The Inspiring Story of an Ant
One morning I wasted nearly an hour watching a tiny ant carry a huge feather across my back terrace. Several times it was confronted by obstacles in its path and after a momentary pause it would make the necessary detour. At one point the ant had to negotiate a crack in the concrete about 10mm wide. After brief contemplation the ant laid the feather over the crack, walked across it and picked up the feather on the other side then continued on its way.
I was fascinated by the ingenuity of this ant, one of God’s smallest creatures. It served to reinforce the miracle of creation. Here was a minute insect, lacking in size yet equipped with a brain to reason, explore, discover and overcome. But this ant, like the two-legged co-residents of this planet, also shares human failings. After some time the ant finally reached its destination – a flower bed at the end of the terrace and a small hole that was the entrance to its underground home. And it was here that the ant finally met its match. How could that large feather possibly fit down that small hole? Of course it couldn’t. So the ant, after all this trouble and exercising great ingenuity, overcoming problems all along the way, just abandoned the feather and went home.
The ant had not thought the problem through before it began its epic journey and in the end the feather was nothing more than a burden. Isn’t life like that! We worry about our family, we worry about money or the lack of it, we worry about work, about where we live, about all sorts of things. These are all burdens – the things we pick up along life’s path and lug them around the obstacles and over the crevasses that life will bring, only to find that at the destination they are useless and we can’t take them with us.
अभियंत्यांची फॅक्टरी!
लेखिका:सुचिता देशपांडे, (लोकसत्ता वृत्तपत्र )
suchita.deshpande@expressindia.com
अभियांत्रिकी विद्याशाखांचा विस्तार आणि उपयोजन यात सातत्यपूर्ण वाढ होत असली तरीही उद्योगक्षेत्राचे सद्य स्वरूप वा गरजांचे प्रतिबिंब अभियांत्रिकीच्या पदवी अभ्यासक्रमात आजही दिसून येत नाही. पाठांतरावर भर देणारी शिक्षणपद्धती आजही अभियांत्रिकी विद्याशाखेत सुखेनैव नांदत आहे. अशा या भूलभुलैयात एक प्रश्न मात्र कायम राहतो, तो म्हणजे तंत्रज्ञानाची आस असणारा खराखुरा अभियंता आपण कधी घडविणार? १५ सप्टेंबर रोजी देशभर साजरा केल्या जाणाऱ्या ‘इंजिनीअर्स डे’च्या निमित्ताने अभियांत्रिकी शिक्षणाच्या सद्यस्थितीचा एक धांडोळा-
अभियंता हा राष्ट्रउभारणीतील पडद्यामागचा खरा शिल्पकार असतो. मग ते एका धरणाचे बांधकाम असो वा तंत्रज्ञानाच्या सहाय्याने घेतलेली गरूडझेप असो, त्यामागच्या सांघिक कामगिरीत अभियंत्याचा वाटा हा लक्षणीय असतो. तंत्रज्ञानाच्या एकाहून एक सरस करामती साकारणाऱ्या महत्त्वपूर्ण अशा अभियांत्रिकी विद्याशाखेचा आज विस्तार वाढतोय आणि उपयोजनही! असे असले तरी उद्योगक्षेत्राचे सद्य स्वरूप वा गरजांचे प्रतिबिंब अभियांत्रिकीच्या पदवी अभ्यासक्रमात आजही दिसून येत नाही. अभियांत्रिकीच्या मूलभूत शिक्षणापेक्षा पदवी प्रमाणपत्राच्या भेंडोळ्याचेच कौतुक आज अधिक होताना दिसते. तंत्रज्ञानाची आस म्हणून नव्हे तर वेतनाच्या फुगीर आकडय़ासाठी या विद्याशाखेचा प्रवेश विद्यार्थी-पालकांना आज महत्त्वाचा वाटू लागला आहे आणि म्हणूनच आज अभियांत्रिकीची पदवी संपादन केलेला विद्यार्थी उद्योगक्षेत्रातील सद्यस्थितीविषयी, त्यातील अद्ययावत बदलांविषयी खरोखरीच जागरूक असतो का आणि एक अभियंता म्हणून तो या क्षेत्रात स्वत:चे योगदान देऊ शकतो का, हा प्रश्न कायम राहतो.
आज विविध विद्याशाखेतील अभियंत्यांची संख्या वाढतेय, आज अभियांत्रिकी क्षेत्राचा परीघ विस्तारतोय. मात्र उद्योगक्षेत्र आणि विद्यापीठ-महाविद्यालयांमध्ये आजही म्हणावा तितका सुसंवाद दिसून येत नाही. म्हणूनच प्रत्यक्ष उद्योगक्षेत्राला अपेक्षित असलेले मनुष्यबळ आणि पदवीधारक विद्यार्थ्यांने संपादन केलेले शिक्षण यात आजही कमालीची तफावत दिसून येते. त्यात आशादायक बाब अशी आहे की, ‘कॉर्पोरेट सोशल रिस्पॉन्सिबिली’चा भाग म्हणून आज आघाडीच्या काही कॉर्पोरेट कंपन्या अभियांत्रिकी शिक्षणात आपले योगदान देताना दिसू लागल्या आहेत. टाटा इन्फोटेक लॅबोरेटरी, इन्टेल मायक्रोइलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स लॅबोरेटरी, टाटा कन्सल्टन्सी सव्‍‌र्हिसेसच्या पुढाकाराने सुरू करण्यात आलेली लॅबोरेटरी फॉर इंटेलिजन्ट इंटरनेट रीसर्च, व्हीएलएसआय डिझाइन अ‍ॅण्ड डिव्हाइस कॅरेक्टरायझेशन, टेक्सास इन्स्ट्रमेन्टस् डिजिटल सिग्नल प्रोसेसिंग, वाधवानी इलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स लॅबोरेटरी, क्सिलिक्स एफपीजीए लॅबोरेटरी, कमिन्स इंजिन रीसर्च लॅबोरेटरी आदी महत्त्वपूर्ण प्रयोगशाळांचा यात समावेश आहे. या आणि अशा आणखी काही कॉर्पोरेट कंपन्यांतर्फे अभियांत्रिकी महाविद्यालयात अद्ययावत प्रयोगशाळांची निर्मिती तसेच विद्यार्थी- प्राध्यापकवर्गाचे प्रशिक्षण वर्ग आयोजित केले जात आहेत. यात अभियांत्रिकी विद्यार्थ्यांसाठी २००७ सालापासून हाती घेण्यात आलेल्या विप्रो लिमिटेडच्या ‘मिशन टेन एक्स’ या महत्त्वाकांक्षी उपक्रमाचाही प्रामुख्याने उल्लेख करावा लागेल. ‘विप्रो’च्या ‘क्वान्टम इनोव्हेशन प्रोजेक्ट’चा ‘मिशन टेन एक्स’ हा एक भाग असून या उपक्रमाअंतर्गत अभियांत्रिकीची पदवी प्राप्त केलेल्या विद्यार्थ्यांमध्ये रोजगारभिमुखता वाढावी, यासाठी प्रयत्न केले जातात.
कॉर्पोरेट कंपन्यांतर्फे अभियांत्रिकीच्या उच्च शिक्षणासंदर्भात हाती घेण्यात आलेल्या विविध प्रकल्पांत प्रयोगशाळांच्या स्थापनेसोबत देशभरातील अभियांत्रिकी विद्यार्थी तसेच प्राध्यापकवर्गासाठी प्रशिक्षण कार्यशाळा आयोजित केल्या जातात. यात अभियांत्रिकी अभ्यासक्रमाचा ताळमेळ हा उद्योगाच्या सद्य गरजांशी कसा घालता येईल, यावर मंथन केले जाते. देशातील विविध अभियांत्रिकी शिक्षणसंस्थांच्या सहकार्याने वा संलग्नतेने असे उपक्रम राबवले जात आहेत. अशा गिन्याचुन्या उपक्रमांची संख्या आगामी काळात अधिक वाढली तर अभियांत्रिकीचे शिक्षण घेणाऱ्या विद्यार्थ्यांचे संबंधित विद्याशाखांतील सद्यस्थितीचे आकलन वाढण्यास मदत होईल. अशा तऱ्हेचे विद्यापीठ आणि कॉर्पोरेट कंपन्यांनी एकत्रित काम करण्याचे प्रयत्न परदेशी विद्यापीठांमध्ये मोठय़ा प्रमाणावर होताना दिसून येतात. तिथे अध्यापनाच्या पलीकडे पोचत महत्त्वपूर्ण उपक्रमांचा समन्वय साधण्याचे कामही विद्यापीठे करताना दिसतात. त्या तुलनेत आपल्याकडील विद्यापीठे मात्र अभ्यासक्रम, परीक्षापद्धती आणि निकालपद्धती यांच्या घोळात इतकी अडकलेली असतात की, त्या पलीकडच्या बाहेरील जगातील अद्ययावत तंत्रज्ञानाची दखल घेण्याची, त्यासंबंधित कौशल्याची ओळख विद्यार्थ्यांना करून देण्याची आवश्यकता विद्यापीठांना भासत नाही.
आपल्या देशात ‘इंजिनीअर्स डे’ हा साजरा केला जातो तो महान अभियंता सर एम. विश्वेश्वरय्या यांच्या जन्मदिनानिमित्त! ज्यांनी आपल्या प्रगाढ बुद्धिमत्तेचा उपयोग परदेशात जाण्यासाठी नाही, तर देशाच्या महत्त्वपूर्ण पायाभूत सुविधा प्रकल्पांमध्ये अमूल्य योगदान देण्यासाठी केला. आज मात्र आपल्याकडील बहुसंख्य प्रज्ञावान विद्यार्थी बहुराष्ट्रीय कंपन्यांमध्ये भरभक्कम वेतनाचे पॅकेज हातात पडून परदेशात स्थायिक होण्यात धन्यता मानतात. अशा हुशार विद्यार्थ्यांनी मायदेशात वळावे आणि त्यांच्या ज्ञानाचा उपयोग देशासाठी व्हावा, यासाठीही देशपातळीवर होणारे प्रयत्न तोकडे पडतात. ज्येष्ठ वैज्ञानिक आणि माजी राष्ट्रपती डॉ. अब्दुल कलाम यांनी एका भाषणात आयआयटीला पांढरा हत्ती असे संबोधन वापरले होते. देशाच्या पैशावर अद्ययावत सुविधांनिशी प्रगत ज्ञान प्राप्त करणारे हे विद्यार्थी आपल्या देशाच्या तंत्रज्ञानविषयक प्रगतीत नंतर किती वाटा उचलतात, हा त्यांचा बिनतोड सवाल होता. सरकारी महाविद्यालयात पदवी शिक्षणाच्या चार वर्षांत सरकारचे लाखाहून अधिक रुपये एका अभियांत्रिकीच्या विद्यार्थ्यांवर खर्च होत असतात. मात्र त्याची परतफेड करण्याची गरज विद्यार्थ्यांना वाटत नाही. अभियांत्रिकी शिक्षणात नावाजलेल्या महाविद्यालयांमधून जे हुशार विद्यार्थी अभियंते म्हणून बाहेर पडतात, त्यातील अनेकजण व्यवस्थापन अभ्यासक्रमाच्या वळचणीला जातात. पुढे एखाद्या बहुराष्ट्रीय कंपनीत घसघशीत वेतन मिळवताना तो करत असलेल्या कामाचा आणि अभियांत्रिकी शिक्षणाचा दुरान्वयानेही संबंध उरत नाही. अशा वाढत्या ट्रेंडमुळे प्रत्यक्ष अभियांत्रिकी क्षेत्रात काम करणाऱ्या अभियंत्याचा तुटवडाही आज उद्योग क्षेत्रात जाणवू लागला आहे.
अभियांत्रिकीच्या पदवी शिक्षणात अद्ययावत तंत्रज्ञानाचा वेध घेतला जाणे अपेक्षित आहे. मात्र इतर विद्याशाखांप्रमाणेच अभियांत्रिकी शिक्षणाचा विद्यापीठ स्तरावरील अभ्यासक्रम बदलण्यासाठी १० वर्षांचा कालावधी उलटावा लागतो. यंत्रणांच्या घोळात केवळ बोटावर मोजता येतील, अशी गिनीचुनी स्वायत्त महाविद्यालयांची संख्या वगळता इतरांच्या वाटय़ाला येणारी शैक्षणिक स्वायत्तता मात्र शून्य आहे. आज अभियांत्रिकी पदवी शिक्षणाच्या विविध विद्याशाखांत चार वर्षांमध्ये जे भाराभर विषय शिकवले जातात, त्याची बऱ्यापैकी ओळख विद्यार्थ्यांना होत असते खरी, मात्र त्या विषयांमध्ये सखोल ज्ञान मिळण्यासाठी काय करता येईल, याची वाट विद्यार्थ्यांना दाखवून देणेही आवश्यक आहे.
इतर कुठल्याही पदवी अभ्यासक्रमातील त्रुटी आज अभियांत्रिकी अभ्यासक्रमातही कायम आहेत, ज्यात सॉफ्ट स्किल्सची परिणामकारकता वा ती शिकण्याची अपरिहार्यता विद्यार्थ्यांना लक्षात येत नाही. अभियांत्रिकी पदवीच्या पहिल्या वर्षी तोंडी लावण्यापुरता अर्थशास्त्र विषय असतो खरा, पण त्यात उत्तीर्ण होण्यापुरत्या पाटय़ा टाकण्यात विद्यार्थ्यांना गैर वाटत नाही. एक मात्र नक्की, की शिक्षणानंतर प्रत्यक्ष करिअर करताना जी भावनिक बुद्धिमत्ता सर्वाधिक महत्त्वाची ठरते, त्यासंदर्भातील शिक्षणाचा लवलेशही आजही अभियांत्रिकी पदवी शिक्षणात दिसून येत नाही. आजही शिक्षण जीवनाभिमुख वा एकात्म नसल्याची चुणूकच यातून दिसून येते.
यंदा राज्यभरात अभियांत्रिकी शिक्षणाच्या ४२ हजार प्रवेशजागा रिक्त आहेत. याची वेगवेगळी कारणे दिसून येतात. सामायिक प्रवेश परीक्षेत कमी गुण मिळाल्यामुळे अभियांत्रिकीच्या प्रवेशापासून वंचित राहिलेले विद्यार्थी जसे आहेत, तसेच अवाजवी फीवाढ आणि भरमसाठ अभियांत्रिकी महाविद्यालयांना दिलेली परवानगी हेदेखील यामागचे कारण आहे. त्यापलीकडचे आणखी एक कारण म्हणजे आज अव्वाच्या सव्वा पैसे भरून चार वर्षांंनी अभियांत्रिकीची पदवी पदरी पडण्याच्या अपेक्षा करण्याऐवजी एखाद्या मान्यताप्राप्त संगणक संस्थेत वर्ष-दोन वर्षांचा कॉम्प्युटर वा इलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स विषयक कोर्स करण्याकडे मुलांचा अधिक कल दिसून येतो.
आज वर्षांकाठी महाराष्ट्रात सुमारे सव्वा लाख विद्यार्थी अभियांत्रिकीची पदवी संपादन करतात. गुणवत्ता जपणाऱ्या काही महाविद्यालयांचा अपवाद वगळता नफेखोरीचा धंदा मांडणाऱ्या अभियांत्रिकी महाविद्यालयाचा सुळसुळाटच आज अधिक दिसून येतो. तिथल्या शिक्षणाचा दर्जा आणि तिथल्या पायाभूत सोयीसुविधा सुमार दर्जाच्या असतात. त्या महाविद्यालयाचा अत्यल्प निकाल, चौकशी समित्यांचे महाविद्यालयांवर ठपका ठेवलेले अहवाल हेच अधोरेखित करीत असतात. अशा स्थितीत दरवर्षी पदवी घेऊन बाहेर पडलेल्या सव्वा लाख नव्याकोऱ्या अभियंत्यांच्या कौशल्याबद्दल आणि त्यांच्या ज्ञानाबद्दल छातीठोकपणे भाष्य कोण करेल? आणि मग पदवीच्या अखेरच्या वर्षांत आघाडीच्या नामांकित महाविद्यालयांतील गुणवान विद्यार्थ्यांना कॅम्पस इंटरव्ह्य़ूद्वारे बडय़ा कंपन्यांचे दार खुले होते खरे, मात्र त्यांच्याबरोबरीने सर्वसाधारण महाविद्यालयांमधून बाहेर पडणाऱ्या हजारो विद्यार्थ्यांचा स्ट्रगल पीरिअड मात्र तेव्हा सुरू झालेला असतो.. या विद्यार्थ्यांना वाली कोण?
आपली विद्यापीठे ही परीक्षापद्धती, अभ्यासक्रम, निकालातील घोळात अडकून पडलेल्या असतात. महाविद्यालये नफ्याची गणितं जमविण्यात व्यग्र असतात. त्यासाठी शिक्षक, शिक्षकेतर कर्मचाऱ्यांच्या संख्येला कात्री लावली जाते, प्रयोगशाळा, पायाभूत सुविधांना ग्रहण लागते. या सर्वावर करडी नजर ठेवणे ज्यांच्याकडून अपेक्षित आहे, ती विद्वत सभा, विविध अभ्यास मंडळं, परीक्षा मंडळं, विद्यार्थी संघटना हे परस्परांवर कुरघोडीचे राजकारण करण्यात गर्क असतात. अशा वेळेस विद्यार्थीहिताकडे कुणाचे लक्ष जाणार?
आज अभियांत्रिकी विद्याशाखा हे एक फॅक्टरी बनली आहे. अव्वाच्या सव्वा फी आकारणाऱ्या क्लासेसनी आपले चांगले बस्तान बसवले आहे. अभ्यासाची गाईडस् लोकप्रिय होऊ लागली आहेत. अगदी आता-आतापर्यंत जिथे आयआयटीचा प्रवेश या मुलाच्या बुद्धिमत्तेवर होतो, असे जिथे मानले जायचे, तिथे लाखो क्लासेसचा सुळसुळाट झाला आहे.
आज अभियांत्रिकी महाविद्यालयांमध्ये जे प्रोजेक्ट वर्क केले जाते, त्याची प्रक्रिया समजून घेणे हा मौजेचा अनुभव ठरावा. अभियांत्रिकीच्या विद्यार्थ्यांंना सामूहिकरीत्या वा व्यक्तिगतरीत्या जे प्रोजेक्ट सादर करावे लागते, त्यात मोठय़ा प्रमाणावर वाङ्मयचौर्य वा सरळसरळ प्रोजेक्ट विकत घेण्याचे गैरप्रकार बोकाळले आहेत. यात प्रोजेक्टचा अभ्यासक्रमात ज्यासाठी अंतर्भाव करण्यात आला आहे, त्या मूळ उद्देशालाच तडा जात आहे.
अभियांत्रिकी पदवीचा विद्यार्थी हा अंतिम वर्षांत पोहोचतो, तेव्हा आठ सत्रांमध्ये तो विविध विषयांचे ज्ञान (?) कमावतो. अशा वेळेस अभियांत्रिकी पदवीच्या अंतिम वर्षांत विद्यार्थ्यांने आतापर्यंत शिकलेल्या विषयांचे एकत्रित उपयोजन का असू नये? आतापर्यंत त्याने प्राप्त केलेल्या ज्ञानावर अवलंबित परीक्षा घेता येणार नाही का? मात्र तसे प्रयत्न होताना दिसत नाहीत. त्याऐवजी पाठांतरावर भर देणारी शिक्षणपद्धती आजही अभियांत्रिकी शिक्षणात नांदत आहे आणि म्हणूनच एक चांगला अभियंता होण्याच्या दृष्टीने विद्यार्थ्यांची कौशल्ये विकसित होताना दिसत नाहीत.
या सगळ्यात पदवी घेऊन बाहेर पडतो तो एक सपक अभियंता आणि त्याच्या या लौकिक यशात सारे आपला आनंद मानत असतात, तो स्वत विद्यार्थी झालो कसाबसा म्हणत स्वत:च सुखावत असतो. त्याचे पालक पाल्याच्या इंजिनीअर होण्यात धन्यता मांडत असतात, क्लास, कॉलेज उत्तम निकाल लागण्याच्या नादात हरखून जात असतात आणि विद्यापीठही अधिक सुस्त होते. अशा या भूलभुलैयात एक प्रश्न मात्र कायम राहतो, तो म्हणजे तंत्रज्ञानाची आस असणारा खराखुरा अभियंता आपण कधी घडविणार?
Wings Of Fire…
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Ex. President, India(Bharat)
What I was wanted to say was that no one, however poor,, underprivileged or small , need feel dishearted about life problems are a part of life suffering is the essence of success. A someone said:
God has not promised
Skies always blue
Flower strewn pathways
All our life through
God has not promised
Sun without rain
Joy without sorrow
Peace without pain.
I will not be presumptuous enough to say that my life can be a role model for anybody, but some poor child living an obscure place, social settings may find a little solace in the way my destiny has been chapped it could perhaps help such children liberate themselves from the bondage of there illusory, backwardness and hopelessness. Irrespective of where they are right now they should be aware that god is within them. and he is with them, who can be against be then.
But God has promised
Strength for the day
Rest for the labour
Light for the way
Let the latent of lire in the heart of every Indian acquire wings, and the glory of this country up the sky.
Indians are Not Risk Takers and India is Worst Country in Asia for Entrepreneurs…..
According to a New Poll from Gallup India lags behind other Asian countries in promoting Entrepreneurship.
Gallup created a framework for Entrepreneurial ecosystem based on human capital, role of government and individual entrepreneurial traits.
Results?
Based on the latest Gallup World Poll results from March 2012,
- 16% of Indian adults report that they currently own a business.
- Of those, 22% say they formally registered their business.
In terms of business size, half of business owners report working alone, and 47% have hired five or fewer employees.
The key barrier to current and aspiring entrepreneurs is the lack of a favorable support system. The analysis based on the Gallup framework shows that India ranked in the bottom quartile particularly on external factors such as government support, culture, social capital, and access to training.
By contrast, intrinsic factors — such as entrepreneurial talents and attitudes — ranked much higher than external factors in enabling support for aspiring entrepreneurs. Improved external factors may help unlock more of the Indian population’s natural entrepreneurial potential.
Indians are Not Risk Takers
More than 60% of the Indian population possesses personality traits that are critical for success as an entrepreneur — such as business thinking (69%), optimism (66%), and persistence (65%) — which suggests a wealth of entrepreneurial capacity.
However, willingness to take the risk of running a business is not a common trait among a majority of Indians.
As the poll results suggest, work risk, risky was also used by couple of folks.
Lack of Support
Starting a business is USA is very simple. It takes less than 30 minutes of work to submit the paper work and you your business is ready to roll.
It costs like $200 to register a simple business entity online.
But, according to the poll –
- It is not easy to start a business in India.
- 46% of Indians say the government makes it hard to start a business.
- Nearly 3 in 10 (29%) aspirational entrepreneurs who plan to start their business in the next 12 months agree they have access to the money they need.
Indian Entrepreneurs need more access to mentorship and training.
Poll also states that Indians have the potential. With good support system more small business will flourish.
Don’t you think, colleges should business courses?
Even couple of courses for Engineering students in busioenss ca open world of possibilities.
Also, parents should encourage their kids to and help them cultivate entrepreneurial thoughts.
I haven’t seen any parent who looks for an school for their son and daughter, where business and entrepreneurship skills are taught.
So, do you agree to this?
Willingness to take the risk of running a business is not a common trait among a majority of Indians.
Nick Vujicic::No Arms, No Legs, No Worries:: What An ATTITUDE!!!
Imagine being born without arms. No arms to wrap around someone, no hands to experience touch, or to hold another hand with. Or what about being born without legs? Having no ability to dance, walk, run, or even stand on two feet. Now put both of those scenarios together: no arms and no legs. What would you do? How would that effect your everyday life?
Meet Nick Vujicic… Born in 1982 in Melbourne, Australia, without any medical explanation or warning, Nicholas Vujicic (pronounced Voy-a-chich) came into the world with neither arms nor legs. Having had an uneventful pregnancy and no family history to expect this condition, imagine the shock his parents felt when they saw their first born, brand new baby boy, only to find he was what the world would consider imperfect and abnormal. A limbless son was not what nurse Dushka Vujicic, and her husband Pastor Borris Vujicic had been expecting. How would their son live a normal happy life? What could he ever do or become when living with what the world would see as such a massive disability? Little did they know that this beautiful limbless baby would one day be someone who would inspire and motivate people from all walks of life, touching lives all over the world.
Throughout his childhood Nick dealt not only with the typical challenges of school and adolescence such as bullying and self-esteem issues; he also struggled with depression and loneliness as he questioned why he was different to all the other kids surrounding him; why he was the one born without arms and legs. He wondered what was the purpose behind his life, or if he even had a purpose. After a lot of frustration and feeling like the odd one out in school, at seven years of age Nick tried out some specially designed electronic arms and hands, in hopes that he would be more like the other kids. During the short trial period of the electronic arms, Nick realized that even with them, he was still unlike his peers at school, and they turned out to be much too heavy for Nick to operate, effecting his general mobility quite significantly.
As Nick grew up he learned to deal with his disability and started to be able to do more and more things on his own. He adapted to his situation and found ways to accomplish tasks that most people could only do by using their limbs, such as cleaning teeth, brushing hair, typing on a computer, swimming, playing sports, and much more. As time went by Nick began to embrace his situation and achieve greater things. In grade seven Nick was elected captain of his school and worked with the student council on various fund-raising events for local charities and disability campaigns.
According to Nick, the victory over his struggles throughout his journey, as well as his passion for life can be credited to his faith, his family, his friends and the many people he’s encountered during his life who have encouraged him along the way.
After school Nick went on with further study and obtained a double bachelor degree majoring in accounting and financial planning. By the age of 19, Nick had started to fulfill his dream of encouraging others by sharing his story through motivational speaking. He found the purpose of his existence, and also the purpose in his circumstance. Nick wholeheartedly believes that there is a purpose in each of the struggles we encounter in our lives and that our attitude towards those struggles that can be the single most effective factor in overcoming them.
In 2005, Nick was nominated for the “Young Australian of the Year” Award, which is a large honor in Australia. The award honors a young person for their excellence and service to their local community and the nation, as well as their own personal accomplishments. Nominations for this award are only given to truly inspirational people.
Now at 27 years old, this limbless young man has accomplished more than most people even twice his age. Nick recently made the massive move from Brisbane, Australia to California, USA, where he is the president of an international non-profit organization, and also has his own motivational speaking company; Attitude Is Altitude. Since his first motivational speaking engagement back when he was 19, Nick has traveled around the world, sharing his story with millions of people, speaking to a range of different groups such as students, teachers, youth, business men and women, entrepreneurs, and church congregations of all sizes. He has also told his story and been interviewed on various televised programs worldwide. However, Nick’s speaking engagements have gone beyond purely motivational speaking, he has had the opportunity to speak with several leaders, including the vice president of Kenya. This year alone Nick is set to speak in over 20 countries.
People ask Nick, “How can you smile?” Then they realize there’s got to be something more to life than meets the eye if a guy without arms and legs is living a fuller life.
Nick shares with his audiences the importance of vision and dreaming big. Using his own experiences in worldwide outreach as examples, he challenges others to examine their perspective and look beyond their circumstances. He shares his view of ceasing to see obstacles as problems, but instead begin to see them as opportunities to grow and reach out to others. He stresses the importance of how attitude can be the most powerful tool we have at our disposal and illustrates how the choices we make can have a profound effect on our lives and the lives of those around us. Nick shows through his own life that the major keys in fulfilling our biggest dreams are persistence and choosing to embrace failure as a learning experience, rather than allowing the guilt and fear of failure to paralyze us.
How does Nick Vujicic feel about his disability now? He accepts it, embraces it and oftentimes pokes fun at his own circumstance as he shows off his many tricks. He meets challenges with his special blend of humor, perseverance and faith always encouraging those around him to examine their perspective as they develop and define their vision. Using those new definitions he challenges each person he meets to make changes in their lives so that they can begin the path to fulfilling their biggest dreams. Through his amazing ability to connect with people from all walks of life and his incredible sense of humor he captivates children, teens and adults alike, Nick is a true inspirational and motivational speaker.
“If I fail, I try again, and again, and again. If YOU fail, are you going to try again? The human spirit can handle much worse than we realize. It matters HOW you are going to FINISH. Are you going to finish strong?”-Nick Vujicic.
Your Life Within…
You are a distinctive and individual ex-pression of a Creative Force. You are not a blueprint or a carbon copy or a ditto of anyone past, present, or future. You are you and there is no one quite like you in the world.
You don’t look exactly like anyone else, you don’t live exactly like anyone else. There are things you can do better than anyone else can do them, and there are qualities and talents that no one else can possess in exactly the same way that you do. There are thoughts that are your own special revelation. That which makes you YOU is personal, unique, and exclusive. All of this is a reflection of a world and a life within.
Talk about how to be a success! The successful person is simply the one who does his or her best with the things he or she can do better than anyone else.
Talk about living well! Who lives better that the ones who are true to their own inner light?
Talk about being interesting! What is more interesting than the person who is being him or herself?
Talk about how to be happy! The happy, self-unfolded people are those who, with a will to believe in the world and the life within, have found that the secret of really getting the most out of life is to make the most of the qualities that are innately their own.
This inner world grows as we will to believe in it. It is not through searching or feverish groping that we enter into it. It is through the gateway of our will to believe. You will to believe that because you are an individual ex-pression of God there is purpose, real and meaningful, in your life, and you will to believe that to achieve this purpose you are also equipped with the talent and potential necessary for its achievement. Will to believe it!
There is that within each of us that makes us great–I do not mean greatness in the sense of getting one’s name in the headlines or making a million, but greatness in the sense of coming to terms with God and life. We might call it getting hold of what we are and have and want to be. For it is the originality in each of us ad not our uniformity which gives life its deepest meaning.
In this world within, your world, you are the most important figure. There is a place that no one else can fill. There is an influence that no one else can impart. There is a life that no one else can life quite as well as you can live it. What you do with your life within, in terms of self-realization, self-awareness, self-denial and self-ex-pression, is the greatest challenge that can come to you.
Survival – Official Song of London Olympic 2012 By Muse…
Race, Life’s a race
And I am gonna win
Yes, I am gonna win
And I’ll light the fuse
And I’ll never lose
And I choose to survive
Whatever it takes
You won’t pull ahead
I’ll keep up the pace
And i’ll reveal my strength
To the whole human race
Yes i am prepared
To stay alive
I won’t forgive, the vengance is mine
And i won’t give in
Because i choose to thrive
I’m gonna win
Race, it’s a race
But i’m gonna win
Yes i’m gonna win
And will light the fuse
I’ll never lose
And i choose to survive
Whatever it takes
You won’t ṗull ahead
I’ll keep up the pace
And i’ll reveal my strength
To the whole human race
Yes I’m gonna win
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
Win! Win! Win! Win!
Yes i’m gonna win……..
Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner’s Feel-Good Story Will Spark Global Inspiration…..
The Olympics have a way of turning ordinary people into heroes. Track and Field star Oscar Pistorius won’t need any help with that. The 25-year-old has been without both of his legs for most of his life, and despite this setback, Pistorius will race for his home country of South Africa in both the individual 400-meter dash and the 4×400-meter relay. He will become the first amputee track athlete to compete in the Olympic Games, after a long battle with the international governing body of track and field, who declared Pistorius ineligible in 2007 because of his prosthetics. They overturned their decision in 2008, when Pistorius took his case to the Court of Arbitration. Now he looks to fulfill his dream of competing in the 2012 Olympic Games. Pistorius was born without fibula bones and had both of his legs amputated before he was even a year old. Despite his defect, Pistorius was a natural athlete growing up in Johannesburg. He played water polo, tennis and rugby in his younger years. A serious knee injury in 2003 sidelined Pistorius, but during rehab is when he found his true calling. He started running and never looked back. Pistorius began his track career with a bang, and won a bronze and gold medal during his first Paralympic Games in 2004. He got even better during the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing, when he won gold in three events, including the 100, 200 and 400 meters. He failed to qualify for the 2008 Olympics, narrowly missing the qualifying time for the 400-meter sprint, and he barley missed cut for the 4×400-meter relay team.
After that small speed bump, Pistorius got a taste of how close an Olympic berth was and how big of deal his ordeal had become.
I tried to qualify for the ’08 Olympics and missed it by a quarter of a second, which was extremely frustrating at the time. And that opportunity gave me a taste, I really don’t want to let it go and slip between my fingers again.
Now, Pistorius will get his chance in the grandest stage of them all. He already has proven he can compete with the world’s best in the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, winning a silver medal.
The Cheetah Flex-Foot blades that he now wears on both legs were the source of the ire from competitors and media pundits, and some argued that the 16-inch J-shaped limbs on both of his legs gave Pistorius an unfair advantage over others.
You can count former track star Michael Johnson as one who thinks that Pistorius shouldn’t be allowed to race against able-bodied runners. Johnson shared his sentiment in an interview with the London Telegraph
I consider Oscar a friend of mine, but he knows I am against him running. Because, this is not about Oscar; it’s not about him as an individual, it is about the rules you will make and put in place for the sport which will apply to anyone, and not just Oscar.
The argument over whether the blades give him any type of advantage will likely be ignited again, if Pistorius were to medal in these Games.
His chances of getting a medal may be slim against the best runners in the world, but Pistorius has defied odds greater than this before.
Best Wishes To Him…..
Poem By Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
“Learning gives creativity.
Creativity leads to thinking.
Thinking provides knowledge.
Knowledge makes you great.”
-Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam
Knowledge 2 share 