jabdakhata

Universal education is a concept fairly close to my heart. Of late, there has been a lot of deliberation from various quarters on universal education access. The major problem is the access to quality education. Not every institute or school has great faculty or infrastructure. Second thing to ponder upon is whether we are doing it right. Education in today's world is career oriented which creates competition and when the demand for few lucrative careers outstrips supply there is bound to be a fierce competition at various levels, resulting in rat race. These factors, competition, fear of failure, lack of proper education and of course the affordability part of it results in large scale school dropout, suicidal tendencies and building up of stress in the society. Also a large number of people do not have proper access to education. I think the access problem is easier to solve than anything else, leveraging technology. Esp. since mobile phones are now ubiquitous, once 3G comes thro...

I would dare say that Bengal poll results has surprised me, although I hasten to add, thats its a pleasant surprise. There was an undercurrent of change, but that the undercurrent would soon convert itself into tidal wave was beyond my wildest dream. Honestly I had almost given up on ever being able to witness a West Bengal without leftist regime in my life, since the better part of my 32 years had been under their rule. Why is it a pleasant surprise? Reasons are multiple. First, vindication of my own stance. While most educated middle class was busy villifying Mamata and her so called politics of driving out Nano and anti industrialization stance, I had a subtle feeling that what she was doing was absolutely correct in the long run. She was playing straight from her heart. You may ask, what did the communists do wrong? They wanted industrialization and a prosperous Bengal. My answer, what were they doing for 30 years? Let me put down in bullet points what wrong they did, and why th...

Remembering Tagore's poem - Keno cheye accho go Ma Mukhopane Era chahena tomare chahena je Era apono Ma yere nahi jane Era tomay kichhu debena debena mitthya kobe sudhu hino porane Tumi to ditechho Ma ja achhe tomari Shorno shoshyo tabo Janhobi bari gyano dharmo kato punno kahini Era tomay kichhu debena debena mitthya kobe sudhu kato ki bhane monero bedona rakho ma mone nayano bari nibaro nayane mukho lukao ma dhuli shayane bhule thako jato hino santane shunno pane cheye prahoro gono goni dekho katekina dirgho rajani dukhho janaye ki hobe janani nirmomo chetanahino pashane Translating this beautiful poem in English retaining its sense is next to impossible. However here is a feeble attempt. Why are you staring at our face mother, they don't want you, they don't know you, their own mother. They won't give you anything except for lies and more lies and pretension. You have given us all you have - golden harvests, pure water, knowledge, religion, virtue. But they don...