Sunday

An inspirational story-Dr.Prema Dhanraj

All that is striking and beautiful is not always good but that which is good is always beautiful.


DR PREMA DHANRAJ

I don't mind being burnt again, and again and again," says Dr Prema Dhanraj. "I would happily go through this life all over again, God has been really kind to me."

In anyone else such holy gratitude would be looked at with suspicion. After all it isn't like it's a tan, a breakout of acne, or dark circles. Her face is taut in places, twisted in others, wrinkled, stretched and scarred. But when you sit across Dr Prema Dhanraj, HoD, Department of Plastic Surgery, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, what really strikes you is how comfortable she is in her skin. When she talks, you listen, when she laughs, you laugh with her. And what you remember is her grace, her courage, and her love of life.

At the age of eight, a stove burst in Prema's face resulting in 50 per cent burns. She was so burnt, that her neck had melted and her chin was touching her chest. For two days surgeons at the Christian Medical College Hospital (CMCH), Vellore, struggled to put the oxygen tube down her throat without which an operation was not possible.

Prayer and... a promise

While Prema was battling death, her mother, Rosie Stella Dhanraj, sent up a prayer from the little church at the hospital. She promised not only to make a plastic surgeon out of her daughter, but also make sure she served the same hospital, if only God let her live.

Keeping that promise wasn't easy. Not for Prema. Not for her mother. "There were times when I would cry and cry. I didn't want to study," remembers Prema. Schoolmates would shun her and call her `the devil'. But she had a choice to make as the oldest — she could be dependent on her siblings, or make them proud of her. "My mother never forced me to do anything. She'd just make the options very clear."

Prema never saw a mirror during those days. The look of horror, the repulsion and pity on people's face didn't make sense. When she took the bus people would freeze on the steps. "It was almost funny," she says. "I was always worried they'd keep standing there and I would miss my bus," she laughs.

One of the difficult choices Prema made was to stop all surgery. First, medical science in the late 1960s wasn't what it is today. And then, after 14 reconstructive surgeries, Prema simply wanted to get on with life and she did. After earning a graduation and an MBBS, she went to work at CMCH, Vellore, under Dr L.B.M. Joseph, the very same surgeon who had treated her!

In her 26-year career Prema has collected many accolades. Recently she received the "Triumph of Human Spirit Award" from the Rotary Club of Ambattur, Chennai. She has travelled around the world, taught plastic surgeons in Norway, Kenya and Tanzania. She has not only trained Ethiopia's first plastic surgeon but is currently also setting up its first burns unit.

Skilled helping hands

"God might have taken away my looks, but he's more than made up. He has given me such gifted hands, I am really skilled with my hands," she says, snapping a finger to show how fast she is. Today as a leading plastic surgeon, Prema sees scores of patients.

And if you presume that she might scoff at those who come to get that nose a little straighter, the breasts a little bigger or smaller, you are wrong. "I know how serious even pimples can be. It might not be for you and me, but who are we to judge what it means to someone else. I can't dismiss any complaint, because I know how much I craved for little, little things," she says. In India, as elsewhere, there is considerable social stigma for girls with small breasts or breasts that are too large, she says. It leads to a lot of emotional and psychological trauma. Today the technology, the medical knowledge and skill that wasn't available to Prema when she needed it, is at her fingertips.

Sharing courage

Prema also does a considerable amount of reconstructive surgery, particularly for the `Smile Train' project that does free cleft lip and cleft palate operations. She has also started a small foundation called Agni Raksha in Bangalore. It is for burn victims to come together, earn some income through handwork, but more importantly to meet people like them. "It's nice to know that you are not alone. That there might be others who are worse off."

Her courage, her strength she ascribes to her mother. During all the years, Prema has never seen her cry. "I knew she had cried, her eyes would be red and swollen when she'd come out from the prayer room. God's given me such a wonderful family, I don't mind going through everything all over again, if I can also be born into the same family. If I can still be the same person today," she says. Prema's mother is no more, but she did live to see her become a doctor. She shares a close bond with her siblings who she says are really proud of her achievements. "They tell me, we are jealous you are winning awards every other day," she says.

For Prema there's a lot to do. For starters extend Agni Raksha's work. There is also talking about herself and being photographed. She doesn't squirm, she's as conscious as anyone else. In fact less because her face is actually an inspiration to many. When patients want too much, are too depressed, Prema says her juniors bring them to look at her. "I tell them look at my face, it can't be worse than this."

But looking good is important. "They tell me I am the best dressed person in the hospital. And I live up to the compliment. When actresses can do so much to themselves, can't you and I be the best we can?"

Dr Prema Dhanraj doesn't hold the smallest grudge against fate, because she doesn't need to. She is the best she can be.

One of her patients puts it in perspective: "All that is striking and beautiful is not always good but that which is good is always beautiful."



India needs a leader like this!


As elections are approaching I want you all to read this speech by a patriotic leader who really cares for his country.Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks. Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques.


'IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians.'


'This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom' 'We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!'


'Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.'


'We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.' 'This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.'


'If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.'


Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, Indian citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and voicing the same truths. If you agree please SEND THIS ON and ON to as much as Indians you know

Thursday

What kind of girl you are?




You Are A Blue Girl



Relationships and feelings are the most important things to you.

You are empathetic and accepting - and good at avoiding conflict.

If someone close to you is in pain, it makes you hurt as well.

You try to heal the ones you love with your kind and open heart.

Wednesday

Swami Vivekananda--Quotes

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, that is way great spiritual giants are produced.”

"A few heart-whole, sincere, and energetic men and women can do more in a year than a mob in a century."

"Anything that brings spiritual, mental, or physical weakness, touch it not with the toes of your feet."

"We are responsible for what we are, and whatever we wish ourselves to be, we have the power to make ourselves. If what we are now has been the result of our own past actions, it certainly follows that whatever we wish to be in future can be produced by our present actions; so we have to know how to act"


“If you think about disaster, you will get it. Brood about death and you hasten your demise. Think positively and masterfully, with confidence and faith, and life becomes more secure, more fraught with action, richer in achievement and experience.”


“You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.”


“The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature. Have faith in yourselves!”


"Condemn none: if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way. "


"We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far. "


"You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself. "

Sunday

What is SIMI?

RENDEZVOUS WITH SIMI

10 Aug 2008, Jyoti Punwani

In my initial days of interaction with the Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), I ignored the clear indications of extremism, indulgently attributing them to the over-enthusiasm of youth. If they had their way, they would put everyone in purdah , I was warned. But they were hardly likely to have their way, I laughed.

This was in the mid-'90s.

Some time then, a SIMI member asked me why, since I wrote so much about Muslims, I didn't convert to Islam. I had so many doubts about my own religion, it was hardly likely that I would accept another faith, I replied. "But that's because your religion is so imperfect, sister," came the rejoinder. "Islam is perfect, it has a solution for everything."

The cocky youngster who made this audacious comment laughs embarrassedly now at the memory. He left SIMI soon after it plastered the walls of Mumbai's Muslim areas with the infamous poster, 'Waiting for Ghaznavi' which had as a backdrop the Babri Masjid's domes dripping blood. This was to mark December 6, 2000. Why Ghaznavi, I'd asked him. "These have been printed by the central leadership, I can't understand why," he had replied, obviously ill at ease. But the youngsters hanging around SIMI's office in Kurla weren't ill at ease at all. For them, Ghaznavi was a hero, not just because he broke idols and thereby served Islam, but also because he raided Somnath to liberate the devdasis enslaved there by the priests. Seeing my skepticism, they named certain historians and alleged such 'truths' were never taught to Indians in school.

What about the inflammatory potential of such a poster? That was a stupid question, because this was March 2001 and they'd just successfully inflamed passions in Mumbai over the burning of the Quran in Delhi by the Bajrang Dal. The BJP was in power, and the media had downplayed the incident as a rumour. But SIMI had downloaded a Reuters photograph of the incident from the Internet and published it as a poster. Frantic efforts by community elders and mohalla committees had restrained Muslims across Mumbai, but near SIMI's headquarters, a morcha had been taken out and buses stoned. Then next day, the police had called the morcha participants for questioning. Unable to bear the humiliation of having his name on the police files, a teenager, the first boy in his family to enter college, had committed suicide after his return from the police station.

The futile end to a life full of promise - that's what you achieved by this protest, I told the SIMI youngsters angrily. Of course they were unrepentant. They had diligently performed their duty of alerting their community about the injustices being done to their faith. The 17-year-old had become a shaheed for Islam. How come they never thought of taking out morchas for the other injustices done to their community? Why didn't they join the campaign to get justice for families devastated by the 1992-'93 riots? What about fighting the discrimination their community faced in admission to schools, in jobs?

"Let Muslims in India starve," they finally declared. "That's not our problem. Our duty is to arouse the community whenever Islam is in danger, be it in India, Afghanistan, Bosnia or Chechnya. If we have to come out on the streets for that, we will."

That was the essence of SIMI. They didn't feel they belonged to India, or any one country, but to the global Islamic community. Their lives were ruled not by the Indian Constitution, but by the Quran. The fact that they lived in a country overwhelmingly populated by non-Muslims only strengthened their resolve to convert it into an Islamic State. Living in harmony with the non-Muslim majority, as their community had for centuries, meant abdicating their religious duty as Muslims. If, in working towards an Islamic state, they offended the sensibilities of the majority community or broke a law or two, so be it. The latter were kafirs anyway.

The continuous targeting of Muslims, not just by the BJP, but also by the 'secular' State since 1984, the sell-out of established Muslim politicians, the promising start of SIMI as a religious counter to communism and consumerism - all this made Muslim elders go out of their way to shield SIMI from the consequences of their acts.

The Ghaznavi poster was a turning point. But before that, within SIMI, the disenchantment had begun. Its senior cadre in Mumbai had resigned, publicising SIMI's growing jehadi thrust and ISI influence. Muslims would have completely distanced themselves from the new SIMI - had they found the State committed to curbing the RSS after it banned SIMI. Gujarat 2002, the arrest only of Muslims after every bomb blast, the blackout of the RSS' terrorist acts, and the recent Jammu violence show that has yet to happen.

Tuesday

JAGO PARTY-- What can we hope?

I saw this party's ad in India Today and my first reaction was Oh! One more party ! Another group of corrupt politicians making all false promises.

But this party is with a different mission. At least they say so!
They are against reservations.
Job for all through free English medium education.
Death sentence for terrorism, corruption, murder & rape.

Court judgment in three months.
All voters will get Rs. 600/- per month.
24X7 electricity supply for all towns & villages and comfortable train journey by privatization.

Less government activities & more private enterprises.
No income tax upto Rs. 4.0 Lakh per annum.


I don't think this party will be able to make its presence felt in rural areas of UP, Bihar and other states where leaders are chosen on the basis of castes.

But atleast we, as educated and concerned citizens of India, give this party an opportunity to serve the country.

I hope this party stick to its mission once elected. As their own site says "Smallest action is much better than the noblest intention !"

May be in coming years the basis on which our country votes changes and our people start thinking above caste ,creed and choose deserving candidates.

Website: http://www.jago.in/

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