Friday, May 26, 2006

Musical note

Music and India seem to be like two words that are analogous. History stands testimony to this. Even now we pick up Tansen's instance to compare one's versatality and the prowess in music.

Zoom in on Bollywood music history, names of S D Burman, Mohammad Rafi, Naushad, Majruh Sultanpuri, Kishore, Geeta Dutt, Asha and R D Burman still make India pride, whether it is in composing music or lending a lilting voice to soothe the huge audience.

Fast forward to 21st century. Things haven't changed much, except that new talents are finding place on the dais.

The flurry of singers flourishing across the country shows that music is a talent that is aplenty. Thanks to the talent hunt shows. Yes, they might be interested in business, but it is undeniable that youngsters from corners of India get the opportunity to stage their talent. And, also can shoot to fame in few days, with a huge fan following. Their lives too change for a few days __ from designer clothes to prying cameras capturing every moment of their life giving them a brief taste of stardom. The stars in the making even get the chance to work with their chahida music directors too.

From well known Sunidhi Chauhan to newly found star Abhijeet Sawant, the list is neverending when it comes to the young singers who are ruling the music world.

Talents are bugeoning in the Bollywood industry and soon there will be a whole new group of stars who can add a new horizon in this arena. Is India ready for it?

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Quota cauldron

The neverending quota stir is going too far. It will be wrong to say that OBCs and the SC/STs will be able to enjoy the fruits of the bill, if it is passed. And it's unjustified to assume that merit will be sacrificed because of this vote bank politics, as the AIIMS student are claiming.

The reality is a little different.

The 25 pc reservation for the AIIMS students in P-G admission and the 33 pc quota for them is unconstitutional, according to the Supreme Court of India (2001 judgment). The Delhi High Court has found out in a survey that the 33 pc quota for these students has been statistically made so that they can occupy all the 40 seats reserved for them.

The Delhi High Court has come up with new statistics after the five-year-long survey, which shows that the AIIMS in-house students are rather the privileged ones.

In the 1996 P-G admission, it has been seen that an AIIMS students scoring 46. 167 pc (which is the lowest according to AIIMS standard) got admission , while an SC student even though got admission was denied the coveted courses of obstetrics and gynaecology. Evenmore, 12 AIIMS studenst got admission while an SC student, who scored 66.3 pc, was denied a chance.

The SC has agreed with the High Court verdict that institututional quota is bad in law.

Then whose merit is sacrificed?

(Inputs from TOI story : AIIMS docs live in glass houses)

Thursday, May 04, 2006

My hostel

Three years. That's the time I have spent in my hostel. It's time to wind up from here. The hostel owner is all set to hike the rent, which is a bit too much for me right now. It was the terrace room first. Had fun out there. Perfectly owner's pride and neighbour's envy. As if we not only owned the room but also the terrace. The schorching days of summer were never so bad, as the pleasant nights used to compensate. It was nice bathing in the sun, when winter came. The crushing sound of the fighter planes used to wake me up at nights. But, I enjoyed. But, our good time ended after a theft. We left the room and occupied one of the not-so-good rooms in ground floor. But, my classmates were around. I never realised the change. After few months my room mate and I were the only ones in our batch left in the hostel. Others left. New batch came and then the next. Fresh new faces reminded of my old friends. Now, probably I am too old here. Time to say bye to my good old hostel.

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Pramod Mahajan dies. After being pumped with bullets, he had been hospitalised in Hinduja since April 22. His family was shocked, so was the BJP. But, death does not end the affair there. Now the TV channels and newspapers will start flashing the breaking news and TRP ratings will shoot like anything. Everyone in the office is glued to the TV. Each and everyone is throwing opinions about how good a politician he was. But, there are so many people dying everyday, does anybody report or care? But Mahajan makes news. So his death is important.