Most viewed blog posts - 2013

Here are my articles published in Cyber Diary in 2013, which got maximum readership.

1

My attempt is to look at their family backgrounds, the ‘significant others’, their schooling and the immediate social environment and understand the influence of each of these factors on their attitudes, behavioural patterns and views of life

Read:
Edward Snowden, Aaron Swartz, and Julian Assange: Who made them what?

2

The Indian Railways (IR) continued to be the single largest settlement for all rats in the world. That is the impression anyone could get after watching the rats going around inside the trains, around the trains, on the railway platforms, and inside hundreds of offices and commercial outlets in the railway stations. There are innumerable bedbugs inside the berths.

Read:
A  Journey with cockroaches: The ‘static’ Indian Railways and the public woes

3

Auto Raja is a living angel. He rescued more than 5000 persons from the streets. A life worth living.

Read (and view the short film at the end):
With Auto Raja- An Angel for the beggars and the unwanted

4

Instead of going to overcrowded beaches and highly commercialized tourist locations, why don't you explore a very serene place in Southern India?

Read:
Have you ever been to Karwar beach?

5

If ‘Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho was a story about a Shepherd boy following his dream, Benyamin’s ‘goat days’ is a real life story of a young man who pursued his dream and ended up as a shepherd in a sterile wasteland.

Read:
Goat Days: A real-life story of a young man's journey to loneliness

6

Sharwari, the young installation artist, is an inspiration for all, not just as an artist, but as a person deeply involved in spreading a message of freedom to women across the globe, especially those who were victims of abuses.

Read:
Why she loves butterflies? A conversation with an Installation Artist

7

He was very shy. She was very smart. He was an introvert. She was a chatterbox. He didn't care how he appeared. She was worried how he appeared.

Read:
The unborn love

8

The debate on the utility or futility of ‘capital punishment’ is vibrant for several decades. Naturally, following one liner I posted in a social networking site evoked varied responses from a few of my friends.

Read:

'Kill the rapist': The state and the death penalty

9

I was shocked to read the following news item in the paper the other day titled ‘Taunted, ‘skinny’ boy kills self’.


Read:
A few birthday thoughts: The suicide of a 'skinny' boy

10

Most of the gifts in today’s world have more than one strings attached to them. Therefore, the less gifts you receive, the less obligated you are.

Read:
Who hates gifts? Of bouquets, gifts, and mementos

11

Just before the examination, three persons came to the examination hall and inquired with the candidates whether they are willing to pay money for getting the post. If they agree, their roll numbers will be noted and they would be ‘taken care of’ while awarding the marks for the written examination. A few of them went near to those job brokers and whispered their ‘offers’ secretly in public view.

Read:
'Marry my daughter if you want to become a babu' : The corruption in the job recruitment

12

All of us want to lead a healthy life. Yet, we don’t want to forego the tasty stuff! Is there any acceptable combination of abstinence and indulgence in our life?I have heard many nutritionists, dietitians and health experts speaking on this subject. But, when I talked to Atraeyee Suman, I found that there is something unique about what she says. I thought, it should be shared with all my readers.

Read:

Eat well to lose weight: Tips from an enlightened foodie! 

13

Whenever I asked my mother to buy any toy or ice cream, the answer would be, ‘No money, we need to pay for the chits’. Me and my sister hated chits so much, as most of my mother’s salary was drained as subscription to chits.

Read:

Chit funds, my mother and the Saradha scam

14

History and related records show that most popes could not succeed in providing spiritual leadership uncorrupted by the material world and accompanying profanity.

Read:
The return of the fisherman: The new Pope and a few hopes for a third Vatican Council

15

There are many books in this library which are not read even by a single person in the last several years. What a national waste of infrastructure and resources?

Read:
Faceless libraries in a Facebook age: Read what is happening inside some of the libraries

16

There is so much written and talked about the abuse of children by individuals. But very less has been discussed about the institutional child abuses. It is worthwhile to mention about two types of abuses on innocent children by institutions

Read:
The institutional child abuse: What is the panacea? 

17

A ten year old’s Holy Week memoirs

Read:
ഒരു പത്തുവയസുകാരന്‍റെ വിശുദ്ധവാര ഓർമ്മകൾ

18

The movie 'Special 26' is not based on any imagination. One should know about repeated incidents of fake searches happening in many places. There are many such cases reported and much more go unreported. Most of these fake searches happen in the name of Income Tax Department.

Read:

Beware of fake searches: Lesson from Special 26

19

As we both wait in the reception of the school like ‘guilty parents’ waiting for the judgment, there is a little solace; the sight of many such couples sitting there, without uttering a word between them or between the couples. Not even a smile was exchanged!

Read:

Stop this harassment! A cry for deschooling India

20

Here is a story of a young man who successfully implemented a new business model to bring back all the customers who shifted the loyalties to supermarkets owned by large corporates.

Read:

Walmart beware: There are many Davids to challenge you in the globalized world

21

Charismatic and captivating presence have instilled vigour and enthusiasm among the people. Most effective instrument that stimulated and influenced millions was the historic speeches made by these great individuals

Read:

Speeches that Changed the World

22

For many people, microphone is a weakness. The moment a microphone is given, their main mission is to say something that can amuse the people. Very few have the self-control to abide by the time allotted to them.

Read:

The tongue has no bones: The need for 'speech therapy'!