Sasmita and I are traveling to Odisha, her birth state, in Eastern India, from late May to mid-June 2014. The reason: to be married in a Catholic Mass about 30 minutes away from the village Alligonda where she grew up. None of her family attended our August 2012 wedding in New Jersey. The plan has always been to return… Continue reading We’re going back to India – to marry again.
Category: India
The largest democratic exercise in human history has begun – India is voting
National elections are under way in India, a nation so massive voting occurs in nine separate phases. The numbers are barely comprehensible. An estimated 815 million people will vote between April 7 and May 12. India is a democracy, meaning both the uber-rich, along with the destitute and illiterate get an equal say in her future. There are… Continue reading The largest democratic exercise in human history has begun – India is voting
‘God’s Own Country’ in the Washington Post
One of my co-workers, a fellow Malayali, forwarded me this story from a freelance writer describing a few scenes from a trip with his girlfriend to Kerala, recently published by the Washington Post. When people ask me where in India I am from and I reply ‘Kerala,’ they are either familiar with it — saying that it… Continue reading ‘God’s Own Country’ in the Washington Post
Seeking Balance When Writing about India
I began this blog more than four years ago, to write mainly about my experience and thoughts regarding international adoption. As time progressed, I became more passionate about my roots, and that means writing and thinking increasingly about India, and her issues. Add to this fact that I married an Indian national and that my… Continue reading Seeking Balance When Writing about India
Against convention: the story of an Indian luger at the Sochi Olympics
Imagine you were an Olympic athlete. Now picture competing in a sport that your home country had no physical infrastructure in which you could practice. Lastly, envision after your hard work, paying your own travel costs, having friends develop your equipment and lastly, due to circumstances beyond your control, being unable to represent your home… Continue reading Against convention: the story of an Indian luger at the Sochi Olympics
Congratulations India! Three Years Polio-Free
On January 13, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared India polio-free for the third year in a row after another full year without a single polio case reported nationwide. What an impressive achievement! Finally, some India news, beyond a Mars mission that Indians worldwide can take pride in. I slam Indian bureaucracy quite a… Continue reading Congratulations India! Three Years Polio-Free
The Devyani Khobragade Kerfuffle: A Surprising Response and Indian Political Hypocrisy
Some quick thoughts about the case of the Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade’s arrest as a common criminal in New York in late Dec 2013, accused of falsifying a Visa application for her domestic servant. She recently returned to India, after weeks of diplomatic standoff.
Miscarriage of Justice; Parents jailed for their daughter’s murder.
Aarushi Talwar was a lively, teenage girl from an up-market section of New Delhi, India called Noida. Her parents were both dentists and they, like most Indians with means, had domestic servants. She was grotesquely murdered in 2008, between the hours of 10pm and 1am, along with one of her servants, Hemraj. The only survivors… Continue reading Miscarriage of Justice; Parents jailed for their daughter’s murder.
Are Martians Partial to Lamb Vindaloo?
They should be, because it is delicious. Perhaps we will find out next year. Recently India launched a Indian space mission to the Red Planet. Hailed as a crowning achievement in the sciences for India, it is not without controversy. India sent a satellite to probe Mars by the fall of 2014. Only four space… Continue reading Are Martians Partial to Lamb Vindaloo?
Farewell to the ‘god of Cricket’
The greatest cricket player in decades, Sachin Tendulkar, announced his retirement in India this week. He is 40 years old and not only the face of Indian cricket, but the entire sport. His batting records will probably never be broken. I know, most of you have probably never heard of him. But, nearly a quarter… Continue reading Farewell to the ‘god of Cricket’
Why is science fiction unpopular in India?
The Atlantic recently published this piece, entitled, “Why the West Loves Sci-Fi and Fantasy: A Cultural Explanation.” The story examines why science fiction movies are huge moneymakers in the West, but not in India particularly. The author briefly touches on Japan and China’s embrace of fantasy. However, she seems confused about why India is seemingly… Continue reading Why is science fiction unpopular in India?
Are you familiar with manual scavenging?
1.3 million Indians clean shit off the street…with their hands. Of that total, 97% are women. They know no other life. To visualize that number, picture a city like Dallas, Texas, Montreal, Canada or Prague, Czechoslovakia. Now imagine if every single person in those cities, cleaned toilets by hand. That would equal the approximate number… Continue reading Are you familiar with manual scavenging?
Happy 67th birthday India!
I realize it has been quite a while between posts. My continuing job search and a part-time internship at a conflict transformation NGO have sapped my writing energy. I also just celebrated my one-year wedding anniversary with Sasmita. However, on my homeland’s 67th birthday I wanted to share a sober editorial summing up many of… Continue reading Happy 67th birthday India!
Happy 4th Birthday to WorldCitizensBlog!
Dear Readers, Sunday marked four years of putting my thoughts on the web as a blogger. It continues to be an incredible journey for me. On Father’s Day in 2009, I began this blog. I am amazed by where it has gone since.
Pharmaceutical Gone Wild; Ranbaxy Exposed
You have probably never heard of Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals. But I bet you are familiar with the drug Lipitor. Ranbaxy makes Lipitor, and is the world’s sixth largest producer of generic drugs. They serve customers in 150 countries and have manufacturing plants around the world.
Ranbaxy was recently fined $500 million dollars, and charged with seven counts of the following:
- Selling adulterated drugs with intent to defraud
- Failure to report its drug did not meet specifications
- Making intentionally false statements to the government
The Department of Justice wrapped up a nearly 10 year case about their illegal, fraudulent and corrupt business practices.