AASARA - Equal Rights and Dignity for Elders

January 18, 2010, Monday, I was on a weekly off and decided to go out with my friend (Lavanya) as we planned to watch a movie, but before that we had a task on schedule. To visit Aasara, it’s a social service organization working to help senior citizens.


We have no idea where is it and what it dose earlier on the day, but only got the information as it is an old age home. Some how we could figure out their office is near Liberty. We went to Liberty junction, stopped near Commissioner Office and enquired about Aasara. No one had any idea where it is. After some time enquiring on the road we some how figured it, this is at GHMC building. We went to GHMC near Tankbund, everything looked very busy over there with lot of security and lot of media vehicles. On enquiry some one told there is a corporaters meeting in GHMC. We managed to get into that building from 2nd gate and enquired security about Aasara, thankfully he said it’s hear and showed a way to it.


We’re here in GHMC building, found a help desk and enquired about the purpose; they in turn showed a way to it. At last we were in Aasara office, for our surprise we found it as a call center, helping senior citizens in their problems.


Mrinal Lankapalli, Project Coordinator of AASARA had welcomed us and asked us about our purpose of visit. Lavanya went on explaining about the issue.. How we can join an old lady, who is bedridden and not even in a position to do her own personal work. He enquired about the lady and gave information on this.

AASARA
Equal Rights and Dignity for Elders

Aasara is a word taken from Indian language(s), which is equivalent to “helping hand” in English. The GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) and HelpAge India are jointly serving the Senior Citizens through a help-line – 1253. The Organization, Aasara helps the Senior Citizens to lead a healthy, peaceful and dignified life. Aasara also encourages Senior Citizens to take part in Voluntary Organizations and to provide various support services to the elders. Aasara issues a Senior Citizen Privilege cum Identity Card to all citizens who have completed 60 years of Age. These Identity Cards may be obtained free of cost from GHMC.


How to get Identity Card?


 Fill the related application form
 Attach 2 Passport size photos and enclose Xerox copies of residence and age proof
 Submit the application directly at Call Centre or send by Post


Aasara Identity Card provides:


 Free entry into parks/park activities like Yoga, Pranayama, Spiritual activities
 Providing preference for the Senior Citizens in public places/GHMC service centers
 Conducting medical camps for Senior Citizens
 Establishment of Day Care Centers for the Senior Citizens
 Encouraging voluntary services to provide various support services to Senior Citizens
 Providing counseling for the needy
 Arranging wheelchairs in parks and GHMC office
 To solve the issues through the helpline on priority basis
 Facilitating Old Age Pensions (OAP) as per Government norms
 Facilitating Police Protection
 Facilitating rail/bus concession and reservations
 Medical assistance through IMA/APNHA
 Shelter assistance in Old Age Homes


Helpline – 1253 : Any Senior Citizen or some one on behalf of a Senior Citizen can make a Call to Aasara Helpline : 1253 to record his/her problem or complaint. The queries will be answered and the recorded complaint will be passed on to the Social Worker, Co-ordinator of Help Age India and the Volunteer. The social worker/volunteer then acts on the call and respond accordingly. The Aasara call center receives calls between 8.00 AM to 8.00 PM on all days.


For Help Call – 1253 (Tollfree) or 040-23226982
G.H.M.C., Tankbund, Hyderabad.

Reading a Book!

I have a habit of reading books since long, there are lot of books I listed down to read and started reading but due to my complacency in reading till the end has led me to leave many of them incomplete. Now time came to revisit all of those which are incomplete and I've taken up a completion project, rather I call it a mission.

The very first book I've read completely is "My Experiments with Truth" by M.K. Gandhi. It took me around 17 days to complete this one. For the sake of reading I've completed this book but most of the concepts are far from understanding, and that is the reason why I've spent another 15 days with the same book. The same book alone stood in my completed reading catalogue for very long until I started reading my next book...

"Wing of Fire" is my second book which is also an auto biography of a great scientist and visionary.

Both the books have some similarities in them, both are great people and have their vision clear in every step! Both are inspiring personalities for the generations.

Just after completing these two biographies I've started collecting some personality development books, thought essential to learn and grow in professional and personal life...

First in this row is "You can Win" by Shiv Khera. This book has created lasting impact on my way of looking at things and understanding them. This is the point where I've started to learn from each and every aspect of life, from a simple conversation to a good seminar.

This is the point where my quest for reading has got increased by double fold and there came an array of books into my collection, including..
Who Moved my Cheese
One Minute Manager
The Monk who Sold his Ferrari
Think and Grow Rich

Some of the best books in my collection..

Great lines in "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari"

I'm reading a book titled 'The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari' by Robin Sharma. In a charpter called 'The Ancient Art of Self Leadership' I found these wonderful words about Self Awareness, the very quality that separtes humans from animals..

"There is nothing wrong with making mistakes. Mistakes are part of life and essential for growth. Its like that saying, 'Happiness comes through good judgment, good judgment comes through experience, and experience comes through bad judgment.' But there is something very wrong with making the same mistakes over and over again, day in and day out. This shows a complete lack of self-awareness, the very quality that separates humans from animal."

I'll soon write a complete review of this book..