An Overview of Transgenders in India

Transgender people have existed in India for centuries, but they have often faced discrimination and marginalization. Transgender people, also known as hijras, kinnars, or aravanis, are individuals who do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. In India, they have been subjected to social ostracization, violence, and discrimination. Despite these challenges, the transgender community in India has a rich cultural heritage and is an important part of the country’s social fabric.

Legal Recognition of Transgenders in India
In 2014, the Indian Supreme Court recognized transgender people as a third gender and mandated that they be given the same rights and protections as other citizens. The court ordered the government to take steps to address the discrimination and marginalization of transgender people.

In 2019, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act was passed, which aimed to protect the rights of transgender individuals and provide them with legal recognition. However, the act has faced criticism from the transgender community and activists for being inadequate and not addressing the real issues faced by the community.

Challenges Faced by Transgenders in India
Despite the legal recognition of transgender people in India, they continue to face many challenges. One of the biggest challenges is social stigma and discrimination. Transgender people are often ostracized by their families, and face discrimination in employment, education, and healthcare. They also face high levels of violence, harassment, and abuse. Many transgender people are forced into sex work or begging as a means of survival, which exposes them to further violence and exploitation.

Another challenge faced by the transgender community is the lack of access to healthcare. Transgender people often face discrimination and stigma when seeking healthcare, which can lead to them avoiding seeking medical attention when needed. The lack of awareness and education among healthcare providers can also lead to misdiagnosis and mistreatment.

Initiatives to Empower Transgender People in India
Several initiatives have been taken to empower transgender people in India. The government has launched several schemes to provide financial assistance and skill development training to transgender people, with the aim of making them self-reliant. Several NGOs and civil society organizations are also working towards addressing the challenges faced by the transgender community.

In addition, there are several transgender activists and role models who are working towards raising awareness and empowering the community. Some of the prominent transgender activists in India include Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, Kalki Subramaniam, and Akkai Padmashali.

Conclusion
Transgender people in India have faced discrimination and marginalization for centuries, but recent legal recognition and initiatives to empower the community have provided hope for a better future. However, there is still a long way to go in terms of addressing the challenges faced by the transgender community and ensuring that they are treated with dignity and respect. It is important for all of us to work towards creating a more inclusive society where all individuals, regardless of their gender identity, can live with dignity and equality.

Interesting Incident – Chelsea vs Charlton – 1937

In December 1937, a match between Chelsea and Charlton foot ball clubs at the Stamford Bridge stadium London was stopped in the 60th minute due to heavy fog.

Charlton’s legendary goal keeper Sam Bartram remained unaware and kept on guarding the goal 15 minutes after the game had stopped, as he did not hear the referee’s whistle because of the crowd behind his goal post.

He stood there with his arms out stretched and completely focused, looking forward so as not to be surprised by the opponent’s shots.

Fifteen minutes later, when the stadium police approached him and informed him that the match had been abandoned, Sam Bartram said these famous words with great sorrow,
“How sad that my friends forgot me when I was guarding their goal post.”
Bartram thought his team was attacking and not allowing the opposing team to get close to the goal post.

There are so many players in the field of life whose goal post one defends with enthusiasm and support, but when the situation becomes like a wave of fog, they walk out of the field and leave us alone.

Always pay attention to the goal keepers of your lives. Never abandon the one guarding your goal post.

Story: Why do we need a Master?

Why do we need a Master?

Beautiful story:

Once upon a time, a cow went out to graze in the jungle. Suddenly, she noticed a tiger racing towards her. She turned and fled, fearing that at any moment the tiger would sink his claws into her. The cow desperately looked for some place to escape and at last saw a shallow pond. Barely evading the tiger’s reach, she jumped into the pond, and in the heat of the chase, the tiger blindly leaped after her.

To the surprise of them both, the pond was extremely shallow yet filled with deep recesses of mud. After toppling over each other, the cow and the tiger found themselves a short distance apart, stuck in the mud up to their necks. Both had their heads above water but were unable to free themselves no matter how much they writhed.

The tiger repeatedly snarled at the cow and roared, “I am going to enjoy the sound of crunching your bones between my teeth!”

He thrashed about in a fury but soon became fretful as he found no prospect of escape.

*The cow thoughtfully laughed as the tiger struggled to free himself and asked him, “Do you have a master?”*

The tiger disdainfully replied, “I am the king of the jungle. Why do you ask me if I have a master? I myself am the master!”

The cow said, “You may be the king of the jungle, but here all your power has failed to save your life.”

“And what about you?” Retorted the tiger. “You are going to die here in this mud too!”’

The cow smiled mildly and said, “No, I am not.”

“If even I, the king of the jungle cannot free myself from this mud”, snapped the tiger, “Then how can you, an ordinary cow?”

The cow gently replied, “I cannot free myself from this mud, but my master can. When the sun sets and he finds me absent at home, he will come looking for me. Once he finds me, he will raise me up and escort me home sweet home.”

The tiger fell silent and coldly glared at the cow.

Soon enough, the sun set, and the cow’s master arrived. He immediately recognised the plight she was in and lifted her to safety. As they walked home, the cow and the master both felt renewed gratitude for one another and pitied the tiger they both would have been happy to save if only the tiger had allowed them.

Purport
The cow represents a surrendered heart, the tiger represents an egoistic mind, and the master represents the Guru. The mud represents the world, and the chase represents the struggle for existence therein.

No matter how many troubles appear to be created by the egoistic minds of the world, who are themselves as stuck as the surrendered heart, the surrendered heart has faith that the Guru is always going to come at the right time to save her and take her back “home” – the ❤inner happiness in us is pure true home. So when totally stuck and helpless, when one has already done all one can and has no more means left, when every other effort fails, the surrendered heart STILL does not give up hope. She will just wait patiently until sundown.

Some very important financial tips that everyone should know

Some very important financial tips that everyone should know ….

1. Avoid buying property on loans as it eats most of your earnings unless you have a clear plan for its repayment. It’s important to monitor cash flow. Though, the house will be your asset, your liability will be much more.

2. Start a SIP at a very young age. Try to save atleast 15–25 % of your earnings.

3. Avoid buying a car unless you use it everyday.
.
4. Do not let this sentence scare you. “Mutual fund investment are subject to market risk. Please read the offer documents carefully before investing”. Most people avoid investing in mutual funds just because of this one warning. Yes, there is a market risk, but look at the history and growth of mutual funds.

5. Try having a simple wedding.

6. Atleast 20% of your wealth should be liquid so you can utilize it when necessary.

7. Considering inflation, you are actually losing money if it is in savings bank account. Do not keep huge money in savings bank account.

8. If you invest in stocks, pay due attention.

9. If you invest in stocks have a separate account for delivery investment and Intraday investment. It is easy to monitor this way and also makes tax calculation easy

10. Do not have a belief that property and car make you rich. Its what you save and invest, that is important.

11. Never invest in insurance for returns. Insurance is not an investment option. It is a risk management tool.

12. Never use credit cards for lavish spending. Use credit cards intelligently and for needs not for wants.

13. Cancel all credit cards before you die. Or inform family about all your accounts, credit cards, loans and saving now itself. Even a small residue will cost your family much.

14. Invest on yourself and then on other investments.

15. Always try to balance your earnings with your savings first, then on spending and loans. Never take unnecessary loans. Always have reserve and utilise them and unless no other go never take loan.

16. Always have a plan for future events on your career, life, spending and finance.

17. Always have a reserve on your savings for contingency and urgent situations.

18. Your personal life and health are the most important investment. Do have a regular health check and do healthy workout every day. Stay healthy and live happily.

​The last words of Steve Jobs

I have come to the pinnacle of success in business.

In the eyes of others, my life has been the symbol of success.

However, apart from work, I have little joy. Finally, my wealth is simply a fact to which I am accustomed.

At this time, lying on the hospital bed and remembering all my life, I realize that all the accolades and riches of which I was once so proud, have become insignificant with my imminent death.

In the dark, when I look at green lights, of the equipment for artificial respiration and feel the buzz of their mechanical sounds, I can feel the breath of my approaching death looming over me.

Only now do I understand that once you accumulate enough money for the rest of your life, you have to pursue objectives that are not related to wealth.

It should be something more important:

For example, stories of love, art, dreams of my childhood.

No, stop pursuing wealth, it can only make a person into a twisted being, just like me.

God has made us one way, we can feel the love in the heart of each of us, and not illusions built by fame or money, like I made in my life, I cannot take them with me.

I can only take with me the memories that were strengthened by love.

This is the true wealth that will follow you; will accompany you, he will give strength and light to go ahead.

Love can travel thousands of miles and so life has no limits. Move to where you want to go. Strive to reach the goals you want to achieve. Everything is in your heart and in your hands.

What is the world’s most expensive bed? The hospital bed.

You, if you have money, you can hire someone to drive your car, but you cannot hire someone to take your illness that is killing you.

Material things lost can be found. But one thing you can never find when you lose: life. 

Whatever stage of life where we are right now, at the end we will have to face the day when the curtain falls.

Please treasure your family love, love for your spouse, love for your friends…

Treat everyone well and stay friendly with your neighbours.

An Interesting Conversation Between Two Characters from Mahabharata

But what is Right (Dharma) is known to your mind (conscience).

Karna asks Krishna – “My mother left me the moment I was born. Is it my fault I was born an illegitimate child? I did not get education from Dhronacharya because I was considered a non Kshatriya. Parshu-Raam taught me but then gave me the curse to forget everything since I was a kshatriya. A cow was accidentally hit by my arrow & its owner cursed me for no fault of mine. I was disgraced in Draupadi’s swayamvar. Even Kunti finally told me the truth only to save her other sons. Whatever I received was through Dhuryodhana’s charity. So how am I wrong in taking his side?”

Krishna replies, “Karna, I was born in a jail. Death was waiting for me even before my birth. The night I was born I was separated from my birth parents. 
From childhood you grew up hearing the noise of swords, chariots, horses, bow and arrows. I got only cow herd’s shed, dung, and multiple attempts on my life even before I could walk!
No army, no education. I could hear people saying I am the reason for all their problems. 
When all of you were being appreciated for your valour by your teachers I had not even received any education. I joined gurukula of Rishi Sandipani only at the age of 16!
You are married to a girl of your choice. I didn’t get the girl I loved & rather ended up marrying those who wanted me or the ones I rescued from demons.
I had to move my whole community from the banks of Yamuna to far off Sea shore to save them from Jarasandh. I was called a coward for running away.
If Dhuryodhana wins the war you will get lot of credit. What do I get if Dharmaraja wins the war? Only the blame for the war and all related problems.
Remember one thing Karna. Everybody has challenges in life. LIFE IS NOT FAIR ON ANYBODY. Dhuryodhan also has a lot of unfairness in life and so ha Yudhhishthir. 
But what is Right (Dharma) is known to your mind (conscience). No matter how much unfairness we got, how many times we were disgraced, how many times we were denied what was due to us, what is important is how you REACTED at that time. Stop whining Karna. Life’s unfairness does not give you license to walk the wrong path of Adharma (अधर्म).

​An hour with Anna Hazare

He spoke with great affection and pride about how his village has become a model village

He believes the future for a great India has to be built around Smart villages NOT Smart cities- the village dweller has no reason to migrate to the already overcrowded cities if he has a sustainable, healthy and happy life in his own village.

With the right leadership he believes every village can be transformed into such a sustainable entity.

Nature can provide the solution to most of the problems that plague India’s villages, he says.
In 1975 Ralegan Siddhi was a 1700 people village, drought stricken and poverty ridden where barely 70 acres of land was irrigated.

Most of the villagers had taken to trading in illicit liquor to make ends meet.Alcoholism and domestic abuse were rampant 

Anna came here after a 12 year stint in the army and set about mobilizing the youth of that village to bring about social reforms- starting with shutting down of 40 illicit liquor shops. 

To tackle drought he has a simple approach – Let no water that falls or flows here leave this place.We have to give it a way to percolate down to the water table.

So rainwater that flowed down from the surrounding hills was stopped by building various types of embankments and catchment areas .Local material like stones ,boulders and mud was used to stop water and arrest soil erosion.

Every villager contributed with small financial contributions and most importantly- with donation of labour or Shramdaan
Today over 2500 acres of land is irrigated.

From 30 wells in 1975,there are now 135 wells and the water table has risen so much that bore wells have become unnecessary 
There’s every effort made to conserve water- even human waste- urine and shit from the village school- is treated in septic tanks and water is retrieved for use in drip irrigation 

Water used for washing clothes is also redirected to septic tanks for treatment and use in irrigation 
Cultivation was shifted to low waterintensive crops like Jowar, bajra and onion where the fodder needs of cattle are also met- 1kg of jowar crop grows with 9kg fodder – Milk production today is over 6000 liters a day, up from 400 liters in 1975 though the number of cows is actually lesser today.Milk is sold to neighboring villages.
Onion has become a cash crop as also pomegranate which are sent out in trucks.Today in this village which had lots of marginal farmers and ill nourished labourers, there’s often a shortage of labourers to load the trucks . 
Drinking water can be drawn by anyone from the water ATM @ Rs5 for twenty litres .
1400 heads of cattle provide enough dung for manure and Gobar gas fuel for homes
Water pumps run on solar energy and earthworms are used for composting 
Shramdaan has made possible a high school in the village which educates children upto class 12
How do you get such leaders? Anna believes there are five hallmarks of a good leader 
Pure behavior 

Pure thoughts

Unblemished life

Sacrifice in life

Strength to swallow insult
Such a person can bring about transformation in small village units – ideally between 2 to 4 thousand strong.
It is especially important that a leader should never get frustrated- because frustration is actually a disease.A good leader has to just learn to swallow all insults and soldier on towards critical goals using simple but practical solutions.
In Ralegan, the village is constantly nudged to try and root out social evils
The gram sabha resolves all disputes and ensures that there’s never a need to go to court for any differences.
The Dalit families of the village were burdened with loans of over 60000 rupees some 16 years ago. As per the gram sabha’s decision for two years, every household contributed Shramdaan in the form of working in their farms and managed to grow enough crop to repay the debt
Marriages put a lot of financial burden on families, so taking forward the concept of the village as a family, collective marriages were encouraged from 1976 with all the villagers sharing marriage duties.
Since 1989, the high school gives priority admissions to failure students 

The school building was itself constructed at just 60 lakhs with the whole village contributing Shramdaan 
The village birthday is celebrated every 2 October

New clothes are given by the villagers to 

Seniormost male and female who are felicitated as the father and mother of the village

All newborns and also newly married daughters in law are given new clothes to welcome them into the village family 
Every family has at least one member in the army- villagers who retire from the army have all chosen to come and settle here 

Many of the village youth are employed in the neighborhood MIDC
Signs of prosperity- good roads, clean ambience are everywhere- the breeze here is noticeably cooler 
The training center run by the Hind Swaraj trust attracts people who wish to learn tricks and techniques to improve life in rural India
Regular training programs are held here and there’s a self service dining hall that can feed over 100 persons- Anna eats the food from here 
School begins at 5:30 with running, yoga and pt and often Anna is personally at the school at the crack of dawn participating in this activity 
Anna’s five point program for progress

Prohibition- no alcohol 

Limit family size- sterilization 

No grazing

No axing of trees

Shramdaan 
A nursery is being cultivated to supply saplings of five medicinal plants to each family to grow and use to treat minor ailments 

Tulsi, adulsa, aloe Vera are among the plants given

Neem, amla , ginger and turmeric are already grown by most families 

He spoke clearly and eloquently- not once repeating himself or pausing for the right word
Feels very grateful and believes that God has repeatedly allowed him to survive near death situations only to bring about transformation 
Over 9 lakh people have visited and taken back valuable lessons from this village,five neighboring villages and several others across the country are following this model of village transformation with great success.
When we’re born we cry and everyone distributed sweets

Your life should be such that you can die laughing and leave all others crying- that’s a life well lived says Anna.
What a man !

SEVEN LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES TO LEARN FROM AN EAGLE

Eagles fly Alone and at High Altitudes
They don’t fly with sparrows, ravens, and other small birds.

Stay away from narrow-minded people, those that bring you down. Eagle flies with Eagles. Keep good company.

Eagles have an Accurate Vision

They have the ability to focus on something as far as 5km away. No matter the obstacles, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it.

Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacles and you will succeed.
Eagles Don’t Eat Dead Things

Do not rely on your past success, keep looking for new frontiers to conquer. Leave your past where it belongs, in the past.
Eagles Love the Storm.

When clouds gather, the eagle gets excited, the eagle uses the storms wind to lift itself higher. Once it finds the wind of the storm, the eagle uses the raging storm to lift itself above the clouds. This gives the eagle an opportunity to glide and rest its wings. In the meantime, all the other birds hide in the branches and leaves of the tree.

Face your challenges head on knowing that these will make you emerge stronger and better than you were. We can use the storms of life to rise to greater heights. Achievers are not afraid to rise to greater heights. Achievers are not afraid of challenges, rather they relish them and use them profitably.

Test the Commitment of Partners Before Liaising 

When a Female Eagle Meets a Male Eagle and they want to mate, she flies down to earth, picks a twig and flies back into the air with the male eagle in hot pursuit. Once she has reached a height high enough for her, she drops the twig and let it fall to the ground while she watches. The male eagle chases after the twig and catches it before it reached the ground, then bring it back to the female eagle. The female eagle grabs the twig and flies to a much higher altitude and drop the twig again for the male eagle to chase. This goes on for hours with the height increasing each time until the female eagle is assured that the male eagle has mastered the art of picking the twig which shows commitment. Then and only then will she allow him to mate with her.

Whether in private life or business, one should test the commitment of the people intended for partnership.
Prepare for Training

They remove the feathers and soft grass in the nest so that the young ones get uncomfortable in preparation for flying and eventually flies/  when it becomes unbearable to stay in the nest.

Leave your Comfort Zone, there is No Growth there.
Shed off Your Old Feathers

When the Eagle Grows Old, it’s feathers becomes weak and cannot take him as fast and as high as it should. This makes him weak and could make him die. So he retires to a place far away in the mountains. While there, he plucks out the weak feathers on his body and breaks its beaks and claws against the rocks until he is completely bare; a very bloody and painful process. Then he stays in this hiding place until he has grown new feathers, new beaks and claws and then he comes out flying higher than before.

We occasionally need to shed off old habit no matter how difficult, things that burden us or add no value to our lives should be let go of.

Never Give Up.

BE AN EAGLE, NEVER EVER GIVE UP !!!

Invest in Experiences, Not Assets

​Nowadays, the traditional measure of success — owning an apartment and/or a car — is out of date. An increasing number of young people around the world don’t want to buy them.
Research shows that the so-called millennial generation, who are now 30-35 years old, rarely buy houses and even more rarely — cars. In fact, they don’t buy super expensive things at all. In the USA, people under the age of 35 are called ’the generation of renters.’
Why does this happen?

Some sociologists say it’s because modern youngsters suffer from financial crises. That’s why people are afraid of ’serious’ loans.
But it’s not the most important reason. The thing is, the current generation of young people differs from their parents’ generation. They have other values.
The youth today has reconsidered the concept of success, which means:

Successful people don’t buy property — they rent.

If you want to be considered successful, invest in experiences: travel, do extreme sports, build startups.

The point is that people now don’t want prosperity and stability — all they want is flexible schedules and financial and geographical independence.
People have no interest in material things

Why own a car if you can take a cab? It’s almost a personal car with a driver. And it’s not more expensive than having your own car. Why buy a house in a beautiful place and go there for vacation, if you can find a place to stay through Airbnb in any corner of the planet? You don’t have to overpay for rent or buy a property in a country you love. The same thing with real estate in your hometown:

You don’t know how long you’ll stay where you live.

You can take on a mortgage for 40 years, or you can accept the fact that you’ll spend your whole life in a rented place.

 You’ll probably change your job in the next few years. If you rent, nothing prevents you from moving closer to the office.

According to Forbes, modern young people change jobs every three years on average.
The concept of ownership is no longer relevant.

James Hamblin, The Atlantic’s columnist, explains the phenomenon as follows: ’Over the past decade, psychologists carried out a great amount of research proving that, in terms of happiness and a sense of well-being, spending money on new experiences is much more profitable than buying new things. It brings more joy.’
Experiences help us make friends.

Social interaction between people is crucial to whether they feel happy or not. Talking to others and having a lot of friends makes you a happier person. But would people rather hear about how you spent a year in a wild country or about how many apartments you’ve already bought?
Here’s an extract from Hamblin’s article:

Turns out people don’t like hearing about other people’s possessions very much, but they do like hearing about that time you saw Vampire Weekend.’

Remember that even a bad experience can become a good story. Material things cannot.

Buying things makes us worry.
There’s one more thing. The things we own, especially if they’re very expensive, make us worry about their condition. If you buy a car, you’ll flinch every time someone’s alarm sounds outside. If you buy a house and fill it with expensive items, you’ll be afraid of being robbed. Not to mention the fact that a car can be scratched or break down, and a super expensive TV might break after a year of usage. But no one can ever take away the experiences you have.
Every purchase will go down in price over time.

Our parents weren’t able to travel as often as we do. There wasn’t the possibility to have so much fun. They didn’t have so many opportunities to start a new business. Therefore, they invested in houses and cars, and we don’t want to do that. After all, every purchase, if it’s not a house or an apartment, will depreciate over time. And if we think about how quickly real estate depreciates during a crisis, then everything becomes even more obvious.
Experience is the only thing that matters: it won’t go down in price, and no one can steal it.

He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words

He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words