Kindness…Pass it on!

Kindness is not a habit or a trait built in the human system. Though, we were always taught to help someone in need, we have ended up becoming a cynic and have grown-up apathetic towards the world while growing up. We are so swallowed up in our own problems that we forgot to find happiness in the small gestures of kindness. But life has a way of teaching you lessons.

Read up, as we tell you an interesting story shared by one of our users on his thoughts on the act of kindness:

“Recently I saw a video by ‘lifevest’ going viral on YouTube. It depicted how one kind act can plant a seed for the tree of humanity. And then an incident occurred that changed my perspective towards life. I was travelling in the Metro and saw this frail old lady standing with a bag, bigger than her own size. As my station was nearing I stood at the door and saw her making her way towards me. I knew there was no way she could get off the Metro with that load. So, I decided to lend a helping hand. I carried her bag and got her into an auto rickshaw. Full of gratitude, she blessed me. Just when I had started feeling good about the whole incident, I realized that I had lost my wallet. Disgruntled, I was cursing myself when I got a call from a stranger who had found my wallet and wanted to return it. At that very moment, I realized that a good deed is never lost, and those who spread kindness will always gather love.”

The recent Coca-Cola ad campaigns with “Crazy for Happiness” concept also emphasize on the act of kindness. One of the commercial shows how offering a soft drink to a waiter working painstakingly through the day brings a smile on everyone’s face. The idea of making a stranger happy is not crazy; it spreads a lot of love around.

We believe that spreading happiness is the essence of human life. It doesn’t take much time or effort to help someone or be kind to a stranger. A small act on your part can affect a person’s life in a simple, but a good way. Compassion doesn’t mean that you need to do something big; a simple good morning can also brighten up someone’s boring day. It’s not every day that a random person on the street helps you to carry your grocery bag home, but this deed is what restores our faith in humanity. As we hope for a content world where spreading love and happiness comes naturally to everyone, here are a few ways to touch the lives of others and make a difference:

• Take a few minutes to direct someone who is lost, even though you are in rush
• Help a mother carry her baby stroller up the stairs, or hold a door open for her
• Bring your subordinate coffee
• Send flowers to an old friend without any reason
• Call or write to a teacher who changed your life
• Bring a box of chocolates to be shared at work
• Share a great book or movie you have just finished reading or watching

Positivity and goodness are the missing ingredients that can bring joy to the seemingly cheerless human race. Let’s pass on the kindness and help build a wonderful world.

Ravi Rebbapragada -Social Act of Courage Award Winner

The NGO – Samata has been relentlessly crusading to safeguard the rights of hundreds of tribal in about 350 villages spread across Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts.

Founder members, Ravi & Bhanu, a young couple, have taken on the powerful mining lobby and moved the Supreme Court to stop non-tribal from mining in tribal areas. The ruling, now known as the famous Samata Judgment, is used all over the country to fight against the encroachment of tribal lands by mining companies.
Samata organizes tribal people to resist exploitation and raise awareness and advocacy of their fundamental rights. On the economic front, Samata supports sustainable development to help the tribal and rural youth to find employment within their local regions. It has helped to set up a micro-hydel project in the deep interior tribal area, which lights up the entire village for about four hours a day.
Samata also runs regular health camps and trains local women on basic health and hygiene issues. It has started several schools and improved drinking water facilities in the area by laying out a network of bamboo pipes, which connect the villages to natural spring either deeper in the jungle or higher up in the mountains.

Ravi Rebbapragada was awarded the Social Act of Courage Award at the 2012 Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Awards in New Delhi

Santosh Singh Negi – National Mind of Steel Award Winner

 

Santosh Singh Negi was born with short, weak limbs. Despite his struggles, he has lived life with dignity and excelled in academics. He is a self-made man.

Negi had to assume charge as head of the family at a young age of 10. His father was away on army duty and his mother, bedridden. He also had a younger brother.

Two years later his mother expired and his ailing father retired from service. Without any regular income, Negi started tutoring students to take care of his family and educate his siblings and self.

He cleared the UP State Engineering Exam while studying in class 12 itself. But he could not pursue engineering studies due to lack of funds. He enrolled himself for B.Sc. course and continued tutoring to support his family and himself.

He soon emerged as a leader with grit and determination. He completed his M.Sc. in Physics and B.Ed. and started doing radio programs for AIR Najibabad to earn more money. Shri Negi was also selected for the Rajiv Gandhi PG Scholarship.

Negi started teaching in school and in his 1st year itself was selected as a CBSE examiner for class 10 mathematics.

Today he is a science teacher in Government Inter College Kotdwar and also selected as an Economics lecturer though Uttrakhand Public Service Commission. His dedication to teaching has resulted in 95% pass outs for his school in the board exams. He also provides free books, fees and clothes to needy students. He has ensured that his siblings receive higher education. His brother is currently pursuing a PH.D in Geography and his sister, an M.SC in Mathematics

Shri Santosh Singh Negi is now an M.SC (PHYSICS), M.A (ECONOMICS), M.B.A, M.A (JOURNALISM), M.ED (presently pursuing) and is preparing for IAS exams.

Mohd. Sharif – National Social Act of Courage Award Winner

 

Mohd. Sharif is a Messiah to the poor and the needy. He has dedicated his life to the service of poor patients in hospitals.

A cycle mechanic by profession, Mohd Sharif has seen tragedy and grief from close quarters. He could not perform his son’s last rites as he went missing a month before his death. The unfortunate happening made him stronger. He decided that he would do his best never to let anyone suffer death in anonymity.

He is meticulous. His day begins at about 5.00 a.m. He goes to the city hospital to bathe those patients who have no attendant or family member to look after them. He feeds these patients and assists the nurse in giving them their medication.

After this, he attends to his work of repairing cycles and returns to hospital after closing his shop. He stays in the hospital until late in the night.

Mohd. Sharif has also taken upon himself the responsibility of performing last rites of unclaimed bodies in town. The religion of the deceased is of little consequence to him.

He finances his social work by means of donations. During the month of Ramzan he makes special efforts to collect funds.

He was awarded the Social Act of Courage Award at the 2012 Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Awards in New Delhi

Ranjan R. Trivedi – Social Act of Bravery Award Winner

Ms Ranjan R Trivedi is the perfect example of a woman who fought adversity and succeeded solely through her grit and determination.

The daughter of a poor widow, she faced rejection from society since birth, she was even in danger of being buried alive. Yet, she braved the ill-treatment from society and went on to complete her graduation. Often she had to travel to her school barefoot as she did not have slippers to put on. After her marriage, she was tortured mentally and physically. She had to escape to her brother’s place with her two children.

Ranjan formed Shanti Sewa Mahilla Shram Sansthan to uplift women slum dwellers in Vadaj. A group of 10 women were trained in appliqué work, hand embroidery and stitching of ready-made garments. This gave birth to Radhika Mahilla Hasthkala Audyogik Utpadan Sahakari Co-operative with the objective to make women workers, shareholders in the cooperative. The group increased to 200 women and the turnover of the cooperative rose to Rs 7-8 lakhs.

She plans to open a shelter for women in Ahmedabad.

She was awarded the Social Act of Bravery Award at the 2012 Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Awards in New Delhi

Samshad Ali and Shahnaz Bano – National Physical Bravery Award Winners

Samshad was sipping tea in his house when he heard shouts for help. He saw a man being forcibly pushed into a car.

Some people were trying to kidnap Ajay Gupta, a businessman. Unmindful of his personal safety, Samshad ran towards the car and grabbed one of the kidnappers. His sister and grandmother followed.

His sister Shahnaz joined Samshad in fighting the kidnappers. Meanwhile Ajay Gupta freed himself and ran into a temple.

In a bid to escape, a kidnapper took out a revolver and threatened him. Yet, Samshad did not let him go. As the kidnapper fired, a bullet hit his head. He fell and kidnappers got away.  Shamshad was taken to hospital. His act of bravery was commended by the Governor of Uttar Pradesh.

Samshad Ali and Shahnaz Bano were awarded the National Physical Bravery Award at the 2012 Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Awards in New Delhi

Late Shri Sanjay Kumar – National Physical Bravery Award Winner

Late Shri Sanjay Kumar belongs to a rare category of brave men who have sacrificed their lives to save another.

On 20th June 2010, Shri Sanjay Kumar was resting under a tree on the bank of Bhakra canal. Some students from Neelkhedi Polytechnic were also at the same place and decided to take a plunge in the canal.

Soon, Shri Sanjay heard shouts for help. A student, Mahipal was drowning. Shri Sanjay reacted immediately by jumping into the canal. He caught the drowning young man but could not take full control.

Mahipal was struggling to keep afloat. Shri Sanjay urged him to be calm and be cooperative, but to no avail. He knew that the struggle could put him in danger too. He could leave him and come out, but he decided against it & kept trying.

Mahipal was too strong and took Shri Sanjay with him deep into the water. Despite best efforts, Shri Sanjay could not save him and they both drowned. After three days, on June 23rd, police recovered their bodies.

Late Shri Sanjay was a good swimmer. In 2009, he had saved two class VIII students from the canal.

Late Shri Sanjay Kumar was awarded the National Physical Bravery Award at the 2012 Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Awards in New Delhi