8
As it is
“There is nothing to hide”, says Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh. Really? Dear Reader, Let me take you to the Lord Mountbatten auditorium of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in West Kensington. Last Saturday and Sunday for nearly three hours a special concert, Ek Sham, Lata ke Naam, was performed for almost three hours on each evening. Maya Deepak is a well-known Gujarati singer, who sang some of the most favourite songs of Lataji. Harish Bhimani in his unique voice was the narrator. He has performed that task eminently at the Sydney Opera House to the Madison Square in York, as well as at the Royal Albert Hall, London and Durban, Kuwait and many other places. It was a fantastic experience! Lataji has rendered her beautiful voice to over 10,000 songs – a world record indeed. On both evenings Mr. Bhimani introduced a song, perhaps the most popular song of Lataji, which was never ever in any film. When the last stanza was being sung everyone in the auditorium, men and women, young and old, those born in India or abroad stood up as a show of respect, not only to the song itself, but also to the brave Jawaans (the soldiers) of the Indian army. “Time” magazine reported at that time that China sent thousands of fully armed soldiers through the snow clad mountains of the Himalayas and attacked India, marching two hundred miles up to Tezpur. Those were the days of Hindi-Chinni Bhai Bhai – a favourite theme of the peace loving Pundit Nehru. India has never forgotten this treachery. It was not the lack of valour of the Indian soldiers, it was entirely the fault of the politicians, that brought “shame” to the brave Indian soldiers. Indians also remember that in 1948, 1965, 1971 and at Kargil the wars were thrust upon the Motherland by Pakistan
and even now it is continuing through a “Proxy War”. Indians at home and abroad, do not begrudge the billions of dollars arms that are imported every year mainly from Russia, Britain, France, Israel and others. The world's largest arms importers: (value of imports 2005-2011 in Billion dollars) India- 15, China- 12, South Korea- 9, UEA- 8, Pakistan- 7 A new scandal has erupted in India about the British made helicopters, imported through an Italian owned corporation. Millions of pounds have been involved in the corruption. India is shocked, once again. The top brass of the Indian Defence services are rightly or wrongly accused of anti-national activities. This must be hugely embarrassing and painful for not only those in the defence services, but for every Indian. Naturally, there is a huge political controversy with wild allegations, against the UPA government. The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh has said, “We have nothing to hide.” Sadly speaking, in the last 9 odds years so many scandals have been exposed during the UPA government, that such words from an upright man will not assuage the feelings of many in India. Politicians forget why “Aye Mere Watan ke Logo” has been touching the deep sentiments of every Indian, even after 50 years. Their hearts are bleeding, that the blood of so many brave sons and daughters of India appeared to have bled in vain. There is no smoke, without fire and there are so many “fires” we have seen. Will this government and the political establishment be able to ensure that the country will never again be lumbered with such a shock and dismay? Indians deserve better. Tum Bhool Naa Jaao Unko Is Liye Kahi ye Kahaani
Tum Bhool Naa Jaao Unko Is Liye Kahi ye Kahaani "Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo" ("O! the people of my country!") is a Hindi patriotic song written by Kavi Pradeep and composed by C.Ramachandra commemorating Indian soldiers who died during the Sino-Indian War. Kavi Pradeep was reportedly moved to compose the song by accounts of casualties of the war. The song was famously performed live on January 27, 1963 by Lata Mangeshwar at the National Stadium in New Dehli in the presence of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on account of Republic Day(26 January) 1963, just two months after the end of the war. A copy of the soundtrack spool was also later gifted to Nehru on the occasion. The song is said to have moved Nehru to tears. All of the artists and technicians involved with the song including singers, musicians, music director, lyricist, recording studio, sound recordist and later, lyricist Kavi Pradeep pledged the royalty of the song in perpetuity to the War Widows Fund. In 2005, the Bombay High Court asked the music company HMV to indicate a lump sum payable to the Army Welfare Fund from the song's royalty proceeds.
Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon Aye mere watan ke logon Koi Sikh Koi Jaat Maraatha Tum Khub Lagaa Lo Naaraa Koi Gorkhaa Koi Madaraasi Ye Shubh Din Hai Hum Sab Kaa Sarhad Pe Marane Waalaa Leharaa Lo Tirangaa Pyaaraa Har Veer Thaa Bhaaratvaasi Par Mat Bhulo Siimaa Par Jo Khoon Giraa Parvat Par Veeron Ne Hai Praan Ganwaae Wo Khoon Thaa Hindustaani Kuchh Yaad Unhein Bhi Kar Lo Kuchh Yaad Unhein Bhi Kar Lo Jo Shahid Hue Hain Unki Jo Laut Ke Ghar Na Aaye Zaraa Yaad Karo Qurbaani Jo Laut Ke Ghar Na Aaye Thi Khoon Se Lath Pat Kaayaa Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon Phir Bhi Bandhuk Uthaake Zaraa Aankh Mein Bhar Lo Paani Dus Dus Ko Ek Ne Maaraa Jo Shahid Hue Hain Unki Phir Gir Gaye Hosh Ganwaa Ke Zaraa Yaad Karo Qurbaani Jab Ant Samay Aayaa To Keh Gaye Ke Ab Marte Hain Khush Rehanaa Desh Ke Pyaaron Jab Ghaayal Hua Himaalay Ab Hum To Safar Karte Hain Khatare Mein Padi Aazaadi Kyaa Log The Wo Deewaane Jab Tak Thi Saans Ladhe Wo Kyaa Log The Wo Abhimaani Phir Apani Laash Bichhaa Dii Jo Shahid Hue Hain Unki Sangiin Pe Dhar Kar Maathaa Zaraa Yaad Karo Qurbaani So Gaye Amar Balidaani Jo Shahid Hue Hain Unki Zaraa Yaad Karo Qurbaani Tum Bhool Naa Jaao Unko Is Liye Kahi Ye Kahaani Jab Desh Mein Thi Diwaali Jo Shahid Hue Hain Unki Wo Khel Rahe The Holi Zaraa Yaad Karo Qurbaani Jab Hum Baithe The Gharon Mein Jay Hind... Jay Hind Ki Senaa Wo Jhel Rahe The Goli Jay Hind... Jay Hind Ki Senaa The Dhanya Jawaan Wo Aapane Thi Dhanya Wo Unki Jawaani Jay Hind, Jay Hind, Jay Hind Jo Shahid Hue Hain Unki Zaraa Yaad Karo Qurbaani -CB
UK
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 23rd February 2013
Kapil’s
KHICHADI by Kapil Dudakia - email: kapil@abplgroup.com
Kalpavriksha Tourism I was looking at data produced by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). Quite an interesting read, and on digesting the data one was left with a bout of indigestion. I concluded that India has been extremely negligent over many decades in how it has failed to take advantage of tourism. The wealth that could have come into the country would have been astronomical and equates literally to billions. Let me elaborate a little more, below you will see the top ten countries for attracting tourism in Asia and the Pacific (UNWTO: 2011 data):
China is the only comparable country within striking distance of India yet it attracts more than nine times what India manages to attract. Interestingly the world average for expenditure by tourist is about $1000 per person. However, and surprisingly, in India tourists spend is about $2700 per person. Based on this information and with some crude calculations on my abacus, one can say that India attracts about $17b through tourism. For China let’s use the much lower figure of $1000 per person which is the norm for the world. We conclude that it attracts just under $58b through tourism. Therefore in terms of monetary impact alone, China attracts 3.5 times more than India. My point being that even with the shabby infrastructure and the dereliction in keeping our national monuments trim and proper, India is still raking it in since expenditure per person is almost 3 times more than the world norm. Can you imagine what it could raise if it had tourism on the same scale as China? Well let’s work it out. If India attracted 58 million tourists per year and thw that in anyone’s book must be worth some serious consideration.ey each spent on average $2700 – that gives us a grand total of just under $157b. No To get an overall idea let’s look at the top ten tourist destinations in the world:
Yes I am sure all of you would have been surprised that France is indeed the top destination for world tourism. India can learn of best practice very quickly just by opening those eyes and looking around. It isn’t rocket science to market a country like India with its rich history, multi-cultures, multi-languages, grandeur of dance styles, excellence in music, depth in literature, majestic historical monuments, abundance of religious buildings, intriguing and exiting cities, rural beauty, the hill stations, the Himalayan backdrop, the truly inspirational and tasty cuisine, the symphony of festivals and not forgetting, the glitter and glamour of Bollywood. The list is endless and yet with all these riches collected over many millennia, the Governance of the country has failed to understand the huge positive impact tourism can make not only to the economy of the country, but also of exporting the very essence of what makes India, India. On the world level in 2011 there were some 990 million international tourists recorded and by the end of 2012 this figure had crossed the one billion mark. Given India has some 18% of the world’s population; surely it should try and attract at least 18% of the world tourism market. If that were true then some 180 million tourist would be flocking to India each and every year. Each one spending about $2700 and that in my book is equivalent to inward cash flow of nearly $500 billion. Folks, surely this represents a prize worthy of a whole nation waking up and rising to the challenge. Kalpavriksha tourism is about an ever giving tree of abundance, it just needs the wise to receive with grace. So if India does not wake up or is unwilling to grasp this huge opportunity – then I ask Narendrabhai Modi to make Gujarat the tourist destination of choice when people come to India. Let Gujarat enhance what it has and create the infrastructure that can support such a vision. Let Gujarat lead by example as it does so on many other fronts currently. I am certain that once Gujarat shows the billions of dollars coming into its economy, other states will wake up and follow suit. As Bapuji said, ‘be the change you wish to see in the world’, so let one state become the change that will ignite the touch paper of change throughout India. Gujarat – are you ready? Rise ye lions of Garvi Gujarat, it is time once again to champion a future for your country.