The world today badly needs inspirational and transformational leaders, whose vision can easily be shared and imbibed by all those, whose lives they touch directly or indirectly. Essentially, it means making personal
sacrifices for the common good. In recent times, I can only think of Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. They don't seem to make such folks anymore! The freedom fighters of India, many who took over the reins of the newly born nation in 1947, were a breed apart. They were all very learned people. It is amazing, that more the British put them behind bars more they used their pen to send out inspirational messages, to their affronted followers outside. Without exception they wrote great books in prison, which continue to be best sellers even today, 60 years after our independence.
Nehru with his eclectic make up could in few deft strokes distill the essence of entire history, cultures, political thought, literature of the world, etc. This is amply clear from his 'Discovery of India', 'Letters from a Father to his Daughter' and 'Glimpses of World History'. The last two being letters he wrote to his daughter Indira, to educate her about the passage of time from prehistory to modern days. At the midnight of 15th August 1947, he took over as free India's first Prime Minister and delivered his never-to-be forgotten 'India's tryst with destiny' speech, which makes us gulp even today. Along with his mentor Gandhi, they held their sway over children, villagers and city elite, alike. As a spell bound school kid, I have been blessed to see both of them in flesh and blood. How can I forget that Nehru interrupted a public speech and stood still, to help me click him with my Kodak Brownie? He transformed us both by deed and example.
In May 1964 he passed away in sleep, mourned by a nation that loved him as much as he loved his people and his motherland. A few days later it was discovered that on his desk he kept these few lines from Robert Frost, which he himself had scribbled:
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Nehru with his eclectic make up could in few deft strokes distill the essence of entire history, cultures, political thought, literature of the world, etc. This is amply clear from his 'Discovery of India', 'Letters from a Father to his Daughter' and 'Glimpses of World History'. The last two being letters he wrote to his daughter Indira, to educate her about the passage of time from prehistory to modern days. At the midnight of 15th August 1947, he took over as free India's first Prime Minister and delivered his never-to-be forgotten 'India's tryst with destiny' speech, which makes us gulp even today. Along with his mentor Gandhi, they held their sway over children, villagers and city elite, alike. As a spell bound school kid, I have been blessed to see both of them in flesh and blood. How can I forget that Nehru interrupted a public speech and stood still, to help me click him with my Kodak Brownie? He transformed us both by deed and example.
In May 1964 he passed away in sleep, mourned by a nation that loved him as much as he loved his people and his motherland. A few days later it was discovered that on his desk he kept these few lines from Robert Frost, which he himself had scribbled:
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Frost's "The Road Not Taken"
This is an analysis of Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken". It also includes a personal experience that I related to the poem.
R.K. Narayan's The Guide and Buchi Emechetta's Kehinde
By splitting the self in two, the post-colonial characters seeks not only to save himself in the face of advancing modernity and industrialism, but also to indirectly interrogate the psychological risks of such duality.
Travel to the Ganges - India's Holiest River
The Ganges is the most sacred river in the world. It is also the most polluted in the world. This does nothing to stop its mighty power, however, and continue to attract milli...
The History of India and Its Conflict
The history of India and the effects of British colonialism
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