|
|
Honey bee publish details |
| More
Information |
|
|
|
|
| Category |
Letters |
|
|
| Title |
Dialogue |
|
|
| Details |
Retired Scientists Offer Help
Dr. K.V. Gopalakrishnan
kvgiitm@yahoo.com
I read with great interest the recent article in Reader’s Digest, describing your efforts to unearth good ideas and innovations in our rural areas and develop them further and widely disseminate them.
I am a retired Professor of Mechanical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras. I have a natural interest in this subject and the IIT Madras too devotes considerable attention to rural innovation. There are special cells within the institute like L-RAMP, which deal primarily with rural inventions.
In order to be better informed and to help IIT Madras too, I would like to have a catalogue of your completed and ongoing projects, preferably with brief descriptions. I am sure you would have compiled them to be of permanent use. Please inform me if such a publication is available for sale. I would try to get either a copy for myself or persuade IIT Madras to acquire one.
(Many thanks Professor, we are sending you two CD’s and some copies of Honey Bee. In addition three award books are available at nifindia.org for free download. NIF has tried in the past to involve the colleagues at IITM in adding value to the grassroots innovators. Of course Prof Jhunjhunwala is on the governing council of NIF and is long standing well wisher of Honey Bee network. May be with your efforts it might happen now. Ed)
Young Enthusiast
Siddharth
sidgandhi@lycos.com
I am currently a 10th grade student living in the US in Houston, Texas. I am interested in volunteering for SRISTI Scouting, Documentation, and Dissemination tour because I feel that not only will it be an educating and learning experience for me in the long term, but I also feel an urge to contribute to this amazing cause. I needed some dates and information about the tour (village learning walk, Shodhyatra) so that I may plan my trip to India accordingly.
(The last Shodhyatra was in June and the next one is likely to be in December 2008 or January 2009 in Bihar or Gujarat. Please do send your willingness to join in good time. You can also walk with us in UK from Cambridge to North sea (Sept 17-23, 2008) , see sristi.org and contact Ruth and Katalin at honeybeeuk@googlemail. Com. Ed)
Wild Relatives
Dr Mike Huffman
huffman@pri.kyoto-u.ac.jp
I enjoyed browsing through the latest issue of Honey Bee and was duly impressed. A life long admirer of India and Indian culture, I am impressed and quite interested in the activities of your organization and its philosophy. I congratulate you and your colleagues in these efforts.
I am based in Japan for the last 29 years (from the age of 20) and travel widely for lecturing through Asia and Europe. I am an Associate Professor at Kyoto University’s Primate Research Institute. My areas of specialty are animal behavior, parasitology, botany and anthropology. I have worked in Africa for the last 25 years studying wild chimpanzees and more recently over the last four years have also begun to carry out research in Sri Lanka and India on monkeys in collaboration with colleagues and graduate students from these countries. One of my main areas of specialty is animal self-medication (animals treating themselves in the wild for parasites etc.) and ethnobotany / ethnopharmacology /ethnoveterinary medicine. I am interested in how these behaviors have evolved in the animal kingdom, the diversity of ways in which animals maintain health and combat sickness and the contributions of animals to the development of traditional medicine in humans. In my field work on wild chimpanzees, I collaborate with a traditional healer (and national park wildlife officer) in Tanzania and from him have learned much about the uses of plants in the forest for humans. Many of the medicinal plants used by his tribe, and indeed in many groups of people throughout the world, are often found to be used by animals as medicine. This tribe, the WaTongwe also have stories about the origin of medicine from animals. I hope some day to be able to do this kind of work in India and Sri Lanka as well.
(We hope to have your contributions in future issues of Honey Bee about the lessons that have been learned from the creative and experimental efforts of the primates. Ed)
German Hope
Manuel Karg
manuel.karg@googlemail.com
I recently read an article in a German magazine about your project in India and it has fascinated me a lot. I believe that ideas like yours can make our life better. I agree with your view that the way of life in the western part of the world is not the best. The reason, why I am writing to you is that I would like to know more about this project and the man behind it.
I am a German student of international economics in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. This small city is about one hour away from Munich. After reading about the Honey Bee project, I want to support this great idea. May be we can find a way to push your idea in western countries. This could help the whole world, and if people in the poorer regions of the world became richer, they will have a better life, more money to spend on consumer goods and the economy would grow in India and in any developing country worldwide. The next thing, where I see a great chance to win the fight against hunger in poorer nations, is to tackle the problem of inefficient agricultural practices. It would be great to learn more about India and your experiences from “Shodhyatras”.
(Many thanks for writing about Shodhyatra. Please read about the past ones at www.sristi.org and about NIF at nifindia.org. My colleagues and friends from U.K. will inform you about a learning walk being arranged during Sept 15-20, 2008 from Cambridge University to north-sea. Ed)
Wonderful Things Happening
Vipul Rawal
vipulkrawal@yahoo.co.uk
I am an aspiring writer and a film maker. I also work for WIPRO as a Sr. Executive (strategic sourcing)
The reason for my writing you this mail is that I came across an article about you and your wonderful organization in the Readers Digest. On reading the article, I have a few observations:
a) Even though these innovations are cheap and very useful, there is a specific dearth of marketing strategy and the visibility of the products. b) I have also come to the conclusion that even though these inventions may have solved the problems of the person who invents them, the inventor may not be benefiting from their inventions in monetary terms.
This set me thinking. Why don’t we make a television serial showcasing these wonderful inventions.
I would sincerely appreciate it if you could think about this proposal and reply with your comments. If you feel this is a viable idea, we can discuss the details like the format of the show, the packaging etc.
(Thank you very much! We appreciate your interest and would surely look into your proposal and get in touch with you to work out the details as soon as possible. Ed)
Artistically Abled Among the Disabled
Abhijit Mukherjee
abhijit@apd-india.org
We are a 50 year old organisation called The Association of People with Disability. We are working with community children in 32 slums, in and around Bangalore. We identify children with disabilities who have the talent for painting and drawing, and help them to flourish their talent and aspirations. The paintings of these children are displayed and sold in exhibitions.The fund raised are ploughed back to them. We also conduct periodical art camps where all types of disabled children and youth participate. Some eminent artists also come, and coach and inspire them.
We would like to develop this part of our activity more and more. May be we can get some guidance and directions from your organization and people. You may visit our website www.apd-india.org.
(Excellent efforts! May God give you all the strength, Abhijit, Keep it up. If you ever bring this exhibition to Ahmedabad and want to do it in IIMA campus, we will be willing to help you. Ed)
Ancient IPR
B. Dharanidharan
24, Thillai Natarajan Street, Nehru Ville Nagar, Pondicherry – 605008
In your editorial you had specified that Dronacharya asked for Eklavya’s thumb as his fees for the art learned from him. Dronacharya thought archery is his intellectual property, out of his knowledge and Eklavya stole his intellectual property without providing patent rights fees and thus he punished him by removing his thumb. So, even in ancient days Indians practiced this IPR.
(Yes, I agree! You have also correctly answered the quiz question albeit too late for the first prize! Ed)
|
|
|
| Volume No. |
HB19(1) January-March 2008 |
|
 
|
|
