My place

A place where I:
- prepared for my final exams at the last minute.
- met the most amazing of neighbours and their two young kids.
- cheered every run of Saurav Ganguly's in the Gabba, 2003.
- had my first ever pseudo-panic attack on the eve of my results, and later found that I managed to do well.
- returned to, after following the Indian team for the duration of their stay in Adelaide, after yelling at the top of my lungs "Jeetega Bhai Jeetega", "Sachin!! Sachin!!" for 5 days and basking in the feeling only Indian cricket fans would have felt after the team won its first game in 20 years.
- started following what would turn out to be my most favourite TV show, NCIS.
- received and accepted my offer at the University of South Australia.
- received a scholarship offer.
- learned the value of time management, given the infrequency of public transport.
- learned that having a big room also meant you were solely responsible for maintaining it.
- returned to, after undergoing my first major surgery in Australia.
- nursed my disappointment as India lost a home series to Australia, as Michael Clarke made a debut century.
- came to, after every game of cricket, and was greeted with a smile, regardless of the team's or my performance.
- watched with happiness as an elder sister got engaged, while playing host to another 20 of my extended family members.
- learned the harsh realities of life, of securing a job.
- realised that for those with faith (in whatever spiritual flavour), there are testing times, but these are temporary.
- celebrated as my father moved to Melbourne to join the workforce there.
- started coming late, as soon as I legally got my hands on the wheel of the family car.
- and family celebrated the traditional Indian festival of Raksha Bandhan with full gusto.
- learned the nuances of large scale event, community and stakeholder management
- slept, unsure of the progress of my Final Year Project at University.
- started my applications for graduate employment
- came, dejected, after my umpteenth rejection at the final interview stage
- called first, to inform my parents at being offered a job as an Associate Software Programmer
- thought I would leave in 2009, only to be told that all new graduates would not be onboarded, due to the Global Financial Crises of 2008-2009
- hung my certificates of Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Management (Marketing), with my parents, happy, but not satisfied. They were, are and will rightly continue to be my biggest critics.
- used to come every fortnight or so, after securing a job in Sydney
- closely followed the deteriorating health of my grandfather (and later my grandmother) while at the same time, being the Point of Contact to relatives in India as they informed me of many deaths in the family. Little did I know, that two of my most inspiring heroes would soon join that tragic list.
- returned to after securing a job as a Scientist in DSTO
- finally signed documentation to call myself a Citizen of the Commonwealth of Australia, swearing allegiance to "Australia and it's people"
- drove my mother to the airport, after learning my grandmother had slipped into a coma.
- woke one night, feeling terrible but not being able to explain. I was then informed that around the same time my maternal grandmother had passed away
- called, to inform my mother, exactly two months after my maternal grandmother had passed away, that my maternal grandfather had also passed away
- came back, after dropping my mother off at the airport, as she started her journey to Japan as an Endeavor Scholar, a proud moment, tempered by the loss of my maternal grandparents
- woke again one night, once again feeling terrible, and once again not being able to explain why. It turns out, my paternal grandmother had passed away around that time.
- hurriedly booked tickets for my father, the eldest son in the family, as he prepared to leave for India for the funeral ceremonies.
- first decided to donate bone marrow for research purposes
- started practising for my upcoming GMAT exam
- became the first member of the family, to buy a brand new vehicle, my Mazda 3
- finally completed and sent the application form to the Indian School of Business
- laughed out loud, at the surprise of being called for an interview at ISB
- received the offer of admission, at 11.30PM EDT, and pumped my fists in the air, as if I had taken a 5-for in a cricket match
- left in 2012, not sure if I would live here again
- return to in 2013, to finally soak in all that has happened
- called home for the past decade.

...and so begins my last 24 hours at this place I've had the privilege to call home for the past 10 years. It's been a great journey. These walls stood testament to our sweetest memories, our worst times and the realisations of our dreams. A home which marked the start of some of the most amazing friendships. A home where many a festive event had taken place. A home blessed with the presence of my late grandparents. It is now time to close one chapter of this journey and move onto another. 88 Navigator Drive, I bow before you, I salute you, and I will miss you!!

Thank you Adelaide!!!

As I look back at my 17 years of Adelaide, I am truly amazed at the journey it’s been. My friends have told me that this is not a goodbye from Adelaide, but rather a “see you in a little while”. While the optimist in me warms to that idea, the realist in me urges caution, using the phrase “think about it”. The pessimist in me is just morose, but thankfully he does not come to the fore very often.

Thus after reminiscing for the greater part of the day as to my memories in Adelaide, I have realised that there exists a rather long list of people that I need to thank and with very good reason. The Prasanna Kovalam of 2012, is different to the Prasanna Kovalam of 1995 and the metamorphosis is truly due to Adelaide.

So without further ado, I’d first like to thank God Almighty for giving me the opportunity to chase my dream, rather quickly in my short life. As I sit and realise that I am only 25 years, I am eternally thankful that I’ve got some years left in me to do something big and hopefully ISB is start of that. I’d also like to thank Him for the silver spoon he’s given me. At times, we tend to forget about that silver spoon, given our lavish lifestyles, but a quick visit to those who struggle day in and day out to make ends meet, gives us a sobering reality check and we rush back to the safety and comfort of that spoon. I’ve had a comfortable lifestyle and I can only thank God for making that happen.

I’d also like to thank my grandparents, three of whom are watching me from above. They were an amazing bunch of people who were my first role models. I learnt the meaning of the words sacrifice, honesty and perseverance as I heard stories on their struggles to raise their children.

If I’d heard stories from my grandparents, I saw my own parents embody the true spirit of sacrifice, honesty and perseverance. It wasn’t easy raising a rather high-maintenance only child (is there any other kind??) but they’ve done amazingly well. As children, we cannot thank them enough, but for what it’s worth “Thanks”.

It has been an amazing and humbling experience to be in the midst of such great friends in Adelaide. I’ve been given the honorific of being called a friend by some and “bhai (brother)” by others. Both are positions I have tried to be worthy of. I have failed in many situations, but I hope I’ve been a good friend and a good brother at times. I will cherish each and every moment I’ve spent with friends in Adelaide. They have been supportive of me, every step of the way, and if today I stand on the cusp of pursuing my dreams, it is because of their amazing support.

I’ve always enjoyed the journey, wherever it has taken me, literally and metaphorically. And if I’d be asked to give any suggestions, it’d be the same “Enjoy the journey while pursuing your dreams”.

Thoughts on turning 64

Well, another year, another Independence day. 64 years ago, Jawaharlal Nehru, spoke to India, an India that was very different to the India which Dr. Manmohan Singh addressed this morning but also extremely similar. In his famous Tryst with Destiny speech, India's first Prime Minister talked about the long and unique road to (political) freedom, the road ahead and the dreams of the Indian people. At that time, India's GDP was close to 0.8%, and had $1.14 billion USD in foreign reserves. In 2011, India's GDP is close to 9% and has $316 billion USD of foreign reserves.

The story however is far from smooth or rosy. Until 1991, India's GDP was not much more than 1-2% per annum, thanks to the bureaucratic Licence-Permit-Quota Raj that Nehru himself put in place, despite of the rhetoric in his Tryst with Destiny speech. Our impressive growth rate can only be attributed to changes in circumstance, wherein India would be declared bankrupt if it were to not accept IMF conditions on a bail-out. Thankfully, better sense prevailed and slowly but surely, the days of waiting for years for a simple telephone connection vanished with the emergence of new providers.

The India now, is different, yet very similar to the India in 1947. Countless slogans of the style of "Garibi Hatao" have come and gone, yet poverty remains. Large chunks of the economy still remain over-regulated and licenced, for example the restaurant industry. Reforms at best have been slow, and at worst have been non-existent. Indeed, the current government led by the man who was Finance Minister in 1991 has been rightly lambasted for its inability to carry out key reforms.

Corruption once again has raised its ugly head and despite attempts to curtail it, has only persisted, or even grown stronger. Notwithstanding India's patchy history of dealing with the corrupt, even by this scale, the current UPA government is heading to the dubious distinction of being the most corrupt on record. Social workers are now clamouring for a "miracle cure" in terms of the Jan Lokpal bill, even going so far as to blackmail the government with hunger-strikes, a method the Founder of the Indian Constitution Dr. BR Ambedkar called "the grammar of anarchy". Having multiple yet toothless Vigilance Commissions hasn't done anything to reduce corruption so what's to say this new level will.

A great post by Nitin Pai shows why this new style of crusading is a bad idea, and another post here talks about the means justifying the ends. However, one way to definitely erase corruption is to give more power to the citizen. How does one do that? Simple. Open the economy up. The less licences or hurdles a citizen faces in doing their work, the less they will pay to get the work done. Reforming the sectors, ensuring that competition drives the workforce, not nepotism or cronyism, is the key to eliminate corruption.

I have a dream. A dream of a corruption free India, where the government restricts itself to economic strategy making, rather than micromanagment of the economy. A dream of a secular India, not one that is "competitively intolerant". I have a dream where I can pursue my freedom of speech, and not have it curtailed by the State, or by pseudo-constitutional bodies deriving their power on the basis of ex-cathedra statements. Funnily enough, this is the same dream that Rabindranath Tagore saw when he exhorted "Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake"

It's been 64 years, I think it's time we made it into a reality.

Jai Hind!!!!

The year gone by

Well, how does one view this year gone past? Given tragedies, it would be easiest to label this as a continuation of Annus Horribilis, from 2009. Yet, life is seldom black and white. It encompasses all the colours in between the two shades and if one were to somehow digitize it, it would still contain all 'n' number of levels from black to white.

So whereas I lost two of my role models in the year, I gained a greater appreciation for the memories I shared with them during their life. Whilst I started a new job, I realized how hard it is to juggle between one's professional and personal lives and no matter how separate one tries to keep them, the lines blur on more than an occasion. The new job, with its new riches brings with it a newer responsibility to manage one's money and one soon becomes conscious of the 'economic-problem', that is to satisfy one's inexhaustible needs, with an exhaustible amount of money. I have made new friends and renewed old ones. I have actively wanted to take a greater sense of responsibility within the community, which has bought with it, another dimension to manage my time effectively and efficiently. Have I been successful? Time will only tell.

One thing is for sure though. From January 1 2010, to December 31 2010, I have definitely changed as a person. This is but natural, for change is the only constant in one's life. Yet, the more I have changed, it is hard not to notice that the more I remain the same. Thus, when someone would tell me "You've changed", I hope it is for the better. I do not run away from it, for there is nothing to run away from. I do not live in denial that I am the "same old me", that would mean that I have learnt nothing. Thus I have changed, and will continue to change as I am faced with new experiences which, I hope, would enhance, rather than de-value Brand Me. I leave it to my friends to help me ensure that Brand Me is not de-valued too much ;-)

So, whilst this year definitely hasn't been an 'annus mirabilis', it would be wrong of me to label, my year as 'annus horribilis'. So what has it been then? Well, in the fine tradition of human thinking, the answer would be "A bit of both!"

Happy New Year 2011!!!!

RIP Theodore Sorensen

On the 31st of October Theodore Sorensen breathed his last. Anyone who's followed the speeches of John F Kennedy would know why President Kennedy referred to Sorensen as "my intellectual blood bank". Some of the famous quotes of Kennedy (written by Sorensen) have made it into vernacular, one of the most famous being "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" (although Sorensen later vehemently claimed that Kennedy wrote it himself).

Nonetheless in 2008, Washington Monthly asked Theodore Sorensen to come out of retirement and write the "dream speech" for the Democratic Nominee for the President of the United States. The speech is located here. Less than two years on, the same Democratic party is heading towards landslide defeat in the Mid-Term elections.

The "dream speech" is reproduced below:

My fellow Democrats: With high resolve and deep gratitude, I accept your nomination. It has been a long campaign—too long, too expensive, with too much media attention on matters irrelevant to our nation’s future. I salute each of my worthy opponents for conducting a clean fifty-state campaign focusing on the real issues facing our nation, including health care, the public debt burden, energy independence, and national security, a campaign testing not merely which of us could raise and spend the most money but who among us could best lead our country; a campaign not ignoring controversial issues like taxation, immigration, fuel conservation, and the Middle East, but conducting, in essence, a great debate—because our party, unlike our opposition, believes that a free country is strengthened by debate.

There will be more debates this fall. I hereby notify my Republican opponent that I have purchased ninety minutes of national network television time for each of the six Sunday evenings preceding the presidential election, and here and now invite and challenge him to share that time with me to debate the most serious issues facing the country, under rules to be agreed upon by our respective designees meeting this week with a neutral jointly selected statesman.

Let me assure all those who may disagree with my positions that I shall hear and respect their views, not denounce them as unpatriotic as has so often happened in recent years. I will wage a campaign that relies not on the usual fear, smear, and greed but on the hopes and pride of all our citizens in a nationwide effort to restore comity, common sense, and competence to the White House.

In this campaign, I will make no promises I cannot fulfill, pledge no spending we cannot afford, offer no posts to cronies you cannot trust, and propose no foreign commitment we should not keep. I will not shrink from opposing any party faction, any special interest group, or any major donor whose demands are contrary to the national interest. Nor will I shrink from calling myself a liberal, in the same sense that Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt, John and Robert Kennedy, and Harry Truman were liberals—liberals who proved that government is not a necessary evil, but rather the best means of creating a healthier, more educated, and more prosperous America.

They are the giants on whose shoulders I now stand, giants who made this a better, fairer, safer, stronger, more united America.

By making me your nominee, you have placed your trust in the American people to put aside irrelevant considerations and judge me solely on my qualifications to lead the nation. You have opened the stairway to what Teddy Roosevelt called the "bully pulpit." With the help of dedicated Americans from our party, every party, and no party at all, I intend to mount that stairway to preach peace for our nation and world.

My campaign will be based on my search for the perfect political consensus, not the perfect political consultant. My chief political consultant will be my conscience.

Thank you for your applause, but I need more than your applause and approval. I need your prayers, your votes, your help, your heart, and your hand. The challenge is enormous, the obstacles are many. Our nation is emerging from eight years of misrule, a dark and difficult period in which our national honor and pride have been bruised and battered. But we are neither beaten nor broken. We are not helpless or afraid; because in this country the people rule, and the people want change.

True, some of us have been sleeping for these eight long years, while our nation’s values have been traduced, our liberties reduced, and our moral authority around the world trampled and shattered by a nightmare of ideological incompetence. But now we are awakening and taking our country back. Now people all across America are starting to believe in America again. We are coming back, back to the heights of greatness, back to America’s proud role as a temple of justice and a champion of peace.

The American people are tired of politics as usual, and I intend to offer them, in this campaign, something unusual in recent American politics: the truth. Neither bureaucracies nor nations function well when their actions are hidden from public view and accountability. From now on, whatever mistakes I make, whatever dangers we face, the people shall know the truth—and the truth shall make them free. After eight years of secrecy and mendacity, here are some truths the people deserve to hear:

We remain essentially a nation under siege. The threat of another terrorist attack upon our homeland has not been reduced by all the new layers of porous bureaucracy that proved their ineptitude in New Orleans; nor by all the needless, mindless curbs on our personal liberties and privacy; nor by expensive new weaponry that is utterly useless in stopping a fanatic willing to blow himself up for his cause. Indeed, our vulnerability to another attack has only been worsened in the years since the attacks of September 11th—worsened by our government convincing more than 1 billion Muslims that we are prejudiced against their faith, dismissive of international law, and indifferent to the deaths of their innocent children; worsened by our failure to understand their culture or to provide a safe haven for the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees displaced by a war we started; worsened by our failure to continue our indispensable role in the Middle East peace process.

We have adopted some of the most indefensible tactics of our enemies, including torture and indefinite detention.

We have degraded our military.

We have treated our most serious adversaries, such as Iran and North Korea, in the most juvenile manner—by giving them the silent treatment. In so doing, we have weakened, not strengthened, our bargaining position and our leadership.

At home, as health care costs have grown and coverage disappeared, we have done nothing but coddle the insurance, pharmaceutical, and health care industries that feed the problem.

As global warming worsens, we have done nothing but deny the obvious and give regulatory favors to polluters.

As growing economic inequality tarnishes our democracy, we have done nothing but carve out more tax breaks for the rich.

During these last several years, our nation has been bitterly divided and deceived by illicit actions in high places, by violations of federal, constitutional, and international law. I do not favor further widening the nation’s wounds, now or next year, through continuous investigations, indictments, and impeachments. I am confident that history will hold these malefactors accountable for their deeds, and the country will move on.

Instead, I shall seek a renewal of unity among all Americans, an unprecedented unity we will need for years to come in order to face unprecedented danger.

We will be safer from terrorist attack only when we have earned the respect of all other nations instead of their fear, respect for our values and not merely our weapons.

If I am elected president, my vow for this country can be summarized in one short, simple word: change. This November 2008 election—the first since 1952 in which neither the incumbent president’s nor the incumbent vice president’s name will appear on the national ballot, indeed the first since 1976 in which the name of neither Bill Clinton nor George Bush will appear on the national ballot—is destined to bring about the most profound change in the direction of this country since the election of 1932.

To meet the threats we face and restore our place of leadership in the free world, I pledge to do the following:

First, working with a representative Iraqi parliament, I shall set a timetable for an orderly, systematic redeployment and withdrawal of all our troops in Iraq, including the recall of all members of the National Guard to their primary responsibility of guarding our nation and its individual states.

Second, this redeployment shall be only the first step in a comprehensive regional economic and diplomatic stabilization plan for the entire Middle East, building a just and enduring peace between Israel and Palestine, halting the killing and maiming of innocent civilians on both sides, and establishing two independent sovereign states, each behind peacefully negotiated and mutually recognized borders.

Third, I shall as soon as possible transfer all inmates out of the Guantanamo Bay prison and close down that hideous symbol of injustice.

Fourth, I shall fly to New York City to pledge in person to the United Nations, in the September 2009 General Assembly, that the United States is returning to its role as a leader in international law, as a supporter of international tribunals, and as a full-fledged member of the United Nations which will pay its dues in full, on time, and without conditions, renouncing any American empire; that we shall work more intensively with other countries to eliminate global scourges, including AIDS, malaria, and other contagious diseases, massive refugee flows, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; and that we will support the early dispatch of United Nations peacekeepers to halt the atrocities in Darfur. I shall make it clear that we do not covet the land of other countries for our military bases or the control of their natural resources for our factories. I shall make it clear that our country is not bound by any policies or pronouncements of my predecessor that violate international law or threaten international peace.

Fifth, I shall personally sign the Kyoto Protocol, and seek its ratification by the United States Senate, in order to stop global warming before it endangers all species on earth, including our own; and I shall call upon the Congress to take action dramatically reducing our nation’s reliance on the carbon fuels that are steadily contributing to the degradation of our environment.

Sixth, I shall demonstrate sufficient confidence in the strength of our values and the wisdom and skill of our diplomats to favor communications, negotiations, and full relations with every country on earth, including Cuba, North Korea, Palestine, and Iran.

Finally, I shall restore the constitutional right of habeas corpus, abolish the unconstitutional tapping of private phones, and once again show the world the traditional American values that distinguish us from those who attacked us on 9/11.

We need not renounce the use of conventional force. We will be ready to repel any clear and present danger that poses a genuine threat to our national security and survival. But it will be as a last resort, never a first; in cooperation with our allies, never alone; out of necessity, never by choice; proportionate, never heedless of civilian lives or international law; as the best alternative considered, never the only. We will always apply the same principles of collective security, prudent caution, and superior weaponry that enabled us to peacefully prevail in the long cold war against the Soviet Union. Above all, we shall wage no more unilateral, ill-planned, ill-considered, and ill-prepared invasions of foreign countries that pose no actual threat to our security. No more wars in which the American Congress is not told in advance and throughout their duration the true cost, consequences, and terms of commitment. No more wars waged by leaders blinded by ideology who have no legal basis to start them and no plan to end them. We shall oppose no peaceful religion or culture, insult or demonize no peace-minded foreign leader, and spare no effort in meeting those obligations of leadership and assistance that our comparative economic strength has thrust upon us. We shall listen, not lecture; learn, not threaten. We will enhance our safety by earning the respect of others and showing respect for them. In short, our foreign policy will rest on the traditional American values of restraint and empathy, not on military might.

In the final analysis, our nation cannot be secure around the world unless our citizens are secure at home—secure not only from external attack, but secure as well from the rising tide of national debt, secure from the financial and physical ravages of uninsured disease, secure from discrimination in our schools and neighborhoods, secure from the bitter unrest generated by a widening gap between our richest and poorest citizens. They are not secure in a country lacking reasonable limitations on the sale of handguns to criminals, the mentally disturbed, and prospective terrorists. And our citizens are not secure when some of their fellow citizens, loyal Islamic Americans, are made to feel they are the targets of hysteria or bigotry.

I believe in an America in which the fruits of productivity and prosperity are shared by all, by workers as well as owners, by those at the bottom as well as those at the top; an America in which the sacrifices required by national security are shared by all, by profiteers in the back offices as well as volunteers on the front lines.

In my administration, I shall restore balance and fairness to the national tax system. I shall level the playing field for organized labor. I shall end the unseemly favors to corporations that allow them to profit without competing, for it is through competition that we innovate, and it is through innovation that we raise the wages of our workers. It shames our nation that profits for corporations have soared even as wages for average Americans have fallen. It shames us still more that so many African American men must struggle to find jobs.

We will make sure that no American citizen, from the youngest child to the oldest retiree, and especially no returning serviceman or military veteran, will be denied fully funded medical care of the highest quality.

To pay for these domestic programs, my administration will make sure that subsidies and tax breaks go only to those who need them most, not those who need them least, and that we fund only those weapons systems we need to meet the threats of today and tomorrow, not those of yesterday.

The purpose of public office is to do good, not harm; to change lives, help lives, and save lives, not destroy them. I look upon the presidency not as an opportunity to rule, but as an opportunity to serve. I intend to serve all the people, regardless of party, race, region, or religion.

Let us all, here assembled in this hall, or watching at home, constitute ourselves, rededicate ourselves, as soldiers in a new army. Not an army of death and destruction, but a new army of voters and volunteers, in a new wave of workers for peace and justice at home and abroad, new missionaries for the moral rebirth of our country. I ask for every citizen’s help, not merely those who live in the red states or those who live in the blue states, but every citizen in every state. Although we may be called fools and dreamers, although we will find the going uphill, in the words of the poet: “Say not the struggle naught availeth.” We will change our country’s direction, and hand to the generation that follows a nation that is safer, cleaner, less divided, and less fearful than the nation we will inherit next January.

I’m told that John F. Kennedy was fond of quoting Archimedes, who explained the principle of the lever by declaring: "Give me a place to stand, and I can move the world." My fellow Americans—here I stand. Come join me, and together we will move the world to a new era of a just and lasting peace.

An Open Letter to the Prime Minister

To,
Prime Minister of India
7 Race Course Road,
Chanakyapuri
New Delhi - 110021
India

Dear Mr Prime Minister,

I write you as a former citizen of India; a person who still holds India in the highest regard; a person who appreciates and treasures the culture India has given to him. Most importantly, I speak as a member of the generation of the youth of Indian origin, a generation filled with optimism and hope. It was with the same optimism and hope that I rejoiced on November 23rd, 2003 when New Delhi was announced as the winning bid for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. It was India’s chance to take centre stage, I said to myself. It was India’s chance not only to touch the sky, but to soar above it.

As the curtains came down on the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, I watched with pride as famous artists presented the customary segment extolling the virtues of the next host nation. I still recall telling my friends with a beaming smile and a sense of belongingness that the countdown to the best Commonwealth Games had begun.

Now, ten days away from the opening ceremony, my only hope is that the nation escapes from the farce that the Organising Committee has imposed on it. India has had six years to build the games infrastructure. I will not say that India has embarrassed me. It never has and never will, for I take great pride in my Indian origin. Yet I am definitely embarrassed by the way the officials, including you Sir, have handled this. On the occasion of the 63rd anniversary of Indian Independence, you announced to the nation and the world that you had taken responsibility of fixing the games. Yet, nothing has been done. You sir, are a role model to the youth of the nation. It was your landmark budget speech that set the pace of economic reform, which allowed youth such as me to dream, and then turn those dreams into reality. Yet as you stand silently on this issue, we cannot help but feel betrayed. We feel betrayed that despite having a strong cabinet and the will of the people, you have stood by and allowed corruption and cronyism to strike again at these games.

The world since 2000 has heaped praises of India. It waited with bated breath as to the success of these games. Not it waits with nervousness in the hope that the Games will not be canceled, or have the image of these games tarnished. In the eyes of the world, this debacle would put us back at least 30 years, when India was associated with exotic and esoteric beauty or reviled as a third-world nation. The real sadness of this whole saga is that while India has made progress is making progress, it is straddling that thin line between renaissance and destruction.

What is done is done. The question is, Mr. Prime Minister, what you are going to bring those responsible for this tragedy to justice.

Yours Sincerely,

A former Indian citizen.

Independence Day 2010

“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.

At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and trackless centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her success and her failures. Through good and ill fortune alike she has never lost sight of that quest or forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We end today a period of ill fortune and India discovers herself again. The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?”

Thus spoke Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India on the midnight of the 15th of August 1947, 64 years to the day that this blog post appears. The joy of India’s independence was mixed with the tragedy of the largest mass migration in human history, the Partition of India. Normally on this day, I write about what it means to be Indian and last year I had written about the speech I would have given to the people of India, from atop the Red Fort. However, this year, I am no longer an Indian citizen, but an Australian. Thus I do not wish to project myself in the role of the legislature, executive or the judiciary, but as a common man; a common person of Indian Origin.

It is common knowledge of the immense sacrifices people undergo, when charged with the task of nation building. As Thomas Jefferson said “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants”. The quest for Indian independence saw that tree overflowing with the blood of patriots. To this day, the tree is being continually refreshed, by not only patriots wearing military uniform, but ordinary people, doing extra-ordinary things. These people all summoned the courage in preparing for a common goal. They went for walks, they went without food, they marched during “shoot at sight” orders, and they threw leaflets in Parliament only to see an independent India. If these great men and women came back to India on August 2010, what would they do? Head for another walk? The correct answer may not be too far from this statement. India 2010 is different to India pre-1947 in many ways very similar in others.

A loose body of princely states, one which many wagered could never integrate to form a Union of States, is now a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and a multi-religious vibrant democracy. Yet from time to time, the fires of parochialism, secession and communalism burn and are stoked by leaders with vested interests.

A country, which had famines with alarming regularity before 1947, has not had a single famine for the past 64 years. Yet in 2006, almost 18000 farmers committed suicide due to various reasons.

A nation, which in 1911 only had 12% of its population literate in 1947, now has 66% of its population literate. Yet, this is much below the 84% World benchmark. A state having a growth rate of approximately 3% during Independence, now boasts of a growth rate of 7.4%, with the fourth largest PPP in the world. At the same time, the per capita income of the country is ranked well below leading economies, and even below nations like Sudan and Moldova.

Yet, despite of all this, India races forward even as many cynics argue "despite the system and not because of it". However, it is hard not to share an optimism about India. Role models like Narayana Murthy, Azim Premji and Subroto Bagchi only reinforce this optimism. Politicians like Rahul Gandhi, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Shivraj Chauhan give hope that the young will lead a nation of youth in the years to come.

Yes, there are problems. Yes, there are scandals. Yes, there are deep issues which cannot be solved at the drop of a hat. These require time, these require patience of more than 64 years. These problems were made by humans, so therefore the solutions will come with humans. Two of my favourite quotes come from the US President John F Kennedy, when he said

"Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country"

and

"...we choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills..."

In closing, I leave with Tagore's vision of India:

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where the words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action,
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

Jai Hind.

A return to blogging...again

Once again, I must apologise to my readers (if there are any left), for the long break in posting. The reasons for that will be explained in a subsequent post. However, this does mark a return to my blogging and I will once again strive to keep regularly updating it.

You may ask why I picked today for all reasons for a return to blogging. Today, I participated in something that I hold close to my heart thus proving to be a catalyst for me to announce my presence on the blogosphere once again. Today, I voluntarily gave Bone Marrow for medical purposes. Why did I do it? Was it painful? What is the procedure? Will I do it again? Did I gain any benefit out of it, monetary or otherwise? All of these questions will be answered to some depth in this piece J, so do bear with me!!

Firstly, I must stress that I have not donated bone marrow as part of a transplant process. Unfortunately, I still have not been amongst the lucky ones asked to save someone's life in that manner and I sincerely hope that one day, I too will be able to wear that badge of honour. My donation, known as a Bone Marrow Aspiration, was part of a trial that is being conducted by the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) in conjunction with the Hanson Institute of the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Sciences (IMVS). The process itself took 15 minutes, with the total time being just over 2 hours. The process has been documented quite extensively on the web and although I lack the medical knowledge/expertise to explain it fully, I will give my personal account of what occurred. The first few steps of this action occurred in late April, wherein I volunteered to be part of this study, through a friend. The first visit to the RAH involved a standard blood test, to ensure that the blood was not infected with Hepatitis etc. Once this test was done, I was given a slot and asked to report to Day Surgery at that time.

Today, as I arrived, I filled in the regular paperwork and was asked to wait until a nurse came and asked questions related to my general health over the past 10 days, after which I was then escorted into Day Surgery and was "prepped". This involved changing into a surgical gown, and having 3-4 vials of my blood taken for further testing as part of the trial. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, I was taken into the Operating Theatre, introduced to the surgeon who once again explained the procedures to me and asked me to sign paperwork saying that I had fully understood the procedures, accept the risks involved and consent to the operation as well as the results being used for the trial. After signing the paperwork, I was asked to lie on my side, marking the start of the procedure. It is after this that my experience wholly depended on what the hospital staff told me as the biopsy took place. First, the surgeon inserted a needle, causing slight pain, and applied local anaesthesia. From my understanding 2-3 vials of anaesthesia were used. After a few minutes, when it became apparent to me and the surgeon that the anaesthesia was working, a larger needle, known as the aspirate needle was then inserted into the same area. This is the needle which is used to "suck out" the bone marrow. The needle goes right into the bone, stopping at the marrow cavity. At this stage, a syringe is attached and the marrow is sucked out. This process of marrow extraction caused a sensation in the legs, accompanied by some pain. This pain however, reduced as repeated samples were taken. Once all samples were taken, the needles were removed, dressing applied and the operation was complete. I was then taken out of the theatre, allowed permission to get changed, and then asked to sit down, to allow my body recognise what happened. After 5-10 minutes of sitting down, the entire process was completed and I was then told that I could continue with my duties for the day.

In terms of pain, the answer is that the procedure IS painful. However, the pain is greatly reduced once the local anaesthetic is applied and the pain during aspiration is also reduced as further samples are taken. Once the local anaesthetic wears off, there is a pain in the hip, akin to the pain felt as part of a bruise in that area. I have been told that this pain shall reduce in 2-3 days. This pain did not preclude me from carrying out my work today and I see it just as a minor inconvenience.

The question then arises on why I would subject myself to this. I have been donating blood for quite some time now and have also been registered on the Australian Bone Marrow Registry, operated by the Red Cross. I have constantly wanted to be a part of the Bone Marrow donation process, as the chances of finding a match are extremely rare (some put it at one in a million). As I have yet to receive a call, the next logical process, in my view was to donate my marrow, so that it would help research into the science of haematology, which is

"the branch of internal medicine, physiology, pathology, clinical laboratory work, and paediatrics that is concerned with the study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases."

Furthermore, the asian sub-continent population is very much under-represented in the bone marrow transplant process. India, for example, does not even have a Bone Marrow Registry. This article talks about the difficulties faced in finding an Indian donor (the website which is supposedly the Indian Bone Marrow Registry does not load). The numbers of both the donors and recipients are rising, but the rates are disproportionately stacked against the donors. Thus, even if any of my readers are able to register with their local hospital to be a bone marrow donor, I feel it would be an amazing step towards building a registry and helping our fellow human beings. Indeed, my main objective in doing the donation today was to give back to humanity for being extremely kind to me. I hope to be called for this once again and if the need arises for donating bone marrow for transplant purposes, I shall not bat an eyelid.

Finally, there was monetary compensation paid. However, that money shall go to charity. I have not earned one penny of that money, for I have not done anything but my human duty. I do not believe in being compensated for doing my duty and thus, that amount shall wholly go to a charitable organisation.

PS: A hat tip to my friend Reanu Gopal, who spoke to me about this and first planted the idea in my head! Thank you Reanu!

Independence Day 2009

Greetings on the occasion of 62 years of Independence for the Republic of India. As you know on the 15th of August, the Prime Minister of India, address the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the enduring legacy of India's fight for freedom. This address, is akin to the State of the Union address of the President of the USA, in which he talks about the state of the country and the challenges it faces. On this Independence Day, as I am yet to recover from my Obama fixation, I am writing what I would say *if* I was the Prime Minister of India. As I say, these are my opinions only and any feedback, in terms of bouqets and brickbats, is more than welcome. So therefore, here we go....

“My fellow Indians,

63 years ago, on this day, the first Prime Minister of independent India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, stood on this very platform and announced that as the world slept, India would awake to life and freedom. In these 63 years, we have surpassed our own expectations in where we stand at this moment, as well as surprising our critics who held no hope of our growth. To this achievement, I congratulate all Indians who have worked so hard, and continue to work as hard as ever to show the world, what an Indian is capable of. I also take this moment to thank on behalf of a grateful nation, the soldiers and paramilitary forces, who stand guard at our borders, no matter how dangerous or how remote, ever ready to give their lives for the Republic. I would also like to make a thankyou to members of the Indian Police Services, who are still standing guard, lest this day of celebration be tempered by unsavoury incidents. Indeed, the nation is grateful for your continuing sacrifices.

Brothers and sisters, our nation stands at a great point in time. This is the last year of the first decade of a new century. A century, which has been described as Asia's century. A century which according to research from all parts of the globe, will belong to India. It is for no reason that we find ourself courted by many major countries from all parts of the globe, so that they may share our impending success. However, we have also seen through the previous years that we are in a very troubled time. The world is going through some upheaval and although the experts say we are on the path to recovery, this path is thorny, dangerous and long. Therefore, to ensure that the prophecy of India Shining is not false, I shall outline today some major initiatives that we shall take in the next few years, to ensure that India, comes out of this crisis stronger than ever before. These initiatives herald a major shift in many of our policies, a sign that in a new world, new rules have to be made. These rules may not be to everyone's liking, and in some of them, the Government has taken very hard decisions, but let me tell you this my brothers and sisters; the easy decisions are seldom right, and the right decisions are seldom easy.

A country, is judged first and foremost by the conduct of its parliament and the strength of its democracy. Indeed some few months ago, 65% of you gave us a mandate to govern. You braved all elements, natural and in some cases man-made, to speak in one voice, that you will control your destiny, and you will decide whither you will go and what shall be your goal. A majority of those elected are hardworking politicians, no, servants of the people. However, a minority, have gotten into power, not on the basis of trusty, but on fear. One third of those elected come from a criminal background. Speaking as the leader of the world's largest democracy, this is a shameful statistic. This will however, be a statistic no more. From tomorrow, I shall convey to the President, to institute a committee on the basis of the report from the Election Commission of India, which shall look into those MPs who have criminal antecedents and make a list of the names of MPs who are embroiled in criminal cases. These MPs, shall be immediately expelled from Parliament, and their seats will be up for a by-election. If these criminal cases are of a serious nature, they shall be disbarred from participating in any type of elections. My fellow Indians, we have had enough of criminals who see politics as a refuge. They must not be allowed to prosper, and with my decision, they will not be allowed to prosper. This committee, shall report back to me in exactly two months, that is on October 15. There will be no deadlines, and the hearings of this committee shall be telecast live on the national network, so all people will see who these MPs are. In our democracy, there will be no place for criminals. This is my promise to you.

Brothers and sisters, for us to function effectively as a government and for this nation to chart its future successfully, our laws need to be effective. This cannot be, when our Penal code is from a Victorian era, an era even before many of the freedom fighters alive today. 63 years after the tricolour was unfurled in this very hallowed ground, we still cling onto a set of laws that predates even the first war of independence. Is this the freedom Mangal Pandey, Rani Laxmibai, Tatya Tope, Mahatma Gandhi, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shubhas Chandra Bose and many others fought for? No, my fellow Indians it is not. Therefore, I am also announcing today another Commission which will radically overhaul the Indian Penal Code, so that we follow rules of the 21st century. This Commission will take into account the existing laws in many other countries and bring about a plan to investigate laws which are no longer relevant to the new India. This Commission will conclude its report within the next two years, so when we celebrate 65 years of Independence, we can do so, by having laws that serve us, not rule us. This is my promise to you

Amidst these changes, I am also announcing a major shift in our thinking. For far too long, we have been basking in political freedom, not the true meaning of freedom. While the changes I have outlined thus far, will enable us to move closer to true freedom, a major change is enshrined in that single document which governs us all as a nation; the Constitution. Based our majority in both houses of Parliament, my Government is laying on the table, an amendment to the Constitution of India, which will no longer place restrictions on the personal freedoms. Each man shall have a right to express himself freely, within the boundaries of the law. The Government of India and the Republic of India shall move away from the business of ruling the people that elects it and move towards ensuring that its citizens are allowed their basic rights, without any caveats. My Government believes that adults, should be able to express themselves as they please, so long as they stay within the confines of the Law of the Land. This is our destiny, and this is my promise to you.

For many of us, 1991-1992 remains a watershed moment in the course of our Nation's rather short life. Faced with our biggest economic crisis, we realised that by trading with others openly and freely do we become truly independent. This culminated in the economic reforms that has led many of the present generation enjoy rapid rises in income and the opportunity of a better life, either in India, or abroad. However, this ia a job that we have left unfinished. For every Indian who capitalises on his or her opportunity and tastes success, there are hundreds and thousands who cannot, not because of their abilities, but because of a system that restricts them and suffocates them. We cannot allow, in the world's largest democracy, such inequality to occur, especially in the form of Government policy. Therefore I am announcing today, that we shall once again begin efforts to liberalize our economy in great earnest. One has to just look towards China, to see what Liberalization has done to them. At the time we gained our Independence, China was ruined by the war. Today, it is an economic superpower of Asia. If China can do it, under a socialist leadership, we most definitely can do with with a democratic leadership. I understand that many of our Left comrades are unhappy at this. While I can understand their fears, I must state that it is quite unfounded. For it is from competition that innovation is born, and it is the free-market economy that is the fastest and most efficient method of lifting people from abject poverty. My Government cannot spend lakhs and crores of rupees providing lifelines to Public Sector Units, when farmers commit suicide, unable to pay their debts. The Government is not in the business of signing blank cheques, brothers and sisters and those who hold leadership positions must take note of that. I want this nation be home to more Tatas, Birlas, Ambanis, Murthis, Premjis and Nilekanis. We have abundant resources, and I want to ensure that every Indian who has a dream, has the opportunity to fulfil it, without being stifled by rules and regulations. This is my promise to you.

I would now like to spend some time on matters related to the defence and the security of the Union. Earlier, in my address, I had talked about the numerous men and women, who guard our borders, who take the shape of soldiers, and policemen. These brave citizens, watch over us while we sleep, braving the harshest of conditions. Sometimes, as we see continuously, they pay the highest sacrifice so that we live to see the sun shining again. We can only remember their valour, now, but we can ensure that the future generation of soldiers have the latest technology at hand to protect us further. Therefore, I am instituting a Blue Ribbon Commission, which will have, our fellow citizens who have made a mark in the wider world as its members. Its task will be to come up with suggestions and recommendations to further improve our forces, militray, paramilitry, police forces and our intelligence forces. This committee will be formed by the end of this year, and from January 1, 2010, will start its work. These recommendations shall be on my table by August 15th 2011 and within three months, the outcomes shall be visible to all. When I, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, thrust a young officer from IMA Dehradun into battle, I want to do so, knowing that my country has given the young soldier, the very best of arms, ammunition, training and blessings. On another note, I shall say this to those who hold high positions in our neighbouring countries. India, as a nation, is peace loving. However, we also have limits. We cannot be expected to sit idly by holding onto the olive branch of peace, when other sides wantonly carry out acts causing maximum injury and death to our citizens in our Land. I strongly ask Governments in other nations to do all they can to stop terrorist activities within India. I was elected on a platform of providing security to all Indians, as directed to me by my guiding force, the Constitution of India, and I say to all those who are listening, I shall carry out this duty using whatever power I have. For those who see this as a warning or a threat, then so be it. We as a nation shall not be subject to a principle of "death by a thousands cuts". My country, our country, will not break apart into pieces. When we gained Independence, we became a symbol of Unity in Diversity, and nothing ever shall change this. This is my promise to you.

Finally, I say this to my fellow countrymen: the steps I have outlined are but small steps in a big journey. These steps, will require blood, sweat and tears. This is a journey that we must make immediately, or risk being forever a "developing nation". My dream, my fellow brothers and sisters, is to ensure that Bharat, is a name that will be forever spoken in glowing terms, and for that to occur, we must rededicate ourselves to our nation now, as a new battle of Independence is going to be fought in the coming years. We are at a cruical juncture in history, where we can learn from our past and apply it to better our future. Such moments, as Pt. Nehru said, "come rarely in history, where a voice, long supressed, finds utterance". Our voice is now slowly finding its true pitch. Let us not stifle it any longer, or we shall run the risk of being declared mute. So please join me, in dedicating our power to make India, the best it can be.

Jai Hind, Jai Hind, Jai Hind!!!!”

Please do leave your feedback.

Some videos to get into the Independence Day mood

Here are some videos to get into the Independence Day mode...JAI HIND :-)!!!

1. Jana Gana Mana


2. Vande Mataram - Flute


3. Vande Mataram - Maa Tujhe Salaam


3a. Vande Mataram - ARR

Vande Mataram - Maa Tujhe Salaam (A.R.Rahman) - Watch more amazing videos here

4. Mile Sur Mera Tumhara - Various Artists


5. Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani


6. Aye Mere Pyaare Watan


7. Rising India anthem


8. Tum Chalo toh Hindustan Chale


9. Lead India - Amitabh Bachchan


10. Rising India - Amitabh Bachchan


... and last but not least ...

11. I am India :-)

Yeh Sydney hai mere yaar

Here's the song "Delhi 6" from the movie "Delhi - 6"

(audio only)




(audio and video, audio quality is average)



And here's my tribute to Sydney :-)

Yeh Sydney hai mere yaar
Bas ishq mohabbat pyaar

BAsti hai mastano ki Sydney
Sydney
Gali hai deewano ki Sydney 2

{rap}


Basti hai mastano ki Sydney
Sydney
Gali hai deewano ki Sydney 2

Bada kas ke gale lagata hai
Dhadkan ki dhoom sunata hai
Iske baye taraf bhi dil hai
Iske daye taraf bhi dil hai
Yeh sehar nahi mehfil hai
Yeh sehar nahi mehfil hai

Yeh Sydney hai mere yaar
Bas ishq mohabbat pyaar

Sydney 2 Sydney
Sydney 2 Sydney


KAbhi pyaar mein gali bhi deta
Kabhi gali mein pyaar bhi hota hai apni

KAbhi pyaar mein gali bhi deta
Kabhi gali mein pyaar bhi hota hai apni
Ankhon ki tara bhi yahan pyaar mein bilkul khota hai

{RAP}

BAsti hai mastano ki Sydney
Sydney
Gali hai deewano ki Sydney 2
{rap}

[Yeh Sydney hai
Yeh Sydney hai
Yeh Sydney hai Mere yaar] * 4

Yeh Sydney hai mere yaar
Bas ishq mohabbat pyaar

Sydney 2 Sydney

Yeh Sydney hai mere yaar
Bas ishq mohabbat pyaar

Sydney 2 Sydney

BAsti hai mastano ki Sydney
Sydney
Gali hai deewano ki Sydney 2

BAsti hai mastano ki Sydney
Sydney
Gali hai deewano ki Sydney 2

Yeh Sydney hai mere yaar
Bas ishq mohabbat pyaar

Yeh Sydney hai mere yaar
Bas ishq mohabbat pyaar

4th of July

On the occasion of the 233rd anniversary of the adoption of the "Declaration of Independence" by the Second Continental Congress of the United States of America, I would like to congratulate my American brethren. The founding fathers of the original thirteen colonies were farsighted and precise against what they were fighting for, and who they were fighting against. Their views, are brought froth quite emphatically in the document, and one can clearly see the imprints of the great Thomas Jefferson, who was the primary author of the declaration.

The document, however "perfect" in its aims and objectives, was delivered by humans for the benefit of humans. It could therefore be argued that while its goal was of perfection, its implementation leaves a trail of imperfections. Indeed, the next great documentation to be born out of the Declaration of Independence, namely the US Constitution, had until 1865, a clause which stated that a slave, was three-fifths of a man. Moreover in a juxtaposition of sorts Thomas Jefferson, an avowed abolitionist, was himself a slave owner. In addition, the original draft listed the commerce of slavery as one of the violations that justify a break from England. The passage was stripped from the final version at the demand of the southern states, who would not vote for independence otherwise.

Some of my most favourite passages are reproduced below:

"...When in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation..."

"...We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness—-That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness..."

I find it particularly interesting that in this declaration, the drafters have inserted a clause which allows, nay commands the people to fight for their rights. I believe the citizens of the United States of America are incredibly powerful in knowing that in theory, they can overthrow their government, should it diverge significantly from these principles, or take a stand that is not synonymous with the concept and idea of democracy.

However, my question still remains: Is the nation, notwithstanding the election of the President of the United States of America, still living upto the ideas of its forefathers?

God bless the United States of America.

An ideal speech

In the next few hours, India will have a new Government. Many parties in this election, seem to be claiming that they are the "change" that Indians want. If this is the case, then how would the leader of one such party speak, should he/she win the election? I have an idea of how this may be and I present it below. You may notice that the speech has been heavily borrowed from Barack Obama's victory speech, and I make no apologies for that because I wanted to reflect Obama's values of "change".

My Fellow Indians,

Today, if someone in our land still doubts that India is a place where anything is possible; or wonders if the spirit of the Father of our nation is still alive or questions the resilience of our democracy, today your doubts have been cleared.

This answer has been told not by me, or by my esteemed opponents, but through lines that stretched around schools, colleges, Mandal Offices, forests and jungles, by people who waited a long time. Many of these people voted for the first times in their lives, because they believed that an elected government must act differently and that they wanted their voice to be that difference.

This is an answer that has been spoken by rich and poor, the young and the old. It is an answer that has been spoken by Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh and non-believers. An answer in unison by “Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maratha”. Today, Indians sent a message, that we are not just a collection of states, but we have been, are and always will be, “people of the Socialist Secular Democratic Republic of India”.

This is the answer that has led those who have been told for so long, by so many to be cynical, fearful and doubtful of what we as Indians, and as humans can achieve to put their hands on the pages of history, and turn it, towards building a better tomorrow.

It has been a long time, but today, because of what we did, in this election, change has come to India.

Over the past few hours, I have received gracious calls from Dr. Manmohan Singhji, and Shri LK Advaniji . All my opponents, have fought long and hard in this campaign, and these two have fought even longer and harder for the country that we all love. I congratulate Dr.Singh and Shri Advani for all they have achieved and I look forward to working with them, and all the other major poticial party, to renew the pledge of this nation in the moths ahead.

I would not be standing here today, without the support of my party, and my family and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. They have all sacrificed a lot and suffice to say, I would not have the courage to be on this pedestal if not for them.

Above all, I shall never forget who this belongs to. It belongs to you, the people of India.

I was never the most likely candidate for the responsibility the Office of the Prime Minister brings. We did not start with much money, or endorsements. This campaign was not hatched in the Lutyen’s Delhi, or the bungalows of the capital. This campaign began in the farms of Vidarbha, in the streets of Hyderabad and the gullies of Mumbai.

This campaign was built by middle-class people, who dug into what little they had to give; 1 rupee, 5 rupees, 10 rupees to this cause. It gained strength from the young people, who rejected this myth of apathy; from those who left their homes and moved to new towns and cities in the search for jobs that offered little pay, and even less sleep; from those who braved the elements to get our message across; from the lakhs of Indians who volunteered, and organised and proved that our government, is one of the people, by the people and for the people still exists after 60 years of Independence. This, is your victory.

I am not naïve to believe that you did this just so that this party could win the election and most certainly you did not do it so that I could be the Prime Minister of India. You have done it because you are fully aware of the situation that stares at us in the face. Even as we sing and dance today in celebration, we must look ahead and realise that the challenges we face tomorrow, are one of the greatest that this young nation of 60 years has faced; a planet in peril, a global financial crisis. Even as we all stand here today, valiant Indians are guarding our borders to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who, after their children sleep, wonder how they will make the repayments for their house, pay the bills of the doctor, or even save enough for decent schools. There is a new energy to be tapped, new jobs to be created, new institutions to build, new threats to be neutralised, new alliances to be built and old ones to be repaired.

This road ahead, will be long, and the climb, will be steep. We may not get there this year, or in one term, however India – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight, we will get there. I promise you – “we the people”, will get there.

There will be false starts and there will be setbacks. There will be many who will not agree with decisions I make as the Prime Minister of India, and we all know that government alone will not solve each and every problem. However, I always will be honest with you on the challenges we as a nation face. I will listen to you, even and especially when you disagree. Most importantly, I will ask you, to join the work of rebuilding this nation, the only way it has been done in the past sixty years of independence, and the previous ninety of the independence struggle, brick by brick, block by block and sweaty palm by sweaty palm.

What began a hundred weeks ago, in the start of the scorching summer, must not be swept away in the monsoonal rains. This victory is not the change we seek – it is only a chance for us to make this change. We have to be the change we want to see in the world, and this victory, is the first signs of that change. This cannot happen if we go back to the old adage of “chaltha hai yaar”. It cannot happen, without your presence and involvement.

Therefore, let us summon a new spirit of national pride; a spirit of service and responsibility, where each ones of us pledges to dig deep and work as hard as ever, and not look only after ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis has taught us anything, then it is that we cannot have growing Dalal Street, if our Rythu bazaars are declining. Within our boundaries, we rise and fall as one nation; as one people.

Today, let us pledge to resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship, pettiness, immaturity and narrow-mindedness that has poisoned our politics for so long, and stunted the growth of this nation. Let us remember that the father of the Constitution, wrote it keeping the values of self-reliance, individual liberty and national unity. These are all values we share, regardless of party affiliations, and while our party has won a great victory today, we must do so, with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. In the spirit of Bapuji, let us demonstrate that we are not enemies, but friends. While our passions may have strained it, the bond of affection cannot break. And to those Indians whose trust I have yet to earn, I may have not won your mandate, but I hear your voices. I need your help and I shall be your Prime Minister too.

To all those watching now, from beyond our shores, from parliaments and castles, to those who are huddled around listening to radios in the corners of our world, our stories are unique, however we share a destiny, and a dawn of a new Indian leadership is at hand. To those who wish to tear this world apart, you shall be defeated. To those who seek peace and stability, we shall support you. And to whose who wonder if the American light burns as bright, tonight we have proved once again, as we did sixty years ago, that the strength of our nation comes not from the strength of our weapons, or the supply of our wealth, but from the enduring power of the ideals our forefathers set before us; liberty, democracy, hope and opportunity.

This is the true strength of America, that India can change. That India will change. This union of States, can be further perfected. What we have achieved today, gives hope for what we can, must and will achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts, and stories that will be told for generations. But a story on my mind is about a lady who cast her ballot here. She is not that different to lakhs of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing, Laxmibai is 100 years old.

She was born just two generations past the first war of independence; a time when neither there cars on the road, or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote, for two simple reasons, skin colour and nationality.

And today, as I think about all she has seen throughout her century in India – the heartache, and the hope; the struggle and the progess; the times that we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that Indian motto: yes we will.

At a time when the voices of Indians were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up, speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we will.

When where was despair, in the rice bowl of the nation, and a depressed psyche across the country, she saw a nation conquer itself with a deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we will.

When bombs fell on our shores, and tyranny threatened us, she was there to witness a generation to rise to greatness. Yes we will.

She was there for the reversal of the Bengal Partition, the arrival of Bapu, movements of non-cooperation, Jalianwala Bagh, Purna Swaraj, Dandi march, Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose. Yes we will.

A tryst was forged with destiny, new nations were carved, a new republic was born, and this world was connected with our own imagination and creativity. She watched, as some years ago, a Muslim president administered the oath of office to a Sikh Prime-minister, belonging to a party led by a Christian, to rule over a Hindu majority, with the ceremony overseen by a Dalit Chief Justice. Yes we can.

India, we have come far. We have seen much. Yet there is more to do. Today, let us ask ourselves, if our children should live to see the next children, if our daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Laxmibai, what change will they see? What change will they want to see? As Pandit Nehru said “Whither do we go and what shall be our endeavour?”

This is our chance to answer these questions. This is our moment. This is our time, to put our people into work and to open the doors of opportunity for our children; to restore prosperity and promote peace; to reclaim the Indian spirit, and to reiterate that fundamental truth – that we are a nation formed by Unity in Diversity and that while we breathe, we hope and where we are met with doubt and sarcasm, and to those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that eternal creed, that sums up the spirit of our people.

Yes we will.

Thankyou. Sare Jahan Se Accha, Hindustaan Hamara. Jai Hind!

All's well that ends well

"Mr. Prasanna, just to remind you that your flight is scheduled to depart at 2350 tonight".

I guess there's no better way of putting the fact that I'm leaving tonight better than the above line, courtesy Singapore Airlines. It is with a tinge of sadness, a sense of duty and a great deal of contentment, that I leave India, after calling it home for the last 4.5 months. In this time, my life truly is a roller coaster, and while I will not say I have enjoyed every minute of it, I have been better for it. There have been high points, there have been low points but all of them have been a learning curve and I treasure each moment.

It would be wrong of me not to thank important people at this juncture, yet there are too many of them to thank individually. However, I like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Kale Balkrishna, Joint Managing Director, Retail Experts Software Pty Ltd for giving me the opportunity to complete my work experience in his company. It was truly a great booster to my studies and I'm sure the lessons I have learnt will be valuable in the future. I would also like to thank all the people in Bangalore, Tirunelveli and Chennai for keeping me company, when I visited these places. Truly some amazing times.

Well what next? For me, it will be back to Adelaide, and joining my career in a few months. After that who knows....

Thank you Hyderabad, and God bless India!!!

To Chennai (once again)!

Well here I am, beginning my last domestic journey in India. Over the past three months, I have not travelled as much as I would like to due to personal problems. However, in the past 3 months, I sincerely believe that I have emerged as a stronger, resilient and braver individual. The circumstances by which this has occurred still go on and hence I do not wish to dwell on them too much. Today is a day I enjoy my love for Indian Railways, and feel proud to procure services from the world’s largest employer.

As I write this, I am currently en-route to Chennai via the 2760 Charminar Express. I had boarded at Hyderabad Station, and fulfilled another little personal milestone, that is to board a train at Hyderabad Railway Station. All I have remaining is to alight at Hyderabad station, before I can claim to have boarded and alighted at all the 3 important stations in Hyderabad, namely Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Kacheguda.

Tomorrow evening I shall board a train from Chennai Egmore to Tirunelveli, the 2nd time I have done so in the past 3 months, and a record which I am not completely proud of. Once again, this is due to an extremely personal issue and I shall blog at length when I feel ready to. Today (18 th March 2009) also marks the fact that I have 16 days left in the Republic of India, before I leave for Australian shores. I shall write about this in detail.

This is a rather short piece, and so I shall take leave.

Before I do, some pictures. The first is of my face, after celebrating my first holi in India in almost 16 years, and the second is indicative of the snacks on offer on the Hyderabad - Chennai route!

Another instalment of my thoughts

It's been over a month since I had last posted my thoughts and so here goes:

Over the past four weeks, my life has been as normal as can be. I attended my internship (which is still fantastic and I'm really proud of what I've accomplished), as well as hung around friends and family. In the mean time, couple of festivals came and went, and one of two national holidays of India, Republic Day was celebrated. The significance of Republic Day is that it was on the 26^th of January 1950, when the Constitution of the Republic of India, beginning with the hallowed words of "We the People…" was unanimously passed by the Constituent Assembly and India was "truly" politically free. I say politically free, because unlike some other countries, India still has a long way to go in providing basic freedoms such as "…life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…" to her citizens. For those who wish to argue are advised to check up this and this. On that note, Amit Varma of India Uncut, adds something ingenious here. However, I am hopeful that eventually India shall claim her rightful place on the world stage.

January also heralds the start of the harvest season in India, and is marked by the festival of Sankranthi / Pongal in the Southern States. Apart from the worship of deities, a social norm is the flying of kites, either for fun or for the objective of "winning" other kites by friendly kite fighting. "Manja" is an abrasive thread used for the purposes of the latter. Manja comes in many varieties, with the least abrasive which can be held by hand, or more abrasive versions which can only held with leather gloves. Below are some pictures of the day and kites:

Your's truly flying the kite, using Manja

Our kite in the distance

Our armoury, at the end of the day

Our kite (closest) and our opponent's kite in the distance

I also did some travelling, although nothing compared to my outings in the last two months of 2008. I visited Chennai to be part of a friend's marriage, and from then I went to Mangalagiri, 20km outside of Vijayawada, which is home to my family deity. The temple is on a hill which consists of 500 steps. The sight of the town from the temple is truly awesome. Finally on return to Hyderabad, I passed Bhongir Fort, which was built during the reign of the Western Chalukya Empire's King Vikramaditya IV. Due to the train passing through the point at high speed, the photos may not be too good, and for that I apologise.

The scenery of India, just outside Vijayawada

More scenery

Our distant relatives!

Bhongir Fort 1

Bhongir Fort 2

More scenery

The customary railways picture

I also had the opportunity to be involved with the functions of ITMS, a body I am associated with. Those who wish to find out more about the body or my involvement in it can email me. Thus, my annual "Republic Day" message was not written. It must also be said that at the time I was also suffering from writer's block.

Finally, the month also provided me with a genuine wake up call, with the hospitalisation of my grandfather due to high blood sugar, and the passing away of one of our close family friends. All in all, a very normal month, with a very sobering end.

Till next time!

A very happy 2009!!

Firstly, I wish all the readers of my blog, a very Happy New Year. I hope that this New Year brings you new dreams and ambitions and I pray that it gives you the strength to carry out these ambitions.

It has been just over a month since I arrived in India and the experience as always has been amazing. This time my experience also includes my work experience as an intern in a company providing retail solutions. I would not like to dwell on the exact nature of my work, nor shall I name the company in which I am interning. I have managed to work in .NET without many hassles and the credit for this goes entirely to my colleagues. They have patiently led me through what appeared to be a minefield at first, tolerating my irritating questions and pointless arguments. Once again, hats off to them for spending their time getting me up to scratch with .NET. My work is greatly challenging, yet I enjoy it as I have the opportunity to see if I can rise to this challenge. It is indeed a pleasure to rock up to work every morning, and at the close of day, I do feel satisfied in what I have accomplished.

Outside of my work, India provides experiences to savour every day. My month started off with attending my 2^nd conference and the first in which I had presented some work. This achievement of mine was completely sidelined when India fell prey to terror once again on 26^th November 2008. That day still remains entrenched in my mind to this day, even though it is 2009. In my opinion, Life is not a perfect filter, where a signal greater than the cut-off frequency does not pass. Although I remember those events vividly, I am determined to move forward, like many of my countrymen, especially those who were in Mumbai on that fateful night.

Post my travel to Mumbai, I had the opportunity to visit the South of India and see places such as Tirunelveli and Tiruchendur. These towns are costal towns. What is surprising about Tiruchendur is that despite having a temple and by extension a large township right on the edge of the shore, it was not affected at all by the Tsunami of 2006, whereas other costal cities and towns such as Cuddalore, Kanyakumari, Nagapattinam etc, were severely affected. Below are pictures showing how close the sea is to the town.

As can be seen there is no distance from the temple town to the beach.

The horizon, right from the edge of the beach

Yours truly

I also had an opportunity to undertake a 15 hour bus journey, courtesy State Express Transport Corporation (SETC), a Public Sector Undertaking by the Government of Tamil Nadu, from Tirunelveli to Tirupati. As I said earlier, India has a lot of experiences. I treasure this experience, yet I would not like to recollect it! Finally, my journey culminated in a train trip from Tirupati to Hyderabad, photos which are visible below.

The scenery on the way to Tirunelveli


Yours Truly

Indian Railways. 150 plus years of bringing people closer

All journeys, regardless of the mode of transportation have been extremely satisfying for the senses, and I am more of a believer in the adage that the "journey is more valuable than the destination". Back in Hyderabad, I have caught up with my cousins and have watched movies on a couple of occasions. Photos shall be posted only after I have their permission. All in all, the past month has been extremely fruitful, and I look forward to what the next month shall bring.

PS: I shall attempt to keep blogging more regularly from now on.