Puneet's Page

Feroz Khan passed away early this morning. The long battle with the dreaded disease, fought valiantly, is now over. Feroz Khan joined the film industry in the early sixties, and set out to establish himself, amidst stiff competition from others like Dharmendra, Dilip Kumar, Jeetendra, and the like. In the next two decades he acted in some of the most popular 'hits' of the times - Arzoo, Oonche Log, Safar and Aadmi Aur Insaan. And while he mostly played second lead, he managed to carve out a niche for himself. with his rich baritone voice, the sofisticated style of dialogue delivery which will always be remembered is distinctly different and 'classy' Feroz Khan found reasonable success with his production ventures too. 'Qurbani' produced by him in 1980 turned out to be a huge block buster. Other films followed at regular intervals. Everytime, Feroz Khan came back from behind, refusing to be forgotten in the annals of Bollywood history. The last time we saw him ...

from: The News, Tuesday, April 14, 2009 Dear Gen Kayani, Sir, let me begin by recounting that old army quip that did the rounds in the immediate aftermath of World war II: To guarantee victory, an army should ideally have German generals, British officers, Indian soldiers, American equipment and Italian enemies. A Pakistani soldier that I met in Iraq in 2004 lamented the fact that the Pakistani soldier in Kargil had been badly let down firstly by Nawaz Sharif and then by the Pakistani officers' cadre. Pakistani soldiers led by Indian officers, , he believed, would be the most fearsome combination possible. Pakistani officers, he went on to say, were more into real estate, defence housing colonies and the like. As I look at two photographs of surrender that lie before me, I can't help recalling his words. The first is the celebrated event at Dhaka on Dec 16, 1971, which now adorns most Army messes in Delhi and Calcutta. The second, sir, is the video of a teenage girl bein...

My heart goes out to the parents, relatives and freinds of Akriti Bhatia of Modern School, who passed away the other day, after an asthma attack while still in School.  Expectedly, the parents and friends of Akriti have put the blame squarely on the School for negligence which caused the death. While investigations will take their own course, let us pause and reflect on what happened, before we jump to conclusions on who was responsible. At about 10 am in the morning, Akriti complained of an asthma attack, and rang up her mother to send the car to School so she could come home. The mother advised Akriti to go to her Aunt's place instead of coming back home. At about the same time, she informed the Class teacher about her state, and requsted to be excused and let off early. While everyone waited for the car, Akriti was escorted to the 'sick room' where the nurse administered Oxygen to her. After a while Akriti herself informed the nurse that she was feeling better. The nurse...

So, Mr. Khan's team won a match yesterday. Big deal? Seems so, for him. In the interview with Madira Bedi yesterday, he made it more than obvious. So what's the problem in the team owner being happy if his team won a match? No problem - in being happy per se, and expressing it. But I definitely have a problem with the attitude with which you let your feeling be known to all cricket fans, and your fans across India and the world. Your attitude suggests that you have a problem with all your critics and you cannot digest any criticism. So you tell the World what you will say to each critic when your team wins the Trophy and when you go back to Kolkata with the IPL trophy, riding a 'barge' .. And while you should be thankful that your team won courtesy the Duckworth-Lewis method, your comments about M/S Duckworth-Lewis suggests utter contempt for the method as well as its authors. Being a team owner, have you by now, studied the method comprehensively? You haven't beca...

Just across the road from where I work, there is a huge wall that has recently been constructed, of red 'Kota Stone' running all along the length of the main road for few kilometers. Obviously, there is more behind the wall, but the common passerby cannot make out what. But now the cat has been let out of the bag. A brand new 'Dr. Ambedhkar Udayaan' is being constructed - thanks to the sole initiative of the current chief minister of the State of Uttar Pradesh - Madam Mayawati. This park is estimated to cost the ex-chequer a whopping Rs. 300 crore. Actually the tax payers' money. It is supposed to have statue of not only Dr Ambhedkar, but of Mayawati herself. And apart from these, there are expected to be seven elephants made of granite, that will add to the glamour of the brand new park ! Why is it being built? Does the common citizen of UP want it? The answer as expected is a 'no'.. A most 'warped' sense of expression of respect to a great man? Or ...

It's election time in India! And the common man is once again witness to what can best be described as a political circus that has come to town. One cannot probably even count the number of parties and 'leaders' striving to come to power. But the common trait amongst all is that they do not have any election agenda or manifesto. So the best that they can do is to downgrade the opponents. For one National party, the only salient point in their election manifesto is that the present Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is 'weak'. And they go around the Country trying to convince people not about how they will form a better, more effective and result achieving Government, but simply that the current Government should be voted out. Then there is another party who take great pride in announcing that if elected they would ban English language and computers in the State of UP. Thankfully on this one, the people of the State have reacted and termed this agenda as outrageous, ...

Recently we heard about Shah Rukh Khan slamming Sunil Gavaskar, over the latter's comments on Kolkata Knight Riders' Coach John Buchanan's multiple captain theory. India is a Country where Cricket is a passion and a favorite pastime for a majority of its citizens. But amongst all such self proclaimed experts, there are also Cricket's all time greats, one of whom is Sunil Gavaskar. In an outstanding career spanning 17 years (1970 to 1987), Sunil Gavaskar's contribution to the game helped the Indian cricket team become an World Class team to reckon with. But more than that, this man mesmerized cricket loving fans across the World with his classy stroke play and fielding, which resulted in a long list of 'all time high' achievements, most of which remain unbroken records to the day. It was Sunil Gavaskar who broke Donald Bradman's long standing record of the maximum number of centuries in test cricket. Sunil remains the only batsman to have scored a century...

India was witness in the recent past, to murky politics. Not surprising though, as politics is a dirty game, more so in India. But what is unbelievable, is the extent to which our so called leaders of the Nation have stooped, to further personal gains and those of their Parties. We saw for instance, a young 29 year old political 'nobody' trying to launch himself into what probably is the only profession he knows he will succeed in - politics. And what does he do to make a 'grand entry' into the arena? He, in the most blatant and daring manner, publicly spits communal venom, instigating illiterate and innocent rural folk of different religious communities to start hating each other. Why? So that the population is polarized and he gains votes. What an idea to launch his political career ! Then we saw a major political party with some of the supposedly respected senior politicians, all staking claim to be the ideal set of leaders to form the next Government - actually sup...

"Do you celebrate Holi?" a colleague asked me yesterday. "Yes - of course !" I told him. 'Maybe not celbrating Holi is the ''in'' thing -hence this question' I thought to myself. And today, when Holi celebrations are over, I pause to reflect on how we celebrated the festival yet again - this year - today. We celebrate Holi, by first connecting with the elders in the family. In our case, our Mother. Reaching out to her, mentally as well as physically. And on this auspicious occasion more than anytime else, seeking her blessings. We congregate at Ma's place. All of us, brother, cousins, their families. And suddenly fill up her lonely world and life with a lot of liveliness. The entire space within the four walls of her house is filled with the sound of fun, frolic laughter and joy. The same house which was once ours. Where we lived and which once used to reverberate with people, voices, life...The house which for all times stands quiet, sud...

Mr. Mallya, We did not expect that help would come from you, of all the people. At a time, when the last memorabilia, things belonging to 'Gandhi' the 'Father of our Nation' were being auctioned by someone in some other part of the World. Not one Indian amongst the one billion of us paused to think that these items shouldn't have left India in the first place. Not one of the thousands of the staunch followers of Gandhi or the practitioners of Gandhism raised their voice in protest at the most blatant form of insult meted out to Gandhi. And when the issue came to light, the Indian Government, led by insensitive 'Netas' devoted full time, not to the principles that Gandhi preached and exemplified, but only to furthering their own ends, and caught in bureaucracy and red tape, just sat and watched. The World also watched - some surprised at the attitude of our Country. And some were even amused. For they knew that 'this happens only in India' And then yo...

The killing of five policemen and two others at Liberty round about in Lahore blows the lid off the security arrangements in the city, especially at a time when the Sri Lankan team was visiting the city. Yes, Policemen fought valiantly and somehow succeeded in keeping the Sri Lankan team largely out of the harm’s way. Nevertheless it is a security lapse and a huge intelligence failure. As soon as the incident happened, critics in Pakistan and elsewhere sprung into action blaming it on their usual suspects. While some said categorically that it is the RAW paying us in the same coin others blamed it on the jihadis from our Western borders. Probably a more intelligent interpretation, is that of Governor Salman Taseer who believes it is the very people who carried out attacks in Mumbai last year. Are we facing a common enemy? People in Pakistan are shocked and scared. Like many incidents of terrorism in the past we don’t know if the perpetrators of this incident will ever be identified and...

Today, cricket lovers, particularly Indian cricket fans sat and watched with a sense of renewed confidence, the Indian team redeem quickly their prestige glory temporarily lost when they lost the '20-20' series against hosts New Zealand. Redemption coming through a good batting innings in the first ODI at Napier, leaving the hosts to chase a very ambitous, if not an impossible target to achieve to secure victory. But early in the morning, this feeling of euphoria was soon replaced by a sense of deep shock, when news came in of the cruel terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team currently touring Pakistan, in Lahore. Six players were injured but are thankfully safe. The unthinkable and the unprecedented has happened. Never before were sportsmen targeted in such a henious manner as this. Questions and concerns that were raised about safety of players who toured Pakistan, have now probably been comprehensively answered. And no Country will be keen on sending their teams to p...

Have we humans really 'evolved' as a species, over the past centuries? More importantly, have we "Indians' evolved as a species? I think not... How else then would you explain how we behave - not like an 'evolved' species but as if we had degenerated across centuries, millenniums to, to possibly the 'stone age'? Or maybe even earlier - when we were animals? How else do you explain how we Indians behave on the road? Fighting for that extra inch of space and meandering our way to get to the 'front' of the row of waiting cars on a traffic light? Because we just have to be at the top of the line...nothing else matters...? Or zipping ahead and nearly missing colliding with a shocked sixty year old woman trying desperately and helplessly to cross the road, just because you had to be ahead of her. You just had to cross the road first, before she did? How else do you explain how easily we become victims of 'road rage' Bludgeoning a fellow huma...

Oh the wonderful, ecstatic and overwhelming feeling of 'winning' ! A long and tough journey now complete... Of first setting sight on an objective, a goal that when achieved, would make the World sit up, gasp and wonder in amazement... Of getting together a team of dedicated and talented members, all of whom share a common vision and are willing to 'do or die'..... Of pulling together other resources and continuously facing challenges and problems some - financial, some administrative, social....yet being relentless and not giving up. Of each team member committing himself or herself to give to the project, life's best ever effort. For nothing lesser than the best would work. Endless days, months of tireless efforts. No room for complacency, no 'letting go' or taking it easy. Striving for perfection in every minuscule aspect of the project. For being perfect will matter. And then the result of that toil.... The World does sit up and wonder in amazement.....

We Indians are an extremely self centred, selfish, apathetic and insensitive people.  If, as a Nation we cannot care for and respect our soldiers, then we really are. And there are enough instances in post independence Indian history to prove this. Take for instance the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. As part of the Simla agreement signed between the two neighbours, Pakistan pressed upon India to release it's more than 90,000 POWs held captive within India. We acceded to that demand in a hurry, never stopping for a moment to check on the fate of our own Officers and other ranks possibly alive and being held prisoners in Pakistan. Today 38 years later 54 Officers and men of the Indian Army and Air Force are allegedly being held captive by Pakistan. As a Country we lack the political will to get Pakistan to do anything about it. And as a people, we are completely insensitive and uncaring towards the families - parents, wives and children of those brave men who sacrificed their li...

Today, I attended the Old Students Reunion at St. Stephen's College. And I attended every single such reunion for the last ten years. Each year, when I go back, the experience is of being transformed many years into the past, when I was less than 20 years of age, and not only studied in St. Stephen's but practically lived a good part of the day there.  Today, like every other time, memories came flooding by.  Of Rev. Rajpal conducting the morning assembly for the 1st year students, and reading excerpts from the Bible in his booming baritone voice and a clipped Cambridge accent.  Of teachers - Bhatnagar Sa'ab  - MSB to most, Dr Popli who resembled Prof. Calculus - now no more. Mathur Sa'ab trying to convince our 'blocked' minds that Differential Calculus was actually very easy. And Dwivedi sa'ab and his ' beedis ' Of chemistry practicals being conducted by us - budding scientists, in dirty lab coats with gaping holes created by careless hand...

Last week, terrorists virtually destroyed the Taj Mahal Hotel, an iconic structure and the pride of Mumbai. They simply came by boats up to nearby Cuffe Parade area and walked in.. This time it was the Taj Mahal Hotel. I cannot think of a good reason why not the Taj Mahal next time? Or India's nuclear installations or the Army Headquarters (If they could attack the 'Pentagon' seven years ago, well - India's is streets behind in terms of its security arrangements. India is still reeling under the shock and anger in the aftermath of the disaster that struck Mumbai last week. The Government in power at the Center and in Maharashtra are the scapegoats. And while the criticism and ridicule aimed at those individuals who opened their mouth and put their foot in it, is justified, wishing away politicians and politics in general is certainly not the quickest way to prevent India from remaining a 'soft terrorist target' in the future. Rather, the course of action that In...

Exactly seven years ago, India witnessed an even more audacious and 'daredevilish' attack on herself when Pakistan backed terrorists entered the Parliament House with the intention to eliminate most of the elected representatives from different parts of the Country, when the Lok Sabha was in session. They partly succeeded, in that they broke into the security cordon of what could arguably be defined as the most 'secure' establishment of the Country, took everyone by complete surprise and proceeded to create enough mayhem that ended in bloodshed and loss of many innocent lives including those of security personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in an attempt to foil the evil designs of the perpetrators. Did the terrorists succeed in their objective? No and yes. No, because they were all shot dead before they could actually harm the VIP parliamentarians attending the Lok Sabha session. And yes, they did succeed because they displayed to India their grit and suicidal deter...

Politization of terror The crisis at Mumbai had built up to its peak.  Word spread that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Leader of the Opposition LK Advani would visit Mumbai together to review the situation.  In a crisis situation when all other considerations party ideologies and other differences should have been overlooked and the leaders should have stood together representing not their parties but India - one Nation. They went their separate ways. Mr. Narendra Modi of the BJP and the Chief Minister of Gujarat and expressed his desire to come and visit Mumbai Modi was very politely requested to not come as this was not the right time. A time when the anti terrorist operations were underway and the entire team of the Government and the administration was preoccupied with the massive operation. He chose to ignore the request and landed up near the Oberoi Hotel, delivered a 'bhashan' and announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the families of the brave police officers who ...

Forty two hours have gone by. And the nightmare continues.  Spouses, relatives and friends wait outside the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Hotels, in what can be termed as desperate anxiety. They don't know if their near and dear ones are alive or not. Every moment of that wait being painful. The media camps at a safe distance from the place of the real action. Communicating meaningless reports. Speculating. And then a hoard of them - reporters and camer persons alike pouncing upon any VIP who happens to visit the scene of action. "Was there a massacre?" or "Didn't you have any clue that the terrorists would come by sea?" they ask... More than a hundred innocent people are dead. Hundreds have died earlier - in Mumbai itself. Yet, India - the magnanimous India, wants to forgive and forget every time. Proud in the thought that the terrorists are dead and democracy has won.  So are the hundreds of people. Don't those hundreds of lives mean anything to the wise old po...