Going Republic

It was perhaps the best thing that happened to independent India and perhaps the second best that could have happened.

Anyway, as we look into the future, let the sacrifice of great persons like Mr.Tukaram Ombale, today's Ashok Chakra recipient (posthumous), should be the beacon that gives hope and provides the guiding light for Indians to show courage and perform sacrifice for our motherland. It is the need of the hour to save it from internal and external enemies.

Sports in India

Will you watch a state level sports match ahead of a movie? Even if you start to watch, you will be bored by the quality of play and change the channel in 10 minutes. The media follows the TRP. If it ain’t good, they don’t care.

There are enough State/national level competions going on. We don’t need them more. They don’t seem to be helping us in winning Olympic medals.

In my opinion, what we need are,

• world class facilities. By facilities I mean, infrastructure, resources, people (we need coaches, nutritionists, psychologists, masseuses and all kind of support staff). All A-level. World class. I read that Sushil Kumar was massaged by a wrestling federation executive because they didn’t have any support staff at the Olympics. How sad is that? The next Abhinav Bindra should be able to train in India instead of going to Germany.

After that,

• exposure to international quality. Arrange for more international meets, tours. Overseas players can come only if you have world class facilities. Our players need to see and be able to work on facilities in other countries, understand other players' work ethic, diet regimen and stuff. It comes only through exposure.

Also,

• Identity and groom the special talents.

Once you get the quality up, then more people will watch domestic competitions. Media coverage will follow. Money will pump in. It will all become a self-feeding positive cycle.

After all this happens, we will have top class athletes and there will be some chance of getting a few gold medals regularly starting from 2016. I don’t see them happening anytime soon.

3G...where art thou?

I am waiting for a real 3G network here. I am actually hoping to see it soon. When other asian countries are implementing 4G, we are drumming with tenders here.

Day by day, the hope, to see a quick implementation, fades. With the spectrum row and all, I honestly think it would take more than a year.

We are used to such laziness and stupidity. Kind of how we are waiting for REAL broadband for years now.

How politicians consider ordinary citizens

'But for slain major, not even a dog will visit his house'

This was Kerala CM V.S.Achyuthanandan's remarks after he was asked to leave the house by the Late Major Sandeep Unnikrishnanan's father.

Appalling remarks from a statesman, who is supposedly 85 years old. Not in mind. Politics has truly gone to the dogs.

Arms Control in India

I am rooting for Indian citizens to be able to carry a firearm to protect themselves. Any law abiding citizen should be able to carry a gun for his/her own safety.

This might sound crazy in Indian context but proper arms and anger management training are the need of the hour. Every citizen must be able to protect him/her from these rifle toting maniacs that harmed people of Mumbai.

Here are some quotes from the text I found here.

"Gun control? It's the best thing you can do for crooks and gangsters. I want you to have nothing. If I'm a bad guy, I'm always gonna have a gun. Safety locks? You'll pull the trigger with a lock on, and I'll pull the trigger. We'll see who wins." -- Sammy "The Bull" Gravano, Mafia hit man

"The supposed quietude of a good man allures the ruffian; while on the other hand, arms, like laws, discourage and keep the invader and the plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. The same balance would be preserved were all the world destitute of arms, for all would be alike; but since some will not, others dare not lay them aside...Horrid mischief would ensue were one half the world deprived of the use of them..." -- Thomas Paine, Thoughts on Defensive War in 1775

And from the world's gentlest human being:

"If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun." -- The Dalai Lama, (May 15, 2001, The Seattle Times) speaking at the "Educating Heart Summit" in Portland, Oregon, when asked by a girl how to react when a shooter takes aim at a classmate

Are we waiting?

What is happening over there in Mumbai is equally shameful as it is a tragedy for our great country. It is tragic for all the lives lost and injuries and panic for unsuspecting innocents.

Shame comes coz some whackos with big bagful of assault machine guns, hand grenades, bomb materials and what not could land in the center of Mumbai and go freely and take down two of the most important hotels in the country.

Agree that terrorist attack could happen anywhere but this is not the first time or even the fifteenth time that this has happened. Fidayeen is one of the oldest forms of attacks modern India has known and handled. They why we don't pro-act and always react?

Probably, we, as a result of a false understanding of our culture, have grown to accept mistakes (rectifiable at that) as a result of fate. This attitude frees us from guilt but can sometimes bring great grievance and we would bring ourselves to be happy about it that everything is for good.

Its not just about terrorism but there are so many atrocities around us. We've been constantly advised by parents, friends, well-wishers to not indulge in any unwanted/sensational takes on politics/religion and look after our own affairs. We continue to accept whatever shit that is being thrown on us.

We don't know how to solve our problems. We have grown weak and soft. We feel that changing the world around us is best left for a messiah or a savior, who probably would come riding in a white horse wielding a sword at the end of the universe. Who is going to save us until then?

Not again

"...We will ensure this will not be repeated..."

"...We will answer in the strongest possible terms..."

"...No body will be allowed to escape..."

For how long we are going to hear the same lines again and again from the Premier?

Are we dumb? Are we lambs? Does the rulers have any backbone? Shame!!