My book – The Bits and Pieces

My book – The Bits and Pieces

It is gratifying to write that my book, The Bits and Pieces – Reminiscences and Reflections of a Novice – was finally released and launched in Jalandhar on July 13, 2019. MLA Sushil Rinku, an upcoming young politician of the region, was the Chief Guest at the book launch which was so planned to coincide with the 50^th anniversary of my marrage with my gracious wife Vidya. A galaxy of my friends from cross sections of the society; intellectuals,

professionals, academics, politicians, social activists namely; Retired IPS and ADGP Malkit Singh, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Law and Justice Rajinder Kashyap, Principal Jagdish Chander Joshi, Prof. Balbir Chander, Vice President of Punjab BJP Rajesh Bagha, BSP leader Prem Shant, Akali leader Seth Sat Paul, Punjab Lok Manch Secretary General Lekh Raj Nayyar, Social activists Manohar Mahey, Baldev Raj, Ram Lal Dass, Sat Pal Mahey among others participated in the ceremonies and celebrations besides our relations and near and dear ones.

Welcoming the guests, I thanked MLA Sushil Rinku for agreeing to do the honours as the Chief Guest at the function on a short notice as the book was to be released by one of the Ministers in the Central Government at Delhi but he backed out at the eleventh hour.  I may write about this separately, if I feel like doing so. But let me quote an Urdu couplet of the last Mugal King Bahadur Shah Zafar to give you the fore-taste of my ‘would-be’ dispensation on the subject:

zafar' aadmī us ko na jāniyegā vo ho kaisā hī sāhab-e-fahm-o-zakā

jise aish meñ yād-e-ḳhudā na rahī jise taish meñ ḳhauf-e-ḳhudā na rahā

Referring to the book, I said that I did not nurture any notion of an intellectual prowess and considered the book as my spontaneous action and take on matters of interest and concern to the nation and the society at large. As regards the desired impact of the book, I quoted Allma Iqbal to drive my point home:

Dil se jo baat nikalti hai asar rakhti hai; per nahin, taakte perwaz rakhti hai

Thanking my children for organizing festivities on the 50^th anniversary, I expressed my gratitude to our immediate family and added that, with God’s grace, we had no regrets in life. So far so good and again quoted Iqbal, my favourite:

Teri Bandapervari mein mere din guzar rahe hain; Na gila hai doston ka na shikayate zamana.

Thanking the dignitaries on the high-table viz. MLA Sushil Rinku, Prof. Jagdish Chander Joshi, IPS Malkit Singh, Addl. Secretary Rajinder Kashyap and Prof. Balbir Chander for their generosity in speaking high of me and my wife, I again succumbed to the poetic expression of Krishan Bihari Noor:

Intizar aaj ke din ka tha badi muddat se; aaj usne mujhe diwana kaha hai yaaro.

The above mentioned dignitaries in their brief speeches, notwithstanding a fairly longish appraisal of the book made by Prof. Jagdish Chander Joshi, not only presented thought provoking ideas but also made candid observations on the appraisal of Prof. Joshi particularly with regard to his views on Babasaheb Ambedkar. It resulted in a lively interaction for some who were interested in the book and a source of visible irritation for many

who were more inclined to enjoy their drinks and food. Ambassador Bal Anand, who also wrote the Foreword of the book, could not make it to the event but was considerate to send a special message on the occasion which was read by my daughter Vaishali Singh. I will write separately about the appraisal of Prof. Joshi, message of Ambassador Anand and comments and observations made by some of my other highly placed friends. Kindly bear with me. Prof. Balbir Chander presented the Vote of Thanks and a young scion of our family Prof. Mahesh Chander conducted the function ably as the Master of Ceremonies.

I may share here that, it seems, the book has been received well if I go by the response and reaction in the social media and the sale register with the distributors of the book – The Bits and Pieces – Reminiscences and Reflections of a Novice.

Bits and Pieces – As I Please -17

Bits and Pieces – As I Please -17

SomParkash – MoS:It is to congratulate newly appointed MoS SomParkash in the new Council of Ministers of India in the wake of Verdict, 2019. It is a well deserved position by the son of the soil, a low profile but a well meaning politician of the Doaba Region of Punjab. Som Parkash is a self made man and I think he is proud of this. With his sheer stint and good credentials, he

graduated from PCS to IAS and was allotted 1988 batch in the Punjab Cadre. BJP is hungry for good dalit faces. Som Parkash with his down to earth approach fitted the bill and did not look back. BJP picked him and made him contest from the Hoshiarpur parliamentary constituency in 2009 but he could not make it and lost to Santosh Chaudhary of Congress by only a couple of hundred votes. SomParkash showed his mettle and became MLA twice from Phagwara constitutency and served as Chief Parliamentary Secretary in Parkash Singh Badal governments. He won the Hoshiarpur seat with a good margin and made it to PM Narendra Modi’s Team to run the government. It is a matter of gratification that he has been allotted an important desk in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. I am confident that Som Parkash, with a long administrative experience and political sagacity, will deliver and come to the expectations of his bosses and the people. I take this opportunity to wish him well.

On a little personal note, I may add that I have had a single occasion to speak to SomParkash briefly on telephone from abroad in connection with a personal matter when he was the DC of Jalandhar. He may or may not even recall this favour done to me. I must say with a sense of gratitude that the work was done. I found him a reasonably helpful man with a positive outlook.

Vividha – First All India Urdu Mushaira: Vividha – an outfit to ‘Bringing Together the Diversities in Poetry and Music” provided me an opportunity to benefit from the “Irshad – Pehla Kul Hind Mushaira” on June 2 at Jalandhar. It was a satisfying and impressive evening held at an equally prestigious venue – Kundan Lal Saigal Memorial Auditorium. I am grateful to my friends Sangat Ram and Deepak Bali who very kindly invariably tend to

invite me to such cultural events in and around Jalandhar. I was happy to learn that the main motivation behind this noble activity comes from a renowned poet and literary personality, Sardar Khushbir Singh Shaad who happens to be my fellow resident at a condominium – Silver Residency Apartments. The Mushaira was named “Irshaad” very thoughtfully, I think, to demonstrate a sense of gratitude to ‘Shaad Sahib’ – the mind behind the show. It was a well organized event though, due to some unavoidable reasons, it was behind schedule and the audience was not too happy.

The redeeming feature was that the Chief Guest of the function was a well known socio-cultural, apart from politics, personality of Jalandhar Sardar Iqbal Singh. I was at ease to sit with two of my friends – Principal Jagdish Chander Joshi, himself an Urdu poet of a sterling worth and Baldev Singh Narang, a renowned Guru of classical music in and around Jalandhar. I could listen only to a couple of poets in the first hour of the show. They were good for a novice like me. Later, I was told that many good Shayars (Poets) made the audience spell bound with their Shayari (Poetry). I understand Vividha would make it an annual feature in the cultural life of Jalandhar which produced worthy sons of the soil like K.L. Saigal, Hafiz Jalandhary, Jagjeet Singh and Hans Raj Hans to carry forward the mission of historical and legendary Harbhalabh Sangeet Mela. I wish Vividha all the best for all success in the years to come.

While leaving the venue, I purchased three poetry books of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Krishna BihariNoor and Khushbir Singh Shaad from the book stall. I tend to brush up my cursory interest in Urdu poetry through Devnagari or Punjabi script. Gulzar has rightly said:-

बड़ी अरिस्टोक्रेसी है उर्दू जुवां में ,

फ़क़ीरी में नवाबी का मज़ा देती है!

Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs

Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs

Dr. S. Jaishankar – Congratulations – Democracies are intermittently prone to throw surprises. One such surprise or say a wonder of democracy happened on May 30 on the inclusion of Dr. S. Jaishankar in the Cabinet of PM NarendraModi. It is a well deserved appointment, no doubt, but the decision and gesture by NarendraModi and Amit Shah also require applause as an ‘Out of

the Box' move. Dr. Jaishankar, one of the best diplomats of India, has been allocated the most coveted Ministry of External Affairs and rightly so. Is it the beginning of much needed ‘Out of the Box Diplomacy’, visualized by the outgoing EAM SushmaSwaraj and PM NarendraModi in outset of their first term in the government? If it is so, it is a welcome step to meet the challenges of the future and to address the ongoing problems and issues in the realm of India’s relations with the world and particularly with the countries in our neighborhood.  Dr. Jaishakar is singularly suited to undertake and do the job with his vast experience and intellect as one of the best diplomats of India. I wish him all success in the years to come.

When HardeepPuri, yet another senior colleague in the IFS, was appointed MoS in NDA -1 in 2017, I wrote about him which maybe accessed and may be of interest at www.diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/search?q=Hardeep+Puri.

I thought of writing a few lines about Dr. S. Jaishankar too with whom I have had the good fortune to work and interact. I first met him in Colombo, Sri Lanka,sometime in 1987-88 in his office during one of my official trips from Kandy where I was the Second Secretary. I was impressed by his easy demeanor with a baby face look. I must say with haste that talking to him was satisfying professionally and otherwise. I followed him in Tokyo in 2000. He had left for his first Ambassadorial assignment in Prague. But Tokyo was full of him both in the Embassy and outside, a competent professional with a humane face. He was, as Deputy

Chief of Mission, the leader of the Embassy team to face and deal with the resentment and anger of Japan, both the people and the government, to India’s nuclear tests in 1998-99.  Dr. Jaishankar was respected in Tokyo not only as an excellent diplomat but also a simple and straight human being. It was my good fortune that my association with Dr. Jaishankar was destined. From Tokyo, I was posted to Prague, Czech Republic as a Counselor where he was the Ambassador of India. I did not contact him on account of some non-professional reasons which I will not like to write here. But I know that Dr. Jaishankar was fully briefed, good or bad, about me by one of my immediate bosses in Tokyo. I kept Ambassador Jaishankar informed of my travel plans and joining them at Prague through my colleague and friend K.R. Chari, whom I affectionately called Raja, ever since we both joined MEA in March, 1970. On reaching Prague sometime in January, 2004, I met Ambassador Jaishankar in his office. He received me with warmth and extended all the professional courtesies and made me at ease. I was one of his admirers in the service. His stock in my mind went up and high in the background of my presumed briefings from Tokyo.  I found Dr. Jaishankar a through professional in his work and a fine human being in social and personal etiquette. He occasionally briefed the senior diplomats about the current issues and he adviced the course of action in the process of the Embassy’s work. He also kept the supporting staff in good humour and interacted with them. I being his Deputy as No.2 of the Embassy as a Counselor and later Minister, Ambassador Jaishankar treated me very kindly and gave me free hand to handle the assigned desk. I vividly remember when he invited us to India House in Prague to watch a cricket match between India and Pakistan as most of us did not have Sky TV facilities at our residences. While we were watching the match, he along with his domestic help, a young boy whom Ambassador Jaishankar liked very much, slipped out quietly and brought loads of Dominos Pizzas and coke for a handy lunch. I cherish that hospitable gesture of my honourable boss, Dr. S. Jaishankar.

As regards his thinking on the foreign policy of India in the coming years, just before his appointment as the EAM, Dr. S. Jaishankar  said, while speaking at the book launch of ‘Indian Foreign Policy : The Modi Era’ of Harsh Pant, that the country will have to position itself by optimising ties with all the major players which include “cultivating America, steadying Russia, managing China, enthusing Japan and attending to Europe”.  The challenges are big and complex. Let us wish our man at the helm, Dr. S. Jaishankar all the best in his new assignment as the EAM of India.

The Dance of Democracy – Peoples Verdict - 2019

The Dance of Democracy – Peoples Verdict - 2019

The final act of The Dance of Democracy has been staged. The people’s verdict is in hand – with the decisive victory of Narendra Modi under the aegis of BJP and its allies. On the day of voting, after casting my vote, I posted in my Facebook time line, “Participated in the Dance of Democracy with a sense of regret and dissatisfaction. The political class has failed us

and our democratic edifice by unleashing an acrimonious and dirty campaign annulling all norms of a good democratic system which our forefathers envisioned.” It was to register my dissatisfaction over the undignified and avoidable acrimonious electioneering.  That stage was over. May be in the process, we attain maturity to further cement our democratic edifice in the days to come. There is no other way.

Today, May 23, the day of counting of votes, it has become clear by the afternoon that The Peoples Verdict has favoured Narendra Modi and his allies to run the country for the next five years with a clear majority. From apolitical perspective of a common man, I posted in the Facebook, “The 2019 elections have clearly indicate, to my mind, that the concept of Bahujan Samaj and also a joint front of Minorities, OBCs and Dalits, has lost its relevance. It is just a quick byte from a novice. 

Joining the main stream of the society under the lofty ideals of just and equitable order .i.e. Samrasta is the only way. The marginalized sections of the society and their leadership are required to undergo a deep introspection to respond to the challenges of the future.”

Meanwhile, Narendra Modi has said in a Twitter message on the Peoples Verdict, 2019 and reiterated his vision for the new dispensation: “Together we grow. Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again! #VijayiBharat,”

सबका साथ + सबका विकास + सबका विश्वास = विजयी भारत

Let us wish the new incoming government elected by the people all success in the years to come.”

Before I get tired – International Day of Equality

Before I get tired – International Day of Equality

I have been writing on the captioned subject – International Day of Equality quite often in my blogs and the last reference to it was made on April 13. I have no intension to burden my readers with this as there are, I agree, many other issues of concern and interest which could be or should be taken up. But still I feel strongly to at least expose the lip service of our politicians who fall on each other to own Ambedkar and his legacy for their selfish agenda of votes in the ongoing exercise of elections in India on one hand and the passive attitude of my well to do so-called well settled professionals and intellectuals professing allegiance to Babasaheb Ambedkar. I frankly but humbly feel that we have not done enough to promote and support the proposal of declaring April 14, birthday of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, as the International Day of Equality. It is a matter of regret. Let us rectify our thinking and approach and support the idea to demonstrate and register our indebtedness to the great leader, an epitome and symbol of Equality, Liberty and Fraternity. The proposal is resting with the GOI in the Ministry of External Affairs and is getting dumped in the piles of files. Let me expose the disregard and willful silence on the part of the Government and the political class particularly who swear by the name of Ambedkar before I get tired.

I made the proposal to declare Babasaheb Ambedkar’s birthday, April 14, as the International Day of Equality to EAM Sushma Swaraj in June, 2015 in the run up to celebrate 125^th birth anniversary of the great leader. It was duly acknowledged by the MEA. I followed it up and kept the PMO in the loop. Forum of SC

and ST Parliamentarians under the leadership of the then Speaker of Punjab Legislative Assembly Sardar Charanjit Singh Atwal took due note of the proposal and submitted a Memorandum to PM Narendra Modi in November, 2015 in which the proposal on the International Day of Equality, inter alia, was included. GOI decided to celebrate the 125^th birth anniversary of Babasaheb at the UN in New York on 13/14 April, 2016. Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal headed the Indian delegation to the celebrations at the UN. He included the proposal in his speech and urged the GOI to make an official demarche to the UN in this regard. On return from New York, he submitted a report to PM Narendra Modi and briefed him about the proposed International Day of Equality. The Forum of SC and ST Parliamentarians also submitted a Memorandum to Hon’ble Rashrapati Ram Nath Kovind subsequently.  I have been occasionally reminding and following up the issue with EAM Sushma Swaraj and PMO by letters and E-mail messages. With a view to solicit support to the proposal, I wrote to the bigwigs of RSS and BJP including Mohan Bhagwat and Amit Shah and also the Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and Convener of AAP Arvind Kejriwal. I have had an opportunity to mention about the proposal to Mohan Bhagwat in my personal meeting with him in Jalandhar. Besides these high-ups and decision makers, I have been, both formally and informally, taking up the matter with the political leadership viz. Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, MOS Vijay Sampla, MOS Ramdass Athawale, MOS Hardip Puri, MP Udit Raj, MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh, MP P.L. Punia, MP Kumari Selja among others. The response unfortunately was almost negligible. I have also been urging some members of the civil society, particularly of the dalit community, to consider and put their weight behind the proposal. I took the liberty of even informally consulting and taking advice of my diplomatic colleagues including our PR to UN in New York. They have been forthcoming and candid in approaching the subject.  Everybody tended to support the idea but nobody came forward to raise the flag. I write this with a sense of pain as we all owe too much to Babasaheb Ambedkar. A gesture of support to the idea is the very least we can do to repay the debt of gratitude.

I leave it here with the hope that the political leadership and also the intelligentsia will listen and act in these last months of the Government. Otherwise, we would consider and take up the mater appropriately with the incoming Government.  I am not tired as yet.

It is a strange fact of contemporary history which comes to mind that the more people tried to sideline or ignore Ambedkar; the more he found space for himself. The legacy of Ambedkar is so potent that it will remain relevant in the years to come not only in India but also in the world at large. The temples of learning throughout the world are inclined to study Ambedkar and recognize him. The young generations in resurgent Africa have, of late, started realizing that they needed Ambedkar more than Gandhi. Let us understand which way the wind is blowing, before it is too late.

Changing Slogans in the of Festival Democracy

Changing Slogans in the of Festival Democracy

We are in the midst of the Festival of Democracy – the ongoing parliamentary elections in India. The media has been fully over-powered by the political players and the charged up audience. The money and muscle power is fully in play in the road shows and public meetings and at the road shows. The campaigns have

stooped so low to bad mouthing without any scruples. The new slogans – Chokidar Hi Chor Hai – Mein Bhi ChokidarHoon – Kaamdar Vs Naamdar–Ali Vs Bajrangbali etc. are raising dust and din and is contributing to the political temperature throughout the country.

The Outlook magazine has brought out in its latest issue the subject of “Slogans Zindabad – The changing poll rhetoric in making of modern India.  It prompted me to write something on the subject. Before moving to Delhi in the early 1970s for my bread and butter, I was keenly watching and witnessing the political slugfest as a young student and observer in Jalandhar. My family was politically informed and alive with a focus on Ambedkar and dalit politics in the region. Some of the prevalent slogans and famous quotes, of those days, are still engraved in my mind and memory. Let me share some of these with a view to update ourselves.

I still cherish the poetic lines, referring to Babasaheb Ambedkar, of a local dalit leader Charan Dass Nidhadak – Jhanda Chuk Bagawat Da Tu Baghi Hona Das Giya (You taught us to raise the flag of revolt). Yet another, regretting the inherit inequality in the society, the rustic Nidhadak’s assertion – RabbaDekhda Mere Insaaf Tanin; Je Mein RabTeTuChamarHunda. In the 1960s, the public road shows, famously called Jaloos, used to come alive with slogans viz. – DhanAurDharti Batt KeRahegi; Raat Andheri CuttKeRahegi, Jo Sarkar Nikammi Hai; Woh Sarkar Badalni Hai. The election campaigns will coin interesting slogans – Jhandianwala Peer – It was coined by Congress leader Master Gurbanta Singh’s team to castigate and ridicule his opponent Piara Ram Dhanowali with reference to his professed support from various parties like the Communists and Jan Sangh etc. and carrying their flags on his vehicles and offices. Hathi (Elephant) was the symbol of the Republican Party. One of the local activists, Hans Raj Bhukha, was the supporter of the Republican Party.  His father-in-law named Magar Ram was living in London and the mother-in –law named Atti was back home in Jalandhar.  Hans Raj Bhukha was a poet of sorts and coined an interesting slogan which I remember exactly – Magar Keh Giya Atti Nu; Vote Pauna Hathi Nu (Magar before going to London advised his wife Atti to vote the Elephant). Lahori Ram Balley contested against Sardar Swaran Singh from Jalandhar parliamentary constituency in the mid 1960’s and lost. There was an interesting slogan – Lahori Ram Balley; Sandukadi Reh Gai Khali (Balley’s Ballot Box turned to be empty).

With the changing scenario, the tone and tenor of slogans also changed. In the 1970s, Babu Kanshi Ram appeared on the political firmament of north India like a hurricane. He graduated from BAMCEF and DS4 to BSP with imaginative slogans – Jitni Jis Ki Sankhya Bhari; Utni Us Ki Baghidari (Share in power in

accordance with the population), Bharat Ki Majboori Hai; Kanshi Ram Jaroori Hai (to come with Kanshi Ram is the fait accompli of India). Succumbing to his radical stance, Kanshi Ram coined a sharp slogan – Tilak, TarazuaurTalwar; Inko Maro Jutte Char (Caste based system should be kicked out) – Brahmin, Thakur Bania Chhor; Baki Hain DS4 (Minorities, Dalits and Backwards should get united against the Upper castes) – Babasaheb Ka Kaam Adhura; Kanshi Ram Karenge Poora (Unfulfilled work of Babasaheb Ambedkar will be completed by Kanshi Ram). The successor and protégé of Kanshi Ram changed track to cater to the changing needs and tried to bring along the upper castes and gave a new moderate slogan – Hathi Nahin Ganesh Hai; Brahma Vishnu Mahesh Hai (The Elephant represents Lord Ganesha and the Hindu iconic hierarchy). It is said that politics is a game of possibilities. There is no permanent friendship or enmity in politics. SP of Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP of Maywati have come together, after long and bitter days of political and social tussle and animosity, to give a fight to PM Narendra Modi and BJP in the on-going parliamentary elections in 2019.

Aya Rams and Gaya Rams of current dispensation like Navjot Singh Sidhu, Udit Raj, Harinder Singh Khalsa, Hans Raj Hans among others tend to sing with the so-called Sufi performer, frankly a negation of the lofty philosophy of Sufism, Hans’ “Dil Modi Modi  Ho Gya; Hun Ki Karye Ki Karye”

Slogans add to the attractions of the Festival of Democracy, No doubt. But it will be known only on May 23 whether “Dil Modi Modi Modi Hota Hai Jan Phir Dil Totte Totte Hota Hai” – Heart beats as Modi Modi or gets broken into pieces.

The Dance of Democracy – A Tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar

The Dance of Democracy – A Tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar

Nine hundred million, a mind boggling figure, are listed and entitled to vote in the ongoing parliamentary elections in India. The exercise, in the biggest democracy of the world, is rightly called ‘Festival of Democracy’.  The beauty of the matter is that it based in the dictum of “One vote – One value” as described by Ambedkar himself in the constituent Assembly. It is gratifying to note that governments come and go smoothly through the ballot under the constitutional arrangements. It is a befitting tribute to the main

architect of the constitution of India, Babasaheb Ambedkar. We are not to rest here. We are still to go a long way. The dust and din of electioneering, washing of dirty linen in public, polarization on communal lines, caste based vote banks, muscle and money power, immoral and unconstitutional methods to reach power are some of the dark spots and challenges which are haunting us and require to be addressed to transform our biggest democracy into a functional democracy. Moreover, as visualized by Babasaheb Ambedkar the political democracy will have no meaning if it is not transformed into a social and economic democracy. We need to re-dedicate ourselves to achieve this lofty goal. I am confident the awakened young electorate will keep these things in mind while voting or say participating in the on-going dance of democracy.

The legacy of Babasaheb Ambedkar is potent and relevant. It must be adopted and carried forward. With a view to cherish and honour that legacy, I suggested in June, 2015 to the government of PM Narendra Modi to declare April 14, birthday of Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar, as the International Day of Equality with the cooperation of the UN and followed up the matter occasionally with the EAM Sushma Swaraj and PMO. Much water has flown in the Ganges and the Hudson in New York ( the seat of UN) but the proposal is resting at the desks of MEA and PMO. I reminded EAM Sushma Swaraj through an E-mail message recently on March 26, 2019 as follows:

Respected EAM Sushma Swaraj ji,

I am a retired diplomat of IFS. I take the liberty of re-visiting a subject, International Day of Equality - April 14 - Birthday of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, about which I have been writing to you and other high offices. Though nothing has moved, as far as I know, yet I, as a well wisher of the GOI and MEA in particular,  I thought of broaching up the matter for your kind consideration.  The attached Non-Paper on the subject would provide more details. 

You would appreciate that the time is of essence. Any positive decision by the MEA/GOI under your leadership in this regard will have a an immense and lasting impact in generating  much needed goodwill for you and the GOI among the teeming millions and millions of followers of Babasaheb Ambedkar. The birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar falls on April 14 and the formal announcement may be made appropriately on that day. But early decision and its public pronouncement well before April 11, for obvious reasons of the beginning of the festival of democracy, will go a long way in addressing the cherished wishes not only of the followers of one of the greatest sons of India, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, but also of the international community yearning to establish a just and equitable world order.

I am confident, Madam, my humble submissions would find a due and just consideration with you.

With regards.

(Ramesh Chander)

Ambassador - IFS (Retired)

Tele: 9988510940

 I also twitted the message to her as I was given to understand that she responds to twitter messages promptly. But it seems that they are too busy in the dance of democracy. I am certain they would rush to the statues of Ambedkar to garland and pay glowing tributes to one of the greatest sons on his birth anniversary on April 14 but has no mind and time to respond to the suggestions and proposals of well-meaning ordinary citizens. By ignoring these ground realities, we would be doing so at our own peril. The legacy of Babasaheb Ambedkar will sustain and survive.