I Hate Exams.....

Let me just say this.... I HATE EXAMS..... :(

If you don't fall under the categories of "NERDS" or "STUDIOUS" or "GENIUS", then you'd probably agree with me as well.

Who likes them anyway?

What joy do we find, slaughtering our lives for a concentrated amount of days, confined within books, book, and just books, just to sit for a 3 hour paper, only to find a few days (or rather months) later that we pass, fail, or get an average score. And that too isn't enough compared to the amount of time we put for studying...

The single word 'Examination', or even its shortened version 'Exam', is just enough to evoke horrible nighmarish feelings in most of the people.

My exam is within 48 hours, and I'm here, working on this blog post. But one needs a break, isn't it? Studying all the time will make me mad.... So, I thought of writing this post.

And during this break from studies, I've enlisted the TOP 5 THINGS I HATE ABOUT EXAMS :

1. The unsettlled feeling it brings when you feel that you haven't studied enough (now this happens most of the times).
2. Deprivation from the television, computer, in general any form of entertainment.
3. Loads of stress that comes with it.
4. The feeling as if I'm cut-off from the civilisation.
5. Just HATE it.... You don't need any reasons for it....

Also, I've enlisted the TOP 5 THINGS STUDENTS DO DURING EXAMS :

1. You start liking & even playing mobile games which you hated earlier (thats coz they are the only means of entertainment)
2. Even the repeat telecasts of TV shows seem to be interesting (even if you've watched that episode earlier).
3. All movies that you like are being shown on the TV.... and you're so desperate to watch them.
4. You just find reasons to kill time (like this one..... i'm blogging.... ) =)
5. You just keep chit-chatting on phone with friends for every small reason.
   

Well... its time to get back to studies....

I HATE EXAMS.....

Still... I have to appear..... So, wish me luck.....

P.S. : Apologies in advance if I don't update the blog 'coz of exams. (I might not be able to write stuff but I'll try my best not to let the gap be too long....)

P.P.S. : Guys, wish me luck.... I need it badly :)

Of Young India, Old Rulers and the SON-Rise....

According to a survey, around 65% of the population of India is of the age group 20-45. So by this figure, one can easily conclude that India as a whole is a young country.

Okay.... India is young. But what about those in power? If you follow Indian politics, can you shortlist a few politicians who are below 45? (I said shortlist 'coz the list is really very short)

You might name Rahul Gandhi, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Omar Abdullah, Sachin Pilot, Milind Deora, etc. Okay, since you've answered my first question, here's another one. What do these 'young' leaders have in common?

Let me tell you, their parents were all politicians. Above all, they never had to compete with the grassroot partyworkers. They never had to come through party ranks.

This means that in India, if you want to enter politics and make it big as a youngster, you must have a Father or a Godfather in politics. To make it big early, you have to be from a political family. Otherwise, politics in India is for the older guys.

Lets take the examples of people holding top posts in India. The President Pratibha Patil is 73. Vice President Mohd Hamid Ansari is 75. PM Manmohan Singh is 77.

The situation in the states is even worse. Chief Ministers of 6 Indian states have crossed 70 year mark. And of those six, 3 have crossed the 80th 'milestone'. Kerala CM A S Achuthanandan is 86 followed by Tamil Nadu CM K Karunanidhi (85) and Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal (82). The members of 70-club are Uttarakhand CM Dr B C Khanduri (75), Assam CM Tarun Gogoi (73) and Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit (71).

Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah (39) is the youngest CM. The other two in the 'youngest 3 CMs' list are Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan (49) and Ashok Chavan (50). Of these three 'young' CMs, only one (Omar Abdulah) falls in the young age bracket (20-45 years). So, we just have one young CM.

And of these three, Omar Abdullah and Ashok Chavan hail from families with political history. Shivraj Singh Chouhan is an exception to this case. He has risen through his work in the RSS cadres and in the Bharatiya Janata Party to hold this post. But examples like this are of the rarest of the rare kind.

Let us take a few examples of 'SON-RISES' in Indian Politics :

1. Rahul Gandhi (Indian National Congress) :
   Son of former PM Rajiv Gandhi and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Hails from the Gandhi-Nehru gamily, having a long political background. Currently holding the post of General Secretary of Indian National Congress. MP from Amethi.
   
2. Sachin Pilot (Indian National Congress) :
   Son of former Union Minister Rajesh Pilot and former MP Rama Pilot. MP from Dausa.
   
3. Jitin Prasada (Indian National Congress) :
   Son of former Union Minister Jitendra Prasada. MP from Shahjahanpur.
   
4. Milind Deora (Indian National Congress) :
   Son of Petroleum Minister Murali Deora. MP from Mumbai South.
   
5. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Indian National Congress) :
   Son of former Union Minister Madhavrao Scindia. MP from Guna. Hails from the royal Scindia family of Gwalior with a long history in politics and that too in different parties.
   
6. D Purandeswari (Indian National Congress) :
   Daughter of former Andhra Pradesh CM N T Rama Rao.
   
7. Agatha Sangma (Nationalist Congress Party) :
   Daughter of former Union Minister Purno A Sangma. At 27, she is the youngest Indian MP from Tura.
   
8. Dr Anbumani Ramadoss (Pattali Makkal Katchi) :
   Son of Pattali Makkal Katchi Founder M Ramadoss. Union Health Minister. Youngest Minister in Manmohan Singh government.
   
9. Dayanidhi Maran (Dravida Munnetra Kazagham) :
   Son of former Union Minister Murasoli Maran. Nephew of Dravida Munnetra Kazagham Chief and Tamil Nadu CM K Karunanidhi. Former Telecom Minister.
   
10. Rajbir Singh (Samajwadi Party) :
    Son of former UP CM Kalyan Singh.
    
11. Akhikesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party) :
    Son of former UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav.
    
12. Supriya Sule (Nationalist Congress Party) :
    Daughter of Agriculure Minister Sharad Pawar. NCP contestant from Baramati.
    
13. Kanimozhi (Dravida Munnetra Kazagham) :
    Daughter of Tamil Nadu CM K Karunanidhi.
    
14. M K Stalin (Dravida Munnetra Kazagham) :
    Son of Tamil Nadu CM K Karunanidhi. Minister in Karunanidhi government in Tamil Nadu
    
15. Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena) :
    Son of Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray. Currently Executive President of the Shiv Sena.
    
16. Raj Thackeray (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) :
    Nephew of Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray. Floated a new party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena after a power tussle between him and cousin Uddhav in Shiv Sena.
    
17. Chandra Mohan a.k.a. Chand Mohammed (Indian National Congress) :
    Son of former Haryana CM Bhajan Lal. Former Deputy CM of Haryana.
    
18. Kuldeep Singh Bishnoi (Haryana Janhit Party) :
    Son of former Haryana CM Bhajan Lal. MP from Bhiwani.
    
19. Sukhbir Singh Badal (Shiromani Akali Dal) :
    Son of Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal. Deputy CM of Punjab.
    
20. K Muraleedharan (Nationalist Congress Party) :
    Son of former Kerala CM K Karunakaran. Ex-KPCC President. Currently President of Kerala Nationalist Congress Party.
    
21. Naveen Patnaik (Biju Janata Dal) :
    Son of former Orissa CM Biju Patnaik. Currently CM of Orissa.
    
22. Omar Abdullah (National Conference) :
    Son of Dr Farookh Abdullah and Grandson of Sheikh Abdullah (both former CMs of Jammu & Kashmir). Currently CM of Jammu & Kashmir.
    
23. Mehbooba Mufti (People's Democratic Party) :
    Daughter of former Jammu & Kashmir CM Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.
    
24. Amit Jogi (Indian National Congress) :
    Son of former Chhattisgarh CM Ajit Jogi.
    
25. Naveen Jindal (Indian National Congress) :
    Son of former Haryana Minister Sajjan Jindal. MP from Kurukshetra.
    
26. Priya Dutt (Indian National Congress) :
    Daughter of former Union Minister Sunil Dutt. MP from Mumbai North-West.
    
27. Manvendra Singh (Bharatiya Janata Party) :
    Son of former Union Minister Jaswant Singh. MP from Barmer.
    
28. Varun Feroze Gandhi (Bharatiya Janata Party) :
    Son of Sanjay Gandhi and MP Maneka Gandhi. Linked to the Gandhi family. Bharatiya Janata Party contestant from Pilibhit.
    
29. Poonam Mahajan (Bharatiya Janata Party) :
    Daughter of former Union Minister Pramod Mahajan.
    
30. Pankaj Bhujbal (Nationalist Congress Party) :
    Son of Maharashtra Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal.
    
31. Sameer Bhujbal (Nationalist Congress Party) :
    Nephew of Maharashtra Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal.
    
32. H D Kumaraswamy (Janata Dal Secular) :
    Son of former PM H D Devegowda. Former CM of Karnataka.
    
33. Dushyant Singh (Bharatiya Janata Party) :
    Son of former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje. MP from Jhalawar.
    
34. Nilesh Rane (Indian National Congress) :
    Son of former Maharashtra CM Narayan Rane.
    
35. Nitesh Rane (Indian National Congress) :
    Son of former Maharashtra CM Narayan Rane.
    

This was just the tip of the iceberg. There are many many more at lower levels. Looks like politics has become their 'family business'. Not just one or two parties, this happens in all parties.
So if a common younster, like you or me, want to join and make it big in politics, without any Godfather of even Father in politics, its next to impossible..... at least in India.

P.S. : The list above is not in the order of the importance of the leaders. I listed them as I recalled them. They have nothing to do with importance and/or my political view.

P.P.S. : I wanted to add photographs of each and every leader in the list above, but I did not do that to avoid excess load on the server.

Happy Holi

Holi - the festival of colours - is up in a couple of days.

Holi celebrations generally begin with the lighting of bonfire (called 'Holika') on the Holi eve to cleanse the air of evil spirits and bad vibes, indicating the victory of the good over the bad. In many parts of the country, the celebrations begin well in advance, as early as a month before the Holi-day (** pun unintended **).

Holi celebration makes the festival more exuberant and vivid when people rub ‘gulaal' on each others faces and cheer up saying, “BURA NAA MAANO HOLI HAI” (meaning :: Don't mind, its Holi).

I, myself, have not played Holi since the last 5-6 years. And thats certainly not because I do not like playing Holi or I'm scared of being coloured black-and-blue-and-red-etc. Its just 'coz that I now just don't feel like playing Holi.

I might sound a bit philosophical or like a 'Save Water' campaigner, but I now hate the way people waste water on this day. I do not say that I have never played Holi sans water. Even I've wasted much water. But ever since I came to know about the preciousness of water, I have stopped playing Holi.

I know I can't force anybody to stop playing Holi. But I urge all my readers to at least reduce the amount of water they waste and encourage others to do the same. By doing this, you're helping yourselves.

That's all I wanted to say....

Happy Holi once again !

PS : Amitabh Bachchan is also not playing Holi this time 'coz of 26/11 attacks. (as said in his blog)

Auction of Gandhi's belongings - My Take

India is making last-minute efforts to try to stop the New York auction of personal items belonging to the Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi on Thursday.

The foreign ministry says it has ordered its diplomats in New York to do whatever they can to obtain the items, possibly even bidding on them at the auction.

Antiquorum Auctioneers, the auction house, says it will start bidding at between $20,000 and $30,000, but expects the final price to be much higher.

Officials from the consulate have been talking to the New York auction house that plans to sell the collection, and also with the California man, James Otis, who owns some of the objects. The collection includes Gandhi's trademark wire-rimmed eyeglasses, a pocket watch, worn leather sandals and a brass bowl and plate. Antiquorum Auctioneers says it intends to put them on the auction block as a single item.

Mahatma Gandhi's iconic wire-rimmed spectacles

The Mahatma's worn-out leather sandals

Mahatma's watch

India's government has been under intense domestic pressure to get the objects returned to India. Gandhi's relatives, including his great-grandson Tushar Gandhi, and many other Indians object to the sale, and consider Gandhi's belongings part of their national heritage.

An Indian court Tuesday issued an injunction against the sale, but the ruling is not believed to be binding in the United States. Some Indians living in the United States have said they may try to buy the objects to ensure they are returned home.

But actually, in my point, there's been much furore regarding this 'national heritage'. The base price is somewhere around $20,000 to $30,000 and they are believed to gross much much more than this. Lets say they are auctioned for a $100,000 to $150,000 (which is more than 5 million INR - Indian Rupees). Now that's a whopping sum.

James Otis, the owner of most of the belongings up for auction, has said that he would 'give away' the items if Indian government spends more amount towards education and healthcare of the poor. That's a nice condition.

The foreign ministry of India has directed its consulate to do 'WHATEVER' it can, possibly bidding too. Now if they want it that desperately, they'll have to bid the highest amount, which may be more than $100,000 (according to our assumption).

All I want to say is that, India has got so many people living below poverty line. Why not the government tries to spend the same amount (or even 50 per cent of it) towards the betterment of their lives rather than bidding on these articles. I don't say that they are unimportant to India, but I think working towards a better future is much much more important than bidding for the past.

These are my personal views.... Yours can be different....

Attack on SL Cricketers in Pak

In a daring raid reminiscent of the Mumbai attack, terrorists in Lahore targeted the Sri Lankan cricket team that is currently touring Pakistan on Tuesday morning.

Unidentified gunmen, believed to be 12 in number and armed with Kalashnikov rifles and rocket launchers, opened fire on the bus carrying the cricketers to Gaddafi stadium in the city.

Initial reports said the attackers came in a white car and reportedly surrounded the bus at Liberty Chowk in the heart of the city and first fired rockets at the bus. They then resorted to indiscriminate firing with automatic firearms.

The attackers then started firing at a police van which was providing security to the Lankan team.

City police chief Haji Habibur Rehman said five policemen died in the attack.



According to a Reuters report :

Gunmen killed at least four people in an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team's bus on Tuesday as it drove to a stadium in the Pakistani city of Lahore, according witnesses and cricket officials.

Sri Lankan media, quoting the sports minister, said four players received minor injuries in the attack — Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavithana.

Pakistan television channels news channels said four people were killed. A witness told Reuters he believed two police commandos were killed along with a regular policeman and a traffic warden. Shopkeeper Ahmed Ali said the two police commandos had been driving behind the team bus when they were hit.

"It was a very heavy firing and I heard at least two explosions at the time," said a Reuters witness who had been on his way to cover the test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Pakistan only invited the Sri Lanka team to tour after India's team pulled out with security concerns following the militant attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai in November.

A Pakistani Cricket Board official said six players were injured and admitted to a hospital.
The players reported injured are Thilan Samaraweera, Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Mahela Jayawardene, Tharanga Paranavithana and Chaminda Vaas. Vaas was reportedly carried off on a stretcher while Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavithana were reportedly shot at.

Sri Lankan cricketer Kumara Sangakkara, while speaking to CNN-IBN, said :

"I had a sharpnel inside my shoulder, Ajantha had a few in his scalp and he also had a thigh injury. We are fine now. I don't regret coming to Pakistan to play cricket because that is our profession. We are all out of danger now. I am very happy that I am safe"

A Lanka team spokesperson has now said that both Tharanga and Samaraweera are out of danger.

Six policemen are reported dead. The van carrying the umpires was also attacked. Assistant coach Paul Farbrace has also been reportedly injured.

The Sri Lankan tour has been officially called off.

The audacious attack in the heart of the city is reminiscent of the attack on Mumbai hotels. It is a clear pointer to what the perpetrators had on their mind — a Mumbai-like reaction and outrage from international community.

The impunity with which the attack was carried out, especially when cricketing events in the country sees unprecedented security measure, is sure to rattle the international community about security measures in Pakistan.

Speaking to the media after the attack, Punjab Governor Salmaan Tahseer said:

"They are the same people who attacked Mumbai. It's a Mumbai-like operation. These were trained killers and are not ordinary criminals."

After initial postponement, India had officially called off its cricket tour to Pakistan on December 18 after the government refused permission to the team in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

That cancellation followed after relations between the neighbours deteriorated further following the 26/11 attacks.

Indian cricket team was scheduled to play three Tests, five One-Dayers and a Twenty20 match from January 4 to February 28 in Pakistan.

Security concerns in Pakistan have troubled tours in that country before as well. As many as three tours were cancelled in the last year alone.

Australia pulled out of their scheduled visit, while the International Cricket Council (ICC) postponed the Champions Trophy one-day tournament in September.