Dastaar Saajna Samaagam - Sunday, 19th April 2009

Please click to see the large version of the poster

Give Blood. Give Life!

If you donate money, you probably give food; but if you donate BLOOD, you gift LIFE!

We get to know the importance of donating blood only when we or some of our loved ones needs it!

Every second someone in the world needs blood.

That someone could be a mother giving birth,
an accident victim,
a girl suffering from life-threatening anemia,
a boy with dengue fever,
a father facing open heart surgery,
a cancer patient...

Thanks to the selfless contribution of blood donors who give their blood voluntarily, these patients received the gift of life.

Evidence from around the world shows that voluntary blood donors are the foundation of a safe blood supply because they are least likely to transmit potentially life-threatening infections from HIV, hepatitis and other viruses, through their blood.

Some facts about blood donation:

* Donating blood is safe & simple. It takes approx. 10-15 minutes to donate blood which can save one precious life :)

* One donation can help save the lives of up to 3 people

* Any healthy adult between 18 years and 60 years of age can donate blood.

* If all blood donors donate blood 3 times a year, it would help prevent all blood shortages

* Four main red blood cell types: A, B, AB and O. Each can be positive or negative for the Rh factor. AB is the universal recipient; O negative is the universal donor of red blood cells.

* Donating blood does not make you weak. It reduces the risk of heart attack.

* If you began donating blood at age 17 and donated every 56 days until you reached 76, you would have donated 48 gallons of blood, potentially helping save over 1,000 lives!

* The donor cannot contract AIDS or any other disease by donating blood.

* There is no substitute for human blood.

* A normal adult has five to six liters of blood in his/her body of which only 300 ml is used during blood donation.

* After donating blood, you replace the fluid in hours and the red blood cells within four weeks. It takes eight weeks to restore the iron lost after donating.

Myth about blood donation

"Other people must be giving enough blood"
That's an assumption! If everyone takes this stand, what will happen to people in dire need of blood?

Ardas - a feeling by Jasleen Kaur

You know how kids wake up before dawn on christmas, eager to open their gifts, too excited to sleep?

i want to feel like that every day, i want to feel that anticipation, that excitement for the gift of naam simran.

i want to wake up every single day at amritvela, like a kid at christmas.

please waheguru ji, please grant me this one request. i know that with this gift, everything else will fall into place.


ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਸਰਨੀ ਆਇਓ ਨਾਥ ਨਿਧਾਨ ॥
I have come to Your Sanctuary, O Lord, O Supreme Treasure.

ਨਾਮ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਲਾਗੀ ਮਨ ਭੀਤਰਿ ਮਾਗਨ ਕਉ ਹਰਿ ਦਾਨ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Love for the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is enshrined within my mind; I beg for the gift of Your Name. ||1||Pause||

ਸੁਖਦਾਈ ਪੂਰਨ ਪਰਮੇਸੁਰ ਕਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਰਾਖਹੁ ਮਾਨ ॥
O Perfect Transcendent Lord, Giver of Peace, please grant Your Grace and save my honor.

ਦੇਹੁ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਸਾਧੂ ਸੰਗਿ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਨ ਰਸਨ ਬਖਾਨ ॥੧॥
Please bless me with such love, O my Lord and Master, that in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I may chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord with my tongue. ||1||

ਗੋਪਾਲ ਦਇਆਲ ਗੋਬਿਦ ਦਮੋਦਰ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਕਥਾ ਗਿਆਨ ॥
O Lord of the World, Merciful Lord of the Universe, Your sermon and spiritual wisdom are immaculate and pure.

ਨਾਨਕ ਕਉ ਹਰਿ ਕੈ ਰੰਗਿ ਰਾਗਹੁ ਚਰਨ ਕਮਲ ਸੰਗਿ ਧਿਆਨ ॥੨॥੧॥੩॥
Please attune Nanak to Your Love, O Lord, and focus his meditation on Your Lotus Feet. ||2||1||3||

World's Largest Blood Donation Camp

There’s a feeling of immense pleasure and pride to inform you about the remarkable event organized by all the organizations of Sikh faith in the service of humanity. A blood donation camp that will cater the need of blood banks all over India will be organized on 10^th March 2009 at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab (wiki) on the occasion of ‘Holla Mohalla’.

Holla Mohalla witnesses the gathering of around 10 lakh Sangat from all the corners of globe. It is the festival of truth, courage, bravery and service. That is why this occasion was chosen for this great cause of blood donation.

The minimum target is 25000 units in 24 hours which will be the Largest Blood Donation in one single day across the world. Please spare few moments to read through the message from AKAL TAKHT SAHIB. (click to enlarge)

Message from Akal Takht translated in English

The Khalsa Panth of the Guru is the successor to a great tradition where our ancestors have set historical accomplishments by sacrificing their lives for the betterment of the society. The Gurus established such magnanimous examples by sacrificing their own lives that the Sikhs have felt privileged in doing the same for spreading happiness in the society. A glimpse of their exemplary acts can be seen in the Daily Ardas (prayer) of a Sikh in the form of Sarbat da Bhala (Good for All).

Reaffirming their traditional saying “Panth ki Jeet”, the Sikhs are constantly engaged in their endeavor of practicing the teachings of the Guru by serving the humanity through Community Kitchen (Langar), Joda-Ghar, educational institutions, field of health-care and various other means. According to the Guru’s Hukam, where service of the nation is important, at the same time the service of society through physical aid is more important. Moreover if blood donation, organ donation and eye donation are considered an inseparable part of the social service, then it would be no different than the service of the Guru.

Therefore, the message of Sri Akal Takht Sahib for the entire Sikh Sangat is that in addition to other forms of social service, the service through blood donation, organ donation and eye donation should also be made a part and parcel of our lives. Every Sikh, should donate blood at least once in the memory of the martyrs of the Sikh faith. To commence this noble task, the day of Holla Mohalla (10^th March 2009) has been chosen by various Sikh organizations under the umbrella of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. The blood donation will take place as Sri Anandpur Sahib at a very large scale. This is the sacred place where Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji bestowed us with a spiritual life through the Nectar of Amrit. Being His Sikh, it is our duty and responsibility to offer our contribution in this noble cause for the support of our society and to save someone’s life. The Sikh sangat is requested to volunteer with whole-hearted dedication in this cause.

We all need to come together for this purpose and let’s do whatever possible thing we can do for this social cause.

For more information and special downloads, visit:

http://saheblifedrops.apkf.net/

(Press releases, Posters, Ringtones, Videos, Registration etc...)

Scholarship scheme 2009 - Last date 15th March

News: Govt launches scholarship to ‘inspire’ science students

For: BSc./MSc. integrated students

Seeking to attract students to science studies, the Government has launched an ambitious scholarship programme for tapping young scientific talents at school level.

Aptly named INSPIRE, or Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research, the scheme, launched by PM Manmohan Singh, seeks to groom meritorious science students from class XII onwards, offering them handsome scholarships at every stage of their career. They would be encouraged to continue their studies in science and offered attractive jobs in research institutions. “Recognising the importance of this scheme, the Government has allocated Rs 2,100 crore in the 11th plan period,” Singh said.

For the official press release dated 1st Jan 2009 click here

Download the application format and brochure from below:
1. Application format
2. Information Brochure

.......................Complete Information.......................
Submission of Application for the “SCHOLARSHIP FOR
HIGHER EDUCATION (SHE)” - a component of the `Innovation
in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)’ being
implemented by the Department of Science Technology (DST),
New Delhi.

Genesis of INSPIRE: Global competitiveness in the changing global knowledge
economy calls for expansion and right-sizing of the Research and Development
base of the country. Need for special interventions for attracting youth to study
of natural sciences and careers with research is recognized. Innovation in
Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) is a Programme launched
by the Government of India to strengthen the National Science and Technology
base. It is being implemented by the Department of Science and Technology
(DST).

About INSPIRE: Programme includes three components namely Scheme for
Early Attraction of Talents for Science (SEATS), Scholarships for Higher
Education (SHE) and Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC). The
Scheme SHE is focused on attraction of talent to study of natural/ basic sciences
at the bachelor and master’s level education. SHE is currently limited to support
for educational programmes at BSc, BSc (Hons), MSc and integrated master’s
level course in sciences leading to MSc in any branch of natural and basic
sciences namely mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry, earth sciences
and life sciences.

Call for Applications: Applications are invited from eligible candidates for
‘Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE)’ component of INSPIRE. Total of 10,000
scholarships are available annually under SHE starting April 2008. The
scholarships are limited only to the candidates studying courses in natural/
basic sciences (BSc, BSc (Hons), integrated MSc) in any one of the recognized
institutions in India. Eligibility criterion for the scholarships are a) performance
in board examinations within the cutoff threshold (of top 1%) for each state or
central board examination at the class X and class XII level and/or b)
performance in any of the specified competitive examinations within stipulated
cut off ranks. The eligible applicant must be already enrolled into degree level
education in natural/basic sciences in any of the recognized institutions in India.

Criteria for Eligibility for SHE:

a) Based on Performance in Board Examinations: The candidates should
have obtained aggregate marks in the top 1% in the board examination at both
class X and XII levels. For example, the candidates applying for the award in
2008 should have secured marks within the top 1% in class X in the year 2005
and class XII in 2007 in the respective board examinations and joined a degree
course leading to BSc or BSc (Hons) of integrated MSc in natural/basic sciences
in any institution in India and returned to study of second year in the academic
year 2008-09. Cut-off marks for various board examinations conduced in the
year 2005 and 2007 are listed in Table 1.

b) Based on Performance in Competitive Examinations (specified in Table
2).: Performance within the top 10,000 ranks in Joint Entrance Examination of
IIT, AIEEE and CBSE-medical and joining courses in degree level courses in
natural/basic sciences in any recognized Indian institution. The scheme in its
current format does not include courses in engineering, medicine, technology
and other professional courses.

c) Based on Performance in Competitive Examinations (specified in Table
3): Clearance of competitive examinations conducted by institutions listed in
Table 3 and all candidates securing admissions and joining courses in natural/
basic sciences conduced by Indian Institutes of Science Education and
Research (IISER), National Institute of Science Education and Research
(NISER), integrated MSc courses in Indian Institutes of Technology, Department
of Atomic Energy – Centre for Basic Science (DAE-CBS) course from the
academic year 2008-09 are eligible.

Value and Type of Support: Eligible candidates will receive annually scholarship
total value Rs 80,000 per candidate. The cash value payable to the SHE
scholarship holder is Rs 60,000 per annum. All the SHE scholars are undertake
summer time attachment to an active researcher in recognized research centers
in the country. A summer time attachment fee of Rs 20,000 will be paid to the
mentoring institution for undertaking summer time project.

Duration of the Support: Selected candidates will be supported for a maximum
period of five years starting 1st year course in BSc, BSc (Hons) and integrated
course leading to MSc or the completion of the course, which ever is earlier.
Continuation of the scholarship for once selected candidates is based on
satisfactory performance of the examinations conducted and certified by the
institution imparting education.

Format for Application: All interested and eligible candidates (as per Table 1
for Board examination based eligibility or as per Table 2 or Table 3 for competitive
examination based eligibility) must apply in the prescribed format along with
attested copy of i) Mark sheets of Class X and Class XII and ii) Certificate from
Principal of the College/ Director or Registrar of the Institute or University where
the applicant is presently enrolled. Applications should reach by Ordinary Post
only on or before 15th March 2009 and shall be addressed to the Director,
National Institute of Science, Technology & Developemnt Studies
(NISTADS), Dr K S Krishnan Marg , New Delhi – 110012. The envelope should
mention on top “Application for Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE)”
program. This advertisement is also available at the
website: www.inspire-dst.gov.in for online submission of application. The online
applicants should also submit a hardcopy of the applications with all attested
documents.


National Level Competitive Examination
IIT – JEE : Top 10,000 Rank
AIEEE : Top 10,000 Rank
CBSE Medical Board : Top 10,000 Rank
All Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojna (KVPY) Fellows, National Talent Search
Examination (NTSE) Scholars, Olympiad Medalists and Jagadis Bose National Science
Talent Search (JBNSTS) Fellows.

Other National Level Competitive Examinations for Admission to
5 years Integrated MSc programs in Basic & Natural Sciences at all Indian Institute of
Technology (IITs).

All Indian Institute of Science Educations & Research (IISERs)
National Institute of Science Education & Research (NISER)
Department of Atomic Energy – Centre for Basic Science (DAE – CBS)
Any other national level test conducted by any University or Academic Institute for admission to Under-graduate or Integrated MSc program in Natural Sciences and Basic Sciences.