straight from the heart

Indian polity

2010-11-17T21:08:00.000-08:00

Time and again we are told to be part of the political system and desist from criticizing the same from outside. The last few weeks have been particularly hectic- what with news media having to jump from one scam to another as the corruption can of worms started unfolding before our eyes. CWG, Adarsh, 2G spectrum and land-for-sons were the prominent stories doing the rounds in the media. Now, would anyone still want anything to do with politics in this country?
The Prime Minister is shy of the media. He rarely talks, period. Some of us have a difficult time understanding him when he speaks. With reference to the unraveling of these scams involving his ministers and a congress chief minister, the PM thought wise to remain silent. Maybe being part of the PVN team some of the then PM's wait-and-watch tactics has rubbed off on our honourary PM. It is anybody's guess as to what, if the PM finally is forced to address the nation, he will say. People are totally fed up and excuses and blame game does not have any takers today.
Rahul Gandhi is a frequent flyer. He zips around the country trying to connect with the masses, specially with the urban educated youth. Now, I would be curious to see how he is able to deflect the wrath of the public given the fact that the youth congress leader talks about clean and efficient government. Is he talking about an utopian rule that we can only imagine in our dreams?
The BJP has lost big time. What looked like a chance in a life-time in Karnataka has been wasted. With so many charges against the CM and some of his ministerial colleagues, it is anybody's guess how the people will react the moment they get the first chance. It would be a miracle if the party survives the next election.

London Calling

2010-10-22T22:40:00.000-07:00

Usually I keep off commenting on films. But the movie I saw last night triggered these thoughts. Jhootha Hi Sahi is produced and directed by Abbas Tyrewala. It features John Abraham in a new role (no need to show the body) and showcases Abbas' wife Pakhi (aka Punarnava Mehta) in the lead.
The first question that comes to mind is, "why does this film have to be located in London- what is wrong with any city in India?" Every film that is made today, with the exceptions, has to be either shot in New York or London. It used to make sense in the past- novelty factor. But today it is unnecessary and repetitive. The only reason one can think of is: the film was made keeping in mind the Indian diaspora (add to that Pakistani).
The other problem with this film is the forced integration of Indians and Pakistanis. Film makers are falling over backwards to somehow squeeze into their main theme the issue of Indo-Pak relations. The bonhomie between the two countrymen (and women) looks contrived to the point of being obnoxious. And these points are over and above the bad story line and some ham acting.
John Abraham is in a role similar to Shah Rukh Khan's character Surinder in 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'. As expected John has overdone the simple, down to earth role and it does not suit his personality.
The first day, night show, had hardly 30 people watching the movie. Even with John appearing on all possible reality shows, it will require a miracle to rescue this movie which has a weak foundation and very shallow pillars on which it is constructed.
And before I forget, the danger in taking up a serious issue like Suicide Hotline is immense when handled in a frivolous manner. The whole relationship rests on the basis of trust and if that is violated it could worsen the situation. A commercial film is a wrong medium to deal and further knowledge about such a delicate and sensitive issue.
Overall, there was a feeling of being cheated out of Rs. 150/- for a below average fare.

Saffron State

2010-10-14T23:56:00.000-07:00

So the BJP government (the first in south India) has survived for the day. The last ten days have been a roller coaster ride for the political representatives in the state. First, the group of dissidents took off to Chennai and from there hopped from one place to another and finally ended up back in Chennai. Reminds one of the Gujarat political scene where Shankar Singh Vaghela took on the BJP Chief Minister Patel by leading a group of dissidents from one resort to another. In that case the government was brought down and Vaghela become the Chief Minister. In our case, HD Kumaraswamy hoped to replicate that model, but has not succeeded, yet.
Politicians have only one Dharma- to hang on to power. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Politicians claim that they want to get into power to better our lives- they end up bettering their own. Power is today the panacea for all problems. Dodging court cases to amassing wealth to fight elections and in the present scenario induce legislators with cash becomes easy with power.
Finally, we the people are witness to high drama (thanks to the electronic media) and things are back to normal (for the politicians), we move on and unfortunately forget the lessons. We keep looking to the courts to solve all our problems. The ballot is the only answer to the political farce that is played out in the name of governance. It is the only fear that politicians will take seriously. Look at where Lalu and Paswan are today after the people taught them a lesson. Can we expect the people of Karnataka to take the bull by the horn?

Hey Ram

2010-10-01T00:15:00.000-07:00

the tension and the anxiety that preceded the verdict in the property suit dispute pertaining to the Ayodhya Babri Masjid site has given way to debate and discussion. many views are being expressed on the decision- some hailing it as historical, while others criticizing it for being shoddy. whatever be your view on this much delayed verdict, the issue has not vanished or will in the near future.
the issue is more than the temple or masjid to begin with. on one hand it is an assertion that this land is basically a hindu country and the people belonging to this faith will have to be considered first. on the other hand, the muslim community has been trying to accept India as their country- a sense of belonging will come from the acceptance of the muslims as citizens who have the same rights as others. so the same land stands for two different things- for the hindus, a reiteration that india is their country and for the muslims that india can be their country also. in other words, the judgment was supposed to deliver justice to indians and in that sense has failed the very basic foundation of the constitutional law- law should be administered equally, irrespective of caste, religion and ethnicity.
another opportunity has been lost in the name of national reconciliation. injustice cannot be the basis for forcefully integrating the communities. there will never be justice if it is not seen to be delivered fairly. it is nice to reconcile that there was no other option before the judges- divide the land into two- 2/3rds for the hindus and 1/3 for the muslims. feels so much like our reservation policy based on population division. both cannot camouflage the injustice that is inherent in the policies.

teaching assistants

2010-09-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

one more semester is over. exams are round the corner. valuation will follow and then a much needed break. teaching is a calling as you need to love the job to stick on for a life time. the other day, two of the teacher assistants, merlin and namrata after two sessions on media ethics with final jpeng students wanted feedback about their teaching. the first class was intense with students listening and taking part in the discussion with enthusiasm. but the second class turned out to be a lot more noisy, disorganised and the only concern was to conclude the class quickly.

how can one motivate others to take to teaching. there is very little by way of personal satisfaction. teachers are constantly struggling to control the class, with very few students interested in the subject. every class is a challenge. new methods need to be evolved to keep the interest of the majority in the lecture. after all the effort one rarely finds full satisfaction. teaching in schools and colleges are increasingly becoming difficult. the average attention span of a student is going down drastically. career choices are aplenty. why would anyone want to be a teacher?

Mirror Effect

2009-08-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

Mr.Ramananda Sreenivas (Editor, Bangalore Mirror) came, spoke and floored the audience (MS Communication) with his unique technique- interaction. what sreenivas did was to get the students to speak and by getting a point out, base the talk on that. it created interest and active participation. it also helped to have a few familiar faces (those who had done their internship at BM) to collaborate and complement his points. the very informal style and the language of the present generation can be a very effective tool to connect with the students.
As he said at the beginning, Sreenivas wanted to use the opportunity to learn from the young crowd- the target audience for BM. it is only through contiuous feedback from the readers that BM has been able to deliver stuff and become credible among their readers. it is a wonder why media does not change quickly enough to connect with the desired audience? it is only when things go wrong that changes take place. The Times of India group has understood the importance of keeping an ear to the ground and customizing the content to suit the demands of an ever dissatisfied generation. No wonder then, the two most read newspapers in Bangalore city are from their stable.

Guru Dakshina

2009-08-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

the cancellation and postponement of media conclave with r. sreenivas, editor, bangalore mirror was a temporary set back. but these things can be expected as people from the media are on call 24x7. personally, i had almost forgotten the issue. but not Malik and not Niranjan (for those not familiar- they are from the Journalism batch of 2007). Malik calls up Niranjan and tells him about the cancellation and Niranjan gets into action. Makes a whole lot of calls and finally fixes up Rajan Bala (legendary Sports Columnist) as a replacement, less than 12 hours before the scheduled time of the programme. It is another story that the programme didn't materialize in the end.
my thoughts are on the two christites who went out of their way, for no fault of theirs, to rectify a problem. how many people today will do anything like this. there are a few thoughtful and responsible individuals still around and maybe that is the reason why we still have faith in humanity. thanks Malik and Niranjan for all the help in building a close relationship between industry and academics and more importantly between media professionals and students.

Medium over message

2009-07-29T21:04:00.000-07:00

DNA ran a photo feature on the language issue that has generated a lot of debate. my quote is out of context and therefore this is an attempt to put it in the right perspective.
Language is important to communicate, socialize and disseminate culture. Nobody disputes the fact that the language one is comfortable in, allows one to be confident when it comes to communication.
the controversy with respect to Karnataka is to make Kannada the medium of instruction in unaided schools. the two are mutually exclusive. One should know kannada for obvious reasons. but how will making it a medium of instruction help? we need to acknowledge the reality. those who are from english medium background tend to do well in terms of job opportunities. Kannada is a compulsory language in schools but making it the medium of instruction will definitely limit the scope for those children. This is a retrograde step when the world is trying to cope with the onslought of globalization and increasing opportunities it is throwing up. Instead of helping our children to cope with the needs of fast changing society, we want to take a step back.
It is one thing to preserve languages and culture, but a totally different thing to shackle our kids in the process. People with ulterior motive are the supporters of this policy, which if implemented surely will put Karnataka on the backfoot.

Malik on sports

2009-07-27T21:36:00.000-07:00

Malik spoke to the second year journalism students. he tried to sketch the field of sports reporting based on his one year at bangalore mirror. it is always a pleasure to see how different and easily the professionals who were students a few years back adapt themselves to teaching.
the other day anirban from the sociology department kept the first year ms com students captivated for an hour. he has the ability to connect with the students with simple language and immense knowledge of the subject.
there are a lot of teachers out there. some are gifted and others including yours truly have to work pretty hard at it. guest speakers like malik bring a fresh perspective and approach to teaching journalism. the practical experience is definitely helpful in communicating effectively with the students.

Well done

2009-07-15T01:54:00.000-07:00

InPrint 09 is over. the day-long programme threw up its list of challenges. the most satisfying thing at the end of the day was the display of general bonhomie among the journalism students. the enthusiastic participation by all (forgetting the exceptions) was heartwarming. the first year students threw themselves in the arena and earned credit (contrast that with last year). the second year jelled as one to organize the event to the satisfaction of all. and surprise of surprises, the final jpe put their best foot forward and fought their way to the top. Congratulations to all.
the assuption that only through control and close supervision will the students do a good job is empirically proved wrong. i am glad. the students need a long rope. there will be a few surprises but in the final analysis it is 'by the students, for the students and of the students'. now where do we come in? one can give advice and encouragement but the event should be student driven. it certainly makes a lot of difference. InPrint has come a full circle, from the time it started off as an idea in the minds of students to the entire planning and execution being undertaken by them.

joy of doing

2009-07-09T05:32:00.000-07:00

this is in response to the edit (joy of giving) in today's (09/07/09) dna by n.raghuraman. mr. raghuraman (editor), what did you do beside feel sorry and angry about the plight of that child you saw from the shelter of your chauffer driven car? the piece paints the picture and moves on to bangalore international airport. there is no mention of the action only thoughts of despair. feeding sparrows bread crumbs is nice, like some feed street dogs and cats. but how will that allivate the plight of the children on the streets of our cities (as you have graphically described), who toil the entire day for handouts and crumbs.
it is in our culture to feel sorry and even show an attitude of caring for the not-so-well-off. it still is a long way from a behaviour change that provides a basis for action. we preach and then move on. the problem stays in the same place. it definitely is a moving piece and writers have a right to bring the images to life in various forms. what we also require is less preaching and more action as a society.

Final closure

2009-07-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

Finally the Liberhan Report has been submitted- it took more than 13 years for the probe into the Babri Majid demolition to be completed. Initial reports suggest that the blame is squarely placed on BJP. Top leadership of the BJP have been named as having incited the mob to indulge in arson and destruction. It is, of course, not a surprise that the inquiry has indicted the well-know advocates of Hindutva for the crime. What is surprising is the delay is bringing out the obvious into the pubic domain. There is of course the political angle to the whole inquiry and the timing of the report. This should not divert our attention from the unprecedented, nay monumental, event that destroyed the political and social fabric of our nation. Unless our state acts fast and punishes those who have indulged in violence or destruction, sections of the society will feel let down and angry. The 1984 anti-Sikh riots, The 2003 Gujarat riots, and the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition are blots on our psyche and needs to be dealt with. Expecting time to heal the wounds is foolish. There has to be a closure to these wounds that keep infesting our secular fabric. Only when people perceive that justice has been done, the guilty adequately punished can we move on. Otherwise, we will be stuck in the past and not be able to expect a better, safe and all-encompassing future.

InPrinted in mind

2009-06-27T01:38:00.000-07:00

It is that time of the year when the second year journalism students begin to grapple with the intricacies involved in putting together InPrint. A class of 60 odd students come together to host the intra-departmental fest that was started exactly 4 years ago. The purpose of the fest was to have an identity for the journalism students. In the past 4 editions of InPrint what was initiated by the class of 06 continues with a few modifications. I think the present batch needs to know the background to InPrint.

Expression was the inter-collegiate Journalism fest that had its last version in 2003. A step was taken to have a common fest with the Communicative English students. But in 2005 a bunch of bold, highly motivated students took upon themselves the role of setting a precedent that would brand the journalism students for years to come.

Today the present second year journalism students are going about trying to put their mark on this tradition. I am sure that in years to come, students every year would come together and forge a bond that would mark them out from the rest of the student community at Christ. Hopefully, a thought would go out to those who started it all.

listen in

2009-06-26T02:13:00.000-07:00

took a break from work and attended a workshop. the workshop was interesting but not anything great. the food was good and the setting was perfect. there was no hitch and things moved smoothly during the entire duration of the workshop.
got an opportunity to network with professionals from various marketing and communication departments. also got an insight into what is happening in the US context as far as the use of social media is concerned and where we may be headed. one needs to have a presence on various social media like Orkut, Twitter, Blog and Linkedin to stay connected to the digital generation and feel their pulse.
but the best part of the workshop was the realization that we (including me) have a long way to go in accepting the reality of the virtual world. by being part of the social media, which by the way is growing tremendously, one can be part of the collective knowledge creation process and at the same time listen in to the digitally enabled and empowered young urban India. if one has to make a difference, one has to be part of the process.

2008-12-06T09:03:00.000-08:00

it feels good to have an intellectual dialogue with a student who has matured beyond his age and is now a professional journalist. yes i am talking about the interaction with shashank in the course of the last two days. shashank has grown up, but in some ways he is the same student that i first came across more than five years ago. he personifies someone who has imbibed good values and any parent can be proud of a son like him. just one example hits this home. Shashank wanted to make time from a tight schedule to go and see the landlady who had housed and fed him during his student years. it is these small gestures that add up.

remembering past

2008-11-12T05:17:00.000-08:00

the incident in class 109 the other day took me back a couple of decades to my pre-university days. a similar incident took place with yours truly in the hot seat. for the language class, we had to move to a different classroom. i, like many of my ilk, wanted to occupy the familiar seat in class. but that day i had to take another seat due to the non-availability. a couple of girls came up to me and asked me to vacate their seat. i, of course, refused and insisted that i had come there first (rather rudely).

in retrospect, i feel like a heel. as kids we do some really stupid things. i could have moved to another bench but at that time i wanted to be difficult. as humans we do this all the time. when we drive, how many times have we given way to the other drivers? in a queue did you give someone in dire need the chance to move ahead? we usually assert our right in such situations. isn't there a higher calling- one that calls for mutual respect, acknowledging the feelings of others...

student days are full of learning- the more diverse the group in class the tougher it is to get along, but a great opportunity to gain immense experience that stands the test of time. hopefully, the differences that we encounter all around will not be our undoing but a challenge and, ultimately, our strength.

cathartic effect

2008-07-30T23:36:00.000-07:00

when something affects you- and it happens very often to me- till it comes out in the open (your reaction or opinion) there is a sense of turmoil within. after the last posting i feel relieved that i got the angst out of my system. the things that trouble me and the issues that i am bothered about need a resolution. the kind of mental agony in the absence of a closure is difficult to overcome unless it is thrashed out in the open.
blogs allow for just this. an open forum to bring out any issue and place it in front of the world- inviting comments/criticism/acknowledgment. an open society is the safest bet against misunderstanding and conflict. only when things are hidden there is a scope for confusion. more than talk about issues, blogs allow for baring the heart out. what would have happened if this option was not around?

crime and punishment

2008-07-30T23:15:00.000-07:00

the news about the students being made to sit the whole day in the corridor of the school as a punishment shook me and shocked me. it made me angry as i thought about it in the context of my school-aged daughter. how dare the school authorities impose this punishment or any punishment whatsoever. to top it all, the punishment was meted out not for an act by the students- their parents had skipped the parent-teachers meet on saturday.
schools are in the news increasingly for the wrong reasons. the inability to deal with the disciplinary issues, the excess workload and pitiable salaries are driving the teachers to take resort to punishment as a way out. it is high time punishment (out-moded means to achieve compliance) was done away with. What is the message one is giving the children (future citizens of our country) by punishing them for something they did or others did? what values are we imbibing in them? will they grow up to become better than us or just remain in our image?
The school authorities must be punished (not by making them sit in the open) for having done such a ghastly act. better still, they must be reformed. punishment does not achieve anything. the objective is to change the thinking of the person and not make him/her feel miserable. at least in the future children can go to school without fear of punishment.

mirror image

2008-07-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

michael jackson's 'man in the mirror' comes to mind as i try and deal with the question of identity. last saturday i got an opportunity to watch a premier of a kannada movie at badami hall. the main character in the movie is named 'gandhi'- it is also used as a metaphor in the movie. it narrates the struggle of gandhi in the face of having to live up to the great name. in the end, he is forced by circumstances to accept defeat and therefore decides to change his name.
the movie had an impact beyond the story. if i ever wanted someone to put a mirror to reflect my real inner personality the film did just that.
being a kannadiga by birth but not having lived a kannadiga's life (whatever that means) i was a fish out of water among the select crowd that had been invited to the premier. the cosmopolitan sheen keeps me from acknowledging my roots. while watching the movie i connected to the real me. deep inside, once you remove the outer layers (accent, educated...) i realised i was no different from the rest out there. i had found my identity. i am now, unashamedly acknowleding it.

giving advice

2008-07-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

it is good to feel that someone wants to consult you for a career move. your advice is given importance. that puts a lot of responsibility on me to give good advice. what is good advice? our experience can provide a bit of insight into things but circumstances change and in the changed circumstances giving advice on the basis of past experiences can be problematic.
it is ironical that when it comes to taking a decision in life i dither. all the possibilities and angles have to be looked into and then a decision can be taken. the same must apply for giving advices. without thinking out the options, we have no right to state a course of action. by putting all the options on the table, it becomes less of an advice and more of a choice for the advice seeker. it then becomes the responsibility of the person to choose the right path. hopefully, in the latest case i have been careful in doing just that. for i should not be the cause of any wrong action.

plugging loopholes

2008-07-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

i am curious to know what makes people tick? the other day, in the department, my mind was trying to figure out a few things as i saw/heard Mr. Kennedy explain and convince three bold and intriguing girls about the need to write positive about college. i, for obvious reasons, will keep out of the debate (class is where i will speak out). now what is of interest to me is the reasons behind the writing, its objectives and more importantly why one is not willing to compromise on ones stand.
we have to communicate our feelings and emotions- to not do so is dangerous. the forum, the method and the means to communicate are important if one has to overcome the fears of the guardians of stability and decorum. each one has to choose the way to speak out depending on the ground realities. one formula will hardly work for everyone. experience is the biggest clue one can fall back on- and my experience tells me, what works for someone may not work for me. so, without loosing hope, find other avenues for those creative & critical juices.

farewell all

2008-03-14T23:55:00.000-07:00

was thinking that i will not do this. it would be a repetition of the one i write every year at this time. but what prompted me to write on the same subject was the realization that the students are not the same. a new bunch of students are going to graduate and they need a proper farewell. in fact, they deserve it.
i will start with the students of Thai origin. for starters i am ashamed to admit that except for three i don't known the names of others. but their faces are etched in my mind's eye forever. as foreign students they deserve special treatment. it was not possible to give more time and energy to their unique requirements- it will always be a regret.
the other group that i interacted the least was the one made up of students mostly in the 60s- roll number that is. the onus is obviously on the teacher to draw the students out of their shells. this was again something that didn't happen. why is it that the background of the person matters so much for even us teachers to warm up to students?
Rahul j, tarun, ajay, rahul m... make up another group (may not be a cohesive one) that was hard to crack. again i take responsibility that it was not possible to draw this group into the mainstream of the class activities.
come to think of it now, very few are left of the class who i did relate to and interacted with- big regret. ali, sheetal, shivraj, sumantra... were, due to different reasons, accessible and thus the class to me is represented through and by them.
finally, all the best to each and everyone of you- the journalism batch of 08. may you all do well in life. take care.

force multiplier

2008-03-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

thought that u.r. ananthamurthy's speech was inspirational. not that he said anything new- it was the way he put it, with examples. i have been thinking of the same issues he put forth before the audience today at Christ College. i have been debating the pros and cons of the various controversial issues he touched upon. no i don't have the answers to them, yet. but it really takes guts and conviction to say the things he said in a public forum. i may think along the same lines but have very little strength to go public with them. take for example the divisive politics played by BJP (sometimes you wonder whether any political party is blameless), especially in the state of Gujarat- what succeeds in one state may be replicated in others. of course, one cannot but take the name of Raj Thackeray in the same breath. he is rewriting the script perfected by his uncle, the ever famous Bal. Regionalism, language politics and communal politics to name a few have surfaced time and again in this ancient land. it has its success in the short term. in the long run it leaves a trail of hatred and ample scope for future reprisals. As ananthamurthy said, it is through intellectual opposition that these forces can be defeated. where do i sign up?

cosmopolitian bombay

2008-02-25T20:11:00.000-08:00

The images of people of north indian origin leaving pune and other towns of maharashtra brought back the memories of bombay, once again. it has been two decades since i left bombay but the images that i want to associate with the city are mostly pleasant. every colony is a microcosm of india. the diversity that is bombay extends to the schools and colleges. the differences hardly mattered to us while growing up in the metro. having friends from all over had its own advantage. a punjabi classmate, who incidentally quit college after the anti-sikh riots of 1984; a few marwari friends i walked home with and one day ended up visiting their temple; a parsi who took pride in his identity and many more. each and everyone of them has added to my rich storehouse of experience and i am glad that i had this opportunity.
it obviously makes me sad, very angry to see the visuals of North Indians being harassed and forced out of their 'homes'. bombay is the home to all those who have come for a better life, whether from other parts of the state or the country. when one starts differentiating and dividing on the basis of 'we' and 'them' it bodes ill for the nation as a whole. what angered me more was the lack of steps taken by our national politicians to put an end to this divide. if it succeeds in maharashtra today, can karnataka be far behind.

rewriting history

2008-02-19T19:31:00.000-08:00

i once saw a movie in which a man gets to go back in time and change the events so that the present can be suitable for his needs. so if one wants to change the way things are today- tweak at history. one gets the feeling that Ashitosh Gowarikar has tried, over did it in Jodhaa Akbar. the movie is a version of the history that the director wants to amplify. it comes off as too clinical to be true. the versions of history one is used to doesn't help in accepting Gowarikar's version without doubting the authenticity. the objective is appreciable, though ill conceived and some times overdone.
there is no doubt we require to change for the better- more understanding of other communities is desirable in today's context. but one cannot comprehend the ways- Mera Bharat Mahan set of short films in the 90s and today Jodhaa Akbar. interestingly, while watching the movie one gets a feel of the rigid polarization in society- one spectator shouted 'ab pata chala' to a exclamation by Akbar on hearing about taxes on Hindu pilgrimages. it drives home the point that there is a undercurrent of suspicion and maybe even hatred of the other community. the qawalli was taken as a big joke by a group of college students who laughed and made fun of the tradition. rewriting history has been tried before, by the state. now it is the turn of individuals for nationalistic reasons, of course. an insight into the cultural practices of the others will obviously make for a better understanding and appreciation of diverse groups in society but by blatantly tampering with history (again, even for a just cause) may just backfire.

professionalism redefined

2007-08-08T09:12:00.001-07:00

got inspired to pen my thought again. one thing that is going around in my head is the question- what is the role of a teacher? it is said that the teacher is a friend, philosopher and guide. he or she is a role model for the students, someone who inspires them. but what is happening! are we getting petty? punishing someone for not conforming. the very idea of punishment is repugnant. but when the punishment is one that robs someone of academic excellence and future pursuits then one is forced to think again. imagine a situation where i don't like the way someone dresses or talks, do i automatically get the right (being a teacher) to ruin the future of that student? is this what the profession of teaching has come to mean? to forgive is human- but when the student forgives the teacher for punishing him it is time we, the teaching community, bow our heads in shame. The moral high ground that one hides behind is the beginning of the end for the profession that is held in such high esteem.

god-speed

2007-06-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

the first year students are here. just when i was getting used to the final year students, understanding them a bit, knowing about their future plans, their hopes and fears, they are gone. a day when there is so much of hope on campus is also filled with sadness. as i met a few of the ex-christites who had come to bid farewell, several thoughts were racing in the mind. so many promises yet unfulfilled. many a plans incomplete. this heavy burden adds to the sadness. life is not static. change is important for progress. so, farewell to the ones who leave us and a big welcome to those who join us for the next three years.

raining movies

2007-06-15T07:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks Romal. I finally saw Mungaru Male and i loved it. I can't stop thinking about the movie- am listening to all the songs at home. Still, there is something unfulfilled- there is a feeling of loss. A film that matches to the standards of Karan Johar, Aditya Chopra... It had a touch of class- sophistication rarely seen. But it also left a void- a feeling of incompleteness. Please let me know when good movies hit the screen. I need to catch up on many...

Hyderabad Chronicles

2007-06-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

After three years you would expect to know the person. But in a class of sixty, it is only some who make their presence felt- the rest fade into the background. I encountered Vishruti for the very first time a day before she formally bids farewell to Christ College and to Bangalore. In a span of an hour I learnt more about her than in the last three years. She is the last person I would have thought would get into active journalism. Vishruti is all set to start her six months training at Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad. From being a swimming champ to training for NCC at Christ and being silent in class, Vishruti has left her mark- at least on one person. Au revoir

Welcome Mr. John

2007-06-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

I first met Mr. John Thomas during a refresher course in 1995 organized by the Communication department, Bangalore University. At that time Mr. John was with the Deccan Herald newspaper as the Chief of Bureau. With this contact we had an opportunity to make annual press visits. Later due to his vast network of contacts, we also were able to get prominent people to speak to our students. Today, he has joined as a colleague. With his vast experience the students can only stand to gain. Mr. John has a way with words. His ability to link things, use everyday analogies and humour should go down well with our students. How I wish he was my teacher. But I sincerely hope that everyone shares this enthusiasm and benefits from Professor Emeritus. I also pray that our students match up to his expectations- his perception about Christites.

Time again

2007-06-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

its time again. tomorrow we start college. i have a feeling that it is going to be a repeat of the past few years- looking for those familiar faces among the masses. the final year students are almost gone-they have to complete their exams. new faces, that will take a long time to get used to, will dot the campus on june 15th. life has to go on-one can't cling to the past. but memories will always remain, faces may fade into the horizon. i would obviously miss all you guys; your individual uniqueness, ability to stick out or fade into the crowd, dress sense- the works. before i get emotional, let me wish all the very best in life- immediate and future. don't forget that you can keep in touch...

Gyaan Again

2007-03-12T06:29:00.000-07:00

to continue from where i left (inspite of some criticism). cant seem to understand why people dont take criticism in the right spirit. why one gets defensive and sometimes fights back, even when one is at fault. to advice, to scold and to criticise is normal- we all have to take it, whether we like it or not. public space is open for such encounters and one should get used to it. i see a few going into their shell- sometimes for a day or two in some rare cases for years. children today are tough- they go through a lot in a short period of time. yet one does not see the same reflected in handling criticism/scolding. one can only hope that reason will prevail or the situation that gives rise to such encounters is eliminated.

gyan time

2007-03-06T19:33:00.000-08:00

it is time to prescribe some gyan. the time of the year when the farewells are all around to remind the end of yet another batch. while wishing them all the best in future endeavour one cant but give out some advice.
first things first. never expect to be acknowledged, thanked and fussed around. try and find satisfaction within when you have done your best instead of getting any from the praise of others. one problem i see around is the expectations of people- students in particular. there is nothing wrong in having expectations, but dont expect it to come true all the time. disappointments will accompany expectations not met.
giving up is easy, fighting the odds is tough but very satifying. all around one sees people giving up, some agaist tough adversaries but others for frivalous reasons. who ever said life is going to be easy. every obstacle is an opportunity to prove to oneself. only if one has life can one expect a future filled with safisfaction- hold on to that one life you have. more gyan later

withdrawal symptoms

2007-02-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

The seminar is over... for this year. It has become a matter of routine to have the national seminar every year. But is it loosing its substance and objective to the ritualistic manner of its organisation? We (the teachers) start with certain assumptions and come to the conclusion that this will be useful and supplement classroom teaching. How much of the assumption is valid? Some programmes in the past have been organised due to the need that students articulated; similary some were dropped when it was seen to have few takers. Today, as the memory of the latest seminar is fresh in everyones mind, can we have some genuine feedback, ideas and criticism on each and every aspect of the same.
Let me take this opportunity to thank everyone- speakers, students, collegues and support staff for the seminar. I would, of course, like to name everyone. The obvious people in the organising committee, Sheetal, Nelson, Manasa, Payal, Rakesh Meher, Tejaswini Thirtha, Bharat, Romal, Shrenik Avlani and Mr. John Thomas. Whoever thought one person can make anything happen is sadly off the mark- cooperation and group effort is the only way.

haunting music

2007-01-28T06:02:00.000-08:00

straight from the heart
Music is for a lot of people soothing. When driving a car through peak hour traffic, getting into verbal duels with fellow drivers and the tension of being on time is taking its toll, music comes as a relief. Listen to haunting melodies of Kishore Kumar (early 70s of course) or hum his tunes for a total change of mood. But music also brings memories of the past- one gets into constant debates of the kind of music and lyrics of the present in contrast to yesteryears. The in-your-face kind of music today compares with the melodious tunes and touching lyrics of the past (one that had meaning).
As I was listening to an academician of repute at a conference, outside I heard the sound of a flute. The sound inevitably takes me on a guilt trip. The people who are talented, skilled and hardworking struggle to make a living. The cost of the flute is just Rs.10/Rs.25. The melodious sound made me go out and buy a couple of flutes- my way of warding off the guilt at being helpless.

batch of '99

2007-01-06T23:25:00.000-08:00

straight from the heart: past and present
got a big surprise the other day. 5 guys for the '99 journo batch showed up without warning. could recognise three of them. jp was sure different. he was more confident- no shifting of the gaze. he was always an enigma while in college. he looked more mature and capable of taking care of himself. sapna, pallavi, james and radhika provided some fodder for thought. was a great opportunity to know about the batch, their progress and present situation in life. one may not get back the time, but surely the memories of the time.

past and present

2007-01-03T05:41:00.000-08:00

straight from the heart
i was transported fifteen years back in time. my memories of the class in Warrensburg, Missouri were rekindled today. as Mandy, Rebecca and Ayoola (hope I got the names right!) sat in the 4th Sem journalism class, the past flashed in the inner eye. i was one of the few foreign students in the journo classes. the first few classes were true learning experiences. it took a while to adjust, absorb and react. of course, over time i had many (okay, a few) American friends who made a whole lot of difference. i hope the three Americans have a rich experience while at Christ. and i also hope the guys in class learn from the three. it would be an interesting semester, with the added challenge. and as i always say, challenge brings out the best in all of us.

generation gap

2006-12-07T06:51:00.000-08:00

straight from the heart
came across a scene that drove home the point that students relate to someone closer to their age. being twice the age of an average student doesn't help. the thinking, i suppose, is more conservative as one nears the magic figure of two scores. it is easier to speak to someone who has similar frame of reference- i am getting into journo. for that one needs to keep up with the changes around(boy, how things are a changing) and after an age (differs from one to another) it just doesn't matter. working in a college is advantageous- the close vicinity of the young makes it imperative to keep in touch. so, you guys out there know the secret behind young looking lecturer. i can't but thank each of you for keeping the spirit young.

stress buster

2006-11-23T06:42:00.000-08:00

straight from the heart
lazy people like me work best under stress. when the deadline is near the tension builds up and then the grey cells start working. i have been feeling mentally tried lately. i don't feel like doing anything, unless it is unavoidable. maybe i need a break- but that may not work. i feel the internal motivation has slowed down to a halt. only the external push is helping. the classes are getting routine; students hardly push you. the challenge is necessary to do that extra bit. somehow the autonomy, instead of helping us- teachers and students- has made us overburdened and as a result it shows in the way we are allowing the flow to wash us ashore.

meetings galore

2006-11-19T06:27:00.000-08:00

straight from the heart
i am all for meetings. they tend to be more than serve the purpose- one gets to socialize. serious meetings do have a way of being taken seriously. one tends to get personal on issues. it does have a way of clearing doubts and making thing obvious. there are some who take pleasure in watching and hopefully learning from the experience. one needs to keep ones cards close to the chest- there is wisdom in silence. unfortunely, some of us see through the farce and understand the real purpose of the charade. but one has to keep the mouth shut for social reasons.
one thought that i want to put forward for discussion- why don't we say the right things, in the right way?for example, if i don't like an idea or suggestion then why do i get angry and protest or oppose in an unpleasant manner?can't meetingsand discussions happen without a bitter aftertaste?

london calling

2006-11-14T20:14:00.000-08:00

straight from the heart
my only recollection of london is the heathrow airport- August 14, 1991. i ran into the defeated West Indian team flying out. a fellow indian student from delhi wanted the autograph of a few players. so i boldly went and was throughly rebuked (by none other than big bird joel). i never got an opportunity to set step on English soil (airport somehow felt above ground).
the other day susnato (2nd jp) asked me about higher education in uk. i believe someone like shashank (studying in westminister) would be the right person to get the info from. so over to shashank for inputs about media related studies in uk. soon you may have to put up a third blog to answer questions from jp students related to education there.

free advice

2006-11-13T07:22:00.000-08:00

straight from the heart
A concerned father called up the other day to reveal a few things. he had admitted his daughter to MIC, Mahe on my advice. now he came to know that his daughter finds BHM/hotel management interesting. to top it up she has told about the 'drug problem' in manipal. the concerned father wanted to know what to do- allow his daughter to change course or pull her out of manipal. when give our expert advice to someone what should be our responsibility? should we in the first place give advice? inspite of checking, talking to people and reading about institutes, one can be wrong about the advice. what it has taught me is to be more cautious and thoughtful in case of future advices.

crime and punishment

2006-10-11T07:59:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
this was prompted by the intensity of the comments on death penalty. unfortunately, the debate in the country has now taken an ugly turn. the communal angle to an otherwise social issue- what should be the reaction of a civilized society to crime?- has the roots of divisive politics. why can't we think from the heart? Afzal Guru may or may not be guilty- that is the job of the courts. but to give the death sentence is to drive home the point that india wants revenge- retribution for the symbolic attack on the parliament. what is needed is a clear signal, a bold political statement- forgive and move on. if one goes on extracting revenge for all the heinous crimes, there will be no looking forward to a better society. maybe it is easier said than done- we need to start somewhere.

cycle of violence

2006-10-08T05:58:00.001-07:00

straight from the heart
want to air my thoughts on the death penalty. this is one topic i have been thinking on for a long time. the more i think about it i feel that the death penalty is wrong- should be banned. the one argument i personally feel strongly for- we should break the vicious cycle of violence. by taking the life of an individual for a crime, the society is committing another crime. the message inherent in this to the people is we will take revenge- an eye for an eye... humans have to move ahead, banning the death penalty would be the right step- the civilized step.

2006-10-08T05:58:00.000-07:00

back to the future

2006-09-14T20:46:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
how come we remember only a few people from the past? what makes one stay in our memory longer than the rest. the other day a woman walked in and introduced herself as an ex-student from a 12 year old batch. i couldn't place her- face to a name. but when she said the names of her batchmates- bijoy venugopal in particular- i remembered her class. in each class there are a few who stand out. one need not be brilliant- the naughtiest are equally remembered. but isn't there a way of remembering all those who sat in rm. 714, 712, 109, 102 or 206...

respectfully yours

2006-09-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
i thought about this a lot, but felt that i had to pen this. a job of a teacher is not without its high points. one feels happy when someone whose face is familiar for three years is doing well. similarly, even if it is for a reco letter, when ex-students call or mail it feels good. but what surprised and confused me was the act of Shashank. yes, shashank is off to London- i could feel the joy at finally making it. from the first year he has been a puzzle. coming from the disciplined background of an armyman's son, he showed excess respect to teachers. it embarrasses me if someone goes overboard in acknowledging a debt. so when shashank called me aside on saturday, i had a feeling that he would sing paens about how indebted he was...instead he touched my feet. that stunned me as it was the last thing i expected. many students over the years have touched me in different ways, but this was different. i am sure the parents would be proud of their son.

Pressing matters

2006-08-23T23:38:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
Jst thought of recollecting the history of 'Pressing Matters'. PM is the official fest newsletter of the Journalism department. The first issue coincided with the first version of the Journalism fest 'Expressions' in 1997. Incidently, 2006 will be the tenth issue of PM.
It was conceived to bring all the journalism students together by way of contributions. The topics vary, with a touch of seriousness. Only once, it was restricted to media as a theme. It is not an achievement of the department as much as the students who are behind the publication- articles and design. One tradition that has been kept alive, in the face of change. The copies of PM also give an old-timer a chance to recollect the talent and creativity of the students who over the years have passed this department. Obviously it is a record of their ideas and the issues of the time, at the same time is showcases the changes the department has undergone.
The exploits of the first symbi fest of 99 have been immortalised in the pages of PM for future generations. Similarly, the saga of internships and concerns of students over issues like dress code and discipline are there for inspiration. The value is something that cant be fully put down here.

feeling god

2006-08-13T07:36:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
what do you do when you find your car has a flat? to add to that you dont have a car jack to change the puncher. you look around and, lo behold, a good samaritan walks over. he not only brings the jack from his car but literally changes the tyre for you. you thank him profusely and the next moment he disappears.
what does one make of this? in a time when people have no time or inclination to take interest in others, more so strangers, there are a few good men/women. you feel they are specially sent to help you in your need. the world will survive as long as these souls walk on this planet.

alvida

2006-08-11T20:58:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
somehow i had this feeling. the magic was missing. cant pinpoint what went wrong, but the overall effect was average. one feels that karan exhaused his creatives in the last three movies; maybe he tried to be different and paid the price.
no doubt the theme is bold, in Indian standards. in has been dealt in a mature manner. the main cast has put in their best. the sets were lavish, music was ok. the formula was missing, karan finally messed it up.
the hype will keep the money rolling in, at least for a couple of weeks. but what may emerge out of this movie is the fact that mere hype and marketing blitzkrieg can take one somewhere but not all the way. a good movie will overcome all odds, a bad one will eventually face demise. dont get me wrong, karan has done a good job- just wasn't enough for this movie. a big disappointment overall.

power of blog

2006-08-09T07:34:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
it is too early to draw conclusions. but one may already see the utility of blogs. they not only provide a forum to air one's thoughts/views but inform, educate and enrich the citizens of the world. who knows tomorrow it may also be a source of real democracy, where citizens can keep their representatives on their toes.
do check out riverbendblog.blogspot.com/. it has been nominated for various prestigious awards- pulizer for blogs. i didn't think much of the praise when i read about the blog; one needs to read the blog entries to realise the intensity and rawness of the writings. iraq, from the west's point of view, is slowly becoming a democracy. after reading river... you will get the opposite image. everything is being done to take iraq back in time- anarchy and barbaric episodes are a daily occurance. the american invasion has let loose the forces of division and hatred, kept under check during the saddam hussein regime.
it is not the information that affects you, but the way it is put forward- personalised narrative. this is one person who has seen, suffered and through that suffering and pain comes this desire to tell the world the true story of iraq. the propaganda machine-media of the west has all but killed objectivity. just check out the way the Israel-Lebanon conflict is been covered by west; one death on the Israeli side deserves a individualised story; how people are coming back to Israel even under such conditions and so on (sickening). Color of the skin and religion somehow overshadows balanced writing.

2006-08-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
the other day i chanced upon a blog titled "Jewish grandmother", which had views on the on-going conflict in Lebanon (pro-israeli views). i couldn't help myself from commenting on the blog- i was critical of the policies of the Israeli government, which is at the root cause of the present conflict. any people under constant humiliation would hit back in the only way possible. what is surprising is that israel is ignorant of the causes of the rise of Hamas and Hezbollah, and their popularity among the Arab world. more repression and the israeli tilt of the west have made things worse. any solution should address the fundamental issue of sovereignty of the palestinian people and that of lebanon.
israel cant keep recalling the ghosts of holocoust to ride roughshod over world public opinion. in the name of survival, israel goes about breaking every law in the book but accuses everyone else of foul play- a case of pot calling the kettle black. the root cause for violence is poverty, indignity and hopelessness. the west, instead of addressing the superfluous surface, would do well to go into the root cause and eliminate them for a lasting solution to the middle east conflict.

class act

2006-08-05T07:52:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
as i listened to nibin's presentation on fourth estate no more, thoughts were buzzing. i could see the class trying hard to concentrate, some in their own inimitable ways. how many of us listen and read things for knowledge's sake and not because it will be asked in a test? exploring various areas require curiosity and an inclination to know things beyond the walls we create- syllabus oriented. some were listening with rapt attention, some finding it difficult and fidgeting with newspapers and others sneaking in a comment or two. when people dont react, it is difficult to gauge the impact.
unlike psychology, journalism doesnt have a definite sphere of study. it includes just about anything- fourth estate, to take today's example, gives us a theoretical base to understand and appreciate today's changes in the content and focus of newspapers and news channels. to put it in plain english, the current dumbing down of news can be understood relative to the expectations of the press in the context of fourth estate.

worthy wait

2006-08-04T07:13:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
today i was absolutely entertained. the josh on stage left everyone flushed with excitement, wanting more. one could not have asked for a better end to the month long buzz on campus-darpan was affecting each and everyone, some in different ways. i wish i could have had the privilege of sitting through more of the events than just debate and indian music- indian dance and mad ads, for starters.
Dhoom shook the audi with wholesome entertainment. i could see the way each of the members enjoyed the music they were playing. shocked and pleased to see Robimon sway with the the beat. of course, phani dominated the stage with his performance that had girls swooning in their seats- no wonder phani is so famous in christ. leo, mathews and the rest supported and encouraged the efforts of others on stage. all in all, an experience to write home about.
p.s. loved the way phani discoed to 'its the time to disco'.

contagious charlie

2006-08-03T08:13:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
ran into charlie-literally ran with charlie. yes charlie the well-known dancer of christ college. one wonders where the energy flows from. he seems perpetually in a hurry. always a smile on the face, even under adverse situations. charlie may feel the burden of classes in christ college, but has immense energy for those dance lessons- bharatanatyam is his latest mastery. somehow he got through to me- made me feel confident and energetic as i trooped into class.
the best thing about college, about teaching, is the youth and the positive energy that comes with them. it seems to infect everyone around. it somehow complements home- seeing our daughter grow up, mature and infect us with her youthfulness. in college, literally hundreds, without knowing are spreading the virus of youthful hope and energy. even a middle-aged person feels youthful around such cantagious surroundings.

2006-07-30T06:38:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
am glad that all the three journo classes are communicating via this blog. it is more than a meeting place; a place to thrash out differences, come to appreciate differences, and maybe reach consensus.
it is impossible to talk to everyone in class; it is as a class and not as individuals. here i get an opportunity to speak directly, get to know the student and maybe in the process help the communication in class. please do keep sending in your comments- positive and negative.
got to thank mr. anil for drawing me to the unlimited possibilities of the blog. but even he may have not realised the vast potential of the blog in personal communication, in addition to group communication that happens as a complementary to the class.

reality calling

2006-07-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
almost missed the bus. had to get my two bit in before everything is said in this case. the murder of tania banerjee is just that, murder. the law is an ass, as someone said. if we can justify this murder by throwing mud, then we can even become a hero. as humans we have been justifying everything, right to the point of bringing the world to its brink and getting away with it.
who cares about the carefree behaviour; tomorrow someone may take exception to couples holding hands and murder them- against society's morals. where are we headed as a civil society? respect and acceptance of the other's individuality is a must; dubbing sex as sin and immoral has to stop- it is a natural instinct. men can have multiple partners, but when women assert their sexuality and freedom we have people like gururaj kishore shutting them permanently.
what angers me more is the fact that society is trying to condone murder, the most henious of all crimes. what chance has someone who is faced with sexual harrassment or rape? the rationalisation that she deserves it, or she brought it on herself must give way to condeming the murder and punishing the murderer.

belated birthday

2006-07-28T11:17:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
hi Romal, a very happy birthday to you. just made it in time. sorry could not taste the cake... maybe some other time, some other place.
i just have to share this observation with you guys. a prof from the economics dept. mentioned something that fits the bill here. the bbm class he handles is a rowdy bunch in class but outside they are very friendly. i am also stuck by the contrast- how the same group can behave differently in different settings.
a class has its own rules. similarly the relationship in class is more formal. it has its own dynamics. outside, a teacher and a student can be friendly; but must never be friends. one should keep the distance for the obvious reasons. very cryptic, i suppose.

good to be back

2006-07-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
yes it is a bit late in the day but the fact that blogspot is back is a big relief. by the way i have a parallel blog- writetospeak.blog.com/. it is a big burden to keep two blogs going. the alternative was temporary- now i feel that i cant abandon it. so i will just have to spend a little more time on the net.
it was good to see sheetal and poornima get their questions in today at surana open house. one trait that is need for go-getters is aggressiveness. it was doublely good to hear sheetal speak in a confident manner into the mike- wish i can do that; i get all nervous catching a mike. way to go.
also the fact that so many newsletters are coming out, or in the pipeline is an indication of a active journalism department. again way to 2nd year's. i have a selfish interest in students bringing out multiple newsletters- a forum for thrashing out issues in a healthy, competitive manner. so when i heard of shivraj and party thinking of a newsletter, i felt a sense of satisfaction.

culture conscious

2006-07-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
till today i have been indifferent to culture. having lived in a cosmopolitian setup and brought up on uniculture, it took years to register that culture comes from language, its ethos and the communication tools that use that language.
Yakshagana, the art form that was showcased in college today, entralled me and set my thought process in motion. i still am not sure about its impact- it will surely some day be put down as one more turning point in my life. but one thing is clear, i need to look beyond the popular culture at understanding and appreciating diversity and richness that comes with it.
I think i consciously made a choice today- there was an English play (different cultural setting, i suppose) and there was the yakshagana. i think it is never too late to go back to the roots to find oneself, after having lost ones identity in the persuit of universal acceptance.
This may look like a typical rambling, but in it lies a seed of change. this is, of course, only the first step towards growing out a complacent sense of 'nothing matters'. only our patronage can provide the push that may see the different art (cultural) forms blossom, once more. this may, to some, look like an indirect attack against westernisation- it is a direct one.

its a dog's life

2006-07-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
Ekasmayi asked me to sit, as she had her breakfast, and told me she wanted to be a vet. i smiled at her knowingly; she had made a resolve, a closure. many a times in her spot i had been racked by indecision and brooding for days and in some cases years.
The scene that set off the process was something like this:
We were coming home on Friday, suddenly an incident took us all by surprise. right in the middle of the road, an alsatian was stuck- between angry, ferocious street dogs and the unmindful traffic zipping past. the alsatian looked frightened and unsure; some one had abandoned a pet dog who was in his last days. as we explained to our now highly emotional daughter, she prayed that the alsatian was safe. She came home and silently cried, inspite of our attempts at distraction. We knew she would sleep on it.
The helpless old dog was an indicator to the society and its slow but steady progress towards individualism- selfish. We are becoming insensitive, use and throw policy. As long as something is useful we hang on to it and once it has lost its importance, discard. the image of the dog is going to haunt us...

moral dilemma

2006-07-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
how many times in life do we come across a situation where it is difficult to take any decisions. the reason in the present case is two fold- judging another is wrong, especially from the comments of others and secondly who does one support ones students or a collegue?
in the past it was less of a dilemma as i took the student word for it. couple of instances have made me wiser- no the students didnt lie, but there is always another side to the issue. maybe i was also carried away due to youth- with age comes maturity and less scope for spontaneous reactions.
I remember how i walked into the principal's chamber when a student told me a tale about not being able to pay his fee- principal had a different take on the student. again a few years ago when a student complained of bias in selection of the honours list i didnt hesitate to talk to the principal. today i have come to the conclusion that every issue has another (if not two more) side to it.
so how do i tackle this issue? should i go and meet the teacher in charge and get her side of the story? somehow it sounds omnious to me.

talking heads

2006-07-16T07:15:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
i have to admit that Rajdeep Sardesai is my favourite of the current top interviewers/moderators (karan thapar, of course, is in a league of his own- i am talking of the popular ones here). saw the great debate on the Mumbai train blasts on NDTV and IBN and here is my take on the same.
Rajdeep is prone to shoot off more that he can chew- it takes a Shabana to put him in his place. but on the positive side he keeps the politicians on their toes by not allowing them to evade, deliberately confuse the issue- unlike Vikram Chandra who is soft or is it lack of will. Bharka is admired by everyone. she has her own way of getting the issue explored. my observation is on the way she overdoes her personal touch- put her arm around people or put words into their mouth or the worst, butt in with her personal experience ( her favourite seems to be the warm way she is treated in Pak). we watch these shows to gain the public opinion and want to listen to the people in the news, definitely not to windbags. sorry payal, but she gets on my nerves.

its all in the perception

2006-07-13T20:58:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
the more i read and listen about our beloved prime minister, the more i conclude that we have a wimp in the seat. is it intentional- if he does something in his term then he becomes indispensible and where will that get sonia, rahul, priyanka or what is priyanka's kid's name. somehow he is not asserting himself, he is reluctant to take bold decision; be himself- efficient administrator. somehow the gaddi turns well-meaning, otherwise efficient men and women into nincompoops.
i am ashamed to accept someone like manmohan singh as our prime minister- is this the best we can do? whether it is the pakistan issue, the reservation issue, the coordination with the left, the nuclear issue... each time we have a perception of someone beaten into submission. is it the price one pays to hold on to the post. is the post worth loosing your self-respect. his earlier role as the popular finance minister and as an efficient bureaucrat is slowing fading in the face of his sloppy work as the head of the government. the government is working inspite of him; in fact the country is chugging along despite him. we either want a strong, assertive and decisive pm or manmohan singh should make way for a better person. I and India deserve an answer and a decision this time around.

circle of hate

2006-07-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
the graphic pictures of mumbai train blasts have angered the citizens. one could see javed saab emotinally condeming the bombers. as the dust settles on yet another attempt to terrorise the people, one can only assume the effect it has had. mumbai may be limping back to normalcy but we the people go back to being the way they were?
the reason for the thought is the kind of debate- or should i say outbursts- that i am privy to. the social and religious circles are blaming the muslims for the blasts. we come back to the same old question- when a hindu indulges in violence all hindus are not seen as being violent, but why does it happen everytime a muslim does something violent. why is the whole community the target of hatred and prejudice? education has nothing to do with the perception that forms in the mind after each such act of violence. otherwise how does one explain the wide spread prevalence on this image of muslims.
are there any sane voices out there or have the terrorists actually succeeded in their mission? i only hope that people dont change after every such act of violence and fill their minds with venom of hatred. i am still holding on to my belief even under the latest barrage of hindutva oriented rhetoric. maybe, just maybe, it is the two weeks i spent in a muslim school (fidai baug) while waiting to shift from a christian school (st. blazes) to a hindu school (srws)!

communicate more

2006-07-10T07:21:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
why don't we communicate more often, more effectively. the irony of the present times really hits home- efficient means of communication by way of technology coupled with mind blocks that come in the way of putting things across. the last two days i have been brooding about the mail i received from an ex-student that shook me out of my comfort zone. a misunderstanding in the first year came in the way of natural growth and development of the student. three years of missed opportunity- a life time of waste. all that was needed was a direct clarification of the issue. i wonder why we keep something in mind and punish ourselves in the process.
in the age when we encounter hundreds of people in our life time, there is scope for misunderstanding and unconsciously hurting one another, maybe even scar the psyche. i can only give the example of my daughter- we have the best intentions in mind when we scold or explain something in a authoritarian tone.
so many things happen in class; the dynamics of the classroom can never be predicted. any comment, in a given context should not be taken to heart. it must not come in the way of student-teacher relationship. we judge a person by one incident and never take or give an opportunity to straighten things out.
the incident i am referring to came right out of nowhere- one only reads in novels or sees such things happening in movies. i never thought that my one or maybe two scoldings in class will create such a lasting effect on a student. i do hope i learn from this and never pull someone down. but i also hope that students on their part communicate. i would never have known this but for this blog. do use the blog to communicate.

searching for joe

2006-07-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
the net has opened up the possibility of finding a long lost friend. joe kurian made me feel comfortable in a new setting- new school and city. at the age of 7 one hardly thinks about friendship and gets emotional. but today, some 32 years later i get nostalgic thinking about our school days- just one year. suddenly, when we went back to school after reopening i got a rude shock- joe had left for Canada to join his mother. he is the first person i could relate as a friend. we were together in school, walked back home together- he stayed opposite to our apartment, and even fought together. it took a while to adjust to his loss; suddenly there is hope of finding joe. if you are there somewhere in blogosphere do get in touch.

back to alma mater

2006-07-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
started the valuation today. yes the final year paper 4 will be completed in a week's time. every time i go back to the old physics block it brings back memories. this is where it all started 17 years ago. we were uncerimoniously shifted from the uvce campus to the present valuation center 2 months into our ms communication. we were just getting used to the canteen there, and here we were on strange land. to give us company there was the first batch of NLSUI who became our source of fun and companionship.
we were self contained in the department; our own library and a whole building with a balcony. equal time was spent on the steps of the block as the classroom. two years of sheer heaven; adventure at every turn, some i will relate others too personal. by the way i came to know that i was the most hated in the class; hated by the rest of the class for being a big showoff and know-it-all. those days i was oblivious to these things.
capture the past. is it really possible. somehow i have not come around to going back to bombay; i did spend 16 years of my life there. i always think of the saying in communication- you can't cross the river twice.

silent communication

2006-07-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
my daughter ekasmayi (esha) has a very interesting way of showing her anger. yesterday she felt slighted and refused to talk to us for sometime. later after cajoling her she opened up on the reason for her silent anger. we had asked her if she wanted to go out to eat and she had initially said no. later she felt that she had taken a wrong decision and was regretting it- the reason for not speaking to parents.
even those who are close sometimes don't open up. communication is such an important means of stability in a family or society. when one member clams up there is tension in the air and uncertainity. open communication would certainly clear the air and also give one a chance to let off steam that other wise has the potential to burst into an ugly situation. easy said than done, right romal.

daughter dearest

2006-07-01T06:23:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
today is daughter's day. as many proud parents have mentioned it is a treat to have a daughter (bangalore times). i would like to add a different angle to the issue. most fathers like me get a humbling effect through our daughters. the strict father figure takes a beating and what emerges is a more understanding and holistic father. our whole take on the other gender undergoes a sea change. suffice it to say that every man should become a father to a daughter for the world to be a better place. later

time to do something

2006-06-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
P. Sainath in conversation with srinivasan jain on ndtv 24x7 may well be the proverbial straw that broke the back of the camel. the plight of the indian farmers and the consistent short sighted policies of the government made me very angry. angry at the system that favours the rich, powerful and influential. i am feeling so guilty that i have been one of the many who got carried away by the surge of globalisation and liberalisation. decade and a half later india, the real india, lies abused and discarded.
many a times the anger within at the dismal picture would prompt a reaction- buy a ad-mag from the street vendor, a baloon from a young girl... after all the 10 or 5 rupees is something i waste without thinking most of the time; here it could mean a meal for someone (am i assuming too much here).
the other day as i drove in my car, an incident played out in the open. an elderly man was desperately trying to cross the road. as usual the drivers were not making any exceptions. a lady on a two-wheeler slowed down- i thought that at last someone is going to help- saw the man make it to the divider and sped off. something made me park my car, get out and hold the man's hand and help him cross the rest of the road. his hands were shaking- that was the thing that had struck me initially. here was a man in his 60s, on his own, making his way back home. the difference here being, the man had Parkinsons. my father suffered from the same in his last few months of existence. I cried looking at the man as he reminded me so much of my frail father. but would i have helped if this was not the case. does tragedy have to befall on one before we realise the enormity of the situation and reach out.
i used to feel that a messiah, powerful with godly powers, has to walk the world to cleans it; afterall we normal humans have no supernatural powers, loads of money or any such thing to help others. today i realise that each one of us has an obligation beyond our immediate family. we care so much for our children, feed them, clothe them and protect them; when i see the children of the beggars at the road intersections, i feel helpless and useless to do anything. the young, hungry, painful faces haunt me- got to do something. but what...

dancing eyes

2006-06-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
the first thing that one notices about medha is her sparkling eyes. as she walked in today to the new staff room- the department has expanded into the old computer lab- i felt an aura of innocence and excitement. i could never imagine medha as grown up, she still looks and talk like a kid.
it is i think the greatest joy to have a visitor from the past- even a few months old. the memory of the class, the entire group flashes in front of the eyes. three years is such a short time. i regret that i didn't get to know more guys from the class of 2006.
many a times i do wonder what happened to so and so. are they in bangalore, married, any kids... it will be both a surprise and fulfillment to know about students who have passed out over the years. how about a class reunion! later

cultural bias

2006-06-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
this is something i always wanted to speak about. i am guilty of this as many of my students. i am referring to the bias due to our upbringing. we typecast people according to their background and present state of employment. out bias works in such a way that we feel superior if others don't have our background and experience that goes with it.
the other day Ishwar daitota spoke to the media studies students. a very rare occasion when a journalist from the language press has addressed the chirst college students. the majority read english newspapers, see english news channels and speak english. obviously when someone without their advantage comes before them there is bound to be culture shock; what is the role of the language press. english language newspapers in the country have highjacked the agenda setting power that should in a country like ours legitimately belong to the language press, which is close to the majority of the people, speak their language and idiom. more exposure to the people from language press background should have a positive impact on our students who don't see anything beyond times of india. will ramble on later.

fading faces

2006-06-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
every year without fail i go through this routine. i go to class after the start of the new academic year and keep searching for the familiar faces. max was sitting right in front, nandini leaning against the wall on the extreme left, and on the right hena... names that had faces just a few months back. i keep searching for the faces and all i see is new faces; the first year students who are as strange as strangers on the road.
three years is a long time. it takes a year to get the connection between the name and the face. each year with the numbers increasing it will take a few more months extra. then the second year the individual personalities start emerging and it is possible to identify some in the class as distinct from the rest. it is only in the final year that the closeness grows and most if not all get an identity of their own. and then one fine day they are out- out in the real life and their ghosts stay back, only to be taken over by new faces and new names. it all sounds futile- just feel that the same guys should continue for ever!
life as they say must go on. college is like a railway platform. people gather for the train. but as soon as the train moves on the platform is again empty only to be take over by the next batch of passengers in transit. guys i am already missing you. do keep in touch. cheers

cluttered mind

2006-06-27T22:54:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
the mind is cluttered. any programme or event has this effect. the first programme of the year and things have a way of not falling into place unless someone runs around and fixes it. one wonders why systems are not in place to make it smooth. have all the required things in the venue for conducting the programme and not expect us to run from one end of the college to the other in search of important people.
Angry, obviously. it can drive one up the wall. it also has another effect- the futility of everything. every time we think of a programme work towards it and then d-day comes the whole charade repeats itself. we need to make a toast to the human spirit for the short term memory of the worst things- there is no other explanation for the renewed enthusiasm time and time again. it hold good for our city and country, we keep going on and on inspite of the million obstacles that could easily be solved. we are just waiting for the messiah. well we have a long wait, unless we make it happen. speak out, write and make things happen. sounds easy but it takes one to start and then systems will automatically come up. got to stop and run. the event is on in a few minutes time. hoping against hope that things will not go too badly. cheers.

its all in the mind

2006-06-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
we all are familiar with the saying 'its all in the mind'. lot of credence is placed on the powers of the mind. the other day i chanced upon an article that mentions that most cold medicines don't have any effect on the body but act on the mind- placebo! it is no wonder that people read books, join classes and become spiritual with the goal of controlling their minds. it is another thing that today our minds are controlled by others- media, religious leaders to name a few.
my days in warrensburg while studying in the us were full of loneliness. my only recourse to sanity was music. Light 99.7 fm KLTH (kansas city) was soothing to say the least. Also my dard bhare geet- kishore kumar, kept me going.
by the way my favourite songs are, in the order of ranking:
1. aye tum yad mujhe gane lagi har dhadakan
2. badi suni suni hai zindagi ye zindagi
3. main pyasa tum sawan main dil tum meri dhadakan
4. hotel california
got to go, watch soccer. later

refuse to be intimidated

2006-06-27T06:37:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
was wondering why i didn't get angry at being told that we can't use the auditorium tomorrow for the inauguration. several reasons popped into mind. one would be desensitisation- having gone through similar situations in the past has made me immune to the present one. trying to find a free hall, finding joseph to open one or getting angry when both were accomplished and very few turned up for the class or workshop had its toll; has made me insensitive to something as bland as a change in the venue.
maybe it is just that someone else is in charge and so directly affected; more of a jolt to the good old ego. it could also be that miraculously i have mastered the ancient art of absorbing everything and still keeping cool. but to tell you the truth it is that lack of interest, that everything is futile which is behind the reaction. so there i have bared my heart out. more baring to follow

looser speaks

2006-06-27T01:04:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
chanced upon sunil chandy's blog. didn't know that he was born in Great Britain (brit as he says). couldn't miss the link that was present in the story of the black valet. it was a hilarious take on the spelling mistake, only someone used to PG Woodhouse humour can get it. just wonder how some people can connect two things-gift that i obviously don't seem to have!I am trying desperately to be like sunil chandy-write like him. come to think of it, nobody expect he could be like him. later.

meeting god

2006-06-26T21:03:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
met mr. ishwar daithota yesterday. very few know about the contributions of journalists/editors- here is one who has accomplished much in his 25 years career. Ishwar is the chief editor of Samyuktha Karnataka,which has 5 editions and a combined circulation of 1.6 lakhs (comes out in Kannada). His career in journalism started with Udhayavani, where he reached the top (became the editor). He wants to forget the role he played as the news reader on Doordarshan (many recognised and know him due to this)as it doesn't gel with his journalistic bent of mind. He left Udhayavani and become the first editor of Vijaya Karnataka in 1999. The success story of this newspaper started with him at the helm- multi edition, supplements for children and women, development reporting, and editorial integrity. After exactly 1 year and 11 months he quit the newspaper due to differences with the owners (interference in the editorial policy). His career took on a new dimension as a freelancer, teacher and writer. He wrote on developmental issues, taugth journalism to rural reporters and wrote books on development communication and for children. Last year he took over as the chief editor of Samyuktha Karnataka. He teaches at Bangalore University and Surana college. His programme on Udaya TV Panchayat... is almost five years.
Ishwar no doubt is a multifaceted person but what struck me was the simplicity and straighforward nature. One gets the feeling that anyone is free to meet and talk to him, no roadblocks like one comes across in the context of other editors. I get the feeling that journalism is still alive and kicking.It is not confined to page 3. As long as there are focused and committed persons like Ishwar Daithota, the direction that print media is taking is in the larger interest of the public. He has the pulse on the changes happening in the country when he says that the future belongs to language press- the fact that Times of India has bought up Vijaya Karnataka is a point in case.Log off. Keep reading

straight from the heart

2006-06-26T02:00:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
Time is of essence. we realise it too late. just today we had the inauguration of the psychology association and the students came out just in time for the 2 pm class. no lunch for the bunch. so off they go to find some chow and i hammer on the computer to fill the space. the point that i am trying to make is why can't we start and finish programmes on time and spare the trouble to everyone? the media studies department has one coming up on Wednesday and i hope it starts and ends on time so that the poor students have their lunch and eat it too. ha, ha. keep reading

straight from the heart

2006-06-25T21:08:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
my biggest problem is shooting off my mouth and then regretting it. is there a solution this? i have opinion about everything and anything and this is the reason behind my mouth shooting act. how can one resist not speaking out when a car comes on the wrong side on a one way street, or keep from getting angry at those who spit, urinate, throw wrappers, etc on the road. it hurts to see people ruining the city and at the same time waiting for someone else to pick up after them. cheers for now

straight from the heart

2006-06-25T20:49:00.000-07:00

straight from the heart
day 2 and i just want to say that a clear mind allows for clear thinking and a positive start to the day. yesterday was confusing as the mind was cluttered and negative thoughts came flooding in. promise to write more in the future attempts.

2006-06-25T07:53:00.000-07:00

hi, never blogged before but would like to open my heart on issues that are dear to me.