A RETIRED BABU’S DAY OUT – “My Dad on his day out for a course on Citizen Journalism”


I am a migrant to Bangalore. I had to follow my son who secured his employment in the Bangalore’s IT industry. Though my home- town is Chennai and my roots in that city are half a century old, domestic compulsions made me migrate to the city of Gardens and my home, in this city, is very close to the largest of the gardens, the Lalbagh. Thus Bangalore has become my second home and Bangalore is no different from other metros – bumpy roads, impatient driving, traffic jams, indifferent public, greedy auto drivers, corrupt politicians etc. etc.

After my retirement from the central bank of India –RBI, I spend most of my time in reading, mostly the newspapers and of course watching the News channels and the talk shows. The news item on JM programme on Citizen Journalism which appeared in Bangalore Mirror, somehow, escaped my attention. It is my caring wife who pointed out the news and encouraged me to attend the event and today I am here participating in the event. I am very happy that I am back in the class room atmosphere sitting with the young and the old – a unique experience indeed.

I am a post graduate in Journalism and mass communication and hence familiar with the concepts of Media and communication. But these concepts, when explained by working journalists with live examples and livelier experiences, one is able to comprehend them unambiguously .When Aloke Thakore , while teaching the craft of writing a story, explained the five ‘W’s and one ‘H’ with the Hindi song “Ye Kya Hua, Kab Hua , Kaise Hua………..” it was pedagogy of altogether different kind. The same can be said of the story told by Shishir Joshi of a citizen journalist in Mumbai who traced the idendity of North European who died in accident and who could not be identified by the concerned agencies of the Government.

Turning to guest lectures and the guests, I can tell that the RTI Activists, Vikram and Viresh, did their job precisely, concisely and comprehensively within the limited time. The activists-duo, supplementing and complementing each other,shared their experiences which was like hearing straight from the horse’s mouth. Though frail in their physique they have taken on the bulls by their horn, have exposed the corrupt and ensured that the funds of the government are not swallowed by the babudom. This is what inspires those budding journalists to do their job fearlessly and farely.

The top cop who lectured on the “police system,rights ,duties and conflicts”, shared information on some positive developments in the police force, their interaction with public and their sensitivity and on the working of his department. One could also see that he was blowing his own trumpet –his impeccable record and his forays into the Facebook. All said and done, the police still appears to the public as an unfriendly and suspicious and corrupt outfit, of course with some exceptions here and there.

The President of the Press Club, Mr.Ponnappa who inaugurated the programme, could have been more magnanimous and addressed us in English. All of us would have understood him and his speech instantly. Anyway his lieutenant Mr.Shenoy, the Press club Secretary, was at his bilingual best and made good the shortcoming.
Summing up, I would say that it was an interesting day out for me.

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by mushtablog on March 20, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by mushtablog on March 20, 2012

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Strategic Marketing – Class Notes


Strategic Marketing – Class Notes

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by mushtablog on March 8, 2014  •  Permalink
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TWENTY-FIRST MAY 1991 – A TRIP DOWN THE MEMORY LANE


Twenty-first May 1991 will remain etched in my memory for ever. Yes, on this day the most monstrous murder of Ravjiv Gandhi and several others by a suicide bomber took place in a Chennai suburb, Sriperumbudur. Such political murders have taken place in our country much too often. Rajiv’s mother Indira Ghandhi was assassinated by her own security guards. A year after he got us the independence, the Father of the Nation Mahathma Gandhi too was brutally murdered. That way Rajiv’s murder is one among the long list of gruesome murders and it shouldn’t stir up my mind every year. But there is a reason why this murder kindles my thoughts every year. Between 1988 and 1991, I was working at the National Clearing Cell (NCC) and was part of a team that worked between 10 PM and 6 AM on night shifts to manually sort the cheques in the clearing house. I hope you know how the clearing of cheques was done at the NCC, a highly automated and computerized entity. The hullabaloo and the commotion that was part of the Clearing House at the Annexe Building was history by then. The high speed sorters and the high speed printers had replaced the dust and din of the traditional clearing functions. Excepting on days when we confronted glitches in the automated system, the shift would be over by midnight or the early hours of the next day and we would be dropped home by the Bank’s van. We followed the procedure of dropping our sister-colleagues first and follow a route that encompassed the Bank’s residential colonies – PH ROAD, KK NAGAR and BESANT NAGAR. As we get dropped daily we had the chance to glance through the night life of Chennai. Since it was a team work and a team work aimed at closing early, there was absolute camaraderie amongst us irrespective of the cadre. There was seriousness and there was fun. There was humor and there was hilarity and there was harmony and there was dissonance. Those were my most joyous days and to me it was memorable mix work and pleasure. While I am unable to recall all the names of people with whom I worked and shared a healthy relationship, I remember few of them by name. M.Hariharan, R.Bhakthvatchalu, Wajihuddin, Rajavelu Mudaliar, Mani. Mahendran are the workmen staff and Kaza Sudakar, Ganesh, R.Gandhi are the officer staff whom I am able to recall as of now. Hope others will pardon me. I think I am digressing. I must come to the point why Twenty-first May 1991 will remain etched in my memory for ever. Yes on that day we were saved from the rioting mob by the brave, thoughtful and skillful driving of the Driver of the Vanl, Mr. Balasubramanian, an ex-serviceman. But for his skillful drive we would have been attacked and harmed by the mob which was protesting the murder of Rajiv Gandhi that took place few hours ago. As we left NCC around midnight we were aware of the sad news. Yet we ventured to get dropped without knowing the gravity of the situation outside. The first dropping point was KK Nagar quarters and as we passed through the Kodambakkam Over Bridge, we could see cars and four wheelers burning on either side of Arcot Road. This was a warning for us for not to proceed further. Yet, we drove down further for fear that our van would be mobbed and burnt if we choose to stop or reverse. There was the stone- throwing and torch wielding-mob right in front of our van threatening to burn down our van. But our driver Balu called upon us to duck for cover from the stones and missiles thrown at us and drove fast on the road taking a zigzag path to escape from the mob. By driving fast, he was able to scare the mob and move ahead of the chasing crowd. At the ‘power house’ bus stop a large boulder hit the wind screen and was smashed. A large casurina pole was also thrown into the van. Braving all these attacks, Balu drove fast and reached the Ashok Nagar Police station. At the Police Station there was none to take our complaint and the few cops who were guarding the station told us to drive away to a safer place. Perhaps Police Station was not a safe place then. Continuing our perilous journey we reached the KK Nagar staff quarters and took refuge in the premises of our Quarters. Thank God, all of us escaped unscathed. I remember the Gentleman who gave us the refuge. It was P.R.Srinivasan, the Khadi-clad Gandhian popularly known by his initials, PRS. At the dead of the night he entertained us with tea and snacks and we shared with him our escapade from the marauding mobs that went about destroying public and private properties that night. By all accounts it was a harrowing experience for us and I can say that we did escape from the jaws of horror on that night thanks to Balu, who drove the van skillfully and with presence of mind and saved our lives. I will be happy if someone who shared that chilling experience could throw more light.

– Mushtaq Ahamed

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by mushtablog on May 22, 2013  •  Permalink
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A good analysis…


A good analysis.
I wish everyone who enjoys balanced views read this.
Mushtaq Ahamed.I
The Pranab Mukherjee Lessons
CL Manoj
Economic Times ,Wednesday June 20, 2012, 07:48 AM
The imminent election of Pranab Mukherjee as the President of India should be a matter of collective satisfaction for genuine politicians, including those opposed to the Congress . Mukherjee’s elevation would, in fact, be a celebration of a (legitimate) politician, his genius, commitment and capacity to excel in the face of dispiriting odds. Therefore, it is also the triumph of politics at a time when concentrated efforts are on to depoliticise our society and devalue our Parliamentary democracy by projecting the entire political class as demons, solely responsible for all ills.
The widespread political support for Mukherjee’s candidature has, finally, defused the ambitions of APJ Abdul Kalam, the original poster boy of our politicianbashing elite and middleclass idiot-box electorate. No wonder, Team Anna has become the most vocal critic of Mukherjee’s candidature. It is not that Mukherjee is a flawless political marvel. He, of course, has his share of shortcomings. There can also be genuine criticism of his handling of economy.
Yet, the fact remains Mukherjee has excelled, for over four decades , on the frontlines of national politics by demonstrating his mastery in a range of areas, be it administration, parliamentary practices, constitutional matters, political management and even “working the system” . The fact that he also took politics as a serious vocation that requires constant pursuit of knowledge also makes him a fast vanishing species among our politicians. Two factors stand out to display his unique adaptability.
From being a perennial Rajya Sabha type, he gamely acknowledged the truth that a real politician should face the people’s court. He fought and won two Lok Sabha polls after he crossed the age of 70. Despite being an advocate of one-party rule and a critic of coalition politics, Mukherjee remoulded himself, since 2004, as the country’s most astute coalition manager. Maybe his long experience as an organisational manager within the Congress, a party that itself is a coalition of conflicting views, personalities and interests, might have helped him hone his conflict management skills.
It is precisely because Mukherjee is not made of ordinary stuff that he could, in a dignified manner, survive and rise in the Congress despite his refusal to be a career sycophant. That is why by clearing Mukherjee’s candidature Ms Gandhi could ward off criticism that she can never promote real and able Congress politicians to the highest posts. Here, Ms Gandhi also repaid her debt to the under-rewarded services of a true Congressman, loyal to his party and its interests. Mukherjee has a cultivated contempt for Delhi’s fake political world, where shallow politicians thrive by indulging in clever-by-half spinjobs through their enslaved hawkers. So, it was a fitting tribute to his candidature that it has also smashed three big political myths.
Number one is the notion that Mamata Banerjee is a political superwoman , set to demolish the UPA. The demolition of “Bully Mamata” is the classiest act by seasoned Congress managers since they made mincemeat of Prakash Karat’s N-deal ‘karate’ antics. Of course, Mulayam Singh bagged the critics’ award on both occasions for his fencejumping . Mamata overestimated her craft and underestimated the patience, experience and skills of the Congress. Now this new Facebook artist can choose whether to retreat or quit the UPA to meet new uncertainties.
The days of the Mamata veto in the UPA are over. The BJP’s plight has spiked the second spin; that the NDA is set to uproot a crisis-torn UPA. The main Opposition can’t find a suita ble candidate . But then, how can a BJP, caught in an internecine leadership war among its mostly rootless leaders, and devoid of any credible plank and with the increasing role of the RSS and Modi’s one-upmanship , ever hope to command the respect of allies? The third canard to be exposed is the supposed cloud over the prime ministership of Manmohan Singh. The AICC’s clarification that it “can’t afford to spare Manmohan Singh from the PM’s post” has, once again, confirmed that the factors that dictated Dr Singh’s elevation in 2004 remain valid.
Maybe Team Anna could resume research on whether Dr Singh is being used by the Gandhis as Shikhandi or Parthasarathi in this Kurukshetra! The elevation of Mukherjee enhances the prestige of genuine politicians who are increasingly being displaced by pimps and moneybags, and should also work as an aspirational factor for genuine Congress politicians who struggle against sycophants. As the Congress prepares to live without the daily, direct guidance of Mukherjee, it is also an opportunity for the two Gandhis to learn from the Pranab saga: that they and their party will be better served by promoting genuine political talent instead of personal loyalists and glorified clerks. The lesson would not be lost on the BJP either.
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by mushtablog on June 21, 2012  •  Aside  •  Permalink
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Beggers can’t ride horses…


            The USA and its lackeys  are highly excited over the killing of Osama Bin Laden, who was declared as the enemy of USA in the aftermath of 9/11. The circumstances leading to his killing and the subsequent disposal of his body in the sea has left everyone guessing on the authenticity of the story.
            The news report says that the operation to eliminate Osama took place at Abbotabad, a garrison- town very close to Islamabad. The report adds that the hide out , a three – storeyed  mansion , is only a stone’s throw from a Leading Military Academy.
            None in the Government of Pakistan , none in the Military , none in the civil administration or police were aware of the operation and yet , we, the so called intelligentsia , have to believe it.
            Okey, we concede the story. But let us look back into the history of this most dreaded personality, Osama.
Who is Osama bin Laden?
According to Ronald Reagan, Osama was a FREEDOM FIGHTER .
            This is what the  Wikipedia says on Osama.
            “After leaving college in 1979 bin Laden joined Abdullah Azzam to fight the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan and lived for a time in Peshawar.From 1979 through 1989 under U.S. Presidents Carter and Reagan, the United States Central Intelligence Agency provided overt and covert financial aid, arms and training to Osama’s Islamic Jihad Mujahideen through Operation Cyclone,and the Reagan Doctrine. President Reagan often praised the Mujahideen as Afghanistan’s “Freedom Fighters.”
            “Operation Cyclone was the code name for the United States Central Intelligence Agency program to arm, train, and finance the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet war in Afghanistan, 1979 to 1989. The program leaned heavily towards supporting militant Islamic groups that were favored by neighboring Pakistan, rather than other, less ideological Afghan resistance groups that had also been fighting the Marxist-oriented Democratic Republic of Afghanistan regime since before the Soviet intervention. Operation Cyclone was one of the longest and most expensive covert CIA operations.”
            Michel Chossudovsky, Professor of Economics, University of Ottawa in his post Who is Osama bin Laden? dated 12 September, 2001, had this to say.
            “A few hours after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, the Bush administration concluded without supporting evidence, that “Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda organisation were prime suspects”.
            “CIA Director George Tenet stated that bin Laden has the capacity to plan “multiple attacks with little or no warning.”
            “Prime suspect in the New York and Washington terrorists attacks, branded by the FBI as an “international terrorist” for his role in the African US embassy bombings, Saudi born Osama bin Laden was recruited during the Soviet-Afghan war “ironically under the auspices of the CIA, to fight Soviet invaders”.
            “In 1979 “the largest covert operation in the history of the CIA” was launched in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in support of the pro-Communist government of Babrak Kamal.
            “With the active encouragement of the CIA and Pakistan’s ISI (Inter- Services Intelligence), who wanted to turn the Afghan jihad into a global war waged by all Muslim states against the Soviet Union, some 35,000 Muslim radicals from 40 Islamic countries joined Afghanistan’s fight between 1982 and 1992. Tens of thousands more came to study in Pakistani madrasahs. Eventually more than 100,000 foreign Muslim radicals were directly influenced by the Afghan jihad.”
            “ The Islamic “jihad” was supported by the United States and Saudi Arabia with a significant part of the funding generated from the Golden Crescent drug trade.”
            If according to USA , Osama is a Freedom Fighter, the world has to believe it. If according to USA , Osama is a Terrorist , the world has no option but to believe it, again.
            Beggers can’t ride horses.
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by mushtablog on May 22, 2012  •  Permalink
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10th OF MAY, A SIGNIFICANT DAY IN HISTORY


The rare moral leader since Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King. 
       One of the most significant things to have happened on the 10th of May in African history was the inauguration in 1994 of Nelson Mandela as president of South Africa, following the first-ever democratic elections. Till then, South Africa was ruled by a system called Apartheid (an Afrikaans word meaning ‘apartness’), which was based on the segregation of races. On that day Apartheid, in South Africa, was eclipsed into oblivion. Coincidentally an annular solar eclipse occurred on May 10, 1994
       Addressing the crowds at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, Mandela said, “We saw our country tear itself apart in terrible conflict … The time for healing of wounds has come … Never, never again will this beautiful land experience the oppression of one by another.”
      Nelson Mandela stands as an icon of courage, justice, and perseverance to people in South Africa and throughout the world. Imprisoned in 1964 for treason, stemming from his activities with the banned African National Congress (ANC), Mandela maintained his dignity behind bars and became an international symbol of human rights. Throughout the 1980s the rallying cry “Free Mandela” resounded on city streets and college campuses everywhere.
                Mandela was freed in 1990, as a result of the tremendous economic and political pressure placed on the South African government by the international community. He resumed leadership of the ANC and, after a triumphant speaking and fund-raising tour across three continents, entered into talks with President F. W. De Klerk regarding the future of South Africa. The result was the dismantling of apartheid and the establishment of South Africa’s first multiracial elections. In 1994 Mandela became the first president of a free South Africa. He retired from that position in 1999.
                Nelson Mandela and F. W. De Klerk shared the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating South Africa’s peaceful transition to multiracial democracy. After the ANC victory in the April 1994 elections, Mandela worked to ease racial tensions, court foreign investment, and provide services to the victims of apartheid.
       Being unjustly deprived of his freedom for 27 years could not prevent Mandela from forgiving those who jailed him as well as those who kept him there. Through the strength of character involved, Mandela led all of South Africa to a new peace, and a new forgiveness
       Mandela announced that he will not run for reelection in 1999, and in December 1997 Thabo Mbeki succeeded him as ANC party leader.
       Mandela retired from public life in 1999. He currently resides in his birth place – Qunu, Transkei. After retirement, Mandela is active as an advocate in numerous social and human rights organizations.
       What’s remarkable about Mandela is that he  successfully maintained his integrity and stature even after taking office when so many freedom fighters become dictators, intoxicated with power. Thus, he is hailed as one the great moral leader of our time.
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by mushtablog on May 22, 2012  •  Permalink
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Brigade Road – From Bangalore, Madras Presidency to Bengaluru, Karnataka


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by mushtablog on April 8, 2012  •  Permalink
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Chennai..Madras..A Flashback


Chennai – 372 years young – NEW Pictures of OLD Chennai

The streets in 1961 in and around Kothawal Chavadi, the city's wholesale vegetable and food produce market founded in 1803 in Black Town, now George Town, were always scenes of congestion created by handcart men, headload carriers and lorry drivers all competing for space during the day. It was only when the market moved to the western suburb of Koyambedu in 1996 that this congestion eased a little.
The streets in 1961 in and around Kothawal Chavadi, the city’s wholesale vegetable and food produce market founded in 1803 in Black Town, now George Town, were always scenes of congestion created by handcart men, headload carriers and lorry drivers all competing for space during the day. It was only when the market moved to the western suburb of Koyambedu in 1996 that this congestion eased a little.
The streets in 1961 in and around Kothawal Chavadi, the city's wholesale vegetable and food produce market founded in 1803 in Black Town, now George Town, were always scenes of congestion created by handcart men, headload carriers and lorry drivers all competing for space during the day. It was only when the market moved to the western suburb of Koyambedu in 1996 that this congestion eased a little.
A view of the flyover coming up over Gemini Circle, in July 1972. The landmark construction has stood the test of time in traffic planning.
A view of the flyover coming up over Gemini Circle, in July 1972. The landmark construction has stood the test of time in traffic planning.
The ornamental Doric column in the High Court campus was the support for Madras’ second lighthouse, built in 1841. After the High Court was built in 1892, this lighthouse moved to its tallest tower in 1894 (on extreme left) till a new lighthouse was built in the late 1970s on the Marina. The pillar lighthouse, seen here in 1962, still stands tall east of the High Court buildings but bereft of its light.
A view of the flyover coming up over Gemini Circle, in July 1972. The landmark construction has stood the test of time in traffic planning.
The ornamental Doric column in the High Court campus was the support for Madras’ second lighthouse, built in 1841. After the High Court was built in 1892, this lighthouse moved to its tallest tower in 1894 (on extreme left) till a new lighthouse was built in the late 1970s on the Marina. The pillar lighthouse, seen here in 1962, still stands tall east of the High Court buildings but bereft of its light.
The ornamental Doric column in the High Court campus was the support for Madras’ second lighthouse, built in 1841. After the High Court was built in 1892, this lighthouse moved to its tallest tower in 1894 (on extreme left) till a new lighthouse was built in the late 1970s on the Marina. The pillar lighthouse, seen here in 1962, still stands tall east of the High Court buildings but bereft of its light.
Dr. A.V. Rajagopal’s house and clinic replaced Raghunatha Rao’s Krishna Vilas on West Mada Street (R.K. Mutt Road now) where national leaders met in December 1884 to discuss the formation of a national movement to seek freedom from the British. The discussions here and at Ranga Vilas in Egmore led to the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885. That first discussion was marked with a plaque that long remained in Dr. Rajagopal’s clinic, but, sadly, vanished when the building was pulled down in the 1970s.
Dr. A.V. Rajagopal’s house and clinic replaced Raghunatha Rao’s Krishna Vilas on West Mada Street (R.K. Mutt Road now) where national leaders met in December 1884 to discuss the formation of a national movement to seek freedom from the British. The discussions here and at Ranga Vilas in Egmore led to the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885. That first discussion was marked with a plaque that long remained in Dr. Rajagopal’s clinic, but, sadly, vanished when the building was pulled down in the 1970s.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then president of the Indian National Congress, on his arrival in Madras, in October 1936, is given a warm reception at Central Station. S. Satyamurti is seen on Nehru’s left, helping him to stand up. C. Rajagopalachari is seen just below Satyamurti and to his left, in dark glasses.
Dr. A.V. Rajagopal’s house and clinic replaced Raghunatha Rao’s Krishna Vilas on West Mada Street (R.K. Mutt Road now) where national leaders met in December 1884 to discuss the formation of a national movement to seek freedom from the British. The discussions here and at Ranga Vilas in Egmore led to the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885. That first discussion was marked with a plaque that long remained in Dr. Rajagopal’s clinic, but, sadly, vanished when the building was pulled down in the 1970s.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then president of the Indian National Congress, on his arrival in Madras, in October 1936, is given a warm reception at Central Station. S. Satyamurti is seen on Nehru’s left, helping him to stand up. C. Rajagopalachari is seen just below Satyamurti and to his left, in dark glasses.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then president of the Indian National Congress, on his arrival in Madras, in October 1936, is given a warm reception at Central Station. S. Satyamurti is seen on Nehru’s left, helping him to stand up. C. Rajagopalachari is seen just below Satyamurti and to his left, in dark glasses.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru with K. Srinivasan, to his right, G. Kasturi (extreme left) and S. Rangarajan, when he visited The Hindu’s office.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru with K. Srinivasan, to his right, G. Kasturi (extreme left) and S. Rangarajan, when he visited The Hindu’s office.
Lord Louis Mountbatten addressing a rally of Boy Scouts and Girls Guides at the Corporation Stadium, Madras. Seated to his left is Lady Mountbatten.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru with K. Srinivasan, to his right, G. Kasturi (extreme left) and S. Rangarajan, when he visited The Hindu’s office.
Lord Louis Mountbatten addressing a rally of Boy Scouts and Girls Guides at the Corporation Stadium, Madras. Seated to his left is Lady Mountbatten.
Lord Louis Mountbatten addressing a rally of Boy Scouts and Girls Guides at the Corporation Stadium, Madras. Seated to his left is Lady Mountbatten.
A 1939 view of some of the buildings of the Tambaram Tuberculosis Sanatorium complex south of Madras.
A 1939 view of some of the buildings of the Tambaram Tuberculosis Sanatorium complex south of Madras.
C. Rajagopalachari, Premier of Madras, presents his first Budget in the Assembly in September 1937. Note the uniforms of the staff seventy years ago.
A 1939 view of some of the buildings of the Tambaram Tuberculosis Sanatorium complex south of Madras.
C. Rajagopalachari, Premier of Madras, presents his first Budget in the Assembly in September 1937. Note the uniforms of the staff seventy years ago.
C. Rajagopalachari, Premier of Madras, presents his first Budget in the Assembly in September 1937. Note the uniforms of the staff seventy years ago.
A panaromic view of Marina Beach on an evening.
A panaromic view of Marina Beach on an evening.
Mahatma Gandhi visits the Kodambakkam Harijan Industrial School in March 1937.
A panaromic view of Marina Beach on an evening.
Mahatma Gandhi visits the Kodambakkam Harijan Industrial School in March 1937.
Mahatma Gandhi visits the Kodambakkam Harijan Industrial School in March 1937.
Crowds outside The Hindu’s office in 1949 follow the scores of a cricket test match. In the background in the middle of the road, is a tram, a popular means of transport in the city since 1895. Trams were withdrawn in 1953 and the rails removed in 1957-58, ending once and for all hopes of trams running again in Madras.
Crowds outside The Hindu’s office in 1949 follow the scores of a cricket test match. In the background in the middle of the road, is a tram, a popular means of transport in the city since 1895. Trams were withdrawn in 1953 and the rails removed in 1957-58, ending once and for all hopes of trams running again in Madras.
This automatic, electrically-operated traffic signal at a junction in Egmore, photographed in September, 1953, is probably the first automatic traffic signal in south India.
Crowds outside The Hindu’s office in 1949 follow the scores of a cricket test match. In the background in the middle of the road, is a tram, a popular means of transport in the city since 1895. Trams were withdrawn in 1953 and the rails removed in 1957-58, ending once and for all hopes of trams running again in Madras.
This automatic, electrically-operated traffic signal at a junction in Egmore, photographed in September, 1953, is probably the first automatic traffic signal in south India.
This automatic, electrically-operated traffic signal at a junction in Egmore, photographed in September, 1953, is probably the first automatic traffic signal in south India.
The caption accompanying this archival photograph, describes
The caption accompanying this archival photograph, describes “a traffic jam” on the Mount Road-Blacker’s Road crossing.
Members of the Madras City Police Dog Squad with their wards in 1954. Madras had one of the first dog squads in the country.
The caption accompanying this archival photograph, describes
The caption accompanying this archival photograph, describes “a traffic jam” on the Mount Road-Blacker’s Road crossing.
Members of the Madras City Police Dog Squad with their wards in 1954. Madras had one of the first dog squads in the country.
The caption accompanying this archival photograph, describes
Members of the Madras City Police Dog Squad with their wards in 1954. Madras had one of the first dog squads in the country.
Members of the Madras City Police Dog Squad with their wards in 1954. Madras had one of the first dog squads in the country.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, K. Kamraj, the president of the Indian National Congress and C.N. Annadurai, Chief Minister of Madras, enjoy a lighter moment with pressmen at the Madras Harbour prior to the Prime Minister's departure for the Andamans by INS Mysore on February 3, 1968.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, K. Kamraj, the president of the Indian National Congress and C.N. Annadurai, Chief Minister of Madras, enjoy a lighter moment with pressmen at the Madras Harbour prior to the Prime Minister’s departure for the Andamans by INS Mysore on February 3, 1968.
The Maharaja and Maharani of Travancore with the Governor of Madras, Lord Erskine, and Lady Erskine at Travancore House, in Adyar, on March 4, 1937, where the Maharaja hosted a party for the Governor. The Dewan of Travancore, Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyer, is seen standing second from left.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, K. Kamraj, the president of the Indian National Congress and C.N. Annadurai, Chief Minister of Madras, enjoy a lighter moment with pressmen at the Madras Harbour prior to the Prime Minister's departure for the Andamans by INS Mysore on February 3, 1968.
The Maharaja and Maharani of Travancore with the Governor of Madras, Lord Erskine, and Lady Erskine at Travancore House, in Adyar, on March 4, 1937, where the Maharaja hosted a party for the Governor. The Dewan of Travancore, Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyer, is seen standing second from left.
The Maharaja and Maharani of Travancore with the Governor of Madras, Lord Erskine, and Lady Erskine at Travancore House, in Adyar, on March 4, 1937, where the Maharaja hosted a party for the Governor. The Dewan of Travancore, Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyer, is seen standing second from left.
A massive crowd surging towards Rajaji Hall to pay its last respects to departed Congress leader K. Kamaraj on October 3, 1975.
A massive crowd surging towards Rajaji Hall to pay its last respects to departed Congress leader K. Kamaraj on October 3, 1975.
Hundreds of workers manually clear the river bed of the Cooum near Willingdon Bridge in 1971, during one of the many phases of the Cooum Improvement Scheme.
A massive crowd surging towards Rajaji Hall to pay its last respects to departed Congress leader K. Kamaraj on October 3, 1975.
Hundreds of workers manually clear the river bed of the Cooum near Willingdon Bridge in 1971, during one of the many phases of the Cooum Improvement Scheme.
Hundreds of workers manually clear the river bed of the Cooum near Willingdon Bridge in 1971, during one of the many phases of the Cooum Improvement Scheme.
Horse-drawn jutkas were still part of the public transport scene in Madras in 1979, especially opposite Central Station.
Horse-drawn jutkas were still part of the public transport scene in Madras in 1979, especially opposite Central Station.
One of the Herons from the fleet of aircraft owned by The Hindu from 1963 to deliver copies of the paper to various destinations in Karnataka and the districts of Coimbatore, Madurai, Ramnad, Tirunelveli, Tiruchi and Thanjavur. Readers in these places got copies of their paper at about the same time as readers in Madras due to this pioneering scheme.
Horse-drawn jutkas were still part of the public transport scene in Madras in 1979, especially opposite Central Station.
One of the Herons from the fleet of aircraft owned by The Hindu from 1963 to deliver copies of the paper to various destinations in Karnataka and the districts of Coimbatore, Madurai, Ramnad, Tirunelveli, Tiruchi and Thanjavur. Readers in these places got copies of their paper at about the same time as readers in Madras due to this pioneering scheme.
One of the Herons from the fleet of aircraft owned by The Hindu from 1963 to deliver copies of the paper to various destinations in Karnataka and the districts of Coimbatore, Madurai, Ramnad, Tirunelveli, Tiruchi and Thanjavur. Readers in these places got copies of their paper at about the same time as readers in Madras due to this pioneering scheme.
DMK chief K. Karunanidhi's second son, M.K. Alagiri (second from left), and his wife Kanthi (extreme right) after their marriage was solemnised on December 12, 1972 at Periyar Thidal. The function was presided over by Education Minister V.R. Nedunchezhian and Dravida Kazhagam leader E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker, seen third from right with Union Defence Minister Jagjivan Ram who called at Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's residence to bless the couple.
DMK chief K. Karunanidhi’s second son, M.K. Alagiri (second from left), and his wife Kanthi (extreme right) after their marriage was solemnised on December 12, 1972 at Periyar Thidal. The function was presided over by Education Minister V.R. Nedunchezhian and Dravida Kazhagam leader E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker, seen third from right with Union Defence Minister Jagjivan Ram who called at Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s residence to bless the couple.
A bird’s eye view of Park Town’s pride – from left to right - Sydenham’s Road, Ripon Building – headquarters of the Corporation of Madras built in 1913, Victoria Public Hall built in 1887 and Moore Market built in 1887. Behind these majestic buildings sprawls a lake with the South India Athletic Association’s ground beyond, boasting of the Moore Pavilion, seen at the top right of the picture.
DMK chief K. Karunanidhi's second son, M.K. Alagiri (second from left), and his wife Kanthi (extreme right) after their marriage was solemnised on December 12, 1972 at Periyar Thidal. The function was presided over by Education Minister V.R. Nedunchezhian and Dravida Kazhagam leader E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker, seen third from right with Union Defence Minister Jagjivan Ram who called at Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's residence to bless the couple.
A bird’s eye view of Park Town’s pride – from left to right – Sydenham’s Road, Ripon Building – headquarters of the Corporation of Madras built in 1913, Victoria Public Hall built in 1887 and Moore Market built in 1887. Behind these majestic buildings sprawls a lake with the South India Athletic Association’s ground beyond, boasting of the Moore Pavilion, seen at the top right of the picture.
A bird’s eye view of Park Town’s pride – from left to right - Sydenham’s Road, Ripon Building – headquarters of the Corporation of Madras built in 1913, Victoria Public Hall built in 1887 and Moore Market built in 1887. Behind these majestic buildings sprawls a lake with the South India Athletic Association’s ground beyond, boasting of the Moore Pavilion, seen at the top right of the picture.
Spencer’s majestic building was still there – in the background – in 1976, watching over an increasing flow of public transport, but minimal private transport on Mount Road.
Spencer’s majestic building was still there – in the background – in 1976, watching over an increasing flow of public transport, but minimal private transport on Mount Road.
On January 12, 1967, M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) was shot in the neck by fellow actor M.R. Radha. The bullet, permanently lodged in his neck, affected his voice. That did not stop him from conducting his campaign for the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1967 from his hospital bed. He won twice the number of votes polled by his Congress rival and the largest number of votes polled by any candidate for the Assembly. Here, M.G.R., wearing a neck cast, is seen in his hospital bed signing his nomination papers for the St. Thomas Mount constituency.
Spencer’s majestic building was still there – in the background – in 1976, watching over an increasing flow of public transport, but minimal private transport on Mount Road.
On January 12, 1967, M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) was shot in the neck by fellow actor M.R. Radha. The bullet, permanently lodged in his neck, affected his voice. That did not stop him from conducting his campaign for the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1967 from his hospital bed. He won twice the number of votes polled by his Congress rival and the largest number of votes polled by any candidate for the Assembly. Here, M.G.R., wearing a neck cast, is seen in his hospital bed signing his nomination papers for the St. Thomas Mount constituency.
On January 12, 1967, M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) was shot in the neck by fellow actor M.R. Radha. The bullet, permanently lodged in his neck, affected his voice. That did not stop him from conducting his campaign for the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1967 from his hospital bed. He won twice the number of votes polled by his Congress rival and the largest number of votes polled by any candidate for the Assembly. Here, M.G.R., wearing a neck cast, is seen in his hospital bed signing his nomination papers for the St. Thomas Mount constituency.
Future Chief Minister Jayalalithaa seen standing near the body of MGR as it lay in state at the Rajaji Hall in Madras on December 24, 1987.
Future Chief Minister Jayalalithaa seen standing near the body of MGR as it lay in state at the Rajaji Hall in Madras on December 24, 1987.
A.G. Ram Singh, a Madras cricketing legend, seen after he was felicitated at the MCC grounds, Chepauk, in October 1956.
Future Chief Minister Jayalalithaa seen standing near the body of MGR as it lay in state at the Rajaji Hall in Madras on December 24, 1987.
A.G. Ram Singh, a Madras cricketing legend, seen after he was felicitated at the MCC grounds, Chepauk, in October 1956.
A.G. Ram Singh, a Madras cricketing legend, seen after he was felicitated at the MCC grounds, Chepauk, in October 1956.
The first convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, was held on July 11, 1964. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, President of India, delivered the Convocation Address. To his right is the Governor of Madras, the Maharajah of Mysore, and to his left is Dr. A. Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar, Vice Chancellor of the University of Madras. On the extreme right is Raja Muthiah Chettiar of Annamalai University.
The first convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, was held on July 11, 1964. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, President of India, delivered the Convocation Address. To his right is the Governor of Madras, the Maharajah of Mysore, and to his left is Dr. A. Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar, Vice Chancellor of the University of Madras. On the extreme right is Raja Muthiah Chettiar of Annamalai University.
Nothing has changed when students decide to celebrate. They still not only fully occupy a bus but those who cannot squeeze in find a seat on the roof of the vehicle, as they did in October 1973.
The first convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, was held on July 11, 1964. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, President of India, delivered the Convocation Address. To his right is the Governor of Madras, the Maharajah of Mysore, and to his left is Dr. A. Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar, Vice Chancellor of the University of Madras. On the extreme right is Raja Muthiah Chettiar of Annamalai University.
Nothing has changed when students decide to celebrate. They still not only fully occupy a bus but those who cannot squeeze in find a seat on the roof of the vehicle, as they did in October 1973.
Nothing has changed when students decide to celebrate. They still not only fully occupy a bus but those who cannot squeeze in find a seat on the roof of the vehicle, as they did in October 1973.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Road, formerly Esplanade Road in 1961, with the open Esplanade having been where the High Court buildings (on left) came up. It was a pleasure indeed to drive a car then, especially the stylish Morris Minor (in the foreground), on the wide, empty roads flanked by majestic buildings still standing today.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Road, formerly Esplanade Road in 1961, with the open Esplanade having been where the High Court buildings (on left) came up. It was a pleasure indeed to drive a car then, especially the stylish Morris Minor (in the foreground), on the wide, empty roads flanked by majestic buildings still standing today.
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by mushtablog on April 8, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by mushtablog on April 8, 2012

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We have two common religions – cricket and cinema. Why then fight?


Friends, “We have two common religions – cricket and cinema. Why then fight?”
Life for more than a billion people across India and Pakistan came to a standstill during the 2011 world cup semi-final match. India beat Pakistan by 29 runs, 260 to 231.Well done India ! But that’s only half work done. You have another formidable neighbor to face in the final- the Sri Lankans. The Srilankans, who were once underdogs, are now a formidable team. Let us hope and pray that India continues to be lucky to enjoy the winning spree in the final too.
Though it was only a semi- final , the fact that it was a match against Pakistan and the hullabaloo that surrounded it , had made it appear to be the final itself. It happens every time when India takes on its traditional rival, be it cricket or hockey. Of course , the hype surrounding the game of hockey has faded into insignificance over the years , thanks to western countries who, due to their mastery, have taken over the center stage of the game.
After a long interval , I sat down to watch the entire game. Though the match extended well beyond midnight here , I chose to watch it as the entire family was glued to the TV and I too joined the bandwagon. India won the match. But there were some tense moments too. However India won the match, ultimately. Nothing succeeds like success. M.S.Dhoni, the captain, later steered the team India to victory in the finals too.  Dhoni was candid when he said he misread the pitch and had favoured Nehra and dropped Ashwin from the team. I think such honest persons are needed not only for the Indian Sport but to the Indian Polity as well.
Thank God , the Punjab Government ensured the peaceful conduct of the Match without any hitch or disturbance. Indian army helicopters and anti-aircraft guns imposed a no-fly zone over the ground. Kudos to them. I wish to recall the malicious violence let loose by the communal elements some years ago at Mumbai who also vandalized the pitch on the eve of a cricket match between India and Pakistan.
It was an unusual innings from Sachin Tendulkar. Those greatest fans of Sachin who prayed for his 100th century, were completely disappointed. He couldn’t make it even after the DRS rescued him twice and four different fielders dropped catches he offered.
More than the cricket diplomacy that manifested in connection with the match ,what appealed to me was the ‘people to people’ contact that was enabled and taken forward on this occasion. Hundreds of Pakistanis crossed the border – helped by the relaxation of visa rules – crowded into the Mohali stadium. We have come across stories of relatives and couples meeting each other from across the border. Both the countries declaring holidays to their citizens to watch the friendly fare.People rushing to the venue by whatever means.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart, Yousuf Raza Gilani watched most of the match together from a private box at the stadium. The two Prime ministers sat side by side in a symbolic gesture which may restart the process of ‘confidence building’.
The cricket match ,which could be termed a friendly competition ,follows two days of peace talks between the two countries. Indian Home Secretary G.K. Pillai and Pakistan’s Interior Secretary Chaudhary Qamar Zaman met in New Delhi this week. It was the first formal dialogue since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, during which Pakistan-based militants killed 166 people.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, Pakistan agreed “in principle” to allow a team from India to investigate the attacks, while New Delhi said a Pakistani delegation would travel to India to probe the attacks. The two sides also agreed to establish a hotline to share real-time information on terrorist threats.
The so-called “cricket diplomacy” has been used as a platform to ease India-Pakistan tension even in the past. In 1987 and 2005, Pakistani leaders travelled to India to watch cricket matches.
“We have two common religions – cricket and cinema. Why then fight?” were the words printed in a bill-board near the stadium. Worthy words indeed!

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by mushtablog on March 20, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by mushtablog on March 20, 2012

https://silentneighborhoods.wordpress.com/2012/03/20/a-retired-babus-day-watching-cricket-my-dad-on-his-views-on-the-india-pak-match-on-the-30th-from-singapore/

‘AUTO’CRACY


Governments may come and Governments may go. Celebrity cops may come and  may go.Veeramanis and Veerappans may be eliminated. Land grabbers may be arrested and jailed. Bank dacoits may be done to death. The government and the police may even dispense justice without the intervention of the law courts. But the daylight robbery of Auto drivers will continue and will continue forever. We are fated to put up with this nonsense.
As our friend had said, Chennai is, no doubt, an unfriendly city to the visitors and tourists. You may have come across slightly-different-coloured autos displaying the words ‘Tourists friendly’ and you may think these autos would charge you as per meter, if not, reasonably. You are sadly mistaken. These breed of auto-drivers too are as bad or as good as the other men of their tribe. This is the situation in Chennai.
Of late I am shuttling between Chennai and Bangalore too often, so much so that I have become a frequent-train traveller and can claim rebates in fare if the railway ministry announces one. That apart, my travels in these cities have become real travails. In Chennai, I have switched over to Fast Tracks and Friendly Tracks – call taxi operators. I must confess that I am more comfortable with Taxi drivers for there is no haggling for fare. The meter shows it and I pay without a murmur.
In Bangalore, till recently the auto travel was okay as hiring a taxi near the railway station is a tough job. None can guarantee the genuinity and authenticity of the fare conversion tables displayed by the taxi-wallahs. It was better to hire an auto there.
Of late that too has become yet another tough job.The autos have chosen to boycott the pre-paid stands and park way off the stands. If you choose one of them you will have to end up in haggling and paying a hefty sum rather than as per meter. The police are there but as onlookers. This is the state of affairs now in Bangalore.
 Image
Recently I read a news item about an application which can download on an iPhone or Android phone by the auto-rickshaw commuters. If you have a smart-phone, this GPS-based fare calculator can compute the exact fare. Known as the A-rix Meter, this has been designed and developed by a Bangalorean design student Siddharth Vanchinathan.It is claimed that it could be the answer to many auto woes, especially now, with the new auto fares coming into effect from Monday the 12th  March at Bangalore.
The A-rix Meter uses the GPS function in your smart-phone to pinpoint your location accurately to within 10 metres. When you get into an auto, simply slide the yellow button to the ‘start’ position to start the meter.The meter will run in the background as you continue to do other activities on your phone. When you reach your destination, slide the yellow button to the ‘end’ position and the meter tells you the fare.The A-Rix app can be updated for the new fare

If you’re new to the city and if the auto drivers are not the honest kind, they’ll take you around in circles. Siddharth Vanchinathan points out that by using the inbuilt maps, you will also be able to check the route and even guide your driver if he doesn’t know the way. Also, A-Rix has fare information of several cities in India, so based on your location, it loads the fare charts for that city. So if you happen to move to a new city, this app is a great way to get comfortable with public transport.

Related Articles :

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/view/3973–dealing-with-autocracy

http://sidv.co/2012/02/a-rix-auto-and-taxi-meter-for-iphone/

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by mushtablog on March 20, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by mushtablog on March 20, 2012

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The Mr. International Friendship !!


On January 17, 2012 Muhammad Ali, the former professional boxer turned seventy. Originally christened as Cassius Clay, Ali changed his name after adopting Islam in 1964.
Muhammad Ali was both idolized and maligned. Ali, who turned to boxing at age eight after a prized bicycle was stolen, brought unprecedented speed and grace to the sport of boxing. Muhammad Ali’s life and career have been scripted exhaustively as much on the front pages of newspapers as on the inside sports pages.
 Ali won the 1960 Rome Olympics light heavyweight gold medal. After defeating Sonny Liston on February 25, 1964, in Miami Beach to claim the world heavyweight title, the new champion announced he was a Muslim and was changing his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali.
In 1967, three years after Ali had won the World Heavyweight Championship, he was publicly vilified for his refusal to be conscripted into the U.S. military, based on his religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War. Ali stated, “I have no quarrel with them, the Viet Cong… No Viet Cong ever called me nigger” – one of the more telling remarks of the era.
Ali’s example inspired Martin Luther King Jr. – who had been supporting the Johnson Administration for its support of the civil rights agenda – to voice his own opposition to the Vietnam war for the first time.
Ali was eventually  arrested and found guilty on draft evasion charges. He was stripped of his boxing title. His boxing license was suspended, keeping him out of the ring at what should have been peak years in his career. He was not imprisoned, but did not fight again for nearly four years till his appeal, up to the U.S. Supreme Court, was eventually successful.
Nicknamed “The Greatest,” Ali was involved in several historic boxing matches. Notable among these were three with rival Joe Frazier, which are considered among the greatest in boxing history, and one with George Foreman, where he finally regained his stripped titles seven years later.
Ali threw his Olympic gold medal into the Ohio River after being refused service at a ‘whites-only’ restaurant, and fighting with a white gang. He was given a replacement medal at a basketball intermission during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, where he lit the torch to start the games.
 
Muhammad Ali’s honours include:
• Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsman of the Century”
• BBC’s “Sports Personality of the Century”
• GQ magazine’s “Athlete of the Century”
• World Sports Award’s “World Sportsman of the Century”
Muhammad Ali , a leader and a statesman.
Muhammad Ali made goodwill missions to Afghanistan and North Korea; delivered desperately-needed medical supplies to an embargoed Cuba; travelled to Iraq and secured the release of 15 United States hostages during the first Gulf War; and journeyed to South Africa to meet Nelson Mandela upon his release from prison.
Muhammad Ali is a Humanitarian.
Travelling across continents, he personally delivered food and medical supplies to children in Cote D’Ivoire, Indonesia, Mexico, and Morocco among other countries.
For his humanitarian efforts, Muhammad Ali has been the recipient of countless awards. His recognitions include:
• United Nations Messenger of Peace in 1998-2008, for his work with developing nations
• Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005, the United States of America’s highest civil award
• Amnesty International’s Lifetime Achievement Award
• Germany’s 2005 Otto Hahn Peace Medal, for his involvement in the U.S. civil rights movement and the United Nations
• International Ambassador of Jubilee 2000, a global organization dedicated to relieving debt in developing nations
President Jimmy Carter once cited Muhammad Ali as “Mr. International Friendship.”
Muhammad Ali is an Artist too.
Muhammad Ali has appeared in several motion pictures, and starred in television films including the big-screen adaptation of his first autobiography, The Greatest, playing himself.
His life has been the subject of numerous films, including the Academy Award-winning documentary ‘When We Were Kings’ and Michael Mann’s biographic film , ALI, starring Will Smith.
Muhammad Ali starred in the television film, ‘Freedom Road’, and has made guest numerous appearances on numerous popular television series ranging from ‘Different Strokes’ to ‘Touched by an Angel.’
Muhammad recently published a memoir entitled, The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life’s Journey, in which he discusses the meaning of religion, forgiveness, and some of the defining moments in his life and career. He is also the co-author of ‘Healing: A Journal of Tolerance and Understanding’ and ‘The Greatest: My Own Story.’
Muhammad Ali has nine children, Maryum, Rasheda, Jamillah, Hana, Laila, Khaliah, Miya, Muhammad, and Asaad. Whether promoting tolerance and understanding, feeding the hungry, studying his religion, or reaching out to children in need, Muhammad Ali is devoted to making the world a better place for all people. No athlete has ever contributed more to the life of his country, or the world, than Muhammad Ali.

Muhammad Ali’s success as a boxer is widely respected, but his greatest triumph lies in his legacy as a champion, leader, humanitarian, philanthropist , social activist and artist. His work both inside and outside the ring truly makes Muhammad Ali “The Greatest of All Time.”

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by mushtablog on March 20, 2012  •  Permalink
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