* Worked with the Maharashtra Government to establish Force One, Mumbai's own NSG-styled commando battalion* Wrested Rs.1,200 crore central funding - the highest in the country - for re-laying Mumbai's decaying storm water networkN* Worked in parliament to establish the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), with the aim of providing central assistance towards urban renewal projects across Indian cities, of which Mumbai and...more
Veterans, active military personnel and civilians can now mingle and trade their views through the veterans dedicated forums. Such boards are created, run and own by military personnel and veterans themselves. And every forum endeavors to reach out for other members of the armed forces from different parts of the world. The Internet is playing a significant function in communication. It bridges the gap of time and distance of the people who have...more
Every now and then the English language produces an interesting word filled with imagery. One of my favorites is "pussyfooting" as it describes how someone or something behaves cautiously or timidly like a cat before making a commitment to action. It's also a great way of describing American diplomacy in the 21st century, representing politicians who are afraid of committing themselves to a course of action.The poster child for this expression was former Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain of the United Kingdom who pussyfooted around Hitler in 1938 and declared "Peace for our time" which turned into an embarrassing joke. Had Hitler been properly challenged early on, World War II may have been averted.The world is a lot more dangerous than it was in 1938, particularly when you consider the weapons now available. We are not at a loss for antagonists either. There is, of course, the "Axis of Evil" including North Korea, Cuba and Iran, most of which are headed by tinhorn dictators, and let us not forget our old buddies the Taliban and Somalian pirates. I am simply at a loss as to why we accept the shenanigans of the comedy team of Kim Jong-il, Fidel Castro, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The...more
It is the time of the year when the Chancellor of the Exchequer decides how much extra of Our Money he wants to take and which of the various departments are to get the money to squander on their whims over the coming year.This year the Chancellor has to attempt to stimulate the economy to return to a growth phase in the economic cycle while also...more
The possibility of becoming a lawyer in Spain to register as "avvocato" in Italy is known by Italians as the future lawyers "via spagnola. The process is based on the approval in Spain for a diploma in foreign law schools and then have access to the exercise of the race in Italy. The reason behind this practice is to avoid Duris requirements...more
The American presidential elections attract a great deal of media attention in India compared to any other election in the world. This can be attributed to a couple of reasons. American democracy is second only to India, and the US has a large Indian American population (it has touched a whopping 2 million mark as per the 2000 census). This year's presidential election is seeing more effort to woo the Indian American community, and several issues related to India have been discussed by both the presidential candidates (unlike in past Presidential elections). This can also be attributed in part to the growing stature of India in the world stage, and India's increasingly close bilateral relations with US, particularly after the historic Indo-US nuclear deal. The Indian American voter also has become very conscious of the situation back home in India. There are a few demands as a voter from this segment too. Indian American voter want to see an immigration reform, a geostrategic partnership between the two countries and a viable plan by the United States to help India tackle its public health issues including AIDS.Let us take a look at the views of the 2 Presidential nominees towards...more
Recently I've spent a lot of time on politically active sites. I signed up for the free memberships so I could comment on the articles. In doing this I've been able to get a good idea of what "some" people are reacting and responding to. Granted the...more
President Barak Obama has drawn considerable political flak recently from liberal Democrats, human rights groups, and "left-leaning" bloggers for two terror-related decisions: the decision to fight the court-ordered release of dozens of photos of...more
If the political parties are unable to produce leaders, we cannot wait for them forever to do so. We in Pakistan do not have the luxury of time. The military can and will prevail over the threats facing us for the time being, but who will assume the...more
The inauguration is over, appointments are agreed upon, our nation's capitol returns to itself and millions of Americans watch to see President Obama lead this country toward his vision for the United States of America. It will take his embodying...more
One of the reasons why India fares poorly on the development and socio-economic indicators is the large number of public holidays enjoyed by the employees of the government sector in India. The sheer number of government holidays proves to be a...more
Our biggest tragedy as a country was the enslavement of Black people who were stolen from their native lands and forced into slavery. In order to end this tyranny, courageous people risked their own lives in what has become known as the Civil Rights...more