Eighth Unconference of Action 2020 - A brief report

Action2020 - 8th UnConference

8th UnConference of Action 2020 was held on Saturday the 27th July 2013 at Corporation School, Panagal Park, T Nagar from 2PM to 5 PM.  Around 45 delegates representing 25 groups participated and shared their experiences.

Presently Action 2020 is implementing two common projects.  'Vidhyodhaya' project is being implemented in Corporation Schools at MMDA11 and Adyar, besides at Govt. High School at Kannagi Nagar.  Akilan, Gayathri, Poornima and Vinod briefed the delegates about their projects.  Since  Action 2020 has got permission from this year to run the Vidyodhaya Project at Corporation School, CIT Nagar, they also requested volunteers who can spare two hours a week with the children.  

Prime Point Srinivasan, Convenor of Education Loan Task Force (ELTF) briefed the activities of the second project of creating awareness about education loan.  He also requested the delegates to create awareness about education loan among students in their area.

The delegates shared their individual activities.  They also offered lot of suggestions to take Action 2020 to next level.  

Bhavnesh of Shreyan Foundation suggested that Action 2020 can take up the environmental cause and also tree planting. He has offered to be the Convenor of this new project. If implemented, this will be the third common project of Action 2020.  

A new core team was formed.  Next UnConference will be held in January 2014.  

As suggested by members, a new Facebook Group will be formed in the name of Action 2020 and all the active groups and individual members will be invited to be part of this new group.

For more details contact Mr Aum Murugan, Convenor, Action 2020 at aummurugan@gmail.com 

Photos taken during the event:

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A TV interview on IBA/RBI guidelines on Education Loan

Kalaignar Seithigal Channel (Tamil) telecast a panel discussion on 'Education Loan' today (7th July 2013).  Ms Tamizharasi Shivakumar, one of the popular TV news anchors, conducted the show.  In this panel discussion, Srinivasan, Convenor of ELTF participated and answered the questions from the viewers live.

In this show, he has talked about the procedures to be followed, the role of banks and students, flexible repayment schedule for the education loans, interest subsidy, payment of quarterly interest, getting loan for management quota students, etc.  Please watch this show.  (40 minutes).

This video can also be viewed from 

http://youtu.be/RFqh-crHq38

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Platinum Jubilee edition (75th) of ezine PreSense:launched

We are pleased to release the Platinum Jubilee (75th) edition of ezine PreSense.  This edition was launched by youngsters /students on 23rd June 2013 simultaneously at Chennai, Coimbatore and Motihari (Bihar) in the presence of youngsters.  This edition is dedicated to Indian youth.

On 29th June 2013, our cartoon editor Triambak Sharma handed over the CD containing the past PRince cartoons to Dr Raman Singh, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh during the Cartoon Festival..  The Chief Minister watched a short video presentation on the cartoon character PRince and appreciated the efforts.

This edition broadly contains the following:

1.  Platinum Jubilee edition launch report and photographs;

2.  Interesting story of cartoon character PRince;

3.  Milestones in the journey of ezine PreSense - An interesting case study;

4.  PRince cartoon.

The ezine with interesting contents and photos may be downloaded from (pdf 900k)

http://www.prpoint.com/ezine/presense0613.pdf

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How to use social media sites safely? - Seminar by CySI

Prime Point Srinivasan, Gunasekaran and S Balu

Cyber Society of India (CySI) and HTC-ITMR organised a programme on social media networking and the safety aspects on 30th May 2013 at HTC towers, Chennai.  It was a well attended programme.

Presentation on social media networking sites

Prime Point Srinivasan, Chairman, Prime Point Foundation made a presentation on the advantages, challenges and the safety aspects of social media networking sites.  During his presentation, he emphasised the need for the youth keeping themselves within the limit while using the social media and not to get addicted.  He also informed that 500 million status updates were shared; 300 million  mails were sent and 250 million photos were uploaded every day in the social media sites.  He posed the question as to how much percentage of them were useful and qualitative.  Out of all the social media usage, he estimated around 80% of them were only casual and trash.He wanted the users to think over the amount of productive professional time spent on trashes and the cost of server and the bandwidth involved in the transmission.  He also advised not share any private details in the social media sites.

Srinivasan wanted the social media to be used effectively only when it is needed and to keep away when not needed.

His presentation is embedded below.

Presentation on security and legal aspects

S Balu, Former Addl. Superintendent of Police, Cyber crime made a presentation on security and legal aspects of social media.  He shared some of the cases investigated by him, which ended up in convicatin of the culprit.  He also suggested not to share any private details in social media sites like facebook, twitter, etc.

The presentation of S Balu is embedded below.

Gunasekaran, CFO of HTC Global made an interesting presentation on the various implications of putting 'likes' and writing 'comments' on the status of others in facebook.  He even quoted a case of person's visa getting rejected, because of the person had marked 'like' to a social media status against the country to which, he sought visa.  He advised youth to be very careful, while clicking 'like' and adding 'comments' on the controversial statements found on the status.

The event was organised by Kapaleeswaran (Vice President of CySI) and Dr Muthu (Head of HTC ITMR) meticulously.  Please watch some of the photographs taken during the event.

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Convocation (Graduation day) address at Jaya Institute of Technology by Prime Point Srinivasan

Jaya Institute of Technology (JIT)

Jaya Institute of Technology (JIT), one of the Jaya Group of Colleges organised 8th Graduation Day on Friday the 17th May 2013.  Nearly 120 engineering graduates who passed out in April / May 2012 received the degree certificates.

Prof. A Kanagaraj

Prof. A Kanagaraj, Chairman of Jaya Group of Colleges presided over the event.  In his presidential address, he stressed the importance of self confidence among the youth.  He also focussed on the importance of good attitude and discipline in the life, when they undertake the jobs.  He wanted them to become good citizens of this nation.

Graduates waiting to
receive degree certivicates

Dr Suresh Babu, Principal

While welcoming the students and parents, Dr Suresh Babu, Principal of the College recalled the pains taken by the individual parents of the students, to make the students an engineering graduate.  He wanted all the graduates to fullfill the dreams of their parents.

Prime Point Srinivasan

Prime Point Srinivasan, who was the Chief Guest in his Convocation (Graduation Day) address stressed the importance of good communication skills.  He suggested all the graduates to learn as manay languages as possible, including Hindi and English properly to become successful in their career.

Please listen to the convocation (Graduation day) address of Prime Point Srinivasan (17 minutes).

Please see the photographs taken during the event.

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Tamil Nadu Governor launches the Special Edition of ezine PreSense

This special edition this unique 73rd edition (April 2013) of your ezine PreSense was released by Dr K. Rosaiah, His Excellency The Governor of Tamil Nadu during the Sansad Ratna Award function on 20th April 2013.  With the launch of your ezine PreSense  by the Governor of Tamil Nadu, this ezine enters a new era of credibility adding more responsibility to our team, to continue to  provide highest quality contents in future.

On this happy occassion, editorial team thanks all the readers for the sustained support and feedback.  

After the launch of this special edition by the Governor, we  added the photos and the proceedings of the Sansad Ratna Award function.  Since the General Elections will be held in few months, this ezine will be useful for all the citizens to understand our constitutional democracy, which we may have to be proud of.  

This edition broadly contains the following:

1.  Dr Abdul Kalam's exclusive message to our Sansad Ratna Award function;

2.  Overview of Indian Parliament;

3.  Interesting facts about Parliament chambers;

4.  Sittings held by Indian Parliament from 1952 to April 2013;

5.  Business done by Lok Sabha during sittings;

6.  Humour in Lok Sabha;

7.  Performance of 15th Lok Sabha - Bills passed - disruption details;

8.  Top performing MPs of 15th Lok Sabha;

9.  A brief report on Sansad Ratna 2013 Award function;

Since this is a special edition released by the Governor, we have focussed exclusively on Indian Parliament.   We will follow our usual format from the next edition onwards.

This ezine may be downloaded from the following link. (700 k in pdf)

http://www.prpoint.com/ezine/presense0413.pdf 

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Demand for total prohibition by NGOs and Politicians

In the recent days, voices demanding total prohibition is increasing in Tamilnadu.  It is because in Tamilnadu, out of 6 crores of population, one crore people is in the habit of taking liquor.  The Government is earning a revenue of around Rs.25,000 crores, constituting approximately 25 to 30% of State revenue.

Tamilnadu is the only state in India where liquor is sold through the Government owned retail outlets TASMAC.  Two decades back, the Schools and Colleges were run by the Government, while the liquor shops were run by private licensees.  Now, the scene is reverse with Educational Institutions run by licensees and the liquor shops run by the Government directly.  

Since the Government is running the retail liquor shops with bar, even those who felt shy to take liquor in the earlier decades are now visiting proudly these Government owned liquor shops to take drinks.  Because of the increase in the drinking habits, large number of dalit families are affected badly.  Liquor habit spoils the health of the person also.  Mor ethan 60% of the road accident occur due to drunken driving.  

In the past few months, many of the NGOs and some of the political parties have started the movement against the liquor and demanding total prohibition in the State.

One Mr Sasi Perumal, a Gandhian from a village near Salem is on fast for the past 33 days (as on 3rd March 2013) demanding total prohibition.

All India Prohibition Council and many of the Gandhians organised National Conference at Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya, Chennai (the Vidyalaya founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1933 for the poor and downtrodden).  Representatives from all the States participated.  Gandhian Mr Mahavir Thyagi, Secretary of the All India Prohibition Council and former Minister in Gujarat Government was the star attraction of the Conference.  

Many of the NGOs and Political leaders participated and shared their views, in the day long Conference.  At the end of the Conference, a resolution was passed requesting total prohibition in the country.  All India Prohibition Council is now working on the Action Plan for imposing total prohibition in all the States.  

A mention has to be made about Mr Annamalai, Gandhian and Director of Gandhi Study Centre at Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya.  Mr Annamalai and his team planned this Conference meticulously, including the time management.  

Please see some of the pictures during the event.

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