June comes to an end!

Got up at a half past 1, washed up, recited my prayers, turned off to sleep yet again to get up at a half past 6. The chores and was ready by a quarter past 9.

Off to the Foundation. Worked on my laptop.

Pumped out the Jun mail by lunch time and there were prompt replies from Anil and Ravi Ponappa.

Went to the Windsor Castle Hotel Rajdhani for Maman's felicitation by Balachandran and the revamped KANFED. The old workers who'd worked with Muthachchan, when he set up this organisation, for the first time in 1977, were overjoyed to see Maman.

A quiet evening subsequently. 

Back at Thiruvananthapuram.

Dateline 29 Jun

My interaction with Manoj-Usha, Akshara and Nisha went off well as I reckon. It kept me occupied while Maman was asleep.

Reached Thiruvananthapuram by 5, took porter, Anil Kumar's help and Anish got us home.

After rest and recuperation, we went to the RDR Auditirium at Edappazhanji to attend the wedding function of Arya and Akhil.

The evening function at Muthachchan's statue was the talk on anti-drug drive by the Dean of the KUHS, Dr Asish. The audience was only 20, however!

A quiet evening thereafter.  

On our return.

Dateline 28 Jun

The day’s program began at the SK Pottekkat Library. It was a well attended function and had a spirited audience.

In the afternoon, the function was at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial and I, even, got a memento. 

The Mangalore-Thiruvananthapuram Express was dot on time but a landslide around Wadakkancherry delayed the train by by an hour and a half.

At Kannur.

Dateline 27 Jun

Got up around a half past 12, washed up, recited my prayers. Turned off to sleep yet again to get up at a half past 6. Skipped the bath as the bathroom was not up to my standards.

To the College of Commerce for our morning’s public meeting. It was a nice event; the hall was packed with students. Met Nambiar sir who got to be found of me being my grandfather’s grandson!

Lunch at Revathi restaurant. It was nice.

The evening meeting at the Gandhi Peace Foundation was nostalgic with many elders recounting their experiences with Muthachhan at his work.

Was also felicitated!

Left Kannur at 4 PM by train and reached Kozhikode; settled down at Hotel Alakapuri, for the evening.

Vaayana Dinam (8).

The Mangalore Express reached Kanhangad on the dot at a half past 7. Sukumaran maash was at the railway station to pick us up, with his own car. Earlier Karayil Sukumar - our Kannur co-ordinator - boarded the train from Payyannur to give us company.

We went off at a half past 10 to the Dr PK Rajan University for the 1st session. Finished by about lunchtime and we’d our lunch at the university’s canteen.

We, then called on the wife of ex-MLA, KP Ku6,njikkannan who’d passed into the mist of time last September. Could spend about a half hour with her before kicking off to the freedom fighter Keshav ji Memorial Library at Perkalai. 

It was a nice session with the children and the elders which was jam packed.

We spent the night at the PWD Rest House at Kanhangad and will kick off by train, to Kannur, by 8 tomorrow morning.

A wet day at Kanhangad!

Vaayana Dinam (7).

Dateline 25 Jun.

Got up at a half past 12, washed up , recited my prayers, turned off to sleep yet again to get up at a half past 6. The chores, breakfast and we were off to the Foundation by a half past 9. 

Worked on my lap top and sorted out certain issues during the forenoon.

Lunch at 2 followed by my 40 winks.

The evening’s lecture was by Sudarshanan, who spoke on “Azhikodu Illaatha Keralam”. 

Boarded the Mangalore Express at 1840 hrs for Kasaragod.

Vaayana Dinam (6).

Got up just around midnight, around a half past 12, washed up, recited my prayers, turned off to sleep to get up around a half past 6. The chores and was ready by 9.

To the Foundation and went about my work.

Lunch and a quiet one at that.

Caught my forty winks.

Off to Poojappura for the "Sargasaayaahnam". Vinod Vellayani spoke well on "Kavithayum Kalavum". There were a lot of interactions, post lecture!

Returned earlier than usual.

Dinner by a half past 8.

A comparatively early dinner. 

Vaayana Dinam (5).

Got up at 1, washed up, recited my prayers, turned off to sleep yet again to get up at 6. The chores and was ready by a quarter to 9.

Ammayi was taken to the hospital for her discomfort. She had skipped her medicines for BP, all these days.

Lunch, a trifle late.

Snooze.

To Poojappura for the "Sarga saayaahnam". It was Satija ma'am's turn to talk of historical war references.

A nice evening. 

Vaayana Dinam (4).

Did you know that? 

* Ants never sleep

* When the moon is directly overhead, you will weigh slightly less.

* Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, never called his wife or mother because

   They were both deaf.

* An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

* "I am" is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

* Babies are born without knee caps - actually, they're made of cartilage and the bone hardens

   between the ages of 2-6 years..

* Happy Birthday (the song) is copyrighted.

* Butterflies taste with their feet.

* A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

* It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

* Leonardo da Vinci invented the scissors.

* Minus 40 degrees Celsius is exactly the same as -40 degrees Fahrenheit.

* Shakespeare invented the words "assassination" and "bump".

* Stewardesses is the longest word typed with only the left hand.

* Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.

* The names of all the continents end with the same letter that they start with.

* The sentence, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter in the English

   language.

* The shortest war in history was between Zanzibar and England in 1896. Zanzibar surrendered

   after 38 minutes.

* The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.

* The word "lethologica" describes the state of not able to remember the word you want.

* Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from the blowing desert sand.

* TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters on only on one row of

   the keyboard.

* Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks or it will digest itself.

* The dot over the letter "i" is called a "Tittle".

Tailpiece.

Had got up at 1, washed up, recited my prayers, turned off to sleep yet again to get up at a quarter to 7.

The chores and was ready by 8.

Off to Sudhakaran sir's house to participate in his wife, Sunidhi's 'sanchayanam'. She was 86, he'd loved and married her with the consent of his parents. She passed into the mist of time last Wednesday. Sudhakaran sir, had joined us to work for KEDES (Kerala Education Development Society) soon after his retirement as a Deputy Director in the KVIC, more that thirty years ago! 

To the Lulu Mall to get grocery.

Snooze-lunch-snooze.

At Poojappura for the "sargasaayaahnam" - Usha Rani's lecture on "Kaalidarunna kaumaaram". It was very nicely delivered. We'd a strength of 38 people constituting the audience!

A quiet evening thereafter.

Vaayana Dinam (3).

Got up at 1, washed up, recited my prayers and turned off to sleep yet again to get up at a quarter to 7, The chores and was ready by a 10' past 9. We left for the Foundation soon after. 

Helped Bijumon sir with the list of motivational speakers for the "Sargasaayaahnam" for Vaayana Maasam 2025. 

Lunch around 2. Tried to catch my 40 winks.

This evening's talk was by Adv Suresh Kumar on the "Gandhian way of following Naturopathy". It was interesting!

A quiet evening thereafter.

Vaayana Dinam (2).

Got up around a half past 1, washed up and recited my prayers. Turned off to sleep soon after and was up about by a quarter to 7. Went through the chores and was ready by 9.

Headed straight for the Foundation, worked on the subsequent days' program, especially sequencing the "Sargasaayaahnam".

Lunch of rice, curd and tidbit curry which was so filling along with ripe mangoes as dessert.

Kummanam Rajettan dropped by teatime and I, along with Bijumon sir and Sudha ma'am went went to Poojappura.

Today's topic was "Foreign Travel and Academic/Professional Studies Abroad" by Lavakumar, former DD, General Education. Earlier, we'd tried to rope in the students of the Lal Bahadur Shastri College of Technical Education for the evening's proceedings but alas, the institution opens after recess only in the first week of next month.

The strength of the audience was less but the talk and the subsequent interaction went off very well!

Had conducted the session and wound up by 7.

Saw the entire resources secured and bade the three of them viz. good night and was then off for home.

A quiet evening at home.

The 30th Reading Day.

Reading Month 2025 kicked off in right earnest this morning. It had three events :-

    * floral tributes paid to PN Panicker at the statue by

       the family, cultural leaders at 8 AM

    * the public meeting at Tagore Theatre presided over

       by the CM at 10 AM

    * “Sargasaayaahnam” at the statue at 4 PM

It was a hectic day and I enjoyed every bit of the proceedings.

Padmakumar and Rema came directly from Pidavoor. Lekha, her sister, Letha, Aarcha and her daughter, li'l Devootty came along with Mini.

All of them left soon after the program by 12 o'clock.

It was a quiet evening at Maman's place. Aniyan was there.

Remembering Muthachchan.

Today’s Muthachchan’s 30th Remembrance Day as per the Malayalam calendar. 

Had got up around 3, washed up and recited my prayers. Turned off to sleep, yet again, soon after and got up at a half past 4. Went through my chores and was ready for the kick off at 6.

Reached Thiruvallam and Vijayakumari was there to look after us and requirements thanks to Suma kunjamma. Remembered Muthachhan and his unrestricted love towards me!

Back at the Foundation; attended the press meeting and Maman was really impressive. Had lunch on return.

Interacted with Dr Kamalasanan Pillai sir and then went for Maman’s felicitation. Returned and took a trip to Muthachchan’s statue to see the arrangements. Then we were off to the Tagore Theatre to see the progress of work there.

A quiet evening back home!

At Thiruvananthapuram!

Monish fetched up by 8 AM. It was raining continuously. Lekha and I were ready and we took off soon after. We took the NH 66 route, had breakfast at Thriprayar and turned off on to NH 544. The driver’s deft handling of the vehicle ensured that we didn’t waste time at the traffic snarl at Chalakkudi.

It was pouring and we were blinded by rain on the 28 km stretch after Muvattupuzha. Monish had a tough time! Lunch was at Hotel Annapoorna at Ettumanoor. 

Reached Letha’s house by teatime. Dropped Lekha and her luggage there, had tea, made a bit of small talk with Devootty, Archa and Letha; left soon after. O boy, it was traffic snarls galore being prime time.

Reached the PN Panicker Foundation by a half past 7. It was nice meeting Maman - he looks much better- and the others. Secured for home by a half past 8.

Interacted with Ammayi and Chambu.

A red line crossed in West Asia.

The world must not look away.

13 Jun 2025 may be remembered as the day the world crossed a dangerous threshold. In a sweeping and audacious military operation, Israel launched "Operation Raising Lion", striking Iranian targets in several provinces, including suspected nuclear facilities, air defences and the homes of senior commanders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It's a sudden and dramatic escalation of a long-simmering shadow war, now brought into open confrontation. Iran responded swiftly, firing missiles at Israeli cities. West Asia and the world have awakened to a new and perilous reality.

The global strikes are immense. Oil prices surged, markets tumbled and geopolitical risk skyrocketed. The fragile world order; already strained by wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Trump's tariffs and economic instability, now faces the threat of a broader regional war with unpredictable consequences.

President Trump's efforts to broker a nuclear deal with Iran are likely dead. His endorsement of the Israeli assault and apocalyptic rhetoric leave little scope for diplomacy. The attack may have unified and hardened Iranian resolve. Europe has called for restraint but words alone may not be enough to pull the region back from the brink.

For PM Netanyahu, this war serves both strategic and political ends. He believes Iran is nearing nuclear capability and seeks to eliminate the threat by brute force. However, there is scant evidence that such actions will bring lasting security. Just as the Gaza campaign failed to destroy Hamas, this attack may only deepen instability. Netanyahu's political survival  appears closely tied to military escalation, especially after narrowly escaping a no-confidence vote and mounting global condemnation over Gaza.

My take

India needs to take the initiative as she is acceptable to both the sides. A quick diplomatic action will break the impasse! And I think PM Modi is destined to be the Man of the Moment!

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

Sajish gave me a haircut and good massage.

Walked in front of our house as there was a break in the rain.

Breakfast followed by work.

Went to the Nadan Grandhasala, Viyyoor for the Thrissur PN Panicker Foundation committee meeting.

Limbering up for tomorrow's move.

Modern Panchatantra at work.

A poor weaver once lived in a village. One night, as he worked late, his loom broke. In the dark, he stumbled into a temple and, while looking for help, he encountered a celestial being. Taking pity, the being offered a boon. The weaver, overwhelmed, said, "Make me the king!" "Are you sure?" asked the being. "Kings have enemies, burdens and risks". But the weaver insisted.

The next morning, he awoke in a palace, dressed in royal robes. At first, he basked in the attention. But soon, conspiracies arose. Ministers distrusted him; nobles mocked him; enemies plotted against him. Unable to bear the constant fear, he begged the celestial being to restore his former life. The wish was granted, and the humbled weaver lived in peace thereafter.

Moral.

A role beyond your preparedness can become a burden. Seek growth, not just status. Readiness, not title, determines your success in leadership positions.

Courtesy. The New Sunday Express

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

A wet Sunday.

And a quiet one at that!  

Kerala trails many states.

In household net connectivity, ICT skills 

How they fare?

Serials                                    All India (%)         Kerala (ranking)

 * Online banking                        48.9                            12

 * Send messages with

    attached file                             63.6                            14

 * Use of copy and

    paste tools                                62.3                            14

 * Creating electronic

    presentation                             24.2                            21

 * Using word processing

    software                                   13.1                              3

 * Reporting of cyber crime        17.7                            11

 * Send or receive mail                43.5                           19

* Proportion of Keralites using smartphones        82%

* Share of Keralites using feature phones             16.6%

* Proportion using both                                           1.4%

- Women do more UPI payment

   In line with the national trend, UPI payment was the most preferred mode of online payment for

   users in Kerala. Of the total persons doing online transactions, 73.3% did 'UPI' only, 0.3% net

   banking or non-UPI and 26.4% did both. Females reported a higher percentage in 'only UPI'

   payment, 74.9%, followed by males, 71.9%.

- Non-food items topped online purchase

  30.5% of surveyed households in Kerala made online purchases during the 30 days preceding

  the survey. The national average was 24.5%. In Kerala, 91% of households purchased 'only food

  items, 64% only non-food items and 27% both.

My take

We need to increase our efforts in expanding the digital literacy footprint in the state.

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and opened up the house for the day. Made a faux pas regarding switching on the music (the hymns) on the home theatre.

No walk outside because of rains. Instead, walked within the house and recited my prayers.

Breakfast. 

A delayed bath as the 'khalifa', Sajeesh couldn't fetch up on time.

The maid was at work.

The evening chores.

       

An autonomous car.

Levels of autonomy

Self-driving cars are classified into levels (0-5) by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

    * Level 0-2         Driver assistance

    * Level 3            Conditional automation (car drives but may need human intervention).

    * Level 4            High automation (fully autonomous in specific conditions).

    * Level 5            Full automation (no human input needed, no steering wheel).

Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

Locate the vehicle by using satellites to triangulate its position. Although GPS has improved since the 2000s, it is only accurate within several metres.

Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR)

A 360-degree sensor that uses light beams to determine the distances between the obstacles and the sensor.

Ultrasonic Sensors

Provide short distance data that are typically used in parking assistance systems and backup warning systems.

Cameras

Frequently used inexpensive technology, however, complex algorithms are necessary to interpret the image data collected.

Radio Detection and Ranging Radar

A sensor that uses radio waves to determine the distance between obstacles and the sensor.

Infrared sensors

Allow for the detection of lane markings, pedestrians and bicycles that are hard for other sensors to detect in low lighting and certain environmental conditions.

Inertial Navigation Systems (INS)

Typically used in combination with GPS to improve accuracy. INS uses gyroscopes and accelerometers to determine vehicle position, orientation and velocity.

Dedicated Short-range Communication (DSRC)

While (V2V) and Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) systems to send and receive critical data such as road conditions, congestion, crashes and possible rerouting. DSRC enables platooning, a train of vehicles that collectively travel together.

Prebuilt Maps

At times used to correct inaccurate positioning due to errors that can occur when using GPS and INS. Given the constraints of mapping every road and drivable surface, relying on maps limits the routes an AV can take.

My take

Driving is gonna get exciting as times advance.

Tailpiece

Got up at our usual time, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

Walked within the house due to rain.

The maid was at work.

A quiet Friday.

Crash of AI 171.

Air India's Dreamliner 787 aircraft, with 242 passengers on board (230 passengers and 12 crew members), bound for London, crashed within minutes of take off this evening around 4 PM, over the Meghani Nagar of Ahmedabad. A passenger - seated on seat 11A - is the lone survivor.

         *     *     *

Now, hear this story of sabotage on Air India on 11 Mar 2025.

@aravind writes.

Air India is being sabotaged by the anti-India deep state network involving Pakis, Khalistanis, Middle East interests, Turkish, Chinese, western racists and others.

It is an unholy anti-India network that brings together elements that have sickening hate for India, those that want to tarnish India's image and those that do not want the airline to compete internationally.

The Air India "toilet clog emergency landing" news was spread around the world like wildfire, as usual with highly racist and sick comments against Indians.

         *     *      *

The Turkish company "Turkish Technic" has a contract with the Air India regarding the maintenance of its aircraft. Sabotage? Because India had decided to boycott doing business and trade with Turkey?!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 5, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

Walked within the house as it was pouring outside.

Lekha went to the temple to have a 'darshan' of the good Lord and also shopped for grocery.

The maid was at work.

The Air India AI 171's disaster!

33928 Ashwinsekhar.

A Malayali name in the Solar System - Ashwin Sekhar.

Dr Ashwin Sekhar, son of Sekhar Warrier of Nellaya Variam near Cherpulassery in Palakkad district, has been introduced by the Astronomical Union as India's first professional meteoriticist. A minor planet (asteroid) with a diameter of about 4.5 km, discovered in Jun 2000, will henceforth be known as 'Ashwin Sekhar' (33928 Ashwinsekhar).

From now on, a minor planet orbiting the Sun in the Solar System will carry the name of Malayali astronomer, Dr Ashwin Sekhar. This announcement was made by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

The minor planet, initially observed by the Lowell Observatory operating in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, was earlier identified as '2000 LJ27'.

This celestial body, originating from the asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter, takes 4.19 years to complete one orbit around the Sun. NASA has also published information about the asteroid named after Ashwin.

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

Couldn't go for my morning walk because of pouring rain. Instead, walked within the house, reciting my prayers.

Breakfast followed by rest and reading.

The maid was at work.

The evening chores.

The Russia - Ukraine war.

Everyone is lying to you about the Russia-Ukraine war. The media. The analysts. Even your favourite "experts". It's a business deal signed in blood.

Ukraine didn't attack Russia.

It just pulled the trigger.

But the finger behind that

trigger?

It belonged to someone else.

Someone darker.

Smarter.

Colder.

And now I'll show you who.

Operation Spider's Web.

01 Jun 2025.

117 drones.

5 airbases.

40+ bombers vaporised.

4,000 km inside Russian 

territory.

The world cheered : "Ukraine

strikes deep".

But 18 months of planning?

That doesn't happen in Kyiv.

It happens in Langley.

London.

Brussels.

Davos.

Ukraine didn't run Spider's Web.

It was the launcher - not the 

mind.

Just before the strike,

Russia and Ukraine were headed

to Istanbul.

Round 2 of peace talks.

Russia came in strong :

holding land, gas, oil, leverage.

And then -

BOOM.

Their strategic bombers vanish.

That's not war.

That's orchestration.

Because someone doesn't want

peace.

Someone lit the match.

Let me introduce you to the Four Axis :

 

 1. Military-Industrial Complex

     (MIC) :

     War        =  revenue

     Drones   =  dividends

 2. Energy Barons (EB) :

     Russian gas out  = American LNG in

     At 4xmarkup.

 3. Deep State (DS) :

     Bleed Russia

     Box in China

     Rewrite alliances.

 4. Elite Class (EC) :

     They'll rebuild Ukraine

     and own the contracts.

I know who they are.

But I cannot name them hear.

You already feel them -

in your feed, your bills, your fuel.

They don't want peace.  

They want pipelines.

Ports.

Lithium.

Land.

And here's what Russia holds

now :

Crimea

Black Sea naval power

Donetsk & Luhansk

Coal, iron, uranium

Zaporizhzhia

Lithium + Nuclear control

Kherson

Irrigation & grain

Kharkiv

Defence-tech & R& D

Sumy

Chemicals & bio-industrials

These aren't just territories.

They're prize assets.

And the Four Axis will never let 

Russia keep them.

Not because they care about Ukraine.

But because this land is meant to

be :

NATO zones

Silicon Valley cities

Davos Lithium farms

US energy corridors

So they launched Operation 

Spider's Web.

Sabotage playbook from Syria.

with Clear Signature Style of :

CIA

MI6

SBU

What comes next?

False flags

Cyber blackouts

Border assassinations

Mercenaries in suits.

Regime shifts in

Belarus

Moldova

Georgia

Russia retaliates.

NATO acts shocked.

The map redraws.

This isn't war.

It's a hostile acquisition.

The battlefield?

Your belief system.

If you still this is about 

"freedom".....

You've already been drafted.

Wake up.

This isn't "too dark for LinkedIn".

It's too real to ignore.

I'm not here to impress.

I'm here because I had to say it. 

Before it disappears from your

feed.

The shadows just go deeper.

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

Went for my walk.

Breakfast followed by work on my laptop.

Watched television for a while. Siesta.

The evening chores.

 

The significance of 108.

In the Indian Knowledge System, the number 108 holds immense spiritual, mathematical and cosmic significance. Here are some key aspects of its importance.

* Cosmic connections

   - the distance between the Earth and the Sun is approximately 108 times the Sun's diameter

   - the diameter of the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth

   - the distance between the Earth and the Moon is around 108 times the Moon's diameter

* Spiritual significance

   - represents the wholeness of existence and the connection between the individual and the divine

   - symbolizes universal consciousness, divine order and spiritual awakening

   - linked to the supreme one (1), nothingness or totality (0) and infinity to the material world (8)

* Vedic tradition

   - renowned mathematicians of Vedic culture viewed 108 as a number representing the wholeness

     of existence

   - there are 108 Upanishads, ancient scriptures containing the essence of Vedic wisdom

* Yoga and Ayurveda

   - 108 energy lines converge to form the heart chakra, connecting the human body to higher

      consciousness

   - there are 108 marma points (vital energy points) on the human body, essential for healing and

      balance

   - many yoga sequences, like 108 sun solutions, are performed during spiritual festivals or

      transitions

* Astrology

   - 12 houses and 9 planets make up the astrological cycle, with 12 x 9 =108

   - 108 steps leading to temple entrances symbolize the journey towards enlightenment

* Sanskrit alphabet

   - 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet, each with masculine and feminine energies, result in 108 when 

      multiplied by 2 (54 x2 = 108)

The significance of 108 is deeply rooted in Hinduism, Buddhism and Yoga, reflecting the interconnectedness of the universe and the human experience.

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

Went for my morning walk.

The maid was at work.

Bath, followed by washing machinex.

Maman called up in the evening. He's going to New Delhi tomorrow and will return before this weekend.

The Chenab Bridge.

The World's highest railway bridge over River Chenab, in Jammu and Kashmir, that was recently inaugurated by PM Modi and it completes the Jammu-Srinagar circuit. It is engineered to withstand seismic and wind conditions and it forms a crucial link in the 111-km stretch from Katra to Banihal.

Its construction was approved in 2002 but the work started

Vital Statistics

Length                        1.315 km

No of spans                17

Arch span                   467 mts (linear)

                                   359 mts above the river bed level

Cost of bridge            Rs.1,486 cr

Design life                 120 years

Maximum speed        100 kmph

Max wind speed        266 kmph

Total steel                  28,660 tons

My take

What an achievement! The union territory of J&K is developing at a brisk pace!! Three cheers to PM Modi and his team!!!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 5, let Lekha sleep for another half an hour as she had desired. Opened up the house for the day.

A quiet Sunday.

India's poverty rate comes down!

India has recorded a dramatic decline in poverty, with the proportion of people living below the World Bank's revised international poverty line of $3 per day (2021 Purchasing Power Parity, PPP) dropping from 27.1% in 2011 to just 5.3% in 2022. The updated poverty threshold, up from earlier $2.15 line based on 2017 PPP, aims to better reflect today's global prices and cost-of-living standards.

Back in 1977, nearly 78% of India's population lived below $3-a-day mark. By 1993, the figure had dropped to around 68% and to about 65% in 2004. However, the most rapid decline occurred in the last two decades. Between 2004 and 2022, the poverty rate fell by nearly 60 percentage points - a trend that accelerated especially after 2011.

In terms of absolute numbers, the change is equally striking. In 2004, over 531 million Indians were classified as poor under the $3 benchmark. That number fell to about 344 million by 2011 and further to just 75 million by 2022.

Several factors explain this sharp decline, which are :-

     * India's consistent economic growth has raised incomes and expanded job opportunities,

        particularly in urban and service sectors.

     * Government initiatives such as rural employment schemes, subsidised food programs and 

        expanded access to electricity, sanitation and digital services.

     * The importance of continuously updating poverty lines to account for inflation and real

        consumption patterns.

Overall, the sharp fall in poverty under the revised benchmark reflects both substantial gains and

the evolving nature of developmental changes in India.

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

Went for my walk in the morning.

The maid comes in for work.

A quiet Saturday.

Indian traditions : Chromosomes, Genes and Relations.

(a) Husband and wife - first generation

(b) Children (siblings) - second generation. They take 50%-50% chromosomes from parents so share 

                                       50% genes

(c) Grandchildren        - third generation. Share 25% genes of grandparents (first generation)

(d) Fourth generation shares 12.5% genes

(e) Fifth generation shares 6.25% genes

(f) Sixth generation shares 3.125% genes

(g) Seventh generation shares 1.56% genes

(h) Eighth generation shares < 1% genes of the first generation 

As per Indian tradition, starting from the origin (first generation), family relations (cousins/bhaubandaki) are counted till the seventh generation. Marriage within the family is not encouraged till the seventh generation as there is a possibility of congenital disease in the children (due to a non dominant gene becoming dominant).

From eighth generation, it is not considered as family and that's why the relationship of husband-wife is said to be of seven lives.

Three generations are called 'sapind' (literally meaning from the same lump of rice - this is because a lump of rice is offered to the three nearest ancestors) and from fourth to seventh, they are not 'sapind' but 'bhaubandaki'. (Some of us will remember that the pandit asks us to take names of three preceding generations while performing pujas).

After seven generations, the relation is not of family but is considered to be of some lineage (gotra).

Above information helps understand the logic behind some of the traditions so common but rarely understood. "And today, Modern Science speaks of chromosomes and genes across seven generations which our learned sages had discovered 3000 to 5000 years ago".

My take

Our forefathers knew about life!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 5, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

Went for my walk as it was a bright, sunny day.

The maid was at work.

Lunch.

Watched a nice episode of 'Crime Patrol' on Sony.

Siesta.

The evening chores.

 

New interline partnerships.

Air India has entered into interline partnerships with four major airlines from emerging markets, significantly enhancing connectivity to Europe, particularly the Baltic region and parts of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The partnerships will provide Air India guests seamless travel options to 16 more destinations across six countries in these regions. Conversely, Air India will provide convenient access to more than 30 Indian cities, including Kochi, to the customers of its four partner airlines.

Air India signed the interline agreements with airBaltic, Bulgaria Air, Cyprus Airways and Uzbekistan Airways, on the side lines of the ongoing 81st IATA AGM in New Delhi.

The new partnerships enable a passenger to travel across continents with a single-ticket itinerary that combines Air India flights with those of its partner airlines as well as coordinated baggage allowance and handling.

Vast new opportunities to the Indian traveller!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 5, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

Went for my morning walk and there was no rain.

The maid had come by for work.

A quiet day. 

Donald Trump's Loss! (2).

......contd (2).

The Indians, on the other hand, were given these powerful and distinct messages.

India has officially ended strategic restraint : India will no longer seek permission. Decades of tolerating terrorism and waiting for global approval while sharing meaningless dossiers to Pakistan are over.

Domestic unity across politics and society is the new strategic weapon : Electoral wins and popularity define the executive power. Modi invoked this as a factor behind the success of his doctrine.

India's defence infrastructure is self-reliant and globally credible. Self-reliance will be the key to India's future battle readiness. Made-in-India weapons were battle-tested and succeeded.

Women-centred symbolism (Sindoor) : The nature of Islamist violence is that it singles out women to humiliate, rape and torture them. The symbolism of Sindoor as the source of power has become a nationalist sentiment - a cultural and civilizational marker now defended militarily.

PoK is no longer a diplomatic talking point - Modi clearly stated that future talks will only be about PoK and terrorism, not bilateral issues. When he says "talks about PoK", Modi meant how and when Pakistan will return it back.

Peace is no longer pursued passively : When he said that the path to peace goes via "Shakthi" or power, he asserted something important - that power will precede dialogue, not follow it.

India is redefining itself as a global anti-terror standard-setter, not a follower of UN processes or Western diplomacy.

One must understand that the United Nations was created for dialogue, peace and frameworks between Nations. The battle against terrorism is outside the purview of the UN. The Modi Doctrine clearly lays this out.

India has redrawn the global rules of engagement. By launching retaliatory strikes without waiting for  UN approval, New Delhi has established a new template for sovereign self-defence one where nations reserve the right to strike first, across borders, when attacked by non-state actors.

Modi has heralded the emergence of a new global norm with Operation Sindoor : When terror crosses borders, sovereignty does too.

Modi shattered the charade of global diplomacy on terrorism. He bypassed international mediation because the world's hypocrisy on terror had become impossible to ignore.

You see, it wasn't an oversight or an action in haste.

For years, the West cloaked Pakistan's role in terror under strategic ambiguity. That ambiguity became a weapon used not against terrorists but against India.

Modi has now flipped the script. No more waiting rooms of diplomacy. No more tolerance for "good terrorist, bad terrorist" games.

India acted unilaterally, struck surgically and named and shamed Pakistan with battlefield precision and irrefutable proof. 

This wasn't just a military maneuver, it was a geopolitical declaration : India will no longer outsource its security to a compromised global conscience.

Israel, a pioneer of hot pursuit and targeted assassinations, will see Modi's Doctrine as the next evolution in counter-terror warfare.

India hasn't just acted it has authored a new doctrine of unapologetic, cross-border retaliation. One that terror-hit nations across the world will now invoke as precedent, not aberration.

The message is clear : The era of patience with terror sanctuaries is over. From this point on, terrorism will not be managed, it will be dismantled at source. No explanations. No excuses. No apologies.

And with this, for the first time in the last 1,000 years, someone outside of the Western world has set the direction of the global geopolitical framework. And it may very well be the first that backs humanity in all its honesty.

......Concluded.

Courtesy. Drishtikone.

My take

This is what happens when utterly crass people are elected to the high office!

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

Went for my walk.

The maid had come for work at her usual time.

Lekha had gone out to town to do a variety of work.

Donald Trump's Loss! (1).

How Donald Trump lost India on the Geopolitical chessboard. 

Unfortunately, US President Donald Trump pre-empted Modi's speech with his own.

After having crossed the strongest of red lines for India - interference or mediation between India and Pakistan for "Kashmir", which is an internal state of India, part of which is illegally occupied by Pakistan - he doubled down. That happened because his ego made him take credit for what he called a "ceasefire" - while India called it an "understanding". As Modi's speech clearly showed, the US administration had no role to play in that sequence of events.

After completely ruining the the Indo-US relationship, he threw another lighted match into the mix - a trade carrot that could be offered if India and Pakistan complied with his ideas. The equivalence between India and Pakistan was another red line.

With that, Trump, just detonated years of US-India defence diplomacy with one reckless outburst after another.

Declaring that trade should be used to pressure India was the last straw.

With that single remark, he confirmed India's deepest strategic fear : that the US is not a partner but a power that plays favourites - and is ready to weaponize alliances.

If trade can be used as a tool of coercion, what's stopping the US from using defence systems as leverage in wartime?

For Indian planners, it's a chilling prospect : being dependent on a volatile partner who might pull the plug mid-conflict. And there's enough history of that. India remembers Kargil. In its hour of need, when Indian troops were locked in a bloody war in the Himalayas, the US denied India access to GPS data.

That betrayal still echoes in South Block. Now, Trump has reminded New Delhi that even advanced US platforms can become liabilities when the going gets tough.

Trump's comment bruised egos and torched trust. Years of bipartisan effort to anchor India-US defence ties now line in ruins.

The cost?

Billions in lost defence deals, a strategic reset in New Delhi and a glaring signal to Indian policymakers : America under Trump, is too erratic to rely on. America without Trump is the return of the Deep State.

India may now be set to create an entirely different coalition. Henceforth, the way this alignment will move is something to watch now.

Looking at the speech, these seven principles stand out from PM Modi's statements for the world.

* Retaliatory Decisiveness. 

   Terror attacks will be met with military action, on India's terms, at India's timings and with complete 

   force.

* Precedent-Shattering response.

   The doctrine draws a new red line : no more strategic restraint. Airstrike, drone raids and deep

   targeting of infrastructure are fair game.

* No safe havens doctrine.

   India will strike at the roots of terror - training centres, financing hubs, ideological nurseries - even 

   inside hostile states.

* No state-non state differentiation.

   No separation between terrorists and their state sponsors (read : Pakistan). If the state harbours them,

   it shares the punishment.

* No nuclear blackmail tolerance.

   India refuses to be deterred by nuclear threats. Such bluffing will not shield the terror infrastructure 

   anymore.

* Permanent posture of deterrence.

   The doctrine is not an event but a standing policy. Military and intelligence preparedness has been

   institutionalised to respond to and uphold it henceforth.

* Geopolitical signalling.

   India has clarified that dialogue, trade and diplomacy will be conditioned upon eliminating terrorism

   and reclaiming PoK from Pakistan. There is no other discussion to be had with Pakistan.

..........to be concluded.

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

Went for my walk.

The maid was at work.

A quiet day!

   

     

Pattambi's new education path.

An innovative project to democratise education and empower its rural youth, Pattambi constituency has launched an innovative project titled, "Vayanashalakal Janakeeya Sarvakalaashaalakal Aakunnu" which translates into " Libraries are becoming people's universities". The project is aimed at transforming all the public libraries under the jurisdiction of the constituency into powerful engines for grassroots development.

Empowering its rural youth

* Libraries will function as non-academic hubs

* Will offer modular and skill-based short-term courses catering to the needs of youth, women and mar-

   ginalised communities

* Skill-based courses will be offered in six core learning domains :-

     - health and well being 

     - career and language development

     - digital and technological skills

     - entrepreneurship and financial literacy

     - women-centric livelihood and skill development and

     - elective creative and life skills

* Courses will run weekly or monthly, based on demand

* Flexible and inclusive course structure offered in three formats :-

     - one-day (three-hour)

     - three-day (nine-hour) and

     - five-day (fifteen-hour) modules

* Classes by trained facilitators, local experts and online learning platforms

* Learners will be awarded certificates at the end of course

* Registration will be through the website of the project

* All residents of Pattambi constituency, irrespective of their age, can apply

My take

A noble thought and sincerely hope that politics doesn't overtake it!

Tailpiece.

Lekha's birthday by the Malayalam calendar.

Got up earlier than normal as Lekha, Padmakumar and Rema went to the temple for the morning darshan at a half past 6. Opened up the house for the day.

Padmakumar and Rema had gone again, collected the prasaadam and our lunch, gave the paayasam to Jayasree's parents and returned before lunch time.

A boisterous lunch.

Padmakumar and Rema left for Thrippunithura soon after and reached there by a half past 6.

A quiet evening thereafter.

 

The Axiom-4 mission.

India's return to human spaceflight

The $64 million Axiom-4 (Ax-4) Mission - a collaboration involving axiom Space, NASA, ISRO and European Space Agency is scheduled to be launched on 08 Jun 2025 at 1841 hrs (IST) from the Launch Complex 39A of the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which will proceed to the International Space Station and dock with it.

The crew consists of :-

      * Peggy Whitson                                        Commander, Commercial Mission

      * Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla        The Mission Pilot

      * Slawosz Uzna ski-Wi niewski (Spain)    Mission Specialist

      * Tibor Kapu (Hungary)                             Mission Specialist   

They will enter the ISS for a 14-day, conducting experiments and scientific studies.

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

My walk outside. The maid was at work; a lazy Sunday.

Padmakumar and Rema had fetched up at a half past 6.

A boisterous dinner.