Rotary Medical Missions from India saving lives in Africa

Indian doctors performed 68,000 surgeries in Africa in last 21 years through Rotary

Rotary medical mission returns after serving in Madagascar

Chandigarh, March 28:   In last 21 years Rotary from India has sent more than 500 doctors to serve in 43 countries, and majority of them had been from Chandigarh and surrounding areas, informed Rajendra K. Saboo, former world president of Rotary International here today.

The concept of intercontinental medical mission was conceived by Rajendra K. Saboo and his wife Usha Saboo with first mission in 1998 to Uganda,  which tremendously raised the stature of India in the world as a ‘giver’ and not a ‘receiver’ when teams of superspecialists shared their expertise and talent with the patients in Africa.

A team of 19 doctors from eight specialities along with Rotarian volunteers had recently returned from Madagascar, having attended to 3,500 patients in OPDs.

Some of the doctors from Chandigarh included eye surgeon Dr Nivedita Singh, dermatologist Dr Vanita Gupta, plastic surgeon, Dr V D Singh, ENT specialist Dr Raman Abrol, general surgeon Dr. N.S. Sandhu, gynecologist Dr. Nirlep Kaur, and orthopedician Dr. Ravjit Singh.

In the most trying situations, 163 eye, 73 general, 36 plastic, 34 ENT, 35 orthopedic, 8 gynecology, and 576 dental surgeries were done.  The dermatology department attended to 1250 patients and distributed free medicines to them. 

Doctors shared their experience of working in difficult situations with dismal infrastructure facilities and lack of trained manpower, causing proliferation of congenital diseases, and many curable but neglected cases of skin diseases, bone infections, broken bones, hernia, goiter, clubfoot, burn injuries, etc.

Dr Vanita Gupta said that the country has no trained dermatologist, and skin diseases including fungus, scabies abounded.  Eye surgeon Dr. Nivedita found nonfunctional equipment in the operation theatre including auto-clave (sterliser) and then used pressure cookers to manage the situation.

Indian doctors are most respected for their talent, their ability to work in difficult conditions for long hours,and to innovate at the spur of the moment, Dr VD Singh added.

Praveen Goyal, District Governor 3080, who was a part of the team as a volunteer, said that it moved us to see smiles on the faces of the patient after surgery like the young 8-years old girl who was able to smile because of dental problem. 

The team of doctors included from India included ophthalmologists, orthopedic surgeons, dentists, maxillofacial surgeons, gynecologists, general surgeons, ENT surgeons, plastic surgeons,  pathologists and anesthesiologists, who

also trained local doctors in newer medical techniques.

Each medical specialist not only conducted surgery, dispensed medicines, but more importantly, trained the local doctors and paramedics in the latest advances in various medical disciplines, informed Saboo.

Saboo had also initiated medical missions in remote corners of India too in 2006 where similarly teams of doctors travelled to tribal areas and hard-to-reach locations to serve them.  So far 14 such medical missions in India have been carried out in different parts of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, J&K, Chhatisgarh, and Nagaland.

The next international medical mission with team of 17 doctors in going to Mongolia from 5^th to 17^th May 2019.

Connect Broadband inks MoU with Quick Heal for Cyber Safety

Connect Broadband has joined hands with leading cyber security company, Quick Heal Technologies Limited, to provide comprehensive data and privacy protection solutions to its enterprise customers.

Mr. Sanjay Bahl, Business head of Connect Broadband and Mr. Jyotish Werulkar, Country Manager of Quick Heal shared the growing threats that the corporate business houses, educational institutions and enterprises are facing these days and announced their security solutions for protection of businesses from Cryptojacking, web-based attacks, ransomware attacks and phishing..

The rapid adoption of digital technologies in the absence of sufficient cyber security measures, makes businesses everywhere vulnerable to cyber threats, Sanjay Bahl said

More than 2 million malware, 16,000 ransomware, 13,000 cryptomining malware, 141,000 exploits, and 40,488 potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) and adware are detected everyday, as per Quick Heal Technologies report.

Quick Heal detected more than 180 million threats on Windows devices of individual and enterprise users between April and June 2018, according to their report.

Quick Heal’s leading brand for enterprise security, SEQRITE, would be available to Connect Broadband users to protect their networks, data, endpoints security, mobile device management, to prevent data loss and unwarranted threats to business operations.

PGI and Rotary to work for a TB-Free Chandigarh

Walkathon held at Sukhna Lake to observe World TB Day

On the World TB Day, the Department of Pediatrics PGIMER and Rotary Club Chandigarh have teamed up for TB-Free Chandigarh.

A walkathon was organized at Sukhna Lake, which marked the beginning of a partnership towards global initiative to End TB, and generate public awareness.

Dr Jagat Ram, Director, PGIMER, along with his wife flagged off the walkathon in which Rotarians including Past Rotary International President Rajendra K. Saboo, Rotaractors, nursing staff of PGI, students and teachers of Bhavan Vidyalaya Chandigarh, and citizens participated.

Rtn. Dr. Meenu Singh, head of pediatric pulmonology Advanced Pediatrics Centre at PGI said that Chandigarh harbours nearly 3,000 notified TB patients and approximately 250 pediatric patients.

Department of Pediatrics, PGIMER and Rotary Club Chandigarh have teamed up and shall be working together to combat TB in Chandigarh  through a series of event like screening for patients in residential colonies and organising public awareness campaign, she said.

This curable disease is still the world’s deadliest killer claiming nearly 4,000 lives per day globally and through a concerted efforts by WHO and different global agencies since 2000, nearly 54 million lives have been saved.

Last year the Prime Minister of India gave a clarion call to end TB by 2025, five years earlier than the global target.

The walkathon marks the partnership of PGIMER with Rotary Club of Chandigarh and accelerate action to End TB, said President A P Singh, President, Rotary Club of Chandigarh.

The theme of World TB Day 2019, ‘It’s time’, puts the accent on the urgency to act on the commitments made by global leaders to scale up access to prevention and treatment;  build accountability;  ensure sufficient and sustainable financing including for research;  promote an end to stigma and discrimination, and  promote an equitable, rights-based and people-centered TB response.

On 24 March 1882 Dr. Robert Koch officially announced the discovery of bacterium causing TB and it is this day each year which is observed as world tuberculosis day, to raise the public awareness about health, social, and economic consequences of the dreadful disease.

Kings XI Punjab and Rotary Chandigarh tribute to CRPF martyrs

Kings XI Punjab and Rotary Club Chandigarh give Rs.25 lakh to 5 families of martyrs from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

Rs.5 lakh each to the CRPF jawans from Punjab and Himachal

In a unique campaign run by Kings XI Punjab, with the assistance of the Rotary Club for the CRPF jawans who lost their lives during the Pulwama attack, had their families present at the press meet today and were each given cheques of Rs 5 lakh by Kings XI Punjab.

The five CRPF jawans who lost their lives were Jaimal Singh from Dharamkot, District Moga; Sukhjinder Singh from Tehsil Patti, District Taran Taran; Maninder Singh Attri from Dinanagar, District Gurdaspur; Kulwinder Singh from Tehsil Anandpur Sahib, District Rupnagar; and Tilak Raj from Kangra, Himachal Pradesh

Present at the event were Kings XI Head of Operations Anant Sarkaria, Rotary District Governor Rtn. Praveen Goyal, Rotary Club Chandigarh President Rtn. A.P. Singh, Kings XI Captain Ravichandran Ashwin, Mayank Agarwal, and Mandeep Singh in the presence of Senior DIG CRPF Punjab V.K. Kaundal, and other senior Rotarians.

Anant Sarkaria said, “We are extremely grateful to have partnered with the Rotary Club of Chandigarh for this project who have helped us connect with the families of our brave jawans, who put their lives on the line every single day for us, and we as a team would like to stand behind and honour their sacrifice.”

These five jawans being honoured were part of the 78-vehicles convoy carrying 2,547 CRPF personnel who were ambushed and attacked at Pulwama on 14th February.

Rotary Club Chandigarh President Rtn A.P.Singh said that three years back we had initiated the project of sending 5000 kg of sweets every  Diwali to the jawans at the border, and we are grateful to KXIP for making us a vehicle of doing good for the Pulwama martyrs as well.

Kings XI Punjab and Rotary Chandigarh tribute to CRPF martyrs

Kings XI Punjab and Rotary Club Chandigarh give Rs.25 lakh to 5 families of martyrs from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

Rs.5 lakh each to the CRPF jawans from Punjab and Himachal

In a unique campaign run by Kings XI Punjab, with the assistance of the Rotary Club for the CRPF jawans who lost their lives during the Pulwama attack, had their families present at the press meet today and were each given cheques of Rs 5 lakh by Kings XI Punjab.

The five CRPF jawans who lost their lives were Jaimal Singh from Dharamkot, District Moga; Sukhjinder Singh from Tehsil Patti, District Taran Taran; Maninder Singh Attri from Dinanagar, District Gurdaspur; Kulwinder Singh from Tehsil Anandpur Sahib, District Rupnagar; and Tilak Raj from Kangra, Himachal Pradesh

Present at the event were Kings XI Head of Operations Anant Sarkaria, Rotary District Governor Rtn. Praveen Goyal, Rotary Club Chandigarh President Rtn. A.P. Singh, Kings XI Captain Ravichandran Ashwin, Mayank Agarwal, and Mandeep Singh in the presence of Senior DIG CRPF Punjab V.K. Kaundal, and other senior Rotarians.

Anant Sarkaria said, “We are extremely grateful to have partnered with the Rotary Club of Chandigarh for this project who have helped us connect with the families of our brave jawans, who put their lives on the line every single day for us, and we as a team would like to stand behind and honour their sacrifice.”

These five jawans being honoured were part of the 78-vehicles convoy carrying 2,547 CRPF personnel who were ambushed and attacked at Pulwama on 14th February.

Rotary Club Chandigarh President Rtn A.P.Singh said that three years back we had initiated the project of sending 5000 kg of sweets every  Diwali to the jawans at the border, and we are grateful to KXIP for making us a vehicle of doing good for the Pulwama martyrs as well.

Indian wireline broadband pricing likely to fall by 50%; segment to generate Rs 80,000 crore over 5 years

Indian wireline broadband pricing likely to fall by 50%; segment to generate Rs 80,000 crore over 5 years

Meritocracy is not the role of education says Prof Krishan Kumar

3rd J.C.Anand Memorial Lecture held at PU

One of the important functions of the education system in India has been in selection of the elites, who become the office-bearers of the state apparatus, and this is a continuing legacy of the colonial state in Independent India, said Padamshri Prof Krishan Kumar, a renowned academician, and former Director of NCERT while delivering the 3^rd J.C. Anand Memorial Lecture at Panjab University today.

Education system in India is focussed on the examination system through which the selection process takes place with the idea of meritocracy, which is not the main public role of education, he argued.

Drawing from Ambedkar’s critique of the caste system which does not allow for different knowledges to have a common space,  Professor Kumar averred that the specific public role of education is that it creates pre-dispositions resulting in socialising us into specific ways of thinking and approaching the world.

But this process of socialisation, where education is part of the secondary institution of socialisation with the family being the primary one, also creates the possibility of change in society, he said.

Prof. Krishan Kumar delivered the annual 3rd J.C.Anand Memorial Lecture organised by the Department of Political Science, Panjab University, here today.

The three bureaucrat daughters of late Prof J.C. Anand, namely Urvashi Gulati,  IAS, former Chief Information Commissioner,  Meenaxi Anand Chaudhery, IAS former Chief Secretary Haryana, and Keshni Anand Arora, IAS, Addl Chief Secretary, Revenue, were present on the occasion.

Remembering her father, Urvashi Gulati said that what better example could be of women empowerment that he made sure and encouraged his daughters to get into the Civil Services.

Professor Kumar while speaking on the ‘Public Significance of Education’, started his lecture by distinguishing the question of public significance from that of private significance where education is associated with social mobility and participation in the modern economy.

He also noted that the issue in a South Asian context also requires reflection on the nature of the public sphere including who it includes and its regional variations given the legacy of colonialism.

 Professor Kumar’s lecture was a scintillating account of the philosophy and practices of education and was listened to in rapt attention by a large audience.

Prof. Bhupinder Brar, Prof. Emeritus in Panjab University chaired the session, and many senior officers including Alok Nigam, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Haryana,  Prof Ranbir Chaudhary, Centre for Social Sciences, Delhi, Neerja Sekhar, Addl Chief Secretary, Haryana, Navraj Sindhu, Addl Chief Secretary Haryana, academician Ms Pam Rajput, and many other bureaucrats from Government of Haryana, PU Fellows, faculty, researchers and students participated.

Engineering Growth with MyFresh

Sudarshan Patel redefined his career path from being a mechanical engineering to highly unorganised sector of vending fresh fruit and vegetables. 

But he is bringing in professionalism to the segment through his disruptive innovation by meeting the need for good healthy food. 

Hailing from Jodhpur, Sudarshan is a 2010-batch mechanical engineer from PEC, who worked with different corporate in Gurgaon but ultimately his love for the city brought him back to Chandigarh where he successfully established his online startup, sabkuchhfresh, in 2013, which got acquired by PayTM, where he did his stint as its CEO. 

I was cutout for entrepreneurship, so I quit again, and started my company Oregano Fresh for B2B supplies of imported fruit and organic vegetables to all big stores, malls, and hotels in the region, said Sudarshan Patel. 

Today he opened his retail outlet, MyFresh in the busy Sector 9 market to take these exotic healthy fruits, vegetables to the discerning market, and intends to expand to three outlets by the end of 2019. 

MyFresh offers over 200 varieties of exotic fruits and vegetables in the store that are sourced from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Karnatka, while several others from abroad.

One can pickup freshly prepared salads, healthy fruits and organic vegetables from the store, including avocado, blue berries, Thai grapefruit, cranberries, oyster mushrooms, enokhi mushrooms, kale lettuce, baby spinach, micro greens, fresh herbs to name just a few.

There is live-salad and juice corner where one can pick up from fresh lettuce salads or detox shots including amla (gooseberry), wheat grass, tamarind turmeric, etc. 

'This had been an entirely unorganised market but offers huge potential for the organised retail of fruits and vegetables," said Sudarshan. 

The demand for healthy food is growing and the people who have travelled abroad always prefer to buy the best in the market, he added.

MyFresh has started its first retail outlet from a rented 450sqft store in Sector 9 of Chndigarh. 

Rotary and Connect Broadband for Cyber Safety of Children

Chandigarh, 28th February:  Rotary Club of Chandigarh and Connect Broadband have tied up to conduct cyber-safety programme for the parents and school children.

This was announced today at a workshop organized for parents at Rotary House here today.

Rotary Club Chandigarh’s president A.P. Singh said that with the growing penetration of mobile phones, ipads, laptops and computers in people’s homes, children are getting exposed to internet content which poses grave threat to the children.

He  informed that Rotary shall introduce Connect’s school initiative, NetChamps, in more schools in the tricity including the government schools, and its 12 Interact schools in Chandigarh, under its ‘Saksham’ programme.

Dr. Shilpa, a noted psychologist lamented the growing trend amongst young mother to handover mobile phone to their infants in order to keep them calm make them eat their food.

This unattended access to internet content is a dangerous trend that could harm the children, she said.

Connect Broadband has sensitized over 10,000 children under their NetChamps programme in various schools in Punjab and Chandigarh, which receives tremendous participation from teachers and children, and has also received international recognition for this initiative