Random Thoughts - Pattabhi Sitaraman

There had been a slow down on the economic front due to many reasons and some of the chief contributors to this state of affairs can be pinned on the strengthening of the USD vs major currencies of the world, the stand off between USA and China, the resurgence of American economy leading to lowering the unemployment rate in USA etc.  The first quarter growth rate has slumped to a record low of 5% vis-a-vis 8% in the first quarter of last fiscal. When the nation was going to polls in the beginning of the first quarter in the current fiscal and there were lots of uncertainty on the economic front from the new government that would be formed on the outcome of the polls, the slowing down of the growth is an expected one.    The budgetary provisions after the new government took charge added its weight in no small measures to this plight.  There were rumours that the budget was that of the former finance minister and the present finance minister had only presented it in...

So much had been written, explained, discussed in main stream media and social media on the move of the government of India in abrogating the article 370 and consequently the 35A of the Indian constitution relating to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is not one more attempt to either justify or otherwise the move of the government.  Here I am trying to look at the entire episode leading to diluting the entire article 370 in the constitution and consequent abrogation of section 35A.  Britain under the prime minister Attlee decided to grant freedom to the Indian subcontinent and as proposed by the then Viceroy and later Governor General Lord Mountbatten went about dividing the country into two parts on religious lines; the Muslim majority western part and eastern part of the subcontinent were carved out into Pakistan leaving the remaining part of India as a separate country.  However, for their own benefit of a larger geopolitical reasons, they wanted to have a cont...

Across the world there are countries that have made military service mandatory. In most of these countries, when the boys and girls graduate from their high school, they have to join the military and serve for a specific term ranging from a minimum of 18 months to 10 years. After that they are transferred to reserve force.  The countries where it is mandatory to serve in the country's military are Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Bermuda, Brazil, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Greece, Iran, Israel, North Korea, South Korea, Mexico, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, Republic of China, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and UAE. The service in the armed forces of the country helps build a nation full of ex-armed forces men and women and a great reserve battalion.  It also helps in building character and unity among the people.  It helps to bridge the gap in terms of language, status, socio-economic status etc.  It provides a platform for building not just ch...