Random notes

Delhi has had a second successive Car Free Day, this time in Dwarka. Thousands attended it, hundreds participated in a cycle rally, thousands more walked to demonstrate their solidarity to the cause of reducing pollution in Delhi in particular and a healthier environment, in general. Chief Minister of Delhi came personally, participated in the cycle rally and addressed the enthusiastic crowd. He also announced that next car free day would be on 22 nd January, in Patparganj, East Delhi. Going for a Car Free Day Excellent! It reminds me of another such initiative, called Earth Hour. On a specific day, once a year, we switch off lights at 8 PM, for one hour. Off course, air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, fans, microwaves etc keep running during the appointed hour. For the rest of 364 days and 23 hours, we can feel smug in the thought that we have contributed to the environment. Around 0.1% of population, switch off around 15% of the electric app...

Dear Award Returnee, May I submit, humbly, that you are just wasting your time; you are not achieving your objectives that you set out to. Let me explain. Why are awards being returned? As stated by many of award returnees, this action is to protest, to highlight the growing intolerance in the society and the threat to freedom of expression; to artists, writers and film makers and also to sensitize people against such a social environment. Therein lies the problem. That problem being that the man on the street does not know who you are, what did you do to get an award, what you claim to fame is and what is your real reason for doing what you are doing now. No. Do not take me wrong. I have no intention of running down your achievements in literature, art or cinema or trivializing the awards, my limited point being that the common man is not able to relate himself to you, your achievements, awards as well as the reason for returning them. The common man is going...

On the fateful day of 5 th August 2015, entering that dingy, winding lane in the town of Udhampur, Naved had no idea that he was entering an alley of treachery, deceit and backstabbing. Poor Naved, tired of six days of walking through the countryside, stressed due to continuous hiding and running from security forces, famished as he had not seen a kebab for last six days, his tired mind and fudgy instincts making him more trusting than a cautious, watchful terrorist should be when he Naved in custody of merciless security forces walked into that ill fated house.  And the violent, rowdy residents of that house murdered, butchered & killed every strain of decency, trust and even humanity. They faked themselves as victims and then backstabbed him. As his trusting eyes wandered away for a few moments, treacherous and deceitful residents of the house overpowered Naved, thrashed him physically (unbelievable but true!) and handed him over to army! Unfortunate Naved ha...

Public health is an emotional subject. Even if our politicians do not give a damn to the state of the public health centers & hospitals, quality of doctors, quacks and fake medicines, they are expected to be sensitive to these issues in their grand utterances and policy statements, at least. So, when Rajasthan government reduces VAT on tobacco products and claims it is in public interest and Times Now takes up this issue for discussion with taglines that state government is playing with public health, helping the spread of cancer by promoting sale of tobacco products, they project an image of vigilant media, ready to defend public causes and exposing the big, bad government which works for corporates. When they add a bit of Lalit Modi with undeclared interests in trade of tobacco products with a quid pro quo stretched from some other holding it becomes a full blown scam embellished with public interest, an issue of the size which can cause governments to fall. The whole ...

Exactly one year back I was looking for a coaching academy for my son who is a budding cricketer. Our first stop was the oldest academy in town. This academy, as we were told, is over 100 year old and was established by some English gentlemen. The adviser at the academy told us, “Batting, bowling and fielding skills provide no guarantee of making it to a Ranji team, leave alone getting a national cap. The key to making it large lies in being visible to the selectors. If one is visible at the right time and right place it would not matter that your son believes that leg glance is a page three term and extra cover is an insurance phrase. What is needed is an image building plan; a campaign to showcase the qualities & traits, which would appeal to the selectors. We would create an audio visual of your son playing all the exquisite cricketing shots, straight drives that remind people of Tendulkar, leg glances that evoke Rahul Dravid, off drives that evoke memories of Gang...

Dear Sagarika Ghose, As an ordinary, unwashed, illiterate, unrefined, non suit wearing Indian, I am thankful to you for taking up the issue of PM Modi’s suits & boots and implications of this sartorial attack on my fundamental freedom via your article here .  I explain in next few paragraphs.                                                 .                                                                                      ...