Hrishi’s Test paper, Engineering College and recollections of my Teachers

Hrishi, our   elder son, comes home quite pooped out  from School and somehow drags himself with the heavy bag at his back. He meets his mother right at the entrance waiting for him. Apple doesn’t fall far from tree and like his Papa, he enquires about the menu . If it’s any of his favorite NonVeg items, his eyes outshine the   setting sun. On some days, only “grass” on the plate makes his weariness quadruple and in abhorrence, he lets his body drop on the bed like a log.

So seeing him come hopping on one foot, My wife Arpana knew he had some exciting news to break. His face was blushing with the concealed excitement and eyes shining bright like stars. From his bag, he brought out his Mathematics test paper and displayed to his mother with all pride. It was a rare feat to score perfect twenty for the first time in life !

Making Hrishi understand the concept of Multiplication and Division was a herculean task for me. Whenever I needed to explain him, I used the example of a cow. One cow has 4 legs so how many for three cows…blah..blah. For fraction, I used the example of a rotten Potato. The other day, he was complaining to his mother about me frequently using only those two examples. His mother told him both were just apt exemplar for his kind of student. Of course, now I need to be careful not to misuse with the word “cow” under the changed social dynamics in India !

Hrishi’s excitement lasted till I arrived at home from Office in the evening. At Dinner table, he asked – Papa, What do you think about our Ma’am’s response in getting me perfect 20 ?

How do I know ? You didn’t tell for once – I replied.

After getting the test Paper, Hrishi asked his Ma’am about the other students scoring  20. Ma’am replied – Can you see any student jumping like a monkey other than you ?

Hrishi’s joy reminded my own days, not in School but in Engineering College when I presumed myself as quite grown up. I was in the Fifth semester and Bandana Madam used to take classes on Fluid Flow Operation (FFO). In one of the Class Tests, I got 19 out of 20 and I immediately enquired with Madam about the highest mark in the test. For a moment, she kept on looking at me, smiled and told, it was 19.

Many incidents of my College days, I don’t remember today. But I still remember Bandana Madam’s affectionate stare on that day. Perhaps, to her, the 19 year old boy appeared like a kindergarten kid with that innocent query.  

In Engineering Final Semester, we had to choose an optional subject between Operational Research(OR)  and Environmental Engineering. While the entire Chemical Batch of 1996 went for Environmental Engineering,  I and my close buddy Mahato opted for Operational Research. Environmental was a pet subject for Dr Raghabendra Choudhury , HOD of Chemical Engineering Department. So while Sir entered for the Environmental class,  we two moved out.

“Where are you going ?” Sir asked

“Sir, we have opted for Operational Research” – I said

“Go….oh…”  Displeasure was perceptible in his voice.

Next day we two were called by Late Biswajit Choudhury to his chamber. He gave us an earful for going after OR instead of Environmental Engineering which to him was more essential for a Chemical Engineering Graduate. We knew, our HOD had asked Biswajit Sir for counseling both of us.

So next day, we two were sitting in the class when Dr Raghabendra Choudhury entered. He looked at us and enquired why we had not gone for the OR class. We told him, he had changed to Environmental Engineering.

In a moment, his face turned into an embodiment of  happiness and contentment which I will never forget in my life. Perhaps, that was one of the best gifts which as a student we could offer to him. And latter working in a Refinery, I understand, Raghabendra Choudhury Sir was absolutely spot on to force Environmental Engineering on me.

Dr Mrinal Baruah Sir was another person who can be best described by the coconut - hard at the outside and soft inside. Once I forgot to get the answer sheets in Graph Papers of Mass Transfer Operation (MTO) Final Exam papers signed by the invigilator. I was worried whether my answers in the Graphs will be accepted. When I approached Sir, he stared sternly and asked whether I have finished everything for the next exam paper asked to get out from his chamber immediately.

I got 89 out of 100 in that Mass Transfer Paper.

There’s another teacher I can’t afford to forget. She was Kamala Baideu who used to take me from our home to the Primary school at Hajo, lifted by bag on the steep slopes, arranged special examination when I missed a few. Even today, whenever she meets me, I can see the affection and kindness which I received in abundance  as a four year kid have not changed anything.

 (2)

Dr Balindra Kumar Sarma was our Hostel Superintendent in New Hostel, Cotton College. Our Hostel was just below one of the most sought Colleges of our time - Handique Girls College. Once, few of our friends including me bunked classes and were befriending with our neighbors exchanging pleasantries. While the Girls were  safe at top, the most vulnerable was our Romeo group at the ground from the  “fringe elements” like our Superintendent Sir ! As usual I soon got engrossed at my job and all of a sudden, found my friends vanishing into thin air. Instead  a hand of Sarma Sir was coming in the direction of my cheek. It would have landed at the right spot if I were not athletic in those days.

After the first year, I came to Block-1 near Superintendent Sir’s residential. I loved singing in those days  as sweetly as the Jian of the Doraemon cartoon. In one of the election campaigns, students of DS Hostel even demanded Himanta Da (Himanta Biswa Sarma ) to silence my singing if he was voted as Secretary.

“Do you know PG Final Exam of Baideu is underway” – One day Sir enquired with me very quietly. His daughter was appearing for PG Final Exam.

I was happy that Sir was so fond of me to share this news. I told him I already knew about that and in fact a few days ago,  I called  a  rickshaw for her.

All of a sudden, to my surprise, he shouted - if you are aware, why don’t you stop singing. Next time, if you sing, I will see you out from the hostel.

There were frequent complaints against me. Intimidation of deducting fines from  caution money for eating three Parathas instead of allotted two, Night Show in the nearby movie hall, Sitting at the Gate while army motorcades moved on during the start of Operation Rhino and many more continued in the two years of stay in new Hostel. So, when I was told at College Office to collect my HS Final year certificate from Superintendent Sir, I thought, some of the previous good acts might have prompted Sir to seize my certificate.

Instead, surprise was waiting for me as I was given a warm welcome. He asked me what I intended to do. I told him about doing Engineering in Guwahati only as my father was firm in choosing the place where he could keep an eye on me.

As I touched his feet, he blessed and murmured – “ Do well in life “ and I could see his eyes moistening at some corner and so did mine. That was the last time, I saw Balindra Kumar Sarma Sir as I never went back to new Hostel thereafter.  Neither I ever visited Assam Engineering College Chemical Building since May 1997.  Wish Sir is still going strong and guiding students like he did to us.

 

 

 

You can contact Kamaljit at kamaljitmedhi1975@gmail.com

The joy of being elder

When we were young, Dinner was great fun for us , five brothers and sisters. Topics at dinner table were innumerable , energy was endless  and the food was delicious without much of oil and spice.  That habit of childhood is still going strong with me . As we all the brothers and sisters are settled in life in different places with each one now rearing  a small part of the bigger family,  my wife and the elder  kid has taken the roles of my siblings at the dinner table, while the younger kid finds the cartoon channels more tempting.

Today evening, we went back almost 13 years. We got married on 3rd July of 2003 and  went to Nainital for honeymoon  via Kolkata on 10th July. I still remember our parents, brothers,sisters, in laws all coming to see us off at Guwahati Airport. The same repeated while we came back after about 10 days. When their own moment arrived, there were fewer people to see them off as the eler ones moved on with life and hardly had time to come to spare to come to the airport in two crowed cars. Perhaps more than time, enthusiasm was missing.  When we called from Nainital, each one wanted.to have their share with the long distance call, repeating almost the same words in excitement  while the STD bill was merrily smiling at us.

Another funny incident I still remember, when my wife Arpana was about to get into the car after the marriage was over. My sis - in- law was in tears. Crying is infectious and soon I found my sister Anju and cousin Mainu too joining her.  I needed to remind them that they were from  the groom side and should not cry  which they refused to oblige.

At Kolkata, we stayed for a day at our Tolly  company Guest House. The entire staff  came out to receive us as if the company chairman had arrived. They found the best fish in the market to offer to the newly married couple. When we left for Dehradoon the next day,  the entire staff was there at the gate too to see us off. It was  vintage Assam Oil   and reminiscent of the old Digboi at Kolkata before  the golden etiquette, culture, camaraderie and trust got replaced to large extent by  the so called PSU Professionalism.

We found, being the eldest Son and Daughter in law of a big family was much more fun than the responsibilities.

After Dinner today, I and Arpana, my wife,  were remembering the days with you today - Atul - Boby, Naba, Rituraj, Kailash- Anju, Chintu, Mainu and Munni. In the wedding of the only unmarried member of this group, it will be hard to stop my tears too when its time to see her getting into the car to leave.

In search of Ajoy - my long lost friend

My first pay cheque was of Rs 75/- as recompense for a short program I did at All India Radio, Guwahati. In 1991, Seventy Five was no mean sum for a sixteen year old college student. With that amount, I could get 37 boiled eggs in “Hotel California” and still a rupee to spare at the nearby Bandhu’s shop. I remember how lowly I felt when my mother informed me of the cheque bouncing back due to insufficient fund at the AIR’s account.  Allahabad Bank, the lone bank branch at my village, merrily deducted fifteen odd rupees from my already dwindling first deposit. Huffing and puffing, next day, I arrived at AIR office much before the concerned official, could get a fresh cheque issued and encashed without any further hassle.

In those days, I used to write poems, articles, stories in the Assamese dailies and magazines barring “Prantik” which twice refused to acknowledge the literary genius in me. The shadow name – Ajoy Kashyap, which I adopted to write them, was in sync with the two distinct yet diverging persons residing inside me. While Ajoy was tender, emotional, impulsive, melancholic and lonely with traits of a vagabond, the other one was in the contrary quite hands on with life. So, while the yawning creative spasm induced Ajoy to the realms of literature, the practical guy in me pressed harder to rush to the office of the magazines which found Ajoy’s writings fit to publish   to claim the writer’s small remuneration with impeccable proofs to   convince that Ajoy and I was indeed the same person. (Some magazines refused under the pretext that remuneration was the exclusive right for the articles on request only)  

By the time I finished my Engineering, the lure of moving out to the enchanting world outside often made me restless. For quite sometime, thoughts of politics as a chosen profession kept me captivated. I speak well to the public and carry the same family surname of an honest ex Chief Minister of Assam which were told to be assets for a budding career in politics. My self -appointed mentor saw a great future in me and fixed an appointment with the most powerful man of the political arena of that time in Assam. That wily politician was morbidly sick and his voice was barely audible from across the table. Yet the spark of intelligence was conspicuous even in that short meeting as he advised me to join the student wing of his party. Today both that mentor and the powerful man are no more. Happy that better sense prevailed and I didn’t join any political party. The kind of deceitful and swindling acts a politician is required to do to climb the ladder of success, it would have become quite wearisome, hurting my soul and conscience every day.

As told earlier, Ajoy had a natural flair in many fields other than Chemical Engineering. He often used to utilize some of the cut and dried classes to write poetry or get lost in his thoughts. Each day, he reminded me of the heavenly joy of doing something dearer  to one’s heart. He wanted to see me to go close to the masses cladding a pair of kurta-pyjama, chappal, a bag with pen and poetry. By that time, I had an offer from a leading steel PSU after engineering with promise of almost a five figure salary. I was the eldest amongst five siblings and we had enough for to buy books, eat good foods but not enough to meet the increasing materialistic desires. The youngest one, a small kid of 5 or 6 then, proudly used to tell his friends that I was doing a “ big job” in Guwahati. The flicker of his eyes, when I used to give him the coins, is still a pleasant memory and I feel the resemblance of that in the eyes of my two sons. The responsibilities were far more forceful that the thoughts of such adventure inspired by Ajoy. So, for the first time in my life, I boarded into an AC-II compartment,  travelled through the arid landscape of black soil filled with smoke of coal and finally reached my destination.

I arrived at Bokaro to join as Junior Manager (Grade-E1) at Bokaro Steels Plant. In those days, Bokaro was quite in contrast to what I saw in Bihar with dusty roads and small clay huts in that short journey from Jamshedpur to Bokaro by road. It had all the amenities of a modern life, a fully equipped officer’s club, sports & shopping complex with wide roads. We were around 300 newly recruited engineers, who stayed together, dined together, travelled together and eyed on the roads and in club together. The best thing that happened to me at Steel Authority was to meet so many people with such varied background. But amongst all I met, Rajat Pradhan stood out from the rest.

The last time, I danced wildly on any street was way back in 2002 at Sambalpur, Orissa as a “baraati”. It was Rajatda’s wedding and my joy knew no bounds. To me, Rajat da was a friend, philosopher cum guide, all rolled into one at Durgapur. He is an outstanding human being besides being good engineer and an event manager. Unknowingly, Rajat da’s personality had an indelible clout on me too. He is one of those few who made me indebted for life. Loneliness, abstract thinking, romanticism are not pragmatic in the corporate life. As the influence of Ajoy Kashyap was making things complicated for me each day, I decided to part ways with him for good.

Each day, I noted my encounter with Ajoy in my diary and its fallout. Each night before going to bed, I reviewed all the cases. I was determined to be no-nonsense with life, go out from the cocoon, mingling with the crowd, wanted to learn the tricks to smile while I wished to alter the facial geography of the person in front. The more I tried, further went Ajoy from me. With him, he took away my words, my poems, emotion and instead instilled the sense of responsibility deeper in me . I often falter today to apprehend the thin line between love and responsibility.  

At 40, I have almost reached the midway of my journey. Each day at my job, I meet different people right from the Chief Executive to the lowly paid casual ditch cleaner. The PSU Oil major, for which I work now, doesn’t pay well as compared to its private peers but enough to have a house of own, social security for the rest of me and my wife’s life, good education for the children and family trips twice a year. It gives exposure too to the willing ones to work and gather skill well enough to leave the company for greener avenues. I believe, I am doing reasonably well at my job and from time to time invitations make me feel I am still saleable even after 18 years of working at PSU. With a loving and caring wife and two kids promising to become two fine gentlemen in future, surrounded by a doting family and close friends, my life seems to be full and happening. Yet, I am unable to fathom with the kind of feeling of incompleteness and the void inside which often haunts me. I am a loner even in the midst of a crazy crowd.

As the sky becomes sombre after a hot August Sunday morning in Guwahati, I am sitting still at the front of my company provided residence. A few drops of rain have kissed my unruly hair and lips. A poignant symphony, heard long back, is coming alive from a far distance. I know it must be Ajoy coming back to meet his old pal after a long time. Once more, I feel like running to the rain to drench my thirst, go wild dancing in the streets, shed off all the inhibitions and let the rain drops trickle through my bare soul.

Once more, I feel like falling in love with life again. (written on 2^nd Aug,2015)

  

- Hotel California – A dhaba near Cotton College PG hostel which I frequented during Cotton days

- Bandhu’s shop – The person named “Bandhu” was friendly to all and ran a stationary shop near our hostel 

You can contact Kamaljit at kamaljitmedhi1975@gmail.com

Chance meeting with two "Doctors"

I was sitting in a Doctor's chamber, patiently waiting for my turn to be called inside. After quickly going through the old magazines, I had not much to do either apart from being patient as the BSNL 3G connection failed yet again to activate the Facebook page. So I turned to the nearest person for a casual chat. Both of us were having the  same symptom- bloated tummy, heartburn, acid reflux and so on. I found him to be an avid speaker and he rightly didn't give me much of an opportunity to speak. His punishing work schedule  had a toll on his health. He told, often, he had late lunches as he had to attend a lot of "Patients" in his "Chamber".

Please don't draw your conclusion as this person at the  doctor's chamber to be himself a doctor. He was an astrologer. He used to treat those "patients" who believed in changing fortune by wearing few stones.

I felt like telling him " You are indeed a doctor for those   with signs of  mental weakness. "

Unfortunately, I too have some close family members with the same ailment who run to the astrologer at the drop of a hat.

That time, I was travelling from Kolkata to Kanpur by Rajdhani Express. My co passenger seemed to be a religious man from the script of the  book he was reading and his immaculate white attire. He had a bout of cold and air conditioning further worsened his  condition.

"Do you have a Dispirin ?" he asked me.

At Kanpur station he too dropped down and I was amazed to witness two scenes. One was the unmindful paintings created at the bottom of each pillars in the railway station by the City's habitual paan chewers and the other was the reception the old gentleman received. A large group had gathered at the station to have his darshan.  People kissed and bowed to him while few took care of his belongings. One middle aged man who was accompanied by his teenage daughter ( The girl was his daughter's age and I couldn't listen to their conversation) was crying for mercy with folded hands.  He wanted the holy man to bless his daughter. The wise man closed his eyes, murmured something and blew away the evil spirits from her.

As my Dispirin tablet worked overtime, the divine person moved forward with hands raised showering blessings  and healing people on the way.

You can contact Kamaljit at kamaljitmedhi1975@gmail.com

In India, Rape is a Reality- Let's face it

Last night I had once more a bout of Gas and indigestion, robbing off my precious sleep. A bloated tummy often makes me nostalgic, poignant and at times depressive. So, rather than engaging in futile attempt to get some sleep, I started thinking about the BBC film produced on the gruesome rape committed in the streets of Delhi on 16th December,2012. The incident rocked the Nation's conscience and there was widespread outpour of anguish. For the first time in my life, I was also a part of a silent Candle March protest.  

I asked my inner self the same question which each and every Indian male should be asking to himself – Kamaljit, Have you ever come across any thought of violating a lady’s modesty? I am no saint to overcome earthly desires. But thought of committing a heinous crime like rape has never come to my mind even in the wildest dreams. If I am never a rapist even in thought what makes some people to become rapist? Immediately, three incidents came to my mind.

The first incident goes back to the Assam Engineering College days when one of my friends Vinod Kumar fell sick and two senior girls came to visit him whom with respect and love we used to call as “Ba” in short, meaning elder sister. I was buying banana  when both of them approached me to enquire about Vinod's room. As they entered into the room and  the door got closed, the banana seller, who was looking them from behind with lustful eyes, was left thunderstruck. His eyes were a heady mix of lust, excitement, disbelief and envy.

The second incident also goes back to the Engineering days. The bus I got into was sparsely occupied and only few people including me were standing in the aisle. One elderly gentleman was reading a newspaper with a young girl sitting in the adjacent seat. Somehow it felt awkward to me to see him reading the newspaper spreading the entire page while the girl , sitting by him looked flustered  . After some minutes of close observation, my young blood raged over seeing the perverted activity of the man. He got down in the next stoppage covering his bloody face while no one ever enquired what prompted an young man to punch on the elderly gentleman’s face.

The third incident which I am quoting was during a trip to Puri with my friends. We were four boys and one girl (Beena- not real name) who made some adjustment in-between a training program to visit the Puri beach. In those days as Engineer trainee, we could hardly afford  posh hotels. As our friend, Beena, was a pure vegetarian, she invited me to accompany her to a nearby vegetarian restaurant.  Out of courtesy, I went with her though I was never a fan of vegetarian food.  Next day morning, I was surprised to see a chair in my bathroom  when the other occupant (Anil- not the real name) with a mischievous smile told that he was unlucky not to find any hole in the wall to peep through at the bathroom of the other room where our lady friend was staying.

In the evening, after few pints of beer, my friend was high when the telephone rang up. It was Beena  at the other end and asked me whether I would like to accompany her for dinner like the previous evening. This time, Anil snatched the phone from me and to my horror yelled something unspeakable vulgar words before I managed to do any damage control. That evening, I didn't have courage to face Beena and went to sleep without food. More than hungry, I was hurt and felt so low to be in the company of such a person who happened to be from a reputed College and high social status.

To me, those three persons are three potential rapists with three different states of mind. The first one represents that part of  India where a major chunk of our population lives. They grow up in a purely male dominated society, ignorant and full of prejudices where freedom to girl attracts pre-conceived questions on her morality. They include people right from the poor Banana seller to the Chief Minister. They find excuses on the dress code, free movement of the girls and her companions as the cause of  all the crimes. Fortunately, with time and development, this group will be marginalized. The second category are like the old crook in the city bus in Guwahati. They are the demons in the guise of gentlemen who always look for an opportunity but sensitive about their stature in the society and so timid if the victim is bold enough. The third category is like that Engineer in a Puri Hotel, who suffers from psychological disorders and need proper counseling.

So how do we eradicate this menace when the type of perpetrators of this crime are of diverse breed ! Impact of fit all measures like  imposition of a strict law will only be minimal. If you travel by road from Delhi to Dehradun or through the jam-packed roads of western UP, a customary look on the dilapidated buildings and structures and you will never miss an advertisement of a “Hekim” who possesses the magic formula of enhancing male sexual potential. I don’t know whether any NGO or researcher has ever carried any study on this sexual obsession and whether it has something to do with the mental and sexual life a large population leading to rape crimes. In India discussing about sex is a social taboo and no one will ever advise them that more than the "Hekim", they need to learn some control over the mind . Our children grow up to adulthood with flawed ideas.   

Many words of wisdom told to us during childhood and teenage have become part and parcel of our lives  in latter part. Can’t we do something with the school curriculum to teach our children to be respectful to the ladies ? Why don't we have a swatch Bharat like Abhiyan (mission) against rape ?

Corruption has ruined most of our institutions including Judiciary. People including the criminals have lost faith on the delivery of Judiciary. Use of technology in all spheres can reduce avenues of corruption. I am looking forward from the present Government to bring out not only economic reforms but also Judiciary and Police reforms.

 

While BBC was prompt to make a film on India's Nirbhaya case, they may also look at the figures of other western countries with considerably low population. As per the information of www.globalpost.com , India is ranked second in such crimes after USA. The cause of worry is that in India many such crimes go unreported due to fear of social stigma on the woman and only a tiny portion of our womenfolk go out of their homes to work. Hypocrisy is the root cause of many Indian evils. Faced with a problem, we tend to overlook and look for weaker targets to vent off out egos and frustration. We call others racists while living in one of the most caste and class conscious society where a person’s worth is often measured by the skin color.

Finally, the best prevention is to be mindful. The ladies need to understand that even if they are entitled to a free world, as long as predators are lurking outside for an opportunity, be little  watchful. India is a land of 1.3 billion people unlike the European countries  and even if  10% are crooks, it comes out to be 130 million and one amongst those 130 million can be everywhere.

Rape will survive till human race survives in this planet. That doesn't mean, we will not think something different other than candle marches, protests and observing Women's Day. 

 

 You can contact Kamaljit at kamaljitmedhi1975@gmail.com

How it feels to be forty tonight

As the clock strikes 12 midnight today, I will enter into the exclusive club of "40+" . The diametrically opposite progress of the hair and the waistline have already been ringing the welcome bell for quite some time. The wiser lot tells in squatness lies the beauty of life. I am no wise and given a choice, I will love to live thousand years in this beautiful world.

Life has been a great leveler. While my profession took me to places meeting people of diverse stratum, all along deep in my heart, I have been a loner. I have a world of my own and each day, I live few precious moments in my place, unnoticed and unseen by the world outside.

When I became a father, for the first time, I realized the true values of my own parents.  While bosses have been a favorite punching bag during discussion, I have been lucky  to get superiors who nurtured me as a professional and a great part of what I am today, it is for those mentoring done at the right time and place. After I got married, I have innumerable number of squabbles with my wife Arpana in the last 12 years for her ever readiness to forfeit her own comfort for others. I didn’t expect the excitement of being together to last this long without much of an extra effort.

During the days of early youth, all I wanted to be a great author. The promise I showed tapered off with time. Yet, there are not many people as sensible to the outside world as writers are. Though third rated, I am blessed to be one amongst the few to feel the divine pleasure which every writer experiences in his life time.

All along, I have relished life, good food, good place and above all company of intelligent people. I have learnt to be happy seeing others achieve high. The greatest thing to happen in my life over the last ten years is to overcome envies to a large extent.

At 40, the desire and fire inside still burns, still feel like capable to move around like someone in early youth. Yet, even the greatest athlete slows down by 40. Youth  is such an amazing joy, the mere thought of disintegrating over the next twenty years hurts very hard.

I have carried all along the modest beginning as one of the five siblings of a teacher’s family. Life has been a constant battle to be in the right side of conscience. The temptations are too strong at times.

Though wish to live thousand years,  when I finish the next forty years, I will better leave this beautiful world than living life as a liability. Living with pride is all I wish to do in life.

 

 You can contact Kamaljit at kamaljitmedhi1975@gmail.com

Narendra Modi, visit of the American President and others

(1)

Unlike many of my friends, I don't dislike Narendra Modi though I don’t have any leaning towards the political party he heads. All along, I have been non- political except for a brief period in Engineering College when thoughts of becoming a future politician flashed in my mind. Let me tell you, in the last few elections, I have voted for different parties like Congress in Assam, CPM in Bengal and also once for AGP for a change.

Like millions of voters, I too voted for Narendra Modi in the last Loksabha Election who promised to bring perceptible change to the otherwise stagnant country. In the last nine months, the NDA government has stabilized the rot and reversed the policy paralysis in some areas. However, like many of the sycophants, I am writing this post neither to glorify Mr Modi nor it is my intent to behave like his avowed critics.

When Mr. Modi became the Prime Minister, I was delighted seeing a former “Chaiwalla” as  the Prime Minister true to the mood of an aspiring, resurgent and vibrant young country like India where still 70% people live sans the most basic amenities of life. But, I was thoroughly disappointed seeing Mr. Modi wearing a suit with his name printed all over during the last visit of the American President. Modi’s strength should be his closeness to the real India. The country does n’t need another style icon to give some Michelle Obama or Bollywood fake heroes run for money but the able administrator which he has been all throughout.

Power often  charms people like the flowers to the bees. History says that too much of self glorification and arrogance led to the fall of many heroes. I really don’t understand what made Mr. Modi call the American President by the first name while Mr Obama himself was addressing our PM as Mr. Prime Minister. And then telling Mr Obama about his heroics in childhood to fight with a crocodile was not cutting any ice either.

Mr. Modi is undoubtedly the most popular Prime Minister after Pandit Nehru. He simply mesmerises the crowd when he speaks. The entire power in Delhi seems to concentrate around him as he has almost made the cabinet powerless. Till now, he has not faced any major electoral jolt. It will be interesting to see how he acts and handles when such situation actually arise.   

As a professional person, I am aware that  even a project worth few hundred crores requires about three to four years time to get installed and commissioned. So, expecting the moon so soon from Mr. Modi is not at all rational. I will be rather patient and give him time. There's no denying he started very well.  All I expect him to build the platform in the next five years on which India can excel in the next ten to twenty years to become a superpower . If that happens, Narendra Modi will remain a cult figure in India irrespective of his murky past. The fringe elements will cause hindrance here and there. All he needs to remain firmly rooted. Let his actions speak louder than the electoral rhetoric.  

(2)

If any country, I love and hate at the same time, it is America. I love its attitude and the unbound energy of its people. Many of my personal heroes belong to that country. Yet, this country played a pivotal role in creating the evils which has threatened to disrupt the world today-the Islamic terrorism. America will never apologize to the world for abetting the Talibans and its other offshoots. The creation of a fanatical force in Afghanistan must have been done with a larger goal to destabilize Russia, India and China in the near future. With the Europe already waning, that provides America the brawny leverage to remain the supreme power for a long period.

I was shocked why no Indian journalist ever dared to ask Mr Obama why his country warned Pakistan not to indulge in  any misadventure only during the time of his visit ? Can we decipher that warning as America's tacit approval to Pakistan to carry out any dastardly acts of terrorism in India after Mr Obama leaves the country ! Such double speak from the land of Martin Luther King will continue in future too. I don't understand what made the entire country go into the spell of feverish frenzy during Mr Obama's visit.

(3)

If the exit polls go right this time, AAP will surely form the Government in Delhi tomorrow. It will be a loss for Delhi as I believe Kiran Bedi is a better CM candidate any day than Mr Kejriwal. It was heartening to note that Arvind ,the person who came to politics to change its course has himself become a part of the system. AAP has adopted well to the creepy political culture and there is hardly any difference to distinguish it from the other parties. For BJP, you can’t help much, where even the Party Vision Document goes to the public without any proof reading.

The real losers are the people of Delhi. You are truly into fire from the frying pan now.

You can contact Kamaljit at kamaljitmedhi1975@gmail.com

We all will be loners someday

My mother's life revolved around 6 of us, Father and five children. All of us were demanding and she took enormous pain to manage time to carry out all the household jobs, help us with home work and read books. As her education stopped right after matriculation for marriage, she wanted all the children to be equally good at studies. At school, she won Government scholarship while myself failed to get any till school. 

One by one, we left home after school. First to Cotton College followed by either university or Engineering College. One by one went further away for jobs and marriage leaving our parents to remain alone at home. When we were not around, our empty beds reminded them about us. 

This time in Bihu, all of us were together at home after quite some time. Parents were so happy, they became children again. Once again, all of us left them one by one . Yesterday, somehow she missed the step, fell down and had multiple fracture at her leg. 

So while , her fractured bone is being fixed in Guwahati, I am far away in Delhi and she says I don't need to rush leaving my jobs. Feeling so terrible !

While searching for some documents, my brother found a poem in her diary which he shared over WhatsApp family group. I am once again sharing it with my friends.
Another facet of mother none of us knew earlier.

(Written on Facebook wall on  21 Jan,2015)

You can contact Kamaljit at kamaljitmedhi1975@gmail.com