I live my life in a state of constant duality. Between fervent ambition and numbing nihilism. Between professionalism and ideology. Between Mumbai and Chennai. Call me fickle, call me confused. But being in limbo doesn’t paralyse me. My duality drives me to seek answers and explore sides of me that a well-adjusted me might never chance upon.
All dualities aren’t constant though. Take for instance the oscillating pendulum between my blind faith in God and my strongly atheistic pragmatism. Spoiler alert: I chose the latter. The journey though, is a long story and every story has at least two sides to it. Both versions in this case are mine.
The focus on ending open defecation and ensuring a toilet in every home is a limited one. Lasting success will require a much larger focus on sanitation.
Among its many areas of focus, the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) promises to provide toilets for all and make the country Open Defecation Free (ODF) by October, 2019; a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, whose 150th birth anniversary, would fall that year. The fervour engendered by this mission is truly commendable, and is revealed in the physical progress in the construction of toilets. Swachh Bharat Mission – Gramin lists an addition of 21 lakh toilets in 2014-15, and 58 lakhs in 2015-16. Swachh Bharat Urban reports 10 lakh sanctioned toilets and 3.5 lakh completed.
The Southern region of India is expected to face high energy deficit this year while the Western and Eastern region will have a surplus of energy generation. INNLIVE explains why such regional skew in energy generation and energy consumption exists and what it will take to resolve it.
Southern India is expected to face a severe electricity shortage this year. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) in its latest annual forecast anticipates the energy deficit in the southern electricity grid to be over 11 percent, equivalent to a generation capacity deficit of 4000 MW. For Karnataka and Telangana, the forecasted energy deficit is greater than 16 percent.
The Indian military has so far maintained a dignified distance from the civilian and government affairs. But now there appears to be an increasing proximity between the military and the government. This does not bode well for India.
Normally, it is only at the Republic Day celebrations that one would expect to find India’s three military chiefs (along with troops) at the centre of the national capital’s Rajpath, the main road that witnesses the annual march past. However, when last spotted on the Rajpath the three chiefs were with a brigade worth of troops arrayed behind their prime minister in breaking the world record for the highest number of participants at a Yoga event.
Lack of open communication between parents and school authorities is diminishing trust and respect between them. This in turn has caused many unfortunate incidents that could have been avoided.
When Viraj Kalra – a student of Class 6 in one of Lucknow’s oldest schools, La Martiniere Boys College, (LMBC, established 1845) was slapped hard by a teacher for having longer hair than permitted, his father Amish decided to take on the school, adding to the numbers of parents who are openly and often aggressively challenging school managements.
Even as India and Pakistan wrangled over the nationality of a militant captured after a deadly attack in Udhampur, INNLIVE spoke to a Pakistan-based man who identified himself as the “unfortunate father” of the attacker.
“I’ll be killed. The Lashkar is after us and the fauj is after us,” Mohammad Yakub told in chaste Punjabi when contacted on a phone number disclosed to interrogators by the arrested gunman Mohammad Naved.
“You are calling from India. We’ll be killed. I am the unfortunate father,” said Yakub, who sounded flustered when he answered the call.
Do you often ask, with all the manpower and resources why India is yet to be a developed nation? It is the same question the late former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had asked. Along with 500 experts, he made a blueprint of the road to development. Aside from all the jet-setting and speeches, PM Narendra Modi could take a few pointers from the Missile Man.
Dr Kalam noted 5 areas of importance - agriculture and food processing; Infrastructure electrification; Education and Healthcare; Information and Communication; Technology and Industry.
My domestic help Ruksana has a seven-year-old daughter and a four year-old son. She enrolled them in a private school in the neighbourhood instead of the government primary school. Reason: No proper food, education and facilities.
At the government school she could benefit from the Right to Education (RTE) Act which guarantees eight years of free, quality education to all children aged six to fourteen years. Instead, she shells out nearly Rs 800 a month for fees plus a good chunk on miscellaneous – books, uniforms, school activities, etc.
