Citygritty 8212; Pune

Greetings from homeMost of us think of our soldiers only in times of war or difficulty. We wanted to reassure these brave men guarding ...

Greetings from home
8220;Most of us think of our soldiers only in times of war or difficulty. We wanted to reassure these brave men guarding the front away from their family and friends of our good wishes at all times and to share in the festive spirit with them,8221; says Anand Saraf of Sainik Mitra Parivar, a city-based organisation. The members of this voluntary organisation have thought up a unique scheme to make Diwali an occasion to remember 8211; they are sending some 250 copies of Diwali special issues in Marathi to Marathi-speaking soldiers posted on the front. These special issues, donated by the Rotary Midtown and Rotary Tilak Road, will be handed over to the defence authorities, said Saraf. The organisation has also appealed to citizens to send greeting cards in Hindi and Marathi, which the organisation will then forward to soldiers. It8217;s the thought behind the action that really counts.

Message on wheels
Yoganand is doing it again. Last time he went on his bike to the Khardungla Pass and now he is planning to do the Himalayan range on a four-wheeler. Major K.P.S. Brar and he will be travelling 10,000 km, right across the Himalayas, in a span of approximately 25 days. Why is the duo doing this? 8220;It8217;s all for eco-preservation,8221; says Yoganand, 8220;we aim to spread this message to all those we meet in the villages and towns enroute8221;.

A voice for women
A seminar for poor and illiterate women only? Yes, the Poona Women8217;s Council8217;s family counselling centre recently organised a one-day seminar at its Shukrawar Peth office, aimed specifically at the economically backward section of society. The theme of the seminar was Women and Law, and it saw Rohini Gadgil cover a range of women-related law, running the whole gamut from her birth to her death.

8220;The counselling centre is open to every suffering woman although our main aim is to help poor and illiterate women. The social workers involved in this centre help them solve their family problems and give them guidance about job opportunities, according to their qualification and experience,8221; says Sajal Khaladkar, social worker with the centre. The centre is open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. A little help can go a long way8230;

Boom time
The students of the Indira Institute of Management, for the second year, have organised Brand Slam 8211; a three-day-long exhibition-cum-marketing fair, of consumer durables, office automation and information technology products that began on October 15 at the Institute of Engineers. Besides a look at the products from leading manufacturers, there is also an opportunity to win gifts. Looks like this is a chance for consumers to check the latest products before they pack up their shopping for Diwali.