Web site of Treasury Department HP Government link is below

My Notes on the Book  Good Economics for Hard Times by Abhijt Banerjee / Esther Dufflo 2021

My Notes on Thinking Fast Thinking slow , a Book by Nobel Laureate,  Behavioural Economist Daniel Kahneman 2020

Who is responsible for the separation of East Pakistan? Decoding the Fall of Dhaka 1971 | Hamid Mir Vlog

Comments of Akshay Sood on Hamid Mir Vlog of November 2023 

This is a good Vlog from a well known Pakistan journalist who quotes extensively from Books and Reports to point to Pakistan Army omissions and commissions , since country inception. 

Most events /facts  are well known to us but this Vlog refreshes those events .

The Vlog is refreshing for following reasons .

1.It is introspective and blames India minimally.

2.It points to Pakistan Army / establishment failures and corrupt ways .

3. He has compared 16th December 1971 Pakistan Army surrender to the 5th August 2019 Article 370 abolition in Parliament and equated them both as defining and Surrender moments of Pakistan. In one case, East Pakistan was surrendered and in 2019 , Kashmir was surrendered by Pakistan. Because subsequently Pakistan Army accepted and agreed to ceasefire on LOC of India Pakistan. If anybody remembers,  Asif Zardari too in Pakistan Parliament,  in 2019 had called the 5th August 2019 Article 370 abolition as another  1971 Bangladesh moment of Pakistan! 

Hamid Mir is being very  brave in this Vlog , which is very critical of Pakistan Establishment/ Army and a few years back had survived bullets attack in an assassination attempt on him , attributed to Pakistan secret agencies .

50 minutes Vlog in Urdu -Hindi .

See the Link below for Hamid  Mir Vlog 

https://youtu.be/SIwNFeJynMM?si=OoB4snrdUZfMsxrP

Who is responsible for the separation of East Pakistan? Decoding the Fall of Dhaka 1971 | Hamid Mir

SINAULI (WEST UP )ASI FINDINGS 2018 ANI PODCAST SMITA PRAKASH with DR MANJUL JOINT DG ASI 

Yeshi Travel Vlogs of Spiti , I had also travelled aomg with Yeshi in last week of August 2024 , to Spiti

My comments on above Dawn article : by Asad Rahim Khan .

 Akshay Sood: Dawn article dated 15th August by a Pakistan lawyer Asad Rahim Khan Khan on " Partition and the Role of the First Opposition Party of Pakistan " is very long but  informative and interesting for the following reasons :

1. It contains hints / discussions on the 1945 to 1960 events leading to the Partition of India  and also the post Partition events in East and West Pakistan .

2. We now know that there was a significant non-Muslim , mostly Hindu population in East Pakistan who thought that they had a decent future in East Pakistan . Hence, their large numbers in East Pakistan,  Post 1947 .Unlike the numbers and position  in West Pakistan , from where Hindus and Sikhs migrated fully , except from Sindh .

3. Many of the Hindus of East Pakistan organised themselves under the banner of Pakistan National Congress , being erstwhile members of Indian National Congress , in East Pakistan,  though many of its members later joined Awami League of Mujib . This Pakistan National  Congress,  later called Bangladesh Congress, was later banned by Mujib uL Rehman prior to his own assassination. 

4. The Bangladesh Hindu leaders tried , in vain ,in 40s and early 50s to resist Pakistan Constitution becoming an overwhelmingly Islamic Constitution. Their failure to do so , is discussed here. 

5. The structural faults of East and West Pakistan and their differences on geographical , Ethnic and language grounds despite the common Muslim religion , a precursor to 1971 liberation , is discussed. 

6. The subsequent flight of Hindu leaders from Bangladesh , including the founding members of Pakistan (East ) Constituent Assembly members to India .Some names are mentioned in the article .This explains their disillusionment with East Pakistan , their flight to India, and of course the subsequent and continuing  migration of over 3 Crore Bangladeshis to India , from 1947 to ???.

7. The article , in the end becomes too long winded but goes to show why /how creation of  Pakistan could not have been avoided , how Nehru /Patel, etc, resisted creation of Greater /Undivided Punjab and Greater /Undivided Bengal , as part of Pakistan , to protect the rights of minority  Hindus in these provinces .This was the Muslim League demand , later dropped on demand of Congress leaders .

8. The article throws good light on why Pakistan and Bangladesh are caught in the present quagmire of unconstitutional events and other travails, including their  economic challenges .

9. The present student revolution in Bangladesh has a good history to it .

Such events have happened in the past, too , in Bangladesh. Nothing new .

10 .Mujib, too, was a good fanatic of his time , despite his later collaboration with India in 1971 to 1975 period. 

Many other events are discussed,  though in the end, the article becomes pedantic and somewhat difficult to follow .

But still a scholarly article,  which doesn't show India in bad light or blames India and its leaders , too much .

Akshay 

SHIMLA

A melodious Rafi Lata song of 1951 discovered today after Vividh Bharti played this Kishore  Sahu -Bina Rai movie Kali Ghata  song .

The song is rarely heard , it is good, though not a great one . The start मुखङा  of the song is excellent, but then the song and its अन्तरा   are short of being great .

Nevertheless,  the video/  song should be seen and heard for its simplicity and the melody involved and the fact that it is rarely heard .

Akshay

 I found this PM Vajpayee combative 2002 Parliament Joint sitting  speech interesting for its content and his sharp rebuttals. 

This was only 3rd ever Joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament to pass POTA Bill, which had been defeated in Rajya Sabha .

This Vlog  is 35 minutes long , though there is an interregnum of 15 minutes due to disruption.

Has over 10 lakh views. 

Good remembrance of Parliament history .

: 90 Seconds Video of US Parliament/  US Congress .

Republican Duncan Representative ( American MP ) discussing the problem with US Dishwashers , which don't clean / dry dishes properly .

He is giving his opinion on the proposed " Stop Unaffordable  Dishwasher Standards Act "in USA , in its Parliament/  House of Representatives to counter executive instructions of Biden Administration to have stricter Dishwasher Standards. 

How , it could be better to wash dishes directly instead of washing in Dishwasher , says the MP , who supports the proposed law against Biden Administration , Energy Department's guidelines to have better standards for Dishwashers in kitchens .

अमीर  देशों की रसोई  की समस्या !

The Bill seems to have been passed in House of Representatives on 9th July 24 

Case study on Law making in US Parliament 

 Interesting recent podcast with JaitirathRao Entrepreneur, IT Company  Mphasis founder and writer / Social Thinker , on themes of Sanatan Dharma/ Bharat/ Hinduism civilisational symbols and ideas / ideals , which he argues  predated the modern Constitutional State of India ie Bharat .Rao has also written an acclaimed book on Gandhiji .

Both the interviewer Hindol Sengupta , who has written a Biography of Sardar Patel and Jaitirth Rao are eloquent in this podcast , some of whose notable points are discussed below .

1. Chola and other Rulers through their power and trade and maritime supremacy ruled several South East Asian countries. The Tamil , Kalinga and other Rulers of South dominated as maritime powers for nearly 1500 years .

2. A Tamil hymn/ invocation from a scripture is recited in Thailand when the King is coronated in Thailand. We already know about Thailand King taking up the avatar of Rama during his kingly duties .

3. There is a 16th century Kashi Vishwanath Mandir in Kumbakonam , built at that time but having a history going back to 7th Century .

4. They both discuss the Left / Communist narrative for last several decades  to negate / disregard Civilisational / ancient / sanatan/  local / Indic traditions and beliefs , an effort which gathered steam after Independence. An interesting point made by Rao  is that several  civilisation constructs / belief systems and  cultural values of India still  have Bronze Age linkages , which are rare for any contemporary society. Bronze Age (3000 BCE to approx 1000 BCE).

5. Interpretation and distortion of Indian society including its jati system , devdasi pratha,  polytheistic traditions ,  in a Western binary /Abrahamic construct , ignoring  the deeper aspects of such and other  Indian traditions .

6. The current obsession / fetish with the 1950 Indian Constitution, too, is discussed. Rao mentions that 80 % of the Indian  Constitution provisions are taken / copied from the 1935 Government of India Act .

7. Rao has cited several aspects of Tamil heritage to explain its linkages with other parts of the country , contrary to the belief that Tamil culture was isolated from rest of India including North India and was not influenced by other cultures or didn't influence other cultures. 

 Some of the points discussed in the podcast  are a reiteration of similar discussion in other podcasts , but the 55 minutes discussion is  erudite and interesting. 

Akshay

40 minutes Discussion on how Hinduism / Hindu Dharam / Sanatan Dharma is seen and perceived in USA , from these 3 Bay Area California Indian Americans .

Dr Kundan Singh is a Professor at Sofia University who is the more articulate speaker in this VLOG .

The discussion topic is interesting, but it is somewhat pedantic , somewhat boring, but is unique and can be followed for the following reasons .

1 . The book Colonial Discourse and Suffering of Indian American children .

2.Prof Kundan Singh mentions the old narrative of Hindus/  Hinduism being carried forward in USA syllabus / schools, etc, as being a caste ridden , hierarchical religion/ society .He mentions his efforts to rid Syllabus and books in USA of some of the false / exaggerated narratives of India and Hindu religion in USA Books / syllabus which impacts the esteem of Indian Americans and their children , in particular. 

3. An interesting point Prof Kundan  Singh mentions is the 1813 book titled History of British India by Scottish James Mill , who started from being  a lower ranked East India Company official to becoming its president in due course .Mill , never visited India but has written this Encyclopedic work in 3 Volumes , which carries a narrative , not favorable of Indian / Hindu society , and Mill's narrative later became an important source of British policies in India.  Prof Kundan recommends reading 7 chapters of James Mill Book of 1813 , to know about  his understanding of India , which also became the foundation of understanding Indian society by both British and Indian historians and later in the India books in USA .

So , for those interested,  they can try to access the book by Prof Kundan Singh and Krishna Maheshwari , the latter being born in America. 

And James Mill book of 1813 on India History  can  be seen for being an original work on India .

 Knowledge कहंदी ,  की कहना ।

Wisdom कहंदी,   की नहीं कहना!

This is the  quote of Prof Kashmira Singh (who seems a Canadian Sikh political science/  History expert or maybe just visiting Canada  ) in this interesting discussion.

Prof Kashmira gives good insight into Sikh / Punjab / Indian history , including its freedom movement. And also insight on some contemporary issues .

He debunks some of the myths and prejudices held by some Punjab people, including those of Canadian Sikhs , as evident from the biases held by host Thind , in this 35 minute Talk show .

Enjoy the talk for its content in Pindu (rustic ) Punjabi 

Podcast dated 13th September 2024,  From NIPFP Associate Prof Radhika Pandey in Print .

1st 11 minutes is  on HP Fiscal Position 

Rest of podcast is on  Punjab, its a good analysis on the fiscal position of the the 2 States . 

An Interesting 38 minutes Tribune Podcast  discussion on Punjab politics ,of 13th July 2024 on Public  finances .Himachal power freebies too discussed. 

Both Sh KR Lakhanpal ex Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary, Punjab and Prof Ghuman have spoken very well and concisely on what ails Punjab .

Lakhanpal reminds us how CM  Rajinder Kaur  Bhattal introduced free power in Punjab , later continued and expanded by other Governments  , how CM Amrinder Singh did away with free power for 3 years , how Amrinder Singh again reintroduced free power , after a discussion over a drink with his then  Finance Secretary Lakhanpal !

Prof Ghuman points to the Punjab phenomenon of 

 पल्ले नहीं धेला

करदे मेला मेला ।

Enjoy and see the Tribune podcast for the harsh Governance and fiscal realities of Punjab , Punjabi language and some humor and its lessons for the smaller brother Himachal,  whose finances are quite similar to that of Punjab .

Interesting 37 minutes Vlog with of the Print Team's Vir Sanghvi  with Teamlease Vice Chairman,dated 30th June  2024  which is  a leading  staffing Company. Manish Sabharwal  is of of SRCC Delhi and  also an MBA from Wharton .

It is a good discussion on economic challenges before India , with focus on employment,  poverty , employability, and skill development. 

He is an influential and popular speaker , a columnist, and more importantly a successful entrepreneur. 

Here, he discusses India 's failures and achievements and gives some interesting examples/  anecdotes viz :

1. The case of a boy ready to work in Gwalior at a salary 1/4th of Mumbai .

2. He mentions that in the IIT Delhi batch of 1972 , 80 % went abroad for jobs, etc .

In a recent IIT Delhi placement drive , 80 % pass outs chose to find jobs in India .

I have heard him several times including in person , in  Seminars in Manila and Mussoorie and   on YouTube and read his columns. 

The views expressed here are an iteration of his previous opinions and talk, but the same are a reminder of the Employment and economic challenges before the country .

He is impressive and articulate as usual .

And as objective as possible.

Akshay Sood: While above  Tribune story gives an  Engineer's perspective of the Pong Dam construction in 60s and 70s , which is informative and interesting ( including the    घाटी वाले बाबा anecdote , whose Ashram we also visited in 1975 and who was very popular in neighboring Punjab and Kangra hills ) , the write up misses the immense sacrifices of Dehra / Nurpur farmers who lost their lands , livelihoods and way of life , as their lands were acquired for making the Pong dam , now known as Maharana Pratap sagar. 

These Pong dam  oustees,  even today , protest for their rights , as they face several issues , with the land alloted to them in Rajasthan Ganganagar .

Some of the valley land , along river Beas was so fertile , to quote a colleague Sh OP Sharma , from rural Dehra , who lost his lands , that except for Salt,  everything ie Agricultural produce as grains , vegetable and fruit was produced in his village .

Farmers / land tillers of Bilaspur , lower Kangra hills , especially those with lands near river valleys of Sutlej and Beas  , made great sacrifices , as they lost their lands and livelihoods. 

Their sacrifices paved for  the construction of Bhakra and Pong dams , which resulted in today's Agricultural prosperity in present day  Punjab , Haryana and parts of Rajasthen .

The farmers and people of neighboring / down stream States , while demanding better deals for themselves ,   need to remember the sacrifices of land tillers / farmers of upper stream   Bilaspur and Kangra of Himachal Pradesh. As another friend from Bilaspur ,  Kamal , who lost his family  land during Bhakra construction, said that many people from Bilaspur  in 50s , did not demur in giving up their land for the Bhakra dam , as they felt that it was a patriotic call to build the modern Temple of India ,the Bhakra dam .

Imagine , people  giving up their lands easily, for such modern Temples , in other parts of the country .People of Himachal hills lost thousand acres land , in construction of the Bhakra and Pong dam .

Akshay Sood 

9th June 2024

A different Modi interview,to a less known You Tube channel,  taken in Kashi , giving hint of his pre politics  monastic life/wandering / Mendicant ways and life . A life maybe , at a time when Modi  was in late teens , in 60s. Interview is notable for Modi speaking on his personal life , including discussing; 

1.आत्मा परमात्मा की बातें

2 .विरक्त भाव

3 .शिव भक्ति 

4 .महादेव की उपासना

 5.बाबा की सेवा जब मासी की शादी थी,at his native place  and his refusal to attend his मासी  marriage.

6 .His relationship with his mother.

7 .Also on Modi return to worldly life after having entered into monkhood .

8 .He hints at having given  up wearing clothes during his early life in Himalayas,  as a travelling  बाबा/सन्यासी , when in late teens/  early 20s 

Modi also comments on his relations with / given comments on his family including his 2 brothers , one of whom worked in his department as Minister in charge ,when he was Gujarat CM.

Interviewer journalist Rohan Dua seems an ex Times of India  Assistant Editor / Reporter , who has covered Punjab, Himachal etc in the past.

And has also covered Applegate of Himachal,  as he says  .This Digital channel of Rohan Dua  is not known much .

Gurcharan Das Procter Gamble ( Richardson Hindustan which sold Vicks Vaporub in India among other things  ) India MD @ Stanford Conference on 29th February 2024, is now in his 80s .

He is an eminent speaker apart from being a top MNC  business executive. He is very articulate,  a good speaker and of course a good author / writer .

Here too he speaks eloquently in an India related Conference @ Stanford University. 

He had also addressed HP Government officers in HP Secretariat Shimla  in probably 2009 or 2010 , at the invitation of HIPA , HP Government. I had heard him at that time in Shimla .

He had a good equation with PM Manmohan Singh too in 80s , 90s and later .

One can see some other eminent Indian Civil Servants too in this 20 minutes talk , which though short, has important insights on the Indian  economy/  polity and some contemporary issues .

Shabbar Zaidi Podcast December 2023 : My comments 

Akshay Sood 29th December 2023.

 I found this Shabbar Zaidi 1 hour 25 minutes Hindi / Urdu  talk fascinating for the following reasons :

1. Shows the mind of a Shia Mohajir from Lucknow on India , Pakistan,  Bangladesh , Islam , Middle East , Israel etc unlike the Punjabi elite of Pakistan 

2. Mostly, Zaidi calls himself  an agnostic with an Islamic background , is self deprecatory,  critical of his country, and doesn't criticize India much .

3. He critically  evaluates the Pakistan elite mind and their role in Partition, especially that of  Muslim Zamindars of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in advocacy of Pakistan and also discusses the mind of Nehru and other leaders at the time of partition .

4. Zaidi is a Karachi based Chartered Accountant , has held Political public position as Chairman Federal Board of Revenue  Pakistan in Imran Khan Government and now sees himself as a Social and Political thinker .

5. Zaidi discusses Jain Book Depot of Connaught Place New Delhi as his main source of books for reading and advocating trade with India and more relations .

6. His insight on Israel , Gaza , ancient India, Aden , Gaza , Mecca Italy, and  Europe trade route is also interesting  .

As also, his insight on the perfume trade of India and China with Europe and Arabia , the Perfume business of Prophet , the economic reasons for pilgrimage to Mecca Medina etc .

7. Israel , Jews,  Zionism , Hamas , the importance of Gaza , Jewish settlements,  Jewish orthodoxy are discussed with lot of objectivity .

8.Zaidi is quite forthcoming and frank in his views , comes out as a person who speaks his mind , taking the precaution of not being critical of Army role in Pakistan and also not sharing  views which may be considered as Blasphemous in his country .

9.Both the speakers acknowledge India 's economic progress.

I see Zaidi as a good thinker of Pakistan , somewhat in India 's Gurcharan Das style .

The interviewer Junaid Akram too is good .

Akshay Sood 

29th December 2023

Very impressive track record and career of Prof Shekhar Pathak , who has also been at Indian Institute of Advanced Study Shimla , as a Fellow.

In this lovely 20 minutes video blog , he is shown doing the Dehradun Mussoorie trek , sharing many historical points / narratives of Dehradun , Mussoorie, British settlers and anecdotes of Uttarakhand/ Kumaoni hill life / village life .

Very well narrated by Prof of History Shekhar Pathak and the young Co traveller / trekker with him .

Akshay Sood wrote on above NN Vohra remarks :

A hint of what ails Punjab and why it is in decline .

NN Vohra speech could be nice to listen to if available. 

This I am sharing because we all saw Punjab militancy since 80s and it's effects in other adjoining States .

Even this news item only partly alludes to the issues involved .

The dominant communities in Punjab will still not look inward to rectify the course .

Hence Indian Punjab continues to decline like Pakistan Punjab .

Samir Saran 1 1/2 hour ANI podcast dated 20th February 2024  referred to above :

It's good to 

1. Understand Indian strategic culture.

2. US India relations. 

Saran  says  that Bush and Biden have been very good to recognize India 's Global role.

3. Bush did the most for recognizing India's Nuclear needs .

4.Raisina dialogs has completed 9 years and has become an important Foreign Policy event of India .

Saran is President of Observer Foundation, which organises Raisina Strategic dialogs every year .Saran, too, is very articulate and well informed.

Kashmir Vlog by 

Arti Tikoo Singh February 2024 

This Vlog is a very long Vlog of Journalist , also a Kashmiri Pandit origin lady originally from Anantnag .

Arti Tikoo Singh , has been a journalist with IANS and Times Of India .

The over 2 hour Vlog is before Civil Service aspirants @ a Pune Academy , so mostly young Maharashtrian youth. 

It is notable for 

1.Impeccable English and fluent speaking for over 90 minutes .

2. A good History / International perspective on the Kashmir issue / problem/ its connection with Bharatvarsh etc.

3.She is very optimistic for Kashmir after 5th August 2019 Constitutional changes , which she says has had a very positive impact .

4. Her First hand account / Anecdote from Baltaal , Srinagar ,as a Reporter just after Article 370 abolition.

Also her recent 2 anecdotes from Anantnag in 2023 when she visited Kashmir with family.

5. Kashmiri Pandit community perspective on the Delimitation changes in J&K.

6. The questions from young Civil service aspirants too are good .

Though , Kashmir issues are heard so much in  media , but this one , from an unknown and a new Platform from Pune ,gives a very good account of present day Kashmir and its history and past events .

Untold Histories of Kashmir ;

These are two Indian American ladies( Venus Upadhyaya and Jayanti Chandramouli ) in a discussion on certain aspects of Indic / Sanatan heritage of mostly Jammu region .

Venus Upadhaya , the guest whose grandparents are from Jammu/  Patiala and were Dogra Brahmins , has travelled in last 4 years to her ancestral places in Jammu , Panch Tirtha and several other places to establish civilizational linkages between different places in North India / Sialkot / Hardwar / Jammu etc of the past about 2 Centuries .

As the 2 ladies say , the discoveries not only establish India as a Bio Diversity hot spot but also a Civilizational Hot spot .

There is also some reference to Basohli Arts , Kangra civilizational linkage with Jammu etc .

The Erstwhile GT road was not only a civilizational Corridor in the past , parts of this route today also form the Narcotics smuggling route to Kangra , Jammu Punjab etc .

The Interviewing lady is a Tamil American , the Guest is a Jammu Indian .

Interesting 55 minutes talk

Interesting 20 minutes interview of Ex Foreign Secretary MK Rasgotra 

Seems a dispassionate and objective account .

His take  on Dalai Lama @ 13 minutes of the podcast too is very interesting. 

Dalai Lama taking refuge in India was a possible trigger to the 1962 conflict , he says

Interesting conversation /ANI Podcast 

1 hr 16 minutes long conversation with Sheela Bhat , a Gujarati lady journalist .

I have read her writings in print form .

But never seen her on Electronic media .

She has 44 years Journalist experience. 

Has worked with NDTV,  Star News apart from her 12 year Reporting experience in Mumbai 1979-91 for myriad Papers and magazines  .

Then shifted to Delhi .

Her interview which is in Mumbaiya Hindi is significant for her :

1.Three  Dawood Ibrahim interviews from 1981 .

In 1988 , she interviewed Dawood in Dubai where Dawood had relocated to , prior to his shift to Pakistan. 

Interviews with Karim Lala ,  Chotta Rajan , Varadarajan etc when she was a crime reporter in Mumbai .

2. Her 1 night  experience at Mumbai Police Thana .

3 .Her insights on Gujarat and its society .Insight on the crime world of Mumbai Mumbai,  internecine battles of Mafia dons among themselves .

4.She mentions Dhirubhai Ambani as having max impact on Gujarat society on recent times .

5. Her insights on PM Modi .Both Sheela and Modi had a common mentor in a Gujarati Professor in 1981 when PM Modi was doing MA by Correspondence. 

6.Her criticism of her own Press  fraternity 

7 . Her passionate advocacy of Environmental/  social issues .

8.Her emphasis on understanding Crime , Journalistic reporting and Politics from the angle of layers within layers / Issues of Grey rather than seeing them in black and white .

 55 minutes long interview of Narayan Murthy 

35 year old son Rohan has  interviewed his 78 year old Dad Narayan Murthy founder of Infosys at a Public function .

Murthy headed Patni Computer Systems , a leading IT Company of Indiain 70s .

His first Start up didn't succeed. 

Infosys was his 2nd venture when he was 35 .

Nandan Nilekani , Mohan Pai , Kris, etc. were his Co founders in Infosys. 

He shares his family and professional anecdotes which are very interesting and informative. 

He worked in France for a good time before returning to Bengaluru to start his own Start Up.

He gives a lot of credit of his success to his wife Sudha Murthy , herself a TELCO Engineer in Pune where both were working .

He says he was a Leftist in France and now calls himself as a Compassionate Capitalist .

Son Rohan Murthy has interviewed well .

37 minutes recent talk at Business Today by Nandan  Nilekani show is very good for its :

Content 

Speaking style .

Indian progress in Public Digital goods and platform / infrastructure

Some aspects of Indian economy .

He also highlights 3 future areas where there are business opportunities ie E Commerce , Logistics and Credit .

 Interesting 20 minutes Video of Raj Kapoor. 

A very passionate interview after Bobby release l974 .

Audio is quite bad especially last 12 minutes. 

But shows a Raj Kapoor who is expressive completely immersed in Film world

 The story narrated by Raj Kapoor attributed to his father Prithviraj Kapoor,  and applicable to Rishi Kapoor , after his Bobby success comes out beautifully and in a very expressive manner from Raj Kapoor 

How the Circus showmaster father is never ever completely is satisfied with his  Child's performance , has been beautifully narrated @ 3 minutes by Raj Kapoor. 

Try to listen to  it !

Nice 14 minutes  interview of Hemant Kumar possibly of early 70s 

He discusses :his Surinam / West Indies travel where he narrates a touching Surinamese incident .

Kalyanji playing the Been of snake charmers in Nagin 

Lata 's 21 takes for a particular recording 

Kishore 

Guru Dutt

Golden film music era nostalgic talk

 A very interesting perspective,   a 1 hr 16 minutes long episode on ongoing J & K elections , history of Kashmir insurgency and separatism sentiment. 

Col Raina is very good and gives a view which I find one of the best  

He has authored several books on J &K , is a Dogra , local Jammuite and a regular on Podcasts .

His talk talks of :

The sense of entitlement in Kashmir elite .

Islam angle .

Dogra Ruler contribution.

Certain narratives perpetuated over time .

The huge financial assistance gone to the State , from Centre and within the State , the same and other resources were monopolized in Kashmir valley and by elites there .

The discrimination against Ladakh and Jammu .

Col Raina talks as a security expert,  with insight of an insider , in Hindi and a style that will appeal to most listeners.

Some of it is a repetition of what Col Raina has stated in the past .

Excellent but a long 1 hour plus podcast by ANI with  Gen Pandey on Kashmir. 

He gives what is a very good description of J & K situation,  pre and post 370 abolition.

“Evolution of the SGPC: A Historical and Reformative Perspective”by KBS Sidhu 

Very comprehensive Blog by Sh KBS Sidhu Punjab Cadre IAS 

Covering almost all aspects of Sikh society and politics. 

Inclusivity issues with respect to  Sehajdharis , rampant conversions to Christianity as mentioned here too , caste issues within the Sikh community, including domination by dominant groups in SGPC and Punjab politics are issues which are challenges and may need resolution , within the Sikh community and leadership .

Some may also  remember the unfortunate assassination of DIG Mr AS  Atwal within Golden Temple precincts  in 1982 . It was also a precursor to the unfortunate events of 1984 and subsequent events , if one  understands correctly .

[22/08, 08:35] Akshay Sood: 

Sajid Chinoy Chief Economist JP Morgan on Indian Economy in this 1 hour Podcast / discussion,  gives a very good overview of Indian economy and the next level challenges for India ,  which are mentioned as under :

Weak consumption 

Continuing Unemployment / Job  challenges 

Weak private investment 

Fiscal deficit being still  quite high and therefore little fiscal space available,  despite political parties promising many things free .

Limits to Monetary policy ability  to tackle inflation, especially food inflation. 

Higher than target  food inflation 

Need for Labour Sector Reforms.

Tariff issues and their impact on Manufacturing/  Exports .

There is, however, little/ no discussion of Agriculture Sector challenges / Land Law changes.

A good and balanced discussion includes some of the bright spots of the economy .The discussion has several economics/ technical terminologies. 

Chinoy has been a regular Indian Express columnist on economy .

The Discussion format is interesting with the Express Journalist Iyer doing the questions and  conducting the interview very well, and there are some audience questions at the end .

Akshay Sood 

18th June 2024

Above is an Excellent 29 minutes Interview on ETV Bharat of a mentally very alert Nonagenarian Political veteran Maharaja Karan Singh  , based on some parts of his autobiography 

It gives a  good insight into his Doon school life ( which was very tough, he says ) his relations with Nehru / Indira / Sonia Gandhi / Sheikh  Abdullah and Jammu Kashmir issues .Nehru was his political mentor. 

He calls himself an Indian who found himself immersed  in the midst of JK issues ,   describing  Sheikh Abdullah as a charismatic Kashmiri leader  embroiled in Indian politics/   affairs. 

That explains the  differing attitudes of people of Hindu majority Jammu areas vis a vis Muslim majority areas of JK State , on issues of JK .

The interviewer, too, is excellent.

Despite his age, Karan Singh is pleasing and very coherent in this recently held  interview.

At one time , long time back , Karan Singh had advocated merger of Jammu region with Himachal,  a proposal which however had no backers .

Akshay 

Shimla 6th January 2024

Interesting Informative 40-minute podcast , in chaste Gurmukhi on the Waqf Law changes via the new UMEED Act by KBS Sidhu .

KBS Sidhu IAS 1984 Punjab ( previously SDOC Kharar , DC Amritsar , Spl CS Punjab ) has called the previous Waqf law especially the 1995 Act and 2013 amendments as absolutely tyrannical and has therefore welcomed the 2025 Waqf law  changes .

Sh Sidhu has himself handled several Waqf related litigation in the field in Punjab in various capacities  and has talked of the debilitating effects of the existing waqf law , especially after 1995 , on Panchayat / Shamlat lands and evacuee properties of Punjab ,  since Punjab was partitioned and many Evacuee and other shamlat properties were wrongly converted as Waqf lands , says Sh Sidhu , affecting rights of common people on joint / common / shamlat lands 

He has advocated review (  नजरसानी as he says ) of several waqf related decisions under the 1995 Waqf Act and 2013 amendments by Revenue Administration / Punjab Government. The Land / Revenue related terms used by Sh Sidhu are easily understood in this podcast and are the same  are followed  in HP and Haryana  Land administration too  .

Sh Sidhu says that Punjab politicians,  including some  who spoke in Parliament debate have not properly understood several provisions of the previous Waqf law or the now approved amendments .

Sh Sidhu  writes at a fast  pace on several issues, including governance / contemporary/ Punjab and Sikh affairs / National / International affairs, and now has his own podcast channel too .

I am sharing link of Sh KBS Sidhu comments / Podcast on Waqf bill amendments .

9th April 2025 

Akshay Sood 

ज्ञानपीठ  पुरस्कृत ( 2025 के विजेता )   88 वषृ के विनोद शुक्ल की कृति 

"दीवार  में एक खिड़की रहती थी " (1996 ) 

साहित्य अकादमी द्वारा 1999 में सम्मानित कृति /उपन्यास। 

A Review /Note by 

AKSHAY SOOD April 2025 

कालेज टीचर रघुवर प्रसाद की   कहानी 

मध्यप्रदेश के कस्बे की कहानी । शायद 1955 / 1960 का राजनांदगांव ( आज का छत्तीसगढ)  का वणृन  है , जो लेखक की जन्म  स्थली है ।

The story transports the reader to the relatively simple times of 50s , 60s when there were  very few resources / facilities but there is  lot of interface with nature / forest / river and allied Flora fauna .

उपन्यास में  रघुवर के अध्यापन काल की, हर छोटी  बङी चीज का वणृन  है । रघुवर के नवविवाहित जीवन को सहजता से बताया गया है ।

It is a Story of 1 Room Living .

Raghuvar Prasad's  regular travel to College on an Elephant and the related  relationship and  experience with the Elephant and its owner who is a Sadhu , adds a certain romance to the novel .

सामान्य जीवन  का सहजता से वणृन किया गया है ।

कहानी में हाथी का प्रमुख  किरदार है , आस पङौस के लोगों और  बच्चों , घर परिवार के सदस्यों , फूल  पती,  पेङ पौधों , बहती नदी , तलाब ,  बंदर , पक्षी , नायक रघुवर  प्रसाद के घर का वणृन,  विशेषकर  घर  की खिङकी का वणृन , सरलता और आम भाषा में किया गया है ।

उपन्यास का सारांश 

सामान्य घटनाओं का अदभुत व सरल वणृन किया गया है जिसमें कालेज शिक्षक रघुवर प्रसाद , उनके परिवार और पत्नी सोनसी,  प्रकृति के अनेक रंगों व स्वरुपों,  हाथी की सवारी इत्यादि शामिल  हैं । घर की खिङकी का  कहानी में विशेष स्थान  है चूंकि यही खिङकी रघुवर प्रसाद को बहार की दुनिया से उसका मेल कराती है और  यही खिङकी बाहर के लोगों और पङौसियों का नायक रघुवर प्रसाद से तारतम्य बिठाती है ।

कहानी में कोई बङा नाटकीय मोङ नही है , कोई खलनायक  नहीं है और शायद  यही उपन्यास  की खूबी है । 

                    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 अक्षय  सूद

शिमला 

अप्रैल  2025

Sincerely, 

Akshay Sood: UP Law & Order / Bijli issues .

KANNAUJ / UP CASE STUDY 

Pradeep Singh's vlog talks on Yogi, completing 8 years in government, the longest serving CM of UP .

 A  State known and as I saw first hand in Kannauj   , for गुंडई,  दबंगई और उगाही , during 2012 Vidhan Sabha Election duty .

These were important catch words and election talking points , among other issues and would surprise anyone coming from Himachal or Southern States .

Samajvadi party  emerged victorious in the 2012 UP Elections trouncing BSP ,  relegating BJP and Congress to 3rd and 4th positions .

While Kannauj city , in 2012, used to get a power supply for 12 hours , the villages in the district often got unmetered power supply for about 6 hours .

A high Police official of Kannauj , after Election results ,  expressed apprehension in an officers party about the law and order in the State , based on past experience with the likely prospect of  victorious party cadres romping  Police thanas to take away their detained  favourite  goondas and  party workers , from the  Police custody .

This vlog talks of the  dysfunctional judicial and law and order system prior to Yogi rule .

For example, Pradeep Singh  gives the example of about  ten  judges who are   reported to have  recused from hearing the  bail petition of mafia Don ,  Atiq Ahmed ,  due to fear or other extraneous reasons .( Possibly 7 High Court judges refused / refused from  hearing Atiq Ahmed's  bail petition in 2010 -12 period , as per a Times of India Report ) 

Electricity supply has now  improved significantly as per this vlog of Pradeep , with most places now  getting 18  to 24 hours  power supply in UP . My numerous conversations with UP residents have  confirmed improved power supply in the State .

Removal of public / unauthorized encroachments,  including the somewhat criticized method of bull  dozer action too is another hallmark of Yogi Government , as stated in this Vlog by Journalist Pradeep Singh .

PS 

Pradeep Singh speaks well and is a pro BJP vlogger .

Kannauj Case study is cited in view of my 1 month stay  in Kannauj there  in 2012 .It included Constituencies of Kannauj,  Chibramau and Tirwa .

Akshay 

Shimla 

March 2025

 Interesting long , 2-hour recent  podcast of March 2025 ,  with this Harvard Anthropologist Professor Heinrich  , by Dwarkesh Patel .https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Henrich

Excellent questions and  Excellent Responses of the Professor Henrich ( just 56 year old ) on his genetics based studies of different people , countries , races , the racial mixing , Impact of the rise of  Catholic church   on Europe and its effect on European communities , rise of Guilds in Europe and Protestantism  which helped universal schooling and later the development of the University system in Europe and the rise of Industrial society / Industrial revolution in Europe. 

China is discussed in greater detail, including why Industrial revolution eluded China, despite its numerous contributions and innovations . India is discussed, on a lesser scale , India's caste system, and the related genetics studies are discussed .

A fascinating,  erudite discussion that requires  diligence in listening and understanding,  both because of the American accent and the  profound contents  of the Vlog . Very fluent  speakers , both Dwarkesh and Prof Henrich 

Above is Ms Jung Chang Vlog / Podcast with US based computer scientist and Podcaster Dwarkesh Patel .

It's a year old podcast , with relatively fewer views , so far .A long Podcast , 1 hour 31 minutes .

The talk and information on China is  interesting / excellent from the  British Chinese linguist who was among the first Chinese to move to West ie to England, after the opening of China to the West in 1978 .

Her Book Wild Swans ,  on China and its culture and the  communist  era happenings, has sold over 15 million copies, but  the book is banned in China .

Ms Chang was born in 1952 , had a reasonably privileged upbringing , her father being a top  regional Communist boss  but later her father fell away with Mao Zhe Dong  for questioning him , in writing , on the latter's Great Leap Forward policies,  which are reported to have killed over 40 million ( 4 crore )  Chinese , in the famine caused by  Mao's policies ,  including the  campaign to exterminate all birds , during the Great Leap Forward .

It is evident that despite Mao's fortitude / sterling role in bringing Communist Rule to China and his revolutionary role in early years  , his policies including the infamous Cultural Revolution,  caused  many miseries to the Chinese people , which came to an end , only after the rise of Deng Zhao Peng , after Mao's death  in 1976 and China's opening to the world .

The flip side of the Chinese Economic miracle and its manufacturing/  export successes  were the Great Chinese Famine of 50s and later the Cultural Revolution! 

Host Dwarkesh, who is young ,  is very well read on China in this podcast  , is  bright, and articulate in this excellent talk show ,  featuring incidentally ,  2 migrants to the West  ,  from China and India . He is known to use AI based research while doing his numerous podcasts .

Akshay 

March 2025

Above is  Arvind Mehta / Ankit Shah vlog 

At between 5 to 30 minutes of this Ankit Shah Vlog / Talk in Delhi , which otherwise is a long YouTube video ,  Sh Arvind Mehta IAS Himachal  1984 batch , last posted Secretary 15th Finance Commission and later Pr Adviser NITI , has spoken well / dwelt  on some important Governance issues of India /Delhi namely ;

1 Quality of Education at Elementary school level. 

2. Nutrition पोषण issues at infancy stage which results in stunting and wasting in young children 

3. Rivers , Yamuna nadi  pollution , big dams vs small dams issue , NGOs views on Dams , water for Delhi from Kishau dam, likely to be built on Tons nadi in Uttarakhand , trade with Pakistan and some other issues .

4. Based on his Commerce  / Defense/  Union Finance Commission/  NITI postings in Delhi and also  Himachal State experiences .

I have seen only this part of the vlog of a Private Vlogger conference called Alternative Media .

Thanks 

Akshay Sood 

Shimla

Above is the AI enabled podcast .Modi  Lex  Fridman podcast 

3 hours long of March 2025 

 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lex_Fridman

Original one  is in Hindi , Question in English reply in Hindi by PM 

Helps  to understand not only Modi and Indian Govt policies but some of the uniquely Indian practices of fasting / spiritual traditions of India, etc .

An interesting comparison mentioned by Modi was the age-old uninterrupted journeys of the 2400 year old Vadnagar Gujarat , the birth place of Modi  with Kashi , arguably among the oldest living cities of India .

अविनाशी शहर as he said and linked his birthplace and his Lok Sabha कर्म भूमि .He mentioned lot of Archaeological significant structures / Buddhist/  Jain linkages of his hometown Vadnagar , also visited by Chinese traveler Hieun Tsang .

I  didn't know about Lix Fridman previously .

He happens to be a Tajik Jew /  Russian/  Soviet born migrant to USA with lot of Mathematics/  Science / Technology background .

And association with Musk , MIT, etc .

Interestingly, Fridman, too fasted  for 2 days before / during the interview,  as he mentioned in the podcast .

His English podcast version has grabbed nearly 1 million views in a day with a lot of global response/  commentary in Comments connection. 

I was listening to the Hindi version. 

AI enabled different languages podcasts gives it a wide coverage. 

He has also naturally and immediately come with the Russian version,  apart from several Indian language versions of the podcast .

Thanks 

Akshay

River Ganga Cleaning efforts .

Above is a  9 minutes 1 year old  Vlog of UNEP (United Nation Environment Program/Namami Gange has over 6 lakh views in last 1 year .Including interesting/  informative comments from International viewers .

It is a vlog with some success stories of Namame Ganga mission , Interview of the Mission Director Ashok Kumar IAS and Wildlife experts  / farmers etc .

The vlog talks of natural farming efforts , efforts to save dolphins in Ganga , Installation of Sewerage/  Effluents treatment plants , increase water flow , restore natural habitats near / around Ganga and  some other efforts to improve Ganga water flow and quality .

An interesting comment in this vlog / comments below  is that our country has already lost Saraswati river system,  years ago , Sindhu nadi system 80 years back and now only  Ganga riverine system is left which contributes 40 % to India 's GDP .

March 2025 

 Above is a Dr Sarah Paine/ Dwarkesh Patel 2 hour podcast 

Excellent and interesting talk on modern and international history events  / conflicts by both Prof Sarah Paine ( Professor at US Naval College )and Dwarkesh Patel , despite it being  over 2 hours long .

Almost all modern  conflicts are  discussed with some decent focus on  India Pakistan and India China conflict and relations .Ms Paine has specialized in  Russian / Soviet studies .

The India related subject was somewhat known , but the talk refreshed the Indian events too , and it is very informed on other global / regional conflicts , including the ongoing contemporary ones .

The American accent was a slight problem,  good ear phones are a possible way to listen  attentively to the engaging talk .The talk , based on a lifetime of deep scholarship of Ms Paine , has gathered 2 million views in 1 month .

Some interesting points from the podcast  :

1 .Stalin's death, he was so dreaded ( hated ) that for several days, his  dead body remained unattended .

2. Russians cruelty to fellow citizens / others .

3 .Ms Paine's   books on Amazon appear in different name , her reasons for that .

Thanks

Akshay Sood 

16th March 2025

CULTURAL REVOLUTION

Above is Asia Society Hong Kong 1 hour  Podcast hosting Dutch Historian Frank Dikotter, where  the academic / historian  talks of  the  Cultural Revolution of China (1962 -76 ) .

A Review by Akshay Sood ( Himachal Pradesh India 

21st April 2025 )

In this Asia Society 1 hour  Podcast hosting Dutch Historian Frank Dikotter, the academic / historian  talks of  the  Cultural Revolution of China (1962 -76 ) .

The Talk was delivered in Hong Kong 5 years back , possibly when the Hong Kong region was still autonomous from the  Mainland China .

The first 36 minutes is the talk, and then there is  the Q & A , which features interesting questions and responses .

It  is a profound and erudite discussion from an excellent China expert Frank Dikotter ,for long based at Hong Kong ,  who has written a 3 book  trilogy on Mao , China and its numerous and tumultuous events , covering pre 1949 China  events and the post 1949 Communist China events .

Here, too, Dekotter  is presenting his new book .

The talk has been hosted at the  Asia Society in Hong Kong .

CULTURAL REVOLUTION ( 1962 -76 )

1. As per Frank Dekotter ,  Soviet  leader Nikita Khruschev's downright criticism of Stalin rule excesses  , in 1956 , was a landmark and a cataclysmic event in the Global  Communism movement of that time , which affected Communists worldwide, including Mao  , who himself derived inspiration from Stalin .

 2 .Cultural Revolution in China is  also seen by Dekotter as  a response to the failure/  horrors of the Great Leap Forward and the consequent  huge number of deaths in the Great Famine of China , which exposed Mao and the Communists to lot of criticism , weakening his position  and status .

3 .The Cultural Revolution was started as a campaign to purge Communist party and the Chinese  Society of all bourgeois elements and capitalist tendencies and rid China of old ideologies and belief systems . It was also  a movement aimed at "thought control "  of millions  through purges and removal and shifting and re- education of  millions in rural communities .

The Revolution excesses affected both the  Party Cadres and the common Chinese .

4  . In the talk , Mao Zhe Dong has been quoted commenting  in a jocular manner in 1960s ,  on the effects of the  French Revolution , saying that it was rather early to predict the consequences of the 1789 French Revolution ! Even after over 150 years ! 

5  . Dekotter  , when asked in the Q & A  , is reluctant to predict the  future of the  CCP, calling himself a pessimist in the short run but an optimist in the long run! 

This was in response to a question on the future of Communist party in China .

6 .Because of the efforts during the Revolution to rid society of all old elements and remnants ,  there are no / few museums in China which  depict  older China culture and cultural practices , says the orator -author , though it seems Museums  are in abundance in China . 

7  Several  episodes , anecdotes, and events of brutalities of the Cultural Revolution have been discussed by Dekotter in this 1 hour  podcast . A hallmark of Frank Dekotter's research on China  is his reliance on thousands of letters , notes and some publicly available archives that provide insights into events , tragedies , excesses not available officially  and which provide a contrarian narrative , as against the official Communist version of history , past and contemporary events .

8 .As a historian , Prof Dekotter  says that  his attempt as a History teacher has been  to expose his students to primary data sources and not only published  books , some  of which are only secondary sources of information and data . (The raw stuff of history,  as he says, about the primary data sources !  )

9 .Frank Dekotter  narrates the chilling  anecdote of the exiling of a Chinese young man  to an interior countryside area for 20 years  , his mistake being   putting  wrong dosage of fertilizers in carrots  grown in a farm where this person was working ! 

10 .Among the cult dictators discussed in the podcast  are Pol Pot , Kim II Sung , General Franco  , Stalin , Hitler , Mussolini , Nikolas Ceausecu , and Mao  , among others .

11 .  Dekotter also discusses how these cult dictators emulated and copied other cult dictators with Mao himself  getting  inspiration  from Stalin to promote his own cult status .

12  .Nixon , in his last years , is  stated to have admitted to creating a  Frankenstein monster in allowing China's  integration in the world economy without adequate safeguards and corrections in China's trade and other  practices.

There are many other Frank Dekotter podcasts , which possibly are a good source to understand China and its recent history, especially prior to 1949 and after 1949 , when Communist Party came to power , in case one is unable to read his books / Publications. 

                 xxxxxx    xxxxxx

Jyoti kalash song / Pandit Narendra  Sharma 

 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandit_Narendra_Sharma

: https://youtu.be/6OWNiGODXc0?si=kZfYRPsN7GwYPyYf

 प्रभात वणृन की सर्वश्रेष्ठ रचना ।

प्रभु, भक्ति , गीत, संगीत, स्वर  का अदभुत संगम ।

ज्योति कलश छलके ......

From Meena Kumari starrer film of 1961 .Sung by Lata .

भाभी की चूङियां। 

The boy in this song is the young  देवर who is brought up by the childless Meena Kumari , this boy later rebels against his भाभी , in the movie , after marriage. 

Composition is  by Sudhir Phadke , who has sung this song separately,  also .

The lyricist Pt Narender Sharma was also the founder /  creator of Vividh Bharti Radio service .

He had written for over 100 movies and was also adviser for TV Serial Mahabharat .

He also penned lyrics in 1978 Movie Satyam Shivam Sundaram  and is remembered as a great Hindi kavi/  writer .

This song / bhajan , which captures morning rituals in most rural homes , at least in the past , and to some extent even today , has been sung in many languages , as mentioned in  the comments below this song . You Tube link is not available .

Akshay Sood 

10th March 2025 .

Dharamshala

This is my note on Sri Sri Ravi article in Indian Express on Mahadev /Shiva .

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-many-faces-of-shiva-and-the-return-of-the-somnath-shivalinga-9856308/

Sri Sri Ravi, while being a popular  spiritual Guru, seems to suggest in this Indian Express article penned under his name ( there are videos also on same lines of Sri Sri Ravi )  that was published on Mahashivratri Eve on 26th February 2025 , that

1 .Shiva was not any person in Puranic / Vedic age or 15 ,000 years  ago .

2 . Shiva bhakts / believers feel the consciousness of Shiva 's presence , who is a formless entity . The Chaitanya form .Chaitanya means having Chetna or  consciousness. 

3. This interpretation also helps possibly  explain   Shiva's existence to agnostics / atheists / the doubters / the non-believers  and also devout and ardent believers .

4. Shiva  is thus  worshipped in the लिंग  स्वरुप। 

5. As Sri Sri says in this article  , Shiva is the Cosmic principle , the divine energy in us / in living beings .Every human  emotion is an expression of his divine nature .

6. Shiva is the dynamic energy inseparable from Shakti .

7. In Puranic literature,  Shiva is Aja ( never born ), Anadi (without beginning  ) , Anant ( without end ) .

I think these interpretations / discussion / belief system mentioned in this article ,  provide a spiritual anchor for all - the ardent Shiv devotees and also others who may have doubts on existence of God , an eternal and an age old debate in human minds and in all societies , on existence of God / Supreme Power .

Akshay 

27th February 2025

PS : The full article link not getting published but I have pasted the article link 

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-many-faces-of-shiva-and-the-return-of-the-somnath-shivalinga-9856308/

  Above 2 You Tube links contain STORY of PRINCESS of BHOPAL ABIDA SULTANA who migrated to Pakistan in 1948 .

After her estrangement from her husband , she later fell out with her father Nawab of Bhopal, which, too , apart from other reasons,  motivated her to go to Pakistan,  post Partition , in 1948 .

She was the elder sister of Actor Saif Ali Khan's दादी (grandmother ) ie  मासी / Maternal aunt of Cricketer and India Captain  Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi .

The BBC vlog and a 1953 University of Colorado Denver vlog of Abida Sultana (latter is an interesting Q &A with Princess Abida Sultana in Denver at  a time when very few South Asians visited USA what to talk of Denver ) throw good light on life and times of this strong personality of this  Bhopal Royal  ,who gave up Royal riches in Bhopal and opted for Pakistan . 

The 2  vlogs throw good light on ;

1. The dilemma of the Muslim elite / Royals / Ashrafia elite while choosing between India and Pakistan at the time of Partition. 

2. On the general situation and times of 1940s , in India and Pakistan. 

3. The strong personality and talents of Princess Abida Sultana , who was an able hunter ( she may have killed 70 tigers / Leopards,  including 4 tigers at one go , in a span of 5 minutes ) an aviator pilot , Chief Secretary of Bhopal sultanat , before 1947 and thus an administrator .

4. The Royalty in those times .She had Afghan/ Pathan lineage and by her statement , her family had been ruling Bhopal for nearly 3 centuries .

5. Her only  son Shahryar , who studied in Oxford rose to be Foreign Secretary of Pakistan .

6. Begum Abida died at a good old age of 90 in Karachi , her home in Pakistan. 

While BBC vlog quality is very good , the American Denver audio of 1953 has a not very good quality but the Interview of Princess Abida is quite audible .

Akshay 

Shimla 

10th February 2025

LOKNAYAK JAIPRRAKASH NARAYAN (JP )

*Loknayak Jayprakash Narayan* (Bharat Ratna , Magsaysay awardee and so much more ) **JP as he was known .From Bihar .* 

1 .While looking at his Wikipedia page , one realizes how much JP and people like him have sacrificed for Bharatvarsha. 

2. JP went to University California Berkeley in 1923 for BA in Chemistry but couldn't continue due to high fees ( not sure who funded his USA studies ) and later did his BA from Ohio University and MA from Wisconsin (1924 -29 ).

3 . JP never got or wanted any public office despite his immense contribution in Independence Andolan .

4 . As a young boy , in the 70s , I personally had only some idea of JP's public statements and activities .His role in Emergency , his role in Janta Party formation , his kidney failure, and his dialysis treatment at Jaslok Hospital is how I remember him . Also, I remember that JP couldn't do much to curb ruling Janta party politicians' internal bickerings in the late 70s 

5 . Though his follower politicians from the non Congress groupings across all parties remember JP and have honored him , very few people today , especially from young generation , would remember his / other similar people's contribution to India's public life / Indian Independence and in so many public interest issues .

After his initial left / Marxist orientation, JP collaborated and joined the then Congress/ Gandhi's pre 1947 movements .

6 . My father used to refer to the revolutionary credentials of JP in a reverential/ admiration manner , mentioning the several tribulations and tortures JP had to undergo during the pre-1947 Azadi Andolan

PS : I am sharing this because of some memory of JP in the 70s .Dimpy bhai had some interaction with him in 70s , prior to emergency of 1975 .

Akshay Sood 

Shimla 

13th February 2025

Akshay Sood: TIMES OF INDIA SANJEEV SANYAL INTERVIEW (44 minutes vlog )

Above  is a   7th February 2025 post Budget 44 minutes  interview / Vlog with Times of India with Economist -Historian  Sanjeev Sanyal , a Member in PM Economic Advisory Council and ex Economic Adviser  Deutsche Bank /Ex Principal  Economic Adviser Government of India ,which  is notable/ significant for some important and less known/  less discussed Budgetary/  Governance issues  namely :

1 . India lagging much  behind Patents filing / Patents recognition and  approval vis a vis  USA and China . Steps being taken to increase Patents approval in India .

2. India 's very low share in the  World Ship building industry. China and Japan dominate this sector .Belated steps are being taken / have now been  announced in the recent 25 -26  Budget to increase Ship building activity in India and to increase  Indian share of the World 100  billion $ shipbuilding industry , including by recognizing ship building as an infrastructure activity .

3. India is also a laggard in the International Shipping transport / Shipping lines sector , Shipping logistics is India 's biggest import expenditure after oil imports. Therefore, an area that calls for Import substitution / AtmaNirbharta.

4. Improving Process / Governance issues and Administrative restructuring  . Ease of Doing / Ease of Living Issues .

5. Legal/  Judicial reforms .Sanyal has repeatedly talked of the prolonged holidays in courts as an area that needs revisiting and which needs to be done away with .

6. Income Tax slabs  rationalisation/  the new tax legislation envisaged and the  demand issues in the economy.

7. Poor Municipal/  Local Governance issues, especially solid waste management issues , grey water management issues, which have made many urban / peri urban areas an eye sore.

Akshay Sood 

7th Feb 2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/kbssidhu/p/birth-of-gurmukhi-how-it-survived?r=59hi9&utm_medium=ios

Akshay Sood: Interesting and very detailed article by KBS Sidhu Punjab IAS 1984 Special Chief Secretary (Retired ). 

Gurumukhi is doing well in Punjab .Better than , it would have done in pre 1947 Punjab .

My mother ( from Dehra Kangra ) had read Gurumukhi in Undivided East Punjab in the 40s  .Till 1966, Gurumukhi was taught in schools in Kangra .

Now Hindi is the main language in HP, though there are some Gurumukhi teaching schools in Paonta, etc .

Making Gurumukhi a script associated with Sikhi only and maybe with dominant community (ies)  in Sikhi religion only needs more  debate .

At so many  public places in Punjab , for outsiders , it becomes difficult to understand Gurumukhi in the absence of English and Hindi  signs .

Gurmukhi may have some future in some places of Canada ( Brampton, etc ) too. 

In Delhi, too, Gurumukhi is taught in some government schools .

Akshay Sood 

February 2025

Mountbatten address June 1947 

[06/02, 23:21] Akshay Sood: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/indian-independence/mountbatten-radio-broadcast/#:~:text=I%20have%20faith%20in%20the,of%20the%20Gandhi%2DJinnah%20appeal.&text=A%20recording%20of%20the%20Viceroy's,of%20the%20situation%20in%20India%E2%80%9D.

[20/02, 22:58] Akshay Sood: For those who aspire for Sikh State 

Pl see the 3rd June 1947 address of Mountbatten on why / how Sikh homeland was not feasible .I have shared the link above .

And those who think that Partition could have been avoided,  they also read Mountbatten 3rd June 1947 Radio address .

Not much point blaming British for partition .

It was waiting to happen. 

With Partition of India and a further Partition of Bengal and Punjab , blood shed happened .

If there were no Partition,  1947 violence may have been avoided but the subsequent maladjustment / bickering between Muslim League and Congress or their successor entities may have continued. 

Reasons are obvious as subsequent events have showed. 

Just see the difference in the polity,  society and economy of Pakistan and India .

Pakistan is now possible 50 years behind India , in almost aspects of a modern country .

Reasons are known to all .

No point elaborating  

Thanks pl

Akshay Sood 

10th February 2025

 Aove is Enjoyable 7 minutes clip of classical music jugalbandi on Sadhguru birthday @ Isha Ashram in 2023 by 

Kaushiki Chakravarti and 

Sandeep Narayan .

A fusion of North and South classical music traditions .

 https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/speeches/1930-1938-the-wilderness/our-duty-in-india/

 How Churchill and his acolytes saw India , Indian society, British Indian empire .

Both are interesting articles .

Even if they may seem to show Englishman biases , yet they seem to say so much .

Especially as British were outsiders and took a Birds eye view of India . 

On our shortcomings also .

As I understand abt Churchill 1931article. Some significant points :

His disdain for Brahmins and Gandhi .And Gandhi Irwin talks .

Treatment of depressed classes .

Nehru was a rising and shining star on India' political firmament .

Hindu Muslim divide 

His disdain for the way Labour party was ruling India .

etc etc .......

My take on Churchill writings is above .

 PATHER PANCHALI : My Review / Comments 

A 1955  movie by Satyajit Ray of a 1929 novel by BibhutiBhushan Bandhopadhyaya  .

Music is by eminent Sitarist , Ravishankar .

I saw  the movie partly because of this Novel , I  had read in school Grade 11 , as part of our Course curriculum .

 I had long been wanting to see this movie .YouTube and Bengal Government promotion of the movie by bringing it  out with English sub titles has made it possible for me and others  to see and understand this Bengali  classic .

Pather means " Of the Road " .Panchali means Folk song , so literally  movie name stands for the meaning "Folk song of the Little Road ".

Movie Highlights .

Movie shows Rural Bengal , pre Independence Bengal. Maybe  Bengal of late 1910s .Movie is 130 minutes long .

Movie shows rural poverty of that time,  the story of a poor Brahmin family , of a young couple Sarbajaya and her husband Harihar , a Priest by tradition and ancestry and their 2 children,  Durga and Apu and  a Grand Aunt .

The movie shows the absence of jobs in the agrarian rural Bengal , the  lack of food ,  absolutely minimum clothing , no /little footwear . One is very sure that people of those times were physically tough with strong feet , able to bear the pain of  pinpricks and sharp pebbles! 

There is complete absence of glamor in the movie  .

Excellent acting by young children , sister - brother duo , Durga and Apu .

Brother -Sister  chemistry un the movie is great and touching and should be liked by today's younger generation too , in case they choose to see this all time classic .

There is absolutely minimal sign of modernity in the movie , Government agencies are non existent,  the village and its people are absolutely on their own .In absolute poverty . The poverty and famished conditions of Harihar / Sarbajaya family indicate the absolute poverty conditions of Bengal of that time , which possibly  indicates why / how Bengal suffered the Big Famine of 1943 , in which over a million people perished .

The acting and the location sets are realistic .

Music by Sitar maestro Ravishankar  is entirely in background ,  almost entirely sitar  / flute / tabla based  .

There are no songs at all , as in mainstream cinema .

Bangla language / a few  Bengali words can be understood,  in conjunction with the English sub titles, as some Bengali words are similar to or same as  Hindi words . Some Bangla words are commonly understood. English sub titles are immensely useful. 

What Wikipedia says on the Pather Panchali movie ? 

The movie,  which took 3 years to make , now acknowledged as one of the greatest movie of its times , also owes its  importance and success to the West Bengal Government financing it and the Western world  initially acknowledging it ,  for its cinematic quality and content .Critics have  acclaimed its  " realism , humanity and soul stirring qualities ."

Whither Government/  State in British Bengal ( India) ?

No Government  functionary is seen in the movie  , no Government support is seen for the common people in those times  . No facilities from Government. 

 So different from the  welfarism  and Government support in post Independence India . Comparison of the  economic conditions shown in the movie,  with present day India , shows how   India has done  well in reducing poverty and improving economic conditions, since Independence,  despite some cynicism and criticism of the State of affairs in the country  . 

Akshay Sood 

24th December 2024

: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pather_Panchali

[22/12/2024, 15:03] Akshay So https://open.substack.com/pub/kbssidhu/p/grossly-stupid-taxation-gst-the-malaise?utm_source=app-post-stats-page&r=59hi9&utm_medium=ios

SHh KBS Sidhu article on GST : My Comments 

 I would take a more optimistic view on GST, though one is not a part of GSTAdministration  nor  a GST registered dealer. 

1 .Most initial software glitches  heard in 2017 -19 period have been resolved, or at least the initial  protesting noises have been reduced significantly. 

2. There is a very good buoyancy in revenue collection under the GST regimen .This is evidenced by monthly figures 

3. Tax evasion in indirect taxes has come down drastically. Anecdotally,  a few CAs have confirmed this .

4. The issue of States getting less revenues from GST than what they would have got under the VAT regime / pre GST regime  is mainly because of average GST rates being less than the revenue  neutral rates arrived at and considered  under  GST .Revenue Neutrality under GST has been compromised due  to several rate reductions .A government committee in 2015 had recommended a Revenue neutral rate of 15 % , which has declined from 14 .4 % in 2017 to 11.6 % in 2019  due to rates rationalisation/  rates reduction . This rate reduction is due to populism of both Centre and States . It happened both before 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha  General Elections 

Revenue from taxes subsumed under GST was 6.68 % of GDP in 2016 -17 in pre GST regimen  compared to GST collections being 5.88 % in 2021 -22 , as per one study / source .

 There is, of course, the concomitant advantage of inflation being fairly moderate in the country  in the last few years  , with the  less than neutral GST rates .

5 .The fraud/  evasion  cases cited in the article would be taken care of by the system, and they may have been detected through  the data generated under the IT framework of GST and its analysis by authorities. 

It is reasonably possible that the fraud/  malpractices cited  in the article may not have come to light in the pre GST regime .

A comparison of data of  tax evasion under the pre GST regime and in the GST regime may help in drawing appropriate conclusions. 

Remedy lies in some increase in GST rates and a more robust IT framework.The latter,  one is sure , will happen .

 https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/this-is-not-bangladesh-that-was-born-in-1971-this-is-new-pakistan-9733265/ 

My Comments on the story of a Hindu Bengali Advocate story whose family has already migrated to Kolkatta .

[19/12/2024} This news item is indicative of the problem in Muslim dominated areas of India / former parts of India, i.e., present Pakistan and Bangladesh, etc, including Indian Jammu Kashmir 

His son's  family has migrated to India .

He himself is a 75 year old  family elder trying to latch onto his homeland / roots in Bangladesh .

I have been to Bangladesh in 2012.

It is not for nothing that Hindu type minorities are now only 8 % in Bangladesh. 

They have got eased out / kicked out of East Pakistan because of Islamic pressure/ terror etc  .

I am sharing an article on Bangladesh,  I had written in 2012 , part of which touched this aspect .

We had some input also  from the horse's mouth , an Indian Official in Indian High Commisssion in Dhaka .

Above Raza Rumi's interview is  1 hour and 20 minutes on the  Black Hole Pakistan   YouTube series, which  is interesting for the following reasons. 

1 Raza Rumi is articulate and coherent. 

2 .He is / was part of Pakistan elite / Ashrafiya वर्ग , he is son of an ex Pakistan Supreme Court Chief Justice ( 1999 -2001 time ) , he  did his Under Graduation from England/  Oxford , did his   schooling from Pakistan's  elite school  Aitchinson College of Lahore  , later topped the  Pakistan Civil Services exam in 1994 ( like IAS )  , did some initial  field postings in Pakistan administration/  civil service for about 10 years , before  quitting service and joining  the Fourth Estate ,  to become a Media man .

After a bullet attack / assassination attempt on him in 2014 in Pakistan,  he quit the country , out of fear / for protection, and now runs media  vlogs / channel from USA , he is also doing teaching in USA Colleges .

3 .Here, he primarily blames the  तालीम ( Education  system in Pakistan,  he refers to the large Islamic contentin Pakistan education without mentioning the " I .. slam " word )in Pakistan for its present travails and advocates reform/  changes in the same  and also  advocates better Indo Pakistan relations and trade to improve  Pakistan economy. He has authored 6 books, including his book , Delhi By Heart .

4 . He advocates other changes too in Pakistan policies. He humorously refers to the challenges of serious  YouTube broadcasting,  mentioning the huge  popularity of the following vlogs in Pakistan; 

a) कुत्ता पालना क्यों हराम है ।

b .) Imran Khan की जुत्ती कहां बनती है।

These Vlogs have grabbed millions of views in Pakistan .

I have heard his talks / shows previously too , I initially  felt that he had nothing new to say , having heard him quite a few times before ,  but I think it was a good podcast to know what / how ex Hindustanis and presently Pakistanis , in ex India ie present  West Pakistan ,  think on various issues and also on  the direction of their polity . 

Even though much  of what Raza Rumi says  is known to us  but coming as it does from a Pakistani ex Civil Service guy , who  quit Pakistan's Elite Civil Service (akin to our IAS )  and later who had to exit Pakistan under duress ,  what he says makes it a credible and interesting podcast .

TOI Edit Page : What Dhirubhai Ambani’s faith & resilience tell us - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-edit-page/what-dhirubhai-ambanis-faith-resilience-tell-us/

Akshay Sood: Published  in Times of India on 28th December 2024  , on Dhirubhai 92nd birthday

Nice tribute from Anil Ambani for  his father, Dhirubhai. 

I have been to Chorwad ,  6 years back . It's about 32 km from Somnath . 

I saw a small museum  there,  dedicated to Dhirubhai,  which is maintained by his family .

Among other things , a particular memory of the Dhirubhai museum was that it displayed his proximity to Mrs Indira  Gandhi .

Among the earliest social events of Mrs Gandhi , on her return to power as PM  in 1980 , was a lunch hosted by Sh Dhirubhai for her in the early 1980s , in Mumbai . A small charity hospital, too, is established by the Ambani family at Chorwad .

Above are my comments on Anil Ambani article .

"Why do so many religions originate from India?"

The above  British vlog discusses, among others the following :

Jiddu Krishnamurthy

Hindu beliefs 

Buddha and Buddhism

Gandhi 

Dalai Lama 

Zen Buddhism 

There are 2 European experts in the vlog  who discuss the Indic philosophies, namely 74 year  Indo -Czech Professor Emeritus of Cambridge University Prof  Julius Lipner and a Western Buddhist Order   lady Monk , who has adopted the name  Dharmacharini Vajrasara .

Both seem " spot on " in describing the 2 philosophies / dharmas. 

And give a nuanced and expert  view on  Hinduism and Buddhism. 

Without much exaggeration. 

Much of what they say is known , but the vlog refreshes well  our understanding of the 2  Indic philosophies. 

Akshay 

4th December 2024

06/12/2024, 10:27] Above is Arihant interview of Kulwinder Dhillon, an ex self styled Khalistani , from Chandigarh Khalsa College,  who was inside Harmandir Sahab in Bluestar operation of 1984 , is now 1 year old with over 18 lakh views .

Interview is 1 hour 50 minutes long , and is notable for .

1.Dhillon's remarkable and frank admission of the nature of 80s 90s Khalistan movement. And how he was attracted to it .

2. The origin of extremism / separatism ,  from the 1978  Nirankari clash in Amritsar ,  onwards to other Grievances   .The deaths in Nirankari samagam in 1978 , subsequent killing of Nirankari  Baba Gurbachan Singh .

3. The Khalistani radicals / Organisations of those times , Bhai Amrik Singh , Harminder Sandhu , Amarjit Chawla  ,AISSF , Khalistani Task Force etc .

4. While so many events are known to us , the genesis of the movement in the form of Bhindrawale / radicals' anger vis a vis Nirankaris,  since 1978 , is a useful input and something new .

5. Some of the comments below the Vlog are interesting, and I find relatively few hateful trolling / comments in the Comments section .

So many of the events including so many tragedies of the Khalistani movement are well known/  would be known , but still because of the youthful interviewer Arihant and his intelligent questions and the candid and forthcoming replies of Dhillon , the podcast turns out to be a useful reminder of the events of 80s and 90 s in Punjab , which was a big National Security nightmare of those times .The genesis of several contemporary events in Punjab , Canada , Delhi , Haryana is linked to the events and times of 80s and 90s , as those memories and events  recur , from time to time .

Younger people will find the podcast  more useful .

Above YouTube podcast is a Nice 55 minutes Discussion with William Dalrymple,  a well  known Indologist / Indophile , on Ancient and Medieval India .

Here, he is promoting his latest book, "Ancient India Ruled the World,"

On Indian influence on the world .On Influence of other regions on India.

He tries to give a fairly objective account,  some of which may not be to the liking of either the leftists or the right.

He feels he is in a good position to give a good account of Indian history , with least of the biases .

The interviewer, Ash Sarkar is quite good. She is British , asks pertinent questions,  has Left leanings (as per her Wikipedia page ), and has Indian ancestry .

SOCIAL MEDIA BUSINESS,  ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND MBA EDUCATION : PITFALLS AND OPPORTUNITIES 

BY Prof BHANU SHARMA / ASHISH BHAGORIA .

An Excellent talk  25 minutes Vlog on Social Media entrepreneurship / business , Social media promotion and how to promote entrepreneurship among MBA students / Business students by Prof Bhanu Sharma , an ex Industry professional of 25 years experience in Sugar Industry and later in Educational training /  Languages training , in West UP / Delhi .

He is  now a Professor cum Educationist at Dharamshala .

He mentions that only 5 out of his 500  business students have become Entrepreneurs , rest having taken up jobs .

He shows up the challenges of becoming an Entrepreneur and how to be  a successful one at that .

Prof Bhanu gives  tips / cites real life experiences on how to make Social media channels popular , some of them being  National/  International examples .

And how to bring real Trade /Industry/  Business practices exposure to MBA students. 

The case studies cited are good , some of them  coming from Kangra / Dharamshala experiences,  a location where Industry/  Business / Trade opportunities are  still traditional and limited .

So , a talk ,  good for MBA / Commerce students /  Social Media users and maybe the Elders / Parents too .

The Interviewer Ashish Bhagoria too has asked pertinent questions .

Sant Tukaram movie of 1936 , in Marathi  . Made by PRABHAT FILMS .

Tukaram ,  A sant of 17th Century (1598 -1650) born in Dehu , Pune . 

Rated among the top 3 movies by Shyam Benegal along with 

Aurat (1940 ) by Mehboob Khan and Roti  (old one )again  by Mehboob  

 This 2 hour 7  minutes movie Sant Tukaram is notable  for its .

1 Antiquity value  .It's a classical movie .

2 Marathi words are  not too difficult to catch , along with English sub titles .Hence, it is easy to understand. 

3 . When Agriculture / Cattle Flock was the only wealth of people . To see rural Maharashtra of the 17th century. 

4  The Wicked people and wickedness of that time .As also simplicity/  bare subsistence living of that time .

5 .To see Tukaram's unflinching devotion to Vithoba  Lord Pandurang ( Lord Krishna ) .He was famous for Abhangas , a form of devotional poetry .

His simplicity is seen here ,  to the point of ignoring and neglecting family duties .His wife , though highly devoted to him , felt wronged by Tukaram and frequently accused him of ignoring his duties towards her and their 2 children . She has a very strong role in the movie .

6.Shivaji Maharaj's Darshan of Tukaram . They were contemporaries,  though Tukaram was much older .

7. The machinations of Orthodoxy and the village priest .

A good non-fiction biography of 1936 , suggested by Shyam Benegal .

The movie on the YouTube has over 30 lakh views in last 8 years and has attracted interesting comments too.

Thanks 

Akshay 

22 nd November 2024 

Shimla