Torch of Shame

A few days ago, Delhi was turned into an fortress. The reason being the relay of the Olympic torch.Many famous personalities ran and a few backed out. It was humbling to see Baichan Bhutia backing out to stand out in solidarity with the Tibetans. But sad to see the others wanting their moment of fame. Aamir Khan said he will run with a prayer in heart for the Tibetans (what an hypocrite).
But what was most disappointing was the approach of the Indian Government. India very shamefully succumbed to the Chinese pressure and cracked down heavily on the protesting Tibetans. The protest by the Tibetans have been peaceful from the very start. Tenzin tsundue has always said that "We have Dalai Lama in heart & Gandhi in mind." That statement itself is very heartening. To protest and fight in this manner requires exemplary courage. Its easier to fight the violent war than to sustain the non-violent struggle. One needs to acknowledge the Tibetans for this.
We see so much of violence in the name of religion, land and what not. Be it Kashmir or Srilanka, the story and method to achieve ones objective have been the same. The result no different and very much disappointing. Many die and more loose the hope to live.
But here is a community which is fighting for true just cause in the right manner. Gandhiji said Satyagraha is never passive. It should always be aggressive. Being aggressive doesn't mean being violent. This is exactly what the Tibetans are doing, they are being aggressive in their non-violent approach to voice their concerns.
I understand how important the Olympics is for the Tibetans. It gives them the perfect platform to show the world the atrocities committed by China. Its important to make China realize what it faces beyond its safe boundaries where it cracks down on everything democratic.

Boycott the Olympics.

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Fight the Dragon part 2

My anguish has accumulated so much, that i need to rant it out. So here it goes:-
A lot has happened in Tibet and elsewhere over the last week. Tibetans from all over the world have protested wherever possible in solidarity for what happened in Lhasa.
India has been like a silent spectator apart from one statement from the MEA saying that it is concerned about the innocent Tibetans. When China called HH the Dalai Lama a lier, India choose not to react. When China asked India to be tough on those protesting, she obliged. What is India trying to do??? Win China's heart? Come on, You gotta realize China has no heart. Or you are doing it in hope that China would recognize Arunachal Pradesh as a part of India. Or bcos India is expecting Chinese support for a permanent seat in UN Veto Council( India had openly supported China's claim for the same). None of this is going to happen.
I read a recent interview of Samdhong Rinpoche, who as prime minister heads the administration of the Tibetan Diaspora. Here is a extract from the same:-

" I asked you about India's position on the issue. Many people think Tibetan refugees should keep quiet and silently go on living here. When you raise the political pitch on Indian soil, it creates tension in the region.

I have never heard such a comment from anyone here. I and His Holiness Dalai Lama have made it clear several times that if India thinks that Tibet issue is a hindrance or an irritant for the normalisation of Sino-Indian relations, India must sacrifice the Tibet issue and ask His Holiness to shift somewhere else.
Let Tibetan refugees migrate to West or send them back to Tibet. In such case, can you guarantee that Sino-India relations will be perfectly okay? If that is so, then we are ready to obey. We are ready to go away from India.
In India, we are refugees, in London or in Washington, we will be refugees. It will make no difference to us because we are not living on our own soil. We can be refugees anywhere.
But, I don't think any Indian leader is thinking in this direction. If they are thinking in this direction, they should not have any hesitation in telling us. His Holiness and the Tibetan leadership never wants to cause any inconvenience to the Indian people or to the Indian government.
Secondly think about this: Unless you solve the Tibet issue how you will resolve your border issue? How will you grow your relationship with China? All these things will have to be thought out keeping in mind a long term solution and strategies. Therefore, many Indians think that free Tibet is India's real defence. This is not a hypocrite thinking."

He makes a very valid point. How bluntly China claims Tawang as a part of its territory. We have already gifted the beautiful Aksai Chin to China. Let not Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh) suffer the same fate.

Tibet is important to India and the World. Politically, Culturally, Spiritually and also Morally.
I wish I lived in a Strong India who could take the Dragon, head on.

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Fight the Dragon

Just as I write, reports of violence and unrest in Tibet has flashed across the electronic media. Thats quite rare, first to get news on Tibet and second that of violence. But if any one has been following the struggle of the people of Tibet to live peacefully in their own homeland, this news would be very concerning. You can't blame them for protesting. To be driven out of your own homeland and not allowed to return can be very infuriating. Its been 49 years since they were thrown out. They have tried everything possible to find a solution to this problem, even giving up their demand of complete independence to settle for autonomy. But the Dragon didn't budge. In fact HH (His Holiness) the Dalai Lama has even tried talking with the Chinese Leaders meanwhile asking his supporters to maintain calm and not be violent. Imagine how much unrest and anger must have accumulated in the minds and hearts of the Tibetan people that they have transgressed their most important spiritual leader and the very basic principle of their religion of compassion. They are the last sect of people with whom you would associate violence. From finding answers to life and in quest to attain tranquility and spiritual heights, the monks are now fighting another battle perhaps more difficult. They are on the forefront facing brutal torture to fight for justice and to save their culture knowing deep inside that they will be outnumbered and overpowered. Yet they choose to suffer to save this beautiful piece of land and the rich culture from the flares of the evil Dragon. With no guns or any kind of weapons in their arsenal, they only carry courage and zeal to fight injustice. The future is bleak and the dragon too powerful. Yet I believe that justice will prevail as the grit of the people of Tibet is too strong.

Western Media miles away from this epicenter of human rights violation has chosen to highlight the sufferings and Indian Media which is the nearest will shy away. India, who is home for many many Tibetans will choose to remain silent. I guess it would be too much to expect from her to support the Tibetans or even criticize the vast human rights violations taking place in Lhasa. For here is a country, which doesn't even speak firmly and boldly when its own territorial integrity is endangered from the Dragon.
Fight the aggressive dragon for it is the real enemy and not the rodent on the west.

Kindly support the Tibetan cause:- http://www.friendsoftibet.org/

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India poised .... but never took off.

Sometimes upon deep thought, you ponder the pro's and con's of democracy. For the power of one has been personified in the sense not to be known of. It took one Gandhi to get freedom to India. It took just a Dhirubhai Ambani to create the equity cult in India. One Narendra Modi managed to clean up the administration in Gujarat to make it more efficient and growth-oriented showing the best of governance. It shows the Power of One. But it takes one Raj Thackeray to destroy the very fabric of Mumbai. It perhaps shows the in-activeness or passivity of the Indian public. We are so much absorbed in our own life that we no longer care what is happening on the bigger picture. Remember 'Even silence at times is a crime.'
The democracy that we so proudly boast of is nothing but an replica of India Shining or India Poised campaign. The fact is India was poised but never took off. The reason has been bad governance. There is a severe dearth of Strong Leadership. Here we have a Prime Minister who has great education qualifications but no leadership virtues, some one who is too soft to lead. We have a President who has done nothing other than visiting a couple of places and enjoying the perks of the post. So often you come across articles reading the abysmal demands of the president with the department in concern spending lakhs of hard earned rupees to meet them. Be it the renovation of roads leading to Shirdi before the President's visit or arranging a convoy for the president's husband to visit Nagpur. Its absolutely shameful to have such an individual as the First Citizen of the India. It was always going to be difficult to fill in Dr. Kalam's shoes. But this lady has not even made any concrete effort.
Then we have the so called NGO's who are nothing more than a liability to the society in disguise. Why don't we find Teesta Setalvad fighting for the execution of Afzal Guru if she is so concerned about bringing justice to the society? why don't we find Megha Patkar going on a hunger strike to demand relocation of Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir??? All these people are hypocrites of the biggest order.
The future is just as bleak if not more than the illusion of a super power India. We dream too often and too big but act just as little. And in 'We', I address you and me who are distinctly apathetic.

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End of an era..

I should have blogged when i was in bangalore itself to strike the rod when it was hot. But nevertheless, i can still revive those feelings experienced during my last few days @ Infosys, Bangalore.
On 29th July 06, when i reached Bangalore for my training @ Infosys, I had never imagined i would be spending 1.5 yrs there. My only thought then was to somehow reach Pune and i was quite optimistic about it during my entire training period. It was only after the posting allocations, that i realized i was gonna spend some more time here. But never did the place bore me to my thresholds or in other words, it was much better than my imagination. Infact the stay @ Bangalore has been one of my best experiences so far. Quitting Infy was really a tough choice. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it was one of my most difficult decisions. But the most astonishing part is that it was made instantly (some Blink effect i guess). The reason it was difficult was b'cos Infy was much like my second home. The routine was so much a part of my life that it was kinda weird to think i wouldn't be following it the next day. An honest confession is that i still miss that today but i always knew i was gonna miss infy not withstanding where i join next. I honestly feel that there is a possibility to work in Infy somewhere down the line. There are so many things that made the Infy experience so worthwhile, be it the friends i made there, the colleagues(my project team n other members) and the work environment or the campus and the ambiance. Last but not the least ofcourse my roommates and the time spent with them.. the late night parties @ home, the tennis/cricket matches, the outings that we had and the ones we had planned.
The most sad part of all has been to come in terms with the fact that there are very slim chances of our paths crossing again. And here ends yet another chapter of life.

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Vintage Sunday

There was one striking difference in my live styles in bangalore and bombay.
Sundays @ Bangalore would usually mean 2 hrs of tennis in the morning and lots of sleep and movies.
Sundays in B'bay have always been very busy and full of action:
1) Getting up late
2) Playing Cricket - (3-4 hrs)
3) Late Lunch
4) Hanging out in the evening with friends
5) Dinner with friends.

For years, this has been my routine for Sunday. This is what i couldn't manage in Bangalore. Now after coming back from Bangalore, i couldn't have asked for a better day than yesterday. All that i was missing in Bangalore and what i had been doing here since years was repeated.

Played match against Suman Nagar:
Not the best of the starts i would say. Bowled a pathetic over and hence lost the match. But its never easy making a comeback against suman nagar. Batting was pretty good and stuck form right from the start and hence won the second match eventually drawing the series 1-1.
I am just wondering what would had happened if we had played the 3rd one. Fitness has decreased by leaps and bounds.

In the evening, we hanged out @ Carter Rd and followed up with dinner and an overnight stay @ friends place.
All i can say to summarize is "Good Times are Back again"

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The Year that was

2007 flew by....
But not without leaving some special memories behind.It was the first complete year that i spent without my family. On that terms, it was tought at times but i enjoyed it. Personally speaking,I met new ppl, made new friends... some friendships that i tend to take it forward in life.The last couple of months have been really good.Staying @ 0-40, it was an awesome experience.The late night parties and to witness the madness after all get tipsy was unforgettable. From the early morning cricket/tennis to the evening/night movies (which by no means i would have watched if i were to watch it alone), the journey has been amazing and so has been the company to enjoy it.
I haven't travelled as much i wanted to, but did visit Kerala and had 2 decent treks - Lohagad and Kellaveribetta. Not to forget half a dozen visits to home.

Yesterday was X'mas. I celebrated it by watching "Welcome" with roomies and then by with red wine. I guess i have celebrated the last 2 X'mas in bangalore, the prior being on an industrial visit from college.

One thing that i have done in 2007 which i always wanted to do was to play tennis seriously. Staying in B'bay, its difficult to play tennis unless you join an academy. Here @ Bangalore, courtesy to the courts available in my colony and the awesome court @ Infy, i could play this sport. Playing it under the lights is an wonderful experience.

Health wise, another yr goes by without even getting sick for a day.(Touch wood). Is it just the silence before the storm??? i hope not...

Professionally, i would have loved to do more challenging work but some good work did happen in between. Always wanted to learn J2ee but just didn't put an effort.

New year brings in a new beginning professionally. I expect it to be more challenging and hope it is that way.
As for the New Yr Resolution:
1) Learn New Technologies -- Python in particular.
2) Travel -- North India
3) Reduce weight -- as much as possible. :)
4) Stop being selfish and do some charity

Wish you all a very happy new year.

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