Go Hyderabad, Go Telangana, Go and Vote! For a better future and a better Nation!

Today is a very special day, have been anxiously waiting for it since a long time... it is Election Day! in soon to be formed Telangana State. Here, the elections are for both the State Assembly (Vidan Sabha) and Lok Sabha. We casted our Votes in the morning by 8:30 a.m., and then we had a celebratory sumptuous buffet breakfast at The Park and returned home just now. My eldest son Srikanth arrived early in the morning from Bangalore to cast his Vote. And my youngest son Srinath, who is in Birmingham-UK, has been canvassing over facebook and twitter for a political Party of his choice, mainly because his close friend’s father belongs to that Party and is contesting in this election.

Though the number of candidates contesting in our Sanathnagar Assembly Constituency and Secunderabad Parliamentary Constituency is rather huge, 22 and 30 respectively, it was easy for us to narrow down to few candidates and then vote for the best. Hope they win and serve us well.

Polling booths across Telangana will close at 6:00 p.m., so if you have not yet cast your vote, please decide fast and wisely, and cast your vote without fail.

P.S. Proud to be an Indian, proud to Vote and celebrate Democracy today!

What about drinking Water, India’s perennial disaster.

It is election time!

And politicians are yelling;

At the top of their voice,

Desperately begging,

For VOTES,

Promising Heaven!

Lakhs of jobs,

Free houses,

Dissolution of loans,

Free Cell phones,

Free electricity,

Free grocery,

Free education,

Free medication,

Free money transfers,

More reservations,

So and so CM,

Mahila CM,

But what about,

Drinking WATER,

India’s biggest,

Perennial disaster.

Smiles... the most beautiful thing in life.

Smiles…

The most

Beautiful

Thing in

Life.

Earth Day Messages from Us:

Let’s join hands on Earth Day,

to make our Earth

a better place

to live in.

Green is the prime colour

of the world,

and that from which

its loveliness arises.

Do not destroy it.

Easter Greetings!

The spirit of Easter,

Is all about Hope,

Love and Joyful living!

HAPPY EASTER!

It is so good to start…

The day with prayers,

And a hearty breakfast!

With all family members.

Think of Indian Railways at 3:35 p.m. today…

161 years ago on this day… the first train in India (and in Asia) was flagged off on 16th April 1853, a Saturday, at 3:35 pm between Bori Bunder (Mumbai) and Thane, a distance of 34 kms. The importance of the day can be gauged from the fact that the Bombay Government declared the day as a public holiday.

The train, hauled by three engines – Sahib, Sindh and Sultan, carried as many as 400 passengers in its 14 coaches on its debut run. The Great Indian Peninsula Railway had ordered a set of eight locomotives from Vulcan Foundry, England, for the purpose. Durbar tents were erected at Thane to Welcome the first train and accommodate four hundred passengers for a celebratory Party. Tables were laid in there with a grand menu consisting of every delicacy.

Indian Railways, which had such a modest beginning in 1853, has since then become an integral part of our nation - a network that has held together a population of 1.3 billion. A self-propelled social welfare system that has become the lifeline of our nation, Indian Railways has woven a sub-continent together and brought to life the concept of a united India.

The railways in India are the largest rail web in Asia and the world’s second largest under one management. With a huge workforce of about 1.65 million and 7,500 Stations, it runs some 11,000 trains every day, including 7,000 passenger trains over tracks of 115, 000 kms. and routes of 65,000 kms. transporting 30 million passengers and 2.8 million tons of freight daily.

Well done Indian Railways, keep it up! And a big THANK YOU!

Can you name two Nobel laureates who worked in Secunderabad?

And the answer is, Sir Ronald Ross and Sir Winston Churchill. Sir Ronald Ross won the Nobel Prize for Physiology/Medicine in 1902 and Sir Winston Churchill won the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature in 1953.

Sir Ronald Ross was posted as General Duty Medical Officer to the Regiment stationed in Secunderabad in 1893. Though he was a Surgeon by qualification, he was attracted towards research in tropical diseases, especially Malaria. During his posting, he worked on his research from a laboratory about 2 kms. from our house, in the old Begumpet Military Hospital building. This building was surrounded by marshes which proved rather helpful for his research and experiments. It was in this building on 20th August 1897 that he made the discovery of the Malarial parasite inside the body of a Mosquito. His study confirmed that Mosquitoes were the carriers of Malaria parasite. For his work in demonstrating the life-cycle of the parasites of Malaria in Mosquitoes, and thus establishing the hypothesis of Laveran and Manson, Sir Ronald Ross was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1902.

Sir Winston Churchill, the most popular Prime Minister of United Kingdom; from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955, was posted in Secunderabad as a Subaltern (Second Lieutenant) for a very short period in and around 1896-97. He lived in a bungalow in Bolarum, Secunderabad, surrounded by a large compound. It is still pointed out to visitors. He was very conscious of the fact that he and his colleagues were in Secunderabad to keep guard on the Nizam and the Old City of Hyderabad. He was also a member of the prestigious Secunderabad Club. Sir Winston Churchill received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953 for his numerous published works; especially his six-volume set “The Second World War”.  

Nice to see children; following traditions!

ATITHI DEVO BHAVAH!

ANNAM PARABRAHMA SWAROOPAM!

And many such noble teachings,

Become our ‘Codes Of Conduct’.

Children pick them up young,

Sometimes just looking at us!

And how nice it is to see,

Children practicing traditions,

And conventions,

Very sincerely,

And so very delightfully!

Here you see;

Our Sudhiksha,

Wholeheartedly welcoming,

And inviting guests,

For a sumptuous lunch!

With a perfect Namaskaram!

And then setting the eating place,

Just as it should be,

All in the right way!

In praise of the Sun!

Don’t blame the Sun;

For the severe summer.

It is (we) our Earth that gets closer;

To the Sun in summers.

And looking at these pictures,

Can anyone blame the spectacular Sun?

(Photos by my son, Srikanth; as I am driving)