Why Shri Marigold is Mumbai Bhushan?

It all started when I was a child, about 9 years old. My father was one of the founder members of Navsahyadri Co-operative Housing Society (CHS) in Pune in the 70s. The then Society office was right at my home that time and I used to render my services to the cause of Co-operative Housing movement. Since then, I have been active in the Co-operative Housing Societies in Pune and now in Mumbai.

I was also a part of the Jury Panel for the Best CHS Competition organised by Sakal Papers Trust, Pune in the year 1998-99.

Recently, many of us came across a newspaper briefing about Mumbai Bhushan Best CHS Competition for Mumbai organised by Yuvak Biradari (Bharat), Maharashtra Chambers of Housing Industries and Wellingkar Inst. of Management. Two of us, with the able support of the Managing Committee of Shri Marigold CHS (of Kandivali-E, Mumbai and the place where I live) started working on this project. We were so much involved with this project that we made it a point that we Only Win and Become The Best.

Now that Shri Marigold has been awarded Mumbai Bhushan Best CHS in Mumbai and we stood first, I can take the liberty to share with you what we did to become Numero Uno.

Following are few of the points that appealed the judges who visited Shri Marigold twice and finally came to the conclusion that we are The Best amongst the odds.

• Eco Friendliness.
• Clean & Green atmosphere.
• Virtually Paperless Society.
• Measures taken to save of natural resources like Water and Electricity.
• Welfare of Sr. Citizens, Youth & Kids and all the residents.
• Cultural Events for all the communities round the year.
• Disaster Management Plan for the residents.

I would not like to say more due to space constraints, but you can always write to me for more details.

Before I end, I must say that while this Mumbai Bhushan Award is a collective effort of all the residents of Shri Marigold, one should not forget those who really worked hard to get there.

Is your home and your Society DISABLED friendly?

Is your home and your Society DISABLED friendly? I am compelled to ask this question to myself and to you also after a recent incidence I heard of my close friend. My friend met with an accident and got both this legs fractured. He was brought back from the hospital on a wheel chair and his nightmare started there. The society he is staying in is not "disabled" friendly. 

What does this mean? My friend and his family had a tough time in putting the wheel chair into the elevators as there were 6 steps to his air-conditioned lobby, with no accesss to carry a wheel chair. Being in a plush, new housing complex in Bangalore, the Security Guards and my friend's family had to really sweat it out to carry the wheel chair upto the elevetaor. Finally after an hour long struggle, they made it to the floor where my friend stays. The prblems did not end here. All the flats in the complex were fitted with a granite flooring which made it very slippery for the poor friend to manuover his wheel chair.

This made me ask myself, what if the same thing happens to me tomorrow. Do we have adequate measures to counter such problems? Are we living in a housing complex which takes care of such basic needs rather that having fancy air-conditioned entrance lobbies, high-tech security, etc.

I then, personlly took a stock of where I stay and found that I am fortunate enough to live in a complex which is indeed disabled friendly.

What about you.

To Be or Not To Be?

I am compelled to write and post this again after the recently concluded Ganapati Festival.

To Be or Not To Be? This question is so valid in today's world also, that I very recently had to ask the same to myself. On a Sunday morning, I was deeply surprised by seeing a display on the notice board of my Society. The Cultural Committee was appointed for the year 2010-2015 and did not feature my name. After doing so much and devoting a lot of time to the festivals in my housing complex, what I got was a kick out of the cultural events.

This made me ask myself, To Be or Not To Be? I then asked a few questions to myself, but did not find any answers for the same.

The first question I asked myself was "Did I do too much for the welfare of the Society? Was it so much that it was not required at all?" This had no answer. Whatever I did was for the good of the event and the people in general and did not have any self interest whatsoever. This did require rubbing shoulders with others ending in unpleasant circumstances, but that was unavoidable at that point of time.

Secondly I asked to me "To Be or Not To Be?" For this, after a long thought, I got the answer. I was repeatedly thinking on my participation in the Cultural events, and finally decided Not To Be a part of the same, Not To Be a part where your efforts are not acknowledged and you are shown the dust-bin after getting the work done.

All of us face similar situations, either in our personal or professional life. But it is entirely upto us and in our own hands, how to handle this. If you get deeply involved and evolved in any of the events or situations, just be ready to taste the bitter fruits and never expect a pat on your back. But if you decide to swim on the banks only, without getting in too deep, you are likely to be the Happiest Person on the Earth.

I have decided to sit on the banks and be happy.

Chanakya has rightly said, "People should never be straight as straight trees are cut first".

Help underprivileged and needy students

Matrubhoomi Education Society was formed in 1993 with the aim to provide quality and affordable education to underpriviledged and needy students in the slum areas adjoining Janupada in Thakur Village, Kandivali-E, Mumbai, India. The primary section of the school started in 1994.

Today, the school has over 650 students and 20 teachers in 6 rented sheds. Over 60% of the students come from poor & economically weaker sections and are barely able to meet the school expenses inclduing their tution fees.

Matrubhoomi Education Society is seeking financial assistance in their continued efforts to provide quality education to underpriviledged children.

Please come forward, join hands with me and help for a noble cause. All your donations are exempt u/s 80 G of Indian Income Tax Act.

Please write to me or Shri Ashok Kulkarni (ashco@vsnl.com) if you wish to have more details on how you can help in this noble cause.

To Be or Not To Be?

To Be or Not To Be? This question is so valid in today's world also, that I very recently had to ask the same to myself. On a Sunday morning, I was deeply surprised by seeing a display on the notice board of my Society. The Cultural Committee was appointed for the year 2010-2015 and did not feature my name. After doing so much and devoting a lot of time to the festivals in my housing complex, what I got was a kick out of the cultural events.

This made me ask myself, To Be or Not To Be? I then asked a few questions to myself, but did not find any answers for the same.

The first question I asked myself was "Did I do too much for the welfare of the Society? Was it so much that it was not required at all?" This had no answer. Whatever I did was for the good of the event and the people in general and did not have any self interest whatsoever. This did require rubbing shoulders with others ending in unpleasant circumstances, but that was unavoidable at that point of time.

Secondly I asked to me "To Be or Not To Be?" For this, after a long thought, I got the answer. I was repeatedly thinking on my participation in the Cultural events, and finally decided Not To Be a part of the same, Not To Be a part where your efforts are not acknowledged and you are shown the dust-bin after getting the work done.

All of us face similar situations, either in our personal or professional life. But it is entirely upto us and in our own hands, how to handle this. If you get deeply involved and evolved in any of the events or situations, just be ready to taste the bitter fruits and never expect a pat on your back. But if you decide to swim on the banks only, without getting in too deep, you are likely to be the Happiest Person on the Earth.

I have decided to sit on the banks and be happy.

After all, Choice is Yours.