it is always wonderful to cath up with school friends. One of the advantages of Internet is the connectivity. As students we all studied together at Kendriya Vidayalaya in class 9th and 10th in 1970's and 1971 In Secunderabad. Most of us were children of Army Officers or Railway officers and we're in constant motion in new places when our parents got transferred. We kept in touch with close friends for a year or two and then moved on. It is interesting that many of us got together through the Internet after more than 40years. Most of us are placed in different parts of India and some in US, Canada and U. K. We try to meet once a year and hardly feel that time has passed by. We still feel the 15 year or 16year old at heart. Now we will be celebrating our 60th year and four of us in the core committee went around the town on 28th December, 2015, looking for a place to meet and had lot of fun just being together in each others company.
Monday, December 28, 2015
Friday, December 11, 2015
Talk at Maulana Azad National Urdu University on Muslim women and Girls education
On 11th December, 2015, I was invited talk on Muslim Women's and girls education. Had a talk on Muslim Women's and girls education at Maulana Azad National University. I get a chance to practice my Urdu in these lectures. Thank you Prof. Kanchana Illiaha for inviting me. Met my old students Taha, Faiz who are faculty there. I was very happy to see the whole of History Department with Prof Kaw, Danish being present. Met many old friends Shahida and others.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Connecting with Ranjit and Rita bandopadhyay
On 10th December, 2015, we were able to connecting with old friends.at the wedding of the son of Biltu. It is really great to connect with old friends and though we were meeting Ranjit and Rita after many many years probably thirty, we could just connect and start talking as if we had met last week. Indeed a great evening.
Monday, December 7, 2015
Samira Birthday celebrations
On 7th December, 2015, joined the Birthday celebrations. Went back to the childhood days of my children with the birthday celebration of our neighbours daughter, a real princess our lovely and cute little Samiara. God bless you.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Key note address to an International Peace Group
On 16th Novemeber, 2015,I was invited to give the key note address to an International Peace Group. Peace the much needed commodity After the killing of innocents in Beirut, Paris I strongly feel the world needs peace. I was very happy to be part of an International group that organised a convention for the cessation of wars and the establishment of peace along with Osmania University. The International Women's Peace group a Korean Based organisation is St the forefront of this and I hope we do see a day where there are no more fights in the name of religion, territory and economy.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Training of women elected representatives
It was a real interesting experience to be part of a training programme on Sensitization on Sexual Harassment to Women Elected Representatives of PRIs on 3rd Novemeber, 2015. Women from Himanchal Pradesh, Goa, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Telangana and many other states were there. The women from Rajasthan had never traveled alone and came with their husbands. it was an interesting experience to listen to these women and share their problems and issues. I am sure the women will go back more empowered and sensitized. Thankyou NIRD , Gyan Mudras ji and Suchitra Pujari for making me part of this programme.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Shanti Ghidiyal
My college days friend Shanti Ghildiyal came to Hyderabad on 30th October, 2015. We had a lovely time for three days. We spoke of the lovely memories of the past and the lovely time we had in Hyderabad during the mid seventies.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Meeting my brother Col. Prakash Tewari
Met my brother in Hyderabad on 28th October, 2015, after a long gap yesterday. He is very busy traveling and was in Hyderabad for an evening. He had just come for a press Conference and was leaving the next morning. Met him for dinner and had a great time. The traffic was chaotic and thanked my stars that I do not commute to the city every day.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Joys of being a teacher
The October of 20th, 2015, was a very happy day. One of my students Barnali has got a job as an Assistant professor in the Centre for Women's Studies, Dibrugarh University and has joined there and came to meet me. My other student Prabhu Balasubramanian from History successfully defended his Ph. D thesis. Indeed a happy day and a sense of fulfilment.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Prof. Mark Lindley
Prof. Mark Lindley from Germany gave a very interesting talk on Ecological Sensibilities in the Modern Western Culture a historical survey to the Department of History and the Research Scholars forum.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Poem by Gulzar
Such a beautiful poem. I had this poem in person from Guljar when he came to our University. Our generation has grown up with both books and computers so we can relate so well to this poem. I keep thinking that the present generation which has grown up only with computers, I pads, smart phones cannot relate to this poem.
kitabein jhankti hain band almaari kay sheeshon se
badee hasrat se takti hain
maheeno ab mulaaqat nahi hoti
jo shameein in ki sohbat main kata karti thein, ab aksar
guzar jaatee hain computer kay pardon par
badi bechain rahti hain kitabein
unhe ab neend mein chalne ki aadat ho gayi hai
badi hasrat se takti hai
jo qadren vo sunati thi
ki jin ke cell kabhi marte nahi the
voh qadren ab nazar nahi aate ghar mein
jo rishte vo sunati thi
vi saare uDdhe uDdhe hain
koi safa palat ta hoon to ek siski nikalti hai
kai lafzon ke maani gir pade hain
bina patton ke sukhe Tund lagte hai vo sukhe alfaz
jin par ab koi maani nahin ugte
bahut si istelahen hain
jo mitti ke sakoron ki tarah bikhri padi hain
gilason ne unhein matruk kar daala
zabaan par zaiqa aata tha jo in safhe palatne ka
ab ungli click karne se bas
ik jhapki guzarti hai
buhat kuch tah-b-tah khultaa chalaa jaataa hai parde par
kitabon se jo zaati rabta tha kat gaya hai
kabhi seeney pe rakh ke lait jaate the
kabhi godi mein rakhte the
kabhi ghutno ko apne rehl ki soorat banah kar
neem sajde mein padhaa karte the, chhoote jabhee se
woh sara ilm to miltaa rahegaa aainda bhi
magar who jo kitabon mein milaa karte the sookhe phool aur mehke hue ruqe
kitabein maangne, giraane, uthaane ke bahaane rishte bante the
unkaa kyaa hogaa, woh shayad ab nahi honge!
Books peep through the closed glass doors of the cupboard
With much longing and desire, they stare through
For months now, we don’t meet
Those evenings that would be spent in their company, now often
They pass by, staring at the computer screen
The books remain very restless now
They have fallen into the habit of sleep walking
With unfulfilled desire, they stare at me
The norms and values that they used to narrate
While the cells (battery) wouldn’t die (as they did so)
Those norms are not visible in the house anymore
Those relationships they would narrate
Those have been left incomplete
When I turn a random page, it lets out a soft cry
Some words have lost their meaning
The letters and words seem like dried trees without leaves
On which nothing of meaning grows anymore,
Just many terminologies
Just like clay-pots were left scattered
When glasses made them obsolete
The taste of turning pages that could be felt on the tongue
Now, on the click of a finger, it happens in the blink of an eye (goes unnoticed)
A lot of layers are opened and peeled on a computer screen
That personal relationship that used to exist with books, has been cut off
Sometimes one could just lie down with a book on their chest
Sometimes they would be placed in your lap
Sometimes the knees would become a book stand
Sometimes they would be touched to the forehead, in a half-prayer
All that knowledge and wisdom, will surely keep coming to us, in the future as well
But those dried petals and leaves that would be discovered in the pages of a book,
Those relationships that were formed in the borrowing, dropping, picking up of books
What will happen to all of that?
That may not happen any more
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Joys of Convocation , 2015
Convocations are such a happy time in the University. I just came out of the 17th convocation on 1st October, 2015. Three of my students got their Ph. D degrees but Han was in Bangkok, Thailand and Jeeva was in Silchar, Assam and hence only Ashita was there. Missing you Han and Jeeva and it was great to see Ashita collect her degree from the Chancellor. Unfortunately the photograph is not all that bright but it did not dim Asita's or my joy. I now want to see Ashita settled for the others have settled and I wish all of them a bright future.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Post Convocation
I got a call in the evening and was invited to join all the MA Batch students who had come to Hyderabad for the convocation. It was fun connecting with the students. Some of these students have gone to different Universities like JNU, Jamia Milia, Delhi University to do M. Phil's, others have joined coaching for Competitive exams, some have joined Projects. It was a fun filled evening catching up with students and I will remember this batch as a very active one that was very good at organising events and was very savvy with technology and very visible on the Internet. I hope they all settle well and I wish them all a bright futures Indeed a great way to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti with my dear students.