On the occassion of Martyr’s Day
Please take a moment to remember the ones who did not come back
And have a look at this series on National Heroes
|| Jai Hind, Jai Bharat ||

Start this weekend with a story on Hyderabad’s links to Islamic terrorism
Next, read Sandhya Jain on the apparent unravelling of Jammu & Kashmir
Then read a retelling of the story of Shantanu by Jai Joshi
and finally, a personal request from Sanjeev Sabhlok, founder-member, Freedom Team of India.
Excerpts from all the articles below, as always.
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*** Excerpts from How Indian-born Islamic …

Almost exactly two years ago, I wrote a post titled, As the Government sleeps, dark clouds gather on the horizon… In that post, I had carried excerpts from an article by Tarun Vijay that was prompted by continued trespassing and stealth incursions by Chinese into the Ladakh area.
Two years on…and a general election later, nothing seems to have changed.
Inch by inch, the Chinese are encroaching into Indian territory…while the government acts “ignorant” or “supremely confident” depending on the mood of the moment. Sometimes, it simply brushes things under the carpet. …

|| गणतंत्र दिवस की शुभकामनाएं ||
Happy Republic Day !

Image courtesy: http://india.gov.in/spotlight/spotlight.php

On the occassion of India’s 61st Republic Day, please read and share the extraordinary story of Major Hoshiar Singh – a “Param Vir” who displayed exemplary valour and risked his life so that we may live in peace.  Jai Hind, Jai Bharat!
For those who may be reading this series for the first time, the

Param Vir Chakra is awarded for most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self sacrifice, in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea, or in the air. The decoration …

I have only been to Maldives once (more than a decade ago) and from what I remember of that time, it is truly a beautiful place with very friendly people, mild-mannered, polite and welcoming to visitors.
I was therefore dismayed to read a string of articles over the last few months that signalled the increasing radicalisation of the local population, influenced by the Wahhabis, supported by oil money and bolstered by “Adhaalath” – a party that is a member of the current ruling coalition & controls the Ministry of Islamic …

जाड़े की एक सुबह…
सूरज से आँख मिचौली करते हुए पंछी…और सूर्य-किरणों से गर्माहट पाती हुई कुछ तितलियाँ…

उनमे से एक भोली सी, नन्ही सी तितली…
हौले से, चुपके से पास आई…
और पुछा: “इतने उदास क्यूँ हो?“
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“राष्ट्र संकट में है…विनाशकारी शक्तियां बलवान हो रहीं हैं…
इस सुनहरी धुप में मैं आने वाले संकट की चिंता में डूबा हूँ…”
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वह बोली..
“अपने आप को सम्हालो…जब आप नहीं रहोगे तो देश को क्या बचाओगे?
…अपने आप को सम्हालो…सामर्थ्य एकत्रित करो…
लोगों में आशा जगाओ ..उन्हें प्रेरित करो…
एकत्रित करो, संगठित करो…
पर स्वयं ही उदास रहोगे तो …