Notes of Nagesh

The below article is reposted from  Source:  http://winnowed.blogspot.com/2012/02/book-review-ashoka-by-charles-allen.html?m=1 Of course I knew who Ashoka was even before I started reading Charles Allen’s most recent offering on one of the greatest kings India has ever known. I am sure that almost all Indians do. What I expected to get from Ashoka was a detailed description of Emperor Ashoka, how he came to power and a list of all the good things he did after that famous change of heart and conversion to Buddhism subsequent to the conquest of Kalinga. What I ended up was something else. No, I wasn’t disappointed. Far from it, rather. Allen’s 400-page tome on Ashoka (that’s not including appendices, annexures or the elaborate index at the end) is not just a compilation of all that’s known about Ashoka. If that were to be the case, the book wouldn’t have run to more than 75 pages. Rather, it is a detailed exposition of how archaeologists, many of them employees of the East India...

Read source:  more https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/im-a-former-syrian-civil-society-activist-syrians-cant-tell-iranians-how-to-win-but-we-can-share-lessons-we-learned-the-hard-way/ For most of the last decade, I was part of the  Syrian Nonviolence Movement , where I had the honor to work alongside inspiring activists and learn from and with them. I have some thoughts to share with my Iranian friends. Syrians can’t tell you how to win, but we can share lessons we learned the hard w ay. Keep in mind you are in a  marathon , not a sprint. This means your path is much longer and  more complex than you might expec t. It also means your path has much more potential than you think.  Your journey will change not only your relationship with your government and society but also your understanding of yourself, your values, and your purpose. Long-term planning  is vital. You are not the strongest player—your only chance to survive i...

Dr. K. Jamanadas, A learned medical specialist from Nagpur, in a recent article in lay press, while describing ancient medical sciences in India, has remarked that fall of science of surgery was because of 'ahimsa' taught by the Buddha. Though the remark was as an orbus dictum, it shows not only his ignorance of Indian history and of Buddhism, but also desire for making false charges on Buddhism due to, may be, his contempt for the Buddhists. The surgery was never considered 'himsa' by the Buddhists, nor for that matter by anybody. Certainly fall of sciences was not because of 'ahimsa' of the Buddha. Modern science is undoubtedly a contribution of the west. That way, in all societies, there were attempts of obstruction to progress of science. In India they got more success. There was a time in Indian history when Indian science was not only famous in the country, but it was so all over the world. If the progress of Indian science would have been maintained unhin...

A letter to a son - https://www.dawn.com/news/1509078?ref=whatsapp For years, the Mughal contribution to India has steadily been airbrushed from textbooks and public consciousness. But in these febrile times of hysteria and hyperbole, it is useful to read *Babar’s letter to his son Humayun written on Jan 11, 1529:* *“ Oh my son! The realm of Hindustan is full of diverse creeds. Praise be to God … that He has granted unto thee the empire of it. It is but proper that you, with heart cleansed of all religious bigotry, should dispense justice according to the tenets of each community. And in particular refrain from the sacrifice of cow, for that way lies the conquest of the hearts of the people of Hindustan; and the subjects of the realm will, through royal favour, be devoted to thee.* *“And the temples and abodes of worship of every community under the imperial sway, you should not damage. Dispense justice so that the sovereign may be happy with the subjects and likewise the subjects with...

👆👆👆 *#DRDO లో ఉద్యోగం దొరికిన ఈ బాలుడు ఎవరో తెలుసా..??*  *********************************  *ఇతని పేరు #ప్రతాప్,* *వయస్సు కేవలం 21 ఏళ్ళు..*   *కర్ణాటక #మైసూరు సమీపంలోని #కాడైకుడి స్వంత గ్రామం..*   *తండ్రి ఒక సాధారణ రైతు కూలీ..*   *రెక్కాడితే గాని డొక్కాడని పరిస్థితి.*    *ఇతను చిన్నప్పటి నుంచి క్లాసులో ఫస్ట్,* *కానీ పూట గడవని పరిస్థితి..*  స్కూలు సెలవు రోజుల్లో చిన్న చిన్న పనులకు వెళ్ళి వచ్చిన 100-150/- డబ్బులతో సమీపంలోని ఇంటర్నెట్ సెంటర్‌కు వెళ్ళి #ISRO, #NASA, #BOEING, #ROLLS_ROYCE, #HOWITZER Etc గురించి సోధించేవాడు, అక్కడి సైంటిస్టులకు ఈ-మెయిళ్ళు పంపేవాడు.. రిప్లై మాత్రం వచ్చేది కాదు, అయినా నిరాశ చెందక ప్రయత్నం విరమించలేదు.. #ఎలక్ట్రానిక్స్ అంటే అతనికి ఎనలేని ప్రేమ, #ఇంజనీరింగ్_ఇన్_ఎలక్ట్రానిక్స్ చేయాలని అతని కల, కానీ పేదరికం కారణంగా B.Sc (Physics) కోర్సులో చేరవలసివచ్చింది.. అయినా నిరాశపడలేదు.. హాస్టల్ ఫీజు చెల్లించలేకపోవడంతో, బయటకు తోసేశారు.. బస్టాపుల్లో ఉండి, పబ్లిక్ టాయిలెట్లలో పనిచేసి, ఒక మిత్రుడు కొద్దిగా ధన సహాయం చే...

https://www.thehansindia.com/telangana/us-textile-historian-heaps-praises-on-state-weavers-772408 Hyderabad: A textile historian from the United States of America, Kyra Zapf, visited Telangana and has lauded the State's textile sector and the rich skills of handloom weavers. Kyra, a recipient of Watson Foundation Grant for Research on Weaving, has authored several papers on the history of fabric and as part of her study, she visited nine countries and chose Telangana as her first destination in India and even met the Textile Minister K T Rama Rao at Pragathi Bhavan on Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT She thoroughly studied the cloth weaving process through handlooms and also on the condition of weavers in Pochampally, Siddipet, Sircilla, Jangaon, Narayanpet and Gadwal. The textile historian shared her important observations with the minister. Kyra said that handloom weavers in the State find a lot of pride in their art and their passion, commitment to the work was more than what she observ...

https://globalvoices.org/2022/12/05/new-report-framing-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative/ "Global Voices is excited to announce the release of our in-depth study about Chinese soft power influence in countries that participate in China's Belt and Road Initiative. Since 2021, our Civic Media Observatory has been working on a participatory research project to look at Chinese technology transfer, soft power, communications, and public information about infrastructure investment and development. Working with local researchers and writers around the world, we explored how local perspectives either support or counter China’s ambitions, and how China advances narratives that bolster its drive for global power." "In our investigation we analyzed how local perspectives either support or counter China’s ambitions, and how China advances narratives that bolster its drive for global power. Working with local researchers and writers around the world, we dissected narratives about t...

Ambedkar clashed with the representatives of the Indian princes in his demand for elected representatives from the princely states. The maharaja of Bikaner, Sir Ganga Singh, pointedly said that the traditional rulers could not be expected to give the nationalists a blank cheque; Ambedkar responded bluntly to the effect that sovereignty resided with the people and not with their rulers, whereas the Mahatma assured the princes that the Congress had no intention of interfering in their internal affairs . (In this, Ambedkar’s view was to prevail over the Mahatma’s; before the decade was out the Congress had established a States People’s Conference to fight for the rights of the people of the princely states, with a unit in each state.)

The Mahatma spoke of the Indian National Congress, with its diverse and all-inclusive membership, as the sole representative of all Indian interests, classes, castes, faiths, and regions (and also of both genders, pointing to its several female presidents, something no other party could boast of). Ambedkar spoke of two themes in particular, the specific problems of the Depressed Classes and the future constitutional dispensation of free India. On the former subject, Ambedkar refused to be patronized. He disagreed openly with the Mahatma’s stand that no special provisions were required to cater to the needs of his community. When Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (founder of Banaras Hindu University and a prominent Congressman) remarked that if the British had devoted enough resources to the eradication of illiteracy in India, there would have been no Depressed Classes to speak of, Ambedkar testily pointed out that his own extensive academic qualifications had made no difference to his being ...

https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/power-of-song/id1412788370?i=1000588581957 Singing for a casteless society – the rapper using the power of his voice and words. Arivu was shunned for his musical ideas as a schoolboy and then became a star. He says he is speaking out for generations of oppressed Dalits.