tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20654297370974286922024-03-13T12:53:21.026-07:00Confessionszukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-43134649569415689592015-03-15T08:45:00.002-07:002015-03-15T08:45:55.906-07:00Under Threat: My Idea of India!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Something has been bothering me for a while now. I feel threatened, my thoughts feel threatened, my voice feels threatened. My identity feels threatened. My identity as an Indian feels under a question mark today, I cannot express in words completely. It's just a sinking feeling.<br />
<br />
Blame it on my roots and formal education that sowed the seeds of the idea. The idea that India is a modern nation. The idea that everyone is an equal citizen of this country. The idea that I can be myself without being asked for my religion or faith. The idea that a girl and a boy are equals in this country. The very idea that freedom of thought and rational thinking is the cornerstone of our culture. The idea that law will treat everyone the same, irrespective of caste, creed, color, or sex, and definitely faith. The idea that there is diversity in unity. The idea that millions of freedom fighters sacrificed their lives for this idea. For Freedom. What shame!<br />
<br />
What shame when today we are hell bent on poisoning the air with slogans of GHARWAAPSI, LOVEJIHAD, and many more. What shame when a thousands of NIRBHAYAS happen all over the country and yet we blame women for the sick behavior of our men. What shame when we BAN content just because it is based on facts we do not want to accept. What shame when we harp on economic growth and BUY media to write or publish the all is beautiful story of India. What shame when the young intelligentsia of the nation start mocking SECULAR thought as SICK and when being a LIBERAL is being left oriented or being aligned to a certain political party. Culture!<br />
<br />
Indian culture is one of the toughest things to define, for the idea of India as a nation state never existed before the 1850's. There were kings, kingdoms, nobles, peasant, and traders and artisans and so forth. No identity of faith. Identity of birth or identity of region, that's was the centerpiece of our cultural showpiece. If every Indian followed Hindutva, why did the Marathas raid and plunder the people during their reign? Why did the Mughals not destroy every Hindu place of worship? Why did we have people like Kabir and Surdas speaking of deeds and spirit and good in every faith and not one religion in particular? Why did the British India had 540 or more princely states and not just one single unity called India or Bharat? Facts!<br />
<br />
Fact is, the idea of India itself is so modern that it's hard to give a cultural identity to it, without encompassing the fact that diversity of faith, language, beliefs and cultures is what is the soul of this idea. Rational thinking has been the soul of Hindu thought and scriptures, and it is the fundamental reason why India over centuries has blended so well with other cultures, because we have been and are free thinking people by design. Fact is India is not what the Mughals conquered or the Marathas won from them, it is not the legacy of Ashoka or the Bharat of Mahabharat. It is a beautiful thought of a nation state, a modern nation state, whose very conception deserves merit to the founding fathers and mothers of this nation that I was educated about in my early years. Foundations!<br />
<br />
The strength of any structure relies heavily upon its foundations. The idea of India was laid on the foundations of secularism, freedom, liberty, justice and equality. I see all these foundations under immense stress today. Being a secular is akin to being pro minority today, and the fierceness with which this has been attacked, calls for a deep introspection. We should go no further away than our neighbor Pakistan to realize the perils of a fanatic nation, whose condition is worse than a dying corpse today. Look at any modern nation, and as most Indians, I too have an American dream. The beauty about America, like India, is the way, the state runs. It gives a shit to your faith. Make money and America loves you.<br />
<br />
Freedom is such a lame word in today's age. Everyone is free in this country, British went back in 1947. Well then, why the fuss? Well then, a free country cannot guarantee employment to millions. Our rhetoric is filled with minority bashing, and this is a free country. Its not that this never happened before or that all this is new. Sympathy, that's how most Indians reacted to all this before. A SICKULAR journalist would publish some article calling for freedom of religion and the moderate Indians will hail the publication, and everybody keeps calm. Today, a dangerous apathy is taking over the Indian Psyche. The rich never cared, so lets spare them. It's the middle class, the exploding middle class, whose apathy is reaching to meteoric levels. The media is controlled by the elite and they hardly care but for the TRPs and the advertorial money. The India of past, not very past, had a voice of reason. The economic euphoria coupled with the rhetoric is sinking that voice. Fast, and furious.<br />
<br />
It might also be the case that people have stopped caring about the rhetoric and are not interested in wasting time in protests or condemnations. But, is our silence giving confidence to the voices which do not believe in the idea of India, the way it was conceived during the freedom struggle? Are we allowing our foundation to be attacked far too often by termites or do we think its too deep and well rooted for minor tremors to collapse the structure?<br />
<br />
I have never felt this way before,about my idea of India, under threat. I will always want my future generations to grow in a free, liberal, modern environment. Present times pose a great challenge to that aspiration. I wish the foundations emerge stronger post these tremors. I have my doubts, though. Yet, whenever I walk out of my home and meet commoners on streets, at restaurants, at workplace, I feel hopeful. I see people like me. People who want to work and derive meaning out of their lives. People who have aspirations for a better living. People who love happiness and peace. It's their silence which worries me, and it's their capacity for rational thinking, which gives me hope.<br />
<br /></div>
zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-77436082636136471522012-10-22T07:07:00.001-07:002012-10-22T07:07:10.403-07:00Master of Networking!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Network!<br />
<br />
Ask any undergrad kid preparing for a business school, what is the reason for him to do an MBA, and you are sure to hear him say, " It will help me network with blah blah...."<br />
If not <b>synergy</b>, then networking has to be most abused word in business school circuit. Right from the day someone gets a shortlist for a business school till the time you graduate out and move to your professional career, all you want to be good at, is networking.<br />
After all, don't you want to be in the best job that you can land yourself in an Indian Business school. No doubt your profile needs to be awesome ( a secret formula that checks the awesomeness of the profile ), but if you are not making news, not connecting with the right people, then, you are not there, as yet! You need to network with your seniors, after all they are the people who will help you with your placements, your being into the "coveted" groups in the campus, and what not. Then you need to network with your alumni, after all, they been through it, done it all, and now it's their turn to be on the other side. They are there for you, just that those poor guys might have a decent job and a family to chose as a priority. But then, it's your duty, to network with them. If they are not on your LinkedIn contacts, gosh, you are not exploiting your opportunities well.<br />
Talking of LinkedIn well, how can one forget the social networking sites. As if you don't have 500+ contacts on Linkedin, the courts will issue a non-bailable warrant against your crime of poor networking. It will be a great contest where people are asked to list down their contacts on LinkedIn or Facebook, or even asking them names from their contact list and mapping their recalling ability. I am sure the results would embarrass most people. But does that matter? Do you actually care about what's happening to your network? A more interesting question to ask a B school student or even a MBA professional with decent professional experience would be to give the percentage of friends he/she has in their network. I can only fathom the situation, but then, as any MBA would say, "It Depends!"<br />
"Waqt aane par Gadhe ko bhi baap banana padta hai" - This metaphor, ironically, captures the art of networking that B schools preach and practice with utmost stupidity. It's actually funny, observing people do this thing, daily, in their life and work, and succeed. It's not that I do not network, neither can I avoid the lure of it. It's not a bad thing either, in fact, looks like most things in life thrive on it. Just that sometimes, it feels too cliched, too artificial, the whole thing about networking. I have learned more about it than any subject of management in the past 4 and a half terms.<br />
Or maybe, they should change the name of the course, call it Master of Networking, instead of an MBA, then, I shall have my peace!</div>
zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-76010482791783180072012-10-14T03:58:00.001-07:002012-10-14T03:58:13.026-07:00Lonely in yet another party<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last night, we had the most rocking insti party of this academic year at IIM L. The music was great, so was the mood. With three weeks to go for the D Day of junior batch, it was kind of interesting to see so many of them turn up for the insti party. Given the diversity factor in this batch, it is expected to have some "masala" in these parties. And yesterday was no disappointment in that. For all the gossip mongers, there were enough couples hanging in each other's arms, all in the gaze of the public world, swaying to the tunes of Linkin Park.<br />
<br />
Then there were the group of so called friends, hanging and dancing around in circles, looking into each other's eyes and enjoying the satisfaction of being with people who love and care about them. As I observed these groups from the dilated pupils of my eyes, jumping and dancing to the beat, I realised one shocking thing. I was not alone, no! Most of them, most of us, we were lonely, trying to hide that loneliness, in the rhythm of the music, in the kick of the alcohol, in trying to act wild and cool. I could see people hopping from one group of people to another, to gain attention, to be recognized as one of them, to have that feeling of " I belong". Sadly though, even in that glamour and trance of the environment, you could see mortals, wounded by jealousy, insecurity, captured by the mirage of image and all that shit. You could see that even though people were dancing to the tune of the beats, it was not music that was driving them, but some inner desire, to be liked, by one, and all!<br />
<br />
Thankfully, the kick got to me, and I lost myself to the music on the floor. After that, all I saw was happy souls jumping in the air. An expression of self-love, freedom, so pure, I guess it lasted for a fraction of a second, but what a feeling it was. Then, loneliness returned to the party.</div>
zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-49497598199415667862012-08-10T01:04:00.003-07:002012-08-10T01:04:55.428-07:00Egypt in news again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2l-PyXoC1-mNb1sXxGnbNHijm4KJpdSpxVkRMjfzCR5FBMy2hyphenhyphennslp50iQv3MILeY_t6CoHD8hDhy_3CvBStGfHp5JMlK8642vEP-mKRRkdKTIvBJqC12HYGpTvBQodBTV68sOx9MPoqJ/s1600/Photo0723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2l-PyXoC1-mNb1sXxGnbNHijm4KJpdSpxVkRMjfzCR5FBMy2hyphenhyphennslp50iQv3MILeY_t6CoHD8hDhy_3CvBStGfHp5JMlK8642vEP-mKRRkdKTIvBJqC12HYGpTvBQodBTV68sOx9MPoqJ/s320/Photo0723.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
It is well over two months now that the presidential elections have happened in Egypt and the Muslim Brotherhood has rose to power in perhaps the most liberal Islamic country of the Arab World.<br />
What was and still remains the biggest concern with this development was the relations Egypt has with long term rival and neighbour, Israel. Recent developments along the disputed Sinai border between Egypt and Israel have again made tensions soar in this highly volatile region. The attack by fundamentalist forces along the Sinai border and the army action by Egypt to counter it might well be the biggest test for the newly formed government, who is still struggling to get out of the shadow of the Egyptian Military, who still holds the key to power in Egypt.<br />
<br />
It is testing times for the people of Egypt, who now have a bigger threat of a slowing economy, dismal public services and rising tensions with Israel. </div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-10209321489944371112012-07-25T02:53:00.001-07:002012-07-25T02:54:14.554-07:00The Monsoon Weddings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6R8TAjQFEAher5Ou0CC5Fbsv-bqOd0BBc3_8qCYpisMiPKuNHLkC3mzct4acNQX4hsgqj0_y1ABjLQYl6EcvCfn59FGBvVm1mSvtkPO-iglC2Fi78V2VFOS6tEcuo34j1nWRf5bUjL90/s1600/monsoon-wedding-wallpaper-1024x768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6R8TAjQFEAher5Ou0CC5Fbsv-bqOd0BBc3_8qCYpisMiPKuNHLkC3mzct4acNQX4hsgqj0_y1ABjLQYl6EcvCfn59FGBvVm1mSvtkPO-iglC2Fi78V2VFOS6tEcuo34j1nWRf5bUjL90/s320/monsoon-wedding-wallpaper-1024x768.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Monsoon's are here, and it's raining marriages this season.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We Live in a time when visiting Facebook every day has become a ritual, and to the my utter dismay, the only images that I see floating around on Facebook these days are of my friends getting engaged, married or celebrating the birthday of their kid. What has happened to the world! </span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At 26, it's not that I expect this to be unusual, most of my friends have settled either in their technical job or are enjoying the post MBA stint with some of the best corporates in the world. Still, ain't it too early to get married? Obviously, your girlfriend's dad won't wait for you to get a breather, neither will your girl friend. Is it that this is the time when everyone in life thinks that's it's the perfect time to "Settle Down", which in itself is an illusion created to fuel and sustain one of the most fundamental societal institution called marriage.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By the time I will graduate out of IIM Lucknow, most of my good friends would have already settled down, ( which also shows the bad timing of my MBA programme :P ) and the whole situation freaks me out to the core, imagine talking to your "matured, settled friend". </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's time to take out my umbrella, for it's raining marriages this monsoon!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-31488475210021284762011-12-28T22:15:00.001-08:002011-12-28T22:15:34.456-08:00AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH<br />
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH<br />
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH<br />
<br />
Just feel like shouting out loud, punching someone in the face!<br />
<br />
</div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-6940551546663894332011-12-12T20:30:00.000-08:002011-12-12T20:30:19.883-08:00Two minds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It is close to 6 months at hell and I am still going with the flow. There is no plan. No goal.<br />
<br />
I am a part of a team, and in two minds. To deep dive, let it indulge me completely, or, still think of life ahead of it.<br />
<br />
When I came here, I was a man on top of the world, having made it to an IIM. Here, that confidence has taken a hit. I wanted to change India, look for ideas that had the potential to change India.<br />
Here, corruption caught me, corruption of thought. Never had I imagined in life that competing is the ultimate habit, you cannot take things easy.<br />
<br />
Close to 13 months remain. This journey seems lost at the moment.<br />
<br />
Pathik</div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-62544558009360649812011-12-12T20:23:00.000-08:002011-12-12T20:23:23.607-08:00Sea of Fog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Its morning 10 am and I am only surrounded by a sea of fog at IIM Lucknow!<br />
Wow!<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-67026056869757380872011-11-19T22:19:00.000-08:002011-11-19T22:19:55.512-08:00Life @ Hell<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Its been close to five months of my stay at IIM Lucknow.<br />
Somehow, the initial euphoria of coming to a world of exciting opportunities has prevailed over the depressing environment of the campus. I am a part of Manfest, which is a group of passionate people committed to deliver the annual business conclave of IIM Lucknow year after year. Things at IIM Lucknow are not that simple as they used to be in NIT Bhopal. Here, everything is simply, "GLOBE"<br />
<br />
What a journey it has been so far. The fact that you are not part of the "Remedials" can seriously pose interesting problems. From the first institute party itself, I have been trying to get connected to the institute, its people, its culture. Something which has not happened so far. I have made conscious efforts, yet, there is something which is still missing. I have not made great friends, and this is something that I have realized over time, that it takes time for me to befriend people. The insti parties, the booze, the dances, the music, have become an integral part of my life now.<br />
I have made mistakes, and have learned tremendous lessons. So much has happened in the past five months.<br />
We have had our summer placements, which showed me the worst and the best of a B school. It was a scary process, and has left many people short of confidence. The hype of mba as a degree will hopefully saturate in times to come when people do realize their real aptitude and fit to these programs.<br />
<br />
Life @ Hell, so far, is exciting, fun, and, superficial at the same time. Hopefully, remaining 15 months will count for the rest of my life</div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-36938114639500102742011-05-23T02:42:00.000-07:002011-05-23T02:42:29.334-07:00Movie Review - Pyaar Ka Punchnama<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Wide Screen Shots of Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon, pubs located in Bangalore and loads of chaos.<br />
Director Luv Ranjan's "Pyaar Ka Punchnama" is a brave attempt at portraying the myths of relationships in this Digital Age, viewed from the Male side and this may perhaps not go down well with the Female audiences.<br />
<br />
The first half is breezy, energetic, funny and wild. The story of three bestest of buddies who live in the same flat, their falling in love, getting in a relationship, and the things that follow unfolds before the audience. The thigs that follow attempt to completely destroy their individuality and friendship as the Relationship starts occupying their Universe.<br />
<br />
The Second half fails to emulate the pace and energy of the first half, looks a bit stretched too. However, this part of the movie is an attempt at Dark Humor, as the Boys start realising that in the name of love, life is being sucked out of them by their respective Girl Friends. The Girls become the bad guy in this movie, and possess all the wickedness and tricks one will associate with the good old villians of Hindi Cinema.<br />
<br />
The performances by all actors, mostly debutants, are worthy of compliments. The guy with the specs and his "Girl" friend, both, will be loved by the audiences for their wit, emotion and drama. The story has shades of grey, and barring some parts in the second half, it holds it audience for most of the show.<br />
Music is one point where the movie fails to impress. The tract "Kutta" being the highpoint, written by the Director Luv Ranjan only, has all the makings of a Hostel Party song.<br />
The movie has a seemingly dark take on Love and relationships, and for all those interested in both, I would recommend " Pyaar ka Punchnama".</div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-30576836825809518462011-04-21T12:42:00.000-07:002011-04-21T12:42:58.234-07:00FAILED:YET AGAIN!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I have failed yet again,<br />
feeling such an immense pain.<br />
This time also I gave my best<br />
Yet, I was not the best.<br />
<br />
I do not know how to react<br />
For I am definitely feeling low<br />
I am not selected, thats a fact,<br />
my mind in a dizzy, after this blow.<br />
<br />
No one lost what I did<br />
I cannot cry, for I am not a kid<br />
What went wrong, is all I ask<br />
How can I put that "all ok" mask?<br />
<br />
Men learn from failures<br />
Is what we were told<br />
Failures teach wisdom, our Saviour,<br />
Some weapon men possess as they grow old.<br />
<br />
Krishna told Arjun there is no point<br />
In being sad for what was never yours<br />
Desire and Grief share an unbreakable joint<br />
Give them up, and victory shall be yours.<br />
<br />
Alas, but I am a mere mortal<br />
and today I stand facing darkness<br />
The iron fist of failure is brutal<br />
and I see its grip in sharpness.<br />
<br />
Courage is the virtue of the warriors<br />
while fear the grave of the coward<br />
I remember my failures through the years<br />
trying hard to figure out a way forward<br />
<br />
I just hope this strengthens my resolve<br />
I wanna taste the sweetness of victory<br />
Till the time the Earth revolves<br />
I will strive to make a History<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-44157460236169544682011-03-29T03:33:00.000-07:002011-03-29T03:33:35.104-07:00When Dreams Come Crashing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It feels bad<br />
when dreams come crashing<br />
It feels dead<br />
when you start faking.<br />
<br />
<br />
Then you start thinking<br />
how did it started<br />
Tel yourself to start inking<br />
Memories that Departed.<br />
<br />
<br />
You try to convince yourself<br />
Common Man, thats all fair<br />
Start cleaning up that shelf<br />
Which contained things all dear.<br />
<br />
<br />
Then you stop, and ponder<br />
What if I had another chance<br />
Your mind starts to wonder<br />
Your feet heavy, your eyes dance.<br />
<br />
<br />
But then, what you can do?<br />
Go back to being what you were,<br />
Try breaking this spell of Voodo<br />
For its your life, your future.<br />
<br />
</div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-57457068469181986722011-01-24T23:28:00.000-08:002011-01-24T23:28:31.353-08:00India, the Republic @62<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">कदम कदम बढ़ाये जा<br />
<br />
<br />
खुशी के गीत गाये जा<br />
<br />
ये जिंदगी है क़ौम की<br />
<br />
तू क़ौम पे लुटाये जा<br />
<br />
तू शेर-ए-हिन्द आगे बढ़<br />
<br />
मरने से तू कभी न डर<br />
<br />
उड़ा के दुश्मनों का सर<br />
<br />
जोश-ए-वतन बढ़ाये जा <br />
<br />
कदम कदम बढ़ाये जा<br />
<br />
खुशी के गीत गाये जा<br />
<br />
ये जिंदगी है क़ौम की<br />
<br />
तू क़ौम पे लुटाये जा<br />
<br />
हिम्मत तेरी बढ़ती रहे<br />
<br />
खुदा तेरी सुनता रहे<br />
<br />
जो सामने तेरे खड़े<br />
<br />
तू खाक में मिलाये जा <br />
<br />
कदम कदम बढ़ाये जा<br />
<br />
खुशी के गीत गाये जा<br />
<br />
ये जिंदगी है क़ौम की<br />
<br />
तू क़ौम पे लुटाये जा <br />
<br />
चलो दिल्ली पुकार के<br />
<br />
ग़म-ए-निशाँ संभाल के<br />
<br />
लाल क़िले पे गाड़ के<br />
<br />
लहराये जा लहराये जा <br />
<br />
कदम कदम बढ़ाये जा<br />
<br />
खुशी के गीत गाये जा<br />
<br />
ये जिंदगी है क़ौम की<br />
<br />
तू क़ौम पे लुटाये जा<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja...</strong> was the regimental quick march of the Indian National Army. Composed by Ram Singh Thakur, the song has since became an extremely patriotic song in India, and is also currently the Regimental quickmarch of the Indian Army. Listening to this tune has always filled my heart with compassion for my countrymen, and it continues to thrill me. When I see the Republic of India today, which turns 62 tomorrow, I feel a sense of pride and satisfaction, of belonging to a nation which has risen from the slumbers of doom to a land of oppurtunity.Not even the great Father of India nor his legendary son, Pandit Nehru, the man who dreamt of a modern and secular India, would have imagined that in mere 62 years of becoming a Republic, India would be striving for a stake in global governance.Contrary to the doom predicted by most political pandits, the seeds of democracy have only deepened further and India has retained it's secular and pluralistic character,inspite of an increasingly hostile and polarised neighbourhood.Our enterprises have not only arrived at the world stage, but look poised to redefine the trade balances across the globe.Indians have been voted as the most happiest people on the planet,and the freedoms we enjoy under the Indian constitution have allowed the citizen to challange the might of the state.We are the youngest country in the world with over 500 million people in the working agegroup.We have the largest pool of scientists,engineers and doctors in the world and are moving at a tremendous pace towards making significant contributions to research and development.I can think of a thousand reasons for feeling very upbeat about the prospects of this young Republic.<br />
Yet, India at 62 is not all about Gandhi or Nehru.We still have the largest number of poor in the world.Our literacy rates are deplorable compared to the developed countries.The effects of governance deficits have taken the shape of separatist movements, be it Kashmir or the Maoist movement.A large section of the population has never enjoyed the privileges as offered by our constitution and power is still weilded by few in the name of democracy.Values,ethics and accountability are at a all time low in public life, be it our political leaders,bureaucrats or business leaders.The evil of corruption has become a part of the system and is looking to conquer one and all.Regional biases have started to overtake national identity,as is evident from the Telangana and the Naga movements.Collusion of big businesses with all major political parties,as is evident from the 2G scam, is a threatening move to the very basics of a democratic Republic.Environment is being seen as a roadblock for development, and is being destroyed at a pace that can only result in doom.The notion of Inclusive Growth finds place only in political speeches,and is forgotten thereafter. Public spending in Publice Health, Higher Education, Sanitation, Drinking Water, Infrastructure, are far below the benchmarks of a modern and developed Republic. Judiciary, which is supposed to the protector of the rights of the public, is itself struggling to keep the faith of the people in it and looks to avoid being accountable to them.<br />
<br />
Indian Republic, at 62, looks so much like India.Chaotic,brutal,raw, yet hopeful, of a bright future.India at 62 stands as the youngest and largest Republic of the world in terms of population, and it is these young men and women, with dreams in their eyes and strengths in their hearts, which hold the power to transform this great country to a land of dreams, one which is free for all, which values individual liberty, faith, and one which provides oppurtunities to unlock the potential hidden inside an individual.India @62, can look to be bold, courageous and assertive in redeeming it's founding principles.It can look towards people like you and me to turn all the challenges it faces into oppurtunities and contribute to the ever growing legend of this humble civilisation.<br />
<br />
India, the Republic@62, is perhaps entering the most challenging time in it's entire history. Only time will tell how it fared and where it will reach, but I will play my part in taking it from here to only greater and greater heights. India @ 62 reminds me to sign off with a song that goes like this:<br />
<br />
हम लाये हैं तूफ़ान से किश्ती निकाल के<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
पासे सभी उलट गए दुश्मन की चाल के<br />
<br />
अक्षर सभी पलट गए भारत के भाल के<br />
<br />
मंजिल पे आया मुल्क हर बला को टाल के<br />
<br />
सदियों के बाद फ़िर उड़े बादल गुलाल के<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
हम लाये हैं तूफ़ान से किश्ती निकाल के<br />
<br />
इस देश को रखना मेरे बच्चों संभाल के<br />
<br />
तुम ही भविष्य हो मेरे भारत विशाल के<br />
<br />
इस देश को रखना मेरे बच्चों संभाल के<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
देखो कहीं बरबाद न होवे ये बगीचा <br />
<br />
इसको हृदय के खून से बापू ने है सींचा<br />
<br />
रक्खा है ये चिराग़ शहीदों ने बाल के<br />
<br />
इस देश को रखना मेरे बच्चों संभाल के<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
दुनियाँ के दांव पेंच से रखना न वास्ता <br />
<br />
मंजिल तुम्हारी दूर है लंबा है रास्ता <br />
<br />
भटका न दे कोई तुम्हें धोखे में डाल के<br />
<br />
इस देश को रखना मेरे बच्चों संभाल के<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
एटम बमों के जोर पे ऐंठी है ये दुनियाँ <br />
<br />
बारूद के इक ढेर पे बैठी है ये दुनियाँ<br />
<br />
तुम हर कदम उठाना जरा देखभाल के<br />
<br />
इस देश को रखना मेरे बच्चों संभाल के<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
आराम की तुम भूल-भुलैया में न भूलो <br />
<br />
सपनों के हिंडोलों में मगन हो के न झूलो <br />
<br />
अब वक़्त आ गया मेरे हंसते हुए फूलों <br />
<br />
उठो छलांग मार के आकाश को छू लो<br />
<br />
तुम गाड़ दो गगन में तिरंगा उछाल के <br />
<br />
इस देश को रखना मेरे बच्चों संभाल के <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-38565031438883555832010-12-13T07:51:00.000-08:002010-12-13T07:51:16.213-08:00Let Me LoveThe moment I close my eyes,<br />
I see you passing by,<br />
I just can't think anymore,<br />
Touch my lips with yours, so pure.<br />
<br />
The world looks so dark,<br />
Come be my light.<br />
Failure seems to be the only mark,<br />
My success,come stand by my side.<br />
<br />
Every time I look into that mirror,<br />
A dead man laughs, to my horror.<br />
Oh my savior, bring me peace,<br />
Heal my wounds,put me at ease.<br />
<br />
Remember, the long walk,<br />
Words melted hearts, when we talked.<br />
Hold my hands, just once more,<br />
Like a sea,melting on the shore.<br />
<br />
The wind, teases me,<br />
loneliness, freezes me.<br />
Will you come, be my spring?<br />
Would you, take thy ring?<br />
<br />
Let me love you,<br />
every moment, each time.<br />
Let me tell them,<br />
You are mine.zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-74823583472439993802010-12-03T02:47:00.000-08:002010-12-03T02:47:55.174-08:00Book Review : Serious Men<strong>Serious Men, by Manu Joseph, is the winner of the Hindu fiction award for 2010</strong> and that was the main reason for me to buy that book and give it a read. <br />
And it turned out to be a classic. The writer has done a fantastic job in portraying the rise and fall of men through his vived characters which are woven beautifully in a deep and complex plot. The author has done a fantastic job as far as detail is concerned, whether in his description of the "Chawl life " of Bombay or in the portrayal of a thirty year woman falling in love with a near to retirement institute director. <br />
<br />
The book attempts to explore the feelings of love, lust, envy, success and hatred and the characters have all shades of people out on the streets. The contempt towards Brahmins by the <strong>Dalit Ayyan Mani</strong> is one of the major themes the story seems to carry, how a Dalit views the world, ruled and controlled by the high class Brahmins and their white creamy women. The fascination for admiration and success has been beautifully portrayed by his ten year old son,<strong> Adi</strong>, who bluffs the whole world by faking to be a genius, by saying things like, " <strong>I can recite 1000 prime numbers, I find them interesting</strong>"<br />
<br />
The author has made a brave attempt in portraying love and betrayal through the characters of Opurna and Arvind, and to his credit, the steamy romance between them is one of the high points of the story. Women are described from the viewpoint of desperate men or men who do not have time for women, and hence the book is heavily ladden with cheap thoughts of men fantasising about women, their dresses and so on. The way in which he describes the obstacle a newly wed couple faces in a <strong>Bombay Chawl</strong> to make love is both hilarious and brutally raw. A ten old year old son waking up in the middle of the night and asking his parents that what they are doing, he is not allowed to do with the <strong>girls of the Chawl of his agegroup</strong>, is so innocent, yet so sarcastic, I could not help laughing.<br />
<br />
Serious Men is an engrossing read, provided it is read with the mindset of the characters it seeks to offer. The book is written in an easy and lucid manner and provides a fascinating experience of human emotions through it's plot and characters. I would recomment it for those who love complex personalities and those who can refrain from judging persons as good or bad, right or wrong.zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-86277566264233765782010-11-25T03:39:00.000-08:002010-11-25T03:39:17.729-08:00Win Some Lose SomeIt seems weird, but somehow I feel that the last two months have perhaps been the longest of my life so far. I have never ever learned so much about myself. The entire world has gone topsy-turvy. Change is life, and being the change, is perhaps as challenging as climbing Everest. I have learned that all change looks good, only if we are not paying for it or we are not asked to change. Changing mindset, habits, idealogies, values, priorities, is a challenge that can only be won by scholars in quest for fiction. Life, sadly, is lot more complex and change is only a sub-system of our priorities and value systems, for the reverse case is a distant possibility.<br />
<br />
I have learned this the hard way, but have I really learned my lessons? Life is an unending war, with battles waiting to define our success and fall. You win some, sometimes you lose.zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-23156604361455421972010-07-01T02:26:00.000-07:002010-07-01T02:26:42.025-07:00IAS HELP HELP HELPI need a study circle in Noida/Indirapuram for civil services examination preparation.<br />
My subjects are Public Administration and Geography.<br />
I am preparing for the exam while on job, that virtually leaves me with three hours in the evening for the preparation.<br />
Anyone aspiring for the same may please call me at 09313327660.zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-8829036701452503212010-04-05T04:07:00.000-07:002010-04-05T04:07:57.263-07:00School Chale Hum<strong>Congratulations India!!</strong><br />
<br />
Better late than never and even if it ranks as 132th country to do it, India has finally notified the Right to Education as a fundamental right. The move acquires an immediate significance as it promises delivery of Education to the one of the poorest and the biggest adolescent population of the world.<br />
This is a bold move, one with the potential to change the destiny of this country of over a billion people in the coming two decades. Our politicians and leaders need to applauded for backing the RTE and passing this historic legislation, only to reminded of the fact that this is just the first milestone they have crossed in a tortous journey, which will only get tougher in the days to come. For the moment, Mr Sibbal and his team can afford a bright smile, so can the teeming millions of Indian kids, out there in the villages, towns and cities of India.<br />
Sadly, passing a legislation on a sensitive issue like Education is not the solution as most of us think.<br />
The Primary Education sector in India suffers from mammoth issues like:<br />
<ul><li>Accute shortage of quality teachers and high teacher absenteeism</li>
<li>Lack of Infrastrucutre in Govt Schools</li>
<li>High drop-out ratio of over 50 % and more so in case of girls, either due to social customs or lack of financial resources</li>
<li>Only 7% share of private sector in primary education, as it is non-profitable in rural areas and non - affordable in many tier 2 and 3 cities</li>
<li>Official corruption and red-tapism</li>
</ul>And many more. The RTE bill has addressed most of the above issues, some of them like:<br />
<ul><li>Minimum Infrastructure to be provided has been mentioned as a legal requirement</li>
<li>A minimum qualification for the teachers has been prescribed, which they have to attain within 5 years of their joining the job.</li>
<li>Absenteeism over 10% will lead to official action</li>
<li>25 % of the seats of all private schools for class 1 have been reserved for children of economically weaker sections of the society </li>
<li>Huge huge investment by the Central and State governments over the next 6 years amounting to approx 4 lakh crores to be spent on education</li>
</ul>The centre as well as the states will have to recruit around a million teachers in the next 5 years in order to make this bill a reality, which, is the biggest challenge it faces. How are we going to ensure that the existing faculty and those going to be recruited will deliver quality education to the future of our nation?<br />
From where will these million teachers come? Why any bright professional will venture into teaching profession with salaries lower than that offered to a class 4 "sarkari peon"? How will we ensure that tons of thousands of crores of public funds meant for our future generations are not eaten by the moth of corruption?<br />
How are we going to ensure that girls won't drop out of schools that don't have a separate ladies toilet?<br />
<br />
These are tough challenges to tackle and require every bit of committment from every stakeholder, be it the politicians, or the bureaucracy, the teachers or the school administrators, the parents, the kids, civil society, NGO's and nonetheless me to ensure that the gift of oppurtunity reaches to each and every kid of our country in the name of Education.<br />
<br />
N R Narayanmurthy studied by a lamp-post, Dr Kalam studied in a village government school, and why to go far, my father did his own primary schooling in a tribal school. Narayanmurthy has given India and every Indian a global recognition, Dr Kalam has tutored India to follow it's dreams and my father has educated me to be a good human and stand on my feet.<br />
The onus is on us to extend a helping hand to the Murthy's and Kalam's, the Manmohan's and the Raman's , the you's and me's , waiting for that lamp post, that village school, that oppurtunity.<br />
Let's teach them a new poem,<strong> " School Chale Hum, School Chale Hum"</strong>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-63746000273849309852010-04-02T03:38:00.000-07:002010-04-02T03:38:06.608-07:00I am back!!!!Wow!!<br />
This feels awesome.<br />
I am back on my blog, writing again, inshallah, for another 60 odd years :)zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-9410484191476958952010-01-12T03:17:00.000-08:002010-01-12T03:17:58.519-08:00Political Alchemy<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span> <strong>Well, an attempt to write a poem churned up politics, God help me !!</strong><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Political alchemy</strong></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Don’t shout</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Put things on flame</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Fumes rise</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Use ashes to cover the shame</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Beat someone</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Its good if he dies</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If dead are none</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There’s room for lies</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Inflict pain</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The more you do</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The more you inflict</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The more you gain</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Skull hunting</span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-15449915887603066932010-01-08T03:48:00.000-08:002010-01-08T04:18:02.748-08:00In Conversations With.... Part 2<div align="center"><strong>On Adoptions, with Ankit Agarwal and afterthoughts</strong></div><div align="left"><strong></strong> </div><div align="left">I don't know whether it was the effect of the weather or the Chai that we were having at a roadside tea-stall, but we were feeling back to good old college days. Returning back from the office at 11 30 pm in a chilling, foggy nite, we decided to have Maggie opposite the CSC office, sector 58, Noida.</div><div align="left">We were toying with the idea of joining an NGO in Noida, impart education to kids, and even considered the idea of starting something at our own, towards creating oppurtunities in the life of under privileged kids.</div><div align="left">Call it stupid, but then we jumped towards our own future kids. I wished I had a girl child, he wished he had a girl and a boy, an ideal pair. And then, out of nowhere, I suggested, is there a probability of adopting a child?</div><div align="left">We both discussed the option. We both acknowledged the fact that motherhood is an essential part of the life for most of the women. Motherhood, the whole process right from fertilisation till the birth of the baby, transforms a lady. That whole period of nine months, are unique for the couple, and especially, for the lady. We men can only understand, but cannot experience that pleasure and pain. In that case, we may consider the idea of having one baby, and adopting another, was my simple reply to Ankit.</div><div align="left">He brought out the various practicalities involved in the whole process and we decided to go home, for it was already close to midnight.</div><div align="left">I reached home and kept wondering. I know there are thousands of reasons that come in way of adopting a kid, especially when the couple can bear a baby, or the couple already has a child.</div><div align="left">Social status, economic status, genes, love, emotions, there is just almost everything at stake.</div><div align="left">I know there are millions of orphan kids in the world, and that every man has his own destiny, but then, will I not help one change his?</div><div align="left">I will give this a long long thought.........................</div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-17255775965886261022010-01-08T01:38:00.001-08:002010-01-08T03:42:47.082-08:00In Conversation with..... Part 1The last few days have been quite exciting, and I have had some really intersting and enriching conversations with my friends.<br />I am writing the extracts here for future reference, for they are quite engrossing and may lead to a better clarity in my thought process.<br /><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;"> On Reservation with Ananya Sri and the afterthoughts</span></strong><br /><div align="left"><strong><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></strong> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Reservation to the SC, ST and OBC as provided for by the constitution of India is an issue which needs a matured relook and solution. Is the sacrifice of merit justified? Or, to be precise, does providing reservation to over 50 % of the population of the country, majority of which is under-developed, help in imparting social justice or strengthen the caste and class divide in our society? Is the provision for reservation a political weapon, or an essential component of the Indian democracy?</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">The fact cannot be denied that majority of the members of the reserved category have been exploited for ages by the dominant upper castes. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Also, the Indian government has been told by the Directive principles of the state policy to create social and political justice in the society. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Few intellectuals advocate providing reservation to the under privileged on economic criterion. Practically, this is not possible, for there are 500 million + people in India who do not form a part of the economic workforce, and stats can be manipulated by the remaining 600 million.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I as a member of the unreserved category, have seen my merit being under mined by the policy of reservation. If I look at the bigger picture, I see some sense in the policy of reservation, for we need to reduce in equalities. But then, it has been 60 years since independence, and yet, the situation has not improved much. Has the pain of losing on merit by a general candidate gone waste when he sees the benefits of reservation being exploited by generations of many of the so called reserved classes? </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Or, if I as a candidate of the reserved class use the benefit of reservation, why does the state not make it my responsibility to seek social upliftment of my community, why does my child need the same qouta which got me a job, why?</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Who gains here, and what?</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Both the general and the deprived masses are on the losing side, yet, hold each other responsible for the outcomes of the reservation policy.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I am not sure, how are we going to eliminate the evil of caste from our society until such policies hold ground.</span></div><div align="left"><strong><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></strong> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span> </div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-6939367958433698812009-12-07T22:52:00.000-08:002009-12-07T23:28:18.469-08:00Freedom Struggle Revisited-Revolutionary Terrorists- An Intellectual Quest-Part 1In a message from the death cell, <strong>Ramprasad Bismil</strong> had appealed to the youth to give up<br /><strong>" The Desire to keep revolvers and pistols, not to work in revolutionary conspiracies and to participate in the open movement"</strong><br /><br />A die-hard communist, a rebel, a revolutionary, appealing people not to emulate his own path, why?<br />Going through the pages of the most reverred factual acount of the Indian struggle for freedom, by noted Historian Bipin Chandra,I was dumbstruck when I came across these quotes from Ram Prasad Bismil.<br />How can heores of our past debate their own stance so easily, did they repent the path they choose for themselves?<br />As I continued to read further, I came across one of the tallest figures of Indian freedom struggle, a young lad named Bhagat Singh. I was amazed to discover that this fellow had quite an apetite for books, and even at the tender age of 20 years, he was a giant of an intellectual.<br />His political ideology was shaped significantly by three things:<br /><ul><li>The Jalian Wala Bagh incident, which showed him the naked nature of British Imperialism</li><li>The taking back of Non-Violence Movement by Gandhiji when the movement was in it's full swing, which demolished his hopes for a free India at the prime of his youth</li><li>In depth readings on Socialism, Communism, the Russian Revolution, Marxism and Capitalism</li></ul><p>Before his arrest in 1929, Bhagat Singh had abondoned his belief in terrorism and individual heroic action. He had turned to Marxism and had come to believe that popular broad-based mass movements alone could lead to a successful revolution. </p><p>Prior to his execution, the great Indian rebel, wrote to his young political workers:</p><p>"<strong>The real revolutionary armies are in the villages and in factories.</strong></p><p><strong>Apparently, I have acted like a terrorist. But I am not a terrorist.Let me announce with all strength at my command, that I am not a terrorist and I never was, except perhaps in the beginning of my revolutionary career. And I am convinced that we cannot gain anything through these methods."</strong></p><p>Few weeks before his death, he wrote an article, "Why I am an Atheist"</p><p>I would love to grab one copy.</p><p>And what did the word revolution meant for them:</p><p>The draft of the famous statement of revolutionary organisation HRSA, <strong>THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE BOMB,</strong> co-authored by Chandra Shekhar Azad, Yashpal, and Bhagwati Charan Vohra, defined a revolution as:<br />"<strong>Independence, social, political, economic, aimed at establishing a new new order of society in which political and economic exploitation will be an impossibility</strong>"</p><p>Are we anywhere near to this colossal definition?</p>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-64121529259872010892009-12-02T08:25:00.000-08:002009-12-02T09:01:56.613-08:005 Past Midnight in Bhopal<span style="font-weight: bold;">03.12.1984</span><br /><br />Something happened 5 past Midnight in Bhopal, the capital of the Heart of India, Madhya Pradesh which left it's most bloody imprints on the face of mankind.<br />The Bhopal Gas Tragedy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03.12.2007</span><br /><br />I was in the final year of my engineering in NIT Bhopal, when I heard the name Warren Anderson, seriously, for the first time in my life.<br />Out on the streets of Bhopal, there were ghostly creatures, for they looked too special to be part of the same brethren of mankind to which I belonged. One fellow had joined limbs, another one had the face that would have given the Marsians a run for their money and what not.<br />Yet, they had that peculiar syndrome of mankind, pain, agony and disgust.<br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">Anderson ko waapas lao, Anderson Hatyara Hai<br />Gas Peedeton ki Madad Karo<br />Bhopal awaits for Justice<br />It could have been you!!!<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Slogans such as these could be heard across whole of Bhopal, be it MACT square, Mata Mandir, Topn Town, Railway Station, Lake. </span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">Stirred by curiosity, I turned to the doors of the sacred British Library of Bhopal for help. </span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">And then, Eureka, I found it!!</span><br />Five Past Midnight in Bhopal, by Dominique Lapierre.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">After I finished reading the book, I wished it was fiction, I was not ready to accept that it was not a Ghost story of our childhood, but a glaring account of the genocide of about 5000 innocent Indians by a corporate, and of the millions of survivors by the petty system of our country.</span><br /><br />03.12.2009<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">The memories of reading about the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, meeting it's survivors last year in Bhopal, and the pathetic state of the government authorities in dealing with the whole matter remind me of the fact, it could have been me too, it's just chance that I was not one of them.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">But Yes, today, I can be one of them, stand with them, for them, for myself, for our common shared future.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">As a responsible citizen of India, I will strive towards bringing justice to the victims and ensure that the lessons of Bhopal are well learnt and we should lobby in favour of stricter safety norms for our industrial as well as civic safety.</span><br /><br />And as an informed and active citizen, I will strive towards exposing and filling the loop-holes in our system.<br /></div></div>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2065429737097428692.post-7635165076790769092009-11-10T21:02:00.000-08:002009-11-10T22:19:09.420-08:00That man needed helpYesterday<br />10th November 2009.<br />It was around 9 30pm.<br />After a good class on International Relations and an enjoyable discussion with Kannan, the "spolied genius", as Himani( his better-half) says, I was breezing past the dark and cold streets of Noida.<br />And then, something caught the corner of my eye. It was the image of a crowd, some 15 of them, in a circle, and looking down at something, near the UFLEX main gate, opposite Shopprix Mall. I don't know what prompted me, that after almost speeding past that scene, I halted and turned back my bike towards the mob. By the time I reached there and parked my bike, the number of people had soared to almost 30 and there was definite panic in the air. The sight of a bike crushed as a gunny-bag, whose pieces were spread across the width of a road, was a good enough reason for that. And then I looked down, in horror, to see a man lying down in a pool of blood.<br />The people surrounding that man had recovered his mobile and tried giving calls to the last dialled no, but no one responded from the other side. We called for an ambulance but none came in the next 10 minutes. He was lying on the road, unconcious. In an effort to gauge the damage, I just lifted his chest by pulling his shirt, someone held his head from falling down. My worst fears were coming true. His head was almost crushed in the back side and leaking blood like our municipality pipelines. That man was in serious trouble.<br /><br />I had to literally bully an autowala to help me take that man to a nearby hospital, Fortis.<br />I requested two young men to sit in that auto with that man, while I showed him the way to Fortis on my bike. The police had also bursted into the scene by that time, and took that fellow's mobile and wallet and told us to to continue to FORTIS and they will follow suit.<br /><br />As soon as the Emergency Staff of FORTIS transferred our victim from the auto to the strecther, they told all three of us that this fellow was in extreme critical condition and that the case may get complicated.<br />I could see the same fear that was gripping me inside, in the eyes and faces of the other two fellows who had bravely brought that man to the hospital. I knew from my experiences in college, things may turn messy. I thanked both of them and told them to leave instantly. I also apologised to the autowala and thanked him for showing courage.<br />"You have done a good job by bringing him here, but you need to take a decision immediately.<br />His pulse rate is 20, his pupils have expanded and his eyes are not responding to light.<br />We would request you to either call his relatives or take him to some other hospital, for we need written permission to carry CT scan and decide on his survival chances. You are an educated person, please decide boss"<br />As soon as the doc on Emergency duty said this, meri phat gayee.<br />I was concerned for the man, but also worried about what responsibilities would come on me if I sign on his relatives behalf. Tense, confused, I tried calling my room mates, but the network could not get me through them. I called Kannan, his phone was switched off. I knew I was running out of time. I then called Ananya, desperate to decide what to do. I thought of calling my parents and di, but that would have brought them more anxiety, so I skipped that thought.<br />And then, I decided, what would have I done if I was still in college?<br />I would have tried my best to save a life, and I am still the same.<br />As soon as I arrived at my decision, I walked back into the emergency room, only to be relieved a bit to see his relatives talking to the doc. I gave a huge sigh of relief, for i was still worried about the condition of that man.<br />After about 15 mins of explaining the whole situation to them, I felt comforted by the fact, that the same UP Police, who had harassed me two days before, was applauding my efforts and speaking for me in front of his relatives.<br />That man works in Noida Authority, age around 35, and according to his wife, one who drives regularly while high on alcohol. His condition was fading with every passing moment, yet, his relatives, mostly of rural back ground, decided to shift him to another low-cost hospital at that crucial time, when he was struggling to live again. I could not control my anger and bursted at them for not realising the fact that their loved one is critical, severely critical.<br /><br />I returned from FORTIS at 11pm, full of praises, accolades and thanks from the relatives of that man, staff of FORTIS, and on-lookers who never miss to comment:<br />"Aaj ke zamane main itna kaun karta hai"<br />I hope, that man survives, and will pray for him.<br />I have seen blood in my college-life, and maybe that did not allow me to panic.<br /><br />His relatives arrived at the right moment.<br />What if they hadn't?<br />What if anything went wrong? Would I have been able to defend my stand as a sensible one?<br /><br /><strong>I don't have the answers.</strong>zukohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11897309019462808635noreply@blogger.com8