Attention Travelers: 7N/8D Royal Candidasa,Bali stay @20000/- 0nly

Hey Guys,

I am a member with Royal Resorts @ https://royalresorts.co.in/ and they have awesome properties all over the world. Recently, I booked a trip to Bali for a friend but he will not be able to make it. So, I have decided to offer it to anyone out there who is interested at a huge discount. You may gift this to your loved ones too...but make sure to get the guest certificate in their name.

Note: These properties are only available for members but you may visit there on my invite. So, it is a one time opportunity. Don't miss it:-)

Here are the conditions:

1. The booking is for 7N/8D at Royal Candidasa, Bali for a couple.   http://www.royalresorts.com.au/indonesia/royal-candidasa . However, you may choose to stay for a shorter duration also and considering the discount it will still be a good deal.

2. Date of stay: 3rd Dec,2016 to 10th Dec, 2016. However, the dates may be rescheduled subject to availability.

3. A guest certificate in the name of the traveler with all terms and conditions will be issued.

4. It is available on one-time offer price  of  Rs.20,000/- for the complete stay. All payments will have to be made in advance.

5. It does not include airfare/visa or any other commodity not mention here. It only includes stay at the resort.

Interested candidates kindly leave your details in comments and I will reach out for you.

Thank you Guys :-)

A step towards making #InfertilityNotATaboo

Image Source

           

       ‘Infertility’ the word itself tells the story...it speaks of negativity in volumes. It’s like saying “not-a-mother” or worse “can’t-be-a-mother”. It is a taboo at least in India and will continue to be until we come up with a positive word for this condition. Although this is not the only thing that needs to change but it will surely give a positive makeover; much like the scheduled caste did for dalits and differently-abled for physically challenged.

What is actually infertility? 

• It refers to the inability of an individual (male or female) to contribute to conception, or to a female who cannot carry a pregnancy to full term. For practical purposes, if you have not conceived after trying for one year then you need to consult a doctor for complete work up. On the brighter side, WHO gives you 2 years time before calling the name but in practice, people trying for more than 10 years have also conceived.

You are not alone.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the prevalence of infertility in India is around 12.6 percent and considering our population it is a huge number.

The root cause of all the problems is that women don’t make decisions when it comes to family planning.

Image Source


• An Incident (somewhere in 2008): I was an intern in family planning clinic at a tertiary care govt. hospital in the capital city. A young female, well dressed and apparently from a well to do background came to the clinic for an abortion; but surprisingly she was all alone. I could see the courage she had to gather to come to us on her face; teary eyes, trembling feet and shaky voice. Legally, she could get the baby aborted without husband’s consent but even then she would need someone to accompany her following the procedure (which was free). BUT we had a policy to go for M.T.P. only if the mother opts for contraception, temporary (like copper-T) or permanent (Ligation) (Because if you don’t want this baby, either you should wait or put a full stop) and for that husband’s consent is MUST. In this case the husband or the family clearly didn’t know. Then it struck me; this young lady wanted to space the babies but the husband or the in-laws didn’t want her to. Even her own family or friends were not there with her. She basically didn’t have a say in it. And over the years I realized that this is not uncommon. 

In India, brides are made for only one purpose (besides the chores of course).

• A baby delivered in the first year of marriage is seen as a positive sign in Indian household and it is fairly common but it cannot be a good thing if the average age of marriage is 22.2 for women.

Pregnancy within 1 year of marriage; A norm and why it is a problem?

• It may be a good thing for some but problem for others because if you have not conceived by the first anniversary, you would have hit the eligibility mark for infertility by definition. Peer pressure works in family planning too because you are already late if everybody else is getting pregnant. This is the stage when a family affair becomes a big issue for the the whole community.

The irony: 

• Excessive physical or emotional stress results in amenorrhea (absent periods) which may add to infertility. Also, the neglected females who are already facing malnutrition and excessive weight loss are at a greater risk of falling prey to infertility and pregnancy related complications. So, it can turn into a vicious cycle going on for a very long time if not forever.

The paradox of age.

• For a woman, infertility can manifest as either the inability to become pregnant or to maintain and carry a pregnancy to a live birth and both extremes of the fertile age group are bad for that but the younger end is often ignored by the society. However, it is not a coincidence that the WHO has included age as low as 15 years in the operational definition of infertility when the legal age of marriage is 18.
• Many women are waiting until their 30s and 40s to have children and this leads to age becoming a growing cause of fertility problems. Aging not only decreases a woman's chances of having a baby but also increases her chances of miscarriage and of having a child with a genetic abnormality. 

Common causes of Infertility in Indian women:

• Infections of the female genital tract are generally considered to be the leading preventable cause of infertility worldwide, especially in developing countries.
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may constitute as high as 85 percent of these infections. A condom is a simple and effective way to keep all/most of them at bay.
• Another common infection which is often difficult to diagnose is the tuberculosis of genital tract. With the kind of exposure and prevalence of TB in our country, it can happen to anyone. Although it is not fatal but most of the damage occurs silently which only delays the treatment. The good thing is that it is easily treatable.

Breaking the Ice: Males can be infertile too.

• It is a pity that we need a social media campaign to convey that males play equal role in fertility and infertility alike. In fact, in 40 to 50 per cent cases, the male is the affected partner. 
• It's because of the social set up that women are blamed for a childless marriage, but men are equally in need of treatment.
• Actually, they are the ones who make the baby a girl or a boy which is another big taboo being imposed on females (but obviously they can’t choose). 
• And they are the ones who can prevent all the STIs by using condoms.

Who else can be blamed? Urban lifestyle of course.

• The changing lifestyle is certainly to be blamed for both the male and the female infertility. Smoking, alcohol consumption and delayed marriage are among the main culprits.

Problem bigger than infertility itself: 'The Quacks'.

• These are the unqualified imposers who take advantage of the superstitions, myths and the popular beliefs surrounding the ultimate taboo of infertility.
• They not only rob people of their money but also of their valuable time which only delays the treatment. Each quack visit is an opportunity lost.

Infertility is preventable; yes you read that right.

• Only an estimated 3 to 5 per cent of who are infertile, are due to unknown or unpreventable conditions. Rest all are preventable or at least treatable.

Facing infertility: What to do?

• Consult a qualified practitioner as soon as possible. He/she may be a gynecologist, an IVF specialist or anyone approachable.
• When in doubt, visit a Govt hospital. There are special weekly infertility clinics in all/most secondary and tertiary level hospitals. 
• Some hospitals even have an IVF center which provides free consultation and services; like the state of the art IVF center at Lok Nayak Hospital, Delhi.

The right approach to infertility:

• Both the partners should be worked up together to reinforce the fact that the female is not the only one that can be affected.
• Counselling sessions should be staged to chalk out a plan, allay anxiety, bust myths and cater to any all the questions which the couple would like to get answered.

The way out: Not always expensive but a long walk anyway.

• The good part is that 80 per cent of the infertility problems can be corrected through simple medications and advanced and expensive treatment methodologies like the IVF or egg donation are required in only 20 per cent of the cases which usually have some underlying complications.

Be patient and don’t lose hope.

Image Source

• The work up is in itself a long step-wise process to rule out abnormalities one by one.

• Some tests have to be done on specific days of the menstrual cycle, so the complete work up may take up to 2 to 3 cycles/months or more depending upon the problem.

• Some tests are expensive and a few very painful and the results may take time.

• Even after all these efforts, all the investigations may come out to be normal, it happens but they are still necessary to rule out certain conditions.

• A majority of such patients with unknown underlying cause still respond to simple medications.

• Even when the cause has been identified, the conception may still take time. The treatment is scheduled on the basis of menstrual cycles, so 1 treatment option per month, which amounts to only 12 trials in a complete year.

• With the kind of technology available today, infertility is bound to lose if you have the guts to keep fighting. Time is an important factor in this battle, even more important than money.

My best wishes to all the struggling couples. You may visit  http://infertilitydost.com/ for more information, inspiring stories, support groups and more or just contact me.

This blog is to #SpreadAwareness about Infertility through Infertility Dost, India’s first website that facilitates couples to brave infertility with support and knowledge. You can find other links on Write Tribe.

Image Source

Salute to Netaji: Independence Day

Remembering Netaji on 70th Independence Day, here is a post from my archives:

Doc2poet: Exploring the blindspot...: Salute to Netaji: 23rd Jan

              It has been 70 years since our national flag breathed free air for the first time in 1947 and we owe it to our heroes who laid down their lives for it. We can never be sure about who played the most pivotal role in the 'struggle for independence' but one thing is certain that it was a joint effort and that it did not happen “ बिना खड़ग बिना ढाल” . There were people who, at a tender age of 23 years, wilfully took the path of martyrdom in the hope that it may help incite a revolution that might uproot the British Empire: he was Shaheed Bhagat singh. There were more fighters than we can name but only a few shone as the leader, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was one such prodigy.

Click here for complete post... 

The story of a suicide: A review

Source here

The Story of a suicide

By Sriram Ayer

Reviewed by Dr. Amit Prakash (doc2poet)

               This book is set in a college campus that I am sure most people can easily relate to but this story is much beyond that. I have lived in hostels and been in clinical practice for more than 8 years but this novel manages to show the unexplored sides of the coin of emotional turmoil. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration if I say that after reading this novel, you will realize that the coin is actually a ball with more than two sides to it. This novel portrays a frangible yet intricate plight with respect and solicitude without losing the plot. You can read the complete story here @ http://www.storyofasuicide.com/ .

           This is not exactly just a novel but a multidimensional project aimed at a higher cause. This project aims to connect with young people and help them come out with their struggles so as to help them cope with the pressures and duress. Sriram Ayer, the creator and the author of this novel is an esteemed writer and a social entrepreneur who has won numerous awards for is noble endeavors. He is also the founder of NalandaWay Foundation which has been working with children from the most exploitative situations in India for more than 10 years. This organisation helps these children in learning basic and creative life-skills, building self-confidence and succeeding in schools. 

Storytelling and writing- The story is a gripping tale of four people who are trying to fit in their own lives and looking for a direction and a ray of hope. It is interesting how the author manages to knit them together to create a beautiful honeycomb effect maintaining the clarity in the plot while it thickens. The story is short and crisp which is divided into chapters in a felicitous way to reveal only enough to move the plot further yet maintaining the suspense and urge to flip through those pages to unfold the mystery. The writing is compelling and fast paced which makes it apt for an overnight read. If you are too busy to accommodate a novel in your frantic lives, even then you can fit this one in.

“You seem very worried Caesar, have you sinned too many?"

              I absolutely loved how the confrontation of Draupadi and Caesar was staged in the story without affecting the plot and yes, their conversation was spot on. 

The Characters- The story revolves around four main characters, a brilliant boy with a traumatic childhood who somehow managed to make it to the college but couldn’t get past the alien language ‘English’ to fulfill his mother’s dreams, a young boy who suffered silently at the hands of his uncle because no one understood or believed him and now he is struggling to find his own sexual identity, a beautiful confident girl who is misunderstood more often than she is loved and a geek who loses his cool and turns dark. Each character is so real that you can relate to them almost instantly. I personally felt sad for ‘Hari’ who lost his childhood to fear and lust and was betrayed by destiny itself when everyone failed to understand his feelings, including even his love and his family. 

The Illustrations- The beautiful and vibrant illustrations actually bring this story to life. They sort of add the much needed color to this otherwise darker tale which works exceptionally well to create a balance. Ghana, the illustrator is the CEO of her design studio ‘The Yellow House’ and also the co founder of ‘ArtCompaassion’ - an art based initiative supporting social development. She has done a great job here.

Added bonuses- If you already love this initiative, there’s more to it. There’s also an audio book option for the earphone generation riding the metros. It is a brilliant step to maximize the readership. Each chapter has a How do I? set of questions to help out the youth and you can submit your own stories too. And the promotional video is bang on. 

The team- Kudos to the whole teams to have put their heart and soul in this project. Well done guys. You can meet them all here @ http://www.storyofasuicide.com/about.html .

The Verdict- It is a must read for everyone and I am sure you will find something that you will absolutely love to have come across. 

" मुक़म्मल  जहाँ  की  तलाश  में, फिरते  रहे  मारे-मारे , 

कैसे  मिले  जो  खोया  ही  नहीं, हर  पल  पास  है  हमारे , 

आँखें  बंद  करने  की  देरी  है, जी  उठेंगे  ये  दिलकश  नज़ारे, 

के  लड़खड़ाते  कदम  राह  ढूंड  ही  लेंगे, 

कभी  यादों  की  भीड़  में...कभी  तनहाई  के  सहारे...|| "

                                                                                                   -doc2poet

You may read the online novel or hear it out on audio book but don’t forget to share it. Just be positive and visit here for all that you need 

 http://www.storyofasuicide.com/ :-) 

Income tax made easy: #TaxPledge

Source here

Source here

             I am yet to meet a person who loves filing taxes; of course I am not talking about the CAs and consultants who do it for a living. Who would want to pay for something you can’t measure in objective terms. It is like shelling out your hard earned money for buying something you don’t know or understand (you would know if you have ever tried to fill an old ITR form). Also, mathematics has not been found to be friendly with most brains and outsourcing has evolved to be more like an Indian trait. Seriously speaking, filing taxes has been the ugly duckling of finance and economics for long but the times have changed now. 

               In the e-age, filing taxes is as easy as pokemongo. Filing taxes has its own benefits but I would like to talk more about e-filing because this is what has given a beautiful makeover to this ugly duckling (visit https://www.hrblock.in/  for e-filing your taxes ). 

1. Feel the power: File your taxes yourself in a few easy steps and feel like an     expert yourself. Once you do it, you will realize how easy it has always been. 

2. Get enlightened (and zip those pockets): E-filing your tax gives you             access to all the information you need at one stop. You can learn hows and         ifs of   taxes  and  where  you can save money. It will empower you to know       what entitles you for rebates and take decisions wisely.

3. Get your money back: If you know what goes where, you can fix this             jigsaw puzzle in no time. If you have paid your tax through your employer         but missed to report your savings on time (it is difficult when you tend to          miss the deadlines often like me or if you pay your saving premiums in               march). 

4. Make a difference: You will feel good when you pay your taxes on time. You     have to pay them anyway so just play safe and steer clear of the penalties.

           It’s a pity that less than 3% of Indians pay income tax. I am sure if we could make income tax a status symbol with coded PAN cards like platinum, gold, silver, etc, the collection would go up for sure and more people would oblige to upgrade. Let’s not be funny and take #taxpledge this year to file our taxes on time. There are still few days to go and I hope more and more people would join in this year. Let us share and encourage as much as we can. 

              I’m taking the #TaxPledge to file IT returns with the easy Income Tax efiling option from H&R Block at BlogAdda.