools in and around Hoskote.We also visited a small organisation called Abayashram,an abode of the abused and abandoned, which houses about 25 mentally ill women.The trustees pick up women who are mentally ill,schizophrenic,psychotic or mentally retarded from the streets who are wandering without any hope and direction.These women are taken care of both physically and mentally.They are provided with approprite and necessary treatment, medicines and regular mental checkups. I got the chance to actually sit with them and talk!It was really an experience that I will never forget listening to their innocent,heart-rending tales.I wanted to stay there for some more time....if only time could permit.Looking forward to go there again and spend more time.

Here I am!!!!!

Tue, 09 Nov 2004 16:44:13 GMT

Well this is my first entry!!!And I am damn excited and being a real techno moron, I am ready for making an ass of myself on my blog too.Well if anyone is looking for really high funda computer science stuff, then sorry dudes!I am at one arm's distance from you!