ASHA: India Together newsletter, July 1999 (fwd)

[Subramanya Sastry <sastry@cs.wisc.edu>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 17 Jul 1999 16:30:46 -0700
From: news@indiatogether.org
Reply-To: indiatogether@hotmail.com
To: indiatogether@hotmail.com
Subject: India Together newsletter, July 1999

July 1999
India Together Newsletter Service
http://www.indiatogether.org/

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This newsletter is a free service of the India Together public 
awareness and solidarity campaign. If you received this newsletter 
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Dear Reader:

The July 1999 newsletter from India Together is presented here. Links
to new articles, as well as recent earlier ones, are included here. All
our articles are available for reading at the web site through links from 
the main page itself or from the archives. As always, India Together 
requests that you pass on this newsletter to any others who share your 
concerns and determination to build a better nation together. 

In this edition
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In democratic societies, our voice is our greatest weapon. For all those
in America who share our concerns for India and her development, we
present an opportunity to raise your voice in support. Let the Congress of
the United States hear your views on India-US relations, and let the media
in your neighborhood know your concerns for India. Our comprehensive and
regularly updated page for lobbying efforts is now on the web.
http://www.indiatogether.org/petitions/lobby.htm

The quest for catalysts for positive change in India has made several strides
of progress since May 1999. The west coast conference of the Rejuvenate India 
movement was held on July 10 and 11, 1999 at Stanford University, California.
It was a momentous and unprecedented event, bringing together individuals 
from a wide cross-section to discuss on ways to catalyse change in India at 
the national level. Visit the movement webpage even as Dr.Parameswara Rao 
who initiated this movement, continues on the second phase of his tour of the 
United States to regional conferences in Baltimore and Chicago. 
http://www.indiatogether.org/im

Our time is our money too. ASHA's annual fund-raiser is back, give one hour
of your time for education in India, and help pass the $40,000 Fund Drive
goal in style. We've made it simple, just print our envelope, include your
check and send it off.
http://www.indiatogether.org/finish/stories/asha99.htm

While we strive toward decent standards of living in society, we might
also consider that our memories of cherished ones are preserved in often
forgotten corners of our cities and towns. India Together profiles an
unusual effort to bring life to an institution normally associated with
life, so that through our memories we may celebrate and remember those who
we have loved and lost.
http://www.indiatogether.org/finish/stories/grave.htm

They too had their dreams. Dreams of their children coming up in life, of
buying a house for their parents, of marrying their sweethearts. But their
country came first. They rose with a fire in their souls to the call of
duty. They knew this might be their last trip, they knew that they might
leave a widow behind, they knew they might die in pain, and even worse, in
obscurity. Sriram Ananth, of the sacrifices of our soldiers in war.
http://www.indiatogether.org/finish/edits/sriram.htm

New with this edition is our letters page. This is a brief collection of 
responses we have had from readers over the past few months. Feel free to 
email us your thoughts on any content from our pages, and we will give 
them every consideration to be aired. We'll try to update these pages 
once every week or two, as we hear from you. We're also interested in 
hearing from those who would like to take on this task for us, and 
manage this page. 
http://www.indiatogether.org/readers/views.htm 


Earlier Stories
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The Mobile Science Laboratory (MSL) project of Vidnyanvahini was conceived
to reach out to rural school children and to offer them the means of
learning science through laboratory experiments.  Thanks to
Vidnyanavahini, thousands of rural children in Maharashtra have had the
opportunity to experience the joy of science, and the growth that comes
with it. Luna Mercedes and Ashok Moghe profile Vidnyanvahini's learning 
in motion.
http://www.indiatogether.org/finish/stories/vahini.htm

The ongoing conflict in Kashmir is claiming the lives of servicemen fairly
regularly and in increasing numbers. This is a time for us to express
our support and thanks to the families of service who gives their lives
for our nation. The Army's Central Welfare Relief Fund facilitates
civilian participation in recognizing their sacrifices. India Together has
made this even easier, simply print your envelopes and send in your
contributions.
http://www.indiatogether.org/petitions/jawan.htm

It's a long road from untouchability to the rights of all citizens to be
treated as equals under the law. In the first of a series of profiles of
historical figures whose lives shaped modern India, Siddharth Gambhirwala
presents a short biography of Bhimrao Ambedkar, widely regarded as the
author of many of our constitutional provisions.
http://www.indiatogether.org/finish/people/ambedkar.htm

How do you solve a problem like dowry? Its wide-spread tolerance and the
social conditions in much of India have made this an entrenched malaise,
and the only way to defeat this is through systematic and comprehensive
solutions. Himendra Thakur examines the problem with some statistical
information, and introduces some of the first steps towards solutions.
http://www.indiatogether.org/nodowri/isadbbi.htm

Is expenditure on weapons and defense undermining the nation's ability to
fund primary education, health programs and other much-needed areas? Is
the huge disparity between budgetary allotments for education and weapons
reasonable? Have the weapons brought greater security? Or can we do
better? The Global Peace March, now on in India, is asking these and other
questions. An India Together report, plus links to the campaign, are
presented.
http://www.indiatogether.org/petitions/gpm-news.htm

For your convenience
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Thank you for your time. 
Sincerely,
______________________________________
INDIA Together: "we know, and we care"

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India Together has been made possible by the efforts of several Indian
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other interested people. Please visit our web site at 
http://www.indiatogether.org for the latest stories and good news 
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