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Book Review— The Real Wani—Kashmir’s True Hero: A Definitive Biography of Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani


Title—The Real Wani—Kashmir’s True Hero: A Definitive Biography of Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani
Author—Sonal Chaturvedi
Genre— Biographies & Autobiographies
Publisher— Bloomsbury India
ASIN—B084GVXKJQ

I have read quite a number of books on Kashmir–based on insurgency, migration of Kashmiri Pandits, Pakistan-India Kargil war, or a simple love story against the verdant backdrop of the earth’s heaven. But never came across a story of a soldier that too hailing from the state itself. Curious enough, I got my copy from a friend. According to this book, the real hero of Kashmir is Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani instead of that slain terrorist Wurhan Wani. The title itself is strong enough to stir inquisitive among the people.

I finished reading the paperback version of the book in less than a week’s time. The story took me on a tour where I saw how a young hardworking Kashmiri lad sets his journey till he is conferred with Ashoka Chakra posthumously. His personal journey and sacrifice were simply incredible. I think we need more soldiers like Nazir Wani who could identify and fight hidden terrorists in the milling crowd of Kashmir.

The book is a good take on Kashmir’s politics and how army and other forces operate there. No doubt, it is written in such a brilliant manner that it got a letter of appreciation from our army chief General Bipin Rawat. Before the story takes off, there are recommendations and forwards by the army people with whom Lance Naik Nazir worked. He was a fearless soldier and cared more for his colleagues than his life. He played indispensable roles at many operations but in 2018 Operation Batgund he was martyred. The events described in the book look so surreal I felt as I am there beside Nazir and his army.

The book is not all about army busting terrorist hideouts, rather it is also high on Kashmiri culture and taboos, beliefs, and other things. I liked casting of Nazir’s love affair with Mahajabeena and how she handled life in the aftermath of his sacrifice. People from Kashmir and army can relate more to the book and somehow it has a soul of Kashmiriyat in it. Written in lucid manner, Sonal has etched a story that is received well by showing the current Kashmir crises. She has highlighted the right sense of sentiments among patriots. I hope you too enjoy reading this book as much as I did.

Without breaking spoilers, I would recommend you to read this book to know how Nazir joined army from being helping to terrorists earlier. What was the reason behind that transformation? His personal home story, love story, sub audition between fellow mates, understanding of the land and culture – all combined this – how did he evolve as a national hero? Indeed a definitive biography of a soldier. A must read book for all of us!

This book is available on Amazon.

Book Review – The Burning School by Sandesh Raj


Title— The Burning School
Author— Sandesh Raj
Genre— Crime, Thriller & Mystery
Publisher—Notion Press
ASIN— B0874XJT7H

The Burning School by Sandesh Raj is definitely one of the untold stories from Kashmir. This novel was running a little over 400 pages, but it became one of my favourite in the recent time. Why? Because the novel was written about a concrete them: education empowers the people. You heard it right. The novel features Naved as the lead character, he is passed out from IIM, but still chooses to work for poor students in Kashmir. He is from Lucknow. He hails from an army family. Despite knowing the terrorism in Kashmir, he goes there to teach students preparing for the IIT exams. As he reached there, a new land awaits him. He gets company of one of the close students named Ashraf who also arranges for his home and food.

Naved is sad to see that there schools are being burnt by the terrorists so that children can be used as stone pelters to disturb the armed forces. As Naved delves deep, he finds that students are scared to go to schools or matter of fact there aren’t enough schools left in his area of sojourn Baramulla. Naved takes up the challenge not only to prepare aspirants for IIT exams but also to reopen schools for young children. How and why, fills the most narration in the story.

Naved’s journey to empower students by education is not so smooth, he has to first face the distrust of the locals and the threat of terrorists and the intervention of local police. Will he be able to succeed in his mission or would land up in jail just like any random terrorist?

After some initial chapters, the story takes us to a higher level and a new era of thrill begins. I totally enjoyed his journey and the local flavour and his involvement with the soul of Kashmir. I appreciate the overall structural concept of the story. Sandesh Raj is a highly promising author with the ability of building great stories on humanitarian ground. The novel is lucid to read and have good grasp over pace. All in all, a good story with amazing sub plots and twists.

This book is available on Amazon.

Book Review - Arya Dharma : The Noble Dharma


A book which is the need of the hour.

What is so special about this book?

The contents of this book are not the usual one. It is a 600+ page which needs detailed study. Hence I would suggest you to read few pages only, in a day. I was totally amazed because the book is a confluence of most of the religious texts/books/literature since author has mentioned that he has read the religious book more than once.

I do not know the possibilities of application of a book to a greater extent but if it was done, it would surely lead to a Utopian Society where there is no religion and all the subjects would be following the highest order of Dharma called Arya Dharma.

There were lots to learn from this wonderful book. I am trying to mention few of them which I found it interesting/appealing.

Do you know?
The left facing Swastika has Buddhist origins but this was not completely true. It is the embodiment of Shakti and also the representation of the essential feminine qualities.
Dharma Chakra – has origins tracing back to Vedas and Buddhism.

Author is critical about FUKUS system which we have been following despite the fact that the rules we followed earlier were of highest order. We, The Bharat were much prosperous and were contributing almost 1/4th of the World GDP which could not be conquered even by the Great Alexander. We should feel proud about our ancestry since we were most civilized for more than 1200 years when the other races were barbaric. You should make a note there that author is not a racist but was trying to put forth his point.

Author cites various references from revered scholars including Plutarch, Megesthenes, Arrian, Fa-Hien to name a few.

Arya is not a race by birth. Arya Dharma was followed by the then Indus Valley Civilization which is now in Pakistan, Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan, Combodians etc.,

Arya Dharma is an embodiment of Sanathan Dharma, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Marthoma, Sufism and religion of the tribals. The Worship of nature is the true and pure form of the highest embodiment – Brahman.

The book is not about Hindu or Hinduism alone but it also about other religion. Most importantly, it is devoid of people who have manipulated it for their own benefits/welfare. Hence you can safely say that this is not biased towards any one particular religion.

It is this Arya Dharma which has made Lord Ram to banish his pregnant wife as he was criticized by a dhobi. It is to be noted here than an ordinary citizen could criticize a Supreme ruler. Ram Rajya meant the rule of Dharma of which Lord Ram was the best and supreme embodiment. Dharma is beyond Religion.

These were just some of the interesting anecdotes I found in this book. I liked the writing style of the author since he did not beat around the bush.

Do you know that the Chinese philosophy is very much similar to ours? It has the same ideal of the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam which means “The World Is One Family”. This is not just found on one of the scriptures of Sanathan Dharma but also in Upanishads, Panchatantra, Hitopadesa etc.,

Author expressed his emotional feeling (read Sadness) that the best source of ancient Bharat in English are not in Bharat but in the good universities and libraries in USA,UK, Russia and Germany.

The Caste system that existed during the Vedic era was mostly misunderstood/misconstrued. By trying to decode this, author has done an excellent job. As a subject of this great Nation, I feel really proud. Do not miss to read about Varnasharma Dharma.

Birth does not determine the caste but their action. This is how Valmiki, who was once a robber, became a Maha-Rishi. Vishwamitra who was a Kshatriya by birth became one of the Saptarishi.

The interpretation of Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa needs a special mention. It wasn’t a surprise to me when I read that many monks and other spiritual people skipped Grihastha and Vanaprastha to directly jump to Brahmacharya and Sanyasa.

The author has given good ideas on how to reform our existing flawed democracy and capitalism systems based on his research on ancient democracy in Bharat.


He has also proposed an alternate and in his opinion a more sustainable model of growth and prosperity that is suitable to all beings in this world and also complements nature.

Well, I can keep writing about the book all through the day because the wisdom it offers is immeasurable and what I have written in my review is not even 5% of what the book has to offer. If this is followed strictly, I am sure there will not be any difference between the people which is the basis of all the conflicts. Don’t we all want to see a peaceful world which follows the Supreme Principle which was very much followed in our nation earlier but time and tide coupled with petty politics has slowly made this to vanish from our system?

This book is available on Amazon.

Call for Code to address Climate Change

Call for Code to address Climate Change

Climate Change is the major threat that we have been facing for the past few decades. There have been innumerable measures taken till date to combat this phenomenon which has threatened the existence of various species including us, Human Beings. Various organizations across the globe have been researching on this and presenting their findings in the form of journal/thesis and so on. This has become an important segment on its own where various Governments across the globe have been spending billions of dollars on it. The study on climate change has seen the likes of Al-Gore, Bachendri Pal and few others winning Nobel Prize for Peace. Hence one could understand the importance attached to this. How could we connect our expertise concerning this particular aspect?

 You must be very much aware of IBM’s “Call for Code” campaign which seen over 8000+ applications involving 210,000 developers, data scientists and problem solvers from over 165+ countries creating it in the past 2 years. This shows the amount of interest developers show in this program since its main motto is to address the pressing issues of the world and to find a possible solution to address them adequately.

The recent report suggests that the depletion in the Ozone Layer is getting smaller and smaller due to the various efforts taken by the Government. This includes agreeing to cut the emission levels especially by the countries like USA, UK, China, India, Brazil, and South Africa. The introduction of BS-VI vehicles is also a way of contributing to the reduction in emissions. We are more than careful than before, but these alone won’t suffice. With the advent of the Corona outbreak and the entire world going into lock-down mode, nature has found some reprieve since the emission has dropped to record levels. This has helped Mother Nature to get rejuvenated for the time being, but it will not last long since we cannot survive on lock-down for a longer period and industries have to get back to work. The companies may start working vigorously once the lock-down is lifted to cover up for the lost man-days. Hence the effect it may leave on nature may be devastating. 

There are a lot of things that could be done in this front.

1.    Scrapping old vehicles which are fuel guzzlers.
2.    Encourage to use only lead-free petrol.
3.    Energy sustainability

How could we address climate change through Energy Sustainability?

There are tried and tested methods in this aspect. All we need to do is to fine-tune them. There are companies like Tesla which is doing its best to help us combat pollution. There should be more number of such companies which should be encouraged and allowed to be set up across various countries. We, in India, are now getting into the “Self Sufficiency” position when it comes to power generation. We cannot sit on the laurels but has to see how best we could improve it further so that we can help our neighbors who are still struggling in this sector.

Most of the loss happens during transmissions and in remote areas due to theft. If these could be addressed/prevented by identifying the loopholes, this could save the Government a big money. We are moving to the next generation meters where the Government is setting up Smart Meters which is almost impenetrable and can help in ascertaining the exact consumption pattern. Through the coding campaign, revolutionary concepts similar to Bloom Energy can be created. All it needs is the application of mind coupled with idea/concept which could bring your ideas into a reality.

How to take part in the campaign by IBM?





Four steps are involved in this process.
1.    Accept the Challenge
2.    Build with Open Tech
3.    Find Your Squad
4.    Submit Your Idea.

How easy is that?

If you wanted to more about this exciting campaign where you also get a chance to win a whopping USD200,000 apart from Open Source support from The Linux Foundation, Meetings with mentors & potential investors, Solution implementation support through Code and Response™

Hurry!!

The campaign has opened and is accepting submissions. The initial submission deadline is the 27th of April. With lock-down in place, there is no better time to get your team come together to take part in this amazing campaign( most of you would be Working From Home but I am sure that you could still take some time out, get on to Video Call and get this up and running). You need not have to submit the entire project by 27th April but the prototype and you can improvise it post the timeline. The final submission deadline is 31st July, 2020. Winners will be announced by October, 2020.

Important links:

1.     Developers interested in participating as a competitor, can find all necessary information here
2.     Organisations interested in supporting as a sponsor, can find all necessary information here.
3.     Find reference materials and technical resources on the COVID-19 pandemic here.
4.     Starter kits starter kits and resources.

Book Review - My Ramyeon Girl


Title - My Ramyeon Girl
Author - Nethra A
Genre - Fiction
Publisher - Fablery
ASIN - B0876DYMXQ

A beautiful story which has touched upon the subject of racism which is still prevalent in various parts of the world. I was not even aware about this until I read this book and was deeply shocked to find out that it was true. My heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the author who has touched this subject and penned a story revolving around this.

I was struggling initially to cope up with the Korean names. Thankfully, I started remembering it as and when I proceeded with the story. The reason was simple. One of the protagonist is a Korean.  He is none other than Lee Jung-Su who was also known as "Crown Prince" in the entertainment industry there. He meets another protagonist - Meena from India who was there for various assignments. Not much was known about her until she opens up to Jung-Su. The meet happens in an unusual place and in an unusual way. The place was called Insadong-Gil, a Rameyon Shop. By looking at the cover picture, you would have understood as to what this shop is all about.

There were other characters like 

Min-Sik, Manager,
Min-Ji, Sister
Dae-Ho, Hyun-Ki, In-Su - Friends
Kang - Writer
Yoon-Chul, Jeremy among others.

All was well with Jung-Su until he realizes that he was in love with Meena. What happens after that is something which needs to be read and felt. This is a gripping novel which needs all our attention and support. The creativity of the author is definitely worth the mention.

So, you could very well see that this is not the usual story but a story with a message. When will this be curbed/curtailed entirely? GOD only knows the answer.

This book is available on Amazon in eBook format.

Author Focus - Ayushi Raghuvanshi of Dazzled by Illusion series


  1. What motivates you to write?
To be honest, I express myself easily when I write. Had it not been for writing, I wouldn't have been able to convey anything right. Moreover when people read my poems, they come forward expressing how I've actually put their emotions into words. That serves to be the biggest motivation.

  1. How did you feel after publishing your books?
I just hoped that after putting up my work in the public domain I would be able to reach more people and that's something I really wanted.

  1. What are some of your favourite novels and authors?
There is no comparison to be honest, but speaking of my favourite one, I would like to mention one name, Khaled Hosseini. His novels encapsulate pain to which I easily connect.

  1. Is there any specific reason for naming your novel?
I named my first book, "Dazzled by Illusion" as I felt how everything in this world is an illusion and how we as humans are dazzled by it. Like the book is a collection of poems which expresses different heartfelt emotions and these emotions too are a part of that illusion.

  1. Where do you write from? Do you go to some specific place, like beachside or the hills?
I do not have any specific place where I go. I just need my space when I'm writing, it just has to be peaceful. Most of the times I write at dusk, sometimes while watching the sun set.

  1. What inspired you to write the books(in general)? Any tales to tell…

Maybe that's the best way to leave my imprints in the sands of time. Even in my absence, there will be a part of me still alive. As they rightly say that a book is the heart and soul of the author.

  1. What was your biggest learning experience throughout the writing process?

The writing process has been so beautiful. It has just become a part of me now. I've learnt to connect with myself and express myself better.

  1.  Looking back, what did you do right that helped you break in as a writer?

I did not give in to the cliche ideas that surrounded me, I was always criticized for not being a very social and expressive person. I believed we all are different and so I continued being how I was naturally and that eventually channelized my energy into writing.

  1. Any best piece of writing advice that you would like to share with new or struggling writers?

I am myself a new and struggling writer but yes I have an advice for all those who are out there, just believe in your work.

  1. Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?

There's something that would surprise everyone I suppose, that I haven't been a very good reader when it comes to poems. Apart from the poems we read at school, I have not read any and both of my books are a collection of poems.

  1. Any future books that you would like to discuss now?

I don't have any specific plans as of now. But yes writing would definitely continue and so there would be a new book.

  1. What other profession excites you the most?

The legal profession is what excites me and that is what I will soon be entering into. As for now I am a law student and soon to graduate.

  1. Any special mention about your reader (be it with reviews/feedback or anything else)

Yes, I can never forget one thing about a reader which is that she loved every piece of my writing and when I asked her why, she gave a very beautiful answer. She told me that some of my poems made her smile, some made her laugh, some brought tears to her eyes and others made her learn something and that is how she loved each and every piece of my writing.

  1. Traditional or Self-Publishing? Why?

I have both of my books self published and from my experience it gives the freedom to decide every little detail of the book. It's like you nurture every bit of your creation. Though it takes a lot more efforts as compared to traditional publishing but yet it is something you would prefer if you want a wholly personal touch to your work.

  1. How is the response so far for the book?

For those who have read my book so far are really touched by my writings and that is the greatest achievement for my book.

Book Review - Dazzled By Illusion


Title - Dazzled by Illusion
Author - Ayushi Raghuvanshi
Genre - Poems(Literature)
Publisher - Amazon Kindle
ASIN - B07YN58N3N

This is a collection of 60 odd poems by the poetess Ayushi. This book is really worth the price, it is being sold at because it is costing less than a rupee to read these amazing set. Having read her 2nd book already, I immediately grabbed this first book without giving a thought. I loved the variation that was shown in various poems. It is a mixed emotion and hence it would connect well with the readers since they would have gone through few of them for sure, if not all.

The writing style was lucid and yes, I was amazed by the rational thinking of the author who has let out her emotions in such a way that you feel like being there. Usage of some of the words might require you to refer to a dictionary but yes, it is an added advantage for the book because it gives you sometime to recollect what you read while referring to the actual meaning of the word.

I liked all the poems but these two captured my attention, instantly. I am reproducing them here which gives you a glimpse of the writing skills of Ayushi.

Low-Key

That is always close to my heart
Meeting at low-key places for a good start
Taking walks at night praising nature's art
I always like keeping it a low-key sweetheart

Another Chance?

Well it's good to get swept away by feelings
And hang on to the slumber party dreaming
Wishing I would have met you in a world
parallel to the one we are living
And answered the call for the fondness I
had been harboring
You were like the one I have been wanting
And yet I had to let go as accepting you was
daunting

Aren't these poems amazing? I am doubly sure that if you like poems, you certainly do not want to miss this book.

This book is available on Amazon in eBook format.

Book Review - Gray Pages (Dazzled by Illusion Book 2)


Title -Gray Pages(Dazzled by Illusion Book 2)
Author - Ayushi Raghuvanshi
Genre - Poems(Literature & Fiction)
Publisher - Amazon Kindle
ASIN - B0872FCYP8

A perfect combination of emotions coupled with heart touching words is what makes this book, a real special one. Usually poets are emotional in their lives. They could see some message or the other with each and every thing happening around them. They express it in words which is not only powerful but also appealing. This is what Ayushi had done with her collection of poems.

The book is divided into 6 parts namely:

1. Dark
2. Reminisce
3. Secrets
4. Hope
5. Love and
6. Friend

Each of these carries few poems. You would find a total of 38 poems. Considering the price, I would say, it is definitely worth it because you are paying little over 1 Rupee for the beautiful lines/creations which would leave an everlasting effect on your life.

If you are  poet, you surely wouldn't want to miss it. If you love reading books, this is perfect for you. If you read books and seek different genre(like poetry), this would surely appeal to you. I liked the way the author has brought out the emotions which were free flowing and I could surely say that these were not thought and written but should have come on a flow, without any obstacles.

I do not want to talk in detail about the poems but would like to highlight just one line from the poem "Stay Up Tonight" where you will find these words - "I just let my pen bleed". I was totally moved by it. 


This book is available on Amazon in eBook format.

Book Review - Love In The Time Of Quarantine


Title - Love In The Time Of Quarantine
Author - Siddhartha Gigoo
Genre - Fiction(Short Stories)
Publisher - Amazon Kindle
ASIN- B086WLSNTZ

This is a great attempt by the author. I finished reading it in no time not because it was short but because the content was gripping. The uniqueness in the approach and the way the novel had taken shape is really applaudable. The comparison of mindset during the Day & Night was really unique and the detailed explanation once in every 2 chapters makes it a compelling read. Do not miss reading it.

This book is available on Amazon in eBook format.

Book Review - World's Best Husband: How he made it happily ever after...


Title - World's Best Husband : How he made it happily ever after
Author - Nandita Saini
Genre - Anthology / Family & Relationships
Publisher - Amazon Kindle
ASIN - B086HTS4FW

A book which aptly describes what needs to be done in order to forge a strong and everlasting marital relationship. I felt really glad to read this book because though this is an anthology, the scenario must have taken place in few hundreds of lives. I too saw some resemblance in the story since I am married for 11 years. 

There are lot of things that goes into the making of everlasting relationship. These were vividly described in the book in the form of a story. This would serve as a guide for the newly wed couples and especially the bride who is facing difficulties in coping up with her in-laws because not all the husband would be like Advik.

The story revolves around two main characters - Nandini and Advik. Though they were not genuinely interested in getting hitched due to their age - 22 & 24 respectively, as soon as they meet each other, things take a different turn. How this meet turns into a friendship and subsequently into love was described in a best possible manner. 

The essence of various scenarios that goes into a typical Indian marriage was captured perfectly. The relationship between a bride and her in-laws and how things could be misconstrued and how these can be converted in a positive way was explained in detail - of course in the form of  a story. If you are already married or in the process of getting married, I would highly recommend this book. Buy the book from the link given below. Read it. You will thank me later.

This book is available on Amazon in eBook format.

Audible is the new companion - for book worms / book lovers

Pic Credit : Amazon

If you are a book lover or call yourself as a book worm, you definitely would have bought books from Amazon. Some may prefer physical books(I am no exception), some would to love to read eBooks. For this, you may need to have a Kindle or the Kindle Reader app on your smart phone. Some may prefer to read it otherwise. 

I am sure, you are trying to decipher what I wanted to convey. Yes. Some may prefer to read the book in an audio format. Amazon which is ruling the roost in both physical and eBook category has also entered this space long back. They have this feature called Audible. Most of you might have noticed it. Many of you are even aware of it and some of you might be using it as well. You might ask, why Audible?

There are few reasons/benefits of using this:

1. If you are a traveler and travel long distance by road, this is a perfect companion since you just need to plug into your phone and listen. How cool is that?
2. The audio books are available in English and Hindi.
3. The audio books covers wider range of genre which includes Arts & Entertainment, Biographies and Memoirs, Comedy, Science Fiction, Self-development, etc.
4. They have some best collection of books. For eg: ‘Thriller Factory’ narrated by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, ‘Becoming’ narrated by Michelle Obama ‘Yes sir, it’s Cancer’ narrated by Ayushmann Khurrana.

When you get to hear the stories narrated by your favorite author, won't it sound nice? They would be able to connect with you much easier as their annotations would perfectly fit the book they narrate since they are the ones who has written it.

There are quite a lot of benefits that comes with the Audible. This includes:

a. If you are a regular user, you get a 30-days free trial period. If you are a Prime user, you get 90-days free trial period. Post this, there is a charge of Rs.199 only for 30 days renewable on monthly basis. If you ask what benefits do you get paying this, continue reading the next few pointers.

b. You get your first audio-book or FREE!

c. You get lifetime access to the audio books and is also available offline.

d. With 1 credit a month, you can purchase any audio-book of your choice, irrespective of its price.

e. You would also get over 350 mins of handpicked listens for free, in addition to the monthly credit.

f. If you are not happy with the book you have purchased, you can swap it for free.

g. It doesn't end here. As a member, you would also get 30% off on any additional audio-books.

Now, what are you waiting for? Click this link and get your Audible, today!!
Call for Code to combat Covid-19

Call for Code to combat Covid-19

IBM has been a pioneer on various segments be it Cloud, IOT or AI. What it has done through these sectors to the mankind is invaluable. When it comes to addressing the need of the pubic or combating some issues, their “Call for Code” has always played a vital role. The campaign has seen over 8000+ applications being created over the past 2 years. What is even more staggering is, these have come from 165+ nations with a staggering 210,000 developers, data scientists and problem solvers taking part in it.

This edition calls for some urgent submissions as the campaign also focuses on combating #COVID19. The main ideology is how we could help contain the spread of this deadly virus which the world has not witnessed it in little over two decades. The fatality is huge with European countries leading the list followed closely by the US. This pandemic has brought the world to a still. Most of the countries across the globe have announced a complete shutdown which has taken a major toll in the economy. Unless something is done on priority, coming out of this would be a cumbersome task.

This outbreak has shown how we were caught unaware when it comes to handling a situation like this which needs mass co-operation which we were lacking, despite the presence of latest technology and science which we believed till date, has shrunk the world.

Where did we go wrong?

We failed miserably in communication. Yes. You read it right. When I say communication, it is not only about spreading the information but an authentic one. Though the outbreak is believed to have started in January, most of the nation were not aware until the end of Feb or beginning of March an by the time they realized the situation, it was already late.

So, we failed there in the first instance.

What we were lacking apart from the one mentioned above?

It is quite evident that the supply chain was badly affected. This could have been set right if there was a proper communication system. For instance, in India, if the information comes from the Central Government, it has to effectively reach until the far end. I am not saying that the information is not reaching. It does reach but not as it is. It gets misinterpreted at times and by the time it reaches the far end, some of the information received wasn’t the right one. This has to be addressed and has to be done in priority. If there was a proper communication system in place, the supply chain would not have taken a hit. It means that public would not have to venture out to procure their essential items like fruits, groceries and vegetables. All they need to do is to login to an application. Place the order and wait for them to arrive at their door stop.

I do not deny that there are some systems in place but how effective are these? Moreover do we see the same setup across all the State in India? No. If this could be addressed, where there is just 1 application across India, how convenient would that be? When there is just 1 system, there is no chaos or confusion. Execution of work would be much easier.

My dream is to see all in one place – especially when it comes to communication.

1.       Official Announcements – this would combat fake news/forwards.

2.       Connectivity to local Kirana stores and other shops.

3.       Notification of #COVID19 affected areas – Coloring scheme can be followed so that these areas could be avoided.

4.       PDS through app – split according to ward/area. This would avoid social gathering all at once and ensure social distancing since those who re with valid ration cards would be given a specific date/time to collect their provisions and Government aid/giveaways.

5.       eSelling – produce by farmers to be sold direct to public or to the Government or both.

6.       eConsulting – to be used by Physicians to check for possible infection of #COVID19. This could avoid venturing out and spending for test unnecessarily.

7.       ePrayer – to be offered by the respective Spiritual Heads belonging to various religion.

The above mentioned are some which could be incorporated in the application which would become handy and one stop shop for all the needs especially when it comes to combating pandemic situation like this. More features could be added as and when it is required.




How to take part in the campaign by IBM?

There are four steps that are involved in this process:

1.       Accept the Challenge
2.       Find Your Squad
3.       Build with Open Tech
4.       Submit Your Idea.

How easy is that?

If you wanted to more about this exciting campaign where you also get a chance to win a whopping USD200,000 apart from Open Source support from The Linux Foundation, Meetings with mentors & potential investors, Solution implementation support through Code and Response™

Hurry!!

The campaign has opened and is accepting submissions. The initial submission deadline is 27th of April. With lock down in place, there is no better time to get your team come together to take part in this amazing campaign( most of you would be Working From Home but I am sure that you could still take some time out, get on to Video Call and get this up and running). You need not have to submit the entire project by 27th April but the prototype and you can improvise it post the timeline. The final submission deadline is 31st July, 2020. Winners will be announced by October, 2020.


Important links:

1.     Developers interested in participating as a competitor, can find all necessary information here
2.     Organisations interested in supporting as a sponsor, can find all necessary information here.
3.     Find reference materials and technical resources on the COVID-19 pandemic here.
4.     Starter kits starter kits and resources.

One Page Spotlight to host a Global Online Concert on Earth Day 2020


One Page Spotlight, the social and professional networking site for creators and entertainment professionals is all set to host a 60 minute online concert on April 22nd featuring 40 musicians from 6 countries including 5 Grammy® Award Winners and live-stream through  multiple official handles  of our associating partners.

The music will feature performances from artists and musicians across 13 cities of the world where they will be performing from their homes by expressing their solidarity to the global lockdown  and fight against Covid 19 by  promoting Stay home stay safe initiatives  taken up by everyone across the globe.

The concert will be live-streaming on two time slots,  8 pm IST  and 8 pm EST catering to the global audience who can view the concert through the official social media handles [ Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube ]  of WHO, WWF, Earth Day Network, UNFCCC, UNCCD, UNICEF and also at the official handles of One Page Spotlight. More information about the event are available at www.onepagespotlight.com

Dr Tedros Adhanom, Head WHO, Mr Pavan Sukhdev, Global Head WWF, Ibrahim Thiaw ,Global Head UNCCD, HH Sadhguru, Head Isha Foundation had agreed to be a part of the concert and speak to the viewers.


Our  confirmed artists ensemble for the concert are :

 Ricky Kej Grammy® Award Winner Internationally renowned music composer, environmentalist and professor (Bangalore, India),
         Senegalese singer and guitarist Baaba Maal (Senegal),
         vocal contractor and voice actress Laura Dickenson (Los Angeles, USA),
         South African flutist, producer and composer Wouter Kellerman (Melbourne, Australia),
         Hindustani classical music instrumentalist Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (Jaipur, India) 
         Keyboardist, songwriter, engineer, producer Lonnie Park (New York, USA),
         Africa's finest show choir a 28 member choir Mzansi Youth Choir (South Africa),
         leading Dan Tranh musician in the world Hai Phuong (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam),
         violinist and composer Manoj George (Banglore, India),
         master of Carnatic percussion Arun Kumar (Bangalore, India),
         singer-songwriter, composer, voice coach Vijayaa Shanker (Mumbai, India),
         award winning vocalist and flute player Varijashree (Bangalore, India),
         composer, lyricist and singer IP Singh (Mumbai, India),
         best singers and musicians from Bengaluru Raveolution Choir (Bangalore, India)
         Speed Painter Vilas Nayak (Bangalore, India)


WHO, UNESCO MGIEP, UNCCD, WWF, EARTH DAY NETWORK AND UNICEF India are the Goodwill Partners  for this global initiative. Eros Now, Paytm Insider, Isha Foundation, PVR, Just Dial, and Spykke became  part as outreach partners to stand in solidarity with the global cause.

One Page Spotlight is a standalone virtual social media platform that is creating opportunities to engage and exhibit the global art and culture revolution digitally where artists can create, share, celebrate, encourage and collaborate  with the  creative community across the globe.