21ST CENTURY ISSUE YEAR 2004 Message from RR JICA...... 2 From the President s Desk... 2 Asimo, The Humanoid... 3 Impressions... 3 Secretary s Report... 4 Int l Seminar on Environment... 4 JAAI Annual GBM 2002-03... 5 Cultural Extravaganza... 6 Excursion Trip to Sohna... 7 Int l Seminar on Power Sector... 8 AGM 2003-04... 9 New Exe. Body of JAAI 2004-06...... 10 My Salute to Terumi San... 11 Small Wonders - The Art of Bonsai... 11 Rural Sanitation... 12 Little Man s Quotes... 12 Quotations from my Diary... 12 Special Economic Zones... 13 Dangerous Diwali... 13 Experience in Wonderland... 13 Stupid FAQs & Answers... 14 Wonder Collections... 14 Think it Over... 14 Universal Quotes... 15 Editor s Point... 16
Dear Alumni, Dear Friends, As you are aware, JICA is responsible for the technical cooperation aspect of Japan s Official Development Assistance (ODA).Technical cooperation is aimed at effective transfer of technology and knowledge through the human element that can contribute to the nation-building efforts of developing countries as they shape their destiny with their own hands and through their own efforts. This human element is you all the past participants. It is my earnest desire to see you all involved in the nation- building efforts by sharing the information and knowledge acquired through the training programs to your fellow workers. It is noteworthy that JAAI is strengthening its activities day by day and I hope that with the launch of its website, it could reach out to all the members, even outside Delhi. I wish JAAI another eventful year which would increase manifold the friendship and goodwill between the people of India and Japan. My best wishes, (Toshifumi Sakai) It gives me great pleasure to send the New Year 2004 Greetings to all the Alumni. Incidentally it may be mentioned that the current Executive Committee will be completing its 2-year tenure on 31st March 2004. During this period the JAAI has been very active and organized several scientific and cultural programmes. We also participated in the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Indo-Japanese Cooperation and the friendship of the two great democracies. The Seminar was jointly organized by the Indo-Japanese Associations, viz. Mombushco Scholar Association of India (MOSI), JICA Alumni Association of India (JAAI) and AOTS Alumni Society. Besides this cultural shows organized by the Japan Embassy, especially the Drum Show, were highly appreciated. JAAI has now completed more than 35 years of its existence, when we started with only a few members, which has now risen to more than 750, the number which is ever increasing. JICA has been very active in extending the technical cooperation and overseas development assistance to a large number of countries in various fields. Now JICA has assumed more powers and responsibilities in carrying out various programmes, as JICA now enjoys more autonomy and fiscal powers. Friends, science and technology must improve our society as a whole and not merely a section of it. Our trained scientists and technocrats are capable and will achieve the distant goal in their respective fields. I wish them all success. (Dr. M.M. Singh) President, JAAI 2
Asimo, The Humanoid Robot Visits India His Excellency Mr. Akira Hayashi, the Ambassador of Japan in India, hoisted an ASIMO show at this residence before a select audience. ASIMO is an advanced step in innovative technology, developed by HONDA Japan on 31st October 2000 after intensive research and trial of experiment modules and prototypes. It is a revolutionary achievement by HONDA Engineers and a challenge to autonomous locomotion. ASIMO can walk, run, climb steps and even dance. ASIMO greets the audience and can answer pre-programmed questions from audience. ASIMO is a two legged Humanoid Robot that can serve and live in harmony with human society. ASIMO is 120 cms tall and weighing just 52 kilograms. ASIMO is just a start in keeping with the Japanese challenging spirit. Dr. M.M Singh, President, JAAI His Exellency Mr. & Mrs Akira Hayashi and Dr. M.M. Singh with ASIMO Impressions of a First Time Visitor to Japan! Even as a child of five, from the time my father showed me some slides of Japan and its people, it was a cherished dream of mine to visit this lovely land. Little did I realise that nearly three decades later my dream would come true! I felt very privileged when JICA selected me as a participant from India for the Country-Focussed Training Programme on "HIV/AIDS Control Plan",. I was very enthusiastic about visiting a developed country and learning new technologies. I was thoroughly impressed by the way JICA took care of me right from the start and made all the arrangements for my travel. Finally, the D-Day arrived and I flew off to my dream destination! Upon my arrival in Osaka, every arrangement for travel within the city and stay was effectively made and things moved without a hitch. At OSIC, JICA staff took complete charge and went about it in a methodical way. First few days included briefing sessions and orientation courses, which were very important to acclimatize the participants to the new place and environment. They explained all about the facilities available at OSIC, took us to the bank to operate our accounts and explained to us, through videos and lectures, the lifestyle in Japan. Then began our course proper. During this period, we were taken through some excellently delivered lectures, healthy discussions, chat sessions with various health care personnel and NGOs, tours and observations of places and institutions. During the practical sessions, the staff at all the institutions went about their work in real earnest and spent a lot of time and effort in making us understand the intricacies of the various procedures and patiently let us learn and do things, and thus acquire a hands-on experience of procedures, many of which were new to us. JICA had even charted out interesting programmes for the evenings at OSIC, in order to ensure a fruitful utilisation of time. I made full use of all the enjoyable classes and courses, including Japanese language classes, Tea ceremony classes, computer classes and the like. I also joined a group song event which was presented by participants from various countries on the "International Friendship Gathering" Day. The weekends were spent in travel and sight-seeing at nearby cities. By the end of the course, apart from the knowledge gained in my field of work, Japan and JICA gave me an insight into several precious skills and knowledge for me to take home, cherish and incorporate in my lifestyle. The Japanese people are very thorough and complete in whatever they embark upon. Their organizational skills are certainly laudable. They plan their activities meticulously, wherein every minute detail is taken care of, be it travel arrangements or maps for directions or laboratory facilities or even recreational activities. Also, the co-operation and team spirit among the members of a team is truly commendable. Inter-personnel relationships and the handling of subordinate staff by senior staff have to be seen to be believed. All in all, it was a very rewarding and enriching experience in terms of both knowledge and technical know-how. As a parting shot, I must mention that, one of the most important events of this trip has been the golden opportunity of meeting and interacting with participants from various other countries and courses. It was wonderful to mingle with and learn about other countries, their people, customs and culture. Some of these chance encounters often end in true bonding and friendship. This goes a long way in fostering a feeling of oneness and brotherhood of man among participants.this certainly is one of JICA's major achievements! Thank you, JICA, and all its wonderful staff! Domo arigato gozaimus! Dr. Sumathi Muralidhar (Japan visit- Oct. 2002 and Nov. 2003) Specialist Microbiology V.M. Medical Collage New Delhi I have never met a man so ignorant that I could not learn something from him - Galileo Galilei 3
International Seminar on Environment Problems Secretary s Report An International Technical Seminar on Environmental Problems was organised on 8th March 2003 at Godrej Auditorium, WWF India, New Delhi. Mr. T. Sakai, Resident Representative, JICA India Office graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The response to the seminar was overwhelming. More than 125 JAAI members and other invitees participated in the seminar. Mr. Arun Mahendru, Secretary JAAI The seminar started with the welcome address by Dr. M. M. Singh President, JAAI. Dr. Singh put forward the importance of environmental issues in our day to day life. Mr. T. Sakai, Resident Representative JICA India Office delivered the inaugural speech. He elaborated on the ongoing projects and activities of JICA in the field of environmental pollution control in India. While the JAAI Magazine Sahyog was released by Mr. Sakai on this occasion, the Directory of Members was released by Mr. Take, Deputy Resident Representative. Mr. T. Sakai, R.R. releasing Sahyog 03 Mr. Take, Dy. R.R. releasing JAAI Directory The Inaugural session was followed by technical session; Speakers at the Seminar Audience at the Seminar 4 When it is a question of money, everybody is of the same relegion. Voltaire
Mr. Yoshio Kamikawa, JICA Expert s presentation was on Solid Waste Management. He spoke about recycling of the garbage generated in a metropolitan city, focusing on garbage disposal problems of Delhi. He outlined the plan of garbage collection, disposal and recycling for Delhi. It included introduction of Twin-bin system, Transport rickshaw with bigger plastic container and setting up recycling centres in all MCD zones. Dr. S. Shiv Kumar, Director, Ministry of Environment & Forest, spoke on Key Environmental Issues. He outlined the concept of sustainable development including carrying capacity based development process, preventive environmental policy, structural changes in economic sector, environmental impact and risk assessment, environmental audit and life cycle assessment. Natural resources are finite and are dwindling at a fast pace. Hence, optimization of its use for achieving development objective is self evident. Sustainable development calls for a dynamic balance between Maintenance(sustainability) and Transformation (development) functions. It aims at environmental harmony, long-term sustainability of the natural resource base with economic efficiency in the utilization of non-renewable resources, and structural shift to renewable resource utilization in economic (development) process. Mr. Shinjiro Okuzawa, JICA Expert, presentation was about Water Pollution. He focused on definition of water pollution, causes of river pollution and cleaning of river water, importance of clean water in maintaining good health and hygiene. He further described the Japanese technology and experiences on water treatment. He suggested some solutions to the present situation of river pollution in India such as controlling agricultural run-off etc. Members participated actively in the Question-Answer session. The seminar was followed by lunch. JAAI Annual GBM (2002-2003) Annual General Body Meeting of JICA Alumni Association was held on 8th March 2003 at Godrej Auditorium, WWF India New Delhi. After welcome speech by Mr. O.P. Sharma, Joint Secretary, Mr. Arun Mahendru presented the Secretary s Report on JAAI activities for 2002-03. The activities organised during the year were Symposium on human resources development in 21st century-indo Japan cooperation on 1st may 2002, Origami Workshop on 27th October 2002, Annual Dinner 2002-2003 at Hotel Jaypee SIDDHARTH on 14th December, 2002, International Seminar on Environmental Problems on 8th March 2003 and the release of JAAI magazine Sahyog and Directory of Members. The Treasurer, Mr. Zakaria Yusufzai presented the accounts for the year 2002-2003 to the house. The Secretary s report and vote of accounts were unanimously adopted and accepted. President Dr. M. M. Singh outlined the future activities of JAAI. The members took active participation in the discussions held subsequently. Following suggestions were made by JAAI members during discussions. Excursion trip twice a year Name badges for JAAI members Web-site of JAAI Seminar Topic should be relevant to the JAAI family members JAAI chapters to be opened in other cities Associate a JAAI member working with crime prevention organization in the executive body meetings of JAAI JAAI Executive Body at AGM 2002-2003 The President assured that the suggestions would be taken up in the next year agenda of JAAI as for as possible. Finally, Mr. T. P. S. Oberai, member, Executive Body presented the Vote of Thanks A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway. Fr. Jerome Cummings 5
Cultural Extravaganza A cultural evening was organized on Sunday, the 28th September 2003 in Azad Bhawan Auditorium ICCR, New Delhi. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CULTURAL EVENING: Kathak Dance Ms Masako Sato, a student of Kathak Maestro Pt. Birju Maharaj kindly agreed to perform for JAAI at the cultural evening programme. She left the audience spelt bound by her excellent recital of Kathak dance. The items presented were: Guru Vandana Teen Taal Dhamal Gat Nikas Drut Teen Taal Durga Stuti The Musicians who accompanied her were Tabla : Shri Nirmal Mondal Sarangi : Shri Ganshyam Sisodia Ms. Masako Sato Master of Engg. From Nagaoka Excelled in material science at Toshiba Corp R& D Centre Learnt Japanese dance, Ikebana, Sadou, Flamenco dance,classical ballet and piano. Impressed by Kathak Mahotsav she joined National Institute of Kathak dance in 1996, learnt Lucknow style of Kathak from Smt. Malti Shyam and Jaikishan Maharaj; was granted scholarship by ICCR in 1999 and is continuing her training under Kathak maestro Pt. Birju Maharaj. Solo as well group performances in India and Japan including Abhinaua and Foojean organised by Japan Foundation at Embassy of Japan. Participated in the dance compositions choreograped by Pt. Birju Maharaj at Khajuraho Festival and Kathak ballet Romeo and Juliet produced by Kalashram. Sitar Vocal : Shri Vijay Sharma : Shri Amjad Ali Pharam: Shmt. Gauli Kumari A Japanese student learning and performing to perfection the Indian classical dance symbolises not only an individual s facination to the Indian culture but also the strong cooperation between the two countries in the field of cultural exchange. Spectators at the cultural programme 6 To talk of honest diplomacy was like speaking of dry water Stalin
Recital of Indian Folk dances. The second item was a colourful performance of folk dances from the Snigdha Cultural Group. They presented important and popular dance forms from all over India by authentic folk artists from the region. They presented following items: Cheri from Rajasthan Bengali Folk Dance from West Bengal Launi from Maharashtra Dholl Challam from Manipur Bhawai from Rajasthan Naga Dance from Nagaland Fire Dance from Rajasthan Haryanvi from Haryana Bihu from Assam The variety enthused with vigour of the artists kept the audience focussed on to the stage through out the show with only interruption of applause for the performers. The events depicted richness and diversity of Indian culture. At the end every one joined for dinner where JAAI families were busy not only among themselves but were seen freely interacting with their star performers of the day. Excursion Trip to Sohna JAAI organised one-day excursion trip to Sohna on 23rd March 2003. Sohna, a tourist complex, is about one and half an hour drive from Delhi. The response of the members was very encouraging. About 30 families (77 members) participated in this event in-spite of world cup circket final on that day between India and Australia. The trip was full of activities. Some members tracked down the hill to Shiv Kund where hot Sulphur water spring is located. Tambola was organised during the lunch hours. Children and ladies participated in musical chairs and some other games. One of the members came out with his own ingenious way of entertaining people the candidate was supposed to answer the questions right but nod the wrong way. Though simple looking but difficult to perform, members enjoyed the fun-game to the fullest. Some members were enjoying the Circket Finale between India and Australia in TV room. Every one in the group participated sportingly and enjoyed the activities. At the end, the winners were given prizes too. One who looks for a friend without faults will have none Hasdie Saying 7
International Seminar on Power Sector 24th January 2004 India Habitat Centre, Lodi Road, New Delhi An International Technical Seminar on Power Sector was organised on 24th January 2004 at India Habitat Centre, Lodi Road, New Delhi. Mr. T. Sakai, Resident Representative, JICA India Office graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The response to the seminar was overwhelming. More than 100 JAAI members and other invitees participated in the seminar. The seminar started with the welcome address by Dr. M. M. Singh President, JICA Alumni Association of India. Dr. Singh elaborated the activities of JICA Alumni Association of India and said that the Technical Seminar is one of the most important event being organised by JAAI since last five years. Mr. T. Sakai, Resident Representative JICA India Office delivered the inaugural speech. He praised JICA Alumni in organising the seminar on such an important subject. He Dr. M.M. Singh President, JAAI welcoming Mr. T. Sakai R.R. JICA India Office elaborated on the ongoing projects and activities of Japan International Co-operation Agency in India. The inaugural session was followed by technical session; Mr. Anil Kumar Kutty, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India Mr. Anil Kumar Kutty, joint secretary, Ministry of Power delivering speach at power seminar Mr. Kutty gave a presentation on the topic Policy & Reforms in Power Sector in India. He spoke about reforms being carried out in power sector in India. He elaborated the policies of liberalisation that have been incorporated in the Electricity Act 2003. He further spoke about his experiences in problems being faced by the Government in reducing the Transmission & Commercial losses. Distinguished speakers at the seminar 8 The secret of being miserable is to have leisure to bother about whether you are happy of not G.B. Shaw
Mr. Anil Kumar Sardana, Chief Executive Officer, North Delhi Power Limited Mr Sardana gave a presentation on the topic Power Privatisation in Delhi- Experiences. He outlined the problems being faced by NDPL ( A Tata Power & Delhi Govt. Joint Venture) in streamlining the distribution of power in north and north-west Delhi. He enumerated the measures taken by NDPL in solving the consumer problems and improving the distribution network so as to make the system more consumer friendly. Mr Yoshiyuki Kudo & Mr. Tetsuya Yamanaka, JICA Expert in power sector, Electric Power Development Company Ltd., Japan Mr Kudo gave a presentation on Comparison of Power Quality between India & Japan. He outlined the details of power distribution network in Japan and almost interruption free power supply in Japan as compared to that in India. He told that the thermal efficiency and annual plant load factor in Japan is one of the highest in world, whereas distribution losses are one of the lowest. Mr. Yamanaka elaborated the details of the development study that has been carried out by his team on The Improvement of power distribution system of Andhra Pradesh. He highlighted the problem areas such as lack of maintenance, disregard of customer service, absence of work related training. Various improvement measures suggested by the Japanese Team were also elaborated by him. Members participated actively in the Question & Answer session. Many questions were asked on power distribution problems in Delhi. There was a good interaction between the eminent speakers and the audience. The seminar was followed by lunch. Participants at International Seminar on Power Sector Annual General Body Meeting of JICA Alumni Association of India - 2004 Annual General Body Meeting of JICA Alumni Association was held on 24th January 2004 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. More than 45 JAAI members attended the AGM. As term of the existing Executive Body is coming to an end on 31.3.2004, elections for new Executive Body were also held during AGM. Dr. O. P. Dewal, Vice President delivered the welcome speech Mr. Arun Mahendru, Secretary JAAI, in his report gave details of JAAI activities during 2002-03 and 2003-04. The activity organised during 2002-03, after last AGM on 16.3.2003 was Excursion trip to Sohna on 23.3.2003. During the year 2003-04 a cultural evening was organised on 28.9.2203, where in a Japnese Artiste Ms. Masako Sato performed the Kathak dance. Artists of Snigdha Cultural Centre performed folk dances from various states of India. An International Seminar on power sector was organised at India Habitat Centre on 24.1.2004 in the forenoon session. Other forthcoming events are excursion trip to Fun & Food Village and Annual Dinner. Secretary also informed the General Body that the new issue of Sahyog is most likely to be released at the Annual Dinner. Similarly, the website of JAAI will be operative soon. Treasurer, Mr. S. K. Jain presented the accounts for the year 2003-2004 to the house. The Secretary s report and the vote of accounts was unanimously adopted and accepted. President Dr. M. M. Singh outlined the future activities of JAAI. He told the members that with the initiative and efforts of the present executive body the grant from JICA India office has increased substantially. He suggested that since Seminar was the most important event JAAI should make an effort to plan two seminars every year. Further JICA Alumni Associations for SAARC countries should come together to promote technical and cultural cooperation among them. It was also suggested by the President and accepted that one or two JAAI members may be associated / co-opted by Executive Body for coordinating some of the activities of JAAI. The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel Hotace Walpole 9
After the Secretary s report and presentation of budget by Treasurer JAAI election were held as term of the present executive is coming to an end on 31.3.2004. Mr. Shekar Devasagayam from JICA India Office kindly agreed to be the Returning Officer for elections. Dr. Rajesh Rastogi, JAAI member helped Mr. Shekar in conducting the elections. Ballot papers being distributed for election at JAAI AGM 2004 Mr. Shekar Conducting election at JAAI AGM 2004 New Executive Body of JICA Alumni Association of India (2004-2006) President Dr M M Singh Tel: 23711303, 23715217 (O), 22379108(R) Vice President Dr Om Prakash Dewal Tel: 26536133, 26857063 (O), 26960159(R) Email: opdewal@hotmail.com Secretary Shri Arun Mahendru Tel: 23010221 Ext. 3345 (O), 22354220(R) Email: alonearun@yahoo.com Joint Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal Tel: 23010221 Ext. 3315 (O), 9868408906 (Mob) Email: rajkuj@yahoo.com Treasurer Shri S. K. Jain Tel: 23010221 Ext. 3318 (O), 22710097 (R) Email: sushiljain62@hotmail.com 1. Dr. Tulika Tripathi Tel: 23230733 extn. 4425 (O), 23221832 (R) Email: drtulika2@hotmail.com 2. Shri S S Gupta Tel: 25099037 extn: 415 (O), 0124-2386905 (R) Email: ssgupta1@hotmail.com 3. Shri Zakaria Yusufzai Tel: 23012017 (O), 22050361 (R) Email: yusufzai@lycos.com Members 4. Dr. Sumathi Muralidhar Tel: 26196740 (O), 26951457, 26943581 (R) Email: Murali22_99@yahoo.com.sg 5. Shri T. P. S. Oberoi Tel: 25530483 (O), 25530483 (R) Email: psoberoi@hotmail.com 6. Mr. K. Sitaraman Tel: 23714168, 23723700 (O), 24670035 (R) Email: k_sitaraman@yahoo.com 10 Monogamus marriage is a man-made institution against the order of nature - Khuswant Singh
My Salute to Terumi San, my Japnese Mom... It is almost five years, since I returned from Kitakyushu, my JICA Training Centre but the memories of my host family, Terumi san (Ms Terumi Araki), is still afresh in my mind. During my five months stay in Kyushu International centre (KIC), she was always there. As my host Mom, she never let me feel lonely, almost every weekend used to organise parties where as many as 20 to 50 guest were invited, and I was always present their as a host, like her son. It was amazing to see her strength at such an age(70 plus). We used to cook Indian food many a times. Even during a KIA carnival she made many Indian dishes like Chicken Pulao and I was standing beside her selling the Indian food. Otto San( Mr. Araki) was very sick and remained hospitalised most of the time, and many a times I saw this in her sad eyes. However, this never let her spirits down. She was always there in forefront of activities of Kitakyushu International Association(KIA). Most of the time as many as 5 to7 foreign students were staying in her house. She was mother to some and grandma to some. Today when present issue of Sahyog is going for printing, I got her mail,.she was very sad. Otto san was no more.her husband died after a long fight with cancer and I prayed for his soul. sent her mail.and prayed the almighty to give her strength to bear this great loss. Small Wonders - The Art of Bonsai Ms. Terumi Araki at Kitakyushu International centre with JICA training participants..i am sure, she has strength to fight back.and carry on the flame of Good work she is doing. My salute to Terumi San,. My Japanese Mom -Arun Mahendru,, Secretary JAAI Md. Zakaria Khan Yusufzai, Member Exe. Body JAAI The word bonsai ( pronounced bone-sigh ) is derived from the Japanese written characters Bon meaning a small shallow container and Sai meaning planting. A bonsai then is a miniature potted plant which can lay claim to be true art form like a painting or a piece of sculpture when its symmetry creates a feeling of beauty. Contrary to popular belief, bonsai is neither genetically dwarfed plant nor is it kept small by cruelty in any way. b. Plant the tree in the pot off its centre. Add more soil to cover the roots. c. First water the soil and then the entire tree from tip to bottom. Styling : Bonsais are modeled after their natural shape. So, it is best to train a bonsai to form a specific style in keeping with the natural form of the species. This is done by : Each bonsai has its own personality which requires constant attention like a child. Bonsai unlike their natural counterpart can live easily in regions that are not their natural habitat. Growing and maintaining bonsai is a tedious task requiring a lot of perseverance, and unlike other plants it takes ages to get the required shape. But with dedicated effort, one can create marvels in a small pot. Following are the basic tips to start growing bonsai as a hobby. Plants : Almost all trees and shrubs can be successfully adopted for bonsai, except few species with long leaves. Indian plants such as junipers, pilkhan, banyan and other ficus varieties are hardy and easy to work with, for the beginners. Other ornamental plants like orange, neem, pomegranate, peepal, mulberry, adenium etc. can also be tried. The first step is to select the required plant. One may initially buy them from the nursery. Potting: Any decorative ceramic and low bottom pot is suitable for bonsai, however, terracotta ones are the best. For potting : a. Take an appropriate sized pot. Cover its drainage hole with mesh. Fill the bottom with coarse lumpy soil. Next, add a small amount of top soil over it. a. Removing buds. b. Pruning branches. c. Changing the curve of the trunk and branches through the process of wiring and d. Positioning the roots. One can choose a style from the five basic styles formal upright, informal upright, Wind swent syte Manilkar Zapota (Achras)-Chikku Age 11 Years, Height 43 cm slanting, semi-cascade and cascade. In addition, there are a few variations also like broom style, wind swept, multi-trunk and rock grown, etc. Caring : A bonsai needs more care than regular plants besides adequate sun-light, air and water. A bonsai must also be periodically repotted to supply fresh soil. It also keeps the root system in balance with the top growth. Repotting should be done every six months, normally during rainy season. But the trees from hilly area should be repotted in winter. An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support John Buchan 11
Sometimes a small change looks innovative in India. Nothing changes for the people of a small sleeping village Jahangirabad (population 500) in a backward Indian State of Orissa. As a JICA fellow as well as in my childhood, I had learnt from Japanese history of development how their students had developed their tractor industry, learnt and transferred various manufacturing technologies while still studying in the USA. To apply such a principle in India, I with the help of my wife Shreemayee took some mundane steps that could be perceived as novel initiatives of rural development. A patch land previously used as open public toilet was converted to a beautiful public park. The park was landscaped with local resources for use as community garden cum kids playground with facilities for picnic, entertainment and jogging trail. The land was cleared of shrubs and few ditches were converted to ponds and one earmarked as kids swimming pool. The villagers were given private toilets instead. The benefits of private toilets and sanitation were made clearer through health camp in the same park. The role of this small park for a better physical and emotional health of villagers was evident when children played, sang and danced in the recreational area. The psychological impact of the initiative spread so rapidly that there is more demand for private toilets and public parks from the nearby villages where more than 60% of population has no access to private toilets. Total cost of the park is estimated at US$2000, a meager sum compared to the social benefit that it will bring to the lives of 500 people. To banish darkness from their homes, solar lanterns were distributed Little Man s Quotes Only preach those lines, which you can do yourself. Live life Kingsize! Life is heaven and death is hell. Only Soul dies,the body just transforms. Believe in yourself! Even if you forget God, you could be an achiever. Do not earn more if you cannot spend. Only investment that gives you unmatched guaranteed returns is in your Health. Everybody is right that is why we have conflicting views. Simplification brings amplification in efficiency. Always think of improvement, there is scope for improvement everywhere. AP Singh C-008, Pragati Vihar Hostel, Lodhi Road, ND-110 003 e-mail:apc8@yahoo.com 12 Rural Sanitation to few poor families on an installment plan of Rs60/month for 5 years that just matches with their expenses on subsidised kerosene. Such a renewable energy based new lighting technology will not only improve the quality of lives of rural folks, it will save government subsidy of Rs 60/- month per family and dependence on foreign import of 3 liters of kerosene for all time to come. The concept and motivation to contribute came from the persuasions of our parents who saved us from expenses of an American sight seeing and day care expenses of our children while encouraging us to spend that money for their native village. It is hoped that more charitable contribution will come forward from the people having some connection with the village. The plan is to build a replicable village development model for other villages with the help of their natives who are now well placed. The dream seems achievable when we see the instant change in the reluctant and skeptical villagers who had hardly seen any contribution for such cause even by the government. They were suddenly invigorated and had taken the responsibility of maintaining the park. They now hope to collect enough money to build a bridge and a concrete road to beautify their village more as a model of rural development that can give them income and contain migration to cities. This is definitely a baby step of development but a giant step for human kinds to create a sustainable living in a peaceful environment. D.P. Kar Engg. Hall division of Economics ad Business, Colorado School of Mines, USA Quotations from My Diary It its true that we are here to help others, then, what exactly are the others here for. Since light travels faster than sound, people appear bright until you hear them speak Every man should marry. After all, happiness is not the only thing in life. The wise men never marry and when they marry they become otherwise. Behind every successful man, there is a woman. And behind every unsuccessful man, there are two. Success is a relative term. It brings so many relations. ALCOHOL KILLS SLOWLY So what? Who s in a hurry? P.K. Subnami Sr. Research officer, DOPT, North Block, New Delhi Once made equal to man, woman becomes his superior - Socrates
Special Economic Zones Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is a specifically delineated duty free enclave and is deemed to be foreign territory for the purpose of trade operations, duties and tariffs. SEZ Scheme was introduced by the Government of India w.e.f. 1.4.2000 with a view to provide an internationally competitive and hassle free environment for exports. Goods and services going into the SEZ area from Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) are treated as exports and goods coming from the SEZ area into DTA are treated as if these are being imported. SEZ units may be set up for manufacture of goods and rendering services including trading. These units have to be net foreign exchange earner. At present there are nine operational SEZs at Kandla and Surat (Gujarat), Santa-Cruz (Maharashtra),Cochin (Kerala), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Noida (U.P.), Falta (West Bengal), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and Indore (Madhya Pradesh).Besides, there are four SEZs ready for operation at Moradabad (U.P.), Jaipur and Jodhpur (Rajasthan) and Manikanchan ( West Bengal). Approvals have also been granted for setting up another eighteen SEZs in various states. Each Zone provides basic infrastructure such as developed land for construction of factory sheds, Standard design factory buildings providing ready-built sheds, roads, power, water supply and drainage. In addition, customs clearance is arranged within the Zones at no extra charge. Banking/Postal facilities, Customs clearing agents and other facilities required for operations have also been provided. Dangerous Diwali When I am not able to breathe, When I am troubled by noise continuously, Like a jackal hauled about, It s Diwali no doubt. When the story of Rama is learnt, People find their children burnt, Like many soldiers fought, It s Diwali no doubt. When many children are killed, Some injured and houses are to be rebuilt, Like a bird lost his house It s Diwali no doubt. Let s make a pledge to throw crackers away, These are the dangerous things, we should not play, Let s make this pledge with shout The day will be the best Diwali no doubt - Aroma Mahendru VI F, DAV Public School, Dayanad Vihar, Delhi-95 At present there are about 692 units in operation in Special Economic Zones manufacturing a range of products broadly falling under the product groups of Electronic ( Software and Hardware), Chemicals and allied products, Engineering products, Gems and Jewellery, Textiles, garments, Plastic and Rubber products.exports from SEZs has been growing steadily and total exports from SEZs during 2002-03 was more than Rs.10,000 Crores. Experience in Wonderland Sushil Kumar Jain Treasurer, JAAI The visit to Japan is JICA s sight To give Infectious hepatitis a good fight The people of many countries are sought To follow Dr. Arita ` thoughts In Japanese language we were tight But in Kyusho Japanese` society was in sight The lectures at Kumamuto were long and drawn But still nobody was ready to yawn The visit to vaccine plant was short and frisk But vaccine manufacturing was brisk Kumre visit was full of knowledge But their hospitality can not forget to acknowledge Visit to Tokyo was bold and beautiful But the money left was handful The working of machines was very seducing But metro railway was very confusing The stay at Omura was liked the most Tea cermoney showed how good are Japanese host The lecture and Yocuri party were fantastic Japanese are also somewhat romantic The visit to Nagasaki was full of mysteries But everybody was ready to review history On the trip to volcano mountain Every body was swaying like dancing fountain Everything was meticulously arranged Because it was Jica which has planned Whenever our position was tight Nakata Sa was always in sight Now it is time to say Arigato Gozaimus To KNN,JICA and AICH Let us say sayonara As Jica has paid return fara Dr I.J.S. Bhatia, Sr. Medical Officer State Institute of Health & Family Welfare, Punjab Chandigarh The only true widsom is in knowing you know nothing - Socrates 13
Stupid FAQs & Answers At the movies: when you meet acquaintance/friends Stupid Question :Hey, what are you doing here? Answer: Don t u know, I sell tickets in black over here. In the bus: A heavy lady wearing pointed high heeled shoes steps on your feet SQ: Sorry, did that hurt? Ans: No, not at all, I m on local anesthesia. Why don t you try again? At a funeral: one of the teary eyed people ask SQ: why, why him, of all people. Ans: Why? Would it rather have been you? At a restaurant: When you ask the waiter SQ: Is the Cheese Butter Masala Curry dish good? Ans: No, it s terrible and made of adulterated cement. We occasionally also spit on it. At a family get-together: When some distant aunt meets you after years. SQ: Chickoo, you ve become so big. Ans: Well, you haven t particularly shrunk yourself. Wonder Collections 1. Boucher s Observation: He who blows his own horn always plays the music several octaves higher than originally written. 2. Bove Theorem: The remaining work to finish in order to reach your goal increases as the deadline approaches. 3. Bradley s Bromide: If computers get too powerful, we can orgainse them into a committee; that will do them in. 4. Brad s first law of problem solving: When confronted by a difficult problem, you can solve it more easily by reducing it to the question, How would the Lone Ranger have handled this? 5. Brien s First Law: At sometime in the life cycle of virtually every organization, its ability to succeed in spite of itself runs out. 6. Brilliant s law of limited Ambition: If you can t learn how to do it well, learn how to enjoy doing it poorly 7. Brilliant s observation on Modern Art: Not all our artists are playing a joke on the public. Some are genuinely mad. Think It Over K.K. Sinha When a friend announces her wedding, and you ask S Q: Is the guy you re marrying well? Ans: No, he s a miserable wife beating, insensitive lout it s just the money. When you get woke up at midnight by a phone call. SQ: Sorry,were you sleeping? Ans: No, I was doing research on whether the zulu tribes in Africa marry or not. And you thought I was sleeping You dumb witted moron. When you see a friend/colleagues with evidently shorter hair. SQ: Hey have you had a hair cut? Ans: No, its autumn and I m shedding. At the dentist when he s sticking pointed objects in your mouth. SQ: Tell me if it hurts? Ans: No it won t. it will just ble10. You are smoking a cigarette and a cute woman asks. SQ: Oh, so you smoke Ans;Gosh, it s a miracle.it was a piece of chalk and now it s in flames. 14 K.K. Sinha Dev. Officer, Ministry of Commerce & Industry To err is human; to forgive is divine - Alexander Pope A No uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater than a Yes merely uttered to please, or what is worse to avoid trouble. Mahatama Gandhi Whenever you have truth it must be given with love or the message and the messenger will be rejected. Mahatama Gandhi Whatever we treasure for ourselves separates us from others, our possessions are our limitations. Rabindranath Tagore Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. Mother Theresa Be great in act as you have been in thought Shakespeare The art of conversation consists as much in listening politely, as in talking agreeably. Atwell Good humour is one of the best articles of dress one can wear in society. Bal Thackeray The ideal attitude is to be physically loose and mentally tight. Arthur Ashe Fortune may find a pot, but your own industry must make it boil. Unknown 10 percent of your life is made up of what happens to you whereas 90 percent is decided by how you react. Unknown P.K.SUBNANI
International Seminar on Power Sector 20th January 2004 at India Habitat Center New Delhi Universal Quotes Romaji : Nana korobi, ya oki Literally : Seven falls, eight getting up Meaning : Fall down seven times, get up eight times. An encouragement to persevere (ganbaru) Notes : From the verbs korobu and okiru respectively Romaji : Nakitsura ni hachi Literally : A bee to a crying face Meaning : Misfortunes seldom come alone; "When it rains, it pours" Notes : Nakitsura is a compound of two kun readings: naku to cry, and tsura face (men is an on reading). Romaji : Saru mo ki kara ochiru Literally : Even monkees fall from trees Meaning : Even an expert can make mistakes; also sometimes used as a warning that "pride comes before a fall" Notes : A well known proverb, this one, with several variations Romaji : Baka mo ichi-gei Literally : Even a fool has one talent Meaning : Even a fool may be good at something (I can't think of another way of putting this!) Notes : This is the `gei' of geisha Romaji : Ame futte ji katamaru Literally : Rained on ground hardens Meaning : Adversity builds character Romaji : Onna sannin yoreba kashimashii Literally : If three women visit, noisy Meaning : Wherever three women gather it is noisy Notes : this is a sort of pun, since the kanji for kashimashii (noisy/boisterous) is made up of three small kanji for woman. Interestingly, the meaning of this kanji in compounds usually implies craftiness or wickedness. Eg: kanjin = villain/scoundrel; kampu = adultress. yoreba is a conditional form of yoru = to visit/drop in Romaji : Toranu tanuki no kawa zan'you Literally : Count the skins of badgers which haven't been caught Meaning : "Don't count your chickens before they've hatched" Notes : -nu is a negative ending, and toranu modifies tanuki A tanuki is a Japanese animal somewhat like a badger or a racoon zan'you (usually san'you) means to calculate, or estimate. Romaji : Tonari no shibafu wa aoi Literally : The neighbour's lawn is green Meaning : "The grass is always greener on the other side" Notes : The wa marks the neighbour's lawn, thus implying comparison Aoi here means "is green", -i adjectives do not require a verb Romaji : Isseki ni chou Literally : One stone, two birds Meaning : "To kill two birds with one stone" Notes : This is an idiom rather than a kotowaza (proverb) Romaji : Neko ni koban Literally : A coin to a cat Meaning : "Pearls before swine"; ie: don't offer things to people who are incapable of appreciating them. Notes : A koban was an old gold coin Romaji : Gou ni itte wa, gou ni shitagae Literally : Entering the village, obey the village Meaning : "When in Rome, do as the Romans" Notes : The wa topicalizes the first clause, so this could be translated "Concerning entering a village,..." or more naturally "When entering a village..." Gou is a village or district or country Shitagae is the direct imperative of shitagau (to obey) Dr. Sumathi Muralidhar You may send articles for SAHYOG throughout the Year. However, articles received until December 2004 will only be considered for publication in NEXT ISSUE. Speak softly and carry a big stick ; you wil go far - Theodore Roosevelt. 15
Editor s Point It is my pleasure to present Sahyog 2004 to you all as its editor. It marks a change in my role - from offering my editing services voluntarily to now seeking all JAAI members services and contributions as its formal editor. My association with Sahyog, voluntary as well as official, has been full of pleasant experiences. It is one unique activity where everyone has opportunity to participate and contribute in his /her own way. Intentionally, the cover page has been designed depicting Ganpati and Ebisu (the Japanese God) symbolising good fortune and I hope it will bring good luck to all the readers in coming times. Beauty comes at a price.the price need not always be monetary. Sahyog demands a price in the form of time and effort from each of us. Being a JAAI member, it becomes our duty to pay this price so that reading Sahyog becomes a pleasure. I thank Mr. Arun Mahendru, Secretary JAAI for trusting and showing confidence in me. It was a task and not a burden when I accepted this responsibility informally in the beginning. The stage was blank with no article at hand. But the ball had to be set rolling.though with some apprehension I started approaching JAAI members personally for articles.to my wonder the response was encouraging. Thereafter, the things started moving smoothly. All along I got full cooperation from JAAI Executive members too. I must thank all those JAAI members who sent articles for Sahyog without whose contribution it would not have been possible for me to put diversity into the magazine. My special thanks are due to Shri Mitra Sen, ex-vice President JAAI, for his quotations of wisdom which you see in the footnotes. My thanks also goes to all those whose assistance helped me in timely publication of Sahyog. The response has been encouraging but still lot more is to be done. Besides the regular columnists, Sahyog requires greater participation from new faces to bring in new vibrant colours. I have tried to accommodate as many articles as possible in this issue but due to limitation of space some had to be reserved for the next issue. Last but not the least I must thank the members of the editorial board for their active cooperation and contribution. If you want the Best, you must put in your Best To put in your best, you need to identify yourself with the cause Therefore you got to own up the task And this is Sahyog s expectation from each JAAI member. R. K. Jaiswal e-mail : rajkuj@yahoo.com EDITORIAL BOARD : A.P. SINGH, ARUN MAHENDRU, V. P. CHATTERJEE, DR. TULIKA TRIPATHI Proforma For JICA Participants (Please read the footnote before filing the proforma) 1. Name of Participant (Surname first) : 2. Designation : 3. Name of Office/Organization : 4. Address of Office/Organization : 5. Telephone No. : 6. Fax No. : 7. Residential/Mailing Address : 8. Telephone No. : 9. E-mail Address : 10. Name & year of the Training 11. Details of Payment : Cheque/DD No:...; Date:...; Amount:...; Payment should be made by DD/Local Cheque (Outstation Cheques will not be accepted) in favour of JICA Alumni Association of India, payable at New Delhi) 12. Other Information (if any) : Date: Signature Note : 1. Registration fee is Rs 100/-; Life membership fee is Rs 500/-; Annual subscription is Rs 50/-. 2. Active members need not to fill the proforma. Please indicate your name and ID No at the back of DD/ Delhi local cheque and also inform your e-mail address and change in address (if any). Children enjoing at Fun N Food Village Sahyog 2005 Published for internal circulation only by JICA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF INDIA (JAAI) DLF center (2nd Floor), Parliament Street, New Delhi - 110 001 Website : www.jicaalumniindia.com Designed & Printed by Innovative Designers & Printers Tel : 51609334 16