By Mr Ram Narayanan, IDCA
Dear Friends: My first despatch of January 13, 2008 on the Rural India Learning Journey (RILJ) trip had conveyed a birds-eye-view of what the Learning Journey was all about and what the Indian American team had learned from the trip.
One of our tour guides from Chennai, Uma Balakrishnan, has written a fuller 13 page description of the day-by-day story of our rural tour as it unfolded, which is much more informative and also has some beautiful photographs. You can see it at http://akash-ganga-rwh.com/RILJ/Learning_Journey_Dec2007_FullReport.pdf. Please read it. The December trip was so inspiring -- and exciting -- in terms of what we, Indian Americans, can do to work with India's dynamic NGOs and the rural folks, to ensure that Bharat, as distinguished from India, can catch up and run, that the group has decided to convene an "India Rural ACTION PROGRAM Conference" in Chicago on May 3rd and 4th (i.e Saturday and Sunday), 2008. Many of us who participated in the Rural India Learning Journey (RILJ 2007) trip will be attending the May 3-4 conference. We would like to invite other Indian Americans who are keen to work with us. Some of you, I know, are already involved in India's rural development. Some others have expressed keenness to get involved. Here is a wonderful opportunity for all us to to learn from each other and work together and, very important, participate in formulating concrete action plans. This event is being called an ACTION PROGRAM Conference because we expect a concrete action program to emerge from its deliberations. Our objective is to get together Indian Americans who hail or whose ancestors came from different parts of India. We want ALLof rural India to make progress during the next decade or two -- including the states of the north and east that have lagged behind. I am suwhen you see the tentative agenda outlined below, you will decide to sign up. Please do so immediately. To keep the group small and intimate, the number of participants is restricted to 50 (excluding the spouses if they wish to join). SO, PLEASE HURRY UP!
One of our tour guides from Chennai, Uma Balakrishnan, has written a fuller 13 page description of the day-by-day story of our rural tour as it unfolded, which is much more informative and also has some beautiful photographs. You can see it at http://akash-ganga-rwh.com/RILJ/Learning_Journey_Dec2007_FullReport.pdf. Please read it. The December trip was so inspiring -- and exciting -- in terms of what we, Indian Americans, can do to work with India's dynamic NGOs and the rural folks, to ensure that Bharat, as distinguished from India, can catch up and run, that the group has decided to convene an "India Rural ACTION PROGRAM Conference" in Chicago on May 3rd and 4th (i.e Saturday and Sunday), 2008. Many of us who participated in the Rural India Learning Journey (RILJ 2007) trip will be attending the May 3-4 conference. We would like to invite other Indian Americans who are keen to work with us. Some of you, I know, are already involved in India's rural development. Some others have expressed keenness to get involved. Here is a wonderful opportunity for all us to to learn from each other and work together and, very important, participate in formulating concrete action plans. This event is being called an ACTION PROGRAM Conference because we expect a concrete action program to emerge from its deliberations. Our objective is to get together Indian Americans who hail or whose ancestors came from different parts of India. We want ALLof rural India to make progress during the next decade or two -- including the states of the north and east that have lagged behind. I am suwhen you see the tentative agenda outlined below, you will decide to sign up. Please do so immediately. To keep the group small and intimate, the number of participants is restricted to 50 (excluding the spouses if they wish to join). SO, PLEASE HURRY UP!
India Rural ACTION PROGRAM Conference DETAILS :
DATES: May 3 (Saturday) and May 4 (Sunday), 2008
VENUE: Club House Inn and Suites, 630 Pasquinelli DrWestmont, IL 60559; (630) 920-2200
AGENDA: May 3 Saturday -- Morning session : Gist of RILJ trip lessons with a 15 minute video clipA couple of RILJ members will make short presentations on the Learning Journey (LJ), how they felt about it and what they think we should do next.
To be followed by discussion on: How other Indian Americans have started similar processes? What works, what does not?Key NGO's in IndiaExchange program betwen US universities and IndiaWhat each Indian American can do to inspire others?
Lunch
Afternoon session
Participants will talkIndividual needs, approachesHow Indian Americans can involve themselves in India's rural development How do we communicate the Learning Journey's experience to other interested Indian Americans?
Participants will talkIndividual needs, approachesHow Indian Americans can involve themselves in India's rural development How do we communicate the Learning Journey's experience to other interested Indian Americans?
Dinner -- A key note speaker
May 4th Sunday - Morning
Goal for 2008 : 300 Indian Americans to visit different parts of India on Learning Journey studies?
Possible Learning Journey (LJ) trips for 2008
a. Andhra Pradesh
Possible Learning Journey (LJ) trips for 2008
a. Andhra Pradesh
b. Bihar and Jharkand
c. Gujarat
d. Haryana and Rajasthan
e. Karnataka
f. Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh
g. Maharashtra (including Vidarbha)
h. North-Eastern States
i. Orissa
j. Uttar Pradesh
k. West Bengal
l. If needed, repeat Tamil Nadu (but other parts of the state)
Sign up for 2008 LJ's Lunch
Conclude the Sunday session around 2 PM so people from out-of-town can catch their return flights.
OTHER DETAILS: Participation fee: $50.00 per participant. The lunch and dinner expenses will be collected at the conference, on a pro rata basis. Please reach Chicago and check in at a place near the conference site by the evening of Friday, May 2, 2008. (For suggested places to stay, please see below).
Chicago has 2 airports.: O'Hare (ORD) served by United and American Airlines. Midway (MDW) served by low cost carriers such AirTran from Atlanta, Frontier from Denver/Phoenix and many more.
Weather expected in Chicago during May first week - around balmy 50 degrees F. NO SNOW.
SUGGESTED PLACES WHERE YOU CAN STAY: 1) Club House Inn and Suites, 630 Pasquinelli DrWestmont, IL 60559; (630) 920-2200. This is the place where the conference will be held. Raj Rajaram has reserved some rooms for the conference participants at $84.00 plus tax (Includes breakfast). 2) Homestead Studio Suites Chicago - Westmont - Oak Brook855 Pasquinelli Dr., Westmont, IL 60559, Telephone: 630-323-9292.This place is very near Club House Inn -- within walking distance. It's somewhat cheaper than Club House Inn (but does not include breakfast).
REGISTRATION: Please register with IDCA email: info@idc-america.org (with copy to ramn_wins@roadrunner.com). Registrants may send the check for $50.00 to IDCA, PO BOX 4673,Oakbrook, IL 60522-4673. If you have any questions, please contact Raj Rajaram(630 915 6176) or Ram Narayanan (716 875 9976). ________________________________________
“This life is short, the vanities of the world are transient, but they alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive.”
- Swami Vivekananda
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