Have a heartDid you know that heart diseases and related ailments are striking people at a much younger age? Did you also know that 33 per cent of the urban Indian population suffer from high blood pressure and are prone to heart diseases? Cardiologist Dr. N.G. Karandikar has been addressing the causes of these problems and unhealthy habits, bad diet and lack of exercise. His organisation, Hriday Samvad has planned a two-day lecture on the subject of `Exercise and Your Heart' on May 1 (in Marathi) and 2 (in English) between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Tilak Smarak Mandir. ``We found that our advice on the necessity for a change in their lifestyle and the importance of a balanced diet and regular exercise was restricted only to our patients and awareness needed to be increased. There is so much more that can be done on this count other than taking pills and injections,'' says Dr. Ashwini Valimbe, who is also associated with Hriday Samvad. Entry to the programme is free.Quantifying artFor three years, the Lalit Kala Kendra (Centre for Performing Arts) of the University of Pune has been conducting the final examination for its students before an audience. From April 29, this year's session takes off, till May 6. Along with classical vocal recitals, the students studying drama will put up plays like Janawar, Bhekad, Nagmandal, Party, Ek Shunya Bajirao for its audience at the Namdeo Sabhagriha. The idea behind such an examination system is to prepare its students for their future, when the audience and its reactions will be the only barometer to judge their quality and capability. Good thinking, this.Summertime bestsellerIt's been two decades that the Pune Marathi Granthalaya opens free libraries for children all around the city during the summer vacations. With so much free time on their hands, the library officials hope to inculcate the reading habit in them by actually making books available to them around the corner. This year too, these summer libraries have opened doors at 15 venues, with branches at Uruli Kanchan and Wadgaon Budruk being the new additions and all of these will function till June 15. Thanks to the citizens' cooperation, their willingness to provide space and man these library centres, this should be a tradition that will not die out.A question of identitiesSo much depends on gender. Our upbringing, our psyche, in fact who we are. But unfortunately there are those amongst us who are born without a clear gender. What makes matters worse is that though this condition is treatable to a certain extent medically, we as a society prefer to ignore such cases rather than do something about it. On April 24, the Adventist Media Club organised a seminar on this particular subject. Doctors D. Ghosh, Neha Pandey and Suryakant Kanitkar spoke on various aspects of intersex. Dr. Ghosh cited examples of individuals who were born with an ovary and a testes and the dilemmas faced by the medical fraternity. Dr. Pandey spoke on the psychological aspect and explained the importance of correct assessment of gender identity while Dr. Kanitkar explained a plastic surgeon's role in helping such people. Seminars such as these are the first step in creating the much needed awareness about the problems of intersex individuals.
