From The President’s Desk

(A monthly newsletter published since April 2012by Dr. Neelima Desai and edited by Kanaka Cadambi on behalf of Navkshitij)

Back with a bang,andan award in recognition

From The President’s Desk

NAVKSHITIJ Marunji campus is gearing up to get back to normalcy, after COVID hit us again towards the end of May thisyear, forcing us to close the unit for five weeks.

Staff members returned to work on June 23. Our Resident Friends will return in early July. Special friends who had stayed back at the campus because they do not have families to go back to are waiting eagerly to reunite with their dear peers. These reunions are a delight to watch. The flow of happiness and the exchange of news as each Friend returns reflect the unconditional love that they have for each other, the staff members, and their families.

It gives me great happiness to share with you that I was one of the awardees of the Suryadatta Stree Shakti Rashtriya Puraskar 2021. Conferred by the Suryadatta Institute of Education, the award recognises the spirit of courage, pioneering contribution towards empowering women, and exceptional achievements in the chosen field. The award was presented by the Hon’ble Governor of Maharashtra and Goa, Mr. Bhagat Singh Koshayari, on June 27, in Mumbai.

We got solar street lights installed at the Marunji campus. We are grateful to Qubix Business Park Pvt Ltd, Hinjawadi, who sponsored the entire project.

We celebrated the birthdays of Friends Anand Idnani and Dattaraj Wagale, at Asawali, on June1.

On June 17, five Resident Friends and 22 staff members got their first dose of vaccination. A team of volunteers from Embassy Tech Park, Hinjawadi, organised a special session for our Friends at their campus in Hinjawadi. We express our deep felt thanks to Embassy Tech Park.

On June 21, we lost Friend Parag Deshpande to Covid. He came to Navkshitij in 2010. Shy by nature, Parag was very kind and ever ready to assist his friends in their daily activities. He loved making candles at the workshop. He enjoyed putting clothes inthe washing machineandcollectingthem from the dryingarea. We will miss hima lot.

With the monsoon now in full swing, our campuses are looking lush and green. At Asawali, our Friends are enjoying figs and jamuns.

The permissions for launching construction at our Asawali plot have reached the final stage. We will be constructing a compound wall around the plotsoon.

Take care. Stay safe.

Dr Neelima Desai

Making the best of the monsoon

WHEN it’s monsoon season, we look forward to gardening activities.

This time, we had to wait for the rains a bit. While we were waiting, we prepared small plots in the kitchen garden. When our gardening team felt it was the right time, we planted saplings of gawar, chawli, okra, cucumber and pumpkin, and sowed peanuts at Marunji. Now the saplings are growing and blooming, after about 20 days. We are waitingto enjoy the fresh andpure vegetables from our own garden.

We use organic fertilizers in our kitchen garden. We make organic compost from kitchen waste, fallen leaves, and garden waste.

At Asawali, special friends, with the help and guidance of staff members, take care of a fruit garden. The fig tree is fully loaded with sweet tasty fruits. There are three big jamun trees, which are giving good produce.

By Rameshwar Fundipalle,,General Manager, Operations

Upcoming Happenings

• July 26: Birthday celebrations for our July-born Friends

Month’s events

• June1: Common birthday celebrations

At Asawali: Workshopin progress (left); Sports Time (right)

At Marunji: Kitchen garden(left); Flowers in full bloom(right)

Left: Morning Exercise at Marunji;

Right: Asawali Friends and staff relaxing by the lake side