Books v/s books

Much has been said about the inadequacy of the current education system. But look at Dev's viewpoint of studying here. I think it is innovative to say the least though not sure of its practical propositioning.
I liked the guy's thinking a lot.

Emerging India.

I am responding to Suvro Sir's call for debate on this topic. Last time I read the post, I made a great mistake - of clicking on the links mentioned as precedents. Human mind keeps on wavering, I kept reflecting on the ideas mentioned therein so much so that I had exhausted my "blogging break". But every cloud has a silver lining; I think I have better clarity on the topic because I have thought about diverse opinions that have already come in.

Forget the jig-saw puzzle of politics, the stampede for an engineering seat, the ever speeding race for relative advantage, the rotting values, increasing crimes, hatred, tension, pollution...................SILENCE!
STOP........REWIND>>>>>>>> RETAKE.

I want to live in an India where I am I. Where my body finds a home, my mind finds peace and my soul finds expression. Just that, nothing more. Let me explain.

I wish to live in India - where my body finds a home.
I was brought up in Durgapur and all throughout I have lived in R-II/44, Housing Colony. On numerous occasions my parents have contemplated a change in location but have been dissuaded from doing so possibly due to my strong attachment and love for my home. I just want my India to provide the facilities that R-II/44 could!
My home provided us with the basic need of shelter and protection from various natural disasters and more often from unfavorable weather conditions. But more importantly, I could invite my friends over for a cup of coffee or a game of chess without fear or without permission. Sadly being an Indian, I can not invite a Pakistani to tea without inviting unwanted attention. Suvro Sir talks about how his daughter brought an infant puppy home. In my childhood I remember bringing home puppies and kittens. Though the kittens often stole milk from the kitchen and ran away, I could still unabashedly bring more in. Sadly India today warns the Dalai Lama and keeps his activities under surveillance, cannot protect the basic right to free expression of thought of Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen and frustrates MF Hussain to surrender Indian citizenship. On the other hand in R-II/44, all this was possible because my home was strong and my parents were almost angels exhibiting to me the highest standards of humanity. I wish I could have the privilege of living in an India that is strong inside but humble outside, is strict like a father and enforces discipline but loves and cares like a mother who is ready to forgive when it is necessary. I wish to see an India that adheres to the saying: "athithi devobhava" and treats all that seek refuge equally and without fear or prejudice.

Where my mind finds peace:
Such is the enormous impact of the green bills that it had become the fulcrum of all human activity. I am just doing my Masters in Business Administration but even at this level I can see numerous of my classmates doing things that cannot be associated with them or their. Our purchases now a days are biased by innumerable advertisements that boldly and repeatedly scream out lies. Our opinions are played upon by the press that cannot be relied on any longer. Our living style influenced by ridiculous diktats from people who have been repeatedly victims (and in some cases intentional propagators) of "wardrobe malfunctions".
To keep the mind stable amidst all this clutter, people need "gurus" and "Babas". No wonder that Sri Ravishankarji's The Art of Living is such a big hit with the average Indian.
In spite of constitutionally being declared a secular country we have dual principles where one of our central ruling alliances is known to be communal in nature. One scion of the Gandhi family - Varun Gandhi, goes to jail his remarks against the Muslims, while Gandhi himself spent the last few days of his life advocating unity.
Our mind is full of news - corruption, bribery, scams, politics, currency garlands, Oscar, movies, affairs, Page 3,.........where is the mental space to think about proper ideas, poetry, scientific innovations or even mere observation? So much so today THOUGHT itself is missing. We choose to be listeners and then without thinking or further research on the subject amateur talk.
Chatter.. patter.. blah ..blah.. did you know Mrs. Chopra..?..he is like that.... Sonia eats pork and beef.........plastics are bad for health.. no no who said...@#$%(*@##......
SILENCE.
I NEED an INDIA where the mind will be at peace.

Soul finds expression:
.... I don't have words to explain this part. The day my soul finds expression, is when I can air my views without fear, and without bias of any sort. That I can do when my body is protected and my mind at peace. Only then TRUTH will pluck the strings of my soul and compose the melody of Love. I shall wait for that day.

Or will it be in vain?

Quotes: on Tendulkar

"Nothing bad can happen to us if we're on a plane in India with Sachin Tendulkar on it."
- Hashim Amla, the South African batsman, reassures himself as he boards a flight


22 more to go... read on!

Sachin's Double Ton : Kudos!

Who can forget the Boxing Day Test in 1999? India was visiting Australia and the series truly predicted to be a clash of the titans was being fed live to numerous cricket enthusiasts all round the world. Sachin Tendulkar, by then arguably the greatest legend in cricketing history, was displaying his batting prowess. From the bowler’s end a lanky pace-man was charging in. Rodney Marsh’s latest talent excavation, the boy from Australian beach track with a characteristic toothpaste smile, was called Brett Lee. Lee’s incredible pace broke the back of the visiting men in blue as he ended with 5 – 47. Tendulkar, had fought on with his sweeps and drives amassing 116 and 52 but could not stop the visitors from losing by around 167 runs.
11 years later destiny saw these two men once again, eye-to-eye. Brett Lee, by now had more than 300 wickets in his kitty had had gone ahead to become the fourth highest wicket taker for his country signing in his name just behind Dennis Lillee, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. But that day, the 26th of February, 2010, while Sachin Tendulkar in Gwalior blazed off to yet another high – founding the elite, hitherto unheard club of a double ton in an ODI, Brett Lee was the bleak picture of a gladiator fighting a cage fight. In his desperate effort to stay afloat in the cricketing world, Lee had decided to amputate his involvement in the longer version of the game to save his chances at the ODI version. Fortunes had been reversed as the maestro in the Blue jersey number 10 looked towards the heavens above and Lee looked down after the announcement. In the words of noted columnist, Peter Roebuck, “Such are the cruel ironies and sweet pleasures of sport.”
Sachin has been one player who has seen sportsmen emerge as stars and then prove to be mere meteors as they die after a bright flash. And who could be a better example of that other than his own friend Vinod Kambli? Though Tendulkar is one hell of a classy player, it was not as if the world of cricket has not seen class and style before him or will not even after. Vivian Richards was a man whose presence could singlehandedly change the course of a match, but statistics tell us that his deliverables were determined by his mood. Steve Waugh fell as soon as his sport became a job (so did tennis icon Andre Agassi) and lived outside his comfort zone. Douglas Hondo fell to the sad political state of affairs in his country. Ganguly fell to overconfidence, though he returned from resting on his laurels and proved his worth, one last time – a big flicker of a flame before it goes out. Andrew Flintoff and Shane Bond already have hung up half their boots too. There are others in the arena still, most notably, West Indian Brian Lara and Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasurya who are still taken note of but none have the durability and the endurance of the little master.
Even otherwise, Sachin has been a success. Lee’s image received a severe blow with his divorce from Liz Kemp, Tiger Woods’ media partners are scampering for shelter after his infidelity came to light following a traffic accident, Cheryl and Ashley Cole are having their share of “irreconcilable” problems. Sachin has been happily married and thankfully hasn’t felt entitled to bow to temptations till now. And I am sure that everything in his life has been worth the wait - even the double hundred.
It is surely not easy being Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. Definitely, if cricket is religion, Sachin is GOD!

The Curious Case of Rotten Deemed Varsities.

HEADLINES:

18 Jan., 1996 - Lisa Marie Presley files for divorce from Michael Jackson.

18 Jan., 2010 - Indian Govt. files for divorce from erring Deemed Varsities.

18^th of January marked a disastrous turn-around in MJ's life after which nothing was pretty much the same. The King of Pop, subsequently, was left running from one controversy to another till he was finally laid to rest at the Forest Lawn Mausoleum in 2009. Came 18^th of January once again 14 years later and the honeymoon tryst between the UGC and Deemed Varsities in India came to an end.

Both events are similar yet different in their own ways. While both events are controversial and represent a turnaround, the latter (hopefully) will be for the better. My reactions:

Who's the idiot here?

A little while ago, I came across an interesting comment here about the movie '3 idiots' which offers to the reader an opposite perspective. The author is a Senior Editor of CNN IBN. This is my answer to what she has to say.

When a Father Prays

Of the many things that have attracted my attention of late, is the realization that I need to grow up as a better human being in order to have a credible chance at inspiring my children to do so. And naturally the question arises: "What is the definition of a perfect human being?" or "When can a parent be happy about having done a good job at raising a child, not a parasite?"
Brothers and sisters, Ladies and gentlemen, for many years this question was unanswered but I found the answer to this question, after roaming around half the world, in my father's study. I don't know the source, but regardless of whether my father wrote it by himself or whether he was inspired by someone, the fact that he has it hung as the only framed poster in his room makes me kneel humbly before my Dad and say: "Here's a Man!"

The poster reads, and read it very carefully my dear friends, for it comes from the sacred recesses of the heart of a father who lives on, his life a candle, diminishing as it burns in constant turmoil, but still giving light to his family. I might not have said this to you directly Dad, but in front of the whole wide world: You are the best. I am lucky to have you by me now and always. Acha, (that is what i call my Papa) I love you!