The advanced Indian conservative society.....

There were sudden happenings in my life which lead me to write this article today. It made me to look back at what we call the advanced, rapidly changing, non-conservationist Indian society. It made me realise again that even in so called radical mind-set big cities we still have same old conservationist mindset. I don't know how to describe my disappointment in my words today. I always took refuge behind my words when ever I felt angry but today it has crossed those limits, broke through all those dams of patience which kept so me this far from writing this. It took me time to gather so much courage or I shall say I waited for it to cross all limits of my patience. 

 

It all started as soon as I started to understand the dynamics of Indian society where you have to take so much care of what others will think about my action and I always asked my elders Why? Why we have take care of what others think? Because I always felt my action is unique to me, its the way I wanted to do a thing why should I worry of others think but I was always made to believe no its not the way our society functions but I ask again who is this society, who are these people? and when I think about it I find its us only and we fear our self only or our own lack of confidence about our actions. I still remember the day I tried to put my way of understanding of our actions, I was told that I am a moron and rather should keep my views to myself and not say them in a social gathering, else I will develop a bad reputation and it was the same day I decided that I will leave this society the day I get chance but where will I go. Its the same people all over the world, same people who fear there own actions and try to hide there reason of inaction behind the society veil. Today when I look, I try to find more people like me who think dare to think differently, who dare to go cross over those society made stupid walls in a hope to build a truly free society where I don't have to care of what other will think of my actions.

I know I went a bit offtrack, a bit to early into the macro picture actually I was trying to think of more words to explain the incident which lead me to this. Let me ask a question, but before that I would request not give an answer just in a sec, I would request you to read my question and try to reason it. Alright I just want to ask how much authority our parents have on our life and its decisions? I agree they have given us everything and they deserve the respect and authority on our decisions to an extent but do they have right to make all the decisions for us? Shouldn't they ask us before taking decisions about our life and its future? Rather from more conservationist point of view, can't they at least discuss and give time to decide on a decision they think which will best for us?

I don't know when I ask so many questions, What I try to achieve by doing so? May be I am being selfish by asking these questions and make you answer what I want to hear? But really do I? I will leave this time with a lot of unanswered questions and hope..............

World is a Circus, run by some but times will change.........

This is continuation of my previous article as I felt writing to much at one time on one topic will make me to much depressed as its horrifying when you realise and see the macro picture of things happening around you.

Few weeks back I was reading a few books on aid to developing countries and along with stories of group's of people opposing that and I realised that how mean world has become, I wondered to what extent can we go for our benefits. Lemme start explaining with small issues and then I will take on bigger one's as I move forward when I unfold my horror( which I realised when I thought a little bit and saw the co-relation in everything instead of a co-incidence)

Lets start with topic of Dams yes Dams not small ones but Big Dams. Have you ever realised that how many new Big/Huge Dams have been recently built in so called developed countries? Ok, lemme tell you None/Zero rather they are dismantling there huge dams but Hey they are funding the construction of same Big Dams in developing nations but why then they are dismantling there's ? Why ?

Sorry, I have been asking to much and explaining very less, so lets start. when I came to know about this fact I decided to do some research. I found that during past few decades it has been proved by statistical analysis that big dams are more harmful than being beneficial. The amount of ecological damage they cause is more than the benefit we reap. but catch is not there. Further research reveals that all these projects in developing countries are funded through world bank and one of these developed nations extend funding under world bank as a loan.

But wait who is giving us loan a developed nation (with interest on so called aid). But did you just realised that all the technology to built a big Dam comes from developed nations, we pay their companies to built it for us, to do survey for us. so in short apart from loan we pay back we also pay more than 70% of loaned amount as equipment expenditure or survey amount to one of these developed countries. I know what I just wrote doesn't make sense in first go but just think over, its a vicious circle of these so called developed countries. Say US gave loan but surveyors are from UK and equipmentis from Japan, next time around loan is from Japan and equipment from US and survey from some other developed, and surprisingly all these surveys approve these projects in initial reports but later when pursued by NGO's and Independent reviewers have always dismissed the findings of initial reports and it has been reported again and again on each of these new Big Dams being built.

Now lemme to swiftly take you through the second issue which I want to mention. The issue of nuclear energy is very similar. You can see all similarities there. I will just ask one question why are these so called developed nations selling nuclear energy why not advanced wind technologies, why not solar, why not tidal, why not ? I won't explain but will let you think.

Finally I think I have gathered courage to say what I want to say. I wrote a line in my last article when I spoke about terror attacks that "it was our self who killed our self". Yes I meant to said something but needed more to explain before I  go to real meaning of that line.

I want to take you just few decades back, just few not very much and ask a question which is a open secret, who created so called jehadis/terrorists? Who trained them in guerilla warfare? Who gave them those sophisticated weapons? But wait I know you have only one answer but no its all of us. Its like we nurtured a snake, gave him milk and now it has grown up and biting us only. But why did we do that in first place? Have you thought about that?

I would say the leaders of developed countries who created and nurtured these terrorists anywhere in world whether it was Afganistan or whether leftist terrorists of south america, Africa. They had an awesome vision because they knew if they don't create these people there countries wont be in demand in future anymore. Its very simple no one will need new weapons, no new security systems, biggest of all where will they do their diplomacy if nothing happens like this. I won't say that these countries haven't suffered, yes they have but who have suffered its common man who has suffered.

Its the same innocent common man who suffers loss every time whether it was bombing on WTC or attack on school in Russia where 300 children were killed or bombings in Madrid or terror attack in Mumbai or London or whether an innocent man whose everything was destroyed in a bombing in pursuit of these terrorists some where in ravines of Afganistan or Iraq or some other nation, in-fact we don't even know how many houses are getting destroyed the very moment I am writing this. But one thing is common to all this it is the stupid innocent common man who suffers every time. 

I know it sounds to intriguing when I write all this but doesn't it seem very unusual to you that why any time anything happens around the world, some way or other these developed nations are linked to it. Isn't it too big for a coincidence to be like this.

I would also say what drove me to finish this essay was few news articles which I read, few new findings which I came through. First with the news I will start, I read "India can still strike in Pakistan: US report", now what does this report mean. they just want to flare up the tensions so that both countries increase their defense spending and become more dependent on these developed nations( at this moment I don't words to express my anger). Now about my new finding, I found recently many countries signed a pact on Ban on use of cluster bombs, but did anyone saw those list of countries lemme tell you it contains Afganistan, Iraq, Chechnya, Chad, leaving apart UK and Germany none of the so called super powers or wana be super power countries sign it. It seems a joke to me and again the same feeling of disappointment.

I will wrap this article now because there is endless number of things to write about, once you realise the macro picture of things happening around you. I will just say World is a circus and run by some nations but time will change, people will rise again and there will be peace and harmony again.

102 minutes which defeated the whole world.............

I wanted to write this article for a long time but then sudden events which happened in India changed so many things for the way I use to think and the way I use to perceive few things.

102 minutes on September 11 2001 changed so many things in world around us but have we ever thought How much it is still making us suffer. After 9/11 attacks we suddenly found that terrorists have gone so bold that they did attacked the mightiest and make it look like minutest. After the attacks world declared a war on terror around the world, we send our armies behind Taliban/Al-Qaida in Afghanistan destroying whatever has been left there after years of conflict. Few more years down the line we attacked Iraq and made it from a developing country to most dangerous place on this earth to live (I won't further say on Iraq as there were many factors which lead to it) .Now we have worldwide financial crisis and a spurt in terror activities. Last month I was working on a technical paper when suddenly I saw some news of financial crisis and also terror attacks somewhere in world. To my utter sup rise I saw a defeat, a lost war against terrorism.

Lemme explain, what these terrorists wanted when they attacked on World Trade Center, they wanted mayhem, crisis all around the world, mistrust and that's what they got. Its like we played to them, we did what they wanted us to ( sometimes I do ask myself that are they really they or is it our self, were they were really they who attacked or it was our self who attacked our self). We attacked Afghanistan and then Iraq we spend more than Billions of dollar on war and now we find our self at credit crunch with no money to even bailout our own economy, no money to even feed our own hungry mouths. Its like we lost the war and we still continuing to fight it, ho pin we will turn in into a victory but we have lost, we may save some face for our self but we lost it.

They only fought for 102 minutes and we are still fighting but they won, they developed so much mistrust that we see every one as suspect. But I would say there is still one hope, its very dim but its still there and its called HUMANITY, we have to rise above religion, color, cast and serve humanity because that is what only will bring the trust back and once we start trusting each other we will rise above defeat this evil of terrorism. I will continue this topic in my next article but as my last line for this article I will say again serve anyone, help anyone because ANYONE is EVERYONE......................

The Pain of being Helpless

It was again the same feeling which pierced through me and I was left again in pain. The pain of being helpless. The pain of unable to understand Why ? Why these innocent people ? Again time after time some few people decide that they want play havoc with lives of people.

Today I was preparing for my Thanks Giving holidays and then suddenly some flashes of news coming and then it just went on and on, it was like a nightmare unfolding and it just went to worst limits I could have ever imagined. I felt helpless when all this was happening, I love my country and is passionate about it. But when these things happen I feel like what can I do ? My homeland, My country is under attack and I am sitting here helpless just hoping and praying that things may get solved. I don't know what to do at this moment. I tried to sleep but again and again same thought comes to my mind , telling me how helpless I am, telling me how human life has lost its value. At this moment I would like to quote a poem again from one of my favorite books May I by Bhupati Das

What did Adam Do

there is a reason for death
there is a reason for life

but what I don't see any where everyday is is same
as the other day where existence just means survival
fighting against dearth of everything

oh god
What did Adam do to deserve such a painful deal........


I would like to beg, plead the people in power to step ahead and cut the roots of terrorism and do away this curse. I know saying must be very easy when I say to do away with this curse but its a high time we pick up the pieces of these puzzles and work towards solving this problem.

God Bless India and those people who have suffered the similar pain of being helpless.

Hope and Pessimisism

We always say pessimism is bad but there is a positive side to it. I am not saying that pessimism is good thing but it is also not a very bad thing rather I will its say only bad. Being a pessimist you always think of worst but if you still have hope left then, you will continue to struggle and move forward but you will be very slow because being a pessimist you always think of worst and prepare for that. so a question comes up, Is it bad to prepare for the worst case scenarios ?

I will say yes and no both. Yes because you have prepared for those so you will have option which you kept for yourself but on the other hand it makes you think to much and you often tend to give too much attention to things which may not deserve.

But an important thing which makes pessimism only bad not very bad is hope. Recently I read few lines of a poet about hope which I would like to quote here from a poem by Bhupati Das:
"I wait for
the tomorrow
that would bring hope and laughter to me

when that tomorrow
turns today
the illusions called hope runs away

I would run after it
stumbling but not falling
someday I would run faster and catch it
the hope "

Here poet is being pessimistic but he is still hopeful, hopeful for a better tomorrow, if tomorrow doesn't comes then with a hope he will successfully achieve his dreams and this hope is what fuels the will to survive and will to thrive.

I hope tomorrow will come with better surprises for me, I hope I will take them on better than how I did today, I hope..............

Self Respect

It just came to my mind today when I was talking to my friend today, Self Respect

What does it really mean, Does it mean to have Ego or Does it mean to have respect of yourself ? Confusing right ?

Let me explain, Self Respect mean to do those actions which respect your true self, if it means being Humble then do it, Its a self respect. If it means to say sorry 100 times because you hurt some then say it, its self respect. Its very simple self respect means to respect your principles, your values not what we generally say. I find a very different meaning of self respect in society around me. If you say sorry to someone many times even though it was your fault they feel you do not have any self respect or your other fellow people think you don't have any self respect just because you are saying sorry so many times, what should I understand of Self Respect. Does it mean I only have Self Respect when I have a boasting Ego. I have Self Respect only when I am not humble. I am self Respecting man when I don't help someone because he didn't when I needed.

What is Self Respect ? I always use to ask this question to myself, but then I found a meaning and decided to stick to it for my life. Self Respect means if at the end of day you can look into your eyes in mirror for all your actions , then yes you have self respect because you did what respects your own very values of life, your own very principles of life.

I don't know how many people will agree with this definition of Self Respect but this definition makes me stick to those human values which have been lost in this materialistic competitive world.

Religion...........

Religion......Its a mere Eight letter word but it holds they key to every other problem of unrest in this world ranging from Palestine to LTTE to Basque to Islamic Radicals across the world to recent Hindu Radicals...

Religion what does religion mean ? what is the purpose of a religion ? As far as I understand all religions teaches us one thing to serve humanity, to serve the needy but are we doing that. We go to church, Temples, Mosque and we do Sunday services or some festive services and we say we serve. But question is whether are we serving Humanity ?

Let me put it this way, we go to our religious places and say we serve but actually we only serve our religious brother and sisters. I would like to ask one question, how many of us has gone to other religion praying places and served people there ? How many of us ?

I remember when I tried to do that i was stopped by our society but why ? Why we question a person when he visits other religious place, see him like a traitor to religion. But does religion teaches that ?

Whenever some act of terrorism happens we blame it on radicals but aren't those radicals just a step further ahead of us, just a step. We are also radical because we don't and go help other religion people, these people just went a step ahead and started killing them and then we say no these radicals are like we are not one of them. I think only way to stop terrorism is equal respect of all religions rather I should there shouldn't be any religion which does not inspire you to serve other religion followers. We have to acknowledge the fact that if we have to defeat this curse of terrorism we have to start by inspiring our fellow religious brother and sisters to come forward and serve other religions. Also I would say that our religious leaders should step forward and take this step for the sake of Humanity , for the sake of our coming Generations.....

I would just say.....SERVE HUMANITY...SERVE ANYONE because ANYONE IS EVERYONE..........

Recent Emergence of hindu Radicals in India

Well before writing this article I thought a lot to whether write it or not but it is an issue very close to my heart so could not stop myself. In past few months there has been sudden upsurge Hindu Radicals and with recent outcomes of Blast probes proved again that any act of terrorism is solely an act of radical thinking be it Hindu or Muslim or any other religion. When I first read the reports of involvement of Hindu radicals in bomb blasts in Malegaon I was not able to believe because it was the last thing which India wanted, as another terrorism front to be taken care off.
After following all those reports I ask a question to myself
Why , Why these people want to take innocent people lives ? What they get out of it ? But even after thinking over it for so long I have never been able to found an answer. sometimes I think that these people are insane but how can a insane mind plan so much ? We blame various intelligence organizations of other countries in world for creating and funding terror groups around the world to cause unrest, But what about these new homegrown breed of terrorists. What is remedy for them ?

I think if government takes a step and try to ban these radical organization it would spell disaster as they will do more propaganda then but on the other hand if government doesn't they will continue to flourish. I think its time that we The People of India should understand that supporting any form of radical politics will bring more harm to country. Till now we were facing terrorists threats mostly from Al-Qaida or its funded groups but now this new thing.

I think I won't be able to stop myself because I am still in a state of surprise after reading the findings and will only request rather beg my fellow Indian please stop this hatred, Why you want to burn a Church , why you want to divide yourself on basis of Language , Why you want to divide again on basis of state..Why ?

Its a question which should be raised Why ? What we will get by this ? Whom we are hating so much ...fellow Indians....just because he is of a different religion , he speaks a different language than yours, he migrated from his homeland to work in your state....Sometimes it sounds ridiculous that these radicals sometimes calls themselves as true nationalists but they are biggest traitors and I would request all Indian politicians to come out together against this new breed of terrorism and crush....before it spreads...

I would only say at end God Bless India................................

The Beautiful Art of Indians to Complete work at last moment

Well this art needs to be mentioned. Indians have this trait of procrastinating and sleeping over time and waking up just before the deadlines and then rush and finish the work but even then work is done according to the standards set initially.

this topic just came when I heard the news of India preparing a bid for 2020 Delhi Olympics. Well most people may be aware that Delhi is holding 2010 Commonwealth Games but suprisingly there has been very less been done on that front. Work on Stadiums have finally started with less than 24 months left now. International airport is still not ready, Hotels to cater so many tourists have now been started.

Well people may wonder that how will all this be completed in so much less time but I will rest be assured everything will be done and will be by international standards. I still read about how Delhi managed Asian Games. People worked 18 hrs/day before the games to complete the work. I still remember recently few years back there was very important cricket test match to be held in city of Kanpur and reports came that 20 days before the stands were incomplete and roofs were missing on a major part of stands as major repairs were on. Surprisingly they finished everything with new concrete roofs and stands were finished on day before the match was to be played and it was played with perfect stadium.

So I will say and also hope that people responsible for Commonwealth games Delhi live up to their reputation of finishing the work on time and delaying them as it will seriously harm the dream bud of 2020 Delhi Olympics.

Vikram

Erin the Savior

Erin, yes Erin Keffler she needs to be mentioned on this blog...

Well she is my international adviser at my university but she has this beautiful skill of saving me every time there is any trouble with my documents( international documents ). I still remember before I came to Stony Brook suddenly my supporting bank demanded letter of demand from university which was very unusual as I had already submitted the fees demands. I mailed her and immediately in few hours she was ready with this new customized document for me. It didn't stop over there, even after coming here I always some or other issue coming up and she always have this customized solutions ready.

Recently she again displayed this excellent skill of customized solutions, as I went to India for my vacation and as usual there was an issue and as usual she was there standing with solution. The biggest thing is that unnaturally she replies so fast to all the emails and with exact solution which you want. I used this word unnaturally because naturally or generally people take time and most of the time replies are incomplete but it has never been like this with her.

I wanted to write this as she has been awesome at her work of helping students and I would say she has always been a savior. this small article is small tribute to her efforts.

All Hail Erin'

Vikram

Soccer rumbling and trumblings

First four weeks of EPL has seen few big surprises with things happening on the last day of transfer window. Manchester city becoming rich and buying every high profile player available, Tottenham at last position after 4 weeks surprisingly after spending more than 70m pounds in transfer window, Newcastle put up on sale again, Stoke City player with unusual long throwing arm and last but the least Man Utd lacking the flow which they are known for.

Arsenal was surprisingly not involved in any big transfer buying but still they have a very balanced team. they may not have the biggest names but they have all the biggest names in the making whether its Aaron Ramsey or 16 yr old Jack wilshire, whether its Theo Walcott or Carlos Vela. These are not any big names right now but for sure they will be huge names once they mature and gain experience at Arsenal. With Man Utd playing a lacklustre game till now it looks a 3 prong race between Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.

Chelsea looks a very balanced team with reliable Terry, Lampard , Ballack in defence and midfield and along with the magician Deco. I call him the magician as he weaves magic and make those goals possible which Barcelona is missing now. Also Liverpool looks very much steady this season with Gerrad and Torres yet to come n flow of EPL they are playing really good with new signings of Riera, Babel and Keane. Keane I think will take some more time before he gets into his groove of scoring goals for which he is known best for.

Well its till very early into the season to predict anything but I hope Arsenal end their 3 yr drought of major trophies by winning EPL and Champions League.

My Indian Vacation

First I apologize to my readers for not updating my blog for a long time as I was on a vacation visiting back home.
Well vacations went as planned and one word which may be less to describe but it was awesome. Nothing much changed in 16 months that I have been away from home just the facts there few more roads which faced the neglect of civic authorities. There were same huge traffic jams every time it rains heavily. But the spoiler was the recent terror strikes in my hometown of New Delhi.

It was bad shock and just 3 days before I had to leave, I have to accept the fact that it affected my morale as my whole family lives in Delhi but luckily everyone was safe in my family but many families lost many. There are 25 confirmed dead by government which is as usual a figure quoted less to keep people's morale better. I was watching news when suddenly flashes came and then one after another they went on people in pools of blood. I still remember those horrible scenes of blast which they showed live on news.

I went shopping on Monday when markets opened again after terror strikes and traveled through places in heart of Delhi where the 2 blasts took place. I could feel the uneasiness and many unanswered questions on faces of people. Everyone asks why ? Who is Responsible ? whether its government agencies which were caught sleeping or terrorists have become so strong that they wreck havoc anywhere they want to and why these innocent people who went for nice evening out on Saturday ?

Even now while writing this article I get memories of those horrible scenes of innocent victims. This all leaves behind a question Why the blood of innocents ? What these terrorists want ? Who are they ?

I hope we will get some answers in coming time. finally I request everyone to pray to god to rest those souls in peace and give courage to the families which suffered.

Vikram Malik

Terror Strikes in India

India and Indians have been going through a trouble some phase right now as in past 3 days there have 25 serial blasts in Banglore and Ahemdabad which has cost many lives. India has been battling terror before many western countries ever knew how does it feel when you are hit again again and you know who is doing it but you just cant do much because of this world politics. well I will not go deper into that but rather I will say its a time when all Indians should present a united face rather than blaming each other and fight this terror. I will not blame goverment even though its responsilibility of goverment to protect its citizens but I will say Indian goverment is much better than other existing democracies in this world as it is of the most accountable goverment whose every action gets scrutinised and approved by its people.
In the end I will say its a hard time as we lost lives its time to be united than to blame each other and take steps to check future stirkes by these terrorists.

Soccer is world best game...Arsenal is best club ever in history

Soccer is world's most famous game for a reason that it the game which brought countries together...well I am a die hard Arsenal fan so you will find lots of update about arsenal...well with my start I will say Soccer is my religion and Arsenal is place where I worship....

If you have to check latest arsenal news you can check out www.arsenal-mania.com or nowadays the updated website is arsenalnews.net