I AND MY WORDS

For those who do not know about Sri Lanka, it is one of the world's most endangered biodiversity hotspots. Some of the greatest specie richness in the world is located in this beautiful paradise, that was ravaged by war for over three decades, till it was finally ended (worth a thought though). Efforts on reconciliation and restoration of the environment in the North of Sri Lanka are now being undertaken on a war footing. What role does biodiversity play in it? David Without Borders is a brilliant initiative started by two guys in recording efforts on biodiversity conservation, and their recent episode on Sri Lanka reconciliating through biodiversity conservation is certainly worth a watch. 07 Sri Lanka - Building peace for Sri Lanka, the power of biodiversity from David Without Borders on Vimeo . Dr. Sarath Kotagama came as a pleasant surprise. An ornithologist by profession, he is a delightful person to know. He certainly deserves an award for this initiative of his. Try and se...

Indian culture has a wonderful relationship with Bamboo. Most prominent among them must be the fact that the flute is made out of it, and the flute was played by none other than the revered Lord Krishna. However, among other things, it is a material of great commercial importance across the world. What surprises me is the way in which the media tends to ignore such critical issues of development and internal security, and how these issues are so critically interlinked. So it was great surprise for me to read that the Times of India (more appropriately the Trash of India *nudge nudge wink wink*) came out with this article that discussed in great detail the great fraud we did till recently with the marginalized people in our country over the past fifty years. What is bamboo? Most people, including scientists, say its grass. But according to the Indian Forest Department, it was a tree! Why? Here's the answer. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/its-a-grass-not-a-tree-bambo...

It is interesting to see the kind of issues that gain coverage in the Indian media, as I have often stated. What makes it interesting though is the selective screening of certain kinds of news items that could be of potential national interest. There is never a debate conducted over matters of national importance in an objective manner. One such area is the privatization of water supply systems in India. It is of no surprise to me that very few papers in India dare to discuss the issue of water supply systems being privatized in the name of reforms. The side usually taken is the one that is often quoted by proponents; it will be a panacea for all the ills that plague the current systems. Thus it is rare to come across articles on opposition to it in Karnataka, especially in cities like Mysore and Bengaluru. Moreover, the issue is being discussed about the inclusion of the private sector in Delhi as well, with the electricity distribution privatization being quoted a 'success'. ...

A scan of the media coverage of issues poses an insight into what are the hot topics of today's media. It is easy to list these issues, for they number only a few. Be it the Hindutva terror, Karnataka land deals, the CWG scam or the 2G spectrum allocation, these issues are still a rage with our media. Though it is shameful to see shameless politicians scream their lungs out saying "My corruption is less than your corruption", it is fascinating to note why issues of grave importance are either dropped quickly or are not even picked up by the Indian media. A lot of them, which I believe are the real issues India faces, are never covered by our so called 'senior' journalists, which is shameful because their voice might lend credence to the efforts of the activists, workers and government servants who are struggling on this issue for decades now. Ms. Teresa Rehman has been a revelation in that sense. An award winning journalist from Assam, she has been a strong insigh...

It is indeed not surprising that things have come out to the surface through the ‘Radiagate’ as it is now being called. As a lot of journalists who have given their opinion to the media watch dog have expressed themselves, its better late than never that all this much has finally surfaced, exposing the true journalists from people who pretend to be elite power brokers who wield their power to decide the fate of our nation. There are, however, certain things that have troubled me as an Indian for the past few days now – certain thoughts and questions that have been troubling me to the extent that it makes me worry about the future of a nation. I am currently studying outside India and having talked to people across a spectrum, I certainly reiterated something to myself – the freedom of speech has been indeed a valuable fundamental right that Indians were guaranteed. Have we used it to the best extent possible? I am young, so I cannot dwell on what I have not seen, and would rather like ...

She sat there, sketching While I was standing And people walked past Unruffled, as if pretending She sat there, a cloth laid out Held down by a few cents sitting On it with a few notes lying here and there While she remained stooped on her drawing Shriveled structure, eyes longing For the times when she was young And important, but now only a shadow When once she too was vibrant and strong Now all alone, I guess And no one to help, or offer any As we all remained aloof To her troubles and obscurity And she continued sketching While we breezed past her silently

The sun rolled by The moon looked on While we stood there Wondering what was wrong The blood of the martyrs Flowing like rivulets Thick and red, they were Going to a complete waste The spirits of the dead Kept staring at me Asking us questions silently How disappointing could you be? Our tears, our wounds, the deathly haze For what? Oh what mistake did we make? Was it for this miserable day? That kids are buried by fathers in haste? That mothers ran out of tears Crying for the missing ones And wives stare at the door Hoping they get their husband's glance That the dead would pile up in heaps While their flesh gets eaten by worms Only because no one can decide Who killed whom, and whose is the turn