ASCENDING ACADEMIC HEIGHTS FOR SOCIAL COHESION

AUM

 ASCENDING ACADEMIC HEIGHTS AT BEMETARA, C G

                                    By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM

CG stands for Chhatisgarh, a State that was carved out of Madhya Pradesh a little over a decade ago and has been famous for its tasty and fragrant rice all over the world where rice is eaten. Now a new feather has been added to the State’s much feathered cap in the realm of education of the new generation . With a view to achieving new academic excellence, the Chhatisgarhi boys and girls needed a modern GURUKUL where the Acharya  cares for his Shishyas and alround development of their personality. Unfortunately none existed.

Chhatisgarh, as the name suggests, was a region where numerous rulers of small principalities held sway and were proud of their Forts, the wild life and jungles and their produce of rare varieties of rice and allied grains, not forgetting their poor relation, coarse kodau, that was of immense dietary value to diabetic men and women. Notwithstanding the sylvan surroundings and perfect peace and tranquility that the jungle offered, the biggest by-product of the natural VAN SAMPADA, a GURUKUL or a RISHIKUL was conspicuous by its non-existence.

With the coming to power of the Bhartiya Janata Party and Dr Raman Singh as Chief Minister of the State, a new push to and advancement of SHIKSHA OR EDUCATION that has a fusion of the ancient and the modern values of life was but natural. Thus the seed was sown and in due course of time it germinated in the form of a secondary school named ACADEMIC HEIGHTS PUBLIC SCHOOL, Bemetara just two years ago. As of now only day scholars attend the classes but the day is not far off when the institution will have a hostel and a 24-hour a day contact between the Faculty and the students.

SECOND ANNUAL DAY

This weekend I have had the privilege of coming in close contact with the Principal, Shri Bharat Bhushan, members of the staff and students of the primary level up to the VIII class. I had a fleeting hi and  bye with Shri Ashok Singh, an eminent educationist and shubh chintak of the fledgeling institution currently celebrating its Second Annual Day. It is the dynamic personality of the Chairperson, Bhawana Ji who looks after the administration from the managerial angleand her husband who is just a call away to lend modernity, that lend a helping hand in shaping policy at higher echelon. The Management remains in close contact with the Principal, more as a help and never as a hindrance, through Counsellor, Vineet Rajoria who is a young MBA with modern ideas for education of the new generation. It is the perfect coordination among the Management, the Principal and the Staff that has an impact on the growth of students. This positive aspect of running a new school is worth emulating. 

Celebrations of the Second Annual Day were indeed a Gala Affair. The school presented its talented students on stage who gave a performance of which a professional theatre company would be proud. Histrionics is yet to be introduced as a subject but even the tiny-tots of the junior wing comprising nursery and KG classes took to stage like fish to water. The teachers were present in the Wings to boost the morale of students on stage. The Greenhorns felt confident and faced a large audience comprising parents, relatives and guardians of performing students without a hitch.

I was told by Bharat Bhushan Ji, Principal, that the School Management is spending a large amount of money in making the Annual Day Show a grand success. After all it is the mouth to mouth publicity of events in the school that bring a good or bad name to the school. On the persistent request of the student community, the Principal, Staff and the Management agreed to invite Meiyang Chang, the famous Indianised singer  of Chinese origin of Bollywood  fame whose pronunciation of Hindi words is as perfect as that of a Prayag-born Indian singer. He gave a performance on stage for a couple of hours and enthralled men and women of all ages. Of course, the fat purse of money presented to him as his honorarium defies an intelligent guess.

“ If Music be the food of love, play on…” so said Shakespeare, the famous playwright of the English language. On the stage of the Academic Heights Public School, there was surfeit of it. The students and their parents or guardian enjoyed every moment of the show. Histrionics was in play too. Meiyang Chang walked across the aisle, down the stage to talk to the audience and have them involved as singers of a chorus or two. The CC camera caught and projected this impromptu performance on the giant screens placed for the convenience of guests and they enjoyed it. “” Paisa Wasool”, I do not know but the Gen X would not have enjoyed the musical performance so much if only local talent was called to grace the stage.

The prize distribution to students from different classes was held before the musical show. It was a delight to see small children come up the stage, receive their prizes for excelling in one aspect or the other, and walk back clutching the prizes lest a competitor who missed making the grade came from behind and snatched it. Fortunately, training in culture and behavior given by the school academic staff held them in good stead and nothing of that sort happened.

FUSION OF ACADEMICS AND SPORTS

Academic Heights Public School pays attention to its students achieving excellence in the academic subjects. Indeed it will help them in excelling in the competitive examinations both at the State level and at the Centre level. Nevertheless for achieving an all round development of personality, it is necessary that students excel in sports and games too. The school had also organized a Sports Day a day after the cultural show. BACHPAN – the small children’s wing of the Academic Heights made a debut right at the beginning. The march past was perfect and the students of that tender age were performing as well as an adult athlete.

After a fierce competition in various disciplines and sharing the prize giving ceremony, the Sports Meet was declared as closed. Thus the one-day event came to a close.

The thirtysix fort region is indeed proud of its martial tradition. It is hoped that the Academic Heights Public School will give another opportunity to the government and citizens of Chhatisgarh to be proud of the Academic Excellence and for breasting the tape higher, faster and stronger by students of the Academic Heights Public School, Benemtara, Chhatisgarh. May Param Pita Parmatama bless them – One and All.

Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM

UPVAN  609,  Sector 29,  NOIDA – 201303.

Email:  sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com            Phone:  9811173590.

                                                                  

VEDA SWADHYAYAM

"വേദം പഠിക്കുകയും പഠിപ്പിക്കുകയും പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യേണ്ടത്  എല്ലാ ആര്യന്മാരുടെയും  (ശേഷ്ടന്മാരുടെ) പരമ ധര്‍മ്മമാണ് " - മഹര്‍ഷി ദയാനന്ദ സരസ്വതി. "It is the paramount duty of All Aryas (enlightened persons) to read, study and propagate Vedas" Maharshi Dayanand Saraswathi.  See this link for reading Malayalam vedic articles http://agniveer.com/category/lang/malayalam/ വായിക്കുക! പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കുക! 

WORLD WAR ONE CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

AUM

           WORLD WAR I CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS-2014

                                        By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM

The First Great War it was. Fought globally as the major European belligerants had colonies in other continents too, the war came to be known as the World War I. The people and the Military were tired of this prolonged Trench warfare wherein everything underwent a change. The cavalry regiments felt cheated as the gallant horsemen now had no chance to lead a cavalry charge at the gallop where the opposing infantry was overwhelmed by the enormous mass of horse flesh, equipment steel and, of course, the human body guided by the human mind. The full throated battle cry of trained horsemen at the gallop with their lances poised for a kill was soon going to be a fascinating event of the past.

The innovative trench warfare was going to establish the Infantry once again as the Queen of Battle and simultaneously relegate the royal horsed cavalry to pages of history. Their role was reduced from battle field to tattoo grounds where they drew appreciation in the form of full throated battle cries the recording of which was of immense use for a later day regimental reunion.  

It was in World War I that the last act of chivalry in a mounted attack on the infantry trenches was seen and heard of. Naib Risaldar Badlu Ram Saheb of the Deccan Horse led a cavalry charge at the gallop against the Turkish infantry in trenches and yet won laurels and success. He was decorated with a Victoria Cross and many more gallantry medals shone on the chests of cavalry officers and sowars. Thereafter those fine men and brave beasts faded away into the pages of military history to be read and recorded by junior officers preparing for promotion examinations. Of course, their names were recalled, remembered and narrated to the local audiences whose ancestors had dedicated themselves to preserve, protect and defend the honour of the cavalry regiment concerned with their life.

Indeed it was a lifelong bond written in blood and preserved as a part of regimental history that came alive on each regimental day.    

WORLD WAR II DESCENDED

World War I was fought by both sides to stop such wars in future. It was said that men and animals would not be slaughtered by the enemy sabres on the battle field in future. But that was not to be. When World War I was over, armistice was celebrated and the Treaty of Versailles was signed, it paved the way for the next war that came with a bang in 1939. It changed the global scenario in many respects. Thereafter the nations never sat in peace; they always prepared for war. Sometimes it was a cold war and sometimes a shooting war. Nevertheless, it was war and came to be known as World War II.

The friend of World War I became a foe in the World War II. They fought against each other with vehemence never witnessed before. War is a War and not a joke. Once a nation declares a war, there is no going back on it. A belligerent nation stops just for the Remembrance Ceremony. The hell breaks loose again thereafter. Let us take a look at the names of Nations of Europe who were on the side of the Central Powers and those who were with the Allied Powers.

CENTRAL POWERS

The German Empire – Germany located in Europe was the main cou                                                                                                 ntry and its empire that extended to other continents besides Europe’

The Austro-Hungarian Empire ;  The Ottoman or the Turkish Empire,

The Kingdom of Bulgaria.

ALLIED POWERS

The Triple Entente – on ground that meant The British Empire and that extended to all the Continents known to the Mankind and the Sun never set on the British Empire.

The Republic of France

The Russian Empire spread over Europe and Asia. While the World War I was going on, there was a Bolshevik Revolution led by Lenin and the monarchy was abolished, the Royalty exiled and the Empire was renamed as the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) in 1917 and it withdrew as a belligerent power.

ITALY,  Imperial  Japan,  Belgium,  Serbia,  Monte-Negro, Greece, Romania and  Czechoslovakia.

The United States of America too entered the Great War as  an Associate Power in 1917.

The array of Nations on both sides was impressive and awe inspiring. However, it was the entry of America into the war that made a material difference to the capability of the Allied Powers to wage war. No wonder, within a year thereafter the Central Powers collapsed and sued for Peace. The Treaty of Versailles was signed and of all defeated belligerents, it was the German nation that was forced to eat the humble pie. No self-respecting nation would have accepted those funny conditions that Germany was subjected to. Thus the foundation of World War II was laid and it was just a matter of time before a World War began again in 1939. 

The great Strategist of all times , Chanakya was   of the opinion that enough escape route should be  given to the enemy forces so that they do not counter-attack and take the easy exit route. However, at the end of World War I the Central Powers were humiliated and, therefore, they vowed for revenge to retrieve their lost self-respect. The self-respecting German nation kept its word. The rest is history.

HIGHLIGHTS OF WAR

Waging war is not like cracking a joke. It is a serious business and must be treated as such. Many unfortunate soldiers lose their life and limbs. Psychologically speaking, a soldier sustaining a grievous battle injury where he could have lost his life, is not the same man as he was when he went into action. Even a walking-wounded has to be treated humanely and treated with concern. A nation that does not treat its wounded soldiers with heartfelt sympathy or does not Honour the War Dead appropriately will never see Light at the end of the tunnel. It is the sacred duty of the Nation to treat the battle casualties well and rehabilitate them in life and society lest they become rogue elephants and behave as such.

The Battle of Somme was the watershed of the four year world war I. It began on July 1, 1916 and officially ended in July 1919 when Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles.

The British nation has been celebrating the Armistice Day with reverence, pomp and show that it deserves. Those who laid down their lives for the defence of the free democratic world were as many as TEN MILLION MEN whose departure from the mundane world was termed as Military Deaths. As many as 20 million men were wounded.

 It was on 11^th November 1920 that the grand ceremony had taken place at the Cenotaph, the Whitehall on 11 November 1920. All nations all over the world observe two minutes silence at 11 AM on 11^th November every year in Remembrance of the World War I Dead and Departed who made the supreme sacrifice for the cause of the country.  

INDIAN SPIRITUAL TOUCH

As many as 53 grievously war wounded Indian soldiers were evacuated from the battlefields  in Europe to the Kitchener Hospital in the United Kingdom. They were cremated in Brighton,UK and a Chhatri was raised in their Remembrance and as a mark of respect to them. In 2010 the Commonwealth War Graves Commission raised a screen wall there near the traditional Chhatri in the Hindu Crematorium and all 53 names of the War Dead were engraved there. Great care was taken to cater to the religious requirements of the departed soldier and nothing was done to hurt the religious feelings of the living Hindus and Sikhs.

In New Delhi, India an edifice was erected within the municipal limits of the Imperial zone and the reputed architect of the new British capital in India, Lutyens was entrusted with the task of raising a suitable war memorial to the Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in World War I and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. A magnificent blueprint was drawn and approved by the Viceroy. The construction of the War Memorial began in 1921 and took ten years and six hundred thousand Indian rupees to complete in 1931. Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of India had inaugurated this magnificent War Memorial with great fanfare. He eulogized the bravery of the Indian soldier and commended the fighting spirit. They fought like a tiger wherever they were posted in defence of the Realm, said the Viceroy.

As manyas a million men in uniform, as soldiers and labour force, left the shores of India for France, Flanders and other parts of Europe and Middle-East. Of them 70,000 laid down their lives for the King and the country and never returned to see their home and hearth again. As many as 16,316 soldiers never found a permanent resting place in the lap of mother Earth nor were cremated as their mortal remains could not be traced or identified. May I take the liberty of striking a personal note here. My grand uncle, Shri R.L. Sawant was a part of this Force that went to Europe to defend democracy and freedom of thought and expression. We are grateful to God that he returned home alive and led a healthy and happy life thereafter in the midst of loved ones.

The Amar Jawan Jyoti was added in January 1972 right after the Indian Army had decisively defeated the Pakistan Army and dismembered the vanquished nation. Bangladesh was born to fulfill the aspirations of the Bengali speaking Moslems of Pakistan who wished to communicate in their own language, Bangala and live a free life. Their aspirations were met with the active armed help of the Indian Army. To commemorate those brave soldiers who fell while discharging their military duties in independent India, the Amar Jawan was raised as a war memorial in January 1972.

Prime Minister of India, on behalf of the Nation, pays homage to the Indian soldiers who became martyrs for the cause of the country, every year on the morning of the Republic Day by laying a wreath at the foot of the Amar Jawan.

The Indian officers and Jawans of the three Services live for and die for Bharat, our motherland. For them the NATION is supreme and stands above all. The Nation honours the brave war dead who fought for and died for the Motherland, Bharat. The brave dead lived for and died for the succeeding generations; they died so that we can live. We honour them; we SALUTE them!

Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM

UPVAN  609, Sector 29,  NOIDA – 201303,  INDIA

Mobile:  sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com       Mobile:  9811173590

                                                                                                           

NARENDRA MODI RULES THE ROOST IN GUJARAT ELECTIONS

AUM MODI’S MANIFESTO MADE GUJJU MONARCH By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM Narendra Bhai Modi made the BJP’s election manifesto in Gujarat released in the capital Ahmedabad today look like, sound like, promise like and empower common man like the Magna Carta did in London in the year 1215. The Monarch had given every right to common man in the street that the latter had craved for for years. The King of England had virtually crowned the common man without parting with his own crown. So did Narendra Bhai Modi to the common man in Gujarat by including in the manifesto everything that voters would like to get without imposing any back-breaking burden as taxes on the citizens of England. Modi has been true to his word during his reign and rule for the last ten years and has promised an Encore in the next five years too. SALIANT POINTS OF SANKALP PATRA The Sankalpa Patra as the manifesto is called both in Gujarati and Hindi is a document of Modi’s vision. An eminent political analyst, who did not wish to be identified by name, made a major point by saying that the present Sankalp Patra, will win over the state of Gujarat for the Bhartiya Janata Party but also sweep across Bharat in 2014 and the Modi wave combined with Modi vision will bag and place the throne of Imperial Delhi in the list of laurels won and retained. Other analysts opined that for the time being the Modi wave will remain confined within shores of Guajarat because the situation obtaining in other parts and provinces of India that is Bharat is not akin to that of Gujarat. The consensus was that when we reach the bridge, we shall cross it. Let us analyse what Modi’s manifesto has promised to the voting citizens of Gujarat and if he will be financially in a position to fulfill his election promises. Professor Dholakia, former Head of IIM, Ahmedabad categorically said that Modi did not promise the moon to the crying children. He has only said that he would build a large number of houses for those who have no shelter overhead. He has been doing just that since he came to power a decade ago and has the wherewithal to carry on with his pet project of Housing for the homeless in the next five years too. Modi has been wise enough not to promise subsidized rate rice or gruel in another form where the government foots the bill because being a pragmatist he knows that the state exchequer could ill-afford do that. At the same time, it must be said in Modi’s favour that he had dished out something of everything for everyone. The electorate did not expect more because they know that Modi would make an announcement to dole out a subsidy only when he knows that he would not have to retract his promise and eat his hat. It is the Truthfulness of Modi and his desire to swim or sink with his fellow six crore Gujaratis that has made him a darling boy of the electorate. He shall continue to be so as long as he does not deceive his country and compatriots. FRIENDS RALLY FOES IN A SHAMBLES A gentleman who just now returned from Gujarat aptly described Shri Amin’s resignation from the Congress party and subsequent walk over to the BJP just about ten days before Gujarat was to go to polls as Rahul Gandhi’s Waterloo in Gujarat. It was precisely this fear and the inability to keep rank and file of demoralized followers intact that has kept Prince Charming out of the rough and tumble of electoral dogfight so far. In fact the Prince had lost the battle before it began and his deputies were too feeble to bear the cavalry charge of a determined commander like Narendra Modi. Who will win the laurels? Well, the writing is on the wall and any wise man or woman may read it. The writer of this political piece will not be accused of exaggeration if he writes that Indian National Congress handed over the crown of Gujarat to the Bhartiya Janata Party on a silver platter. Now it fits their Samurai warrior and he not only enjoys wearing it but plans to make it bigger to include the rest of India symbolically for the time being. It would be indeed appropriate to make a mention of Modi’s political party companion rallying round him like a Greek Phalanx in battlefield. It gave the commander, Narendra Modi, a solid support sans desertion or revolt and he could plan and execute a heavy cavalry charge that the foot soldiers of the enemy camp found it difficult to withstand, what to say of repulsing it or blunting their lances. Experienced stalwarts of many bloody battles like Lal Krishna Advani, Arun Jaitley, Venkayyah Naidu were all there to make plans for the final kill, at least on the drawing board. Among them were archers, gunners, infanteers, army engineers who knew their jobs in the battlefield backwards. Battle experiences had hardened their resolve to engage the enemy in a chakravyuh and tire him out before launching the final assault with a loud and blood chilling battle cry invoking the Dharm Yudh principles to demoralize the enemy who had many an Adharm yudh to his discredit. How demoralized the Congress camp was could be made out from the fact that Rahul Gandhi, the commander-in-chief designate of the final phase of Mahabharat to be fought on 2014 was conspicuous by his total absence from the battle of Gujarat in 2013. The Congress party President showed her presence to own troops just once. It indeed did not send a good signal down the rank and file whose morale was sagging more and more day by day. RANI JHANSI BRIGADE Rani Jhansi Brigade has been raised by Narendra Modi by capturing the hearts and minds of women of Gujarat. The Chief, a bachelor social worker, knew that the Women were more than half the Heaven. To win the final war in 2014, it was essential to have the determined Mahila Mandal transformed into a Rani Jhansi Regiment to beat the British in their own game. When Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose took over the command of the INA he implemented the old plan of raising a Mahila Brigade. It was a roaring success. Narendra Modi followed suit in Gujarat. He announced in his manifesto that 30,000 jobs would be created and offered to suitable ladies of Gujarat. The female electorate believed in his word and is rallying round the BJP offering full support for a final victory. The opposite camp is bereft of such a support from the other half of the vast sky. Buch, an articulate spokesman of the Congress party was quiet on these issues as he knew where did the mistakes lie and unfortunately no remedial action worth the name was in hand. His one line counterattack comprised just one sentence that Modi’s SANKALP PATRA WAS JUST A PACK OF LIES. However, the listeners and viewers of the electronic media programme realized in the heart of their hearts that what Buch said repeatedly merely revealed a bankruptcy of far-reaching plans as well as energy and WILL to move forward to achieve the goal. Narendra Modi has not only issued his SANKALP PATRA BUT ALSO IDENTIFIED THE LAKSHYA FOR THE Mahabharat of 2014. Modi has determination to proceed towards his lakshya and attain his goal come rain come shine. Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM Mobile : 0091-9811173590. UPVAN 609, Sector 29, NOIDA -201303, BHARAT (INDIA) Email : sawantg.chitranjan@gmail.com