Dear Members,
A Happy New Year 2016!
Time changes everything. Time is insurmountable, incomprehensible. Time is short and Time is infinite. Time cannot be owned, it is that which we cannot hoard. Our relationship with time changes our relationship with life itself. Time is the sphere in which all that we know appears and vanishes. New beginnings appear in time and endings seem to stop time.
On the Christmas Eve we lost a person to whom BCAS meant a lot. Shri Narayan Varma, our president in 1978- 79, was a bedrock of support and a fountainhead of inspiration to the Society. He contributed to the activities of the Society in every way possible, for BCAS was so dear to his heart. He carvednew pathways, innovative events and programs and was a living example of what dedication meant. I remember, one day he came to a BCAS committee meeting after being discharged from the hospital the same day or a day before, after a long and serious condition he had undergone treatment for. In spite of his age, experience and seniority he was always approachable and happy to help. Each time I met him, he had a new idea about what we can do at the Society. But he never stopped at giving suggestions alone, he would make things happen. He was relentless, offering voluntary services to several institutions through his time, ideas and money, to initiatives that could result in larger well being of all. We all know him for his remarkable contribution to RTI activities, Shri Narayan Varma authored books, arranged events, ran free RTI clinic, and joined hands with other likeminded institution to foster RTI . BCAS salutes his generous and active voluntary service of more than 5 decades in several roles – as office bearer, president, publisher of BCA Journal, trustee of BCAS Foundation, a member of the managing committee for the longest ever and as someone who was there always, and in all ways.
South India floods & Climate Change
Our hearts go out to people in Tamil Nadu, where several hundred people lost their lives. BCAS launched its fund raising drive to support relief efforts. Many people responded instantly and contributed generously. We are grateful for your support.
Such catastrophe brings into focus the issue of climate change that is likely to affect more than 800 million people in India. A more common sense, urgent and simple solution is what we need. It is said that nearly 2/3 of permissible emission target for the 21st century is already crossed and Homo sapiens continue to poison the roots of its own survival. There is a lot of talk about saving our planet. However, earth does not really need us. Earth has survived millions of years and is more intelligent than our species which has evolved from it. What is needed is – for us to save ourselves.
As I write, December 2015 witnessed devastating floods in the UK too, estimated to have caused damages of more than £ 1.5b. Texas was hit by a tornado during the Christmas weekend. This Christmas has been one of the warmest ever in several parts of the world. Blizzards, storms, floods, tornadoes, forest fires, are some common words we read in news. Our obsession with the word economy and careless disregard for ecology has brought us to the edge not far from a chasm that is deep and dangerous. Although, etymologically, both words come from the root ECO (Oikos, in greek) which means home. Today’s economists still ‘manage’ our home without understanding what ‘home’ is. Unfortunately, all this is making a large number of people walk on the knife’s edge, making us believe we can dodge warning signs that are loud, visible and eloquent. Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day wrote, “The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans andbiodiversity. That’s all there is. That’s the whole economy. These biological systems are the sustaining wealth of the world.” Money as the sole measure of growth seems like a silly, absurd and bizarre proposition. Until we end the rule of money, we are stuck in the reverse gear. Like Pope Francis told the World Economic Forum in 2014 – “I ask you to ensure that humanity is served by wealth and not ruled by it”
Many paradigms of ‘growth’ are redundant to the extent that they are misleading. The theme of more and more money, as the pre dominant measure of ‘success’, is leading our species towards the edge of its own destruction. The paradigms of development propounded by the ‘developed’ world have become sure pathways to trouble. In the coming years, India will have to work towards paving a road that is simple and straight. Recent news about one Mr. Manoj Bhargav, bringing out a solution where through cycling one can generate enough power to light a rural household is heartening. India has several innovations that can be quickly implemented and are affordable, and we hope this can be one such solution that will serve our rural brethren. When asked, what he considered as important attributes of such innovations, Manoj said – common sense and a sense of urgency.
A new year is a time to reflect, refresh and re-chart the course of life. It is that time, a threshold that is filled with opportunity, anticipation and fresh perspectives to be explored. I hope we can take up at least three things, one to work on ourselves, one to work for our fellow men and one to improve our personal and family’s environmental record. May the New Year bring peace, love and joy and may you be its mascot in your circle of influence
As I write, December 2015 witnessed devastating floods in the UK too, estimated to have caused damages of more than £ 1.5b. Texas was hit by a tornado during the Christmas weekend. This Christmas has been one of the warmest ever in several parts of the world. Blizzards, storms, floods, tornadoes, forest fires, are some common words we read in news. Our obsession with the word economy and careless disregard for ecology has brought us to the edge not far from a chasm that is deep and dangerous. Although, etymologically, both words come from the root ECO (Oikos, in greek) which means home. Today’s economists still ‘manage’ our home without understanding what ‘home’ is. Unfortunately, all this is making a large number of people walk on the knife’s edge, making us believe we can dodge warning signs that are loud, visible and eloquent. Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day wrote, “The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans and biodiversity. That’s all there is. That’s the whole economy. These biological systems are the sustaining wealth of the world.” Money as the sole measure of growth seems like a silly, absurd and bizarre proposition. Until we end the rule of money, we are stuck in the reverse gear. Like Pope Francis told the World Economic Forum in 2014 – “I ask you to ensure that humanity is served by wealth and not ruled by it”
Many paradigms of ‘growth’ are redundant to the extent that they are misleading. The theme of more and more money, as the pre dominant measure of ‘success’, is leading our species towards the edge of its own destruction. The paradigms of development propounded by the ‘developed’ world have become sure pathways to trouble. In the coming years, India will have to work towards paving a road that is simple and straight. Recent news about one Mr. Manoj Bhargav, bringing out a solution where through cycling one can generate enough power to light a rural household is heartening. India has several innovations that can be quickly implemented and are affordable, and we hope this can be one such solution that will serve our rural brethren. When asked, what he considered as important attributes of such innovations,
Manoj said – common sense and a sense of urgency.
A new year is a time to reflect, refresh and re-chart the course of life. It is that time, a threshold that is filled with opportunity, anticipation and fresh perspectives to be explored. I hope we can take up at least three things, one to work on ourselves, one to work for our fellow men and one to improve our personal and family’s environmental record. May the New Year bring peace, love and joy and may you be its mascot in your circle of influence.
