Asha- an interview with Padmanava Sen

Millennials are often cited as the Peter Pan generation who prefer to delay their rite into adulthood, shun responsibility, and feel entitled to privileges they had while growing up- without having to work for it. But  I also know people about my age who commit their energy to several causes like: urban agriculture, sustainability, education etc.

One such person is Padmanava Sen, a batch mate of SG. I met him in California through common friends. This is an interview with him about volunteering in general and his association with an international non-profit called Asha.

1. Tell us something about Asha.
Asha, which means "hope", is dedicated to the support of basic education of underprivileged children in India. Asha for Education is an international non-profit organization and has around 50 chapters in US, nine in India and 5 elsewhere. Asha's primary focus is on education because we at Asha believe that education is the most effective means to solve the problems of poverty, population explosion, and to bring about long-term socioeconomic change. Since its inception in 1991, “Asha for Education” has supported more than 800 educational projects in India disbursing more than $26 Million USD. In 2013 alone, around 170 projects are supported with 13+ crores INR. Asha runs completely on volunteers and around 1000 volunteers across the World make it happen.

2. How did you get associated with it?
I joined Asha Atlanta Chapter in June 2006 after seeing a flyer in university notice board (Georgia Tech). After the first meeting, I was more or less sure I am not leaving Asha anytime soon. The reason that it is 100% volunteer driven, decentralized and non-hierarchical, made the decision very easy. I have moved out from Atlanta in 2010, I am still involved with almost all Atlanta projects (around 6 currently) till date. In 2009, I started my life in Central Projects Team with Cyclone Aila relief and currently coordinate across projects for RTE and other related issues being in India. In last 5 years, I have served 2 years in the board of directors as the Director of projects which gave a lot of exposure given the ~200 project portfolio of Asha.

Asha has not only helped me to stay connected to my country during my stay in USA it has helped me to realize the important things one can do in their spare time in the spirit of volunteerism.


3. What advice do you have for those who want to get involved?
Do not believe that everything will fall in place unless we get directly involved in the implementation of laws, in the education system, in women empowerment, to provide basic necessities to every human being on earth and in the process of giving equal opportunity to every child irrespective of gender, caste, birthplace and birth family.

Do not underestimate your own potential and overestimate the current systems in place to take care of everyone. Stop thinking about doing something and act; find 2-3 hours a week to volunteer for a good cause, a cause that you think is important. While you get involved, put the shoes of the underprivileged and think what is important to them. The definition of requirement should come from their side not from your viewpoint. Get the culture of giving and volunteering in your systems and teach the next generation to the same. Unless we help the unlucky ones, every success is tainted and every moment of happiness is incomplete.

Suggested further reading: His blog post Why volunteer

Water conservation

On Friday, Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in California for drought. While we just exclaim upon the absence of rains during the winter, the farmers and fire-fighters are on high alert. It is not the first time that the state declared a drought emergency. California has a climate prone to occasional dry spells. Though agriculture uses 80% of our water, we can do our bit by reducing water consumption voluntarily.  Here are some doable tips for water conservation:

1. Cut shower times. Avoid using the bath tub.
2. Repair leaky faucets. 
3. Don't let the water flow while you brush or shave
4. Set you load to proper size while doing the laundry. 
5. If you own a lawn, time your sprinklers
6. Cover your pool, to prevent loss from evaporation.

Also read:
How will the drought affect agriculture in California
100+ ways to conserve

 More tips

My way

Sometimes, I wish I could see the world like I could a couple of years ago. That doesn't mean I am old. But I have seen enough to learn not to take every thing at face value. Sweet words mean nothing until accompanied with action. A brutally honest friend is always better than the sweet talker with empty words.

I am a little less narcissistic (I know! I know!). Have not given up taking selfies though. But most importantly- I don't think I need to validate my existence by gaining approval from others. Not that I ever cared much for that. People thought I was courageous. Bold. I was just plain stupid.

On second thoughts, it was more sensible to listen to my inner voice even when so many thought that I was taking a risk. 'You can do better' they said. I followed my heart. Now they consider me wise for not listening to them. What an irony!

If I could advise my younger self, I'd say  again what I had said to myself then. 'Don't give up hope.' And do it your way.

The taxonomy of desis

San Jose has so many desis, I sometimes forget that I ever left India. Of course, like any other population we have a few types:

1. The Friendly Desi:  They'll always greet you with a smile and make genuine queries about  your welfare. However, they need to know that certain topics like salary or when the other person intends to start a family etc are considered beyond the scope of civilized conversations.
2. The Jackass: You know the guy who sits in front of you  in a movie and texts incessantly like his life depended on it? Go out, make a call, come back- what is so difficult?  Or the guy who never cleans his gym equipment after use.
3. The Stinky Desi:  My Lord, why do your clothes stink of curry all the time? Even I cook every day but I make sure I keep my  apartment well-ventilated. Also, clean the vent-filters once in a blue moon. Yours have advanced stages of lung cancer. Febreze is a wonderful product too.
4. The Snob Desi:  Best not to comment on them. They know-it-all and have-seen-it-all. Few things   excite them anymore. They expect other  desis to  serve them  though they don't like  them at all.
5. The Ideal Desi: The 'be-like-him' guy of the family.He is well-mannered, well-read, well-traveled.  His education has opened his mind to the world. He has no prejudice. He knows which cheese to serve with which wine. He is a courteous host and a balanced human being.

There are others sub-genres in the species too. Please don't feel compelled to belong to one of the five classes.

What do you have against NRIs?

I am vexed. That is putting it mildly. Every day I see anti-NRI sentiments on the social network. Stories about how the Americanized children forget their parents. How they begin to eat beef, worship Satan and their blood turns black from their sins. Hear this-not every NRI is a devil incarnate or a lallu (whom the ex-gf married for money)

First things first. A lot of parents in my generation filled our minds with the equation, America = success. Now, we have taken every test possible and gone through the torturous hours of a visa interview where the better part of the day is spent waiting in a queue like we were dead and at the gates of Heaven - waiting to be sorted for our past deeds. After everything we go through- to settle in a foreign country, to start from scratch, to make new friends, to begin to enjoy new cuisines and cultures -wait a second! Wasn't that the point of my education?

My school principal once said that education isn't complete until you have pursued it overseas. In my young mind, he had a point- wouldn't it be wondrous to know  people living in other countries, have friends whose name I found it difficult to pronounce, and to learn from people who have a different background -with  the only common thread : pursuit of knowledge?

Of course, the second thing is: money. I know NRIs in US and elsewhere who send money home regularly or at least readily on emergencies. Businesses like Xoom thrive on remittance. Nobody ever mentions that. NRIs are the devils who give away their hard-earned money without any expectations. Quite contrary to the popular belief propagated in movies where NRIs go home only to sell the paternal house.  Conveniently failing to mention that no one else wants to deal with the legal fees and lawyers.

What I am saying is- there are two aspects to everything. Some choose to return to their native country because they prefer the life there. Some choose to stay on because they love it where they have settled. Stop being spiteful because someone's circumstances or choice is different from yours.

Empathy

Post by Aparna Kar.

Oh look!

Teen boy (came running and stopped in front of me): Pretty dress.
Me: Thank you !
Teen (to his father): Look Daddy..
Father: I know.. pretty dress.

And I realized the kid might have been 'special'. Well, at least to him I had something good. Sometimes, I feel these people are much better than the 'sensible' ones who knowingly hurt others to satisfy their egos..