Inspirational.

* The Pursuit of Happyness
While on my California trip last month, I got to watch this movie. (Yeah, the word Happiness is spelt as "Happ yness in the movie name. In fact, there is a book with the same title.) This movie is based on a real life story of Chris Gardner. He is a self-made multimillionaire, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and philanthropist who struggled with homelessness while raising his toddler son, Christopher, during the early 1980s. The movie shows his struggle in those days - as a salesman and as an intern in a big finance company. At one point of time, he has lost his wife, his money, his house - pretty much everything, but hope. He toils and toils. He makes great effort so that his son is not affected by these adverse situations. He works hard, achieves success, and does not stop at that. Today, he is giving back to the society.
(Chris is played by Will Smith, and his son Christopher is played by Will Smith's son. Their acting is amazing, to say the least. I kept remembering the father-son pair in The Life Is Beautiful). The scene where Chris and his son have to spend a night in a metro station restroom shakes you from within.
You get out of the theatre awestruck and inspired. It's a must-watch. If any point of life you think you have lost everything, look at Chris Gardner's case.


* India Poised
http://www.indiapoised.com/
Many of you must have already had a look at this. At the turn of 2006, Times of India released this small piece of amazing writing - saying Let's Make 2007 the Year of India. It is a very inspirational piece. Amitabh Bachchan has, in fact, recited the anthem. And it does bring in effect.
One India Wants. The other India Hopes.
One India Leads. The other India follows.
Quietly, while the world is not looking, a pulsating, new, dynamic India is emerging. An India whose faith in success is far greater than its fear of failure. An India who no longer boycotts foreign made goods, but buys out the companies that make them instead.
Amazing! Do not forget to check out other columns/features on the main page.

* National Youth Day - Swami Vivekananda Janmadin - 12 January.
Vivekananda is beyond dates and anniversaries. He is beyond books, quotations, celebrations, poojaas. It's the message. Let us all, in true sense of the word, remember him and march on the path he showed. Let us believe in ourselves. Let us understand what our true duties are. Let us live - with our hearts feeling, with our brains thinking, with our hands working incessantly. Let us arise, awake and stop not, till the goal is reached. Let's be men - His Men.
Let's remember the words: "Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success."

-- Mandar Gadre.