Pre-conceived fantasies and Public policies

This afternoon, I heard a news report on Podhigai TV about NIIT Aayog's proposal for private public partnership in K-12 sector. Any right minded, honest and dedicated School Education Management Professional without vested interests would know that this proposal is based on a very commonly (and WRONGLY) perceived notion that private schools are better than government schools in India in terms of quality. There are exceptions, but these are very small in proportion.

In the same bulletin, there was a news report that those who drive without valid licence would have to pay a fine of Rs 500 or undergo one week's imprisonment or both, according to Tamilnadu Government rules. I think that the punishment is very very negligible considering the arrogant or corrupt attitudes of people, value of money and the 'VIP' status accorded in prisons by corrupt officials. Any kind of punishment should be severe enough  so that culprits never even imagine committing such offence/s again.

In this post I have the pleasure of sharing a photo sent by Jose (a friend about whom I have mentioned in my earlier posts). The photo shows him lighting the divine lamp at a function held to celebrate Onam recently at a college where he teaches English. Onam is the day when King Mahaa Bali  (grandson of Prahlaadha, legendary devote of Lord Narasimhaa) is believed to visit Kerala every year.

Dhanvanthri and Balaraama Jayanthis

In my physical in disposition past week, I forgot to mention that past Wednesday was a very auspicious day in the Hindu calender.

This day was the birth anniversary of Balaraama  (elder brother of Shree Krishnaa, an Avataar of Shree Mahaa Vishnu); this was also the day when Shree Mahaa Vishnu descended as Lord Dhanvanthri (Good of Good Health and Medicine) millions of years back during the Divine churning of the Ocean of Milk.

Wednesday itself is a very auspicious day as Shree Mahaa Vishnu and His Consort Shree Mahaa Lakshmi are specially worshipped on this day every week.

Thanks to Technology

Though technology leads to negative end results if abused, most of us know that it is indispensable and very user friendly if used sensibly and properly.

I stay in a Senior Citizens Home away from Chennai.  I went to Chennai a few days back and returned this afternoon.  I started from my sister's house at 1.45 pm and reached my residence (SCH) by 3.15 pm (early enough for my evening snacks and tea). The cost of travel was just Rs 332, much less than that for Chennai autos.

Thanks to Ola, Google maps and Technology in general.

Fond remembrance of my beloved parents

Today  is the death anniversary of my beloved father.  I miss him and my beloved mother who passed away nearly five months back.

From L to R: My maternal aunt's daughter in law and son, my maternal aunt and my beloved parents, in March 1987, just before my leaving for Southern Africa 

Ganesh Fest

Today is an auspicious day for Hindus.  This day is celebrated as Ganesh Chathurthi.

Blue Whale and Schools' role

There are lots of debates and round table discussions on how to monitor children's Internet surfing activities, particularly in the past few days during which two teenagers committed suicide after watching the online game 'Blue Whale' in our country.

In a discussion telecast on NDTV, I heard the participants (adults) coming up with a wide range of solutions which proved that many of us are good in commenting about things which we don't know much; I mean Application aspects of Internet and Cyber security.

One of the main culprits are the schools themselves. Many elitist schools assign homework and projects by specifically asking children to do Google search.  When they do so, two odd things happen: children's creativity is severely compromised and they are given unreasonable green signal to visit websites.  One way of averting the problem would be to let children use the Internet meaningfully during lunch time in the presence of teachers in the school itself.

It was disappointing that none came with the following simple solution in the NDTV programme: Ensure that children don't delete 'Browsing history' in any circumstance until you (parent, guardian or any responsible adult in the household) visit the websites yourself and monitor children's surfing activities.

It may be time consuming and some times monotonous, but the excercise is very effective.

Content and communication

I continue viewing good Telugu and Kannada language TV channels for their spiritual content. But as the captions are in Telugu or Kannada, both of which I don't know to read or write, I am unable to know the details of programmes. When my mother was alive,  she used to clarify my queries because she was fully conversant in these two languages. I miss my beloved mother.

Elvis Priestly

Yesterday was the death anniversary of Elvis Priestley, one of the most popular rock and roll singers in the 50s and 60s. If I remember well, youngsters of the 60s used to emulate him in growing long side burns on their faces and wearing bell-bottomed trousers. He will be remembered for his songs like 'Heartbreak Hotel'.

Cellulose fibre or safe technology?

According to a news report in this morning's edition of 'THE HINDU', researchers at Kyoto University are working on cellulose nanofibres as a viable alternative to steel in automobiles as these are five times stronger and weigh only one fifth of steel. In countries like India where most people don't use seatbelts, light weight cars can be dangerous. Moreover I am not sure as to whether such vehicles would be apt, considering our local road conditions with generally erratic and speedy driving.

(Any middle school physics student would be able to visualise the impact of light weight vehicles on passengers without their seatbelts on, as my students had been able to, after doing simple experiments with toy cars, dolls and rubber bands in my Physics classrooms years back).

Indian Independence Day

Today is the 70th independence day of our country. Well though it is a happy occasion, whatever successive governments have accomplished toward national development is very little compared to what they could have achieved in reality. I wish that our politicians and government officials work honestly so that the living standards of all Indians are good. It is high time that evil politicians and their second fiddling government officials are replaced by good ones.

Shree Krishna Janmaashtami

Yesterday was an auspicious day for Hindus all over the world. It was celebrated as 'Krishna Janmaashtami'. His Almighty Shree Mahaa Vishnu took avataar as Shree Krishnaa on this day, nearly 5000 years back.

Courts in contrast

This morning I read a newspaper report that all the 7 persons accused in a fire accident that burnt several children in a school in Tamilnadu got released consequent to a court order. I think that the judge who pronounced the order should himself/herself be severely punished by court of law. By the way, in addition to the school correspondent/owner, officers attached to the State Board (who overlooked violations and granted recognition to run the school despite lack of even basic safety) should have also been punished severely.

The same paper also carried a news item mentioning a petition to release 2 life imprisonment convicts involved in Rajiv Gandhi murder case and consequent rejection of the petition by the judge.  I think that this judge deserves praise.

At least now, 70 years since independence, wrong people should be replaced by honest and dedicated professionals like Mr Nagaraj (Former Deputy Secretary, CBSE Souther India Region), Mrs Latha (Former Chief Education Officer, Chennai) and Mr Dasarathi (Former District Magistrate, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh) in politics and all areas of development, particularly in law and order,

Glenn Campbell

Country and Western music has lost one of its popular performers in the death of guitarist singer Glenn Campbell. His songs such as 'Rhinestone Cowboy' with simple lyrics and nice music will be remembered by Country and Western music fans for years to come.

Today is the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Naga saki in the 1940s. Yesterday was of Hiroshima. Despite the nasty effects of perverted use of Science and Technology, nuclear and atomic energy seems to be continually abused at global level despite international efforts.

I read in a write-up in 'THE HINDU' that today is the 150th birth anniversary of veteran veenaa vidwaan Veenaa Dhanammal. My beloved parents were ardent fans of this accomplished musician. I fondly remembered my parents as I read the write up.

Shree Vara Lakshmi Fest

On this auspicious day every year, married Hindu women with good intentions worship Shree Mahaa Lakshmi, wife of Shree Hari Mahaa Vishnu, for the prosperity of their husband, in-laws, children and their parents.

I fondly remember my beloved mother worshipping the Goddess; I attach a photograph of her performing Pooja on this day many years back. I and my sister are also in the picture. My beloved father took the photograph.  I think that my brother was too young to be there in the picture.

Unfortunately in the past few decades, women who are deceptive in their attitudes and action misuse this previlege and enact a drama.