The 71st Nehru Trophy Boat Race.

It was a day of grandeur as the Kainakary Village Boat Club scripted a fairy tale triumph after a 38-year-long wait. Its Veeyapuram Chundan clocked 4.21.084 and had come 1st.

Earlier the state government had granted an amount of Rs.10 cr with the hope of transforming Nehru Trophy into one of Kerala's prime tourism spectacles. Out of the amount, Rs.7 cr is on account of building a new pavilion at the site.

Got up at a quarter past 5, sent my morning messages, switched on the morning hymns, lit up the puja room lamp, opened up the house for the day.

It was a quiet Sunday.

Was in a bad condition!

Two days of Dolo 650 did not alter my condition. Sent a message on Dr (Mrs) Sodhi's what'sapp for an appointment in the morning. Came to know that she was undergoing treatment and it was gonna be a long haul!

Spoke to Jyoshid for medical inputs but he wasn't keen to take action on me, long term!

Therefore, went across to the Sodhis' clinic and met Jimmy by around 6. He has now put me on a course of medicines. Had a whole lot of medicines to bring the infection down.

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle after 5, the chores, switched on the hymns on the home theatre at 6, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Tried to bring my discomfort under control but the runny nose was posing to be a problem.

Soaring flower prices during the festivities.

With festivities having commenced with the dawn of Atham, Malayalees are on a frantic purchasing spree with flowers being at the top of their Onam shopping list. For the next few days, colleges, government and private offices and cultural organisations will be celebrating Onam.

Market prices (per kg) 

Marigold                        Rs.180/-

Jasmine                          Rs. 650/-

Rose                               Rs. 350/-

White Oleander              Rs. 500/-

Pink Oleander                 Rs. 260/-

Globe Amaranth             Rs.280/-

Chrysanthemum             Rs.200/-

My take

May the prices reduce further so that the average customer is saved and can usher in a happy Onam.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, Lekha's viral fever is on a subdued note. Switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day. It's another wet day.

A quiet day.

Got the news from Aniyan that a miracle has taken place and that Indirakkutty has shown a marked improvement. God, let her improve steadily from now on!

Migrant workers dominate Kerala's fisheries sector.

The marine fisheries work force of Kerala is dominated by migrant labourers and the representation  of Kerala fishermen is recording a steady decline as youngsters are sailing away from the from the traditional sector. The workforce consists of 58% migrant workers.

Some vital statistics :-

78%       Highest concentration of migrant labourers in Kerala's mechanised fishing sector at

               Munambam harbour in Ernakulam district.

Migrant workforce

Mechanised fishing boats           55 to 60%

Post harvest processing sector    50%

Marketing sector                         40%

Despite their dominance, migrant workers remain highly vulnerable, facing exploitation, health risks and lack of social security.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent off the messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

The walk and my recital of the prayers were within the house because of the rain.

Lekha seems to have caught the bug. Precautions put in place.

A quiet evening.

On the occasion of Ganesh Chathurthi.

A day that saw quite a few showers all through. Ganesh processions from various quarters and directions - often choking the roads - headed for the Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple.

The roads were clogged with traffic, causing huge traffic snarls even into the late hours of the day!

We stayed indoors and sent our maid, back to her place - by lunchtime.

"Ganapati Bappa Moriya

   Mangala Murthy Moriya!"  

May Lord Ganesh look after all of us!

Amma's 9th Remembrance Day.

Got up at 6 and was surprised how I'd overslept. Earlier, had got up at a half past4, gone round the corner and had turned off to sleep yet again.

However, Rema, Mini and even Achu were up and awake. All of us got ready and assembled at the courtyard for offering the bali tharpanam. It was Amma's 9th Remembrance Day by the Malayalam calendar and today, Amma's soul must have been very happy - the people who were missing among us were Padmakumar, Karthika, Mithun and Ammu as they were where they are because of personal reasons.

The crows had assembled well in time and picked on or offerings with Rema giving us the necessary directions.

The maid came by, breakfast was  a gregarious affair. Rema and Mini were off by the private bus to Ernakulam. Achu was working from home and therefore, had work till a half past 12. He left after lunch to board the Guruvayur-Ernakulam passenger leaving at a half past 1.

He saw them off ,along with Mithun, at the Ernakulam railway station on their way to Kollam and onward to Ayoor. 

Aniyan called me to tell about Rajish's futile attempt to meet Praarthana while at school. The li'l onw was clear about the fact that she did not want to meet her dad!

A quiet evening. Washing machinex of the bed linen and other clothes to make the maid's work easy.

Today's Atham and the commencement of the 'athappookkalam'.

Kirtana weds Aromal.

Kirtana's pre-wedding reception.

Missed Indirakkutty terribly. 

Lekshmy and family arrived by lunchtime and I was monitoring their journey from Thiruvananthapuram. Mini had come in with Ramachandran Nair and Prasanna. They left after tea and light snacks.

Rema and Achu had arrived by 5. 

Rema, Mini, Achu and I reached New Orchid for the pre-wedding reception. A nice quiet dinner and met very many people especially that of Aaromal's family. We returned by a half past 9.

Lekha was provided dinner on return.

Maman and family had arrived past midnight and were accommodated at the New Orchid hotel.

Slept close to midnight after a lot of yakkitiyakking.  

Tit for tat - A clear blueprint of a slew of long-term decisions!

Donald Trump on Truth Social.

50% tariff.

Plastered on India.

We didn't blink.

EU protested.

Japan negotiated.

China retaliated.

India?

Calm.

No panic.

No midnight flights to

Washington.

No "urgent bilaterals".

Why?

Modi's ego?

Blind nationalism?

Or...something darker?

A game running 11 years deep.

May 2014.

South Block.

First briefing.

NSA Ajit Doval leans in.

"Sir....if India wants great-power

status....

expect US heat.

Trade. Tech. Oil.

Our enemy isn't China.

It's dependency.

Tariffs.

Sanctions.

Dollar chokeholds.

Defence strings".

The room went still.

"Solution?" Modi asked.

Doval: "Decouple risk.

Build leverage.

Not anti-US....pro-India.

Bring Gulf and Africa closer.

Build buffers.

Own our seas.

Weaponize our market".

The plan lit.

And it burned for a decade.

18+ Hours Work

2014

Make in India launched.

First hooks in the wall.

2015

Qatar LNG renegotiation.

Long-term energy locks.

2016-17

UPI goes live.

GST knits the market.

Payment diplomacy is born.

2018

Iran sanctions teach fuel-finance

fortification

Whiteboards fill with sanction-

resilience drills.

2019

National Electronics Policy

Stop just assembling.

Start owning components.

2020

PLI tsunami : Rs.1.97 lakh crore.

Across 13+sectors

Rafaels touch tarmac.

2021

Strategic Petroleum Reserves

expansion.

Quiet, boring. Vital.

2022

INS Vikrant sails.

UAE CEPA.

Australia ECTA.

2023

UPI - PayNow link.

Rupee trade corridors multiply.

Dollar choke-points lose bite.

2024

MIRV Agni-V test.

20-year Qatar LNG.

Chabahar Port deal.

2025

Services exports $387.5B

US slaps +25% tariff over

Russian oil.

Impact?

Not existential.

RBI loosens SRVA rules.

Oil mix rebalanced.

Market weapon ready.

This wasn't ego.

It was armour.

In 2013

GDP: $1.86 trillion

2025: $4.19 trillion

We're 4th-largest economy.

$17.65 trillion PPP.

GDP per capita rose,

~$1.45K to ~$2.9K.

PPP $11,938 by 2025.

Growth stands at 6-8%,

Making us the fastest major

economy.

FDI?

We went from shaky reformer to 

global darling

$300 billion inflows since 2014,

$81 billion in FY25 alone.

Poverty halved;

Macro stabilized;

Market confidence sky high.

I know it was Painful Journey.

We ended up Paying High Taxes.

But it was for this moment.

And yes,

It makes America uncomfortable.

Because here...

the Viceroy's chair is empty.

Because here

puppets have no strings.... 

Tariffs?

They clang against armour, not

chains.

We sip our chai.

We count our tankers.

We guard our seas.

We fly our own skies.

And our finance?

Not your Colonial charity.

Thank you very much.

No, the garlands won't go to

Modi.

He'll be mocked.

Branded.

Hated.

I've got my own laundry list of

criticisms.

But this phase....

This pain...

This was the Agni in the furnace.

And now,

What will the West do when they

can't bend Bharat?

When the memo and sanctions

don't bite?

Will the next captain keep the

altitude steady?

Or...

Will we trade sovereignty for a

seat at their tea party?

Your move, Sahib....!!!

Courtesy. What'sApp

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, the chores, sent all the morning messages, switched on the morning hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Walked and recited my prayers.

Worked on my laptop.

A quiet day.

Mini informs us, around a quarter past 7 in the evening,  that Gopi has passed into the mist of time.

The Monsoon Session of the 18th Lok Sabha.

The Monsoon session of Parliament, the fifth one of the 18th Lok Sabha that saw unprecedented protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar, came to a close yesterday with the Speaker of Lok Sabha and the Vice Chairman of Rajya Sabha expressing anguish over the continuous and planned disruptions leading to the total washout.

The productivity of the Lok Sabha was pegged at 31%, the Rajya Sabha 39% - the Lok Sabha held discussions only for 37 hours while the Rajya Sabha held discussions for 41 hours 15 minutes.

The government was smart enough to pass the following Bills by both the Houses of Parliament :-

 * The Bills of Lading Bill, 2025

 * The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025

 * The Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment ) Bill, 2025

 * The Manipur Appropriation (No.2) Bill, 2025

 * The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025

 * The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of

    Goa Bill, 2025

 * The National Sports Governance Bill, 2025

 * The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025

 * The Income Tax Bill, 2025

 * The Taxation laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025

 * The Indian Ports Bill, 2025

 * The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025

 * The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025

 * The promotion and regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025

And the bill on 'tainted' PM, CMs and ministers sent to a JPC!

My take

A great effort to get the important Bills passed but the sad thing is that they've been cleared sans discussions!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all the messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Walked on the road in front of The Quarterdeck and recited my prayers.

A quiet evening. 

Bio-fencing.

To check man-animal conflict in Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR).

What's bio-fencing?

The three layers of protection.

Bio-fencing involves planting a three-tiered arrangement of thorny and citrus species, such as sisal, lemon grass and lemon.

The second layer of lemon grass emits volatile oils that repel elephants by irritating their olfactory sensors.

In the third layer, the thorny branches and pungent citrus smell of lemon plants create a strong psychological and physical deterrent.

Under the plan, these different layers of plant species will be planted to keep elephants away from populated areas.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp, opened up the house for the day.

A bright sunny day. Walked on the road in front of The Quarterdeck.

A quiet day otherwise.

Akhila - the winner.

Today, we'd Akhila who's a specialist in 'wound therapy' had come to The Quarterdeck for connecting up the vacuum unit on to Lekha's wound on her leg.

Found her to be efficient and she has a pleasing personality.

She, however, has gone through a very bad patch in her married life. She had married a person who was having an extramarital affair with his sister-in-law. It was an arranged marriage and they have a daughter, consequent to the one and a half years of married life together. In her words, "it was a very difficult period".

Having attained freedom, she goes about her job with interest and enthusiasm. Her daughter, Devapriya, studies in class II.

Akhila has put Lekha at ease and she would be restricted in her movements for the next fortnight.

We wish you the very best in life, Akhila. Do well and keep smiling.

A word about the 'vacuum therapy'

A vacuum is maintained at the wound with the help of a vacuum-generating-machine. The wound is kept dry and repeated cellulitis heals it quickly. 

Tailpiece.

A quiet day, otherwise.

India's job market shows relief.

As unemployment rate falls

Latest survey shows the unemployment rate dipped to 5.2% in July, down from 5.6% in June.

Marginal rise in urban youth joblessness

The periodic Labour Force Survey said the pace of joblessness among men stayed slightly higher at 5.3% compared to that of women at 5.1%. The rate of unemployment in urban areas for 15-29 age group saw a marginal increase to 19% in July from 18.8% in June.

Labour participation rate sees a spike

* The Labour Force Participation Rate among persons of all age groups rose to 41.4% in Jul 2025 as

   compared to 41% in June.

* In rural areas, the Labour Force Participation Rate of all age groups was 42%, as against 41.5% in

   in the preceding month. In urban areas, it was 40.1%in July, up from 39.8% in June.

89,505 households were covered by the periodic labour Force Survey.

My take

The tendency for unemployment to reduce is definitely a good sign. It means that the government is providing employment opportunities!

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 5, sent my morning messages, switched on the hymns on the home theatre, lit the puja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Sent the photograph of Lekha's wound, at her feet, to the doctor and he gave us an appointment at 2 PM.

Accordingly, we fetched up at the Elite Mission Hospital at a 10' to 2.

The wound has been cleared off the yellow membrane and it's attained a reddish hue.

Lekha would, now, be at reduced movements for the next five days. 

Forests lands reclaimed.

The forester's foot is best manure for the forest, so the saying goes. True to the word, foresters in Chhattisgarh have demonstrated how high-tech surveillance and decisive action can bring a paradigm shift in forest conservation, reclaiming nearly 1,800 acres of forest from the clutches of encroachment in the Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (USTR).

Technological interventions

Satellite images of designated forestlands during 2008-2010 acquired with ISRO aid.

Paradise regained

* Drone mapping of encroached area to access 2022 situation

* Google Earth-powered Remote Sensing Portal for weekly assessment of changes in forest cover,

   surface water cover changes

* AI-based tools and machine learning helped identify forest loss over the past 20 years

Outcomes

* 1,800 acres of forestland, worth over Rs.500 cr, freed from encroachment

* 7 major human settlements cleared out

* Over 300 illegal occupants evicted

My take

Combating biodiversity threats, deforestation, loss of  wildlife habitat and increased human-animal

conflict, the officer deployed technological interventions to fill up patrolling gaps, reduce man-animal contact and strengthen monitoring of forests and wildlife.

Courtesy. Ejaz Kaiser @ Raipur in the NIE

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent the morning messages, switched on the morning hymns on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp, opened up the house for the day.

Today it was a sunny day, for a change.

Cdr Nanda Kumar Parrat, my friend and course mate, returned to his home at Udumalpet by a KSRTC bus by a half past 11. It was nice to be interacting with him after a long time!

Indira kunjamma underwent two surgeries, in quick succession, whereby her skull has been opened up to ease the pressure of a bulging left brain. Consequently, she's been buttoned up on a ventilator. Meanwhile, her bulge has reduced considerably.

Indira kunjamma in hospital.

We'd got things readied for my course mate, Nanda Kumar Parrat's visit this evening. I was having my siesta when my cousin, Lekshmi had called up.

What she gave me wasn't good news. Indira kunjamma - all of 82 years - had suffered two strokes, one after the other, was in deep coma and admitted at the KIMS Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. Since the left part of her brain was bulging out due to a pressure-build-up, she had to undergo two surgeries in the skull

Indira kunjamma was preparing herself and looking forward to attend her granddaughter, Manikkutty's wedding on the 25th, at Guruvayur.

All those things will have to wait.....at least for the time being.

After the two surgeries, she has been buttoned up to a ventilator.

God, please take care of my kunjamma and give her a long life! 

Tailpiece.

Parrat had arrived at The Quarterdeck and we walked through memory lane! A fine evening with Lekha enjoying our conversation.

The much talked about Trump-Putin talks.

Nothing much came out of the highly publicised meet at Alaska; there wasn't even a joint statement post-summit!

Zelensky's exclusion

The exclusion of President Volodymyr Zelensky had dealt a heavy blow to the West's policy of "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine". For Putin, the summit with Trump was an opportunity to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia's gains, block Kyiv's bid to join NATO alliance and eventually pull Ukraine into Moscow's orbit. 

A validation for Putin

* By bringing Vladimir Putin on to US soil, President Donald Trump is giving Russia's leader the

   validation he desires after his ostracization following his invasion of Ukraine 31/2 years ago

* Trump has warned of "very severe consequences" for Russia if Putin does not agree to end the war after 

   a deal is clinched

My take

Vladimir Putin won all the way!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, switched on the morning devotional music on the home theatre, lit up the puja room lamp, opened up the house for the day.

Walked within the house and recited my prayers. Bath and breakfast; did my work on my laptop.

A quiet yet wet day.

The evening chores. Sanjay, the delivery boy comes in by a half past 10 to deliver the groceries ordered by Lekha.

The 79th Independence Day.

Prime Minister Modi's speech on the occasion of the 79th Independence Day - from the ramparts of the Red Fort - was down to earth and matter of fact. He didn't blame anyone, instead said that the need of the hour was to get to be self reliant. Touching upon the successes of his governance over the last eleven years, he has exhorted the country to strive for excellence and work towards being a superpower by 2047. 

Three new weapons that will put India ahead of the US and China

* Astra 3 long range anti-aircraft missile

* Brahmos cruise missile

* Tejas Mk 2 fighter aircraft

S&P upgrades India rating

S&P upgraded India's sovereign credit rating to BBB (Investment-grade) with a 'stable' outlook.

S&P commended India's robust economic growth, political commitment for fiscal consolidation and conducive monetary policy to check inflation.

S&P has said that India is among "the best performing economies in the world".

The impact of US tariffs on India is "manageable" and won't drag economy, the rating firm has said.

BBB rating will cut India's borrowing costs in international markets.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, the chores. It was a thoroughly wet day!

Hoisted our national flag at the balcony and went about our chores. Could only hear a part of the Prime Minister's Independence day speech thanks to the rains.

Lekha sent the maid back, on completion of work, by Sukesan's auto rickshaw.

Much ado about nothing!

Toilets in petrol pumps on NHs for all, 24 X 7 : Kerala High Court.

The Kochi-based Petroleum Traders Welfare and Legal Service Society, three dealers from Thiruvananthapuram and another from Thodupuzha had filed the petition challenging the local self-government department's move to convert or portray the private toilet maintained within the premises of the outlets as a public facility.

Justice CS Dias had issued an order on 17 Jun saying that the washrooms were for customers' use and not for the general public.

It's this order that the court has now modified and held that all washrooms of petrol pumps along national highways shall be open to the public round the clock with display boards announcing their availability. 

My take

The case should not have been allowed to be filed in the first case, saying that "it was no case to answer". Secondly, how I wish that the court had insisted on an additional clause "that the retail outlets' owners maintained the toilets in a high state of cleanliness, always and every time".

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores and was ready by 10.

A thoroughly wet day. Our maid was on leave as she had to do a temple duty.

A quiet day.

Production of mobile phones in India.

Mobile phone production 28 times growth @ Rs.5.5 lakh crores!

Government nod for 4 chip plants worth Rs.4,594 cr in Orissa, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh

Out of the four projects, Orissa will get two, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh one each, Union I & B minister has said.

Orissa to witness Rs.4,009 cr investment

SiCSem will set up a silicon carbide semiconductor plant in Bhubaneshwar for Rs.2,066 cr, wile Intel-backed 3D Glass Solutions will establish a manufacturing unit in Orissa with an investment of Rs.1,943 cr, electronics component maker CDIL will set up a facility in Punjab for 117 cr  and ASIP will establish a chip packaging plant in Andhra Pradesh for Rs.468 cr.

In all, 10mprojects under National Mission

* The four new projects together are expected to generate a cumulative employment of 2,034 skilled

   professionals.

* With the four new approvals, the total approved projects under the India Semiconductor Mission is 

   now 10 with cumulative investments of around Rs.1.6 lakh crore spread across six states.

Rs.76,000 cr 

Outlay of Semiconductor Mission under which projects were approved.

My take

Towards 'Atmanirbhar'!

Tailpiece.

The customary Wednesday 'aarathi' of the house.

A quiet yet wet Wednesday.

India today!

A multi-pronged attack has begun.....

From Trump externally and then 

from the European Union.

From within, RaGa's 

allegations of election

irregularities....and attacks on

India's democratic institutions...

This is not a trivial matter..

About 5-7 months before

Sheikh Hasina's unrest in

Bangladesh, similar situations

had begun to develop.

Sheikh Hasina had been

accused of election fraud,

and then it was magnified into

a huge issue.

Mark my words,

protests and violence over

election irregularities will soon

erupt in many places.

The deep state forces of 

America, behind Trump, will push

India into an atmosphere of

instability and disorder...Their

goal is also a regime change in

India...

They want a puppet in India who

works at their command..

someone who will work for 

American and foreign

companies, help destroy Indian

companies and industrialists...

and align every sector of India

with their agenda...

In such a scenario, RaGa who

desperately wants power in

India....and George Soros, the

deep state's favourite...will do

anything for them...will devote

their entire life to them...

"I know I will have to pay a price

for this", said Prime Minister

Modi.

This is not a minor matter,

Modi does not say anything

without reason....

Many people think it's because

we are buying crude oil from

Russia,

that is why a tariff war has been

started against us.

Such naive people should listen to Trump :

If Russia agrees to a ceasefire or 

declares a truce with Ukraine,

will you remove the tariffs 

imposed on Inia?

Trump's answer was : 

"Now we will increase the tariffs

even more".

Trump's current war with India

runs deeper than Russian oil.

It is a fight to open up India's

agriculture and dairy sectors to

American companies.

For this, Trump will encircle India

in every possible way...

Trump will give money to

Pakistan, give preference to

China and Trump's agents will

create an atmosphere of

violence, civil unrest and

election fraud within India.

But Modi's enemies may have 

forgotten one thing...

"Modi has been in power for 30

years fighting this kind of

double-faced policy".

The counter-move is also being

prepared...

Putin is coming to India this

month,

then Modi will go to China

and after that, Israeli Prime

Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will

visit India.

Prime Minister Modi, you take care of the

'madman' outside,

we Indians will take care of our

own anti-national idiots here.

After all, we also partake of this

country's salt....We live here.

This is our motherland....

For our country, we will do our

duty...The army will fight the

enemies at the border...

We will fight the enemies inside 

the country...and give the anti-

national group a good lesson...

Courtesy. WhatsApp

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle before 5, switched on the devotional hymns on the television, lit up the pooja room lamp and opened up the house for the day.

Walked and recited my prayers within the house thanks to rains.

Pushpaakaran came in at 9, to do the spring cleaning, after a gap of almost a year thanks to my surgery.  The Quarterdeck was ready for Onam by the end of the day!

A quiet day, otherwise.

 

Electricity production in -30 degrees Celsius.

At Puga valley in Ladakh.

It's Geothermal Power. The temperatures deep within the Earth are high and our ONGC team has made a well deep within that rugged terrain to generate that power. The advantages of geothermal power are :-

      * 24 x 7 power

      * Not affected by weather

      * Zero smoke, Carbon

      * Maintenance free and 

      * Future ready.

Geothermal power is used by very few countries in the world today like Iceland, New Zealand and the US. India joins this list by virtue of her own capabilities, indigenous efforts.

My take

I'm proud of my country, her capabilities!

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, switched on the morning hymns, lit up the puja room lamp, opened up the house. 

Exercised within the house as the early morning rain had dampened the road and the surroundings.

Sharath, the PCI's servicing guy came and did his work.

India's options against US' tariff bullying.

The US had slapped a punitive 25% tariff for continuing to purchase Russian crude oil. Trump has taken the penalty to 50%. The timing and ferocity of the second tranche of punitive tariffs has taken the government by surprise but its pushback to what it has dubbed "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable", has been startlingly strong. 

Other actions by us

* Put on hold its plans to procure new US weapons and aircraft. Consequently, Rajnath Singh's trip to

   the US has been put off.

* No indication that Indian oil companies have been asked to go slow on Russian oil purchases.

* US-India trade talks have been aborted. This has dashed hopes that there could be an interim deal

   before the punitive tariffs kick in on 27 Aug.

A painful cut

* The US is India's largest trading partner to whom we export $87 billion worth of goods. An additional 

   25% tariff could cut GDP by 0.2-0.4%, risking growth slipping below 6% this year.

* For large swathes of the industry, it's curtains. Effectively, we're facing a US trade embargo.

   - The gems and jewellery industry, which exports 45% of its polished gems and other products to the

     US  has suspended further shipments.

   - The textile and apparels industry has stopped exports having been edged out by Bangladesh and 

     Vietnam. The tragedy is that most of these export units are MSMEs which are highly labour

     intensive.

* The deal breaker seems to be US' insistence on access to India's agricultural and dairy markets. and

   they want to flood our markets with genetically modified corn and wheat.

How does India overcome this sort of bullying

* India's foreign policy might see a more prominent shift away from the 'soft' middle-of-the-road-line

   with a pro-US tilt.

* Healing of relations with China as the PM embarks to attend the Shanghai Co-operation Organisat-

   ion in end-August.

* An imminent Putin-visit to India.

* Widely publicised Modi-Lula (President of Brazil), one-hour phone talk.

Alternative partners

* BRICS alliance must take on US domination.

* FTA with the ASEAN.

* Creation of multi-lateral economic partnerships as an alternative to US domination.

* And meanwhile pursue negotiations with the US for a fair trade deal.

My take

Tough yet exciting times ahead! Hope it doesn't stunt our economic growth!!

Tailpiece.

A quiet Sunday.

Changed bed linen and carried out washing machinex.

PS.

My classmate from Sainik School, K Venugopal (Roll no.320) passed into the mist of time this evening. Details are awaited; his funeral will be at Perumbavoor, his ancestral place! My tears and prayers!! Om Shanti! Sadgati.

 

Supreme Court to examine Sedition Law's Constitutional validity.

A 3-judge bench led by the CJI has issued notice to the Centre on a PIL against the validity of Section 152 (sedition) of Baratiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). 

"Rebranded version of Sedition Law"

Section 152 of BNS with the 'act endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India'. A PIL filed by veteran Major General SG Vombatkere, called Section 152 a "rebranded version" of the sedition law, previously kept in abeyance by the Supreme Court in Jul 2022 pending legislative review. Despite this, the new legislation reinstates sedition under a new label.

PIL says law is liable to be struck down

* The plea said the BNS provision was violative of Article 14 (right to equality), 19(1)(a)(freedom of 

   speech and expression) and 21 (right to life) of the Constitution; and was liable to be struck down.

* Section 152 criminalises acts done 'purposely or knowingly', yet neither term is defined in the

   Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the plea said.                

Sec 124 A

Challenge to this law has also been tagged along with Sec 152.

My take

The law needs to be affirmed, fine tuned and retained because of an increasing tendency among people to do and utter words of seditious content!

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores and did my walk/recited my prayers within the house.

Breakfast, followed by renewing the AMC with Suraj's PCI outfit.

A quiet day, otherwise.

A matter of shame!

260 players fail doping tests in 2024

Last three-year figures

 Year                 Tests conducted                    No of athletes tested positive

2022                          4059                                                 125

2023                          5794                                                 213

2024                          7466                                                 260

Sports wise break-up

Sport                         2022                  2023                 2024

Athletics                      47                      61                     76

Boxing                          2                        9                      17

Kabaddi                        4                        6                      10

Powerlifting                 6                       28                     17

Weightlifting                17                     38                      43

Wrestling                      18                     10                      29

My take

The statistics show the sad position that the country's sportsmen have landed themselves up in. Is there no let up on this? Why don't we get clean athletes and sportsmen to take part in national and international sports?

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and was ready in time to go for my walk and prayers on the road in front of The Quarterdeck. 

A quiet and sunny day!

New addresses for ministries.

PM Modi said that the sweeping reforms introduced by his government over the past 11 years have transformed India's governance model into one that is transparent, sensitive and citizen-centric. Citing the success of the JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile) trinity, Modi said that the initiative had plugged massive leakages in welfare schemes and prevented the theft of over Rs.4.30 lakh crores that was allegedly being siphoned off through 10 lakh fake beneficiaries under previous regimes.

Approximately 10 crore beneficiaries listed under various schemes such as the ration card, gas subsidy and scholarships were found to be non existent. These individuals who never actually existed, were being used by previous governments to funnel money to middlemen. 

The PM was speaking at an event in Kartavya Path after inaugurating Kartavya Bhavan (Common Central Secretariat Building) 3, the first of the ten state-of-the-art central government office complexes planned along Kartavya Path as part of the Central Vista redevelopment plan.

These blocks will house offices of all ministries and associated departments, presently functioning from Shastri Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, Nirman Bhavan, North and South Blocks and other buildings located at different locations.

Kartavya Bhavan and other major infrastructure projects, including the new defence complexes, are not only a testament to India's pace but also a reflection of its global vision. With all the ministries and departments functioning from these buildings being constructed at one place, the government will save Rs.1,500 crore, currently being spent on rented accommodations at 50 different locations.

My take

Surely notching up modernity quietly and quickly, at comparatively low costs, as the work is being monitored by the Prime Minister himself! 

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and we were ready to kick off by 9. Kannan, our sa'arthi for the day fetched up on time and we kicked off by a quarter past 9 after topping up the Chevy with diesel and checking tyre pressure. 

Met Dr Jyoshid Balan, the Plastic Surgeon at the Elite Mission Hospital and he has put Lekha on antibiotics and twice-a-day dressings for the rupture of her plastic surgery patch on the foot.

Had lunch and went to Kuthampully on the Wadakkancherry road. Lekha did the selection and buying and after they came to know that I was working for the PN Panicker Foundation, they gifted us with a dhoti and a saree! The salesgirl, Krishnapriya looked after us. 

Reached The Quarterdeck by 5!

A quiet evening thereafter!

Admissions drop in private ITIs in Kerala.

Enrolment Statistics

No. of private ITIs                             245

Average admission in 

recent years                                          25-30%

ITIs maintained by industrial

training department                            108

Under SC department                          44

Under ST department                            2

Average admission in

govt ITIs in recent years                      95-98%

Even when skill is deemed as important as education in this technology-driven era, private industrial training institutes (ITIs) in Kerala are facing a tough time. The number of students taking admission in these institutes has been decreasing drastically over the past few years.

With just a few weeks left for the application process to end this year, only 5-10% of seats have been filled and the authorities do not expect the turnout to improve. 

From nearly 500 private ITIs at one point, the count has now reduced to 245. There is a general notion among people that ITIs are for weaker students, which is the primary reason for drop in the numbers. And the fact is that the students from these institutions would easily get jobs in both private and public sectors.

Students nowadays prefer short-term, job-oriented courses over those offered by ITIs even though many of them do not have proper certification. Most of these agencies offer courses in the developing technologies like AI. and hence there's the need to update the courses offered by the ITIs.

The most popular ITI trades are fitter, electrician, wireman, electronics mechanic, tool and dye maker, machinist, welder etc. The government, however, rebuts the shortcomings to non-uniformity in the private ITIs' fee structure!

Courtesy. Aswin Asok Kumar @ Tvpm in the NIE

My take

What a sorry plight? And my suggested remedy :-

     * Update the courses forthwith, encompassing the sought-after/popular courses these days.

     * Bring the private ITIs' fees structure on to an even keel.

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores and had my walk on the road in front of The Quarterdeck as it was a bright, sunny day. 

Earlier, carried out the usual Wednesday 'aarathi' of the house.

Lekha begins the onam gift purchases.

A quiet evening!  

The logjam in Parliament.

The opposition got what it wanted....a discussion on Operation Sindoor despite the fact that none of them had the expertise and knowledge of military matters. The government should not have permitted such a discussion where many of the opposition members said a lot of unsavoury things about the armed forces. 

The logjam in Parliament began yesterday as the opposition wants to discuss Sir ( ) in connection with the Election Commission's action on revising Bihar's poll rolls for the Assembly elections. 

The parliamentary Minister has put across the government's decision consequent to the continuing logjam.

Will push Bills in Parliament if opposition protest continues

Government will be compelled to press for the passage of its bills amid protests in Parliament. The warning came as the opposition's relentless disruptions over SIR dimmed the prospects of normal functioning of the two Houses. While the Lok Sabha saw little transaction of any listed business, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned as a mark of respect for its member and ex-Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren who'd passed away.

Will act in national interest

* When the bill has to be passed and the government has no other option, it is passed without  

   discussion

* The government wants a thorough discussion in Parliament but will act in 'national interest'

   if protests continue

* Hit out at the opposition, because they disrupted proceedings when they had agreed to a two-day

   discussion over National Sports Governance Bill and National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 

My take

And we, the tax payers, pay a huge sum of money to the MPs as allowances, TA/DA etc for taking

part in meaningful discussions to legislate bills during the sessions!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, the chores and was on my walk/exercises, within the house, as it was pouring outside.

Fixed up Lekha's appoinment with Dr Jyoshid on Thursday morning.

A quiet day, otherwise.

A generation raised by screens.

Beyond brain rot!

CocoClash : What overstimulating content does to kids

Fast cuts, flashy colours, loud noises....these screen-time staples may look fun but they come at a hidden cost. Here's what the science says

 Overstimulating habit              What it does to growing brains

Watching ultra-fast cartoons,               Can reduce executive function and delay

(with rapid scene changes, jump          attention span development. A study found

cuts, high-pitched audio)                      just 9 minutes of fast content impaired 

                                                              cognitive control in pre-schoolers.

Binge-watching videos (espe-              Disrupts the brain's reward system, leading

cially autoplay-heavy formats              to shorter attention spans and difficulty with

like Reels or Shorts)                             delayed gratification.

Overuse of sound+light toys and         Can overwhelm sensory systems, making real-

musical games (especially under         world stimuli feel "boring" in comparison. Red-

age 31)                                                 uces interest in independent, imaginative play.

Exposure to "educational" but             Leads to passive learning. Children may mimic

overly animated content                      tone and exaggeration but not develop conversa-

                                                             tional or emotional regulation skills.

Gaming apps with bright colours        Trains the brain to seek instant rewards which is 

and constant feedback                         linked to frustration intolerance and reduced per-

                                                             severance in tasks.

Switching rapidly between apps/        Undermines focus. Kids struggle with task persi-

content (eg jumping between You       stence and show signs of mental fatigue even

Tube, games and chat)                         after short sessions.

My take

The dangerous times our children live in, with technology!

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores.

Lekha went to town to get a few pending work done.

A quiet Monday!

India way behind in organ transplants.

As many as 18,911 organ transplants were performed last year in India but acute shortage of organs remains.

The report says that although the number of transplants in India has significantly from 4,990 in 2013 to 18,378 in 2023 and 18,911 transplants in 2024 from January to December, the organ donation rate remains at less than 1 per million. This contrasts with the highest at 48 per million population in Spain.

Delhi, TN lead in organ transplants

* India is the third highest in the world, after US and China, in total organ transplantation and first in

   total living donor organ transplant

* In 2024, there were 13,476 kidney transplants in the country, the most in Delhi, followed by TN,

   Maharashtra, Kerala and West Bengal; similarly, there were 4,901 liver transplants, with Delhi and 

   TN on top

63,000 individuals in India need kidney transplant at present

My take

Let attitudes thaw and India soar on the organ transplant front!

Tailpiece.

Got up to a sunny day, the chores and was ready quite before 10.

Leela chittamma, Saji, Salini and Lekshmi arrived at a half past 11. Lekha had organised a lovely lunch for them - non veg for them and veg for us. Vivek has joined phone pe and is in Bangalore since the last two months.

Saw the launch of Bigg Boss just to acquaint myself of the participants!   

Don't we need to worry?

Kerala buffeted by rising wave of public obscenity, indecency.

A recent surge in acts like public masturbation and other obscene acts has raised alarm bells. Despite worrying numbers, glaring legal loopholes continues to empower perpetrators.

No dedicated  law

* The absence of specific laws directly addressing flashing or public masturbation often hinders the

   formal registration of cases

* Police sources indicate that while victims sometimes bravely come forward with video evidence, many 

   hesitate to pursue further legal action due to fears of protracted legal battles

* The lack of a dedicated law ensures that there's no precise data on the true scale of the problem. How-

   ever, social media platforms and online blogs are increasingly amplifying voices on the issue

While not physically violent, being masturbated at is deeply personally violating. Public masturbation, unlike private acts, is not protected free expression; it is a grossly indecent act that outrages a woman's modesty. Incidents of street harassment such as sexually explicit comments, public masturbation and stalking are unfortunately common. Though public masturbation broadly fell under sections 73, 77, 285 and 124 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) - the absence of a specific law leads to under-reporting and very few convictions.

Psychiatrists say that individuals suffering from paraphilia are likely to masturbate in public. "Paraphilia is a condition characterised by intense fetishes towards unusual objects. When a person with paraphilia masturbates publicly, it inherently harms the object of their fetish, often women".

Public masturbators may also exhibit signs of regression, a psychological condition involving behaviour like extreme passivity, social withdrawal, aggression and open masturbation. Exhibitionism, a form of paraphilia, involves exposing genitals to unsuspecting strangers for sexual arousal and a few cases have confessed that the presence of a woman made the act "more realistic".

District-wise data with the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) for May 2024-25 is:-

      * Kozhikode                     193

      * Ernakulam                     157

      * Thiruvananthapuram     123

      * Kasaragod                       98

      * Kollam                            76

      * Malappuram                    74

      * Palakkad                          67

      * Alappuzha                       66

      * Kottayam                        54

      * Pathanamthitta                43

      * Kannur                            35

      * Idukki                              33

      * Wayanad                          29

      * Thrissur                            24       

Courtesy. Excerpted from Pooja Nair @ Kozhikode in the NIE.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, sent all the morning messages. Switched on the morning hymns, lit up the puja room lamp and opened up the house. The morning chores and was ready by a half past 9.

It was a thoroughly wet day. It was also depressing to hear about the passing away of young Kalabhavan Navas @ 51. My tears and prayers! May god give strength to his family to tide over this tragedy.

Prof MK Sanu passes away this evening at the Amritha Hospital!

Along the Malegaon blast timeline.

27 Sep 2008               An explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque at

                                   Bikku chowk in Malegaon town

29 Sep 2008               An FIR lodged at Azad Nagar police station at Malegaon

21 Oct 2008               Maharashtra Terrorist Squad (ATS) takes over the case

23 Oct 2008               ATS makes the first arrest in this case namely Sadhvi Pragya Singh as well as

                                   three accused

        "                         ATS arrests LT Col Prasad Purohit for involvement and conspiracy

27 Nov 2008              ATS chief Hemant Karkare killed in a terrorist attack in Bombay

20 Jan 2009               ATS files charge sheet and charges them under MCOCA and UAPA

      Jul 2009               The special court says that the MCOCA wasn't applicable in the case

     Aug 2009              Maharashtra government moves against the special court in Bombay High Court

     Jul  2010               Bombay High Court overturns the special court order and upholds the charges under

                                   MCOCA

     Aug 2010              Accused Pragya and Lt Col Purohit move SC against the HC order

13 Apr 2011               NIA takes over case and holds Lokesh Sharma and Dhan Singh

     Apr 2015               The SC sends back the case to special court to reconsider the applicability of

                                   MCOCA

     Feb 2016               NIA tells court that they'd sought AG's view and MCOCA was applicable

    May 2016               NIA files another charge sheet in special court and asks to drop MCOCA

                                    against the accused and give a clean chit to all seven

25 Apr 2017               The Bombay High Court grants bail to Sadhvi Pragya Singh but no relief

                                    Lt Col Purohit

21 Sep 2017                Lt Col Purohit finally gets bail via the Supreme Court. Later all accused

                                    arrested in the case were granted bail

27 Dec 2017                The special court of NIAdrops the charge that the accused was a member

                                    of the terrorist organisation and was raising funds for it

03 Dec 2018                The trial begins with examinations of first witnesses

14 Sep 2023                Court examines 323 prosecution witnesses; 37 turned hostile

23 Jul 2023                 The examination of defence witnesses completed

12 Aug 2023                The special court records the final statement of accused

19 Apr 2025                The special court closes the trial for judgement

31 Jul 2025                 The special court judge LK Lahoti acquits all seven accused

My take

And that ends P Chidambaram's script on "Saffron Terror" which was his and the Congress's game plan to pin down the BJP!

Tailpiece.

A wet day, couldn't walk on the road in front of The Quarterdeck as it was wet by the early morning rain.