Come, share your experience with OIOP…
For the past many years, One India One People (OIOP) magazine has been presenting its readers with an in-depth study on various issues facing our country, the rich cultural heritage of India and profiles of great Indians whose lives are an inspiration to others.
Now, we want to take this endeavour further by serving as a platform to connect better to India. We invite readers to participate by sharing with us interesting anecdotes about India. It could be words and phrases colloquially used in different states that connects one to fellow Indians…or may be even a foreigner to India, uncommon rituals or festivals that you know of, significance of common customs and rituals, elder’s wisdom that have helped you at some point in your life or just about anything that highlights the rich social and cultural diversity of India. Selected anecdotes will be published in the forthcoming issues of the magazine with the names of the contributors.
We also invite readers to tell us what they like about the magazine, which articles they enjoyed reading the most and why. They can also give their suggestions on what else they would like to include in this niche magazine. Reader’s comments with their profiles and photographs will be published in the magazine.
If you are inspired take your pen and get started. Mail your contributions to -
The Editor at oiop@vsnl.net / oiopfoundation@gmail.com
To: The Editor, One India One People Foundation, Mahalaxmi Chambers, 4th Floor, 22 Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai-400026. Tel No: 022-23534400 Hurry! We are waiting!

Worthy topic
The articles in the OIOP October 2008 issue ‘Managing our billion’ were worth reading. India has been facing the problem of over population since 1950s. No government has taken any concrete measures to curb this whereas our neighbour China, with its coercive policies, achieved the goal of curbing its population. I feel if we execute a policy wherein those with more than two children are barred from contesting elections, we may get the desired result. However, I doubt, if such a policy will ever be implemented when we have politicians like Lalu Prasad Yadav.

– Sooryakant Parikh via email

NGOs unite
The article ‘Limitations of NGOs’ by Vinay Somani (OIOP, October 2008 issue) was a really well thought out piece. Many (not all), NGOs are doing commendable work. I have seen that while some use this as a tool for genuine social service, for others it is a tool to achieve their social aspirations. The writer was right in pointing out about the depth vs. breadth dilemma. The right approach is in joining hands and resources. But it seems rather a distant dream. We Indians are not natural team players and all of us have huge egos. I see many outfits in the field of education, street children welfare, child labour, senior citizens etc., most of them doing good work. Many a times splinter groups also emerge from disgruntled ex members. They all have a common aim but different approaches, which is also not a bad thing, but it dilutes the resources and instead of targeting different segments they target the same ones. Another problem is of getting dedicated volunteers.
I suggest that the NGOs should meet areawise and define their fields of interest, so that several outfits can network together for various causes. They need not work under anyone, but be aware of what others are doing, and so can lend a helping hand.
An area hub can have central database, which can be used by different NGOs. It will be a learning opportunity for everyone. Also when such a hub is created it also creates with it its own support system and the NGOs and people work in tandem instead of competing.
It is also easier to address problems and find solutions – as long as one gives due respect to all concerned and do not try to hog all publicity.
Well, I feel that is how it should be done, but whether it will be or not is another matter.

– Shobha Mathur, via email to karmayog@yahoogroups.com

 

 

 

i