Virtual classroom 2

After so many hurdles, delays, finally deployed virtual classroom set up at Zilla Parishad High School, Gandeed. This is my first project. Feeling not very proud because this should have been done last year itself. Anyways could do it at least this academic year.

Journey to Gandeed

Started from Hyderabad exactly at 9.33am with Purpletalk volunteers - Josef, Khaleel and Vinodram and EFF teacher Sudha and of course I. Traffic in the city made us go with < 40Km speed; halted at signal and some junctions, it took 45minutes to cross the city.

Entered NH-7; wide and awesome road, one can enjoy the ride on this highway. You just fall in love to travel on a rainy day.

Cheered up our volunteers with full energy to do a noble cause.

Empty stomach journey is not good, searching for dhabas on NH-7, "this is not good", "it's too yuck", "that is good" suggestions on dhabas; couldn't withstand my hungry, halted at Baba Dhaba

waiting for the order, yeah! I got my Idly! waiting for rest of the order...

Masala Dosa and Idly then tea was our breakfast. Quality was ok, but quantity of masala in dosa is less :< We adjusted it with chutney and sambar. Geared up and never seen back till Gandeed.

I must thank Khaleel for directing the route to the driver. Though he came once could remember all the turnings and landmarks. I am very poor in that, eventhough this is my third visit to Gandeed couldn't able to remember anything [except a temple and railway track in front]

Reached Gandeed by 1.00pm; unloaded the vehicle, ourselves didn't make the children to carry the things. Started our work right away. However, I was confused where to start from...

First and important thing is internet...connected our computer to India's biggest network BSNL, AE Mr.Sudharshan has configured the ip. I was amazed to see the speed, and that too in the village. Bandwidth is enough to run our application. Tested the app with our colleagues at office

Thank God! everything is working - mics, speakers, web cam, conferencing.

Selected a place to hang the projector. The ceiling is covered with thermocol, that's an asset for us, as it reduces echo to some extent.

At last fixed the projector in the right position.

Oops! power cut, 2pm to 6pm...oh! we had to make holes in the wall to mount the screen. Did it manually, as power is not there to use drilling machine.

Lunch break...school management provided lunch from near by hotel.

Rice was hot wrapped in a leaf plate, though the quantity is less, quality of the food is good, didn't feel heavy after eating. But the only thing I don't like is packing the curries in plastic covers. Our volunteers relaxed few minutes in the school campus taking snaps here and there...

We had lot of fun :) Playing jokes and making fun of each other...

After setting up everything we had to wait for more than an hour for power. Need to test our application. Fortunately, power got before 6pm. Our faced lighted with joy. Switched on everything to test; Ouch! huge power fluctuations, dropping below 150 amps. UPS guy sweating to sort it out. Some how everything got switched on...started testing the application software with one of our colleague at office. Everything worked well. My face cheered up.

A group photo after setting everything. Though the faces were sweating, never fade our smiles :)

Hip hip hooray!!!

Anger

Anger makes man animal. Anger is the root cause of all miseries. Anger is the powerful tool than a missile. Anger is the cruncher of happiness. Anger Anger Anger... why am talking about anger, coz i am very much angry since yesterday...if your beloved ones promises you to meet and fails to fulfill then how would you feel? exactly I am facing damn damn anger... :X My mind is totally not working.

My mind is saying it's not correct to be anger for a silly reason but my heart is saying to be in that mood, not to go anywhere, don't talk to anyone, be dull and increase your anger...

What's wrong with me, being a teacher I should counsel my children but here I am becoming a victim of anger...grrrrrrr!

I read some pages on "how to overcome mental tension" even though my anger didn't cool. What is the remedy for this condition? Controlling our senses especially anger is quite not possible. In anger we hate ourselves, we can see only failures when close eyes, wonders whom to blame for the condition, want to shed boiling tears, break things [which are breakable :P]

And please don't tell me philosophy about anger, that it can be turned into positive reinforcement to accomplish our task...no no no...me a human being not saint or jogini.

Food habits

Yesterday while browsing I happened to read about Jains. I was shocked to see their food habits...here are some, have a look

JAINS ARE VEGETARIANS.

WE EAT VEGETABLES, SQUASH, BEANS, PEAS, TOMATOES, FRUITS, AND LETTUCE.

JAINS DO NOT EAT STEAK, HAMBURGERS, HOT DOGS, OR ANY OTHER KIND OF MEAT.

JAINS ALSO DO NOT EAT CHICKEN, EGGS, TURKEYS, OR ANY POULTRY ITEMS.

JAINS ALSO DO NOT EAT FISH, LOBSTERS, OYSTERS, OR ANY KIND OF SEAFOOD.

JAINS RESPECT EVERY LIFE.

JAINS AVOID FOOD PRODUCTS WHICH INVOLVE INJURY TO ANY LIFE.

JAINS TRY TO MINIMIZE VIOLENCE EVEN TO PLANTS;

THEREFORE, JAINS AVOID EATING ROOT VEGETABLES, SUCH AS ONIONS, GARLIC, BEETS, CARROTS, AND POTATOES.

JAINS ALSO SHOULD NOT DRINK BEER, WINE, LIQUOR, WHISKEY, OR ANY KIND OF ALCOHOL.

JAINS SHOULD NOT WASTE ANY FOOD.

JAINS OFFER FOOD TO POOR PEOPLE.

JAINS FAST ON CERTAIN RELIGIOUS DAYS.

JAINS PREFER TO DRINK BOILED WATER.

JAINS DON'T TO EAT AFTER SUNSET AND BEFORE SUNRISE.

Yes No

I really appreciate their love for Plants... JAINS AVOID EATING ROOT VEGETABLES, SUCH AS ONIONS, GARLIC, BEETS, CARROTS, AND POTATOES in order not to kill a plant by uprooting it...

There are 3 types of food

1. Sattvic Food
   Sattvic foods keeps the body in a peaceful state, calms mind, enable our mind to function at full potential. Fresh fruit, fruit juices, vegetables, cereals, whole-grains, legumes,/lentils, milk,,nuts and seeds are sattvic foods.
2. Rajasic Food
   Rajas foods are very hot, bitter, sour, dry or salty. These foods are stimulating and destructive to mind-body equilibrium, making the mind restless and uncontrollable. Very hot spices, herbs, coffee, tea, fish, eggs, salt and chocolate falls under this category.
3. Tamasic Food
   Tamasic foods are destructive to the mind and body, making a person angry and greed. They destroy the body?s resistance to disease. Meat, alcohol, tobacco, fermented foods, overripe foods are tamasic foods.

Jains consume Sattvic food.

Hope all the Jains follow this food habits...it is not just a custom, in turn it helps them to keep in good health on a long run.

"Live and Let Live"Jains slogan

Festivals in Childhood

Childhood days are really awesome. I used to enjoy every festival. I am wondering why do our mind set changes when we grow up. Ganesh Nimarjjan was the most enjoyable day...was eagerly waiting at the station road to send off the ganeshas; the processions were variety with all kinda dances, music, and all...and yummy prasadams:)

This was the story of my childhood, yesterday when I went to see the ganeshas going for nimarjjan I was not enjoying the procession any more. I am thinking of the water pollution with these idols immersion. I was totally sank when I saw a big ganesha couldn't able to cross the road coz of a tree. The tree is totally spread on the road like a mushroom; The Ganesha idol is too tall to cross the tree, people tried to cut off its branches, my heart beating fastly...I cannot see people chopping the trees...by virtue they couldn't do so. The ganesha idol reversed back. Thank god :> the tree is safe.

Is homosexuality a sin?

I have strongly decided to make good preparation for the coming term-end exams. Started my day with one of my paper 'Adolescents and family education'. There is a topic "some concerns of adolescents" - Homosexuality. I wonder every time when I hear the word homosexuality, I dare not to ask any one regarding it, living in a country like India we hardly find people who discuss it openly. But I always want to know exactly what it is. If my students ask me, I should not be paused and say its a bad word without full knowledge.

Luckily we have that topic in our syllabus, I started google the topic; Well, actual meaning of homosexuality is sexual attraction between same sex. Homosexuality begins at the behavior or fantasy level. In homosexuals men are called gay and woman are called lesbian. It's not a genetic disorder. Homosexuals are intellectually, mentally strong they can challenge any one. There is no precise explanation about why people turn homosexual. However, many religions condemn this act; they think homosexuality as a sin. For example, Ramdev Baba said "homosexuality is a disease". But many scientist and researchers say that homosexuality is not a disease.

'Homosexuality is a major concern of physical development of adolescents these days as it is increasing day to day. During this period, passionate friendship develops between the members of same sex. This kind of abnormal and unnatural sexual behavior may lead adolescents to sex related diseases and HIV/AIDS transmission. It will be better that the teachers and parents should give instructions about sex carefully and frankly.' This is the passage given in our book. Is it correct to give such a blind precautions without proper explanation of what it is!!

Child Labour persists everywhere

I went for shopping in one of the biggest malls in Hyderabad. Was carrying some dresses for trial, spotted an under 14 girl near the check point, she was dumb without spirit. I approached her nd enquired abt her studies; she stopped school after eighth and working to help her parents, I urged to continue her studies; spoke to the manager of that mall to send her back. He told me that though he sent her back home she is coming back to work. When I called her in front of the manager, she was crying and saying that she don’t want study and very much scared. Though I said that I bear the fee expenses, she is not ready to go. First thing she is not interested and parents want her income. And her timings are 10.30am to 9.30pm. So sad, have to spend her beautiful childhood serving the customers whole day…

Friendship day

It was a sudden decision to visit the blind school hostel this Sunday. I bought a lot of friendship bands to the children in the school as well as to my friends. My students, my colleagues, friends, and I went to the hostel. As we entered the hostel, I & Eye volunteers are interacting with the pupils; have organized a general knowledge quiz competition. I was really happy to see I & Eye volunteers; they come almost every Sunday and organize some quizes or games or teach computers. That's a great job indeed!

I was shocked to see the pupils knowledge in computers, they know most of the parts like mother board, graphic board, UPS etc. Thanks to Mr.Kiran of I & Eye who working hard to the welfare of these kids.

Then I entered the hall, one of the student recognised me, and telling that, I'm a teacher who lives in Secunderabad. I was stun to listen that.

It was almost the lunch time for them, so, without making them bored, I conducted a small word game, to know their English vocabulary. Amazing! everyone are excellent to their level in English, though Telugu medium.

We all tied the friendship bands and distributed the sweets...:)

Srikanth, my student, tying frnship band to Anjaneyulu. He is the one who recognized me...:)

Padma, tying frndshp band to Venkatesh. He is studying in 10th standard.

They all liked the bands. We interacted with them personally and shared their lunch also.

Seenu, most mischievous child in the hostel, he plays tricks to gain more sweets from us.

Sateesh distributing sweets to all the kids.

Sateesh loved to spend with the children...

Padma kumar in the middle with Anjanelu and a tenth student(don't know his name)

Overall, it was wonderful experience. And I hope I will go and celebrate every friendship day with these kids.

Then we all hangedout at Salarjung museum.

And this is my multi colored frnshp band tied by my beloved buddy, my cousin bro Lavi...It's so cute...:)

working for Virtual classroom deployment

It's been fourth year that we started EFF virtual classroom service...but still running in just one school. There are so many reasons that we haven't deployed in other schools. Though we got permission from DEO we have not installed yet, say why; the main problem is internet. most of the areas doesn't have good network providers. The only source is BSNL, and everybody knows their service. I did a lot of meetups with bsnl people. They are not giving us right info to get the net in the places we proposed...some are saying it's too difficult, and some are saying why do all this social service, and some are criticizing our work. But i never gave up.

The actual purpose of virtual classroom is to run it in remote villages and give quality education of the under privileged. However, it's too hard to operate in rural parts of the country, inaccessible in all circumstances. One hope sparkles my mind that I'm not working for any richer to become richest, my hard work is for the sake of children, they get enlightened with this project. That hope drives me and makes me go forward. No matter how many hurdles I face, time I waste, shun-tings I listen from any one, I will do it for the tomorrow citizens of INDIA

@ Warangal

Happy happy Sunday with a good trip. Planned for a historical tour to Warangal with my students. if you wanna proof that population of India is 1.2 billions; then travel in trains. Have bought train tickets but reservation. We struggled 3 hours standing in the train as it was crowded although it was fun.

For a while we too thought of enjoying the fresh air standing in the foot board although its dangerous. Pupils sitting on the foot board enjoying the picaresque of the country side.

We reached Warangal around 10.30am. Sun showing its powerful blazes, we were afraid to step out of the station. Some how get out and started in an auto for 1000 pillared temple - the famous well known and rich heritage temple.

I was dissapointed at the sight of the temple. The name of the temple is 1000 pillar temple but there are not even 10 pillars seen. The actual premises of the temple has been cut to more than half. It's very small what has been there in the past. Also maintenance is not up to the mark. Beside lord Shiva's temple there are two more empty rooms in which they suppose to install two more gods however they have become the rooms of rats you can feel stink of rats.

Kakatiyas art and architecture is awesome. Beautiful stone carving on the pillars, walls and ceiling.

Yes, you read it right; to hell with the World Cup; to hell with the celebrations; to hell with all the free land and money being showered by different governments on the players. How can I jump, scream, have gallons of beer and cheer for the nation when a few kilometres away the farmers and feeders of my country are taking their own lives in hordes?

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/article1761700.ece

inJeCTions!

One of the most terrifying things for me is piercing injection. I avoid injection instead go for capsules or syrups. I was amazed to see the eighth class pupils taking injections without any screams!

Red cross society organized medical camp in the school. Gave hepatitis B injection to all the pupils from 1^st to 10^th standard.

An oldage woman I met

Today on the way to office found an old woman who mentally not sound. She is from North part of India I guess. Asked name and details of her family, she is telling something but I couldn’t able to understanding her language.Thought of joining her in the old age home then contacted helpage India[9966001594]. They have good list of oldage homes in Hyderabad;

The home is at Budwel 17km away from Mehidipatnam. It is “Friends of Birds of the Air”[040-24016048]. They look after the people who are dying destitutes, abandoned in the streets and mentally not sound. I have joined her in the home;it's free. Though the home is located in the city outskirts have good number of pupils. Feels good visiting the home…:)

Here is the woman whom I met in the bus. Her name is Sona Bai. She speaks but we can't understand her language. Well, I'm happy she is in safe hands now... :)