Why should Aamir Khan apologize? – Satyamev Jayate!

These days if you call a thug, “A thug”, he wants you to apologize for saying so!

So are *some* doctors now asking Aamir Khan to do so, after he aired the 4th Episode of Satyamev Jayate that focussed on the unethical practices, commercialization of health services, malpractices in the medical profession and various woes that a common man faces in Healthcare each day! It’s like unscrupulous politicians in the Parl asking apology from Team Anna for calling them thieves. Just because our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is NOT corrupt doesn’t mean all Politicians are doodh ka dhula hua! In a similar fashion, if those doctors who want an apology, think they are right at their place, why are they making a fuss about it? Just because their colleagues kept doing something for years together and now that the cat is out of the bag, they are feeling ashamed? Instead they should try cleaning the shit that has accumulated in the medical system. They say, Guilty mind is always suspicious. 

There were eminent doctors too at the show who were no less than Role Models of Medical Profession. For instance, Dr. Devi Shetty of Narayan Hrudayalaya. If you are doing “a service” then please continue to. No one is pointing a finger at you but to those, who have made Medical Profession more like a lucrative business; who admit their children into some private hospitals with a fat donation so that they could run their clinics and hence the business. Do these clinics pay taxes at all?

You are asked to do an X-ray, MRI scan, CT scan… blah blah blah…even before meeting an Orthopedist! What for? Because they say it’s the process! (Oh yea, process of overcoming the cost on the new instruments bought, & making successive profits post that!) I am subject to a demo of various medical equipments just because the screws in them might get rusted. And in the process I am charged an arm and a leg!  In Bangalore, if you visit a doctor, the 1st question they ask you is “Are you in IT industry?”, even though it has nothing to do with your profession, say you went for Flu or loose motion! They know you’ll be reimbursed as most IT companies “cover” your medical expenses.

You are seriously critical. You will be admitted in a hospital for days together (until the Hospital thinks they have got enough margins) and then you will be asked to undergo a surgery. In a worst case, you will be sent to ICU. Then you die! By then, your family would have sold themselves after almost selling the entire property with a hope that a private hospital will pay heed to your kith and kin and a life will be saved (we all know how caring Govt. hospitals are, agree some of them are too good, but time is more important to save a life than patience to wait for your turn in a queue). But you die! So, tell me do these doctors or Hospitals REIMBURSE or return a portion of the money spent by you, back to you?? You really don’t want that anymore. Because you lost someone priceless, despite putting all the money at stake. Ask me the trauma! I have lost my brother, and my beloved aunt.

In India, we don’t have any rule to do so, nor the licenses of doctors who indulge in malpractices and Gynaecs who indulge in illegal practice of Female Foeticide are cancelled. They have a UNION. They will go on a strike. Only IT Industry doesn’t. (Don’t tell me about NASSCOM, they don’t pay your treatment fees for neck pain or back pain for constant long hours at work in stress, nor do they donate sperms for your receding sperm counts)

Much has been said and done in the show. So, I wouldn’t elaborate here. Today, iff someone in your family is a Surgeon, you can breathe a sigh of relief.  I am glad that Aamir got this issue out to the public that has been plaguing Healthcare and adding up to the common man woes each day, which mainstream MEDIA never highlighted. Just because Satyamev Jayate has notched up record TRPs, so media has to do something to bring back the TRPs back to them. And in the process, relay all the NEGATIVE aspects than going to “common man” and interviewing them of their sufferings.

Thanks to the changing times, today you don’t save money for dowry, but you have to do the same for the doctor and the hospital where you might be admitted tomorrow for an unknown disease and unnecessary surgery, God forbid.

Last but not the least, an excerpt from the show,

“The practice of medicine has long been seen as a noble one. The doctor is looked upon as healer, guardian of our well-being, and someone we trust with our lives. Literally. But, does Healthcare need Healing?”

Yes, it does. If you’re good, you will COMMAND respect and be worshipped. You NEED NOT DEMAND RESPECT!  And Aamir Khan WILL NOT apologize!

Satyamev Jayate!

Finally, the episode in case you missed or aren’t sure what I am talking about.

To be an Indian…

I am an Indian. And I saw 64^th Independence Day celebrations today. The spirit and elation are aptly visible as you step out of your home to see the tricolour flags waving, that are fitted in some corners of the neighbourhood doors, cabs, auto-rickshaws, buses and kids with cycles. Although there’s this I-day fervour felt among the common man but the angry young youth is definitely not happy. Not just the rebellious youth but the educated intelligentsia who see that their country is not truly independent yet. For we are still ruled by round-headed despots who are concerned about plundering the wealth that the common man accumulates, who seldom realize what they are capable of and why they had been elected in a Democracy. But I believe it’s We-The-People who have the authority and not them. We have elected one among us. We can dethrone and we can change ourselves. We can fight for our independence by being a good citizen and a good human being.

Having said that, there are few things we still need freedom from, in this country. Because today we are a global citizen and we must pledge to act and believe truly what it really means to be a nation where Indus Valley Civilization and Harappa Culture were born. We need to understand what it really means to be an Indian. So being an Indian means:

–          To give up the lethargy of not going to the polling booth just because it is hot and sunny or there’s a huge queue out there. There’s no point in watching or making huge debates/discussions by flipping news channels in AC rooms and complaining about our politicians.

–          To stop worshiping false gods, following inane celebrities, conferring “youth icons” to false politicians & giving needless hype to useless people who‘re in the news time n again.

–          To shun the caste bigotry and jeer at every person who carries the caste supremacy and follows the caste system. If they’re your parents, you must have the courage to bring about a change in their irrational set of minds!

–          To not follow media or any source blindly, for media is prejudiced and is also bought!

–          To not stare at a woman’s bosom right when she’s looking at your face or try to be touchy-touchy in that “opportunist-crowded-bus”. It’s vulgar despo and downright unethical! (Can someone remind these set of people that, there are a similar set who’re also staring at their sisters?)

–          To not repeat the Guwahati incident, rather have some courage and BE A REAL MAN to protect the one who’s being molested, just like we would have come to the rescue of our own siblings.

–          To not throw garbage in an open area just because others are! Rather to throw it inside the bin, than just aiming at it.

–          To maintain the decorum of every queue and respect the people ahead of you and not be violent or have “getting-late” alibis just to break it.

–          To join the person who’s being a rebel against someone (even if that ‘someone’ has the physique of Tiger Ali) violating the rules deliberately because in my country laws are formulated but seldom followed.

–          To not break the traffic rules and drive on the pavements (Man! They’re made for pedestrians). But to stop your vehicles to save petrol, save environment & do a favour to the common public’s left over hairs on the bald head.

–          To not pee & salt your neighbour’s wall but shoo the ones who you see peeing in a public place in broad daylight!

I love my nation. Am happy to be an Indian. Unfortunately there’s no reason today, I can take pride on Independence Day when we’re ruled & the Nation’s flag is being hoisted by those who’re at the helm of corruption n inefficiency!!

It takes much more to be an Indian. But it doesn’t take much to be a good citizen. And it’s even easier being a good human being.

Jai Hind. Happy 64^th Independence Day. 

Real Beauty is felt, seldom seen.

Beauty is a manifestation of secret natural laws, which otherwise would have been hidden from us forever ~ Johann Wolfgang

Real beauty to me is a sensation felt with sheer delight. As the old adage goes, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”. Real beauty is precious, is prevalent among all of us but the irony is we so less often are able to identify it and for some it’s very much relative. Real Beauty commands respect, never demands.

As of today, commodification of humans have changed our perception of Beauty. When we say he/she is beautiful, it has definitely to do with someone’s physical appearance. The boom in showbiz and glamour has given a great setback to our pride of possessing melanin. A fair skin is considered beautiful by the so-called fairness creams and ads that simply boast to beat what nature has bestowed upon the not-so-fair you.

But 1^st let me elucidate a few beautiful instances/people who most of us can’t deny of their real beauty.

• Beauty is not in that hot skimpy nurse walking down to Charlie Sheen for a room service (Two and a Half Men types) but in a lady who had devoted her entire life in the service of the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying! I consider Mother Teresa beautiful.
• Beauty is not in featuring in the Top 10 Forbes list of World’s Most Powerful People, heading a leading Political Party just to eyewash the poor and stash away billions of black money in Swiss Banks but in braving alone to fight for her people to ensure calm and peace amid an Empire’s unrest! I consider Rani Lakshmi Bai beautiful.
• Beauty is not in being a glamorous star-daughter and heading to the red carpet with an ultra-expensive designer attire, posing for the cameras (None many even recognize them there) but in winning a billion hearts through their simplicity and mellifluous voice! I consider Lata Mangeskar beautiful.
• Real Beauty is in every mother who is always by the side of her son/daughter, fasts for his/her well-being even if they’re the most notorious types. Is any child on earth ‘ugly’ for his/her mother? Motherhood is real beauty!
• Real Beauty is Sunitha Krishnan who has never breathed easy as she grew up but fighting for so many helpless, trafficked women/girls to breathe easy and survive in this ruthless world. Please find some time out to watch and listen to this video (my blog may not be that important right now).

Those wannabe models, gaudy women, drowned in sheer opulence and covered by Page 3 are seldom beautiful, as others perceive with their eyes but not brains.

Some definitely are pretty. But would you call a lady out of this elite league (who would seem to have spent a fortune on her get up for one single night) to be beautiful who litters the restrooms? Who falls flat in that disco tipsy – out-of-order with liquor spilled all around? Who throws a cigar bud on the floor right in front of an astray in a public place? Or who throws a Cola can or Bisleri bottle on the road or somebody else’s yard while driving the Mercedes??

Real Beauty is never confined to a race, sex or age. It is seamless; it doesn’t have boundaries. It is perpetual. It is to be felt and rejoiced; just like the beautiful verses of Kalidasa.

Beauty is in innocence; that helping hand; that shoulder to rest upon when you are in tears; a simple smile that heals; this precious life we live each moment & the entire creation of mankind. Everything is beautiful. Life is beautiful.

A snap of the jubilant schoolgoer kids I took as I trekked down Triund to Dharamkot (Himalayas)

Beauty is relative. Real Beauty should be apparently clear. To behold real beauty, all you need is a beautiful mind.

P.S. My post is biased towards women since the Yahoo Specials on Real Beauty is powered by Dove, where as Men prefer Cinthol or Durex. 😉

(This blog-post is a part of the Indiblogger Real Beauty contest)

The phenomenon that is Anna Hazare

 

Pic Courtesy: FB fan page

Victory tastes sweet. Be it over Corruption or be it Cricket. But this is just the beginning.

I do not think I have enough depth to admire the person with balls of steel. I am simply short of adjectives to admire the courage, wit and dedication of a person towards a selfless cause i.e. an India free of Corruption.

Lest you aren’t aware, India tops list for black money in the entire world with almost US$ 1456 billion in Swiss banks. Proud to be Indian? Why not. We are #1 after all.

Needless to say about the revolutionary leader, for now you already would have had the “10 things to know about Anna Hazare” forwards floating on emails & Facebook (notes). But in case you stumbled upon this post out of the blues, Kisan Bapat Baburao Hazare‘s Wikipedia entry here.

Social Media:

Since the last couple of days, my status messages & tweets were flooded about the Jan LokPal Bill and supporting Anna Hazare’s stand against Corruption. A 73 year old man, who has dedicated all his life for the cause of the Nation, got into indefinite fasting as a means of protest to the long pending bill for 42 years and people still had problems with it. Some popular twitterers with quite a thick follower count started cracking jokes on Anna!! Some said Anna was blackmailing, some said Elections ahead in few states, few others ridiculed the bill implementation and questioned the whole ‘Civil Society’ formation. Some even questioned his timing of fasting associated to the festivals and religious practices. Couldn’t get any cheaper than this, could it be?

I do not give a hoot to what they say sitting at AC rooms, & keep cracking jokes all their lives. No twitter, they don’t have an existence, if only the fat follower count is what they are arrogant about. They can never be a part of the change nor would change themselves for a cause, can never accompany you in your fight, nor could ever give any solutions or join politics, but just ‘opinions’ and cribbing over the entire Indian political system and politicians. Hence, the ‘Chalta hai’ attitude will never continue to cease for them.

Scams:

As a person, I may not be able to do much to eradicate corruption on a mass scale but I can at least show solidarity and support an old man who is fighting selflessly for me. I do not give a damn to what is questionable. All I know is that I am tired of the scores of multi-crore scams that I cannot even count. A politician or a bureaucrat has no right to build mansions out of Tax-payer’s money, our hard-earned money! But few that I have known with my little ‘concerned’ knowledge:

Ø      CWG 2010 (80,000 Crore) – Link here

Ø      2G Spectrum Scam (1,76,000 Crore) – Link here

Ø      Adarsh Housing Society Scam – Link here

Ø      ISRO Scam –  Link here

Ø      Cash for Rally Scam 2010 – Link here

Ø      Telgi Stamp Paper Scandal 2006 (43,000 Crore) – Link here

Ø      Bofors Scandal (1980s, 40 Crore) – Link here

Electronic Media:

I am glad that the media played a great role in putting additional pressure on the GoI. Although they too sell, & you will find some Pro-GoI, and some Anti, but the role of media, as said by a journalist friend, should be, in most cases, Anti-GoI.

One thing I would not approve of still, which I opine personally is that the people/media are comparing Anna Hazare to an eminent personality in the history of Indian Independence struggle and politics. Anna follows Gandhian principles, true. But the formulator of this principle, was allegedly, not Gandhian himself. Is it acceptable for a person who preaches “Boora Mat Dekho” (See no evil) could allegedly sleep naked with two nude women beside him & join them in the shower just to test this chastity as a part of his experiments with truth?

IPL:

One more noticeable move was to ask people to boycott IPL etc. But why force or persuade them? Solidarity doesn’t mean oppression. They are passionate about a commercial sport and life means fun to them. If they can’t feel the pangs of corruption, you cannot compel them to join the bandwagon of which they have been making fun of.

We are a billion strong force. We are good enough to show our collective strength and no one can divide us from this unity.

Personal Effort:

Last but not the least, as a part of supporting the cause and not just shouting on Facebook, I joined the mass for candle light vigils, shouting out slogans and displaying anti-corruption placards for hours together at Freedom Park, Bangalore. (Pic below)

At 6pm, in the evening (Friday, Apr 8th), Freedom Park, Bangalore - In support of a true fighter Anna Hazare against Corruption. Followed by candle light vigil, shouting slogans until a sored throat n back home at 10pm to find we're heard n we're victorious! Lets hear it for the leader!

 

Hats off to the leader who has not only gotten a solution and worked selflessly towards it but now is steadfast at getting it passed in the Parliament without giving chances to the Govt. to keep it pending any further.  The fight continues…

“I have to ensure that the bill passes in Parliament” – Anna Hazare

I am the common man, and this write-up is straight from the heart.

P.S. A brilliant post on Anna Hazare and all this stir –  http://j.mp/fkfWmM . And a message (video) right from the man – http://youtu.be/yxksAURdwTI

Do we really wish to save the tigers?

17^th Feb., 2009

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright,
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry? – William Blake

I am an Indian. And I am one among a billion+ people who instead have 2 billion issues… national, social, personal, professional …the list would barely end. But as an individual, as a citizen, as a social being, I am bruised time and again with two major issues amongst the entire lot in the Pandora’s box:

The Two T’s: Terroristsand Tigers.

While I would like to have a boon to be alive to see the former “T” get exterminated from this soil, but, under no circumstance, can even think of seeing the human race extinct without the latter, our Tigers, our National Animal.

Deeply traumatized with the dwindling figures of the Tiger Population in India, I ,with despair and angst, amid little yet a strong faith started a Community by the-then popular social networking site ‘Orkut’ in India à Save Our Tigers, dated way back in April, 2006.

Here goes the ‘Description’:

When a man wants to murder a tiger he calls it sport; when a tiger wants to murder him he calls it ferocity.
–George Bernard Shaw

In the 1970’s we came dangerously close to losing forever one of the world most magnificent creatures. Poaching, deforestation, and human expansion brought all species of tiger to the brink of extinction. Indeed, over the past century, 3 of the 8 sub-species that existed became extinct; the Caspian, Javan and Balinese tigers. Today, we are by no means out of the woods. All remaining sub-species of tiger are endangered, making the tiger species as a whole nearly extinct.
Friends lets take a vow to save our tigers for if they stay on earth, we stay on earth
Its always “THE POWER OF ONE…….”

Yet, the figures did not stop deteriorating. Then Sariska, now Ranthambore …soon we’ll have Tiger sanctuaries sans Tigers, just for the namesake. And the entire mishap just could not be averted even with all the Forest Officials, guards, wildlife funds and prohibited areas just in place!

From around 40,000 at the turn of the last century, Today, 1411 left! And we are shouting loud, simply roaring, for the ‘real roars’ have fallen apart, have subdued cuz we live in the world of technology and we make the best/worst use of it’s sophistications (machines/weapons)  against the Mightiest of the jungle to prove that he is mistaken. And now, we are yelling to save the 1411 just left. How ridiculous. I can even count them!

Needless to speak further on my agony, rather I elucidate sundry ways we can actually get the masses conscious and spread the word.

Hereis a small article from the NDTV signature campaign on the ways to save our national animal. Lest you failed to see the webpage, I would take pleasure in listing them down again.

• Support environmental educational centers, wildlife sanctuaries and zoos in their mission to preserve and protect our treasured wildlife.

• Illegal trade in tiger parts needs to be stopped. Avoid tiger bone handicrafts [ban the high fashion Tibet styles], medicines and other tiger products to save the tiger. [It is pretty sad that people are still driven with myths that by consuming dried Tiger Penishad magical cures to improve Male    Stamina like Viagra, and even lead to a Larger Penis.]

• The more aware you are of the status of tiger, the more effective you will be in helping to save it. You can stay informed through magazines, internet, current journals and the media.

• Take action and create awareness. Organize an event that educates the public about tigers.

• Start petitions by telling people about the tiger and how they are an endangered species. Ask them if they are willing to sign a piece of paper giving their name and country as well. Remember the more people sign, the more impact a petition makes.

• Join a letter-writing campaign in order create awareness about the tiger’s plight.

• Collect or send your own donations to Tiger conservation organizations.

• Start your own Tiger Club. Read books, share facts, hold an art competition, watch documentaries or organize a chat with wildlife experts.

There’s something I would like to add apart from the above, we would need to sensitize the villagers and the locals who stay real close by to the forests or the sanctuaries so that they aren’t really lured by the false lucre.

Last but not the least, posting this with a hope that it reaches the elite and the stinking rich who love to embellish themselves with the endangered species’, and also with a hope that it reaches the remotest village where the “kingpin” of the poachers would just catch this blog-post flashing on his laptop screen. At least, he gets a sense of realization that he should save some for his son/daughter to play with and not just show pictures of DADDY’s misplaced bravado!!!

Save a tiger. Be a Tiger!