SUCCESS = BLINDNESS IS STRENGTH

Earlier this week, I was in one of our regional nodes meeting. As expected much of the discussion was around the traget of discovery of 5 bn records, and mobilisation of 2 bn records. As I am experienced by now, everyone expect few of us who have placed this challenge at first place, were so pesimistic, as if we could never achieve it in this lifetime. What was strage was those present in the room are most wise men and women with tremendous experience we have in this business of 'biodiversity informatics'. At one stage, I felt becuase we are so wise and foresighted (negatively) that we are so pesimistic about achieving the challenge. Wish we all could have been BLIND!

When I had this thought moentarialy, I felt guilty for having the thought of we all being BLIND at first instance. I quickly moved away from that and prayed to almighty that 'let us give the strength enough to achieve tragets that looks impossible today'. Back from travel, as I often do I was looking for booster to pep up my morale, as well bring in un-breakable faith in ambition. I happened to watch YouTube recordings of dance reality show 'Dance India Dance'. One of the contestant gave blind dance and when he was asked 'what motivated him', he presented Ms. Raspal Kaur a blind lady who presented breathtaking marhsal art performance. Raspal lost her eye sight during brain tumor operations. But she doubled and trippled her will power not to loose the battle. She learned marshal art after 2nd brain tumor operation, and perfected it so well that she decided to compete in the 'Dance India Dance' show to demonstrate her unmatching expertise. While, she could not participate, but became heart-throb of billions of people across globe. Raspal rose to symbol of strength, determination and never die attitude.

Blind Raspal on one side who decided never to loose, and wise, intelligent, and foresighted experts whom I met last week on another side, I am puzzled 'What makes Raspal so very special not to give up?'. I think blindness has offered Raspal ability to foucus on goals and not to get detetered under any circumstances. Many of us with vision and foresight often constipate with pros and cons - and those with inabilities and handicaptiveness - are deprived to think much of pros and cons and only foucsing and achiving goals remains option for them. Wish, almighty would have taken away options from billions of us so that we would have been foucsed and determined enough that only road to our survival would have been achieving the TRAGETS. Hope we learn from Raspals across globe to turn our weakness (blindness) into strength. Hope we do not waste our time in contipating on pros and cons and rather focus on tragets, and goals on which our very survival is dependent on. Thank you Raspal for letting us know that -

SUCCESS = BLINDNESS IS STRENGTH!