Gan-Speaks

यहान् सब् कुछ् है माँ फिर् भि..

लगॆ बिन् तॆरॆ मुझ्कॊ अकॆला..

Happy Birthday!!

The Inheritence Of Loss

I just read this book which won the Booker prize a couple of years back. The book overall was'nt much to my liking but it is an undeniable fact that the book was beautifully written and for that reason ranks as a great book to read. I loved the characters Sai, Biju, the Cook and the Judge and most of all the Dog 'Mutt' and especially Sai's description of Mutt when she first sees him.

h(O)pe it is..

Last week America made History by electing Barack Obama. It was good to see among many things respect bestowed upon America and its people by the International community after eight years of .. (Im out of words here).

His promises of change were obviously important (hopefully he keeps them) but the most important policy decision for me would be that towards India (No.. I am not referring to outsourcing here). Economic policies would continue to thrive under any administration but I hope he changes the political landscape which has been skewed for so long in favor of Pakistan. India did make its fair share of strategic blunders in the past but I hope all that changes and America adopts a more 'la israeli' kind of policy towards India.

The pro-israel policy did not happen overnight but happened because of the strength of the its diaspora, Lobby and the influence they have on the various walks of American life.

Indian Army Loses Two Majors

“Don't let any militant escape,” these were the last words of Major D Raghuraman as he was airlifted from the gunbattle site in north Kashmir after being hit by a bullet in the chest.
Two army officers died in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday in an encounter after killing nine terrorists. But in their deaths, two deep tragedies have played out in two famlies across two cities.
Major KP Vinay and Major Dinesh Raghuraman, were the two soldiers who did their job - protecting the country. And in Srinagar where the men were bid a heroes' goodbye, the atmosphere was sombre as people gathered to give an emotional farewell to them.
It was great tragedy that hit the lives of the two because one was to get married and the other’s wife was expecting a child.
The last time Maj Vinay spoke to his family was when the told them that he wanted extra cards printed for his wedding, which he wanted to distribute to his friends. He was to return to Hyderabad for his wedding at the end of this month.
However, as the family was getting ready to celebrate his wedding, a phone call from his colleagues in Kashmir on Tuesday turned the celebrations into mourning.
“Ever since he got into the defence forces, we were prepared that his life was now dedicated to the nation,” says KP Vikram, Maj Vinay's brother.
Meanwhile, in Delhi, a flat in Lodhi Colony where Maj Raghuraman lived looked deserted as the family made way to the airport to receive his body.
His young wife hasn't stopped crying ever since she heard of his death. In two months, she is expecting their first child.
And at the airport, even as his son's body was taken away, S Krishnamurthy, Maj Raghuraman’s father, who himself is an army man, looked stoic.
“I am proud of my son as he laid his life down for the country,” says Krishnamurthy.
However, before his emotions failed him, a family yet to reconcile to their loss left the airport.
It will take a long time to come to terms with their personal tragedies for the two families.
But hopefully in the months or years ahead, they will look back with pride at the enormous sacrifice their sons made for the country.

Give Me Strength

This is my prayer to thee, my lord---strike,
strike at the root of penury in my heart.
Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.
Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service.
Give me the strength never to disown the poor
or bend my knees before insolent might.
Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles.
And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love.
-- Rabindranath Tagore