'Flying before a billion Indians gives immense pride to airmen'

Q&A


Wing Commander Abhijeet Nene and Flight Lt T K Rai of the Indian Air Force participated in the thrilling flypast during the latest Republic Day parade. While Wing Commander Nene led a powerful Jaguar aircraft formation, Flight Lt Rai flew with a helicopter formation showering flowers on those watching. Speaking with Team TOI, the officers explained the dynamics of the intricate exercise, the importance of coordination - and how it feels to fly over a billion proud Indians.

Interview - Q&A

-The Times of India, January 27, 2012

Over The Top

Is Norway the ultimate nanny state?

Over The Top

-The Times of India, January 27, 2012

Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya may now breathe a sigh of relief as the their children will be safely brought back to India, and in custody of their uncle. Much of the arguments that the Norwegian authorities presented were based on cultural differences in parenting as opposed to their claim of parental neglect. While it remains true that ill-treatment of children needs to be condemned, an accommodation of cultural differences is a necessity. 

Privacy Concerns

The power of internet multinationals is growing

Privacy Concerns

-The Times of India, January 27, 2012

Google is making changes that facilitate collection of user-data. The user cannot even forestall the collection of their data. There are people who argue that it is an invasion of privacy. To add to this, "There are also questions of how comfortable India should be with the growing influence, power, and information in the hands of foreign companies like Facebook and Google."

It is imperative that a user has an option whether or not to let their personal data be utilised by private companies. 

A Trimmed Idea Of India

Liberals must stop accommodating fringe elements and take a stand on fundamentals

A Trimmed Idea Of India

-The Times of India, January 27, 2012

When JLF opens itself to public, it invites the Indian liberals - not the "manicured handful of intellectuals discussing the Russian or Tamil Stalin at clubs and TV studios" - but "thousands of people from diverse classes and languages, spread over distant cities and towns - often obtaining books from fading libraries and railway carts, debating poets in the low-voltage light of old homes, opposing the unjust hierarchies of Indian life," says Srijana Mitra Das.

"As more Indians show intolerance to anyone who threatens violence, we will have more festivals where liberal and illiberal will use only their words to make points or refute them."

It is these Indians, and the growing numbers, that will challenge book bans, "and show the finger to anyone who threatens violence" in the future.  

Jekyll-and-Hyde India

A suspense drama featuring a rising superpower and a starving nation


Jekyll-and-Hyde India

-The Times of India, January 27, 2012

"Can a country have a split personality? Can a nation be a Dr Jekyll and a Mr Hyde, as in R L Stevenson's classic tale about the good and the evil that coexists within the individual?"

India is at one time Dr Jekyll and at another Mr Hyde, says Jug Suraiya. At one time, India boasts of its large and ever-increasing economy; military and nuclear capability; cultural power, and technical know-how that can humble most people in the world. On the other hand, it hosts millions of people that go hungry, and a large number of people being undernourished, notwithstanding the appalling state of living that children are faced with.

India is too quick to take offence, he says, whenever the truth of its split personality emerges.