This book was composed in the year 1984 and contains autobiographical recollections of my years at Oxford. The other essays deal with my educational activities and experiences. One article sums up my establishment of a secondary school in a remote village in the South of India. There are also articles summing up my visits…
Prime Minister’s Red Fort Speech: Agriculture, just an excuse!
Very weak and uninspiring, the domestic agenda! The Prime Minister on the Independence Day makes the mandatory speech from the Red Fort. This, under the present incumbent had become a routine speech? Yes, he has warned the Pakistanis, he had reiterated commitment to the US nuke deal, he, more importantly had said something about the…
Decline of the West? Or Descent of the West?
New Books on India and the Western domination The Scandal of Empire: India and the Creation of Imperial Britain by Nicholas Dirks The British Empire and the Second World War by Ashley Jackson Published by Hambledon Continuum Harvard University Press The History of British Empire by Niall Ferguson The War of the World: History’s Age…
Right to Information Act
What chance it will make a difference to our lives? “A society of sheep in time will beget a government of wolves” Why a French philosopher said so? The Right to Information Act (RTI) enacted and now in force gives the citizens to demand all the information from the government depts. so that the citizens…
Art of conversation: alive or declining?
Our personal cultures improving? Why our leaders don’t talk clearly, engage the people? President and the Prime Minister don’t inspire the people! There was this delightful piece in the Economist, December 23rd, 2006 issue. It was on the art of conversation. As usual it was written with verve and wit. What it says? The art…
Philosophy for thinking people!
Philosophy is about our faith, our beliefs systems! We can’t live and breathe without philosophy, you know? If not, it is time we know. Our education’s disabilities are many. One is not to have given us a belief system, a faith in our own terms of living. We don’t live, we just exist! That is…
Abbe Pierre, 94 dies
A French priest I knew long ago What individuals can do? Every one of us can make a difference to the quality of life around us! Yes, I have often wondered how individuals have done so much good. Yet, we often forget the do-gooders or under-rate their power of influence for long-term impact.Yet, we are…
Bharati’s life and times
His daughter’s writings reveal unknown facts! Thangammal Bharati Padaipukal Centenary publication, Amudhasurabi, Chennai,2004 pages 472, Price Rs.200. Mahakavi Bharati’s poetry is well-established. Not only in Tamil but at the all India level. Quoted and written about in all Indian languages. He lived only 39 years. He also wrote much that was traditional. What makes Bharati…