What is Sustainable Development?

“Sustainable development means survival” Prime Minister of Bhutan, Lyonchen Jigme Y. Thinley said in his opening speech in Rio, Brazil during the recent UN conference on Sustainable Development. He also added that ‘sustainability, wellbeing and happiness are still within our reach’, ‘sustainability is absolutely necessary and not a choice’ (Kuensel, 22^nd June 2012).

Sustainable development, according to the World Commission on Environment and Development: “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Sustainable development means bringing prosperity, improvement in the quality of life, meeting our desires and aspirations by reducing pollution and waste, without damaging the prospects of future generations and by helping our neighbors preserve common resources. Time has really become crucial for all of us to work in partnership with one another towards sustainable development. Every individual, every business, and every government must play their distinctive parts.

To my understanding and to put it in the simple words; sustainable development means using available resources judiciously, remaining satisfied with what we have, not crave for something that is not ours and think and leave a share for the future generations. 

If we play our part and take care of our own premises, I feel the world will take care of itself automatically.

My Favourite Kitten, Morab

Morab, my beautiful kitten, beloved one of my family members made whole members grieve when she found her family circle and bade us farewell on 19^th July 2012. She was the only survivor of the three kittens given birth by their mother. The other two succumbed to strange disease, which the Veterinary doctor could not detect, in the cold month of February 2012. Morab was the most beautiful of the three. So, we named her Morab meaning ‘the beautiful’.       

She was handed over to her new owner with heavy heart and lots of kisses of love. It was not without difficulty. Our eyes, my wife and mine, became filled with tears that blocked our vision. When she was taken from us she uttered ‘maio’ as if like telling us that she is going away from us. We could not summon courage against our emotions to look after her when she was literally taken away from us by her new owner saying that she will take good care of Morab. The separation was almost like parents separating from their beloved children because the close bondage we had with Morab was not less than parents and children.

One may ask why then did we separate from each other’s company. The reason was unfortunate. Her mother gave birth to another three kittens. All three are seen like females. Morab herself reached the stage where she can conceive any time. It was foreseen that our house may become breeding centre of cats. Kittens stay only with us. It does not enjoy staying in the separate rooms once it becomes acquainted with us. Moreover, Kittens defecate everywhere. It emits foul smell. Such smell is not welcoming especially to the outside guests. This simple reason prompted my wife and me not to object to new owner when she came to ask for it.

Later I realized that we could have at least waited to get consent from our elder daughter who loves animals more than anybody in the family. Once when Morab became sick and denied to take anything, she wept quietly and denied to take her meals. We thought that even our eldest daughter would fall sick. Fortunately, Morab became alright which returned my daughter’s joy and appetite. Same thing may not happen this time and I must not let it happen. The first thing she asked when she came home from school was ‘where is Morab?’ She knows that Morab gets inside the house along with her when she comes from school normally.  Mother and I were guilty, we could not say anything. Standing quietly for sometime waiting for our response, she understood the matter. She went to her room, placed her books in front and was pretending to write home works in our presence. However, her eyes were red and watery. I went near her and consoled her by saying that all three kittens we have at present are hers and that all three will not be given to anyone.

Nothing remains firm forever. Looking at my family’s exceptional love for animals, infliction of unbearable pain of separation, and the prick of suffering from indecisiveness make me feel that I will remain good but not become too close with any animal hereafter.          

    

Dawn till Dusk

Early in the morning I get up, brush my teeth, and go to my altar to make water offering on normal days and to light butter lamps as well on special occasions. In doing so I always chant ‘Baza Guru’ though I do not know any other prayers by heart. Next I go to the kitchen, prepare tea and if I have lesson to prepare I do that. Otherwise I open my laptop and do something with it.

As I have to take medicines, I do not skip any meal. After breakfast, I come to school to start assembly and begin classes. Though most of the time, assembly passes without my comment, yet sometimes, good things that deserve praises as well as something unpleasant that needs public denouncement propel me to speak. My day begins; conducting short meeting, seeking suggestions, and making informal talks with my colleagues.

I get my period either in second or third period. Prior to my lessons, to energize or to seek attention, I talk to my students for about 5-10 minutes. The topic I share varies. It is not related to the topics that I teach as part of the class. I talk of values like the need to respect time in life, abiding by the sense of punctuality, having the feeling of patriotism, practicing driglam Namzha, observing Bhutanese etiquette everywhere, and commenting on the recent developments in school and many more. Class starts by observing short silence. As far as I am concerned, I am feeling that my class is getting lively and interactive. Many students tell too. However, I do not know for sure. I do not have documentary film or statistical data to support my assumptions.

Unless we have other special programs, my school time ends by 3.45 pm bell. I go home. I engage myself in helping my wife with gardening work when she has her work in our kitchen garden. I have to engage myself in some ways otherwise I become restless. If not in the kitchen garden, I have to either pick a book and read it with pillow under my neck, or watch news channels in the TV, or go round school campus or take a peaceful nap. That has to be done. It has become my routine.

At 7.00pm, I listen to BBS news. At 8.30 pm, I watch Hindi serial till 9.30 pm. There ends my day.

It is good, I am doing something. But am I doing what I am supposed to do. Have I come just for those programs? Have I not been sent to practice the teachings of Lord Buddha? Falling hair making head bald or hair turning grey on my head is apparent. Am I ...not... getting late?        

Do not judge book by cover, man by face!

Men are born different. They are like books with different covers. Unless you read a book you will not understand the real content of it. It will be an utter misjudgment to comment of it by looking at its cover. You may have to repent if you set aside some books concluding it to be worthless looking at its cover.

So is the case with men. Some are born with scary looks but soft inside, some are with peaceful face but filled with negativism inside, some are born talkative, some are reserved, some anticipates respect while some respect others. It would be equally wrong and regrettable thing to judge a man by looking at his external face. To discover precious gold or less important charcoal, one has to have close acquaintance with a man at least over months. It would be inadequate to judge a man by talking for an hour or so. 

It is sad thing to note that  many do conclude of man in a wrong way quite often. Many bosses think that the subordinates who remain simple and respectful to them are incapable. They do not see whether the subordinate does anything worthwhile or not. They finalize it by concluding that such subordinates do not perform duty effectively.  On the contrary, no matter what but they think the persons who talk to them directly without respect are highly capable.

I feel this is one mistake our bosses are committing. I am in a cross road and wondering whether I should also talk to my seniors, superiors in equal terms to gain their assurance. If I really want to do that I can! 

School Foundation day (10th March 2012)

Today, we are celebrating our 8^th School Foundation day. We are very young, very tender comparing to school like Ugyen Dorji Higher Secondary School which will be celebrating its centennial, hundred years of its foundation this May 2^nd coinciding with our Teachers’ Day. Though young, yet we have run a race with them, we have given them neck to neck competition, we have left some of the established schools far behind, we are running at par with some of them and we are about to catch some of the highly established and reputed schools of our kingdom. This race will go on. It will never stop.

In the process, we have made lot of changes and brought lot of new development. I have a long list of achievement to share. But, in the interest of time, I will not share all that. However, I will not feel comfortable or happy, if I do not share about the academic achievement of our school over the years.

In 2008, one year prior to my joining this school, I was told that there were 14 students who got professional courses abroad. In 2009, there were 11 of them who got professional courses. In 2010, it was little unfortunate, only 2 students qualified for professional courses. However, we have started rising to our former position in 2012. We have 6 students who got professional courses. Many of them got CST, kharbandi, many in Sherubtse College, Geddu College and in other premier institutes.

Comparing to our population and size of our land, producing that many intellectuals is also a huge contribution to our country. Not far from now, we would see lots of doctors in hospitals, lots of engineers in the mega project construction site, many architects, highly demanded in the construction site and many reputed teachers in the highly renowned schools from Baylling. I can foresee it. It is not so far. I will be able to see that type of situation in my own life time.

 Another significant, hallmark, milestone our school is achieving is the launch of our school’s website. We have launched this to link ourselves with the education fraternity of our country and of the world.  With the launch, we have enabled our students and everyone to keep our school on their fingertips, enabled to take Baylling HSS very close to their hearts at home, in the market, different parts of our country and the world.  You can view your results, programs of the school, infrastructure and many more of our school from anywhere. You can now only click on to our web address or domain name www.bayllinghss.edu.bt.

It has been my dream and passion to create website for our school for the last two years. Only today, 10^th March 2012, I see my dream getting fulfilled, my dream coming true. This day is significant not only in relation to our school, it is also so significant in relation to my personal life.

Success of this program is because of our friend, Mr. Sajeev NM, whom I like to designate as web master or web administrator. I like to acknowledge him. He has sacrificed whole winter learning the ways to design, upload and use different colour patterns. He had done all that making personal payment. Thank you, Mr. Sajeev. I also like to thank Mr. Nima Tshering, Chief Editor of our Newsletters for his contribution in the newsletter pages and Ms. Rigzin Yangchen for her invaluable contribution in the newsletter.

Before I conclude, I request our today’s Guest of Honor, to kindly grace our ceremony of launching our website into the air traffic. ….

Thank you, Sir, for launching our web with your prayer so pure. With due respect to our guest of honor, I declare our web opened to air traffic.

Wish everyone a very very Happy School Foundation Day. Many many happy returns of the day!

My Memorable Day

It was in the year 1990 when I just completed my class VIII from Wangdi Junior High School. Driven by need, I had to work at Dechenpelri Thang, Bumthang in the cold snowy winter as shephard. Looking after sheep was not a problem. It was rather a pleasure. I enjoyed it.

However, going to Chamkhar town to get the monthly ration, on foot was something I cannot forget it. It is dreadening to even think of those days. I had to walk 10 kms up and 10 kms back home. Worst thing is I was with 20 kgs of rice on back, 5 litres of oil on one hand and few kgs of vegetables on another hand. I never used to reach back home without blisters on both my foot. I used to get sick for 2-3 days when I travel to Bumthang once.

But that experience isn't without significance. That hardship taught me to work hard in life. I realized that life isn't bed of roses which many of us think.