U3A Patrika
- Issue number 6 - July 2009
Editors: Dr
Meena Darbari - Tom Holloway
Currently there are 13 organisations registered with us, which brings our membership to well over 2,000. In addition there are 91 individual members, including two Vice-Chancellors. I am aware that there are many U3A groups that have not yet furnished us with their details. When they do so I believe that those figures might be considerably higher.
Rozina
Parmar, in her excellent dissertation 'ICT in Education' remarks "It
seems that there is a cure for ageing that no one is yet fully aware of.
It's called 'learning'. As long as you learn/have information of something
new each day, you remain fresh and maintain good health. "An idle
mind is a devil's workshop".
As India's demographic profile changes over the next 40 years it will become ever more urgent to extend our useful years, and it is clear that the University of the Third Age will become an increasingly important resource.
A 23-page extract from that document, entitled 'ICT for Elderly', is available in pdf format if you click here. Well-researched and full of fascinating detail, it makes useful reading and is recommended for all U3A Discussion Groups.
A
K Malhotra - Secretary of Bhavana U3A Lucknow: A week long Yoga camp
for Bhavana U3A members was organized at Indira Nagar Lucknow from 15th
to 21st June'09. The camp concluded with a family get-together. A talk on
role & importance of naturopathy in the lives of senior citizens was
delivered by an eminent Naturopath Doctor. It was followed by Tambola, other
entertaining games and dinner. (photograph attached). Next meet to register
members for ISU3A & WORLD U3A CONFERENCE is scheduled in july'09.
We
hear of social networking sites (Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, etcetera).
Launched in 2008, Verdurez is for
Indians of the Third Age and it is already packed with interesting and exciting
news and exchanges. Ishita Sukhadwala is the originator and promoter of
Verdurez. She is a London based consultant with experience in the areas
of Marketing, IT and Business Development. 
Issue
of dementia in old age not so important for India now, but in future it
will become so. See this
BBC programme for more, and also the Fisher
Center Research Foundation. 
From
I.V.L.N.Chary, Andhra U3A Hyderabad
The GreenSpaces website
will demonstrate that via technology, lifestyle changes, and design that
one can economically reduce the energy consumed by buildings from 40%
to 10%, and in the process prove that "Green is Green" and therefore
sustainable and replicable.
This broadcast - "How to grow your own fresh air" is something that we can all of us do in our own homes.
For
U3A History Groups: The ancient Indus script, as yet undeciphered, continues
to intrigue scholars with the lure of new insights into humanity's history.
Some 5,000 examples of this exquisitely carved script have been found, but
a definitive translation is still elusive.
The Indus Valley civilization
covered an area of Pakistan and northwest India about a quarter the size
of Europe. At its peak, between 2500 and 1900 bce, its major cities were
among the world's biggest, along with those of Mesopotamia and Egypt.
An article in a
recent issue of New Scientist is worth downloading, distributing and
discussing at a future group meeting.
From
M.R.Rangawamy, Chairman, U3A (South Zone)Jnanajyothi U3A Bengaluru, Krnataka celebrated World Environment Day at their monthy meeting on June15, 2009 with screening of the film "Inconvenient Truth." The film presents a gory picture of planet earth with unbridled massacre of nature under the guise of development by developed countries. Carbon emissions, deforestation, atmospheric pollution, exploitation of natural resources etc., have resulted in global warming and we have to take steps to nurture nature in future.
All of us should remember that we are only the caretakers of earth's environment and we took charge from our parents only to hand over to our children in the same or better condition.
With a strong message " Say NO to plastics " Nature Club of Bhageerathi U3A Bengaluru, Karnataka distributed jute bags at a subsidised rate.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irda) has asked general insurance companies to keep at least 65 years as the maximum entry age for a health insurance policy.
Across the 16 insurers
that offer health insurance policies in India, there are many choices.
However, once you are over 50 years, your options get limited -- most
insurers do not offer fresh covers beyond this threshold. Thank you
Dr Vyasamoorthy of Hyderabad U3A Andhra Pradesh for this
useful website.
Do you know someone who would like to receive this newsletter in future? Ask them to email info@u3aindia.org with a request and they will be put on the list. This webpage may be printed onto both sides of an A4 sheet and distributed to those with no Internet.