…are condemned to repeat it…Several weeks ago, I chanced upon the NCERT website with links to “History” text-books for middle school students in India. Curiousity led me to download some of the chapters from the text book for students of Class VII. I was angry and sad at what I discovered.
The tales of Rajput valour and their determined resistance against the Mughals find no mention in this History text for students of Class VII (Age 12-14). There is no mention of the three Jauhars of Chittor (or of the more …

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Pl also read: This Diwali, bring some colour into someone’s life…

Dear All: I am travelling once again from today for the next several days in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh. I am especially looking forward to the visit to Odisha – after nearly two decades! I have very fond memories of the state and my time there and I am looking forward and excited to see the changes since then. I hope to have several meetings in both these states on politics, governance and reforms.
In particular, I am really looking forward to the opportunity to speak with members of the Orissa …

Dear All, it my pleasure to publish this guest post by my friend and FTI colleague, Dipinder Sekhon on why businesses would do well to focus on generating profits (ethically) and enhancing shareholder value rather than spending money on charitable causes (emphasis added).
*** Profit is Charity by Dipinder Sekhon ***
Profit – legally and ethically generated – is one of the best measures of social value-add.
Clients buy services and products only when they can extract value from them. Example, if a company sells asoap for Rs 10 (when it costs it …

Just spoke to the brave parents of Captain Saurabh Kalia, Kargil’s first war hero…It was a truly moving and humbling experience..
As many of you would know,
On May 15, Lt Kalia along with five jawans – Sepoys Arjun Ram, Bhanwar Lal Bagaria, Bhika Ram, Moola Ram and Naresh Singh – had gone for a routine patrol of the Bajrang Post in the Kaksar sector when their patrol was captured by the enemy.
They were in their captivity for over twenty-two days and subjected to unprecedented brutal torture as evident from their bodies …

Dear All: Please join me and my fellow panelists for this online discussion tomorrow night at 9pm IST. You can view the discussion and join by clicking the window below…
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After Lokpal, what?
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Dear All: I am reproducing two posts by my friend and FTI colleague Sanjeev below..I would recommend them as essential reading for anyone who is serious about tackling corruption. Do read and share – in particular with members who are active in the India Against Corruption movement. These points (related to cleaning the system) ought to be on the agenda of this movement – if we are serious about removing corruption.
*** Are you serious about removing corruption? by Sanjeev Sabhlok ***
Basically corruption can be attacked in one of two ways:
a) …

…a brazen attempt was underway to further divide India – one bit at a time…Read about this and the “twilight zone where inclusive turns into exclusive“, courtesy, this post from RealityCheck’s blog that is worth further dissemination, discussion and debate..Reproduced verbatim below:
*** Independence day adhoc benefit reminder by Reality Check***
Half page ad seen in major papers on the occasion of Independence Day.
Blogged for the record.

Special benefits platform to prevent free agents.
Some points are not clear in the image (trying to get a better quality picture) :

75+ Lakh scholarships awarded till …

Dear All: I am opening this thread (hurried post) to provide a space for discussing and debating the developments since last 2 days (and in particular, since today morning)…
The clumsy way in which Team Anna’s plans were sought to be derailed appears to have boomeranged on the government. While senior ministers are busy passing the buck, others are asking where is the “chosen one”?  What made me furious was this bit of news – if true, this is shameful and disgusting.  It appears that a citizen’s fundamental right to be …

This Independence Day weekend, do something different.. Narrate the story of at least one of our National Heroes to a young child in your family.
Better still, gift them this book: “Saluting Our Heroes: The Param Virs of Bharat” – and ask them to tell you one of its stories!

Have a restful, safe weekend – wherever you are.. and please spare a thought for the ones who gave their lives, and the ones who constantly put it at risk on our borders – day in, day out..Independence Day or not. I will …