My Hugs

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Mistakes ~ Never Quit

"Whenever you make a mistake or get knocked down by life, don't look back at it too long. Mistakes are life's way of teaching you. Your capacity for occasional blunders is inseparable from your capacity to reach your goals. No one wins them all, and your failures, when they happen, are just part of your growth. Shake off your blunders. How will you know your limits without an occasional failure? Never quit. Your turn will come."~ Og Mandino

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

It is in the fire that the intensity of the clay is tested and its spirit is allowed to dance. It is in the fire where the fierce light pierces to the core and the once fragile become strong. It is in the fire where an individual piece of clay claims its own true identity. Some of the most beautiful pieces will crumble under the extreme conditions because the potter did not take the time to knead the air bubbles on the inside while other average looking pieces will get stronger and take on whole new identities. Whatever the case, the process is not
complete until the clay has had its time in the fire.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

William H Gates Sr. ~ An Icon to follow

There are not many 83-year-olds who are on a social networking site and write blogs. But then, William H Gates is no ordinary octogenarian. The father of one of the world’s richest men, Bill Gates Sr. shares more than a name with his famous son. He shares the Microsoft co-founder’s keen intellect and passion for ideas.

Last week, Gates Senior released his book, Showing up for Life. It’s about issues that he says “he cares deeply about”. In a blog on The Huffington Post, he went on to explain why exactly, why now and why a book. “Some people have asked me why I decided to write this book. I’m now 83 years old, and I’ve had some pretty incredible experiences throughout my life. I also have a lot of ideas I feel strongly about. I had a long and satisfying career in law before taking on the greatest career challenge of all — to spend money wisely and well in order to improve the lives of people around the world. (Let me report that the upside of having brilliant bosses far outweighs the occasional awkwardness of calling your own son ‘boss’.)”

“It’s a unique book — full of wisdom and practical advice derived from having led a full life."~Ashok Alexander, director of the India AIDS initiative of the Gates Foundation, is one of the few people in India who’ve had an advance copy of the book

The fullness of Gates Senior’s life includes more than fathering and raising Bill Junior. He was instrumental in setting up the $30-billion philanthropic Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, having started it in his basement at home. Now, he serves as its co-chairperson.
The following statements will unwrap you as how Mr. Gates Sr. is looked at:

“I, along with a few others, were invited to visit the Gates Foundation. I met him then. A fine gentleman. I really liked him. I’m looking forward to reading his thoughts” ~ Nandan Nilekani, co-founder and co-chairman of Infosys Technologies, Bangalore, India.

Gates Senior is simply “quite an inspiring man”~ Ashok Alexander

“With an energetic son and daughter-in-law running the foundation, Gates Sr. could have put his feet up, and appreciated from a distance. But he has been involved hands on, because philanthropy is one of his personal core values, which is reflected in his book,” ~ Mrityunjay Athreya of Sampradaan, Indian Centre for Philanthropy

Mr Gates Sr. shares his experiences from his life:

“There’s power in sharing stories…My dad, who dropped out of school in the eighth grade to help support his family, didn’t live long enough to see how our story has unfolded. And, as I enter my mid’80s, I know that it’s likely I won’t see how life unfolds for my own grandchildren as they move beyond young adulthood. (But) I can at least help them to understand mine.”

“As a father, I never imagined that the argumentative, young boy who grew up in my house, eating my food and using my name would be my future employer. But that’s what happened."

“I believe in the combined power of men and women who ‘show up’ for the people they love and the causes they believe in. I’ve seen the power of public will to take on and surmount great challenges and I believe our society works better when people think less about ‘me and mine’ and more about ‘us and ours’.”

Source: TOI

The Family Clinic: 50 family physicians

A body formed by Gujarat-based doctors has come up with a novel plan to oust quacks and make healthcare services more accessible in Ahmedabad and other parts of the state.

The body, Gujarat State Family Physicians’ Forum (GSFPF), has persuaded 50 physicians, who run private clinics, to operate under an umbrella brand, ‘The Family Clinic’, and adopt same set of standards of medical practice.

For instance, currently only your family physician knows your medical history — i.e. the diseases you are prone to, the medicines you are allergic to and the treatments you respond to the most, among others.

Now, if your physician gets affiliated to ‘The Family Clinic’ brand, then your medical history will be accessible to doctors at all other member clinics. This, effectively, means that you can avail healthcare services not just in your area of residence, but anywhere in the city, without fretting over faulty diagnosis and inflated bills.

50 family clinics to open today
There are more than 1,500 physicians in Ahmedabad. In fact, the 50 physicians who have agreed to operate under the same brand will reopen their clinics on Sunday. The clinics are located in Naranpura, Ghatlodia, Vastrapur, Maninagar, Sabarmati, Satellite and Shahpur, among other areas.

Sharing of medical records will enable better treatment
Vachharajani said that a software would be installed at all family clinics to enable sharing of patients’ medical records. All family clinics will follow a common protocol for treatment of diseases. They will run various check-up programmes, and will also share data on various diseases with the government and NGOs.
read full story here

Friday, May 1, 2009

Booming Gujarat

Image via Wikipedia

GUJARAT: 49 YEARS of SUCCESS
On August 8, 1956, the Central government merged Gujarat, Saurashtra, Kutch and Bombay with Maharastra. This triggered a major riot and many were killed in police firing. The Maha Gujarat Nagrik Parishad was formed to launch a movement for a separate Gujarat. Indulal Yagnik became the ‘mahanayak’ of this movement, lasting four years. Finally, the Central government split Maharashtra and Gujarat into independent states on May 1, 1960.

GUJARAT: Facts n Figures

Latitudinal Location: 23.00 N Longitudinal Location: 72.00 E
Quick Facts on Gujarat Total Area: 1,96,027 square kilometers
Quick Facts on Gujarat Ecosystems: Gujarat exhibits a great diversity of ecosystems ranging from deserts, scrublands, grasslands, deciduous forests, and wetlands to mangroves, coral reefs, estuaries, and gulfs.
Literacy Ratio: 61.29
Best Time to visit: October to March
Languages Spoken: Hindi, Gujarati, English
Gujarat is one of the most prosperous states of the country, having a per-capita GDP 3.2 times India's average.
The world's largest ship breaking yard is in Gujarat near Bhavnagar at Alang.
Gujarat ranks first nationwide in gas-based thermal electricity generation with national market share of over 8% and second nationwide in nuclear electricity generation.
An average income of a Gujarati family in North America is three times more than the average income of an American family.
Gujarat is having the longest sea shore compared to any other Indian state
Gujarat is having highest no. of vegetarian people compared to any other state in India.
The first ALL VEG PIZZA-HUT was opened in Ahmedabad.
Gujarat is having the highest no. of operating airports in India (Total 12)
Surat is the fastest growing city in the world
Gandhinagar is the Greenest Capital City in whole Asia
Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad(IIMA) is Asia's 1 st management college located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

JAMNAGAR: PETROLEUM HUB

This region gave Indian cricket its dark knight. Decades later, Jamnagar has put Gujarat on the global refining map. Together Reliance and Essar refineries in Jamnagar have made Gujarat the world’s refining hub. While Reliance Petroleum Ltd. has put up the largest refining complex with an aggregate refining capacity of 12.4 lakh barrels of oil per day in any single location in the world and Essar has come up with 6.80 lakh barrels a day project.

SURAT: DIAMOND SPARKLES
It was in the 1960s that famine drove Palanpuri Jains from north Gujarat to Surat. Gems and jewellery exports were then a miniscule Rs 5 crore. Patels from Saurahstra followed suit. In 1980s, as business grew, Gujarati diamantaires moved to diamond hub of Antwerp, where Jews controlled the trade. Today, India’s diamond exports are Rs 67,000 crore — majority of them cut and polished in Surat. Gujaratis control over 60% of trade in Belgium.

PHARMA: HEALTHY NATION
    Starting with Alembic, makers of good old Glycodin, in 1907, Gujarat’s pharma sector today contributes the highest - 35 per cent - among all states, to India’s total output. Home to some of country’s pharma biggies like Zydus Cadila, Alembic, Cadila Pharma and Torrent Pharmaceuticals and close to 3,500 drug manufacturing units, the capital investment in Gujarat’s pharma sector has witnessed a CAGR of whopping 54 % in the last 3-4 years.

MUNDRA & PIPAV: PORTS
    From Lothal in 2400 BC to Mundra in 2009 AD, it has a been successful voyage for Gujarat as far as port development is concerned. Two private ports - Mundra and Pipavav, country’s only two LNG terminals at Dahej and Hazira and a string of ports along its 1,600 km coast line, has enabled Gujarat handle at least 250 million tonnes cargo a year, the highest among all maritime states.

AHMEDABAD: WEAVING SUCCESS
    Within decades of Gujarat was born, its financial capital Ahmedabad emerged as the Manchester of the East. Legendary mahajans like Kasturbhai Lalbhai brought the city on the global map. The sector witnessed a decline in the 1980s, leaving thousands jobless. But, a revival was scripted in the late 1990s, with the city reclaiming its lost glory by turning into the denim capital -- manufacturing over 200 million metres of denim in a year.

ANAND: AMUL
This billion dollar brand is Gujarat’s gift to Asia’s co-operative sector. Asia's largest milk brand, Amul’s foundation was laid in 1946 at Anand with inspiration of Sardar Patel. If Tribhuvandas Patel as chairman laid foundation of Kaira District Co~operative Milk Producers Union Limited, Father of White Revolution Verghese Kurien laid foundation of NDDB in 1965 and GCMMF in 1973. 13 dairies and GCMMF clock a collective turnover of Rs 10,000 crore.

AHMEDABAD: NANO (world's most economic CAR)
A landmark in the history of Gujarat’s business. Nearly a decade after General Motors drove in to Gujarat, the state changed gears with Nano. Investment of more than Rs 2,000 crore, Tata Motors shifting its small car project from Singur to Sanand helped the state wash away the taint of 2002 to some extent and paved way for Gujarat’s journey to become an auto hub.