old post

I had posted long ago about how I like living in different places rather than visiting as a tourist.

Ketti in the Nilgiris 2009

Ketti station 2008

Durbin , Near Kalimpong - 1985

being misled

When things go wrong, it's OK for me to wring my hands and decry the bad state of affairs. But if the PM and all people in power do it, then why are they there? Who will then do something?
Is it OK for a leader to say 'my subordinate misled me and so I am not to be blamed'? For example,  in the Army, can an officer get away without consequence for an error by saying his JCO/jawan misled him? Or a CEO say his PRO made an error in the press release and so he is not to blame for the company sliding in the stock market? 

Precautions

The inspectors found faulty valves in Kudankulam. Maybe there are more faults and maybe the inspectors can't find them all.
Every time they build a flyover, some part collapses. Mines cave in, inspite of regulations,  buildings collapse even though the builders have the necessary paper work............. one can go on endlessly.
So why does the PM think Kudankulam is different?  Why do they all say every precaution has been  taken? Does this mean that when a bridge or flyover collapses, they did not take precautions? They meant it to collapse?
Why are concerns of citizens never addressed properly ?

Are we witnessing a big change?

After a post graduate degree in economics, some young people I know have chosen jobs in development economics.  Some of their friends have chosen jobs in business analytics, banks etc. Those in the high paying business/bank jobs, find development work fascinating and envy  their friends. A couple of them are seriously considering changing to development sector jobs.
A few students I knew joined Teach for India giving up lucrative job offers. Another joined Pratham.
A few are keen on joining the IAS and are studying for it.
Is this a real trend, or am I making conclusions on the basis of an extremely small sample size?
Are the young highly educated Indians finally thinking of meaningful jobs that make a difference?
Are they finally realising that making pots of money and buying a BMW is not the sole reason we were born on this earth?

IAS

One usually sees that when a scam is unearthed, the IAS officer involved gets punished, but the politician (at whose behest this officer did whatever he did) gets away.
There must be some corrupt IAS officers, but many, not personally corrupt, do the deed at someone's behest. Some believe the politician will protect them if caught out. Now after the recent examples of politicians hanging the secretary out to dry, I hope the IAS associations will help keep this category of babus from giving in to pressure "upar se".

Through my daughter, I am now meeting or getting to know of some intelligent, well-educated and fairly idealistic young people who are trying to get into the IAS.
If this microcosm is an indication of the larger picture, there is hope for our country.

retirement

After almost 19 years, I have left my college.
It is going to be difficult to fill that vacuum. I will miss my colleagues and students and I will miss the teaching.
I was very touched by all the nice things my colleagues said to me and the gifts they gave me.