Looking forward to a presentation on J&K that I am making at the House of Commons tomorrow to a select group of British MPs, political representatives, senior members of the Indian community in Britain and representatives of the Kashmiri diaspora in Britain.

Programme details are on this link http://www.box.net/shared/9u7n4n8z46 I shall try and share notes and slides post the talk. Stay tuned.
Related Post: A 5-min video snippet and few slides on J&K and the whole category of posts related to J&K

My guiding principle for the rest of the year (emphasis added):
“A decade into the 21st century, it has never been clearer that not letting yesterday’s institutions..roles, tasks, assumptions and beliefs fail..is a titanic roadblock standing in the way of a more authentic, enduring prosperity.
The future’s not predicted — it’s created. So create it.”

Umair Haque, Director, Havas Media Lab via HBR
Past quotes are here.

Dear All: I am publishing this guest post by Dr Jyotsna Kamat with the express intention of soliciting your support for a young, hard-working, earnest Sanskrit scholar languishing in a small village in Karnataka.  Please read his story (originally published here) below and get in touch with me if you can help in any way. Regardless of whether you can personally help the young man or not, please do share widely with friends and well-wishers of Sanskrit (emphasis added).
*** Sad Story of Study in Sanskrit by Dr Jyotsna Kamat ***
Recently …

Courtesy Acorn,  here is one very good reason why India must support Tibet (emphasis added):
Tibetan is the only language to preserve the entire range of the Buddha’s teachings, including the texts on logic and theories of knowledge (epistemology), which we inherited from India’s Nalanda University. This is a system of knowledge governed by reason and logic that has the potential to contribute to the peace and happiness of all beings. Therefore, the policy of undermining such a culture, instead of protecting and developing it, will in the long run amount …

Dear Friends, Please join me for a Live Chat on 27th March, Sunday at 930pm IST on  “Arunachal, Tibet and China: Are we Sleepwalking towards a Disaster?”

The chat will be on the CoverItLive platofrm. Please note that it will be a text-only chat. This will help a large number of people to join and participate (Voice chats are usually unable to handle more than 15 participants). Please register via the link below.
***
“Arunachal, Tibet and China: Are we Sleepwalking towards a Disaster?”
***
By way of background reading, please have a look at some …

Very brief excerpts from some of the blogs/stories I am reading (and thinking about) this weekend…
Japan earthquake: Emperor Akihito’s exceptional speech

Minutes before Emperor Akihito made his first-ever television address to his people, the Japanese public broadcaster NHK instructed its editors to cut into the speech if important news on the unfolding nuclear crisis broke
Japan earthquake: Emperor Akihito’s exceptional speechMinutes before Emperor Akihito made his first-ever television address to his people, the Japanese public broadcaster NHK instructed its editors to cut into the speech if important news on the unfolding nuclear …

…in which I break my self-imposed rule of not mixing my professional work with this blog.  I have a very good reason.  I am very pleased and excited to now be formally involved in an extraordinary enterprise in India: Vindhya. Vindhya is extraordinary because:
…almost 95% of its staff of 200 youngsters comprises differently-abled and physically challenged youngsters

Read more about them in my post from last year…and wish us luck in our bold plans for the future.

Very hurried post but getting this out since it has been bothering me since morning. First a bit of background (emphasis added)…

The Supreme Court had in January 2006 dismissed Guru’s appeal against the death sentence after which he filed a mercy petition. A convict on death row can seek clemency from the President, who acts on the cabinet’s advice to arrive at a decision. The plea is processed by the home ministry.
Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha on February 23, home minister P Chidambaram had said Guru’s plea had …

…or Changing India – Step V
It has been barely two weeks since I returned home from the 6-cities, 9-days trip. I am already beginning to experience withdrawal symptoms!  I got a good taste of life on adrenaline over this visit, with 25+ meetings, numerous phone calls and a hoarse throat..but I came back refreshed, recharged – and above all, more hopeful than ever before.
Most of you must have seen some of the photographs and a video on facebook (as well as YouTube). I am expecting a few more videos over …

..and why blocking of blogs is not the only thing you should be worrying about.
Most, if not all, of you must have read about the recent case against Rahul Gandhi involving a missing girl that was dismissed last week. What struck me was this last sentence from the report in The Hindu (emphasis added):
On the basis of her deposition, the court imposed a cost of Rs. 50 lakh on the petitioner and, taking suo motu cognisance of an effort to defame a high-profile person, ordered a CBI probe.
Suo-moto cognisance? I …