Message from Dean - IIT Madras

#1
Dear Friends,

Here is a personal experience, as well as a moment of national pride,
which I want to share with you. Hope you find it worth the time you put
in reading it :

"In the middle of 1965 India-Pakistan war, US govt - then a close
friend of Pakistan - threatened India with stopping food-aid (remember
"PL-480"?). For a food deficient India this threat was serious and
humiliating. So much so that in the middle of war, Prime Minister
(Late) Lal Bahadur Shastri went to Ram Leela Grounds in Delhi and
appealed to each Indian to observe one-meal-fast every week to answer
the American threat. As a school boy, I joined those millions who
responded to Shastri ji's call. I continued the fast even when the war
was over and India became self sufficient in food. Hurt deep by the
national humiliation suffered at the hands of the US govt, I had vowed
to stop my weekly fast only when India starts giving aid to USA.

It took just 40 years. Last week THE day arrived. When Indian ambassador
in Washington DC handed over a cheque of US$ 50 million to the US govt,
two plane loads of food, medical aid and other relief materials were
waiting to fly to the USA. Time to break the fast? With no bad feeling
about the USA, and good wishes for the Katrina victims, this humble
Indian feels proud of the distance India has covered in 40 years. Let's
celebrate a New India!"

- Vijay Kranti.
Dean - IIT Madras


Regards,
nkpanjiyar
 

sh50

Active Member
#2
Interesting as always MR Nkpanjiyar

Sad part is that though India and the US are the world's largest and oldest democracies, they have chosen to be on the warpath till recently.

The aid is more because we have more experience of disaster relief. Though it is more a case of the tail wagging the dog, good to see the US at the receving end.

Another story about Shastri is that when some Railway accident happened, he resigned. I don't think such resignations serve any purpose because an accident in such a huge country can happen anywhere. India has the fourth largest network in the world.
 

4candles

Well-Known Member
#3
i appreciate, respect & salute your sensibilities, Sir & also all those who supported the cause.

And i could not stop thinking where would India be, after all those agricultural reforms being talked about are, slowly but suerly, implemented. Indias' Agri is < 4% of GDP( correct me if i am wrong), vast number of the population is into Agricultural proffession, if reforms start taking shape & Agri contributes 10% of GDP, & that income is reinvestd & circulated(increase in purchasing power),etc.... India would be an all rounder( Software, out-sourcing, Leather & garment exports, Jewellry,Agriculture....etc)
 
#4
sh50 said:
Interesting as always MR Nkpanjiyar

Sad part is that though India and the US are the world's largest and oldest democracies, they have chosen to be on the warpath till recently.

The aid is more because we have more experience of disaster relief. Though it is more a case of the tail wagging the dog, good to see the US at the receving end.

Another story about Shastri is that when some Railway accident happened, he resigned. I don't think such resignations serve any purpose because an accident in such a huge country can happen anywhere. India has the fourth largest network in the world.
Thanks sh50. Some patriots are there to read it.
 
#5
4candles said:
i appreciate, respect & salute your sensibilities, Sir & also all those who supported the cause.

And i could not stop thinking where would India be, after all those agricultural reforms being talked about are, slowly but suerly, implemented. Indias' Agri is < 4% of GDP( correct me if i am wrong), vast number of the population is into Agricultural proffession, if reforms start taking shape & Agri contributes 10% of GDP, & that income is reinvestd & circulated(increase in purchasing power),etc.... India would be an all rounder( Software, out-sourcing, Leather & garment exports, Jewellry,Agriculture....etc)
You are right 4candles. Keep em coming.
 

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