The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”—St. Augustine [Continued from Nov. 29] My first introduction to Japan as a student was through Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. His dramatic escape from India to Germany and then to Japan was indeed a stuff that would leave any student wonderstruck…
Musings on Secular Democracy and Hindu Nationalism – 2
December 9, 2018[Continued from yesterday] Mohammed Ayoob further dilates on the subject as follows: The Hindu nationalism “is based on the notion that Hindus have exclusive claim to the country and Muslims and Christians are interlopers, who can be treated as second-class citizens at best.” I guess Mohammed Ayoob has hit the nail right on the head…
Musings on Secular Democracy and Hindu Nationalism —1
December 8, 2018I had long back decided not to write in my column about politics and subjects that are highly sensitive and sensitised — minorities, caste, religion, terrorism and mafia. You may wonder what then is left for a journalist to write! Sadly, in today’s India, media is not free to write without risk. That was the…
The last time I saw Ambarish: A tribute
December 4, 2018I have known Ambarish since 1980. In the beginning I had only heard of him from my friends who spoke of him as a Mysore boy, naughty one, who became an actor accidentally. Hence, we can call him an accidental actor in the manner people call Dr. Manmohan Singh an “accidental” Prime Minister ! Then…
The Rotary Journey: To S.Korea and Japan – 3
November 29, 2018The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” —St. Augustine [Continued from yesterday] The following day, it was city tour of which I remember only two sites: one was the Palace of the old Korean King known as Gyeongbokgung Palace. (You can pronounce the name at your own…
The Rotary Journey: To S. Korea and Japan —2
November 28, 2018The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”—St. Augustine [Continued from yesterday] This is my second visit to Seoul and Tokyo. Twenty-nine years ago in June 1989, I had been to Seoul along with the Rotary team to attend the Rotary International Conference. Earlier to this, the 24th…
The Rotary Journey: To S. Korea and Japan – 1
November 27, 2018The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page”. —St. Augustine For once, I have discovered that good news too could spread as fast as bad news! I had decided to keep my travel to Japan and Korea under wraps, but it seems the whole town knew of my…
Congested Madikeri down-town needs a lung space
November 16, 2018Madikeri Private Bus Stand can be transformed into Field Marshal Square on the lines of Trafalgar Square Rainfall, mist and fog in Kodagu are not occasional. Every year it rains and even if there is a change in weather pattern, it rains for sure. And this is the reason for verdant greenery all over Kodagu…
Taking ownership of a movement
November 14, 2018The other side of Sir MV’s clarion call “Industrialise or Perish’ is Pratham’s call “Educate Children or Perish”. Every child. Specially in government schools When Ashvini Ranjan, Bhamy Shenoy and Anil Kothari walked into my office recently, I thought they had come to ask for donation for Pratham, the NGO dedicated to educating children in…
Of Common Salt and Common Sense !
October 21, 2018If the salt loseth its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? —Bible For want of a nail the Kingdom was lost,” is a proverb, reminding that seemingly unimportant acts or omissions can have grave and unforeseen consequences. It refers to the horse-shoe nail. Seemingly unimportant but it crippled the horse and led to the loss…
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