Discovering India – T.R.Sreejith

                 सहज मिले सो दूध सम, मांगा मिले सो पानी

                  कहकबर वह रक्त सम, जामें अंचातानि

There are flyovers everywhere but not a place to move. The cars ,buses and trucks are jam packed. It was meant to ease the traffic but the problem has only exploded. People lose 4 hours on the traffic when they travel to office everyday.

There are roads being laid out everywhere only being dug every next day.

My first love Mumbai suburban local trains are exploding, there are people on the rooftops on the side gates and on the wheel.

The rainwater enters your dining rooms. The drains get choked during the rainy season. No AI cannot solve this problem not even Chat GPT, I tried.

The slums mushroom on either side of the railway stations and malls.

There are no fresh green spaces. Everything has become a concrete jungle. The garbage dump overflows with tons of garbage on either side of the railway tracks.

So is it so gloomy or are there any silver linings.We have progressed with the certain innovations like UPI. Now not need to stand in the queues to pay your utility bills. The Aadhar has made direct benefit transfer (DBT) foolproof without leakages. So has the opening up of Jan Dhan accounts. Passport offices have become digital. Metro lines are definitely a way forward.



Education:

Primary education still suffers in with dropout, teacher absenteeism rates increasing day by day in the government schools and colleges. Where emphasis should be on teacher training and 360 degree assessment of the students.

In higher education the problem still seems to be on caste based reservations instead of affirmative action ‘’looking for a relative skill’’ as Nandan Nilekani points out in his book Imaging India. The fees of these higher educational institutions seems to be skyrocketing though loans are provided. Still these loans need to be paid back.You need to be a Mukesh Ambani’s son or daughter to be a doctor. It is impossible for an ordinary man to dream his son or daughter to be a doctor in a private medical college. And this seems to be the righteous way by many. They defend saying salaries of the teachers are to be paid and infrastructure has to be created along with private players are for profit organizations. But should it be at the cost and mercy of a child who does not have the means?

Healthcare:

In covid times we did have Covaxin and Covidshield thanks to the efforts of our healthcare workers. The private sector hospital bills rise exponentially. The doctors in these hospitals selfish to the core. The government infrastructure does not match with the needs of the poor and the destitute.

India may be the only country where health issues related to both Obesity and malnutrition coexist, the divide between the rich and the poor so clear. Suicides are now not restricted to the farmers alone even college and school going students are committing them. The mental health issues seems to be rising at an alarming pace.

Livelihood and Employment:

When livelihoods seem to be the problem for some, car parking is the problem for many. The problem of employment is not restricted to the rural area now, very well present in the urban metros too. The no. of unemployed youth is alarming. Students with 90% being unemployed is not a uncommon phenomenon forget about the youth with no skills. Skill India, Start-up India , Digital India seems to be steps in the right direction, but needs to be seen how much of a quantitative difference it has made.

Environment:

The youth seems to be very concerned about the environment today. Along with tree plantation, renewable sources of energy ,electric cars, we ought to reduce the consumption pattern in our daily lives so that we can reduce the carbon footprints.


Religion and Freedom of expression

There has been an overdose of religious fanatism in India in the recent past. There has been protest over films like Padmavaat , Pathan and Stand up comedians like Munawar Faruqui in the recent past. This does take away the democratic pluralism of India. Again the news channels have become so toxic that prefer to listen to pravachan of Murari Bapu.

What is very heartening is that a few religious institutions like the Brahmakumaris are showing scientific temperament and investing time and effort in Solar Powered technologies and Water purification systems that help the common man.




P.S.:The content is Inspired by reading the Book from Nandan Nilekani '"Imagining India"

Anil Kumble - The Legend

619 Test wickets, 337 ODI wickets, 57 Twenty20 wickets

  "That is the way I get most of my wickets. Yeah, it was very special to get there."-Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble was one of the most underrated cricketers of the country during his playing days.When in the team,he was never given his due,compared to a Sachin or a Saurav,especially seeing that he is the highest wicket taker in Indian Test history by a long margin,much more than a Kapil Dev, or a Bishen Singh Bedi. His exploits are no less than that of a maestro Sachin Tendulkar.

Also cricket never got Anil Kumble as the captain of Indian Team,which I believe he richly deserved and would have done a lot of good for Indian Cricket.

So when he was appointed the Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team I thought maybe ,the cricketer has finally got his due,but alas not everything is as green as it appears.

Everything seemed alright,be it his insistence on YOGA sessions or him advocating John Wright’s philosophy of taking the backseat,everything seemed to be falling in the right place for Indian Cricket.

They say performance is the criteria ,for selection,I do not know what criteria did Anil Kumble have to show either in his playing days (when he was frequently criticized by the media for not being a big turner of the ball. He did respond saying “My job is to take wickets not turn the ball.”) or during his brief but effective coaching stint.

Whether it is his squabbles with Virat Kolhi or the BCCI,we have again lost the services of a valuable human being and a patriotic team player.

Mumbai Meri Jaan – Always lending a helping hand.

All they know is that you are trying to get to the city of gold and that is enough. Come on board, they say.We will adjust.-Suketu Mehta

Mumbai is correctly described as a city of dreams and a city that never sleeps.Mumbai’s vast expansiveness, the magnanimity and generosity with which it accepts all caste ,creed,religion,region rich,poor,educated ,illiterate is simple astounding.Nowhere in the world would so many people with such diversity and cultural differences coexist and live together in harmony. Mumbai embraces people wholeheartedly who are ready to work hard and honest to their consciousness.

Mumbai exemplary behavior is best symbolized by its suburban local trains.It runs at the same pace,it runs at the same times, it is crowded as ever yet a person wanting to reach a destination is lend a helping hand,even if it is an overcrowded 6:00 pm local from Dadar to Kalyan.

It makes space for each one even when there is absolutely no space.It accepts all irrespective of he being an Obama’s son,or a small roadside vada pav vendor.It treats everyone with respect whether he is from Harvard or from a local Kendriya Vidyalaya.It distinguishes no one whether he is a Malayali,Punjabi,a Christian or a Sikh.

It accommodates people from all walks of life housewife’s, senior citizens, working professionals,business tycoons, politicians,cricketers,filmmakers and journalists.

It is the single most unifying factor maybe even bigger then cricket.

A phenomenon called “Narendra Modi”

“People ask what your vision is, what is your big vision? I say ‘bhai’, I got here by way of selling tea (crowd erupts in applause). I am a simple (Chhota) man. I like focusing on simple and small tasks. I want to accomplish big things for the little guy.” –Narendra Modi

I am sure Modi era would be written as a golden era in Indian history whenever it gets published something similar to Ashoka rule of the Mauryan empire.Our future generations would be enticed and overawed by the beauty called Narendra Modi.

I think India is in the brink of a revolution with a revolutionary and dynamic leader Modi ushering a golden period for India.

I believe as patriotic Indians we need to make the best use of it rather than repent it later(read Mamta Banerjee,NDTV).People opposed to Narendra Modi should release that the country has a PM who has business acumen to negotiate with the US and Japan effectively, Kshatriya skills to take on the diktaks of China head on,political manoeuvre to take all parties along ,and above all who serves selflessly for the welfare of the economically backward sections of the society.

Bhagat Singh v/s Mahatma Gandhi

My job is to take wickets,not turn the ball.-Anil Kumble

Bhagat Singh is most definitely a martyr,and his contribution to freedom struggle is unparalleled.But then he was hanged to death for taking revenge on Lala Lajpat Rai’s death.

I think he became myopic in his vision.My personal believe is that is lost track of the vision or the greater goal of accomplishing the freedom of India.

In the pursuit of winning a battle ,he lost the war.

It is sad that we lost a freedom fighter,for a battle and lost a war.

In retrospect Mahatma Gandhi had a higher goal or vision in mind of attaining independence from the British Raj.Mahatma Gandhi in turn did accomplish his biggest goal of life, in which many others had failed miserably,of attaining Purna Swaraj for India.I think The Father of the Nation deserves total credit for that.

I have often seen youth despising at Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals and praising Bhagat Singh for his valour and courage.

But a task half done is not done.

India and its Ideals

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Meaning

Lead me from falsehood to truth,

Lead me from darkness lead me to light,

Lead me from death to the immortality

Om Peace,Peace,Peace.

India -A land from where spirituality and philosophy have again and again rushed out and deluged the world.A land of the greatest sages from where wisdom originated and spread its wings.

The land with the mighty snowcapped Himalayas at the top and rivers roaring like the oceans. The ideal of India is based on the ages of tapasya and sadhana of its Sages ,Rishis and Mahatma’s-their Renunciation ,not based on its filmstars,cricketors,or politicians.India has been blessed with numerous gems over a period of time-like Lord Krishna,Buddha,Shankara, Chaitanya,Ramakrishna Paramhamsa,Ramana Maharshi and Mata Amritanandamayi Devi to name a few.

Religion is instilled in the blood and veins of every Indian.And their religion is not about fanatism or convertions,their ideal of religion is based on –“Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu” meaning everyone in this world be happy and prosperous.

Indian history also practically validates this argument ,that India has never attacked any other country-it has never believed in the use of force  to get more land or show supremacy though it is the same India which has withstood the shock of centuries,of hundreds of foriegn invasions.It is the same land which stands firmer than any rock in the world with its undying vigour and indestructible life.

Women form a soul in this holy land.Matrudevo bhava –meaning be one for whom the Mother is God.Every women is looked upon as mothers ,there is no question of lust or any carnal desire- that is the ideal of this ancient land unlike the west where women are observed a mere objects for sensory satisfaction.The highest ideal of a wife is purity and being chaste unlike the west.

Here it is very interesting to note that the western media ,asks India to take care of its women-to a country that taught the world how to look upon its women.

In India ,women is the embodiment of sacrifice, from the time of her birth ,to her family , to her husband and then to her children-she sacrifices.In India if father is the breadwinner, mother is the soul of the family .

Indian culture instill values of Atithidevo bhava meaning be one for whom the guest is god.It has been generous and magnanimous in giving back to the world be it knowledge,spirituality,wisdom,yoga or Ayurveda,or the architecture and design of its temples-it never charges.

The values of Indians are rooted in purity ,compassion and truth.