Santhosh's ramblings

Last evening a friend of many of us, Dr George Ani, a young professor of ENT passed away following a cycling accident. He has 2 young daughters. Annie his wife the 2 daughters will have to face life for the next many years without their loved one with them. This news came at a time, when I have been actively following events which are unfolding in India and USA. India, where the arrogance and pride of power is reaching a level, which brings back memories of previous such events in history, both in our nation and other nations. Words being spoken by elected members of our parliament, has been arrogant and at times even abusive. Power has been used to suppress alternative ideologies and thinking. And one gets the feeling that things are not going to be easy for us as a nation. At the same time, with the election fever in the so called “most powerful nation” the words used by many of the candidates portray again arrogance and pride. Some words are even abusive. And if some of those c...

The reason why alternative powers are costly is because, they are expected by the popular power to follow certain expectations and patterns. Being alternate, they usually do not follow these patterns or expectations, and this leads to conflict. The way alternate power, ideologies and expressions emerge, is expected to align to the way the popular power emerged. With visibility, with the support of the known and “respected” of the society. It never or hardly ever follows that pattern or expectation. It usually emerges unknown and slowly picks up momentum, till it reaches a “tipping point” when it becomes visible. By then this becomes unacceptable. The other expectation is that, whatever the ideology may be, one should show allegiance to the popular power and expectations of the same. As long as one shows open and public allegiance to popular power and ideology, whatever may be the initial alignment, one is left without being objected to. And this allegiance if is at an acceptab...

The recent happenings in our country, has become a stand-off between the so called Nationalists and Anti- Nationalist’s. One is made to believe that there are a group who are anti nationalists and the nationalists responsibility is to see that these are nipped off in the bud! But if one goes into details of what is happening, one realizes that, all are nation loving people. The only problem is the understanding of how each group sees and understands this complex and divergent nation of ours, which I love and I am part of. But the issues underlying all these cries of Nationalism and Patriotism, are not evident to the common public. They are forced and encouraged to believe that all these are about nation loving and nation hating. The underlying deeper issues seems to be “power” and “Self”. Power is self-perpetuating and self-preserving. History shows us that, popular power tries to suppress the alternate centres of power to preserve and consolidate the power which is already given ...

This 20 years old young lady came to show herself a few weeks ago. She had a skin lesion on her left hand, which was clearly a pauci-bacillary Hansen’s Disease. (Leprosy). We initiated her on treatment and asked her to be on follow up for 6 months. Yesterday was a busy OPD. In the midst of the crowd, this girl and her mother walked in. I did a quick 30 seconds examination, and told her you can pick up medicines for a month and come back. The mother hesitated, and asked me a question. Does the patient need to come back, or can she (Mother) come and collect medicines every month? I casually replied, no issues, anyone can. Then something in her facial expression caused me to wonder, why is she asking this. I asked, why cannot the patient come. Then the story poured out. She is being send back to her husband’s house and in laws. They do not know that she has this illness. She has been married for more than a year. She started getting this lesion a few months back. And we brought her home ...

The discussion around in the media is all about democracy and dissent. How much dissent is allowable in a democracy and what should the dissent look like. What is acceptable dissent and unacceptable dissent. And if dissent happens, how should the main stream groups, and the governance structures respond. As we were growing up, we were brought up with this principle “ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ” A current translation of the same reads like this “Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody.” The teaching then was “WAAA”….Learn to be WAAA people. People Who Agree to Agree Agreeably. This was reasonably easy in a mono cultural, mono religious traditional family where we were brought up. And one really did not have any other choice. You were expected to agree and keep quiet about it. And not even show much discomfort, even if you felt uncomfortable. And so life went on in the WAAA mode...

There are many kinds of people around us. One kind, who goes along with the flow. Where the current takes them, they move. They follow the current fads and flows. Where the popular opinion is, along with that they move. Where the Nation, the community, tribe, nationalism, economy, pluralism or any of the current “isms” move, they move along. It is an easy ride since the flow has been set by the dominant powers that be, and it is not too tough to flow along. And these people, I am not sure if they are in majority or minority, but are the most visible and respected by the powers. The Media and those voices “that matter”, talk much about them and they move up in the social ladder pretty fast. Because of that, they are in the limelight, whether they are majority or minority, they are the most visible. Then there are those who stand in the shores and watch the flow. A group, who though are silent spectators of the flow, but in total agreement with the flow. The issue with them is that ...

I was in another country for a week, visiting some Medical professionals and students. I am putting down some random observations from this country, which has been a learning experience for me. The city where I stayed most of the time, has the highest population density in the world. In the midst of the mostly crowded roads and rows of old buildings, and dirt and waste products lying all around (like any other city, in this region of the world including our own,) one would see large, new buildings heavily guarded and protected. These stood out in stark contrast from other buildings around, both in terms of their architecture, size, walls of protections around, security and other aspects of appearance. These were specially set up as 100% export factories, where garments and other consumables are being produced to be exported to the developed nations in the northern continent.  As one drove through these roads, you would find, early in the morning, ordinary looking people, (Aam ...