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Articles Archive for June 2010

Development Related, Enviroment Related »

[30 Jun 2010 | 9 Comments | 988 views]
Last night I dreamt of Kalindi…

Last night I dreamt of Kalindi…
Kalindi, daughter of Shri Surya Dev and twin-sister of Yama who descends on this punya bhoomi at Kalind Shikhar, high up in the Garhwal Himalayas.
But this was a sad dream…
It was a dream of parched fields, dry and arid lands with barely a glimpse of Kalindi – the river Yamuna.
This favourite haunt of Bhagwaan Shri Krishna, that nourishes Braj Bhoomi and carries countless sacred stories in its fold, is choking up.

Image Courtesy: Gangajal.org
In some places – like Baghpat in western UP – she has simply …

Personal, Politics and Governance in India »

[28 Jun 2010 | 12 Comments | 300 views]
The Facebook 1000 and “Reclaiming India”

Sometime during the last 48 hours, the || Satyameva Jayate || page on Facebook crossed the 1000+ mark.
This is all the more remarkable considering that the page was started less than 8 months before…and considering that I have not spent a single Rupee in promoting this or advertising the group.
To all my friends, blog readers and Facebook Page Members, as I wrote in a related context few days ago, A BIG Thank You, धन्यवाद, நன்றி, ধন্যবাদ, ધન્યવાદ, ਮੇਹੇਰਬਾਨੀ, ಧನ್ಯವಾದಳು…

Although small, this is a significant milestone in our journey and this …

Jammu & Kashmir related, National Heroes, Pakistan related »

[26 Jun 2010 | One Comment | 1,162 views]
Saluting our Heroes: Nb Subedar Bana Singh, PVC

From the Indian Army website:
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 may be awarded posthumously.
*** Saluting our Heores – Nb Subedar Bana Singh, PVC ***

Nb Subedar Bana Singh, PVC’s story begins at the icy heights of Siachen Glacier. Winding its way through 76 kilometers, Siachen is bounded by high peaks and mountains varying …

British Rule in India, Distortions, Misrepresentation about Hinduism, Distortions, Misrepresentations about India, Women in Hinduism & India »

[24 Jun 2010 | 13 Comments | 567 views]
Correcting “History”: One Step at a Time

A few weeks ago, my attention was drawn to a discussion on Guardian UK’s website regarding  the new British Govt’s policy towards aid. I was prompted to join the debate due to a particular reference to the “Universities” established by the British in India – ahead of any other Asian country (pl see comments at the bottom of the page). While this was true from a narrow perspective of contemporary history, India – as we know – has had an ancient tradition of institutes and “Gurukuls” of higher learning. Below …

Indian Media »

[22 Jun 2010 | 4 Comments | 662 views]
India’s Trust in Media Down by 7% – Good for us!

Courtesy Mukta Lad, some findings from the latest Edelman Trust Barometer (Report) that will cheer all of us who have long given up on MSM (Hat Tip: Dosabandit).
1. This year, India’s trust in the media has gone down by 7%, as compared to last year.
2. Even as trust in mainstream media is declining,  search engines are now the most “trusted” source of information in the digital/online world. Not just that, the credibility of search engines and free content sources (such as blogs) now rivals that of traditional …

Politics and Governance in India »

[19 Jun 2010 | 45 Comments | 2,523 views]
Open Letter to Rahul Gandhi from a “not-so-Aam” Aadmi*

Dear Rahul,
First of all, please accept my warm wishes on your birthday.  Many Happy Returns and may you have many healthy and peaceful years ahead of you.
Today – as you turn 40 – must be a special day for you. I felt it was also an appropriate day to understand your thoughts and get your answers to some questions that have been troubling me for a while.
Like most of our fellow citizens, I have been watching your trajectory over the past few years with interest. I remember the sense of …