What a 'manhoos' Monday! What a terrible Monday we have had today. After a point I just shut off my TV for fear of getting more bad news.
First, we woke up to the loss of five brave policemen and three unsuspecting civilians when cowardly terrorists, dressed as Armymen, attacked a police station in Gurdaspur in Punjab. The militants were all finally killed but after they managed to scar our souls. However, it was a blessing that another extremely dangerous ploy to blow off a bridge while a train carrying pilgrims was passing, was timely foiled. It appeared that the terrorist attack on police station could have been an attempt to keep the attention of the agencies concerned diverted while another major 'operation' could take place nearby. However, vigilant 'common men' made their intention an unfulfilled dream by alerting the authorities timely on spotting the bombs. All This a day after we celebrated Shaheed Diwas or Kargil Diwas!
Hardly were we able to digest this sudden news, when we were told our most valuable Bharat Ratna, the People's President, APJ Abdul Kalam, had died, that too quite suddenly while attending a function in Shillong. It is a loss that can never be bridged!
I read somewhere why is he the most loved President ever in India:
1. He was the youngest 84-year-old India has ever seen: Even when he died, it was while delivering a lecture to students at IIM Shillong on a liveable plant. As Meghalaya chief secretary PBO Warjiri said, he passed away in his element, while delivering a lecture to youngsters, on a subject he loved.
2. He was the perfect symbol of meritocratic India, the ideal citizen, and the most positive Indian: Born in a village to a poor fishing family in Rameswaram, he rose through dint of his own hard work.
3. He was a Renaissance man: A Muslim, a player of the veena, as comfortable with the Quran as the Bhagvad Gita, Secretary of DRDO, president of India, as happy to write scientific papers as to write bestsellers for young India.
4. He always put India First: Whether it was as a scientist or President, he was a patriot first. From reportedly advising Sonia Gandhi to not becoming prime minister in 2004 to fathering the Pokharan explosion, he always said what he felt was right. He was inspired by three of India's greatest scientists - Dr Vikram Sarabhai, professor Satish Dhawan and Dr Brahm Prakash. He took only two holidays in his life, it is said - both for deaths, of his father and mother.
5. He was the master of inspiring quotes: Here are just five:
"You have to dream before your dreams come true."
"Great dreams of great dreamers are always transcended."
"To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal."
"Man needs his difficulties because they are necessary to enjoy success."
"We should not give up and we should not allow the problem to defeat us." more