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Find the “YES” minds: Classroom to Conferences!

STRANDOMS: the stray and random thoughts

Jul 02 ,2025

Find the “YES” minds: Classroom to Conferences!

Dr.S.RAMKUMAR

(An experience of the recent International Conference by IVEF on Veterinary Extension at Chennai wherein the session on short presentations by the undergraduate students had an insightful impact. Reflections on my thoughts on the pedagogic opportunity which was exciting for me as the Chairman of the session)

Finding the “YES” mind – Young, Energetic, and Stimulating – is a crucial endeavour, particularly in academic and professional settings. The recent International Conference on Veterinary Extension by IVEF in Chennai, India held from June 26 to 28, 2025, provided a significant opportunity to engage with these vibrant perspectives. Short presentations by graduate students of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry allowed these emerging professionals to confidently, clearly, and carefully share their ideas with a wider, diverse audience. This initiative highlights the immense value in fostering an environment where fresh viewpoints can flourish and contribute to broader discussions.

The “YES” mind represents an open and invigorating perspective that can significantly boost diverse thinking across all age groups and experience levels. Creating a platform for such minds, like the one offered at the Chennai conference, provides a comfortable and supportive space for budding graduates. It encourages them to step out of their comfort zones and boldly articulate their thoughts on chosen topics. This hand-holding approach is essential for nurturing confidence and empowering the next generation of professionals to actively participate and present their unique insights without hesitation.

Every individual possesses a “YES” mind, and true education lies in igniting these minds. The key to successful presentations and intellectual growth is providing an environment that champions freedom of expression. While mentorship can guide young presenters in structuring and delivering their ideas effectively, the ultimate credit for the presentation belongs solely to them. This autonomy fosters a sense of ownership and encourages deeper engagement with their subject matter, leading to more authentic and impactful contributions.

Facilitating a platform for younger minds not only benefits the presenters but also illuminates the audience, including seasoned experts, stalwarts, scientists, and faculty. It allows them to rediscover the “unseen YES” that might have become dormant due to years of accumulated experience and knowledge. These fresh perspectives radiate new insights, offering valuable opportunities for collaborative development with younger minds. It’s a reminder that innovation often springs from looking at familiar challenges through a new lens.

It’s crucial to resist the temptation to dismiss the ideas, processes, and knowledge shared by young minds with a “master-of-all-knowledge” mind-set. Instead, view these short presentations as stories depicted from their unique understanding – a vital first step in their professional journey. It’s important to compliment them on their presentation style and content, and then offer constructive criticism on areas for improvement. Focusing on positive points for growth will not only make them feel valued and confident but also encourage them to become more analytical and adaptable in their future endeavours. If some ideas are incorrect, suggest modifications gently, ensuring they don’t feel belittled.

The art of mentoring lies in making young minds feel comfortable enough to open up, by truly understanding their perspectives and inquiring into their reasoning.

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Hill-Side Bonds

STRANDOMS: the stray and random thoughts

Jun 19 ,2025

Hill-Side Bonds:
the friendship tales

S.RAMKUMAR

When I began my PhD in 1991 at the University of Reading, UK, I joined the Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Department (AERDD). It was housed in an old building at the Earley Gate, but its unassuming exterior belied its international acclaim. AERDD was renowned as one of the best in its field, boasting an exceptional faculty and a vibrant community of students pursuing various postgraduate courses, from MA in Rural Social Development and MSc in Agricultural Extension to Agricultural Education and postgraduate diplomas, alongside fellow PhD scholars like myself.

The international student body within the department was truly remarkable. It was a diverse group from different countries, offering immense opportunities for mutual learning and discovery. Among us were highly accomplished officers from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Forest Service (IFS), and Indian Economic Service (IES), all deputed for specialized postgraduate studies, typically focusing on development studies or extension science. Many of these individuals became wonderful friends, but one particular IAS officer, Dr. I. Devendran, became more like a brother.

Mr. Devendran stayed at Hill Side, quite close to my own accommodation. He had initially come with his family, but as his demanding coursework progressed, he remained alone to complete his studies. We shared many memorable times, especially on weekends. Our routine often involved a trip to the town centre, followed by an impromptu decision at Reading railway station: “Where shall we go this weekend?” We’d travel to places like Bath, Edinburgh, Brighton, Stratford, Warwick… in addition to frequent weekends in London. Our journeys together always filled with engaging conversation. Dr. Devendran was incredibly knowledgeable, and a wonderful singer too, often serenading our walks. Our discussions ranged from intellectual debates to light-hearted chatter about cookery and friends, making our time together lively and enriching.

Occasionally, I’d visit his Hill Side home, where he’d whip up a delicious sambar, following his wife’s precise instructions. The other international inmates in his house, myself included, always savored this taste of home. I distinctly remember our trips to the town center to buy a week’s worth of groceries. The walk back along Cross Road to Hill Side, laden with heavy bags, was always an effort, but Dr. Devendran would insist, “Let us walk! Walking is a pleasure here because it’s cold.” He’d lighten the load with his beautiful songs, making the journey enjoyable. Once we reached home, a hot cup of tea awaited us, instantly relaxing us and setting the stage for more wonderful discussions ahead.

We are still in touch with the spirit of 1991!

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Tribute to Campuses: Shaping lives!

STRANDOMS: the stray and random thoughts

MAY 24 ,2025

S.RAMKUMAR

Tribute to Campuses: Shaping lives!

Campuses, the places where we learn and work, visibly influence our outlook and happiness, offering cherished memories for a dynamic life. They are like extended homes for a wishful mind, available to us to refresh at any moment, helping us to think and be happy, no matter where we are.

The three campuses I’ve had the privilege to experience (chosen from many) are the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (COVAS), Mannuthy, Kerala (where I completed my undergraduate and postgraduate courses and began my career as an Assistant Professor), The University of Reading, UK (where I pursued my PhD and postdoc, and later visited as a researcher), and the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research (RIVER), Puducherry (as Faculty and Dean)

At COVAS, Mannuthy, 1987

COVAS, Mannuthy

The sunsets viewed from the men’s hostel (the only one at the time), the verdant corridor of trees beside the lovely green stadium, and the small hill behind the campus, accessible by crossing the canal, make COVAS a truly unique life experience. The transformation from teenager to young adult, the newfound freedom with lifelong friends, and the wonderful, connected faculty and staff all contribute to the freshness and richness of being on that campus. These experiences shape us for the future. All our loves—studies, sports, arts, friends, fun, tours, classes, outings—blend seamlessly within the wider canvas of a campus that truly lives.

At Whiteknights Lake, Reading, UK 1991

The University of Reading, UK

The landscape with Whiteknights Lake at its heart offers a stunning view, and daily walks within its grounds open up new perspectives. The changing seasons—spring with its vibrant tulips, summer with lush green grass and trees, autumn with yellowish-brown leaves gracefully falling, and winter with days when the lake freezes over, allowing geese and ducks to walk on the ice—have been odes to this campus. Every season holds sweet sentiments that linger through the years as you live.

Canteen Garden, RIVER, 2020

RIVER, Puducherry

RIVER boasts a sprawling green campus with buildings nestled like small mushrooms within a verdant forest. The trees, predominantly neem, provide much-needed freshness throughout the day as we walk and work. The fruit trees, herbal garden, canteen garden, the pond, and the animal rehabilitation enclosure all embody a philosophy of “growing with the green.”

“Campuses truly remain with us!”

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LASTING LOVE

STRANDOMS: the stray and random thoughts

MAY 5 ,2025

S.RAMKUMAR

LASTING LOVE

True Love is heart’s find of the beautiful virtues of another person.

While physical beauty might initially draw the eye, it is the enduring qualities of affection, sacrifice, and unwavering care that truly bind souls together.

These deeper virtues weave the fine fabric of a real and lasting love, with varying shades!

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Book Review by S. Ramkumar

Book Review

April 19 ,2025

S.RAMKUMAR

CARELESS PEOPLE
Sarah Wynn-Williams

Sarah Wynn-Williams’ “Careless People – A story of where I used to work. Power. Greed. Madness.” (MACMILLAN, 2025) isn’t just a tell-all; it’s a stark, first-hand account of the forces that shaped the behemoth we now know as Meta. Through the eyes of a former insider, this book offers a compelling and often unsettling glimpse behind the polished facade of the world’s largest social network.

Wynn-Williams joined Facebook in its pivotal early years, 2011, drawn by the allure of working alongside tech luminaries like Zuckerberg and Sandberg. Her initial experiences, vividly recounted in 42 diary-like chapters brimming with sharp observations and surprising humor, paint a picture of a company driven by audacious ambition and a relentless pursuit of growth in connections. We witness her first-hand contributions to Facebook’s global expansion, a period marked by a seemingly unwavering belief in its mission.

However, “Careless People” takes a sharp turn as Wynn-Williams’ insider perspective deepens. The initial excitement gives way to a growing unease, a sense of “surprise, uncertainties, and shocks” as the true operational ethos and long-term strategies come into focus. The book unflinchingly exposes a culture where the pursuit of growth allegedly outplayed ethical considerations, a sentiment starkly captured by the company’s “move fast break things” mantra. As the review highlights, Wynn-Williams’ narrative reveals a world of “wild schemes” and a potentially reckless disregard for consequences, both personal and political.

There are many instances of  inherent paradoxes within this powerful ecosystem mentioned. The anecdote regarding Silicon Valley executives advocating screen-free childhoods for their own children while presiding over a platform designed to capture attention is particularly chilling. It underscores a potential awareness of the very harms their creation might inflict.

Ultimately, “Careless People” appears to be more than just a memoir; it’s a cautionary tale. Wynn-Williams’ departure, stemming from “alarming situations,” suggests a profound disillusionment with the values driving Facebook’s ascent. This book, through its insider lens, promises to unveil a culture allegedly defined by an insatiable hunger for wealth and a manipulative approach to achieving it. For anyone seeking to understand the human cost behind the digital revolution and the unseen forces shaping our interconnected world, “Careless People” seems like an essential, if potentially disturbing, read.

It unmask the faces!

(To a review of the book in The Guardian, Meta has responded to Wynn-Williams’ book, calling it “a mix of out-of-date and previously reported claims about the company and false accusations about our executives”.)

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CARE , TRUST , BELIEF

Stray and random thoughts

April 2 ,2025

Prof. S. Ramkumar

CARE , TRUST , BELIEF

CARE is that inner love, which can be expressed in many ways or even exist quietly within.

TRUST is an inherent sense of the other person’s truthfulness.

BELIEF is the personal understanding and perception of who the other person is.

Each of these seems to build upon the other, inter se . For example, care might inspire you to extend trust, and trust can strengthen your belief in the other person’s character and intentions.

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Relationships

Stray and random thoughts

April 1 ,2025

Prof. S. Ramkumar

Relationships

Relationships are built and maintained by the varying degrees of CARE, TRUST and BELIEF, we have for others.

Before getting agitated, frustrated, angry, disappointed or upset on a relationship, think how the three factors relate, and mean to you, in that situation, to move forward.

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EDUCATION,Drowning in Examinations!

STRANDOMS: the stray and random thoughts

January 29 ,2025

Prof. S. Ramkumar

EDUCATION

EDUCATION,
Drowning in Examinations!

Where is the Education,
we have lost in Examination?
Where is the examination,
we have lost in entrance tests?

The heavy backpacks of school education cease to experience the joy of myriad of subjects that paints the Universe! The creativity of children gets dissolved in “conformity” of a class, to have the convenience of uniformity spread among all.

Every young mind is tuned into “examinations” and the “judgment- day” of results , from day one of their Schooling (from LKG). We are evolving ourselves into a society of dominant “examination system” that eclipses primary purpose of curiosity and joy of Education.

Make Education enjoyable, within the incessant examinations!
This is the challenge for good teachers and caring parents!
“Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?”
                                                          -T. S. Eliot (1922)

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BEWARE OF BACKPACKS !

STRANDOMS: the stray and random thoughts

February 13 ,2025

Prof. S. Ramkumar

BEWARE OF BACKPACKS !

BEWARE OF BACKPACKS !

The backpacks are quite popular in India in the last two decades. Schools, colleges, work, sports entertainment, travel…its omni presence prevails.

The convenience of carrying different things -books, clothes, computers..-, without creating a load-pressure & strain on muscles made it popular.

But a pack on the back need to be cared well so that it doesnt hurt others around!

When (s)he turn sides, stretches back or moves in a crowd they have to be cautious about how the bag behind can hit or hurt a person’s face or body. Especially so in public transport or crowded places.

When carrying a back pack, wear it with care.

Responsible backpack management gives relief to people around you!

Take care!

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