There are many reasons for one to despair about India but none is more heart-breaking than its flawed education system. In fact, most development economists would agree that economic failure and a failed education system are causally linked.

Kashmir’s only all girl band has been forced to leave the state after a spate of death threats and hate messages culminating in a fatwa from the Grand Mufti, Mufti Maulana Bashir-U-Din.

Personally, I think of the parade (and yes obviously the chutti too). I have never got the chance to actually see a parade but I never miss it on television. On 26th morning the first thing I do is switch on the television and its only later that I think of brushing my teeth. Don’t judge me, because if you haven’t done this then you don’t know how much fun it is to watch a parade. Try it this time!

The “Kumbh Mela” has always been a celebration of our culture. This 55 day congregation held at the banks of a sacred river bears witness to crowds belonging to different religious orders.You can easily spot monks, nuns, foreigners and local residents dressed in their saffron clothes. And it’s not restricted to people of any specific religion; anybody and everybody can come to pay their respects, and wash away their sins in the river.

In August 1963, a man protesting against racism in America stood on a dias and claimed to 20,000 civil rights protestors, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

It feels bad to point out that on one hand we say a child is a gift of God, an angel, country’s future, etc, and on the other hand we see these angels working day in and day out like slaves in small restaurants, offices and railway stations and do nothing about it. Why?

“Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This definition was given by the United Nations in the year 1987— Ya, Ya… even I didn’t know what it means — but today it’s the universally accepted definition. Anyways let’s move forward. First up is the list of speakers.

As you all would have guessed by now, Indian Army Day is celebrated on Jan. 15, every year. It is celebrated in recognition of Lieutenant General K.M. Cariappa’s taking over from Sir Francis Butcher (the last British commander) as the Commander-in-Chief in 1948. The celebrations are held in the form of parades and military shows in Delhi and also at the Army headquarters.

In the freezing cold weather, with the temperature varying from zero to five degrees and the dense fog outside, everything seems stagnant in the northern part of India. However, below the frozen surface, you would be amazed to find the amount of activities that are going on.

India and Pakistan are not only battling against each other on the cricket field but also at the Line of Control (LoC).The LoC divides the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan. New Delhi controls the southern two-thirds of Kashmir and Islamabad controls the northern third.Now for what’s the news.