Norway Blasts and shoot out- Memorial service thereafter

We as a country which had experienced terror knows the pain of terror. A recent bomb blasts and a shoot out by a freak youth killed over 90 persons. Those who killed in the Utoeya island are all youth. The initial news was that about 7 persons died and several injured in the twin blasts near prime minister's office in Oslo, the capital of Norway. In a few hours, another shocking news came on a man shooting the youth from Labour Party Youth Camp and the youth had very little option of escape routs. Investigations revealed that the man who was responsible is not an Al-Qaeda or any terrorist organization but a Norwegian who expressed his views against muslims, especially those of the immigrants in the country. Why kill these youth? The Labour party seem to support immigrants in the region. Some observes note that this might be the beginning of unrest in Europe. A country like Norway which has never seen terrorism is utterly shocked.

I watched the memorial service for the departed live on CNN, which gave an emotional moment.Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg addressed hundreds of mourners gathered at Oslo Cathedral. He mentioned it was a national tragedy and the youth were known to many including himself. The Norwegian King Harald and Queen Sonja also attended the service and were found weeping during the service. I have not seen many of our leaders seen weeping in tragedies though they make brave speeches condemning the terror. The country responding to the terror with a mass and an attempt in wiping the grief is something worth mentioning. The memorial was labelled "Mass of Grief and Hope". My previous blog on Mumbai blasts talked about our failing hope. Now, it is time that we developed hope and also faced terror with new preparedness. The terror 
has become an international phenomenon.


In the era of globalization and mobility, we all need to live accommodating each other, accepting multicultural nature of the world, adjusting among the different races. Otherwise, the world we live will be a grave yard and cannot be a peaceful one. Let us all make this world a paradise to live happily and peacefully. We pray for all the innocent who lost their lives and the families who lost their near and dear ones.  

The Blasts that made a hole in our Faith

On the eve of 13th July, 2011, 3 consecutive blasts shook the city of Mumbai again after the shock we had during 26/11 in 2008. Three of the crowded places in Mumbai city namely Zavery Bazar, Opera House and Kabutarkhana in Dadar were the target this time. It took a toll of 19 innocent people and injuring 130 or more. The gory scenes brought out by the news media shocked me. What type of reactions and response that would have gone through  the minds of the people of India could well be imagined. The one that gripped me initially was a deep sadness. Like a mumbaikar, though I am not one, I felt why again Mumbai. After thought made me think, "do we want that other places too should be hit?". Oh, no, we cannot think of these tragedies any more. After an initial sadness, there was a deep anger as many of the mumbaikar expressed in the interviews to the media. When we talk of anger, we have to ask the question, anger on whom. The cowardice of the terrorists to take the innocent life and then hiding from the law is the greatest anger of all. However, there are other genuine angers too: on the inability of the police, intelligence, failure of the local as well as Central government to provide safety to its citizens and the list can extend to National Intelligence Bureau, Home ministry and in particular Home minister or whoever makes a statement at that time trying to politicize the issue or on hospitals which do not handle the situation properly or even on media which is irresponsible in the reporting or making sensationalizing of the gory scenes, etc., And finally the anger should turn on ourselves too for being mute to all and being impotent.

The event for sure has created a hole in the Faith of the Mumbaikar in particular and in all Indians in general. I could see a mistrust among many interviewed and people seem to have lost faith in decent life. Many people were heard saying "we thank God if we safely return home every evening". Thanking God is a good part of course, but the bad part is that we have come to accept this as a reality. Does the government have a strong will in putting a full stop on this?

After all the initial emotions that engulfed me, I started thinking as a scientist and a socially responsible individual. "What need to be done to do away such happenings in the future and what the common man who thinks he has no say in any matters concerning things like this or corruption needs to do" is the biggest question before us.

There are many things that came to my mind. For example the top police officials mentioned that in such crowded places analysing CCTV footage is near impossible. CCTV is no doubt a big boon for finding out the culprit after the blast. Can we stop this on time? When even the children play with compact cameras which have face recognition and smile recognition technologies, can we not develop the technology to find out unusual activities? Fro example, if a person moves around suspiciously for a longer time in the same place, alerts can be sent to the nearest police station as well as the Control Room with the footage or when some one bends to keep some objects, the alerts can be given. Even the cameras can have a capability to focus on persons showing strange behaviours. Did we also consider having cameras that can pick up images during dark nights with IR capabilities? Those with technology capabilities can definitely develop these gadgets easily. I really do not know whether RAW has knowledge on these technologies or they are working on such research areas, etc.,

Can Government initiate to establish an Institute to work on "Anti Terrorism Research"? I do not need to elaborate on the various divisions it needs to have. No subject is unwanted here. Experts from all areas such as Engineers of various kind, chemists, biologists, physicists, aeronautical engineers, mathematicians, forensic experts, psychologists, doctors, sociologists and many others are required here.

"Ammonium Nitrate" has now become a household name after all these attacks. The news that a regulation will be brought about is late though. As a person with the knowledge of plant biology and chemistry I can think of many options. Why at all ammonium nitrate as fertilizer? There are many ammonium containing fertilizers available as well as nitrate containing fertilizers. Also we talk of biofertilizers but could not bring out effective biofertilizers for nitrogen fixing to dissuade farmers from chemical fertilizers. I do not want to go into the details of the problems many biofertilizer industries go through with regulations. Probably my friend Mallikarjun will be able to talk about it more on this subject of biofertilizer industries.

The purpose of this blog is to invite your suggestions. I also want people who can really contribute something fruitfully for this mission. I had been emphasizing on many occasions and in many places about a Civilian Task Force which can raise up to the occasions in the Peace Time Problems of the country. This can be done easily by the volunteers from the civilians. Government could provide necessary help in terms of training and support. I am ready to share my idea too on the structure and functioning of such units. Any takers?

Please do pass on this blog to your friends / relatives or whomsoever who is responsible. Are we not forwarding mails which are superstitious in nature or funny in nature or just for time pass? This is the time, we need to stand up. I express my solidarity with the Mumbaikars at this stage. This is not just about Mumbai, but it could spread anywhere and everywhere. My dear friends, I request you to think, not as someone who knows more but as a weak person suffering from shocks and crying for my nation. Will you not help me and my country?

(World) Cup of Joy

In India cricket is the second religion for many. The incidence in the past few days, created a lot of emotion, expectation, doubts, and brought 1.21 billion Indians on one side. Winning Pakistan was like a great personal achievement for many. At the end of the winning, the whole nation reverberated with applause and shouts of joy along with crackers. Even on a festival like Diwali one cannot hear crackers being burst at the same time by all. That is why probably   they call cricket a religion in India. Finally the long awaited moment came last night. One of the best sides just like Pakistan or Australia, Srilanka was the side to be taken on stride in the final. After 28 years, the history was repeated, and Dhoni's magic weavers earned the distinction of the only team to have won the cup in their own land. The talk on this is going to be continued for days to come in many TV Channels, in many street corners, many offices, many homes. I join the billions in congratulating Team India. A observations made me happy. The whole team unanimously dedicated  the victory to the master batsman Sachin Tendulkar, without taking the credit to themselves. Sachin on his part dedicated it to the Nation.The coach Gary Kirsten erupted with Joy with the Dhoni's winning sixer, as if his own country had won. This shows his involvement in the team's shaping and its winning. I extend my greetings and congratulations to Gary Kirsten too. A good guru is always interested in the welfare and achievement of the disciples and will be happy when they achieve as if the achievement is his own. Many more people have contributed to this win too, such as the ground staff, security forces, medical team, organizers and the cheering    audience.

The greatest achievement in this World Cup is the uniting force that brought the whole India together, irrespective of their religion, region, party affiliation, caste, creed or rich or poor. I have never seen this unity among the whole nation. I wish this unity is kept alive  forever. An after thought too, came  to my mind that why this type of unity is not seen when we celebrate Independence day or Republic day. If our energies are pooled together and work together for this Nation, who can ever beat India? Can we make a committment that in the times of needs, we will raise up, be it in helping the accident victims or helping people during the national calamities or helping the suppressed and oppressed? Can our cup of joy overflow with this committement?   

Note: If anyone feels that you make that committment today, say yes or share your thoughts.

Japan, We stand by you..

One of the worst earthquakes and tsunamis seen in the history of mankind had struck Japan last Friday. When we witnessed the shake on TV, the world too shook. Japan, having suffered from the nuclear bomb during the world war, recovered but saw several earthquakes being in the earthquake prone zone. Every time, they learnt a lesson and developed better technologies to withstand earthquakes. Nature proved it is supreme. Shendai is worst hit in the whole episode. Thousands have lost their lives and million lost their homes.

This is a time when there is a need for the whole world to stand with them. Even in the heart breaking scenes, there were a few observations which did not escape my eyes. Within a few days, people of Tokyo had resumed their work. During calamity too, they used restraint and calm. Unlike many incidences in other places of the world, where, people go on stampede for getting food or medicines or fight among themselves or a few go on looting, there was discipline. Another striking thing was their media did not show gory scenes of dead bodies and body parts to create sympathy or cash on the calamity. Anywhere else, media would have done this. I have seen this in TVs including many Indian TV channels. I bow to you Japan. I am sure that you will raise up again. Japan, we stand by you.

In any calamity and untoward events, we are carried away by emotion. A little after thought will raise several issues. If such events recur, what we need to do? Can country like India can take it? The answer is clear that we are not fully prepared for this type of eventuality. This type of event can only be tackled by many expert groups. Government needs to gear up first. Medical and paramedical forces, several types of engineers, police, army, social workers, people to provide food, medicines, water, sanitation workers and the list will go on.

What is the role of civilians?  Civilians need to raise up for the occasion. Training in the areas of first aid, fire fighting, simple rescue methods, communication methods, etc., need to be taught at the school level itself. Involving the youngsters is important. There was a time, Red Cross was active in schools, now it becomes a mere formality. Homeguards were also seen on night patrol and now they are probably the endangered species. Now, we need to realize the importance for raising a Civilian Task Force, who can raise up for the occasion. Can the NGOs, think loud on this? How many altruist persons are ready to stand up for this cause?



  

Wishes to the women all over the world

Let me wish all the women around the world a "Happy Women's Day!". I would extend my wishes specially to those in the third world countries who are discriminated in the name of gender and oppressed. Even a country like India which boasts that we are already developed nation, has not done much to the underprivileged women. How can any mature person accept female infanticide or a dowry killing?

I know today there would have been quite a many celebrations across our country too. This is the 100th Anniversary which is worth celebrating. Probably many a women would have accused men for all these and cursed them too? I am not here to argue with them. What is the need of the day is more important to us. To be very frank, I do not want to spend much time praising Indra Nooyi or Kiran Mazumdar Shaw or Pratibha Patil, for they have achieved their heights and no one can stop them. I know, in our society there are many privileged women who can achieve great heights and they keep moving ahead and many women's clubs are filled with them. My concern is about the underprivileged and those who do not know what they can and should do.

Very often I see the girls in Biosciences sacrifice their studies for the sake of marriage. About 70% of biotech students are women but among them only about 5 to 10 %  take up a career in biosciences. This is not just a loss for the women but also for the country. It is a type of Brain Drain. All education and money spent on them just go waste. Who is to blame, the students, parents, companies who do not give opportunities or our society as a whole?

On this special day, while wishing all of you, I do wish to give a few advises to the young women. Do not think, that all men are deterrent to your progress. Men and women are just part of the big humanity and they need to go together holding hands to achieve great things for the humanity. Nor, you think that all women who talk big on stages and have organizations which boast to bring changes, are going to help you ( I do have respect for the truly working NGOs who changed the life of many). Probably the men who show true concerns are also your great friends. More than anything, do not expect any sympathy or concessions and someone to come and rescue from the clutches, which many times you had put it on yourself. 

Believe in yourself and never think that womanhood is a curse. Also women should know the truth that many a times an enemy for a woman is another woman. Mother-in-law Vs. Daughter-in-law stories still sell even on TV shows but very few times you would have come across Father-in-law Vs. Daughter-in-law feuds. Yesterday's daughter-in-law is today's Mother-in-law and today's daughter-in-law is tomorrow's mother-in-law. Problems are many times due to what the society thinks as right. Illiteracy, superstitions, false religious believes and chauvinism are the cause for the problem.

To my fellow men too I need to give a few advises. Do not think in the same way as our forefathers have thought regarding women. Do not hesitate to be a rebel in opposing dowry even if you need to fight your own family. At the same time, you need not look at a woman treating them like a weakling or who needs your sympathy, but treat them as your equal.

Let us not wait for a society that great leaders and poets like Subramanya Bharathi dreamt of, but help build it.

Geomarinebiotech: Tribute to Sir. C.V.Raman

Geomarinebiotech: Tribute to Sir. C.V.Raman: "Today we celebrate Science day in India, rightly so on the birthday of the only Indian who lived in India and won Nobel Prize for Science (P..."

Geomarinebiotech: A Tribute to Thomas Alva Edison

Geomarinebiotech: A Tribute to Thomas Alva Edison: "Today we remember Edison who of course does not celebrate his birthday but the world does. He was born on February 11, 1847 and thus it is 1..."