C'est La Vie....

I saw Aisha. Finally. And it made me think. Yeah, a movie as inane as Aisha made me think. Now if you are over it, let's discuss the subject matter of my thoughts.

So this movie, like all stooopid chick-lit movies basically tries to tells you how incomplete, how lonesome, and how sad a woman is without the presence of a guy in her life.

True, with single hood come many insecurities, fears, and a fair amount of longingness on seeing happy couples around you...but that's all there is to it really.

With single hood, comes a lot of time for yourself, your interests, and your near and dear ones. I think it's the best times for girls who perennially find themselves in one relationship or the other to rediscover themselves.

Why is it that it is thought that a woman NEEDS a man in her life? Why can't a guy just be another character in the play that's her life? Someone, who if there, makes life a tad more fun but someone, if not there, will just be a happ/crappy (as applicable) memory.

Single women don't wake upe very morning wishing they had some guy to share their life with. Maybe women with no friends whatsoever do. But not the modern woman I know. Today's woman is capable of living her life alone. And mind youshe can not just live it but live it UP. Hell, we women don't even need you men to make babies now. Ha!

Here's to all the women I know. Single or not. Cheers! :)

P.S. Written on my cell on my way back from home, all the time stuck in heavy traffic. Feelings: to get out of the cab and get drenched in the rain dancing to the music playing on my cell. ALONE.

Everything is just SO weird right now...right from the song playing on TV to the thoughts in my head.

Two of my super cool friends at office left this week. :( :( And this is after two people I had befriended earlier, left too. Miss u sooo much Nilanjana!! :(
Now tto I'm just scared to make friends anymore!!

Arre finally a nice song on TV!! UFF teri ada from the movie Karthik Calling Karthik (such a waste of Farhan)...I just LOVE the song!!! But I still haven't danced to this song paagal-ly you know, like totally mad ho kar (outside home ofc).

Anyway, office is becoming gloomier by the day. Not just due to lack of (good) friends but also because of something else. I'm not too sure what it is, but it's just not the same anymore...

I Hate Luv Storeys ka gaana playing now....I still want to see this movie, despite the pathetic reviews. Wanna see Aisha too, looks promising.

I miss doing theatre. I so wish I could take it up for good, but what with the weird office hours (weird - I like this word and the way it sounds :)) and french classes on the weekend...there's hardly any time left for socialising with friends or family...

Hell!! I don't get time to post on my blog or read others' posts for that matter...tto theatre tto *sigh*

Shit yaa...kitna crib maarti hoon main...grrr....i was never like this...chalo kuch ache pe end karte hain....

*thinking*

*thinking*

*bulb jala!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

Mujhe finally kaajal lagana aa gaya!!!! Yippee!!! :) :) *proud of myself and thankful to my b'ful cousins)

CONS:

1. No enjoying late night TV / movies on laptop
2. No sleeping for hours on end
3. No taking advantage of the sexy weather for a walk down a sexy road or a drive.
4. No talking loud / laughing hysterically / jumping aiwehi while walking
5. No daydreaming in front of the work station like we used to in front of the books (we are accountable for every hour after all :|)
6. No swearing...umm loud swearing at least ;)
7. No head-banging / singing aloud while listening to songs (Gosh! this is a hard one!)
8. No energy to talk to friends at night
9. No cool funky clothes to wear to office
10. No shouting
11. No access to the football / cricket matches
12. No walking naked feet in and out of the office
13. No frequent blogging
14. No being MYSELF!!

PROS:

Yeah right!! I can't think of any except that how you begin to appreciate the seemingly smaller joys of life. :|

Feel free to add to the list....

"The past three years have been a blur. For all I know the time spent at college was but a rapturous moment filled with euphoria that was too good to last..." With these closing words of the farewell speech by a final year student, the hall exploded into applause. There were smiles and there were tears, of joy I hope!

For I would definitely have shed tears at these oft-repeated words by every outgoing batch. Forget the emotional moment and you can actually laugh out loud at these cliches that have percolated through years of public disapproval of the moment of separation from the college.


Consider this: "Words cannot express the hollow feeling that is plaguing my heart right now." Can't they? Then how do you intend to deliver the rest of your speech? Through a mime, maybe!


"It seems that it was only yesterday that I was seated amongst the audience, listening to the inspiring Orientation Speech by the Director."


There! The genius has just demonstrated the hitherto unproved theories of Time-Contraction and Time-wrapping. Take that Einstein!


"Thank you, dear teachers, for having guided us throughout the our management education. It was under your able guidance that we hatchlings developed our wings and are now ready to take flight into a world of endless possibilities." Bravo! Nothing wrong with that except for the fact that you can actually notice the unbelieving smirk on the speaker's face for having pulled off saying something that incredulous.


Imagine a flock of chirping birds escaping from a cage, year after year, celebrating freedom after two years. Add to that the immense possibility of their spraying droppings on those left behind. The above platitudes don't seem quite so believable, do they?


Come to think of it, it is not only at farewell speeches that we come across such repetitions. Placement interviews, for one, are another cliche heaven.


Preparation for interviews heavily involves mugging up smart and impressive (and now decaying!) answers that have been doled out innumerable job - seekers for years. Needless to say, these answers have become the contents of a placement formula. Notice the subtle humour attached with renditions of these cliches in the interview room-

Question: So, tell me something about yourself.
Smart Answer: (after a formal introduction stating name and place of living) I am an ambitious, hard-working person. Quick grasping power accentuates my cognitive skills. I am a good team worker and believe in developing innovative solutions. Besides, I can assimilate myself comfortably into any work environment and can work amicably with fellow workers.


Spare a thought for the poor interviewer who has now interviewed the thousandth person exhibiting the same set of 'cognitive skills', 'team spirit' and 'hard-working' capabilities. This truly is an "Attack of the Clones".



Question: Why do want to join this particular company?
The same stinking answer (The plastic smile still intact): The company has an unparalleled market reputation. It provides ample growth opportunities to individuals. I, as a persevering professional, found the work ethics of the company quite alluring.
Money, to me, is but a reward for doing good work and nothing more. A decent salary obviously gives you a high.

Washing your hands off the "filthy lucre", eh? Wait till you see this intellectually motivated professional brag about the anticipated fat pay-packet in front of his drunken cronies. Well, at least he was honest about money giving you a 'high'!


Question: Who is your idol in life?
The answer to this much anticipated question: My mother/father.

Aha! Now the candidate can almost clearly hear his management coaching teacher hollering away, "Choose your father or mother. They can't screw you dimwits with questions pertaining to those two people at least!"

But can you blame these individuals for resorting to such a blatant show of this lack of creativity? Hell! Our day to day life involves cliches of the worst degree.

How many times have we heard friends sympathising with you, "Chuck it man! No point crying over spilt milk."

For God's sake, leave the poor milk alone. Wonder who that jobless man was who dedicated all his cunning to create this proverb about this mundane event of spilling milk!

Ever reached the class late? Panting and puffing (literally) when you reach the class at last, you are sure to be greeted with these famous words, "You are too early for the next class!" Apart from the murderous feeling that arises in your heart at that instant, you rue this lame attempt by the teacher to show off his smartness (at something at least!) If the gurus themselves cannot come up with a new catch line for something as simple as throwing an unpunctual brat out of the class, how can the students be expected to break with such cliched conversational routines?

All said and done, we can finally conclude that cliches are an inseparable but indistinguishable part of our lives. They claim their position in any dialogue with panache. To say that we need a language revolution would be too far-fetched an idea. But guys, is using a little bit of creativity that difficult?

I know, I know it’s been super duper long since my last post. But I have been really really really busy. And for once I mean it for real. :D

This internship has driven me crazy!! I knowwww!! I too thought I was already at the maximum level that anyone could go on the crazy scale!! :D

So anyway, if you thought that with time my goof-ups at work would have become lesser or at least of lesser intensity, Yup, you are WRONG. For the uninitiated, try this >> OFF THE RECORD, STRICTLY.

Alright, so let me tell you a bit about my work. It’s this really edge-of-the-seat kinda work you know, where one has to stare at the workstation, do number-crunching, read the stupid Income Tax Act - all while sitting on the seat!! Oh you wondering about the edge part? We are supposed to take a hard copy of all that we do, so yes, we constantly have to be on the edge of our seats to take those damn print-outs which eventually land up in the bin as my current erstwhile employers are too much of perfectionists. They’ll tell us to waste some more paper as “Oh!! But this thing should be in times new roman 12.5 and not 12 size!!” Ughhhh!!! “Let’s waste as much paper as we can!!” seems to be their motto!! I mean it’s so heart-wrenching you know. Especially for someone who writes less in the exams just so that she can save some paper. :D

So as you can guess the only exercise regimen I now have is that of walking to the printer. Now, me being the restless person that I’m, could not take it after 10 days. I just had to go out and release my pent-up energy. But where?

The queen of stupidity has an epiphany and marches off to the nearest washroom. Once there, she begins to jump up and down like a maniac. Had Jeetendra been there to witness the scene, I’m sure he’d have had inferiority complex. And just as I was about to put a stop to the torture I was causing to the floor, a lady comes out of one of the loos and stares at me with an expression that clearly said “Note to self: Stay away from this girl. She is a potential threat to mankind.” I of course dashed to the closest loo available.

After lying low for a few days after this incident, Neha (another intern) and I were once chatting nonchalantly in the office. Here’s what happened:
Neha: So how’s work?
Me: Usual ya. They really meant it when they said it’s going to be very demanding.
Neha: I know. Hey, have you seen that cute Transfer Pricing guy today?
Isha: Haan…wahin tto baitha hai. (points in his direction discretely) Kya yaar, there are NO cute guys in this office. No incentive to come every day. I hate this place.
The topic was then changed as is usual when two girls are chatting and soon we moved from guys to shopping to movies to what not.
Suddenly one of our senior managers passes us by. We happily say “Hi!” to him and he moves on. We resume chatting in the middle of the corridor leaning on one of the desks for support. Once again suddenly, he turns back and stops in front of us. And says “Itna mat socho, jis se baat karni hai bindaas karo.” And walks away.

And we realized that the desk we had been using as a support was no one else’s but his!! And we had conveniently failed to notice and had chatted there for at least 10 minutes. But still the two of us were lost on the comment he had made. It did not really make a lot of sense with what we were talking about at that time (movies).

So anyway, realizing that it was about time we both head to our respective seats, off we went in different directions. And it was while working on something that it hit me. I immediately dialled Neha’s extension and told her that I’d figured out what he was referring to. He was of course referring to our conversation about the “cute” guy!! He thought that we wanted to talk to him and were just a li'l too shy!!! The two of us, embarrassed as we were, could not help laughing our wits out.

Told you, I AM the queen of goof-ups.

So you think goof-ups are funny right?? WRONG!! :P (Get used to it – most of what you think is just that – wrong) :P

Allow me to apprise you of a very very sad goof-up. In my office (like in most offices), all social networking sites are banned and no, proxy sites are of no help either. So in my free time (alright alright!! – most of my time spent at office) I used to blissfully log in to apna dear blogspot and read your beautiful blogs and reply to your comments on mine. But alas! After 3-4 days of my prolonged stays on the blogspot, I realized it had been banned too!!! Apparently the IT department keeps an eye on what all one is doing while pretending to be super busy with work on the computer. Hmmpphhhh!! Now you know why I hate technology.

And now comes the last one. Pakka pakka!! Aur nahi pakaungi!!
Some news channel had come to our office for a shoot prior to the announcement of the Budget and all. And these guys decided to get the firm’s partner’s views in the bay rather than in his own room. I was as expected working my ass off (read checking my yahoo mail), when suddenly the girl who sits next to me comes from the printer and says “Isha, can we sit and keep working?” Without looking up from my computer screen, I said ”Of course ya!!” (I had started to get a bit irritated with all the fuss being made over the interview) and then thinking that I had been a bit rude looked up to smile at her and BAM!!

I see a huge camera placed right behind me directed halfway at my computer screen!! I swear, the speed with which the window was minimized would put the fastest keyboard player to shame. (that’s Adnan Sami btw right?)

My college is re-opening from the 13th and my internship does not seem to end. These guys want me to work till the 15th for them. I’m trying all that I can so that they kick me out. Wish me luck.

P.S. And I’m really really sorry for not being able to read a lot of posts lately. Please forgive me. With college due to re-open shortly, I shall be visiting your blogs soon hopefully. J

So I get it. Guys, and not just heterosexual ones but even those who are homosexual tend to place a significantly higher value on physical appearance than girls do. And being the stupid beings that girls are, they happen to give importance to attributes like intelligence, honesty, commitment and the like. But you know what guys, I don’t blame you. It’s not your fault really. That’s the way you have been made. :

So I understand the fact that a guy, even a girl for that matter would want his/her girlfriend /boyfriend to look decently good . But the question which arises here is how good is good enough ? Does she need to have an hour glass figure, the perfect hair, the perfect lips? This question gains all the more importance when the guy in question is not much of a looker himself. I mean if you look something like Brad Pitt, I'll completely understand if you want your girl friend to look like Angelina Jolie but when you are nowhere even close to that, to expect your girl friend to look like a ramp model is outright wrong .

When a girl is in a relationship with a guy, she lays bare in front of him her mind, her soul, her all. She gives him the gift of her whole self. And all the guy cares for is the wrapping paper. Great!

Seriously if a relationship of more than two years can come to a point where the guy tells his girl friend to either lose weight or lose him, I’m mighty glad that I’m single.

Dear Mr. Bin Laden

Hi. My name is Tara. I'm 8 years old. I live in India. I'm writing this letter to you because I read about you in the newspaper.The newspaper used many big words. I asked my papa about it. My papa works in a big office. He said that you made wars and killed people. I asked him why ? Papa smiled and said I won't understand. I like it when my papa smiles.

I wanted to ask you why ? But I think you'll also not tell me why. I'm a very small short girl. Papa calls me his little bumblebee. He says all papas have special names for their little girls. What is your daughter's special name ?

I don't like it when people hit each other. When Mehul hit Rohit in school, blood came out. Then Mehul and Rohit were crying, even though they are boys. Madhu ma'am was very angry. Then she told us not to hit anybody. She says it is wrong. Did your class teacher forget to tell you ?

When I told papa about it, he looked sad. He said life was too precious to waste. Then he started talking about Mumma. I don't remember Mumma very much. She died when I was a baby. Madhu ma'am says you feel bad when someone you love dies. I saw a movie where a lady was crying while a man was dying. Sometimes I feel sad about Mumma. I wish she was still here. But papa and granny say they are enough for me. But I still love my Mumma. I just wish she could come to PTA meeting like Sonia's mother.

I saw people crying and shouting on T.V. Papa said it was because of you. You shouldn't make people cry. I don't like to cry, even if papa gives me an ice-cream afterwards. Why do you kill people ? Does it help your friends ? I'm sure there are people who love those people who died, and I'm sure they feel very bad. I know papa feels very bad when we talk about Mumma. I don't want people to be sad like him. That is not how you should live life.

I read in my book that God created all men and women to be happy. He/She is a big man/woman who lives in the sky and watches everything. That is why you should not do wrong things, because God will punish you. Are you God and my God different ? Papa says that you pray differently. But that does not mean that the big man/woman in the sky looks different too ? Granny gets very angry when I ask her about this.

I have decided that in my life I will never do anything wrong. That you can never be punished. Isn't that clever of me ? Papa says it is. I think it would be good for you too.

It is raining outside today, after a long time. Everybody was really happy, because it was very hot. I was also very happy, like when I got what I want, after a long time. It's a very nice feeling. Do you know that feeling ? I don't mind the thunder or lightening also !

I saw two planes in the TV. When they were flying, they made a sound like the thunder outside. Then there was a flash. And then there was a lot of smoke and the houses were gone. The news lady says that this was happening in Afghanistan because of Mr. Bush and you. She said that the people in Afghanistan wanted peace a lot. Can you and Mr. Bush please give it to them ?

I'm sure it would make them very happy. I know that it makes you also happy when you give people something that they really want. Don't you feel sad that people are dying ?

Don't you want to be happy ?

At night, when papa and I were praying, I said your name. Papa asked me why ? I said it was because I thought you needed it. Papa said yes, praying for people gives them strength. So we prayed for you. Then I asked, why didn't anybody pray for Mumma ? Maybe she wouldn't come back, and we should pray that other people shouldn't die like that.

So, I prayed that other children's papa and Mumma shouldn't go away. Children really need their Papas and Mummas.But maybe God won't listen to me. He/She took my Mumma away, didn't He/She ? So I'm writing this letter to you. If you stop making wars, dropping bombs and killing people, kids like me will have both their papa and Mumma. It's much better than one Papa.

So, I want you to stop war, and give peace to the people. You will feel good then, because you will make people happy. you should also do good things in life, because then God will not punish you.

With love
Tara

Disgusted, no, enraged is the word.

Something really really unfortunate happened today.
While on her way to college on an Activa, one of my college friends was followed and then forced to stop by a group of 3-4 guys. These hooligans then physically harassed her. On being met with protests on her side, they went on to actually beat her. They kicked, punched and whacked her with a helmet, with the intention of somehow making her unconscious so that she could be taken advantage of. Yes, that is the level of desperation that these bastards possess. They might as well be necrophiliacs.
She has not pressed any charges so far and I - someone who has always been of the opinion that if no one else, at least the educated urban women should stand up for themselves - am forced to think about why is it that these women are so afraid to press charges ? Perhaps it has got something to do with the dismal conviction record, even in cases of rape, which only tells us that something is very, very wrong with the Indian Judicial System. It's little wonder then that they are told be a "Good Bhartiya Naari" and shut up. While the scum who molest them roam around scot free.

P.S. To all the girls reading this - Please do not think that this is something that can only happen to others and not you. My friend thought the same way. Do learn some kind of martial arts or the other to combat these sex - deprived maniacs and make it a point to always keep a pepper spray with yourself.

I hate it when the seasons change.

I hate it when my size changes from a smaller one to a bigger one.

Hell ! I hate it when my mom changes the T.V. channel.

I hate it when the taste of my favourite dish at my most trusted restaurant changes.

I hate it when the movie adaptations of books change the storyline.

Tell you what ? I hate to change. ( Yeah I'm a lazy AND an unhygienic person. )

I hate it when Sunday changes into Monday.

Most of all, I hate it when people change.

The attendance requirement is akin to the sword of Damocles hanging over our heads. For a batch of future managers, such a trivial rule is demeaning, not just to us, but to the very faculty that endorses it.
First hand evidence of this fact is that this was written while I was in one of my classes. : It was a subject that I can very well handle on my own. Given a few printed hand-outs and a couple of reference books, all I need are a few hours to clear a few concepts. Then why on earth was I sitting there twiddling my thumbs? So much for time management!
Frankly speaking, I’m not an academic genius. In fact I’m in deep trouble in a few subjects. I’ve done the internal papers badly and thanks to Symphony (the college fest); I have no idea of what’s happening in class. And outside the rigorous B.Com schedule there’s the DramSoc, CAT coaching classes, Placement Cell…..At this rate, I either need 48 hours a day or I drop down dead.
What really gets to me is that I’d really like to start studying and not make a grand show of seriousness by attending classes, wake up late for a couple of days, get some notes together, READ them and actually LEARN something. Think that’s far better than writing notes in class as dictated from a 20 year old register whose pages have ages but whose contents remain unchanged. That’s not about learning, it’s a prize-winning ad for MODI-XEROX.
Let’s face the facts. The issue isn’t new; it’s an age-old argument. The attendance requirement has been reduced to a whip in the hands of the faculty; its sole purpose to keep ‘wayward’ students in line. Let’s take a quick look at BITS-Pilani, where students plan their own schedule after seeing that of the faculty. No one accuses a BITSian of being irresponsible and undisciplined. Then why is this honor bestowed upon us? Which civilized educational institution detains its students on the basis of the number of hours spent staring at a blackboard! If this is the basis for professional education, then we’re all destined to be pencil pushers, adept at preaching but never practicing ourselves.
Back to Ground Zero. What are we here for? Becoming good managers I suppose. Logically speaking that should involve learning a subject from the basics, developing a hands on approach to problems and being able to solve problems in the best possible way. Sounds pretty impressive, doesn’t it? But is that what we are actually heading towards? Hours spent staring at teachers’ faces, furtive glances at the watch, SMSing all and sundry, doing CAT papers or reading the latest bestseller aren’t going to get us there. Wonder what all this has to do with the attendance requirement? Simple. People will study when they WANT to study. Forcing undergraduate students to attend classes and study exactly what is being taught just doesn’t work. Just look at the number of academic success stories who’ve topped with the aid of just the photocopying machine. In any case, 50 students sitting together and poring over the same material day in and day out won’t produce hot shot managers. We’ll just end up as a batch of graduates collectively pouting out what we have learnt, sorry…studied.
Not that this is a reflection on our faculty. Hats off to our teachers who teach with so many students oblivious to what’s happening in the class. It’s the system that’s faulty. And this is what prevents our faculty from reaching the apex of their teaching potential. At this level, the role of our faculty should be restricted to providing guidance, entrusting the bulk of the learning process to the students. For, any faculty is much too valuable to be wasted on such a retrograde teaching process involving a compulsory physical presence in class. It’s time to accept the reality of our current situation and move on with the times.

Think about this :
We are living in an India that has a GDP growth of over 8%, a Forex reserve surplus of well over $250 billion and which boasts of having one of the highest English speaking populations in the world. We are an IT powerhouse, a country that causes outsourcing blues in the US Senate and an economy that gives old hands China a run for their money.
But behind this entire hullabaloo, do we miss the true picture? Let us analyse.
India in reality is just a developing economy in a rudimentary stage. The economic disparity among the masses is huge and there are factors that ensure that it remains this way. Illiteracy and corruption are rampant. Every move undertaken here is politically motivated and the interests of the nation take a back seat whenever self interest is concerned.
The recent issue that has brought this unpleasant fact to the forefront yet again is the issue of caste-based reservations. As if 7.5% reservations for the STs and 15% for the SCs was not enough (do not ask me how the govt. actually defines these categories), the govt. has created another category called the OBCs and has sought to provide an additional 27% reservation for them in premier govt. institutes in the country including the esteemed IITs and IIMs. That makes the total reservations in these institutes a whooping 49.5%. Let us see what implications this move has for different sections of society.
Understandably, no political party has stood up against this move of the govt.because that would endanger its vote-bank and would also make it seem anti-poor. But the question to be asked is how many of these politicians actually think this move would benefit the so called unprivileged classes of the society (whether socially, economically or otherwise is anyone's guess)? This politically motivated move would, in my opinion, further demean the long oppressed 'lower classes'. Then who stands to gain from it? No one except the politicians for whom such acts of despair every now and then are their only modus-operandi in this age of competition. And do not forget the unscrupulous elements in society for whom a back-door entry to an esteemed institution is just a fake caste-certificate away. As Abraham Lincoln once said, "You cannot enrich the poor by impoverishing the rich." Similarly, does the govt. not realise they cannot develop the lower sections by putting the better sections at a disadvantage?
The following words or phrases fromt he Preamble to the Constitution stand out as very relevant to our discussion - EQUALITY OF STATUS AND OPPURTUNITY. Meaning that the State cannot discriminate between its citizens on the ground of caste, creed, language, sex or origin in providing oppurtunities. How well does the reservation policy agree with the Preamble to the Indian Constitution? For B.R.Ambedkar, the Father of the Indian Constitution, had himself siad that the reservations at the time of independence were the need of a dormant society, one that needed to give someextra 'concessions' to a long oppressed 'lower socety'.to rise, but that reservations should be done away with after a period of a few years because otherwise it would pose a hindrance to the development of the nation. These views of his were recently echoed in Parliament by his grandson Prakash Ambedkar who actually felt that the use of the word 'caste' should be banned from the country for its betterment. But is the govt. listening?
The IITs and IIMs are considered hallmarks of excellence worldwide. Just imagine what would happen to their reputation if half their campuses were inherited by not-so-competent people. not-so-competent because in the past most people admitted to the IITs and IIMs under some reserved category have been seen to be below par as far as academic performance is concerned. Such people are also almost routinely neglected by the pvt. sector companies taht come to these campuses for recruiyment. As a matter of fact, these reservations only set out to compromise the regime of intellectual meritocracy that these esteemed institutes have developed over a period of time.For much of India's success story in the global economy today can be attributed to these institutions. And a near 50% reservation in these institutions would spell a slowdown in the nascent Indian economy, which in the long run would hurt the very people it is supposed to protect. Another point to be considered here is what would happen to those meritorious students who miss these institutions narrowly. Would they not blame it on the quota sysytem that the govt. is following and would this not add to the unrest and frustration in the country? In short would it not go against the principles of a just society?
If the stste of affairs continue the way they are, with reservations being extended to almost every sector, we might soon have a caste-based reservation in the Indian Cricket team. Can you imagine that? If the govt. is so adamant on including the OBCs in the reservation circle, why do they not start with the Parliament, which at present does not have any reservation for the OBCs? But rather than playing these political gimmicks, can we not concentrate on improving the education facilities for the deprived few at the grassroots level and try to integrate them with the mainstream of society instead of giving them reservation where it would not matter to them?
As auch the hype surrounding the economic boom in India can be best described as "Much Ado About Nothing". This is because of the simple reason that the issues that matter are far more despairing than the glorious ones taht hog the limelight. And even more despairing is the fact that there is little that the common man has done or can do to improve the sorry stste of affairs that exists currently. So, at the end of it all, i'm still tempted to ask, "Is India really shining ?"