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Jai Hind! At the outset, Indians in Kuwait would like to wish you all a Happy Republic
Day. Soon it will be a decade since IIK has been online!
We are very grateful to all our readers for making this a highly successful web portal.
Over the last 10 years , we have strived to introduce various sections which the large Indian
( diaspora) community living in Kuwait has appreciated to be very useful, informative
and enjoyable!
With the advent of 2010 the IIK team has also made a resolution . We are going to make
this site all the more informative and interactive. In view of this, we will soon be introducing
many more useful sections on our web portal. We look forward to your continued valuable
support and contribution. Together we will make it happen.
On the auspicious occasion of India’s 61st Republic Day we take this opportunity
to dedicate a special supplement especially for you. You who are valued readers and
contributors. As our first step towards ‘Citizen Journalism’, we have invited our readers
to contribute towards this supplement. We are truly overwhelmed by the response and
feel privileged to present this supplement today. Our sincere thanks to those individuals
and schools who contributed their valuable articles for publishing. What better title than
“Maa Tujhe Salaam” can be ascribed for this Supplement. It is a pure collection of selected
articles from our readers expressing their salutation to their motherland on its 61st Republic
Day celebration.
Hope you enjoy reading these articles as much as our team enjoyed compiling them.
I take this opportunity to thank His Excellancy Mr. Ajai Malhotra (Ambassador of
India, Kuwait) for all the support and encouragement which he has extended to the Indian
organisations and community in Kuwait.
We are equally grateful to our advertisers for their immense support. Kudos to the IIK
team for working diligently and getting this supplement out on time. A special thanks to our
marketing associates M/s Badra International without whose support this could not have
been possible.
Thanking you
Sunoj Nambiar
Editor
IndiansinKuwait.com
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Ambassador Message
for the Republic Day of India
On this historic day in 1950, the Constitution of India came into force and
independent India became a sovereign, secular, democratic Republic. Reflecting
the vision and wisdom of the founding fathers of the Indian republic, the
Constitution secured to all Indians justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. We are
proud citizens of the largest, most diverse, and vibrant democracy in the world.
While a developing country, India is also a US$1.2 trillion economy with one of the
highest growth rates in the world. On the basis of Purchasing Power Parity, the Indian
economy is the fourth largest in the world, with strong macro-economic fundamentals
and a stable balance of payments position. India is among the world’s youngest nations,
with 55% of its population below the age of 25. This creates a solid human resource
base for powering our prosperity. India also has the second largest arable land area
and is one of the largest food producers in the world. It is the preferred destination for
companies looking to offshore their IT and back-office functions. Its banking system,
with 70,000 branches, is among the most extensive in the world. With the largest
number of listed companies – over 10,000 across 23 stock exchanges - India has the
third biggest investor base in the world. Indian stock markets were amongst the best
performers globally in 2009. India’s foreign exchange reserves are over $280 billion.
With a large middle class, diversified industrial base, abundant raw materials, huge
scientific and technical manpower reserves, and creative and dynamic entrepreneurs,
India is an attractive destination for business and new investments. It is a software
powerhouse, offering many advantages as a global sourcing hub, especially for IT
enabled services and business process outsourcing. Moreover, the Indian economy is
based on solid institutions, including well capitalized and prudently regulated banks.
Despite an inadequate monsoon and the global economic crisis, India achieved a
robust 7% growth in 2009. In fact, India not only weathered the global economic crisis
well, but emerged as an anchor of global economic stability. With a domestic savings
rate of 35%, India should be able to soon revert to a sustained 9-10% growth path.
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India is also implementing an ambitious programme of investment in key infrastructure
sectors: power, roads, ports, airports, irrigation, telecommunications, and urban
infrastructure. Private investment has a large and growing role to play in this. India is
following a strategy of private-public partnership in many areas and seeks domestic and
foreign private investment for its infrastructure sector development. India’s investments in
the infrastructure sector alone will top US$ 500 billion over the next five years, with India
increasing its energy supply by three to four times and its power capacity by five times.
India stands out as one of a few countries where substantial growth is taking place and
where profits are to be made. Several recent studies have highlighted the attractiveness
of India as an investment destination. It has one of the most liberal and transparent
policies on FDI among emerging economies. UNCTAD’s World Investment Report
2008 rates India as the second most attractive FDI destination. In addition to FDI we
welcome portfolio investment in equity in Indian companies by qualified institutional
investors. It would be timely to seriously consider investing surplus liquidity into
the infrastructure, energy and other sectors in India. The government has created a
favorable climate for foreign investors to invest in India by relaxing procedures for
entry and I would urge businessmen and others to take advantage of this situation.
In turn, India has become a major source of investment abroad. Many Indian
companies have reached out overseas, through mergers and acquisitions or direct
investments, in order to access high-growth markets, technologies and knowledge,
attain economies of size and scale, and leverage international brand names.
While India’s stature is growing with each passing year, we are intensely aware
that vast challenges remain, especially in eradicating poverty and disease, illiteracy
and ignorance. India has undertaken an ambitious programme for social and economic
transformation of its citizens on the margins of its growth story. India is pursuing caring
and inclusive growth as it invests in sectors like education, health and sanitation,
care of the elderly and disabled, employment generation and village modernization.
As regards its foreign policy, India will continue to pursue its enlightened
national interest, maintaining the strategic autonomy and independent decision-
making that has been its hallmark. Its overriding priority is to secure India’s
economic transformation and development in an atmosphere of peace and security.
As a responsible member of the international community, India will work with other
countries to tackle issues of common interest and concern, such as international
terrorism, the global economic crisis, climate change, energy security, food
security, and the reform of multilateral institutions to reflect contemporary realities.
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For over three decades India has been at the forefront of the fight against
terrorism, which no cause can ever justify. India has always unequivocally
condemned it in all its forms and manifestations. It believes that early adoption
by the UN General Assembly of the Comprehensive Convention on International
Terrorism will send a strong signal of international unity in confronting this evil.
The Gulf region, with which India has a long-standing friendship, is a special focus of
India’s foreign policy. The GCC countries are amongst India’s largest trading partners, the
dominant source of India’s energy requirements, and home to over five and a half million Indians.
Close and friendly contacts between India and Kuwait go back several centuries. An
important part of each other’s extended neighbourhood, our ties were consolidated by the
continuous intermingling of our peoples and civilizations. They extend beyond historical
and cultural linkages to encompass significant political, trade and economic interests.
India-Kuwait annual trade exceeds US$ 10.5 billion, including over US$ 8 billion
of crude oil exports from Kuwait to India. This constitutes 11-12% of India’s annual
oil import requirements and makes Kuwait a significant partner in India’s quest
for energy security. India and Kuwait are exploring expanded cooperation in areas
like hospitality, IT, manpower development and health tourism, besides traditional
sectors like food, petroleum, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and infrastructure.
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ties. It is the largest expatriate community in Kuwait and has earned a reputation
for being disciplined, hard working, talented and law-abiding. Its contribution to the
development and prosperity of Kuwait, and to that of its members and their families,
is noteworthy. I take this opportunity to express gratitude for the care and benevolence
bestowed on the Indian community here by HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al Jaber
Al-Sabah, Amir of Kuwait, and for the goodwill of the friendly people of Kuwait.
To keep pace with our expanding bilateral interaction and the growing size of the Indian
community, the Embassy outsourced its passport and visa services in May 2009 and the
convenient new timings and locations have proved beneficial. We are also continuously
enhancing the welfare support available to Indians in Kuwait. The “Indian Workers
Welfare Center”, established by the Embassy in September 2009 by re-grouping and
expanding its services on offer, incorporates a labour complaints redressal mechanism,
accommodation and all other facilities for domestic workers in distress, a systematic work
contract attestation system, an upgraded free legal advice clinic, a toll-free 24x7 telephonic
helpline for Indian domestic workers, and a Help Desk to guide all Indian nationals.
In conclusion, I would like to wish good health and prosperity to every Indian in
Kuwait as we commit ourselves anew to the service of our motherland. I would also like
to express my best wishes for the continued good health and prosperity of HH Sheikh
Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of Kuwait, HH Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-
Jaber Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait, HH Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-
Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait, as well as the people of the friendly State of Kuwait.
Ajai Malhotra
Ambassador of India
Kuwait
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Republic day signifies the transition of India
from a British dominion to a Republic. The day also
signifies the adoption of the Constitution of India.
It was this day in history in 1965 when Hindi was declared as the official language of
India.
It is also the day when the entire country realized the dream of Mahatma Gandhi
and the numerous freedom fighters who, fought for and sacrificed their lives for the
Independence of their country.
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Granville Austin has described the Indian Constitution drafted by Dr. Ambedkar
as ‘first and foremost a social document.’... ‘The majority of India’s constitutional
provisions are either directly arrived at furthering the aim of social revolution or attempt
to foster this revolution by establishing conditions necessary for its achievement.’
This day also marks the recognition that we Indians thrive in a sovereign, secular,
and democratic land that stands for the principles of
justice, liberty, equality and fraternity, the golden
words that form the essence of our Preamble.
January 26, 1950, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected
as the president of India
January 26 was not some random date picked out
of the calendar. It was on this date in 1927, that the
Indian National Congress, then fighting its non-violent
war for freedom, voted for complete independence as against ‘dominion status’.
It was the date when members of the INC took the pledge to work towards a
sovereign democratic republic of India.
It was on 26th January 1950 that India became a nation in the true sense, with a
constitution and elected representatives of the people.
To mark the importance of this occasion, every year a grand parade is held in the
capital, New Delhi, from the Raisina Hill near the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President’s
Palace), along the Rajpath, past India Gate and on to the historic Red Fort.
Republic Day is also the time when exemplary achievements are recognized and
rewarded throughout the country. Selected children are awarded the Children’s Bravery
Awards on this day. Soldiers who have performed exceptionally are awarded the bravery
medals, Param Veer Chakra, Veer Chakra and Maha Veer Chakra.
The essence behind the celebration of Republic day is not only to celebrate India’s
secularism and democracy but it also makes us feel proud of our culture, languages,
social norms, traditions, customs, religions, communitarian and the individual
distinctiveness that makes up India a wonderful multi-cultural country
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CِELEBRATIONS IN KUWAIT 2009
This is the famous question from the play Hamlet written by the literary giant and genius
Shakespeare. This question encompasses the mood of many a Catch 22 situations we face in our
lives. Similarly when it comes to love for our motherland and at the same time being an NRI,
many get confused and many more conveniently avoid the question. Possibly there are very few
who would like to dwell on this question and even fewer who found an answer to this dilemma.
To answer this question from my side, I wish to first dwell on how one comes about loving his or
her motherland and then the NRI feeling.
There are many definitions of this word Country based on geographical boundaries, political
guidelines, regionalism etc. One striking definition though is the following:
“A region that is distinguished by particular characteristics or is associated with a particular
activity, person, or group of people”.
I dare say our country India is possibly the only country in the world that fits into this definition.
Note the words ‘particular characteristics’. Indian-ness is shown in moments of affliction many
a time by unsung heroes.
When the soldiers were being transported to the border to defend India in its war time, women
and children lined up the whole length of the road on either side from early morning in chill
weather waving to the soldiers and chanting with a nationalistic fervor, “Bharat Mataa Ki Jai”
(Hail to our Motherland India). I was there holding my mother’s hand and seeing my mother’s
eyes welled up with tears as she also waved to the soldiers and joined the chorus.. The scene is
still vivid in my mind. I looked around there I saw India in its true colors – Unity in diversity in
action - Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Sindhis etc. all in unison in chanting that hair rising,
emotional sentence and motivating the brave soldiers to go ahead and finish them off. This was
no political gimmick played by a politician. It was the Indianess in each of them that made them
do this act. My eyes still well up as I am writing this down. This is the characteristic of India.
In the recent past when India was at war with a neighboring country, one news column caught
my attention. In Chennai, members of a home for the aged went on fast for one full day and
saved up to Rs1, 800/- and donated that money to the Soldiers’ Relief fund. The amount seems
miniscule. But the spirit of sacrifice and those heights of love for the country these aged people
have shown are truly monumental to say the least and have surpassed any limits one can think of.
These are the unsung heroes who silently motivate people to do their bit for the country. This is
doing service for the country with absolutely no expectation of any reciprocation.
I always liken India to a big banyan tree standing tall and firm among the many fragile taller
trees which are uprooted when the storm passes by. The banyan tree stays still with hardly a sway
seen in its firm and sturdy branches. That is India. It has withstood the onslaught of time and the
atrocities committed on it by so many invaders. Now we see India as an emerging super power
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globally. Such things do not happen just like that. These facts about India are in itself a sufficient
evidence that India is truly special and stands tall among so many nations.
Having said all these emotional things about India living in a foreign country and enjoying the
special status called Non-Resident Indians (NRI) is strange dilemma. The statistics on different
people spread out in the various countries of the world emphatically tells us that but just for three
countries (Bhutan, Pakistan and N. Korea) all other countries have Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
living in them. This says a lot.
Speaking for myself though, here, as an NRI and with only love for my motherland, I take this
opportunity to write in plain terms to avoid ambiguity in the least.
I am a mundane human being yearning to give a good life to my family and parents. My
educational background (an engineer by profession), my limitations in my capabilities to climb up
my career ladder to a pinnacle I want to, did not seem possible while I was living in India. This
is not to blame the working conditions in my beloved country. Again me being a mundane human
being I took the easy way out - to work in a tax free country, earn more money, save it in my
account in India which is entirely legal and has the permission from the Government.
If love for my country is true:
Then I will repatriate my savings through proper & legal channel to the scheduled banks in
India. This will swell the funds the banks can use for the development of the country. This is one
way to keep my conscience clear for my love for my motherland.
Then in the country I work in, I will not encourage or engage in conversation that is centered
around belittling any country or any national. Each individual has the right of belongingness to his
or her own country.
Then to the best of my ability I will stop poor propaganda about our country India at any place
at any time, even in casual conversations in a social gathering.
Then I will do my assigned work diligently so that my bosses form a good opinion about my
country and its nationals.
Then I shall abide by the law of the land of my resident nation, so that
the law keepers of the land will say, “Oh! he is an Indian and he cannot
commit a mistake”
So brothers and sisters it is only through our habits and lifestyle that
we express our love for our motherland wherever we live.
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Indian Economy – Giant Strides
By: Markos Williams
The reforms process initiated by Dr. Manmohan Singh in the 1990s were crises driven. Now our
reforms process is success and opportunity driven. Today we have an investor-friendly environment
created by a liberalised policy framework addressing every segment of the economy.
In 1991,India pawned 67 tons of gold to support its declining foreign exchange reserves. In
November 2009, after nearly two decades of reforms, marking the most significant economic
turnaround for any country in the world, India bought 200 tons of gold from the International
Monetary Fund (IMF). India’s foreign exchange reserves touched $285 billion when compared to $2
billion in 1999.
The Indian economy, the fourth largest economy in the world on the basis of Purchasing Power
Parity (PPP) is predominantly a domestic economy with exports accounting for over 16% of its GDP,
while Indian trade as a percentage of world trade is below 2%.
In 2009 the Indian stock market had a rollercoaster ride with the Sensex ending the year at 17,464
points up 114% from a low of 8,160 points in March. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have
poured in over $17 billion during the year.
The Indian economy is expected to be strong on the domestic front in the years ahead. The driver
of growth will continue to be domestic consumption, the burgeoning large middle class and increased
income spread across different segments. We are currently witnessing the emergence of a powerful
middle class with much higher buying power. Increasing affluence and rising savings rates will lead
to increasing consumption spurred by aspirational buying.
The way India managed the global financial crisis and its impact domestically can be attributed
to the strong fundamentals resulting from the economic reforms unleashed in the 1990s. The crisis
revealed the relative resilience and intrinsic strength of India’s banking system, as well as the
maturity and depth of India’s financial markets while major economies of the world floundered.
The structural solidity of the Indian economy with its robust domestic demand, substantial foreign
exchange reserves and a globally competitive corporate sector largely insulated India from the perils
of recession which affected many countries worldwide.
Between 1999-2006, India received US$50bn in FDI. A higher growth trajectory saw inflows of
US$90.8bn between 2007 and 2009 equivalent to double the inflow the country received during the
past 15 years. FDI inflows are at 2.9% of GDP.
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After being net sellers in 2008, foreign institutional investors turned buyers investing Rs 80,500
crores ($17.22 billion) in domestic equities in 2009. The FII investment of Rs 80,500 crores in 2009
is the highest ever inflow in rupee terms in a single year and comes after they withdrew over Rs
50,000 crores the previous year.
After a dismal 2008 led by the credit crisis that saw countries sink into recession and stock markets
plunging globally, 2009 witnessed a dramatic turnaround. But this turnaround was more pronounced
in the global stock markets as many of them rallied on expectations that the global economy is on its
way to recovery. Emerging markets in general and India in particular made spectacular gains during
the year. As Europe and the United States continue to be bogged down, investors poured money into
emerging economies including India due to the high growth potential in these countries and due to
lack of better alternate opportunities.
After the astonishing performance in 2009, which has helped Indian stock markets emerge among
the best performing markets globally with year-to-date returns of almost 80 per cent, the year 2010
is not likely to repeat the spectacular success of 2009. The BSE Sensex has more than doubled since
its lows of sub-8,000 levels in March 2009.
RECOMMENDED BUYS
Buy public sector banks: RBI is likely to start raising rates in January 2010 and this will be favorable
to state-owned banks as their stocks trade at better valuations than private sector banks
Buy Infrastructure: NHAI road awards will contribute to increased activity.
Buy Industrials: Accelerated industrial growth which we have been witnessing will lead to the
beginning of a new private capex cycle in 2010 further boosting industrial production.
Buy Energy: This sector is likely to see strong demand and dramatic growth triggered by capacity
creation.
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India - After 1947
By: Farhana Mohammed
India, a sub-continent with a 5000 years old history. A civilization united by its diversity,
richness of culture and the glory of the past. India is an amazing discovery and its history
is a unique tale of the past.
Rich in ethnic diversity, with over one billion people speaking hundreds of languages.
India is politically it is the world’s largest liberal democracy. It has grown significantly,
in terms of both population and strategic importance in the last twenty years attributed
to economic reforms. It shares its borders with Pakistan, the People’s Republic of China,
Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan. Sri Lanka, the Maldives and
Indonesia are the nearby island nations in the Indian Ocean. India was formally ruled by the
British for almost ninety years before gaining independence in 1947. On August 15th 1947,
India was finally granted independence from British rule and became a secular republic.
India’s population passed the 500 million mark in the early 1970’s but its long food crisis
was resolved with greatly improved agricultural productivity due to Green revolution.
India’s government sponsored modern agricultural implements, new varieties of generic
seeds and increased financial assistance to farmers that increased the yield of food crops
such as wheat, rice and corn, as well as commercial crops like cotton, tea, tobacco, and
coffee. This enabled India to become self-sufficient in feeding its own population, ending
two decades of food imports. In this 21st century, a rising generation of well educated and
skilled professionals in scientific sectors of industry began propelling the Indian economy.
Due to this, unemployment is steadily declining and poverty has fallen to approx. 22%.
While serious challenges remain, India is enjoying a period of economic expansion that
has propelled it to the forefront of the world economy. India is a diverse country, a fact that
is visibly prominent in its people, culture and climate.
Indian lifestyles clearly glorify the geography. The global image of India is that of
an upcoming and progressive nation. India has leaped many boundaries in all sectors-
commerce, technology, and development etc in the recent past with the other creative
genius.
The beauty of the Indian people lies in their spirit of tolerance, give-and-take and a
composition of cultures that can be compared to a garden of flowers of various colours
and shades of which, while maintaining their own entity, lend harmony and beauty to the
garden- India.
Farhana Mohammed
STD: VIII
Al Rashid Indian School
Farwaniya - Kuwait
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The Republic of India : Today and Tomorrow
Dr. (Ms) Navniit Gandhi
We have moved on...for 60 years now and with each passing year, we have strengthened
our credentials as a vibrant and successful ‘Republic’. In a republic, the people govern
themselves, guided by a written Constitution and aided with several duly-established
authority structures. The head of the state which is the highest sovereign authority is also
a representative (directly or indirectly elected) of the people. As we celebrate yet another
Republic Day, we need to reflect over the limitations and lapses which have deterred us
from achieving the optimum and the assets we need to mobilise. In this past one year, one
of the most pressing issues has been our security concerns. Internally as well as externally,
we have faced immense challenges to our national security position.
A year has passed since the terror network hit India hard on 26/11 and as the Union
Home Minister P. Chidambaram pointed out- the prevention of yet another 26/11 has been
by itself no moderate an achievement. We seem to have begun learning our lessons though
there are miles to go before we can afford to relax. The Home Ministry has re-established
and empowered the Multi-Agency Centre created in 2001 to deal with all matters concerning
the gathering and sharing of intelligence inputs—pertaining to terrorism. The government
has recognised the importance of filling vacancies in the police machinery and the need
to keep the local police station at the centre of the intelligence gathering machinery. The
central government has set up hubs of the National Security Guards in different parts of the
country so as to enhance the speed and decisiveness of the response mechanism to terrorist
threats or attacks. The government is rightfully investing in acquiring the latest equipment
and technology to fight terror.
However, attacks on or threats to national security are not always overt, planned, and
carried out by terror groups trained on the other sides of our borders. Even if all threats to
security are plotted outside, they are expertly executed because there is poverty, deprivation,
lack of discipline and despair inside. It is easier than ever to lure people, including those in
uniform to allow explosives and arms to enter the country, or to give shelter to mercenaries,
or to hire locals as suicide bombers or to simply start rioting and spread unrest on the
flimsiest of provocation. The attraction of making quick money is as powerful as the lack
of fear because wrongdoings rarely ever meet swift and severe punishment in our system. A
country, however, feels insecure or weak not only when such sponsored attacks take place
but even when the stock markets crash or there are floods and droughts or when there is
instability in governance or there is ethnic strife and social unrest.
Issues and threats are today acquiring a transnational character and all key national
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concerns setting a global chain reaction in motion. As much as nations are becoming inter-
dependent, we are also becoming wary of each other. Threat perceptions are changing,
moving beyond the mere defence of territory to identifying the other areas of serious
conflict within nations that can explode into threats to national security.
Globally, the concept of national security is being redefined. A summit on climate change
today invites as much attention as a summit on disarmament did in the yesteryears. There
is a paradigm shift in the context in which policy makers all over the world have to address
security concerns. There are several critical dimensions to security now, and a majority
of which are non-strategic. While no nation can afford to downplay the relevance of
strategic means of maintaining national security, the non-strategic threats must essentially
be recognised and addressed in time as they pose grave consequences on human security.
There exists an inalienable relationship between national security and human security,
which must receive its due significance when security policies are designed. The former is
incomplete and narrower an objective without the latter.
Almost all the concerns that nations face in contemporary times are universal in
character. And impact. Human security is being undermined globally, irrespective of the
geo-strategic location or level of economic development achieved by a nation. Threats
have assumed many garbs such as the continuously altering regional balances, new conflict
dynamics among civilisations, environmental damages, industrial and natural disasters,
illegal immigrations, pirates and heavily armed criminal gangs and insurgencies and
separatist movements.
They either do not recognise national boundaries when they hit us or even if they strike
any one nation, the ripples are felt across borders, inter-connected as we are in this global
village. Not only have the threats become far too many but also, the threats too are inter-
connected. Hence, a threat to political stability will have an imp pact on the economy and
society. Similarly, an ecological disaster will affect the economy, civil society and threaten
political stability too. It is imperative therefore that each nation takes a comprehensive
view of the threats that threaten human security and adopts policies which are all pervasive
so that a basic minimum level of security can be ensured to its citizens. And only when
individual nations adopt holistic approaches and address security issues comprehensively
that the positive ripples generated as a result, will ensure a certain minimum sense of
security globally.
India too has taken cognizance of and begun addressing the manifold threats to its
national security. A poor and starved nation cannot boast of an assured sense of security
merely on the basis of the deadly weaponry it possesses. There is a proposal to introduce
an Act on National Food Security. The cognizance by India of the need to pass an Act
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Al Rashed Indian School
Though gradually, we are learning two crucial lessons pertaining to security concerns.
One, threats to our country’s security and integrity may not always be directly or indirectly
sponsored from across the borders, and second—almost all issues have a human dimension
too and must be timely tackled by a comprehensive range of social, economic, and political
measures, before they acquire alarming proportions and become serious threats to our very
existence and identity as a nation.
The government cannot ignore the ecological issues too and must prevent them from
becoming too gigantic, and laden with severe security risks. According to the latest warnings
issued by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 120 million to 1.2 billion
people in Asia will experience increased water stress by 2020. The per capita availability
if water in India will drop from 1,820 cubic metres in 2001 to 1,140 cubic metres by 2050.
Centuries of neglect and mindless exploitation of all natural resources, particularly in Asia
and Africa, have made us vulnerable to severe shortages of water, food, and other natural
resources in the coming years. The Prime Minister of Indiarightly chose to not ignore the
relevance of the recently concluded Copenhagen Summit on climate change and joined the
global endeavours to save the planet from total destruction. We need to save our precious
natural resources with as much alertness and caution as we have protected our borders till
date. Security concerns inevitably have an ecological dimension today.
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India’s Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon recently opined in an address to the
students of Delhi University on India’s Foreign Policy: “....Looking ahead, the real factors
of risk that threaten systemic stability come from larger global issues like terrorism,
energy security and environmental and climate change. With globalisation and the spread
of technology, threats have also globalised and now span borders. These are issues that
will impact directly on India’s ability to grow and expand our strategic autonomy. It is
also obvious that no single country can deal with these issues alone. They require global
solutions...”
While global solutions are indispensable, and united global endeavours an inevitable
necessity—we must nevertheless, begin by setting our own house in order. We need to
make our being a ‘Republic’, meaningful in every sense of the term. First, while tackling
the terror attacks or insurgency, it is very important that there must be no ambiguity or
confusion about who is in-charge, who will have overall authority over the different forces,
who will deploy the forces according to the needs of the situation and who will be held
accountable for the success of the operation. Secondly, we must strive seriously hard to
erase indiscipline, mob-mentality, apathy and alienation from the psyche of the masses.
And most important, standards of governance need to improve. A better life to every
citizen of our country will ensure a basic sense of security in the society. That will be the
beginning of the end of our security concerns.
Dr. (Ms) Navniit Gandhi
E-mail: navniit_gandhi@yahoo.co.in
Dr. Navniit Gandhi is a political analyst and a freelance
writer, now based in Kuwait. She has taught Political
Science and International Politics in Mumbai, India. She has
recently authored a Book titled: ‘National Security: Emerging
Dimensions and Threats’, published by Pentagon Security
International (Pentagon Press), New Delhi.
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Atithi Devo Bhavah (Guest is like God)
By: V V Subramanian
It was just past midnight on the 15th of November 2008. Our private jet landed in one
corner of the airport in Mumbai after our three hour journey from Dubai and was taxiing to
a stop. My company chairman, our vice-president and I were there to have discussions with
consultants, manufacturers and distributors to establish our business operations in India. Each
of us was filled with a different kind of excitement to be in India. After having spent 10 years
with my company in Kuwait, I was delighted to be able to bring our company products to India,
my beloved homeland! The other two were widely travelled men - the vice-president, a British
national, had made many trips to different conferences in India whereas my chairman, a highly
placed Kuwaiti, equally well travelled, was making his maiden trip to India!
I would say staying away from India for long had put me out of touch with the service
standards prevailing in India. I had got used to the organised and professional way in which
things happen in the western world. As we said our goodbyes to the crew and descended down
the steps of the plane, I was shocked to see an old Tempo van waiting to take us to the terminal.
Without exaggeration, the seats were torn and it was filthy inside. As my chairman has a large
frame and needs more space, I enquired with the handling agent if there was a better car on its
way but there was none. I was feeling shame and embarrassment! My chairman smilingly tried
to fit himself into the van and the remaining two of us also took our seats. I did not utter a word
all through the drive to the terminal.
Once there, we were asked to wait outside the terminal as the handling agent had disappeared
with our passports. The security personnel were sizing us up and were anything but polite.
There were a few bucket seats lined up against the wall next to a few wheel chairs and I tried
to make my two guests comfortable there. I was slowly beginning to lose my patience and my
embarrassment was growing. In most airports around the world, there is a separate terminal
for private jets where VIP treatment is provided to the visitors. This is not being snobbish
but simply getting value for the charges being paid. First impression is said to be the best
impression and if this idiom was true then our company’s investment in India was looking very
doubtful at this stage!
After a while, when it was nearing 1am, the handling agent showed up again and asked us to
follow him to the immigration counter. I did not know that yet another embarrassment awaited
me there. He led us to the counter at the very end where one visitor was being attended to and
told us to await our turn while he simply went across to the other side. As our turn came, my
chairman collected our passports and put them together on the counter. I had in mind to dissuade
him but then I did not want to oppose his action. Just as I feared, the immigration officer spoke
to my chairman in the most impolite manner with meanness on his face and asked him loudly
to take the passports off the counter. I had to interfere and ask the officer what was wrong
and he wanted them presented one by one. At this point, I lost my cool as the handling agent
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had proven to be useless in facilitating a smooth entry and the officials were being even more
difficult. I raised my voice at the officer and commented on his attitude and also slammed the
handling agent who was being a mute spectator. A senior officer interfered and wanted to calm
me down and sort things out. I made it loud and clear that if this is the way foreign investment
was being welcomed into India then the country is fooling itself of ever being able to succeed
in being a global leader!
I have not finished yet. From the airport, after no further incident, we proceeded to the Taj
Hotel near Gateway of India. When we arrived at the hotel, the car stopped outside the hotel
and we were asked to alight there for security reasons. There was one security scanner to walk
through at the perimeter and about 15 metres ahead in absolute visible range, before the doors
to the hotel, was another security scanner that we walked through. I remember my chairman did
remark to the guard that since he has seen us go through the first scanner which is so close by
why did we need to go through another one! The guard just smiled as if it was a joke. Our bags
were not screened at all. Most readers would remember that just 11 days after this, on 26.11.08,
the terrible siege of Taj by terrorists took place. The whole night of 26th, my chairman and I,
then back in Kuwait, were glued to the television in our respective homes but speaking over
telephone about how we narrowly escaped being there and how security at the hotel was really
a sham.
There are two main points that I wish to allude to in this essay. The first is about being
courteous and the second is about implementing security with a purpose.
Forgive me for saying this, but we Indians are generally not very courteous. Saying please,
thank you or sorry does not come easily to us. Probably the many years of being oppressed by the
British has robbed us of our nicety and made us forget our courtesies. If ever we are courteous,
it is to ask for a favour or to achieve a selfish result. There is a large disconnect between what is
planned at the centre by the government to propel India’s economy and what actually happens
on the ground. We want to be seen as an attractive destination for foreign investment but give
the foreign investors an experience they would want to forget! Mere announcing of policies or
programs will take the country nowhere if there is no supporting culture built in every relevant
strata of the society to make it happen. Investors do not need a lesson on how to do business.
What they need is a proper climate to do business. Whether it is in how foreign guests are
received at the airport or in how our means of public transport respond to travellers or in
how retailers sell to the interested buyers or in how clean the cities are kept or in how public
institutions process requests, every “touchpoint” has to exude a common feeling of warmth and
delight. Dubai and Singapore come to my mind where every single service department in the
country is tuned perfectly to help achieve the country’s stated objective of attracting tourists or
investors. In India, the task is not so simple due to the size of the country, the political structure
constituted by the central and state governments and the numerous civic bodies that make up
the local administration. Our civil service officers are highly acclaimed and yet it is a surprise
that that even under their administration there is so much left to be desired. Probably due to
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the serious rot that has set deep within. We need leaders who care and who are willing to
bring all institutions together and formulate change. We also need to instil the culture of
being courteous right through the formative years of our children. Citizens should practice
self-discipline and aid the formation of a society that is caring, responsive and above all
courteous! Easier said than done!
On the other hand, actions that are intended to provide a sense of comfort should never
be compromised. Especially when it has to do with security of life. An unsafe environment
is a recipe not only to deter foreign investment but also for flight of existing foreign capital.
How many companies are queuing up to invest in Pakistan or Afghanistan or Sudan or
even Iran? Companies value safety of their human capital as much as they value the safety
of their financial capital. Security is probably the most important aspect of what needs to be
implemented by organisations in India with a purpose. The adequacy of skills and training
of private security agencies that are used to guard numerous locations has also to be put
under the scanner! Security procedures need to be well understood by employees in the
hospitality industry. What use was it to have two scanners at the entrance to the Taj Hotel if
all they did was create a false sense of security?! An evil mind is always conceiving ways
to outsmart the security apparatus and in the present times, where terrorism is a tangible
and formidable foe, there is no room for security teams to take matters for granted and
be negligent. Authorities of places that are frequented by foreign visitors must take the
initiative of meeting regularly with the intelligence officers of the government in order to
update themselves of any imminent threat and thereby take necessary preventive actions.
A lot needs to done rather than said in the field of security, including setting aside a larger
than normal allocation in the annual budget of the government and companies to beef
up security. Advertising security through machine-gun wielding commandos creates more
nervousness than comfort. Being vigilant and exercising precaution is probably a better
solution.
As India celebrates its 61st Republic Day and strives for economic success, I hope it will
also nurture a culture of courtesy and create a secure environment for foreign investment to
thrive. After all, since ancient times, we have believed in Atithi Devo Bhavah.
Jai Hind!
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As I look at the outline
Of the country that I call mine
I spell out what I already know
It is a land certainly divine
Like an angel, arms widespread
The Himalayan halo on its head
The mermaid in the ocean’s nest
Embodiment of uniqueness
To be part of this incredible whole
A holistic entity so ‘Anmol’
Priceless in its treasures
Abundant in all measures
Unthinkable to be an India without all this
Without its unique genesis
Without the dynamism of so many cultures
The synergism of so many diverse features
Encompassing within it all faiths
Resolving differences with grace
A potpourri of varied fragrances
In customs, languages, traditions, myriad nuances
The mythical India of the past
Of snake charmers and Rajahs
Is no more a story of poverty and hunger
The lyric of Illiteracy and stupor
It is the modern wheel of a global function
Of Human capital and a resource junction
Where active minds merge with solid hard work
Professionalism , ethics and genius quirk
It is a time to be a proud Indian
With every cell in mode ‘Awaken’
With every nucleus of its being
Throbbing with change at its seam
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Living the words of Nehru and Gandhi
Being the change we want to see
Following the vision of APJ Abdul Kalam
We will be a new country in Twenty twenty (2020)
WE are fighting the evils of corruption
We are overcoming the red tape
Encouraging common man intervention
Against nepotistic administrative rape
Our IQ is recognized worldwide
We are feared for being ‘Bangalored’
Our invasions are not imperialistic
Peaceful permeation has been scored
WE have left a legacy on every land
In the space and on the sand
In science and in every specialized field
Nobel laureates are no more a dream
We are a Nation to contend with
If our peace and humility is misunderstood
We are a force to reckon with
If our will power and strength contested
O Maataram , we salute you
Ingrained in our souls is your hew
Christian, Sikh, Muslim or Hindu
We bow as Indians before you!
In whichever era whichever eon
A land of plenty a land of renown
Where life, plains, rivers, hills, and people abound
India will always be the Jewel in the Crown
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By: Agampodi Sanduni Perera
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My tricolour flag that
Swings in the air
Fly up in the sky
And smiles at me.
The saffron of happiness
The white of sanctity
The green of safety
All protect me from danger
Destruction shall not touch
Thy colour at any cause
For we are here to protect thou
At any cause
It may instill me
To shatter my blood
But I shall never betray
Thou at any cause
Give me the strength
To master my mind
As I feel my spirit
Rouse to voice for
Any noble cause.
My tricolour flag shall
Always swing in the air
Fly high up in the sky
And remind me of
The freedom and safety I bear.
Sumasri Raja
STD: IX
Al Rashid Indian School
Farwaniya - Kuwait
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Be Indian Buy Indian;-was Gandhi’s saying,
Yes, we were bought, by foreigner’s paying,
All of us with whims and fancies we dart,
Leaving India, family and children apart
Roads were rugged, cars were huge,
Cracks and crevices everywhere,
‘Today’s India’ is a nightmare.
As we all stand and stare.
Unemployment dragged the Indians to a den,
Money to borrow and money to lend,
‘Today’s India’ opportunities are more,
Development is to the core.
Technology was limping behind a decade,
Weaving, sloughing, drilling are all handmade.
Today’s India there is knowledge and expertise,
It’s because we Indians are pretty wise.
India is well known for its riches and resources,
With powerful brain sources,
Today’s India all of it has come to the brim and sprouted out,
After the entire struggle we have fought.
Women were kept as slaves and deprived of rights,
Not to the level of men’s might,
Today’s India the weaker sex is in the fore front,
There is nothing in their history which they can’t.
Non violence and Ahimsa were stressed,
Into the people’s mind they were pressed,
Today’s India even a child knows very well,
Such practice is a good place to dwell.
Equality, fraternity were just talked about,
This was what freedom and independence has brought,
Today’s India we deal and feel that everybody hasrights,
If scrambled or disturbed there are fights.
Worship and religion was deemed as ancestral,
Although it is supposed to be centrifugal,
Today’s India Spirituality and moral has sprouted,
Real democracy and secularism is not doubted.
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By: Nicole Vaz
Nicole Vaz.
STD: IV - A
Indian English Academy School
Salmiya - Kuwait
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Years ago, when a fervor of non-violence gripped us -
A tryst was made with our destiny thus.
The Tri-colour unfurled under open skies at the midnight
Awaiting the new dawn of smearing golden light.
Hail Freedom! Hail Freedom! We gleefully cried.
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India is my motherland
A place that I call home
India is very special and unique to me
Because what u find in India, you find it there alone
Elrich J. Miranda.
STD: V - A
Indian English Academy School
Salmiya - Kuwait
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Great Mahatma,
Great Mahatma,
Great Mahatma Gandhi.
Great Mahatma,
Great Mahatma,
Great Mahatma Gandhi.
Great Mahatma,
Great Mahatma,
Great Mahatma Gandhi.
Anjali Sunil
STD: IV - C
Indian English Academy School
Salmiya - Kuwait
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IEAS
By: V Ritika Naik
Innovations in cuisine,
Essence of different tastes,
Tangy, saucy, hot and spicy,
That has won laurels east and west.
Vritika Naik
STD: V - A
Indian English Academy School
Salmiya - Kuwait
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East or West India is the Best !
By: Gwyneth D’silva
Here’s what Albert Einstein, one of the world’s greatest thinkers and innovators
said about India “We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without
which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made.”
Did you know??
One-third of the population is below the age of 15.
India polishes about nine in every ten diamonds in the world, mostly tiny, cheaper
stones less than a carat!
In 1911, India became the first country to send mail by plane. Heni piquet carried 6,500
letters and postcards in his biplane from the exhibition grounds at Allahabad to Naini junction,
nine kilometers away.
The Indian astronomical observatory located 14,800 feet (4,517 meters) above sea level in the
village of Hanle, is the worlds highest astronomy observatory.
Gwyneth D’Silva
STD: V - A
Indian English Academy School
Salmiya - Kuwait
Our country will enjoy the same fundamentals as the United States by 2030.
As education is the only way to favour family planning acceptance and education can only
solve problems like population explosion, poverty and religious conflicts.
1. KILL CORRUPTION
Vijay Anant
Class : V - B
Gulf Indian School
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Republic Day of India
By: Pooja Dharshini
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