Bihar rejuvenated - Go Nitish

Heartwarming article on Bihar's rejuvenation and rehabilitation

Creators/Innovators of Green India

I wish this Vellore model was recreated in Pune -

Bombs, Bauxite and Bihar

Dear Indians,
Time has come to have a debate. Our core Democratic values are at stake. There is a lot of noise from different quarters. Although some people dislike Arundhati, her voice is far too unique to be ignored at our own peril.

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Top Cop on impending Naxal implosion

So rarely has the cerebral blended with the sinewy; and blend it does with incredible confidence and hopes of well being for a nation torn in its social fabric. Here is a look at what our very own home grown Top Cop has to say about the impending and imploding Naxal crisis -

Devinder Sharma on Democracy Now

Devinder Sharma is one of India's leading Agro experts. He was recently on Democracy Now explaining root causes of Global Food Crisis

As US and Other Wealthy Nations Slash Aid, UN Warns of "Silent Tsunami of Hunger" in Global Food Crisis. Click here for the video

Bhopal still burning, Dow still rising

IFA visit in Gujarat

Charlie Rose and the business of Art and Journalism

Dear Indians,
As a young man growing up in India, I always craved for inspiring leadership; for electrifying oratory; for sound, balanced analysis of a successful entrepreneur. For any society that catapults itself to the zenith of glory, one definite precedent is multitude of heroes. Heroes not only in the army and in political sphere but also impartial journalists, sincere Lawyers and committed doctors. Professionals we meet in daily walk of life. Men we encounter on regular basis. I desired to know more about them. How did they get to the positions of influence? What character traits drove to success? Is there a pattern? Was there a trajectory to be followed to reach the heights of any profession? In this quest, the most essential missing piece was an in-depth character analysis. Heroes in India were either deified or worshiped as though no flaw could ever exist in a bright man. That divineness almost took the shine out of the possibility of drawing any electrifying inspiration. On the other hand, true innovators and veritable creators were unheard of. There very existence was shrouded in mystery. I seldom got a chance to read long profound interview of a interviewer or examination of a scientific mind. None at all. I am sure things are changing as India glows in its new found confidence but I still see a vacuum for inspiration and subsequently an impediment to the path to glory. Here is an example from an American journalist who has tried to scrap the surface and peek a little further into the life of a fellow journalist. I think its a classic; a study in impartial yet sincere analysis of the man himself.


Click here for the piece on Charlie Rose

Taliban in our backyard

Dear Indians,
Let us spread the word to bring awareness about the brewing threat of radical orthodoxy in our own backyard so that while we remain proud of our modernisation, we do not turn a blind eye to those marginalized and suffering from extreme injustice in our very same motherland.

Click here to read

After the death of passive protests

Dear Indians,
We all know we suffer from collective amnesia but I was confident this was different; This terrorist attack had awakened a new kind of India, I thought. While I would pontificate in the fancy sidewalk cafes of Los Angeles on the future of my mother India, I would eagerly await every news article that would detail the horror of that night. That night when my mother lost 3 of her prominent and much respected sons. What may have happened? I wondered? I ran many "What if" scenarios in my tiny computer literate brain. But, no answers. Directionless protests in the immediate aftermath were followed by deafening silence on the details of THAT night. I was fuming. How could we not even blame someone (Top security officials or politicians) or something (Security Apparatus) for the unedeniable horror of THAT night? Some of us are already anointing India as the next super power. I speculated. Do future superpowers only build tall brick buildings or do they also build an accountable system based on thorough analysis? Well, I temporarily slaked my thirst with the first thorough reconstruction of that night by a respectable media house.

Read the news report here

The other Gandhi

Dear Indians,
Writing a character study is always challenged by the need to bring out various layers and contradictions to make a character complete. Almost every article examining a personality falls in the trap of lopsided view if not complete bias or partiality.
Shoma being Shoma does a fine job of bringing out the nuances of a long standing family saga and keeps us enthralled in this article on Varun Gandhi.

Young guns of India

Dear Indians,
Tehelka recently carried a series on young parliamentarians.
I think Mr BJ Panda stands tall among them for the depth and width of his knowledge and his vision for India.

The interview is in depth covering range of issues and Mr Panda suggests dramatic changes without exiting the realm of pragmatism.

Mao in our backyard

Dear Indians,
Naxal movement has gathered so much momentum that government can no longer ignore it as another problem in our backyard. Admitting that past govt oversight may have contributed to this movement moving from the margins to mainstream could be a good start.

Read Ajit Sahi's articles on his visits to the hinterland.
They capture the surreal truth in dark spaces like a tout thriller.

Article 1

Article 2

Article 3

Examining the silent giant

Dear Indians,
Here are couple of articles analyzing Dr Singh's performance. They make a worthy reading for a common man because it provides a sweeping examination of 5 years of governance and serves as a good starting point for the uninitiated to do more research on last 5 years of public policy.

Article by Sandeep Pandey

Article By Aruna Roy

A few good men

Dear Indians,
My habit of drawing parallels between a common American citizen and a common Indian citizen found that more often than not, both were equally silly or mediocre in their understanding of their civic rights and the influence of power on their lives.
Then, I wondered how come America has some of the finest models of governance. Sure, their foreign policy is questionable but their domestic instituitions stand out as paragon of excellence for its citizens. The answer lay in the sentence - A few Good Men. America has been lucky in finding sane and vocal leaders not only at the national and state level but even at the grassroots level; be it in their urban NY neighborhood or be it in the next dusty Arizona small town. India sure has many successful grass roots leaders but not nearly as much as that in America.



Here is an article dedicated to a man who has withstood the test of time by working for the truly needy and those that are isolated and shut off from the idea of shining India.

SRK - Uncut version

Dear Indians,
SRK has been the flavor of the decade and half for people in my age group. I loved him just as much as the youngster/hipster/jester next to me but I never believed what he professed. I always felt he is smarter than his public presentation; brighter than what he reveals. Since I am somewhat associated with cinema world, I knew there is more to him than meets the eye. There is a certain veil that no reporter has opened, certain wall that no journalist has scaled.

And now, finally, here comes an article that reveals the intelligent charismatic man and the reasons he choose to be proverbialLY YEDA BANKE PEDHA KHANA

Right to Education is the closest link to India's future

To, Dear Indians,

If India is to rightfully stake its claim to stardom in the new world order, it definitely needs to wipe the shame of illiteracy and lack of basic health care for highly preventable diseases. How does one do that?

Well, here is an opportunity at our doorstop with this not-so-perfect yet a giant leap of sorts education bill
Nitin Sonawane

Universal power of micro finance

To, Dear Indians,

Dr Yunus and his experiment with micro finance has brought this poverty-eliminating tool at the forefront of our discussion on the big ideas that could change the world.
Like every sport that needs an even playground and impartial referee to succeed, micro finance has to be complemented with platform of governance and job opportunities.

Click here for an interesting article on the challenges and limitations of the power of micro finance.

Guilty without trial

To, Dear Indians,

The state of our state is abysmal and there are tragic stories galore. If our heroes like Gautam Goswami cannot get a fair trial within reasonable time, what shall a common man aspiring to be a hero dream of? Experts from legal fraternity, I am eager to see your suggestions for a solution. Please respond!

Nitin Sonawane

Click here to read the story

While we were cribbing, Dr Ravi Chopra was defying convention

Dear Indians,

Perhaps, our most irritating, banal reaction to a call for public service or nationalist sentiment is - Koi Kuch Nahi Kar Raha Hai - so why should I bell the cat?
Well, while many of us are abandoning our responsibility to our nation ostensibly because no one is doing anything, here is an example of someone who gave up a potentially cushy lifestyle for a worthy cause of our nation. So, I dedicate the following article to all naysayers and non-doers. I pray to God that he be kind enough to awaken you from your unhealthy slumber before you are the only ones left NOT serving the nation.
Nitin Sonawane

Please click here to read about Dr Ravi Chopra

India lacks informed citizenry and is as much to blame as corrupt officials & politicians

To, Dear Indians,

Here is an interesting article on how we are becoming informed citizens judiciously electing candidates on issue of governance but that we are not demanding nearly enough from our elected representatives on the issue of exercise of power. The blame, however, does not fall on the politician himself, but upon us citizens. The battle is not between citizens and politicians but it is between voters of two kinds. One that insists on sound public policy and other that claims rights based on caste or community. Who wins this battle will determine the future of India. When we hear of something as egregious as one leader holding countless ministries, we do not express adequate vocal criticism. This lack of public demand for better governance allows our politicians to bow to the public demands of caste based ministerial appointments.
Nitin Sonawane

Please click here to read the article