Run for your life!

“Run for your life!” exclaimed a poster put up on the gate outside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) at Borivali, Mumbai. Have the wild cats, that had been held in captivity, been let loose upon unsuspecting morning walkers, one wondered? The message continued in Hindi: “Zindagi ke iss bhaag daud mein ek daud aur sahi”. Roughly translated, it means, “In this hustle-bustle and running around in our life, do take up running as just another one”.

The message was from Mahadev Samjiskar, a 67-year young enthusiastic runner, who has been encouraging morning-walkers in SGNP, Borivali to begin jogging to lead a healthy life. One cannot miss this youngster whizzing past, flashing his ear-to-ear smile - one that tells you how much he enjoys running in the park!

I first met him at the SGNP, a couple of months ago, when he was handing out some tips on how to run for the Marathon to a group of younger youngsters, who had just signed up for the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM). Soon we got chatting and I learnt more about Samjiskarji and his relatively recent love that has now takes up a large part of his retired life.

He began running on 1st September 2004, only after his retirement from Indian Airlines. He had always been a brisk walker, who would walk regularly to the Borivali Railway Station from his residence to board his train to office. So in a sense, life began at 60 for this sprightly, young, size-zero running sensation of SGNP. Just to elaborate on the "size zero" – I could not resist the temptation to compliment him that he was the only other deserving contender for the brand promotion of Sony Vaio laptops, apart from the size-zero Kareena Kapoor! He did blush besides having a hearty laugh at my dig.

Mahadev Samjiskar, participated in his first marathon in the year 2004 and was humbly ranked 184 at the event. But this did not prevent him from dreaming and working towards bettering his own performance. His efforts bore fruit in 2009, when at the SCMM, he ranked First in the Super Veteran category (65+ years) in the Half Marathon event by covering the distance of 21.097 Km in a record timing of 2 Hrs 04 Min 59 Sec. He thus got his first Gold Medal ever at the popular international event in Mumbai.

Mahadev Samjiskar at the Finish Line in the 2009 SCMM Half Marathon

What is notable in his journey to the top, is that running had become the only passion in his life, which he pursued with child-like zeal. So much so, that when his family and friends mentioned to him that he was living life like a child, he was only too pleased to have returned to his childhood and humble beginnings! His passionate indulgence also meant refusing job offers from several domestic airlines, which came his way due to his professional achievements at his work in Indian Airlines. It was a matter of choice and his heart called the shots for him.

Some years ago, when he was invited as a Chief Guest at a prize distribution function organized by Japan Karate Academy in Borivali, he got impressed by the display of skills of its young students. He asked the trainers whether they would accept him as a student and train him in martial arts. The kids were excited and welcomed him to join them. But when he really turned up for his first session, they learnt that our man was serious and wasn’t just joking! No wonder then that it was just a matter of time when he qualified for the purple belt.

In a recent Karate fight with a young boy, his toes were fractured and he was in great pain just a few days before the 2010 SCMM event. But he was not the kind to be towed down by a mere painful toe. He ran the race and bettered his own record by half a minute over his last, though he ranked 3rd, this time around, one may note that it was while enduring a shooting pain all the way!

Mahadev Samjiskar with the Gold Medal that he bagged in SCMM 2009

So does Mahadev Samjiskarji run for the Gold Medal at SCMM? Was that his ultimate goal? No, he says, it was only the outcome of a passion to improve upon oneself, an eagerness to excel and to inspire others to take up this sport for a better life. Not surprisingly, therefore, is the news that he has been qualified to participate in any international event for India when he was conferred the Certificate of Merit by the Veterans Athletic Federation of India in Pune last week. He now plans to represent our country at events abroad, whenever opportunity presents itself!

Certificate of Veterans Athletic Federation of India that opens up fresh tracks aborad for Mahadev Samjiskar

He has also trekked to the Kailash Manasarovar in 2007, as a tribute in memory of his beloved parents. He covered the Manasarovar Parikrama of 193 Km by bus and the Kailash Parikrama of 45 Km by foot in adverse weather conditions at the altitude of 19800 feet.

One thing he completely believes in is:
No mountain is too high to climb, no sea is too wide to cross, no dream is too distant to achieve for those who believe in will power, determination and self-confidence.

“I want to inspire people to take up some physical activities after their retirement and live a fulfilling life. How can one do everything that one always wanted to do when time is at your disposal in plenty, without good health? One may take up yoga and brisk walking - or better still, jogging, to remain fit all your life. Moreover people living in the precincts of SGNP are blessed with a natural pollution-free forest-like environment full of oxygen” he concludes.

“Residents staying in this area are also blessed with such kind,guiding angels like Mahadev Samjiskar”, I would like to add!

With his encouragement, 150 morning-walkers in SGNP Borivali took part in the SCMM in Jan 2010. All those who successfully ran upto the finish line were recently felicitated at the Gandhi Memorial Tekdi at SGNP on 26th Jan 2010.

Mahadev Samjiskar being felicitated at the SGNP on 26.01.2010

Let us all wish and pray that Mahadev Samjiskarji is blessed with a healthy, long life in which he achieves greater successes, bringing our country some great moments of pride, as he continues his inspiring runs - for the betterment of our lives!

Let’s follow him! Hey he's not on Twitter....he's on nature’s treadmill!

A couple of announcements

First Announcement – Finding Hidden Gems Geniuses in our society

Naushir Mistry, an ace cinematographer and cameraman, who has recently begun blogging, wishes to feature young school kids with inventive ideas that go beyond academics and curricula of the present education system.

Inspired by the 3 Idiots movie, wherein students with extraordinary abilities, who don’t exactly excel at academics, but may display unusual skills at problem solving or technical superiorities, he is on the lookout for such talented students, as announced in his appeal posted in his blog-post titled “Don’t Be an Idiot”.

Link of his post here.

Being new in the blogosphere, Naushir, my classmate from KG to SSC XI wishes that bloggers who find this idea appealing may post a link of his appeal in their blogs for wider publicity. Knowing Naushir’s prowess behind the camera and all things that work like machines, I am sure, he would be able to showcase the students’ abilities substantially. I request blogger-friends to suggest some likely candidates if they have come across anyone who may be worthy of the encouragement and coverage.

Second Announcement - My book available in Delhi World Book Fair

Signed copies of my book "The ArTicKles Collection" is available for discount sale at the Delhi World Book Fair!

The Location: The Pothi.com Stand at No. S2/12, Hall 1-2, Delhi World Book Fair, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
The duration: January 30, 2010 to February 7, 2010

Those in Mumbai may write in a email to g_mavinkurve AT hotmail DOT com for the same offer. For those who aren’t either in Delhi or Mumbai, but still want to buy my book, it is available on the net and can be ordered by clicking on the following link below:

Click here for ordering on the Pothi website

In case any of you have already read my book, I would request you to kindly write a review of the same on the Pothi website. In case of difficulty to do so, one may write a review and send the text to me on email for uploading it on the Pothi website. That will help others to decide about their purchase.

Thanking one and all for your support as always!

It's R-day!

It’s India’s 61st Republic Day today! I don’t know why most writers and columnists compare the age of a republic to those of their public? Citizens turning 60 begin their journey of being ‘senior citizens’. Of entering that phase of their lives, when employability is indeed a challenge. Sources of earnings begin to dry up and one begins to look for activities to keep themselves busy and achieve fulfilment in their lives. While some may sulk in the guise of relaxing and taking life easy, some do turn enthusiastically to take up their hobbies, causes or social activities with renewed fervour.

But is comparing the age of a country with the age of their citizens really proper? On one hand we have us mortals living with the prospect of battling old age medical and social challenges, and on the other hand, we have that immortal spirit of a nation that could live for hundreds, thousands of years! Isn’t a 60-year old republic, more like an infant finding its feet to walk all over the globe? Isn’t that what India is just beginning to do – ambling like a toddler all over the globe, flaunting its new-found speaking abilities and finding many amused and willing listeners all around?

However different it may be, doesn’t stop Shobha De from writing this piece titled "India reaches retirement age", published in the Bombay Times page 3, which but for the said confusion, makes good reading. Or for that matter the “Spirited at 60” on CNN-IBN by Nilanjana Bose and her team, featuring some senior citizens, defying old age challenges and living life with renewed fervour. I so thoroughly enjoyed watching it!

We all come across such spirited senior citizens showing youngsters how life could be so much different, if only one chose the path of living one’s childhood or younger days and doing all those things that one always wanted to! Remember Sulochana Haldankar kaki who is sculpting and painting at 75 for her show booked at Jehangir Art Gallery?!

There are a couple of other stories of similar such people who have touched my life. I just called on one of them last evening and chatted up for a couple of hours. Someone who is running marathons just to inspire young walkers in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park to begin running for a healthier life – and breaking records, winning medals - only as a result of his passionate indulgence in life after retirement!

I plan to feature this phenomenonal senior citizen in a post coming to you at The ArticKles Blog soon. Watch this space for more such posts! Isn’t that something more like the tickler getting tickled?

Happy Republic Day to all Indians!

The most precious gift

Gifting the visually challenged with eyesight is indeed one of the most noble acts one can perform. As one slogan goes, "Netra Daan Sarva Shreshta Daan". There are several visually challenged persons suffering from corneal blindness, who need someone to donate their cornea after death, so that he can see this beautiful creation of God. Gifting the less fortunate amongst us may certainly be something one would want to do, but even though we are so educated, we may not know several aspects of eye donations. For example, we may be unaware about how to go about it or have some wrong notions that we cannot donate because we have had a cataract operation!

One would be surprised to note that even a cancer patient or one who has undergone a cataract operation can indeed donate corneas for this noble cause! There are several wrong notions, religious misbeliefs, unwarranted concerns about the act of donating one's eyes, due to which make the waitlisted patients suffer longer. It is therefore necessary to learn all about it from authentic sources, so that one can opt to make this world a better place to live in.

Do read the FAQs provided by the Eye Bank Research Coordination Centre here.

Another weblink providing a good deal of information is available here.

The Eye Bank Research Coordination Centre works with several other eye banks to ensure that willing donors are tapped within 2-6 hours of the occurence of death and a team of doctors are sent expeditiously to retreive the cornea and transplant it as a gift of vision to the unknown recipients on the wait-list. It is a practice to give one cornea each to two separate recipients so that more persons can see, albeit with vision in one eye.

So if one is convinced about eye donation, do read what you need to do here.

It is quite natural for people in the midst of grief to forget this aspect altogether and it is really awkward to discuss with people about their decision in case they would like to donate eyes in the time of grief, but doctors, social workers and close relatives are encouraged to gently remind close relatives of the deceased to act expeditiously if they are already convinced about the idea. Remember, once time is elapsed, the cornea are of no use unless extracted timely!

Do ensure that you have the contact details of the closest Eye Donation Centre and NGOs working in your area so that you need not miss an opportunity to give the last gift - the blessings to have someone seeing this world, while your near and dear one has departed for his heavenly abode.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO IF ONE WANTS TO DONATE EYES

1. Get the valid death certificate quickly.

2. Contact the eye bank as soon as possible.

3. Close the eyelids and cover it with moist cotton and keep it moist till the eye bank team arrives

4. Switch off the fan (Switch on the air conditioner if possible).

5. Raise the donor's head by 6 inches by placing two pillows under it.

6. Keep the consent of the family members of the deceased donor ready, as it is mandatory

This post has been inspired by the recent act of donation by my cousin's family when my maternal uncle, Mr. Mangesh V Madiman, expired on 14th Jan 2010. The death announcement insert in TOI says it all.


This noble act will enable 2 unknown recipients to see this lovely world that we live in. For a family who has been actively propagating the idea of Eye Donations through several articles and religious forums, this noble act was just what I expected. I do hope the message is passed on to one and all and that more and more people follow this trend and the wait-list for corneas is a thing of the past!

May his soul rest in peace!

Aal Eez Naat Well

At the book launch of ‘2 States’ in a Mumbai suburban mall, which I had opportunity to attend, Chetan Bhagat thanked Vidya Balan, (who was a co-host at the Book launch and is, in his own admission, believed to be his harbinger of good fortune) for handing over his earlier book “Five Point Someone” (FPS) to Raju Hirani. Without this, as he put it, the making of the movie titled ‘3 idiots’ wouldn’t have happened! When well-known and reputed Bollywood filmmakers want to make a movie based on your work of fiction, you’ve come a long way! In fact, some writers cannot even find a publisher, let alone movie makers come forth for your piece of fiction, unless it is really worth it.

Firstly, Chetan Bhagat (CB) has done a great deal to writing English fiction, in that he has drawn several youngsters into a habit of reading books – a habit that is on the wane and needed just that kind of boost to draw youngsters back into the book-lovers’ club, as his books have done recently. If fiction-writers and the book publishing industry needed a shot in the arm at this juncture, he has provided just that. Even though there would be several book-lovers, who find Chetan Bhagat not exactly producing great literature, like Salman Rushdie, and kind of, find “masala content” in his work, to spice up his stories making them just the grist for the Bollywood mill. I would still give due credit for what he has successfully achieved – to increase new young readers in India, without really comparing his work to great English literature and scouting for his shortcomings through comparisons.

When several friends praised the latest released movie ‘3 idiots’ for being hugely entertaining, I watched the movie with my family this long weekend. Fortunately, I had read the book FPS recently. As a matter of fact, some book-lovers, known to me, had spoken not-so-highly about CB’s books so I had not been so keen upon reading them. But finally, I did pick up FPS and One Night @ Call Centre from a local library so that I can have my own opinion about his books.

Last evening, when CB and the makers of 3i played tug-of-war on the TV Channels, arguing how much of the movie was the book, I wondered whether there was any software or scientific instrument to measure it? The 3i Team said it was 5% -7% and Chetan Bhagat said it is 70%, based on the feedback he had from his readers of FPS and conveyed to him on his blog. His blogpost does cite the “aal eez naat well” episode in detail here.

Newspapers carry more about the CB-3i spat here

Having read FPS and watched 3I’s, I am obliged to say that it is neither 5% nor 70% it is really 50-50! Now that is not to promote the popular biscuit or its advertisement campaign – that is just my own judgement. Having constructed around the core plot and adding several variations to it does not make it substantially different. I am as much deprived of a scientific instrument to measure the %age of the content of the book in the film, as you all are, so I am quantifying based on my own analysis to arrive at this middle figure. At least i have read it, unlike that poor journalist who got shut up by Vidhu Vinod Chopra yesterday!

The 50% that the movie makers have added is constituted by large doses of humorous incidents (+20%). There is no denying that the script/dialogues has been substantially improved upon by the script writer namely Abhijat Joshi (as I understand) (+15%) and the message to take up a vocation that suits students has been punctuated to a greater extent (+15%), has lent the storyline greater credibility and structure to stand upon.

But if one analyses the humorous content, one may find several jokes and instances straight from the email forwards that one has received - all without credits by anonymous writers that dwell upon this planet and do not aspire to claim ‘credit’ for their gems among jokes – like how the induction motor works, or the pencil in space or the women clad in burkhas being photographed etc – are from email forwards. So the 20% added humour is not original! I did laugh at them, I must admit, though. But the subject is about originality, right?

To conclude, let me cite an anecdote on originality. An aspiring writer once sent in his write-up to a reputed writer, who responded thus “Your piece is both interesting and original”. The young chap was pleased – albeit for a short while. “But the original part is not interesting and the interesting part is not original”, he added to his horror!

The makers of ‘3 idiots’ may have to credit the core plot to CB and also consider giving credit to the countless anonymous joke contributors for making the movie so much fun to watch! Only then can they sing and dance “Aal eez Well”

Keeping the credit stuff aside, it is really a great entertaining movie to watch!
I enjoyed watching it!

Blogger’s Post-script:
1. Rashmi Bansal (author of the book 'Stay Hungry Stay Foolish') has this to say about the episode. I wanted to say the same thing too but didnt have the details.
Do read it in her "Lucky Idiot" post here
2.Tweeple have been voicing their views on Twitter saying
“Controversy is the new advertising” and
“There is no such thing as bad publicity”.
Search for the hashtag #30millionpointfiveidiots on twitter!

Wishing all my readers a Very Happy, Safe, Peaceful and Prosperous New Year 2010!

I do hope that Aaal eeez Well, folks!