CATS in media

I am a little late in reporting back... but Earth Hour and Each One Teach One activities of CATS were well covered in print and electronic media.

Check out the Chandigarh Editins of HT & Tribune newspapers of 30th March. Indiapost also reported us on the web. http://www.theindiapost.com/?p=497

CAT Supreet

Letter from Ambedker School Principal

Letter from the Principal of Ambedker School in Janta Colony,

where CATS had distributed books and stationary for the

new academic year on 29th of March'08

Photo Gallery - EACH ONE TEACH ONE

This was the line-up of CATS at the EACH ONE TEACH ONE

books distribution ceremony at Ambedker School,

run by CARES society in Janta Colony, behind PGI.

(minus CAT Rita who had lost her car key and

minus CAT AP who was helping her to find it !!)

All the children in the front line presented a fabulous program for us.

The dias shared by CATS & Rotarians alike.
It was a moment of sheer pride for the ones who had contributed
towards the 'books fund' and made time for the
books distribution ceremony thereafter.
School children waited at every street corner
to guide us through the lybrinths of the Colony,
Choona lines welcomed us to the school,
the walls were whitewashed for us,
little girls showered petals on us,
the bouquets are still adorning my dining table.


Arvind, Rajeev and Avinash of Class V
'welcomed' us with a Hindi/English song.
It felt really special..
We had started getting that 'Chief Guest' sort of feeling by now!


Kanchan from Class I recited a lovely poem
'Hum Chhote Chhote Bachhe Hain'...
The frayed school belt failed to mar
the dignity of adorning the school uniform..
Power of education indeed outshines every adversity in a human being...

Creche Child Sibbu, simply bowled us all over with his renedition of
'Maa mujh ko bandook dilaa de'
The might of the Army Uniform could not conceal the child within...
On being asked in which class he studies,
Sibbu innocently replied, 'Bua ki class mein!!'

President of Rotary Club of Chandigarh, Mr Arvind Mehan started the Books Distribution,
after a very humbling 'Vote of Thanks' by Rajiv from Class V.
In fact Rotarian Darshan Mahendru immediately and appropriately
requested Rajiv that he must never use the word 'Gareeb' again
for education is empowering and enrichening experience in itself.

Rotarians insisted that I should be next to distribute the books,
in order to keep both Rotary and CATS at par.


Thereafter we adopted a simple 'Left to Right' policy...
Each CAT/Rotarian came on the dias to hand out the books,
as per their seat of occupation...
CAT Reeta doing the honours....

CAT Vasu a little perplexed.. Guess at a level it was an
overwhelming experience for CATS as well because
not long ago half of the CATS present,
were themselves in the schools mugging books!


Our darling CAT Gopika must have felt strange handing out books
to a girl child, who was practically as tall as her :-)

CAT Neerja is exploring the possibility of offering employment

to some of the ladies trained at the school

for sewing and embroidery...

That's the CATS spirit..... MEOW :-)

In case you are wondering what happened to the photos

of the rest of the CATS distributing books..

Our official photographer CAT Paramjeet was too busy

capturing the various moods of the school children :-)

One cherub caught blowing kisses...

Any guesses who's the target??

Some others are trying to make sense of this colourful lot

which had descended upon their school...

We sure hardly amounted to being old and wise enough to remotely

pass off as 'Chief Guests' to even these little minds ;-)

These had to literally pinch themselves to reality...
Kids must be having second thoughts
that if this is what becomes of a so called educated person

(...read CATS)...
then is it really worth it??!!!

Yet another child mulling over his future 'Role Models'
Bhai log ishtyle :-)


Innocence personified... A moving moment of silent prayer...
One little girl could not help praying,
'God save me from CATS'

Yet another budding moment loaded with thoughts...
What do you see in the picture?
An Officer...
A Doctor...
An Activist...
A Leader....


CATS... with almost all of the 133 school children, for whom we had bought the books and stationery for the new academic year starting from tomorrow.

All jokes aside, it was an extremely humbling experience for CATS. What had we really done to be treated like dignitaries? What we had contributed towards the books would not even be missed by most of us, but it meant the cost of knowledge for a whole year for these 133 children.

I urged these children to learn enough, so that when they become financially independent with dignity, then they should be able to fund the education of one child - Each One Teach One.

I am wondering if I could exhort my fellow CATS to ponder upon this little thought. Could we repeat this little feat each year CATS?

- CAT Supreet

CATS 'Each One Teach One' books distribution function

Little Sibbu of Ambedker School in Janta Colony, during our 'Each One Teach One' books distribution function this morning.

Recording quality is pretty bad but surely you can not miss the confidence with which he recited 'Maa mujh ko bandook dila de', wearing his mock Army Uniform :-)

Don't miss his JAI HIND!

CATS were simply bewitched by Sibbu.

CATS 'Each One Teach One' books distribution function

Anju and Manju singing ‘Itni Shakti Humein Dena Daata’… It was indeed Providential intervention indeed because of which CATS even thought of taking their first paws towards social responsibility.

Ironical that this was also the first ever thing CATS sang, prodded by CAT Rajesh and CAT Reeta in the bus on our very first trek to Nepli, even though playing Antaakshri has since become a norm in CATS.


Apologies for an extremely short video... CAT Rajpal and CAT Hemant were using the video mode as photo mode!