December 2016
Having been to so many homes in recent days, I am seeing how cultivation isn't singular. If, in a family, more than one person is leading a wholesome life, it naturally supports others. And hence, if one member of the family experiences a micro transformation, it effortlessly…
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Anshu Gupta is last year's recipient of the renowned Magsaysay Award for "creative vision for transforming generosity in India". He and his team upcycle donated waste material, and then, instead of just handing it out in the villages, they ask the villagers to first…
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We held a beautiful circle at Vandana-Didi's home today, where we all explored the idea of what art means to us. The gathering featured lots of unique people, including Ellie who beautifully described art as "my 1-year-old son trying to catch the rays of sun with his…
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For breakfast, a group of TCS employees came over. We sat in the "Hriday Kunj" sanctuary on our Sughad campus, and talked about Ishwar Kaka 's maxim, "We must learn to see behind the wall." That is, wisdom lies in knowing that there are multiple causes…
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Over the last couple days, we held an "inclusion retreat" with differently abled folks, NGO's working in the sector, and related innovators. It all started with one dynamite, blind girl, who asked me: "I'd love to help others but I don't know how. Will you help…
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Bhawana-ben has been working with the mentally challenged for 37 years. "When I first walked into a special school, a kid pulled my hair strongly and wouldn't let go. Slowly, someone else pulled his hair, and he understood the pain and let it go. That day, I decided I…
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Tonight, Anarben and I shared some personal stories at Awakin Ahmedabad . The circle has been anchored every week by service rock-stars, from Nimo to Neil to Kishan , and lovingly held by the one and only Meghna! :) Many moons ago, Meghna landed up at an Awakin Circle,…
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Today, I visited NDDB -- the National Dairy Development Board. They have done a truly remarkable job of supporting millions of farmers. Their chairman introduced his role to me as, "I work for 300 million buffaloes." :) In an auditorium setting, I spoke to many…
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Serendipity shouldn't surprise, but it still does. :) This morning, Anand Bhave (who said he was Vinoba Bhave's nephew) and Teji Tai (who was with Vimala Tai on her death bed and for many years prior) and couple of us ended up at the same breakfast table! Lots…
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Spoke to a big group of school principals in Pune today, on the topic of " Compassion Quotient ." All educators are clear that kids in this era are disconnected -- which is leading to many problems, ranging from bullying to depression to attention deficit. However, what…
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