Am I a proud Indian?

The article/ write-up “Facts to make every Indian proud” (in the last edition of NUCMAG) made interesting reading. It lists a few of the achievements of our country. Almost all the achievements date back to a few hundred years. Life has changed and so has the country. Those who live in the past are doomed. Those who only look back and smile will be met with hiccups in future. It is good to learn from the past – but it is damning to just look at the past and smile. Thomas Jefferson once said – “I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past”. Past is history my friends. It is our present, which will help us in achieving future goals. Rene Pascal made a very interesting observation “We never take care of the present moment, if anyone examines his thoughts, he will find them entirely taken up with the past or the future... so we never live, but hope to live; and since we are always preparing to be happy, it is inevitable that we shall never be so”.

We need to ask ourselves – in the present scenario – are we really proud of our country? Still Better – are we really proud of being Indian?

Allow me to present my case in front of you today.

Why should I be proud of India? Just because Aryabhatta invented Zero? Just because first University of the world was established in Takshila in 700 BC? Just because India was once called The Golden Bird? Should I be proud just because India never invaded any country in her last 1000 years? Really? I thought India marched against erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1971 war? Aryabhatta’s Aryabhatiyam, which sketches his mathematical, planetary, and cosmic theories were derived more than thousand years ago! India was called a Golden Bird a few centuries ago! And Takshila University, which was made a a couple of thousand years ago, does not even exist today. Are these the things that should make me a proud Indian today?

What should I be proud of today? Should I be proud of the fact that more than a third of the total numbers of Members of Parliament are non-graduates? These people are supposed to make laws for us and govern. Am I supposed to be proud of it? Should I be proud of the politicians raising Caste and Religious issues time and again to garner votes and create disharmony? I should definitely be proud of the religious and fanaticism that has been a part of our lives these days – is it not? Where is our religious and social tolerance that we were known for in the past? Should I be proud of being counted as a citizen of the country that finds its place in top 15 corrupt countries in the world? Should I be proud of the scams that have happened in our country? There have been more than five-dozen – big and small – scams reported in India in the last 5 years! Am I supposed to be proud of it? Should I be proud of the fact that every year when one part of our country is flooded – the other part experiences drought? Isn’t it ironical that we have not been able to make a proper water distribution policy in last 56 years of our independence to ensure that everybody gets at least proper drinking water? Or should I perhaps be proud of the large-scale poverty in our country? Should I then be proud of the lack of basic infrastructure like roads and electricity across the length and breadth of the country? We could at least have had all the villages and cities around the country connected by road and could have provided electricity to every house. That is not asking for too much. Or – is it? Should I be proud of my country, which has been attacked and was enslaved more than once – first by Mughals and Afghanis and then by different European powers? How many countries do we know that have been enslaved more than once by some outside power or nation? Should I again be proud of the dowry system prevalent in our country? Should I be proud of the people today who leave India to get citizenships of other countries? Should I be proud of our judicial system? A judicial system where it takes years to resolve a case? Should I be proud of two Heads of State & the Father of nation being assassinated in our own country? Or should I be proud of the large scale rioting and looting that happens on a regular basis? Should I be proud of the police and administrative system of India? How many of us feel secure in the presence of police personnel around us? And I thought they are meant to provide us with a sense of security!

Our National Game is Hockey – isn’t it? How many of us watch a hockey game involving India? How many of us know who is the current captain of Indian Hockey team? Should I be proud of my countrymen who have ignored our National Game for a game called cricket? Am I supposed to be proud and crazy about cricket? Why? Are their achievements so great? Should I be proud of my cricket team, which has not won a single series abroad in last 18-19 years (I am excluding the insignificant wins in the sub-continent against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka)? We are proud of Sachin Tendulkar being the greatest batsman ever. But have we ever bothered to see whether he deserves that kind of accolade? Ask yourselves – How many times has Sachin Tendulkar played a match-winning knock in fourth innings of a Test Match? After all great players are supposed to win matches. Aren’t they? And I am supposed to be proud of him just because he has scored maximum number of centuries? Again – Tiger is our National Animal. Should I be proud of my country because the largest amount of poaching of tigers happens here? For God’s sake – there are only a few hundred of them left in the world. Shouldn’t we so-called proud citizens of the country save our National Game and Animal from getting extinct?

Should I be proud of all these things? Can anyone be proud of it?  No Sir – neither can I nor can any self-respecting citizen of our country be proud of the above facts.

Ironically our huge population is quoted as the reason for the lack of progress in our country and is called the biggest curse. On the contrary – I am not so perturbed about the huge population of India. Mark my words readers – it is this population of India, which will help in attaining our supremacy in the world tomorrow. Let us not blame our own population for anything and everything. This very “Huge” population will make us proud. Numbers will matter someday – I am sure it would.

I rest my case by concluding thus:

Am I a Patriot? Yes, I am. Do I love my country? Yes, I do.

Am I proud of it? No, I am not – Not today at least.

Are you?

Mantosh Singh..

GERMANY AND INVENTIONS

Germany – a country with rich history.

This article is a tribute to the Germans who against all logic and trends emerged from dust at the dawn of year 1944 (end of Second World War) to one of the prosperous nations today.

I would like to bring to your notice some of the contributions made by Germans to the society as a whole. I am sure you will be amazed by the time this article gets over that most of the inventions (in the period before 1940) made in the field of science and medicine were by Germans. They had the scientific temper and superior technological knowledge to achieve greater heights. The massive defeat in the Second World War, which eventually destroyed the scientific fabric of this nation – has been, according to me the biggest loss to the world.

As Winston Churchill would have said – Never have so many owed so much to so few. Well – we will see why!

To substantiate – let us look at this brief list of major inventions made by the German Scientists.

1)      Solar system, universe and Planetary motion laws by Johannes Kepler: The Kepler Laws accurately describe the revolutions of the planets around the sun.

2)      Continental drift theory by Wegener, Alfred Lothar: According to Wegener, the present continents on earth were originally one large landmass he called Pangaea that gradually separated and drifted apart. He argued that the continents were still in the process of change and are still altering.

3)      Airship by Zeppelin Ferdinand, Graf von: An aircraft that consists of a cigar-shaped gas bag, or envelope, filled with a lighter-than-air gas to provide lift, a propulsion system, a steering mechanism, and a gondola accommodating passengers, crew, and cargo.

4)      Nuclear fission by Otto Hahn: The development of the atomic bomb was based on this work.

5)      Radioactivity by Wilhelm K. Roentgen: The man who defined X-Rays!

6)      Aspirin by Dr. Felix Hoffman.

7)      Automobile by Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler: The first automobile powered by an internal-combustion engine. Benz's company became Daimler-Benz AG, the manufacturer of the Mercedes-Benz automobile.

8)      Engine, internal combustion by Rudolf Diesel: The man who invented Diesel.

9)      Helicopter by Heinrich Focke.

10)  Radio by Heinrich Hertz: Radio set using spark coil, generator of electromagnetic waves for reception.

11)  Thermometer by Galileo Galilei: First ever Thermometer to measure Temperature.

12)  Printing by Gutenberg, Johann: Method of printing from movable type.

13)  Motorcycle by Gottlieb Daimler: Improvements in the internal-combustion engine, made in the 1880s, contributed largely to the development of the automobile industry

14)  Cholera bacterium, Tuberculosis bacterium by Robert Koch: Established the bacterial cause of many infectious diseases and discovered the microorganisms causing anthrax (1876), wound infections (1878), tuberculosis (1882), conjunctivitis (1883), cholera (1884), and other diseases

15)  DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) by Friedrich Meischer.

16)  Quantum theory by Planck, Max: The hypothesis that oscillating atoms absorb and emit energy only in discrete bundles (called quanta) instead of continuously, as assumed in classical physics. The success of his work and subsequent developments by Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, Erwin Schrödinger, and others established the revolutionary quantum theory.

17)  Ohm's law by Georg S. Ohm: His study of electric current led to his formulation of the law now known as Ohm's law

18)  Uncertainty principle by Werner Heisenberg: he defined that position and velocity of an object cannot both be measured exactly, at the same time.

And the biggest Gift of Germany to this world has been Albert Einstein. Einstein published his special theory of relativity. This resulted in the shocking conclusion that time is not constant. Neither is weight or mass. When moving at high speeds, all of these things get compressed; only the speed of light remains the same. That happens because, said Einstein, energy is equal to mass times the speed of light squared, or E = mc²!!

That is an amazing list of achievement for one single country!

It is interesting to note here that all the inventions listed above have come about in the period between 1800 and 1940 AD! It shows very clearly that Germans were way ahead of the other countries in the field of science, aviation and medicine. But for the Second World War - things would have been different. Well who knows?

Air of superiority leads to arrogance – they say. Superiority leads to the pernicious doctrine of superior and inferior nations and races. That Germany succumbed to this trap of superiority complex – lead to its fall from glory. The result was the shifting of focal point of scientific activity from Germany to other Axis Western powers. Only time will tell – whether the world’s scientific community would have gained, had Germany held on to its scientific brilliance.

I, with your permission dear readers would like to take this opportunity to salute these great men with great adventurous vision, who once belonged to this great country – GERMANY.

As Germans would say – HAIL GERMANY!

Its Montoo..

INTERVIEW

An interview with a Minister (of the Ruling Party) in Central Government

This is being telecast live on a private news channel. This is year 2002.

Interviewer: Namashkar Mantri ji. Welcome to our show of FINDING FACTS

Mantri ji: Namashkar hai ji. How are you?

Interviewer: I am fine Mantri ji. So tell me how do you judge the current situation in the country?

Mantri ji: Oh Kamaal ki baat pooch li aapney (O! you have asked a funny question). O ji – Country is fine. It is prospering, it is growing, it is… mmmmm… it is… it is…Shining! Yes – India is Shining! Can’t you see?

Interviewer: Shining? But where?

Mantri ji: Oh that is why I say you should look properly. You reporters always look at all the wrong places. India is shining everywhere

Interviewer: But if it is everywhere then why are we not able to see it?

Mantri ji: O yaar – yahi to. When I am saying it is shining means it is.

Interviewer: Ok Mantriji if you are so adamant let us get on to the fact-finding mission with you one by one.

Mantri ji: Ok (getting up from his seat) Chalo (Lets go).

Interviewer: No No – I mean I will take you through some major states of the country and you tell me what is shining there.

Mantri ji: Arre Kamaal kar diya tumney (Very funny) – Ok – I am a Mantri – I am supposed to know everything. You ask.

Interviewer: Mantri Ji, you say India is Shining – how is it shining if there are people dying in Kashmir everyday and they don’t have any security in that state?

Mantri ji: Lo kar lo baat – Bhai, Kashmir is a separate issue. It is our part of land and we will not allow Pakistan to keep the Land with them. We will take back whatever they have and will route out terrorism from its root. Terrorism is the bane of our society. After September the 11^th the Al-Quaeda is on the run. Bin Laden is hiding – but he will be caught because American, England, and western countries….

Interviewer: Mantri ji Mantri ji – just a minute. I had asked about Kashmir and your claim about India is Shining…

Mantri ji: Wohi to bata raha hoon (that is what I am trying to tell)… Since the whole world is after the terrorists and fighting terrorism, the terrorists will be routed out some day and Kashmir problem will be automatically resolved.

Interviewer: But Mantri ji – what is the relation…

Mantri ji: Oh Yaar you all will never understand. See these other countries will run after terrorists and destroy them. Our Problem of Kashmir will automatically get resolved. Imagine solving such a big problem without even doing the dirty work of clearing the world off the terrorists. This is called Intellectual shining of India. (Pointing his finger towards his forehead Mantriji asked…) Samjhe?

Interviewer: (By this time a totally confused Interviewer gets to another State) Ok Mantri ji I am sure our viewers will understand your logic. So you say India is Shining.

Mantri ji: Bilkul (Ofcourse) – 200%

Interviewer: But tell me where is it shining in the state of Uttar Pradesh?

Mantri ji: That is an internal shining. Not everyone understands it.

Interviewer: (Baffled) How? There is no Road, no electricity, increasing number of poor people, increasing criminalization, no power and electricity, no water, people die in all seasons – be it summer, winter or in monsoons, not one Chief Minister stays for more than 1-2 years. How can you say it is shining that too “Internally”?

Mantri ji: Ha Ha Ha – that is why I say you don’t look at correct places. Do you know that the largest number of Agricultural land is available in this state of Uttar Pradesh? Do you know that our Agricultural exports have gone up in the last few years? What are you talking I say? This is one state that has been the symbol of all the good things that we have achieved! We have not been in power for long and hence the pace is slow – but the core of the state is shining. Mantriji is getting worked up…

Interviewer: Baffled…Mantri ji but what is the use if the general Public is not able to enjoy the fruits of the shine that you talk? If they remain poor how will the country shine?

Mantri ji: Getting angry…This is propaganda of the opposition. No body is poor in UP.

Interviewer: But…?

Mantri ji: You seem to be an Opposition Reporter. Uttar Pradesh has given this country so many great leaders. How can you say it has not progressed? It is all wrong.

Interviewer: Ok Ok as is very clear this part of India is not shining.

Mantri ji: You say that. Not we.

Interviewer: Ok lets go to another big state of Gujarat. Do you…

Mantri ji: Oh Gujarat! Well that is the biggest example of India Shining.

Interviewer: What?

Mantri ji: Yes. Look at the Chief Minister of that state. He is the biggest example of a great leader. He has single handedly brought Gujarat into the world map.

Interviewer: Yes – but for all the wrong reasons and moreover…

Mantri ji: What moreover? Who knew Gujarat earlier? Now even if our Narendra bhai goes to UK – there the local newspapers print the schedule of his trip. Cover his trip and so on. Isn’t it an example of the state shining?

Interviewer: Yes – but they cover the event because of the protests by the Resident Indians there who want to protest against the gruesome brutality of the riots that took place in the state of Gujarat.

Mantri ji: Sab bakwaas hai (Its all fabricated). Godhra was not our creation. We only reacted to a gruesome act and as Einstein said every action has…

Interviewer: Mantriji, we are digressing …

Mantri ji: Digrrrresssing? Yeh kya hota hai? (What does this word mean?)

Interviewer: Mantriji, “Digressing” means going off the point.

Mantri ji:  Who said I am going off the point. I was referring to the Godhra kand. So as I was saying Einstein said…

Interviewer: But Mantriji we were talking about how has Gujarat contributed to the Shining of India.

Mantri ji: It is one the biggest reason why India is Shining. Look, let me explain it in a different way since you are not interested in Einstein theory, which says that Every Action has equal and opposite reaction. (Mantriji finally looks happy to complete his knowledgeable quote)…

Interviewer: But I think that is Newton’s 3^rd Law?

Mantri ji: Mantriji looking annoyed. Looks at his secretary…Newton? Yeh kaun hai? (Who is he?)

Interviewer: Newton Mantriji, the famous scientist.

Mantri ji: Oh haan haan. Maloom hai Maloom hai (I Know I Know). Modiji took his name only. Arre - how does it matter – whoever said it. But the fact remains that Godhra was master minded…

Interviewer: Finally looking frustrated and confused the reporter proceeds…Ok Mantriji, I don’t think there is any way you can prove that Gujarat has helped India Shine. So we will move on to the next…

Mantri ji:  Arre ruko ruko aise kaise…(Wait Wait – how can you say that?) Do you know that all the world leaders called up our Prime Minister to talk about Gujarat. Huh! Can it happen without Gujarat getting a name in the world? Is it not a proof that India became popular due to Gujarat? Is it not proof enough of its importance in the Shine that we have?

Interviewer: But World Leaders called PM to express their anguish…

Mantri ji: This is all opposition crap. I know that they called and they called because Gujarat became famous and that is proof of Shining India. Huh! Baat karta hai. (Silly man)

Interviewer: Seeing no way out of this impasse – reporter moves on… Ok Mantriji, Country will decide in the elections whether Gujarat helped India Shine or not…

Mantri ji: Country has already decided. Under the able leadership of our beloved Leader Atal ji we are gong to form the government. In fact – and this is off the record – I have already been promised a Mantralaya!

Interviewer: Shhhhh… Matriji – we are on Camera…

Mantri ji: O Teri…

Interviewer: Never Mind, It is pleasing to see the confidence Mantriji – but as we all know elections are a different ball game altogether. So let us move on to other states. How do you say states like Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu have contributed to the India Shining?

Mantri ji: Good Question… Next please…

Interviewer: What?

Mantri ji:  Hey hey hey! Just joking. Well MP as a state was going down for the last 10 years. We have now come back to power in that state and brought the shine back to that state.

Interviewer: But you won only 3-4 months back. Has the Power and electricity problem been solved in MP?

Mantri ji: Arre… it is not easy. It will take time. But the shine is back on the people’s face.

Interviewer: Can you prove that?

Mantri ji: What is there to prove Baba? It is known – Diggy Raja is out and hence the shine is back.

Interviewer: But Digvijay Singh says that your Centre government did not provide funds to rectify roads or improve power etc.

Mantri ji: Sab bakwaas karta hai Diggy. (This is loose talk by Diggy) We have provided all the support we could. But he was only interested in opening schools in Villages. He never cared about the urban society. So he lost.

Interviewer: But Rural part of the country also requires schools. How can you say it is his fault that he was trying to spread education around his state?

Mantri ji: Yeh Rajiniti hai (This is Politics) – U will not understand I say. For India to Shine – your urban cities should shine. Haar gaya na election mein Diggy? (He managed to lose the election – isn’t it) Ha Ha Ha. Don’t worry – state of MP will shine more in coming days with Uma Didi at the helm of the affairs – God will make the state shine.

Interviewer: Getting totally out of control – Oh yes - God! Hmmm…Ok and what about Tamil Nadu?

Mantri ji: Why don’t you ask about Andhra Pradesh?

Interviewer: Oh ok so tell us about how AP has helped shine India?

Mantri ji: Simple – by getting Microsoft in Hyderabad-Secunderabad region. By installing computers in District level offices. 

Interviewer: How does this help the poor farmers committing suicide?

Mantri ji: Oh let us not talk about those people. People die everywhere and so in AP.

Interviewer: Aghast… what? So you don’t care about the farmers who have committed suicide in AP or Karnataka? Now you will say you don’t care about the Peoples’ War Group committing atrocities in AP too?

Mantri ji: In a Fix – No No – yaar you reporters na – you quote people wrongly. What I meant was that we do care but you cannot keep vigilance at every farmer’s house. Some people do commit mistake. And PWG is a militant organization, which is creating havoc with the lives of people. Chandra Babu ji is dealing with them with a firm hand.

Interviewer: Yes but that problem is still not solved and it is affecting the whole region of AP. So how is India Shining there?

Mantri ji: Getting Frustrated… Are you an opposition reporter?

Interviewer: No I ask questions that people want answers for.

Mantri ji: No No I am sure you are an opposition reporter. India is shining since we say so.

Interviewer: But nobody seems to understand where is it shining. And that is why we are trying to do this fact-finding interview.

Mantri ji: You all will never understand. Finally seeing no other way out…Pramod Mahajanji says that this is correct and hence it has to be correct.

Interviewer: But Promod Mahajan himself lost the last elections. How can we trust him with this analysis?

Mantri ji: I am not going to answer any more questions. I know that India is Shining. You reporters don’t know a thing about how to measure the shine. Can’t you see it on TV? All the advertisements show that India is shining.

Interviewer: But Mantriji, those are sponsored advertisements for which you are using public money to spend

Mantri ji: Seeing no other way to end this unfortunate interview – Mantriji tries the last option left. You will see the results of elections. The whole country believes and knows that we are shining. Only you opposition reporters don’t understand.

Interviewer: Mantriji, Kashmir is not shining, UP is not shining, Contrary to what you say – Gujarat is not shining, MP is not shining, AP is not shining, Tamil Nadu is facing water problems all across the state, Bihar is still as backward as ever, Major part of North-east is engulfed in militancy of one kind or the other. We as people of India want to know once and for all – where exactly is India Shining? Can you be more precise this last time?

Mantri ji: Arre bhai India is shining in our heart.

Interviewer: Heart? (Thinking it is getting weird now…) But I thought we were talking about the country here.

Mantri ji: Once our heart shines our country will also shine.

Interviewer: Seeing this interview going nowhere he finally starts to end this interview… Ok Mantriji I am sure people listening to this will somehow understand how India is Shining. I would like to thank you for the time spent with us for the interview…

Mantri ji: Hello Mr. How can you end this interview without asking about that… that… Ahem… I mean… Looking at his secretary standing behind the camera in search of the word. Finally the secretary prompts… Yes – how can you end this interview without asking about the FEEL GOOD FACTOR? The “Bharat Gaurav Yatra” taken out by Advaniji?

Interviewer: Mantriji, I am sure people will understand “Feel Good” and “Gaurav Yatra” the same way as they will understand the India Shining factor. Thank you.

Mantri ji: Oh! So finally you understood the India Shining Factor. See I was telling you – you will understand. I am sure people are intelligent enough to understand how India is shining. From the time we came back to power in 1999 we ensured that India shines. We have been working hard under the able leadership of beloved Atalji. He has taken India to greater heights. The Congress and the United Front had destroyed India. They created Bofors scam, They created Hawala scam, They created Telecom Scam. They destroyed the country. They also…

Interviewer: Mantriji Mantriji… The interview is over and the Camera is off. There is no one watching.

Mantri ji: Kya? Tumne bataya nahi? (You did not tell?) I will never come to give interview to your channel again. This is an insult….

The Mantriji kept rambling and went out of the studio.

Its Montoo..