You need a PROBLEM,rest will follow..!!!

Some people come across a PROBLEM and try to adjust themselves according to the PROBLEM.
Some people come across a PROBLEM and try to remember all the great heroes who during their own times found a solution to deal with the then persisting PROBLEM for inspiration.Then they dream about what they can possibly do.But the thing is that they never execute their plan.

And then there are people like Arunachalam Murunganantham who not only dreamt about tackling a
                                 
PROBLEM but actually had the courage to implement his idea into reality.

Its almost a year ago,while surfing news channels i came across a program showing a man who recieved a divorce threat from his wife and a threat to get backlisted from his own community.Now in India its not always the same.Unfortunately after 65 years of independence,a woman stands in front of the gun.
So i put down the TV remote and started watching.But for some reasons i had to go out so read the catchy line "A man recieved a divorce threat from his wife and many other threats from his community and yet goes on discovering the cheapest sanitary pads for women ".As i was in a hurry so failed to watch the complete program.

But as i was watching the TED videos few days back,i came across the video of Arunachalam Murunganantham.And believe me after i finished watching it,i had given this man a standing ovation with the crowds present in the audtitorium.This man explained what all it takes to live a meaningful life.And as you are scratching your head,the answer according to him is-
To live a meaningfull life,All you need is a PROBLEM.Your work,Your thingking should be dedicated towards addressing the problem with your designed solution.
He addressed a topic which unfortunately is still considered as a TABOO in India.The topic is
SANITARY NAPKINS.

He invented a way to manufacture cheapest Sanitary Napkins.But it was not possible in a single day.He faced lot of criticisims from his very own people.His wife had threatend him for a divorce and he was chased out from his own village.Despite all the struggle,he went on to fulfill his dream.He embarked on this journey so that his idea would help her wife to use healthy sanitary napkins other than rag which is unhealthy and unhygenic but when his idea took shape in the form of reality it became a boon for every women who could not afford branded sanitary napkins.
The best part in his speech is when he said that he had set up his factory thousand of kilometeres from the reach of MNCs so that it is not used for buisness purpose which mostly MNCs does.

And all this he did being a school dropout.During his speech he used incorrect english which many GRAMMAR NAZIS roaming all over would shout at but he conveyed his idea because communication is not about speaking a language fluently.The point he proved is that education does not always confirms ones ability to learn the values of life.Its how much one takes from his surroundings to learn those values.Even maximum educated people would  have not been able to do what he did.

I still remember the day when our biology teacher skipped few pages from the chapter Reproductive System.She hurriedly finished the chapter and told us to finish the leftover at home.And that was the day the knowledge about Menstruation remained unclear in our heads.Though we cleared it later but by then the word Menstraution turned out to be a part of a joke for boys and for girls it turned out to be something as frightening as a burning flame.
To me menstruation is the same natural process like SHAVING beard is for us.But the way it has been projected through the years has made it a Taboo.There is nothing to hide about it.A child when not told about menstruation in class would certainly assume it to be a off topic and would google about it.Then what is the point in hiding it from him/her.But if the child is taught  in a proper way in the class then there are high chances that he would  percieve it in the correct way.

Not everyone of us can become Arunachalam Murunganantham but we can try in our own ways to make this world a better place.This person has proved once again that the journey of miles can be completed only if the traveller has taken the first small step.Kudos to this man for his invention.
You can listen to this man speaking about his invention in the video posted below-

His Wikipedia Page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arunachalam_Muruganantham.

Franklin Templeton Investments partnered the TEDxGateway Mumbai in December 2012..

Thank you.

PARENTS:Take Care of them,Rest will be taken care by GOD.

"Tring- Tring, the phone rang…!"
A voice full of calmness echoed from the other side
"Hello,Can i speak to Mr.Samar ??"
"Yes" he replied
"Hi Samar its Avinash here.I would like to know about the health insurance scheme you have chosen"
"The last thing i dont want after a hectic schedule at office is to talk to some health insurance agent.Sorry i do not have time."He interrupted and lashed out at the person on the other side of the call.

He put his cellphone on the table and later activated DNDs(Do not disturb service) on his number so that incidents like this do not repeat in future.After spending almost 12 hours in office and travelling from office to home in heavy traffic he always try to manage time to spend with his family.This stupid calls from mobile companies,health insurance agents,real state agents used to ignite the demon in him and all the anger that he was suppressing in his heart against his TL(Team lead) and project manager, he would vent all on those unlucky yet chained agents.Sometimes he enjoyed shouting at them.

Samar had joined the company almost a year ago.Once Vinay told him about something that he ignored then.Now when he remembered his words,the name of the person who was on the other side of the call resembled with the name Vinay told him about.Vinay told him that almost all of their batchmates got a call from this person who would address himself as some Avinash and would enquire about the health insurance plan the employee has chosen.
In this IT industry every MNC offers some health insurance schemes that cover the employees and their parents.To get the benefeit in any medical emergency,the employees need to pay a premium amount annually which is deducted from their salary.Samar always thought this things to be a secondary one and at times even unimportant.The next day when he went office, he was humilated by his project manager in front of the entire batch.The crime he committed was that he only asked his project manager about his poor appraisal rating as he had worked hard than many throughout the year.

Notwithstading the humilation,Samar was fuming from inside.When he reached home he skipped his dinner and went straight to his bedroom.He was cursing my PM badly.Suddenly his cell virbated again.As he picked up, the same voice echoed from the other side
"Hello Samar,its Avinash here.
I will not take more than two minutes time of your busy schedule.I just want to know the health insurance plan you have chosen.Now a days its important to choose a balance insurance plan.I can help you in choosing one"
"Listen Mr. Avinash,I dont know you but if you have not chosen any insurance scheme for you yet then please choose one because if you disturb me again then surely i would beat you till death and then you would be in serious need of your insurance scheme"he interrupted him and vented out everything that he was holding back since morning in that one line.

Few days passed and one day while he was busy in his work he recieved a call.It was Pihu on the other side.
"Papa rush quicky,Dadu is not well"
"Do not worry beta.Tell mamma.She will take care of your dadu"
"Papa she cant.Doctors are saying that he has been put on ventilation and nothing can be predicted within next 24 hours"the phone slipped from my hands.
The news was unexpected as Samar’s father was a healthy man and has always been concious about his diet which many ignores at the age of 77.A fear gripped his and he was like a small kid praying continuosly to God for the well being of his father.Its when we are in complete mess and totally screwed up in life that we remember the all mighty and he was too not an exception.He suddenly calculated in his mind about the available cash at that moment to him and it turned out to be approximately 1 lakh 17 thousand rupees.Rest that he has saved till then for emergency situation like this was in his bank account.But adding to his cursed fate he somehow forgot that it was a ALL INDIA BANDH going that day and even banking sector was participating in that strike so the option of withdrawing cash from bank ceased.So he kicked off his bike taking the cash from home on the way and headed to B.C. Birla Heart Research Institute.

He reached hospital where he enquired about his father to the receptionist.And the first thing before letting him know how his father was doing they told him to deposit 2 lakh rupees and to consult with Dr. Shweta Bhagve.He hugged Pihu who was continuously sobbing and Navya was standing a few meteres away.She stared at him and gave him "Everything will be fine " type expression.Samar wondered how during the most difficult situation women can withstand the pressure and yet can be so calm at the sametime which men lack certainly.He thanked Navya for being there.Suddenly he saw a doctor coming out from ICU.When he asked her about his father she told that he had a massive heart attack leading to blockage of arteries.The last option available to them was to go for Bypass surgery.She told him to deposit 2 lacs immediately and to sign a bond.He requested her to go for the operation and assured her that the rest 80 thousand ruppees would be deposited the following day.But she didnot listen and also warned him that delaying the operation would be fatal for his father.He scratched his head and almost reached out to every possible contacts that he could but still he was getting short of 30 thousand bucks.

As tears started rolling down Navya came to him and offered her earrings and chain and told to offer them to the accounts department so that they can take them back once the bills are cleared.As Samar approached the accounts department they denied him and he was left helpless again but was astonished to hear that someone already paid the remaining amount.When he enquired about that living God who did such good to him, they said that he left a note for him.But he gnored the note and kept it in his pocket and ran to ICU room no 21.The red light was switched on which took away a burden from his shoulder.He thought if only he had planned some insurance plan for his parents without keeping money in some bank account,he could have avoided this mess.

And a message tone beeped.
It was from Vinay"Hey buddy i could only arrange 10k and on my way.Will be there wihtin 15 minutes.By the way our PM got transfered to onsite and we have a new one as Avinash.And we found out that he was the same guy who used to enquire about insurance scheme"
As he read the last sentence he hurriedly took the note from his pocket and read it

Hello Samar,
Before i introduce myself to you i want to tell you something.Around 5 years ago i was facing the same situation that you are in right now.I was earning a decent salary and never bothered to plan my savings and used to keep a hefty amount from my salalry in banks offering 14% interest rates on fixed deposits.But when i needed the money most,i ran out of cash and my ill fate took away my mother.I lost her.Despite working in a MNC i could not arrange the cash and it was only because of my foolishness as i lacked in looking at the bigger picture of life.The only difference back then was that no one helped me with the remainng cash.So from then i made a promise to me and to my dead mother that whoever comes into our organization,i would request each of them to opt a balance insurance plan.I never told my identity to anyone as it was easy that way and i was also serving onsite.So it helped me keeping my identity safe.

But today when i was posted offshore and took the responsibility of your team as project manager i was infromed about your situation.So i paid the reamaining amount.I am not any God Samar.I only did this because i was looking for last 5 years to reduce the sin that i had committed.Everyone is not lucky Samar.But atleast we can plan our earning so that our parents who spent their everything to give us a better life can get the benefeit when it is needed.And that is the reason that i called you twice.I dont know if you would still want to kill me or not but one thing i can tell you that in life we often get so much self centered that we forget about them without whom we would not have reached where we are today.So we need jolts to come back and to face the reality.I was not lucky that day but i know that my mother is blessing me for my deed and today when i will sing bedtime prayers i would feel a little less chained of my sin.
And if you want to repay me then join my movement and encourage each one of your colleagues to plan their earning and make them aware of this emergency situations.Who knows how many Samar and Avinash are still living their life without looking at the bigger picture of life.
Take care of your family.They are the ones who will stand beside you even when your conscience fails to stand by you.
Looking forward to work with you.

From
Avinash

Tears were rolling down his cheeks.He scolded himself for hurting Avinash with harsh words without even letting him complete his part during that phonecall.Still he helped him when he needed most.Avinash was not less than any living God to him.He thanked him silently from the bottom of his heart.
He thought whether he deserved enough to have parents who would still forgive him for his mistakes,to get a girl like Navya who accepted his family like her own, to have a little angel Pihu in his life,to have colleagues who tried to help him out however smal or big the problem was,to get a helping hand from Avinash who was no less than a living God to him.

Suddenly someone patted him on his shoulders
"Samar the operation is successful but we have to keep your father under strict observation till next 48 hours"Dr Shweta said.

Samar thought that he was saved from committing a sin.He smiled and cried both at the same time.May be he needed the blow.He hugged Pihu and Navya and prayed God for mercy.

He saw something scribbled on a board on the wall beside the doors of ICU.He read-

“LOOL AT THE BIGGER PICTURE OF LIFE
BEFORE YOU ENTER ”

Meet an old friend...!!!

                                                        Click for the image source.

After we passout from our schools we hardly get in touch with our school friends.School days when life was like a smooth road and we were like kids riding the bicycle without knowing where that road would lead us to.Yes everyone of us miss those days and we always search a way to have a glimpse of those days once again.But after those carefree days are gone our life also drives us on a different road which never promises to be a smooth one.Sometimes we enjoy the ups and downs while shifting the gears and sometimes we are shattered by few downs and take time to hold the steering of life once again.And as we get busy shaping our life we hardly get time to meet old friends.

The same happened with me too.After i passed out from school,i got busy shifting the gears as life was driving me onto a completely new road where stoppages had different names.And in the meanwhile i lost touch with a good school friend of mine.As i visited Mumbai last time and was plannig to visit some places during the monsoon,suddenly the thought of meeting him popped into my mind.For meeting him i had to travel from Mumbai to Pune.It was my last chance to meet him as i would not be visiting Mumbai in a year unless i am posted there for my job.So i boarded Singhad Express from Thane.The journey was a pure bliss.Words will be short to portray the beautiful nature that i witnessed.The waterfalls will take you to a world so much different from the one you are currently in.It took around three and half hours to reach Pune.I waited near the stairs of platform no 1 for him to pick me up.After almost 20 odd minutes he turned up and i spotted ROHIT  in the crowd first.And we ran and hugged each other.It lasted for 20 seconds but enough to make me believe that nothing changed in last four years between us.The last time we hugged when we bade adieu each other on the farewell day. 

It took 30 minutes to reach his home.Uncle,aunty and his sister greeted me with a smile.Soon it was dinner time and my tummy tasted some pure marathi veg dishes.It was a lovely experience having those dishes as it brought back those memories of chats we used to had in recess time while relishing each other tiffins.After a lovely dinner we jumped to bed quickly as i was tired.But when two old friends meet after a long gap then no matter how much tired they are,they will chit chat all the time.We talked about the times that we both encountered in past years.He told me about his college friends and about his college life and how his academics of MCA keeps him busy.I was also being enquired about whether somone came into my life or not.But the excitement that he held for so long turned into a sad smile as i replied him in negation.And then we finally dozed off promising each other to finish the remaining tales in the next morning.

Next morning we went upstairs and talked for long under the cloudy sky.The same sky under which we used to sit and discuss about how days after school would be like.And as it is said the moment you start enjoying life,it is when time passes by like a speedy wind.The wind soothes your soul but only for a short duration.We realized that time flew past quickly and still so many unsaid words to be said.But i had to return Mumbai on the same day.So after lunch,i left his house and headed to SWARGATE.The main bus depot in PUNE from where busses for MUMBAI departs.I bought a ticket for THANE and there was still 15 minutes for departure.A nostalgia gripped me as i knew it would be a long time when i meet him again.But i was happy from inside.The happiness that i waited for so long lastly kissed me.Its true that the kiss lasted for a short time but the ectasy will be with me for long.I hugged him for the last time.But this itme we didnot promise each other of being in touch as life in past few years taught us a lesson that sometimes it is better not to promise anything to anyone.Because when we fail to keep those promises we get hurt but happiness out of any expectation is the best.We bade each other goodbyes with a smile and i boarded the bus.

The weather was a chilled one and return journey was even more beautiful as it was monsoon in Pune.Witnessed soothing views from the bus but was sad as i could not take clear pics because of raindrops on the window pane.There was a continuous smile on my face like those old days.Beside me there was a lady with whom i was chit chatting about the scenery outside.

"Hey you are very happy i guess..any special reason???"She finally asked me.

"Meet an old friend...you will see the curve your life has taken while you were busy shifting the gears...!!!" I replied.

I dont know why i said something weird like that.And as expected she gave me an expression like i failed to give correct answer in front of Amitabh Bacchan in KBC. 

Finally i dozed off listening to the tune Bavra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna. :) :) 

Thanks for the patience you showed while reading this long post. :)

What if .....???

Life is indeed an enigma,with so many riddles to solve,
Some follow certain rules,some do not maintain any decorum,
Yet we hope to unravel those,ruining our present and living in future,
Tomorrow is never promised,it is the present that we should nurture.
Always you will get the second chance,you know that is not the culture.

Sometimes you have to act while breaking the pact
Heal the wounds kept open for so long,
or say sorry to someone you did wrong,
Express your feelings to the one you care,
or see someone smile and the reason being you dear,
Thank the one for being with you so long,
or clear the misunderstandings that once hurt the bond,
Do the things you always avoided till now
or help someone keeping his/her vow. 

It is scary to even think of not getting a second shot,
Still we ignore when we are given another chance.
We are so busy in unraveling the tiny knot,
Need a blow to wake up from the deep trance.
What if tomorrow never comes???
What if not given another chance???
Yet we surrender without trying,ruining our present and living in future,
Tomorrow is never promised,it is the present that we should nurture.
Always you will get the second chance,you know that is not the culture.