By M H Ahssan
If the recent Lok Sabha elections are any proof, then no matter how great an advertising agency is and how lavishly the client spends, there is always a sarkaari look to public sector advertising.
Small wonder when the Incredible India campaign was launched, it came as a welcome change from the fuddy-duddy public sector advertising.
The man at the centre of the campaign is Amitabh Kant, who was a joint secretary in the tourism ministry then. He is also the one to have steered the 'God's Own Country' campaign for Kerala for several years.
In his recent book, Branding India -- An Incredible Story, Kant chronicles the story of Incredible India, one of the most awarded and successful destination campaigns worldwide.
Kant begins with the domestic tourism scenario in the backdrop of the 9/11 attacks in the US in 2001. It was a time when tour operators thought there was nothing that could boost consumer demand.
"Global tourism saw a sharp decline... countries like Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia had sharply cut their advertising, promotion and marketing budgets," he writes.
Kant points out that till 2002, India had opened 18 tourism offices abroad, yet none of these gave a clear and singular positioning for India. "One foreign office called it 'Spiritual India', another termed it 'Cultural India', and the third termed it 'Unbelievable India'.
The cliched visuals, the saffron clad sadhus and rope tricks performed amidst crowds..." he laments, "did nothing to reflect the changes India was going through."
That's when a vision statement was drawn out to promote India as a "premier holiday destination for high-yielding tourists".Grey Worldwide and Wieden+Kennedy were roped in as key advertising agencies for the campaign.
Perhaps one of the best chapters in the book is the one where Kant draws from his experience in Kerala and describes the wrong flight of the state's tourism in the 90s, which was punctuated by high volume, low value tourism -- "A solitary ITDC hotel, mass tourist arrivals in the form of garbage collectors from Manchester and cobblers from London contributing not more £15 a night."
The tourism ministry then decided to do away with mass tourism and soon products exclusive to Kerala were promoted to the affluent traveller -- the backwaters, ayurveda, kettuvallams (houseboats), the tree house, butterfly holidays, and traditional cuisines became the rallying points.
"How can India's first communist state be called 'God's Own Country'? There was no end to criticism," he writes. The turning point came when after a series of familiarisation tours with tour operators and travel writers, the National Geographic Traveller featured Kerala among 'fifty destinations of a lifetime'.
In subsequent chapters, Kant describes other tourism makeovers -- Ajanta Ellora, Kumbalgarh, Mahabalipuram and Hardwar -- and also throws light on parallel growth stories such as low carrier airlines, enhanced air connectivity, online travel portals and growing macro-economic confidence about India.
Kant admits that branding a destination is a multi-sectoral challenge. "I was dealing with home ministry for visas, state governments for taxi drivers, there were challenges in customs and immigration, tour operators, ASI sites -- all of them have to become your brand ambassadors," the author states. This was the backdrop when a parallel campaign -- 'Atithi Devo Bhava' -- was conceived.
Indeed, the book effectively conveys the importance and greatness of the Incredible India campaign, but it also gives a feeling that the campaign was too dependent on the success of 'God's Own Country'.One may also feel that the book -- designed stylishly by Wieden+Kennedy's V Sunil -- underplays the role of advertising's contribution to the 'Incredible India' campaign.
Lines such as 'An island a day, keeps the doctor away. Vitamin Sea'for Andaman islands; 'Not all Indians are polite, hospitable and vegetarian,' to talk about the Royal Bengal tiger, and 'One day, man will travel at the speed of thought. Pity,' to describe a calm meditative journey through Kerala's backwaters, are indicative of not just the tourism ministry's welcome savviness as a client, but also of a bureaucracy agreeing to promote Brand India in a slick manner.
True, Incredible India is a rare instance of savvy public sector advertising, which dared to poke fun at the country's glorious self.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Andaman. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Andaman. Sort by date Show all posts
Monday, June 08, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Telemedicine in Rural India
By M H Ahssan
In a developing country such as India, there is huge inequality in health-care distribution. Although nearly 75% of Indians live in rural villages, more than 75% of Indian doctors are based in cities. Most of the 620 million rural Indians lack access to basic health care facilities. The Indian government spends just 0.9% of the country's annual gross domestic product on health, and little of this spending reaches remote rural areas. The poor infrastructure of rural health centers makes it impossible to retain doctors in villages, who feel that they become professionally isolated and outdated if stationed in remote areas.
In addition, poor Indian villagers spend most of their out-of-pocket health expenses on travel to the specialty hospitals in the city and for staying in the city along with their escorts. A recent study conducted by the Indian Institute of Public Opinion found that 89% of rural Indian patients have to travel about 8 km to access basic medical treatment, and the rest have to travel even farther.
Can Telemedicine Bridge the Divide?
Telemedicine may turn out to be the cheapest, as well as the fastest, way to bridge the rural–urban health divide. Taking into account India's huge strides in the field of information and communication technology, telemedicine could help to bring specialized healthcare to the remotest corners of the country.
The efficacy of telemedicine has already been shown through the network established by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which has connected 22 super-specialty hospitals with 78 rural and remote hospitals across the country through its geo-stationary satellites. This network has enabled thousands of patients in remote places such as Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Lakshadweep Islands, and tribal areas of the central and northeastern regions of India to gain access to consultations with experts in super-specialty medical institutions. ISRO has also provided connectivity for mobile telemedicine units in villages, particularly in the areas of community health and ophthalmology.
This encouraging early success in reaching patients—together with recent technological advances in India, such as the proliferation of fiber optic cables, the expanding bandwidth, and the licensing of private Internet service providers—has encouraged ISRO to set up an exclusive satellite, called HealthSAT, to bring telemedicine to the poor on a larger scale. The proposed satellite would not only serve remote areas of India but also those in other poor countries in Asia and Africa. In the government of India's current budget, INR102.8 billion has been allocated for health. HealthSAT is expected to cost only about 1% of this budget, that is, between INR600 million to INR1 billion. Each receiving terminal (where patients and rural doctors are present for audiovisual conferences) in the villages is expected to cost only about INR0.5 million. This telemedicine service will save some costs, for example the money that patients would have spent on travel and accommodation.
A telemedicine system in a small health centre consists of a personal computer with customized medical software connected to a few medical diagnostic instruments, such as an ECG or X-ray machine or an X-ray scanner for scanning X-ray photos. Through this computer, digitized versions of patients' medical images and diagnostic details (such as X-ray images and blood test reports) are dispatched to specialist doctors through the satellite-based communication link. The information, in turn, is received at the specialist centre where experienced doctors examine the reports, diagnose, interact with the patients (along with local doctors), and suggest appropriate treatment through video-conferencing. The entire system is relatively user-friendly, and only a short period of training is needed for doctors at super-specialty centres and rural health centres to handle the system. And hospital technicians can take care of the operation and maintenance of the equipment.
M. N. Sathyanarayan, Executive Director of Space Industries Development, and organising secretary of the 2005 International Telemedicine Conference, said: “In the pilot phase of the telemedicine project, ISRO is providing telemedicine equipment as well as making available the required bandwidth on INSAT satellites. The main criteria for funding by ISRO are that the hospitals have to be government-run—state or central—or belong to public sector industries. The hospitals have to provide infrastructure as well as doctors and technicians for operating the system.”
“ISRO also provides the equipment and bandwidth to private specialty hospitals and hospitals run by Trusts, if these hospitals provide free service, including specialty consultation to rural hospitals that have been connected in the telemedicine network of ISRO. These hospitals have to provide follow-up treatment to teleconsulted patients at government rates.”
In its telemedicine initiative, ISRO intends to connect different types of Indian health care centers in a series of phases. L. S. Sathyamurthy, Programme Director of Telemedicine at ISRO said: “There are 650 district hospitals, 3,000 taluk [subdistrict] hospitals, and more than 23,000 primary health centers in the country. We must aim to connect all these in phases—first the district hospital connected to speciality hospitals in major cities, then the taluk-level hospitals, and finally the primary health centers, so that nobody, irrespective of his location, is deprived of lifesaving specialty consultation.” When the network grows, it may even include private hospitals as well as hospitals in Asia and Africa. Although the network will initially be used for teleconsultation and postoperative consultation, in the future it may accommodate even telesurgery and telerobotics.
The Impact So Far
Starting with pilot projects in the year 2001, together with a “proof-of-concept” technology demonstration, ISRO has established the facility in nearly 60 remote hospitals, which have been connected with 20 super-specialty city hospitals. A report presented at the Rajya Sabha (the House of States, or Upper House) of the Parliament of India suggested that the initial results of India's telemedicine initiative are encouraging. The report states that several telemedicine projects in India have been successfully interlinked—for example, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands telemedicine project links the G. B. Pant Hospital at Port Blair with Shri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai, while in Karnataka, Narayana Hrudayalaya is connected to District Hospital, Chamarajnagar and Vivekananda Memorial Hospital, Saragur.
Adding to these early reports of successful linkage, there are also reports that telemedicine has helped to save lives in crowded pilgrimage centres and military outposts connected with mobile telemedicine units. For example, the Amrita Telemedicine Programme reports that on 13 January 2003, the programme's first remote telesurgery procedure was performed. The Amrita Emergency Care Unit at Pampa was able to save the life of a pilgrim by a telesurgical procedure using the local telemedicine facility. The cardiothoracic surgeon guided the procedure remotely, and the pediatric cardiologist at Pampa performed the procedure. Mobile telemedicine units were also rushed to the coasts and islands of India after the 2004 tsunami to provide medical consultation and relief to the affected people.
There are other indications that the telemedicine initiative may have had a positive impact. ISRO's annual report for 2004–2005 states: “More than 25,000 patients have so far been provided with teleconsultation and treatment. An impact study conducted on a thousand patients has revealed that there is a significant cost saving in the system since the patients avoid expenses towards travel, stay, and for treatment at the hospitals in the cities”. Dr. Devi Shetty, a cardiac surgeon and the Chairman of Narayan Hrudayalya, a hospital that has served thousands through telemedicine, said: “We have treated 17,400 patients using telemedicine connectivity in various parts of India, mainly from rural India, and [a] few patients from outside India. We use both satellite as well as ISDN connectivity. Now, with the Indian Space Research Organisation, which is our associate in this project giving us the satellite connection free of cost, we have a [larger] game plan of offering health care to African and other Asian countries.”
The Challenges and Controversies
The telemedicine initiative in India has not been free of challenges and controversies. “There are inevitable difficulties associated with the introduction of new systems and technologies,” according to Sathyamurthy. “There are some who needlessly fear that they will lose their jobs. Although the systems are user-friendly, there are others who are affected by the fear of the unknown in handling computers and other equipment. There is a feeling that the initial investment is high and hence financially not viable.” In addition, there may be technical hitches, such as low bandwidth and lack of interoperability standards for software.
Discussing HealthSAT, Dr. D. Lavanian, an Indian expert in telemedicine affiliated with the Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, India, said: “[HealthSAT] is excellent, but some questions remain. Presently HealthSAT connectivity is expected to be given free of charge to certain government entities. This is unsatisfactory as a large percentage of health care in India is by private entities.” Dr. Lavanian added: “On my requesting to ISRO to open up the same to the private health industry, of course for a fee, I have not received any positive answer. This means that a large percentage of the population of India will be denied healthcare via telemedicine.”
These difficulties can probably be surmounted. In the late 1980s, when computers came to India, similar kinds of problems were seen in different parts of the country. That is, people showed technophobia and expressed their fears that computers would cause unemployment and would also be prohibitively expensive. But the country overcame these challenges and fears, and eventually became a superpower in the field of knowledge and information technology.
With the aid of HealthSAT, India's telemedicine initiative has the potential to provide specialized health care to millions of poor Indians. This potential was well summed up by Dr. Devi Shetty: “In terms of disease management, there is [a] 99% possibility that the person who is unwell does not require [an] operation. If you don't operate you don't need to touch the patient. And if you don't need to touch the patient, you don't need to be there. You can be anywhere, since the decision on healthcare management is based on history and interpretation of images and chemistry … so technically speaking, 99% of health-care problems can be managed by the doctors staying at a remote place—linked by telemedicine.”
In a developing country such as India, there is huge inequality in health-care distribution. Although nearly 75% of Indians live in rural villages, more than 75% of Indian doctors are based in cities. Most of the 620 million rural Indians lack access to basic health care facilities. The Indian government spends just 0.9% of the country's annual gross domestic product on health, and little of this spending reaches remote rural areas. The poor infrastructure of rural health centers makes it impossible to retain doctors in villages, who feel that they become professionally isolated and outdated if stationed in remote areas. In addition, poor Indian villagers spend most of their out-of-pocket health expenses on travel to the specialty hospitals in the city and for staying in the city along with their escorts. A recent study conducted by the Indian Institute of Public Opinion found that 89% of rural Indian patients have to travel about 8 km to access basic medical treatment, and the rest have to travel even farther.
Can Telemedicine Bridge the Divide?
Telemedicine may turn out to be the cheapest, as well as the fastest, way to bridge the rural–urban health divide. Taking into account India's huge strides in the field of information and communication technology, telemedicine could help to bring specialized healthcare to the remotest corners of the country.
The efficacy of telemedicine has already been shown through the network established by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which has connected 22 super-specialty hospitals with 78 rural and remote hospitals across the country through its geo-stationary satellites. This network has enabled thousands of patients in remote places such as Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Lakshadweep Islands, and tribal areas of the central and northeastern regions of India to gain access to consultations with experts in super-specialty medical institutions. ISRO has also provided connectivity for mobile telemedicine units in villages, particularly in the areas of community health and ophthalmology.
This encouraging early success in reaching patients—together with recent technological advances in India, such as the proliferation of fiber optic cables, the expanding bandwidth, and the licensing of private Internet service providers—has encouraged ISRO to set up an exclusive satellite, called HealthSAT, to bring telemedicine to the poor on a larger scale. The proposed satellite would not only serve remote areas of India but also those in other poor countries in Asia and Africa. In the government of India's current budget, INR102.8 billion has been allocated for health. HealthSAT is expected to cost only about 1% of this budget, that is, between INR600 million to INR1 billion. Each receiving terminal (where patients and rural doctors are present for audiovisual conferences) in the villages is expected to cost only about INR0.5 million. This telemedicine service will save some costs, for example the money that patients would have spent on travel and accommodation.
A telemedicine system in a small health centre consists of a personal computer with customized medical software connected to a few medical diagnostic instruments, such as an ECG or X-ray machine or an X-ray scanner for scanning X-ray photos. Through this computer, digitized versions of patients' medical images and diagnostic details (such as X-ray images and blood test reports) are dispatched to specialist doctors through the satellite-based communication link. The information, in turn, is received at the specialist centre where experienced doctors examine the reports, diagnose, interact with the patients (along with local doctors), and suggest appropriate treatment through video-conferencing. The entire system is relatively user-friendly, and only a short period of training is needed for doctors at super-specialty centres and rural health centres to handle the system. And hospital technicians can take care of the operation and maintenance of the equipment.
M. N. Sathyanarayan, Executive Director of Space Industries Development, and organising secretary of the 2005 International Telemedicine Conference, said: “In the pilot phase of the telemedicine project, ISRO is providing telemedicine equipment as well as making available the required bandwidth on INSAT satellites. The main criteria for funding by ISRO are that the hospitals have to be government-run—state or central—or belong to public sector industries. The hospitals have to provide infrastructure as well as doctors and technicians for operating the system.”
“ISRO also provides the equipment and bandwidth to private specialty hospitals and hospitals run by Trusts, if these hospitals provide free service, including specialty consultation to rural hospitals that have been connected in the telemedicine network of ISRO. These hospitals have to provide follow-up treatment to teleconsulted patients at government rates.”
In its telemedicine initiative, ISRO intends to connect different types of Indian health care centers in a series of phases. L. S. Sathyamurthy, Programme Director of Telemedicine at ISRO said: “There are 650 district hospitals, 3,000 taluk [subdistrict] hospitals, and more than 23,000 primary health centers in the country. We must aim to connect all these in phases—first the district hospital connected to speciality hospitals in major cities, then the taluk-level hospitals, and finally the primary health centers, so that nobody, irrespective of his location, is deprived of lifesaving specialty consultation.” When the network grows, it may even include private hospitals as well as hospitals in Asia and Africa. Although the network will initially be used for teleconsultation and postoperative consultation, in the future it may accommodate even telesurgery and telerobotics.
The Impact So Far
Starting with pilot projects in the year 2001, together with a “proof-of-concept” technology demonstration, ISRO has established the facility in nearly 60 remote hospitals, which have been connected with 20 super-specialty city hospitals. A report presented at the Rajya Sabha (the House of States, or Upper House) of the Parliament of India suggested that the initial results of India's telemedicine initiative are encouraging. The report states that several telemedicine projects in India have been successfully interlinked—for example, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands telemedicine project links the G. B. Pant Hospital at Port Blair with Shri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai, while in Karnataka, Narayana Hrudayalaya is connected to District Hospital, Chamarajnagar and Vivekananda Memorial Hospital, Saragur.
Adding to these early reports of successful linkage, there are also reports that telemedicine has helped to save lives in crowded pilgrimage centres and military outposts connected with mobile telemedicine units. For example, the Amrita Telemedicine Programme reports that on 13 January 2003, the programme's first remote telesurgery procedure was performed. The Amrita Emergency Care Unit at Pampa was able to save the life of a pilgrim by a telesurgical procedure using the local telemedicine facility. The cardiothoracic surgeon guided the procedure remotely, and the pediatric cardiologist at Pampa performed the procedure. Mobile telemedicine units were also rushed to the coasts and islands of India after the 2004 tsunami to provide medical consultation and relief to the affected people.
There are other indications that the telemedicine initiative may have had a positive impact. ISRO's annual report for 2004–2005 states: “More than 25,000 patients have so far been provided with teleconsultation and treatment. An impact study conducted on a thousand patients has revealed that there is a significant cost saving in the system since the patients avoid expenses towards travel, stay, and for treatment at the hospitals in the cities”. Dr. Devi Shetty, a cardiac surgeon and the Chairman of Narayan Hrudayalya, a hospital that has served thousands through telemedicine, said: “We have treated 17,400 patients using telemedicine connectivity in various parts of India, mainly from rural India, and [a] few patients from outside India. We use both satellite as well as ISDN connectivity. Now, with the Indian Space Research Organisation, which is our associate in this project giving us the satellite connection free of cost, we have a [larger] game plan of offering health care to African and other Asian countries.”
The Challenges and Controversies
The telemedicine initiative in India has not been free of challenges and controversies. “There are inevitable difficulties associated with the introduction of new systems and technologies,” according to Sathyamurthy. “There are some who needlessly fear that they will lose their jobs. Although the systems are user-friendly, there are others who are affected by the fear of the unknown in handling computers and other equipment. There is a feeling that the initial investment is high and hence financially not viable.” In addition, there may be technical hitches, such as low bandwidth and lack of interoperability standards for software.
Discussing HealthSAT, Dr. D. Lavanian, an Indian expert in telemedicine affiliated with the Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, India, said: “[HealthSAT] is excellent, but some questions remain. Presently HealthSAT connectivity is expected to be given free of charge to certain government entities. This is unsatisfactory as a large percentage of health care in India is by private entities.” Dr. Lavanian added: “On my requesting to ISRO to open up the same to the private health industry, of course for a fee, I have not received any positive answer. This means that a large percentage of the population of India will be denied healthcare via telemedicine.”
These difficulties can probably be surmounted. In the late 1980s, when computers came to India, similar kinds of problems were seen in different parts of the country. That is, people showed technophobia and expressed their fears that computers would cause unemployment and would also be prohibitively expensive. But the country overcame these challenges and fears, and eventually became a superpower in the field of knowledge and information technology.
With the aid of HealthSAT, India's telemedicine initiative has the potential to provide specialized health care to millions of poor Indians. This potential was well summed up by Dr. Devi Shetty: “In terms of disease management, there is [a] 99% possibility that the person who is unwell does not require [an] operation. If you don't operate you don't need to touch the patient. And if you don't need to touch the patient, you don't need to be there. You can be anywhere, since the decision on healthcare management is based on history and interpretation of images and chemistry … so technically speaking, 99% of health-care problems can be managed by the doctors staying at a remote place—linked by telemedicine.”
Monday, May 20, 2013
'MAJOR RISK INVOLVED IN HANDLING THE PRISON'
For Vimla Mehra, running one of the world’s largest prison complexes is like managing a big household.
“Women can do it better, because it’s just an application of natural work that we do at home,” Ms. Mehra told INN on a recent afternoon interview.
The 57-year-old divorced mother is the second female director general of Delhi’s Tihar Prison, which has 12,000 inmates — 540 of them women — kept in 10 jails.
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Modi’s India: Justified Hopes, Unjustified Fears
By LIKHAVEER| INNLIVE
A look at Modi’s India through a lens that could do with some balance.
Goh Chok Tong as Prime Minister of Singapore in the mid-1990s was the author of a ‘mild India fever’ that gripped the island-country and led to the first substantial economic engagement between the two countries, even though Lee Kuan Yew was initially sceptical about Goh’s initiative.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
HYDERABAD SIZZLES ON SEASON'S HOTTEST DAY
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Did it seem like you had entered a blast furnace as soon as you stepped out of the house on Saturday? Hail the Hyderabad summer. The mercury shot up to a dizzying 45.2 ° C, the maximum temperature recorded at the Met office, making it the hottest day of the season so far. The temperature was six degrees above normal.
Sadly, there is no respite in sight with the Met department predicting that the sweltering weather will persist over the next week. The maximum temperature on Sunday is likely to hover around 43 ° C, while from Monday onwards it will be around 44 ° . It will be in the same range till Thursday.
Monday, August 05, 2013
Monsoon Session Agenda Of Political Parties Leaked
With the Monsoon Session of the Parliament beginning today, Faking News has exclusive access to the strategies of various political parties through its secret sources.
Let’s take a snapshot of the strategies planned by each political party:
Congress
1. Full meal for Rs. 5 and Rs. 12
2. Is Tunch Maal unparliamentary?
3. How to prevent natural calamities from happening when Rahul Baba is out of country.
Monday, February 16, 2009
War on terror needs a paradigm shift
By Javid Hassan
The ongoing National Campaign for Combating Terrorism (NCCT), which got under way in New Delhi on Feb. 3, will culminate in a seminar, ‘Aashirwad-the journey begins’, on March 6. The event has been marked by speeches, human chain, cultural programmes and calls to draw inspiration from the heroes of Indian history.
A dispassionate analysis of all the rhetorics and theatricals thrown into the anti-terrorism campaign makes it clear that those spearheading the campaign have missed what should have been the main point of the debate on the root cause of terrorism. Before we delve deeper into those aspects, it would be instructive to recap what has been said or done so far in order to realize the need for a paradigm shift.
The campaign got under way on February 3 in New Delhi with a `peace and harmony run'. More than 4,000 students from 78 colleges in Delhi and elsewhere have already registered for the run, which was flagged off by Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental of Delhi University. He observed that under the banner of NCCT, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) will mobilize the youth by holding a series of functions during the month-long campaign.
Besides the peace run, DUSU has lined up various other events as part of the campaign against terrorism: a two-day bilingual theatre festival held on February 9; debating competition scheduled in Delhi on February 19; `Udgosh - Spice of India', a music festival on February 27 and `Aashirwad - the journey begins', a seminar on March 6 at the New Conference Hall.
The next phase of NCCT would involve Loyola College, Chennai, where similar competitions will be held to identify budding talents, who would then be grouped into an NGO dedicated to helping the victims of terror.
The organizers of the anti-terrorism campaign have exhorted the members of NCCT to imbibe human values that underpin responsible citizens. And the only way forward, we are told, is to educate ourselves about our country and its cultural roots underlying the greatness of the Indian nation.
In Karnataka, over 15,000 students from colleges in Dharwad constituted a human chain as part of the campaign against terrorism on Feb.3. The initiative for this came from the department of higher education in Bangalore for launching a State-wide drive aimed at mobilising the youth in the fight against terrorism. The campaign, according to government officials, is deemed necessary in view of the surge in terrorist activities involving students and youths in India in general and Karnataka in particular.
Leaving aside these platitudes, it is instructive to examine the root cause of terrorism on the basis of realities on the ground. In the case of the Nanded bomb blast, for example, the motive, according to accused, Bhanurao Vithalrao Choudhary, was to target a mosque in Aurangabad. He also identified Himanshu who told them they needed to fight Muslim terror by carrying out terror strikes in the country. However, the plan could not materialize, as the bomb that exploded by accident in Nanded was actually meant to destroy the Aurangabad mosque.
Choudhary pointed out that Himanshu was in a revengeful mood due to the fact that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who was responsible for the Gateway of India blast in 2003 which killed many, went away scot-free despite the massacre that he was involved in. Thus, Himanshu believed, it was necessary to target the Muslim population in the country to safeguard the interests of the Hindutva.
Elaborating on the theme, Aleem Faizee, social activist working for the Malegaon blast victims, observed during investigations that the police found a map with details of the Aurangabad mosque. They also came across fake beards and Muslim outfits as part of the grand design to plant bombs and shift the blame on Muslims.
Muslim extremists, too, have been crazed by the same spirit of revenge. This became clear during the statements made by some of the accused arrested in connection with the recent Delhi blasts. The gang leader, Riyaz Bhatkal, said during interrogation that the blasts were meant to avenge the Mecca Masjid blasts which, he believed, involved some Hindu outfits to pin the blame on Muslims.
Here it would not be out of place to cite the example of Andaman Islands, which has a mix of Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Yet, it has never experienced communal violence. The reason is that there are no political parties to fan the flames of ethnic, cultural or religious divide. This proves convincingly that political parties have their own agenda in creating by communal or religious tension by exploiting the youth or some unemployed people.
Other factors responsible for the wave of terrorist attacks in the country stem from the use of high technology, to which techno-savvy youth have access. For instance, US Internet search company Google Inc released recently a software programme that allows users of mobile phones and other wireless devices to automatically share their whereabouts with family and friends. Users in 27 countries can broadcast their location to others constantly, using Google Latitude. The controls also enable users to decide who receives the information or to go offline at any time.
In a blog announcing the launch of the new service, Google believes that with this new technology, it is not only possible to control exactly who gets to see your location, but also decide the location that they see. What is more, friends' whereabouts can be tracked on a Google map, either from a handset or from a personal computer.
However, Google has rendered this state-of-the-art technology inaccessible to terrorists through built-in checks and controls. On the other hand, there is mounting evidence that high-tech terrorists are relying increasingly on SIM cards to cover up their tracks during mobile calls from various destinations.
In one bizarre case involving an airport employee, the police discovered that he had procured 10 SIM cards by placing orders on his company’s letterhead and forging signatures of its executives. The other application of science and technology put the spotlight on Abdul Sattar, a technician who had earlier worked in Saudi Arabia as an air-conditioning timer expert. He used his expertise to set off blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad in July last year
These bomb blasts involving both Hindus and Muslims underline a common message. When people lack a focus in life, are not aware of the do’s and don’ts of successful living, have a weak moral foundation, lack the spirit of research and enquiry in the pursuit of their goal as a student, do not know how to overcome the challenges of life, they dissipate their energy in a wild goose chase. They behave like a stray bullet killing innocent people, destroying houses, causing avoidable damage, and playing havoc with society like a loose cannon.
The youth cannot be insulated from terrorism by issuing high-decibel calls in the name of patriotism or cultural heritage. Illustrious personalities, however great they might be, do not change the mindset of a people anywhere in the field unless the desire for change lingers within oneself. And the only way to bring about that change is to impress on a person the importance of taking care of the present.
This is the message that Socrates delivers to Dan Millman, the university student and gymnast, in the 2006 American movie, “Peaceful Warrior.” Dan, who dreams of becoming a national champion, is diverted from his main goal by his sexual exploits. Socrates, with whom Dan has a chance encounter, advises the latter to concentrate on his goal to the exclusion of other diversions. He also teaches him to focus on his journey in order to reach his destination. These valuable lesson change the course of his life leading him eventually to win the coveted championship award.
Media education can play that role in transforming students from non-entities into entities with a mission to succeed in their goal. Once they have a mission statement in life, they will not have time for eve-teasing or other non-academic pursuits like sending pink chaddies to Ram Sena leader Pramod Mutalik on Valentine Day as they did on Feb.14.
Nor will they fall into the hands of terrorists or indulge in violence, political or criminal activities due to their heightened awareness of crime and punishment. I was absolutely shocked to learn, in a letter to the editor, that some of our youths take the politicians to be their role models! What else can we expect from such a generation other than terrorism, hooliganism, ragging, assaults on teachers, cheating in exams, etc.
To sum up, the only way to wean the Indian youths away from the scourge of terrorism is to inspire them with a mission in life as student. Through media awareness programmes, they can be made to realize that they have no future unless they have a goal and become a shining star to win the attention of those who matter. Once their goal is defined, they will not fall by the wayside and become an unexploded landmine taking innocent lives.
The ongoing National Campaign for Combating Terrorism (NCCT), which got under way in New Delhi on Feb. 3, will culminate in a seminar, ‘Aashirwad-the journey begins’, on March 6. The event has been marked by speeches, human chain, cultural programmes and calls to draw inspiration from the heroes of Indian history.
A dispassionate analysis of all the rhetorics and theatricals thrown into the anti-terrorism campaign makes it clear that those spearheading the campaign have missed what should have been the main point of the debate on the root cause of terrorism. Before we delve deeper into those aspects, it would be instructive to recap what has been said or done so far in order to realize the need for a paradigm shift.
The campaign got under way on February 3 in New Delhi with a `peace and harmony run'. More than 4,000 students from 78 colleges in Delhi and elsewhere have already registered for the run, which was flagged off by Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental of Delhi University. He observed that under the banner of NCCT, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) will mobilize the youth by holding a series of functions during the month-long campaign.
Besides the peace run, DUSU has lined up various other events as part of the campaign against terrorism: a two-day bilingual theatre festival held on February 9; debating competition scheduled in Delhi on February 19; `Udgosh - Spice of India', a music festival on February 27 and `Aashirwad - the journey begins', a seminar on March 6 at the New Conference Hall.
The next phase of NCCT would involve Loyola College, Chennai, where similar competitions will be held to identify budding talents, who would then be grouped into an NGO dedicated to helping the victims of terror.
The organizers of the anti-terrorism campaign have exhorted the members of NCCT to imbibe human values that underpin responsible citizens. And the only way forward, we are told, is to educate ourselves about our country and its cultural roots underlying the greatness of the Indian nation.
In Karnataka, over 15,000 students from colleges in Dharwad constituted a human chain as part of the campaign against terrorism on Feb.3. The initiative for this came from the department of higher education in Bangalore for launching a State-wide drive aimed at mobilising the youth in the fight against terrorism. The campaign, according to government officials, is deemed necessary in view of the surge in terrorist activities involving students and youths in India in general and Karnataka in particular.
Leaving aside these platitudes, it is instructive to examine the root cause of terrorism on the basis of realities on the ground. In the case of the Nanded bomb blast, for example, the motive, according to accused, Bhanurao Vithalrao Choudhary, was to target a mosque in Aurangabad. He also identified Himanshu who told them they needed to fight Muslim terror by carrying out terror strikes in the country. However, the plan could not materialize, as the bomb that exploded by accident in Nanded was actually meant to destroy the Aurangabad mosque.
Choudhary pointed out that Himanshu was in a revengeful mood due to the fact that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who was responsible for the Gateway of India blast in 2003 which killed many, went away scot-free despite the massacre that he was involved in. Thus, Himanshu believed, it was necessary to target the Muslim population in the country to safeguard the interests of the Hindutva.
Elaborating on the theme, Aleem Faizee, social activist working for the Malegaon blast victims, observed during investigations that the police found a map with details of the Aurangabad mosque. They also came across fake beards and Muslim outfits as part of the grand design to plant bombs and shift the blame on Muslims.
Muslim extremists, too, have been crazed by the same spirit of revenge. This became clear during the statements made by some of the accused arrested in connection with the recent Delhi blasts. The gang leader, Riyaz Bhatkal, said during interrogation that the blasts were meant to avenge the Mecca Masjid blasts which, he believed, involved some Hindu outfits to pin the blame on Muslims.
Here it would not be out of place to cite the example of Andaman Islands, which has a mix of Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Yet, it has never experienced communal violence. The reason is that there are no political parties to fan the flames of ethnic, cultural or religious divide. This proves convincingly that political parties have their own agenda in creating by communal or religious tension by exploiting the youth or some unemployed people.
Other factors responsible for the wave of terrorist attacks in the country stem from the use of high technology, to which techno-savvy youth have access. For instance, US Internet search company Google Inc released recently a software programme that allows users of mobile phones and other wireless devices to automatically share their whereabouts with family and friends. Users in 27 countries can broadcast their location to others constantly, using Google Latitude. The controls also enable users to decide who receives the information or to go offline at any time.
In a blog announcing the launch of the new service, Google believes that with this new technology, it is not only possible to control exactly who gets to see your location, but also decide the location that they see. What is more, friends' whereabouts can be tracked on a Google map, either from a handset or from a personal computer.
However, Google has rendered this state-of-the-art technology inaccessible to terrorists through built-in checks and controls. On the other hand, there is mounting evidence that high-tech terrorists are relying increasingly on SIM cards to cover up their tracks during mobile calls from various destinations.
In one bizarre case involving an airport employee, the police discovered that he had procured 10 SIM cards by placing orders on his company’s letterhead and forging signatures of its executives. The other application of science and technology put the spotlight on Abdul Sattar, a technician who had earlier worked in Saudi Arabia as an air-conditioning timer expert. He used his expertise to set off blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad in July last year
These bomb blasts involving both Hindus and Muslims underline a common message. When people lack a focus in life, are not aware of the do’s and don’ts of successful living, have a weak moral foundation, lack the spirit of research and enquiry in the pursuit of their goal as a student, do not know how to overcome the challenges of life, they dissipate their energy in a wild goose chase. They behave like a stray bullet killing innocent people, destroying houses, causing avoidable damage, and playing havoc with society like a loose cannon.
The youth cannot be insulated from terrorism by issuing high-decibel calls in the name of patriotism or cultural heritage. Illustrious personalities, however great they might be, do not change the mindset of a people anywhere in the field unless the desire for change lingers within oneself. And the only way to bring about that change is to impress on a person the importance of taking care of the present.
This is the message that Socrates delivers to Dan Millman, the university student and gymnast, in the 2006 American movie, “Peaceful Warrior.” Dan, who dreams of becoming a national champion, is diverted from his main goal by his sexual exploits. Socrates, with whom Dan has a chance encounter, advises the latter to concentrate on his goal to the exclusion of other diversions. He also teaches him to focus on his journey in order to reach his destination. These valuable lesson change the course of his life leading him eventually to win the coveted championship award.
Media education can play that role in transforming students from non-entities into entities with a mission to succeed in their goal. Once they have a mission statement in life, they will not have time for eve-teasing or other non-academic pursuits like sending pink chaddies to Ram Sena leader Pramod Mutalik on Valentine Day as they did on Feb.14.
Nor will they fall into the hands of terrorists or indulge in violence, political or criminal activities due to their heightened awareness of crime and punishment. I was absolutely shocked to learn, in a letter to the editor, that some of our youths take the politicians to be their role models! What else can we expect from such a generation other than terrorism, hooliganism, ragging, assaults on teachers, cheating in exams, etc.
To sum up, the only way to wean the Indian youths away from the scourge of terrorism is to inspire them with a mission in life as student. Through media awareness programmes, they can be made to realize that they have no future unless they have a goal and become a shining star to win the attention of those who matter. Once their goal is defined, they will not fall by the wayside and become an unexploded landmine taking innocent lives.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Missing Plane: 'Suspicious Objects' Give A 'New Twist'
Chinese naval vessels were heading for the south Indian Ocean off the Australian coast Thursday after a fresh twist was given to the mystery of the missing Malaysian airliner with Australian authorities reporting that suspicious objects were found in the area.
The Chinese navy currently has two fleets engaged in the search missions. They are about 2,300 and 3,100 nautical miles, respectively, from the waters where possible debris of the missing Malaysia Airlines passenger jet was found, Chinese navy spokesman Liang Yang.
Monday, February 16, 2009
War on terror needs a paradigm shift
By Javid Hassan
The ongoing National Campaign for Combating Terrorism (NCCT), which got under way in New Delhi on Feb. 3, will culminate in a seminar, ‘Aashirwad-the journey begins’, on March 6. The event has been marked by speeches, human chain, cultural programmes and calls to draw inspiration from the heroes of Indian history.
A dispassionate analysis of all the rhetorics and theatricals thrown into the anti-terrorism campaign makes it clear that those spearheading the campaign have missed what should have been the main point of the debate on the root cause of terrorism. Before we delve deeper into those aspects, it would be instructive to recap what has been said or done so far in order to realize the need for a paradigm shift.
The campaign got under way on February 3 in New Delhi with a `peace and harmony run'. More than 4,000 students from 78 colleges in Delhi and elsewhere have already registered for the run, which was flagged off by Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental of Delhi University. He observed that under the banner of NCCT, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) will mobilize the youth by holding a series of functions during the month-long campaign.
Besides the peace run, DUSU has lined up various other events as part of the campaign against terrorism: a two-day bilingual theatre festival held on February 9; debating competition scheduled in Delhi on February 19; `Udgosh - Spice of India', a music festival on February 27 and `Aashirwad - the journey begins', a seminar on March 6 at the New Conference Hall.
The next phase of NCCT would involve Loyola College, Chennai, where similar competitions will be held to identify budding talents, who would then be grouped into an NGO dedicated to helping the victims of terror.
The organizers of the anti-terrorism campaign have exhorted the members of NCCT to imbibe human values that underpin responsible citizens. And the only way forward, we are told, is to educate ourselves about our country and its cultural roots underlying the greatness of the Indian nation.
In Karnataka, over 15,000 students from colleges in Dharwad constituted a human chain as part of the campaign against terrorism on Feb.3. The initiative for this came from the department of higher education in Bangalore for launching a State-wide drive aimed at mobilising the youth in the fight against terrorism. The campaign, according to government officials, is deemed necessary in view of the surge in terrorist activities involving students and youths in India in general and Karnataka in particular.
Leaving aside these platitudes, it is instructive to examine the root cause of terrorism on the basis of realities on the ground. In the case of the Nanded bomb blast, for example, the motive, according to accused, Bhanurao Vithalrao Choudhary, was to target a mosque in Aurangabad. He also identified Himanshu who told them they needed to fight Muslim terror by carrying out terror strikes in the country. However, the plan could not materialize, as the bomb that exploded by accident in Nanded was actually meant to destroy the Aurangabad mosque.
Choudhary pointed out that Himanshu was in a revengeful mood due to the fact that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who was responsible for the Gateway of India blast in 2003 which killed many, went away scot-free despite the massacre that he was involved in. Thus, Himanshu believed, it was necessary to target the Muslim population in the country to safeguard the interests of the Hindutva.
Elaborating on the theme, Aleem Faizee, social activist working for the Malegaon blast victims, observed during investigations that the police found a map with details of the Aurangabad mosque. They also came across fake beards and Muslim outfits as part of the grand design to plant bombs and shift the blame on Muslims.
Muslim extremists, too, have been crazed by the same spirit of revenge. This became clear during the statements made by some of the accused arrested in connection with the recent Delhi blasts. The gang leader, Riyaz Bhatkal, said during interrogation that the blasts were meant to avenge the Mecca Masjid blasts which, he believed, involved some Hindu outfits to pin the blame on Muslims.
Here it would not be out of place to cite the example of Andaman Islands, which has a mix of Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Yet, it has never experienced communal violence. The reason is that there are no political parties to fan the flames of ethnic, cultural or religious divide. This proves convincingly that political parties have their own agenda in creating by communal or religious tension by exploiting the youth or some unemployed people.
Other factors responsible for the wave of terrorist attacks in the country stem from the use of high technology, to which techno-savvy youth have access. For instance, US Internet search company Google Inc released recently a software programme that allows users of mobile phones and other wireless devices to automatically share their whereabouts with family and friends. Users in 27 countries can broadcast their location to others constantly, using Google Latitude. The controls also enable users to decide who receives the information or to go offline at any time.
In a blog announcing the launch of the new service, Google believes that with this new technology, it is not only possible to control exactly who gets to see your location, but also decide the location that they see. What is more, friends' whereabouts can be tracked on a Google map, either from a handset or from a personal computer.
However, Google has rendered this state-of-the-art technology inaccessible to terrorists through built-in checks and controls. On the other hand, there is mounting evidence that high-tech terrorists are relying increasingly on SIM cards to cover up their tracks during mobile calls from various destinations.
In one bizarre case involving an airport employee, the police discovered that he had procured 10 SIM cards by placing orders on his company’s letterhead and forging signatures of its executives. The other application of science and technology put the spotlight on Abdul Sattar, a technician who had earlier worked in Saudi Arabia as an air-conditioning timer expert. He used his expertise to set off blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad in July last year
These bomb blasts involving both Hindus and Muslims underline a common message. When people lack a focus in life, are not aware of the do’s and don’ts of successful living, have a weak moral foundation, lack the spirit of research and enquiry in the pursuit of their goal as a student, do not know how to overcome the challenges of life, they dissipate their energy in a wild goose chase. They behave like a stray bullet killing innocent people, destroying houses, causing avoidable damage, and playing havoc with society like a loose cannon.
The youth cannot be insulated from terrorism by issuing high-decibel calls in the name of patriotism or cultural heritage. Illustrious personalities, however great they might be, do not change the mindset of a people anywhere in the field unless the desire for change lingers within oneself. And the only way to bring about that change is to impress on a person the importance of taking care of the present.
This is the message that Socrates delivers to Dan Millman, the university student and gymnast, in the 2006 American movie, “Peaceful Warrior.” Dan, who dreams of becoming a national champion, is diverted from his main goal by his sexual exploits. Socrates, with whom Dan has a chance encounter, advises the latter to concentrate on his goal to the exclusion of other diversions. He also teaches him to focus on his journey in order to reach his destination. These valuable lesson change the course of his life leading him eventually to win the coveted championship award.
Media education can play that role in transforming students from non-entities into entities with a mission to succeed in their goal. Once they have a mission statement in life, they will not have time for eve-teasing or other non-academic pursuits like sending pink chaddies to Ram Sena leader Pramod Mutalik on Valentine Day as they did on Feb.14.
Nor will they fall into the hands of terrorists or indulge in violence, political or criminal activities due to their heightened awareness of crime and punishment. I was absolutely shocked to learn, in a letter to the editor, that some of our youths take the politicians to be their role models! What else can we expect from such a generation other than terrorism, hooliganism, ragging, assaults on teachers, cheating in exams, etc.
To sum up, the only way to wean the Indian youths away from the scourge of terrorism is to inspire them with a mission in life as student. Through media awareness programmes, they can be made to realize that they have no future unless they have a goal and become a shining star to win the attention of those who matter. Once their goal is defined, they will not fall by the wayside and become an unexploded landmine taking innocent lives.
The ongoing National Campaign for Combating Terrorism (NCCT), which got under way in New Delhi on Feb. 3, will culminate in a seminar, ‘Aashirwad-the journey begins’, on March 6. The event has been marked by speeches, human chain, cultural programmes and calls to draw inspiration from the heroes of Indian history.
A dispassionate analysis of all the rhetorics and theatricals thrown into the anti-terrorism campaign makes it clear that those spearheading the campaign have missed what should have been the main point of the debate on the root cause of terrorism. Before we delve deeper into those aspects, it would be instructive to recap what has been said or done so far in order to realize the need for a paradigm shift.
The campaign got under way on February 3 in New Delhi with a `peace and harmony run'. More than 4,000 students from 78 colleges in Delhi and elsewhere have already registered for the run, which was flagged off by Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental of Delhi University. He observed that under the banner of NCCT, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) will mobilize the youth by holding a series of functions during the month-long campaign.
Besides the peace run, DUSU has lined up various other events as part of the campaign against terrorism: a two-day bilingual theatre festival held on February 9; debating competition scheduled in Delhi on February 19; `Udgosh - Spice of India', a music festival on February 27 and `Aashirwad - the journey begins', a seminar on March 6 at the New Conference Hall.
The next phase of NCCT would involve Loyola College, Chennai, where similar competitions will be held to identify budding talents, who would then be grouped into an NGO dedicated to helping the victims of terror.
The organizers of the anti-terrorism campaign have exhorted the members of NCCT to imbibe human values that underpin responsible citizens. And the only way forward, we are told, is to educate ourselves about our country and its cultural roots underlying the greatness of the Indian nation.
In Karnataka, over 15,000 students from colleges in Dharwad constituted a human chain as part of the campaign against terrorism on Feb.3. The initiative for this came from the department of higher education in Bangalore for launching a State-wide drive aimed at mobilising the youth in the fight against terrorism. The campaign, according to government officials, is deemed necessary in view of the surge in terrorist activities involving students and youths in India in general and Karnataka in particular.
Leaving aside these platitudes, it is instructive to examine the root cause of terrorism on the basis of realities on the ground. In the case of the Nanded bomb blast, for example, the motive, according to accused, Bhanurao Vithalrao Choudhary, was to target a mosque in Aurangabad. He also identified Himanshu who told them they needed to fight Muslim terror by carrying out terror strikes in the country. However, the plan could not materialize, as the bomb that exploded by accident in Nanded was actually meant to destroy the Aurangabad mosque.
Choudhary pointed out that Himanshu was in a revengeful mood due to the fact that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who was responsible for the Gateway of India blast in 2003 which killed many, went away scot-free despite the massacre that he was involved in. Thus, Himanshu believed, it was necessary to target the Muslim population in the country to safeguard the interests of the Hindutva.
Elaborating on the theme, Aleem Faizee, social activist working for the Malegaon blast victims, observed during investigations that the police found a map with details of the Aurangabad mosque. They also came across fake beards and Muslim outfits as part of the grand design to plant bombs and shift the blame on Muslims.
Muslim extremists, too, have been crazed by the same spirit of revenge. This became clear during the statements made by some of the accused arrested in connection with the recent Delhi blasts. The gang leader, Riyaz Bhatkal, said during interrogation that the blasts were meant to avenge the Mecca Masjid blasts which, he believed, involved some Hindu outfits to pin the blame on Muslims.
Here it would not be out of place to cite the example of Andaman Islands, which has a mix of Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Yet, it has never experienced communal violence. The reason is that there are no political parties to fan the flames of ethnic, cultural or religious divide. This proves convincingly that political parties have their own agenda in creating by communal or religious tension by exploiting the youth or some unemployed people.
Other factors responsible for the wave of terrorist attacks in the country stem from the use of high technology, to which techno-savvy youth have access. For instance, US Internet search company Google Inc released recently a software programme that allows users of mobile phones and other wireless devices to automatically share their whereabouts with family and friends. Users in 27 countries can broadcast their location to others constantly, using Google Latitude. The controls also enable users to decide who receives the information or to go offline at any time.
In a blog announcing the launch of the new service, Google believes that with this new technology, it is not only possible to control exactly who gets to see your location, but also decide the location that they see. What is more, friends' whereabouts can be tracked on a Google map, either from a handset or from a personal computer.
However, Google has rendered this state-of-the-art technology inaccessible to terrorists through built-in checks and controls. On the other hand, there is mounting evidence that high-tech terrorists are relying increasingly on SIM cards to cover up their tracks during mobile calls from various destinations.
In one bizarre case involving an airport employee, the police discovered that he had procured 10 SIM cards by placing orders on his company’s letterhead and forging signatures of its executives. The other application of science and technology put the spotlight on Abdul Sattar, a technician who had earlier worked in Saudi Arabia as an air-conditioning timer expert. He used his expertise to set off blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad in July last year
These bomb blasts involving both Hindus and Muslims underline a common message. When people lack a focus in life, are not aware of the do’s and don’ts of successful living, have a weak moral foundation, lack the spirit of research and enquiry in the pursuit of their goal as a student, do not know how to overcome the challenges of life, they dissipate their energy in a wild goose chase. They behave like a stray bullet killing innocent people, destroying houses, causing avoidable damage, and playing havoc with society like a loose cannon.
The youth cannot be insulated from terrorism by issuing high-decibel calls in the name of patriotism or cultural heritage. Illustrious personalities, however great they might be, do not change the mindset of a people anywhere in the field unless the desire for change lingers within oneself. And the only way to bring about that change is to impress on a person the importance of taking care of the present.
This is the message that Socrates delivers to Dan Millman, the university student and gymnast, in the 2006 American movie, “Peaceful Warrior.” Dan, who dreams of becoming a national champion, is diverted from his main goal by his sexual exploits. Socrates, with whom Dan has a chance encounter, advises the latter to concentrate on his goal to the exclusion of other diversions. He also teaches him to focus on his journey in order to reach his destination. These valuable lesson change the course of his life leading him eventually to win the coveted championship award.
Media education can play that role in transforming students from non-entities into entities with a mission to succeed in their goal. Once they have a mission statement in life, they will not have time for eve-teasing or other non-academic pursuits like sending pink chaddies to Ram Sena leader Pramod Mutalik on Valentine Day as they did on Feb.14.
Nor will they fall into the hands of terrorists or indulge in violence, political or criminal activities due to their heightened awareness of crime and punishment. I was absolutely shocked to learn, in a letter to the editor, that some of our youths take the politicians to be their role models! What else can we expect from such a generation other than terrorism, hooliganism, ragging, assaults on teachers, cheating in exams, etc.
To sum up, the only way to wean the Indian youths away from the scourge of terrorism is to inspire them with a mission in life as student. Through media awareness programmes, they can be made to realize that they have no future unless they have a goal and become a shining star to win the attention of those who matter. Once their goal is defined, they will not fall by the wayside and become an unexploded landmine taking innocent lives.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Socially Engaged Islam: A View From Kerala
By Nabi Arshad
Unlike much of the rest of India, Islamic organizations in Kerala are heavily involved in various forms social activism, not limiting themselves simply to religious education and preaching or to petitioning the government for sops. This is one of the major reasons for the remarkable social, economic and educational progress that Kerala’s Muslims, who account for around a fourth of the state’s population, have witnessed in recent decades. Among the major Islamic movements in Kerala is the Jamaat-e Islami (JI).
The Kerala JI’s headquarters are located at the Hira Centre, an imposing multi-storey building in the heart of Calicut (Kozhikode), a town which, for centuries, has been a major Muslim centre. Enter the building and the stark contrast with north Indian Muslim organizations—even with the JI’s units in the north—is immediately evident. The building is sparkling clean and well-maintained, and it has separate offices for its different wings, which are a staffed by team of professionally qualified activists (and not just maulanas).
The ‘Dialogue Centre’ is one of the Kerala JI’s major initiatives. Set up six years ago, it aims at promoting inter-community dialogue and understanding. Says Shaikh Muhammad Karakunnu, its Director, ‘In recent years in Kerala, particularly after 9/11, there has been a sudden surge in debates about Islam—mostly negative though—and so we felt it important to reach out to Hindus, Christians and others in the state to address their misunderstandings about our faith.
The Dialogue Centre seeks to do that by publishing literature and by organizing periodic seminars and public conventions, to which we also invite Hindu and Christian religious leaders as well as Marxists. We dialogue in a friendly way, not in the old-fashioned polemical manner, and do not limit ourselves simply to religious issues but also take up matters of common social concern, on which people of different faiths can work together.’
‘Dharma Dhara’ is the Kerala JI’s communications division. So far, it has produced some 50 CDs in Malayalam, mainly about Islam, but also on social issues and struggles for justice for marginalized groups. One of its most recent productions is a digitalized edition in Malayalam of Syed Abul Ala Maududi’s voluminous commentary on the Quran, Tahfim ul-Quran. It has also produced tapes and CDs containing Islamically-inspired feature films, dramas and songs, some by non-Muslim singers and actors, something quite inconceivable in the Urdu-Hindi belt.
Through its ‘Jana Sevanam’ wing the Kerala JI engages in small economic development projects for the poor and assisting people affected by natural calamities. In the wake of the deadly Tsunami which struck coastal India some years ago, it collected and disbursed more than three crore rupees to victims in Kerala and the Andaman Islands. Says T.K.Hussain, the head of the programme, ‘Jana Sevanam runs more than 300 small interest-free lending institutions to help poor families set up small scale industries and for loans for emergencies and for education. Taken together, every year then lend out more than five crore rupees, the money being collected from zakat funds and donations or sadqa.’
Jana Sevanam’s ‘Ideal Relief Wing’ has trained some 500 volunteers, including girls, to help in relief work, and its teams have worked in emergency situations not just in Kerala but in Kashmir, Bihar and Rajasthan as well. Recently, it sponsored the repair of two general wards in the Calicut government hospital. Activists associated with Jana Sevanam run six hospitals in Kerala, including a new three hundred-bed super-speciality medical centre, and also provide subsidized medical treatment, including to poor non-Muslim patients, through the Association of Ideal Medical Services, a network of Muslim and non-Muslim doctors in the state. Across Kerala JI activists run some 150 regular schools, mostly from kindergarten to the twelfth standard and affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, in addition to some 200 part-time madrasas and a dozen or so Arabic Colleges for higher Islamic learning.
Established in 2003, ‘Solidarity’ is an organization led by youth activists of the Kerala JI. It has been involved in generating mass awareness on a range of social issues as well as leading and participating in social movements against anti-people government policies, fascism, imperialism, terrorism and environmental degradation. Says Solidarity’s Public Relations Secretary K.K.Basheer, ‘We now have a membership of some 4000, including some two hundred non-Muslims. Most are teachers, businessmen, doctors, but also fishermen, small farmers and labourers, between the age of 18 and 40. Members provide one per cent of their income to Solidarity’s bait ul-mal (treasury) to meet our expenses.
We work closely with non-Muslim groups in Kerala, particularly leftists, who are concerned about similar social causes. Some of our activists work with Adivasis in Wynad, on issues of empowerment, education and drug de-addiction. Some other activists helped out with the government’s Ambedkar Housing Scheme for Dalits. We’ve constructed some 500 houses for the poor, and plan to build a hundred homes for Adivasis soon.’ Over the years, ‘Solidarity’ has organized mass rallies across Kerala, to which it has invited such noted social activists as Medha Patkar, Arundhati Roy, Sandeep Pandey, Ram Puniyani, Suresh Khairnar, Iftikhar Gilani, Ajit Sahi, Yvonne Ridley, Claude Alvares and Kuldeep Nayyar.
‘Kerala is very different from north India,’ Basheer goes on, with evident pride. ‘People here, including Muslims, are much more socially aware and politically conscious. The contrast with north Indian Muslims is glaring. But the Solidarity experiment in Kerala has definitely had an impact on youth associated with the Jamaat-e Islami, some of who are now trying to get more socially involved as a result, moving beyond issues that are narrowly framed as specifically Islamic or Muslim.’ But this is not a phenomenon limited just to the JI. As Basheer adds, ‘Other Muslim groups in Kerala are also, like the Jamaat, increasingly working on social, economic and educational empowerment, and for communal harmony and against terrorism and fascism. These initiatives in Kerala, which, unfortunately, are hardly known elsewhere in India, can provide a powerful inspiration and example for Muslim activists in the rest of India to learn from.’
Unlike much of the rest of India, Islamic organizations in Kerala are heavily involved in various forms social activism, not limiting themselves simply to religious education and preaching or to petitioning the government for sops. This is one of the major reasons for the remarkable social, economic and educational progress that Kerala’s Muslims, who account for around a fourth of the state’s population, have witnessed in recent decades. Among the major Islamic movements in Kerala is the Jamaat-e Islami (JI).
The Kerala JI’s headquarters are located at the Hira Centre, an imposing multi-storey building in the heart of Calicut (Kozhikode), a town which, for centuries, has been a major Muslim centre. Enter the building and the stark contrast with north Indian Muslim organizations—even with the JI’s units in the north—is immediately evident. The building is sparkling clean and well-maintained, and it has separate offices for its different wings, which are a staffed by team of professionally qualified activists (and not just maulanas).
The ‘Dialogue Centre’ is one of the Kerala JI’s major initiatives. Set up six years ago, it aims at promoting inter-community dialogue and understanding. Says Shaikh Muhammad Karakunnu, its Director, ‘In recent years in Kerala, particularly after 9/11, there has been a sudden surge in debates about Islam—mostly negative though—and so we felt it important to reach out to Hindus, Christians and others in the state to address their misunderstandings about our faith.
The Dialogue Centre seeks to do that by publishing literature and by organizing periodic seminars and public conventions, to which we also invite Hindu and Christian religious leaders as well as Marxists. We dialogue in a friendly way, not in the old-fashioned polemical manner, and do not limit ourselves simply to religious issues but also take up matters of common social concern, on which people of different faiths can work together.’
‘Dharma Dhara’ is the Kerala JI’s communications division. So far, it has produced some 50 CDs in Malayalam, mainly about Islam, but also on social issues and struggles for justice for marginalized groups. One of its most recent productions is a digitalized edition in Malayalam of Syed Abul Ala Maududi’s voluminous commentary on the Quran, Tahfim ul-Quran. It has also produced tapes and CDs containing Islamically-inspired feature films, dramas and songs, some by non-Muslim singers and actors, something quite inconceivable in the Urdu-Hindi belt.
Through its ‘Jana Sevanam’ wing the Kerala JI engages in small economic development projects for the poor and assisting people affected by natural calamities. In the wake of the deadly Tsunami which struck coastal India some years ago, it collected and disbursed more than three crore rupees to victims in Kerala and the Andaman Islands. Says T.K.Hussain, the head of the programme, ‘Jana Sevanam runs more than 300 small interest-free lending institutions to help poor families set up small scale industries and for loans for emergencies and for education. Taken together, every year then lend out more than five crore rupees, the money being collected from zakat funds and donations or sadqa.’
Jana Sevanam’s ‘Ideal Relief Wing’ has trained some 500 volunteers, including girls, to help in relief work, and its teams have worked in emergency situations not just in Kerala but in Kashmir, Bihar and Rajasthan as well. Recently, it sponsored the repair of two general wards in the Calicut government hospital. Activists associated with Jana Sevanam run six hospitals in Kerala, including a new three hundred-bed super-speciality medical centre, and also provide subsidized medical treatment, including to poor non-Muslim patients, through the Association of Ideal Medical Services, a network of Muslim and non-Muslim doctors in the state. Across Kerala JI activists run some 150 regular schools, mostly from kindergarten to the twelfth standard and affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, in addition to some 200 part-time madrasas and a dozen or so Arabic Colleges for higher Islamic learning.
Established in 2003, ‘Solidarity’ is an organization led by youth activists of the Kerala JI. It has been involved in generating mass awareness on a range of social issues as well as leading and participating in social movements against anti-people government policies, fascism, imperialism, terrorism and environmental degradation. Says Solidarity’s Public Relations Secretary K.K.Basheer, ‘We now have a membership of some 4000, including some two hundred non-Muslims. Most are teachers, businessmen, doctors, but also fishermen, small farmers and labourers, between the age of 18 and 40. Members provide one per cent of their income to Solidarity’s bait ul-mal (treasury) to meet our expenses.
We work closely with non-Muslim groups in Kerala, particularly leftists, who are concerned about similar social causes. Some of our activists work with Adivasis in Wynad, on issues of empowerment, education and drug de-addiction. Some other activists helped out with the government’s Ambedkar Housing Scheme for Dalits. We’ve constructed some 500 houses for the poor, and plan to build a hundred homes for Adivasis soon.’ Over the years, ‘Solidarity’ has organized mass rallies across Kerala, to which it has invited such noted social activists as Medha Patkar, Arundhati Roy, Sandeep Pandey, Ram Puniyani, Suresh Khairnar, Iftikhar Gilani, Ajit Sahi, Yvonne Ridley, Claude Alvares and Kuldeep Nayyar.
‘Kerala is very different from north India,’ Basheer goes on, with evident pride. ‘People here, including Muslims, are much more socially aware and politically conscious. The contrast with north Indian Muslims is glaring. But the Solidarity experiment in Kerala has definitely had an impact on youth associated with the Jamaat-e Islami, some of who are now trying to get more socially involved as a result, moving beyond issues that are narrowly framed as specifically Islamic or Muslim.’ But this is not a phenomenon limited just to the JI. As Basheer adds, ‘Other Muslim groups in Kerala are also, like the Jamaat, increasingly working on social, economic and educational empowerment, and for communal harmony and against terrorism and fascism. These initiatives in Kerala, which, unfortunately, are hardly known elsewhere in India, can provide a powerful inspiration and example for Muslim activists in the rest of India to learn from.’
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
A Peep Into Congress Party's 'Brand of Secularism' Policies
RESEARCH ANALYSIS Come elections and the parties sing a familiar tune. They go into an overdrive of pandering to our sense of insecurity about our communities, languages, regional development, ethnic origins and caste statuses.
Since the Indian mainland supports 1/6th of the world’s population with 1/16th of the world’s land, there are bound to be deficiencies and inequity. Add to it, the sense of persecution and a partial picture of biases, and we have the insecurity story complete and attractive.
Monday, June 01, 2009
INDIA TOURISM: Going Beyond Borders
By M H Ahssan
As the overcrowded plains of India wither in the heat of a merciless summer, the nation’s annual season of travel is ready with irresistible temptations. It is not so much stymied by the ongoing global economic slowdown as it is aided and abetted by superb discounts and better value for the same money. “We are at a very unique point in time,” says Rakshit Desai, executive director for travel at Thomas Cook India, in Delhi. “Holidays are cheaper than they were last year and they are cheaper than they will be next year.”
The trends are already clear. While traditional hotspots in Europe (France, Switzerland and the UK) continue to attract significant numbers of Indian tourists, the South-East Asia (Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore) segment heads the charts, thanks to its proximity, affordability and diversity. Anyone wanting a quick getaway can just buy a tour package from a local travel agent and get a visa on arrival at, say, Thailand. “We are promoting Thailand’s excellent value for money under the Amazing Thailand, Amazing Value theme,” says Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, director of Tourism Authority of Thailand, in New Delhi. In 2009, Thailand expects to receive 550,000 visitors from India.
The top picks are culture trails to Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Macau, the fabulous beaches of Pengang and Langkawi in Malaysia and Krabi in Thailand, and the exotic appeal of New Zealand, Scandinavia (Finland, Denmark, Sweden), Ireland and Scotland. On the value-for-money front, Philippines, Hong Kong and Dubai are scoring well. The US is back in the reckoning as a very desirable destination because of the exceptional value the dollar is able to fetch now. Surprisingly, as opposed to the attractions of America’s big cities (New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles), it is Florida’s Miami that has emerged recently as a well-liked hub for tours of the US.
As the overcrowded plains of India wither in the heat of a merciless summer, the nation’s annual season of travel is ready with irresistible temptations. It is not so much stymied by the ongoing global economic slowdown as it is aided and abetted by superb discounts and better value for the same money. “We are at a very unique point in time,” says Rakshit Desai, executive director for travel at Thomas Cook India, in Delhi. “Holidays are cheaper than they were last year and they are cheaper than they will be next year.”
The trends are already clear. While traditional hotspots in Europe (France, Switzerland and the UK) continue to attract significant numbers of Indian tourists, the South-East Asia (Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore) segment heads the charts, thanks to its proximity, affordability and diversity. Anyone wanting a quick getaway can just buy a tour package from a local travel agent and get a visa on arrival at, say, Thailand. “We are promoting Thailand’s excellent value for money under the Amazing Thailand, Amazing Value theme,” says Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, director of Tourism Authority of Thailand, in New Delhi. In 2009, Thailand expects to receive 550,000 visitors from India.
The top picks are culture trails to Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Macau, the fabulous beaches of Pengang and Langkawi in Malaysia and Krabi in Thailand, and the exotic appeal of New Zealand, Scandinavia (Finland, Denmark, Sweden), Ireland and Scotland. On the value-for-money front, Philippines, Hong Kong and Dubai are scoring well. The US is back in the reckoning as a very desirable destination because of the exceptional value the dollar is able to fetch now. Surprisingly, as opposed to the attractions of America’s big cities (New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles), it is Florida’s Miami that has emerged recently as a well-liked hub for tours of the US.
Shore Leave
Beaches would probably win the most laid-back destinations award, if ever there was such a thing. Indians, these days, are bestowing the best beach holidays title on the Key West in the US, the nearby Maldives and Mauritius, and Penang and Langkawi in Malaysia. “They are off-beat destinations and more experience-centred,” says Thottathil of Cox & Kings. For instance, Langkawi showcases some of the prettiest beaches, mangrove tours, island cruises and stunning experiences such as the Pantai Cenang, a walk-through oceanarium with over 5,000 marine and freshwater species.
The really well-heeled, though, favour the Mediterranean, with its trendy hotspots in south of France (Nice, Provence, Toulon, Saint Tropez, Cote d’ Azur), Greece and even the nouveau chic Italian Riviera. Down Under, it’s the Bondi beach outside Sydney and the Surfer’s Paradise on the Gold Coast that are most loved. Honeymooners, on the other hand, favour places such as Tasmania.
“Indian tourists have graduated from sight-seeing and shopping to more novel experiences such as snorkelling, self-driving and adventure sports,” says Jain of Tourism Australia.
In Thailand, since many Indians have already been to Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya, they are actively seeking the less-unexplored charms of Koh Samui, Krabi and Koh Chang. “We are also receiving more high-end visitors who want exclusive services such as chauffeur-driven limos and pool villas,” says TAT’s Ayudhya.
Another name that keeps popping up this season is Macau. Sitting on the western edge of the Pearl Estuary, this unlikely part of the People’s Republic of China is a beguiling mix of east and west, rich with ancient Chinese culture and Portuguese colonial influences.
It’s not so much a beach holiday as it is a vacation that offers good beaches apart from a whole lot of other things including, naturally, its famous casinos.
That said, it would be remiss not to mention that some of the world’s best beaches — and resorts by which to enjoy them — are right here in India. Marari, Poovar, Kovalam, Bekal, Alappuzha and Varkala in Kerala, Alibag, Ratnagiri and Murud-Janjira in Maharashtra, Pondicherry and Tranquebar all by themselves, Goa’s fabulous coastline (Anjuna, Calangute, Dona Paula, Miramar, Bogmalo, Palolem, Majorda), the crystalline waters of Lakshadweep (Bangaram, Agatti, Kadmat, Kalpeni, Kavaratti and Minicoy) and Andaman and Nicobar (Port Blair, Havelock) islands, and the Om Beach in Karnataka’s tiny Gokarna, now also home to a couple of high-end resorts, all display the sure signs of being happening tourist destinations. They don’t necessarily come cheap but the experience can be entirely international.
Take A Hike
The adventurous are doing a great deal more than climbing every mountain. The Swiss Alps remains the Indian adventure enthusiast’s paradise. There are many picture-postcard options here that offer great local stays that enable the entire family to enjoy. One of them is to cycle from Switzerland’s Romanshorn along the Lake Constance to any town on a handy bike trail, passing by fruit orchards, ferry rides, spa towns, plentiful museums and quaint towns — all of which can be rounded off with a spot of skiing at St Moritz and a ride on the Glacier Express rail line from the world-famous resort town to Zermatt. Flyer bikes, available at Romanshorn railway station, come with a little battery that makes it easy to pedal uphill and on long stretches — anybody can do it, kids included.
With Nepal’s many easily accessible hikes invalidated by the incessant political turmoil in that country, the Indian traveller is shifting his craving for adventure to another scenic neighbouring country — Bhutan, which ends, it is said, when a stone rolling off a mountain stops. This beautiful land of steep climbs, dense forests, charming monasteries and sleepy villages is full of luxury travel experiences to its west and pristine budget travel to its east.
There are other favourites in the trip-of-a-lifetime category: the best place to bungee jump remains Australia’s varied and rugged terrain; the expression, though, is from New Zealand. The coast of Queensland has some of the world’s most celebrated bungee jumping sites — among them is the 50-metre high AJ Hackett tower, in north Cairns, which overlooks the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef. Look out for full moon celebrations, and packages that range from the ‘classic’ to the ‘unlimited’ — even video filming of your adventure is handy.
And for the truly intrepid, there is nothing that quite beats a climb up an active volcano in the world’s greatest volcano country — Indonesia. Undoubtedly formidable, Mount Bromo (also nearby are Batok and Kursi) is also astonishingly accessible. Located at the centre of the Tengger Massif, an eye-popping 10-km wide sea of lava sand, Bromo straddles a national park not far from the bustling city of Jogjakarta. A trek up to its picturesque crater adds a whole new perspective to life.
Jungle Book
At Indian wildlife parks, which come with luxury resorts in the stressed-out buffer zones and rudimentary forest lodges inside the sanctuaries themselves, sighting increasingly rare species is entirely a game of chance. An African safari, though, operates at a different level altogether.
With almost their entire tourist economy tailored around their great national parks, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa are not only well-equipped to handle tourists, nowhere else in the world would you find such a diversity of animal life visible at such close quarters.
Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski provides an evocative glimpse of this in his African memoir The Shadow of the Sun, which has a chapter devoted to a journey from Dar es Salaam to Kampala. “We drove onto the enormous plain of the Serengeti, the largest concentration of wild animals on earth. Everywhere you look, huge herds of zebras, antelopes, buffalo, giraffes. And all of them are grazing, frisking, frolicking, galloping. Right by the side of the road, motionless lions; a bit farther, a group of elephants; and farther still, on the horizon, a leopard running in huge bounds. It’s all improbable, incredible.” Widlife experiences in India can never hope to match this sort of magic.
In Africa, Indian tourists appreciate the improved chances to see the Big Five (in South Africa’s Kruger National Park that would be the elephant, rhino, buffalo, leopard and lion but even here the big cats can be elusive). Other universally famous legends include the eponymous Serengeti, as well as the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara in Tanzania, and the exceptional Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara in Kenya.
Accommodation is wide-ranging and includes caravan and tent campsites that have restaurants and shops with basic supplies, bungalows, family cottages and guest houses as well as luxury high-end properties. On some package tours, it is possible to camp, hike, cycle, river-raft and even take a hot air balloon or a chopper over the sweeping treasures of a national park.
But, “much as it is tempting to conclude that more and more Indians are re discovering nature by travelling for wildlife safaris to Africa, in truth, this sector has seen a significant rise in bookings because of the IPL Twenty20 matches — cricket fans who have travelled to catch the games live are quite willing to book a tour or two to one of Africa’s fabled national parks for a spot of wildlife watching,” says Thomas Cook’s Desai. The call of the wild rings far louder in Africa.
Discover The Deep Blue Sea
“A cruise offers everything that Indians look for in a holiday,” says Desai of Thomas Cook. “It is a predictable expenditure product, multiple destinations are covered, the entire experience is very luxurious, and there is a great variety in food and drink.” So fantastic are modern luxury liners that “a cruise typically exceeds the accommodation expectations of a traveller”, he adds.
Indeed, the largest cruise liners are veritable floating cities with something for everyone — from classical music concerts to four-deck-high water slides. Multiple restaurants ply food round the clock — most South-East Asian cruises that draw large contingents of travellers from India not only have Indian food but also vegetarian and Jain options. The day’s schedules are packed to the brim with relentless excitement. There are spas, pubs, discothèques, mahjong parlours, health clubs, casinos, live bands, swimming pools, libraries, games, costume evenings and the aforementioned restaurants. The shore excursions, which offer synopsised sight-seeing at exotic ports of call, have passengers spending their vacation in Penang on one day and Phuket the next. There are also super luxury river boats and expedition cruises to commune quietly with the sea, or even spa cruises that rejuvenate guests as they sail.
While the most number of Indian tourists cruise South-East Asia (Singapore serves as the most convenient hub), the Mediterranean (possible itineraries include Barcelona, Marseilles, Genoa, Naples, Palermo, Tunis, Palma de Mallorca), Scandinavia (Copenhagen, Kiel, Stockholm, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, or Dubrovnik, Istanbul, Izmir, Olympia, Bari and Venice), and the eastern and western Caribbean cruises also draw a discerning and dedicated clientele. The surprise winner, though, is a cruise to Alaska (ex-Seattle to Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Skagway, Prince Rupert and British Columbia), which draws top money for its value as an exotic experience.
Keep these tips in mind while booking a cruise: a fun-filled cruising experience is best enjoyed when you are feeling energised and fit. Going direct from airport to harbour after a sleepless night flight and some jet lag is not such a good idea. If you are sailing in South-East Asia, look out for better value deals from the Singapore and Malaysia tourism boards. Examine the offer carefully: sometimes, meals and beverages at only a few of the restaurants on board are included in the ticket price and, almost always, excursions cost extra.
Falling Off The Map
The most exciting segment for tourists and industry insiders alike is that which is off the beaten path. Tour operators that BW spoke to say that Indian travellers have now also grown into two distinct segments: the seekers of exotic and novel experiences, and those who still want to travel to the tried and tested.
The new, evolved outbound Indian tourist is “internet savvy, more willing to experience local cuisines, is adventurous and ecologically sensitive, and enjoys wildernesses”, says Bharati of Finpro. The high-visibility Visit Finland and Finnair promos, which included media campaigns, seminars, road shows and freebie trips, spotlit the charms of this faraway land, drawing the second type of Indian traveller.
In surreal Finland, where the Sun does not set for almost two months, it is possible to cross the Arctic Circle and read a book by a lakeside at midnight. It helps that there is no language problem as English is commonly spoken, the atmosphere is virtually zero pollution, vast swathes of the land are inhabited by very few people, and the infrastructure is very highly developed.
On the other hand, shopping, food, wildlife parks and historical sites are the reason why Australia lures travellers every year. Festivals — such as the forthcoming Vivid Sydney, the southern hemisphere’s biggest international music and light fest, held in May-June — also attract Indian tourists. It helps that Tourism Australia’s Baz Luhremann-directed ‘Come Walkabout’ global campaign, based on the movie Australia, has attracted attention. Ireland, Scotland and Korea are other new entrants into this high-stakes arena.
Niche tailor-made itineraries include Holy Land tours that begin from Amman along the ancient King’s Highway stop by Madaba (the ‘City of Mosaics’), the Bahai shrine in Haifa, Golan Hills, Nazareth, Jericho, the sacred sites of Jerusalem city, Bethlehem and Sinai, ending with a round-up of Egypt’s historical wonders around Cairo.
The smart marketing of international destinations in a market with as vast a potential as India succeeds not only because of glamorous advertising but also because “the underlying product works”, notes Desai. “Marketing can take you only so far and no further. The Incredible India campaign, which is fabulously marketed, has inherent limitations, particularly with reference to tourist infrastructure. The sustained interest in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore is also because they maintain constant quality in the overall infrastructure, visa processes, and accommodation and transport — what they say is what you get.”
See France The French Way
Been there and done the eiffel tower, EuroDisney, Louvre and Champs Elysees already? Don’t write off France from your travel map just yet. France-born and bred Caroline Juneja, through her website www.francedecoded.com, promises to show you her country the way only a local can. Juneja chalks out itineraries (including special ones for kids) that allow you to drive through France, stay in amazing castles, tour vineyards, and enjoy nature in luxurious comfort, if that’s what you wish. It is a France you might never see otherwise: at the Puy du Fou Historical Park, for instance, events of French history are recreated with live shows in period villages. Ordering a pizza and soft drink in a 10th century tavern can be huge fun. Shows feature Roman gladiators (a whole stadium has been recreated), the 100-year war of the Knights Templar, the legendary musketeers, and Vikings invading on their drakkars: the use of birds of prey in the Middle Ages is amazingly beautiful.
Caroline’s accrobranches, literally translated as ‘holding to branches’, an obstacle course set 50 ft high amidst the splendid oak trees of a forest, is another big hit with kids. For water lovers, Provence’s gorgeous Verdon offers another not-for-the-faint-hearted activity: canyoning down the river’s waterfalls and gorges without a raft.
Via Ferrata is for those who don’t mind heights — this mountain-and-cliff route is equipped with fixed cables, ladders and bridges. For art lovers, there is the Avignon and its astonishing Popes’ Palace, ‘just down the road’ from the perched villages of the Luberon, where one can retrace the steps of some of the greatest artists of all time — Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso and Cezanne. But if France can only mean romance, head for Grasse, just off the French Riviera, where you can actually visit one of many perfumeries and spend an afternoon making your very own fragrance to take home as a special souvenir — in fact, they note down all your secret ingredients, so you can order your signature perfume for the rest of your life.
Caroline’s other secret is her network of B&Bs (Bed and Breakfast) along the way. A renovated mill, a XVIIth century manor house or a traditional Provence farmhouse. And for breakfast, a taste of the best of French breads, croissants and home-made jams.
And all this ranging from E100 to E150 a night for two with breakfast. A car for five days will range between E260 and E430 depending on the car, and activities vary per person between E25 for an afternoon of Accrobranches, to E60 for Via Ferrata.
As the overcrowded plains of India wither in the heat of a merciless summer, the nation’s annual season of travel is ready with irresistible temptations. It is not so much stymied by the ongoing global economic slowdown as it is aided and abetted by superb discounts and better value for the same money. “We are at a very unique point in time,” says Rakshit Desai, executive director for travel at Thomas Cook India, in Delhi. “Holidays are cheaper than they were last year and they are cheaper than they will be next year.”The trends are already clear. While traditional hotspots in Europe (France, Switzerland and the UK) continue to attract significant numbers of Indian tourists, the South-East Asia (Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore) segment heads the charts, thanks to its proximity, affordability and diversity. Anyone wanting a quick getaway can just buy a tour package from a local travel agent and get a visa on arrival at, say, Thailand. “We are promoting Thailand’s excellent value for money under the Amazing Thailand, Amazing Value theme,” says Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, director of Tourism Authority of Thailand, in New Delhi. In 2009, Thailand expects to receive 550,000 visitors from India.
The top picks are culture trails to Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Macau, the fabulous beaches of Pengang and Langkawi in Malaysia and Krabi in Thailand, and the exotic appeal of New Zealand, Scandinavia (Finland, Denmark, Sweden), Ireland and Scotland. On the value-for-money front, Philippines, Hong Kong and Dubai are scoring well. The US is back in the reckoning as a very desirable destination because of the exceptional value the dollar is able to fetch now. Surprisingly, as opposed to the attractions of America’s big cities (New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles), it is Florida’s Miami that has emerged recently as a well-liked hub for tours of the US.
As the overcrowded plains of India wither in the heat of a merciless summer, the nation’s annual season of travel is ready with irresistible temptations. It is not so much stymied by the ongoing global economic slowdown as it is aided and abetted by superb discounts and better value for the same money. “We are at a very unique point in time,” says Rakshit Desai, executive director for travel at Thomas Cook India, in Delhi. “Holidays are cheaper than they were last year and they are cheaper than they will be next year.”
The trends are already clear. While traditional hotspots in Europe (France, Switzerland and the UK) continue to attract significant numbers of Indian tourists, the South-East Asia (Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore) segment heads the charts, thanks to its proximity, affordability and diversity. Anyone wanting a quick getaway can just buy a tour package from a local travel agent and get a visa on arrival at, say, Thailand. “We are promoting Thailand’s excellent value for money under the Amazing Thailand, Amazing Value theme,” says Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, director of Tourism Authority of Thailand, in New Delhi. In 2009, Thailand expects to receive 550,000 visitors from India.
The top picks are culture trails to Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Macau, the fabulous beaches of Pengang and Langkawi in Malaysia and Krabi in Thailand, and the exotic appeal of New Zealand, Scandinavia (Finland, Denmark, Sweden), Ireland and Scotland. On the value-for-money front, Philippines, Hong Kong and Dubai are scoring well. The US is back in the reckoning as a very desirable destination because of the exceptional value the dollar is able to fetch now. Surprisingly, as opposed to the attractions of America’s big cities (New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles), it is Florida’s Miami that has emerged recently as a well-liked hub for tours of the US.
Shore LeaveBeaches would probably win the most laid-back destinations award, if ever there was such a thing. Indians, these days, are bestowing the best beach holidays title on the Key West in the US, the nearby Maldives and Mauritius, and Penang and Langkawi in Malaysia. “They are off-beat destinations and more experience-centred,” says Thottathil of Cox & Kings. For instance, Langkawi showcases some of the prettiest beaches, mangrove tours, island cruises and stunning experiences such as the Pantai Cenang, a walk-through oceanarium with over 5,000 marine and freshwater species.
The really well-heeled, though, favour the Mediterranean, with its trendy hotspots in south of France (Nice, Provence, Toulon, Saint Tropez, Cote d’ Azur), Greece and even the nouveau chic Italian Riviera. Down Under, it’s the Bondi beach outside Sydney and the Surfer’s Paradise on the Gold Coast that are most loved. Honeymooners, on the other hand, favour places such as Tasmania.
“Indian tourists have graduated from sight-seeing and shopping to more novel experiences such as snorkelling, self-driving and adventure sports,” says Jain of Tourism Australia.
In Thailand, since many Indians have already been to Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya, they are actively seeking the less-unexplored charms of Koh Samui, Krabi and Koh Chang. “We are also receiving more high-end visitors who want exclusive services such as chauffeur-driven limos and pool villas,” says TAT’s Ayudhya.
Another name that keeps popping up this season is Macau. Sitting on the western edge of the Pearl Estuary, this unlikely part of the People’s Republic of China is a beguiling mix of east and west, rich with ancient Chinese culture and Portuguese colonial influences.
It’s not so much a beach holiday as it is a vacation that offers good beaches apart from a whole lot of other things including, naturally, its famous casinos.
That said, it would be remiss not to mention that some of the world’s best beaches — and resorts by which to enjoy them — are right here in India. Marari, Poovar, Kovalam, Bekal, Alappuzha and Varkala in Kerala, Alibag, Ratnagiri and Murud-Janjira in Maharashtra, Pondicherry and Tranquebar all by themselves, Goa’s fabulous coastline (Anjuna, Calangute, Dona Paula, Miramar, Bogmalo, Palolem, Majorda), the crystalline waters of Lakshadweep (Bangaram, Agatti, Kadmat, Kalpeni, Kavaratti and Minicoy) and Andaman and Nicobar (Port Blair, Havelock) islands, and the Om Beach in Karnataka’s tiny Gokarna, now also home to a couple of high-end resorts, all display the sure signs of being happening tourist destinations. They don’t necessarily come cheap but the experience can be entirely international.
Take A HikeThe adventurous are doing a great deal more than climbing every mountain. The Swiss Alps remains the Indian adventure enthusiast’s paradise. There are many picture-postcard options here that offer great local stays that enable the entire family to enjoy. One of them is to cycle from Switzerland’s Romanshorn along the Lake Constance to any town on a handy bike trail, passing by fruit orchards, ferry rides, spa towns, plentiful museums and quaint towns — all of which can be rounded off with a spot of skiing at St Moritz and a ride on the Glacier Express rail line from the world-famous resort town to Zermatt. Flyer bikes, available at Romanshorn railway station, come with a little battery that makes it easy to pedal uphill and on long stretches — anybody can do it, kids included.
With Nepal’s many easily accessible hikes invalidated by the incessant political turmoil in that country, the Indian traveller is shifting his craving for adventure to another scenic neighbouring country — Bhutan, which ends, it is said, when a stone rolling off a mountain stops. This beautiful land of steep climbs, dense forests, charming monasteries and sleepy villages is full of luxury travel experiences to its west and pristine budget travel to its east.
There are other favourites in the trip-of-a-lifetime category: the best place to bungee jump remains Australia’s varied and rugged terrain; the expression, though, is from New Zealand. The coast of Queensland has some of the world’s most celebrated bungee jumping sites — among them is the 50-metre high AJ Hackett tower, in north Cairns, which overlooks the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef. Look out for full moon celebrations, and packages that range from the ‘classic’ to the ‘unlimited’ — even video filming of your adventure is handy.
And for the truly intrepid, there is nothing that quite beats a climb up an active volcano in the world’s greatest volcano country — Indonesia. Undoubtedly formidable, Mount Bromo (also nearby are Batok and Kursi) is also astonishingly accessible. Located at the centre of the Tengger Massif, an eye-popping 10-km wide sea of lava sand, Bromo straddles a national park not far from the bustling city of Jogjakarta. A trek up to its picturesque crater adds a whole new perspective to life.
Jungle BookAt Indian wildlife parks, which come with luxury resorts in the stressed-out buffer zones and rudimentary forest lodges inside the sanctuaries themselves, sighting increasingly rare species is entirely a game of chance. An African safari, though, operates at a different level altogether.
With almost their entire tourist economy tailored around their great national parks, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa are not only well-equipped to handle tourists, nowhere else in the world would you find such a diversity of animal life visible at such close quarters.
Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski provides an evocative glimpse of this in his African memoir The Shadow of the Sun, which has a chapter devoted to a journey from Dar es Salaam to Kampala. “We drove onto the enormous plain of the Serengeti, the largest concentration of wild animals on earth. Everywhere you look, huge herds of zebras, antelopes, buffalo, giraffes. And all of them are grazing, frisking, frolicking, galloping. Right by the side of the road, motionless lions; a bit farther, a group of elephants; and farther still, on the horizon, a leopard running in huge bounds. It’s all improbable, incredible.” Widlife experiences in India can never hope to match this sort of magic.
In Africa, Indian tourists appreciate the improved chances to see the Big Five (in South Africa’s Kruger National Park that would be the elephant, rhino, buffalo, leopard and lion but even here the big cats can be elusive). Other universally famous legends include the eponymous Serengeti, as well as the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara in Tanzania, and the exceptional Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara in Kenya.
Accommodation is wide-ranging and includes caravan and tent campsites that have restaurants and shops with basic supplies, bungalows, family cottages and guest houses as well as luxury high-end properties. On some package tours, it is possible to camp, hike, cycle, river-raft and even take a hot air balloon or a chopper over the sweeping treasures of a national park.
But, “much as it is tempting to conclude that more and more Indians are re discovering nature by travelling for wildlife safaris to Africa, in truth, this sector has seen a significant rise in bookings because of the IPL Twenty20 matches — cricket fans who have travelled to catch the games live are quite willing to book a tour or two to one of Africa’s fabled national parks for a spot of wildlife watching,” says Thomas Cook’s Desai. The call of the wild rings far louder in Africa.
Discover The Deep Blue Sea“A cruise offers everything that Indians look for in a holiday,” says Desai of Thomas Cook. “It is a predictable expenditure product, multiple destinations are covered, the entire experience is very luxurious, and there is a great variety in food and drink.” So fantastic are modern luxury liners that “a cruise typically exceeds the accommodation expectations of a traveller”, he adds.
Indeed, the largest cruise liners are veritable floating cities with something for everyone — from classical music concerts to four-deck-high water slides. Multiple restaurants ply food round the clock — most South-East Asian cruises that draw large contingents of travellers from India not only have Indian food but also vegetarian and Jain options. The day’s schedules are packed to the brim with relentless excitement. There are spas, pubs, discothèques, mahjong parlours, health clubs, casinos, live bands, swimming pools, libraries, games, costume evenings and the aforementioned restaurants. The shore excursions, which offer synopsised sight-seeing at exotic ports of call, have passengers spending their vacation in Penang on one day and Phuket the next. There are also super luxury river boats and expedition cruises to commune quietly with the sea, or even spa cruises that rejuvenate guests as they sail.
While the most number of Indian tourists cruise South-East Asia (Singapore serves as the most convenient hub), the Mediterranean (possible itineraries include Barcelona, Marseilles, Genoa, Naples, Palermo, Tunis, Palma de Mallorca), Scandinavia (Copenhagen, Kiel, Stockholm, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, or Dubrovnik, Istanbul, Izmir, Olympia, Bari and Venice), and the eastern and western Caribbean cruises also draw a discerning and dedicated clientele. The surprise winner, though, is a cruise to Alaska (ex-Seattle to Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Skagway, Prince Rupert and British Columbia), which draws top money for its value as an exotic experience.
Keep these tips in mind while booking a cruise: a fun-filled cruising experience is best enjoyed when you are feeling energised and fit. Going direct from airport to harbour after a sleepless night flight and some jet lag is not such a good idea. If you are sailing in South-East Asia, look out for better value deals from the Singapore and Malaysia tourism boards. Examine the offer carefully: sometimes, meals and beverages at only a few of the restaurants on board are included in the ticket price and, almost always, excursions cost extra.
Falling Off The MapThe most exciting segment for tourists and industry insiders alike is that which is off the beaten path. Tour operators that BW spoke to say that Indian travellers have now also grown into two distinct segments: the seekers of exotic and novel experiences, and those who still want to travel to the tried and tested.
The new, evolved outbound Indian tourist is “internet savvy, more willing to experience local cuisines, is adventurous and ecologically sensitive, and enjoys wildernesses”, says Bharati of Finpro. The high-visibility Visit Finland and Finnair promos, which included media campaigns, seminars, road shows and freebie trips, spotlit the charms of this faraway land, drawing the second type of Indian traveller.
In surreal Finland, where the Sun does not set for almost two months, it is possible to cross the Arctic Circle and read a book by a lakeside at midnight. It helps that there is no language problem as English is commonly spoken, the atmosphere is virtually zero pollution, vast swathes of the land are inhabited by very few people, and the infrastructure is very highly developed.
On the other hand, shopping, food, wildlife parks and historical sites are the reason why Australia lures travellers every year. Festivals — such as the forthcoming Vivid Sydney, the southern hemisphere’s biggest international music and light fest, held in May-June — also attract Indian tourists. It helps that Tourism Australia’s Baz Luhremann-directed ‘Come Walkabout’ global campaign, based on the movie Australia, has attracted attention. Ireland, Scotland and Korea are other new entrants into this high-stakes arena.
Niche tailor-made itineraries include Holy Land tours that begin from Amman along the ancient King’s Highway stop by Madaba (the ‘City of Mosaics’), the Bahai shrine in Haifa, Golan Hills, Nazareth, Jericho, the sacred sites of Jerusalem city, Bethlehem and Sinai, ending with a round-up of Egypt’s historical wonders around Cairo.
The smart marketing of international destinations in a market with as vast a potential as India succeeds not only because of glamorous advertising but also because “the underlying product works”, notes Desai. “Marketing can take you only so far and no further. The Incredible India campaign, which is fabulously marketed, has inherent limitations, particularly with reference to tourist infrastructure. The sustained interest in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore is also because they maintain constant quality in the overall infrastructure, visa processes, and accommodation and transport — what they say is what you get.”
See France The French WayBeen there and done the eiffel tower, EuroDisney, Louvre and Champs Elysees already? Don’t write off France from your travel map just yet. France-born and bred Caroline Juneja, through her website www.francedecoded.com, promises to show you her country the way only a local can. Juneja chalks out itineraries (including special ones for kids) that allow you to drive through France, stay in amazing castles, tour vineyards, and enjoy nature in luxurious comfort, if that’s what you wish. It is a France you might never see otherwise: at the Puy du Fou Historical Park, for instance, events of French history are recreated with live shows in period villages. Ordering a pizza and soft drink in a 10th century tavern can be huge fun. Shows feature Roman gladiators (a whole stadium has been recreated), the 100-year war of the Knights Templar, the legendary musketeers, and Vikings invading on their drakkars: the use of birds of prey in the Middle Ages is amazingly beautiful.
Caroline’s accrobranches, literally translated as ‘holding to branches’, an obstacle course set 50 ft high amidst the splendid oak trees of a forest, is another big hit with kids. For water lovers, Provence’s gorgeous Verdon offers another not-for-the-faint-hearted activity: canyoning down the river’s waterfalls and gorges without a raft.
Via Ferrata is for those who don’t mind heights — this mountain-and-cliff route is equipped with fixed cables, ladders and bridges. For art lovers, there is the Avignon and its astonishing Popes’ Palace, ‘just down the road’ from the perched villages of the Luberon, where one can retrace the steps of some of the greatest artists of all time — Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso and Cezanne. But if France can only mean romance, head for Grasse, just off the French Riviera, where you can actually visit one of many perfumeries and spend an afternoon making your very own fragrance to take home as a special souvenir — in fact, they note down all your secret ingredients, so you can order your signature perfume for the rest of your life.
Caroline’s other secret is her network of B&Bs (Bed and Breakfast) along the way. A renovated mill, a XVIIth century manor house or a traditional Provence farmhouse. And for breakfast, a taste of the best of French breads, croissants and home-made jams.
And all this ranging from E100 to E150 a night for two with breakfast. A car for five days will range between E260 and E430 depending on the car, and activities vary per person between E25 for an afternoon of Accrobranches, to E60 for Via Ferrata.
Friday, May 27, 2016
History Revisited: Was Veer Savarkar Really A Brave Fighter?
By AJAZ ASHRAF | INNLIVE
Savarkar was chargesheeted in the assassination of Gandhi but exonerated, largely because no corroborative evidence of his involvement was furnished.
On May 28, India will commemorate the 133rd birth anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, who was born on this day in 1883. Bharatiya Janata Party leaders will recall his valour, because of which he has been given the honorific, Veer.
But, really how veer, or brave, was Veer Savarkar?
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
City Of Fears: Is Delhi Any Safer For Women?
For a city that has witnessed unprecedented anti-rape protests, boasts four helplines for women — 100, 1091, 1096 and 181 — has Delhi become any safer? Not really. Revisiting the Munirka bus stop from where the young physiotherapy student took a private bus on December 16, while women continue to travel in buses that ply in late evenings, their journeys are fraught with fear.
Deepa Joshi, a 25-year-old who boards a bus from the stand five days a week told the newspaper that her parents still get worried and call her up to ask her whereabouts.
Like many women who use public transport out of necessity, Joshi feels safer because she abides by a set of unwritten rules for women in the city. She dresses demurely, makes no eye contact, avoids the more crowded buses and gets home early. In short, she takes all the advice that was handed out to women by the police and politicians in the wake of the December protests.
Monday, February 16, 2009
War on terror needs a paradigm shift
By Javid Hassan
The ongoing National Campaign for Combating Terrorism (NCCT), which got under way in New Delhi on Feb. 3, will culminate in a seminar, ‘Aashirwad-the journey begins’, on March 6. The event has been marked by speeches, human chain, cultural programmes and calls to draw inspiration from the heroes of Indian history.
A dispassionate analysis of all the rhetorics and theatricals thrown into the anti-terrorism campaign makes it clear that those spearheading the campaign have missed what should have been the main point of the debate on the root cause of terrorism. Before we delve deeper into those aspects, it would be instructive to recap what has been said or done so far in order to realize the need for a paradigm shift.
The campaign got under way on February 3 in New Delhi with a `peace and harmony run'. More than 4,000 students from 78 colleges in Delhi and elsewhere have already registered for the run, which was flagged off by Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental of Delhi University. He observed that under the banner of NCCT, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) will mobilize the youth by holding a series of functions during the month-long campaign.
Besides the peace run, DUSU has lined up various other events as part of the campaign against terrorism: a two-day bilingual theatre festival held on February 9; debating competition scheduled in Delhi on February 19; `Udgosh - Spice of India', a music festival on February 27 and `Aashirwad - the journey begins', a seminar on March 6 at the New Conference Hall.
The next phase of NCCT would involve Loyola College, Chennai, where similar competitions will be held to identify budding talents, who would then be grouped into an NGO dedicated to helping the victims of terror.
The organizers of the anti-terrorism campaign have exhorted the members of NCCT to imbibe human values that underpin responsible citizens. And the only way forward, we are told, is to educate ourselves about our country and its cultural roots underlying the greatness of the Indian nation.
In Karnataka, over 15,000 students from colleges in Dharwad constituted a human chain as part of the campaign against terrorism on Feb.3. The initiative for this came from the department of higher education in Bangalore for launching a State-wide drive aimed at mobilising the youth in the fight against terrorism. The campaign, according to government officials, is deemed necessary in view of the surge in terrorist activities involving students and youths in India in general and Karnataka in particular.
Leaving aside these platitudes, it is instructive to examine the root cause of terrorism on the basis of realities on the ground. In the case of the Nanded bomb blast, for example, the motive, according to accused, Bhanurao Vithalrao Choudhary, was to target a mosque in Aurangabad. He also identified Himanshu who told them they needed to fight Muslim terror by carrying out terror strikes in the country. However, the plan could not materialize, as the bomb that exploded by accident in Nanded was actually meant to destroy the Aurangabad mosque.
Choudhary pointed out that Himanshu was in a revengeful mood due to the fact that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who was responsible for the Gateway of India blast in 2003 which killed many, went away scot-free despite the massacre that he was involved in. Thus, Himanshu believed, it was necessary to target the Muslim population in the country to safeguard the interests of the Hindutva.
Elaborating on the theme, Aleem Faizee, social activist working for the Malegaon blast victims, observed during investigations that the police found a map with details of the Aurangabad mosque. They also came across fake beards and Muslim outfits as part of the grand design to plant bombs and shift the blame on Muslims.
Muslim extremists, too, have been crazed by the same spirit of revenge. This became clear during the statements made by some of the accused arrested in connection with the recent Delhi blasts. The gang leader, Riyaz Bhatkal, said during interrogation that the blasts were meant to avenge the Mecca Masjid blasts which, he believed, involved some Hindu outfits to pin the blame on Muslims.
Here it would not be out of place to cite the example of Andaman Islands, which has a mix of Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Yet, it has never experienced communal violence. The reason is that there are no political parties to fan the flames of ethnic, cultural or religious divide. This proves convincingly that political parties have their own agenda in creating by communal or religious tension by exploiting the youth or some unemployed people.
Other factors responsible for the wave of terrorist attacks in the country stem from the use of high technology, to which techno-savvy youth have access. For instance, US Internet search company Google Inc released recently a software programme that allows users of mobile phones and other wireless devices to automatically share their whereabouts with family and friends. Users in 27 countries can broadcast their location to others constantly, using Google Latitude. The controls also enable users to decide who receives the information or to go offline at any time.
In a blog announcing the launch of the new service, Google believes that with this new technology, it is not only possible to control exactly who gets to see your location, but also decide the location that they see. What is more, friends' whereabouts can be tracked on a Google map, either from a handset or from a personal computer.
However, Google has rendered this state-of-the-art technology inaccessible to terrorists through built-in checks and controls. On the other hand, there is mounting evidence that high-tech terrorists are relying increasingly on SIM cards to cover up their tracks during mobile calls from various destinations.
In one bizarre case involving an airport employee, the police discovered that he had procured 10 SIM cards by placing orders on his company’s letterhead and forging signatures of its executives. The other application of science and technology put the spotlight on Abdul Sattar, a technician who had earlier worked in Saudi Arabia as an air-conditioning timer expert. He used his expertise to set off blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad in July last year
These bomb blasts involving both Hindus and Muslims underline a common message. When people lack a focus in life, are not aware of the do’s and don’ts of successful living, have a weak moral foundation, lack the spirit of research and enquiry in the pursuit of their goal as a student, do not know how to overcome the challenges of life, they dissipate their energy in a wild goose chase. They behave like a stray bullet killing innocent people, destroying houses, causing avoidable damage, and playing havoc with society like a loose cannon.
The youth cannot be insulated from terrorism by issuing high-decibel calls in the name of patriotism or cultural heritage. Illustrious personalities, however great they might be, do not change the mindset of a people anywhere in the field unless the desire for change lingers within oneself. And the only way to bring about that change is to impress on a person the importance of taking care of the present.
This is the message that Socrates delivers to Dan Millman, the university student and gymnast, in the 2006 American movie, “Peaceful Warrior.” Dan, who dreams of becoming a national champion, is diverted from his main goal by his sexual exploits. Socrates, with whom Dan has a chance encounter, advises the latter to concentrate on his goal to the exclusion of other diversions. He also teaches him to focus on his journey in order to reach his destination. These valuable lesson change the course of his life leading him eventually to win the coveted championship award.
Media education can play that role in transforming students from non-entities into entities with a mission to succeed in their goal. Once they have a mission statement in life, they will not have time for eve-teasing or other non-academic pursuits like sending pink chaddies to Ram Sena leader Pramod Mutalik on Valentine Day as they did on Feb.14.
Nor will they fall into the hands of terrorists or indulge in violence, political or criminal activities due to their heightened awareness of crime and punishment. I was absolutely shocked to learn, in a letter to the editor, that some of our youths take the politicians to be their role models! What else can we expect from such a generation other than terrorism, hooliganism, ragging, assaults on teachers, cheating in exams, etc.
To sum up, the only way to wean the Indian youths away from the scourge of terrorism is to inspire them with a mission in life as student. Through media awareness programmes, they can be made to realize that they have no future unless they have a goal and become a shining star to win the attention of those who matter. Once their goal is defined, they will not fall by the wayside and become an unexploded landmine taking innocent lives.
The ongoing National Campaign for Combating Terrorism (NCCT), which got under way in New Delhi on Feb. 3, will culminate in a seminar, ‘Aashirwad-the journey begins’, on March 6. The event has been marked by speeches, human chain, cultural programmes and calls to draw inspiration from the heroes of Indian history.
A dispassionate analysis of all the rhetorics and theatricals thrown into the anti-terrorism campaign makes it clear that those spearheading the campaign have missed what should have been the main point of the debate on the root cause of terrorism. Before we delve deeper into those aspects, it would be instructive to recap what has been said or done so far in order to realize the need for a paradigm shift.
The campaign got under way on February 3 in New Delhi with a `peace and harmony run'. More than 4,000 students from 78 colleges in Delhi and elsewhere have already registered for the run, which was flagged off by Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental of Delhi University. He observed that under the banner of NCCT, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) will mobilize the youth by holding a series of functions during the month-long campaign.
Besides the peace run, DUSU has lined up various other events as part of the campaign against terrorism: a two-day bilingual theatre festival held on February 9; debating competition scheduled in Delhi on February 19; `Udgosh - Spice of India', a music festival on February 27 and `Aashirwad - the journey begins', a seminar on March 6 at the New Conference Hall.
The next phase of NCCT would involve Loyola College, Chennai, where similar competitions will be held to identify budding talents, who would then be grouped into an NGO dedicated to helping the victims of terror.
The organizers of the anti-terrorism campaign have exhorted the members of NCCT to imbibe human values that underpin responsible citizens. And the only way forward, we are told, is to educate ourselves about our country and its cultural roots underlying the greatness of the Indian nation.
In Karnataka, over 15,000 students from colleges in Dharwad constituted a human chain as part of the campaign against terrorism on Feb.3. The initiative for this came from the department of higher education in Bangalore for launching a State-wide drive aimed at mobilising the youth in the fight against terrorism. The campaign, according to government officials, is deemed necessary in view of the surge in terrorist activities involving students and youths in India in general and Karnataka in particular.
Leaving aside these platitudes, it is instructive to examine the root cause of terrorism on the basis of realities on the ground. In the case of the Nanded bomb blast, for example, the motive, according to accused, Bhanurao Vithalrao Choudhary, was to target a mosque in Aurangabad. He also identified Himanshu who told them they needed to fight Muslim terror by carrying out terror strikes in the country. However, the plan could not materialize, as the bomb that exploded by accident in Nanded was actually meant to destroy the Aurangabad mosque.
Choudhary pointed out that Himanshu was in a revengeful mood due to the fact that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who was responsible for the Gateway of India blast in 2003 which killed many, went away scot-free despite the massacre that he was involved in. Thus, Himanshu believed, it was necessary to target the Muslim population in the country to safeguard the interests of the Hindutva.
Elaborating on the theme, Aleem Faizee, social activist working for the Malegaon blast victims, observed during investigations that the police found a map with details of the Aurangabad mosque. They also came across fake beards and Muslim outfits as part of the grand design to plant bombs and shift the blame on Muslims.
Muslim extremists, too, have been crazed by the same spirit of revenge. This became clear during the statements made by some of the accused arrested in connection with the recent Delhi blasts. The gang leader, Riyaz Bhatkal, said during interrogation that the blasts were meant to avenge the Mecca Masjid blasts which, he believed, involved some Hindu outfits to pin the blame on Muslims.
Here it would not be out of place to cite the example of Andaman Islands, which has a mix of Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Yet, it has never experienced communal violence. The reason is that there are no political parties to fan the flames of ethnic, cultural or religious divide. This proves convincingly that political parties have their own agenda in creating by communal or religious tension by exploiting the youth or some unemployed people.
Other factors responsible for the wave of terrorist attacks in the country stem from the use of high technology, to which techno-savvy youth have access. For instance, US Internet search company Google Inc released recently a software programme that allows users of mobile phones and other wireless devices to automatically share their whereabouts with family and friends. Users in 27 countries can broadcast their location to others constantly, using Google Latitude. The controls also enable users to decide who receives the information or to go offline at any time.
In a blog announcing the launch of the new service, Google believes that with this new technology, it is not only possible to control exactly who gets to see your location, but also decide the location that they see. What is more, friends' whereabouts can be tracked on a Google map, either from a handset or from a personal computer.
However, Google has rendered this state-of-the-art technology inaccessible to terrorists through built-in checks and controls. On the other hand, there is mounting evidence that high-tech terrorists are relying increasingly on SIM cards to cover up their tracks during mobile calls from various destinations.
In one bizarre case involving an airport employee, the police discovered that he had procured 10 SIM cards by placing orders on his company’s letterhead and forging signatures of its executives. The other application of science and technology put the spotlight on Abdul Sattar, a technician who had earlier worked in Saudi Arabia as an air-conditioning timer expert. He used his expertise to set off blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad in July last year
These bomb blasts involving both Hindus and Muslims underline a common message. When people lack a focus in life, are not aware of the do’s and don’ts of successful living, have a weak moral foundation, lack the spirit of research and enquiry in the pursuit of their goal as a student, do not know how to overcome the challenges of life, they dissipate their energy in a wild goose chase. They behave like a stray bullet killing innocent people, destroying houses, causing avoidable damage, and playing havoc with society like a loose cannon.
The youth cannot be insulated from terrorism by issuing high-decibel calls in the name of patriotism or cultural heritage. Illustrious personalities, however great they might be, do not change the mindset of a people anywhere in the field unless the desire for change lingers within oneself. And the only way to bring about that change is to impress on a person the importance of taking care of the present.
This is the message that Socrates delivers to Dan Millman, the university student and gymnast, in the 2006 American movie, “Peaceful Warrior.” Dan, who dreams of becoming a national champion, is diverted from his main goal by his sexual exploits. Socrates, with whom Dan has a chance encounter, advises the latter to concentrate on his goal to the exclusion of other diversions. He also teaches him to focus on his journey in order to reach his destination. These valuable lesson change the course of his life leading him eventually to win the coveted championship award.
Media education can play that role in transforming students from non-entities into entities with a mission to succeed in their goal. Once they have a mission statement in life, they will not have time for eve-teasing or other non-academic pursuits like sending pink chaddies to Ram Sena leader Pramod Mutalik on Valentine Day as they did on Feb.14.
Nor will they fall into the hands of terrorists or indulge in violence, political or criminal activities due to their heightened awareness of crime and punishment. I was absolutely shocked to learn, in a letter to the editor, that some of our youths take the politicians to be their role models! What else can we expect from such a generation other than terrorism, hooliganism, ragging, assaults on teachers, cheating in exams, etc.
To sum up, the only way to wean the Indian youths away from the scourge of terrorism is to inspire them with a mission in life as student. Through media awareness programmes, they can be made to realize that they have no future unless they have a goal and become a shining star to win the attention of those who matter. Once their goal is defined, they will not fall by the wayside and become an unexploded landmine taking innocent lives.
War on terror needs a paradigm shift
By Javid Hassan
The ongoing National Campaign for Combating Terrorism (NCCT), which got under way in New Delhi on Feb. 3, will culminate in a seminar, ‘Aashirwad-the journey begins’, on March 6. The event has been marked by speeches, human chain, cultural programmes and calls to draw inspiration from the heroes of Indian history.
A dispassionate analysis of all the rhetorics and theatricals thrown into the anti-terrorism campaign makes it clear that those spearheading the campaign have missed what should have been the main point of the debate on the root cause of terrorism. Before we delve deeper into those aspects, it would be instructive to recap what has been said or done so far in order to realize the need for a paradigm shift.
The campaign got under way on February 3 in New Delhi with a `peace and harmony run'. More than 4,000 students from 78 colleges in Delhi and elsewhere have already registered for the run, which was flagged off by Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental of Delhi University. He observed that under the banner of NCCT, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) will mobilize the youth by holding a series of functions during the month-long campaign.
Besides the peace run, DUSU has lined up various other events as part of the campaign against terrorism: a two-day bilingual theatre festival held on February 9; debating competition scheduled in Delhi on February 19; `Udgosh - Spice of India', a music festival on February 27 and `Aashirwad - the journey begins', a seminar on March 6 at the New Conference Hall.
The next phase of NCCT would involve Loyola College, Chennai, where similar competitions will be held to identify budding talents, who would then be grouped into an NGO dedicated to helping the victims of terror.
The organizers of the anti-terrorism campaign have exhorted the members of NCCT to imbibe human values that underpin responsible citizens. And the only way forward, we are told, is to educate ourselves about our country and its cultural roots underlying the greatness of the Indian nation.
In Karnataka, over 15,000 students from colleges in Dharwad constituted a human chain as part of the campaign against terrorism on Feb.3. The initiative for this came from the department of higher education in Bangalore for launching a State-wide drive aimed at mobilising the youth in the fight against terrorism. The campaign, according to government officials, is deemed necessary in view of the surge in terrorist activities involving students and youths in India in general and Karnataka in particular.
Leaving aside these platitudes, it is instructive to examine the root cause of terrorism on the basis of realities on the ground. In the case of the Nanded bomb blast, for example, the motive, according to accused, Bhanurao Vithalrao Choudhary, was to target a mosque in Aurangabad. He also identified Himanshu who told them they needed to fight Muslim terror by carrying out terror strikes in the country. However, the plan could not materialize, as the bomb that exploded by accident in Nanded was actually meant to destroy the Aurangabad mosque.
Choudhary pointed out that Himanshu was in a revengeful mood due to the fact that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who was responsible for the Gateway of India blast in 2003 which killed many, went away scot-free despite the massacre that he was involved in. Thus, Himanshu believed, it was necessary to target the Muslim population in the country to safeguard the interests of the Hindutva.
Elaborating on the theme, Aleem Faizee, social activist working for the Malegaon blast victims, observed during investigations that the police found a map with details of the Aurangabad mosque. They also came across fake beards and Muslim outfits as part of the grand design to plant bombs and shift the blame on Muslims.
Muslim extremists, too, have been crazed by the same spirit of revenge. This became clear during the statements made by some of the accused arrested in connection with the recent Delhi blasts. The gang leader, Riyaz Bhatkal, said during interrogation that the blasts were meant to avenge the Mecca Masjid blasts which, he believed, involved some Hindu outfits to pin the blame on Muslims.
Here it would not be out of place to cite the example of Andaman Islands, which has a mix of Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Yet, it has never experienced communal violence. The reason is that there are no political parties to fan the flames of ethnic, cultural or religious divide. This proves convincingly that political parties have their own agenda in creating by communal or religious tension by exploiting the youth or some unemployed people.
Other factors responsible for the wave of terrorist attacks in the country stem from the use of high technology, to which techno-savvy youth have access. For instance, US Internet search company Google Inc released recently a software programme that allows users of mobile phones and other wireless devices to automatically share their whereabouts with family and friends. Users in 27 countries can broadcast their location to others constantly, using Google Latitude. The controls also enable users to decide who receives the information or to go offline at any time.
In a blog announcing the launch of the new service, Google believes that with this new technology, it is not only possible to control exactly who gets to see your location, but also decide the location that they see. What is more, friends' whereabouts can be tracked on a Google map, either from a handset or from a personal computer.
However, Google has rendered this state-of-the-art technology inaccessible to terrorists through built-in checks and controls. On the other hand, there is mounting evidence that high-tech terrorists are relying increasingly on SIM cards to cover up their tracks during mobile calls from various destinations.
In one bizarre case involving an airport employee, the police discovered that he had procured 10 SIM cards by placing orders on his company’s letterhead and forging signatures of its executives. The other application of science and technology put the spotlight on Abdul Sattar, a technician who had earlier worked in Saudi Arabia as an air-conditioning timer expert. He used his expertise to set off blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad in July last year
These bomb blasts involving both Hindus and Muslims underline a common message. When people lack a focus in life, are not aware of the do’s and don’ts of successful living, have a weak moral foundation, lack the spirit of research and enquiry in the pursuit of their goal as a student, do not know how to overcome the challenges of life, they dissipate their energy in a wild goose chase. They behave like a stray bullet killing innocent people, destroying houses, causing avoidable damage, and playing havoc with society like a loose cannon.
The youth cannot be insulated from terrorism by issuing high-decibel calls in the name of patriotism or cultural heritage. Illustrious personalities, however great they might be, do not change the mindset of a people anywhere in the field unless the desire for change lingers within oneself. And the only way to bring about that change is to impress on a person the importance of taking care of the present.
This is the message that Socrates delivers to Dan Millman, the university student and gymnast, in the 2006 American movie, “Peaceful Warrior.” Dan, who dreams of becoming a national champion, is diverted from his main goal by his sexual exploits. Socrates, with whom Dan has a chance encounter, advises the latter to concentrate on his goal to the exclusion of other diversions. He also teaches him to focus on his journey in order to reach his destination. These valuable lesson change the course of his life leading him eventually to win the coveted championship award.
Media education can play that role in transforming students from non-entities into entities with a mission to succeed in their goal. Once they have a mission statement in life, they will not have time for eve-teasing or other non-academic pursuits like sending pink chaddies to Ram Sena leader Pramod Mutalik on Valentine Day as they did on Feb.14.
Nor will they fall into the hands of terrorists or indulge in violence, political or criminal activities due to their heightened awareness of crime and punishment. I was absolutely shocked to learn, in a letter to the editor, that some of our youths take the politicians to be their role models! What else can we expect from such a generation other than terrorism, hooliganism, ragging, assaults on teachers, cheating in exams, etc.
To sum up, the only way to wean the Indian youths away from the scourge of terrorism is to inspire them with a mission in life as student. Through media awareness programmes, they can be made to realize that they have no future unless they have a goal and become a shining star to win the attention of those who matter. Once their goal is defined, they will not fall by the wayside and become an unexploded landmine taking innocent lives.
The ongoing National Campaign for Combating Terrorism (NCCT), which got under way in New Delhi on Feb. 3, will culminate in a seminar, ‘Aashirwad-the journey begins’, on March 6. The event has been marked by speeches, human chain, cultural programmes and calls to draw inspiration from the heroes of Indian history.
A dispassionate analysis of all the rhetorics and theatricals thrown into the anti-terrorism campaign makes it clear that those spearheading the campaign have missed what should have been the main point of the debate on the root cause of terrorism. Before we delve deeper into those aspects, it would be instructive to recap what has been said or done so far in order to realize the need for a paradigm shift.
The campaign got under way on February 3 in New Delhi with a `peace and harmony run'. More than 4,000 students from 78 colleges in Delhi and elsewhere have already registered for the run, which was flagged off by Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental of Delhi University. He observed that under the banner of NCCT, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) will mobilize the youth by holding a series of functions during the month-long campaign.
Besides the peace run, DUSU has lined up various other events as part of the campaign against terrorism: a two-day bilingual theatre festival held on February 9; debating competition scheduled in Delhi on February 19; `Udgosh - Spice of India', a music festival on February 27 and `Aashirwad - the journey begins', a seminar on March 6 at the New Conference Hall.
The next phase of NCCT would involve Loyola College, Chennai, where similar competitions will be held to identify budding talents, who would then be grouped into an NGO dedicated to helping the victims of terror.
The organizers of the anti-terrorism campaign have exhorted the members of NCCT to imbibe human values that underpin responsible citizens. And the only way forward, we are told, is to educate ourselves about our country and its cultural roots underlying the greatness of the Indian nation.
In Karnataka, over 15,000 students from colleges in Dharwad constituted a human chain as part of the campaign against terrorism on Feb.3. The initiative for this came from the department of higher education in Bangalore for launching a State-wide drive aimed at mobilising the youth in the fight against terrorism. The campaign, according to government officials, is deemed necessary in view of the surge in terrorist activities involving students and youths in India in general and Karnataka in particular.
Leaving aside these platitudes, it is instructive to examine the root cause of terrorism on the basis of realities on the ground. In the case of the Nanded bomb blast, for example, the motive, according to accused, Bhanurao Vithalrao Choudhary, was to target a mosque in Aurangabad. He also identified Himanshu who told them they needed to fight Muslim terror by carrying out terror strikes in the country. However, the plan could not materialize, as the bomb that exploded by accident in Nanded was actually meant to destroy the Aurangabad mosque.
Choudhary pointed out that Himanshu was in a revengeful mood due to the fact that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who was responsible for the Gateway of India blast in 2003 which killed many, went away scot-free despite the massacre that he was involved in. Thus, Himanshu believed, it was necessary to target the Muslim population in the country to safeguard the interests of the Hindutva.
Elaborating on the theme, Aleem Faizee, social activist working for the Malegaon blast victims, observed during investigations that the police found a map with details of the Aurangabad mosque. They also came across fake beards and Muslim outfits as part of the grand design to plant bombs and shift the blame on Muslims.
Muslim extremists, too, have been crazed by the same spirit of revenge. This became clear during the statements made by some of the accused arrested in connection with the recent Delhi blasts. The gang leader, Riyaz Bhatkal, said during interrogation that the blasts were meant to avenge the Mecca Masjid blasts which, he believed, involved some Hindu outfits to pin the blame on Muslims.
Here it would not be out of place to cite the example of Andaman Islands, which has a mix of Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Yet, it has never experienced communal violence. The reason is that there are no political parties to fan the flames of ethnic, cultural or religious divide. This proves convincingly that political parties have their own agenda in creating by communal or religious tension by exploiting the youth or some unemployed people.
Other factors responsible for the wave of terrorist attacks in the country stem from the use of high technology, to which techno-savvy youth have access. For instance, US Internet search company Google Inc released recently a software programme that allows users of mobile phones and other wireless devices to automatically share their whereabouts with family and friends. Users in 27 countries can broadcast their location to others constantly, using Google Latitude. The controls also enable users to decide who receives the information or to go offline at any time.
In a blog announcing the launch of the new service, Google believes that with this new technology, it is not only possible to control exactly who gets to see your location, but also decide the location that they see. What is more, friends' whereabouts can be tracked on a Google map, either from a handset or from a personal computer.
However, Google has rendered this state-of-the-art technology inaccessible to terrorists through built-in checks and controls. On the other hand, there is mounting evidence that high-tech terrorists are relying increasingly on SIM cards to cover up their tracks during mobile calls from various destinations.
In one bizarre case involving an airport employee, the police discovered that he had procured 10 SIM cards by placing orders on his company’s letterhead and forging signatures of its executives. The other application of science and technology put the spotlight on Abdul Sattar, a technician who had earlier worked in Saudi Arabia as an air-conditioning timer expert. He used his expertise to set off blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad in July last year
These bomb blasts involving both Hindus and Muslims underline a common message. When people lack a focus in life, are not aware of the do’s and don’ts of successful living, have a weak moral foundation, lack the spirit of research and enquiry in the pursuit of their goal as a student, do not know how to overcome the challenges of life, they dissipate their energy in a wild goose chase. They behave like a stray bullet killing innocent people, destroying houses, causing avoidable damage, and playing havoc with society like a loose cannon.
The youth cannot be insulated from terrorism by issuing high-decibel calls in the name of patriotism or cultural heritage. Illustrious personalities, however great they might be, do not change the mindset of a people anywhere in the field unless the desire for change lingers within oneself. And the only way to bring about that change is to impress on a person the importance of taking care of the present.
This is the message that Socrates delivers to Dan Millman, the university student and gymnast, in the 2006 American movie, “Peaceful Warrior.” Dan, who dreams of becoming a national champion, is diverted from his main goal by his sexual exploits. Socrates, with whom Dan has a chance encounter, advises the latter to concentrate on his goal to the exclusion of other diversions. He also teaches him to focus on his journey in order to reach his destination. These valuable lesson change the course of his life leading him eventually to win the coveted championship award.
Media education can play that role in transforming students from non-entities into entities with a mission to succeed in their goal. Once they have a mission statement in life, they will not have time for eve-teasing or other non-academic pursuits like sending pink chaddies to Ram Sena leader Pramod Mutalik on Valentine Day as they did on Feb.14.
Nor will they fall into the hands of terrorists or indulge in violence, political or criminal activities due to their heightened awareness of crime and punishment. I was absolutely shocked to learn, in a letter to the editor, that some of our youths take the politicians to be their role models! What else can we expect from such a generation other than terrorism, hooliganism, ragging, assaults on teachers, cheating in exams, etc.
To sum up, the only way to wean the Indian youths away from the scourge of terrorism is to inspire them with a mission in life as student. Through media awareness programmes, they can be made to realize that they have no future unless they have a goal and become a shining star to win the attention of those who matter. Once their goal is defined, they will not fall by the wayside and become an unexploded landmine taking innocent lives.
Friday, February 07, 2014
'Nearly 20 Lakh Private Arms Licensed In Half India': RTI
ALARMING SITUATION Governments across Indian states have issued 19.80 lakh private gun licences in 324 districts, or in just under half the country’s 671 districts.
States that have suffered terrorism and those with poor social indicators top the list. Uttar Pradesh, which has 16.50 per cent of the country’s population, has issued 11.23 lakh private licences, according to a government affidavit filed in the Allahabad High Court last year. The district-wise data were received over four years from queries sent to 600 districts; many didn’t respond. For the 324 that did, the average works out to 6,113 licences per district.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Opinion: Why Indian 'System' May Completely Change?
Not too long ago BJP leader Narendra Modi addressing a public rally in Jammu said that Article 370 imposed in the state needed to be debated. The reactions this evoked were amusing. The BJP went on a panic drive to assert that there was no change in the party’s policy towards Kashmir and it continued to oppose Article 370. J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah retorted that Article 370 was permanent because Kashmir acceded to India by reference to the state’s Instrument of Accession which mentioned Article 370. Modi responded by stating that a debate on all issues related to J&K was desirable. Upon that this writer urged a debate on the entire Indian political system.
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