0A Essay: ALL the IDEAS!

Openings
In a remarkable discussion with Andre Malraux (french statesman, novelist and misinter),
when asked what his principal taks are, JLN answered " my first task is to create a new
modern state in an ancient civilisation and my second task to to create a secular state on the
basis of profoundly religious society"
We do have greater azaadi of choice now but do we have the swaraj (command over your life
) as engaged by mahatma gandhi over a century ago
are your dreams really your own or are you flying on auto pilot?
are you planning to struggle for opporutnies or are you inspired to create new
possibilities?
do you feels wrong enough to speak truth to power?
swaraj is the self confidence the sense of self empowerment that enables us to explore
answers to such questions
cascading collapse of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and the rapid unfolding of
information-driven globalisation and terrorism have since raised the spectre of disintegration
for most multicultural nations. But this also makes India a mystery wrapped in a puzzle!
How has India, in face of daunting conditions of abject poverty, deep-seated
parochialism, growing economic disparities, incessant communal and caste violence,
continued to stand out as the world's largest experiment in building multicultural
democratic federalism?
India is, today, a uniquely attractive investment destination, driven by a rare alignment of
political, economic, demographic and geopolitical considerations
Maithili Sharan Gupt’s immortal lines hum kaun thae, kya ho gaye hain, aur kya honge
abhi, aao vichare aaj mil kar yeh samasyaen sabhi ((Who were we? Who have we
become? And what more shall we be? Come, let us together meditate on all these
conundrums)
The notion of human right builds on our shared humanity. These rights are not derived
from the citizenship of any country, or the membership of any nation, but are presumed
to be claims or entitlements of every human being. They differ, therefore, from
constitutionally created rights guaranteed for specific people.” ― Amartya Sen, The
Idea Of Justice
As the 21st century unfolds, there are four strong winds blowing across the world and
converging to create an unprecedented storm which is challenging business and government
institutions that are not designed for these conditions.
The first strong wind is the idea of free markets and capitalism.
The second wind that has been gaining strength across the world is respect for the rights
of all human beings—white or black, male or female, rich or poor.
The third wind is a voice speaking loudly to us, literally out of the Earth.
The fourth wind, of more recent origin, is the gale force of information.
With information flowing around and many more voices being heard, two major concerns can
be heard more loudly in this storm, about the way the world is progressing.
 One is, “Our pattern of economic growth is not sustainable”.
The other is, “Our pattern of economic growth is not fair”
India occupies about 2.4% landmass and accounts for almost 17% of people with about UN
2019: 28% : Magnitude of challenges faced by India
Many places in the world seem to be at the crossroads of several large issues, such as the
questions of:
Do we want modernity or antiquity?
What does modernity and the future look like?
Do we want equality or subordination?
Do we pursue self-interest or collective interest?
Do we want isolation (self-sufficiency) or interwovenness (codependency)?

Conclusions:
A nation is very young at 68. India has the will, energy, intellect, values and unity to claim the
21st century. The vision to win the battle of freedom from poverty is set; The journey will
seem formidable only to those without conviction. As an old saying goes " SIDDHIR BHAVATI
KARMAJA", which means, "SUCCESS IS BORN OUT OF ACTION". Now is the time for action.
John F Kennedy in mind - "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your
country"
We should build a new social contract in new and rapidly growing India that we seek a country
and world in which no child will sleep hungry, no child will sleep under the open sky, no child
will be sent to work instead of a school no person will be subjected to discrimination or
violence because of her identity, no person will be denied free, good-quality healthcare, and
no old person will have to work or beg to live with dignity - Harsh mander
Together we need to seek the answer that american theologian Reinhold Niebuhr sought in
his prayer
"oh god give m he patience to accept the things i cannot change and the course to
change the things i can and wisdom to know the diferecen
The great son of India long ago, the Buddha said the the only real victory was one in which all
were equally victorious and there was defeat for no one. In the world today the tis the only
practical victory, Any other way will lead to disaster.
Don't fertilise the rocks. First make people less resistant in receiving and processing
information and then expect change in their attitude
to address the challenges in the current conditions will require:‘pessimism of the intellect and
optimism of the will’: pessimism to assess the challenges ruthlessly, and optimism to
overcome them
the threats to free speech are unlovely, dark and deep. And we have miles to go before we
sleep.
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India is 70; young among nations. But time is of the essence before it ages rapidly. There is a
real danger that India will be “too late.” Martin Luther King once wrote, “We are now faced
with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this
unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late. Over the
bleached bones and jumbled residues of numerous civilisations are written the pathetic words
‘too late.’”
Justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. Poor are protected,
minorities respected and none go to bed fearing tomorrow
असतो माँ स मय (Asato ma Sadgamaya) तमसो माँ योितग मय (Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya) मयोमा
अमतृगंमय(Mratyorma Amritgamaya)
Means - From unrighteousness to righteousness From darkness to light From mortality
towards immortality
Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu
(Let the whole world be prosperous and peaceful)
Sarve Bhavantu Sukhina (May all be Happy)
Sarve Santu Niramaya (May all be without disease)
Sarve Bhadrani Pashyantu (May all have well-being)
Maa Kaschit Dukh Bhagh Bhavet (May none have misery of any sort)
Victor Hugo once said, "no power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come”. the
emergence of India as a major economic power in the world happens to be one such idea. Let
the whole world hear it loud and clear. India is now wide awake. We shall prevail. We shall
overcome.
Indian nationalism is founded on an idea: the idea of an ever-ever land, emerging from an
ancient civilization, united by a shared history, sustained by pluralist democracy. This land
imposes no narrow conformity on its citizens. You can be many things and one thing. You can
be a good Muslim, a good Keralite, and a good Indian all at once.

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Important Data
Global Hunger Index-94/107
World Happiness Report 2020: UN Michael Sandel: Tyranny of Merit
Sustainable Development Solutions Individualism which believes person’s
Network: Indian citizens are among success and failures are entirely the
the least happy in the world person’s responsibility- is a disease that
India ranks a very low 144th has infected the societies in the West
World Bank Report: during COVID: It justifies indifference to the conditions of
India’s stock markets rose during those less well off
pandemic: rich became richer, It denies societal conditions are responsible
number of poor people with for the difficulties poor people have
incomes less than $2 per day is It also conveniently hides that societal
estimated to have increased by conditions contributed substantially to the
75 million. This accounts for wealth of those well off
nearly 60% of the global increase
in poverty

Use for Decentralisation and localised

solutions:
Leo Tolstoy: Anna Karenina:
“ All unhappy families are unhappy in their
own ways”
So each village/district knows their
greatest unhappiness, and which
amongs the 17 SDGs should be
their priority
What glorious Women:
1. Kadambani Ganguly addresses INC
1890
2. Annie BEsant as first INC President Education: pioneers advantage
1917 Bankim Chandra one of the first grads of
3. Sarojini Naidu 1925 Calcutta univ
4. Dharasan Salt works MG Ranade and R.G. Bhandarkar of Bombay
5. Usha MEhta: Clandestine radio University
6. Aruna Asaf Ali: flag hoisted high up
in the sky
7. Madame Blavatsky
8. Bhikaji Cama: Stuttgart

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My Cultural interpretations
What makes the Lion Pillars of the
Mauryan Age so special is that in this
monument of stone, there is both the
fierceness of the lions expressing vigour
and ferocity and the calmness and peace Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki: Mehrauli, Phoolwalon ki
of the lotus. It is no wonder that this is our sair; Gandhi fast unto death-repair the Kaki
national symbol for it reflects our mosque dargah; Nehru resuming Phoolwalo ki sair
foundations are of peace but we also as an inter faith initiative
have the fierceness to protect our
national interest. And the chakra can be
interpreted to resemble the force of
morality, holding the pillar together,
strong and tall for the world to see!
The Fabric that is India is weaved like the Like Shiva crushing the Apasmara: the evil of
over 32 stiches of Chikankari, of many ignorance in the 12th century Chola bronze
hues and colours like the tie and dye of sculpture, rid the society of ignorance and evil
Rajasthan and yet is smooth as silk
The colossal processional chariot of the
Konark Sun Temple with 12 pair of
wheels and 7 horses leading the
chariot, on the shores of Bay of Bengal.
If India/ the world can be imagined to be
in a state of churn, it would be like the
colossal processional chariot of the
Konark Sun Temple, with 12 pairs of
wheels and 7 horses symbolic of the
movement of time. And like the
monument shimmers with the rising sun
by the Bay of Bengal, India/World should
too rise into the heaven of light and
freedom.

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The distinctiveness of Ellora is its multi

religious character, themes of Hinduism,
Buddhism and Jainism coexist. From
cinema (ex AAA) to historical monuments
to music, art (Provincial schools: regional Danda Jatra: Odisha: social harmony and
met Mughal) and sports (Kashmir league: brotherhood
mosque and temple), if there is one fact
that has stood the test of time, it is that
the essence of India lies in its plural,
secular character
1. Bener Putul:
Baguramba folk dance of Bodo Tribe of 1. Glove puppets
Assam: Encvironment 2. Scheduled caste- old palanquin bearers-Kahar
3. Social issues- family planning etc

1. Kalighat Painting
1. Product of changing urban society of
19th century
2. Artistr from traditional Patua and
artistic communities
3. Deities, ordinary people, romantic
depictions of women
4. Satires on hypocrisy of rich

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When day comes we ask ourselves, Mr. Modi said his monthly broadcast was an
where can we find light in this never- opportunity to learn many new things and
ending shade? mentioned a vegetable market at Bowenpally in
The loss we carry, Hyderabad which was generating electricity from
a sea we must wade. vegetable waste; a gram panchayat in Panchkula in
We've braved the belly of the beast, Haryana which used waste water for irrigation, the
We've learned that quiet isn't always people of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh making
peace, Mon Shugu, a form of eco-friendly paper; a young
and the norms and notions woman entrepreneur growing strawberries in
of what just is Bundelkhand; women in Jabalpur successfully
isn't always just-ice. running a rice mill after taking over the reins; and
And yet the dawn is ours an all-woman crew of Air India commanding the
before we knew it. longest flight from San Francisco to Bengaluru.
Somehow we do it.
Somehow we've weathered and witnessed
a nation that isn't broken,
but simply unfinished.
We the successors of a country and a time
where a skinny Black girl
descended from slaves and raised by a
single mother
can dream of becoming president
only to find herself reciting for one.
And yes we are far from polished.
Far from pristine.
But that doesn't mean we are
striving to form a union that is perfect.
We are striving to forge a union with
purpose,
to compose a country committed to all
cultures, colors, characters and
conditions of man.
And so we lift our gazes not to what
stands between us,
but what stands before us.
We close the divide because we know, to
put our future first,
we must first put our differences aside.
We lay down our arms
so we can reach out our arms
to one another.
We seek harm to none and harmony for
all.
L t th l b if thi l thi i
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Uth jaag musafir bhor bhayi

Rise, traveller the sky is light
“…In the midst of death life persists, in the Why do you sleep?
midst of untruth truth persists, in the It is not night..
midst of darkness light persists.” –
Mahatma Gandhi, during his famous Gandhi's one of favourite Bhajan
Kingsley Hall, London address in October Kabir original author?
1931
Vaishnav jana to...
A virtuous man is one who knows the pain of others

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“But I want it done now, " said Miss Still round the corner there may wait
Ophelia. A new road or a secret gate,
What's your hurry?" And though we pass them by today,
Because now is the only time there ever is
to do a thing in," said Miss Ophelia.” Tomorrow we may come this way

― Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's

And take the hidden paths that run

Cabin Towards the Moon or to the Sun.

“The water of the river is the calmest,

where the deepest.” “All men are free and equal, in the grave,”
― Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's ― Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin
Cabin

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“The longest day must have its close —

the gloomiest night will wear on to a “In all ranks of life the human heart yearns for the
morning. An eternal, inexorable lapse beautiful; and the beautiful things that God makes
of moments is ever hurrying the day of are His gift to all alike.”
the evil to an eternal night, and the ― Harriet Beecher Stowe
night of the just to an eternal day.”
― Harriet Beecher Stowe

“Never give up, for that is just the place “What's your hurry?"
and time that the tide will turn.” Because now is the only time there ever is to do a
― Harriet Beecher Stowe
thing in," said Miss Ophelia.”
― Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin

This is the garden of Buddha and Nanak

The flowers of peace bloom here
Gandhi, Subhash, Tagore, Tilak
are the flowers that bloom in this garden
Green is from Hari Singh Nalwe,
Red from Lal Bahadur Shastri
Saffron from Bhagat Singh
And The shade of peace from Jawaharlal
Nehru's
My contry's soil where crops grow like gold,
diamonds and pearls
-Manoj Kumar, Upkaar, 1967

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We must remind ourselves of what B.R. Ambedkar said on

November 25, 1949: “‘The second thing we must do as to
observe the caution which John Stuart Mill has given to all
who are interested in the maintenance of democracy, namely,
not ‘to lay their liberties at the feet of even a great man, or to
trust him with power which enable him to subvert their
institutions.’
‘... this caution is far more necessary in the case of India than
in the case of any other country. For in India, Bhakti or what
may be called the path of devotion or hero-worship, plays a
part in its politics unequalled in magnitude by the part it plays
in the politics of any other country in the world. Bhakti in
religion may be a road to the salvation of soul. But in politics,
Bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and to
eventual dictatorship’

André Gide, the French writer, once said,

“Everything has been said before, but
since nobody listens we have to keep
going back and begin all over again.” think of the poem by Josiah Gilbert Holland, with the line,
These words only underscore the need to “...A time like this demands, Strong minds, great hearts,
be vocal especially when one has the true faith and ready hands.
country’s best interests at heart, more so
when India is passing through one of its
most difficult phases since Independence.
Albert Einstein once said, “The strength of the Constitution
lies entirely in the determination of each Citizen to defend it

Aano bhadraah krathavo yatu vishwathaha

Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides

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Sophie's Choice: when talking about dilemma

Kabir on the need to look within

The musk is in the deer, but it seeks it not within
itself: it wanders in quest of grass.

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Nasadiya Hymn, Rig Veda:

There was no beginning no end, the universe was created and
destroyed endlessly. While we are all mere ripples in the fabric
of space time.
How then did we begin to create these barriers of
religion/race/caste/ gender

Vasudheva Kutumbakam: Maha Upanishad

Satyameva Jayate: Mundaka Upanishad
Brihadranyaka Upanishad:
Pavamāna Mantra[edit]
The Pavamana Mantra is from the
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.3.28)
असतो मा सद्गमय । Asatō mā sadgamaya
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय । tamasō mā jyōtirgamaya
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय । mr̥ tyōrmā amr̥ taṁ gamaya
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ Om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
- Br̥ hadāraṇyakopaniṣat 1.3.28
Translation:
From untruth lead us to Truth.
From darkness lead us to Light.
From death lead us to Immortality.
Om Peace, Peace, Peace

As Gail Omvedt has underlined in her book“Seeking

Hao Dharmate Dheer: Shri Atul Prasad Sen
Begumpura :The social vision of Anticaste Intellectuals,” if
Be firm in your faith, be courageous in action
Kabir dreamt of his utopia calling itAmarpur (City of
Keep your head erect—fear not;
Immortality) and sang of Premnagar,the city of love, Raidas
Forget all your differences, let all march onwards,
imagined his own version of it and named itBegumpura (City
God is with us—victory is assured;
without Sorrow).It would be a city where there were no taxes or
Many languages, many creeds, many costumes,
toil, “ where he could wander freely with his friends – something
Let there be unity in this diversity,
a Dalit could never do in actual Banaras”
Watching the rise of the great Indian Nation,
The world will be filled with wonder
Kabir: Sakal Hans mein Ram viraaja
The world will be filled with wonder
Ghat Ghat Panchi bolta hain: Kabir
The musk is in the deer, but it seeks it not within
itself: it wanders in quest of grass.
LORD OF THE RINGS
Alakh Elahi ek hai, nam darya do
Still round the corner there may wait
Ram Rahim ek hai, naam darya do
A new road or a secret gate,
Krishna Karim ek hai, naam darya do
And though we pass them by today,

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Books

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Question to ask, is COVID a black swan

The key message in this book: fragile items which break when put under stress,
Even though we’re constantly making antifragile items benefit from volatility and shock.
predictions about the future, we’re actually Fragiliy of constitutent parts help enhanse the
terrible at it. We put far too much confidence antifragility of the system by passing relevant
in our knowledge and underestimate our information. For example CCD's failures passed on to
ignorance. Our over-reliance on methods others in coffee business in India
that seem to make sense, our basic inability Shocks and stressors strengthen antifragile systems
to understand and define randomness, and by building up extra capacity (Ex Demonetisation
even our biology, all contribute to poor shock helping the digitisation need during
decision making, and sometimes to “Black COVID///Epidemics' history in Japan and East Asia--
Swans” – events we believe to be impossible better hand and mask hygiene)
but which end up redefining our Tranquility harms antifragility, volatility is good
understanding of the world. Manage risks to benefit from unpredictability
Actionable advice: Smaller firest to stem the risk of larger forest fires:
Be suspicious of “because.” antifragility does not stem from removing volatility
Although it is absolutely in our nature to look Antifragility has fueled progress and advance in society
for linear, causal relationships between The main message in this book is:
events in order to make sense of this
complex world, the reality is that we are Antifragility is a quality which has propelled human
absolutely pitiful at both making predictions progress from the earliest times. It allows systems to
of the future and establishing causes for the grow and improve in an unpredictable and volatile
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Nobel Laureate (1998) Portuguese author Jose Saramago

wrote a book called "Blindness" where in a fictional town an
epidemic of blindness have descended. The affected are soon
quarantined in an asylum to impede the spread of infection.
Social Capital
What follows in the quarantine is anarchy where people fight
for medicines, medical care, food and gangwar descends.
While it took 75 years for Americans to havee 70%
Women are gangraped and finally a woman kills one of the
coverage of....
rapists, head of the rival gang. This woman was the only
only 7 years for TV to reach 70% of households
person who could see, she faked blindness so she can
right after the Second world War
accompany her husband to the quarantine center. Towards the
This rapid and expansive reach of technology had
end of the novel she says:
many effects on the American society.
Why did we lose our blindness, maybe we will know someday.
Parent teacher meeting attendance went down,
In many ways, we are all blind, we can see but we are blind.
Bowling Clubs were less frequented
Blind people who can see, but do not see.
essentially a fall in community living, community
feeling and thus a depleting Social capital
“Do you want me to tell you what I think, Yes, do, I don’t
think we did go blind, I think we are blind, Blind but seeing,
A similar threat surrounds India, the rapid and all
Blind people who can see, but do not see.”
encompassing embrace of technology poses the
same threat of depleting social capital. More so in a
In nobel laureate Jose Saratago's novel "Blindness" an
society where the cleavages of caste, class, gender
epidemic of blindness strikes a fictional city and people go
and religion remain deep and the political class has
blind. In the quarantine center that houses the ill, anarchy
little interest in bridging these cleavages and
ensues over food and care, women are raped and a man
developing social capital
finall murdered. Later like a miracle people get their eyesight
back. The protagonist in the end makes the larger
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Good economics for hard times

Will it increase our GDP? the answer
might be inconclusive
Will it increase welfare, the answer is a
resounding Yes!
If the youth of rural India, find jobs back
home, stay back to take care of their
elders and live a fulfilling life in the
community, is it not a pursuit worth our
efforts?
And is it also not the idea that Confucious
preached as Filial Piety? Being devoted
and dedicated to our parents through our
lifetime?

James C. Scott: Seeing like a State

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