Yogakshemam 08102020
7 October: Humbled. Blessed. This pressed me to think about planning forward for phase 3 quickly. Time is running out.
We move into learning and performing slowly. From a child to an adult. Then we transform.
Born and brought up at Gundrampally and its neighbourhood (including Sunkenpally, Veliminedu). The informal teachers at Gundrampally and Sunkenpally. The school(s) at Gundrampally, the teachers and the peers there. The school at Choutuppal. They let me ‘grow’.
Then, I entered Sarvail Gurukulam. AP Residential School. The teachers, the peers, and the library have huge influence in the way I grew up. Despite not writing entrance, NTS Scholarship and Mathematical Olympiad ensured that I joined Nagarjunasagar Naivasya Kalasala, AP Residential Junior College. The ecosystem within and without has and continues to influence the core of me. Many of my life-associates are from here. Interestingly, it was also the time of River Krishna Pushkaraalu, an once a 12-year event.
The next destination was Regional Engineering College (now National Institute of Technology) at Warangal. To study Electronics and Communication Engineering. Students – 50% from Telugu States and 50% from outside. Mostly, 98%, boys. Residential again. Many things simultaneously. Academics. Co-curricular. Extra-curricular. Games and Sports. Technical Associations. Telugu and English Literature. Debating et al clubs. Career – storm was on: where and what.
Saw the rural hinterland. Met people. Took a reflection break. Taught Computers and Society among other things. Rejected technical options including ISRO/SHAR, ITC-BP etc. Considered journalism as a way. Finally, ‘development’ was opted. Between TISS and IRMA. IRMA sounded more suitable for my ‘background’ and ‘orientation’.
Anand was the next halt. IRMA sealed it and laid the future. Became more inward. Read 500 odd books, book a day. Stripped, bruised, discussed, inspired. Many of basic ‘storm’ questions could be set aside. Huge influence a la Gurukulam. ‘Gurukulam’ continued into Dairy Board and IRMA (as a workplace). Mentors, friends from here for ‘life’! It started confirming as ‘lifeworker’.
Along with Manoharan, the flow took us to tribal areas and tribal communities. CCN and Kovel Foundation came up. Then, Jagadeesh took me back to Anand, to get familiar with commons, participation, collectives, shared visioning, information and planning. Robert Chambers, Somesh and Jimmy pulled me into ‘participatory processes and to Hyderabad. And to stay put there and work from as a base station largely.
In this context, the time seems ripe for planning for a payback. To begin with – Gundrampally – integrated 7L Centre; Sarvail Gurukulam – Talent search, counselling and support, support alumni plans; Sagar Gurukulam – working ‘sensitive’ students, immersion, exposure and inspiration for possibilities, support alumni plans; NITW – orientation and support to ‘development’ explorers, support alumni plans; IRMA – Conversations, Mentoring, Alumni Plans et al; Tribal Areas – Integrated 7L Communitized Support Centre(s). More Possibilities. Plans In the next 6-18 months. And INDIA PEOPLE’s PLAN.
Let us transcend. Let us transform, vision and realize. For 7L.
Join us in the world of yoga of leading transforming life of being in local coexistence – aanandalahariyoga for 7L.
G Muralidhar