Understanding Islam.

Email with Kasim Mulla of Miraj
Thanks for your email though I am little late in replying. First of all I am glad that a platform is created for secular ideas in Miraj because of the views so clearly and cogently expressed by Shri Yadwade. He is a really original thinker and a seeker of truth.
I am sorry that I could not go through the books u gave me except for the complete glance during my travel from Miraj to Pune. But if u can we can discuss them chapter by chapter on phone as I did Shri Yadwade's book.
First about my views about Islam before reading the boks -- that is today. I have a thought about the evolution of religion. In my opinion any scientific discovery leads to its application for some production -- that requires a process -- a set of system about how actions will be done in what sequence etc. So I don't denounce any KARMAKAND outright , but I don't follow it in toto.. But this is MY method. Many people find it convenient to follow. Gradually, The thinking goes out of it. After decades, it starts becoming oppressive. Then someone appears and says " throe away, we need not be oppressed by them " . People like it and start accepting the leadership of that person.
This is what Krishna did in Bhagawadgita (about Arjuna's worry of "Varnasankar", this is what Buddha did in opposing the system of Bali and preached Ahimsa, this is what Jesus and Paigambar did against the then oppressive rulers. This is what shankaracharya did against the ills that had crept up by distortions in Buddhism. This is what Gandhiji did against British in South Africa. A new religion spreads because somewhere it has given relief to people from oppressive systems of the society, promoted by rulers. At the same time it also has to be based on the ideas of Truthfulness, gratitude and equity. All of them from Krishna to Gandhiji did it.
I have often quoted " Imagine what must have been the impact of truthfulness preaches by Paigambar -- that the Khilaphat empire which came as a result could rule for 800 years -- but more importantly, look at the literature that got created during the time -- namely the Arabian Nights .. these are stories about keeping your truthfulness.. your word of honour, and gratitude -- in the form "namak ke saath daga nahi".
Islam teaches -- One Alla -- (call it God or Ishwar), hence no need to worship any other form. Jesus said the same, Buddha said the same and the scholars among Hindus like shankaracharya and swami Dayanand saraswati said the same. Only one deviation. Among Hindus for those not so schoarly, they are allowed to worship a form with whom they can use a daily one-to-one conversational form. And many have gained by it, so there experience is certainly a documentary evidence. I would rather like to understand its scientific principle that denounce it as ANDHSHRADDHA .
What I see as drawback of Islam -- it has tremendous discrimination against women and far less tolerance than most of the other religions. These views come from hearing what others say -- I have not read what the scriptures say.
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From: kasim mulla
Date: Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 11:31 AM
To: leena.mehendale@gmail.com
Respected Madam,
I am extremely sorry for contacting you so late. Fortunately I got an opportunity to listen your thoughts. During the meeting at Yadwade sirs home in Miraj. After that meeting I had given you some Islamic Books. Any truthseeker does not make any opinion without well understanding & well confirmation of the truth. I am sure that you have the same attitude. On this base I expect your remarks on those books. I am eager to know your opinions about Islam before reading there books as well as if there is any change in your openions about Islam after reading these books.
Please don't give me your opinion keeping in view that I am Islam. Basically I am secular & answer we considering this.
We are imperssed by the fact that you give your preuous time for such readings from your busy schedule.
pl reply
Yours faithfully
Kasim Mulla
(President of Jamate Islami Hind Miraj Directer of Academy of Secular Ethisc and Humanism.
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ये डाली गुणवान व अन्य काफी कुछ

0) दि. 8.10.10
ये डाली गुणवान
ये डाली भगवान
-- सुंदरलाल बहुगुणाजी के एक घनिष्ट मित्रकी लम्बी कवितासे (मुझे उनका नाम व कविता दोनों ही याद नही --अफसोस) धरतीको यही डाली और पत्तियाँ बचाएंगी।


-1) दि. 6.10.10
some time back a group from Kolhappur preparing for UPSC/ MPSC exams found my book Lokshahi (I translated from original authors) very useful. Today one more feedback. And One more for my another book. So I am keeping here my list. प्रशासनाकडे वळून बघतांना, समाज मनातील बिंब, इथे विचारांना वाव आहे, है कोई वकील, जनता की राय, मेरी प्रांतसाहबी, राजकीय चिन्तन, my first blog आणि नवीन लेख -- All on admn. and society.
-2) दि. 5.10.10
Once subhash chandra bose was asked -- what is the difference between a station master and a school master. His reply -- " A station mster minds the trains, The school master trains the minds."
-3) दि. 5.10.10
योजना यादव साठी अंत्याक्षरीवर लिहिली माझी प्रिय कविता --
इंद्र जिमि जृम्भ पर, वाडव सुअंभ पर, रावण सदंभ पर रघुकुलराज है।
पौन वारिवाह पर, शंभु रतिनाह पर, ज्यौं सहस्रबाह पर राम द्विजराज है।
दावा द्रुमदंड पर, चीता मृगझुंड पर, भूषण वितुण्ड पर जैसे मृगराज है।
तेज तम अंस पर, कान्ह जिमि कंस पर, त्यौं मलेच्छ बंस पर, सेर सिवराज है।।
वाडव - वडवानल, सुअंभ - समुद्र, पौन - पवन, वारिवाह - ढग, रतिनाह -कामदेव,
दावा -दावानल, द्रुमदंड - वृक्ष, वितुण्ड - हत्ती, मृगराज -सिंह, तेज -सूर्य, तम अंस -अंधारलेले कोपरे
-4) दि. 4.10.10
“We must, at present, do our best to form a class, who may be
interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern; a class of
persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions,
in morals, and in intellect.” – Said Lord Macaulay 175 years ago.
-5) दि. 4.10.10
My friends SP Goel and Mahendra from PCRA, Delhi have redrawn the Hindi typing chart as here with a caption " हिन्दीके 80% अक्षर केवल पाँच कुञ्जियों में".

-6) दि. 4.10.10
“We must, at present, do our best to form a class, who may be
interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern; a class of
persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions,
in morals, and in intellect.” – Said Lord Macaulay 175 years ago. Macaulay’s Legacy in India still continues because we are enamoured by a technology -- even if alternative technology is available.

-7) दि. 4.10.10
कृष्णने गोवर्धन उठाया तो
गोप-गोपियोंने लाठीका टेक दिया - रामने सेतू बाँधा तो गिलहरीने हाथ
बँटाया। आप भी हिंदी व भारतीय भाषाओंके लिये योगदान दें। इन्स्क्रिप्ट
कीबोर्ड लेआउट सीखें। यह कक्षा पहली के पाठानुरूप (अआइई, कखगघचछजझ...)
चलता है और उतनाही सरल है। फिर आप आठवीं फेल, अंग्रेजी न जाननेवाले
...बच्चोंको भी पाँच मिनटमें संगणक-टंकन सिखाकर उनकी दुआएँ बटोरिये।
पाँच मिनटोंमें संगणकपर हिंदी सीखने के लिये पढें --
http://leenamehendale.blogspot.com/2010/08/blog-post_03.html
-7) दि. 4.10.10
सर्व ओझी निवारणासाठी - क्रिकेट (some day I tried a satire)
वाचकहो, सर्वत्र असते तसेच याही लेखातील सर्व घटना, स्थानांची व
व्यक्तींची नांवे संपूर्णपणे काल्पनिक असून त्यात कोणताही तथ्यांश नाही.
जर कोणत्याही व्यक्ती किंवा स्थानाचे नांव किंवा घटनेचा तपशील एखाद्या
सत्य घटनेबरोबर मिळता-जुळता असेल तर तो निव्वळ योगायोग मानावा.
...तर रसिक वाचकहो, आटपाट नगर होते- तिचे नांव मुंबई.
-7) दि. 4.10.10
My friend Harnot of Himachal Pradesh -- very talented writer of rural life and politics in his short stories. I translated 2 in marathi -- Darosh and Kagbhasha We need to translate more from his 5 collections.
Any takers?
-7) दि. 4.10.10
uploaded one article स्वाइन फ्लू और सरहद (देशबन्धु ऑन लाइन न्यूज पोर्टल Thursday , Sep 17,2009. Link is
http://leenamehendale.blogspot.com/2010/09/blog-post_22.html
-7) दि. 4.10.10
Jamie Lee Curtis -- By Aditya -- crayon pencil 1991
-7) दि. 4.10.10
Uploaded 2 new posts on my blog ye ye pawsa मी प्रयोग शिकले and
पेड़ से कहो - "खुश रहो"
http://ye-ye-pawsa.blogspot.com/
http://leenamehendale.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-post_29.html
-7) दि. 20.9.10
By Aditya -- 1991 (???) in crayon pencil colours.

योजना यादव सोबत अंत्याक्षरीमधे गोळा झालेल्या कविता

योजनासाठी अंत्याक्षरीवर आज (5-10-10) लिहिली माझी प्रिय कविता --
इंद्र जिमि जृम्भ पर, वाडव सुअंभ पर, रावण सदंभ पर रघुकुलराज है।
पौन वारिवाह पर, शंभु रतिनाह पर, ज्यौं सहस्रबाह पर राम द्विजराज है।
दावा द्रुमदंड पर, चीता मृगझुंड पर, भूषण वितुण्ड पर जैसे मृगराज है।
तेज तम अंस पर, कान्ह जिमि कंस पर, त्यौं मलेच्छ बंस पर, सेर सिवराज है।।
वाडव - वडवानल, सुअंभ - समुद्र, पौन - पवन, वारिवाह - ढग, रतिनाह -कामदेव, दावा -दावानल, द्रुमदंड - वृक्ष, वितुण्ड - हत्ती, मृगराज -सिंह, तेज -सूर्य, तम अंस -अंधारलेले कोपरे

लौटी महारनी की दंडी
ब्रिटिश महारानी की दंडी थामे
दागे सलामी इंडिया की बंदूकें
चमक धमक राष्ट्र खेल मंडल आत है
छिपाए भिखमंगे उजाड़ी बस्तियां
भूखे बच्चे, टूटी सडकें, चौपट स्कूल
फिरंगी युनिवेर्सिटी की नौटंकी बुलात है
ग़ुलामी डायन खाय जात है

हौंग कॉन्ग और फ्रांस से फटाफट
इम्पोर्ट किये खुशबूदार सनडांस
होश किसे आधी जनता मैदान जात है
हर चौराहे पे लगा घंटों ट्राफ्फिक जाम
ऊपर से फ्लईओवर . नीचे से फ्लईओवर
दक्कन कोरया से आई मेट्रो सरासर भगात है
ग़ुलामी डायन खाय जात है

बनाया सवाल इंडिया तेरी नाक का
किसकी नाक, किसका सवाल
फ़िक्र किसे शिक्षा, सेहत, खुशहाली की ,
१८२ मुल्कों में भारत १३४ पर गिनात है
हुआ बवाल मची हुडदंग संसद में
राजपाट करने वालों में खूब भई बंदरबाट है
ग़ुलामी डायन खाय जात है

फूंके ७०० करोड़ दलितों के
टपकी सरकारी तिजोरी टपके स्टेडियम
लुढके ओवेरब्रिज मजदूर मरे जात है
हल्ला बोला खेलों का
हुए कॉरपोरेट , पूंजीपति मालामाल है
जाने काहे को हमरे खिलाड़ी पसीना बहात है
ग़ुलामी डायन खाय जात है
मस्ती बारह दिन की बारह दिन का तमाशा
एक लाख करोड़ रूपए का टिकट कटाया
कच्छ से आया, कोहिमा से आया
पैसा आया लक्षद्वीप और लदाख से
अस्सी फ़ीसदी करैं गुजर २० रुपाली में
फिर भी सब कुछ दिल्ली में लुटाये जात है
ग़ुलामी डायन खाय जात है

मचा शोर साफ़ सफाई का
निकले सांप, चर्मरय पलंग , डरे खिलाडी
सुन कर फटकार फेनल हूपर की
प्रधान मंत्री केबिनट की बैठक बुलात है
चप्पे- चप्पे पे, चाक - चौबंद फौजी - सिपाही
ताके इधर -उधर, टट्टी- पेशाब को छत्पतात्त है
ग़ुलामी डायन खाय जात है
करे सांठ गाँठ राजनेता, मीडिया और पूँजीपती
टाला मसला भ्रष्टाचार का, टाल दी अयोध्या भी
टाल नहीं सके आतंक के साए को ,
अरबों डौलर की विदेशी तकनीक मंगात है
हर हिन्दुस्तानी बायोमेट्रिक और लेज़र के घेरे में है
नीचे राडार, ऊपर मिग और मिज़ाइल उदात है
ग़ुलामी डायन खाय जात है

एनजीओ खुश, खुश खिलाड़ी, खुश कलमाड़ी ,
खान - पान का ठेका अम्रिकान मल्टीनेशनल को
पिज्जा पर सजाए गोलगप्पे , जी भर शम्पैन पिलाट है
छिढ़ बहस उद्घाटन की
करे लन्दन का प्रिन्स, या भारत का राष्ट्रपति ?
झुका इंडिया महारानी का सन्देश प्रिन्स लेके आत है
ग़ुलामी डायन खाय जात है

आखिर बच गयी इज्ज़त हमरी
कहें मनमोहंवा देख नौ फ़ीसदी का खेल है
सेन- सेक्स २२,००० के छलांग लगे जात है
काहे गिनत हो स्वर्ण पदक भारत के
पट तो गया शेर बाज़ार सोने चांदी से
सुपरपावर बनाने का ख्वाब इंडिया दिखात है
ग़ुलामी डायन खाय जात है

( राष्ट्र मंडल खेलों के उद्घाटन के एक दिन पहले , गांधी जयंती पे यह सवाल पूछते की अगर गाँधी जी जिंदा होते तो क्या करते )

डॉ अनिल सदगोपाल
फ़ोन- ०९४२५६००६३७


I carry a torch in one hand
And a bucket of water in the other:
With these things I am going to set fire to Heaven
And put out the flames of Hell
So that voyagers to God can rip the veils
And see the real goal........................................By Rabia (Rabi'a Al-'Adawiyya)

A PSALM OF LIFE

A PSALM OF LIFE
-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The poem was first published in 1838.

WHAT THE HEART OF THE YOUNG MAN
SAID TO THE PSALMIST

TELL me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream ! —
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

Life is real ! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal ;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way ;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle !
Be a hero in the strife !

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant !
Let the dead Past bury its dead !
Act,— act in the living Present !
Heart within, and God o'erhead !

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time ;

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate ;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.

Achievers -- Mr RS Singh

One Mr RS Singh of Jamshedpur (Retd Ch. Eng from Rly) successfully demonstrated wonderful lift irrigation by bullock force affordable by farmers. His phone no is 06572940110 or, 09415222374. Excellent work when shortage of power and diesel kills the crops.This should be reported to "Swiss climate change meet"

poking my nose

My comment on visiting the site www.iri.org.in of IR Initiatives
To,
ir initiative ,
railmurali@yahoo.com
date Sun, Sep 5, 2010 at 1:10 PM
subject Re: hello, what happened to your campaign and website ?
Seen your website and my feedback on the site is as follows
1) It asks me to login but does not provide for initial sign up before logging
2) What happens if I right country name as BHARAT ? This issue is imp as many talk of a India vs. Bharat divide.
3)None of the article is in Hindi. Not a word in Hindi -- I guess you will do something. If need help let me know.
4) Will you accept articles from others?
5) Pl also have a icon each for a Target (with time frame)and for Outcome ( or result).
About the movement I have already communicated that I am willing to join.
--lm
On 5/11/10, Leena Mehendale wrote:
On your site the feedback page has a column Your views where nothing can be written. Pl make corrections. People's feedback is a big asset.
--lm
----------------------------------------------------
comment on fb of tikale
Naib Tahsildar with a law degree. Rare combination these days. In my earliest days in service I used to be very impressed by scholarly judgements of tahsildar and naib tahsildar, then the tradition vanished as CrPC amendment of 1973 separated the executive from judiciary
-------------------------------------------------------------
Mission: Thje mangal script is enabled. I just need to pick up some speed and accuracy with matras.
Sent at 10:50 PM on Monday
me: why bother initially about speed? Imp is that u can teach to lower class kids around you who will never have a chance to learn for lack of knowledge of english.
Sent at 10:55 PM on Monday
Mission: Right. But
Sent at 10:57 PM on Monday
Mission: people around me prefer paid classes to free classes. first i have to instill some confidence in them about this scheme.
Sent at 10:58 PM on Monday
Mission: and there is this peculiar psychology at work........if u offer anything for free: it is accepted with a pinch of salt.
Sent at 10:59 PM on Monday
me: u r referring to those who can pay. I am sure with ur NGO background u can deliver the goods.
Mission: Yes sure
me: charge fees then -- but not for a 1 month class. Only 6 days
Mission: no need. I wl manage.
me: 3 hours each. Teaching needs only half hr. rest is for practise and group sharing.
What kind of NGO do u run?

भारतकी आजादी

A poem by shri gopal prasd Vyas
वह खून कहो किस मतलबका जिसमें उबालका नाम नही
वह खून कहो किस मतलबका आ सके देशके काम नही
वह खून कहो किस मतलबका जिसमें जीवन न रवानी है
जो परवश होकर बहता हो वह खून नही है पानी है।
उस दिन लोगोंने सही सही खूँकी कीमत पहचानी थी
जिस दिन सुभाषने बर्मा में माँगी उनसे कुर्बानी थी
बोले स्वतंत्रताकी खातिर बलिदान तुम्हे करना होगा
तुम बहुत जी चुके हो जगमें लेकिन आगे मरना होगा।
आजादीके चरणोंमें जो जयमाल चढाई जायेगी
वह सुनो तुम्हारे शीशोंके फूलोंसे गूँथी जायेगी।
आजादीका संग्राम नही पैसेपर खेला जाता है
यह शीश कटानेका सौदा नंगे सर झेला जाता है।
आजादीका इतिहास कहीं काली स्याही लिख पाती है
इसके लिखनेके लिये खूनकी नदी बहाई जाती है।
आजानुबाहू ऊँची करके वे बोले रक्त मुझे देना
इसके बदलेमें भारतकी आजादी तुम मुझसे लेना।

श्याम की माई की कविता --विनय शर्मा

Vinay Sharma July 15 at 12:40pm
विलक्षण यशोदा पुत्र श्याम, अदभुत श्याम की माई !
नमन आप दोनों के स्नेह को, श्याम, श्याम की आई !!
संस्कार चरित्र दृष्टिकोण नहीं, कर्म कोई भी गौण नहीं,
अछूत भी सम्मान के अधिकारी,माँ तुमने सिखलाई !
डूब कर दुष्ट वासना में मैं अपहरण मुद्राएँ जो कर बैठा,
तुमने नैतिकता छड़ी बनाकर, लोभ की कर दी पिटाई !
दीवारों के भी कान होते हैं, राम मंदिर भी नहीं निश्कर्ण,
फिर क्यूँ भजन बाहर से पंडित जी, मंदिर में न दे सुनाई ?
तिनका तिनका जोड़ कर, ऋण में कमर को तोड़ कर,
कोसों दूर चल कर भी ले आये, मुझे खिलने दही मलाई !
गुरु गोविन्द दोनों खड़े, प्रथम किसको करूँ प्रणाम,
बलिहारी गुरु माँ तेरी, जो मुझे पिता दिए दिखाई !
भिक्षु श्याम पथ पथ भटके, शिक्षा भिक्षा लेने को,
पर दरिद्र हो गया मैं कितना कर के माँ की विदाई !
नतमस्तक वंदना,
विनय
copyright@vinaysharma

Dr. Baliram Sadashiv Agnihotri -- my beloved father

Dr. Baliram Sadashiv Agnihotri was born in Dharangaon, District Jalgaon ( Maharashtra ) in 1916. He studied at P.R. High School, Dharangaon, H.P.T. College, Nasik ( undergraduate studies ), S.P. College, Pune ( M.A. in Sanskrit ) and again HPT, Nasik ( M.A. in Philosophy ). He took his Doctorate in 1948 from Bombay University on .....

Investigations of Yoga and its implication found in Vedic Literature, under Prof. Velankar of Wilson College.

He started his teaching career from Kaivalyadham Yoga Institute as a teacher of Yoga, while the Institute also provided him scholarship for his doctoral work. Thereafter, small stints as school teacher in Vyaza and Khandwa and aas Prof. in Hitkarini College, Jabalpur. Finally, he joined Bihar Education Services as Prof. and Research guide in Mithila Sanskrit Research Institute, Darbhanga. He guided many doctoral students for research.

Married in 1949 to Miss Leela Namjoshi, he was already a pround father of three brilliant children by the time he joined the Institute in Darbhanga. He spent twenty years of his active and creative life here. Grooming all three children to brilliant academic career, providing a steady anchor point to Maharashtrian community in Bihar, pursuing his own studies of the rich philosophy textsboth Eastern and Western and endearing all with his expertise of free guidance on Astrology, he was a well respected and well consulted personality with innumerable friends.

His published works include
1) Kadambari Kathasar : A trilingual commentary ( Published; Choukhamba Publishers Varanasi )
2) Patanjal Yogsutra
3) Sankhyakarika
4) Yogatrayi - A comparison between three upanishda - Kath, Mandukya and Shwetashwatar ( )
5) Buddhiyoga - the exhibitory sermon of Bhagwadgita.
6) Ten journals in All India Oriental Conferences.

7) A large number of articles and research papers written regularly for " Dyaneshwar " quarterly, newspapers and AIR.
8) At the ripe age of 88, he was enthusiastic to recite the complete Bhagwadgita in his vibrant, resonant voice- this is now available in CD format. Later, this also formed part of " Sanrakshan Yoga", a TV serial dedicated to work efficiency and energy efficiency. The video CD is also now available.
9) For 36 years, he gave 1 month discourse on Dyaneshwari and Bhagwadgita for the locals of his native village Dharangaon.

Dr. Agnihotri was an expert Astrologer, a practitioner of Ashtang Yoga Sadhana, especially Yogasana, Pranayam and Dhyana. Till the very end, he maintained good health and a fit and active life style.

A small illness causing weakness, a short spell of fever and fatigue, finally took him to the Ultimate Long Journey, from which he would not return. An avid traveler, he had visited many parts of India and and even spent 6 months in U.K. But, once on the path of no return, he now will live in the memory of his many friends and well wishers.

Global RTI

Supplied by
Amitabh Thakur, President, National RTI Forum
In France, Article 14 of the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man called for access to information about the budget to be made freely available. The Conseil d’Etat found in April 2002 that the right of administrative documents is a fundamental right under Article 34 of the Constitution. The Law on Free Access to Administrative Documents (Law No. 78-753 of 17 July 1978) enables citizens to exercise a constitutional right to be informed of how tax money is spent and to hold the administration accountable. The law, however, exempts other branches and organs of the French state, including the parliamentary assemblies, State Audit Office and Conseil d’État, from providing access to documents. A nine member oversight body, the Commission on Access to Administrative Documents (CADA), supported by 10 rapporteurs and a nine person secretariat, meets fortnightly to review complaint.
In Germany, the Act to Regulate Access to Federal Government Information was adopted in June 2005 and went into force on 1 January 2006. There are extensive exemptions in the law. Drafts or notes are not included in the definition of official information. While in Japan, after a 20-year effort, the Law Concerning Access to Information Held by Administrative Organs was approved by the Diet in May 1999 and went into effect in April 2001. The law allows any individual or company, Japanese or foreign, to request administrative documents held by administrative agencies in electronic or printed form. There are six broad categories of exemptions. Exempted information can be disclosed by the head of the agency “when it is deemed that there is a particular public-interest need.” Appeals are referred by the agency to the Information Disclosure Review Board.
In South Africa, Section 32 of the South African Constitution of 1996 states that Everyone has the right of access to – (a) any information held by the state, and; (b) any information that is held by another person and that is required for the exercise or protection of any rights. The Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) was approved by Parliament in February 2000 and went into effect in March 2001 . It implements the constitutional right of access The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has been designated to oversee the functioning of the Act.
The UK has the Freedom of Information Act adopted in November 2000 and into effect in January 2005. The Act gives any person a right of access to information held by over 100,000 public bodies. The bodies are required to respond within 20 working days. The Official Secrets Act, which still includes provisions originally adopted in 1911, criminalizes the unauthorized release of government information relating to national security. It has been frequently used against government whistleblowers and the media for printing information relating to the security services. The Information Commission is the external appeals body.
Finally, in the USA, Congress enacted the Administrative Procedures Act in 1946, section 3 of which required that government bodies to publish information about their structures, powers and procedures. Following a long period of hearings and unsuccessful bills, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was enacted in 1966 and went into effect in 1967. It has been substantially amended several times, most recently in 1996 by the Electronic Freedom of Information Act. There are nine categories of discretionary exemptions: national security, internal agency rules, information protected by other statutes, business information, inter and intra-agency memos, personal privacy, law enforcement records, financial institutions and oil wells data. Appeals of denials or complaints about extensive delays can be made internally to the agency concerned. The federal courts can review de novo (without respect to agency decision) and overturn agency decisions.

Profiting from Education -- Atanu Dey

Gayatri
date Fri, Aug 22, 2008
Profiting from Education
via Atanu Dey on India's Development by Atanu Dey on 8/4/08 atanudey@gmail.com

My contribution to the August issue of Pragati. I am reproducing the piece here below the fold, for the record. Regulars to this blog pretty much know my position on what needs to be done on education. Still you may find something of use.

Profiting from Education

India’s position in the emerging world of globally interconnected economies will doubtlessly be dictated by how successful it is in overcoming the severe limitation of its education system.

With an estimated 360 million of its citizens in the school-going age—a third of its entire population—it has an unmatched potential of becoming a major economic powerhouse. It has an opportunity to shape not only its own future but the future of the world at large. The challenges it faces in realizing that potential are many but the most formidable of them are those that are in a sense “self-inflicted.” The greatest hurdle in India’s path to the future is the near-monopoly government control of the education system.

The Numbers

A quick review of the numbers illuminates the challenges and opportunities. Of the total 360 million who should be in the K-12 system, around 140 million children are not in school. Not just a private loss—they will never have the opportunity to participate fully in the global economy—it is a loss to society because they will never be able to fully contribute to it.

Yet the spending for education is large. The Indian government has allocated around US$ 8.6 billion for FY2009 for education; private spending annually on K-12 tuition is an additional US$ 20 billion; tutoring adds another US$ 5 billion a year; private professional education is another US$ 7 billion. The education sector is expected to grow to around US$ 70 billion by 2012. Compare that to the US$ 45 billion spending for power, telecom, and transportation infrastructure in the 11th Plan.

Failed Public System

Regulations allow only non-profit trusts to run educational institutions. The results are disappointing and point to a failed public education system. The private sector schools do deliver much more than the public sector schools and do so comparatively more efficiently. Private schools account for only 7 percent of around 1 million K-12 schools and yet they accommodate 40 percent of the total enrolled. Studies show that public sector schools are plagued by teacher absenteeism, lack of basic infrastructure, and poor performance. India urgently needs to remedy the shortage of quality private schools.

The situation in tertiary education is not very good either. Published figures show India graduates 350,000 engineers and IT professionals a year, compared to China’s 600,000, and the United States’ 130,000. The quantity appears reasonable until one recalls that only about one out of four engineers is employable. This creates the paradoxical situation of vast numbers unemployed engineers on the one hand, and on the other employers desperately seeking skilled engineers.

Compared to China

Comparison with another comparably large developing country—namely China—is instructive. By 2005, China was graduating around 12,000 PhDs a year, about seven times what is did in 1995; India maintained an average of 700 PhDs every year during the same period.

The education system is supply-constrained. Around 400,000 compete in the IIT-Joint Entrance Examination for 10,000 seats in the few Indian Institutes of Technology, for instance. Another 240,000 took the common admissions test for the Indian Institutes of Management. On aggregate, over 2 million students take entrance tests for seats in the 1,200 private and 400 public professional schools. Test preparation is a huge market but ultimately the spending is directly unproductive and only serves as a means of rationing the limited quantity on supply relative to demand.

Foreign Education

Unable to find the opportunity domestically, Indians spend an estimated US$ 10 billion every year for higher education abroad. This lends support to the claim that if the education sector were to be liberalized—that is, if for-profit domestic and foreign private sector entities were allowed entry—then the capacity constraint will be released. Furthermore, market competition would ensure that the quality of the education would also improve.

The private sector is essentially denied the opportunity to fully participate in the education sector. Resistance against commercialization of education is held with what approaches religious conviction. Profit from education is anathema to Indian policymakers. The Supreme Court of India in a 1993 decision wrote:

“Imparting of education has never been treated as a trade or business in this country since time immemorial. It has been treated as a religious duty. It has been treated as a charitable activity. But never as a trade or business. . . The Unni Krishnan Decision does not imply that private schools cannot exist but states that they should not ‘commercialise education’ and impart education with the motivation to profit from it.”

The Market Response

But the market does find a way around and somehow manages to overcome to some degree the serious defects of the hobbled education system. However it is a costly exercise. Infosys spent US$ 120 million for a training facility employing 300 teachers to train its raw recruits; Wipro trains its recruits for three months before putting them to work; Satyam trains thousands in-house similarly. Therein lies a very clear and important lesson: that for-profit entities can and do promote social welfare in the education sector—they train people to become productive, thus enhancing private and social welfare.

Education as an Attractor

The argument for liberalizing the education system is simple enough to state. Globalization, which is essentially the free movement of capital in pursuit of profits, is an established fact. It means that global capital will continue to move differentially to those parts of the world where it most profitably complements the human capital available. Even though motivated by profit, global capital has the capacity to contribute directly to rapid economic growth, as evidenced by the growth stories of the East Asian economies in the past and of China more recently.

Only those economies that have the human capital to absorb global capital will benefit from globalization. Modern manufacturing is the basis for any large modern economy. It requires skilled manpower and therefore the emphasis on education and training. Currently India does have a small but significant position in the skilled services sector of business process outsourcing and information technology enabled services. But the news there is that shortage of skilled manpower is becoming a reality.

Diversifying the Economic Base

India needs to diversify its talent pool because economic development demands the ability to produce a diverse set of goods and services. Furthermore, for India’s economic growth, it has to serve as a global talent pool for all aspects of a modern economy—from services to manufacturing to research and development. Otherwise the unskilled and poorly educate will find themselves unemployed in the structural changes that are guaranteed in a globalized world. Most importantly, for driving domestic innovation, at the higher end of the education spectrum, one not only has to have quantity but world-class quality which can only be achieved if one has world-class institutions.

Manufacturing Human Capital

India has the raw numbers but lacks the financial resources to transform them into human capital in world-class educational institutions. Fortunately, global capital itself can help India build capacity for creating human capital. The argument for it is straightforward. Return on investment in education is positive and significant in the case of individuals. Therefore, given the ability to pay for it and the opportunity to gain an education, most people would educate themselves to their full potential. Therefore there are immense profits in education in India that global capital cannot afford to ignore.

The Indian government has to withdraw fully from tertiary education. The private sector has the incentive and the ability to provide tertiary education. Private sector investment will release the capacity constraint in education. For those who are unable to pay for the education upfront, they face what is called a credit-constraint, and they can be helped with educational loans from private and public sector financial institutions.

For K-12, the private sector already does address 40 percent of the market. By removing the restriction that only allows non-profit institutions, the capacity will grow and thus permit the scarce public funds to address the needs of the 140 million children not in school currently. The role of the government could then shift from funding schools to funding school children.

Paradigm Shift

What Indian education urgently requires is a paradigm shift, a different way of approaching the matter. The ostensible reason for not allowing private for-profit institution is to safeguard the interests of those who are poor. But one can be skeptical of that and a reasonable hypothesis advanced that through its monopolistic control, the government and its agents find an opportunity to extract rents from the supply-constrained market. This creates a system in which only the rich can afford to pay the rents and the poor get rationed out.

India cannot afford the current education system any more. Too many of its children are denied an education today. Globalization is a double-edged sword: it rewards talent as handsomely as it penalizes those who are unskilled. It is quite possible for India to employ global capital to solve its local problems—provided that it understands that voluntary trade is beneficial to both parties and both profit from it. Undoubtedly global capital will profit from investing in education in India. But that is only because India will profit even more from an educated population.

Easy and difficult

Recd in mail from BK SEARCH LIGHT bksakaash@gmail.com

Easy is to get a place is someone's address book.
Difficult is to get a place in someone's heart.

Easy is to judge the mistakes of others
Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes

Easy is to talk without thinking
Difficult is to refrain the tongue

Easy is to hurt someone who loves us.
Difficult is to heal the wound...

Easy is to forgive others
Difficult is to ask for forgiveness

Easy is to set rules.
Difficult is to follow them...

Easy is to dream every night.
Difficult is to fight for a dream...

Easy is to show victory.
Difficult is to assume defeat with dignity...

Easy is to admire a full moon.
Difficult to see the other side...

Easy is to stumble with a stone.
Difficult is to get up...

Easy is to enjoy life every day.
Difficult to give its real value...

Easy is to promise something to someone.
Difficult is to fulfill that promise...

Easy is to say we love.
Difficult is to show it every day...

Easy is to criticize others.
Difficult is to improve oneself...

Easy is to make mistakes.
Difficult is to learn from them...

Easy is to weep for a lost love.
Difficult is to take care of it so not to lose it.

Easy is to think about improving.
Difficult is to stop thinking it and put it into action...

Easy is to think bad of others
Difficult is to give them the benefit of the doubt...

Easy is to receive
Difficult is to give

Easy to read this
Difficult to follow

Easy is keep the friendship with words
Difficult is to keep it with meanings.