Day and night/have to fight!

 Sant Tukaram, a famous saint from Maharashtra, much translated, much quoted, wrote this famous abhang. "Day in and night out/we have to fight" is how it can simply be summarised. Sure, being a saint, he means more the inner fight within the self to remove all the dross so as to be closer to the Lord 

If you were to look at the world around us at this moment, the saint appears to be prescient. Everybody constantly seems to be in the fight mode, and, no, it is not the inner variety. 

Look at our very own state, Maharashtra, for instance. Such were the countless alliances pre-election at the basic most level that the in situ realities were tough to understand. All the usual election dramatics was staged, and in full force, money/muscle power, 'the' religion card, the ballot paper not being used, the ink that was not indelible, and so on, and so on. 

Despite all such shenanigans, the BJP won decisively. One thought, as the CM suggested, calm would return, especially when the election fever was over. No, though! The CM is in Davos, and all sorts of games are being played here, what with the channels screaming "breaking news" every nano second!

As if that is not enough, the world's worst hidalgo/amigo, have it whichever irony you like more, Señor Trump is every day finding new targets to threaten, Iran, Europe, Russia so much so that Ukraine must now feel a little left-out, like the cur pup none wants! 

If Trump trumpets, can China be far behind? The head of the topmost think tank there has threatened to blow off the U. S. with a hydrogen bomb. The next morning America's most invincible plane is visible in the aerospace! 

At such times, a certain person does not fear the atomic threat, though many in the Congress (American, please!) are openly and vociferously questioning His Excellency's policies! No advice, no attempt at truce wanted by Him in such contexts! The tariff war, in fact, is in full throttle mode, and not only against India where the new UGC rule is threatening to turn campuses in to trenches, and every which way!

What is up? Are we indeed inching towards a third world war that would finish us all?

Pratima@ In Aai's memory, we conduct a short story compétition in collaboration with "Menaka". The theme of that competition this year is "war" , too!                                           Interested in writing a short story on the theme? Please get in touch with me. 

Quote of the week:                                                   "There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.". Anonymous is this quote.                                        If you want to guage the horror and the "pity of war/the pity war distilled", read the poems by the shell-shocked poets of the First World War when the WMD's were first used, when the trench realities were brutal beyond belief!

Word of the day: war theater                                The term refers to the entire land, sea, and air area that is, or may become, involved directly in war operations. A related term is 'theater of operations'. No entertainment in this theater though! 

Let us learn grammar:                                         No article is needed with set expressions. Let us look at a few examples.                       1)She is out of town. 2) He has been out of work for many years. 3) Her father is at work. 

Who is afraid of the AI entering the medical field?

 Bill Gates and Elon Musk and others of their ilk are already predicting that very soon the  AI would take over the medical profession. No, this foretelling has nothing to do with the "minus forty" furore in India, rooted, directly and/or indirectly, in the buying/selling of the PG seats in medical colleges, especially of the private variety. 

M/S Musk/Gates types believe that the speed of the AI (r)evolution is such that it would soon take over the need for doctors, with the robots performing, moreover,  the toughest operations without a single faux-pas! 

Of course, my immediate objection to such a proposal would be the (lack of) human touch. I mean it literally, too. A doctor kindly talking to you, actually touching the aching body part, thereby reassuring you that "all is under control" would be 'out of touch' due to the utmost sophisticated A/I, I believe.

True, in the contemporary era of super specialists, doctors depend more on a battery of tests than actual examination and diagnosis of the "family doctor" variety which  has almost disappeared. Often it looks as if a doctor is responding more to the statistics tests generate than to any actual physical examination. 

My problem with 'the AI as the future medical practitioner' goes a step further n ahead. Already a majority self-medicate-ers, improve their medical awareness, what with the help of the Google Guru and an obliging chemist. 

With the AI, what would happen to such hypochondriacs? That is the real question! The AI would not leave any physiological details to imagination. Equally open would be the interpretation. Thus the territory is fully accessible to the nervous hypochondriac who can imagine himself a patient, nay, the victim of every possible disease! 

Actually, it is the perfect diagnosis and the precise pharmacology that make a good doctor. The AI would simplify these processes every which way. Oh, yes, one can already get detailed google search based articles that diagnose the condition and further suggest possible medication. 

Hence the worry about hypochondriacs who anyway are/get upset when they read such "strictly for educational purpose" articles. I am sure that with the AI arrival in the medical field, the hypochondriacs would imagine, nay, be sure that they have got each and every symptom of most all diseases! Stress, in other words, would be the real killer in the AI regime! 

Pratima@ Who would enslave whom? The AI the doctors or the doctors the AI? That is the quesion! 'AI, heal thyself' is not the probable advice either. Tough times ahead, in brief! 

Quote of the day:                                                         "By far, the greatest danger of Artificial Intelligence is that people conclude too early that they understand it (or through it!)," opines Eliezer Yudkowsky.

Word of the day: self-aggrandizement                 This term refers to the action or process of promoting oneself as being powerful or important. The AI may make this process absolutely easy, right? That is  the terrible tragedy!

Let us learn grammar:                                               Zero article or no article is used  when we refer to 'Common Categories,' such as languages, sports, academic subjects, and meals. An example or two may suffice.  She speaks/studies Spanish, I play football, Breakfast is ready. 

Kyase kya ho gaya!

 Even if you might not have read the original novel by R.K.Narayan,  you  would have at least watched its filmy version as the Dev Anand starrer "The Guide", and  you would have surely loved the film, at least for the songs, right? In the film, there is this song  "kya se kya ho gaya" as the background score, when Rosie suspects Raju Guide of pilfering her money against a forged signature.

Currently in the public space is unfolding a private drama which would remind anyone of that song of sad repentance. The occasion is the bitter acrimony of the Mary Kom divorce saga.

Mary Kom has been a role model for a generation of women boxers, given her much narrated life story, what with a film dedicated to her journey. All along, the subscript had been her husband's silent but solid support.

Apparently, he was her coach initially, right? Once she rose to giddy heights in the arena of boxing, he was the support system who sportingly took the back seat, and cared for the family. Everything was portrayed to be so hunky-dory that the very mention of a divorce comes as a huge surprise.

Much worse are the undignified acrimonious accusations hurled at each other. If Mary Kom accuses her ex-husband of financial deception and monetary irregularities, he publically suspects her of conjugal deception in the form of a string of extra marital affairs!

It is sad that they are thus washing the dirty linen in public. It is a huge hit in the face of a woman player dedicated to her game. Tough it must be for the families, too. Instead, they could have gone for some silent separation which would have saved her dignity, instead of such a solid punch at the mask! 

Indeed a 'kya se kya ho gaya' lament not only for the lady, but also for the depiction of women in the public space, especially because it sends extremely regressive messages about a woman player's success!

Pratima@Is not it ironic that such "Raju guide" moments are often the fate of masterful women, be it Chanda Kochar of the ICICI  or Mariah Carey or Steffi Graf! Much worse is the sad(istic) tragedy of Radhika Yadav, right?

Quote of the day:                                                        "It takes twenty years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it," warns Warren Buffet.

Word of the day: a spat                                            A spat is a petty quarrel or angry outburst in public, often revealing unsavoury realities hidden behind the mask.

Let us learn grammar:                                              If we should use the indefinite article 'a/an' for professions (She always wanted to be a professor, an author), we use the definite article 'the' for oceans, seas, channels, rivers, canals, may be, because they are specific. Let us look at a few examples: the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal, the English Channel, the Arabian Sea, the Suez Canal.

 

The Bicycle Race

 Pune was once known as the bicycle city. Those of us who have grown up in the city in the eighties and nineties would have been avid bicycle kids, right? If de Sica were to come to Pune till the late 1980's, he would have gotten many, very many indeed, bicycle briefs! 

It is hence most appropriate that the first ever Indian version of multi-stage road bicycle race, so very popular in most all countries, should begin in Pune. It is to start tomorrow from the iconic Good Luck Chowk, and would return to Deccan on Friday. Quite an auspicious beginning of the lunar month of Magh! 

This Pune version of the famous Tour de France is going to cover city roads as well as the hilly terrains. Quite tough this some four hundred thirty seven kilometers race would be for the one hundred and seventy one riders from twenty nine teams from thirty five countries. Puneites as keen n enthu spectators are going to love it though.

Yes, even today, there are cycle tracks on major Pune roads. If you ever were to go to the hip Hinjewadi area, most all I/T-wallahs would be riding a trendy gear bicycle to their swanky offices. Yes, even today the enterprising n adventours among the youngsters do go for bicycle trips n tours.

 Yet that magic of the absolutely unpolluted Pune full of the musical tring-tring of simple non-gear Hero or Hercules brand bicycles, which could even be rented for less than a rupee for an hour, is now missing. Instead we have the cycle brand agarbattis now! 

Hope such a bicycle race, supposed to be an annual event, brings back at least that nostalgia, if not the actual bicycles, almost impossible now, given the terrible traffic!

Pratima@ Nothing can beat the happy feel of pedalling away to glory, the wind singing in my ears, the feet n legs swinging rhythmically like a ballerina's, and the soul free n happy like a birdie's!                                                   And, oh, yes, the unique, the simply unforgettable memories of Papa teaching me to ride, the handle wobbling almost one eighty degrees on the first day to not even realizing soon that he is no longer holding the cycle from behind as a support! Such a lovely image for his absent yet forever present aura!

Quote of the day:                                                        H.G.Wells, who wrote "The Time Machine", maintains, "Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, no longer do I despair for the future of the human race." 

Word of the day: nostalgia                                      Nostalgia means the sentimental longing and wistful affection for the past.

The New Equity Rules by the UGC

 Let us begin with the very meaning in simple words of the term 'equity'. The first clarification due in this context is that the term has no finance/economics/commerce related echo(s) in this context because the UGC does not mean it that way at all. 

What does equity mean in the general, non-finance sense? The term refers to the quality of being fair and just, especially in a way that takes account of and seeks to address existing inequalities. Fair-mindedness, in brief.

The general principles of equity and fairness are undoubtedly great. Why then the furore over the UGC 2026 Equity Rule? Let us see if our blog can explore it.

Actually, this legality, begun circa 2012, and  revisited in the 2016 Rohit Vemula case, and later the Payal Tadvi Case, was revived last year as a draft. There was a terrible critique of the draft as the OBC group was not included in the "discriminated". Now the OBC's are included as well. 

Why then is the 2026 rule being debated fiercely? Forget larger issues such as academic freedom and institutional autonomy! To begin with, the very definition of harassment is not clear-cut in the regulation. Much worse, the "false complaint" possibility is removed, too. 

In other words, targeting a person whom an individual/a group does not want around for whatever might be his/her/their own problems is going to be extremely easy! The 'general category' community feels actually threatened because of the removal of a fair and equitable opportunity to state the alternative version of the complaint. 

Tough times on campuses for sure! Hope the government re-calibrates the law with a sensitive attitude as the victim/victimiser duality is often non-transparent! The so-called victimiser has to have the right to state his/her side as well, right? In a Maharashtra where the Kopardi wounds are just a scab deep, such laws are sure to appear terrorising!

Pratima@ Yet another academic tornado  is a public interest litigation filed in the Supreme Court challenging the notice dated January 13 issued by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences which reduced the qualifying cut-off percentiles for NEET-PG 2025-26, apparently to minus 40!

The PIL is  filed by a social worker,  Harisharan Devgan, a neurosurgeon Dr.  Saurav Kumar, Dr Lakshya Mittal ( the President, United Doctors Front) and Dr Akash Soni, among others. The issue is the quality of medical education, and hence of medical service as a consequence, if the entrance qualifications are watered down that much.

Quote of the day:                                                  "Injustice anywhere," says Martin Luther King, "is a hindrance to justice everywhere." 

Word/Phrase of the day: "audi alteram partem" 

The right to a fair hearing is "audi alteram partem". It is a fundamental principle of natural justice. It means "listen to the other side," thus ensuring everyone gets a chance to be heard, present evidence, and challenge opposing claims before any decision is arrived at. It has to be a core part of any  procedural fairness, ensuring justice is done impartially and transparently in legal and administrative processes. 

Let us learn grammar:                                               Let us follow the rule of "no grammar during the week-end". 

 

A Marathon Man in Politics!

 "A Man for All Seasons" is an interesting play by Robert Bolt. It is based on the life of Thomas More. It deals with the importance of integrity, of staying true to one's conscience and ethical convictions, even at great personal cost. 

Integrity is always a tough proposition. It becomes dicey still when you participate in public life, and hence your every move is constantly under microscopic scrutiny. Surviving that constant 'gaze', and yet retaining one's own integrity and humane qualities, not to forget sanity, is indeed a constant battle, and with the self! Those who win it are not mere politicians; they are the statesman type, extremely rare. 

The submission of our blog today is that the man of the moment, Devendra Fadnavis, is on the path to such success in the public space.  No, I do not have any personal contact with him. Nor am i a particularly political person in any sense of the term. Yet I would like to make this statement assertively. 

Why? Let me see if I can clearly  explain such a stance. For one thing, when he joined the centre stage of Maharashtra politics, he was young. Yet he was always mature in his responses. Still he was refreshingly frank, too. He openly stated how irritated his well-wishers were, as he agreed to take the "external support" of-n-by Mr. Pawar. 

As in the case of the 2019 chief ministership of a day and a half, the 2014 'external support' possibly could not have been his own decision. Yet he got the worst flak which he faced with conviction and  courage, just like the  constant slurs against his caste, given the extreme and subtle caste prejudices in the contemporary Maharashtra politics.

He has been mocked viciously, and ad infinitum, for his "I shall come back..." quote. His own partymen saw to it that his maiden public meeting in Pune was a total fiasco. His mother, his wife have been targetted in an ugly way. Yet he continues to work hard, sincerely, and with a developmental vision.

Despite a huge win after horrible hard work ( he gave speeches in any number of back to back public meetings/rallies, appeared for countless interviews), this intelligent man requests his followers to avoid any rowdy excesses when it comes to the celebration mode.

In his acceptance speech after the current huge success, too, he did not covet the prize, ah, unlike our dear "amigo", El Señor Trump. Instead, he shared it with each and every one, the booth level party worker to the party top brass, not to forget the coalition partners.

 As usual, despite being an "effective" n witty speaker, his reactions were sensible and balanced. Even his interviews, I watched a few, hardly had any invective, and were more a roadmap with a developmental vision.  He surprisingly seemed to be quite aware of the latest developments in most all fields which sure would help in policy decisions and their execution which he could explain cogently.

He seems to have a connect with the common man, too. Why, during the COVID years, he was so much out in the field,  trying to help the afflicted that he himself was twice hospitalised with the dis-ease.  

No wonder, however much the critics may harp about the election process 'frauds' or the  Shinde and Ajit Pawar factions breaking away (why, seasoned, wily politicians, "they" chose it, and could have rejected it, if it was in any way inconvenient to them, right?) from "their" parties, his image does not suffer a dent. He continues to appear honest, clean, dedicated to welfare, devoted to a developmental ideation!

A good son and a wonderful father, he has often clearly showed the gumption to openly admit that he accepts his wife's different decisions. Quite chivalrous, given the standard image of 'political' wives, right?

In brief, his journey from a nobody to a center stage personality today has wonderful lessons about communication, about convictions, about conducting oneself no(ta)bly in the public arena, for instance. Undoubtedly, he must have the  unstinting support of the top brass in his own party. Yet no harm in admitting that it is tough to be a Fadnavis, and he sure deserves such kudos, right? Atta, Sir! You sure are a long distance runner, a marathon man in politics!

Pratima@Sure, his vicious critics would have all sorts of issues against him. I would not know such nitty-gritty. Yet he appears much better than most of his generation, especially if one remembers his decisions  such as accepting Gadchiroli for his ministerial mentorship. The milestone state run bus service there for the first time since Independence is sure quite an achievement. No riots either given his Home Minister-ship, right? Good governance indeed!

Quote of the day:                                                           "A good leader," says John Maxwell, "knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way " 

Word of the day: governance                                  Governance is the overall complex system or framework of processes, functions, structures, rules, laws and norms. 

Let us learn grammar:                                            We have to use the definite article 'the' if there is an anaphoric (prior reference) and/or cataphoric reference (forward reference) in the discourse. Forget these technical terms from linguistics.                                Let me give you an example which would clarify the meaning. The girl in the blue frock is my friend. (prior reference defining 'the' friend). Before he entered the interview room, the candidate took a deep breath. ("he" explained later).

The Army Day

 One of the advantages of the Google is that all possible searches, even without the AI, are easy. In fact, many online and/or offline publications provide brief leads to their content so as to win readers and garner footprints on their online sites as well as to encourage paid subscriptions.

An example should suffice, right? It was through such bits/bytes that I got to know that January 15 is the Army Day. It celebrates the taking over of the responsibility as the commander-in-chief of the Indian army by General Cariappa on January 15, 1949.

Such sovereignty of every individual nation now appears to be threatened, what with the 2026 Venezuela adventure and the Greenland threat looming large. Iran is on the boil, too, yet again! In other words, the current world scenario, unfortunately, is such that non-violence hardly seems to be the theme. 

Flexing of muscles is the drama most, whether at the personal or at the international level, seem to love. In such a "theater" (in all senses of this term, including the 'military' one), it is no use, in fact, it is almost not allowed, to be Goody-two-shoes. No, it is not the question of any self-image. It is plain and simple being misunderstood as weak! 

In other words, willy-nilly, every human-being like each nation, has to flex muscles, answer crooks in the language THEY understand! As an individual, one takes care that such abuse is only for those who very well deserve it, while it never ever reaches one's own core. 

Like individuals, nations, too, need, not merely the military power, but also the strength to understand the mind games being played, and subtly expose and counter them. More and more, life is a chess game, and to be the final winner, there is every need to understand and counter the crook with a wicked, twisted and  sadistic mindset and an army of such cheer leaders! The real army, in brief, is the mindscape that is not a victim of any mind game, however subtly played! 

Pratima@ With crooks, it is necessary to show them up. 

Quote of the day:                                                          Says H. E. Fosdick, "the problem with war is that it takes  man's best to do man's worst."  

Word of the day: warmonger                                    A warmonger is a person who encourages or advocates aggression towards other countries or groups.

Let us learn grammar:                                              Let us continue with the usage of articles. The definite article "the" is compulsorily used with superlatives. She was the wisest, but in the current scenario, she might be considered the weakest. She has to project herself as the strongest.