Category: People

I read with much sadness about the passing away of Ravi Dayal my friend from Oxford days. I had read the many obituaries and tributes to his memory by some of his friends who had worked with him at the Oxford University Press in India and I learnt much about the many endearing qualities of…

Image of Indians changes, old prejudices die in Europe! French President Jacques Chirac put up a brave face! It was a humiliating climb down for him. French national pride was touched! The “unfriendly” takeover became suddenly “friendly” takeover! The French and Luxembourg governments suddenly had to change course and come round to accept the Indian,…

Wishing V.P.Singh a long life! V.P.Singh turned 75 and we wish the former Prime Minister a long life. Though much is made of his recent political pronouncements, and New Delhi politics now revolves around certain key personalities like Vajpayee and Sonia Gandhi, V.P.Singh makes his role for the current political scenario relevant by his recent…

Old religion, new religion, god, science How our secular beliefs are to be defined? A survey of latest intellectual  developments in various branches of sciences and knowledge Religion is still a force as well as a taboo! Religion is a subject to which every thinking person has to return one day or other.In India, religion…

Many of the great philosophers like, say Bertrand Russell and here in India Dr.S.Radhakrishnan have written much and created vast readership. I have read them in great, extensive ways. Russell is yes, quite brilliant, he wrote so clearly that won him vast readership, even today he is selling well. Karl Poppar says, in his autobiography,…

Kamaraj as  I knew him Kamaraj had played historic roles in the evolution of modern India. In Pre- Independent India he built up the Congress Party in Tamil Nadu as a strong well-knit organisation. In post-Independent India he became a role model for efficient administration. His Chief Ministership took TN to the forefront of development….

I made him speak at Oxford! Swami Rangandananda,till  now the president of the Ramakrishna Mission had passed away recently. Born  in the Kerala village of Trikkur, near Thrissur in 1908,the swami had  very impressive life, starting as a humble young boy to reach the top and emerge as a scholar, speaker and philosopher.Why I write…

Governor,West Bengal An old acquaintance! I just read the recent  convocation address of  Mr.Gopal Krishna Gandhi,the Governor of West Bengal at the University of Burdwan. It makes interesting reading and also it kindled my meories of the days past when I got to know the  current Governor  in his young age,perhaps in his teens near…