Happy Independence Day

After many years, on the eve of this Independence Day, I feel that childhood-sense of pride and passion for the day. Back in those days, I used to buy a small paper flag and hoist it proudly on the roof of my house. That was my salute to the nation.

As world and life unfolded, 15th August became another day. Actually, it became a holiday. India is not going to run away from me, even if Independence Day is not celebrated.

But as all things turn full circle, this time around, that gleaming misty-eyed flag-waving passion seems to be pouring out involuntarily. Happy Independence Day, India. Long live the nation of destiny.

Live Blogging

I always had a wish to do Live Blogging … the sort of Tweeting, you know. I am not such an influential person to warrant one. But it can be fun and needed too, when you have a lot of time to pass.

Yeah, right now I am flying over the Atlantic, about to reach New York in 2 hours or so. The flight from Amsterdam is a lengthy 7-hour one, and hence by no means an easy one. You develop strains, spasms, uneasiness etc just by sitting for this much time. But this time it has been a rather comfortable one. Surprising …because I already have taken a 5-hour flight from Cyprus to Amsterdam, and waited 6 more hours in the Transfer. Also there is no in-seat entertainment. There are more-cramped seats and a very cold interior. The food was great though, in fact the best one that I have eaten till now. It was Asian chicken served with rice, and fantastic salad and pastry.

The girl sitting beside me is right now lying in the lap of her boyfriend. They have been kissing non-stop (almost) since the time they were waiting for the flight at the airport. No embarrassments for them though. Everything works here … On my earlier flight, there was a Dutch couple beside me. They had come to Cyprus for vacation. Less charming than the current one, but they were more involving, as we kept talking about our life, culture, India etc all along our journey.

I started reading two novels: Zahir and The White Tiger. I feel pleasantly surprised that I like Zahir, as it is my second attempt at it after the first one was aborted after a few pages only. The White Tiger is, as publicized, the Slumdog Millionare of the books. Lots of India’s brutal revelation in the first few pages. I hope there are much more diverse things ahead.

What else to write? Most of the people around are sleeping, or better said, trying to sleep, constantly straightening their legs or arms. Some are immersed in their books. One looking askance to see what I am typing so engrossedly. Life in an aircraft is a perfunctory one. Just done to reach its destination.

Well, time to wind up, as I wish to take another small nap. A very average blog today, but it will do. Will try to post as soon as get hold of Internet in my hotel room in New York.

The Right to Education

This may not be as glaring as ‘Raakhi Ka Syamwaar’ thing in media, but a few years later, this 'Right to Education Bill' might be considered the watershed moment of Indian emancipation. My experience of Indianness has been crying for this since long.

My single belief is that of all the sectors, if any sector can be the panacea, it is the Education sector. Education, even literacy, brings us the power to think right, cultivate and build virtues, differentiate between good and bad. It has got nothing to do with the monetizing power it gives to the individual. It gives a soul to our lives. The above is not didactical in its efficacy, as once my friend remarked that despite having good education, people like Hitler, Osama, Madoff etc were/are not necessarily good persons.

Quite right, as we can’t fight fanaticism and extremity. But if ever there is any way to counter these idiosyncrasies, then again it is through good education only. We have a higher probability to achieve goodness in society by providing everyone compulsory education. This brings us to point what constitutes a good education.

People are very much against rote learning. I am not totally averse to it, as sometimes by-hearting things helps us later. But what I consider a fruitful learning is the ability to liken a subject or idea to take it to extremity. If I like Physics, I should be so engrossed with it as to have a belief of finding undiscovered realities of nature. This is the specifics of a subject, but it will also generate a healthy attitude towards life in general, and other subjects, in particular. Such are all the aspects of our life interrelated.

Anyway this is the apotheosis of an education system. Right now if India can just impart even the famous 3 R’s (Reading, Writing and Arithmetic) to all its citizens, it will create a sea-change down the years. India’s spending in Education Sector is way too low, but somehow tough decisions, if warranted on other sectors, need to be made. As an anonymous quote goes, “Give me a fish, and I will eat for a day. Teach me fishing, and I will eat for a lifetime.”