Deep Impressions

                             …..As the Plot thickens                                                                         ( also published in 99acres.com  )   While plotted development has its advantages but it also runs the risk of expanding cities horizontally without creating housing supply. The tax structure should be rationalised to increase the supply of housing and not just of empty plots          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   During the last two years, almost every segment of real estate has experienced some action. While the quantum of growth may remain a subject of dispute but what would certainly have consensus is t...

        हिंदी के ऐतिहासिक हमसफ़र  :  उर्दू ,  अंग्रेजी और तकनीक   Also published as an opinion piece in  Dainik Bhaskar  on Hindi Diwas (14 th  Sep 2021)       वैसे तो हिंदीभाषा की उम्र क़रीबन  1000  वर्ष हैं पर खड़ी बोली की आयु तो सिर्फ़  200  वर्ष है और अगर घटनापूर्ण इतिहास की बात करें तो पिछले  100  वर्षों अपने आप में एक विशेष स्थान रखते हैं । जितना  ‘हैपनिंग’ या जितना घटनापूर्ण हिंदी के लिए ये  100  वर्ष रहें हैं, उस उच्च स्तर का उतार-चढ़ाव किसी और भाषा ने कदाचित ही देखा होगा।     1920  के दशक में हिंदी की  सबसे प्यारी हमसफ़र थी उर्दू   । असहयोग आंदोलन और खिलाफ़ती आँदोलन के आपसी तालमेल के दौरान, दोनो भाषाओं में प्रेम इतना गाढ़ा हो गया था की बोलते वक़्त ये पता ही चलता था कि कहाँ उर्दू ख़त्म हुई और हिंदी शुरू हो गयी।   बिना उर्दू के, हिंदी भाषियों को अपने हक़ की लड़ाई के लिए ना वकील मिलता, और ना ही हलफ़नामा। और बिना हिंदी के व्...

    Medicine, Money  & Morality : A Contrary View       There are two vociferous demand these days :   ·        a loud cry against the high prices of medicines and health essentials  ·        an appeal to make covid vaccines off-patent      The former complains against lawlessness ; the latter demands a temporary lawlessness.  The former is creating waves domestically and the latter internationally.  Strangely, the both have a common unanswered question.     Yes, we all agree that one should not be greedy, one should not be insensitive and one should not be adamant in these times. And therefore, there is a strong case for the covid vaccines to go off-patent. However, there is also a counter argument. It says that before giving the waiver, one should also consider the implications for the next pandemic.    Will during the next pandemic,...

  With the global developments of the last few years it is time we rethink the format and the definition of democracy.    So here is a wishful speech to the guardians of democracy. ------------ ------------- ---------------- x  ------------ ------------- ----------------  ( In case you wish you listen this blog,  please CLICK HERE )   From settlements to territories,  From territories to empires And from empires to nations     …... civilization has come a long way in search of structures and conventions through which a human population connects, cooperates and controls itself.     Community chieftains gave space to kings. Kings were taken over by emperors and emperors surrendered to the democratic forces.   In this process of evolution, democracy has not only proven to be the most stable but also the most widely accepted structure. However, to believe that democracy is the last word in governance, would itself be a ch...