Achyut Palav Regales Audience At Creativity Mission Event

Lesle Lewis Makes People Go Crazy For Him!

Here is another brillianr video of Lesle Lewis rendering Marathi abhang with Mumbai Dabbawala. Shear brilliance! 

World Creativity Day Celebration : Lesle Lewis Created Magic With Mumbai Dabbawala!

Creativity Mission India celebrated World Creativity Day with world famous Dabbawalas of Mumbai.

As part of the celebration renowned musician Lesle Lewis came down to the Churchgate hub of  Dabbawalas and jammed with their kirtan mandli. What an experience that was! He surprised the audience with his rendering of Marathi abhangs. people and went crazy. We don't get to see an artist of international fame like him on the streets and creating music on his famed guitar along with the 'taal' of dabbawalas. 

His spontaneous creative leaps from one song to another amazed everyone. Even younger kids went mad when he played 'Kaay Jhala'! 

He told us, "It was a truly creative experience, even I didn't know what will come next. 'Yaari dosti' bit happened all by itself! even I was surprised!"

He won the hearts of the audiences as well as the Dabbawala artists. There were shouts for more, but you know what? Dabbawalas had to go to deliver the tiffins. And they had to rush to deliver the Dabba on time. 

Watch the video to know what you missed!

World Is Changing!

World Creativity Day Celebration With Mumbai Dabbawala!

Creativity And Progress Need Dissent!

These are exciting times. It's transition from an old world to a new one.
We may not perceive the revolutionary times we are living in as we are too close to it.

The Great Transition:

The parallel I see is the mid 15th century invention of printing press and the way it impacted the world. When people got the knowledge, information and the power to exchange ideas they embraced it. Thoughts became viral. A speech could be printed and pamphlets distributed in no time. Thoughts traveled.

When knowledge becomes fluid, it sure breaks the old systems. It challenges authority. Gutenberg invention changed the world in a powerful way.

But today we are in even more exciting times. Printing needed skill and investments. Not everyone could do it on their own. So media was still in a few hands. But the internet has changed that. This has made information and knowledge travel on steroids. Media is now no more limited in few power centers. We all have our own media channels. The social media!

The Facebook and Twitter and tumbler are not just pastimes.These are not just chronicles of what we ate and where we traveled. These are powerful channels to raise our voices. These are the records of our collective sentiments. A click of a button can make our point of view known. And others can join us or shout back at us in dissent.

Obviously it threatens the status quo, the authority. They say people may not use it responsibly. My question is, if a person is good enough to choose you as a representative why she is not good enough to question you on your decisions? 

The truth is, in our kind of democracy, the people in power are NOT a choice of the majority. When you make a government by 35% popular votes or even by 45% that says majority are in dissent. And they have a right to express their views. And people who voted for a government on certain expectations has every right to raise concerns when the representatives take a U turn on stated policies. Or start behaving like masters. 

The political class have been nurtured in the false sense of superiority. And while the world has changed in a big way they will take time to accept the harsh reality. They try to limit the power of the masses. While we may see only a few cases now and then, it is an indication to all others what may happen to them if they laugh at the 'masters' or show dissent.

The quashing of section 66 A by supreme court is a welcome step. It is in line with the zeitgeist of the times. Political class must understand they have to change now. It's no more an old world.

Yes, some people use abusive language. They are unreasonable at times. But then some times our representatives use derogatory language in the parliament and show their prejudices. We are not going to shut the parliament because of their behavior, isn't it?

A people ruled by fear can't create anything new. They can't walk with their heads held high. If we want a great India we must have a right to express ourselves freely!

Creativity: Music From Garbage!

Here is most amazing video that I have seen in recent times. No! It's not about those cute cats and babies laughing. Here we see the power of creative thinking. How constraints can push us to create new solutions.

See garbage being transformed into musical instruments. And transforming ives in the process. It's really inspiring in many ways.

Watch it out! And share!

Creative Empowerment: A Young Leader Shows The Way!

(Creativity Mission visited Punsari,  a high tech village in Gujarat India.  Some of the features here are: WI-FI, CCTV cameras, public address system, centralized RO water purification system. In this post we are going into the thought process of young Sarpanch Himanshu Patel, how he realized the creative empowerment of his village through innovative solutions.)

Read the Punsari introduction post here.

Creativity Mission, Punsari GujaratWhy a small village like Punsari needs such Hi-tech solutions? Does it help the village in true sense?

Answer is an emphatic yes. When Sarpanch (village leader) Himanshu bhai talks about his village you can sense that ‘yes’ not just in his voice, it is vibrating in his heart. It’s not a rhetoric, but a conviction deep inside.

He is only about 30 years of age with great respect for Gandhi Bapu (M. K. Gandhi) and Babal Bhai. He believes the village is a foundation to stronger nation and is creating one, which is strong in every sense.

The outsiders get enamored by high tech facilities, but for him these are just tools for empowering the villagers. He says. ” I never thought of leaving the village and going to a bigger town. If we can have facilities of a town and the values of  the village, why would anyone leave the village!”

It all started with public address system. He wanted to be connected with everyone in his constituency. With 100+ speakers in place, the Sarpanch and Panchayat (Village governing body) can pass on important information to the villagers on an immediate as well as continuous basis.

While the system plays religious songs and Gandhi Bapu’s slogans on a daily basis, it also announces new government schemes to villagers. “That’s the real reason for this system” he says. “I want my village people to take maximum benefit of these schemes. Now people have all the information even if they are in fields. They don’t have to come to Panchayat, we are reaching them!”

When a senior Doctor or officer  from district comes, everyone knows about it. They can schedule their life accordingly. People under poverty line who have to toil everyday are benefited the most because they can avail all schemes meant for them.

This can be a great system in times of natural disasters, social conflicts and other crisis moments. The government have seen this in action here and plan to replicate it in sensitive areas.

With Wi-Fi connectivity the students can submit their exam forms, know the results online. I immediately understood the importance after travelling to the village. The closest bus stop is 7 Km away!

This also helps in the basic Government school. You will be amazed to know that this school imparts education through audio visual medium! It’s unimaginable to anyone who have seen the sorry state of facilitates in govt schools.

The farmers can get their land documents available to them on a computer!

With CCTV cameras, the village is secure. It also helps the Sarpanch to know what’s happening in the village at any moment. With the Wi-Fi connectivity he can view the village activities on a tablet even if he is out. And he responds.

You will see the RCC roads clean. With CCTV cameras watching, no one dares to throw the dirt or papers, or spits on it.

It’s all about making a better village and empowering the villagers.

There are many remarkable things about this village.

The village has a toll free number. Villagers can call and record their complains and suggestions. Imagine the power in the hands of a labourer, or a farmer who can’t be absent from his work . They can just call and register the concerns. They also get a response by sms.

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There is a RO water purification plant in the village. But that’s not enough, the purified water is delivered at every doorstep.

A tractor moves through the village and collect garbage from every house.

These are all efforts to create a better village. 100% homes have toilets. Drainage and sanitation is up to the mark.

Himanshu bhai tells me, “News cameras captures Wi-Fi and other high tech images but  journalists fail to see the real achievement of our village. Pregnancy mortality rate in our village is 0! Child mortality is 0! Mal-nutrition is 0! Child drop rate from school is 0!”

These are the real goals for the Sarpanch!

There is no big talk. Only A congruent young man doing his job.

Gandhi bapu would be proud of him!

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