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Archives of this column - Part 3 | Part 4 |
Cricket: Sinking “Down Under”
“Yes! Yes!” the ordinary Indian lover of the game says, “But it is no longer the gentleman's game. Cricket has survived for so long and has managed to raise its laurels higher and higher. Cricket is not just a game. It is more than that. It is a symbol of life — full of values to be upheld. You, fellows who are down under, how can you uphold those values when you yourselves are down under?” Read On
Hard nuts in old shells
Look at the present scene in India. The “age but did” is ruling the roost! But where is the voice of the young? It is hardly heard in public places, except while rising in revolt against some temporary phenomenon, which can never change the “system”. Anything that is permanent is loathed, no doubt. But this feeling never crystallises and becomes strong enough and constructive enough to bring about an orderly change. Read On
Reforms: Thus far – How much further?
But six decades have passed and no sign of all children going to school and all persons becoming literates! Food security, employment guarantee, compulsory health insurance, right to have protected water-supply and electricity, are all talks in the air! There is no sign of materialization. Market economy and freedom of the individual are meaningless slogans. Read On
India’s Case: Problem of “Plenty”
If you are affluent, that is if you have plenty of money or income, or both, you don't know what to do with your money. It is a so-called 'money-itch'. You feel like wanting to spend money and 'show off' your position to other people. The itch becomes very unbearable — more unbearable than the privations of poverty. Read On
Climate Change: World’s Great Bugbear
"We should be good guests on earth, neither too demanding nor disturbing its delicate balance. We should allow it to renew itself for those who are to follow." These words were spoken by Indira Gandhi in her capacity as the Prime Minister of India, while inaugurating the twelfth World Energy Conference in New Delhi in 1983. These words cautioned the world about the environmental challenge mankind would have to face in the years to come. Read On
Mysore – The City of Nityotsava
Mysore is not only a city of lights. It is a Nityotsava city, a city where a number of festivals and festivities are celebrated all round the year. The crowning glory of them all is the Dasara festivity. It seems as though all others lead to this “mother of all festivities.” A significant feature of these is the fact that people of all communities, irrespective of their social status, participated in them and shared the joys with others. Read On
Mysore City in 2020 and Beyond
The decision to give a face lift to the Mysore city of today is quite commendable. But what about the Mysore of tomorrow, or, say, 20 or 25 years hence? When Bangalore began to grow at a hectic speed, nobody took notice of it. “Adjust somehow” was the usual attitude. We Indians are adept at adjusting ourselves somehow. This is why no revolution worth the name can ever take place in India. Read On
Let us make Mysore as Livable City
Some time ago I read an interesting report in the newspapers. It said that Mysore is one of the most livable cities of India! The question is — “Is it? Or will it become one?” Mysore is not a livable city today. Anyone who says so will be under an illusion. It was, once upon a time, a livable city and also a lovable city. It was during the days of the Maharajas. Read On
Mysore: Crying for a face lift
Thin plastic bags are prohibited, but the shops are not caring for rules. Everyone contributes his mite to the pollution! Another problem is that of drainage. Once the city's drainage system was a model for other cities. Now the situation is woeful. If there are rains, knee - deep water collects along the roads and it is dangerous to walk or drive. The roads are abominable. They have not seen any repair for the last couple of years. Read On
Indian Economy at the cross roads
India was facing a grave economic crisis in 1991 when P. V. Narasimha Rao took over the mantle of country's governance. One of the wise decisions taken by him at that time was the appointment of Dr. Manmohan Singh as his Finance Minister. Dr. Singh was once a believer in planned economic development and the dominance of public sector. But Planning and Central Control were no longer considered to be relevant in the changed situation. Read On
Aged people on young shoulders
According to the National Sample Survey Organisation, about 78 per cent of the population over the age of 60 is dependent on children to provide for old age income support for their parents. Medical costs rise as old age advances. Longevity brings with it many monetary problems. The numerous problems that are to be faced by our population, young or old, can be tackled by a broad network of pension scheme. This demands a great amount of skill and detailed planning. Read On
Fear of Rise in Fuel Prices
What is the reason given for this most abnormal use? It is said that the rise is triggered by worries about inadequate supplies with the advent of winter in the northern hemisphere and possible political instability in West Asia. Political instability is an on-going feature of the West Asia region over years. But why these sudden shock - waves now? The prices have broken all past records. Read On
Strange goings – on in Karnataka
To acquire the strength of self assurance, he has offered pujas at all sacred places and temples, the last but not the least being the Chief Minister gaddi and the chamber. All these Punya Karyas — rituals — should carry him through the rough and tumble of politics in a government of quite a large number of disgruntled politicians. The de facto and de jure ruler of the State may not be wearing the crown. Yet the proverb, “uneasy lies the head that wears the crown”, does apply to him! He is a ruler minus the crown. Read On
My Friend GTN
A friend in need is a friend indeed. This is an old proverb. This proverb speaks of two kinds of friends: Those who are in need and those who rush to help those in distress. A friend who is in need and looks to the other for help is often a fair - weather friend. He makes friends with another with the motive of taking advantage of his affluence. As soon as he finds that his health is becoming thin, he runs away, lest he should be asked to render help to the friend in adversity. Read On
Diehards of Bollywood and the new wave
A new wave is sweeping Bollywood now. It is spreading like the wildfire of California. Everyone is agog with new ideas. There is a scramble for those who can dexterously produce pen sketches of men, animals, demigods and gods. In India these have co-existed for a long time. What a pity that we did not realize how we can produce nice themes in a new presentation. They are all animated. Our producers are making inanimate and non-existent objects also jump with mirth. Read On
Capital Market: Reaping the whirlwind
What, without asking, hither hurried whence? And, without asking, whither hurried hence? Another and another cup to drown the memory of impertinence. When one looks at the capital market and its dealings in recent weeks, one feels like shouting with Omar Khayyam wondering at the madness in our stock market and one doubt if there is a method at all in the dealings going on. Read On
The Uncertain World Markets
Our business world is full of risks and uncertainties. What charm is there if we cannot predict what is going to happen in the next moment. The stock markets of the world are always standing on tenterhooks. Share and stock prices the world over are not unpredictable at all. It is quizzical in nature. The stock market today is as uncertain as Twenty20 Read On
India’s struggles for power
One of the leading and fast growing countries of the world suffering from power shortage is India. Its struggle for power is in two fields, that is, Political and Energy. While the first enables India to acquire world leadership — a long distance goal however — the struggle for energy is imminent and cannot be solved easily. Read On
Nuclear Energy: Hyde & Seek
Poor man — Dr. Manmohan Singh. He is no wolf. He is not capable of being wicked. But as things would have it, the leftists and rightists point the accusing finger at Dr. Singh. He has to explain to every Tom Dick and Harry and convince them that the nuclear agreement with the USA is a well-documented agreement and there is no question of going back upon it at this late stage. Read On
Unholy Alliances and the Law
Coalition governments have been tried elsewhere, but no where has such a system of government, that is both crude and tender at the same time. It is said that in India languages are many, but the literature is one. Similarly, coalitions are many but there is only one name applicable to all — that is coalition. Coalition governments are tried both at the Centre and at the States. Read On
Turbulence in the markets
The world markets are in the jitters. India is no exception. For some time it had appeared that, at the rate at which the Indian economy is growing, India, which has all along continued as a developing country, would soon join the ranks of the developed nations. The integration of the several markets of the world and paving the way for globalization were seen as a great opportunity for India to soar higher still. Read On
He who rides the tiger…..
He who rides the tiger cannot get down, lest the cruel animal mauls him and tastes human blood. He cannot even continue to ride it, for the wild beast may carry him into wilderness, throw him down and finish him. The experience is that of a person who is between the devil and the deep sea. Either way it is fatal. Read On
India 60: Poor Health and Ignorance
Yes! We are sixty, going on sixty - one. At sixty we are not old. Ours is an old nation with a young population. About sixty per cent of our population is below the age of thirty five. Young or old, we should be robust. Young at sixty, going on sixty - one, we should be able to say. Sixty is not considered to be old age now – a - days. But what is the use if we are weak, hardly able to read and open up our minds to many new and charming experiences of life? Read On
Archives of this column - Part 3 | Part 4 |
