Nostalgia?

Tomorrow... It is 60th year of Indian independence. It also marks four years since I came to this country. Lot has changed. Back then, I was witnessing the growing IT revolution first hand. As another one of millions of confident Indian youth striving to do something, I still remember the mail from our CEO announcing that TCS breached the $1 billion revenue mark. Now their revenues are four times that figure and employee base three times as large. Urban India is witnessing unprecedented growth rates, at the same time distance between cities and villages is growing. In the mean time, we have seen two successful GSLV launches while Antrix ventures into commercial satellite launching business. Away from the limelight, numerous Indians,... software engineers in Bangalore to Tea garden workers in Assam go about their daily livestrying to meet their aspirations. It is they, the people who make this miracle that is India today. Unassuming people, who never utter catchy slogans on the television but toil to better their lives and those of people around them. The great nation is slowly shaking off its deep slumber of a millennium to wake up to its original glory of a strong and benevolent nation.
There is one unmistakable shift in the attitudes of people today..an earlier generation was cautious...content with a university degree and a govt. job. But todays generation is not. I was pleasantly surprised to find a definite purpose in the voices of many young men and women. Confident in their capabilities, they reach for the best. And this bodes well for a young nation.
We have a lot to accomplish and obstacles are indeed immense. It is a fitting challenge to a country where the sages proclaimed: Be strong- physically, mentally and spiritually. And I am confident we shall overcome.
@
[Originally written on 14th aug,2007]

Everyone is unique

Some of the most profound insights can come from the most ordinary experiences. Looking at the world, I always marvel its uniqueness. The only similarity between all of us seems to be the our uniqueness. The world is different to every person, animal and all other living things. Our world view is unique....There is no one in the world who has the same experience as I have. it is true for me just as it is true for everyone else. I had known (or rather read ) the uniqueness of our being. ..yet this wisdom eluded me for long as I never experienced it.
It was during a stretch in a martial arts class, the realization dawned on me. That regardless of physical and mental proximity, how unique our worlds are. There was nothing special about the circumstances. I had been through the same place many times. But it was different and wonderful. What did it change? I am not sure. But I can at least see the impossibility of one faith or idea that could work for everyone. This I hope will help me in trying to understand others from their perspective and cease to be judgmental.
Jignasu