Prakash Amte: Magsaysay 2008 winner

I'm sure you must have read about the recent Magsaysay award. It will be given to Dr. Prakash Amte and Mrs. Mandakini Amte. I'm sure most of us know Dr. Amte to be son of the great Baba Amte (who himself is a Magsaysay award winner). The way Baba Amte spent his entire life serving leprosy patients in "Anandvan" project, Prakash is spending his life to work with the Madia tribe in Gadchiroli district named "Lok-Biradari".

Recently, esakal has published a very good article explaining his work (including some pictures)http://www.esakal.com/esakal/08122008/Specialnews49D05899C5.htm , I would highly request/recommend you to go through the link and pictures to know the highest quality work by this couple and many of their friends. These instances have always helped me put things into perspective when I am whining about my petty problems in my life. And thus, I wanted to share it with you all.

Here is also a link from the Magsaysay website of their citation for the Amte duo. http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Citation/CitationAmtes.html

I hope you find these articles as intriguing as I did. Made me feel so much proud of being fellow Marathi, more so a fellow Indian. I'm sure you'll find it equally inspiring.

And here is the 'rolling' Sikh...

I know back at home while the Cricket team is engaged in an engrossing but loosing battle and the media and newspapers alike are abuzz with the biggest sporting event on the planet (204 Countries participating!! ), and when the initial showing by the shooters and some other athletes aren't impressive, some 'smart'(!) athletes chose their own 'styles' to display over the Indian colors, where our 'head of state on display' was leader of the largest party instead of the elected head of states (so much so that NBC chose to show George W after Indian contingent!!), one Indian sports person was making big news somewhere else with his hard work! His name is Jeev Milkha Singh.

I think it is the Olympics that probably spruce-up these Singhs. . Currently PGA Championship, the last of the 4 Golfing major events is underway. And Jeev against all odds like the tough course, an aching heel that is advised to be rested for at least 4 weeks and the best playing field on the planet rose up to the leader board and was actually the leader at the end of day one!! This is no lesser achievement than the Leanders or Krishnans making it to the Quarter of a grand slam event. At the end of day 2, when the rest of the field was still struggling, Jeev also held on to a slipping round and is still tied for 7th position, just 3 strokes behind the leader. There is obviously the weekend that needs to be taken care of and it is only going to be more uphill task hereafter, I wanted to salute this "Rolling Sikh" who has come out of the shadows of his great father, the 'flying' Sikh and is making headlines of his own. He used to be known as the 'other' Singh on the golfing circles since people used to think him as younger brother of Vijay Singh! While Vijay Singh even after winning a World Golfing tour last week, struggled too much to miss the cut and will not be playing for the weekend. Jeev has taken the mantle of the Singhs this time!! Let's all wish him luck for the weekend. This athlete is really earning big name for India and deserves a lot more credit than what he gets. I saw eSakal and Maharashtra Times had no news about these achievements of his, Times of India had dedicated a 10 line paragraph!

I'm glad at least the PGA website has taken his note and has written this beautiful write-up for him. Please read on: http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2008/news/jeevsingh.html