What Anna's recent agitation did is that it not only captivated the minds of numerous youths in the country but also motivated them to do something constructive for their motherland and development of the society where they live in. Taking inspiration from that movement and hearing to his inner voice Balasaheb Darade, a well educated youth has came back to Lonar to throw himself in the development work of Lonar and villages around.
Dreaming to bring glory for his own place and setting a role model of sustainable development of villages, Balasaheb Darade has returned to Lonar leaving his lucrative salaries jobs and promising carrer. An Electronics and Telecommnication Engineer from Jawaharlal Nehru Engineeing College, Aurangabad, Darade did his Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from University of Cincinnati, USA. He also worked with many reputed companies in the field of IT in India and abroad.
Balasaheb was associated with the Art of Living movement of Sri Sri Ravishankar even when he was doing his jobs and still an active member. He always had participated in the construtive activities of Art of Living movement. During Anna's fast at Delhi he took part in that agitation and huge repsonse to Anna's struggle gave boost to hidden urge in the heart of Darade. " I thought this is the right time to give proper direction to the energy in youths and to start constructive work. I wanted to do something for my village and area around from where I rose up. I wanted to pay back to my place and decided to get settle here," told Balasaheb while talking The Hitavada.
After coming back to Lonar, Balasaheb has now started to gather youths in Lonar and motivationg youths in and around the place. Presently he has decided to work on creating sustainable model village considering 12 developmental parameters such as health, hygiene, food, water, shelter, education, income generation/job creation, energy, social equity, connectivity, spiritual well being & public domain. He also eyes to empower youth and leaders in villages to take responsibilities to uplift life in villages. He knows that this is a very difficult and long process and results are not to get in immediate future. But this youth with dreamy eyes is hopeful about good results and believes that youths in rural parts will bring changes and boost the development process. He already has started efforts in that direction and meeting with several stakeholders to catalyse the development of Lonar and surround areas. He sees many things which can be counted and used for developing this rural part. He has chalked down some plans and started work on those plans.
" I believe that once you have achieved certain things, you must share those with others who need it most. I wants to serve for my motherland so I came back. I get satisfaction from this work. Journey has just begun and I have long terms goals. Youths are giving good response to me and I hope only good will come out of the collective efforts," shared Balasaheb.


Achievements and awards of Balasaheb Darade

* Resident Education and Development Outstanding Student Leader Award, University of Cincinnati, 2009.
* University Graduate Scholarship (UGS), University of Cincinnati, 2007-09.
* Outstanding Engineering Student award, IEEE, 2004.
* Outstanding Engineering Student, Dr B.A.M. University, 2003-04.
* Distinguished Alumni, JNEC Aurangabad.
* Government of India Scholarship for Engg Education 2001-2005
* LONAR RATNA, Award for Scientific Contribution for development of Lonar Crater, 2006.
* Best Paper Award (First position) in International conference on Systematics, Cybernetics and Informatics 2007
* First Prize: IMS (Indian Microelectronics Society Conference), 2005.
* First Prize: UG/PG Student Contest, IEEE Communication Society, 2004.
* First Prize: Hardware/software Project Contest, VIT IEEE SB, 2005.

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Two new species at Lonar crater

In a shocking thruth came to fore, two new species are found in the famous Lonar crater in Buldana district which has proved that the salinity of Lonar crater is reducing and life structure at this meteoric crater is changing gradually. Scientists have confirmed this fact giving reason that the drainage in surrounding premices of the world famous crater is mixing in it and creating threat for the crater.
Lonar crater is the world's only meteoric impact crater in Basalt rock and has internatioal importance. Many renowned organisations and scientists are still doing research on the life in Lonar crater and many secrets are yet to be resolved. Till now, species eating Methane as well as with magnetic properties are also found here. Development of many life cycles are still going on in the Lonar crater and hence Lonar falls in highly protected natural places category. Unfortunately, due to excessive presence of humans in crater area, human interferance and encroachment has caused the threat to all pecularities of Lonar.
Khagol Vishwa, a Pune based organisation working in the field of Science has started the campaign for Lonar crater conservation and protection and recently did the survey at Lonar lake on Oct 2. Khagl Vishwa found two species Corixa and Eristalis larva or rat tailed maggot. These are the first species found in Lonar crater other than the microorganisms in Lonar. Development of life in Lonar lake is considered as impossible due to its high salinity but presence of Corixa and Eristalis larva have proved that the structure of Lonar crater has started Changing. As these two species are generally found in soft water, there presence at Lonar crater has proven that original properties of Lonar crater are changing.
National Center For Cell Science has started further study on these two species and senior zoologist Dr Hemant Ghate from Pune has done their identification. While speaking to The Hitavada Dr Ghate confirmed that these two species are generally found in fresh water and sewage water. " Eristalis larva is generally found in human sewage. Its presene in Lonar crater proves that sewage water is mixing with lake water at Lonar and causing the sewage pollution. Corixa is a species in fresh water and as it is found in Lonar it proves that the salinity of Lonar is decreasing. This may change the original life cycle at Lonar lake and it is necessary to take urgent steps to stop mixing of any other water than the original. Otherwise the rare lives at Lonar will come to an end due to human interferance, " said Dr Ghate.


LOnar crater is considered as around 50,000 years old crater and is young as compared to other craters in the world. It has extreme importance from geological and ecological point of view. Rare life cycles are developed here in saline water in adverse conditions. Existence of historical temples in and around crater, existence of numerous species in crater area and other biologically importance things make this crater elligible to be included in the list of world heritage. NASA, Smithsonian Institute, US Geological Survey, Geological Survey of India, National Center for CEll Sciences, Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, National Institute of Oceanography, IIts and many other universities are doing research on this crater since last two decades.
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छळ मांडला!!!

गेला एक-दीड महिना भटक-भटक भटकतो आहे. अगदी मेळघाट्च्या जंगलापासून ते केरळ-कन्याकुमारीपर्यन्त जाऊन आलो आहे. आयुष्यात पहिल्यान्दा सलग एवढा फ़िरलो असेल. माझे वाढलेले वजन बरेच कमि झाले हा एक महत्वाचा फ़ायदा धरुन इतर अनेक गोष्टी य सर्व प्रवासादरम्यान शिकायला मिळत गेल्या. अनेक अनुभव मिळत गेले, अनेक माणसे भेटलीत आणि मी आतुन सम्रुद्ध (हा शब्द देवनागरीत कस लिहू जर सान्गा बर) होत गेलो . निसर्गाची अनेकविध रुपे बघितलीत आणि अधिक शान्त होत गेलो. मग ते मेळघाटचे विस्तीर्ण जंगल असो कि कन्याकुमारीचा डोळे विस्फ़ारुन टाकणारा निळाशार समुद्र किंवा मग लोणारचे सरोवर! प्रत्येकच ठिकाणी स्वत:च्या खुजेपणाची जाणीव होत गेली. मनात विचार आला, आपण माणसे कशाचा आणि का एवढा माज करतो? या भव्य निसर्गासमोर आपला अस्तित्व तरी काय? आअपण तर अगदीच क:पदार्थ.
कदाचित असे विचार आणि असे अनुभवच आपल्याल खूप काही शिकवून जात असतील. म्हणूनच प्रवासाने मनुष्य शहाणा होतो असे म्हनत असतील, नाही का ?
हा निसर्ग, हे अनुभव, प्रवासात भेटलेली माणसे, मनात येणारे विचार सगळच काही शब्दात व्यक्त करत येणार नाही कारण काही अनुभव शब्दांच्या पलिकडलेही असतातच ना, आपल्या सर्वांचेच!
पण व्यक्त करता येण्यासारखही बरंच आहे! तेच शब्दात मांडण्याचा प्रयत्न करणार आहे. वज़्ज़र, धारगद, रायपुर, केरळ आणि लोणार!
मित्रांनो, छळ मांडला आहे, सहन करायला तयार रहा!

सुंदर!

निघालो आहे मस्तीत वेगळ्याच,
ध्यास घेऊन सुंदरतेचा
उर भरुनी प्रत्यय घेतो
जगण्याच्या या विशालतेचा!
अश्रू सुंदर, हास्य सुंदर,
मुखामुखावरील स्मितही सुंदर
धरती सुंदर, अंबर सुंदर
माणसान्मधील प्रीतही सुंदर!
मिट्ट काळोखी अन्धारही सुंदर,
मंद प्रकाशी दीपही सुंदर
विश्वात व्यापलेला अवघ्या
जीवन्ततेचा हुंकार सुंदर!
कवेत घेऊन जगणे सारे,
मस्त मोकळा गातो आहे
हात पुढे मी पसरलेलाच
जो जे देईल घेतो आहे!
माणूस सुंदर , झाडही सुंदर
अनादी सुंदर, अनंत सुंदर
प्रत्येकामध्ये लपून आहे,
व्याप्त तो भगवंत सुंदर!
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नक्षलवाद तुमच्या दारातही येऊ शकतो!

दांतेवाडा घटनेने हादरलेल्या प्रशासन आणि शासनाला सावरायलाही वेळ न देता, नक्षलवाद्यांनी छत्तीसगढ मध्ये पुन्हा एक बस उडवून सर्वांना जोराचा धक्का दिला. या आणि अशा अनेक घटना घडल्यावर आपण नक्षल्यांवर टिका करतो आणि ते कसे चुकीचे आहेत हे स्वत: ला व इतरांना पटवून सांगतो. नक्षलवाद्यांचा मार्ग पटो अथवा न पटो, आपल्या प्रत्येकाच्या मनात एक कुतुहल त्यांच्या बद्दल, त्यांच्या आयुष्याबद्दल नेहमीच असते. आणि तरी सुद्धा कुठेतरी नक्षल्यांबद्दल मनात रागच जास्त असतो.
पिचलेल्या जनतेला न्याय देण्याच्या उदात्त भावनेतून चारु मुझुमदारांनी सुरु केलेली ही चळवळ आज, त्याच जनसामान्यांच्या विरोधात जात असुन त्यांच्यातच नवीन जमीनदार आणि बुर्ज़्वा लोक तयार होत आहेत. आज जरी या चळवळीची दिशा चुकली असेल आणि तिचे मार्गक्रमण हे दहशतवादी संघटनेकडे सुरु असेल, तरी जी परिस्थिती प्रखरपणे या चळवळीने जगापुढे आणली, ती परिस्थिती आज देखील कायम आहे, वेष्टन बदललेल्या स्वरुपात!
आज देखील सरकारी यन्त्रणेची मुजोरी तितकीच आहे, निर्ढावलेपणा तसाच आहे, माहिती अधिकार कायदा येउन सुद्धा त्यांचे छुपे व्यवहार व गरिबांना नाडणे तसेच सुरु आहे. अधिकारी, नेते, गुंड आणि उद्योगपती यांचे साटे लोटे तसेच सुरु आहे. प्रत्येक जातीतील ठराविक लोक सोडले तर अनेक जण 'वंचित' या एकाच जातीत सामावणारे आहेत. त्रास खेड्यातच आहेत असे नाही, ते शहरातही आहेतच, त्यांचे स्वरुप वेगळे असेल. आमच्या देशातील जे भाग १९४७ साली मागास होते, ते आजही मागास श्रेणीतच मोडतात. आहे रे आणि नाही रे यांच्यातील दरी विस्तीर्ण होत आहे. आमच्या देशातील सर्वच जाती समूहांना असुरक्षित वाटत आहे. अशी सर्व परिस्थिती ही नक्षलवादासाठी अत्यंत पोषक असते. याचाच अर्थ आमची शहरे देखील नक्षली गटांची ठिकाणे बनू शकतात. चळवळीला प्रतिष्ठा प्राप्त होण्यासाठी तिला बुद्धिवंतांची साथ लाभणे आवश्यक असते. काही वर्षांपूर्वी विद्यापीठांमधून शिकणार्‍या कम्युनिस्ट व जहाल डाव्या विचारवंतांनी, कलावंतानी, साहित्यिकांनी नक्षल चळवळीला अशी वैचारिक साथ दिली होती. त्यामुळेच या चळवळीला तात्त्विक अधिष्ठान प्राप्त झाले; अन्यथा ती मुस्लिम दहशतवादी चळवळीच्या मार्गाने गेली असती. आज ती त्याच मार्गाने चाललेली आहे. तिला पुन्हा सुशिक्षित तरुणांकडून समर्थन मिळू द्यायचे नसेल तर सरकार प्रमाणेच अम्हालाहि काही तरी पुढाकार घेऊन करावे लागेल. सरकार ने विकास कामांना आदिवासी भागात गती दिली पाहिजे, सुविधा पुरवल्या पाहिजेत, सरकारी यन्त्रणा अधिक माणुसकीपूर्ण झाली पाहिजे, हे अत्यंत आवश्यक आहे. तसेच नागरिक म्हणून आपण काय करु शकतो याच देखिल प्रत्येकाने विचार करण्याची गरज आहे. लहान पणापासून राष्ट्रवादाची भावना रुजविणे, सर्व काही मीच न ओढता वंचितांना काही देण्याची तयारी ठेवणे, त्या वंचितांपर्यन्त पोचण्याची, जाण्याची तयारी ठेवणे आणि नक्षली चळवळीला समर्थन करणार्‍यांचा विरोध करणे, आपापल्या ठिकणी हे आपण नक्कीच करु शकतो. गडचिरोलिला जाऊन एक वेगळे टुरीजम करणे, ख्रिश्चन मिशनर्‍यांच्या पैश्यावर पोसलेल्या आपल्या देशद्रोही मिडियाचा विरोध करणे हे ही आपण करु शकतो. हे खूप सोपे उपाय झालेत. काही उपाय आपण ही सुचवू शकता. मला अपेक्षा आहे प्रतिक्रियांची आणि ऊपायांची! वाट बघतो आहे!
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Yeh 'India' Ka Cricket Hai !

Indians hardly love any other thing with such fascination, desperation and aggrssion than Cricket. Whether we love cricket stars or the sport itself has remained the topic of debate always. For me, the thing to mention is that these cricketing stars reflect the changing mode of our society, change in attitudes of our people and in general changing India.
Indian Cricket got real world recognition only after Sunil Gavaskar. Before him, our Cricket was under big impression of Britishers as our country was in that period. Mind you, Gavaskar came in 1971 and Amitabh Bacchan did his entry in same '70s. Indians had started to come out of any sort of obligation and binding of others in that period and hence his 'Angry Young Man' image was so much accepted. During same years, Gavaskar came on the circuit and since then he took Indian cricket to a newer height earning respect from cricketing world. Kapil Dev was also the product of this decade. The first Pokharan was also done in same decade. Is it a coincidence?
Cut to 90's. India was striving to sustain and earning greater credibility in the world. Some aggression based on old basics was coming both in cricket and in society before 90's. After the globalisation, scenario change. This is the decade, when the ever great batting trio of India, Sachin, Saurav and Dravid came and rocked the world. It was the next step, when aggression was increased, confidence was on much higher levels. Throwing all shackles, the regenerated India, in Cricket, was ready to set a big challenge in front of other cricketing countries. Was not this the same story for India as a country in world affairs? Sachin, Saurav and Rahul were the icons of that generation who had seen old values and want to go ahead without going away from those values. Politeness, patience, down to earth attitude of the trio was the peculiar characteristic of Indian society then. How can I forget Anil Kumble in this list? In 1997,Kumble took 10 wickets. 1998 was the most successful year of Sachin and he was acclaimed as best betsman by the world after this. Second Pokharan was also done in 1998. Was it a coincidence?
Cut to 2005, India was emerging as a power in world and in Cricket also. There comes the entire new generation. Yuvraj, Dhoni, Harbhajan,Gambhir. More aggression, more confidence, totally different attitudes, values, beliefs and styles. Sometimes, loosing ground due to over confidence and over aggression. Isn't it a story of Indian youths after 2005. Mind you fiends, college going students have changed tremendously after 2005. Same is the Cricket. They want to do new things, hardly ready to listen others and believe much in themselves. IPL came after this? Breed of young politicians in India also came after this. Is this too a coincidence?
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Refreshed and Silent!

Jungles fascinate me and for me those are like schools. Every visit to forest carve out some different lesson hidden in the treasure of the nature and makes me wealthier than last visit. The recent visit to Tadoba gave me similar experience which can only be termed as 'spiritual' and i became literally 'speechless'.
Tadoba tiger project is in Chandrapur district. Taru Ba is the god for Madiya and Gondi tribals in this area and hence the jungle is known Tadoba. Gond king use to organise Pooja and fare in this jungle earlier. For Tadoba, we started at 6 a.m. in an open gypsy and with a young enthusiastic guide. As like our family, people go to Tadoba, with the one and only desire, that is to see the Tiger. It is not totally wrong with that, but the danger is that we may miss to spot on the other beauty of the forest. There is one board at the entrance of Tadoba forest. It says, no one can assure you that tiger will be spotted, but the real fun lies in this unpredictability. Apart from Tiger, there are Cheetal, Chuasingha, barking deer, wild dogs, bison, crocodile, beer, wild cats, any number of beautiful birds and of course amazing forest. There is tree called 'Karai', it turns white in summer, green in winter and red in rainy season. When it turns white, with its peculiar branches, it looks like a ghost and hence also called as 'ghost tree'.
Tadoba as like many other forests really have many fantastic stories about forest and animal. along with us, there was a foreigner researcher on the tour and it was his ninth round to forest. Inspite of that he had not seen the tiger and was determined to do the 'task'. Now, when I am writing this, I am sure he will be on the Safari doing same mary-go-round activity. As our guide told, once he was as usual surfing through forests along with his troup of tourists which also had one professional photographer. On the way, they found four wild dogs, trying to hunt a mother deer and her two baby deers. For any nature photographer the seen was rare and an exciting opportunity to capture. Two wild dogs, seperated mother from her babies and two others were killing those babies. When dogs were trying to leave the mother, she was attacking them and babies were running away. The fight continued for 15 to 20 minutes and at last wild dogs got the success. These dogs eat the prey when it is alive. Dogs were eating small deers when they were alive and their mother was just seeing it helplessely. A minute later, teers fell on the earth, from the eyes of mother deer and also of the tourists who were watching that struggle for life. The photographer, just shut down his camera, even though it might be a supreme snap for him and sat down in shocked, speechless condition, the scene was such a horrible. Neither deer nor wild dogs were wrong. There are many things in life which might be wrong from our eyes, but can be the reason of sustaining for others. As deers were important for dogs for their living. Many times our fate, lies in the control of others. Ah!
We also saw the dead beer killed by the tiger just a couple of days back, a Chuasingha falling fruits with its awsome horns, the idle looking crocodile on the bank of the lake, birds flying over water in style, the blue- green parrot and the beautiful lake in forest. The beauty of Tadoba or of any jungle lies in, just seeing what comes ahead of you. What I like personally, is the silence in the jungle, which is a thing to experience personally. The refrshing experience!
So, it was my another tour which ended on positive note and an invitation from the guide to come again in Tadoba in summer, just to see the king of Jungle, The Tiger. Who knows I may go again there, as the first eye contact with that beauty, has already created eagerness and excitement in me.
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