tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65546851508007216282024-02-07T00:14:20.589-06:00AIM For Seva (Houston)AIM (All India Movement) For Seva (which means service with a deep, heartfelt, caring attitude, with no expectations in return) is a movement spearheaded by His Holiness Swami Dayananda Saraswati in India. AIM For Seva touches the lives of over 2.5 million people in 1,000 rural and tribal villages across 15 states in India. This blog has been created to post important information on AIM For Seva activities in the Houston area (Texas, USA). Follow us on Twitter at "aim4sevausa"Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-75035875237700705742016-01-01T17:49:00.000-06:002016-01-01T17:49:40.830-06:00AIM For Seva Global Youth Leadership Program (GYLP)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Here's a nice article by Keshav Srivaths, a participant at the AIM For Seva Global Youth </b></span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Leadership Program in 2015:</b><br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0kGgbn8dBjZTHptS283dmFrUkE/view?usp=sharing">https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0kGgbn8dBjZTHptS283dmFrUkE/view?usp=sharing</a><br />
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Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-35204651561386130592015-10-23T08:34:00.002-05:002015-11-14T11:26:36.736-06:00Dayaananda SmaraNam<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Arsha Vidya Families and AIM for Seva Houston</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">Dayaananda Smaranam</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">दयानन्द-स्मरणम्</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/avbtexas/pujya-swamiji" target="_blank">Pujya Swamiji Dayaananda Saraswati</a> (</b></span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">1930- 2015)</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>दयानन्दरूपं मदाचार्यमीडे </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>(I worship my Guru Swami Dayananda Saraswati who is an embodiment of Compassion and Ananda)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/avbtexas/pujya-swamiji" target="_blank">Pujya Swamiji Dayaananda Saraswati </a>was a visionary, thinker, humanitarian, author, composer, and one of the foremost authorities of Vedanta of our times. This event will feature presentation of Swamiji's life, tributes to Swamiji by Houston community leaders and vocal and dance recital of Swamiji’s compositions.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">India House,</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">8888 W Bellfort Blvd,</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">Houston, TX 77031</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Sunday - Nov 15th, 2015 - </b></span><b style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;">4:00 PM sharp</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>All are welcome!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><strong style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.5px;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Agenda:<br />(1) Invocation<br />(2) Vedic Chanting<br />(3) Short Video on Pujya Swamiji's Life<br />(4) Brief talks by devotees, interspersed with song and dance recitals of Pujya Swamiji's compositions<br />(5) Group recitations of Dayaananda Panchakam and Bhaarata Desha Hitaaya songs<br />(6) Prasaadam</span></strong></span></div>
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Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-23024765539034905422015-08-29T07:44:00.001-05:002020-11-22T10:52:11.013-06:00Thank you, Houston !<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://co.clickandpledge.com/advanced/default.aspx?wid=68022" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank"><img align="none" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/3a76347050cc355198326d68a/images/fd49ecc5-f8ab-4bab-b352-848c66b69af5.png" style="border: 0px; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 22px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , "lucida grande" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida sans" , "tahoma" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; text-indent: 50px;">Thank you, Houston !<br /><br />The </span><a href="http://aimforseva.org/" style="color: #6dc6dd; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word !important;" target="_blank"><span style="color: mediumblue;"><span style="text-indent: 50px;"><strong>AIM For Seva Houston Chapter</strong></span></span></a><span style="color: black; text-indent: 50px;"> Volunteers would like your valuable feedback and encouragement!<br /><br />While new pledges and donations are still coming in and hence we don't know the final figures yet, as of now, </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="text-indent: 50px;"><strong>we raised $122,771</strong></span></span><span style="color: black; text-indent: 50px;"> for educating the under-privileged children of India, thanks to your kindness and generosity!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 22px;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , "lucida grande" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida sans" , "tahoma" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; text-indent: 50px;"><a href="http://www.indoamerican-news.com/?p=36625" target="_blank">Article from the Indo-American News</a><br /></span></span></span><br /></div></div></div>
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Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-22679549635315978592015-04-11T14:07:00.003-05:002015-10-24T07:14:15.372-05:00SUNDARA KAANDAM raises $ 121 K in Houston for the rural kids of India !<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="ms-rteFontSize-3"><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;"><a href="http://www.signetofhope.com/" target="_blank">SUNDARA KAANDAM ARTISTE DETAILS</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="ms-rteFontSize-3"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Dancing-an-Epic-Saga/2015/08/04/article2955667.ece" target="_blank">Newspaper Review from Chennai</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnhvQ-zHgkA" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?<wbr></wbr>v=gnhvQ-zHgkA</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="ms-rteFontSize-3"></span><span class="ms-rteFontSize-3"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong style="text-decoration: underline;">Friday August 28, 2015 @ 6:30 PM @ Stafford Centre (Cash Rd).</strong></span></span></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=11738#.Va-3xt7bIUQ" target="_blank">AIM For Seva gets the coveted 4-STAR Charity Rating !</a></span></strong><br />
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<a href="http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=11738#.VbJkcN7bIUR" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwJJwJDA2qiNAnU8ORG24NipC19Tk4jDhTgvTlxBi4VJN5eTtGzn4aTw8y_coIaHMwbRIj2WhoWXpRLmFrnEMW8jkAte5TRfyknDH2FKHbE0RuOk3hmuNJ0t16GqhxkksZ9J-TnWuy_M/s400/4stars.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://aimforsevausa-public.sharepoint.com/" target="_blank">Which other city in the USA will be hosting Sundara Kaandam in 2015?</a></span></strong><br />
<strong class="ms-rteForeColor-2" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Sending a Personal Check for your Contribution?</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong class="ms-rteForeColor-2">Please make check payable to "AIM For Seva" and mail to:</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong class="ms-rteForeColor-2">AIM For Seva</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong class="ms-rteForeColor-2">1130 Cambrian Park Ct</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong class="ms-rteForeColor-2">Sugar Land</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong class="ms-rteForeColor-2">TX-77479</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong class="ms-rteForeColor-2">Send an email to <span style="color: blue;">aim4seva.houston@gmail.com</span> indicating no. of VIP passes required.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #222222; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></strong></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><strong style="background-color: #f6f6f6; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For online secure donation, please <a href="https://co.clickandpledge.com/?wid=68022" style="color: #940f04;" target="_blank">click here</a>.</span></strong></span><br />
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Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-68843888352176642652014-06-28T07:29:00.002-05:002015-06-20T07:02:38.699-05:00AIM FOR SEVA raises $ 140 K in Houston through MEGHADOOTAM 2014!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyCRrjBBSgs">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyCRrjBBSgs</a> - The dance1</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCPm_9exsCY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCPm_9exsCY</a> - The dance2</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8kNHqzZwus">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8kNHqzZwus</a> - The dance3</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the words of Bombay Jayashri ... </span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d57wfXL41s#t=91">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d57wfXL41s#t=91</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Article from <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/message-in-a-cloud/article6221052.ece?secpage=true&secname=entertainment" target="_blank">The Hindu</a>, <a href="http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/on_stage/Following-the-Journey-of-a-Cloud/2014/07/29/article2353083.ece1" target="_blank">The Indian Express</a>, <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/sorrow-so-exquisite/article6245089.ece" target="_blank">The Hindu</a>, <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/review-of-operatic-dance-ballet-meghadootam-the-cloud-messenger/article6267749.ece" target="_blank">The Hindu (again)</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: black;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It's never too late to donate to AIM For Seva!</span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong style="background-color: #f6f6f6;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For online secure donation, please <a href="https://co.clickandpledge.com/?wid=68022" style="color: #940f04;" target="_blank">click here</a>.</span></strong></span></div>
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Photos from Houston event on Saturday, September 6, 2014 are </span><a href="https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B5OzD5hIURxMY3AwaGxtMnBmNGs&usp=sharing" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">!</span><br />
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Meghadootam transcends Cloud Nine</h1>
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Seshadri Kumar</div>
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• India Herlad - Wed, Sep 24, 2014</div>
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Kalidasa, the poet of all poets, wrote Meghadootam, centuries ago. It was a love letter from a man separated and far away from his wife.<br />
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Meghadootam, the cloud messenger passed through the Houston area and made a short stop at Stafford Center on Sept. 6.<br />
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The All India Movement for Sewa, an integrated community development program reaching out to rural and tribal children across 15 Indian states, founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswati of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, presented the classic as a fundraiser.<br />
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The Cleveland Cultural Alliance produced the ballet, with music by Bombay Jayashri Ramnath, while Shijith Nambiar and Parvathy Menon provided the script and choreography.<br />
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The very title, Meghadootam, triggers one’s imagination in this age of “Cloud computing” as if Kalidasa had presaged the use of clouds as a mode of communication. The poet’s imagination seems to have aptly portended the futuristic science.<br />
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Leaving the science apart, how the clouds, constantly moving, fickle phenomenon of nature, can be captured on stage by humans and captivate the audience is a valid question.<br />
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Kalidasa’s unparalleled poetic prowess and his lyrics imbued with thoughts and emotions, of the plants, the animals and the humans, already accomplished this ardent task, but how the artists would depict the clouds remained an enigma, until they actually did it.<br />
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A Yaksha, a divine attendant, displeases his master, Kubera, and he is exiled to the wild forests of central India. As the Yaksha pines for his wife, who remains in Alaka, their home in the mountains, he could have used a smart pone, landline, Internet, even a pony express or a dove to send his message, but he could not as the gadgets were non-existent in the age of Kalidasa. That did not deter the poet. He calls upon the cloud to carry the message.<br />
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Kalidasa’s love-lorn hero transcends the emotions of love and describes the nature, the landscape that the cloud would traverse in its journey, day and night.<br />
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The persistent imagery and the protagonist of the play, the cloud, could we say, stole the thunder, as the artists recreated the clouds in a myriad veils, waving and weaving all over the stage, and with the dynamic artists up and down the landscape.<br />
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The deliberate use of silky, white veils symbolized the clouds in abundance and convincingly so. Should you feel that the veils were overwhelming or used in excess, maybe the imagery of cloud, clouded your imagination. The artists may be allowed this stage excess as a poetic license.<br />
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The supple vines of the lady love, the glances compared to a startled doe, the tresses similar to the peacock’s plumage, the ripples of water and the fallen dried leaves in the river Sindhu, resembling the emaciated form of the Yakshi, later the swans dancing in the rain, flowers blooming and rejoicing, city dwellers performing Siva Pooja in a celebration, the clouds forming a rainbow after the rain and inviting the peacocks and deers in the forest to dance, and finally, the two souls uniting, at least in the imagination of the Yaksha, through the clouds as love sustained their souls, the cloud completed its task successfully as a messenger.<br />
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It was a dramatic challenge to depict the swans, peacocks, deers, blooming flowers and so on, and the dancers ably did it all.<br />
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Shijith Nambiar and Pavithra Srinivasan as the lead dancers lifted the whole performance to great heights, wherever the cloud could reach, including “cloud nine.”</div>
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Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-40672194997412524702013-06-21T18:29:00.000-05:002015-06-17T17:31:39.223-05:00PRABHAVATI raises $ 130,000 for AIM For Seva Kids !!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong><span style="background-color: yellow; color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">India-Herald Article is <a href="http://india-herald.com/prabhavati-soars-to-greater-heights-with-spellbinding-performance-p3615-1.htm" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></strong></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/navin.mediwala/media_set?set=a.10201199596249278.1073741890.1151878299&type=1" target="_blank">More photos taken at the event ...</a></span></b></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>A POEM ON PRABHAVATI !!!</b></span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>by Gauri Mehta</b></span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Ten US cities hosted ‘Prabhavati’ </b></span></span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #232323; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>a beautiful love story, in divinity</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Choreography by sweet Rukmini </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>of the Raadhakalpa dance company</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The dancers were graceful</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The events were successful</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>There was much applause</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Aim for Seva was the cause </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>A fundraiser with a mission</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>To empower with education</b></span></span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #232323; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>the bright rural children of <i>our </i>nation</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b> in <i>chatralayas, </i>through graduation</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Volunteers worked together and hard</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>To bring more awareness in this regard</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Holding up high the pledge card</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>At every event in the Indo-US yard</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>AIM for Seva was their call</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Handing flyers, posters on the wall</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Donations they got big and small</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>To enable kids to stand up tall</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Six months went by in this way</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The movement got stronger everyday</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Until ten events were done in array</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>2000 children supported - hooray!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Now’s the time to acknowledge those</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>because of whom the events arose</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Srini, national coordinator, kudos!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The Prabhavati troupe - to you, bravos!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>New Jersey team, like Mahalakshmi</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Big donors many she brought to see</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The AIM work for our country</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>A vision of Pujya Swamiji</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Pramod and Lata hosted the first show</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">In Elmira,where the artists bowed low</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Last year Nayani and now Prabhavati</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">An impressive audience of 650</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Srini and Savithri, pro at hospitality</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Organizing for a decade, in Detroit city</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Relentlessly, with the AIM committee</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Growing awareness like leaves on a tree</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Raleigh-Durham, Boston and Albany</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Guru, Kumar & Kumar, and Gauri</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>East coast outreached in harmony </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b> to the Indian and American community</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Dr Siva’s team in Washington D.C.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Emailed and called many joyfully</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Donors and Purna Vidya family</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Came together in unanimity</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The Philly team was led by Nagesh</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Dedicated outreach for our <i>desh</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>With unified voice the team expressed</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The crowd gave and the event impressed</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>In Houston, Prasad, Suma and volunteers teamed</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>‘Sold out show!’, with big smiles they beamed</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Together with Arbindoo and his Dallas team</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>All made the Texas events flow like a dream</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Many volunteers led by Sudhakar</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Awesome video played on projector</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The tech teams, no glitch did hinder</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Divine blessings poured beyond measure</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Pujya Swamiji’s grace is vast</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Janet’s dedication is the mast</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>AIM for Seva message was broadcast</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b> The crowds expectations were surpassed!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Everyone is feeling the glow</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>of this successful 2013 show </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The AIM leadership led by Sheelaji</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Avantikaji and Piyushji, </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Graciously i thank all of thee</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>From that heart of a devotee</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>In which all of us and Prabhavati</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Blessings of Pujya Dayananda Saraswati</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Merge as ONE in AIM for Seva</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>in US of America</b></span></span></div>
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Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-68055554282062360312013-05-03T12:59:00.002-05:002013-06-24T09:29:11.635-05:00Mothers' Day on May 11, 2013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 21px;">AIM FOR SEVA HOUSTON CHAPTER</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 21px;">SALUTES ALL MOTHERS AT THEIR MOTHER’S DAY EVENT ON SATURDAY, MAY 11TH 2013</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 21px;"><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=2615+Cordes+Plaza,+Sugar+Land,+TX+77479&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x8640e691b4923903:0x49bfc70eae117798,2615+Cordes+Dr,+Sugar+Land,+TX+77479&gl=us&ei=ZDeNUY6AL63d4APvwYCYBQ&ved=0CDAQ8gEwAA" target="_blank">ANJALI CENTER, SUGAR LAND</a></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'palatino linotype', palatino, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Here's a funny video for Mothers' Day</b>: </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, palatino linotype, palatino, times new roman, times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=508706093269" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=508706093269 </a></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'palatino linotype', palatino, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;">HOUSTON: “Mom” is the word! <a href="http://www.indoamerican-news.com/?p=16985" target="_blank">AIM for Seva held an exciting get together to honor Houston Mothers</a> and to celebrate motherhood. “Houston has a very vibrant Indian culture”, says Suma Mudan of AIM for Seva, “and the credit goes to the tenacity of mothers taking the time and trouble to inculcate Indian tradition and values to their children”. Many of the Houston Moms are professionals and perform the delicate tasks of balancing household chores, demands of profession, educating children, taking care of the elder relatives and yet, manage to have lots of fun.</span><br />
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“AIM for Seva has a close relationship with motherhood and education”, says Suma Mudan. “Our entire movement was started by a disheartened tribal mother, Papammal, who could not send her children to school because of poverty, distance, safety and security. She challenged Swami Dayananda Saraswati to bring “Homes to Schools”. Thus was born the unique concept of “Chatralayas” or student homes, where we provide food, shelter, education, clothing, healthcare and teach ethics in a safe, secure and nurturing environment”.</div>
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The Event was held at <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=2615+Cordes+Plaza,+Sugar+Land,+TX+77479&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x8640e691b4923903:0x49bfc70eae117798,2615+Cordes+Dr,+Sugar+Land,+TX+77479&gl=us&ei=ZDeNUY6AL63d4APvwYCYBQ&ved=0CDAQ8gEwAA" target="_blank">Anjali Performance Center, Sugar Land</a> on May 11. The festivities started at 6 PM, with a social hour for guests to meet and greet, and concluded with dinner.</div>
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The primary focus of the event was to felicitate several senior mothers for contributions to families and communities. The mothers who were honored include Shakuntala Malhotra, Anasuya Devi, Seetha Devi, Lalita Mangipudi, Pankajam Rangaswamy, and Thulasi Radhakrishnan.</div>
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We also inaugurated the Women’s’ Co-op during the event and had pickles and powders for sale. There were fun events planned, entertainment by Andhra Mirchi Radio Team, bingo games with great prizes, and other as well. Around 120 folks joined us and made this a memorable event for Houston Moms.<br />
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AIM for Seva celebrated Mothers day to honor young and “not-so-young” mothers – from all walks of life. The evening was marked with fun and laughter. The highlight of the evening was a fashion walk by mother/daughter and mother/son teams. The young mothers were dressed fashionably and the young girls were very cute showing off their talents.<br />
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Another unique theme of the evening was to encourage the men in the audience to dot the foreheads of celebrity actresses while blind folded, and also for them to guess the prices of every day items. Several men walked away with gifts they can use right away. A couple of them even won glitzy sarees for the women in their lives.<br />
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The most important part of the evening was honoring our senior mothers – the oldest was 94 years and the youngest was 68 years young. AIM honored their contributions to their families and their communities. It was heartening to see several generations represented on the same venue.</div>
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AIM for Seva is organizing their annual fund raising event PRABHAVATI on October 4 and will be publishing more details soon.</div>
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<b><i>For further information visit: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/135714760183">https://www.facebook.com/groups/135714760183</a>/</i></b><br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://co.clickandpledge.com/advanced/default.aspx?wid=66986"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Donate to help build a
Student Home in every district in India!</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here
are some facts:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 47.25pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">AIM for Seva is a 501(c)(3) organization
with a Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the<i> United
Nations</i>.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Astounding
Statistics</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Over
42 million children aged between 4 to 14 are NOT in school.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dropout
rates are as high 84% among children in rural India.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What has AIM for Seva achieved so
far?</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">100
Student Homes, serving over 3,000 children every year.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Has
touched the lives of over 20,000 children across 5,000 villages.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">School
drop rates at Student Homes are less than 1% while the dropout rates in rural
India is an astounding 84%.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Administrative
expenses are less than 10%.</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://co.clickandpledge.com/advanced/default.aspx?wid=66986"><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: blue;">Donate now to help us go from 100 to
600 AIM for Seva Student Homes.</span></a><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-27655156755110938742013-04-17T10:25:00.000-05:002013-04-18T09:39:30.469-05:00Houston has a Lion's Share!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PRP1F0TBui6c2TmR8qpq-1SQDS9i9OYSZaoJi-aKDYHl8lSI28xVS-_m6Ct4PffT7AnK1GlA7Ap2T7YzgBj110PQsxsO_iGE9Tug7X_SmdYKmxPTJTKn7utRybmHBQN9j-GHC7nGVTw/s1600/AIMSH+supported.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PRP1F0TBui6c2TmR8qpq-1SQDS9i9OYSZaoJi-aKDYHl8lSI28xVS-_m6Ct4PffT7AnK1GlA7Ap2T7YzgBj110PQsxsO_iGE9Tug7X_SmdYKmxPTJTKn7utRybmHBQN9j-GHC7nGVTw/s1600/AIMSH+supported.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Many Chaatralayas (student homes) are being generously supported (some of them sponsored) by Houstonians!!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Houston is becoming one of the key players in the growth and sustenance of many AIM student homes for the rural and tribal children in India.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="background-color: white;">See : </span></span><a href="http://aimforsevahouston.blogspot.com/2010/09/update-on-houstonian-kindness.html">http://aimforsevahouston.blogspot.com/2010/09/update-on-houstonian-kindness.html</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Also see : <a href="http://www.aimforseva.org/projects/">http://www.aimforseva.org/projects/</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-1210866104050328282013-04-17T09:20:00.000-05:002013-05-03T13:08:55.877-05:00Women's Co-op!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoC-gQBhkPVTXWpxgUfU_kVebCaAypUXd_ePF7lyoMwpmyPqJmv9fZPCN9ynHN_s9jnFpgMNo60leIykVswJWjbueE_QGWwUI2B1kxWMZBGN0hWk8XzKFlExthg5Kanb5ig3RfFF-nPZk/s1600/womencoop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoC-gQBhkPVTXWpxgUfU_kVebCaAypUXd_ePF7lyoMwpmyPqJmv9fZPCN9ynHN_s9jnFpgMNo60leIykVswJWjbueE_QGWwUI2B1kxWMZBGN0hWk8XzKFlExthg5Kanb5ig3RfFF-nPZk/s1600/womencoop.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bFhyhJD36Iu3YMcDpYvO5jLhrVKlyaDLp9QIOvq2rEaPf3osTpj_cUjZeoDFlpIa4D5gpQ2E-Y4bLU2eNufiLLLKHUgFHiOPM_gmNSWawZmMrv2eKh7JI6ak7RWY27cBsd0HapfkzWk/s1600/wcoop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bFhyhJD36Iu3YMcDpYvO5jLhrVKlyaDLp9QIOvq2rEaPf3osTpj_cUjZeoDFlpIa4D5gpQ2E-Y4bLU2eNufiLLLKHUgFHiOPM_gmNSWawZmMrv2eKh7JI6ak7RWY27cBsd0HapfkzWk/s640/wcoop.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">AIM For Seva Houston Chapter is very excited to share the news that we
recently started a Houston Women’s Co-op.
Several women are investing their sweat equity to make yummy pickles,
and powders!! These are 100% home made,
the material is mostly from our own backyards, and no preservatives are
used. We will officially inaugurate this
as well on <a href="http://www.evite.com/event/032DMDVWTUTCHIZESEPCU5TK5SG5JI" target="_blank">Mother’s day celebrations event.</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;">Prepared with a prayerful attitude !!!</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div>
Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-63883854772274027062013-04-17T08:01:00.000-05:002013-04-17T08:01:45.565-05:00A great milestone!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">LUCKNOW, U.P.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">The
day will soon arrive! The 100th student home of AIM for Seva, specially chosen
by Pujya Swamiji Dayananda Saraswati, is to come up in Lucknow, nearly 30
kilometres from the city's railway station. The home will be constructed on
15,000 square feet of land, and is designed by architects Sri Raj Deep Gupta
and Smt. Sashi Gupta. Among the educational institutions near the home are a
school and a couple of colleges: Heera Lal Yadav Inter and Degree College and
the Ambalika Institute of Management.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Bhumi Puja for the home was held on February 28, with
the blessings of Pujya Swamiji. Among the participants at the function were Dr.
Asha Seth, who initiated and funded the project, her nephew Sri Sandeep Seth,
the principal of the nearby college, the pradhan of the village, and some of
Swamini Tattvajnanananda Saraswati's Vedanta students. The yajamanas of the
Bhumi puja were Smt. Deepa Bhargav and Sri Viswamitra, students of Swamini
Tattvajnanananda. The first bricks for the historic building were laid by Sri
Lakshmi Rastogi of the Rohtas Construction Group to the sounds of the Sankatanashana
Ganesh Stotram, Saradha Stotram, and Guru Stotram. The Rohtas Construction
Group has been magnanimous by lending its logistic and technical help to AIM
for Seva as part of their seva activities. Suri Associates, the builders,
sponsored the refreshments at the event. The function was ably organized by Smt.
Sudha Hansraj, student of Swamini Tattvajnanananda Saraswati. An auspicious
beginning to a noble milestone!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-46457178672253678512012-05-31T08:53:00.003-05:002013-10-17T09:34:58.840-05:00Thanks Houston for helping us raise $ 150 K !<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">Hello Houstonians!</span></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">AIM For Seva Fundraiser - 2012</b><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Houston - Sep. 22, 2012</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #383838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 18px;">(Click on links below for more details)</strong><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #383838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 18px;"><br /></strong>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.rukku.in/bnatyam/index.php" style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Rukmini Vijayakumar</a> and party</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;">-- <a href="http://www.rukku.in/bharatanatyam.php" style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Quick profile</a> (Rukmini's web-site)</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;">-- <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rukmini_Vijayakumar" style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;">-- <a href="http://www.iaac.us/IAAC_dance_fest2011/reviews6.htm" style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">NY Times article</a></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;">-- <a href="http://vimeo.com/12468757" style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Video</a></strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;">-- <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3sDkWN-N9c" style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">YouTube</a></strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #383838;"><strong>-- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rukmini-Vijayakumar/48363953285" style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Rukmini on Facebook</a></strong> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #383838; line-height: 18px;">-- <a href="http://www.kollytalk.com/interview/rukmini-vijayakumar-speaks-on-being-part-of-kochadaiyaan-interview/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">KollyTalk interview - Role as Rajnikant's sister</a> in film <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kochadaiyaan" style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Kochadaiyaan</a></strong></span>
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<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large; line-height: 17px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xAzHGH6v6A&feature=player_embedded" target="_blank">Why AIM For Seva?</a></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=a2_mwwu8oOE" target="_blank">Nayani Trailer with brief intro by Poojya Swamiji</a></span></b><br />
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<b style="color: #383838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: large;">NAYANI was held all over the USA.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="color: #383838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Together, we raised close to 1.4 million dollars across all cities!</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="color: #383838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">1. San Francisco, CA: September 8, 2012</span></b><b style="color: #383838; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">2. LeHigh Valley, PA: September 15, 2012</span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">3. New Jersey, NJ: September 16, 2012</span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">4. Houston, TX: September 22, 2012</span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">5. Dallas, TX: September 23, 2012</span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">6. Chicago, IL: September 29, 2012</span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">7. Detroit, MI: September 30, 2012</span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">8. Elmira, NY: October 6, 2012</span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">9. Fort Wayne, IN: October 13, 2012</span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">10. Atlanta, GA: October 14, 2012</span></b>
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Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-84550120597322581102010-09-19T19:11:00.011-05:002015-11-26T09:11:28.117-06:00A Track Record of Houston Seva!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><strong><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Summary of Houston contributions (in reverse chronological order)</span></span></u></strong></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-weight: bold;">8. 2015 Funds raised = $ 122,772 - "SUNDARA KAANDAM" by Anitha Guha group, and Neyveli Santhanagopalan</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Maintain many chAtrAlayAs (Free student homes)</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-weight: bold;">7. 2014 Funds raised = $ 140,000 - "MEGHADOOTAM" by Bombay Jayashri, Shijith Nambiar, and Parvathy Menon</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Maintain many chAtrAlayAs (Free student homes)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: medium; font-weight: bold;">6. 2013 Funds raised = $ 130,000 - "PRABHAVATI" by Rukmini Vijayakumar</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Maintain many chAtrAlayAs (Free student homes)</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-weight: bold;">5. 2012 Funds raised = $ 150,000 - "NAYANI" by Rukmini Vijayakumar</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Maintain many chAtrAlayAs (student homes)</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow; font-weight: bold;">4. 2010 Funds raised = $ 227,500 - "Shanti - A Journey of Peace"</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Maintain the following 11 chAtrAlayAs (student homes):</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: medium;">- Tamil Nadu - Mohanoor, Uchimedu, Satyamangalam, and Nagercoil</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">- Andhra Pradesh - Bobbili, Kamalapuram, and Gudivada</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">- Gujarat - Limkheda</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">- Karnataka - Belgaum, Mysore, and Udipi</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: medium; font-weight: bold;">3. 2008 Funds raised = $ 74,026 - Dayaanidhi "Utsav"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Maintain 7 chAtrAlayAs for 1 year (2008-2009); See details below.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: "calibri"; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A. Construction of 2 chAtrAlayAs (student homes):</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">a. AIM for Seva Student Home for Girls, Semmangudi, Tamil Nadu</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Date inaugurated: 8th August 2008</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/jayakum108/AIMSemmangudiFacelifting061508" target="_blank">Pre-inauguration visit photos</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/jayakum108/AIMSemmangudi080808" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;" target="_blank">Inauguration photos</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">b. AIM for Seva Student Home for Boys, Uchimedu, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: medium;">Date inaugurated: 9th August 2008</span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/jayakum108/AIMUchimedu080908" target="_blank">Inauguration photos</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: "calibri"; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">B. Maintenance of 7 chatralayas:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1, 2 - Kamalapuram and Bobbili in Andhra Pradesh</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">3, 4 - Limkheda and Amreli in Gujarat</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">5, 6 - Kolli hills and Sathyamangalam in Tamil Nadu</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">7 - Dharwad</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> in Karnataka</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/jayakum108/AIMBobbili" target="_blank">Bobbili photos</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: #0000cc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: medium; font-weight: bold;">2. 2006 Funds raised = $ 75,967 - Public Talk by Poojya Swamiji</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Constructed 2 chAtrAlayAs (student homes)</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">1. 2005 Funds raised = $ 22,500 - Single Anonymous Donor</span></span></span></b></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Constructed 2nd Floor of Kolli Hills chAtrAlayA (student home) in Tamil Nadu</span></span></span></b></span></span></div>
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Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-85791513463543910712010-04-01T12:47:00.004-05:002010-09-20T12:20:17.094-05:00Shanti: A Journey of Peace Raises Over $227,500 to Benefit AIM for Seva<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(80, 0, 80); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">BY KALYANI GIRI</span></span></span></p><div class="im" style="color: rgb(80, 0, 80); "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">MARCH 19, 2010</span></span></span></div><p></p><div class="im" style="color: rgb(80, 0, 80); "><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><img src="http://www.indoamerican-news.com/images/Houston/031910/Shanti1.png" width="550" height="272" /></span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">HOUSTON: It was a feat of Herculean proportions, a display in creative eloquence. The stage at the Cullen Performance Hall at the University of Houston inundated with a cast of 220 singers, musicians, and dancers, the hall resonating with voices in soul-stirring melody, and capacity audiences moved by the messages of global peace and harmony. Shanti – A Journey of Peace, the brainchild of Cincinnati-based musicologist Maestro Kanniks Kannikeswaran, teamed a coterie of richly enthusiastic vocalists from the local Indo American community with the United Nations Association International Choir (UNAIC) in a unique multi-culturally diverse and interfaith endeavor. Serving as choral and orchestral conductor to Kannikeswaran's opus was Eric Esparza, Interim Conductor of the UNAIC. Two presentations of Shanti on March 13, 2010, at 5.00pm and 8.30pm respectively, drew capacity audiences and raised over $227,500 in ticket sales and donations for the visionary philanthropic organization, All India Movement for Seva (AIM for Seva).</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><img src="http://www.indoamerican-news.com/images/Houston/031910/Shanti2.png" width="550" height="368" /><br /><br />The programs began with welcome addresses by Mistresses of Ceremonies for the evening, Bhavani Iyer and Rohini Chandrashekar, who also acknowledged the presence of dignitaries in the audiences. They included Consul General of India Hon. Sanjiv Arora, Mayor of Pearland Tom Reid, spiritual heads of diverse faith – based ministries, and leaders of local social, educational, and community organizations. Projected onto large screens flanking the stage were video presentations of humanitarian work being done in India by AIM for Seva. The movement founded and spearheaded by His Holiness Swami Dayananda Saraswati in the early 2000's, touches the lives of over 2.5 million people in 1,000 rural and tribal villages across 15 states in India.<br /><br />AIM for Seva is a movement that Shanti's creator Kannikeswaran resolutely believes in. He made several trips over the past 18 months to this city volunteering his creativity and time for the worthy cause. The performers, many with fulltime jobs, were so inspired and energized by Kannikeswaran's commitment to the project that they dedicated thousands of hours in preparation for the stage show. Shanti is a monumental representation of 5,000 years of India's living traditions through music and dance. It reiterates India's spirit of inclusiveness that allowed a plethora of faiths to co-exist harmoniously for centuries. The presentation celebrates the human mind when it transcends differences and diversity and empowers itself to see goodness and likeness in all beings. A master craftsman conversant in the classical western and Indian forms of music, Kannikeswaran has built Shanti on that tensile fabric with multi-textured hues of harmonizing in tandem. Rather than a Broadway presentation that transports participants from city to city, Shanti incorporates local talent pertinent to the city of performance.</span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><img src="http://www.indoamerican-news.com/images/Houston/031910/Shanti3.png" width="550" height="304" /><br /><br />The objective of AIM for Seva is to make education possible to every child in inaccessible and rural areas through the concept of chatralayas, or student homes. Student homes are located near existing schools and each student is provided with clean living quarters, food, health check ups, books, vocational training, after school activities, all free of cost to help them get ahead in life. The goal is to have at least one home in each of the 600 states. The charitable trust has more than 122 projects that include 83 chatralayas, 20 schools, five hospitals, 17 health care centers, 11 medical clinics including seven mobile units treating about 200,000 patients each year.<br /><br />More than 20,000 hours of volunteer work went into the making of Shanti. The stretch goal locally is to raise $500,000 dollars to educate, and to emotionally and physically care for children in India.<br /><br />For more information or to donate, visit </span></span><a href="http://www.aimforseva.org/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">www.aimforseva.org</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">. For more information about Shanti – A Journey of Peace, visit </span></span><a href="http://www.shantichoir.org/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">www.shantichoir.org</span></span></a></p></div></span></span>Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-11876507274568693532009-04-19T19:16:00.005-05:002012-06-18T09:40:16.360-05:00AIM for Seva Home brings the best out of these students!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000099; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">This is an article published in "The Hindu"</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Sruthi Krishnan</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<center><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><b style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">BRIDGING THE GAP:</span></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> Students at the Swami Dayananda AIM for Seva Students Home at Kadalur in Kancheepuram district.</span></span></b></span></center><center><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333;"><b style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></b></span></center><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">CHENNAI: At the sound of a shrill whistle 22 pairs of feet scamper to stand in four lines. With the short burst of the next whistle, the children lay flat on their backs. After what seemed like three seconds of relaxation, the next beep sees legs lifted off the ground forming a sharp L-shape. The legs stand poised in the air, waiting for the next call, which lets them relax again.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">“It is called </span></span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Sarvangasan</span></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">,” explains N. Bhupalan. At 6 a.m. everyday, this is one of the yogic exercises performed by children at the Swami Dayananda AIM for Seva Students’ Home in Kadalur village in Kancheepuram district. Bhupalan studies in the ninth standard in a school eight km away from the hostel. He goes there in a van with other children.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Two years ago, his life was quite different. Bhupalan hails from a family of nine at Palaverkadu. His father is a fisherman. “I used to keep roaming and whenever we felt like, my friends and I used to run away to the seashore,” he recalls. When his mother found out about the hostel where facilities were provided free of cost, she decided to send him there.</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">“I cried for a month or so, because I wanted to go back,” says Bhupalan. “But then I began to like it here. They counsel me, teach me yoga and also teach me how to pronounce English properly.” He is sure he will become the Collector of Kancheepuram district. “I’ll make sure all children come to the Home.”</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">It is the routine and the discipline of the hostel that he likes the most. Bhupalan’s day starts at 5.30 a.m. and is filled with studies, play and school. Nutritious meals, three times a day, yoga and extra-curricular activities such as sports and music are a daily feature. It is a far cry from the life he was used to.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Other children in the Home have similar stories to tell. They say that they would have dropped out of school and started working in the unorganised sector if they had not come to the Home.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">The high drop-out rate, almost 60 per cen</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">t in tribal and rural areas, prompted Swami Dayananda Saraswati, a Vedanta scholar, to start the All India Movement for Seva (AIM for Seva), says Sheela Balaji, secretary of the organisation. “Children were not going to school for a lot of reasons. The question was how we could help these children.”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">By setting up the Student Homes near schools, the organisation found a way. It was difficult convincing parents to send their children to the Homes at first, says Ms. Balaji. “They were concerned about safety.” Slowly and steadily, seeing the transformation in children, the parents were convinced. From basic hygiene to academics and value education, the children were provided a holistic education free of cost. Today, parents approach the organisation to enrol their wards.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">Starting with a Student Home in 2001, today AIM For Seva runs 60 such Homes in 14 states across the country. In addition, the organisation is involved in running schools and healthcare centres. The entire operation is run on voluntary donations, says Ms.Balaji. It costs Rs.1,250 a student per month and so the annual expenses on 3,000 students comes to Rs.4.5 crore. “The local communities also participate, once they know how much it benefits the children.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">The aim of the organisation is to bridge the urban-rural divide, says Ms.Balaji, adding that they own the land on which the Homes are built. “There is a sense of permanence… We are here for the long haul,” she adds.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">For information visit </span></span><a href="http://www.aimforseva.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">www.aimforseva.org</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">.</span></span></div>
</span></div>Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-82654967036437908402009-03-13T13:38:00.009-05:002009-07-07T08:34:49.756-05:00A poignant letter from Kolli Hills!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Following is an e-mail update from Swami Paramananda-ji in Kolli Hills, TN, with news worthy of celebration, and the painstaking work that goes behind it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A single kind "anonymous" donor from Houston contributed $15,000 towards the construction of the 2nd floor of this chAtrAlayA in the year 2005.</span></span><br /></div><div><br /></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Some details of the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">chAtrAlayA</span> can be seen here:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="http://www.aimforseva.org/projects/tamil-nadu/kolli-hills-chatralaya/index.shtml">http://www.aimforseva.org/projects/tamil-nadu/kolli-hills-chatralaya/index.shtml </a></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In our ashram, we are having 50 boys and 50 girls who are orphans, very poor and mainly </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Kolli</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Hills tribal. They appeared for the 8th standard public exam. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">This year Then</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">mozhi</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">, a tribal student, topped the district with a score of 419 out of 500.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> All 28 students who appeared passed.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Earlier, they were all school drop-outs. Many scored very good marks now. Hence the student home changed their life</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> and future</span>. We are planning to educate them further as much as they want to study.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We have three gentlemen and three ladies as teachers. They go to villages to get these children. I also sometimes go with them. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Many times it involves walking for miles. It is difficult to convince the parents and children. It is not easy to talk with them. Once they join at an average age of 9, we have to teach them from the scratch. </span>The teachers have done a good job.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We can double the strength as per the sponsorship we get now onwards.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It is really a great feast to see happiness of those children who passed. They came to me with some toffees to share their joy. Hence I thought to share with those who are inclined and supported and potential well wishers.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Thank you for reading!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">With prayers,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Swami Paramananda-ji,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Kolli Hills ChAtrAlayA,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tamil Nadu</span></div><div>========================</div></td></tr></tbody></table></span>Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-3092694601962651422008-12-01T14:03:00.008-06:002008-12-01T14:17:12.640-06:00Limkheda gets a "Thumbs Up!"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rTVQeiUs9WU/STRGQfXS2HI/AAAAAAAADn8/dc1CDVG2QQM/s1600-h/Limkheda+Chatralaya+children+with+Swamiji+and+staff.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 196px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rTVQeiUs9WU/STRGQfXS2HI/AAAAAAAADn8/dc1CDVG2QQM/s320/Limkheda+Chatralaya+children+with+Swamiji+and+staff.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274918312668747890" /></a><br /><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-27.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold;font-family:Calibri;font-size:15px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">AIM for Seva - Adivasi Kumar Chaatraalaya, Dudhiya (Sashta)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><span style=" font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">Limkheda, Dahod District, <st1:place st="on">Gujarat</st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:Calibri;font-size:15px;">Land Donors:</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt;tab-stops:1.25in"><span style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">Lakhidas Patel<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt;tab-stops:1.25in"><span style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">Pratapbhai Dangi <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt;tab-stops:1.25in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">Supported by:</span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"> <st1:city st="on">Houston</st1:city> Indian community, <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">USA</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">Date inaugurated:</span></b><span style=" font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"> 15<sup>th</sup> June 2006</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">No. of students:</span></b><span style=" font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"> 27</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">Villages covered:</span></b><span style=" font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"> 25<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">Average Monthly Family Income:</span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"> Rs. 500<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">School attended:</span></b><span style=" font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"> <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Sashta</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">Government</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">School</st1:placetype></st1:place> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-family:Calibri;font-size:15px;">The Adivasi Kumar Chaatraalaya is currently operating from a temporary shelter in the tribal <st1:placetype st="on">village</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename st="on">Sashta</st1:placename> in <st1:place st="on">Gujarat</st1:place>. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sashta is 5 kms away from Limkheda town and 45 kms from Godhara. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The 27 students currently at the student home mainly belong to Adivasi families of the Bhil communities from villages in and around Sashta.</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-family:Calibri;font-size:15px;">Bhils are a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheduled_tribes" title="Scheduled tribes"><span style="text-decoration:none;text-underline:nonecolor:windowtext;">scheduled tribe</span></a> with their own leadership, laws and customs. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They are a homogenous ancient ethnic group where they face the challenge of living in a hostile environment ravaged by drought and outbreaks of diseases. Poor infrastructure and lack of academic institutions further aggravate their situation. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They mainly work as peasant farmers, field laborers, and village watchmen, where often they have to put in eighth to ten hours of hard labor for a mere pittance of Rs. 20 to 25 per day.</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="line-height:150%; font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">Educationally, these Adivasis are far behind the national mainstream and have recently started sending their children to school with a lot of reluctance. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Being poor and illiterate they have been easy prey to the greedy and exploitative tactics of the rich landlords and moneylenders. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="line-height:150%; font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">The children come from very backward areas, their parents are mostly laborers living below the poverty line. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They are of the age group 7 to 12 years, studying in Std. II to VII. They are taught Yoga in addition to academics. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This keeps their body fit. They also take part in indoor and outdoor games. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This is a Study Room of the Students. We provide them daily tuition by a trained teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They attend the “Sandhya Gurukulam “ – evening private tuitions. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>These students when they joined the Student Home were not even in a position to even count up to 100. But today, they can not only read and write in English , they can speak in English. This is the result of the evening tuitions that are conducted regularly by a dedicated trained teacher. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There is a Kitchen and Dinning Hall. Students take lunch and dinner as per our tradition. We provide them food with vitamins, proteins and nutrition.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-family:Calibri;font-size:15px;">Students do their work by themselves only. They also help in gardening and cleaning the Chaatraalaya.</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-family:Calibri;font-size:15px;">We also celebrate our different Festivals in the Chaatralaya, like on Ganesh Chaturthi we perform “Ganesh Yagna“.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sometimes we also take them to “Arsha Vidyalaya”, Godhara, for entertainment and we take them to visit different places near by Godhara.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>During this Diwali, we took them to Arsha Vidyalaya.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They have enjoyed with different Cartoon movies, Educational cartoon CDs etc. On that day a packet of crackers and Sweet was given to them for their Home</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-family:Calibri;font-size:15px;">The children are also given special classes in Samskrita Sambhashanam<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(Conversational Samskrit). <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Every year they also give Sanskrit exam which is conducted Samskrita Bharati, <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Delhi.</st1:place></st1:city></span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:9.0pt;line-height:150%;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-family:Calibri;font-size:15px;">The Chaatraalaya runs under the guidance of Swamini Spashtatmananda, who takes care of students wholeheartedly like a Mother. She was instrumental in visiting all the tribal and backward areas near Sashta and admitting the needy students into the student home. She teaches the children the values of life and gives them samskaras to become a complete human being.</span><br /></p><p></p><p></p></div>Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-80058826228892303442008-12-01T13:49:00.002-06:002008-12-01T13:52:01.109-06:00Dharwad children on their way to a bright future!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rTVQeiUs9WU/STRAMc0yffI/AAAAAAAADnk/mOT9nKKVo94/s1600-h/Playing+shuttle+at+Dharwad.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rTVQeiUs9WU/STRAMc0yffI/AAAAAAAADnk/mOT9nKKVo94/s320/Playing+shuttle+at+Dharwad.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274911646197906930" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">NAME</span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">ALL <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">INDIA</st1:place></st1:country-region> MOVEMENT (AIM) FOR SEVA<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">DAYANANDA <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>DHARMA CHAATRAALAYA<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">30/2/C <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">LAKAMANAHALLI</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">VILLAGE</st1:placetype></st1:place>, <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">P B Road</st1:address></st1:street>, DHARWAD DISTRICT, <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">Pin – 580 004,<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>KARNATAKA<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">Donors:</span></b><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Late Sri. Mangesh Kulkarni<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">Supported by:</span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"> <st1:city st="on">Houston</st1:city> Indian community, <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">USA</st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; "><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">Date inaugurated</span></b><span style="line-height:150%; font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">: 2006</span></span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">No. of Students</span></b><span style="line-height:150%; font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">: 41<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">Villages covered</span></b><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">: 18<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">Average Family Monthly Income</span></b><span style="line-height:150%; font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">: Rs. 1,500<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">School Attended</span></b><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Govt. Primary & High School, Ghandi Nagar,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">Dharwad also known as Dharwar, is in the state of Karnataka. The legendary”Dharwad Peda“, made from milk and khoa, and Babu Singh’s “Thakur peda“ are some of the famous <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>sweets available in this town. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;font-size:15px;">Dharwad’s population 648,298 ,as per 2001 census. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Dharwad is located 425 Km northwest of <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Bangalore</st1:city></st1:place>. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The word “ Dharwad ‘ means a place of rest in a long travel or a small habitation. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For centuries, Dharwad acted as a gateway between the Malenadu (<st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Western</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Mountains</st1:placetype></st1:place>) and the Bayaluseeme (Plains). <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The late centenarian Mr.Mangesh Kulkarni , always wanted to help the needy and the blind children. So, when he was unable to cope with the administration of Dayananda Dharma Trust, chaired by Pujiya Swami Dayananda Sarawathi, he handed it over to AIM for Seva to run it.</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;font-size:15px;">The Chaatraalaya is situated on the Pune – Bengaluru highway. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is on the way to Dharwad from Hubbili.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The Chatralaya houses 33 school children and 9 blind college students. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Children are provided with healthy nutritious food and highly ventilated dormitory. They are also supplied with all the study materials pertaining to the class they are studying. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Special coaching in academics is given in the evenings by noteworthy teachers to these children.</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;font-size:15px;">Mr. S.M.Anand, the warden takes care of these children with love and care.</span><br /></p>Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-58667527212812268872008-12-01T13:39:00.002-06:002008-12-01T13:41:27.158-06:00Kamalapuram gets help from Houston!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rTVQeiUs9WU/STQ9zcl96nI/AAAAAAAADnc/oB9FI8_7K-Q/s1600-h/Kamalapuram+Chatralaya+children.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rTVQeiUs9WU/STQ9zcl96nI/AAAAAAAADnc/oB9FI8_7K-Q/s320/Kamalapuram+Chatralaya+children.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274909017615755890" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">NAME</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;"> : </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">ALL <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">INDIA</st1:place></st1:country-region> MOVEMENT (AIM) FOR SEVA<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">KAMALAPURAM BALURA CHATRALAYA<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;">Ward No.15, Appayapally, Kamalapuram, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Kadapa District, A.P</b><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">DONOR:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 150%;font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;"> Dr. <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Yemmanuri Ramulu</st1:city>, <st1:country-region st="on">USA</st1:country-region></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">SUPPORTED BY:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"> <st1:city st="on">Houston</st1:city> Indian community, <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">USA</st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;color:#323232;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">DATE INAUGURATED</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style=" line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">:</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%; font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;"> 13<sup>th</sup> June 2007<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>by<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Swami Tattvavidananda Saraswathiji</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%; font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">NO. OF STUDENTS</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style=" line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">: 50<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">VILLAGES COVERED</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style=" line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">: 15<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">AVERAGE MONTHLY INCOME</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">: Rs.1,100<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">SCHOOL ATTENDED</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style=" line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">:</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%; font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;"> <st1:placename st="on">Government</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Primary School</st1:placetype> and <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Suryam</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Public School</st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">KAMALAPURAM :<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This mandal (town) is </span><span lang="EN-GB" style=" line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">in the Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Agriculture is the main occupation of the people of this region. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The Papaghni and Penna rivers are the main sources for irrigation and drinking water. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Historically, this town is connected with Vijayanagara Samrajya that was ruled by Sri Krishnadevaraya. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="line-height:150%"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">Understanding the Needs <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p style="line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%; font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">Though the overall literacy of the district stood at 58% (As per the 2001 Census), the status of literacy rate in our programme area is much lower than the district average. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Female literacy is even lower with around 30%. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%; font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">Farmers in the area have taken up cultivation of cash crops like cotton and chilli. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Returns from these crops in the recent past have not been rewarding and hence the economy of the farming community is experiencing a very difficult situation. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In the light of the above, the community had started losing interest in the developmental interventions by any agencies. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They never believed that the community development projects, (Chaatraalaya) would aim to address their problem and find out solutions that are people-centric and be a typical one. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>However, through periodic interactions with the community, they have started to slowly change their perception about the project. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%; font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">The premise on which the Chaatraalaya is built (participatory manner) has gradually brought in confidence within the community. This is very evident from the satisfaction and happiness expressed by the parents.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%; font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">The Chaatraalaya is for boys only and was built by Shri. Dr. <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Yemmanuri Ramulu</st1:city>, <st1:country-region st="on">USA</st1:country-region></st1:place>, in the year 2007. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="line-height:150%"><span style="line-height:150%; font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">Children from the neighboring 15 villages stay in this chaatraalaya. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This chaatraalaya is supervised efficiently by Sri. Govindahariji, who is also the trustee of AIM for Seva.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:150%"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:11.0pt;">For the Academic year 2008-2009, the strength of Student Home is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">46 </b>boys studying in classes 1 to 6.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-22341343165419305602008-10-20T10:27:00.011-05:002009-07-07T08:38:47.197-05:00Bobbili Gets Maintenance Funds from Houston!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rTVQeiUs9WU/SPyjhwXcOUI/AAAAAAAADm4/NoUCsfnK3FU/s1600-h/Bobbili1jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rTVQeiUs9WU/SPyjhwXcOUI/AAAAAAAADm4/NoUCsfnK3FU/s320/Bobbili1jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259258265176127810" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">AIM for Seva Student Home for Boys, Bobbili</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-9.0pt"><span style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Vizianagaram District, Andhra Pradesh</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Donors</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <pre><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style=" font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Land</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; font-family:";color:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> – Mr. Narayanam Narasimha Murthy</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></pre> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Building </span></span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">- Mrs. </span><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Raghuthu Simhachalam</span></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, </span><st1:country-region st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">USA</span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Date inaugurated:</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> 21</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">st</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> June 2007</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">No. of students:</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> 52</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Villages covered:</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> 44</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Average Monthly Family Income:</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Rs.1000</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-9.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">School attended:</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Sri Saraswathi Sisu Mandir, Bobbili </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <pre><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: normal; font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Bobbili is a town close to Vizianagaram city in Andhra Pradesh. According to the 2001 census the population of Bobbili is 1,16,205 with an average literacy rate of 64%. There are 75 villages, most of which are tribal areas, which constitute the town of </span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Bobbili</span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. The population is economically poor mainly working as coolies and farmers.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></pre> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This AIM for Seva ChAtrAlaya was constructed in 2006 with donations from the Raghuthu family of </span><st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">USA</span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> as Bobbili is their home town. </span><b><span style="color:blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">AIM For Seva Houston donors provided for the maintenance of this ChAtrAlaya for the year 2008-09.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> The 52 boys in the student home are studying in classes 1 to 6. Apart from their academics, the children are encouraged to take part in various extra curricular activities and are also taught yoga, meditation and chapters from the Gita to ensure overall development. The students enthusiastically help maintain a kitchen garden in the premises which grows a variety of vegetables, making the student home self sufficient for its daily needs.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Recently, the Rotary Club (Mahila) of Bobbili donated trunkboxes for the children to store their belongings.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Mr. Narayanam Narasimha Murthy of NCS Sugars donated sports equipments for the children.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The warden Mr. Subba Rao takes a special interest in the progress of the children.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Achievements:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Two students from this student home stood first in their class in school in the last academic year. The students have also participated and won in various Gita chanting and poetry reciting competitions held at inter school levels.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The solemn function came to an end with the National Anthem.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p></div>Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-44799066294634927462008-10-20T09:59:00.002-05:002008-10-20T10:07:59.200-05:00Semmangudi ChAtrAlaya Inaugurated !<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1SK-Y83bp8lotZb1Vwz9f74pY_lTnZagZ0ffN8izVX6SlSmV4trQvMAPvqmRxQWkmHk6lONNd8ByeYMuSwYko_MIPy5e0Kts71nri27rTOx2pH4hEKSGEz4jQlBwupB51n3b_MtNzvw/s1600-h/Semmangudi2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1SK-Y83bp8lotZb1Vwz9f74pY_lTnZagZ0ffN8izVX6SlSmV4trQvMAPvqmRxQWkmHk6lONNd8ByeYMuSwYko_MIPy5e0Kts71nri27rTOx2pH4hEKSGEz4jQlBwupB51n3b_MtNzvw/s320/Semmangudi2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259252978230654178" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style=""><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">AIM for Seva Student Home for Girls</span></span></b><span style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, Semmangudi</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Donors:</span></span></b><span style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><st1:city st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Houston</span></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Indian Community, </span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">USA</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Date inaugurated:</span></span></b><span style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> 8</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">th</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> August 2008</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">No. of students:</span></span></b><span style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> 25</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This ChAtrAlaya (student home) has been started in a heritage building which is over 120 years old. The building is a very good example of the traditional architecture of the Kaveri Delta region. The girls mainly belong to the tribal regions of the Anaikatti hills. They attend the </span><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Semmangudi</span></st1:placename><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><st1:placename st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Higher</span></st1:placename><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><st1:placetype st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Secondary School</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> managed by SDET (Swami Dayananda Educational Tust).</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">SEMMANGUDI CHATRALAYA INAUGURATION</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This is a girls-only Chatralaya. On the 8</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> August, girls from the </span><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Semmangudi</span></st1:placename><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><st1:placetype st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">School</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> had assembled to receive Mr. Jayakumar Srinivasan, representative of the Houston Indian Community, Mr. Srinivasan, National coordinator – Projects, Tatvanishta Chaitanyaji, Project Coordinator- North Chennai, and Mr. Venkata Narayanan, Retd. IAS Officer, for the inauguration of the ChAtrAlaya.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mr. Jayakumar was given the honor declaring open the ChAtrAlaya. The guests of honor were then taken on a tour round the ChAtrAlaya.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">People from the nearby villages had gathered to greet the dignitaries. After the prayer, Mr. G. Ramachandran, Correspondent – SDET, spoke on the uphill tasks faced in the upcoming of the building at Semmangudi.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Br. Sinivasan, National coordinator of Projects, spoke next, on the concept of a ChAtrAlaya. He stressed that the student homes form a nucleus around which education, growth, learning and development happens meaningfully in the community. He thanked the Houston Indian Community in funding the running of this ChAtrAlaya.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mr. Jayakumar stressed the importance the students should give to academics. He also expressed his deep sense of appreciation in the noble task carried out by AIM for Seva, in creating an opportunity to share with your larger family of Mankind.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mr. Venkata Narayanan spoke about the importance of seva; students should not forget the seva enjoyed by them, but instead extend it to other fellow human beings in their life.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Br. Tatavanishta Chaitanya, spoke on the values of life, which the students have been taught in the ChAtrAlayas; this will carry them a long way in their life in bringing peace and prosperity forever.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A representative from the public expressed his gratitude to AIM for Seva for choosing to build a ChAtrAlaya at Semmangudi, enabling the under privileged children in and around Semmangudi to benefit by it.</span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A student representative went on to express the joy that the girls felt to be exposed to education within their reach.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The solemn function came to an end with the National Anthem.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=" ;font-family:Calibri;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-90193468026238520232008-10-20T09:53:00.003-05:002008-10-20T09:59:09.441-05:00Uchimedu Student Home Inaugurated<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSXEUn3FR__TwwyaWuA4rDUKelTAISZ_x0RJjpyC_MfWakkmrjeWsFD8-Gm1ljVT0UlV4FEH26R-wlSQxOnmqzyf6qbR_gE_BLsihAz-7THmd09LBdsiQKUXzsYTN9MpxTmG6iTpNfBQ/s1600-h/Uchimedu11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSXEUn3FR__TwwyaWuA4rDUKelTAISZ_x0RJjpyC_MfWakkmrjeWsFD8-Gm1ljVT0UlV4FEH26R-wlSQxOnmqzyf6qbR_gE_BLsihAz-7THmd09LBdsiQKUXzsYTN9MpxTmG6iTpNfBQ/s320/Uchimedu11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259250675071908114" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Calibri;font-size:15px;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">AIM for Seva Student Home for Boys</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, Uchimedu, Cuddalore</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Donors:</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><st1:city st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Houston</span></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Indian Community, </span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">USA</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Date inaugurated:</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> 9</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">th</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> August 2008</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">No. of students:</span></span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> 15 (to be verified)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">On the 9</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">th</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> August, students from the ChAtrAlaya (student home) had assembled to receive Mr. Jayakumar Srinivasan, representative of the Houston Indian Community, Mr. Srinivasan, National coordinator – Projects, Tatvanishta Chaitanyaji , Project Coordinator- North Chennai, Mr. Arunachalam, a leading Lawyer of Cuddalore and community leader, and Mr.Subramanian, Head Master of the School attended by children.<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mr. Arunachalam, a leading Lawyer of Cuddalore, formally inaugurated the ChAtrAlaya, along with Mr. Jayakumar.<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">After the prayer, Br. Srinivasan, welcomed the gathering, and about the teething troubles faced in the upcoming of this ChAtrAlaya. He profusely thanked the Houston Indian Community for funding the ChAtrAlaya. He said that the ChAtrAlaya is a home filled with warmth and care set up by AIM for Seva to make education accessible to children in remote areas of </span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">India</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mr. Arunachalam in his presidential address reinforced the importance of academics and also that the superior form of charity is VidyA dAnam – imparting education.<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mr. Jayakumar pointed out the facilities offered in the ChAtrAlayas must be put to the best use by children; trained and caring wardens fulfill the wards’ social, domestic, and emotional needs and the expectations children have of parents, fostering the growth and their development.<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mr. Subramanian, Head Master of the School where the students of the student home go, appreciated the noble work carried out by AIM for Seva in the running of the ChAtrAlayas and the dedication with which the children are taken care.</span><br /></p></span>Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6554685150800721628.post-78551292086457364952007-12-17T08:03:00.000-06:002007-12-17T11:32:06.253-06:00Mission & Goals<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rTVQeiUs9WU/R2ayL8RwtVI/AAAAAAAACD8/rM2F6tAP_V0/s1600-h/logo_25x25.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rTVQeiUs9WU/R2ayL8RwtVI/AAAAAAAACD8/rM2F6tAP_V0/s320/logo_25x25.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144995542546298194" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Our Mission:<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" ><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;">To bridge the gap between mainstream society and the less privileged people living in remote, rural, and urban areas of India by following a planned program of CARING in terms of Education, Health Care, Women’s Empowerment, and Self-sufficiency, Vocational training, Environmental initiatives, Disaster relief, and Cultural validation.</span></b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Our Goals:<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">(1) Build one student home in each of the 600+ districts of India;<br />(2) Construct 150 student homes by the year 2010; and<br />(3) </span></b><b style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Continue to build each of the communities with the student homes as the nucleus.</span></b></span>Chandrasekar Raghuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06747458869297623985noreply@blogger.com