End of Week Update

On Monday, I had the opportunity to attend a private screening of Badshah Khan: A Torch of Peace. This is a documentary by Terri McLuhan, an accomplished author and filmmaker and also the daughter of the legendary Canadian media theorist Marshall McLuhan, which has been 20 years in the making.

The protagonist of this documentary is Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, an apostle for peace and a seminal figure from the much troubled region of North Western Frontier Province in current day Pakistan. I highly recommend it to everyone interested in that part of the world and to those interested in peaceful resolutions to conflicts the world over. His story is perhaps more relevant today than ever before given the increased hostilities in that area.

Expect it to be released in the next 2-3 months, I will remember to post an update when it is released to the public.

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to attend a pitch for a newly constituted investment fund looking at mid-cap opportunities in India. As many folks know, India Inc. is a raring success story. However, what is often forgotten is the growth being seen in the small and mid cap companies which rarely make the headlines. For those who have the capital and may be interested, check out AmritFunds and SureFin investments. I don’t have that kind of cash, but maybe down the line ….

On Wednesday, I attended a discourse by two Canadian authors of wildly differing background who have written on and about India for decades now. The two authors are the well renowned M.G. Vassanji and Daniel Lak. They talked about their experience with India, Vassanji focusing on the trials of discovering his Indian identity while retaining his African and Canadian identities, his personal discovery of India and what India means to him while Lak talked about his interactions with India as a reporter, journalist, broadcaster and finally author.

They both addressed India’s progress and the change in how India is perceived. I must acknowledge that both were excellent storytellers skilfully including witticism and irreverence in their mostly serious discourse.

They happily entertained questions ranging from the process of being a writer to where they see India going.

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An Evening with Dr. Kalam

On Thursday, Aprill 17th I had the privilege of meeting Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam. The former President of India (2002-2007) was in town as the Chief Guest for the inaugural awards ceremony at the Canada India Foundation. Dad hosted a reception for him as is the usual protocol.

Now, this is is certainly not the first time I have met a high profile individual. I have met my fair share of politicians, movie stars, cricketers, et al. I am far from star struck and have almost never gotten photo’s snapped or asked for autographs. However, there is something immensely charismatic about Dr. Kalam. Consequently, I did get an autographed book (Wings of Fire) and some snaps.

I don’t need to list out Dr. Kalam’s achievements, they can easily be googled, but it suffices to say that he is one of the most important Indian’s post independence. His body of work is awe inspiring and his life a template for others interested in the service of their country.

In a small speech, he enunciated his vision for India which is also available here. What struck me in this small 10 minute repartee were his clearly laid out principles, the clarity of his though albeit very simplistic and lacking nuance, and his ‘mission’ attitude.

I highly recommend that others catch up on his life story, I think you might be similarly inspired.

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‘A Corner of a Foreign Field’ – A fantastic read

I have just finished reading this marvelous book by Ramachandra Guha. I know I should only be focusing my energies on the GMAT, but I find it hard to resist a good book at any time.

Back to the book. This is a marvelous effort which kept me enraptured over the last couple of days. I have not read too many books on cricket’s rich history prior to this. I certainly intend on picking up the slack over the next several months. I am hardly a gifted enough writer to author an appropriate book review for such a lucidly written and thought provoking history. But if people are interested I am happy to give it an honest attempt over the next couple of days.

For others who may be interested in these subjects (Cricket, India, Cricket History) I point you to Chandrahas Choudhury’s recommendations. In my opinion, his blog is a must read for those interested in meaningful literature and non-fiction, especially for those with interest in Indian subjects (cricket or otherwise!).

If any of you have any other suggestions on great books on cricket history, I would be happy to hear about them.

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Reservations continue to proliferate …

As many may have heard the Indian government is pondering more reservations in higher education. Needless to say this has caused an outrage amongst young Indians. I had a lengthy conversation with an old friend from Jaipur. This chap is an IIT/IIM chap and has seen first hand the ill-effects of misguided reservations. It was interesting to hear his perspective. 

There are some interesting articles I have read on this subject:

Reservations as an economic folly 

Vazu has written an angry piece on his blog on the subject as well. 

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The perils of massive urbanization

My friend Krishna has finally penned a very personal piece on the recent events in Bangalore.  Bangalore as many may know was rocked by city wide riots after the death of a widely renowned actor. Krishna delves into the deeper malaise afflicting people in Bangalore. 

For more information on this riot read Abhejit's summation .
This illustrates some of the perils that face a country such as India … which is growing at a rapid pace and yet isn't offering the same growth opportunities to all its citizens. This is something India must look at very seriously … the surprise result of the last election was a very clear example of a citizenry demanding opportunities for growth. 

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