Monthly Archives: August 2020

ODE TO THE POWER OF PRAYERS

In my darkest hour

When in darkness

I did grope

I knew that

There was a

Slight glimmer of hope

 

If one has ever

Experienced having

Dark clouds

Surrounding you

From which there

Is no escape

Power of Prayers

Is the Ray of Hope

 

No matter what

One Prays

For matter

What language

if one has absolute

Faith and prays

With sincerity

Surely there will

Be “Opening of the Gates”

 

Stay the course

No matter what

I can hear HIm say”:

“Lean on Me

I  surely will  be

There until

The Last Tear

Drop Falls”

 

Choicest Happiness

Farida Bamji

Aug 28th 2020

 

DR. MICKEY MEHTA’S “FITNESS SUPERFINE AT 59”

With a physiology of 21, biology of 31 and anatomy of an athlete.

The pioneering holistic health wizard continues to spearhead an evolution that threatens to upstage all the fitness fundas he once popularised in a meteoric career spanning four decades.

This is the journey of a legend from humble beginnings at the infamous Grant Road suburb in Mumbai to a career as the first fitness guru of India. The author, a philosopher, an institution, the brand, the dream life coach, the legendary…. Dr. Mickey Mehta completes 50 years of yoga.

Dr. Mickey Mehta holds distinct titles, he is referred to as the global leading holistic health guru, pioneer of equipment free training in India, world record holder in teaching swimming in 24 hours, first to introduce wellness to TV & radio in India, king of social media in wellness, only Asian to be listed on Wikipedia in holistic health category from India, one who has trained known Bollywood star, politicians and Mumbai police.

Dr. Mehta’s sends out daily wellness and philosophy – Get Mickeymized quotes to lakhs of followers since the last seven years, he is the only wellness icon to do so…

His Vision is Connecting with 7 billion hearts to make wellness the religion no. 1 with a mission to have a disease free world.

An honorary double doctorate in Holistic Health and Life Sciences, from the Open International University for Complementary Medicines.

He has interwoven Zen, Tao, Tantra, Ved, Greek and many more philosophies to develop holistic health systems to self-heal, transform and transcend. His healing focusses on mingling with the five elements and skilfully balancing them.

As an orator he has spoken globally at various forums on mindfulness, healing, immunity, wellness and much more… at Harvard University, IIMs, IIT and other coveted universities. He was the keynote speaker at the inaugural Speaking Tree (TOI) spiritual retreat in Cambodia. He has been invited to many medical conferences and high-profile literary festivals including the Times Litfest 2018. He has also held holistic health workshops in the USA, Oman, Thailand, Hong Kong, UAE, Turkey and Sri Lanka.

As an author Mickey’s content has enlightened masses through his superlative knowledge on wellness through his books ‘The Shoonyam Quotient’ / ‘Swasth Rahe Mast Rahe’ and “Lose weight gain shape” which blends ancient wisdom with modern science to give a better understanding of the process of transformation.

Dr Mickey Mehta’s long career is fuelled by passion for promoting health and happiness.

 

VEDIC MATHS IS SUCH FUN SAYS MATHS MAESTRO MINOO JOKHI

         Isn’t it amazing if you can calculate 47 multiply by 93 is 4371. And in a few seconds MENTALLY. And still better faster than a calculator. HUMAN COMPUTER Minoo Jokhi who has made his name in MATHEMAGIC CUM MEMORY DEVELOPMENT says it is possible.

Minoo loves to share Math Tricks. E.g. what is 65 multiply by 65. First multiply 5 and 5 which is 25 and take the first digit 6 and multiply it by the next number 7 and the answer is 42 and total answer is 4225. However, Minoo was not a child genius but someone who had a terrible childhood. He was so weak in his school days that he couldn’t do simple tables even till 10 or add or subtract small figures fast. He had practically lost hope that he would ever do something in his life till his 10th std when an amazing transformation took place.

Being ridiculed by his teachers and all children around him; Minoo started to learn basic TABLES until 20. He would add and subtract bus numbers and car numbers.  This soon became a Number Crunching Habit with Minoo. Encouraged by his mother Kety; Minoo soon started to love Numbers. His mother completely encouraged him and she brought up Minoo and his younger brother Hoshang up single handedly amidst lots of problems really well.

              Minoo loves to make Maths easy for kids and even grownups. He elaborates with more examples:       

36 multiply 11=396
68 multiply 11=748
When we multiply 36 and 11, Just write 3 and 6 leaving some space and add 3 and 6 to get 9 and the answer 396. And for 68 times 11 write 8 for the last digit of the answer and adding 6 and 8 we get 14 so write 4 and carry over 1 and add to 6 to get 7 and the answer 748.

With such fabulous and easy tricks; Minoo questions WHY FEAR NUMBERS? Fast Calculations really helps. One must not be dependent on calculators or mobile for small things. Minoo never keeps numbers in his cell phone saved as he is confident he can remember anyone’s number and straight away call when he has to. A firm believer in Never Give Up Attitude; Minoo today knows Maths Tables up to One Crore and remember Cube Roots up to 100 Crores( 1 Billion) ; can also multiply huge figures mentally at amazing speeds ; can tell you the day a person is born if you tell him your Date of Birth. E.g 19th October 1985 was a Saturday and many more such skills.

             Minoo has performed over 850 Mathemagic Shows. He has performed abroad 11 times which includes 7 visits to Sri Lanka and once to USA, Canada, Spain and Indonesia besides performing in various parts of India like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Kerala, Kolkata, Rajkot, Lonavala, Navsari and Dharampur.

              Minoo is the second Indian after General Sam Manekshaw to be conferred the prestigious Honorary Membership of the Rotary Club of Bombay Hills South. He has been featured in over 90 Newspapers and come over 10 times on Television. He has written over 40 articles on Memory Skills cum Maths Skills in Newspapers.

               The whole world is under Coronavirus attack at the moment. Minoo is extremely saddened to see people all around the globe succumb to the pandemic. Over 8,00,000 people have lost their lives. Being a very emotional person; Minoo is very unhappy about it and stresses the importance of staying POSITIVE MINDED and be brave. Acknowledge that there is a CRISIS and overcome it. For Minoo CRISIS means:

C— Create new choice and skills and thoughts

R— Rewrite your passions

I—- Introspect your mind, body and soul.

S— Stretch yourself to the fullest

I — innovative ideas and inspire yourself

S— Synergize your positive strength

 Minoo is positive that the MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA and the WHOLE WORLD will survive and the Coronavirus phase will go away soon.

               Minoo Jokhi is a friendly teacher. Children love his classes a lot. He conducts classes in Memory-Development, which is his specialty where he has various levels of Memory Enhancement Techniques Courses and also teaches Personality-Development, Public Speaking and Mathematics. He also is a Numerologist and provides Numerology Consultations. His future plans include writing books on Memory-Development and Acting and Modelling. He has acted in the T.V.Show Nagin 3  playing the role of a Pandit. He has also acted in Short Films.

            Minoo is also a talented cricketer and has played Cricket matches too. He was interviewed by ALL INDIA RADIO very recently twice in 2019 and 2020. He despite all the struggles, trials and tribulations is very optimistic about life. The best thing about this Mathemagician is that he is hungry to learn constantly and is very adaptable. He is a brilliant public speaker having won 15 first prizes, is an LIC Agent, has been a Green Belt in Karate and is an avid Yoga Performer.  He has also made a name for himself in Lawn Tennis where he has won various trophies at the club level. He has also run in 21 kilometres and 11 kilometres Marathon successfully.

                Talking more about Maths; Minoo trains students to learn Tables, Squares, Cubes all with ease. He demonstrates an observation:

12 times 12= 144.

21 times 21= 441.

And

13 times 13= 169

31 times 31 = 961

           Minoo can be contacted on 9821407519 by anyone who desires his services. His email is minoojokhi@rediffmail.com    He also has a website:www.minoojokhi.in   His facebook page and youtube channel are both by his name : Minoo Jokhi

   

 

 

 

 

Nergis Mavalvala named School of Science dean

Astrophysicist Nergis Mavalvala has been named the new dean of MIT’s School of Science, effective Sept. 1. She will succeed Michael Sipser, who will return to the faculty as the Donner Professor of Mathematics, after six years of service.

Mavalvala, the Curtis and Kathleen Marble Professor of Astrophysics, is renowned for her pioneering work in gravitational-wave detection, which she conducted as a leading member of LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory. She has received numerous awards and honors for her research and teaching, and since 2015 has been the associate head of the Department of Physics. Mavalvala will be the first woman to serve as dean in the School of Science.

“Nergis’s brilliance as a researcher and educator speaks eloquently for itself,” says MIT President L. Rafael Reif. “What excites me equally about her appointment as dean are the qualities I have seen in her as a leader: She is a deft, collaborative problem-solver, a wise and generous colleague, an incomparable mentor, and a champion for inclusive excellence. As we prepare for the start of this most unusual academic year, it gives me great comfort to know that the School of Science will remain in such capable hands.”

Provost Martin Schmidt announced the news today in a letter emailed to the MIT community, writing, “I very much look forward to working with Nergis and to benefiting from her unerring sense of scientific opportunity, infectious curiosity, down-to-earth manner and practical wisdom. I hope you will join me in congratulating her as she brings her great gifts as a leader to this new role.”

As with most everything she takes on, Mavalvala is energized and optimistic about the role ahead, even as she acknowledges the unprecedented challenges that the school, and the Institute as a whole, are facing in these shifting times.

“We’re in this moment where enormous changes are afoot,” Mavalvala says. “We’re in the middle of a global pandemic and economic challenge, and we’re also in a moment, at least in U.S. history, where the imperative for racial and social justice is really strong. As someone in a leadership position, that means you have opportunities to make an important and hopefully lasting impact.”

Leading with heart and mind

For the past five years as associate head of physics, Mavalvala oversaw the department’s academic programming and student well-being. She implemented new, more flexible doctoral requirements and exams, and expanded the department’s digital learning portfolio with the development of online versions for a number of core subjects. She also introduced changes to the department’s undergraduate and graduate advising, and helped to set in motion an extensive mentoring program.

In collaboration with department head Peter Fisher, she co-founded the Physics Values Committee, a group of faculty, staff, and students who advise the department on issues of well-being, respect, inclusion, collaboration, and mentorship. The committee developed the department’s first values statement, which has become a model for departments and units across MIT, and at other universities.

Mavalvala launched initiatives to meet the department’s goals of education and advising, while aiming to reduce stress and workload on students, faculty, and staff. She also helped to revise the department’s graduate admissions procedures in order to increase equity and promote a more diverse student body.

Mavalvala has also made it a priority to listen to students, through town hall meetings, open office hours, and by including student representatives in key departmental committees.

“I have had the privilege of working with some amazing people,” she says of her time as associate department head. She credits the many students and colleagues she has worked closely with, especially Fisher: “Through him, I’ve learned about leadership with compassion, with heart.”

“Learning the language”

Mavalvala was born in Lahore, Pakistan, and grew up in Karachi. A tinkerer by nature, she often got up to her elbows in grease as she absorbed herself in the mechanics of bike repair. In school, she gravitated to math and physics early on, and her parents, strong advocates of both their daughters’ education, encouraged her to apply to college overseas.

At Wellesley College, she earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and astronomy, before moving to MIT in 1990, where she pursued a PhD in physics. Her advisor, Rainier Weiss, now professor emeritus of physics, was working out how to physically realize his idea of an interferometer to detect gravitational waves — minute disturbances rippling out through space from cataclysmic events millions to billions of light years away.

Mavalvala dove into the fledgling project, helping Weiss to build an early prototype of a gravitational-wave detector as part of her PhD thesis. Weiss’ idea would eventually take shape as LIGO, the twin 4-kilometer-long interferometers that in 2016 made the first direct detection of gravitational waves, a historic discovery that won Weiss and others the 2017 Nobel Prize in physics.

After completing her PhD work at MIT, Mavalvala went to Caltech in 1997 as a postdoc, studying the cosmic microwave background. In 2000, she joined on as a staff scientist at the LIGO Laboratory, where researchers were collaborating with Weiss’ group at MIT to build LIGO’s detectors. She spent two years with the Caltech team before accepting a position that took her back to MIT, where she joined the faculty in 2002 as assistant professor of physics.

Since then, she has helped to build up the MIT LIGO group, where she has worked to design and improve different parts of the interferometers. She also has led a team of scientists in developing tools to study and manipulate the barely perceptible quantum effects on LIGO’s massive detectors.

“To make an experiment like LIGO work, as large and complex that it is, takes the collaboration of hundreds of scientists, across geographical and cultural distances,” says Mavalvala, who sees useful crossover with her new role at the School of Science helm. “It’s good training for the dean’s position, because that’s going to require also spanning not just different fields of physics, but different fields of science, and learning the language of those fields.”

Mavalvala is a recipient of numerous honors and awards, including in 2010 the MacArthur Fellowship. In 2014, the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals recognized her as the LGBTQ+ Scientist of the year, and in 2015 she was awarded the Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, as part of the LIGO team. In 2017, she was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. That same year, the Carnegie Corporation of New York recognized Mavalvala as a Great Immigrant honoree. She is also the first recipient of the Lahore Technology Award, given by the Information Technology University, a public university in Pakistan.

“A better MIT”

Mavalvala is optimistic about the road ahead and credits her predecessors, and especially Michael Sipser, for paving the way.

“In some ways, the years leading up to the pandemic have been good years for MIT from the side of scientific discovery, and our impact on the world,” Mavalvala says. “I’m awed by the number of things that Mike has done and has left in good shape. I will always be grateful for that, and plan to carry on with the many things that work well, while also continually improving what we do and how we do it, as needs and demands shift.”

Since LIGO’s first detection of gravitational waves was reported in 2016, Mavalvala, with her deep passion for science and lively personality, has been sought after as a sort of unofficial ambassador to the public on behalf of astrophysics and STEM more broadly. Her identity as an openly queer immigrant woman scientist of color has also brought her public attention. As she takes on her new role, Mavalvala plans to continue to engage a wide audience with her passion for science and discovery.

“MIT is one of the top places in the world for doing cutting-edge science, and we will continue to maintain that eminence. At the same time, we also have to push on issues of diversity, issues of racial and social justice, and of work-life balance,” says Mavalvala, who is also a parent of two children. “There’s this idea at places like MIT that to be as excellent as we are in science and education, that has to come at the cost of all other aspects of being human. I reject that idea. So part of what I’d like to do, and part of my vision of a better MIT, is to find ways for those things to coexist, in good balance. I don’t have any illusions that some of these things will be harder to do, but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.”

 

http://news.mit.edu/2020/nergis-mavalvala-science-dean-0817

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