1. In London Introduction ‘In London’ is an extract from ‘My Experiments with Truth’. This extract gives us an insight into the life of young Gandhi. After completing his basic education in India, he went to England to study law. Gandhi’s Efforts at Becoming an English Gentleman Gandhi followed vegetarian diet in London. He promised his friend that he would make for his vegetarianism by cultivating other habits that would befit one for the polite society. He undertook the task of becoming an English gentleman. First, he got new clothes at the Navy and the Army stores. He bought a chimney pot hat costing 19 shillings. He wasted ten pounds on an evening suit. He got a double watch-chain of gold from his brother in India. He bought a tie and learnt to tie it himself. He wasted ten minutes every day before a mirror to arrange his tie and part his hair. He was told that to become an English gentleman, it was necessary to take lessons in dancing, French and elocution. He paid £ 3 for dancing classes. He couldn’t learn dance. He couldn’t follow piano. So he wanted to learn violin to cultivate an ear for western music. He invested £3 in a piano and something more in fees. He sought a teacher for learning elocution. Then he read the Speech of Pitt. It was the speech that helped him realize. He realized that it was not excellence in dancing, music or elocution that would make him into a fine gentleman but his character would make him a gentleman. This infatuation lasted three months and he became a serious and diligent student. Taking a Leaf out of His Book Even during this stage of infatuation, he kept vigilance over his accounts. He noted down every single piece of expenditure and he was able to keep vigilance over his accounts. This trait of his helped him handle public funds amounting to lakhs in the future. He always had surplus amounts in all the movements he led. Gandhi felt that every youth should take a leaf out of his book and make it a point to account for everything that comes in and goes out of his pocket because he will be a sure gainer in the end. Necessity of Economizing As Gandhi kept strict watch over his way of living, he could see it was necessary to economize. He decided to reduce his expenses by half. He realized he was over spending on fares. Since he was living with a family, he had to pay regular weekly bills. There was also the courtesy of taking the family to dinner which meant heavy bills. The problem is even more if the lady is taken out to dinner. All these expenses could be saved. So he decided to move out of that house and take rooms. He also decided to walk from one place to another. He selected rooms in such a place that he was able to walk in half an hour and save fares. The new arrangement combined physical exercise and economy. This practice of walking helped him be practically free from illness in the future and build good health. Thus he rented a suite of two rooms. This was the second stage. The third was yet to come. The Usage of Time-The Third Stage Gandhi was able to save expenses. He also wanted to make good use of the time. His Bar examinations did not require much study. He wanted to acquire a literary degree either from Oxford or Cambridge. But both were expensive and lengthy. One of his friends suggested he take London Matriculation. He liked the suggestion but he was frightened by the syllabus. He had to learn Latin and a modern language. French he was already learning. Encouraged by his friend, he decided to learn Latin how difficult it might be. He converted himself into a serious student to pass Matriculation in five month’s time. He framed his own time table and followed it diligently but he failed in Latin. He felt sorry but he didn’t lose heart. Simplifying Life Further It was in this context that he made an effort to simplify his life further. He remembered his family and his struggling brother. He came across students who were living more humbly than him. He gave up a suite of rooms and rented one room instead. He bought a stove and began cooking breakfast. He had lunch out and for dinner he had cocoa and bread. Thus he managed to live on a shilling and three pence a day. That was also a period of intensive study. Plain living saved him money and plenty of time and he passed his exam. Conclusion Gandhi firmly believed that this journey from the stage of wanting to become a gentleman to learning to economize in money and time harmonized his inward and outward life. His life certainly was more truthful and his soul knew no bounds of joy. This was truly a lesson for the youth to follow. 2. The Knowledge Society Introduction ‘The Knowledge Society’ is an extract from ‘Ignited Minds’, a book authored by Bharat Ratna Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, famously known as the Missile Man of India. In this essay, he stresses the need for developing societies through acquisition of knowledge and utilization of technologies. His outlook is typically scientific and his language reflects clarity and objectivity of his thoughts. Ancient India- a Land of Knowledge Abdul Kalam says that ancient India was an advanced knowledge society. But invasions and colonial rule have destroyed its institutions and systematically degraded Indians to lower levels of existence. The fact is that India is essentially a land of knowledge. Once this aspect is rediscovered, India will soon transform into a developed nation. Sources and Forms of Knowledge Kalam says that knowledge has many forms and is available at many places. It is acquired through education, information, intelligence and experience. It is available in educational institutions-with teachers, in libraries, in research papers and seminar proceedings. It is available in work places with workers, managers, in drawings and on shop floors. Though it comes through education, it also comes equally from learning skills such as those possessed by artists, craftsmen, hakims, vaidyas, philosophers, saints and housewives. Indian heritage and history, the rituals, epics and traditions are also vast resources of knowledge. There is an abundance of unorthodox and earthy wisdom in our villages. Hidden treasures of knowledge are available in our environment-in oceans, bio-reserves, deserts, in plant and animal life. It is the responsibility of every Indian to exploit this knowledge for making our nation developed. Knowledge-Prime Mover of Prosperity and Power Knowledge has always been a prime mover of prosperity and power. In India, we not only acquire knowledge but also enjoy the culture of sharing it through the guru-shishya tradition and also by its spread to neighboring countries through travelers who came to Nalanda and other universities of learning. India is bestowed with natural and competitive advantages as also distinctive competencies. We need to become aware of these core competencies. Changes in the Last Century- Birth of a New Society During the last century the world has undergone a change from agriculture society, where manual labour was the critical factor, to industrial society where the management of technology, capital and labour provided the competitive advantage. In the 21st century, a new society where knowledge is the primary production resource instead of capital and labor has emerged. Efficient utilization of this knowledge base can create wealth in the form of better health and education and other indicators of progress. Whether knowledge qualifies as a knowledge society is judged by how effectively it deals with knowledge creation and knowledge deployment. Features of Knowledge Society The knowledge society has two very important components driven by societal transformation and wealth generation. The societal transformation is in respect of the education, health care, agriculture and governance. This will lead to employment generation, high productivity and rural prosperity. The task of wealth generation has to be built around national competencies. The TIFAC team of which Dr. Kalam was the Chairman identified core areas like IT, Biotechnology, Space Technology, disaster management, Tele-medicine and Tele-education, service sector and infotainment through which wealth can be generated. The wealth thus generated will be used for societal transformation. The Road Map The creation of knowledge society requires evolving suitable administrative procedures, changes in regulatory methods, identification of global partners, citizen-centric approach and user-driven technology generation, encouraging young and dynamic leaders and intensified industry-lab-academia linkages. Such knowledge society will further trigger developments nationally and globally. If India is to transform itself into a knowledge society, knowledge protection is the third factor that is equally important as the first two factors. Our communication networks and information generators are to be protected from electronic attacks through close monitoring. Conclusion India has tremendous potential to emerge as a vibrant Knowledge Society, but it has to put in concerted efforts in many areas if it has to become one. India has many positive factors that can fire it to sculpt itself into a power to be reckoned with. 3. THE SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEW Introduction The essay ‘The Scientific Point of View’ is an extract from his essay ‘Daedalus or Science and the Future’ written by JBS Haldane, a neo-Darwinist. Effects of Science In the essay ‘The Scientific Point of View”, J.B.S.Haldane opposes raw emotions of political dogma and supports scientific thinking. He says that science affects us in two ways –we are benefited by its applications and it affects our opinions. We use motor car and omnibus instead of horse- drawn vehicles. We treat our diseases by a doctor or a surgeon instead of a witch. We use pistol or shell in place of a dagger or a battle-axe. Even our opinions are affected to a great extent. We have also started believing that vast improvements in human nature are possible using biological methods. The Scope of Science Science can do something big for the human mind. If we are to control our own and one another’s actions as we are learning to control nature, the scientific point of view must come out of the laboratory and be applied to the events of daily life. He says that the outlook which has already revolutionized industry, agriculture, war and medicine will prove beneficial when applied to the family, the nation or the human race. In this context, the author warns us against false prophets who propagate wrong theories as scientific. Scientific Standpoint Haldane supports scientific standpoint which attempts to be truthful and impartial. It carries impartiality a great deal more than does the legal point of view. A good judge will try to be impartial between Mr. John Smith and Mr. Chang Sing. A good scientist will be impartial between Mr. Smith, a tape-worm, and the solar system. A scientist will be able to look at everything objectively as an impartial observer and he is not affected by his likes and dislikes. Such an attitude leads the scientist to a curious mixture of pride and humility. The solar system turns out to be a group of bodies rather small in comparison with many of their neighbors and executing their movements according to simple and easily intelligible laws .He also realizes he is a member of the same order as the monkeys, while his mind is at the mercy of a number of chemical processes in his body which he can understand but can’t control at all. Science Can’t Determine Right or Wrong Science cannot determine what is right and wrong. It should not try to. It can work out the consequences of various actions but it cannot pass the judgment on them. The bacteriologist can merely point out that the pollution of the water supply is likely to cause as many deaths as letting off bomb in the public street. But he cannot determine whether both the actions are equally wrong. The enemies of science alternately abuse its exponents for being deaf to moral considerations and also for interfering in ethical problems which do not concern them. Both of these criticisms cannot be true. Tendency of Average Man-Emotional vs. Scientific Point Tendency of average man has always been to dwell on the emotional and ethical side rather than the facts. To support his idea, he takes two examples-the problem of the American Negro and the problem of disease. He says that a large number of Americans hold that Negros are inferior to whites whereas others believe that they should also enjoy the same rights. The biologists cannot decide between the two views. He can only point out that the Negro’s skull is more like an ape than that of the Whites but his hairless skin isn’t like an ape. According to biologists, even the Negro’s death rates are also higher than the Whites in the Southern states where the climate is suitable for the Whites. So if Negro’s are driven away to the cotton fields, they can live healthily and breed rapidly. These results are quite typical to obtain because action is guided by the raw emotions of political dogma rather than scientific thought. He also takes the example of American Civil War saying that the war was started to raise the death-rate and lower the birth-rate so enormously that it was only between 1910 and1920, the number of Negro’s in the U.S increased in the decade before the Civil War. They started Civil War to kill Negros or to drive them to cotton fields. Biologically, Negros live healthily on the cotton fields. So instead of actually reducing the problem, the emotional political dogma has increased it. He believed that the sting of many other political questions, both national and international, would be removed by a similar consideration of biological facts. Approach to the Problems of Disease Our approach to the problem of disease is even less rational. He is not thinking of Christian Scientists or spiritual healers, but of the average person who has certain belief in the results of modern medicine. Serious illness always rouses a good deal of emotions. When we are emotional about a subject we feel a need to believe something about it and we do not care whether our beliefs are rational. The pre-Christian attitude to disease was that it was a punishment from some deity for a sin either of the sick person, his family or the whole community .This is not so unlike the attitude of the scientist who regards a case of disease as a manifestation of a natural law, which can only be cured or prevented when research has revealed the working of the law in question. But many religious people still hold the view that disease is a result of sin which thought Jesus combated. Many believe that disease could be prevented by a return to nature. The first step in a return to nature would be the discarding of clothes, which would at once increase the mortality from pneumonia about a hundredfold. So returning to nature isn’t the solution. Health and sickness are part of nature. Some features of civilization are bad for health. Yet, statistics show civilized live longer than the uncivilized. Examples of Diabetes and Cancer The diabetic can regain health and keep in good shape by two or three insulin injections. If they follow this advice, they would regain health, but they wouldn’t. He mentions of two diabetic patients- one who had broken her syringe but hadn’t replaced it and the other who had broken her syringe and had n’t replaced it and the other who had neglected her injection for two days because she was any way coming to the doctor. With such attitude, diabetes would never be in control. So there was no use of inventing insulin for use of such callous people who are actually in large numbers. They should actually realize that motor car will work with lubricating oil and diabetic will live using insulin, not without it. If a cure is discovered for cancer and if the same attitude is displayed by the patients, it would be no use in preparing medicine for cancer. Typhoid, diphtheria, small pox and measles etc can be dealt with by public effort, individual assistance and international cooperation but a disease like diabetes and cancer can be dealt with personal effort. This is the scientific approach to facing disease. Conclusion We need to adopt the scientific point of view. Until humanity adopts this view, the real enemies of man from bacteria to cyclones will not be conquered. 4. GD NAIDU Introduction Gopalaswamy Doraiswamy Naidu was a self made Indian Inventor, a keen educationalist and engineer who created the first electric motor in India. He made enormous contribution to the fields like Electrical, Mechanics, Automotive, Agriculture and Education. He is called the ‘Edison of India ‘. Eventhough he lacks primary school education, he made a number of inventions and started a number of industries and made major contribution to the development of India. Personal Life G. D. Naidu was born on March 23, 1893 in Kalangal, Tamilnadu. His father was a farmer respected by the people for his good qualities. On the contrary, his son was very mischievous and disobedient. He disliked attending classes and was frequently punished for his habit of hurling sand at the teachers during the classes. Early Career – The Defining Moment One fine day, he saw a British surveyor driving a motor cycle through his village. The sight of motorcycle was inspiring for Naidu. He longed for driving the motor cycle. He abandoned his home and family in search of technology and modern achievement. So he went to Coimbatore for the first time and worked there in a hotel for 3 years and saved an amount of 400 rupees. Later, he found out the whereabouts of the British surveyor and requested him to sell the motor cycle to him and succeeded in it. He relished the riding and tried to understand the mechanics of the motorcycle. This knowledge eventually helped him to invent. Later, he started cotton business and the income he earned from it helped support him. Path to Success In 1920, when public/private buses and other vehicles were not available, people of his village and the nearby towns used to travel by bullock-carts or on foot. G.D. Naidu purchased one mini-coach and started a transport company -Universal Motor Services U.M.S. and his mini-coaches which were both popular and efficient were used by people for travelling between Palani and Pollachi. His transport business flourished and he became the owner of 600 buses in due course of time. His self-determination and ‘never give up’ attitude took him to the peaks in transport business. His was the most efficient fleet of public transport vehicles in the country. G. D. Naidu began travelling after building a reputation for himself. His passion for technology extended to cameras and film. In 1935, he filmed the death ceremony of England’s King George V. He also met Adolf Hitler in 1936 once and secured manufacturing contracts that helped him to manufacture razors later. He was also gifted a Rolls –Royce car. However, he failed in the 1936 Provincial General Elections. GD Naidu- the Edison of India In his mid-forties, Naidu established an industry named ‘National Electric Works’ and in 1937 along with Balasundaram , he created the first electric motor in India. Naidu invented ‘Rasant’, an electric razor that was made at a factory in the Germany. Some other inventions of Naidu were a distance adjuster for film cameras, a tamper-proof vote-recording machine and a kerosene-run fan. GD Naidu’s Contribution to Agriculture His inventions were not confined to machinery alone. He also created hybrid varieties of Cotton, Maize and Papaya. His farm was a source of curiosity to many people. Stalwarts like Sir CV Raman and Mokshagundam Visvesvaraiah visited his farm many times impressed by his work and passion for invention. Because of his contribution to the fields of technology, industry and development, he was often referred to as the Edison of India. Popularity – Philanthropic Works In 1944, he retired. He set up several charitable institutions that helped the under-privileged sections of the society. He encouraged youth to foster interest in research and development. Despite his dislike for lessons in childhood, he set up the first Polytechnic College in India called the Hope College in Coimbatore. Later, it was named Govt. College of Technology. In 1945, he was made the Principal. He resigned from his position as the system of education clashed with the British system of education. Final Days and Death Even though, there were many foreign companies which were ready to buy his technology, paying high sum in return, Naidu refused them as he wanted to raise his country’s industrial standards to global level. He passed away on 4 January 1974. Though the inventions of Naidu were not recognized by the Indian Government, people recognized his work. Paying tribute to his works, Sir CV Raman said, “Mr. Naidu is truly a man in a million – perhaps this is an understatement. Hats-off to the great work done by the genius! 5. G R Gopinadh Introduction Gorur Ramaswamy Gopinath is the founder of the low cost airline Air Deccan. He always tried to innovate and improvise. Coming from a modest background, he is the man who made flying cheap and affordable for every common man in India. Captain Gopinath is a multi-faceted personality. He is an eco friendly farmer, army officer, hotel owner, motorcycle dealer, airline owner, a well known author and even politician. Captain Gopinaths attempts to inspire young business men in the country have been successful. His life of phenomenal success in such a short span is both inspiring and worth emulating. Early Life and Education - The Life changing Experience He was born in Gorur, a small village in Hassan district of Karnataka. His father was a school teacher and a farmer as well. He went to a Kannada-medium school till Class V after which he was selected at the Sainik School in Bijapur. Incidentally, he failed the first time he appeared for the entrance exam as the paper was in English of which he did not know a word. His headmaster was a very determined man and he wrote to the defence ministry asking them how they hoped to recruit boys from villages in South India if the paper was held in English and not in their mother tongue. Gopinath was allowed to write exam in Kannada. Gopinath cleared the admission test and joined Sainik School. He learnt a lesson from the Head Master’s incident that one has to be proactive to steer things one’s way. It was a lesson he would remember the rest of his life and follow to achieve success. Career and his Role in the Formation of a State After studying in Sainik School, he joined the NDA in Pune. He was commissioned as the captain in the army. He spent eight good years in the army he played a pivotal role in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. He was part of the process that led to a new nation being created. His Visit to the US While in the army, he was permitted to go to the US to visit his sister. He went hitchhiking across the land of opportunities. In fact, he travelled 10,000 kms with just 500 dollars. It was another good example of his grit and determination which he would later put to use many times in life. From Digging the Earth to Kissing the Skies After retirement from the armed forces, he established an ecologically sustainable sericulture farm. His innovative methods earned him the Rolex Laureate Award in 1996. Next, he started the Malnad Mobikes (Enfield dealership) and opened a hotel in Hasan. The man of many talents, Gopinadh also contributed articles to Kannada language for magazines and agricultural journals. Later, he sold off all his businesses to start one venture –Espak Agro. Captain Gopinath also got into the role of a politician and stood as an independent candidate in the Lok Sabha elections, but failed to gather sufficient support from the general public. The Birth of Deccan Aviation Gopinath and a close friend A.J Sam from the armed services along with Colonel Jayanth Poovaiah together started a private commercial helicopter service known as Deccan Aviation in 2003. Gopinadh excelled during this time. He had a host of problems that he tackled with resolve. He faced corruption within the customs department. About 20 officers rejected his application because he didn’t bribe them. He faced them squarely and set Deccan Aviation on the way. The lesson he learn from his Head Master’s incident helped him tackle all the problems. This aviation company began with just a single helicopter but boasted of a fleet that commutes across several destinations in the country. The main aim was to fulfill the common mans dream to fly. Air Deccan was an instant success and revolutionized air travel in India. With a vision to connect hitherto unconnected parts of India, Air Deccan connected many remote parts of the country where no other airline had operated. Merger with King Fisher Soon, Air Deccan began to thrive. The customers began to appreciate it because its service was punctual, efficient and less expensive. In 2007, Vijay Mallya, sensing the great potential in Air Deccan, met with Gopinadh and a merger took place. Achievements Gopinaths contributions have won him the Rolex Laureate Award for establishing an agriculture farm. The French government has bestowed the award of Chevalier de la legion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honor) on Capt G.R Gopinath. The award is recognition of Capt. Gopinath’s contribution to the development of Indo-French cooperation in the field of aviation. He wrote an autobiography ‘Simply Fly’ –about the journey of a boy born in a remote village, who went from riding a bullock cart to owning an airline, a journey of an entrepreneur who built Indias first and largest low-cost airline. His book is among the shortlisted books in Popular Category for Vodafone Crossword Book Awards 2010. His book Simply Fly sheds light on the remarkable journey of turning his ambitious vision into a successful business story. Future Lies Wide Open for Gopinadh Captain Gopinath founded Deccan Charters and Deccan 360 which focus on cargo and express logistic business. He is planning a new air lines. Many foreign players have shown interest in his project and ready to invest in his new venture. The future lies wide open for G R Gopinadh.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Dec 2013 12:40:18 +0000
Trending Topics
© 2015