Now, match-maker RTI

Subhendu Ray

Gone are the days when parents of eligible girls would visit a prospective groom's office to find out about his salary and job profile. With the rise of technology and easy access to information, parents are now taking the help of the Right to Information Act to seek such details.

Recently, the RTI cell of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) received some queries seeking details about the job profiles and salaries of its bachelor employees for matrimonial purposes. Some applicants also asked whether the employee had shown himself as married or single. This shows that parents are becoming more informed and tech-savvy in their search for the right match for their children.

However, the DMRC officials made it clear that they only provide personal details of an employee's salary with their consent. This is in line with the privacy concerns of employees who may not want their personal information to be made public.

But Delhi Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi believes that the pay details of a government employee cannot be treated as personal information and should be made available in the public domain. He argues that even if the details are being sought for matrimonial purposes, Public Information Officers (PIO) should provide them to the applicants.

This was evident when Shivkumari Kashyap, a Chhattisgarh resident, sought pay particulars of her husband Baldev Singh, an employee of South East Central (SEC) Railway, who got married for the second time. She suspected that Singh had entered the name of his second wife in his service book and used the RTI route to gather details.

While some may argue that salary details should be put on the official website, the fact remains that the RTI Act is a powerful tool for citizens to access information that would otherwise be difficult to obtain. With more and more parents using the RTI Act to gather information for matrimonial purposes, it is imperative that there are clear guidelines on what information can be made public and what cannot be.

The use of the RTI Act for matrimonial purposes shows that parents are becoming more informed and tech-savvy in their search for the right match for their children. While there are privacy concerns that need to be taken into account, it is important to strike a balance between privacy and transparency in the public domain. The RTI Act is a powerful tool that can help achieve this balance, and it is important that it is used responsibly and effectively.

Save Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest

Subhendu Ray

At a time when deforestation is a major concern in many parts of the world, the residents of Nottingham in the United Kingdom have set an inspiring example by coming together to save the Robin Hood's Sherwood Forest. With a total of 997 oaks that are more than 600 years old, this forest is a true natural treasure that needs to be preserved for future generations.

The residents of Nottinghamshire have taken up the challenge to save the forest by planting as many oak trees as possible within the next three years. They aim to make the forest as dense as it was and ensure that it remains a home for the 997 oaks that currently call it their home. Each oak will be named after the town, city, or county that had nurtured it, making it a truly community-driven effort.

What is even more impressive is the level of commitment and transparency that the local authorities have displayed in this drive. The media, city council, and public and private organizations have joined hands to make the 'Save Sherwood' drive a success. They have raised funds aggressively and are constantly updating citizens on the progress of the project and the break-up of expenditure plans. They are also seeking suggestions from citizens, making it a truly participatory effort.

It's not just the local authorities and organizations that are involved in this project. Even celebrities like Tim Smith have joined in the mission, dressing up as Robin Hood and presenting saplings to civic officials in different cities. This has not only raised awareness but also created a sense of festivity around the project, making it an event that everyone can enjoy.

As someone who has recently stayed in Nottingham and been a part of the drive, I can say that the level of seriousness and commitment towards saving the forest is truly inspiring. The level of transparency and community involvement in the project is something that we can all learn from. It is heartening to see people coming together to save the environment and preserve natural treasures like Sherwood Forest.

In a world where greed and profit often drive our decisions, it's heartening to see a community come together to preserve something that is priceless. The 'Save Sherwood' drive is a reminder that it's not too late to make a difference, and that if we work together, we can still save our planet's natural treasures.

 

 

They Never Told: Success Stories of Visually Challenged Youths in Kolkata

Subhendu Ray

In a world where physical ability is often equated with success, the stories of Kanchan Gaba and Asif Iqbal are truly inspiring. These two visually challenged youths of Kolkata have defied all odds to pursue their dreams and achieve success.

Kanchan Gaba, a student of law, has never let her visual impairment come in the way of her academic achievements. She earned first class in LLB and LLM and has even received the Queen's certificate in the UK. She is currently pursuing her research on World Trade Organisation-Legal Implication in Indian Perspective, which is funded by Hindustan Lever. She is also an avid mountaineer and trekker and has been on expeditions to Tiger Hill, Sandakhphu, different hills in Uttaranchal, and Herison Rock area in London.

Asif Iqbal, on the other hand, is a process improvement consultant with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, specialising in business process restructuring and business development. He was the first visually-challenged commerce graduate from Kolkata and also holds an MBA degree with specialisation in HR from the Symbiosis Center for Management and HRD. He uses technology to overcome his visual impairment and is even working towards creating affordable software for others like him.

What is truly remarkable about these individuals is their positive attitude toward life. They firmly believe that blindness can never be a barrier to achieving success if one has the motivation. They are living proof that physical limitations are not insurmountable obstacles to achieving one's dreams.

Gaba has even dedicated her life to uplifting the lifestyle of visually challenged youths in the city. She is the secretary of the West Bengal chapter of the National Association for the Blind and plans to open up a computer training center in Eastern India to enable visually challenged students to learn computers. She has also researched the plight of women in Bengal prisons and plans to write a book on the subject under the aegis of the international NGO UISCOMP, which is headed by the Dalai Lama.

Iqbal, too, is a firm believer in giving back to society. He is involved in drawing a roadmap for the progress of e-governance in the state and is passionate about creating affordable software for the visually challenged.

The stories of Kanchan Gaba and Asif Iqbal are a reminder that success is not limited to the physically able. With determination, hard work, and a positive attitude, anyone can achieve their dreams, no matter what their physical limitations may be. These two individuals are an inspiration to us all and a testament to the fact that they never told all dreamers could open their eyes and catch the rainbow after the rains had left the city all muddy and mucky.

Discovering the Majestic Beauty of Lincolnshire Cathedral

Subhendu Ray

I wake up early every morning to remove the curtains of my bedroom windows and gaze at the breathtaking view of the Lincolnshire cathedral. Its majestic beauty never fails to excite me, prompting me to get up earlier than my usual routine. I spend hours alone, gazing at the cathedral through the window glass!

The Lincoln cathedral is one of the most significant medieval cathedrals in England and the distinguishing landmark of Lincolnshire visible from miles away. The cathedral dominates the city from the top of a great spur of rock, and its spiritual center, the Mother Church of the diocese, the parish church of the county, and a place of national heritage, attracts international pilgrimage. Its construction began in Norman times and has been rebuilt after fire and earthquake in the succeeding centuries.

The cathedral's stunning Gothic architecture contains elements from Romanesque to modern times. It is the finest English Gothic cathedral, and one of the largest, with a length of 482 feet, a crossing tower of 271 feet, a chancel vault of 74 feet, and a nave of 82 feet. The majority of stone used in the construction is local Oolitic limestone. Gems such as the delicate sculptures of the Angel Choir and the fine wood carving in St Hugh's choir add to the cathedral's beauty.

The military significance of the hill was not lost on the Romans who built a fortress for the 9th Roman Legion, and William the Conqueror who ordered a castle built on the same site. Lincoln Castle now houses the Magna Carta Exhibition.

I first arrived in Lincolnshire on September 29, 2007 in the afternoon. The next morning, I stepped forward towards the cathedral, and it was incredibly majestic, as if it stood atop a steep hill to provide security to the people of Lincolnshire and those who come from other places. Since that day, I have visited the cathedral numerous times, and every time I find something new to be fascinated about.

During my second or third visit, I learned from Martin Schoenbeck, an elderly man whom I met in the cathedral yard, that in the 14th century, a lead-encased spire made the cathedral taller than the Great Pyramid of Giza, making it the first building to be taller than 525 feet. It remained the world's tallest building until the central spire blew down in 1548 or 1549.

One thing that surprised me was that the oaks used to build the cathedral were illegally brought from Sherwood Forest at Nottingham, as I learned from a news article published in The Guardian on October 15. Inside the cathedral, I explored the tombs and chapels of the bishops and saw the tomb of Richard Fleming, Bishop of Lincoln, who died in 1431. The stone cadaver was a serious reminder that death kisses everyone's forehead, be it a poor man or a bishop.

The architecture of the cathedral left me spellbound. The saint of the cathedral took me and my eleven colleagues for a detailed visit to the cathedral, introducing us to many things. For the first time, I explored the cathedral as a silent teacher, and I was overwhelmed by its beauty. The architectural beauty of the Taj Mahal in India had always been beyond comparison to me, but the Lincolnshire cathedral forced me to initiate a comparison. For me, the cathedral is one of the most precious pieces of architecture in the British Isles, worth any two other cathedrals.