Pungidasa's Blog, page 6

Going Green — One step at a time

Go green fellows.
I ve switched to bamboo brushes since 4 months. The bamboo stalk is better alternative to plastic brushes. Let me know if you need one.

And slowly cutting on my plastic consumption and usage moving towards zero waste generation.
I carry my mug outside to drink coffee.

I dont drink in plastic cups or in paper cups. Even paper cups add to the pressure of landfills even though they decompose.
I use public transport and mass transport for commuting.

I dont burst crackers ever since I was in 5th standard.

I don’t throw e-waste outside but do it through trusted recyclers.

We have no television at home, we stopped bringing newspapers altogether.

We wash the car once in a month, we have a terrace garden that sustains most of our green spinach requirements.

We compost almost 80 percent of food waste.

I prefer to walk for a km instead of using a bike.
I’ve started talking cold baths to reduce heating power wasted on hot water.

This is my personal schedule against plastic pollution, ecological balance. I can do it and so can you...

Comment with what is your personal choice made towards zero plastic or how you are being a responsible earthling…

Top 5 Ambulance apps you need on your phone— saving life at the touch of a button

Top 5 Ambulance apps you need on your phone— saving life at the touch of a button

Do you need to book an ambulance right away?

Are you first aid trained ? Need to give someone first aid or CPR ?

Are you emergency prepared? Need urgent blood for a friend?

Need an ambulance to transport someone to an airport?

What will you do if you need to transport a bedridden patient to a hospital?

Did you know that you can now avail emergency medical transportation services at the touch of a button?

One touch of a button can save a life.

Yes, there are apps that can help you do just that. Be it, booking ambulances when you are the first responder or a good samaritan or in times of any other accident when a life threatening injury looms , these apps are a saviour for you in times of desperate need.

But then how do you decide, that a certain app is the best pick for you ?

Availability

Reliability

Consistent Pricing

There also needs to be something much more to the app that can give you more authentic content that makes us come to the app again and again for anything related to medical transport and so on.

Here is a list of apps that are trusted sources of information

The top 5 ambulance apps that are presently available:

1)VMEDO app

2) Meddco ambulance

3) Indian Red Cross First aid

4) Siren Ambulance app

5) Ambu Ambulance

Why do we need to install these apps?

Every life matters. One touch of a button can save a life. Life can turn at any time, its always pays to be prepared to meet all the twists and turns that can come our way. Keep these apps handy and be a good samaritan.

VMEDO app:

VMEDO is medical transportation and healthcare app developed with the intention of making medical transportation accessible and pocket friendly for all users. This app provides a plethora of information and features that cater to almost all possibilities and contingencies, be it life threatening cases where ambulances are needed, non emergency uses for regular health checkups for elderly, bed to bed services for patients who need long distance medical transport across state lines.

Salient Features

Booking of Emergency ambulances, Non emergency ambulances, Neo-natal ambulances, air ambulances- across India with one emergency contact number or at the touch of a button.

Seeking for blood for your loved ones is also possible through the app, with it searching for registered donors in the vicinity and intimating them of a need for urgent need of blood.

First aid information on the most common accidents such as dog bite, snake bite and fractures, blood loss and so on…

App also provides health tips, has an inbuilt health tracker that can track your steps, remind you about your water intake and much more.

The app provides you with one touch ambulance service, with a large fleet of ambulances under its umbrella, making sure of very high availability and consistent rates when compared to private vendors.

Download app here:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.areratech.bloodforsure

VMEDO also conducts first aid trainings from reliable and experienced first aid instructors for all those who are interested to learn first aid and make a difference.

Indian Red Cross First Aid app

Provides First aid Information on most common first aid incidents with most commonly occurring in everyday life such as fractures, nose bleeds, dog bites explained. This app can help you find a hospital nearby and gives instructions of the “ Do-Dont’s “ at a time of crisis. Content is in simple English and easy to understand for all of us.

Download app here :https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.indianredcross.firstaid

Meddco Ambulance

This app can help you book different types of ambulances. Yes, you heard it right. There are different types of ambulances that are available, the basic ambulance, advanced emergency ambulance, neonatal ambulances and so on.

This app gives you a one click interface to book these ambulances based on the need of the hour.

Download app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.meddcoambulance.com.user

Siren Ambulance app

This app also helps you to book ambulances and also provides the feature where you can choose your preferred hospital based on your location and also provide emergency contacts to call in case you yourself need an ambulance, they shall also get all details of the ambulance, your location and so on…

It also helps guide the Ambulance to the exact spot where it is being requested.

Download the app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.studyindia.ambulanceu

Ambu Ambulance

This app can help you book an emergency ambulance and also book tranportation for patients from one hospital to other or from the house to another. The app comes with a simple user interface and also provides information on the nearest available hospital near you.

The app also allows for updation of detials of your friends, who share your blood group to facilitate blood donation in times of desperate need…

Download at this link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ambu.emergency.ambulance_project

Hope this article has put a lot of questions in your head and answered some more.

Install these apps and be emergency prepared and also be a Good Samaritan.

Every life matters and every second counts!!!

How we raised 1.87 lakh in 38 days for kids in Rural Karnataka

I am not sure why I am writing this article. But it keeps haunting me to write it...

To tell you a story of hope, of the great human potential in making a difference to the lives of others through acts of kindness. This story is one of empathy and compassion…

Paranga Vidya Kendra, in Magadi Taluk is a temple of learning for more than 500 plus kids right from kindergarten to high school.

Every kid there gets quality education, uniforms, books, acesss to labs, libraries and much more without having to spend a rupee from their pockets. The school is home to these kids with midday meals also provided everyday.

What makes it special is that, it’s one man’s mad idea of a Rural school that gives free education to kids in his home town. A school that gives without seeking, a truly Utopian society.

A large percentage of girl kids, kids whose parents are below poverty line come to this pyramid school to learn. With transport facilities also provided from the school itself, the kids are given all the necessary amenities to make it through life and succeed.

We have been here for a year with computer classes and library classes conducted by our volunteers…

With a plan of raising 5 lakh for Paranga Vidya Kendra, we began in Jan.

31st Jan in a cooking without fire fund raiser raised over 24,000 rupees in just 90 minutes with over 300 people joining in with 10 teams, over 50 volunteers making this event a major success.

If you are wondering and saying Wow then wait.

We raised over 1.6 lakh apart from this just in 38 days.

This has been possible because of over 90 donors, who have given their hard earned money to us, based on nothing else but trust.

How we reached 90 donors?
2 images unselfishly put up as WhatsApp Status/ Facebook shares by over 200 plus people.

People who I have never met before, quite simply trusting our dedication and work;

sending donations without a second thought.

I will let that sink in for a moment.
200 people.
1.86 lakh.
38 days.
90 donors.

Still gives me goosebumps…Nothing short of the absolute power of empathy.

When we began, we had a mad drive to make this work, we have met over 30 plus people just to tell them about the school.

In over a year, we have had over 50 volunteers come to the school atleast once.

This story is a testament to empathy and humanity of these donors, volunteers and everyone involved.

I hope this inspired you to do your bit and start your own revolution.

Want to join us. You are always welcome.

Contact : Sunil Sathyendra for more information on the same @ 8892353514

How we raised 1.86 lakh in 38 days for kids in Rural Karnataka

I am not sure why I am writing this article. But it keeps haunting me to write it...

To give you these stats and numbers that tell you an amazing story of empathy and humanity.

With a plan of raising 5 lakh for Paranga Vidya Kendra, we began in Jan.

31st Jan in a cooking without fire fund raiser raised over 24,000 rupees in just 90 minutes with over 300 people joining in with 10 teams, over 50 volunteers making this event a major success.

If you are wondering and saying Wow then wait.

We raised over 1.6 lakh apart from this just in 38 days.

This has been possible because of over 90 donors, who have given their hard earned money to us, based on nothing else but trust.

How we reached 90 donors?
2 images unselfishly put up as WhatsApp Status/ Facebook shares by over 200 plus people.

People who I have never met before, quite simply trusting our dedication and work- sending donations without a second thought.

I will let that sink in for a moment.
200 people.
1.86 lakh.
38 days.
90 donors.

Still gives me goosebumps…Nothing short of the absolute power of empathy

When we began, we had a mad drive to make this work, we have met over 30 plus people just to tell them about the school.

In over a year, we have had over 50 volunteers come to the school atleast once.

This story is a testament to empathy and humanity of these donors, volunteers and everyone involved.

I hope this inspired you to do your bit and start your own revolution.

Want to join us. You are always welcome.

We all want to be loved — Don’t We ?

It was a beautiful evening in the midst of nature. The sun was bearing upon us, his most gentle of rays, quietly touching us with a warm glow. There was an abundance of trees and dead leaves that rustled about in great nostalgia. A group of friends had gathered in the park encompassing this beautiful scene, in a small hut like enclosure- made themselves comfortable talking amongst themselves.

Two dogs;stray dogs came in and greeted all of us. One had white fur. The other had black fur. It was clearly visible that the black dog had spots in its skin with scanty hair. It made it not so visibly popular. There were many dogs brought by their owners held in leashes or with a name tag around its neck, pampered, loved and enjoying their vacation.

The white one was universally accepted, the black one followed the white one only to be shooed away. Both of them sat in the middle of the small congregation, listening to all them speak. A sadness rung in the black dog’s eyes. It was not jealousy but a deep sense of sadness. It sat there acutely aware of the pats the white counterpart got and its destiny to stay away. Not a sound it made, it just sat licking it's leg, removing more hair from its body. It sat before me, I could feel it's eyes look at me and bore through with a question.

I was afraid of dogs, terribly afraid in fact. I wanted to pat this one and give it a rub. But the scene was interrupted by a younger dog who bound inside the congregation with the exuberance of youth only to be met with angry growls. The two older dogs wanted all our love for themselves. The new entrant was a young mother, coming around our way to also share in our love and affection. Fighting amongst themselves to be patted by us.

The event almost ended, we made our way home, these dogs went their own merry way. The next day someone else would occupy that hit like structure, someone else would may be shoo them away unlike the ones that came with owners that always got attention.

Something stuck me that day, in the quiet recess of my mind. We are all hungry for love. These stray dogs, one amongst hundreds of different in a small park in a small city had told me of a fundamental law of existence.

We all want to be loved. We all want our minutes of attention and spot light.

We all want to be loved — Dont We !

It was a beautiful evening in the midst of nature. The sun was bearing upon us, his most gentle of rays, quietly touching us with a warm glow. There was an abundance of trees and dead leaves that rustled about in great nostalgia. A group of friends had gathered in the park encompassing this beautiful scene, in a small hut like enclosure- made themselves comfortable talking amongst themselves.

Two dogs;stray dogs came in and greeted all of us. One had white fur. The other had black fur. It was clearly visible that the black dog had spots in its skin with scanty hair. It made it not so visibly popular. There were many dogs brought by their owners held in leashes or with a name tag around its neck, pampered, loved and enjoying their vacation.

The white one was universally accepted, the black one followed the white one only to be shooed away. Both of them sat in the middle of the small congregation, listening to all them speak. A sadness rung in the black dog’s eyes. It was not jealousy but a deep sense of sadness. It sat there acutely aware of the pats the white counterpart got and its destiny to stay away. Not a sound it made, it just sat licking it's leg, removing more hair from its body. It sat before me, I could feel it's eyes look at me and bore through with a question.

I was afraid of dogs, terribly afraid in fact. I wanted to pat this one and give it a rub. But the scene was interrupted by a younger dog who bound inside the congregation with the exuberance of youth only to be met with angry growls. The two older dogs wanted all our love for themselves. The new entrant was a young mother, coming around our way to also share in our love and affection. Fighting amongst themselves to be patted by us.

The event almost ended, we made our way home, these dogs went their own merry way. The next day someone else would occupy that hit like structure, someone else would may be shoo them away unlike the ones that came with owners that always got attention.

Something stuck me that day, in the quiet recess of my mind. We are all hungry for love. These stray dogs, one amongst hundreds of different in a small park in a small city had told me of a fundamental law of existence.

We all want to be loved. We all want our minutes of attention and spot light.

Ten Golden ideas to follow this Valentine’s day

1)Google –“ The history of valentine’s day” – Find out why it began in the first place and if you believe in it.

2)Valentine’s day is not a competition

3)Appreciate people who make time for you and value their time.

4)There is nothing wrong in celebrating this day, with your own version of the significance of the day. Everyone has their own versions, please respect that as well.

5)Please do not make this day about being single or committed or whatever other names you give relationships.

6)Valentine’s day is not a trend that you by default have to have a say about. If it does not concern you, ignore it and go on with your life.

7)If you do not have a special romantic partner today, it does not mean you are worthless. Having a partner does not make it any bragging rights either.

8)Spend time with yourself, call your family and tell them you love them, make it special with a conversation.

9)Please follow rule number 2.

10)Read the entire list of points until you understand.

Failing an exam but not in life !

I was in standard nine when I failed in one subject. I had failed in physics. My crush at that time had also failed in physics.

Lol. I was happy we had failed together. And the next moment I was guilt tripping. It was the most disgusting feeling, i had ever tasted.

I cried, no one gave a rat’s fart about it. I had never seen failure in an exam. This put me in a place I had never been before. I was an average student, the kind who never gets to be in the 20 or the bottom 20, but floats along in each class.

I cried in class that day, because I saw that the other one who failed also cried. I was stuck there in no man’s land. It was the first ever time I was dealing with failure.

I could not face my mom, I could not face my best friend. All bravado had gone from my face.

What compounded the problem was that the marks cards had to be signed by parents. I had all kinds of relatives home that week. And I had to get it signed.Period.

I remember setting up the stage, after a good dinner, two days later, I whispered to my mom, “I failed in physics”. I expected a slap, a trashing, beating scenes - she became sad is all. She told me - “ So, what next? “. I will study harder and score well- I muttered.

I felt bad, having to see her sad.

The marks card came to all of us. I remember sitting next to my class teacher, telling her that my relatives were there and - “Can I not take the marks card. I will get it signed later”.

She looked at me and I knew the answer.

When all of the relatives slept, i crept to my bag, got it signed from mom and making a promise to never come across such a situation again...

Looking back at it, years after that incident.

I am happy that I failed.It taught me that accepting failure has no short cuts.

I am proud that I did not forge signatures, shared my failures with people in my family.

I understood that is okay to fail. The world shall not end with one failure.

And most of all, I found a fire that I never knew existed within me. The F word in red on my marks card had awoken a deep desire to make myself proud of me.

I realised , I was much more bigger than a failed subject.

I never failed an exam again, I never had examination fear later on. I was always prepared for every exam. And every test that came in life.

Why Am I sharing this now

(After like 10 years)

Over the last few years

I have seen people at the top crumble and get crushed with depression and sadness. Mulling over defeats rather than thinking of “What next?”.

The Indian exams see so many of students not making it through the exams. It cripples them so hard that so many of them commit/try to commit suicide/think of ending their life.

They cannot share these feelings with friends, family or relatives.

Because there is always a fear of being ridiculed, humiliation and most of all suffering from guilt.

Because we instinctively are bred to consider failure as weak and incompetent.

Well it took me 10 years to write it away on paper and send it to 500 people as a broadcast message.

Tell kids that “ failing an exam is not amounting to failing in life.”

But also tell them that being unprepared for an exam is sheer stupidity.

There are ways to handle depression, sadness and most of all, learn from failure and recuperate themselves mentally.

Share this story amongst kids you know, their parents- so that we may not lives to exams.

One person one plastic bottle at a time can make a significant difference.

One person one plastic bottle at a time can make a significant difference.

Team Hasiru is planning a cleaning drive along the Shivagange trek path in order to clean and clear Plastic from the hills of Shivagange.

I had the pleasure of talking with Chirag, one of the team members of Team Hasiru and we talked in length of how they have progressed as a team doing their bit for change over the last year and a half.

What began as humble beginnings, in clearing and beautifying a dirty spot near their home, with a handful of volunteers has now grown in stature to conduct a green initiative on their own. Coming from a background of like minded engineers Chirag and his team are still young at but are madly driven to do their bit for society.

They have had experiences with working with kids at orphanages and conducting a paperbag making workshop for volunteers and the kids.

Coming back to the main event on January 20th 2019, this young brigade is looking for volunteers to join in their crusade and make change.

Being a part of The Plog Run and other events partnering with Rotary and other institutions on his own accord, Chirag has learnt the art of organising such events that make community driven projects make big impact.

What happens on January 20th ?

1. Once registered on their Google form shared below,

https://goo.gl/forms/3aAlxisXOj8zxg883

you will have to drop in at Jayanagar at 5am in the morning.
2. Bus shall take you to Shivagange. Breakfast and lunch shall be provided.
3. Once there, you will be given bags, gloves to pick plastic and bottles that litter the environment.
4. You may get a chance to visit a plastic recycling facility nearby and understand the process yourself.

Join in and make your city and holiday destination a little more cleaner.

Team Hasiru needs your support, enjoy yourself in pursuit of change, picking up the treasure of plastic strewn across...

For more information contact Chirag from Team Hasiru here :+919481290615

Finding Time to spread smiles — My Journey of Volunteering.

I am often asked these questions

How do you make time to volunteer ?Why do you volunteer?Do you really think that you are making change?

A lot of friends and colleagues praise my small efforts towards volunteering. The most common appreciation being “ you are doing this at such a young age”, “ You are doing far more than what we are doing even now”

Let me tell you of why volunteering means so much to me…

I was in seventh standard when my father expired. We were from a decent middle class background. On an average we could survive, but still needed some financial help from people around us. Most of them who helped me had no idea who I was. They looked at our situation and pitched in with aid that helped us. Every penny saved; mattered!

People who had never seen me before volunteered to help. They would call me home, give me a cheque or mail a cheque and that was it. I breezed through my education system with such people paving way for my up-bringing.

Volunteering in schools was the only way, I could carry the baton forward. This became the way I could help someone in need, provide them that breathing space and relieve their burden.

The first visit I made to a slum near M.G Road opened my eyes with such a jolt that I stood up and realized that the road ahead was full of challenges that I alone could not make right.

It was a govt school. We had to go there and read to them. Stories in English and Kannada. During the course of the class, we asked the kids to introduce themselves- with their name, age, interests and what they do at home. I can still feel the goosebumps as I recount that day. One girl got up, stood silently for a few seconds and then started to cry. I did not know what was wrong. I told her it is okay, be bold — tell us your name. She cried even more. The person next to her stood up for her and said -Her name is Zaira. She cannot speak.

I stood there in shock… I asked her to take a paper, write her name and what she does at home. She wrote it down on a sheet of paper; a girl washing clothes and utensils near a small home. The smile on her face when I told her that her drawing was beautiful was so innocent that it made me cringe at the stark reality of life that we often take for granted.

One small help can sometimes change the world, the best example is my own life. I have been a part of 22 visits spread across 3 schools and 5 plantation drives after that and led a total of over 300 volunteers combined to these visits that has touched over 1200 benefactors. One of my favourite initiatives was teaching “Spoken Kannada” to over 45 security personnel ; which would aid them in their daily life.

It is my way of giving back to the society. Now people call me to check where to donate clothes, to check if an NGO they have heard of is the right place for people to donate, how to start working with a school and much more…

This post is not to make you look at me like a hero. It is to look at me as a normal person with normal life, doing small things to make the world a better place.

Does my small 2 hour trip to a school change their world forever?

One school visit certainly changed my life. And we never know: what we say, what we do may end up changing someones’s life at a crucial juncture. Most importantly, for kids to realise that there are people out there who they can look up for advice/ suggestions/ encouragement is a boost to their self confidence. It can change their world completely.

One life impacted over the course of these hours of volunteering is enough for me. The satisfaction of actually bringing a smile to those faces is just out of the world. Listening to them say “ Sunil sir is here” and wave those small hands of theirs with shining excited eyes is an experience that nothing else can stand in comparison with.

I hope these anecdotes have cleared your questions.

And to add to it, a huge thank you to all those who have made this journey possible. Right from the ones who supported me during school visits, Late. K.S.R.P. sir, colleagues and friends at office who have been generous with donations towards the development of infrastructure at schools we have visited. The hugely amazing team of volunteers who have made it possible for us to collective be a force to be reckoned with. People who have given us encouragement and recognition that made us want to give more to this.

In addition, the people who tell me- “ I am doing amazing things” — Thank you. There is still a lot more to be done. A lot more schools and people to be touched. I will accept your compliments and best wishes only after some more work has been done by me.

In fact I am doing very little work when I volunteer. I just make arrangements for others to volunteer, to find the need and plug it with the help of funds from people. Effectively I am just a channel, a road for you to make change. I am actually doing little.

With this, I would like to leave you with one thought.

Plant a seed today, let it grow, nurture it and look after it when it is young. It can provide an impact for generations to come. Seeds that can grow into other trees too. I am planting a seed in your thoughts now. You can be the change in someone’s life with doing as little as volunteering for an hour, spending time with them.