Haven't we lost our soul?

We, Indians, seem to have lost our soul. To highlight this, I’m just drawing attention to three news items that I’ve come across in the recent past.

The atrocious first.
All fruits and vegetables that are available in the open market today have a high level of toxic material in them which can lead to slow poisoning by consumption, over a period of time, resulting in permanent handicap or even death. The toxins, incidentally, find their way into the eatables because they’ve been injected by unscrupulous vendors to enhance the ‘looks’ for brisk sale! As businessmen, one is permitted to make reasonable profits but it’s definitely not justified when lives are at stake for the sake of making gains. How can one ever think of building on one’s assets at the cost of others’ lives? How can one ever knowingly poison one’s own countryman’s food?

The disgusting second.
The authorities of the Bethany High School of Bangalore have passed a circular, warning the affluent parents of their students against the reservation of 10% of seats, consequent to the implementation of the ‘Right to Education’ legislation by the central government. The emphasis is that they need to be weary of the ‘poor’ children who’d be a bad influence to their children’s growth in that they’re the perpetrators of all sorts of bad behavior like smoking, drinking and use of drugs. Can people, especially those who run educational institutions, be so blatantly ignorant and lacking in sensitivity? Isn’t it a way of punishing another unfortunate individual for the sheer accident of his/her birth?

The shameful third.
Till yesterday, I had a soft corner for Suresh Kalmadi because of my interaction with him at the NDA, in 1973, when he was a service officer himself. The way he used to solicit our indulgence, as cadets during our outings on liberty, to use the then fledgling ‘Poona Coffee House’ had a personal if not disarming touch! I and many of my fellow mates have contributed to its growth, albeit in a small way. And I also understand that he has adequate wealth thanks to his wife’s inheritance from her ancestry. If so, why this sorry spectacle of channeling funds from the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee to a ‘fly-by-night operator,’ working from a garage, towards purchase of important equipment and allied services for the baton ceremony at London a few months back, breaking all laws of tendering and contracts? Suresh Kalmadi and your ilk, how much money do you require in this life of yours to make you self sufficient? You’ve really let me down but above all, let down the country.

Aren’t these three sad examples enough to show that we, Indians, have lost our soul? And we’ve the gumption to call Pakistan a failed state!

O, us mallus!

'Mallu' is not only an acronym for all the Malhotras of the world but it is also a euphemism for all thoroughbred 'malayalees' like me. As everyone is aware, there's no place on this earth that does not have a mallu. Mallus have this peculiar quality in that they're the best workers - and in any profession, mind you - outside the state of Kerala. But within the state, they seem to get demonised and overcome with extreme negativity that it's too hot to handle them! No wonder then that someone has rightfully summarised the situation as, 'God's own country with devil's own people'.

The mallus must be lauded for their lasting contributions to the society and mankind, in particular - in the form of the 'lungi' and the 'nightie'. In fact, they can easily be converted into a form of national attire! The height at which a lungi is hitched up or 'half masted as per popular perception' is directly proportional to the belligerance or the militancy of the wearer! And the wearing of the nightie by our womenfolk defies time and etiquette - comfort and practicality seem to be the guiding factors for its extensive use!!

But whatever said and done, a mallu who has accepted you as his leader can be yours for life and his work will, invariably, be of an exceptionally top order.

Are we ready for the Commonwealth Games?

As the media focuses on deadlines being missed by the Organising Committee in getting the venues ready against established milestones, towards the run up to the games, as an Indian I’ve begun to worry. I only hope that our legendary ability to notch up the unbelievable towards the final stretch will come to the fore this time too! As a contrast, the news of London having got ready for the next Olympics accentuates our inefficiencies, shoddy planning and the lack of nationalism.
How else does one justify a guy like Mani Shankar Iyer exclaiming that he’d feel damn sad if the games went off without any hitch? He’s being churlish and petty, simply because he was sacked as the minister of sports in the central government and replaced by MS Gill, a couple of years ago when his ego hassles with Suresh Kalmadi just did not let any meaningful movement forward towards getting ready for the games – he, therefore, is equally responsible for the current mess and deserves to be flogged publicly. One always supported a national cause – in this case, the conduct of the CWG showcases India’s ability to organize such events to the world in general, being the ultimate aim – however much difference of opinion one has as to whether we needed to take on this jamboree against the backdrop of our current economic state. Come on, Mani Shankar Iyer, you’re supposed to be educated and hail from a good background, but you give me the impression of being an absolute illiterate without even an iota of decency! And Suresh Kalmadi, despite gross overspending, it’s sad to see the mess created by you and your team. And it further saddens me when I'd seen you as a young, vibrant and positive young Flight Lieutenant of the IAF at the National Defence Academy.
For our country's sake, let's get all hands on deck to pull together and make the CWG a grand success!

Seeing Randeep off

Randeep has been my immediate boss, in the organisation, for the past ten months and is due to retire by the end of this month. It has been great working with him and our relationship -if one could term it so - started from my days as a cadet at the NDA.
He was a fifth term 'Sergeant' of the neighbouring Golf Squadron while I was a rookie first termer in the Hunter Squadron and compared to the 'mean visage' expected to be sported by all the 'sarges' - they were the eternal vigilantes of the Academy's discipline, you see - he was easygoing and a thorough gentleman and wielded tremendous respect in his squadron, because he did not get after the cadets unnecessarily.
So to me, when he took over his present job, it was like my Academy days coming back in full circle and our bonding was instantaneous.
He's going through the familiar round of farewells before he hangs his uniform and eventhough he tells me that he really can't pinpoint on any predominant feeling, I get this impression that he's a bit dazed by the furious pace of events leading to his retirement.
All in all a great guy and here's wishing that he continues to maintain his active lifestyle with a liberal dosage of health, wealth and happiness. Incidentally, he has become a grandfather just a fortnight ago and the resultant excitement is very much in evidence in his personality.

Back to familiar surroundings!

It was a hectic weekend. Firstly, both my journeys up and down were comfortable and incident free. The lecture and interaction went off like clockwork and I really enjoyed that marathon session of over two hours - literally, came back rejuvenated. I've got a feedback this morning from the organisers that the participants have endorsed that my lecture be retained for the next year - which is a very comforting thought.
In the aftermath, did a lot of travel to meet many of my friends whom I had not met for a long time and ofcourse, a few others whom I like being with every now and then, as and when an opportunity arises. I've found such interactions to be insightful and invigorating.
And on return last evening, the icing on the cake was the movie, '3 Idiots' which was worth seeing yet another time.
It's another week and new happenings and hope it's full of interesting happenings.

Tailpiece.
Incidentally, the President has formally agreed to inaugurate the concluding activities in connection with my Muthachan's yearlong birth centenary celebrations on 13 Aug '10. Must endeavour to make it there for the occasion!

My Ammachi, Chempakakutty Amma - Mrs. PN Panicker

It's a hectic weekend amidst friends at Pune after that lecture of mine at Bombay. Have been on the move ever since I'd left Delhi on Thursday.

But today's my Ammachi's remembrance day and I need to be with her and the fond memories that I've of her. She passed into eternity this day in 1991. We were very close to each other and I must admit that even my mother has not been able to come to that proximity with me.

When I used to be at the Holy Angels' Convent during my primary school days, Ammachi used to make it a point to see me off in the mornings and receive me when I returned in the evenings, with snacks that I was fond of. She cried most when I was sent to the Sainik School and would wait for my vacations to begin when she used me as chaperone to visit her doctor (her ailments were a closely guarded secret between Muthachan, me and her). We both would go for movies during the noon shows when all the others were either away or would have seen the movie earlier. There was a tremendous sense of happiness and contentment whenever I was with her and she fondly called me 'monay'.

The way she kept her house was legendary. The house used to be teeming with guests, at times even at odd hours, thanks to my Muthachan's hectic workstyle and Ammachi was the perfect host all the way - a tough thing, by all standards! Many people have told me glowingly about my Ammachi's hospitality and her personal touch in everything that she did. Even my Muthachan had candidly admitted many a time that he was able to go about his professional activities without hitch only because he was sure that Ammachi could handle everything on the homefront without any personal demand or unsolved problems!

During my marriage on 16 May '91, sometime during the course of events of that day, she told me that she did not mind death as she was happy to see me wedded at long last and little did I realise then that her words would be prophetic as she passed away a couple of months later.

Why did she have to go off so abruptly?

Ammachi, I miss you always in every waking moment of mine!

The Great Escape!

Tomorrow I'm off to Bombay to deliver my annual lecture to a group of about 35 bright minds. My interaction with them is in two parts - a 50 minute power point presentation on the topic followed by an hour and ten minutes of question-and-answer session. I really look forward to the latter part always, as it pumps in adrenaline into my system, when I take on queries and answer each one of them - the high that I get by the end of it is unexplainable. I sincerely hope that my past students reciprocate these feelings and also hope that I'm able to satisfy the current lot. And I would still insist that I'm a learner of the subject and hope to get new insights from the students.
It provides me an escape from the monotonous grind of life in Delhi, which ofcourse, has its own highs and lows.