Friday, 18 September 2009

Ulf Sawert-The Royal Swedish Singing Sensation

Dale Carnegie once said,''Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all''.

Since long,I have had the priviledge of travelling around and meeting many people,who touched my life with their genuine good heart,compassion,extraordinary talent.Be it during shootings,debate competitions,National,International Conferences,Poetry and Writer's Meet,Rotary meetings,visiting villages and places to address fans,students,colleges,plantation programs,award functions,events, I'm meeting many talented,gifted amazing souls,who,are touching lives with their path-breaking thoughts and talent.There is a Hero,an Icon within everybody,who with a strong will and determination have overcome undaunting challenges and have emerged Victorious and some may have lost it,but the essence of their soul has touched my life enough to making me want to tell their stories.And I want my friends all over the world to know them and as I applaud their Extraordinariness,as Oscar Wilde,once said,''Ordinary riches can be stolen: real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you''.

It is during adversity when one can really make a big difference. But making a difference is not about being a big hero. It is simply about leaving the bathroom a little cleaner going out, than when you came in.That I had read somewhere.

Stevie Wonder once said,''We all have ability. The difference is how we use it''.

Today I'm writing this blog regarding my extraordinarily talented friend,artist,and Royal big brother,Ulf Sawert,a royal blue-blood with an undying passion for Music,Singing,Poetry,Writing.His book is to get published very soon.His International hit 'THE ONLY' was a chartbuster hit not only in Sweden even in Europe and won appreciation and applause on many international talk shows,radio stations.His voice is a reminder of Elvis Presley and John Lennon.His fathers mothers father...was a polish gipsy! His doublecousin, Stephan Gebelhoff, is one of Germanys most famous actors!His Mother is a Bernadotte in the fourth generation! The Swedish king, Carl XVI Gustav is in the sixth generation, and Crownprincess Victoria is in the seventh generation ( Ulf Sawert is in the fifth.) If people want to see a REAL royalty person they shall look at his mother!!!(below is a pic ofUlf with his mom,when he was a kid)

In my tete-e-tete with Ulf,I wanted to know what he is passionate about,his answer is down below,in his own words;

Ulf-''I like to read biographies and history (I have read over 100 books about Swedish and European history). I compose music. I have been a very good tennisplayer (won several tournaments) and I´m a talented chessplayer.

I am very interested in economic development in countries, over the whole world. China and India is interesting to study because they have such large populations and such high GDP growth! It´s stimulate to see how things works...I like exploring the world.

I´m single and 47 years old.

I have study nearly 5 years at the university in Sundsvall (mostly economic topics). In summer 2000 I released my first music-album: "Juniskären", it had sold in 300 copies and have been played on radiostations in Sweden Norway and Finland. I believe that I am an descendent to the Swedish king: Karl XIV Johan (Jean Baptiste Bernadotte), in the fifth generation, and I have also write a book about all the exciting things I have found in my family-history. Karl XIV Johan was king over Sweden and Norway 1818-1844, and some history experts puts him at the top of all swedish kings ever lived!''

Ulf is very philosophical,an artist with integrity,and a heart with deep understanding for the sufferings of others,he shares some here- Try to understand the world! How everything connects. Think for yourself. Trust yourself and trust in God. Don´t just follow the masses. Try to care about people that have hard times. Be honest.

His homepage:

http://ulf-sawert.tripod.com/

My blog (on swedish):

http://tankesmedjan.tripod.com/

ON youtube-

http://www.youtube.com/user/Caecarulf

Has a deep love and admiration for Indian culture,Indian movies,though doesnt understand hindi,yet loved watching Hum dil de chuke sanam,even some of my indian work as an actor..haha..His profound love for India is so symbollically put in the video above,the assimilation of minute important details of india and its cultural heritage,is so well put,everything that has a global meaning.....adored myself....(there are photos of Ulf himself with his royal cousin princess madeleine,crown prince Frederik and uncle Karl Johan xiv)

Though he he was born into a royal lineage,yet he never really wanted to depend on the lineage,rather went about pursuing his own dreams,composing his own hit songs and that has made all the difference.


Tuesday, 1 September 2009

A fab Creative Eye for Beauty-Upagupt Mohanty

Dale Carnegie once said,''Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all''.

Since long,I have had the priviledge of travelling around and meeting many people,who touched my life with their genuine good heart,compassion,extraordinary talent.Be it during shootings,debate competitions,National,International Conferences,Poetry and Writer's Meet,Rotary meetings,visiting villages and places to address fans,students,colleges,plantation programs,award functions,events, I'm meeting many talented,gifted amazing souls,who,are touching lives with their path-breaking thoughts and talent.There is a Hero,an Icon within everybody,who with a strong will and determination have overcome undaunting challenges and have emerged Victorious and some may have lost it,but the essence of their soul has touched my life enough to making me want to tell their stories.And I want my friends all over the world to know them and as I applaud their Extraordinariness,as Oscar Wilde,once said,''Ordinary riches can be stolen: real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you''.

It is during adversity when one can really make a big difference. But making a difference is not about being a big hero. It is simply about leaving the bathroom a little cleaner going out, than when you came in.That I had read somewhere.

Stevie Wonder once said,''We all have ability. The difference is how we use it''.

Every great advance in Life has issued from a new audacity of imagination.And Upagupt Mohanty is one such creatively imaginative soul,who has a dream of making Oriyas proud of him.With his amazing imagination and creativity,he has touched lives with his Art,by making people feel special.In ones humdrum existence,one looks for inspiration.Everybody craves to be loved and yearns for a word of encouragement,Upagupt on his own has made many experience encouragement,love and kindness.And he excels in the art of polishing a stone and bringing out its spark,with his amazing talent in editing photos with his fabulous creative eye for beauty.His edited photos of me actually made me look a lot better,adding the zing.

"Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can."

Men who are resolved to find a way for themselves will always find opportunities enough; and if they do not find them, they will make them.

So,I was kind of happy to recieve some very beautifully edited photos of me as well others,and thereupon,got tremendous good response,so I chose to write a blog on my Upagupt,so asked him few questions,to which his answers are here.:::;

Ques-Upagupt Mohanty,how would you define self in few words?
Ans-I am a combination of man's brain, woman's heart and child's eye. I understand every human emotion to action and try to express it in creative form be it poetical or photographic.

Ques-What would you say you are deeply passionate about?
Ans- There is so much more to beauty...I try to explore creatively on and on through photography. Nothing is more beautiful than what surrounds us be it animate or inanimate. We need an inner eye to feel the hidden story within it.
Ques-What inspires you to go on with your creative pursuit?
Ans-God has been a very powerful inspiration to me. Photographers such as Ansel Adams and Anne Geddes have inspired my photography a lot.

Ques-What do you do in your pastime?
Ans.Being a Mentor...hahahahah[upaguptmohanty.blogspot.com]and being a photography maniac.
Ques-The Most Important day in your life has been....
Ans:Meeting Padmashri Vinod dua[one of the most well known names of the Indian media] shooting me and my wife in 'Zaika India Ka' - NDTV India's new Street Food show for the Zaika of Orissa.

Ques-Your Favourite Quotation right now is?
Ans:A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense, and is, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety. - Ansel Adams

Ques-Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
Ans:To be a renowned photographer capturing the simplicity, the elegance and the beauty of life around us.


Ques-You say you have a motto in your life that fires your imagination?
Ans:Live and Let live with love and respect. Being a proud son of Orissa.Though I have had no formal training in photography or photoimaging. Though I' do not even own a professional DSLR camera......Still,do not want to give up or retreat single inch but believe in leaving long lasting impressions


Upagupt in his own words is thankful to People appreciating his art around the globe.....

Leslie Tripathy[Indian Celebrity], Savannah Ostler[ American Actor], Setenay Ozbek[Turkish renowned Painter & Novelist], Biliana Bibi[Serbian renowned photographer], Edidina Arantes[ Brazilian costume designer], Natali[ Brazilian Professor], Ana Gilmara[Brazilian ModelMaker]
Compliments received:
Biliana Bibi: You have the EYE FOR BEAUTY, especially you can see the inner beauty of woman, and with that you have it all.You are very good in portraying women.

Savannah Ostler: What Upagupt has done with my pictures is nothing short of amazing! He can turn an ordinary photo into a work of art. And not just any work of art, but an inspirational masterpiece. Well done!
Leslie Tripathy:Your work is amazingly poetic!!!





























































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Monday, 24 August 2009

Prince Dance Group wins India's Got Talent

I'm little late in cheering Prince Dance group(a group comprising labourers working and living in Orissa's Berhampur) on winning the talent Show,"India's Got Talent"...

What is so amazing is the fact what strong will power they have in overcoming challenges,they are a group of very poor children..and few big kids,who had no money but had the talent,thanks to the amazing choreography,by the "on-the-crutch dance choreographer".Of course I havent seen the whole show nor the other participants,but these bubbling with eye-feasting talent touched my heart,especially when I saw a little kid,who has polio i suppose,couldnot walk yet,kept crawling on his 2 hands and kept performing,amazing feats.

I'm grateful to the people who voted for them ,who thought this astoundingly talented dancing group(Prince Dancing Group) (PD to 56882,their number that was smsed by a nation rooting for their commitment,undefeated will power to stand up all against all odds and enchant a dance and song loving nation )deserved to win the competition.I was rooting for these fab talents from Orissa(thanks to my frend Ajit and my Papa who had asked me to check the jaw-dropping dance which got them crying ..well I'm happy and proud of myself.. because I took their word seriously and saw the one video clip which uggh..hate say watered my eyes)...who have visibly swept the Judges off their feet...

aww ... the judges Shekhar Kapur and Kirron Kher,even Sonali gave a standing ovation as they couldnot hide the pearlies rolling down their eyes...

p.s-above link is -Indian Flag Act - Prince Dance Group - India's Got Talent (Semi-Finale)

Sunday, 16 August 2009

Reading A Thousand Splendid Suns


"Behind every trial and sorrow that He makes us shoulder, God has a reason."

I finished reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by "Khaled Hosseini",the author of "Kite Runner".A beautiful heart-warming tale of courage,heroism,love,inspiration,hope under tough times and unimaginable grief..I was rooting for the dreams of Mariam and Laila.It was a different world for me.Of course,the dark side of Islam fundamentalism...creeps me out...but the people overall..who have silently suffered deserve happiness..especially the law for women in there was scary during (the Taliban domination),yet there are people like Laila's Babi who empower women by educating them.
"A society has no chance of success if its women are uneducated..."

Tuesday, 11 August 2009

Rotarians combating Global Warming







Rotarians from Rotary Club Heritage,believe in doing their best in preserving the greenery and ecology of the city,Bhubaneswar.After all plants are necessary for the ecology of our environment.

We as individuals shall do our best to combat global warming,climate changes.

This plantation was done at Royal Science College,Bhubaneswar

Thursday, 6 August 2009

Aunt Ruth Wildes Schuler's Radio Interview with Jane Crown

Wanted to congratulate my dearest and kindest Aunt Ruth Wildes Schuler,a famous American Writer and Poet,on winning third prize in the Embassy International dancing Poetry Contest this year.



Here are the links to her radio interview, with the Fantabulous Jane Crown

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-Jane-Crown-Show/2009/06/21/Ruth-Wildes-Schuler

Ruth Wildes Schuler was born in Salem, Massachusetts on February 11, 1933. She received a Master’s Degree in creative writing from San Francisco State University. She has had over 1000 poems, short stories, literary articles and book reviews published in anthologies and small press publications in twenty one countries around the world and has had work translated into nineteen languages. She also has had work published on the Internet from the United States, Germany, India, and Hong Kong. She started her own press Heritage Trails and published many chap books and anthologies. For eleven years, she edited an international literary magazine, PROPHETIC VOICES. She folded her press and magazine to devote full time to her own writing. She has edited a number of anthologies for other presses, including a collection of Native American poetry for Willfion Publishers in Scotland, and Northwoods Press and Indian Valley Colleges in the United States. She has had 13 books of poetry published and two books of short stories. She was nominated numerous times for the Pushcart Prize and received a plaque from the World Congress of Poets and others. She has won numerous first and grand prizes in poetry from the New York Poetry Forum, the Berkeley Poets, Ina Coolbrith Circle, Poets of the Vineyard and others. She has received certificates of merit from the International Writer and Artists Association, the National Poetry Association, Poetry Organization of Women, International Writers Association, Poesie India International and others. She has had poems and short stories published in two textbooks put out of the American Association of University Women. She has appeared on television a number of times, and in March 2005, she was a speaker representing the United States at the Kaohsiung, Taiwan World Poetry Festival that had poets from twenty-four countries in attendance. A stone with her poem in both Chinese and English was placed in the park in Kaohsiung.


http://www.janecrown.com/archive_radio/Ruth_Wildes_Schuler_6_21_2009.mp3



Link to her blog

http://ruthschuler.blogspot.com/