Sewa news in brief Courtesy PANCHAMRITAM

SAARANG was the name of a 5 day social festival at the sprawling IIT Chennai campus recently. The canteen at the venue was run by a group of ladies from Natham, a hamlet flanking the Chennai-Kolkata national highway falling in the Cholavaram block of Thiruvallur district, Tamilnadu, Bharat. How did this IIT – village ladies tie up materialize? "This is part of our project to develop the village we chose economically and scientifically. We found 15 Women Self Help Groups active in Natham and selected the Kanniamman and Ellaiamman groups. We try to help these", says Natanasabapathy, an IITian. Yes, six ladies of Natham got employment on those 5 days. They could earn a profit of Rs. 4,500 as well. At present, the IITians are involved in training village ladies of the two SHGs in earthworm culturing, a profitable as well as eco friendly vocation. Of the over 6 lakh SHGs in Bharat, the groups affiliated to Seva Bharati are successful in inculcating patriotism and concern for society and thus has brought about social cohesion among the members in addition to freeing them from debt.

Based on a report by Shri. M.Nagamani in the SHG special number of VIJAYABHARATAM, January 19, 2007

Recently, the wedding of Muktamani, daughter of Dr Ganeshdutt Bhardwaj, took place with Vidhichand Sharma in Hoshiyarpur, Punjab, Bharat. In this marriage, Dr Bhardwaj, who is head of Sanskrit Department in Punjab University, did not receive the money of shagun (wedding gift) from any guest. He kept a pot before the picture of Bharatmata and requested the guests to pour the money they wish to give as shagun in the pot. He made it clear that all the money poured into the pot as shagun, would be donated to Seva Bharati, Hoshiyarpur. After the wedding ceremony, the money poured in pot was counted as Rs 15,200. The Bhardwaj family themselves added another Rs 505 and handed over the amount of Rs 15,705 to Shri B.K. Bhardwaj, chairman, Seva Bharati and Shri Arvind Sharma, general secretary. Everybody who participated in the wedding ceremony praised this initiative of Dr Bhardwaj.

From ORGANISER dated July 16, 2006. Also HINDU VISHWA