The Rape Of India

 Outside the locked door of the room in which she is incarcerated, her care-givers posed for happy-happy photos, giving cheerful quotes about their daily devotion to her brittle bones, and how their reward is her grateful smile.

Such sanitised stories don’t matter to the woman. She doesn’t even know these people. She hasn’t known anybody, or anything, after the night of 27 November, 1973, when parts of her brain died and locked-in her broken body to its most basic functions: eat, evacuate. And so she isn’t even aware that her next birthday, 1 June, 2013, will break its own bizarre record.

When Aruna Shanbaug turns 65, she will have been locked in that room for 40 years.

After being sodomised while being strangled with a dog-chain a little after her 25th birthday, largely brain-dead, cortically blind, unable to speak or walk or have control over body movements, Aruna Shanbaug is incurable.

I remember the day well .I had just returned back from a cricket match and had read about the scanty coverage the incident received in the press and the “green horn” Delhi Doordarshan .We were all very agitated but those days it was not “fashionable” to light candle marches .Or to come out into the streets and cause the movement to be hijacked by a group of “lumpen proletariat” in which a constable was beaten to death .What a same –we come out to raise a voice against a animal act and fall prey to the same thing –kill a man who was the only bread winner for his family .And fall into the murderous hands of fake godmen and power hungry “to be politicians”.And this a recurring theme that is happening in India –our movements are being easily hijacked .I wish and pray for Nirbhaya (she is from my hometown Dehradun).And I have been preying for Aruna for the last 40 years .She was engaged to be married –and the man who raped and sodomised has got away with imprisonment and is now married happily .And we have just watched silently .We just move on to the latest that hits a society that is almost sick to death .I hope some of you wont be praying after 40 years .I hope Nirbhaya gets justice .

The problem is in the society we live in and the judicial system .I was watching a young boy being interviewed by –who else but  by Times Now !!-as to what he wanted now that  the government had ordered fast track courts and suspended  some police officers . “I want justice”,he said with anger in his voice .Justice how ,I wondered .Stone the culprits to death ?Like it happens in some theocratic states ?Are we willing to adopt the “Shariat”?Will our women feel more liberated ?Or do we want justice not based on any set laws and trail systems as happens in some dictatorships ?Are we willing to live in a country like that ?Do we want a system like the one we have in America ?But there is no capital punishment there .!!What is it that we want ?Are we clear on it ?

I am quite clear on it .I am sure the anger will die down .It lacks leadership that can sustain it .There are no Moa Tse Tungs and Lenins among the people that gather in India gate .There are these wonderful kids from JNU and Delhi University  some kids from schools .Its a good way to be politically socialized .But I don’t think any change can be be brought about by just gathering ,

When it comes to this specific incident,I don’t think the police did a bad job.There are thousands of buses that ply on the congested and polluted roads of Delhi. A bus that shows no sign of trouble at a reasonable hour at night has no reason to be stopped or inspected; without reasonable suspicion or any hint of trouble. The police cannot be expected to anticipate an incident of this kind given the number of busses plying .And even if for a moment we presume that because the “power” people live in Delhi and we can spend huge amount of taxpayers money on them ,and have as many policemen as the people who have to be protected ,what will happen to lesser mortals who stay in smaller towns and worse still in villagers ?.Do not such cases there merit the same kind of outrage ?Or do the women there belong to some other planet ?. The problem , is a much larger one, and resides in a much more complex social and economic system .

 The problem cannot be defined through the filter of rape alone.Last week’s protests on the streets of Delhi against the despicable gang rape of a young 23-year-old girl were, no doubt, impressive but they missed the point. Rape doesn’t happen because the police permit it or are absent and unable to prevent it. Rape doesn’t happen because politicians don’t want to legislate to make  the law and are insensitive to the victims. Rape doesn’t happen because the courts are slow in meting out justice or the legal process humiliates the victims.  Rape happens because men rape.That’s the key point the protests forgot.Rape happens because Indian men don’t respect women and treat them as play-things. And come on - let’s be educated enough to  face it, it  is a culmination  of the way we bring up our boys  and the way we encourage them to think of women. The fault begins at home. It begins with our mums and dads. In fact, hurtful as it may sound, it begins with Mum!! .

. It further gets cemented  in  the way in which women are viewed and responded to while we go to college and our workplaces . It is the way men look at women .Women are considered as “maal”,and get their bottoms pinched everyday in buses . The apparent harmlessness of 'eve-teasing' that gets taken in one's stride opens the door for an escalating spiral of violence.It is the way women are treated at home –drunk husbands coming late at night demanding sex from their wives .And predictably being refused (how can anyone like to have sex with a drunk man ?),get beaten up .And then being raped by their husbands.(Rape by definition is forcible sex) .As also the way women are displayed in our adds !!You spray “Axe”,and you will have women falling over you .And just look at the women heaving and gyrating their bosoms in item numbers or in songs such as "chunri ke peeche kya hai" .!!And now with the availability of 24 hours porn –women have been reduced to commodities .And that is where the problem lies .Women are viewed as outlets of pleasure .What a tragedy –because women are something so, so much more than that .They represent such wonderful identities –they are a idea behind a form .

Of course there is a issue of policing and the justice system .A majority of the police force is corrupt .And they act like a private army of the rich and powerful .I read a account of a rape victim who was asked horribly embarrassing questions .How many times did he penetrate you ,what was the size ,why were you not wearing underpants ? .And all the time looking at the victim with lewd eyes . “The visual and mental rape in the police station was in no way less than the physical rape” she recounts .The police have to be more educated and refined .

The judicial system is a pain .The quality of public prosecuters is not only pathetic but they  also lack integrity .How can you ever expect to win cases when defaulters  are being defended by lawyers as brilliant as Ram Jethmalani ,Arun Jaitley ,Kapil Sibal etc .?The cases just drag on and on.The rate of conviction is so pathetically low

The expression of anger in cities across is not Nirbhaya specific .It is a bottled up feeling against the politicians ,bureaucrats ,the police ,and the judiciary.It is a culmination of anger against the non resolution of conflicts that are eating into the Indian State.About injustice being done not only to the backwards –but also upper castes in India .About the safety of not only  women in India ,but also the men who walk with them (don’t forget that Nirbhayas friend was brutally beaten and is psychologically being treated because he feels that he could not defend the honour of his friend).It is about parents waiting for their child to come back from college or school safely and not become a victim of a bomb blast .Its about us and them –we who obey passively ,those who lead us into war ,those to whom we pay taxes regularly ,those who manage our foreign policy .Is it worth it ?Is having candle light marches enough ?Are stricter laws and chemical castration enough?Have we not reached a stage when men and women should have easy access to arms so that you can shoot down the damn barbarian ?(I can hear so many howls on that one –I know you all are going to quote America !!)Just think before you answer the question .

The solution lies in your response to it .  
 

Are Our Schools Safe ?

The shootout at  the Sandy Hook School in Connecticut is spine chilling .Being on the other side of the globe one cant even imagine what must have happened in the school .A brilliant young boy, Lanza shot his way in through a locked glass door at the front of the school.He was wearing black military-style gear, including a vest and mask.He  must have walked in with frenzy in his eyes .His target was a sitting rabbit –small children aged between 6 to 10 years .His target was not just to kill and snuff life out –it was to maim and inflict as many wounds as possible .He shot at those lovely children many times and repeatedly-one of them 11 times !! .He also shot dead  the Principal ,and teachers of the school, who had reputations of being child friendly .And he finally shot himself dead .The school had been converted into a massacre ground  .And the target were people who were unarmed and who are perhaps the most docile segment of society–teachers and small children .Why did it happen ?

It is a very complex question to answer .In no way it seems that the young man who was trigger happy had chosen the school deliberately because he had a grievance against it .But there was a school involved and there were schools involved previously also.It  brought to the fore not just the venue ,but also what we teach in shools and how they are managed  .And if we don’t watch out there will be schools targeted in the future as well .

Unfortunately schools have become soft  targets.And this is because of the lopsided priorities we as a society place on schools .Everybody thinks it is their birthright to control schools because they  know more about it than the teachers and the school administration .And that’s because everyone thinks he or she must be more competent than the teachers because they (the teachers ),teach what everyone has learnt , if they went beyond the 12^th Class .So you can teach Physics in school because you passed out from school with Physics as one of your subjects !!And  if you know A,B,C,D,you can teach it –because you know it !!Absolutely ridiculous .Just because you know something does not mean you can teach it .And that is also the reason why some teachers are  better than others-they can teach what they know better than others- not because they know more but because they can TEACH better .I wish society realized this faster than what they do now .There is no mystique about teaching –like law or medicine or engineering .There should be –because teaching is perhaps more difficult than anything else .It pains me when I see parents come to schools and shout down teachers and Principals .It is just a stage before you shoot them down !!When I was the Principal at Jaipur ,there was a criminal and bootlegger who barged into my office along with his henchmen who carried weapons and caught me by my collar and opened his mouth and let out garbage that would make even a very abusive man appear as if he was praying .And he had the support of some powerful people .Can schools be safe when we have parental and social attitude of this kind ?The answer is no.The teachers are the heroes and heroines of any society .And it was a teacher who herded all the small children into a place and told them to be quiet “Be quiet children” she said .And when one of the lovely kids asked her “Why Maam?”, she replied “Because there are some bad people outside.”And when she saw fear in eyes of the kids when they heard the deathly rattle of gunfire she was quick to rise to the occasion “Don’t worry ,very soon the good guys will be coming .Then you can all talk and laugh .But ssshhh……quiet now my little angels”.!! Victoria Soto, a first-grade teacher at Sandy Hook elementary school has been hailed a hero after  hiding her pupils in cabinets, saving all of their lives. The 27-year-old then faced the shooter, Adam Lanza, and told him all of her pupils were in the gym. Lanza turned the gun on the teacher and shot her dead Imagine what the guy who caught and abused me (he was from Bikaner),in full public view would have done in a similar situation .He would have deserted the scene and ran –that’s what rats do when they see danger .No parent has the right to feel that their child is safe in a place where the person who is looking after the child is not treated like a demi God .We must never forget this lesson from the shootout .Schools are like temples -though i admit that all priests may not be the ideal priests .

The future appears grim as long as schools are promoted and funded by the noveau riche .It is no secret that many schools have sprung up in India which belong to property dealers who have huge amounts of money that can be siphoned off to educational sector because one gets  tax rebates.Since schools guarantee good connections in political circles and since there is always a mismatch between supply and demand  ,schools seldom run into losses .And most importantly schools are not prone to  cycles of recession and depression.

A logical corollary of all this is the fact that schools are  in a tight  grip of these “property wheeler dealers”.And they are often linked with people who have a criminal background . The land –politician-educational mafia is a strong one .Recently the owner of one of Delhis most high profile schools was shot dead because of a rivalry.Weak principals just become tools in the hands of these “disguished and distinguished ”  educational “samaaj sewak” criminals .And strong Principals are a anti theisis to the vision with which they create schools .More often than not ,uneducated wives of these property dealers/politicians , become the face of the school  and  run into confrontation with decent yet strong Principals who have to exit .

Unless educationists own schools and run them freely –the future of education is doomed in India .But educationists don’t have that kind of money .However ,I would hasten to add here that not all schools are like the ones I have described above .I have been fortunate to work in schools like DPS Jaipur and DPS Ahmedabad which are top class schools with very visionary managements .But then schools like these are in a hopeless minority .

What Principals must ensure and implement are security safeguards .If someone has to enter a school and has to pass through a system of frisking –then he/she must do .Even if you are a Sharukh Khan .If Airports can ensure that –so must schools .Principals must not stoop to conquer –they must stand up and realize that they are the custodians not so much of their own future –but of the children under their control and guidance .They must make sure that the bad elements don’t get into and start dominating the school culture .Drugs and arms must never be allowed into schools (a few years back a student brought a weapon and shot  dead another student in Gurgaon).Their job is like that of a soldier –their first duty is to defend the small kids .Their weapons are not those of a soldier ,but their weapons must be a strong mind that is wise ,and and which is fearless .

Given the background of the state of schooling –are children safe in India ?Yes –in the good ones ,they are safe .They are safe in schools like ours where we have safety measures  ,with a number of closed circuit T.V.cameras in place .They are safe in schools like ours where every visitor is screened and we have disaster management drills in place .They are safe in schools like ours which are run by educationists whose motive is to give opportunity to children to grasp the technology and knowledge which is waiting to be eaten into .

But I am not too sure about many other schools .I hope they wake up .Because we don’t want lovely 6 year olds going prematurely to paradise .They have a right to at least outlive us .  

What Life Has Taught Me So Far.!!

When I look back at life I often wonder what I learnt from my failures  .Did I take them consciously as failures or did they affect me subconsciously ?Did I work hard to overcome them? Or did I just ride with my destiny ?And in the end ,am I happy where I am ?

The answer to all the questions is “yes”.  Yes ,I did learn from my failures .Yes I did know that I had failed in some of the things I tried .Yes ,I was disappointed with my failures .And Yes ,I am very happy as of now .

I was born into a wealthy family and went to one of  the best schools, St Josesphs Academy, in Dehradun(my hometown), and colleges-Hansraj College  (in Delhi University) .I did the course I wanted to do –History Hons .I wanted to get into the IAS like my brother and brother in law .I failed .I tried teaching in one of the best colleges in North India .Could not get along with my Principal who thought he was giving me unemployment dole .I resigned .I was unemployed for a long period of time –nearly 2 years .(Imagine how someone who had studied in a terrific school ,and who was its Headboy and ace cricketer, and then went on to top his college in second year and Captain its cricket team ,as well as make a mark for himself in debating ,and was popular with the girls in his Univ days must have felt ).

That was the time that I sat down to consciously reflect and learn from what failures did to me .All of a sudden it dawned on me that its no use blaming anyone for anything .I did not rebel against God for having snatched my parents before I had left school .There was no point .It was something that could not be reversed .There was no point in blaming the UPSC for my failure to  clear the exams .I just did not have it in me to sit for hours on end preparing notes and then reproducing them to score marks .I was just not made that way .There was no way I could clear the State Bank Of Indias Probationary Officers Exam because my numeracy skills were not good enough .I could never have been happy as a banker even if I had cleared the exam .There was no point of teaching in a college in which no one applied for history as a subject for graduation .

Teaching girls at a special school in Dehradun.

I realized that blaming someone also has a “expiry” date .You can blame someone for sometime ,but that is not going to take you forward .One has to get out of this “sinking sand”,or “whirlpool” quickly .Otherwise it will consume you .That was the great lesson that I learnt from life at a early age .One is responsible for everything that one does .Do not blame others .

The second thing I learnt from life is that your true friends will NOT desert you when you have nothing .Thats because they realize what you are worth .In life one goes through ups and downs .There will always be people who will crowd around you because they can “use” you .But once your utility is gone –they will dump you .Its a lesson that must be learnt very fast –otherwise you are going to be disappointed very often .I learnt that I must not lean on people to the extent that they become my need .When I was the Principal in a very good school near Lucknow ,my Secretary there used to be all over me –sending me cards ,making mutton curry and sending it to me ,trying to give me gifts etc .And very cleverly try to get benefits for himself –a typical “mover and shaker”.The moment I left ,he started lobbying  by saying all kinds of things against me ,with my successor who incidentally was a great friend of mine .I was not dissappointed at all .He always had a personality like that .And when I fell ill and almost died ,there were people who came to meet my wife reassuring her that they would not leave till I was not out of the ICU.There was a friend of mine who made his way from Karnal with lakhs of rupees with him and telling Sangeeta "I know you have enough ,but here is the money so that you dont have to ask anyone or go to the banks or ATMs to withdraw .It will save you time ".And along came another friend of mine from Panipat -Vinod Sharma ,the Principal of DPS Panipat with another stack of notes .What  wonderful gestures .Imagine their  thought processes .P.C .Gupta , Vinoo -i will never forget your amazing gesture. .Success and failure taught me how to differentiate between the chaff and the grain .

And Principals at the IIM Ahmedabad .!!

Failure also taught me to believe in destiny .It propelled  me into the  field of school teaching which I had never thought of going into .Once I started to teach ,I realized how good I was at it .Failure taught me and took me to my strenght –teaching in a school .It also made me realize how hard I could work .I used to work through the day (I was teaching in a residential school)and used to sit up till early hours of the morning preparing notes and worksheets .I realized I was like a star .!!Or at least that’s what the kids made me feel .And there was no looking back .

The going has been great in the school profession .It has got me awards ,taken me around the world .I have rubbed shoulders with the high and mighty and realized that they are not really great people –they have different skills .They would make lousy teachers !!Life has taught me that one must play to ones skills .There is no point in trying to be like Amitabh Bacchhan or Lata Mangeshkar if you cant act or sing .Also ,that there is no reason to believe that they are happier than me .So be happy at what you are good at –even if you can cobble shoes .The problem will arise when you try to be like someone else without having those skills .A rabbit must skip and a tortoise must swin .If they interchange their roles –both will fail .

In many ways ,people from my generation have had to make the most changes .We had to adapt to the technology that has the world in its grip .Todays generation are by default “wired” to the flat screen TVs ,the cell phones ,the Iphone and the IPad,Twitter ,Google ,Skype,the touch screen and flutter technology ,Internet Banking ,and Internet Bookings .We were not born into any of these .We have had to delearn and relearn .!!Which is always a more difficult thing to do .The fact that we have been able to do it and that too in style ,makes someone like me very proud .And that is something that success and failure taught me –love and respect myself .Look for success in things apart from just how much money you earn or what designation is hung outside your office wall .Have you learnt from your experiences ?Are you healthy?Do people love you ?Do people trust you ?If the answer to the above questions is yes –then you are a success .!!And you are sure to live a good life –even though it may not be a long life .But living a good life is more important than living a bad long life.!! As Seneca the great Roman philosopher had written

“In life ,as in a book ,its is not how long it is .It is how good it is “. That is the definition for success for me .

"For Me It Was Not A Matter Of Survival -It Was A Matter Of Identity."

There was a flurry of activity at the Natarani Darpana Academy .The evening promised to be a  exciting one –a string of distinguished speakers from fields as diverse as travel ,economics, dangers of sharing information on social networking sites,and farming, had gathered  to speak on the theme “Explore ,Innovate ,Create …..The Future” .We (Sangeeta ,Pratique and myself ),took our seats in the fabulous open air theatre of the Darpan Academy .The sun had set ,there was a breeze which floated around and was cool and fresh .Soon the thetre was packed to the rafters as they say .The speakers started trickling in .Sanjana Kapoor made every head turn as she breezed down the steps and took her seat just in front of us .She looked around her immediate surroundings ,caught us with her eye ,smiled and said hello .She has a amazing personality –tall ,well built and extremely pretty .She was draped in a black saree and looked very inquisitive .Suddenly someone else came (she was escorted of course ),and sat down next to Sanjana .They both exchanged pleasantries and they both delved into their paper sheets they were carrying .Apparently these sheets were containing matter on what they were going to speak .The other lady looked very different .She had features  like a male (a sharp jawline ,broad on the chest and a voice that was'nt very feminine ).But she wore a saree .She had curly shoulder length hair ,and did not have a single facial hair .She was as fair as a foreigner .

She was Shreya Lalwani .

Shreya Lalwani with photographs of her as a young boyin the background 

I was seated directly behind her .And what unfolded was a amazing tale .Straight from the horses mouth as they say .

It is difficult to describe someone who was born a male with a womans mind .It is almost impossible to get a peep into the persons  mind that is craving to be a woman in a male body. “He was very handsome ,he was very brave .He was very intelligent”, she said ,looking into the open skies as she delivered her lecture .

“But I made sure and kept telling him to become what I was.For me ,it was not a matter of gender or sexuality .For me ,it was a matter of identity.”There was a pause as she reflected . “He was born into a wealthy family .He was a cute little boy .He always wanted to be with the boys .He was attracted to them”,she said . “But he was torn into becoming what he actually was –a girl .Nobody seemed to understand that .He went to college where he stood first .He used to go into bouts of depression.And then,one day his parents decided to get him married”.

She paused again.

“That night ,I did not let him sleep.He tried to make me understand”,and then after a small chuckle,said “I gave him no respite .I kept telling him to free me from his body .I was trapped in his form –though I tried to dominate his mind.He could not bear the agony any longer .He decided to commit suicide .He failed in the attempt”.

But it made  Shreyas parents realize that it was better to have a daughter alive, rather than a son dead .They relented. Shreya would go in for a operation for a realignment surgery.Shreya had what is termed “Gender Identity Disorder”

The genetic sex of a child is determined at conception. The mother's egg cell (ovum) contains an X chromosome, while the father's sperm cell contains either an X or a Y chromosome. These X and Y chromosomes determine the child's genetic sex.

Normally, an infant inherits one pair of sex chromosomes -- one X from the mother and one X or one Y from the father. The father "determines" the genetic sex of the child. A baby who inherits the X chromosome from the father is a genetic female (two X chromosomes). A baby who inherits the Y chromosome from the father is a genetic male (one X and one Y chromosome). The male and female reproductive organs and genitals both come from the same tissue in the feotus.(very simplistically put)

If the process that causes this feotal tissue to become "male" or "female" is disrupted, ambiguous genitalia can develop. The genitalia makes it difficult to easily identify the infant as male or female. The extent of the ambiguity varies. In very rare instances, the physical appearance may be as fully developed as the opposite of the genetic sex.

  Gender identity disorder is a conflict between a person's physical gender and the gender he or she identifies with. For example, a person identified as a boy may actually feel and act like a girl. The person is very uncomfortable with the gender they were born with.It was this conflict that Shreya (born as Suresh a male )kept talking about .She kept referring to herself before she underwent surgery as “him”.The time to end this “dual”,role had come .She was to undergo surgery at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital at Mumbai .

However  before that ,she had to have harmone replacement therapy for a year .She also had to undergo counselling for the same length of time .

“It was difficult to convince Suresh .I could understand his plight .He had to part with his masculine form .But he was very unselfish”,and she stopped for a while .She was choking up .Not a sound could be heard except the ruffling of the leaves of a tree that  under which we sat .

“He asked for his sperms to be preserved”,she continued .She cant bear children ,but wants to have her former self (Suresh),child through surrogacy .Before she entered the operation theatre she sent a email to all her friends , “I have a female brain in a fertile man’s body. I can change my body but not my mind.”

 Finally on 16 March 2012 ,Shreya was born .

She looked at the crowd .“A surgeons knife set me free .I am only 8 months old .Please let me come to terms with myself .I have so much to learn as yet”.

We all spontaneously clapped .We could understand her  agony and  ecstacy .

Her hormonal treatment will continue for a minimum period of 8 years and maybe for life .At 27 years of age she is a Professor at the Tolani Institute of Business Management at Gandhidham .Her college has been very supportive of her and have also pitched in with finance for her operation .

But one can only guess as to what must be going on in her mind .One cant even imagine what it must be to live two lives in one human form .There must have been a  great conflict between “me” and “him”.It must have been a  see saw battle which must be like climbing the Everest  everyday and then slipping down the slopes and then taking on the challenge of climbing again .Day in, day out ,minute by minute .

She waited for the applause to subside .She wiped a tear which had dared to roll down from her left eyeball .

“Why did I do all this”?,she asked .And after a pregnant silence , answered

“Because for me ,it was not a matter of survival .For me ,it was a matter of identity .I wanted to be who I was and am .”!!

We all stood up to applaud a remarkable human being .Once again ,within the space of 3 hours ,someone else had taught me a lesson –if you have the guts ,you can get anything you want .

Are you all gutsy enough ?!!

   

Kulbhushan Kain's Blog: "Maanaa Andheraa ghanaa thaa,Diya jalaana to manaa...

Kulbhushan Kain's Blog: "Maanaa Andheraa ghanaa thaa,Diya jalaana to manaa...: The beauty of life is not in the opportunities it gives you to prove who you are . It neither can be reduced to a balance sheet of your h...

"Maanaa Andheraa ghanaa thaa,Diya jalaana to manaa nahi thaaa"

The beauty of life is not in the opportunities it gives you to prove who you are . It neither can be reduced to a balance sheet of your happiness and sadness .The beauty of life is its unpredictability .Its capacity to prove to you time and again as to how little you know about your exixtence and also how little you know from where you came and where you are going to go .Some of us take the easy way of saying “Well no one knows about these things .And its futile to try and understand these philosophies .After all what did Aristotle ,Vivekanand ,and countless others do ?They all bit the dust”.So chill out !!Just groove to the music of life .

By and large it is true .I have had very little time to philosophise about life .I was too caught up by early tragedies ,then a  tempestuous love affair ,then work ,work and work .At times the work bored me .At times it exhillarated me .At most times I felt I did work which was good and productive .At times ,I had to cope with a dumb witted boss who knew nothing about anything (leave aside education),and at times I worked with persons who were streets ahead of me .I worked with colleagues who were mostly average in their perceptions to the larger picture of life ,capacity to work hard and take risks.I accepted their false and true opinions with grace .I have seldom made a mistake in understanding a persons mind .I can see through their “apparent”,and get to the “real”.The result –I have never felt let down.No one lets you down -you let yourself down by choosing the wrong friends and colleagues at work .(Please touch wood for my sake!)But I have had this fear of the unknown .I don’t know what is going to happen in the next 5 minutes as I write .I am acutely aware of my moments .I don’t waste them without giving thought to them .And life continues to surpise me .

Nirmal Kumar -way to go !!

I realized how small I was when I was invited to a function organized by the CALOREX FOUNDATION which had as its theme “Explore,Innovate ,Create ……….THE FUTURE”.There were a galaxy of stars and celebrities who had descended to the Natarani Darpan Academy (run by the Sarabhais of the Vikram ,Mrinalini ,and Mallika Sarabhai fame).Some of them looked so ordinary that one would never notice them in a crowd of even 50 people .But they were amazing minds and absolutely out of the ordinary .There was the physically challenged Nirmal Kumar ,who is a IIM Ahmedabad alumini.He resisted the tempatation of a 7 figure salary because he said he felt that the autorickshaw charged him 10 rupees extra when he was a student at IIM . “I had paid 25 rupees on my way to the Pride Hotel.But on my way back ,the auto driver asked me for 35 rupees.I argued ,and soon realized that there was a problem in the system .I tried to go to the roots of it .And after some time came up with the concept of G-Auto”.For all of you who haven’t heard of it ,G-Auto is the most trusted form of autorickshaw in Gujerat,because  no one needs to bargain.Everything is systemized ,complaints are atttended to and rectified.There are different autos for different purposes  -there are heritage autos which have a fixed rate to show you the heritage sites ,there are airport autos in which the autorickshaw drivers can speak in English .There are 10000 autos under the brand of G-AUTOS.And very soon ,Nirmal is targeting 50000.!Simply amazing guy .He is short and he is ungainly .But as precious to our society as a diamond .Probably one of the reasons that makes Ahmedabad a safe city –its autos are safe .And the credit must go to Nirmal for that .

He has a amazing background  There was no electricity, telephone lines or hospitals in Nirmals home village of Risuara in Siwan district of Bihar  . Nirmal's high school was three kilometres away from his village, which he covered on foot with a back affected by polio.
" When you are born in a place with little means, you learn to rely on yourself for everything. You become a fighter," he shares. 
 Nirmal was struck by polio at the age of three -- but could not be treated in time as there were no hospitals in his village, only 'quacks'. However , it never stopped him from playing football in school or taking the cows through the rice fields.

With unsteady fingers, Nirmal learnt how to hold the pencil, firm his grip, and read and write. In the evenings, he would clean up the lantern shade with a dry piece of cloth, oil the wicker, light it, and in its glow dream of a better life. "Lagan bahut thi." ['I was very dedicated.'].I am reminded of Ataljis poem “Maanaa ,andheraa bahut ghanaa thaa ,magar diya jalanaa to manaa nahi thaa”!!
He won the National Talent Scholarship and decided to pursue a BTech in agriculture. While he was relieved to have won the scholarship, the paltry sum of Rs 800 a month wasn't enough, so he gave math tuitions. "I have never been afraid of hard work," he says.

Perhaps that's why he gets impatient when his sales team complains about not getting a client. "I ask them how I, without political links or monetary support, could get ONGC, Reliance and the State Bank of India on board? Weak people make excuses."

That's why he wasn't surprised when he wrote to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi for an appointment to discuss his future venture, and he actually got one. Fifteen minutes stretched into 50 minutes, and Modi agreed to inaugurate G Auto. Nirmal thanks his parents, or rather his entire village for making him the way he is. "Not once I was made to feel that I was handicapped," he shares

A star had been born .I am so surprised that people with everything do so little .Its people with very little who perhaps make the greatest contribution .But the beauty of life is making us change our priorities ,our mindsets and our perceptions .Thats why it is important to come across people like Nirmal Kumar .!!

(If you want any proof of his efficient system just ring up 9274444444.You will get a immediate response from G –Auto .And then try to ring up the SBI !!)

Next blog –“I am only 9 months old”.I was staring at a form that looked like it was 30 years old .(Don’t miss the next blog .Another amazing human being .!!)

London ,Paris ,New York -And Delhi !!

A boy who reads my blogs  regularly asked me while I was on a round of the school

“Sir you have travelled a lot .I have read your blogs on London and Paris . You have just returned from New York .Which of the three cities  is the best ,according to you?”.

It was a tough question and quite simple to answer it by over intellectualizing it .So I replied

“It’s a bit like asking me –who do you like more –your Mom or your Dad?You know each of them have their strengths ,and each of them contribute to our living and growing up .So you cant say that your Mom is better than your Dad or vice versa”!!.I was not only trying to be clever ,but honest as well .But children these days don’t want half baked cookies .

“OK Sir ,let me put it this way .I like my Mom more than my Dad !Or let me put it in yet another way –I am being asked to go to one of the three cities for my holidays .Which one would you suggest?

The skyline of New York .

That set me thinking .The cat was finally among the pigeons .Now I could not get away .

“London is out as a first choice .Its a bit crowded ,in many ways like a Indian city .Piccaddilly Circus is a madhouse ,people jostling with one another for space .Oxford Street is a much hyped about street ,Cannaght Place in Delhi is better, and there are too many people at the London eye as well at St Pauls Cathedral .Parts of London will remind you of Khan Market in the evenings or South Extension .England is beautiful –but for that you have to get out into the Midland ,Wales ,Scotland or Ireland .But London –no ,if the choice was between the 3 cities you have named .But go to it if you want great Indian food and if you want to speak in Hindi ,Punjabi or Urdu.Go to it if you are prone to get bouts of homesickness .Or if you like fish and beer.You will enjoy the pub culture .They(the pubs) are noisy and get noisier as the  pints keep going into your belly first and then into your head  .!!”

He looked at me .I continued .

“Paris is a beautiful city .The people in Paris are terrific looking .The women are well heeled and the men are formally dressed for no reason at all .You wont find many Indian restaurants and you will feel ill at ease when you want to ask questions –they speak a lot of French and even if they know English ,may try to feign that they cant understand .Better to ask a question in Hindi and pretend desperately that you are searching for  a English word ,and you will get a response .!!But it’s a lovely place to sit out and sip wine nearly on the road and eat croissants  at a Pattisserie .!!Or a slice of Pizza .Its clean ,less congested than London and has some fine sights –The Eiffel Tower and  the Notre Dam .Amazingly lit up at night .A naughty city .!!As if waiting to rebel all the time .No wonder it was the home to so many revolutions and a strong labour movement .”

“So that leaves New York as your first choice”,he asked .

“Yes ,in a sense it is  .It is very crowded but it is a city with a lot of vibrancy .And it’s a city in which people would not care who the hell is doing what . You can pop out of the Underworld in Central Park, hail a taxi, head down Fifth Avenue with a giant hellhound loping behind you, and nobody even looks at you .!!Funny isn’t ?Its a city in which you can see who you are ,and know who you are because you feel so free that you don’t have to put on a act .Its a city in which you can have a fabulous hamburger /hot dog with mustard sauce for just 2 dollars .Its a city in which you feel like wearing sunshades at 2 am (not pm!!),at Times Square because the neon lights and hoardings are so bright .Its a city in which you can see a youth standing in the smallest of underpants in biting cold –showing off his assets .Its a truly amazing city in which the skyscrapers that kiss the sky ,enclose within them some wonderful parks –Bryant and Central Parks .Its a city that does not tire you –no matter how much and how long you walk”.I looked at him .I asked him “When are you going to New York”?.

He looked back at me and said “Not too sure ,but maybe in May 2013”.

“Lets meet up in New York then ,because we are going to be there anyways in the summers ”.

Yes ,New York has something to it which few cities have .

Would I like to live there forever?
 No. Because India  is my home. Delhi  is my second  home.If I have to spend a year living in an unfamiliar city, New York is  a pretty lovely one to spend it  in, but I will be going homat the end of it, certainly.You know –the difference between a mistress and a wife .!! 

Country Roads Take Me Home .!!

My house in Clement Town(Dehra Dun) has seen many ups and downs .I remember it in the 60ties as being the hub of affluence and social focus.It belonged to "Doctor Kain",a very prominent and visible man  .Its a beautiful  bungalow but  now past its prime.When Mr Lumsden sold it to us in 1960, it was called “Anchorage”.My father changed its name to “Guro Bhavan”,naming it so in honour of my mother .

At different  times ,it had different  occupants .When my father moved into a government accommodation ,the house  became the office of the ONGC  for its drilling project at Mohand –which is  just about 7 kms down the mountains near the Rajaji Game sanctuary .It also doubled up as a school –Shalini Preparatory School .When my father passed away ,we shifted back into the house –Guro Bhavan.But soon we all left in different directions to eke out  our living and handed it over to Uncle Sumra who looked after it with great care .Unfortunately ,Uncle passed away on Christmas day last year – His widow ,Aunty Sumra lived  there for sometime trying to brave it out ,but could not cope with the loneliness and old age .Subsequently ,Alzheimer consumed her , we shifted her out and sent her to her relatives in Hyderabad .After struggling for nearly two years without Uncle ,she passed away on the 9th of October 2013 .Ironically -it was a day when i left India for Dubai .It was as if she had acknowledged the fact that her duties of looking after me were over .!! The house is now run down ,empty (except a ceiling fan in one of its rooms)and a lonely reminder of the days it once had seen .I still remember,very, very vividly,many many years back ..................

  ……………

 Guro Bhavan  was a stand alone bungalow  on the Subhash Nagar Road .It was the first bungalow as we turned into the post office road from Subhash Nagar .Gen Shabeg and Seth Pannalal built their bungalows much later .Just before Guro Bhavan ,used to be a small pond and next to it a open field .We used to play cricket there and sometimes someone would hit the ball into the pond !!Of course the batsman would be declared out ,but anyone wanting to volunteer  to retrieve the ball would be given an extra innings !!In the duststorm of my memory ,i can still see Timmy Ploma hit the ball into the pond and quickly run to retrieve it .And when Glenn Miller protested as Timmy took guard for his second innings , saying that 2 innings were only for the fielders and not for the batsman irrespective of whether he retrieved the ball or not ,Tim blurted out "You dont know the rules of the game .And you need not know it because you are never going to be a beneficiary -you cant  hit the ball so hard and you have never volunteered to retrieve the ball " Ha Ha !!Dont know where Tim and Glenn are now .Tim went off to Perth and Glenn went off to England .And Glenn did go into the North Sea -not to retrieve cricket balls but oil !!Would love to meet them .!!
 Our house  had a beautiful verandah which ran half way across the front .It had 8 rooms and 6 outhouses .It had a huge lawn on which i learnt to play cricket .It also had a water clock in the front .! There was a gravel road which led the visitors to the front door of the house .All around it were beautiful flowers –my father was particularly fond of sweet peas and hollyhocks .There were about a hundred trees –mostly mangoes ,guava,anjeer ,and a fruit  called “chakotra” in local parlance .In English its called “Pomelo” .It is like  a big lemon almost the size of water melons .I also remember in particular three  trees –the red weeping willow which was near the fence of our house adjoining the main road ,the "jamun" tree which was always very popular because it  bore very sweet and juicy "jamuns", and the Jacaranda tree which was near the front entry to the house .My younger sister and me used to climb the Jacaranda very often . It used to flower  during spring and in autumn it would shed its leaves and purple flowers .Once we saw so many leaves and flowers being shed ,that I remember saying  “See ,its crying”!! Our uninhibited movements became slightly more sedate when she had a fall from one of the branches .The jacaranda had taught me a important lesson –being rash is fun ,but it also brings with it risks.

The house was decked at its best for the marriage of my eldest sister .I still remember it being bathed in lights .And in those days my father spent(wasted) enough money to have a illumination of moving lights which caricatured  a man garlanding a woman –the “jai mal”,as we call it .And as for the crowds!! –it was as if the whole city had congregated to Guro Bhavan .I remember my father playing the perfect host –very debonair ,very charming and very alert .My mother kept by his side .We were too young to take over any responsibility –we were too interested in entertaining our friends and cousins .

In the evening ,the lights of Mussoorie twinkled in front –a  glorious uninterrupted view bcoz there were no buildings high enough to block them .And in the winter months –we could see the Himalayas clothed and draped in white and trying to kiss the blue skies –the snow looked  so white ,and  beautiful and the sky so blue and tempting. My father would take us to the hills where my cousins stayed (they still stay there ,next to Ruskin Bonds cottage –infact Mussoories most influential people ).Lovely birds would  chirp  throughout the day ,and I have never seen so many butterflies and “jugnoos”,in my life as when we used to stay in Guro Bhavan .In short –it was a fairy tale living .

Things changed .Clement Town changed .The beauty of Clement Town caught the eye of the people .It was invaded by outsiders .And the entire character of the place changed . We grew older ,we no longer climbed the Jacaranda tree,the weeping willow grew old and the unrelenting termites ate into her 60 years old trunk,a storm did her in one day .The jamun tree started to grow too big for the new electrical wires and the electricty department cut it down .The twinkling stars of Mussoorie got hidden behind ugly unplanned buildings ,and one could no longer see the snow clad mountains .The trees no longer attracted the birds ,and when humans encroached on the Rajaji Game sanctuary ,the monkeys made their way into our compound .About 4 years back ,a leopard came visiting Clement Town .!!It created panic .The police and the wildlife authorities were informed .I don’t know what happened subsequently.

I visited my house in November last year .I went to meet Uncle .I was told that the once Hammer Thrower for India ,was slowly fading away from life .I entered the gates of  house .It looked very dilapidated .My car came to a halt beneath the Jacaranda tree .I looked up at it .?Where and which one was the branch from where my sister had fallen off?Could not make out .There were some lovely purple coloured flowers on its branches .The tree looked old but beautiful .A squirrel dashed up and down its main trunk,and looked at me as if i was a intruder .There was a breeze that rustled  through it –ah a bit like old times ..I entered Uncles room .

He looked very frail .But he recognized me in a jiffy .!. “Kulu,I have been waiting for you.” He mumbled .And then made a effort to get up .

“Chhotti,bring the whiskey”he said (Chotti is the name by which he used to call Aunty).

“No uncle ,I don’t drink now .And its only 10 in the morning.Maybe next time after sunset !!”,I said .

He looked at me and replied “Boy ,for me the evening may not come”.

I was stunned into silence .Memories of him dancing,of him taking me for patridge  and water duck shoots ,of him and me driving to Delhi and Ludhiana ,and of him ,lifting a steel trunk above his head to load it into a tempo –all came flashing back.Surely ,the curtain was about to fall .I reached out to him.His hands were cold .He whispered “One for the road Kulu”.And then those words –“You have to think of selling Guro Bhavan now .I dont have much time left now .And none of you wants to stay here”.

Uncle was dying ,Clement Town as i knew it, was already dead .I was reminded of a poem of Javed Akhtar

mujhko yaqin hai, sach kehti thee,

jo bhi ammi kehti thin,

Jab mere bachpan ke din thae,

 chand mein pariyan rehti thee

 ik ye din jab sari sadakey roothi roothi lagti hain

ik wo din jab ‘ao khelen’ sari galiyan kehti thee

ik ye din jab jaagi raten deewaron ko takay

ik wo din jab shakhon ke bhi palken bojhal rehti thee

ik ye din jab zahan mein sari ayyari ke baten hain

ik wo din jab dil mein sari bholi baten rehti thee

ik ye ghar jis ghar mein mera saz-o-saman rehta hai

ik wo ghar jisamen meri budhi nani rahati thin

Uncle passed away peacefully in his sleep on the 25^th of December .I could not attend his funeral .I did not want to see his dead body .I lack that kind of courage .But I do remember ,the last time I left Guro Bhavan while he was alive .I had stepped out of his room .I knew my professional commitments would not have allowed me to meet him again .I stood beneath the Jacaranda tree .I looked up .I searched for the moments and the birds .Suddenly a gust of breeze ruffled its leaves and the purple buds .And they rained on me .I did not brush them off my hair or my jacket.It was as if Guro Bhavan was applauding me and showering its blessing .I also remember telling myself –“See Kulu ,its crying”!!. Suddenly a squirrel ran up and down a branch and looked me in the eye.Was it pleading me to stay the night and leave the next day as Mom and Dad would have done ? 

And then  a small flower fell into my eyes .It brought out the tears .After many years ,I was bonding with something that had dared to stay there without any of us –the Jacaranda tree .It was teaching me another lesson

“Cry if you must –but don’t you quit”.
It also taught me another lesson .Dont invest much of your heart in men and women who will pretend they love you .Its better to invest it in animals and trees .They are more loyal, -even if they cant say "I love and i admire you".And they dont desert you even if you leave them .!!

What Is A "Good" School ?!!

I have been in the Education sector throughout my life .Even if I did not want to learn anything from it –it would have been possible to do so .If you spend day in and day out in the corridors ,fields and classrooms (and in hostel rooms as well),then one will have definitive views on education .No matter how many books one reads and how many seminars one attends (though I love them since all of them are in 5 Star Hotels and many times in Dubai,Paris  and London.!!),nothing can replace the learning that takes place at ground zero –the classrooms ,the playing fields and the staff rooms .The best mechanic is the one who gets in front of the car and below the car .Not someone who is dealing with power point presentations and Blackberry phones .!!

I have often been asked “What is a good school”?.Or , “How do you create a good school.”?Both are absolutely relevant questions and someone who has spent a lifetime in schools should  be in a position to give some kind of a answer to it .Without going into too many details ,I will attempt to do so .

I will start by saying that a good school is NOT one that produces good academic results .!!Please don’t mistake  the trees  for the woods.You can be  outstanding student with a very weak and unimaginative personality .To do well in studies does not require creativity or intelligence .It does not require debating skills ,it does not require dissenting attitudes .It does not require a personality .It does not require charm or honesty (though at times it requires back stabbing and secrecy ).Of course you can be a brilliant academic with all those qualities –but you could be one without any of them also .You just need to be a slogger (the Indian educational system makes sure that by learning by heart you can score well ).Ravi Shastri scored many runs –but so did Vivian Richards .Ravi was pedestrian and laborious (please I know he hit 6 sixes in a over,and has terrific looks .Also that he is a brilliant commentator !),but Vivian just took your breath away with his brilliance .He could turn around a match in 30 minutes flat .Good students should be like that –brilliant so that they can turn around human societies and not  become just  cogs in the wheel of sluggish systems which as Arnold Toynbee put it are in a cycle of decay .Some schools are like that .I am not going to name any ,but I worked in one of them and which produced children who came from very humble backgrounds and now are in the forefront of change .Change which will address issues of global warming ,of nuclear proliferation,of drinking water ,of poverty ,of racial and religious intolerance ,of deadly diseases .Good schools are focussing on those areas rather than just bulk  producing children with high percentage and low values .They are celebrities in their fields .So don’t go by the results of a school .Most of them will advertise their results selectively .!!I know one school which had their worst result last year ,and their best result the year before last ,and they had advertised “The best result ever”!!Even if was true –whats the big deal .!!You don’t want brilliant students like Rajat Gupta ,do you ?

I think that one of  the characteristic of a good school has to be its discipline .No,No,No .Please don’t think I am talking of military kind of discipline .Discipline does not mean “don’t do this ,don’t do that”.It means “do this ,do that”,and also “don’t do this –but do that”.Most schools don’t tell children what to do .Most of us have forgotten how we used to struggle to find out what we are expected to do .Most schools have converted school assemblies into extra periods or “zero periods”.I don’t blame many of them .Most schools are responding to the demand of the times –Marks !!They are not bothered about values .Go for a school which emphasizes the importance of values .Go for a school which is headed by a person who has a reputation of being fair ,hardworking and intelligent .And who has a personality ,because he is competing against Saif Ali Khan when he is trying to tell the kids that eating chips is dangerous because one packet contains trans fat and salt that is enough for 2 days !!". Unless the leader walks the talk ,your child is never going to believe what he is being told from the pulpit .

A good school will emphasize the importance of the basics .It will emphasize the importance of coming to school on time ,and coming in uniforms that are prescribed.It will keep a record of the childs absence from school(its not a college -attendence is important ) .And remember –if you can convince your child to come to school on time and in proper uniform ,it means only one thing –the child and the parents are agreeing what you are saying .It shows a healthy respect for rules and regulations .It reflects that the children ,staff and parents are supporting you.It also means your buses are running on time .It means you have structures that are effectively performing their functions  .And it also means that you are ready to provide the necessary leadership to inspire a child to contribute to the world of tomorrow .And that is the game that we as schools are playing .We cant afford to lose it.

I often go to schools and watch children playing during recess time .Its a time when he/she(child ) is not under supervision .I can pick up the quality of the school by just observing them .Are they using abusive language .?Is there a element of bullying ?Are children making fun of a child with a a disability?.Is there concern if a child is hurt ?Is there a child sitting under a tree watching birds on it ?What food are they bringing in their tiffin?

I also go and visit the toilets of the school .!!Ah –perhaps the real indicator of what kind of children (and indirectly staff and parents they are exposed to) study in the school .Which again reflects the priorities of the school .I know of a school which produces excellent results .But visit their toilets .!!See how they stink not only in real terms ,but also in terms of the graffiti written on the walls .A good school will never have those kind of things .Go for a school which shows concern for cleanliness .Dont admit your child to a school which has 17 windowpanes broken and which has layers of dust on the window sills .It can never be good !!

And finally ,I always go to a school and  see the way the assembly is conducted .Sometimes I am asked to address assemblies in school. On such occassions ,i very cleverly push in the question

“How many of you want to be school teachers”?

Its the most important question and must be asked without giving any prior hint.!!Otherwise the response will be doctored !!If only a sprinkling of hands go up – it means that the staff is not good enough ,because our first heroes and heroines are /should be our teachers .I always wanted to be a teacher because Mr G.C.Gupta ,Mr and Mrs D’Souza ,Mr Chettri ,Bro Donovvan and many more were like icons for us .Their personality ,their glamour ,their knowledge ,their skills ,their following –was  amazing .They were like film stars in a school.!!We all wanted to be like them .And when I go to schools and find even primary children crinkle up their noses when being asked as to why they don’t want to be teacher –I know the answer .!!And read this one –I went to a school which had a outstanding Principal who was obviously gifted with looks ,composure,communication skills, and achievements to his name .It also had a very ordinary  staff .When I asked in the assembly as to how many wanted to be school teachers ,there were just a few hands that went up .And when I asked how many of them wanted to become a Principal –nearly all hands went up !!.I looked at them and said

“Become teachers ,because only then can you become a Principal”.I paused ,smiled and added

“like your Principal”!!!And again asked asked them ,as to how many of them wanted to become teachers so that they became Principals like their Principal .Nearly all hands went up !!!.

Go for a school that has charismatic and good teachers .And of course –a   school that has a good Principal .Because at the end of the day –marks only get you that far and no further .Its the impact of incidental and accidental learning that is more important .Computers don’t provide that .Human beings do .Ultimately all good schools are built by  human beings –and good ones at that .And ultimately good schools build good governments and nations .As Abraham Lincolm wrote .

“The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.”

Victoria ,Nanaimo and Sakshi -Canada at Its Best .!!

It was evening time when we boarded the ferry for Vancouver Island (as distinct from Vancouver ).Vancouver Island is separarted from Vancouver by the Georgia Straight ,a largish expanse of water which takes 2 hrs to cross .The Delta Ferry service runs ferries –but please don’t think they are ordinary ferries .They (the ferries ),take about 300 cars in the lower deck ,and above them are 2 decks and a terrace (upper deck ).The 2 decks house beautiful plush sitting rooms ,and shopping arcades with a number of restaurants and bars .And the entire area is like the shopping arcade of a international airport .!!I hung around the shopping area ,picked up tit bits (including roasted Californian almonds !!),went up to the deck and was hit by a blast of cold and icy wind .All of a sudden ,I found our ferry in the middle of dark ,silent waters .I could not even see the twinkling lights of Victoria for which we were headed .I remember bbm ing my son “surrounded by a mass of water .!!and you know how that must be feeling”.Prompt came the reply “Enjoy Dad”.!!

We reached Victoria and after a wonderful meal of fish with chips ,and a large mug of Coke !!,we reached the Marriott Hotel .I am glad that the hotel was super luxurious ,because I was awake for the last 25 hrs and the last thing I wanted was, to struggle with anything connected with sleeping .The beds were top class and after a quick bath and a update for Sangeeta on her facebook ,I sunk into my bed .I don’t know what happened afterwards –I was woken up by the hotel alarm because we were to leave at 7 am .I looked out of my window –it was pitch dark .By the time we checked out of the hotel (we were staying overnight in the city of Nanaimo to the North of Victoria ),at 7 ,it was still pitch dark .By the time we had finished our breakfast at 8 ,the street lights were still on .We were in Cananda .!!

We were to visit the two Universities in Victoria Island –the Victoria University at Victoria ,and the Victoria Island University at Nanaimo –about 2 hours north of Victoria .

As we drove towards Victoria University ,I was struck by the first visuals of the trees changing colours during fall .Dawn had broken and it was as if we were cutting through a huge canvas of paintings by Monet .Absolutely stunning landscapes .There were trees that were dark green ,interspersed with trees that were light yellow ,and dark yellow .Then there would be trees that were pink and nearly dark red .Rows upon rows of trees .And they stood proudly on fields which would make the cricket ground at Lords look unkept and uncared for .It was truly a amazing site .To add colour to this whole spectrum of natures amazing gift to mankind ,was the fact that these tress shed their colourful leaves .Hence below near the main trunk there would be a large circle of coloured fallen leaves .!!Thus at regular intervals ,on the ground below these beautiful trees ,would be circles of yellow,pink ,red ,purple.!And for miles .!!Some thing that’s absolutely impossible to describe .May all of you who are reading this blog ,have the opportunity to witness this marvel of wonder at least once during your lifetime .!!

What do I write about the Universities ?One has to see them to believe what they look like .The campuses are huge and the lawns and trees are so well kept .The libraries ,the cafetarias ,the computer labs ,the dormitories ,the lecture rooms –are something we in India cant even dream of possessing .I have seen Oxford and Cambdrige Universities –but I must say that for sheer elegance and surroundings ,one cant beat the ones in Canada .I am told  though that the Harvard University is supposedly  very pretty –I missed out on it this time .

We were taken around  the University by children .We went and saw most of the faculties –especially the Business ,Law ,and Engineering Department s .We met many Indian students –most of them from Gujarat ,Punjab and Delhi .We even met 3 kids who had passed out from DPS RK Puram ,Vasant Kunj and Saket !!Can you imagine what and how we and they felt .

At Victoria University ,we were hosted for lunch at the University Club House –a beautiful wooden structure in the middle of the forest .!!The quality of fish (Canada is the Salmon capital of the world ),is amazing .I am a fish lover and ate fish twice a day ,everyday, while in Canada (hot dogs and burgers took over in New York !!).We walked the campus ,took photographs ,exchanged hundreds of visiting cards and got into our vehicle to make our way to another University town –at Nanaimo .We were to attend a award giving ceremony for International students ,and we were informed that 6 of these were from India .There were the Mishra twins from Mumbai who knew DPS Ahmedabad well enough to know it was at Bopal .!!It was a great pleasure to meet them .

.While talking to them ,I heard one of the members of our group talking to a girl student and asking her where she was from .

“I am from Punjab”,she cooed .I looked around and faced her .

“From where in Punjab are you from”,I asked her .

“Sir ,I am from Ferozepure.Have you heard about the place”.?

“Of course I have .My brother was the District Commissioner there in the late 70s .Infact I know the entire area so well”,I said .

“Whats your name”,I asked .

‘’Sakshi Sir .Sakshi Lakhra”,she replied .

I looked at her .She was one of the most attractive girls I have met in a long time .Not just the looks –but her warmth ,her friendliness ,her confidence ,her energy –were all so exceptional .

“We are country cousins .”,I told her as I hugged her .

All of us clapped when the 6 Indians names got announced ,and they went one by one to get their scholarships .

India lives beyond its geographical domain .Indian presence is felt everywhere .We are respected for our ability to work hard and take pressure .

I always come back feeling more proud than what I feel when I am in India .

And that I think is very important .
With that thought in mind ,and with a stomach full on red wine and roasted salmon with salad and chips ,i sunk into my luxurious bed in the Coast Bastion Hotel ,which had a fantastic view of the harbour .I watched  television for sometime ,and rang up Sangeeta .
"How is it going"? she asked .
"I feel i am in heaven",i answered .
And i promise you -i was not telling a lie .!!