Home - sweet home

And so ends my tour of the United States of America...What they call the 'land of milk and honey'

A Country that has offered unlimited opportunity for growth and prosperity to one and all. Where competency, perseverance and hard work - in other words 'merit' are the main criteria for success. Where countless number of people set foot on her shores and made a success of their lives.Indians and Chinese, who, by sheer dint of hard work, gave the Americans themselves a run for their money. And this Country provided them a fair chance to do that.

The US is two and a half times the size of India, but has a population that is roughly one fourth that of our Country. The result is - a thin population density. Translated to 'local' terms - lot of peace and quiet. Almost every experience is therefore enjoyable - driving, shopping, eating out and what have you. And as one goes through these experiences, there is a pang of remorse.....

As I landed in India, I was quickly transformed to reality. This is home ! This City - New Delhi is in fact home ! The heat, the bumpy taxi ride from the airport, which involves negotiating endless diversions, potholes and 'what have you'. And each bump, each diversion, and the endless dust flying around, makes us believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. That our City will have its own Metro Rail, and will proudly and successfully host the Commonwealth Games.....

But you have to wait just a little bit longer. When your entire spinal column is of a new shape, after you have burnt thousands of litres of fuel in you car, sitting through never ending traffic jams, after your lungs cannot inhale any more dust, and after you and many other citizens of Delhi collectively represent enough material for a seminar on psychiatric disorders, it will happen. You WILL see the end of the tunnel - my friend !

And back home - there are lots of interesting stories to catch up with. The ones that interest one's mind, are the ones I pick up first.

Like the controversy about the Kargil war. And accusations on a senior general who commanded the Corps that virtually fought the entire war in Kargil. Accusations of having doctored the war records, reporting information that was factually incorrect, and misleading the Nation in general.

In all probability, these news items about the Armed forces do not surprise any one any more. But to me - I feel ashamed. To realize that an Institution proud to be one of the finest in the World, famed for discipline, values, known to produce leaders and build character, has actually failed the Nation. It has failed in its promise of delivering what it proudly claimed it could. And it has misled its people into believing everything that it in fact does NOT deliver. The Army continues to live in past glory.

One also feels sad for the huge number of lives lost -of innocent people. Just because of a handful of others who were irresponsible.

Innocent passengers perished in an air crash in Mangalore, just because the pilot was arrogant and didn't pay heed to his deputy's warning about a miscalculated approach for landing.

Innocent passengers died - yet again - in another train derailment caused by the Maoists, just because of an incompetent Government (who incidentally we, the people of India have elected) that lacks the will to take on these terrorists and deal with them firmly and decisively...

In India human life is very very cheap....