Congrats To French Authorities For Gunning Down Abdelhamid Abaaoud

Hearty congrats to French police and security personnel for their success in finding out and then gunning down Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the blood sucking vampire who reportedly played the main role in orchestrating the terror attack in Paris.

While the trauma suffered by the families of Paris attack victims is irreparable, this development will undoubtedly offer some relief for their pain.

Now it is time for all of us, irrespective of our religious/ethnic/national backgrounds, to join hands and offer all sorts of moral support to all the entities and powers which are fighting day in and day out to wipe out the devils of ISIS and Al Qaeda from their areas of stronghold, through various means like air strikes. It is not the right time to evaluate the US led air strikes on the ISIS and Al Qaeda strongholds of Middle East in the context of ethics, principle and values. We will get enough time to have those intellectual discussions if the civilized world survives the threat it faces from these radical Muslim organizations. First we should focus on this survival.

Now let the world unite and offer devastating blow to all those scoundrels who are inflicting injuries to the human society (including people from the same religion that these terrorists claim to champion), thus bringing extreme embarrassment for the innocent followers of one of the oldest religions of the world.

The wolves of ISIS and Al Qaeda are so obsessed with bloodshed. OK, let’s not disappoint them. For long they have bathed in the blood of human beings. Now let them bath in the blood of wolves, i.e. the blood of their own. 

KV Gautam: The Best Motivational Speaker in New Delhi

Recently I got to attend a corporate event organized by a large FMGC firm in New Delhi.  I expected the usual boring corporate lectures. However, I was blown away by the experience. The key event was a motivational speech by KV Gautam. He impressed me very much by his motivational talk.

The motivational talk by KV Gautam lasted for 1 hour. He talked about the importance of staying positive in tough times. He also talked about the importance of bonding and trust in a team. No need to say the audience was spell-bound. Gautam spoke with conviction and motivated people present there. He also narrated a couple of events from his own life which made the talk even more interesting. He received a standing ovation at the end. I have heard several motivational talks. But this was the best.

I also came to know that Gautam is also going to deliver a talk at TED event this year. I came to know this on his website http://www.motivationalspeakergautam.com

India's Forex Reserves Cross $300 Billion Mark

It is a good news that India's foreign exchange reserves have witnessed a jump of a staggering $5 billion, with the total reserves now crossing $300 billion. 

It may be noted that it is after 2 years that India's forex (foreign exchange) reserves have reached this level. Last time they touched this $300 billion plus mark was way back in December 2011. 

Two main factors to which this achievement has been attributed are - a.) selling og the Indian govt's 9 per cent stake in Axis Bank, and b.) buyback of forex that were given to oil companies in 2012. 

Now let's hope that we are able to make an effective use of this kitty.

WHO Declares India To Be Polio Free

It is really so heartening that World Health Organization (WHO) has declared India and 10 other Asian countries to be Polio free. This recognition comes after a long phase of hard work, with the countries concerned deserving a huge applause.

The other Asian countries that received this long cherished recognition include Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

It may be noted that now virtually all the countries from the Indian Sub Continent have officially become polio free, with only two countries from that region that still await that achievement are Pakistan and Afghanistan. 

The Occasionally Populist Stand Taken By The Indian Media

I mean no offence. But I feel (I may be wrong) that our media (both national and regional) sometimes behaves like a cheap politician. While covering a sensational issue it first tries to guess the popular view on the same, and then covers that issue exactly in the way people want it to be covered, telling readers/audience exactly those things which are in sync with their view. And the media does not mind toeing the popular view even if that dilutes the neutrality and even accuracy of the news coverage.

Our media must always remember that it is supposed to educate and enlighten people, rather than behaving like a grocery store aimed at supplying people exactly what they demand.

Nevertheless, at the end of the day I perceive our media as one of the best in the world, and carry huge respect for certain publications, TV channels and online news portals, which I consider to be really high class (if not world class).

Sikkim Declared "The best region to visit in 2014" by "Lonely Planet"

It was thrilling to know that Sikkim - the picturesque north eastern state of India - has been declared "The best region to visit in 2014" by "Lonely Planet", the prominent global travel guide followed by travel enthusiasts across the world.

Sikkim is fortunate to be blessed with a heavenly beauty (like many other states and regions of India). But tapping that beauty in a smart and innovative manner is a different thing, which requires passion, imagination and dedication. The Sikkim Govt has done it successfully, and it deserves hearty congrats from everybody. This honour has come as a result of Sikkim’s strong focus on developing its tourism sector, with its dedication being reflected from facts, such as being the first Indian state to espouse a proper eco-tourism policy formulated by US and Japanese experts.

It may be mentioned that while making its selection, “Lonely Planet” has expressed appreciation for the community-based tourism model successfully developed by the state.  

Nokia Launches Lumia 2520 - Its First, And Probably The Last, Tablet

Nokia has launched Lumia 2520, its first Windows tablet.

Incidentally, it may be the Finnish major’s last tablet as well, as its hardware unit is going to be taken over by Microsoft.

In this context it may appear a bit surprising that Nokia’s Lumia 2520 poses a direct competition to Microsoft’s Surface 2 tablet.

The event that entailed the launch of Lumia 2520 also witnessed the launch of two six inch phablets named the Lumia 1520 and the Lumia 1320, and three handsets under the Asha range, named the Asha 500, Asha 502 and the Asha 503.

India’s TERI Gets Ranked By ICCG As The World’s Best Institution In The Field Of Climate Change Studies

New Delhi-based TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) has been ranked by the International Centre for Climate Governance as the world’s best institution in the field of climate change study. 

This is just one of the various developments that highlight TERI's quality, level and standard as a research institution in the field of environment and climate studies.

In fact there is nothing to get surprised with this elevation that is enjoyed by TERI. After all it is led by a towering personality like Rajendra Kumar Pachauri, the Chairperson of Nobel Peace Prize winner Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). With such a person at its helm, it is little wonder that TERI has become such a prominent organization in its field. 

TERI personifies India’s sincerity in studying the global climate problem and addressing the same, and also reflects our country’s ability to achieve this objective.

The Experience of Handling Banga Bhawan Control Room for Uttarakhand Floods

Today (3rd July 2013) I am back to my normal office duty after being a part of the " Banga Bhawan Control Room" from 19th June to 2nd July. This control room was set up at the "Banga Bhawan", West Bengal Govt's state guest house, to monitor the search and rescue operation of the tourists from West Bengal who were stranded in Uttarakhand. Some of us from the Office of the Resident Commissioner in New Delhi were handling the control room, while of number of other people, including our Principal Resident Commissioner Sir, had gone to Uttarakhand to handle the ground level situation there.

It was a first-of-its-kind experience for me to be a part of the control room, which I worked for while handling the VIP Protocol duties that came my way. It was a mixed experience. It was a touching and charming experience when I would call up somebody and told him that we could trace his relative/friend in Uttarakhand, and he would be so happy and elated, and would thank us so profusely. And at the same time I had the painful experience of answering the call of an anxious person only to tell him that there was still no news about his friend or relative.

The assignment was demanding, but I loved being a part of it. It was so different from my usual job profile of providing protocol service to dignitaries.

I congratulate from my heart those families who have got back their loved ones. And my heartfelt condolences for the families whose loved ones have fallen victims to the devastation that will haunt our nation as a nightmare for many years.

WWW.FLIGHTSTATS.COM – A GREAT WAY FOR A FLYER TO KEEP TRACK OF THE FLIGHT SCHEDULE

If you are a frequent flyer, then www.flightstats.com is a great and effective way (if not the best way) for you to keep a track of the flight schedules, i.e. the Scheduled Time of Arrival/Departure and Expected Time of Arrival/Departure. www.flightstats.com keeps making a real time tracking of every flight, and keeps informing people about any change (delay, etc.) in a flight's Scheduled or Expected Time of Arrival/Departure. The updating takes place at an interval of virtually a couple of minutes. 

All you have to do is to just log on to www.flightstats.com and type the flight name, like 6E 206, AI 701, etc. Or you can just type the flight name in Google (by accessing the Internet through any device including your mobile handset), and the www.flightstats.com information will appear at the very top. 

The best thing of www.flightstats.com is that you do not have to call up the office of the concerned airlines again and again, and at the same time you will get an information that may be more accurate than the one provided by the airlines people.

Last but not the least, I have not been paid by anybody to advertise www.flightstats.com As a Protocol Officer I often have to keep track of airlines schedules. I have personally found www.flightstats.com to be very helpful in this regard, and wanted to share it with you people as I felt many of you would benefit from this information.

Indian Invents World's First Smartphone For The Blind

India's Sumit Dagar has made his country proud by inventing world‘s first smartphone for the blind people. The pioneering smartphone invented by this National Institute of Design (Ahmedabad) alumnus converts every SMS and email sent to it into blind-friendly Braille. And naturally a visually challenged person can easily read the message. 

It is really so nice to know that now our visually challenged friends will be able to use, independently, a technology that has become part and parcel of the modern human life. And what significantly adds to the thrill of every Indian is the fact that this has been made possible by a fellow Indian. 

Since the early stage of its civilization India has enriched the world technology horizon with notable inventions, with the pioneering work of Sumit Dagar being a reflection of that rich technological legacy that our nation takes pride in. His work will also inspire others who want to make a noble use of their command of science and technology, by bringing more people within the periphery of the latter's service. 

"Dial Kashmir" - A Good Initiative

Congrats to Ms Mehvish Mushtaq for becoming the first Kashmiri lady to develop an Android application, named "Dial Kashmir".

Well, she deserves to be congratulated not merely for becoming the first Kashmiri girl to make this achievement, but also for the utility of the application developed by her. "Dial Kashmir" will serve as a one-stop source of crucial information, as it contains the contains the contact details of more than 500 government and private departments/organizations (such as fire service, police and hospital). Naturally, it will be of great help to both the local people as well as outsiders like tourists. And Mehvish is planning to further expand the database, adding the contact details of more organizations and entities, and thus making the database more valuable.

Great job, Ms. Mehvish. You have really made a good use of your knowledge of Computer Science Engineering and Android Service. We all wish you all the best.

The Intimate Relationship Between Communism and Violence

Every political doctrine or ideology has a certain political idiom, which tends to play a central character in how the followers of that ideology carry out their political activities.

With due respect for the believers in Communism, I feel Violence is the perennial political idiom of Communism. It seems Communists’ excessive obsession with "struggle" always makes them opt for ultra-aggressive steps, even when there is room for other options. This probably explains the bloodshed on almost every occasion when radical Communists have ceased power in a country. Communism has always tended to glorify "Revolution" rather than favoring the more acceptable "Evolution", while overlooking this fact that "Revolution" entails conflict.

This post is not aimed at maligning Communism, which is certainly one of the most notable political theories that the human civilization has ever come across. It is rather an observation by a very ordinary person, who otherwise very much identifies with some of the key objectives of Communism (such as a classless society).

Just To Break The Silence

It may sound funny. But actually I am making this posting just to break my long absence from my blog. I made the last posting in September 2012. After that there was a long silence. Today I felt that I must write something in my blog, even if it is something purely nonsense. So I made this posting.

Hopefully I will come back soon with a proper blog posting.