Divine Nine Nights Fest

Today marks the beginning of Navaraathri Uthsava, the divine nine nights festival.

School Teacher's Role in Today's India

Any sensible Education Administration Professional in our country would know that teachers in our schools are under enormous undue pressure from school management, students and parents. A few days back, CNA TV telecast a detailed documentary outlining the undue pressure on school teachers in Korea. From my experience of more than 30 years in School Education at different levels in different countries, I think that many of the problems faced by Korean teachers are experienced by teachers in our country as well. As far as I have experienced, main culprits are School Administration Boards and parental community. These two have unrealistic expectations and put teachers under enormous, some times unbearable pressure. In our country we still don't have any support system to help teachers in difficulty. Of course there is a lot of lip service and occassional recognition of teachers' role on Teacher's Day etc. But this is certainly not adequate to protect our teachers' interests. 

Gandhi Jayanthi

Today is the birth anniversary of Gandhiji and Lal Bahadur Shastriji, two great political leaders of our country.

Awesome Addis Ababa

As a professional who worked in Africa for many years, I have always been interested in Africa based documentaries. This morning I had the pleasure of viewing one such documentary on Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. 

I taught Physics in Ethiopian Government Senior Secondary Schools in Endaselassie and later in Sheno, a small town near Addis Ababa, in 1982 and 1983. I remember my frequent visits to Addis Ababa during weekends.

I and my good friend Sebastian (Sebastian Perumcheril John) got our initial posting in Endaselassie a remote village in Tigrai region. It was a small village but land locked. There was a lot of separatist violence and gunshots were common. It was not safe to walk on streets even during day time. Although the local Police prevented crimes in the village, missile and gun shot attacks by Tigrai Liberation Front from outside the village  into any area in the village were very common. Hence I and Sebastian went to Addis Ababa and stayed in the city to try for transfer to the city or any neighbouring town. During that period, I stayed in Awraris Hotel, which was a 5 star hotel. It was a bit expensive, but very comfortable. I nostalgically remember my favourite vegetarian pizza and the varieties of coffee seved in the restaurant. I remember the UNESCO Library very near the Education Ministry, German Cultural Centre and The British Council Library, to which I was a regular visitor. I remember the first two books that I bought in one of the numerous well stocked book shops in the city. One of the two books contained all songs sung by The Beatles. The other book was a secondary school Physics textbook written by one Mr Murray. I could also buy audio cassette tapes in book shops. It was great fun to see films such as Amithab Bachan's 'Kaalaa Paththar', Arthur C Clarke's '2001: A Space Odyssey', etc.

I love Addis Ababa a lot. Let me take you on a virtual visit to this interesting city.

Life-long learning

Most of us have heard about life-long learning that means that we keep learning through out our lives. I realised the meaning of this some time back. We Indians know that Jaipur is known as 'Pink city'. This evening from a documentary on FRANCE 24 TV Channel, I learnt that Toulouse in France is also known as Pink City. Let me share the interesting documentary show here. 

Kris Kristofferson

According to a TV News Report , 88 years old Kris Kristofferson, an American  singer and actor, died at his home in Hawai.

I don't remember having listened to any of his songs. But people of my generation know that he was associated with popular singers such as Bob Dylan, Barbara Streisland and Johnny Cash. I used to enjoy listening to Country singer Johnny Cash, folk singer-cum-song writer Bob Dylan, etc. during my college days. (I once read that Bob Dylan was influenced by the American poet Dylan Thomas).

Although western soft rock, country and folk music sound similar superficially, music enthusiasts know that they do have obvious differences amongst them.

Kris will be remembered for his Country songs and films by his numerous fans.

International Translation Day

Today is celeberated as International Translation Day. On this day, I fondly remember Mrs Mini Krishnan, my friend and former colleague at Macmillan India Limited now known as Macmillan Education India Private Limited.  She is a simple lady with a great sense of humour. My best wishes to her.

Berlin Marathon

Two Ethiopian athletes have won Men's and Women's Titles in this year's Berlin Marathon. This is not surprising if we look at the history of global athletics. It has always been Africans, in particular Ethiopians and Kenyans, who have been at the top in athletic events. In my professional experience in African countries, I have seen the importance that the public, Government Systems and NGOs attach to popularise athletics and soccar among youth. It is an undeniable fact that these two are more economical than games such as cricket.

Many times I have seen African students practising athletics and soccar during school hours and during weekends. Even in remote African villages, locals gathered to witness their favourite sportspersons take part in these games during holidays.

Technology in our lives

In my previous post, I mentioned the anniversary of Google. It is an undeniable fact that we experience the benefits of technology in our daily lives.

(In my own life, I keep deriving the benefits of technology. When I was a high school student, I was considered to have very good handwriting. Somehow, it gradually became shabby. As I finished my first degree, I thought that typewriter was a better option than writing by hand, when writing letters to friends. I bought a portable typewriter and it did serve me very well. Later in the early '90s, like most people of my age, I began using desktop computer alongwith scanner and printer. In those days, most computers had Windows as the Operating System. I nostalgically remember Windows 3.1 that was easy to use. Rightly or wrongly, compared to Windows 11 that I use in current PC, a laptop, I think that Windows 3.1 was more attractive).

I think that people of my age at 73, are generally not as  interested in going for outings, eating out etc. as they would have been, when they were younger. I like to avoid walking on the streets partly due to my age and partly to avoid rowdy looks of men who smoke and stare at elderly people. Bicycling or self driving one's own car becomes hazardous even after 60 years of age. Thanks to Technology, we have call taxi facilities and mobile phones to assist.

After Google Pay came into being, most of us don't physically go to the bank to pay bills and for other transactions. We don't need to go out for shopping. I am glad that I can pay the monthly wage to my servant maid, rent to my landlord etc. using Google Pay. When calltaxis fail, we are forced to depend on autorikshaw drivers in the city. Although most of them charge exhorbitantly (about no Tamilnadu State Government has taken any step so far), it is good that the drivers can accept payment via Google Pay. 

Technology is beneficial if it is in good hands.    

Google anniversary

Today is Google's 26th anniversary. We all know the immense benefits of Google in our daily lives. Best wishes to Sundar Pichai and his team.