Category: Social Responsibility

Education Now

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What the purpose of education? Is it being able to reproduce loads of unrelated or irrelevant data without a pause? Or is cramming information about every subject being offered without truly understanding its significance or relevance? Or is trying to make sense of the mechanisations of our world, our existence or even ourselves? Education for each of us means something different and that’s a given. But doesn’t its meaning need a change like everything else in these changing times? When our whole concept of living in a free society has been shaken to its very core, doesn’t education also need to change to adapt to the changes in the society? Read more →

Patriotic Jingoism

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This time on Feb 14, Valentine’s day, there was a different tune being played. No mushy music, no poetic verses for the lovers, no romantic serenades. All this change came not because of some right wing extremists who wanted to protect our culture (though yes it did happen because of some other extremists). This year in India the emotions for the day had a patriotic fervour. Read more →

Touching lives

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Had an amazing day yesterday. Yes, it was Sunday, but that was not the only reason. After spending a near perfect day, I got busy getting things organised for the week ahead. When I went down to the market, I had the most happy encounter with an unexpected family. I met the parents of one of my earliest students. I had worked part time at a play school for a couple of months. My students were toddlers, ages ranging from 2 to 3 years. It was the most amazing 6 months of my life. I learnt more than I taught, was happiest during those 3 hours. That little girl was all grown up now and had started formal school from this academic year. How time flies Read more →

GIRLS, DREAMS AND REALITY

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The title may seem pretentious and even condescending maybe. But this is the first title that came to my mind when I sat down to write. During a recent workshop for girls from the lower income strata, I had the most invigorating and illuminating interaction.  These girls had the clarity of thought that would put any of us to shame. Their dreams, their aspirations, their ambitions were as steeped in reality as they were. Listening to them share their ideas, I was left wondering why we ignore them so much? Do these young shoulders really need to carry the weight of the society, its ill-conceived norms, biased traditions, and subjugating values? Read more →

Time to Think

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I have been feeling very disturbed the last couple of days and I really don’t know why. I tried thinking about it but every time I would zero in into a cause, it didn’t make me feel any better. So I tried to go through as many reasons as possible to figure out the reason for my unrest. Then it slowly dawned on me. It was not a single reason or reasons. It was the generally apathy and stupidity which I had to endure daily when reading the sensational headlines. Read more →

Boys Don’t Cry … Really??

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The other day while watching TV, I saw the ending of an ad where the once-upon-a-time big-screen diva Madhuri Dixit was saying something about boys don’t make others cry. As I had not seen the complete ad, this little teaser intrigued me and I wanted to see the whole of it. I sat in front of the idiot box, like an idiot, waiting for the ad to reappear.  It was sometime before I was able to break free from its hypnotic grasp and think. Heck! I could search for it online! God, never felt so dumb! But I guess I have many who understand the power TV has on many of the powerless zombies like us. Anyways, back to the issue at hand. So I searched online and found the ad I was looking for. It was a beautiful concept created  into a thought provoking ad by Vinil Mathews. 

PK

hellitsmine
Went to see the latest Aamir Khan movie ‘PK’. As usual it was good. I mean when I say good, I don’t just mean it as a package but in how such a sensitive subject has been dealt with. Of late when I go to watch an Aamir Khan movie I go with expectations of having my comfort zone shaken.  I’ve been forced to look at ‘things’ from a perspective which is very obvious yet not palatable to the average mind. PK has once again made us all rethink about something’s which we all in our deep subconscious know as a ‘wrong’, yet most of us would not touch it with a pole. Even with people with whom we profess to be honest, we discuss such issues cautiously lest we disturb their sensibilities. Read more →

A Historical Legacy

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Are we ashamed of our history or is it that we are just too indifferent to what is not directly affecting us? This question comes to my mind more often these days when I am teaching my children history. We as a family love travelling and have tried to go to as many places as possible, by road, rail or any other means available. Its always been fun (though it didn’t seem like that sometimes!), educating and more importantly helped create memories. Read more →