TWO SIDES OF A COIN

TWO SIDES OF A COIN
LET THE BEST PREVAIL
RECEIVED EMAIL
DR. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam's Speech in Hyderabad
Why is the media here so negative?
Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements? We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse acknowledge them---Why?
We are the first in milk production.
We are number one in Remote sensing satellites.
We are the second largest producer of wheat.
We are the second largest producer of rice.
Look at Dr. Sudarshan , he has transferred the tribal village into a self-sustaining, self-driving unit.
There are millions of such achievements but our media is only obsessed in the bad news and failures and disasters.
I was in Tel Aviv once and I was reading the Israeli newspaper. It was the day after a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place. The Hamas had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert into an orchid and a granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the newspaper, buried among other news.
In India we only read about death, sickness, terrorism, crime.
Why are we so NEGATIVE?
Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with foreign things? We want foreign T. Vs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign technology.

Why this obsession with everything imported. Do we not realize that self-respect comes with self-reliance? I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture,when a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is. She replied: I want to live in a developed India . For her, you and I will have to build this developed India . You must proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed nation.
Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance.
Got 10 minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours.
YOU say that our government is inefficient.
YOU say that our laws are too old.
YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage.
YOU say that the phones don't work, the railways are a joke,
The airline is the worst in the world, mails never reach their destination.
YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits.
YOU say, say and say.. What do YOU do about it?

Take a person on his way to Singapore . Give him a name - YOURS. Give him aface - YOURS. YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best.
In Singapore you don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. YOU are as proud of their Underground links as they are. You pay $5 (approx. Rs. 60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road ) between 5 PM and 8 PM. YOU come back to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity... In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU?
YOU wouldn't dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai .
YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah .
YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds ( Rs.650) a month to, 'see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else.'
YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop,'Jaanta hai main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so's son. Take your two bucks and get lost.'
YOU wouldn't chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand
Why don't YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo ? Why don't YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston ??? We are still talking of the same YOU..

YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. You who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India ?
Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal commissioner of Bombay , Mr. Tinaikar , had a point to make. 'Rich people's dogs are walked on the streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place,' he said. 'And then the same people turn around to criticize and blame the authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What do they expect the
officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dog feels the pressure in his bowels? In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job. Same in Japan . Will the Indian citizen do that here?' He's right. We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility.
We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin.
We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms.
We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity.
This applies even to the staff who is known not to pass on the service to the public. When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child! and others, we make loud drawing room protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse?
'It's the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my sons' rights to a dowry.' So who's going to change the system? What does a system consist of ? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbor's, other households, other cities, other communities and the government. But definitely not me and YOU.
When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr.Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the country and run away. Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to England . When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out
to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money.

Dear Indians, The article is highly thought inductive, calls for a greatdeal of introspection and pricks one's conscience too.... I am echoing J. F. Kennedy 's words to his fellow Americans to relate to Indians.....
'ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA
AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE INDIA
WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY'
Lets do what India needs from us.
Forward this mail to each Indian for a change instead of sending Jokes or junk mails.
Thank you,
Dr. Abdul Kalaam


MY REPLY/ VIEW FOR THE ABOVE EMAIL (KEYAR)
Dear all
I do respect the scientist Sri Abdul Kalam and HE HAS ALL THE QUALIFICATIONS TO UTTER THE REMARKS, OBSERVATIONS AND THE TRUTH OF THE COUNTRY. HE IS A GOOD SOUL, BUT NEVER HAD ANY COMMITMENTS IN HIS LIFE; HE NEED NOT LIVE EVEN FOR HIMSELF AND IF SO, HIS CHASTITY CANNOT BE TESTED. The greatness lie when one inspire of the best opportunity to take on things or to get molested, remain virtuous without giving room for the temptations. APJ Has never been eulogized when he was in Mumbai but only when he became the 1st citizen of the country with the help of media, as he was useful ; however APJ was/is /will be APJ. I do respect him and appreciate his greatness, also because he was also my boss for few years, though I don’t know him.
All things are clear in his statement and the accusers are prosecuted as the accused, which may be partly true,. Never there was any analysis of the reasons. Will people entirely turn hostile? NO. Of course he did not pronounce any accusations’ as others, but what he could do to mitigate, even if not able to annihilate when he was in power? Nothing, maybe he applied some brakes but in India , there is no birth right of the freedom to do good things and remain good with all the status and the facilities. THE REAL MINORITY IS ONE WHO FORMS A GROUP TO SUFFER SILENT FOR SPEAKING THE TRUTH.
Did he discuss about this cause? Majority remain hen- pecked to the system of fawning, frolicking, funding, to attain their goals; creed and greed to jump over for the sake of the vested interests, rules the roost; political thriving in all walks of life remain a desired principle rather than the Dharmic codes; WHEN DESIRE IS THE DELIQUENT, THE DEMON SHALL DIRECT THE DISCIPL9INE OF THE DICTATED MODE. All the malais was/is for the pleasure of the few and the few in the balance who cannot toe the path get perished while the rest scratch others back to live shamelessly. The majority accusers may be as observed by APJ, but the real accusers who live like APJ has the right to vent in air as they have the axe to grind, unlike APJ, and all their contributions as required By APJ wont tilt even the mole hill out of the Mountain, as APJ was in power. THIS COMMUNITY IS CORRECT.
The reward and the punishment must not only be severe, like other countries but also enforced without any kind of intrusions, CAN IT BE ACHIEVED? One does not throw in Singapore because the punishment is unequivocal. One is afraid of the fate of Mr. Clinton which is not a case in 2G spectrum country. In India the corporal punishment is hardly 7 to 8 years for murder except the Ceylon lady and while the rapist will rape, go to jail, come back marry and liove while the raped will remain passive for 37 years. BHARATHI said "pinam thinnum chathirangal".
So the observations of the great soul is not universal for India and it’s also a kind of PAIN PROCESSED PUBLIC STATEMENT and I wish it could become true in future but not as of today.

RECEIVED EMAIL
I WOULD NEVER WANT TO BE SACHIN TENDULKAR
Remember when you failed an examination. How many people recall that,
your class, friends, relatives? You failed to make it to the IITs or
IIMs. Who remembers. How many times have you had the feeling of being
the best in your class, school , university, state….., you failed to
get a visa stamped this quarter…, you missed a promotion this year…,
how did it feel when you dad told you in your early twenties that you
are good for nothing…..and now your boss tell you the same...
You keep introspecting and go into a shell when people most of whom
don’t matter a dime in your life criticize you, back bite you, make
fun of you. You are left sad and shattered and you cry when your own
kin scoffs at you. You say I am feeling low today. It takes a lot from
us to come out of these everyday situations and move on. A lot???
really?
Now here’s a man standing on the third man boundary in the last over
of a world cup match. The bowler just has to bowl sensibly to win this
game. What the man at the boundary sees is 4 rank bad bowls bowled
without any sense of focus, planning or regret. India loses, yet again
in those circumstances when he has done just about everything right.
He does not cry. Does not show any emotion. Just keeps his head down
and leaves the field. He has seen these failures for 22 years now. And
not just his class, relatives, friends but the whole world has seen
these failures. We are too immature to even imagine what goes on in
that mind and heart of his. That’s why I would never want to be
Sachin.
True, he has single handedly lifted to moods of this entire nation
umpteen number of times. He has been an inspiration to rise above our
mediocrity. Nobody who has ever lifted the willow even comes close to
this man’s genius. His dedication and metal strength is unparallel.
This is specially for those people who would have made fun of him
again last night when India lost. They are people who are mediocre in
their own lives. Who just scoff at others to create cheap fun. Who
have lived in a small hole throughout their lives and thought they
have seen the oceans.
Think about the man himself. He is 37 years of age. He has been
playing almost non stop for 22 years. The way he was running and
diving around the field last night would have put 22 year olds to
shame. The way he played the best opening quickies in the world was
breathtaking. He just keeps getting better which is by the way humanly
impossible. Its not for nothing that people call him GOD.
But still I don’t want to be in those shoes. We struggle in keeping
our monotonous lives straight, lives which affect a limited number of
people. Imagine what would be the magnitude of the inner struggle for
him, pain both mental and physical, tears that have frozen with time,
knees and ankles and every other joint in the body that is either
bandaged or needs to be attended to every night, eyes that don’t sleep
before a big game, bats that have scored 99 international tons and
still see expectations from a billion people.
And he just converts those expectations into reality. We watch in awe,
feel privileged.
Well I think its time that his team realizes that enough is enough.
They have an obligation, not towards their country alone but towards
sachin. They need to win this one for him. Stay assured that he
himself will still deliver and leave no stone unturned to make sure
India wins this cup.
This is not just a game, and he is not just a sportsman. Its much more
than this. Words fail here.....
--- BY: HARSHA BHOGLE

MY REPLY TO THE EMAIL ABOVE (KEYAR)
Dear all
The comment of HArsha Bogle is understandable and cannot be termed as incorrect. He had justified his livelihood. However, everyone is born to do something as his karma and runs thro the occupational hazards. All actions are performed in 9 out of 10 cases ONLY FOR PECUNIARY BENEFITS. All deeds are equal and the periodic era people think that one particular thing is greater achievement even though there are so many achievements done every day without being noticed or ignored even having noticed. In king periods it was fighting, in Vedic era it was recitals, and so on so forth. Now cinema and games which were termed as "koothadigal" once. I am not undermining anything but I am not prepared to to create a superman image for things carried out for money. When I wrote in “Thendral”, USA about the eulogism on writer Sujatha (Rangarajan) there were hues and cries, but now how many are after the eulogism? They are PALESHU KATHACHANA KARMAS, it deserves to appreciate and there the matter ends. Our people including educated turn mad without reason and that’s INDIA. DO WE REMEMBER AND LAUD SIR C V RAMAN, ADISANKARA, GANDHI, VEDA VYASA, THERESA, PONDY ANNAI, RAMAKRISHNA PARAMAHAMSA? Sachin is smart but only a speck before all such. Let us appr4eciate and criticize and leave at it .
Thank u
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