The republic's tree of life

"President Pratibha Patil might have meant well by using her Republic Day address to warn reformers not to shake the tree of state so hard in their drive to remove bad fruit that the tree itself is brought down but behind her arboreal metaphor lie contentious assumptions and unacceptable insinuations about the civil society movement against corruption. "

More than as a word of caution, her remarks seem intended to discredit the civil society movement against corruption. The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : The republic's tree of life: Actually, "negativity" and "rejection", the states of mind President Patil warns the country against, are words that best describe the attitude and response-mechanism of the UPA government at the Centre.

If the Indian Republic is to flourish and prosper, the tree the President spoke about cannot be left to the mercy of politicians alone.

'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