DISCOVERING THE CITIZEN WITHIN

“Empty your cups and rediscover yourself” said one of the initial slides shown in the recently conducted Citizen SBI programme. I looked around for cups but found bottles instead on the table (innovative ways to prevent you from taking the statement literally). The next few slides had some thought provoking words like enlightened self interest, spirit of excellence, spirit of service and so on. I began to wonder, are these reflective words really a part of my system, a part of my cup?

But thanks to the design team, it takes the script forward unfolding concepts like tree of fulfillment, joy of contribution and many other interesting facets. Within two days, this programme touches your heart, it awakens your brain and redirects your eyes to your inner self. In the rat race today we tend to look at everyone, everywhere and everything around and afar but we forget to look at ourselves, the closest one. This programme is a wonderful concept of awakening oneself, a speed breaker in our mad rush to rush all the time.

The case studies, role plays used may be just examples but every participant could identify with it, could fit oneself somewhere in it either in personal or professional life. Each one of us has been Amar, Akbar or Anthony (characters in one of the case studies) at some point of time, in some relationship. It’s circumstantial and situational.  The case study reflected our quest at moving from Good(Amar) to Better(Akbar) to the Best(Anthony).  We have to look for the grey shades of Amar within us, in our relationships, in our behavior.  We need to set Anthony as the benchmark so that we can touch the heights of atleast Akbar.

Citizen SBI is designed innovatively to encourage the ‘citizens’ of the bank to participate actively, to act, to react, to speak up, to suggest and more importantly to reflect within.   It is an ideal sequel to the Parivartan programme which set the ball rolling by encouraging employee participation through a series of workshops seeking employee feedback and making them feel a part of the Organisational change that was happening in the Bank.   If Parivartan was Organisational Development, Citizen SBI is a step forward - Organisational Development through People Development .

This forum was used as a platform to shed our inhibitions. People came with different mindsets to the programme.   Some with apprehensions, some with prejudices and some with a positive attitude of learning something new.   For a few, it was a break from the monotonous office work, to exterminate their stress and rejuvenate themselves.   Kudos to the Design Team for structuring the programme in such a way so as to ensure breaking the ice, encouraging, mingling and cross-fertilization of groups.   This led to the spirit of team bonding, networking, and developing of new relationships with unknown colleagues.  

The structure of the programme was devised with a lot of thought put behind to ensure that there was constant interaction between teams and it did not have the monotony of a one way training session.   Listening was important but participating, interacting and reflecting was more important. The constant churning of groups, activities involving each and every person in the group was exemplary.  

As the day progressed, we felt each individual blossomed, opening up through the activities he participated in.   I remember a member in my group who was an extremely shy person, introverted, inhibited and probably low on confidence and had never participated in any formal workshops/role plays earlier. Not used to the participative kind of training made him bit queasy. The first activity that was to be carried out was to narrate an incident in your life which shows the shades of citizen in you.   The entire group started discussing, but our man's contribution was restricted to only smiling and nodding.   We could see he wanted to participate but there was something in him that was pulling him back. Dilemma of what if he says something wrong, fear of being ridiculed but an intense wish to be a part of it.

Under the effective guidance and handholding of facilitators and encouragement from his group members, he played a major part in the role play, so much so that he crossed the time limit given.   His childlike enthusiasm and new found vigor was so captivating that none had the heart to stop him and he went on and on. And at the end of the role play, the radiance on his face was full of exuberance. His face glowed under the applause he received for his performance.   It gave him immense confidence and happiness. His search for inner fruits had begun at that very moment.

The great Greek philosopher Aristotle had stated that ‘Happiness’ is the only true inner fruit that a human looks for. We do have other values like family, freedom, joy, money, status, security, growth, wisdom, truth, sense of identity and belonging, dignity and virtue.   But finally, it all centers on ‘The Happiness’ of the person, the inner fruits that he gets, the intrinsic value that he is in search of. So much of importance is given to the material needs that our intrinsic needs get overlooked. These two days gave us time to introspect, analyze the layers of façade that we have put on for years together, to question the basic purpose of our existence.    It helped us distinguish between our extrinsic and intrinsic needs, define and reset our values.

Citizen SBI is truly a positive attitudinal transformation programme.   It shows us a path towards Positive Contribution with a combination of Head & Heart which activates our left and right brain representing logic and emotions within us. Yes, at the end of this two day session I felt I had emptied my cup and got a larger cup only to be filled with inner fruits, fruits of joy, fruits of happiness, fruits of contentment and fruits of inner peace……

I have begun my journey to discover the citizen within me…

Veena Kamat

Senior Assistant

LHO Mumbai

“CONTACT ME FOR ANY HELP”

Mr. Vivek Rege, Chief Manager, SBI, Mulund (W) branch, Mumbai, proved to be a pleasant helping hand today, when he received a call for enquiry, though the matter didn’t pertain to his branch.

It all happened when an S.O.S was received by us, from an officer of Bank of India, seeking help in case of a cheque for Rs. 3 lacs, collected by one of our branches, where the drawer of the cheque, being a customer of BOI, has alleged that the payment has not reached the payee.

Repeated calls to our branches and attended by some staff didn’t help. It appeared that all the efforts would go a waste and that we would fail in extending any help to a fellow officer of BOI, who was already undergoing tension in the matter and was passing sleepless nights.

Fortunately, the lady who picked up the phone at Mulund(w) branch today, decided to connect the call to Mr. Rege, who initially, with the available information, confirmed that the account was not with them. In the same breath and in a pleasant and polite tone he said, “If you need any help you can contact me”. Those magic words were like a light at the end of the tunnel that gave hope and the feeling that solution was at hand.

In a few minutes, later, after getting additional information in the matter, when Mr. Rege was contacted, he verified the particulars on CBS and contacted the branch where the account was maintained, spoke to the BM, got the necessary particulars and instead of transferring the call as is done normally, he went ahead to provide all the details needed, himself, going from one screen to another on his terminal, throughout depicting a lot of patience and calm, combined with true professionalism. Indeed it was a joy to talk to Mr. Rege.

It is not common to have staff members, who can empathize with the problems of others and help to the maximum extent possible, without getting irritated at the repeated calls, despite going through a hectic schedule themselves.

Thank you, Mr. Rege. It is only Citizens like you in SBI who give the glow to its Brand Name.

Contributed By Ms. Harina, Faculty, SBLC, Indore

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

A Review by Dipankar

I resisted reading The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma for a long time because I thought the title was gimmicky. I realized that I was being closed to new ideas by literally judging a book by its cover and title so I picked up the book. I’m glad that I read it as it gave me access to age-old wisdom in a easy-to-read fable.

The book is about Julian Mantle, a high-profile lawyer who collapses in the middle of a trial and decides to find the purpose of life by traveling to the Himalayas where he meets a group of sages who impart their wisdom to him via a fable.

The fable starts in a magnificent garden with a lighthouse in the middle of the grounds. Out of the lighthouse walks a 9 foot tall 900-pound Sumo wrestler who is naked except for a pink wire cable covering his privates. He slips and falls on a stopwatch that’s been lying on the floor and loses consciousness. However, the wrestler wakes up to the fresh fragrance of yellow roses coming from a distance. He looks over and then discovers that there is a diamond-studded pathway which he takes.


The Magnificent Garden Represents Our Mind







 
 











1.Nurture the mind daily.

2.Only let positive thoughts into your mind.

3.Mind can be mastered through concentration and a useful technique is to practice the “heart of the rose” every morning. This entails focusing on the heart of a fresh rose and improving concentration of mind everyday.

4.Spend time in the morning visualizing what you plan to become.


The Lighthouse Signifies Our Purpose of Life

1.Life is finite so it is important to concentrate on your life’s main purpose.

2.Find something you love and do it with focus and passion.

3.Goals and objectives can be achieved through a 5 step process.

1.Envision vividly what you desire.

2.Apply some positive pressure or stress. For example, a public declaration of your goal.

3.Put the goals on paper with appropriate timelines. Get a dreambook and divide into sections like health and wealth. Paste pictures and look at this book everyday.

4.Apply the magic “rule of 21″. That is to practice the new habit for 21 days to install it permanently into your system.

5.Laugh, love and live everyday passionately.


The Sumo Wrestler Represents KAIZEN

1.This entails – building strength of character, developing mental toughness and living with courage.

2.The mind, body and soul needs to be improved in unison.

3.The only limits of your life are the ones you set yourself daily.

4.Kaizen means the never ending and daily improvement of oneself. It signifies pushing the boundaries to develop mind, body and spirit in spite of fear, adversity and discomfort.


There are 10 rituals to practice Kaizen everyday:

1.Ritual of Solitude: This is a mandatory period of silence by yourself for self-renewal. It can span from 15 minutes to an hour and preferably in a place that’s close to nature.

2.Ritual of Physicality: This means exercising and breathing effectively.

3.Ritual of Live Nourishment: Eating live foods that are created by the interaction of sun, water and soil. Partaking of vegetables, grains and fruits.

4.Ritual of Abundant Knowledge: Reading (studying) regularly for 30 minutes a day. The reading material should develop you as a person. Examples of good reading include books like The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Think and Grow Rich!, Gandhi An Autobiography, Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, Letters from a Stoic – Seneca and Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

5.Ritual of Personal Reflection: Contemplate every night before bed to identify which experiences of your day has been positive or negative. Everyday strive to improve on the positive and eliminate the negative experiences.

6.Ritual of Early Morning Awakening: Rise with the morning sun everyday as we sleep too much in any case. 6 hours of restful sleep is better than 10 hours of disturbed sleep.

7.Ritual of Music: Never underestimate the power of music to uplift and motivate yourself everyday.

8.Ritual of the Spoken Word: The spoken word is powerful. For example, sages use mantras to create a positive frame of mind. Mantras can be used in any area like health, relationships, spiritual, wealth, etc…

9.Ritual of Congruent Character: This can be a daily actions to develop the character by developing the virtues of industry, compassion, humility, patience, honesty and courage.

10.Ritual of Simplicity: Live a simple uncluttered life by eliminating the unimportant and focusing on the IMPORTANT.


Pink Wire Cable Signifies Discipline

1.A wire cable consists of many tiny strings woven together. The strings by itself is weak but together when they form the cable it is strong.

2.Will-power and discipline are like the strings that need to be woven together to make it strong.

3.Discipline and self-control is the act of controlling the mind and this can be done by replacing weak and negative thoughts with strong and positive ones.

4.Control your thoughts, control your mind, control your life and become the master of your destiny.

5.A formula to develop discipline and self-control is to chant the mantra with visualization – “I am more than I appear to be. All the world’s strength and power rest inside me.”


The Stopwatch Represents TIME

Time is the most important commodity of our lives and we have to learn how to make the most of our time on earth.

1.Time is finite and live must be lived to its fullest potential.

2.Time mastery is the basis of life mastery.

3.Plan daily/weekly to manage time creatively and focus on the most important aspects.

4.Remember the 80/20 Principle – 80% of the results are generated by 20% of effort.

5.Do not let others steal time. Develop the ability to say no to little things so that you get the power to say YES to important things.

6.Simplify life to be able to focus on the important things of life.

7.Develop a death-bed mentality. What would you do today if it was the last day of your life? Even leaders like Steve Jobs practice the death-bed mentality.

8.Always do things as if failure is not an option and success will be assured.

9.Never be a prisoner of the past but be the architect of the future.


Fragrance of Fresh Yellow Roses Signifies Service

1.Serve people daily and show random acts of kindness because the hand that serves roses to others retains some of the fragrance.

2.Abundance of mental ability, boundless energy, unlimited creativity, a storehouse of discipline and a well-spring of peacefulness are gifts that you need to develop in yourself in order to share it with others.

3.Cultivate friends and nurture family. Develop an optimistic outlook of life.


Diamond Studded Pathway Represents Enlightened Living

1.Live an enlightened, joyous and rewarding life. Live in the NOW and live fully.

2.Live fully. Happiness is a journey not a destination.

3.Always remember that the path you are walking on right now is beautiful and studded with diamonds. Always live in the appreciation of the NOW.

4.Savor the NOW with family and friends. Enjoy every moment of the NOW. Living everyday in the NOW is the path to Nirvana

5.Practice the act of GRATITUDE everyday.

6.Follow the path of your dream and celebrate everyday as your dreams come true.

7.Be content in the NOW and do not hurry through life.

8.Everyone is unique and a wonder. A gift to the world. Build yourself little by little everyday.


courtesy: Kuzzuk Singapore

'' माइक्रो - पोस्ट ''

'' मनुष्य पुरुषार्थ का पुतला है और उसकी सामर्थ्य और शक्ति का अंत नहीं है । वह बड़े से बड़े संकटों से लड़ सकता है और असंभव के बीच संभव की अभिनव किरणें उत्पन्न कर सकता है । शर्त यहीं है की वह अपने को समझे और अपनी सामर्थ्य को मूर्त रूप देने के लिए साहस को कार्यान्वित करें . ''

---किसने कहा ---आप बताएं ?

-जय प्रकाश पाण्डेय

माइक्रो फाइनेंस शाखा ,भोपाल

One-stop shop to manage aid

In times of natural disasters, it is natural to want to help. If you don’t know where to go, there is help on hand.

CSO Partners (Civil Society Organisation Partners), a Chennai-based non-profit organisation, has started a web-based supply chain management system called Corporate Disaster Resource Network (CDRN) to enable aid and relief reaching faster in the wake of calamities.

CDRN links NGOs, public and corporates through a combination of online and offline channels to ensure that the needy are attended at the earliest, officials of CSO said.

In calamities and disasters such as the recent cyclone in West Bengal, the maximum amount of funds come from corporates as part of their corporate social responsibility. However, it is a long while before these funds percolate to the affected parties.

The CDRN initiative would help to link up aid from different sources, such as the public, NGOs and corporates, and reach it to the affected areas.

This platform is expected to provide transparency in the entire supply chain and not just the donation part, said CSO Partners officials.

For instance, just the information that certain medicines are available in bulk with a corporate may at times not be good enough. These medicines need to be physically collected, transported to the right place and made available to the affected people promptly.

“The basic purpose is to make life easier for the disaster-hit, by cutting down on the number of channels and making available goods and services required in a way which ensure timely help,” Soumitra Ghosh, CEO, CSO Partners.

“The largest benefit of this service is for the first responders that is the governments and civil society organisations, during calamities. The flow chart of relief fund – donations can be traced at any given point in time detailing the requirements at ground level thus providing a ray of hope for those who have been suddenly struck in a calamity,” he added.

CDRN, he said, fosters visibility to the supply chain by giving a chance for all to pour in contributions in terms of donations or volunteering.

HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times

You always have a choice

Any change, any loss, does not make us victims. Others can shake you, surprise you, disappoint you, but they can't prevent you from acting, from taking the situation you're presented with and moving on. No matter where you are in life, no matter what your situation, you can always do something. You always have a choice and the choice can be power.

•

Blaine Lee  

सहजता, सरलता, सम्पन्नता

Teejan Bai talks about herself and her art 

तीजन बाई को सब जानते हैं। लोग कहते-लिखते हैं तीजन बाई बहुत बड़ी इंटरनेशनल फेम लोक कलाकार है। पंडवानी पर अपनी विशेष अदायगी के लिए वे पदमश्री से भी नवाजी जा चुकी हैं, पर तीजन बाई को अपनी उपलब्धियों का जरा सा भी गुरूर नहीं है। अपने बारे में, अपनी कला के बारे में और अपने देस के बारे में वे क्या सोचती हैं, जानिए उन्हीं की जुबानी…

ईमानदारी से कहूं मैं आज भी गांव की औरत हूं। सब काम करती हूं। सब्जी बनाती हूं। चटनी बनाती हूं। धान मिंजाई व ओसाई भी कर लेती हूं। आप अपने मन ही बतावो मैं कहां से बड़ी हूं। मेरे दिल में कुछ नहीं है …ऊंच-नीच, गरीब-अमीर कुछ नहीं, मैं सभी से एक जैसे ही मिलती हूं। बात करती हूं। बच्चों बूढ़ों के बीच बैठ जाती हूं। इससे दुनियादारी की कुछ बातें सीखने तो मिलती है और अनुभव भी बाढ़थे। ऎसे में कोई कुछ-कह बोल भी दे तब भी बुरा नहीं लगता। खराब छपने का भी बुरा नहीं मानती।

भोपाल के एक पत्रकार ने छापा था कि तीजनबाई डिस्को डांस के समान पंडवानी करती है, ओव्हर मेकअप करती है, ओव्हर पहनती है, वैसा लोक कलाकार को नहीं करना चाहिए। ऎसा बुरा छपने का भी बुरा नहीं लगा… पर सोचना चाहिए, आदिवासी औरतें आज भी कुछ नहीं पहनती, लुगरा पहनती हैं बिना बेलाउज के रहती है। बीड़ी फूंकती हैं, सुट्टा लगाती हैं… मैं भी पहले गांव में ऎसे ही रहती थी। लेकिन आज युग बदल गया है आज मैं जो पहन रही हूँ वह कैसे ओव्हर हो गया सलवार सूट भी तो मैंने नहीं पहनी, न पहलूंगी, साड़ी-पोलखा पहनती हूं। मेकअप का ये सामान देखो, इसमें क्या, पाउडर- क्रीम और बोरोलीन ही तो है क्या ये फुल मेकअप है! मैं पूछती हूं क्या काजर लगाना, टिकली-माहूर सजाना, मांग में सिंदूर भरना, बारों महीना हाथ पर चूडी़ पहरना कैसे ओव्हर है भाइ! मैं आज भी एक टेम बोरे बासी (रात में पका चावल पानी में डालकर) और टमामर की चटनी खाती हूं।मेरे घर में एक टेम सभी बासी खाते हैं। लोग पूछते-बोलते हैं, तीजनबाई कुछ नाश्ता किया करो तो मैं बोलती हूँ आप अपने मन का नाश्ता करते हो तो मैं बासी क्यों नहीं खा सकती क् भई, बोरे-बासी छत्तीसगढ़ का अमृत है… जौउन ला खाके हम अन जितना काम कर सकते हैं उतना दूसरा भोजन या नाश्ता करके नहीं किया जा सकता। बासी के सामने शराब का नशा भी कुछ नहीं है।

बिदेस खूब घूम डाली हूं, पर अपना देस अलग है वहाँ एक टाइप की कला है यहां विविध कलाएं हैं। मैं धार्मिक सिनेमा को छोड़कर दूसरा कोई सिनेमा भी नहीं देखती, किसी हीरो-हीरोइन को भी नहीं जानती। बचपन में जब दो रोटी भी घर में नहीं थी फिल्म कहां से देखती। पदमश्री मिलने का दिन आज भी मोर सुरता में है, वेंकटरमनजी ने दिया था। उसी दिन इंदिरा गांधी से भी मिली थी बहुत अच्छी लगी, उन्होंने मेरी पंडवानी सुनी थी। मुझे बुलाकर बोली- छत्तीसगढ़ की हो ना। मैने हाँ कहा तो इंदिरा बोली महाभारत करती हो तो मैं बोली पंडवानी सुनाती हूं महाभारत नहीं कराती, सुनकर इंदिराजी खुश हुई और मेरी पीठ थपथपाई थीं।

युग बदल गया तो मैं भी बदल गई लेकिन इतनी नहीं बदली कि लोग अंगुली उठाएं। मैं जो पहनती हूं वही पूरा छत्तीसगढ़ है, अऊ मोर छत्तीसगढ़ के ये श्रृंगार है। यह बुरा कैसे हो सकता है। रही बात डिस्को की, मैं कभी डिस्को नहीं देखती। किसी स्कूल के प्रोग्राम में चीफ गेस्ट बना देते हैं तो देखती हूं छोटे-छोटे लइका लइकी को डिस्को करते, बच्चों का डिस्को करना अच्छा लगता है पर हमारी लोककला में जो बात है वह बिदेशी नाच-गाना में नही। बिदेशी नाच में कमर जरूर हिलबे , अऊ हमार लोककला में दिल हिलबेे। लोककला के बारे में कछू कहना-लिखना आसान है। लेकिन, एला बचाने में बहुत मेहनत करनी पड़ेगी। अब मेरी अपनी ही बात बताऊं पंडवानी में करांति आ गई है फिर भी मेरे अपने घर में मेरी लोककला का कोई का बस में नहीं है। अच्छी-खासी फौज है बहू-बेटा, नाती पोतों की, पर कोई भी पंडवानी से जुड़ा नहीं है। इसका मुझे कोई दुख भी नहीं है। बाहर कोई कलाकार तो होगा उसे तैयार करूंगी और अपनी कला देकर जाऊंगी, जिसमें प्रतिभा होगी। मेरे बच्चे आज वो सब कर रहे हैं जो मैं नहीं कर पाई यानी मैं एक किलास (क्लास) भी नहीं पढ़ पाई। पढ़ाई न करने का कोई दुख भी नहीं है। हो सकता है पढ़-लिख लेती तो शायद लोककला से नहीं जुड़ पाती।

प्रस्तुति -जय प्रकाश पाण्डेय

माइक्रो फाइनेंस शाखा , भोपाल

'Payroll donation' on a roll

In an effort to provide their employees with a way to satiate their social consciousness, organisations are initiating innovative ways through which they can encourage their employees to be socially-responsible citizens

‘I wish I could do something for the society, but I have so little time!’ Does this statement ring a bell? It very well does, as this is what every working professional thinks and tries to get away guilt free when it comes to fulfilling his/her social obligations towards the society in general. We also con ourselves into believing that there is nothing that we can do except sign a cheque or donate clothes the next time a tsunami or earthquake comes up in some part of the country.

However, sit back and re-evaluate the above statements, as they are all a thing of the past. What we are telling you is that there is an easy way to not just donate a particular sum of money from your monthly salary to a charity of your choice, but also track how every rupee has been spent - that too from your desk? Think it’s a scam? It isn’t. It's called payroll giving (PRG).

“Payroll giving is a wonderful way to provide employees with an opportunity to give back to the society; monthly deductions provide employees with the ease of donating through small amounts. The list of options provided to employees helps them plan their donation based on what they wish to contribute. The options provided cover all areas of target and intervention, thus allowing the employee to choose a cause that he/she believes in,” says Mandeep Maitra, country head, HR and CSR, HDFC Bank. Talking more on the topic of payroll giving/donation, Shruti Tandon, manager HR, Nagarro Software Pvt Ltd says, “It’s a noble idea, which enables us to fulfil our social responsibilities at a time when life is so fast that even though we have an inclination to extend a helping hand towards others, because of a lack of time and correct platform, we are unable to do so. Giving a small portion of one’s salary satisfies in part the social urge of the employee and in the process, helps the community at large.”

In case an employee is interested in the PRG programme of the organisation, all he/she needs to do is approach your boss or the management and let them get in touch with organisations like Give India, United Way and Charities Aid Foundation, which are affiliated to various NGOs and charities. Once the programme has been set up in your organisation, you can get started. Every month, your employer deducts a specified sum from your salary and hands it over to the organisation for disbursal to the designated charity. All donations are completely voluntary and you have full control over the amount you want to give.

To make this practice a success, the organisation too has to take steps, which will encourage the employee to play his/her role towards ensuring the betterment of the society. “All efforts are made to create awareness about the payroll giving programme. The details along with the registration form are included in the joining kit and also hosted on the bank’s intranet. Regular mailers and updates are sent out and drives are carried out in hub locations,” says Maitra.

The employees receive regular updates on how their money has been spent and the impact that the contribution has made. For instance, if you sponsor a child's education, you will be informed of his/her progress through the school. Besides the feedback, the accountability and transparency, not to mention the tax benefits: either 50 per cent or 100 per cent under Section 80G, depending on the NGO you choose, built into the process, also helps assuage fears about one’s money being misused.“Since it’s a voluntary program, employees are free to choose the quantum of contribution and also the amount. It varies depending on the nature of the event towards which the contribution is made and the satisfaction the employee gets that his/her funds are not being misused,” says Tandon.

Talking about examples where the funds of the employees can be used, Ramesh Gajaraju, senior. manager information systems and head, community services, Novell Software Development (I) Pvt. Ltd says, “Generally, when there is a distinct cause, our employees become more active towards the PRG programme. For example: during the floods that hit Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh last year, we managed to donate a handsome sum to the HOPE foundation of which the payroll donation amount was more than 50 per cent of the total amount. However, in our monthly payroll donation programme, no discreet cause is known to the employee. We motivate them through our various CSR activities that keep taking place on a regular basis.”

However, in this time of job hopping, what happens to the amount donated every month, in case the employee decides to switch his/her job from one company to another? In the case where a person moves from a company that has a PRG programme to another one that doesn’t, PRG consultants allow him/her to continue contributions from his/her bank account. So there is nothing much to worry about even if you decide to switch jobs or careers, as you can still do your bit for the human race. So all you have to be armed with is a will to do good for someone else and the inclination to part with a small amount of money from your total salary.

Vinnie Bhadra / timesascent.in

परिवर्तन का फल CITIZEN SBI

पूरे जमाने में  आज परिवर्तन का दौर चला है,
इसीलिए SBI ने आज अपना  रंग रूप बदला है.

पूरी Banking Industry में छाने का उसका कदम अगला है,
इस परिवर्तन में  जो शामिल न हो वो पगला है.

CITIZEN SBI का अंदाज अलबेला है,
सभी Employees का इस training का Experience चुलबुला है.

सलाम है ऐसी  संस्था को, जो कर्मचारी का चाहती भला है,
इसके इरादे को कोई हिला सके, ऐसी  न कोई  बला है.

Customer और कर्मचारी के सहयोग से State Bank फूला-फला है,
दो सौ साल से Number One रहने का जारी उसका सिलसिला है.

SBI मे अब हमको न कोई  शिकवा है न कोई गिला है,
क्योंकि हमको परिवर्तन और CITIZEN SBI जैसा training मिला है.

ये training  है Solid, न ये पानी का बुलबुला है,
आत्मविश्वास से भरा सबका चेहरा खिला है.

इसी training से हम में  उत्साह का नया रंग घुला है,
इसी training से हमारी सोच का नया आसमान खुला है.

परिवर्तन से हुआ है SBI में चारों ओर उजाला,
CITIZEN SBI से State Bank हुआ सबसे निराला.

- B L Raikar
Premises Officer, Regional Office -II, Surat

courtesy: colleague

Pillar of family

The story of Teejan Bai tells the story of woman who developed her own micro-enterprise after joining self help group

Name - Teejan Bai
Age - 38 years
Children- One daughter and one son
Block(Distt.)- Indore
Current Loan- Rs 25000/
Business- Grocery store owner, local milk trading

As a child , Teejan Bai was unable to attend school, due to financial burden of school fees. At a very young age she was married to santosh singh and since then she and her husband struggled day and night to earn their livelihood. Teejan Bai stitched clothes and earned Rs 40/ per day on the day that she had customers. Her husband operated an unsuccessful grocery store that provided them with Rs 20/per day.

They always wanted that their children should study but the barely survived, and hence the desire of sending the children to school was only like a dream for the couple. Teejan Bai joined self help group in her village. She did not want her children's life to follow the same path as her life. She invested her first loan Rs 2000/ in purchasing swing machine, after successful loan repayment to NGO APARAJITA MAHILA SAKH SAMITI MYDT, INDORE she took another loan for the family grocery store and purchased new stock of the store, which helped their business . State Bank Of India, MICRO FINANCE BRANCH, BHOPAL sanctioned a loan of Rs 47 lacs to Aparajita Mahila Sakh Samiti Maryadit for on-landing to SHGs . Then Aparajita sanctioned a loan to Teejan Bai for upliftment of her business .with third loan of Rs 15000/ she was able to further diversify their stock and increase their profits.

This increase in profit made possible for them to buy a refrigerator to store soft drink and other cold items. This made their store very popular and now they have one of most successful businesses in that village.She has invested a large portion of their profit in their daughter's education. She is now studying in 9th grade in district school and staying in a hostel. Teejan Bai wanted that she should continue to study and become Doctor, she does not want the financial crisis that prevented her from attending school to stop her daugther from continuing her education. Teejan Bai works hard at making her grocery store a success in order to provide her daughter with the schooling.

Then Teejan Bai took two subsequent loans of Rs 25000/ and Rs 35000/ for purchase of buffaloes, not only she herself is now self-employed but she also provided employment to her husband. Her husband now collects milk from small procedure in the village and sales it in the block headquarters.

Teejan Bai now planning to take another a big loan after completion of current loan for purchase of tent house as their village does not have any tent house for organizing marriages and ceremonies. Teejan Bai is grateful to State Bank of India, MICRO FINANCE BRANCH, BHOPAL for helping her in time of need by lending her collateral free money. She says the support that Micro Finance Branch has provided to her created a better future for her family.

-JAI PRAKASH PANDEY
MICRO FINANCE BRANCH, BHOPAL

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

By RICHARD BACH


The most celebrated inspirational fable of our time

This is a story for people who follow their dreams and make their own rules; a story that has inspired people for decades. 

For most seagulls, life consists simply of eating and surviving. Flying is just a means of finding food. However, Jonathan Livingston Seagull is no ordinary bird. For him, flying is life itself. Against the conventions of seagull society, he seeks to find a higher purpose and become the best at doing what he loves.


This is a fable about the importance of making the most of our lives, even if our goals run contrary to the norms of our flock, tribe or neighbourhood. Through the metaphor of flight, Jonathan’s story shows us that, if we follow our dreams, we too can soar.

PART ONE

It was morning, and the new sun sparkled gold across the ripples of a gentle sea and the word for Breakfast Flock flashed through the air, but, Jonathan Livingston Seagull was practicing to fly.

For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating. For this gull, though, it was not eating that mattered, but flight. There’s so much to learn! It wasn’t long before Jonathan Gull was off by himself again, far out at sea, hungry, happy, learning.

“I just want to know what I can do in the air and what I can’t, that’s all. I just want to know.” The subject was speed, and in a week’s practice he learned more about speed than the fastest gull alive.

But victory was short-lived. The instant he began his pull-out, the instant he changed the angle of his wings, he snapped into that same terrible uncontrolled disaster, and at ninety miles per hour it hit him like dynamite.

I am done with the way I was, I am done with everything I learned. I am a seagull like every other sea-gull, and I will fly like one, so he thought. There would be no ties now to force that had driven him to learn, there would be no more challenge and no more failure. And it was pretty, just to stop thinking, and fly through the dark, toward the lights above the beach.

Dark! But Seagulls never fly in the dark! By sunup, Jonathan Gull was practicing again. From five thousand feet the fishing boats were specks in the flat blue water. He was alive, trembling ever so slightly with delight, proud that his fear was under control. He spared no time that day for talk with other gulls, but flew on past sunset. He discovered the loop, the slow roll, the point roll, the inverted spin, the gull bunt, the pinwheel.

He thought, of the Breakthrough. How much more there is now to living! Instead of our drab slogging forth and back to the fishing boats, there’s a reason to life! We can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill. We can be free! We can learn to fly!

The years ahead hummed and glowed with promise. Who is more responsible than a gull that finds and follows a meaning, a higher purpose for life?

“For a thousand years we have scrabbled after fish heads, but now we have a reason to live — to learn, to discover, to be free! Give me one chance; let me show you what I’ve found ...” Jonathan addressed his flock.

“The Brotherhood is broken,” the gulls intoned together, and with one accord they solemnly closed their ears and turned their backs upon him.

His one sorrow was not solitude, it was that other gulls refused to believe the glory of flight that awaited them; they refused to open their eyes and see.

He learned more each day. He learned to sleep in the air, setting a course at night across the offshore wind, covering a hundred miles from sunset to sunrise. With the same inner control, he flew through heavy sea fogs and climbed above them into dazzling clear skies ... in the very times when every other gull stood on the ground, knowing nothing but mist and rain. What he had once hoped for the Flock, he now gained for himself alone; he learned to fly, and was not sorry for the price that he had paid.

Jonathan Seagull discovered that boredom and fear and anger are the reasons that a gull’s life is so short, and with these gone from his thought, he lived a long life indeed.

That day the two gulls that appeared at his wings were pure as starlight, and the glow from them was gentle and friendly in the high night air. “One school is finished, and the time has come for another to begin” said they.

They were right. He could fly higher, and it was time to go home. And Jonathan Livingston Seagull rose with the two star- bright gulls to disappear into a perfect dark sky.

PART TWO

So this is heaven, he thought, and he had to smile at himself. He saw that his own body was growing as bright as theirs. He began, delightedly, to learn about them, to press power into these new wings.

Sullivan was his guide. “You have any idea how many lives we must have gone through before we even got the first idea that there is more to life than eating, or fighting, or power in the Flock? The same rule holds for us now, of course: we choose our next world through what we learn in this one. Learn nothing, and the next world is the same as this one, all the same limitations and lead weights to overcome” said Sullivan.

“You will begin to touch heaven, Jonathan, in the moment that you touch perfect speed. And that isn’t flying a thousand miles an hour, or a million, or flying at the speed of light. Because any number is a limit and perfection doesn’t have limits. Perfect speed, my son, is being there.” said the Elder Gull, the senior instructor. “The gulls who scorn perfection for the sake of travel go nowhere. Those who put aside travel for the sake of perfection go any- where, instantly. Remember, Jonathan, heaven isn’t a place or a time, because place and time are so very meaningless.”

To fly as fast as thought to anywhere that is you must begin by knowing that you have already arrived. The trick according to Chiang was for Jonathan to stop seeing himself as trapped inside a limited body. The trick was to know that his true nature lived, as perfect as an unwritten number, everywhere at once across space and time.

“Forget about faith!” Chiang, trained by the Elder Gull, said it time and again. “You didn’t need faith to fly, you needed to understand flying.

“Why, that’s true! I am a perfect, unlimited gull!”

He felt a great shock of joy.

“You have less fear of learning than any gull. We can start working with time if you wish,” Chiang instructed the new learners, “till you can fly the past and the future. And then you will be ready to begin the most difficult, the most powerful, and the most fun of all. You will be ready to begin to fly up and know the meaning of kindness and of love.”

The gull sees farthest who flies highest.

And the more Jonathan practiced his kindness lessons and the more he worked to know the nature of true love, the more he wanted to go back to earth. For, in spite of his lonely past, he was born to be an instructor and his own way of demonstrating love was to give something of the truth that he had seen to a gull who asked only a chance to see truth for himself. He had to go back.

“If our friendship depends on things like space and time, then when we finally overcome space and time, we’ve destroyed our own brotherhood!” said Jonathan to a sighing Sullivan as they parted ways.

Next, Jonathan finds a learner in Fletcher to fly. “ Do you want to fly so much that you will forgive the Flock, and learn, and go back to them one day and work to help them know?” asked Jonathan to Fletcher Lynd Seagull, who was annoyed at his flock for refusing to learn to fly. Fletcher replied “ I do”.

PART THREE

“Each of us is in truth an idea of the Great Gull, an unlimited idea of freedom.” Jonathan would say in the evenings on the beach to his flock, “Precision flying is a step toward expressing our real nature. Everything that limits us we have to put aside. Your whole body, from wingtip to wingtip, is nothing more than your thought itself, in a form you can see. Break the chains of your thought, and you break the chains of your body, too ... you have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way.”

Why is it, Jonathan was puzzled, that the hardest thing in the world is to convince a bird that he is free, and that he can prove it for himself if he’d just spend a little time practicing? You don’t love hatred and evil, of course. You have to practice and see the real gull, the good in every one of them, and to help them see it in them-selves. “That’s what I mean by love. It’s fun, when you get the knack of it.”

Jonathan sighed and looked out to sea.

To Fletcher, he said kindly, “You don’t need me any longer. You need to keep finding yourself, a little more each day, that real, unlimited Fletcher Seagull. He’s your instructor. You need to understand him and to practice him.”

“Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding, find out what you already know, and you’ll see the way to fly.”

Jonathan Seagull had vanished into air.

Fletcher Gull had now a new brand of students. “To begin with,” Fletcher said heavily to them, “you’ve got to understand that a seagull is an unlimited idea of freedom, an image of the Great Gull, and your whole body, from wingtip to wingtip, is nothing more than your thought itself.”

And saying that, he understood, all at once that his friend Jonathan had quite honestly been no more divine, than Fletcher himself. He saw his students and liked what he saw. No limits Jonathan, he thought and smiled.

His race to learn had begun.

The author is a writer and pilot and has authored three books on the mystique of flying.

Condensed by Ms Harina, State Bank Learning Centre, Indore

‘I’M MARTINA’S 9 PM CALL!’

...says Leander Paes who checks up on his former tennis partner Martina Navratilova — diagnosed of breast cancer

By MARK MANUEL

Friends Forever - Martina Navratilova and Leander Paes

For Leander Paes, it’s payback time. Seven years ago, in June 2003, India’s most successful tennis player was diagnosed in Orlando, US, of having neurocysticercosis — a parasitic brain infection that took him off the tennis courts and landed him in hospital for six months. And the person who helped Leander pull through this black period and get back on his feet for a second innings, was his mixed doubles partner, the Czech-American tennis legend and former world No. 1 Martina Navratilova.

She was 46 then and he just 30, but together, Martina and Leander first won the Australian Open mixed doubles in 2003 and then Wimbledon. Their partnership spilled off the court and developed into a close friendship. And it got its first real expression when Leander lay in hospital facing a bleak future with suspected brain tumor. At that time, Martina was there for the Indian tennis ace. And in a tribute to their friendship, she refused to play the US Open mixed doubles in August 2003 with any other player.

Now it’s Leander’s turn to return the favour. Martina, you know, was diagnosed in February of having breast cancer. The devastated tennis champion said, “It was like my personal 9/11, it knocked me on my ass!” She got a lumpectomy done. But Martina hid the news from the world until last week when she went live on television to tell other women to have regular checks — and not make the mistake of putting them off as she had. Just before going on television, Martina called Leander. She didn’t tell him anything, but he caught the break in her voice. “She said, ‘I’ll call you back!’ and hung up abruptly... I sensed something was wrong,” said Leander.

He went online and was shocked to discover the truth. Leander told BT, “I called Martina and asked, ‘What can I do?’ And she replied, ‘You be my champion now... be my 9 pm call.’ Her words tugged at his heart and took Leander back to 2003, when she had stood by him in his illness. “When Martina stands behind you on court or in life, you know you can go on,” said Leander. “Every night at 9, she would call and ask, ‘How are you doing?’ And I know before that, she would have called up my doctor at 8.45 pm and got a complete report on my progress that day. Now it’s my turn to be her 9 pm call. We’ve always been one phone call away from each other. Life has turned full circle.”

Leander believes this is Martina’s way of telling women, “Stay on top of things. I’ve been healthy all my life, I workout, I’m in shape at 54... and then this happens to me. I went four years between mammograms. Everybody gets busy. But don’t make excuses. No matter how invincible you think you are, go get that bloody mammogram!” And he is confident she will get overcome her condition. “It will be like another tennis match, she’s a real champion and will win this battle... not because she’s a super athlete, but because of the kind of person she is. Somebody who’s lived life on her own terms. And to the fullest,” Leander said. But yet, he will call at 9 pm every night to make sure...

Martina Navratilova and Leander Paes

with their Winbledon mixed doubles trophies in 2003

 
courtesy: Bombay Times

''विवेकानंद - उवाच ''

हमारी नैतिक प्रकृति जितनी उन्नत होती है, उतना ही उच्च हमारा प्रत्यक्ष अनुभव होता है, और उतनी ही हमारी इच्छा शक्ति अधिक बलवती होती है। मन का विकास करो और उसका संयम करो, उसके बाद जहाँ इच्छा हो, वहाँ इसका प्रयोग करो-उससे अति शीघ्र फल प्राप्ति होगी। यह है यथार्थ आत्मोन्नति का उपाय। एकाग्रता सीखो, और जिस ओर इच्छा हो, उसका प्रयोग करो। ऐसा करने पर तुम्हें कुछ खोना नहीं पड़ेगा। जो समस्त को प्राप्त करता है, वह अंश को भी प्राप्त कर सकता है।

पहले स्वयं संपूर्ण मुक्तावस्था प्राप्त कर लो, उसके बाद इच्छा करने पर फिर अपने को सीमाबद्ध कर सकते हो। प्रत्येक कार्य में अपनी समस्त शक्ति का प्रयोग करो। सभी मरेंगे- साधु या असाधु, धनी या दरिद्र- सभी मरेंगे। चिर काल तक किसी का शरीर नहीं रहेगा। अतएव उठो, जागो और संपूर्ण रूप से निष्कपट हो जाओ।

भारत में घोर कपट समा गया है। चाहिए चरित्र, चाहिए इस तरह की दृढ़ता और चरित्र का बल, जिससे मनुष्य आजीवन दृढ़व्रत बन सके। संन्यास का अर्थ है, मृत्यु के प्रति प्रेम। सांसारिक लोग जीवन से प्रेम करते हैं, परन्तु संन्यासी के लिए प्रेम करने को मृत्यु है। लेकिन इसका मतलब यह नहीं है कि हम आत्महत्या कर लें। आत्महत्या करने वालों को तो कभी मृत्यु प्यारी नहीं होती है। संन्यासी का धर्म है समस्त संसार के हित के लिए निरंतर आत्मत्याग करते हुए धीरे-धीरे मृत्यु को प्राप्त हो जाना।

प्रस्तुति: जय प्रकाश पाण्डेय

माइक्रो फाइनेंस शाखा, भोपाल

Arun Bajpai- A man with a mission to clean up Kanpur

A chit chat with Arun Bajpai, the man behind Parivartan, an initiative to clean up the city of Kanpur by providing door to door garbage collection services

Interview by Ms Ambreen Zaidi

Q1-Tell us about Parivartan?

PARIVARTAN is an Initiative of informed and concerned citizens of Kanpur who believe in working together towards making continuous holistic improvements in their city. It stands and strives for strengthening the principles and practices of a vibrant, transparent and participatory democracy.

Q2-Why did you feel the need to have Parivartan?

Because Kanpur, once an important hub of commercial and industrial activities of the country, has been losing its importance for the last 4 decades. Imagine a city of more than four million people having none of the infrastructure facilities worthy of a modern urban center. Dusty congested roads with no drains or pavements; very erratic and inadequate power supply; polluted atmosphere and dying industries describe this city which earned the disrepute of being one of the dirtiest and most polluted cities of the world. The irony is that there still does not exist any political will or vision to improve this city – neither at the state level nor at the center.

Q3- What is the mission and objectives of this initiative of yours?

To provide a platform to likeminded citizens of Kanpur to share and discuss their ideas; identify the problems of the city and search for possible solutions.

To seek people’s participation and cooperation in implementing sustainable solutions for making Kanpur a cleaner and greener city.

To act as a catalyst and a bridge to enhance coordination and cooperation amongst different organs of our society – government/administrative bodies, public representatives (MP’s, MLA’s and Corporators), media, and citizens.

To develop a sense of belongingness towards the city; motivate citizens to take ownership of the city and feel proud of being a “Kanpurite”.

Q4- How did you start this massive project?

We took donations from the residents of the area to buy Rickshaws and took the services of poor rag pickers as rickshaw pullers. A token amount of Rs.30/50 per month is charged from the user/residents for availing this service.As a group, we started meeting residents and tried to convince them that they should not throw their garbage outside their houses instead hand it over to us. For this primary activity of Parivartan we visit Schools and Colleges and try to motivate students not to throw garbage on the streets/floor.

Q5- Any challenges you faced which you would like to share with us?

It was tough for us to convince people living in the slums to join us hence we did a program where we collected the children aged 8-15 from that slum and gave them a weeks training in music and dance in one of the best public schools of Kanpur, situated very near to that slum and then staged a show of 90 minutes of music and dance for the residents of that same slum, the performers were these little kids who could not have even imagined entering that public school leave apart using the orchestra and stage. We termed this program as "India meets Bharat"

We also organize regular film shows for underprivileged sections of the society. Just a few days ago we organized a special film show of "Well done Abba" for our 70 rickshaw pullers in one of the best multiplexes of kanpur where for every two tickets that we bought, one rickshaw puller was allowed free of cost and the show was house full.

Q6-What are your immediate plans for the future?

We are taking one step at a time. We plan to take up the entire city by involving all the ward members and make Kanpur the cleanest city in the world. Every ward we went we got an appreciable response hence I am confidant that we will soon realize this dream of ours.

The author is a senior journalist and editor of Blogger's Park.

courtesy: ScratchMySoul.com

Power to the hand that gives

Investing in those who can make a real difference to society...

By Preeti Mehra

Jayant Sinha heads the India operations of philanthropic investment firm Omidyar Network

Political etiquette seems to have rubbed off on Jayant Sinha, son of former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha. Dressed as he is in a typical ‘gala band' jacket and sporting the persona of a politician, it is difficult to imagine that this former-Partner of McKinsey and former Managing Director of hedge fund Courage Capital Management has shifted focus to the world of philanthropy.

Now heading the India operations of philanthropic investment firm Omidyar Network, as Managing Director, Sinha believes that this is his opportunity to give back to the nation after spending 20 years in the field of investment and strategy consulting. In this role, the IIT Delhi student and MBA from Harvard Business School is expected to manage and develop Omidyar's India portfolio.

Omidyar Network aims to invest in entrepreneurships or NGOs that have the potential to achieve large-scale social impact. Conceived by the founder of eBay, Pierre Omidyar and wife Pam, Omidyar Network is based on their conviction that every person has the power to make a difference.

Some help to scale upThough increasingly in India and across the globe ‘philanthropy' is being viewed as an activity that smacks of an unequal world, where instead of rights, charity is handed out to the have-nots, Sinha explains that Omidyar's aim is different. He sees his role and that of his organisation as the one that makes a difference by investing in those who are endeavouring to change the social fabric. Besides, he points out, the Network is in the process of creating a completely new category of investments.

Omidyar's sphere of interest ranges from microfinance to property rights, base of the pyramid entrepreneurship, social media, online marketing and government transparency.

At the global level Omidyar has a vast number of investments, including in social media organisation Wikimedia Foundation which provides the supporting infrastructure for Wikipedia and India-based online marketing site Quikr that allows people to post and respond to free local classifieds for apartments, cars, jobs, services, used goods, events, and more.

According to Sinha, the Omidyar couple has invested around $900 million in philanthropy across the world, of which $325 million has been sunk in by the Omidyar Network.

In India, to date, $45 million has been invested by the Network, half in grants and the other half for profit. “We are a flexible capital organisation and invest both in not-for-profit and for-profit organisations,” explains Sinha, detailing the impact he expects his organisation to make. “We help organisations to scale up to the next level and believe in high-touch engagement,” he says. Interestingly, the Network also helps in leveraging synergies and facilitating an exchange of information between for-profit and not-for profit investee companies.

The differentiating factor for Omidyar is that it does not only provide finance but also takes on the responsibility to provide human capital as well, effectively ensuring the viability and scalability of the investee company.

Omidyar has already made a few strategic investments in India. One of the prominent ones is in the sphere of property rights where it has chosen the Rural Development Institute, which works towards granting and protecting property rights. RDI is currently active in Karnataka, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. The institute also specialises in developing public-private collaborations to help rural families access land and gain legal literacy.

The Network says that through funding property rights organisations such as RDI, its aim is to increase ownership of land and property for all people, encourage transparency and flexibility in property ownership, and develop legal education for property rights.”

In the microfinance sector, the Network has provided funds to Microsave, a micro finance institution, and Unitus, a firm providing consultancy to MFIs. Though microfinance is a for-profit activity, Omidyar says it focuses on it because it aspires “to make high-quality, affordable financial services widely available to the poor so that they may gain financial security and escape poverty. Women, who are especially vulnerable, can use microfinance services to start a business and earn status in the family and community.”

On the entrepreneurship front, Omidyar is willing to give seed capital like any other venture capital company. Here, the Network is in search of what Sinha calls, “base-of-the-pyramid entrepreneurships that are for the larger good but at the same time have a market-based approach in activities such as providing solar lanterns or drip irrigation.”

And what exactly is ‘base-of-the-pyramid entrepreneurship'? Omidyar explains on its Web site: “More than two billion people worldwide live on less than $2 a day, and another estimated two billion struggle with problems of inadequate housing or lack the financial resources and stability to procure basic services, protect themselves from economic shocks, and build wealth. These four billion people represent a socio-economic class referred to as the base of the pyramid” it says.

Working through Ashoka

In the entrepreneurship category in India, Omidyar already supports the cause of Social Entrepreneurship and has sunk funds into Ashoka, a community of over 2,000 social entrepreneurs across 70 countries. Through its Ashoka Fellow programme, the organisation ensures that its fellows' ideas can be replicated, scaled up, sustained and have a large social impact.

Last, but not the least for Sinha, who after all has grown up in a home familiar with political debate, is the field of government transparency.

His organisation aims to support technologies that give the public access to credible information on what the government is doing.

In India, Omidyar is on the lookout for organisations providing technologies that give citizens access to information about government actions, influence, spending and activities.

As India head, Sinha is sitting on $100-$200 million which he can disburse over the next five years to organisations where he sees a potential. All they have to do is be good at their job and deserve the investment.

courtesy: The Hindu Business Line