India Today Highlights Talent. These Are Some Of Their Selections
Digitally Yours
Davinder Palsingh (43)
Executive Director, Panjab Digital Library
Because in 2003, he started a mega project to digitally preserve rare Punjabi manuscripts from across the region on a budget of just Rs.10,000. For two years, Singh, travelled far and wide on a bus, carrying a desktop computer and basic camera in search of manuscripts, that concluded in digitalisation of 6,500 manuscripts, 18,000 books, 50,000 issues of newspapers, 4,500 magazines and 28,000 photographs.
Because his library happens to be Asia's first online digital library offering free access one platform, panjabdigilib.org. "After training people in-house, we are digitising 10,000 pages everyday and there is a pending request of more than 90 million pages," Singh says.
Future plans Impressed with PDL's efforts, many people from India and abroad have started donating rare manuscripts to the library for preservation." We will soon make a museum to display them," he says.
The Indian jugaad A scanning machine that would have cost Rs.40 lakhs from Germany has been made in-house by PDL for Rs.67,000. "Mine employs a jack used to change car tyres," he adds with a grin.
"This is a significant project which aims to save what can be lost forever. I am glad that a project of this scale has been initiated." Professor Harish Puri, Historian
Bittu Safeena Sandhu (50)
Founder Of Rani Breast Cancer Trust
Because after she lost her sister to breast cancer, she dared to single-handedly launch an NGO to raise awareness about the disease with a focus on remote corners of Punjab. Sandhu also encourages women to undergo early detection tests. "Early detection is the only protection. There is no pain or visible symptoms of this disease at an early stage. By the time you discover something is wrong, the disease is already in its late stages," Sandhu says. Sandhu opened Rani Breast Cancer Trust in 2007.
Because she has not let paucity of funds come in the way of her work. Working with only five dedicated employees, she travels far and wide in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir to hold awareness camps and conducts mammography tests. "Our aim has always been to cater to as many women as possible and maximise our reach. We also take along a mammography van to some of the remotest parts of the region," she says.
Men, be responsible Sandhu also makes sure male students and teachers are always present when she holds lectures on breast cancer at educational institutes. She strongly believes they need to understand their responsibility and encourage their wives or partners to conduct self-examination and go in for mammography. "Men often boast about their contribution to a woman's success in most fields, why should they not be ready to do their due to ensure that she does not ignore her health?" she asks.
Did you know? She does not take any help from the government and conducts an yearly fund-raiser that sails the NGO through.
Impact "We are witnessing a noticeable increase in the number of queries regarding this disease from women across sections, which means that we are on the right path" she says.
"Rani Breast Cancer trust must be credited for setting a new benchmark. It ensures awareness even among women living in the remote corners of the state." Ravee Pandher Founder Trustee, Samarpan Foundation
Forehand Of Hope
Sanjeev Kumar (28)
Paralympic Badminton Player
Because the bronze medal he won at the Para Badminton World Championship, Germany 2013, was India's first wheelchair medal.
Because from winning bronze medals at Israel Open (2010) and French Open (2012) to bagging eight golds, one silver and one bronze at Indian Nationals, this player, who suffers from polio, says he doesn't consider himself disabled in any way. "During practice sessions, I play with 'normal' players, and my aim is always to beat them," Kumar, the only para badminton player from Punjab, says.
Because he started practicing in his village without a special wheel-chair and bought a second-hand one after Chinese coaches advised him the same. "I could not afford a new one as it cost more than rupees two lakhs," he says.
Wake up state Despite being promised a job several times by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, who is also the Chairman of the Punjab Paralympic Committee, Kumar is still waiting. "I have met him at least four times and each time, there are just promises. To add insult to injury, they have reduced the cash prizes that were given to us for getting international medals," he says.
"His will to achieve is unparalled. I am yet to come across anybody with so much professionalism and dedication." Surinder Mahajan, National Badminton Coach
Word wise
Surjit Paatar (48)
Writer
Because he is one of the most celebrated authors of Punjab who has been honoured with Padma Shri 2012, Saraswati Samman 2009, and Akademi Award 1993.
Because He is considered one of the most important living poets of the region. His exhaustive work has touched upon on diverse subjects including politics, love and alienation. He has even written the dialogues for the Punjabi version of Deepa Mehta's film Heaven on Earth.
Processing poetry For Paatar, it is never planned but instantaneous. "You live, you read, you see. And suddenly something strikes. What emerges is a compound of the past and present," he says.
Content with contemporary Excited that the present times are witnessing poetry on diverse subjects and not just on ideology, Pataar says, "We are seeing an interesting collage of thoughts. Youngsters are exploring newer themes are addressing issues that were seldom probed earlier."
Great power, greater responsibility, he blames publishing houses for lowering the quality of the printed work by publishing mediocre literature in the lieu of money. "How can we let money rule everything? What about genuinely talented people who cannot pay publishers?" he asks.
The tragedy of our times "What kind of a society do we live in where school children are fined for speaking in their mother tongue? Can there be a greater tragedy for a language?" he asks.
Current project on An untitled book on the origin of language.
Did you know? Not just a poet par excellence, he is an excellent singer too.
"Surjit Paatar has an incomparable way with words. He is widely read writers of other languages as well. His rise in punjabi poetry has been phenomenal." Mohan Bhandari, Sahitya Akademi Award winning writer.