Meet Wendy Chin, who’s great passion is to protect the ancient mangrove forests on the coast of Langkawi in Malaysia. A business graduate with a hugely promising career in finance, Wendy found her true calling in protection of the environment. She moved to the Island of Langkawi and works ceaselessly to protect the incredible amount of species that live in the eco systems of the mangroves – and the mangroves themselves. And we all know that Mangroves provide the protection against erosion of our coast lines and against high tides and Tsumani like waves.
I was attending a Standard Chartered Bank conference at the beautiful Four Seasons Resort in Langkawi where Wendy was taking us out in boats to teach us about her beloved mangroves. From a one inch red crab scurrying into the mud to a poisonous viper that hung unseen a metre away from my head, Wendy brought the wealth of the mangroves alive for all of us, as we listened and watched with such rapt attention, feeling the very pulse of the ecosystem and becoming one with it.
The world needs more Wendy Chin’s to help save our ecosystems.
amazing…
but i noticed one thing…that she has all the proper rafting gear on her…if it is social worker or environmentalist in Kerala back waters trying out some thing similar then he or she would appear as if they need more help than the environment…and the main issue would have been government’s negligence and lack of funding…
well that doesnt mean what wendy is doing is less..she is in a foreign country or she is Malaysian? whatever, she is doing good work…
what i sensed is that the percentage is less in India of such personalities…hence less research, hence less development…its everywhere, in every field…and it reverse…over population, less money, hence lesser basic amenities hence such work becomes not only tough to pursue but TOUGHEST…many passions get dissolved in the course of TIME…
and this all links to finally ART…our films are monotonous because of this…because we as a society is not RICH…rich in wealth and hence not rich in research, conservation and progress…hence low level ART…
only films in which we see certain amount of detailing are either cop dramas ( ab tak chappan, saher) or gangster films(satya)
are there no doctors, engs, CA, IAS, bankers, scientists and several other professionals in India?
simple thing- weekend trips…most of the western world have different kinds of cultures because THEY CAN AFFORD…like mud baths or camping or beach games or many other small cultures within a broad culture…which reflects in their films…also tendency of social awareness which leads to cleanliness, good infrastructure, city planning helps their films makers to get NATURAL BEAUTIFUL MODERN LOCATIONS…but if one will shoot on Indian street he would get all COLORS in the frame yellow, orange, brown, green, blue, gray, maroon, all mixed which never gives a feel of COLORFULNESS but a sense of horrible confusion outlined with horribly dull, gloomy concrete buildings…
also if one will see magazines like INSIDE-OUTSIDE( interior design magazines)- their sense of use of SPACE is so very amazing…small kitchen but N number of facilities…its not only MONEY its also about Aesthetic sense of the whole society which evolves over the years…
most of the IT sector people and other sector people prefer to SLEEP on weekends because 5 days they are overloaded with work ( 95% of them dont want to do what they are doing hence overloaded, over time is never a paid overtime…westerns wont even touch a paper after 5pm…)…while western would do his lawn, would do some plumbing in his house and would go on weekend trip…here since labor is cheap people dont know how to change fuse wire too if it burns…
indians are masters in bollywood, cricket, eating, sleeping and reproduction…ahh and if its city like Pune DISCUSSION!…
so not the world but India needs more wendy chins…
i am typing all this in a hurry so i may sound off track but it is very much linked…sorry wendy…and i may sound pessimist too…but i am not…these are our mistakes…we all know it…
we got only One Nobel in science, one in literature and one is economics if i am not wrong… CV raman, tagore and amartya sen…am i right… in almost 100 years of Nobel history!!!
What superpower…!…is it on the basis of population that we claim that?…
yes…world does need more wendy chins…but India definitely needs more wendy chins…
its all garbled i guess…try to see the point…sorry again if u find it totally off track…
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Kavi Deepak Sharma
http://www.kavideepaksharma.co.in
You are very passionate about your work
But why sometimes you start and there is no end for some projects? Mendela…Buddha…
When passion is positive it can really have effect…but are you a good finisher?
Passion is passion shekhar. Wether its directed in a positive or negative way is a judgement, an outside perception. The passionate are driven by their all consuming feeling-it has not to do with good or bad.
this lady’s desire to preserve the mangroves is no different from Hitlers passion to destroy the jews. Good or bad is ultimately its usefulness to the world and the people that reside in it and the prevailing social and political climate
Blessed are those who feel a yearning, who feel a passion to change and bring alive the world they inhabit. The rest lead the existense of the living dead
Passion is nothing but a motivation that keeps us alive. The reason for the otherwise surely purposelessness of our existence
I wonder if you’ve heard of Mr. Sunderlal Bahuguna ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunderlal_Bahuguna ), though I suppose you must’ve heard of Ms. Medha Patkar ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medha_Patkar ).
To know what the dream is.
And then have the courage to follow it.
A salute to the lady.
This ‘passion thing’ still drives me crazy…to have or not to have?
Bravo Ms Chin. We absolutely need more such people safeguarding our most precious belonging – Earth
Shekhar!!!! Lets get Paani on the floor soooooooon!:)
Hi Shekhar;
I’m actually reading this with blushes on my face. Hahahaha…
It was awesome having you on board that rainy day. Indeed your blog did serve as a spark that ignite the fuel to create my own blog. Also a slight kick on my butt from Dr Saffo.
Please feel free to check out:
http://wchinner.blogspot.com
This is just a start, a proper website later…
Thank you for remembering me and also thank you to all the commenters for your words of encouragement and support. These will be my fuel to keep the fire of enthusiasm burning.
I’m looking forward to your return to Langkawi with your daughter. How about on a kayak next time? Is an intimate way in experiecing the mangroves.
Take care.
from the Isle of Brahminy Kites
T.I.M.E====past+present+future……….
is time relative or absolute…..
can u say what is really static in the universe………………
can i know what are static entities………..
i liked ur talent show sir……..
sir i think u need to complete ur movie
TIMEMACHINE…..
u cannot leave it incomplete….
i like u very much………..
i like one dialogue in kkhh…
“hum ek bar jeete hai anjali..shadi bhi ekk bar hota hai”….a pretty women and a honest oneeeee….
get back man….get back……..do not let the time go away….