http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=23f1b3bd-edd7-4e6d-acc7-a3774472f77a
28 July, 2008
Food supplied by Contractors: It is hard to believe the students are provided with uncooked and stale food in Government schools. And it is harder to believe that the contractors who supply this kind of food have no concern for the heath of the children who are considered as the future of our country.
Initiation by Authorities: If schools, teachers and government are concerned about the children’s health and if providing food to the students is given importance, they must initiate to start canteens in the school campus where the kitchen and the work of the cook would be inspected regularly by the school authorities.
The Benefits: Besides, schools may introduce a subject on food preparation and other related matters which would be helpful to the students who opt for Hotel Management after school. Needless to say, students would surely take interest in the activities like proper management of kitchen and cooking.
Use Mobile Sensibly
http://content.msn.co.in/MSNContribute/Story.aspx?PageID=0355b3db-318d-4814-8bb7-3db2aa638613
22 July, 2008
Nokia, Reliance, Motorola, LG and others. They are everywhere. The mobile today has changed our lifestyle since it has become a part of our life. It was a luxury in the past, now it is a necessity in our life. It is true that life without cell phones is quite unimaginable. And it is also true that for using them while driving and roaming around the streets, they have proved to be fatal to lives. Equally hazardous is listening to music in the similar circumstances. It would be senseless to blame the cell phones as the accidents are caused by the careless people misusing the technology. The best way to avoid a mishap is to park the vehicle at the appropriate spot and attend a call or make a call. Pedestrians should position themselves at a safe place to do the same. Using mobiles while driving, roaming or running looks fine in the reel life, where there are numerous retakes before a scene is finalized, but there is no retake in the real life.
Novel: 'The Alpha and The Omega and Other Stories'
http://pothi.com/pothi/node/32
Story: 'The Dream'
ndtv.com, 2007
http://www.ndtv.com/ent/foodfictionstory.asp?id=1232
Seema was preparing to sleep by changing the bed sheet and keeping the pillow at the head of the bed and finally tying the mosquito net while her daughter, who was watching every move, sat on chair placed near the bed. After all was done, she called, 'Come, Nita.'
But Nita did not make any movement; instead she looked at her mother's face.
Seema called again, 'Come, Nita. It's your bed-time.'
'I don't want to sleep, mom,' said she.
'Why?'
'I don't want to see that dream again,' answered Nita.
'It will not come today,' consoled Seema and brought her into the net, switched off the light and went out of the room.
But after a few hours of sleep, the scream of Nita brought her parents, grandmother and brother into the room.
Nita, on seeing her mother, jumped towards her saying, 'I saw that demon again.' And she described 'I heard a noise which made me rise from my bed and walk towards that sound. I came into my brother's room and saw a demon with two horns on his head, chopping off my brother's head and after that I opened my eyes and screamed.'
Her brother, Arun, laughed at her when he heard about a demon chopping off his head. Her father, Bimal, also added, 'It was only a dream and it had nothing to do with real life.'
But Bimal's mother had some other notion. 'The meaning of this dream might be the forecasting of some unpleasant event. I think this type of dream is the sign of ill-omen.'
The rest did not take any heed of her words and went quietly to sleep, but Seema joined her daughter only to remove the fear in her mind.
The next night the same thing happened. Nita had the same dream and screamed, bringing the rest of the family into her room and again her grandmother warned them of the ill-omen which was sure to follow soon.
The rest of the family was not taking this to be so serious, but the grandmother had decided to take steps to rescue Nita from the imminent danger. After thinking about this matter she made her decision of meeting swami Dharmananda whom she had heard of and she believed that swami would find a way out of this.
Swami Dharmananda came into their house and had a glance around the house, and after looking at Nita he said 'There are two reasons for her present condition'.
Grandmother asked him as a disciple, 'What are they?'
'Only you can save us from this danger,' she said again.
'Danger! Danger!' he suddenly shouted. 'Life is full of danger'.
'Oh!' Bimal exclaimed. 'Is that so? I didn't know this fact.'
Swami had a look at him and said 'I am here to avert the danger.'
Bimal asked, 'Swamiji, you haven't told us about the two reasons for my daughter's condition.'
Swami smiled and said, 'I was going to tell that. First at all it is the wrath of Sani'
'Sani!' grandmother cried out. 'God save my child.'
'How to solve this problem?' asked Seema, a worried mother.
'I'll tell you. Now the second reason is that a demon is ruling her mind.'
'Nowadays humans are sometimes like demons.' said Arun.
Dharmananda smiled once again and tried to make him understand 'This kind of thing is out of your understanding, my child.'
Grandmother asked, 'What can we do to save the child?'
'The process is little bit expensive. But don't worry I will try to do it in another method. I will not be responsible, if this will not help the child.'
'Don't worry. You do in your method. Don't think about money.'
Suddenly swami got angry and he stood up. 'I am not thinking about money. I am only thinking about this child. You are talking about money. This is my insult and I will not….'
Grandmother fell on his feet and said, 'Forgive me, swamiji. My intention wasn't to insult you. Swamiji, you don't know my current state of mind.'
'I know everything,' Swamiji said. Suddenly he became cool and sat down and said to grandmother 'By performing a puja, I can remove all the calamities in her life.'
Then swamiji gave a list of materials which should be collected for the performance of the puja and the swamiji said 'I will come tomorrow.'
After his departure, Bimal talked to his mother, 'I didn't expect this from you.'
'What have I done?' She asked.
'What's the use of calling this swami?'
'Only to save my child,' she said honestly
'I said nothing had happened to her, but you…'
'You will not understand this,' she said and left him alone in the room to think about the matter.
Next morning when Nita came out of her bed, she had a singing smile on her lips which astonished everybody.
Seema asked, 'What happened, Nita? After a long time, we are seeing you smiling.'
Nita explained, 'Last night, I, again, had a dream.'
'And you are smiling now. Well, it never happened before.'
'I saw a different type of dream,' she explained.
'What?' Bimal asked.
And Nita started to explain, 'What I saw in this dream could be said to be the concluding part of the previous dreams. That demon had the head of my brother chopped off, but my brother still stood on his feet dancing, which pleased the demon who ultimately kept back the head on his neck.'
'Encouraging Talents of the Participators'
July 27, 2007
www.in.msn.com
Indian Idol and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa promise to hunt for the best voice in India. The panel of judges to pick the voice which has future in singing should know to encourage the contestants. Sometimes these judges differ in opinions and argue before the camera, not realizing that they are showing their own weaknesses in public sitting on the seats of the judges to make or break the singing career of the aspirants. The contestants aspiring to be singers are mostly youngsters. If some are not good at singing and their voices have no future in the field of singing, the judges should make them appreciate the truth in such a way that they neither do not feel hurt nor waste their time in pursuing their careers as singers. Instead they should be suggested to nurture their other talents like some seem to be good at dancing, etc.
But there is one show which has been fair in the competition as well as dealing with the talented contestants who have come to participate in Boogie Woogie. The show has long unbreakable record of holding the dance competitions in a healthy manner, encouraging the participants to perform well and respecting the talents in the best possible way. Moreover the homour of Ravi Javed and Naved makes the competitive atmosphere least tense. And what can be better for the viewers when this competition followed by yet another competition – the competition of humour - The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, on another channel?
Moreover the voting system is better in The Great Indian Laughter Challenge as the judges keep some power to judge the best talent. Judges of Boogie Woogie keep the full power to judge the talents. The contestants, who are never seen to beg for votes, are not left entirely at the mercy of public who mostly vote on the basis of religion, region or sex as we find in Indian Idol where the talented female contestants are mostly voted out. If the singer like Shreya Ghosal has made her way to Bollywood from ‘Sa Re Ga Ma, the credit goes to the sensible judges who have recognized her voice as ‘Future Voice of India’.
All these competition shows reveal that India does not lack in talents. Talents are hidden in us: in some they are active while others have them dormant. Some recognize them later on while the others fail to do so throughout their lives. Some recognize them if revealed by others. Subsequently, judges have the responsibility to not only judge the talents but also find and point them out to the competitors.
'Student Life: Syllabus, Examination & Tuition'
July 23, 2007
www.in.msn.com
I was never a bright student. I gave an admission test in an English medium school in West Bengal. My parents and I were called for an interview. The principal said somewhat like this: ‘Mathematics is okay but his English is poor.’
I was never a bright student, I repeat, since I could hardly learn anything by heart. Even for the I.C.S.E and I.S.C examinations, I read the text books and wrote mostly in my own words. With some difficulty and by reading and writing several times, I was successful in remembering some chosen definitions.
Several times, I did not get any rank, besides failing once. Some students did suggest taking tuitions from the subject teachers. As I was not in favor of private coaching by the school teachers, I preferred external teachers.
Learning in class seven, I used to go to my friend’s house where a teacher would teach us almost all the subjects. Everything was excellent except for his technique of teaching English. He made us comprehend Bengali grammar and do translations from Bengali and Hindi (for me) to English almost daily before he started English, which I considered (and consider even now) was pointless and wastage of time. We then moved to some other place, which made it difficult for me to go to my friend’s house, so he came to our house and stopped coming before the final examination result. I do not know what he had in his mind, but I was promoted to the next class with a rank. I never got anybody to teach me English then, and to teach me Science and Mathematics, there was one who showed me the ways to improve my Mathematics and score good marks in Science.
A teacher would pick up my pen or something to explicate a transaction in Accountancy. His explanation was always extensive and would make a composition which I never liked especially when I was concerned about the syllabus for my examination. My friend who joined his tuition class after me was the first to quit, followed by me. I got another Accountancy teacher who did not get enough time to understand me.
My school did give me the best grammar book and dictionary which are still helping me to develop my English.
Story: 'The Alpha and the Omega'
ndtv.com, 2007
http://www.ndtv.com/ent/foodfictionstory.asp?id=1229
Strolling down the Mahatma Gandhi Road at around ten P.M., I felt I was followed. I turned round and found none. Resuming towards my house, I thought of Shalini who had been the center of attraction at the party I was returning from. Instantly, I heard someone saying 'Forget her.'
Again I turned round and got nobody. I was just dreaming. I decided and continued to walk, after taking the narrow street as far as the trees on either side of it.
A tree showed some movement, or to be more precise, there was some movement in the tree. And I sensed that I was followed. There I veered about, to see there. I could not believe it. I saw a man vanishing behind a tree. He wore nothing more than the clothing that covered from waist to knee. And….And…. I concluded, I saw two horns on his head.
Sensing some movement over my head, on the branches of the trees, I looked up to inquire and was successful in discovering what caused everything to draw my attention. It was only a monkey. Nodding my head in utter surprise that I could waste my valuable time in these trifling things. I paced towards my sweet home, but I heard: WAIT!
Even though I felt it all nonsense, I waited I did not know why. There was my home, only a few metres away but I stood there, waiting, waiting for….
Once again I sighted the man with two horns. I was compelled to run, not into the house, but far away from it and the trees. I was successful in moving away from my house, but not away from the trees. I wanted to dash out of this narrow street to M G Road, but I could not get it.
'You can't run away like this,' I heard and came to a stand, only to spin about and locate that monkey watching me from a distant tree and that the horned man was approaching me.
The only thing I could do was to divert his attention to the monkey, simply by pointing my index finger violently. I was certain that it was enough to save my life, and was taken aback, when I fathomed that he was not at all interested in the animal and went on advancing towards me.
While endeavouring hard to hasten away, I stumbled to the ground.
'You can't run away,' I heard, this time louder than ever. It seemed to be my end, a very terrible end, reflected I and gave up any more effort to flee, and allowed him to come near me.
'Don't be afraid of me,' he said, 'I intend no harm.'
'So you have decided to eat the monkey.'
'No, I eat no one, and nothing.'
'Then why are you after me? And this monkey?' I received no answer.
'Why are you both after me?,' I said almost shouting.
'Only I am after you, not it,' he said suddenly becoming solemn.
'Why?', I shouted, abhorring every part of this suspense.
'Because this monkey is only the beginning of you.'
After a brief pause, he continued, 'And you are the end of yourself. I am not a man, not a demon, but the God of Death. I have only come to take you.'
Poem: 'Give me…..'
ndtv.com, 2007
http://www.ndtv.com/ent/bookspoetrycorner.asp?id=2717
Give me the land
That can harmonize with me,
Give me the land
That can accept me,
At least, give me the land
That will cremate me.
Give me the sky
That can rain with me,
Give me the sky
That can encourage me,
At least, give me the sky
That will shelter me.
Give me the dream
That can stay with me,
Give me the dream
That can strengthen me,
At least, give me the dream
That will fulfill me.
Give me the life
That can ascend with me,
Give me the life
That can crown me,
At least, give me the life
That will liberate me.
Poem: 'In The Beaming Face of Nature'
ndtv.com, 2007
http://www.ndtv.com/ent/bookspoetrycorner.asp?id=2719
The lightning, in my mind,
In a lone body,
With a remarkable past behind,
And in front a future cloudy,
Flashes far across the path
Between the past and the future
To take a bath
In the beaming face of Nature;
Then the thunder, of my kind,
In a cool body,
With a remarkable find
And a surprising study
Roars all over
Between the heaven and the earth
To give birth to an hour
To rise above Death and Birth.
'Childhood: Lost or Found
June 1, 2007
www.in.msn.com
In a dictionary, childhood means ‘child’s state; period of being a child’. But the meaning of the word, I believe, is not limited to the meanings printed in any dictionary. Childhood is also a state of being associated with more ‘nos’ than any other period of human life, as it has no tension, no caste, no creed, no religion and so on. Besides, ignorance and innocence are part and parcel of childhood.
We, in our childhood, are eager to reach to any other period of human life, and as adults, we wish to go back to our childhood, even though it is well known fact the former is sure to happen while the latter is just impracticable.
Tired of books, examinations and studying, I wanted to grow up to go to office. Now working in a limited company, I desire to revert to my childhood only to escape my bosses and long working hours facing computer. However, I have to accept the reality – the childhood is my past, my future is before me, and where I stand is my present. Actually, I am sitting now to write about childhood and my opinion about it.
Like other children, I played and enjoyed with my neighbours. Hide and seek was my favourite, and the child inside me still plays the game with me. Cricket and badminton were the other games that had fascinated me. My childhood was at its best when I stayed at a place in Bauria, Howrah, West Bengal. That may be the reason why I cried when we moved to some other place in Bauria. I never cried after that when we moved, thinking moving is a part of life.
Sometimes my parents say I was very naughty in my childhood. But I do not remember much about my being naughty. Once I broke the head of my neighbour with a battery, which I thought would be easy to catch if I throw. A ball and a battery are different things, I learned and never forget it.
Giving up the chase of my childhood in the past, I begin to entertain the child, playing hide and seek with me.
'Are We Outsiders in our Country?'
May 27, 2007
www.in.msn.com
Even though we were born in India, are we outsiders in our country? The question would seem absurd. But sometimes I have felt this fact when I stayed in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Goa. Some people opine that north Indians despise south Indians and vice versa. It shows although we are staying together, some minds are still narrow and divided.
Now in Goa, my neighbour told my father that people in our locality see the ‘outsiders’ differently. My father aged above sixty can be said a senior citizen. Has he become an outsider after his life of sixty plus in India? We knew and read India is a democratic nation, but could anyone with the sense of democracy think in this way?
I always believe as I was born in Kerala, a state in India, I am entitled to roam or stay or work anywhere in India. Am I wrong? If I am, there is nothing wrong if I go abroad and employ my talents there.
'A Curse to Society'
May 14, 2007
www.in.msn.com
It is quite shocking that even though there are lots of development across the country, India’s rural women are still branded as witches and ill-treated or brutally killed. Some are even burned alive and most of the times, the fimily members agree to this. If not, they too are burned along with the women branded as witches.
Despite the government banning witchcraft and ensuring imprisonment for branding women as witches, these crimes continue to expose the false belief and superstition in our society which needs to be corrected as early as possible. What is harder to believe is to find people superstitious in the states which are said to be almost literate or highly developed in technology.
Last year when I went to Kerala, I came to learn from a relative that the literacy percentage in Kerala is higher when compared to other states, but the people are becoming superstitous too. Knowledge which is supposed to be removing the darkness from our lives, is pushing us into it. People seem to believe more in the tantrics and the swamis than in themselves.
We have to utilise the knowledge we have in the right manner. We just can not ignore the positive side of the knowledge. Besides the society must have the leaders who are not superstitious to set an example for the present and the better future, which should be absolutely free from superstitions.
'Importance of Taking Permission'
May 6, 2007
www.in.msn.com
As we toured one beach after another, we took lots of pleasure in snapping our cameras. Without observing that one of us was going to shoot, an Indian passed by, leaving one unsure about the picture. Some foreigners sought our permission to take our photographs.We did not agree. Here I want to highlight that we come across some people who take immense pleasure in taking photographs with cameras or mobile cameras without any permission or in secret.
Later at Old Goa, two foreigners had enough patience to wait till my colleague had snapped his camera. At this point they understood what we were doing and we understood why they waited even though no words were exchanged. I can give another instance of unloading bricks in front of one's house without any permission or without the idea whether one likes it or not.
It seems we went so far in embracing the west that we sometimes or often forget the basic manner of taking permission while the west still possess it. Some even feel that by asking permission they appear miserable before the person they ask from. Nonetheless taking permission always saves one from hurting one's feeling.
'Team India and The World Cup'
April 30, 2007
www.in.msn.com
There is no amazement that Australia got the cup not only to complete the hatrick but also to win it for the fourth time. The way the Australians players delivered individually and as a team revealed they truly deserve the cup.
It was a great day in the history of Indian cricket, when team India, under the captionship of Kapil Dev won the World Cup on June 25, 1983, Mohinder Amarnath having named man of the match for his all round performance.
Only one representative from the Board was at the air port to see the team off, and the victory, which nobody had expected did change Indian cricket for ever. The whole country welcomed the team, when they returned home. Now all of India sent the present team to contest for the World Cup, and the team members entered their own country and native places stealthily, after their dismal show in the tournament.
Kapil Dev and Co. really worked hard and played against all odds to win the cup which was beyond the expectations of their fans. The present players in the team did not play upto the expectations of their fans. What they bank much beyond their expectations is the income from advertisements.
In the last World Cup, when Sourav Ganguly led the team, India reached the final where they blundered and lost the cup to Australia. No doubt Kapil Dev’s team India would be remembered as a team who really played for India and the cup.
'Education and Education System'
April 24, 2007
www.in.msn.com
It is true there is no alternative to education and it is truer that there would never be an alternative to job-oriented education, which is missing in India. The students are found to be taught more, remembering less, utilizing least of what they have learnt.
Does a scientist or an accountant remember everything of literature, history and geography learned in school? The system of specialization in a particular area of students' interest should be put into action at the stage when they are able to decide on what their ambitions are. Students are given to write an essay on their ambitions in their life quite early, but are not shown the right way to achieve them. The present system of education could be replaced with the specialization system in each area of students' choice and all the other subjects could be merged into one book to give the students the general awareness on various subject matters.
'Parallel Cricket League in India'
April 24, 2007
www.in.msn.com
The proclamation to initiate a parallel cricket league in India from Zee Telefilms has been made when Team India returned home after their dismal show in the World Cup. Even though there is no uncertainty of existence of bounty of sport talents in our country, BCCI has been unsuccessful in building a team with players who could perform as brightly as Australian or South African team.
There would be six teams; each comprises two Indian, four foreign and eight budding players. It means there would be 48 budding players who would be given ample opportunities to display their abilities. If this sort of cricket league is formed to dig out talents in India, including 24 foreign players do not seem to be sensible, as the same number of Indian players who are talented, and may be better than 24 foreign and 48 lucky players, would lose this prospect of showing their talents and developing them.
Ex-Indian Players would be given a platform to share their experiences with the players, by being their coaches, and their job should be to hunt for the talents hidden in the players and guide them so that they come up tough and achieve the confidence in not only themselves, but also playing the best cricket. Each and every coach must ensure the each team is balanced in bowling, batting and fielding departments, which is a notable criterion for champion team for excellent cricket.
No doubt this league may not pose any threats to BCCI as they have their own policies of selecting players for the national team. However, the board would certainly have the alternative of selecting players from the wide display of talents to include them in the national team. Evidently it would be motivating to find some of them as ‘Men in Blue’. We can only wait till BCCI grants the permission to Zee Telefilms to establish the league, and if it is approved, we can wait for some more time to see whether BCCI would welcome or take no notice of the talents revealed by Zee Telefilms.
'Opposing Bold and Creative Movies'
February 7, 2007
www.in.msn.com
'Be not afraid of anything. You will do marvelous work. The moment you fear, you are nobody.' This was what Swami Vivekananda said which is applicable even now. And it can be said that fear and creativity can not exist together. To imagine making the film 'Black Friday' is really bold and creative, and to oppose it is really cowardly and uncreative idea. Earlier Deepa Mehta was opposed when she wanted to make 'Water' about the dilemma of widows in india in 1930s. Later the idea with the same title was animated in Srilanka and has been not only chosen as the official Canadian entry for the Oscars in the best foreign language film category but also nominated for Oscars. The movie 'The Da Vinci Code was opposed more in India than the Christian Nations and the film was banned in some states.
In our country, it is generally said all have the right to express personal views. It appears those who appose truly forget that cinema is also regarged as the medium of expressing one's views and the general public is the best critic. Here we have a fine instance of 'it is better said than done.'
'Sacrifice is not a solution'
January 26, 2007
www.in.msn.com
What can be more astounding when parents sacrifice their sons to become prosperous? It was even more shocking that the parents were advised by a Tantric who is naturally misusing his power. Needless to say, brutal killing of humans, animals and birds as sacrifice is no longer acceptable in our society. Those who do it could be declared uncivilised and unsocial. It is also seen that the priests who should be showing the right path to people are misleading them by encouraging sacrifice of innocent creatures to get peace or anything, to prove their superiority in the society or in fear that others would lose faith in them. Sacrificing any life will not bring prosperity, peace or evade the troubles, as the prosperity, peace, troubles and worries are just part and parcel of life; they would come and go its normal way. It will not change the weather conditions either. Sacrificing animals for rains would not satisfy god as animals are also the creations of god.
Besides it is hard to believe the cops who have the responsibility to fight crimes are themselves involved in slaughtering harmless animals. Cops should recognize their contribution to the society and protect those peaceful creatures who are only victims of wrong belief of some ignorant people.
Poem: 'On the Pavement He Lay'
The Navhind Times, Panaji
November 5, 2006
Died without issue,
He had nothing to issue.
On the pavement he lay,
The dust and rubbish beside lay.
Nobody around cared for him,
Days and nights were same for him.
Flies uncountable sat on the body,
But the soul retired from the body.
The dead seemed still to moan,
Nobody was there to listen to the moan.
His heart might have been love's mountain,
No mountaineer had climbed the mountain.
Died without a tear,
No soul was there to shed a tear.
Souls kind-hearted donated wealth,
What would the dead do with the wealth?
Foul smell pierced the air,
Polluted the fresh air.
Left no option but to touch the body,
Like anything the fire swallowed the body.
The dead seemed still to moan,
But there was nobody to listen to the moan.
His heart might have been love's mountain,
Yet no mountaineer had climbed the mountain.
Poem: 'Do You Love?'
Woman's Era July (Second) 2005
To come near me
Do you love?
If you do not
Move far away from me,
Before I find you in my heart,
Let me take my heart away from you
Before you pain my heart;
But if you do love
Come, come nearer me
So I can feel you in my heart,
Caress, caress inmost me
To know me in your heart.
To have a chat with me
Do you love?
If you do not love
Not a word, not a tone
To tap the door of my heart,
Let me hide it away from you
To seek, and win a better heart;
But if you do love
Chant, chant more to me
So I can heed you in my heart,
Hum, hum within me
To charm me in your heart.
LETTERS
The Navhind Times, Panaji
India’s Fighting Spirit
March 7, 2008
Protecting Women Employees
November 5, 2007
The rape and murder of 21-yr-old girl working for Wipro BPO by the office cab driver and his companion is really deplorable. This shows that despite security, women employees are unsafe from unscrupulous drivers. The ‘pick-and-drop’ facility offered by the BPO industry should be improvised considering security to women employees. It is expected that renowned companies like Wipro would hit upon the best key to the problem.
Twenty20 World Cup
October 1, 2007
Team India, with the Indian coaches and MS Dhoni as the new captain, won the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa beating Pakistan by 5 runs. Moreover it is interesting to find both India and Pakistan in the finals as they were the least fancied among the teams. Dhoni and company sans Sachin, Saurav and Dravid had given their best all-round performance to beat Australia in the Semi Final and Pakistan in the final match to lift the World Cup. Twenty20 matches attracted and entertained the millions so such extent that this format is considered the future of cricket. Who can forget the six sixes by Yuvraj Singh in an over? Fans throng at the airport and all the way to welcome them. Our Hockey team and Football team did not get such a welcome when they return home with Asia Cup and ONGC Nehru Cup respectively.
Football Team Victory
September 3, 2007
Indian football team’s victory against Syria in the ONGC Nehru Cup tournament at Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi would have to be considered as remarkable. The team, led by Bhaichung Bhutia, scored only one goal and defended well till the final whistle to lift the cup. Now it is the time that the government should think to give financial incentives and other amenities to develop the football team. Indian cricket team and the cricket players are getting much attention not only from the viewers but also from the sponsors. Moreover, television channels give elaborate news and reviews on the cricket matches. Now it should be the football players’ turn. Bhaichung Bhutia has already given an interview on NDTV. But the players should remember it is not the ultimate victory. There is still much to play for, and win.
Harry Potter Books
August 2, 2007
With J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows, the last of the series of Seven Books, they have become the seven wonders in the World of Fantasy Literature. Undoubtedly these books would inspire numerous fantasy writers for years to come. The books are able to touch the imagination of the young and the old equally. Once, my colleague enlightened me about his young relative who could delightfully not only take the names of Harry Potter and Professor Dumbledor but also discuss about them for some considerable time. It is interesting to know that this fantasy of the author was not first accepted by the publishers. Generally the new ideas are hard to digest at first but latter on it is seen that those ideas open the doors to some new world for others to tread on, think and dream about and believe in.
Recognition to India
July 10, 2007
Taj Mahal has been not only included in the New Seven Wonders of the World but also voted to top among the wonders. In all probability, it is voted across the world because it is deemed to be ‘The Monument of love’. The monument, at Agra, which was dedicated to Mumtaz Mahal the wife of the fifth Mughal Emporer Shah Jahan, was built by the emporer, took 22 years and over 20, 000 labourers to complete the construction of this wonderful monument. Taj Mahal is now recognized throughout the world. Even though the people say the emporer ordered the craftmen’s hands be chopped off so that they could not make another monument as Taj Mahal, the monument attracts huge crowd and who can ignore its reflection on the water in front of it? Besides, the colour of the monument that looks different in lights and shadows makes it different from all the other wonders. I, being one among the voters, feel proud to see this magnificent monument top among the seven wonders.
Temples of Knowledge
June 18, 2007
‘Purpose of Education’, the letter by Mr.Joaquim Pacheco made an impressive reading, and the question to brood over really is ‘what is the job of a school?’ Throughout my school days, I was against private tuition by school teachers, which naturally do nothing to nurture the capabilities of the students. Instead, they show the students the easiest way to get high marks by supplying them abundance of suggested questions that they mug up for examinations. When I taught some students I found they were not able to start a simple letter. Writing a letter is a vital part of human life since it is a mode of communication, even if it is sending an email, and in case of official letters, they should be clear and free from error. Teachers in schools should take care that they do not destroy the creative abilities of students, when it is the right time to develop them.
Humour on Television
June 5, 2007
Humour has been the part of the human life since time unmemorable. Comedians like Bhagwant Mann, Raju Shrivastav, Sunil Pal, the pair Ali Hasan and Irfan Mallick from Pakistan and others have proved that comedy or humour has no border, no religion, no caste et al and can reduce exhaustion and tone down stress. Now the third spell of the Great Indian Laughter Challenge has already started, and there seems to be no limit or no end to the variety of the humour. People can watch the comedy programs which are better than the serials that give us nothing to cherish, after a day’s work and go for a good night sleep.
Encouraging Budding Artistes
May 7, 2007
Indian Idol, a talent hunt, seeks a voice out of millions. People coveting to be singers gather round to give their auditions. There are judges to determine their talents. The behaviour of the judges towards the contestants is more astonishing especially Mr. Anu Mallik who overreacts when he hears the voice he does not like and sees the face he likes. Nobody has the right to tell any contestant not to try to sing even in bathroom. Besides, talents should not be sacrificed in lieu of looks. All who come for auditions are normally youngsters. If some are not fit for singing in public, instead of jeering at them, judges should take the responsibility of making them appreciate the reality in such a manner so that they would not waste their time in attempting to make their career in singing. They would seek and develop some other talents in them like some seem to be good at dancing. Moreover if the contestants are in developing stage, they should be encouraged to meet again when Indian Idol comes out with its next edition.
Army’s Civil Role
April 20, 2007
Now and then, we get the news bulletin of somebody in a pit or a manhole. Even though such incidents are recurring, neither the central nor the state governments have taken extreme measures to resolve the problem. It should be realized that a pit or a manhole, which remains uncovered, causes threats to the lives of the people. Besides it is really heart-rending to discover some group of our army is carrying out operations to bring somebody out of a pit or a manhole, whereas they should be defending our country and us so that we remain safe and sound in our homeland.
Remembering Great Sacrifice
April 18, 2007
It’s quite immature on the part of Mr. Rahul Gandhi to credit his family for the independence of India. How can he forget that the freedom fighters throughout our country had sacrificed their lives in pursuit of independence? Bhagat Singh, Khudiram Bose, Chandrasekher Azad, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, et al died fighting for our country. They did not live to see India free or India got its independence after their death, which does not undervalue their sacrifice.
The Money Factor
March 26, 2007
The way the cricket fans protested across country after the team India's dismal performance against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka shows how much their expectations were in the World Cup tournament. Their anger went beyond the thoughts of the cricketers, as they targeted the players' residences and posed dangers to their family members. There is no doubt Indian cricketers are concentrating more on making money through advertisements rather than playing the best game for the nation. When they perform well, we praise and they have to face criticisms from various quarters, if they fail. What should have been avoided is the attack on their residences, since the players would lose their concentration on the game and worry about their family. It should not be forgotten that they have left their family who they believe are safe surrounded by the neighbours and the fans, as they go abroad for long tours to play international matches.
Scuffle in Parliament
March 16, 2007
Two of UP’s powerful allies coming to blows over introduction of a bill in Lok Sabha must have made UPA uncomfortable. Whether to set up a maritime university in Tamil Nadu or Kolkata is the issue to battle over, but what the people who had voted and elected them into Lok Sabha, would feel to see or hear them fighting, is the matter to brood over. There are now some television channels to capture not only the proceedings of the Question Hour but also how the members behave in the sessions. Are the members of the LS aware of it?
Attack on Samjauta
February 22, 2007
The blasts on Samjhauta Express reveal how desperate the terrorists are to spoil the Indo-Pak relationship. Despite security measures, the terrorists succeeded in targeting the people. The lapses on the part of security agencies should be thoroughly probed so those similar incidents do not appear in the future. Most encouraging was the attitude of the people from both sides who showed their maturity by condemning the blasts thereby sending a message that their evil designs will not turn into realities. Now it is the time for the terrorists to comprehend that they are simply wasting their time and energy to bring the peace process to a halt. Even though the terrorists had destroyed two coaches of the train, now it is the turn of the two nations' government to reply them by multiplying the coaches.
Loan Recovery Methods
February 13, 2007
Employing goons to recover loans ever appear fine in movies, but not in real life and never in the case of reputed banks. It is hard to think that banks have resorted to this offensive act against the defaulters when they have the right to take some legal actions against them. Because of some outrageous persons, the institutions get the bad name from which they find it hard, or take some considerable time, to come out clean to public. Now some people would think twice before taking loan for these banks. It would be tough times for the banks if they do not change their ways, or in simple words, correct themselves
Modern New Year
January 2, 2007
Come Jan 1, the year 2007 opens its door to greet us. The credit goes to Roman Emporer, Julius Caesar who moved the year to make it start with January 1. In the distant times, the twelve month calender which the Romans borrowed from Egypt, stated on March 1. Therefore we are now celebrating New Year every year two months earlier. Julius Caesar is still remembered in the form of July month. But what can we do? We make resolutions for the new year and we have the power to do so wisely and honestly for the sake of family, country and above all ourselves.
Respecting Senior Citizens
December 4, 2006
On December 2, while traveling by a train, I came across a railway employee who misused his power against a senior citizen. This railway employee accompanied by his wife and child occupied a side of the berth where an aged person in sixties was sleeping. The employee woke him up to create space for his family. Meanwhile a TC arrived in our compartment, but instead of holding the employee to task, he held polite discussion with him and disappeared. Ultimately, the senior citizen had to vacate his reserved berth and find another comfortable place. A straightforward question is: is a railway employee empowered to behave in such a way with senior citizen who is entitled for concession on reservation? The issue demands immediate action by the railway authorities so that no such an incidents are repeated again.
Chinese President’s Visit
November 27, 2006
Chinese President Hu Jinto’s visit to Dr. Kotnis’ explains how much Chinese remembers and esteems Dr. Kotnis. He may have come to India to discuss trade, border or other issues, but Hu did not fail to do honour to the doctor who left for China in 1938 and never returned, but died early giving medical services in China. This doctor is not so well known in India whereas Chinese people had witnessed more of him and his unforgettable stories have spread to the subsequent generations. Earlier, it was Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose who was worshipped as god at the Renkoji temple in Tokyo and now there is a memorial at Shihehiachuang for Dr. Kotnis. The point to brood over is - does this indicate that capable Indians are given due recognition more in a foreign country than in their home?
Indian Cricket Team
November 10, 2006
The recent performance of Indian team in Champions Trophy reveals there is no foolproof planning by the team, coach and the selectors. As the team's poor show continues, the media has begun to blame either coach or the players. But what about the selectors? Why are they left out? In fact they are equally to be blamed for such a disastrous performance. Selectors claim to have given importance to performance only, while selecting the team. Now a million dollar question is: what is Virender Sehwag doing in the team, even though he has failed bitterly in his role as an opener. It is needles to say a captain should be given a team he is satisfied with, not one the selectors are pleased with. If the selectors can wait for a player like Sehwag to play, they can wait for the team to win a trophy.
Tribute to Mukherjee
October 23, 2006
Lage Raho Munnabhai is the biggest hit not only in state but all over the country. It has confirmed that a comedy movie with wholesome entertainment is still welcomed by Indian viewers who would prefer to take advantage of this opportunity to tickle their funny bones and forget their anxieties. This movie which is different from the few others which have vulgarity in scenes and dialogues and are seen and forgotten, can be said to be a great tribute to Hrishikesh MukherJee who was fond of making movies devoid of vulgurity. For instance, his 'Golmaal’, one of the unforgettable lot, is still watched on small screen by the generations that have missed it on silver screen.
Closure of Units
October 17, 2006
Around 1,000 emplyees lost their jobs when four units at Sanvordem were sealed for causing pollution to the public and environment. The move has furter worsened the unemployment problem. The authorities of these units should have taken care of the employees and also the environment. The government should have considered the plight of workers, now rendered jobless, before sealing the polluting units at this industrial estate.
Loans to Students
September 25, 2006
Giving interest-free loans to students for higher education is a generous move by the government. However, it should ensure that deserving students, who are poor but capable of repaying them, also get benefit. Moreover, the authorities can think of extending the scheme as ‘great gifts’ to some deserving students who may be poor and incapable of repaying them. Mostly, it happens that whenever a scheme is launched, the rich are benifited more than others. The loans should be used for the development of the students only and not for any other reason. This system could be adopted in all states in our country to improve the education quality and make the students capable of contributing for the welfare of the society as well as the country.
On AIDS Awareness
September 11, 2006
The death of a 35-year-old AIDS patient after he was pelted with stones inside a hospital compound in Orissa established that AIDS patients are not safe in hospitals where they are being treated. People’s belief that touching AIDS patients would spread the virus brings to light that government has not succeeded in enlightening people with its awareness campaigns in both reducing the number of AIDS cases and ill-treatment of the people with HIV. Depending on the media like televion or radio is not sufficient to educate the people of India. An efficient organisation in our country and an equally efficient chief organisation, in each state, with a branch full of active members with the responsibility of not only teaching people on how to stay away from the deadly disease but also discouraging them, should have to be set up district-wise.
On Hair Controversy
August 31, 2006
Australian Umpire Darrell Hair's judgement to quit, demanding $500, 000, and then his intention to continue umpiring shows that he is not certain of the ball tampering by the Pakistan cricket team during the fourth test match at the Oval. It is unjust of the ICC to charge Inzamam-ul-Haq even though there is no evidence. Umpire Hair has often been in controversy in the matches concerning Asian cricket teams. He should know that an Umpire should always be impartial and what he personally likes or dislikes should not be the part of the game which is watched by large viewers in the stadium and on television, besides being recorded. Notwithstanding, India, Pakistan and Srilanka have been suffering due to his unfair umpiring. However, in his case, a self-verdict or the third umpire's (ICC's) decision on whether he is 'out' or 'not out' is final. Players are many times blamed of spoiling the spirit of the game, but what about the umpires? Their unfair decisions, especially this ball tampering case, should be taken into account when reckoning for ICC Elite Umpires.
Keeping City Clean
August 22, 2006
The system of 'Lifting Garbage from Doorsteps' is the appropriate one to deal with the garbage problem and keep the city clean. In many places, this system is implemented with success. These areas are cleaner than the areas where garbage is thown in the bins or steel containers. Besides, insects teeming in numbers, birds and animals, in search of food, scatter the garbage all around the containers. Therefore, the 'Lifting Garbage' method should replace the containers everywhere, as some people feel too labourious or indolent or embarrassed to go out carrying the garbage to discard it in the containers, and end up throwing them at any convinient spot near their houses.
The Language Controversy
August 10, 2006
Earlier it was religion or caste, now the trend has moved to language. It is saddening to see that language has been made the political subject to snatch some votes from one's opponent. The language is too great a matter to be brought in the political arena. What should be noted is that languages made some people great like William Shakespeare, Rabindra Nath Tagore, George Barnard Shaw, Munshi Prem Chand, the listing goes on. They did not make any language great and nobody can. Language itself is colossal; they had only shown us the greatness languages have. Consequently, language should be given suitable respect by keeping it away from dirty politics.
Statues of Leaders
August 5, 2006
Indians and Japanese at the Renkoji temple in Tokyo, bow their heads before the bust of the god: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. It seems they know Netaji better. They witnessed how Netaji had raised the Indian National Army to threaten the rule of the British in India. It would be wrong to say Netaji is forgotten in India, for January 23 is the day observed as Netaji's birth anniversary and on this day his busts and statues, wherever the day is celebrated, are sparkling and decked with flowers and surrounded by our national flags in the milieu of some patriotic music. What should be noted is that not only Netaji's but also other freedom fighters' sculptures remain exposed to dust and anything that could make them unclean, and are never cleaned or attended before their anniversaries or other days they are forced to be remembered. Is this the reward of being great? Doesn't what makes them great matter anything? Or they would be only in the statue forms to be considered as they are now.
Peace and Prosperity
July 29, 2006
Whether it was the incident of Mumbai serial blast or the 50-hour ordeal at Kurukshetra wherein a 5-yr-old boy, Prince was rescued from a 60-ft-deep pit, for some moments, nation had integrated regardless of religion and caste. If people can unite like this, then why can’t they unite for their motherland, instead of fighting to divide it? Religion, caste and anything that split the people could be replaced by the feelings which bring unity, peace and harmony. Is it so simple to stay collective for a brief moment and so tough to unite ourselves forever? Friendship can no longer exist if religion and caste step in between. So those things can act as the chief elements of the enmity to the peace of the nation. Nobody has the right to divide public on the basis of religion and caste. Instead of dividing the people to get votes, people from the various religion and caste can be amalgamated to win votes. This unity would not only develop the people but also build up the nation to be considered as a notable model of democracy.
Knowledge of English
July 25, 2006
Nowadays, a working knowledge of English is a must. Speaking it correctly and fluently is considered as the prized asset. Therefore introduction of the language at the early stage would give enough time to students to master it even they communicate widely in mother tongue. Transformation of a sentence is easier to learn than its translation which needs familiarity with two languages and more practice. Additionally, the students must possess the habit of thinking in English and not in their mother tongue.
Handling Terror Effectively
July 19, 2006
Now that vital installations, tourist and night spots in Goa target of terrorists, the state must be ready to make all their attempts ineffective. An incident like the serial train blasts in Mumbai should not be repeated as it is a big blow to the security of the country. At this moment it is the task of the police and all those responsible for the security of the people as well as the country to take care of the state of affairs in the best possible way. The terrorists only have the mission of spreading terror while the anti-terrorists have the mission of fighting them. Mumbai did come back to normal life sooner than the terrorists may have expected to show that they are not afraid of them. Public are behaving as they should be, now the safety measures should be given all the requisite importance. So the security only has to be tightened up to stop the terrorists from intruding into the lives of the peace loving people in our country. The hand-held and door frame metal detectors and the cameras at railway stations, airports, ports and other vital public places would not trouble anybody if they are put into operation to protect the public and not to harass them. Moreover, sniffer dogs should be trained to detect bombs and gunpowder, and should be maintained at all police stations.
The Maoist menace
July 11, 2006
The Maoists menace is a problem which does not need much introduction. It makes a surprising revelation that not only men, but women, to take revenge or seek justice on their on way, embrace Naxalism which has now spread far and wide to over 160 districts in our country, and continue their service till they are either arrested or killed in an encounter. More surprising thing is that many unemployed educated youth are misled. When all the government planning is not able to stop this internal terrorism, how can it expect to fight against the external terrorism which has connections within some other nations? Central and State governments must do something in urgency to curb them before they start to develop themselves in the areas where people are living in peace and harmony.
Code of Ethics
July 3, 2006
The face of a professor from Wilson College in Mumbai was blackened and he was paraded around the college for molesting a student before he was arrested. Student molestation is a crime which we find happening now and then not only in colleges but also in schools. Students are going to the educational institutes to be taught all the good and the essential so that they can give everything for the betterment of the society as well as the country, but get to learn something which could prove to be precarious for themselves and everyone. Above all, who can imagine the mental condition of the molested? There was a time when a teacher was regarded as Guru and was given a place above the parents. Can we say the present teachers to be the successors of the ancient gurus? However, all may not be like the Wilson professor, since there may be some even now worthy of reverence. But are all really getting it? One wonders whether the students, or the teachers or the professors themselves are responsible for this loss of respect.
CBSE Marking System
June 28, 2006
The liberal marking system adopted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) especially in subject like English where spelling mistakes and erroneous expressions are ignored, will do no good to the students as the students who have done it all correctly would be standing next to the students who are not so perfect. Writing correct spellings are considered important in a literary field, but what about documentation? This includes writing letters, which may be writing an application to responding to a serious letter, where spelling and grammatical errors are taken as negative impression and sometimes even acknowledged as the person’s incapacity for expressing properly. Sooner or later, the students would realize their inaccuracies, or would not be aware of where they have got it wrong and may not be ready to stand eliminations. Now the schools have more responsibility of guiding them and producing fine students, no matter what the marking system of the Board is. Additionally, it is apparent that to seek admission in the best colleges or the colleges of their preference for the top students, if we think about all the top tens from each and every school in any state, would not be as easy as it used to be.
Punishing the hunters
June 24, 2006
Salman Khan and Nawab Pataudi Ali Khan were caught hunting the endangered animals quite easily as they are celebrities and are well known to all and sundry. But there are many hunters who continue hunting for rare creatures for mere pleasures or to earn money, go undetected, as they are only ordinary people and can easily hide in a densely populated country like India. If the celebrities caught in hunting crime are let off unpunished, those unknown hunters would be encouraged more to go hunting regardless of the laws against it. However, if they were caught, the treatment would be different. Despite the saying having repeated innumerous times that law which is depicted as blind is equal to all, the difference is always there, most probably because of the gap between the two scales.
Preventing Drug Abuse
June 17, 2006
Drug abuse is an unyielding disease eating into our society for long time now. Even though scientists and science together are inventing vaccines and medicines to cure the dangerous diseases, Cocaine, Heroin and their corresponding items which have taken a more menacing appearance than cigarettes, are sucking the blood of youth. Furthermore it has become one of the most lucrative business to play with the emotion of young generation and destroy their future since one who is depressed or mentally weak to face the world or keeps bad company or for some other reasons gets addicted to drug and can cross any limits to acquire a pinch of it which may come in exchange of the most valued thing in one’s life.
On Indian Football
June 12, 2006
India is not playing in the FIFA World Cup, but Indians would be among largest viewers of the tournament. Football which India started to play bare foot is exciting to watch with the participating players moving about so gracefully. In India, cricket is given the more importance and attention and football’s development is neglected. To improve and develop as a team, so as to mount a challenge at World Cup level, the country must make every effort, as Japan and South Korea have done to improve the footballing infrastructure and training methods as well as to make use of the latest technology. An important point to note is that even though England and Australia play cricket well, they are equally adept at football.
The Quota System
May 23, 2006
The government may not have realized that an anti-reservation agitation would come up as a great problem, when it decided to increase the reservation. The protests found its roots in Delhi and have spread far and wide beyond the expectation of the government. However, as expected, since there is protest against having reservation in institutions of higher education, there is support for reservation. The caste system would have been long forgotten, provided there is no such reservation system. Needless to say, it has created some, barriers, which will act as hurdles in the development of the nation. It need not be mentioned that a certificate of caste could be easily available, if one is willing to pay a bribe for it, as it is a well-known thing. So it is crystal clear that the rich, whether in general or Scheduled Tribes or Scheduled Castes or Other Backward Castes category, would be benefited the most from this system. What is more evident is the difference is not in the caste, but between the rich and the poor.
The Week
November 5, 2006
It is surprising to know that IAF is seriously in need of modern aircraft and weapons. It is quite sad that upgradation of the Air Force takes years. The saddest part is that by the time India acquires ‘modern’ planes and radars, they would be outdated and de-commissioned in the countries that supply them. Since air power is crucial in an emergency, it shouldn’t be ignored.
The New Indian Express, Kozhikode
December 1, 2006
The recent performance of Indian team in South Africa reveals there is no foolproof planning by the team, coach and the selectors. Whenever the players have failed to perform, the television channels blame either coach or the players. The point to ponder over is: why are the selectors left out? In fact they are equally to be blamed for the team's disastrous performance. Selectors claim to have given importance to performance only, while selecting players for the team. Now a billion dollar question is: what is Virender Sehwag doing in the team, even though he is unsuccessful as an opener. The role of the openers is to make the new ball old enough for the middle order and the tail end batsmen. Our team's openers have failed bitterly to play this role. In Indian team, the fall of early wickets is a common sight. As a result, most of the batsmen who are not capable of facing new ball are compelled to play it.
Gomantak Times, Panjim
Better Deal for Children
June 25, 2007
The term ‘Child Abuse’ is not original to us and our society. Albeit there are laws to protect the children against labour or sexual abuse, these crimes are perpetuated covertly in our society. In case of child labour, some poor parents force their children to work, so as to add one or more bread winners to their families, even when it is time to send them to school.
Mostly, these children are ignorant of their right to go to school to get the basic education and those who are aware yield to social injustice like early responsibility of taking care of their family members. As regards sexual abuse, children could hardly understand the abuse inflicted upon them and if they understand, they are terrified to complain, not recognizing there are laws to defend them. Children are the future of our society or nation tomorrow. Therefore, besides parents, the central and the state governments should rise now to see the present children get a better deal to make the future world best for the next generation.
COMMENTS
Caste and Reservation
June 26,2006 14:55
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/foreign/peterfoster/june06/caste.htm
What is this caste? It would have been long forgotten if there has been no reservation system.
It is well known to all that a certificate of caste could be easily available, if one is willing to pay for it. Therefore, the rich, in all castes, would enjoy the benefits of this system. It should be noted that the difference is only between the rich and the poor, not in the caste.
The reservation system is going to be implemented in June 2007. So all are given the most wanted time, which is ample enough to plan well for the future.
There are people who have never availed themselves of reservations, have proved that they who want to kiss the success through hard work and know the way to touch the sky, do not need the benefits of the reservation system. They show the new direction to those who produce the caste certificates to benefit from the reservation system. Atually they do not consider themselves inferior to anyone. Apparently, one who considers one’s ability and creativity no less than the others can only be victorious to stand as a model for the generations to come.
The Indian Express
Quota July 2006
http://community.expressindia.com/reservation/message.php
The government must realise before dividing the poeple on the basis of caste that the distinction is not in the caste, but between the rich and the poor. The rich, in any caste, can buy a cast certificate and get the benefits of the reservation system. Besides the people who want to be successful do not take advantage of the reservation system. They do not consider themselves inferior to anyone. One only has to work hard to stand as the role model for the society as well as the country, there is no need of this system to be successful.
U.A.Kiran
India
