Good News

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Saving Lives ~ About Three Hours After Takeoff, the Brave Pilot made a Safe Landing!

On October 12, a technical issue occurred on an Air India Express flight carrying 141 passengers from Tiruchirapalli to Sharjah. As a result, before trying to land back at Tiruchirapalli, the aircraft had to circle in the air to lighten the fuel load. About three hours after takeoff, the pilots made a safe landing. The aircraft's pilots received plaudits on social media, and the governor of Tamil Nadu even thanked them on X for the safe landing.Maitreyee, the eldest daughter of Shrikrishna and Rukmini Shitole, was one of the pilots operating the plane. The Shitoles, who are originally from Daund, have a son and two daughters. Rukmini oversees a paper tube manufacturing plant in Khed-Shivapur, while Shrikrishna operates a transport and crane company. We flew from Delhi to Pune when she was in class five or six. A female pilot was operating the plane, and the personnel allowed her to meet her in the cockpit. Speaking on Maitreyee, Shrikrishna remarked, "She declared at that moment that she would become a pilot and that even she wanted to fly a plane."(Source: Google Images)  Day of the incident ~  When a technical issue with the flight to Sharjah occurred on October 12, Maitreyee's younger sister was on her way to study in Germany. The family had no idea what was going on in the air since her parents were too busy saying goodbye to their younger daughter. Maitreyee called her mother to inform her of the news once the plane touched down.“My legs froze for a minute listening to what she told me. She then added her father to the call and shared the news with him,” said Rukmini.A Little Sneak Peak On Her Life, Setting Her Apart With Bravery ~ Maitreyee graduated from Sinhgad Springdale with a degree. Her intelligence was always evident: she had visited NASA after class 10 to participate in basic astronaut training for kids, where she also achieved the highest rating. But Maitreyee encountered an obstacle on her path. The family was informed that only people who have perfect vision—that is, no glasses—could become pilots when she was pursuing science after class 10. Maitreyee wore spectacles, and it was difficult to obtain reliable information because the internet was not as widely available at the time. “In Maratha households like ours, generally, daughters are married off at 21-22 years, so there was no one to guide her. She gave up on her dream and opted for a BSc in Physics from Fergusson College. However, later she got to know that her eyesight was within the acceptable range. So she went for pilot training after graduation,” said Shrikrishna. Maitreyee got her commercial pilot licence from Mainland Aviation College in Dunedin, New Zealand.Shrikrishna expressed that they were quite pleased, noting that their daughter had landed the plane calmly and patiently. He mentioned that they had received countless messages and more than 500 calls from people inquiring about her. Reflecting on her career, he recalled how, when she was hired as a pilot, both he and Rukmini had advised her to consider the responsibility of flying so many people. "She proved this tonight, and we are proud of her," Rukmini smiled.

23 Oct 2024

Good News

The Whys and Hows

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Interesting ways to Shop more Mindfully (and resist the pressure to spend money!)

There's an alternative to trying to spend your way to happiness, which will undoubtedly empty your bank account and add unnecessary clutter to your home and wardrobe. When you shop mindfully, you take a moment to reflect before you swipe your debit card and make sure that the things you're buying are meaningful, consistent with your values, and within your means. Hence, instead of succumbing to consumerism, use these thoughtful shopping tips to learn how to control your impulses and forge your own route away from the sales day crush. You might want to delete any shopping apps from your phone: You think you'll pass the time by casually perusing the newest bestseller list or fashion trends, but before you know it, a burrito blanket and a wardrobe full of brand-new clothes are on their way to your house. Remove applications from your device and unsubscribe from store newsletters to halt impulsive online purchases and protect yourself from fraudulent sales offers. Understand Your Triggers:  Acknowledge the emotions that lead to spending, such as fear of missing out or jealousy, and watch out for merchants who try to take advantage of these feelings by saying, for instance, that a product is limited in quantity. While Dr. Gareth Harvey, director of consumer psychology at communications agency Decide, cautions against shopping to elevate mood when you're feeling down, he also suggests recognizing when you're on a high and modifying your shopping habits accordingly. He claims that "you tend to evaluate things in a less critical way." "Studies reveal that when we're feeling good, we spend about 12% more money." Make use of a shopping list :A true bargain can only be found if you had planned to buy it anyway; impulsive purchases can result in overspending on frivolous items you didn't realize you needed. Counselor Georgina Sturmer states, "When we haven't taken stock of what we actually need to buy, shopping can feel overwhelming." "Make a list, take pleasure in crossing things off as you go, and know that you're not wasting money on things you don't need." Utilize the items you no longer need. Instead of just throwing away the items you've decluttered, consider donating them to a worthy cause or finding new homes for them through a freecycle group or online classified site. In addition to keeping an eye out for chances to trade in old, broken appliances to recycling initiatives, which can earn you discounts off the price of something new. It's worthwhile to get in touch with community groups to see if you can fulfill any local needs. Give it some time : Consider purchases carefully, especially large ones, and apply the 48-hour rule: write down the item's price and quantity, then give it some thought for a few days to decide if you still want it. You may be taken aback. Doing some introspection can also help you avoid falling for scams. Dewdney advises against hastily making a purchase. Scammers will attempt to employ pressure selling tactics, such as fabricating a sense of urgency around a purchase, making you feel as though you owe the salesperson money, or making exaggerated claims and promises. Consider where and how things are manufactured: Make deliberate decisions that consider a brand's or product's broader global impact. Cast your financial support for fair trade, environmentally friendly production, and secure working conditions. Refrain from fast fashion, over-packaging, and environmentally harmful behaviors. ''I hate last-minute shopping, it's always unsuccessful! Better be Mindful next time , haha ''  - Cat Deeley

27 Nov 2023

The Whys and Hows

Star Citizens

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How a Young Traffic Cop Rescued a Cardiac Patient From the Clutches of Death on a Busy Gwalior Road

As Anil Upadhyaya, a 61-year-old retired employee of an electrical distribution business lay unconscious on one of the busiest road crossings in Gwalior, people instead of providing assistance, were filming him. A boy came running and intimated this incident to Subedar Sonam Parashar, a young woman traffic police, who was on duty nearby. She rushed to the spot and sprung into action. She first summoned the police emergency vehicle to ensure timely medical help. Then she started administering CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) procedure that revived the elderly man and brought him back to consciousness. On the way to the hospital, Sonam kept talking to him so that he didn’t drift into a state of unconsciousness once again. Her timely help saved Upadhyaya’s life. Sonam, who is also a mother to a three-year-old son had conducted demos of CPR in Gwalior schools, but she said this was the first time she used this life-saving art practically to save a life in a real-life situation in a crowded public place. Sonam has been showered with accolades from the family of the elderly man whose life she saved to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan after the video of the woman traffic cop doing prompt CPR on him went viral. The incident underlines the necessity of every responsible citizen to know the basic knowledge of giving CPR to save a life.

15 Dec 2022

Star Citizens

Global Inspirations

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In A First, Drones Rescue Boys Stuck At Sea

For the first time in the world, a drone was used to rescue two boys caught in an ocean swell off the eastern coast of Australia on Thursday. Jai Sheridan, the 2017 New South Wales Lifeguard of the Year happened to be training with the drone when he got the news about the boys. He steered the drone which is equipped with a flotation pod that can be dropped into the sea, toward the swimmers, who were about half a mile away. After spotting them, he dropped the pod with pinpoint accuracy.  The boys grabbed onto it and with its help, reached the shore where a team of lifeguards greeted the two who. They were unharmed. The Surf Lifesaving website called it a “world first.”

25 Jan 2018

Global Inspirations

Positive Reads

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Some clever hacks to save water this summer

Water becomes the most sought after commodity in summer with residents bracing for water cuts and long wait for tankers. To add to the water woes, the severe heat makes us consume more water by way of drinking or bathing frequently. There are some simple ways by which we can save lots of water and reduce our dependence on tankers. Little drops of water make an ocean. Therefore you shouldn't be surprised to know that the leaks from taps can actually save hundreds of litres of water! So, it is very imperative to fix all leaking taps.  Even a minor leak, like 20 drops per minute adds up to waste of around 6 litres of water per day. Sometimes, we never come to know that water is leaking through the flush. Put a bit of food colouring or liquid blue dye in your flush tank to check for leaks. If color appears in the toilet bowl without flushing, it means there’s a leak that needs repairing. A senior citizen Aabid Surti was so taken aback by the fact that such huge amounts of clean water is going down the drain due to leaks, that he started  a one-man NGO – the Drop Dead Foundation – which is saving tonnes of water by repairing plumbing problems such as leaks, for free, in Mumbai households. It would be hard to believe that an average faucet releases 7.5 litres of water per minute, so by just turning off the tap while brushing teeth will help you save up to 20 litres of water every day.  A shower bath uses 8.5 times more water than a bucket bath. So chuck the shower and go for the traditional balti bath. If you still prefer to use the shower, then time it.If you keep it under 5 minutes, then you could save up to 2,000 litres of water per month. An efficient way of saving water in the kitchen is to stop washing the vegetables under the tap. Instead, use a large pot of water and dunk the vegetables in it. It is always better to soak vegetables in water for a few minutes before cleaning them, so that purpose is also served. After rubbing the fruits and vegetables clean, the water in the pot can be used for plants. Give your houseplants some extra nourishment by recycling the water you use to wash your rice, dal etc. The water running out of the RO purifier can be used for household chores or in the flush. The existing taps can be converted into water saving taps by fixing a low flow aerator on it. Suitable for kitchen sink taps, wash basin taps and other utility taps, these small aerators are fitted on the tip of taps and dispense much lesser water (50%-70%) than a conventional tap without any change in efficiency.  Instead of washing cars with a hose, use buckets as it reduces the water consumption by 70%. If we use bio degradable disinfectants for mopping the floor, then that water after use can be poured into the soil for plants rather than pouring it down the drain. These are just simple efforts on our part which will go a long way in helping us tide through the scarcity of water during summers.    

31 Mar 2017

Positive Reads