Sant Shri Asaramji, endearingly called ‘Bapu’, gave me some of his precious moments the other day at the Rajokri Ashram in Delhi, just ahead of a pious dissertation coinciding with the inauguration of a commune in Canada.

Just two months back, I had a one-to-one session with Bapu, when he refused to ‘keep’ a white envelope (containing some offerings from me), saying: “Nahin, nahin. Issey apney paas hi rakho“, as if he was acquainted with the fact that I did not have adequate source of income. Quickly, realising that I might be disenchanted, as my offerings had not been ‘accepted’, Bapu said: “Samjho mainey le liya. Tumhey iskee jyaada jaroorat hai“. I was dumbfounded. 

This time, however, my interaction with Bapu was different. It was like chalk and cheese, with lots of media noise and hullabaloo surrounding him, following the death of four children in quick succession at two separate institutions run by him in Ahmedabad and Chhindwara.

It was totally a different session with Sant Shri Asaramji Bapu whose advent, I feel, was a historical necessity.

Though Bapu’s works - mainly spiritual, moral and social - have greatly benefitted the media as well, yet a section of the media, as I found, was engaging itself in mindless mudslinging at him. Mindless? Yes, mindless because the allegations, on the face of it, appear to be totally false, fictitious and vexatious. How could you link Bapu with the deaths of the children? And that too without any basis. Ooooh!!! Freedom of press does not mean freedom of purse. Who is funding such a malicious campaign?

Myself a media man, I feel ashamed to be part of such a fraternity that totally ignored the basic tenets of journalism – both newspaper and television - while reporting on the Aarushi murder very recently. And, as if it was not enough, it is now malafidely taunting Bapu as a criminal; while Bapu, all these times, has been taking all and sundry to a spiritual journey. Whomsoever I encounter, admit that he has experienced a change in his attitude towards life and has gained a new self-confidence, inner peace, equanimity and freedom from stress after being associated with Bapu. No exceptions. Even the father of one of the deceased, whom I met later on, did not seem to nurse any grudge or ill-feeling against Bapu or the organisations run by him.

Bapu is a phenomenon, an observable fact, a movement and I am sure truth shall prevail. His discourses are interspersed with bhajan, kirtan, stories based on scriptures like Srimad Bhagvat Geeta, Upanishads, instances taken from day to day life, Vedanta explained in simple words, tips on natural healthy living, yoga and other jewels of wisdom. Why paint him like this?

Probably, many see Bapu as their rival and appear desperate for an opportunity for themselves in the deaths of innocent children. Shame on them and shame on the section of the media as well which deliberately did not care for the sentiments of the people while presenting totally biased views and one-sided versions of the stories revolving around Sant Shri Asaramji Bapu and his Ashram, without any objectivity.

The mysterious deaths of the children are no doubt serious. So was the death of Aarushi. Remember how the media handled the Aarushi murder!!! Her father, at the very outset, was projected as her killer and was even sent to jail. As a result, father-daughter relationship tumbled at every home. This time, the media is branding Sant Shri Asaramji Bapu as a tantrik and even holding him responsible for the death of four innocent boys. Will now the age-old guru-shishya tradition cave in? This cannot be allowed.

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Copyright © 2008  Neeraj Bhushan.  All Rights Reserved. 

Please feel free to post your comments. Alternatively, you may also send emails at neerajbhushansingh@hotmail.com and share your concerns or ideas with me. I always take the opportunity to read all and reply to everything. Did you like this blog? You may send me your comments / suggestions.

Applying to U.S. Universities

Students desirous of studying in the US have something to cheer.

A California-based website app2us.com is providing personalised guidance for reaching to the US Universities. And they are doing it for free. There is no hidden cost even. I have checked it. 

app2us.com is helping students in test preparation, university selection, finding sources of funding, and even deciding on multiple admission offers.

According to its Vice President Ms Harshita, app2us.com is a self-funded venture by a group of IIT-graduates who believe in giving back to the society. ”Hence this website, which is aimed at fulfilling the need of students to get help in applying to US Universities, and get the help free of cost,” she says, claiming that app2us.com has already helped over 500 students in the past one year. “The users of the site are headed to the top US Universities like Carnegie Mellon University, Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, and George Washington University in the fall of 2008.”

Hang on! The site also features a blog at www.app2us.com/blog, which is leading the ongoing vote at the 2008 Blogger’s Choice Award, as the best blog in the world in the Education category.

One is beautiful, the other vivacious. One is 26, the other 28. When one talks, the other beams. They are two wonderful, yet timid, photo-travellers from Russia – Vera and Tatiana. 

Together, they have been capturing the essence of life and beauty of nature from Ladakh to Orissa for over nine months now. “We are privileged to see the real India, something we always wanted to,” says Vera Adler, the younger of the two; with her friend Tatiana Makarenko joining her quickly: “We feel so energized having seen and captured some very great moments.” 

Smiling, as found in all their pix posted on Vera’s Russian website and Tatiana’s Russian website, they are holding a photo exhibition at the Press Club of India, New Delhi. They welcome you with ‘Namaste’ if greeted and leave you mesmerized with their brilliant work. The exposition ‘India – My Love’ is worth recommending. I bet you will be tempted to buy many of their works, priced very fairly. “Even this Rs.500 means so much for us,” they concede. 

“Why India?” I put to them through separate e-mails, after appreciating their lens work earlier in the day. “Because, it is a sacred country and the finest example of unity in diversity,” said Vera. “We have experienced it, we are experiencing a new India everyday.” Tanya qualified her statements: “Oh! I have fallen in love with India. It’s a great land. No picture album would be enough to capture its beauty. Our exhibition is an attempt to showcase the “Incredible India” as seen through our lens”.  

After seeing the natural beauty featured on their work, I am sure, your mind will be travelling from Ladakh to Orissa, and you will discuss what needs to be done for promotion of their travel photos.

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Copyright © 2008  Neeraj Bhushan.  All Rights Reserved. 

Please feel free to post your comments. Alternatively, you may also send emails at neerajbhushansingh@hotmail.com and share your concerns or ideas with me. I always take the opportunity to read all and reply to everything. Did you like this blog? Send me your comments, suggestions, etc. please.

Jaya Jaitley, a former politician, is a hothead activist. As a pioneer of the handicrafts movement in India, her most enduring contribution to the national capital is ‘Dilli Haat’ and now she has aptly taken up a new task… from craft revival to magazine revival.

‘the OtherSide’, as the monthly is called, is now in the hands of Jaya who has to find a devoted readership while brandishing socialist thought and action, which tasks come to her a decade after the journal had stopped publication. She is the new Editor, Publisher and Printer with former Defence Minister George Fernandes being the chairman of the editorial board and also her USP.

The journal aims to be part of people’s struggle in India. “At the same time, it is involved in the search for new ideas to illumine humanity’s path towards a more purposeful and rewarding life,” it declares. It is willing to accept ideas and contributions from all ideologies that promote equality in society.

Uncompromising as Jaya is, I will wait for ‘the OtherSide’ to establish as a forceful and indispensable monthly diary to be personally overseen by her. “I personally design the layout and select the colours every month to prove that being political does not mean dull. This alone should attract readers,” she says, adding “I handle most of the work which is very satisfying and challenging.”

I therefore expect this scion of the famous Chittur family of Sir C. Sankaran Nair and Miss Miranda House 1962 to rise from her present position and work attentively to win for herself an image that she has longed for and which she rightly deserves. For that, I don’t need to pamper her to either look into the mirror or walk dawn the memory lane. I also don’t need to tell her that she combines in her the best of several veterans – be it cultural czarina Pupul Jayakar or the legendary Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, who besides being a member of the Congress Socialist Party and a Gandhian did immensely to uplift handloom and handicrafts sectors and performing arts.

I know she writes well. I know she has been an invaluable Indian soldier. I know ‘the OtherSide’ will do very well under her leadership, given her urbane articulation and capacity to run organizations. What I don’t know is Jaya’s other side. I don’t know if she correctly remembers the lessons her ICS father taught her during his foreign assignments in Tokyo, Rangoon, Brussels and England. I don’t have any clue about her college days at Miranda House in Delhi in late 60’s and in Smith College in Mass. USA. I also don’t know why is she not inclined to lead India. May be she needs unquestioned nationwide respect. Do George and his men understand that!

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Copyright © 2008  Neeraj Bhushan.  All Rights Reserved. 

Please feel free to post your comments. Alternatively, you may also send emails at neerajbhushansingh@hotmail.com and share your concerns or ideas with me. I always take the opportunity to read all and reply to everything. Did you like this blog? Send me your comments, suggestions, etc. please.

Kanwar Pal Singh Gill, an author, sports administrator, supercop, superman, Made-in-India-Rambo, or KPS Gill, a wanton killer, megalomaniac, bloody butcher, cold blooded criminal, Made-in-India-Hitler. His tenure as chief of Punjab Police and Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), two different terms, has earned him several sobriquets. 

So call him, what you may, but there is something about this man which stands him apart, way apart. 

One look at him, and you would know what I am talking about. He comes across like an automaton with his face, eyes and voice registering no emotion. To boot, he does not talk. And if he does, he is animated and cant be reasoned with. Or reasoned out. When asked about the debacle of the hockey team once, he famously snapped, “the team has lost. I have not.” 

I have always felt that he worked on his images. Both. He always wished to be powerful rather than charming, feared rather than loved which created a twin persona. And, as Bertrand Russle said, to this type belong many lunatics and most of the great men of history. 

Somebody, widely credited with winning the battle against terrorism in Punjab in nineties putting the fear up the terrorists with his carrot and assassination policy, cannot one day be imagined of talking of authority without responsibility like he is often accused of doing in his 14-year IHF term. And yes, he is the same man, who is alternatively accused of extrajudicial executions and praised for dedicating his post retirement years to the cause of hockey, which before him, or ever before, was in shambles. 

A section of the Sikh community condemned Gill as a “khakiwala gunda” whereas people like Khushwant Singh called him the saviour of  Sikhs in Punjab. Human rights activist J S Khalra, who died a few years back, accused Gill of the genocide of more than 2,000 innocent people in the name of anti-terrorist operations in Punjab. Forces under him have always been accused of having adopted excessive measures during the insurgency in the state, killing many thousands in staged shootouts and cremating or disposing off their bodies without proper identification or post-mortem. 

All said and done, he has been recently appointed as a consultant by the Chhatisgarh government to help tackle the Naxalite movement in the state, looks after the Institute for Conflict Management, edits a magazine called “Faultlines”, gives secret consultancy to a few neighbouring countries in their anti-insurgency missions, and heads, yes, very much heads the Indian Hockey Federation. Still. After his April 28’s so-announced sacking by Indian Olympic Association (IOA). Something like Bush sacking the Indian leadership. 

There is no clause in the Constitution of IOA which gives it the power to dissolve any sports body or sack its President, even in most unusual situations. The most IOA could do was to send a show cause notice to IHF asking for an explanation on poor performance of its players or on the cash-for-selection episode, which it never cared to send. In the event of a show cause sent and even rejected by IOA, the utmost the supreme sport body could do was to de-affiliate IHF from IOA, and that too only under the following conditions:

(1) If IHF repeatedly refused to follow IOA directives;
(2) If IHF failed to hold elections after office-bearers’ tenures ran out; or
(3) If IHF failed to present its annual audited accounts, annual report or list of office-bearers. 

Clearly, IHF has not violated any of these conditions. But I was both shocked and amused when almost all newspapers and tv channels reported that Gill was sacked and a new president had taken over IHF. If Gill brought shame to hockey, our sports journalists brought shame to reporting. If that was not sports, this was not sports reporting. 

My only concern now is why Gill is silent after this blackwash. To assert his position of power, three days back he did release his list of players for Azlan Shah tournament starting this week in Malaysia, but I am sure there is more to come. I, for one, am confident that the proverbial crouching tiger, hidden dragon will emerge, roar, spew venom. One more time. For the simple reason that he cant lie low. 

C’mmon, KPS, Chak De. Hockey needs a new life. And there’s hope, for as former star forward Mohammed Shahid once said on his debacle, “maut ke baad bhi zindagi hoti hai.”

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Copyright © 2008  Neeraj Bhushan.  All Rights Reserved. 

Please feel free to post your comments. Alternatively, you may also send emails at neerajbhushansingh@hotmail.com and share your concerns or ideas with me. I always take the opportunity to read all and reply to everything. Did you like this blog? Send me your comments, suggestions, etc. please. 

I get numerous feeds on the brand of journalism today’s editors are known for. Some even question the role of the editors from furthering public interest to serving private interest.

“Aren’t the business houses the real owners of the media? …  … Haven’t some newspaper owners become Members of Parliament?” These questions are prominently put to me, which I find difficult to counter.

It is not a secret that there are businessmen who themselves have become editors? And having become such, they do not bother for anything. Why would they? They too have right to enjoy ‘freedom of expression’! And they are enjoying ‘freedom of expression’ very well, sometimes at the cost of hardcore journalists.

Commenting more on this would dishearten you and dispel all kinds of illusions regarding media. However, one thing is clear – today’s editors enjoy freedom only at the pleasure of their owners.

A typical case in example is M J Akbar, fondly known among his friends and colleagues as MJ.

MJ, a veteran journalist, editor, columnist and author was recently eased out of Deccan Chronicle / The Asian Age newspapers. There, he was Editor-in-Chief until he was overtaken by a flurry of messages on his Blackberry asking him to check his newspaper’s masthead: his name had gone missing overnight, replaced with that of T. Venkatt Ram Reddy, the publisher.

Indeed, things could not go well between MJ and his Chairman T Venkattram Reddy and his name went missing from the newspapers’ March 2, 2008 printline. But, MJ’s exit has a lot to do with the Congress party which wanted him out of The Asian Age and Deccan Chronicle.

This is what MJ wrote in his farewell note to colleagues: “For reasons that need not detain us, I must say farewell. I was under the impression that I might have been able to do so with more grace; I did want to travel to all the offices and spend a convivial evening with everyone; and in Delhi I did want to call everyone over. But, judging from this morning’s edition ( March 2, 2008 ) of our paper, it seems I might have already overstayed my welcome. You have all been family. Many of you were young men and women when we began this long, difficult journey together, a journey during which we gave so much blood and sweat, during which we often faced hopelessness and never surrendered to despair. Now you are 10 and 15 years older….

“Take care, God bless and remember that what we achieved together made media history. I began working in the South when our circulation was perhaps 60,000 copies; and then we created a new template with the Asian Age. Today, we have a combined circulation of over a million copies, according to ABC. This is a triumph for our family of journalists. We may not have been the biggest, but we held our head high because there was one non-negotiable asset in our family: we could not be bought. We were independent. We were free. We held our head high. Never let your head stoop, not as long as you are a journalist. As ever, MJ”

Later, when Khaleej Times asked MJ if he now joins a list of illustrious editors shown the door rather unceremoniously, he quipped: “I have always wondered what a ‘ceremonious’ exit is like!”

The long list of fine editors who have been unceremoniously shown the door by publishers includes Arun Shourie, Dileep Padgaonkar and Vinod Mehta.

Now MJ is understood to have floated his own company MJP Media which is launching a political fortnightly ‘COVERT’.

Well, MJ always stood for investigative journalism. And I expect him to use his new venture as a weapon to expose the murky side of our media as well. Do it first MJ. And do it fast.

And remember. Do not get so close to any political party or a politician as you were to Rajiv Gandhi, who got you elected to Lok Sabha. Now, even as an owner of a publication, be a journalist first. Good Luck. 

I studied at a military school, Sainik School to be precise, where I had an option to watch at least three movies a week. Still, I preferred watching movies while on a vacation to my native place.

During one such break in 1983, I had seen ‘Andha Kanoon’ - starring Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini and Rajnikanth, and I vividly remember my excitement when, on return to the barracks, a teacher had asked if anyone had seen the movie during the holidays.

“Yes Sir,” I had raised my hand brilliantly, without realising the trick Mr. Sudhir had in mind.

“Good. Then tell us who is the ‘hero’ in the film!”

“Amitabh Bachchan,” I had given a flash answer.

“No$$$$$. It is  Rajnikanth fool,” Mr. Sudhir had retorted. And I stood corrected.

I had realised my mistake. But then, I had also realised, then and there, that Amitabh Bachchan was no longer the only ‘hero’ in the Indian film industry. Rajnikanth had made an impressive entry. The realisation got reinforced when my brother Pankaj, then posted at the Bangalore Air Force Station, wrote to me detailing how great an icon Rajnikanth was, down in the South.

I was impressed by the new ‘hero’. I am impressed still. And can I thank my friends - Suresh and Rajan - enough for gifting me the DVD of Rajnikanth’s 2007 release “Sivaji - the Boss”- the most expensive Indian film at the time of its release! It was superstar’s 100th Tamil film for which he got Rs.20 crore.

I am given to understand that the world watched the movie one and only for Rajnikanth’s performance and style.

And these days, members of a social networking website are mass forwarding a brief CV of the most influential and bankable movie star. Here it goes:

“You want to know who is Rajanikanth. …here are the facts…lesser known facts. Rajanikanth makes onions cry. Rajanikanth can delete the Recycle Bin.Ghosts are actually caused by Rajanikanth killing people faster than Death can process them.

Rajanikanth can build a snowman….. out of rain.

Rajanikanth can strangle you with a cordless phone.

Rajanikanth can drown a fish.

When Rajanikanth enters a room, he doesn’t turn the lights on,……… …. he turns the dark off.

When Rajanikanth looks in a mirror the mirror shatters, because not even glass is stupid enough to get in between Rajanikanth and Rajanikanth.

Brett Favre can throw a football over 50 yards. Rajanikanth can throw Brett Favre even further.

The last digit of pi is Rajanikanth. He is the end of all things.

Rajanikanth does not know where you live, but he knows where you will die.

Bullets dodge Rajanikanth.

A Handicap parking sign does not signify that this spot is for handicapped people. It is actually in fact a warning, that the spot belongs to Rajanikanth and that you will be handicapped if you park there.

Rajanikanth’ calendar goes straight from March 31st to April 2nd, no one fools Rajanikanth.

If you spell Rajanikanth wrong on Google it doesn’t say, “Did you mean Rajanikanth? ” It simply replies, “Run while you still have the chance.”

Rajanikanth can do a wheelie on a unicycle.

Once a cobra bit Rajanikanth’ leg. After five days of excruciating pain, the cobra died.

When Rajanikanth gives you the finger, he’s telling you how many seconds you have left to live.

Rajanikanth can kill two stones with one bird.

Rajanikanth was once on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and was the first to spin. The next 29 minutes of the show consisted of everyone standing around awkwardly, waiting for the wheel to stop.

Leading hand sanitizers claim they can kill 99.9 percent of germs. Rajanikanth can kill 100 percent of whatever he wants.”

   Here is the year-wise compilation of Bollywood movies I consider best. You are, however, free to suggest your preferences and I promise to include them in the list.

Friends, though I have made all efforts to track their year of releases, yet there may be some inadequacies which may be pointed out.

Till then … read the list, buy CDs, see them and N-joy…

note: List updated on 15.03.2008, based upon comments (both published and withheld, on request). More changes/updating on the anvil. Please keep suggesting. Cheers!!!

 PROUD TO BE A BIHARI 

Much happened in Mumbai and its surroundings in the recent past, when my friends from Bihar were subjected to unprovoked wrath from some quarter. I had, however, preferred silence. But, the following mail from a colleague – Nidhi – has been stimulating me from fairly some time:

“Two movies, based on same topic, slotted to be released back to back but slated against each other? Watching a special report on two movies ‘Aamchi Mumbai’ and ‘Bhola Bajrangi’ on Headlines Today was shocking. It was shocking to see how the film industry can take on a sensitive topic under such tense situation, over which politicians have already created mayhem in Maharashtra.

“This is what producer-actor of Aamchi Mumbai has to say, “We welcome people from all the states, they should embrace the Maharashtra culture but please do not snatch meal from the ‘bhumi-putras’ (read Mumbaikars…born only in Maharashtra).”

“The statement is contradicting itself. And the irony? The release of the movie has been banned in Mumbai as the court feels that it may create a law & order problem in the ‘melting pot’ of India; while the director of Bhola Bajrangi (with lead actor Ravi Kishen) sits calmly clinching to his diplomatic answers wondering how Bihariaits (he chose to say that!) or Upiaits respect Mumbai as their karma-bhumi. The only question is where are we going to draw the line? What is the meaning of staying and mingling with the Maharashtra culture but being not allowed to work?”

Well, Nidhi, I am still undecided if I should join issues with the likes of Raj Thackeray. However, I would certainly say for the moment that I am proud to be a Bihari, proud to be an Indian.

Note for my friends: ‘Web Log updated on 12.03.2008′

COOL BIHARI 

A click on the address www.coolbihari.blogspot.com is sure to open many eyes. Excerpts:  

“Reality struck us when few days back news channels showed the shocking acts of cowardice on the streets of Maharashtra.

“People from Bihar and other parts of north India were brutally attacked, roughed up and forced to leave Maharashtra on the call of the local politicians and goons in the name of regional pride.

“The State and Central Govt. were reduced to mute spectators and the nation could not be made aware of the gravity of the issue because of inappropriate media coverage.

“Our friend Nitin Chandra has now come up with a documentary to highlight the plight and shows as to how the Maharashtra incidents has forced us to rethink about our identity.

“This is not an issue limited to Bihar. This threatens the existence of our great country. We need to rise above region and state to have an objective assessment of this grave crisis of regional identity.”

LIVING WELL IS THE BEST REVENGE 

Writing in ”coolbihari” Group, another friend Pandey Nitish Kr. Sahay writes: “I want to see Bihar - at the glory, that I have never seen before in my lifetime. No IIT/IIMs, no good private medical/ engineering colleges, still Biharis contribute most doctors and engineers in the country. No green revolution here, still the best rice comes from Bihar.

“I refuse to be treated as a second-rated citizen in my free India. I refuse to be victimised by circumstances and vested interests. I want Bihar and fellow Biharis to be given the equal (level) playing fields.

“For me, Bihar is not just a piece of land where I was born.  It’s a realisation; it’s more than a piece of land; it is the collective aspiration of millions of people; it is a thought process; it is a culture; it is a sense of pride; it is the capability of leading India and the world, which has been so far, oppressed by vested interests.”

True, as my friends from Bihar say, “We should always follow logic and believe that Living Well Is The Best Revenge. You Don’t Have To Be A Pig To Fight A Pig.”

Lal Salaam Bihar.