Deep Joshi of Pithoragarh gets prestigious Magsaysay award

We salute the renowned Indian activist Deep Joshi of Pithoragarh, who has been awarded the prestigious Magsaysay Award for 2009. The award has been awarded to him for his pioneering work for the development of rural communities. The award is considered to be the equivalent of the Noble [Continue reading.....]]]> Deep Joshi of Pithoragarh gets prestigious Magsaysay award

We salute the renowned Indian activist Deep Joshi of Pithoragarh, who has been awarded the prestigious Magsaysay Award for 2009. The award has been awarded to him for his pioneering work for the development of rural communities. The award is considered to be the equivalent of the Noble Peace Prize. The Board of Trustees of Ramon Magsaysay Award has in a statement from its Manila Headquarter said that the Award has been granted to 62 year old Deep Joshi for improving the working conditions of thousands of rural people through his NGOs. He has been working amongst the rural people from the core of his heart as also by combining the activities of his brain for their welfare.

Joshi, after declaration of the award has said that he is happy and has given credit of this award to the rural people who worked hard with him. He said that the need of the hour is that educated people should go to the rural areas to work for the rural population. Joshi had his Master’s Degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Master’s Degree in Management for Sloan School MIT. He also worked with System Research Institute, The Ford Foundation etc. He has an experience of 30 years in working in the rural areas. He has also been advising the Government on eradication of poverty. He is also the co-founder of Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN). For the present he is honorary independent consultant for this NGO. Joshi has been awarded the title of Development Professional

His early childhood was humble. He used to go to the Jungle with the cows. His younger sister Saroj Ojha and her husband Dr. A.B. Ojha were glad to hear the news about Joshi’s getting the Magsaysay award. Deep Joshi had his early education in Gartir Primary School. He went to Nainital for his High School and Intermediate education. He graduated from Nainital itself. In the meanwhile he was selected for Moti Lal Nehru Engineering College. He got Gold Medal in Engineering. He became a Lecturer in this College itself. Latter he went to USA to Study MBA in Mega Technical Institute. He got married their. Presently he is residing at Gurgaon (Delhi). At Delhi he established an Institution called PRADAN. He had been to Almora to meet his sister four years back. His father Hari Krishna Joshi had purchased an Estate at Puryag, which is near Gartir. Joshi’s five brother and 2 sisters had their early life at this Estate. At present in this Estate Deep’s elder brother Bhagwati Prasad lives. His younger brother Chandra Shekhar is Chief Conservator of Forest at Maharashtra, whereas another brother Vinod Joshi is Bank Manager in Shahjahanpur.

A sense of ecstasy prevails amongst the hill people on this spectacular achievement of Deep Joshi. He has filled the hill people with a sense of pride by his winning the Asia’s Noble Peace Prize, i.e. the Magsaysay award. (D.N.Barola)

I do not remember the year; it may be in the nineteen fifties that young boys were crazy about developing their health. Going for exercise was an unwilling and difficult task. Playing Gulli Danda was alright. But some were interested in developing their health with their eating habits. [Continue reading.....]]]> The affectionate Ama (Grand Mother)

I do not remember the year; it may be in the nineteen fifties that young boys were crazy about developing their health. Going for exercise was an unwilling and difficult task. Playing Gulli Danda was alright. But some were interested in developing their health with their eating habits. Some of us used to go to the neighbourhood Ama (Grand Mother) who used to sell eggs. We decided to take one uncooked egg every day in order to develop of our health. Ama was glad because she used to sell the egg at the rate of one Anna (six paisa) per egg. We became her regular customer, especially because she used to advise us to take Ghee also after devouring the uncooked egg. After breaking the egg, Ama would take the remaining cover of the egg from us and would go inside the Kitchen room and would fill the egg covering with ghee and ask us to eat the ghee as well. This offer of ghee was absolutely free. We were happy that we get the egg and the ghee at one anna per day. Those were the days when money was scarce and we used to get hardly one anna per day as pocket money. The pocket money was also not given to us every day. But we used to go to Ama almost every day and she would oblige us with egg and ghee. Of course she would invariably take one Anna for the egg from us, but the ghee was absolutely free.

Today when I recall the reminiscences of the past, I am not able to understand the behaviourial pattern of Ama who was so affectionate to us. Why after all she would give us Ghee free of cost. Was it that there was no monetary value of Ghee and milk product, because no body was there to purchase the same, as every body had milk products in abundance or is it that she was very conscious about our health? It is said that uncooked or un-boiled egg taken with Ghee is quite digestive; hence she would offer Ghee free of cost. I sometimes feel that she wanted to help improve our health. Or was it that it was her selling technique. I don’t wish to believe so. This no doubt was her motherly affection. I discussed this with my friend, who was my companion, but we could not find any reason except the affection of Ama which she used to shower on us. Can any body tell me the reason? This was the story of olden times when people were so considerate, affectionate and helping. Ama was one of them.

द्वि महन आजी रुकुनु , फिर घर हूँ आनू

अर्थात

मोहिनी के पिता का पत्र मोहनी की माता के नाम. यहाँ की कुशल ठीक है, तहां की कुशल चाहिए . दो महीने और रुकना पड़ रहा है, फिर घर आता हूँ.

मोहिनी की [Continue reading.....]]]> मोहिनी बाज्यू – प्राणप्यारी मोहनी की ईजा! यां की कुशल भली छ्युं कनू, ताँ की कुशल चानू.

द्वि महन आजी रुकुनु , फिर घर हूँ आनू

अर्थात

मोहिनी के पिता का पत्र मोहनी की माता के नाम.
यहाँ की कुशल ठीक है, तहां की कुशल चाहिए .
दो महीने और रुकना पड़ रहा है, फिर घर आता हूँ.

मोहिनी की ईजा – स्वस्ति श्री सर्वोपमा योग्य प्राण प्रिय मोहिनी के बाज्यू!
यां की कुशल भली छ्यूं कनू , ताँ की कुशल चानू
द्वि महन आजी रुक्नू फिर दूसर घर जानू

अर्थात

मोहिनी की माँ ने मोहिनी के पिता को पत्र लिखा कि यहाँ की कुशल ठीक है, तहां की कुशल चाहिए
दो महीने तुम्हारा इन्तजार करूंगी, उसके बाद दुसरे घर बार चली जाउंगी

जतुक छ्वट छु, उतुक ख्व्वट.

अर्थात

जितना छोटा है उतना ही खोटा है.

जैक लट् वीके भैंस अर्थात ताकतवर की ही चलती है.

बार बरसम बाघ ब्यैरौ,

अर्थात

लम्बे इंतज़ार के बाद फल मिलना

******

लग्नै बखत ह्गन

अर्थात

कार्य के बीच रुकावट

नेऊ थै सल्ला नै, ख्व्वर भीजै बैठी

अर्थात

बिना सलाह के कार्य करना **********

अती जूँ चिले नै

अर्थात

अधिक परेशानियाँ आने पर उदासीनता आना

अर्थात

आंखों मै खटकना

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बिराउक जस पोथ सारन रओ

आर्थात

बार-बार जगह बदलना