India at Crossroads

Posted on January 8, 2020 by kushsrivastava

The world suggests that India is all set to take on a leadership role. Our leaders take great pride in the thought process.

Yet, India seems to be located at a very interesting crossroads which will surely decide the fate of not only India but the entire world in times to come.

If we look at the way development has and is taking place all over, is primarily on the basis of a constant quest of:

Making our lives more comfortable,

Aimed at satisfying our materialistic needs,

Justified in the name of creating a positive impact on the society.

How long it can go like this is one question, I ponder upon?

How long can we keep acting ignorant of the destruction that we are bringing in the name of development?

How long can we let our youth get depressed and commit suicide in the name of wanting to be successful based on the benchmarks referred to by the society?

Well, the modern and the medieval history that we all read about India in the school books is about:

They came. They conquered. They exploited. We fought and finally got freedom. Now, we roam aimlessly waiting again to be supported or conquered by some external force or entity.

When would we get over with a defeatist mentality?

The same Indians when we go abroad seem to strike gold more often than not.

Ever wondered why?

Is it the opportunities?

Is it the conducive environment bereft of the crab mentality which seems to pervade in the country, be it the political quarters or the regional forces?

Could be none and all inclusive.

Crossroads

What keeps us going is possibly an inherent nature, which is:

Resilient,

Confident,

Intelligent,

and

over and above,

Spiritual, which guides us in the very manner we go about leading our lives.

Be it the influence of Yoga and the very manner in which we breathe,

Be it the influence of the Gods who occupy every nook and corner of this country,

Be it the care and respect we have for our elders,

Be it the Karma and Dharma, concepts which we seem to fall back upon every now and then whenever in doubt,

With such basic ingredients,

Don’t you think it’s high time for us Indians to start acting as the torch bearer to the entire World?

Bereft of any rigidity,

Bereft of any hateful tendency,

and

Inclusive of sensitivity,

Inclusive of sensible actions,

Inclusive of the very ingredients which make us all human,

The only question being,

Can we become open to the very possibility and start discussing things in the open without any fear or insecurity?

Source for the image: https://www.careerattraction.com/how-to-take-advantage-of-a-career-crossroads/

तेरी खातिर !

Posted on July 11, 2019 by kushsrivastava

This is a humble tribute to the Indian Team, who performed so well during the World Cup and especially the man, who is fondly referred to as Mahi, our very own Mahendra Singh Dhoni (MSD).

I don’t remember seeing MSD the way when he left the field, for the last time in a World Cup match.

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Few lines to the emotions that he might have gone through walking back to the pavilion after getting run out:

ये वो लम्हा था, जब मैं खुद को रोक ना सका,
जानते हुए भी मैं तेरे लिए कुछ ना कर सका,

उस जस्बे को लिए, लगाई थी मैंने पूरी जान,
पर वो जस्बा भी मेरा आज कम पड़ गया .

दिल में थे अरमान, खुद पे था भरोसा,
हर मुश्किल को पार करने का था हौसला,

तेरे लिए आज फिर एक बार कुछ करने का था मौका,
माफ़ कर देना ऐ यार, जो आज मैं फिर से वो ना कर सका,

ज़िन्दगी तो चलती रहेगी, बस एक गम रह जायेगा,
वो दो कदम का सफर, हर दिन कम रह जायेगा,

भरोसा करना बस, नियत में कोई कमी ना थी,
दिन आये गये लेकिन आँख में कभी ऐसी नमी ना थी.

And there walked the man, who gave us fantastic moments in our lifetimes to be cherished for ever and ever. #RESPECT!

Source for the Image: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/849843392160616810/?lp=true

The Quantum Life!

Posted on June 20, 2017 by kushsrivastava

Have come to believe that there is a reason for everything that happens, of course the dots can be connected once the events are done and dusted with a retrospective lens that one tends to wear after the obvious.

Having said that, what do you think would be the chances of meeting someone after 11 years on an island in the middle of the sea in south of France?

Probably, 0.0000…1? And when that happens, you cannot help but wonder, how wonderfully unpredictable the things can be!

Of late, the conversations with the healthcare stakeholders in our country have been ringing the alarm bells, if they were not enough to make me wonder, such events as above tends to make me believe more in the quantum nature of the life that we tend to be leading each day of our lives.

The other day, had the privilege to share the same space with one of the finest brains in the country in the healthcare sector, and was enlightened by what he had to offer.

download

“You know, what we believe we are, is just a myth. The entire disease and the subsequent healing process that we tend to follow, is a mix and match of set of beliefs that tend to harm more than do good, of course being governed by the economics and the profit-earning motive guiding all research that goes behind the same.”

Alarming as it might sound, sounds mysterious as well, when he goes on to elaborate the quantum nature of life that we tend to be leading, which the likes of Einstein, Bohr and other western scientists, who went on to become mystics in their own way, had tried to throw some light upon.

Be it the reductionist or the symptomatic approach taken to deal with the diseases by western world, or be it the conscious loaded approach which has found mention over the years in the ancient Indian or the Chinese cultures, one thing that remains to be realized is a formula which leads to holistic form of wellness for all.

Wonder whether quantum physics is that tool which can enable one to go beyond the beliefs and make it scientific enough for all to accept the obvious truth, which seems to have been tampered with over a period of time?

Source for the Image: https://aibusiness.com/machine-learning-is-playing-a-part-in-quantum-computing/

Men in Uniform!

Posted on November 12, 2015 by kushsrivastava

I don’t know how many times you have had the pleasure of meeting men in uniform who guard our borders day-in-day-out. But when you happen to do so, it becomes one of the most cherished moments of your life.

Few days back, I happened to meet a senior rank officer in the army. A very fit individual that he was, in spite of having served in the Army for more than 2 decades, he came across as a very well spoken and simple individual.

The simplicity was very much visible in the manner he befriended and the manner in which he went about describing various facets of his life. Though there was this one particular story he shared about how to overcome one’s fears in life is what I would like to share with you all.

Taking the liberty to quote him:

“It was summers and everyone was asked as to who would want to venture out for the paratrooper training. Not everyone had the courage, those who had were supposed to give a simple test.

I was the fortunate or the unfortunate one, whatever you might want to refer to as, in that group of 20 who had showed interest for the training. We were all brought to a swimming pool and were asked to jump from a 3 m board.

Though I was not that scared of jumping from a 3 m board, I was dead scared to drown for I was still an amateur who had mastered the art of floating in a swimming pool, that too in the not so deep side of the same.

So, I went up to the trainer and asked him whether there would be someone to save me in case I started to drown. The trainer got infuriated and told me to bug off. Not knowing what to expect, I took a deep breath and jumped when my turn came.

As expected, no one came to my rescue when I was struggling to fight my way out from the swimming pool. Thinking that I wouldn’t be selected, I stood there in despair cursing myself why I hadn’t learnt swimming.

The final list of the selected lot was announced immediately after the 20th guy had completed his jump. To my utter surprise I was selected. I felt like sitting on top of cloud nine, though I had no clue about what was to follow.

The selected lot of 16 wanna-be troopers were asked to report 5 am in the morning next day. By that time, we had all got into a habit of getting up early and were not perturbed anymore about the timelines that were provided to us.

Perhaps, the mind and body can be tuned to become more and more disciplined and trust me there are no limits when it comes to going beyond what might be expected from you. I guess that’s why people in the army or in forces in general are able to achieve feats that a normal guy wouldn’t even imagine accomplishing.

The manner in which we were taught to become paratroopers was immensely scientific and was made simple to the core. We were not taken directly to the skies for a jump, instead we were made what I would describe as robots who were trained to perform a routine driven set of actions which included our arms and legs and once we resorted to those actions we had no option but to be in the air trying to follow instructions for our survival.

It’s not that we didn’t go through the fear. It’s not that those in army or forces don’t have emotions. Just that we are trained in such a wonderful manner that before going through those emotions we tend to do what is taught to us. The little mechanical steps that we take don’t give us that luxury or the option of going through our emotions, as we have no time but to react in the moment and survive.

What a “faugee” learns is the art of survival which incorporates instant decision making (be it right or wrong), thinking on the feet and reacting to the situation at hand. Yes, planning, strategy goes hand in hand but it might be what you plan doesn’t happen and you are left with no other choice but to overcome your fears and do something which might be perceived as belonging to the category referred to as “out of the box” or “out of the world””.

We went on discussing his life before Army, during Army and what would follow after. Somehow, he had that aura and a power which could convince even myself for opting into paratrooper training, though good sense prevailed and I preferred not to venture out, though he almost had me convinced about the ultimate thing in life which everyone should at least try once in life ;).

By the time, our meeting finished, I had just two words doing rounds in my head, “RESPECT + INSPIRATION”.

Source for the Image: http://www.slideshare.net/doodla/indian-army-16316589

Respect!

Posted on August 18, 2015 by kushsrivastava

Being a badminton player myself and having gone through the ups and downs associated with competing in any sports, I strongly believe that athletes and players who dedicate their lives to their motivation and to the nation at the end of the day, deserve much more than what they get, especially in our country.

Was immensely disappointed seeing the state of affairs on an airport where I happen to land recently having taken a late night flight. Saw the likes of our very own badminton stars P.V. Sindhu and Srikanth Kidambi queuing up to get clearance from customs.

Imagine the kind of stress and effort that these players go through while competing in the international events. What you want the least after having gone through the gruelling is to wait for an hour or so to come out of the airport.

Imagine if it were a Sachin Tendulkar or a Mahendra Singh Dhoni! Would our authorities ask them to queue up in the same line as other commoners? Then why this discrimination when it comes to Badminton players or any other sports for that matter.

Shouldn’t these players not be given the facilitation of not having to queue up in the same manner as any cricket player?

Though, it was wonderful having got an opportunity to get a glimpse of these players, which otherwise is a rarity, considering the celebrity status attached to each one of them, yet I believe that it’s high time we rethink about our discriminatory ways and bring all sports to the same platform of respect and honour.

Source for Image: http://www.phoenixtrowbridge.club/

Scared, Are you?

Posted on July 2, 2013 by kushsrivastava

A very recent incident in my life has made me “right” this one. It is not often that you want to avail the service of a public transport in smaller cities and towns in India, considering that the available space inside the same is utilized so efficiently that where only 2 persons are supposed to be seated, the conductor or the driver of the public transport will make sure that at least double the legitimate number is made to fit in the same space. If that was not enough, a couple of people who happen to be standing next to you, would be found leaning over for want of some space and air, coming through the windows.

But this is just the tip of an iceberg, when it comes to being scared of a thing or having some apprehensions about the same. A couple of days back, having heard so much about the state of the public transport in my city, I decided to experience it first hand. And there I was, travelling in this bus, which was supposed to take me from a place called Mahanagar to Hazratganj, which resembles the likes of CP in New Delhi, when it comes to the colour combinations that have been used to adorn the place.

Having barely managed to squeeze in the bus, I was lucky to have found a seat next to a gentleman, who looked to be in his twenties. One thing that foreigners find quite funny in case of us, Indians, is that no matter whether we know the person sitting besides us in a journey, we are very good and keen on starting a conversation with the unknown person available at our disposal.

Not only do we happen to talk about the general affairs going on in our country ranging from what Modi might be up to in the coming elections to would Dhoni be implicated in the IPL crisis that has ensued in recent times, but also about our own personal issues ranging from what my boss might have said to me the very day, to what would happen if my child happens to fail this year.

Keeping what I can call the tradition intact, the gentleman (whom I will refer to as G, from here on ), sitting to my left, started the conversation.

“Hi, so where are you going?”—G

“Hi, to Hazratganj, and you?”—me

“I am going to charbagh, to catch this train. You see, my luggage is kept right above me. Actually, my uncle’s son is getting married, so I am going for his ceremony. So, you are originally from Lucknow?”—G

“Yes, very much :).”—me

“By the way, yesterday I went to this place called Indira Dam. Have you been there?”—G

“Ya, I have been there twice. Nice place, I must say.”—me

“What nice! You know what happened yesterday. I went there with a couple of friends. It was 6 p.m. in the evening. As we were walking past this barrage, we saw this lady lying unconscious on one side of the road. One of us even thought about calling the police, but we were too scared to get involved.”—G

“So, you didn’t inform the police?”—me

“We did. But it was only after we had left the place, from a P.C.O. (Public call office) located some 2 kms away. You know how it is with Police. With no fault of yours, they might indict you for something which you cannot even think of in your wildest of dreams and even if you happen to find a good policeman, then also you wouldn’t want to be going to the court as a witness every now and then, for the case might go on and on, considering the state of our judiciary, which takes ages to issue verdicts on cases.”—-G

“Hmm! Then what happened. Did you follow up?”—me

“Not really! We just hung up the phone, after informing the police of the whereabouts of the lady. Later on, we came to know that in recent times, a couple of people have been found murdered at the same place and people have even spotted a couple of bodies floating in the running water at times.”—-G

“That sounds awful.”—me

“Ya, so many things are so awful in our country, if I can refer to it as my country in the first place. You must have already noticed the cap that I am wearing. I am a Muslim and for Muslims, especially the underprivileged ones, life is not so easy. You see, for every other blast or terrorist attack that takes place in this country, we are the first ones to be rounded by the police. We are made to suffer for no fault of ours, at times. That’s why, so much of resentment can be found in the Muslim youths, who find it easier to astray rather than comply with the laws of the country. On top of that, these political parties try to throw freebies at us, thinking that we can be cajoled by their futile efforts, which is nothing but a mockery of the political system in our country.”—G

“Hmm!”—me.

“I know, it is a very sensitive matter. Instead of treating us like aliens, the political parties will do good if they can just treat us at par with every other citizen of this country. Anyways, this gets prioritized only for namesake at the time of elections and later on it is found no where on the agenda that the political parties are so proud of presenting during their election campaigns.”—G

“That is very true. But then why don’t you try to get rid of all these political leaders who talk as if they are the representatives of the entire Muslim community and take matters in your own hand, by creating awareness and vouching for some political and social work?”—me

“If it was so easy, then don’t you think every other person would end up doing the same? These very political leaders create so many hurdles and for a common man like me and you, it comes down to a choice. Whether we want to continue living our lives in the same pseudo-peaceful manner or do we want to disturb the peace of our minds by going against the Hukumat.“—G

“Hmm! You know, a day would come and in some ways, it has already, in at least the Naxal affected parts of our country, when people would take up arms and would revolt against the atrocities and crimes that are being committed by our administration.”—me

“True! You know what is more moving on an emotional level. When we lose lives just because of maladministration and faulty decision making on part of our government. You see, what’s happening in Uttarakhand. So many lives have been destroyed. So many people have gone missing and no one can predict when their lives will go back to normal.”—G

“Ya, it is very sad to see that knowingly we opt to sit on a time bomb, waiting for it to explode. Faulty constructions and the approvals for the very same granted by none other than our administrators, coupled with total ignorance of the environment has resulted in a major tragedy which will continue to haunt the lives of those affected for many years to come.”—-me

“Yes, and the lack of preparedness on part of our government is a sheer nonsense, which shows that no one is really concerned about what’s happening with this country. Everyone is busy looking for avenues where they can make quick bucks in order to secure the future for themselves and their loved ones. Oh, your stop has come. I guess its time to say bye. How soon time flies by! It was nice meeting you. Allah ne chaha to fir milenge.”—-G

“It was a pleasure talking to you. I am sure we will meet sometime in the future :).”—-me

And there I was bidding goodbye to this wonderful gentleman. As I got down, having experienced the journey which began as a test of the public transport in my city, I wondered whether the picture of my country that had been depicted of in the conversation that I just had with G, would ever improve.

Being an optimist that I am, I certainly believe that there is still time to bring our country back on the right track. Lots needs to be done not only on part of our government but also as individuals. It might require some sacrifices and hardships.

The question, though is, are we all prepared to think over and above our selfish ends and rise up to the occasion to eradicate the fear that has for so long kept haunting us for the want of corrective actions in our lives?

Source for Image: http://punjab-tim.blogspot.in/2010/03/no-seat-belts-requiredindian-buses.html, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/30/top-5-police-brutality-vi_n_115921.html, http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130701/news-politics/article/congress-bjp-twitter-war-over-uttarakhand

SpaIndia Love!

Posted on December 21, 2012 by kushsrivastava

What happens when your love is left behind in India and you are on a honeymoon with your husband in Spain. What happens when you are not able to get the love of your life and have to compromise for something that is chosen for you by your parents.

Such a condition can indeed be a nightmare for not only the married couple but also the guy who has been left behind in India and can be called as the lover for all our future references.

The lover tries to get in touch with the lady, who cannot reciprocate the same for the fear of consequences that she had been thinking all along.

One fine morning, the boss of the company in which the lover works, calls him and informs him that he needs to go to Spain for a project.

There are mixed feelings about the whole scenario and only the lover knows as to what’s going inside him thinking about the entire situation that is being framed, as if, by someone sitting up there.

“Is HE playing games with me? ” is what the lover is thinking.

Now, here are a few questions that you guys might be interested in answering and which will, in all senses of the word, will redefine the lover’s destiny:

1. Do you think the lover should go to Spain?

2. If the lover happens to go to Spain, do you think the lady should meet the lover?

3. Do you think the lady should leave her husband and marry the lover?

Hurry up with your answers! Because the lover’s destiny lies in your hands now ;).

Source for Image: http://jula16.deviantart.com/art/Spanish-Love-185109800

How can you do that?

Posted on October 1, 2012 by kushsrivastava

A little while back, I was browsing through some of my pics which I took while I was in Europe. It reminded me of a coversation that I had with one of my friends who is a French (whom I will call Frenchie from now on ;)) and he is currently living in Paris. If you are wondering why all of a sudden I decided to go back in my memory lane, it is because I just got a message on fb from frenchie inviting me for his marriage which will take place sometime in November.

Without really going into the details of the marriage :P, let me do tell you about this conversation that I had with him when I was in Paris.

“Hey, how is it possible for you guys to do what you end up doing?”—frenchie

“What do we end up doing, buddy?”—me

“Oh, how can you get married to a girl whom you have never met before or for that matter never had an opportunity to spend some time together?”—frenchie

“Well! That’s the case for the majority in India and its very much a part of the societal system that we Indians happen to be a part of. I guess, it comes very natural to us.”—

“Yaaa, I could never do such a thing. Comeon, it can turn out to be a disaster.”—frenchie

“Yes, there is a possibility, but then don’t you think the chance, if not equal, is still there when you end up marrying a person of your own choice, though the probability seems to be lesser as compared to that in case of an arranged marriage.”—me

“Hmm! I guess you have a point, else why would there be so many divorce happening around among the current generation in Europe.”–frenchie

“See, at the end of the day, what matters is whether you are able to maintain and nurture the compatibility which people believe tends to come on its own, but least to their expectations, it needs to be nurtured and a lot of effort needs to be put in, in order to ensure that the compatibility grows leaps and bounds, which is so essential for a harmonious and loving relationship.”—me

“But don’t you think you will be compromising in such a situation?”—frenchie

“It depends on how you want to perceive such an act. For some, it might look like a compromise, but for others it might just be a gesture to show how much one wants to be with another person and what all he or she is ready to sacrifice for the moments that they end up spending together as a part and parcel of their relationship.”—me

“Then what if it takes a toll on you and you realize that it has been you who has been putting all the effort without the other person reciprocating for the same. Don’t you think you will really get frustrated about the whole scenario?”—frenchie

“Yes, you might get frustrated. In such a situation you can take either of the two courses that I am about to tell you. One is: that you go by what the philosophers in the field of love have to tell you about love and that is to love a person selfishly without really worrying about the returns, which I agree might be too much to ask for from this pragmatic World of which we all happen to be a part of. Second is: you should talk to the other person and should try to convey what you might be going through and what expectations you might be having from your better half, and then try to sit together and resolve the issue amongst yourselves; which seems to be a more pragmatic course of action.”–me

“You should be a counselor man! What are you doing in this business school? 😉 “–frenchie

“Yaaaa! Totally! 🙂 “—me

And that was the last conversation I had with him before leaving Paris. Today, he is in a relationship (already engaged) and guess what he is about to get married arrangedly.

It is true that it is a very rare phenomenon in Europe in contemporary times. But if you happen to come from one of the richest business families in Europe then it does come very naturally to you ;).

With the kind of persona, this man has, I have no doubts what so ever that by now he might have already mastered what I call the art of marriage and would be all set to put into practice the very same art.

I would take this opportunity to wish him from my side and from all of you out there who are reading this article : Wishing him and his better half all the very best for the future. 🙂

But guys out there, who are already married and who are yet to master this art, what are you all waiting for? Christmas! ;). Wishing all the married couples all the best on this journey of life where they would be trying to master this very ART OF MARRIAGE.

Source for Image: http://www.icmarriage.com/, http://vasukimahal.blogspot.in/2009/12/equality-between-men-and-women.html

Road to Discovery

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