The One-Way Ticket

The world is witnessing an exodus today. From financial bigwigs to skilled artisans, everyone in the world is on the move for a life that they have always imagined for themselves. This has resulted into something referred to as the Brain Drain.

Brain Drain is a phenomenon where talented individuals leave their homeland in search for better opportunities elsewhere in the world, an immediate negative effect of the Human Capital Flight. This idea of travel is not something that has been influenced by technology or economic growth only but it has been here for quite a long time; many other minute factors also play a big role in it. From an annoying boss to an unhappy work environment, even the smallest of stimuli motivate people to reconsider. Thriving companies are always on the lookout for such talented individuals who would help them realize their goals and hence have much more to offer them as compared to their current mediocre workspace.

Since its origin, brain drain has been a major issue that the world has tried to conquer but has failed miserably. The basic needs of man have always been food, clothing and shelter. But humans “evolved” over time and so did our priorities.

Today, we look at a bigger paycheck, a cleaner environment and success as the basic things we deserve (for all the effort that we put in). For this we tend to leave our country as soon as we become employable in some other developed part of the world. And why not, if you have less stress at work,  can afford better products for the family and plus are getting a bigger sum to spend, why not just grab the opportunity? As Barack Obama puts it, “Money is not the only answer, but it does make a difference”.

The world witnesses such trade-ins and trade-outs on a daily basis. People from all over the world, irrespective of their area of expertise relocate in search for a better lifestyle. Brain drain has affected almost all the sectors and industries in the world. You name it – engineering, medicine, banking, IT, education – all have witnessed many cases of migration.

So what drives people to migrate?

Various negative factors of the home country such as political instability, poor quality of life, limited access to health care and a dearth of economic opportunity influence brain drain. Other factors like the absence of research facilities, employment discrimination, lack of freedom, and poor working conditions also fuel dissatisfaction. This leads to a feeling of collective discontent among people persuading them to consider other better opportunities outside their country and eventually they forsake their homeland to sometimes not return at all.

Countries like Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago and other African and Caribbean countries have observed humongous amounts of people leaving the country in the pursuit of happiness. Countries of The Middle East like Syria, Libya, Yemen, Iraq witness large masses moving out, fed up of constant political turmoil and unstable environment, to look for a better future.

Surprisingly, today, not just the developing countries but also the developed countries are vulnerable to brain drain. In Europe, people tend to migrate from South-Eastern and Central Europe to Western Europe, and at the same time, people from Western Europe leave for Australia, Canada and the US. So it is not like there is going to be a stream of people incoming into developed nations only; it solely depends on the individual’s desire to settle in any country or region he wishes to, given his interests and employability.

India also has lived up to its reputation of being among the top. Indian diaspora is the world’s largest with about 15 million migrants of India living abroad. A recent study concluded that India has seen a 256% rise in brain drain since the last decade. People leave the country seeking a better environment, better pay and a more gratifying work culture. The migration of Indians to the US has been one of the most significant happenings in the past few decades. This has not gone down well with President Trump though and he has hence put a check on the burgeon.

History also cites religion as an influencer of mass departure. During the second world war, the Holocaust resulted in many Jews being forced to seek refuge in other Jew friendly nations. This activity had some prominent names like Albert Einstein, von Neumann and Niels Bohr associated with it who had no other option but to leave their country for the dire need to survive which evidently proved very beneficial for the host countries and a big loss to the source countries.

Similar incidents have occurred in the recent past where many scientists and engineers have left a certain country, India for instance, and settled abroad bringing in immense profits to those countries. Indra Nooyi, Sundar Pichai, Kalpana Chawla and Satya Nadella being a few of the lot.

Hence brain drain might also prove to be brain gain for another country.

But from my own eye-glass, I see population explosion as the most important reason for the brain drain of India at-least. As population doubled and tripled in the past few decades, and as technology and communication flourished hand in hand, unemployment also started to increase. So did the crime rate. There were not enough jobs available for the people leading to a decrease in the quality of life, access to amenities and a sadder environment.

Moreover a rapid growth in the IT sector pushed many people to reconsider their career paths and adopt a liking towards computers. Hence an internal brain drain resulted which saw people leaving their own area of expertise and opting for higher paying jobs instead within the country itself also known as the industrial brain drain. As the inflow increased, opportunities decreased. Again the same dissatisfaction, the same humdrum and the hope of a better future.

Additionally another problem that India faces is the amount of respect it gives to a certain profession. In India, less pay translates to less importance. Unlike European countries and the States, people engaged in small paying jobs don’t get as much respect and recognition that their engineering and medicine counterparts do. A degree in arts and humanities is still perceived as a minor achievement in a student’s life as parents and the society at large think that a person with such degrees is destined to be a low earning middle class insignificant person. This has led to a situation wherein if you throw a stone randomly in India, chances are, it will hit a dog or an engineer. And here the dog might not be having a leash around his neck but the Engineer will definitely have one.

Hence, people start considering happier nations as a getaway and start packing bags to catch the flight that would take them to a healthier and a richer destination.

So what do we do to tackle this problem?

Various solutions have been proposed by experts like the establishment of better universities in the home country, increasing the average annual salary of people, providing better incentives, eradicating corruption and nepotism, etc.

Many countries in the world have started undertaking measures to prevent their medical talent pool from leaving the country by imposing a mandatory service period whereby public medical school graduates are required to work in the country for at least three years, with an added incentive per month for those who do not practice privately. China has put restrictions on the recruitment of doctors by the private sector so that the public sector has some talent to hold on to.

Another method that could be adopted is circular migration. Circular migration involves temporary migration and return migration to the place of residence. Modern forms of transport and communication, increased social networks, and the growth of international corporations all contribute to the growing phenomena. Circular migration expects people to travel abroad, lend their expertise for the host country’s development and return back home. This method still remains susceptible to chances of brain drain though.   

The best way according to me is to keep population in check. And this applies to the whole world and not just India or China for that matter. This will result in slow death of all the other problems which influence brain drain and ultimately help to cease brain drain for the good.

And how about reconsidering Karl Marx? Do we today need a world which is based totally on communism?

While these questions remain unanswered, the home countries keep on suffering from the problem of lack of skilled personnel to treat their patients, help their farmers and protect their borders. Where are these people? They are on the flight holding the one-way ticket that guarantees them a life that their homeland can’t afford to.

– Vedant Puranik

What made young Cassius Clay begin training hard at a tender age of twelve and win his debut boxing match?

Apparently a spark ignited inside him when his dear bike was stolen and he wanted to knock down the lifter. Boxing became the mean to introduce young Clay to the outside world. His coach found him sassy and hardworking and the boy with his supreme confidence and intricate dance steps won his first Olympic gold in 1960, at the age of eighteen.

He has been entitled The Sport Personality of the Century by BBC and is known to the world as Muhammad Ali.

Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali in 1964 after joining NOI and accepting Islam. Ali has been a great athlete alongside being a philanthropist. His aura has sparkled vividly both inside and outside the ring.

Muhammad Ali, the name which became a boxing phenomena, was famous for his punches and fighting techniques. His  Anchor Punch against Sonny Liston and the Rope-A-Dope technique which knocked down George Foreman are world famous. But what we all fail to see is what lies beyond his strength.

Famous psychologist Dr. Carol S. Dweck in her book Mindset explains Ali’s mind, going beyond his physical strength. You would be surprised to know that Ali didn’t have the strength or the physique of a perfect boxer. He had speed and agility but lacked moves and classic techniques. He boxed all wrong, with his jaw open and pulling his torso back to duck the punches, like an amateur.

Then what was it that made him knock down a legend like Sonny Liston?

Dweck says it was his sharp mind. Ali was infamous for his mental games which struck the opponent’s mental jugular. He studied his opponents keenly and would try to understand how their minds worked; and then use this knowledge and words to weaken their mental game and knock them out.    

Ali was surely The Greatest and his supremacy lied not only in his physique but much more beyond that.

Ali came into news when he openly disagreed the United States’ involvement in Vietnam and became an empowering voice in the 1960s. His decision to convert to Islam and changing his name were perceived as acts of going beyond the white supremacy. Even though being put behind the bars for his acts, he remained unfaltered and firm on his views and said that “It’s a lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believe in myself.”

His self belief and revolutionary attitude gave a hope for black pride, liberating minds and the developing world. His charm, wit and extraordinary humanitarian qualities gave rise to a new image of a sportsman. He proved that athletes aren’t merely constricted to the fields and can go beyond to fight for their people’s rights, justice and independence.   

Ali is an inspiration, a guide, a mentor who gives rise to the fighter within us;  to fight for our aspirations and for what is right. He gives us strength to overcome the hurdles in our lives. He is much beyond the brawn, a ray of sunshine that gives us hope that each one of us can make this world a better place.

-Shubhankar Gaikwad

Yemen faces today one of the worst humanitarian crises the world has ever
seen, with over 20 million people bearing the brunt of a sort of proxy war
fought between two sides – the Houthi rebels and the internationally
recognised Government of Yemen. Not many camera lenses turn towards
this blatant violation of even the most basic of human rights – which is why
despite its magnitude, most of the world overlooks its very existence. In this article I wish to highlight a few key points about the war – its origins, current status, severity and possible future outcomes.

A basic overview:

Houthi rebels in the northern part of Yemen have had a rather tumultuous relationship with the Yemeni government since the unification of Yemen in 1990, with various peace treaties and ceasefires being signed and promptly broken. Forces loyal to the late president Ali Abdullah Saleh took over the capital of Yemen, Sana’a, in September 2014, placing the then (and current) president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi under house arrest. Houthi rebels took over most of the government institutions in Sana’a. After his escape to Aden in 2015, Hadi declared that he was still the leader of Yemen, and the temporary capital of Yemen would be shifted to Aden.

Since then, there have been various battles and insurgencies – prominent
ones being the Battle of Aden, Battle of Dhale and the Lahij insurgency.
The war has been labeled the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.

​A population in peril

It is imperative for us to understand the severity of these conflicts in
humanitarian terms as well as geopolitical. Saudi Arabia continues to lend its support to the Hadi government, issuing extremely strict sea and air blockades to prevent the Houthis from acquiring more supplies. This, however has resulted in the civilians being cut off from humanitarian aid and relief supplies. According to Amnesty International, there are more than 22.2 million people in desperate need for basic supplies such as food, clean water, shelter and proper sanitation. 2.5 million children are out of school; with more than a thousand dead as a result of this conflict. It moves me to tears to read the stories as narrated by the survivors; of the terror they felt as they saw corpses scattered around after airstrikes, as their own children died in their arms due to lack of healthcare. As a person living in a relatively developed country, these problems seem but rather preventable – why is it that the people continue to be crushed between the pincers of these two factions? Saudi Arabia plays an important role in this conflict. In 2015, Saudi Arabia authorised a monetary sum of more that $273 million to be donated to Yemen, with a further $66 million in 2017. However Arabian airstrikes continued to happen, putting at risk the very infrastructure that could serve to help the people.

In addition to this, Yemen currently is suffering the worst cholera outbreak
in known history. The WHO has confirmed that as of December 2017, the number of cases has surpassed 1 million in number. Cholera is an easily
preventable disease; yet because of the rapidly collapsing infrastructures
such as proper sanitation lines and hospitals, people barely have access to
medical aid. Malnutrition serves as the single biggest cause for this outbreak – more than 17 million people are affected by famine.
In May 2015, a five-day ceasefire was brokered to allow relief material to
be delivered to the people in need. It seems to me that this brief
intermission was but a hypocritical one, for if the concerned parties truly
cared for the people, they would have reconciled long ago. This ceasefire
did not last – fighting broke out again in merely three days.
The final straw perhaps is the repetitive bombing and attacks on
organisations that provide medical assistance. A Doctors Without Borders
building was bombed by a Saudi airstrike despite them being aware of the building’s nature; and in 2017 the International red Cross evacuated 71 of its personnel. Their statement reads: “Our current activities have been blocked, threatened and directly targeted in recent weeks, and we see a vigorous attempt to instrumentalise our organisation as a pawn in the conflict.”

A larger perspective

No conflict goes on for so many years without having external influences
backing up the warring factions. The Yemen Civil War, too, involves many
international factors, some of whom try to broker peace while others provide military support.
In 2017, the United States and Saudi Arabia signed a ‘historic’ Arms deal,
totalling $110 billion. Saudi Arabia playing a major role in the Yemeni
conflict, it cannot be overlooked that the US indirectly is causing a deepening of the conflict due to its arms dealings with Saudi Arabia. Their use of the weapons comes under the jurisdiction of their regime, whose political and regional interests have long aroused apprehension and caution in the eyes of many countries around the world. As long as arms are supplied to countries, they will fight.
The United States alleges that Iran backs the Houthi rebels; Iran vehemently denies having any role in this war at all. Here a couple of key questions come into picture: Who is really fighting this war? Is Yemen just a pawn in the hand of mightier militaries who choose to fight this proxy war to assert political dominance? The answer is there for all to see.
United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Sudan and
Senegal are a part of a coalition led by Saudi Arabia against the Houthi
rebels. Involvement of so many countries in a civil war begs a different way of looking at this conflict altogether.
There exist other parties to this war as well – The Al-Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsula occupies 36% of Yemen’s geographical area, with the ISIL
having a reasonable amount of influence in the eastern region too. This certainly rings alarm bells – terrorist organisations taking advantage of a civil war brings back not too fond memories of what happened in Afghanistan after the Soviet Union fell apart.

The bigger picture right now forces us to look at this war from a
humanitarian perspective as well as an unbiased socio-political viewpoint. It
would be in the best interests of the entire world for both the sides to focus
on eliminating AQAP and ISIL from the face of Yemen.

What can come next?

Peace treaties have failed, ceasefires are a mere mockery and human
rights are largely ignored – this war presents a very bleak future for the
people of Yemen. The future is impossible to predict, but there may be
certain ways to improve the situation.
Strategists say cutting off the supply lines of Houthi rebels may lead to their
defeat and subsequent downfall. This would be extremely helpful, but the
war does not end there. History has repeatedly shown us examples of what
can happen in a war-affected nation, from the rise of authoritarian regimes
to a complete destruction of economy leading to sluggish growth. The
Saudi-led coalition must take into consideration the fact that a stable south Yemen would deter Houthi advances; by promoting the accessibility and availability of basic human necessities, they would help the people far more than air strikes and bombings. From a humanitarian point of view, pressure should be mounted upon involved parties to think of the plight of the people involved unwillingly in this conflict, and to take steps to ensure that if not anything else, at least the relief material and aid workers should reach the people in need.
Any humanitarian crisis hurts us all as a collective populace of this planet.
The death of a fellow human makes all of our souls weep, and the inhuman
situations in war zones rends the hearts of those watching. We have suffered through millennia of war, peace and war again; it is now time for
us to discard the prejudices we so willingly embrace and choose to take
upon the more lasting values of brotherhood, peace and humanity as the foundations of a better future.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Take care, TCB.

Lines from the song, Respect. Though originally written by Otis Redding, the 1967 cover by Aretha Franklin, redefined the genre of Soul music, earning her the title of “The Queen of Soul.”

Aretha Franklin — who died Thursday at 76 — was a singer, songwriter and pianist. A distinguished and powerful vocalist, she sang in a voice that struck an ideal balance of affronted emotion and refined skill, sensitivity. Even when she hit a note with a high pitch, her tone never lost its rhythm. She had the ability to connect the African-American gospel music, the blues, R&B, rock ’n’ roll, and jazz in a unique way which gave hope, by transforming hardship and sorrow into vitality. This culmination of different genres of music can be seen in her songs which include Skylark, Chain of fools, Dr. Feelgood amongst the others.

Aretha Franklin was the face of feminism during her time, and her songs displayed that with complete valor. In 1967, she had released another song called Do Right Woman – Do Right Man. It was a proto-feminist anthem, and aimed at creating gender parity not only through the lyrics, but through the deep humanity in her vocal that was also the theme of the song. It also brought out one of her most nuanced performances.

During the civil rights movement, she played an important role in the 1963 Detroit Walk of Freedom, which was the largest civil rights demonstration in the nation’s history up to that date. Her songs were the the battle cries of the civil rights movement. They had taken on monumental significance. Her contribution as a activist is not restricted to the civil rights movement. She helped pay for many civil rights tours and campaigns while Martin Luther King was alive. She held free concerts, housed activists and helped them fundraise.

Like she once said, “I will always be singing somewhere.” she leaves behind a legacy which is unforgettable. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1979, had her voice declared a Michigan “natural resource” in 1985, and became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. Apart from that, she has received 17 Grammy awards, the last one being the the last one being the Grammy Lifetime Achievement award in 1994.

Ms. Franklin has left an emotional imprint on a generation of fans. Even today, 40 years later, where EDM, Rap and Rock have taken over the music genre, Soul music still holds a special place in our hearts- or if I may say, our souls. And the credits for that go to the woman to whom this article is dedicated to. May your soul rest in peace, ma’am. You will always be remembered with the Respect that you deserve.

– Adil Sache

-TEDxPICT

आज बनावटी सरदर्द का बहाना बना के घर जरा जल्दी आ गया। रेडिओ ऑन किया तब उसपे कलाम साहब का रिकॉर्डेड इंटरव्यू चल रहा था। चूँकि लेट हुआ था तो आशय न जान सका बजाय उसके मौजे निकालते निकालते इंटरव्यू सुनने लगा।

“कलाम साहब, एक ऐसी शख्सियत है जिसे किसी प्रस्तुतीकरण की जरुरत नहीं। डॉ. ए पी. जे. अब्दुल कलाम, मिसाइल मैन, जो भारत के पहले उपग्रह प्रक्षेपण यान के प्रोजेक्ट डायरेक्टर रेह चुके है, जिनकी बदौलत भारत में मिसाइल क्रांति आयी, जिन्होंने १९९८ के पोखरण परमाणु बम टेस्ट कराई, जो की भारत के अत्यंत लाडले राष्ट्रपति रेह चुके है, वो आज खुद हमारे खास धारावाहिक “गुफ्तगू” में आये है।”

“कलाम न की सिर्फ एक अच्छे राष्ट्रपति थे, न की एक अच्छे वैज्ञानिक है, न की एक भक्कम लीडर है बल्कि एक हसीन व्यक्तित्व भी रहे है। १९९० के गणतंत्र दिन पर देश ने मिसाइल की कामयाबी का जल्लोष मचाया। कलाम साहब को पद्मभूषण मिला। लेकिन सर के साथ १० बाय १२ का कमरा, कुछ किराये का फर्नीचर और किताबो का वही ढेर था। फर्क इतना ही था तब वो कमरा त्रिवेन्दम में था और बाद में हैदराबाद में। जब वे राष्ट्रपति थे तब उन्होंने दीवारों पे काच के टुकड़े लगाने को ना कह दिया था की कोई चिड़िया या पंछी को उससे हानि न हो। जब वे राष्ट्रपति थे तब उनके परिवार के ४२ लोग राष्ट्रपति भवन आये थे तब उसका कोई भी आर्थिक भार कलाम सर ने भारतीयों की जेब पे आने नहीं दिया बल्कि खुद ही ३ लाख २० हज़ार सचिव को दे दिए। एक बार सर जब IT BHU गए थे तब औरो से खुदकी कुर्सी आलिशान पाकर उसको बदलने की मांग की थी। यह सब किस्से आप जानते ही होंगे। कलाम साहब जब DRDO में प्रोजेक्ट डायरेक्टर थे तब उनकी टीम को अपना सर्वस्व मानते थे। उन्होंने पोलियो पीड़ितों का दर्द समज़ते हुए उनके लिए कुछ नयी खोज करने का सुझाव वैज्ञानिको को दिया।”

“आज हम बात करने वाले है ऐसी ही कुछ निजी चीज़ों पे। सर्वप्रथम नमस्कार कलाम सर! सर उस टापू का नाम कैसे कलाम टापू पड़ा?”

“शायद वह वक़्त जुलाई १९९५ का था जब हमारी पृथ्वी मिसाइल की चौथी उड़ान कामयाब हुयी थी ।लगभग १५०० लोगो की तामील रंग लायी थी। लेकिन उस दौर में उतने तक रुक जाना हमारी टीम को ना-मक़बूल था। तब तत्कालीन लेफ्नेंट जनरल रमेश खोसला जी ने हमें CEP ( Circular Error Probability) नामक टेक्नोलॉजी की खोज करने को कहा की जिस बदौलत वे १५० मीटर्स तककी गतिविधियों पे नज़र रख सखे। जब हम लोगो ने नक्शा खोला तब हम ने पाया की एक जगह तक़रीबन ७०-८० किलोमीटर्स तक की जमीं पे सिर्फ ५ डॉट्स थे जिससे कुछ नतीजा निकालना मुश्किल था। रात के २ बजे तब हमने व्हीलर आयलैंड जाने का फैसला किया। एक हेलीकाप्टर के सर्वेक्षण से कुछ जानकारी पता नहीं चल रही थी। फिर हमने स्थानिक मछुवारो से बात की| उनसे बोट लेके हम रात के अँधेरे में निकल पड़े। साथी ने कुछ फल लाये थे जो की हमरे भोजन का साधन बन गए। आज भी याद है रात की परिस्थितिया बड़ी कठिन थी । मटरगश्ति करने की फुर्सत नहीं थी हलाकि चाहत बिलकुल थी। (हँसते हुए) खुला आसमान खतरे की चेतावनी दे रहा था या साहस को न्योता। रात जैसे तैसे हमने गुज़ार दी, फिर सवेरे हम काम करने लग गए। उस ३ किमी लम्बे और ८०० मि चौड़े टापू पे आश्चर्य की बात यह थी की वहां बांग्लादेशी झंडा लहरा रहा था। मेरे साथ आये मित्र ने वह झंडा निकला और हमने वापस आते ही सरकार को उस टापू के बारे में सूचित क़र दिया और ओडिशा सरकार मान भी गए। अब DRDO को अपना हक की जगह मिल गयी थी काम करने।”

“कलाम साहब बच्चो से आपका बहोत लगाव है, यह तोह हम सब जानते है हालखी मार्च २०१२ के अन्ना यूनिवर्सिटी में पूछे गए एक छात्र के सवाल को मैं दोहराना चाहता हूँ। अमर्त्य सेन, जो की खुद नोबेल प्राप्त इंसान है और जो भारत में हुए विकास की प्रशंसा का करते है लेकिन उन्होंने मई १९९८ के पोखरण को भद्दा करार दिया था, उसकी निंदा करी थी। आप उस बारे में क्या विचारधारा रखते है?”

“मैं डॉ. अमर्त्य सेन की प्रशंसा करता हूँ और उन्होंने अर्थशास्त्र में दिए योगदान का सम्मान करता हूँ। उनके सुलझावो का भी आदर करता हूँ जैसे की प्राथमिक शिक्षा अच्छे तरीके से प्रदान की जाये। परन्तु वे इस घटना को पश्चिमी दृष्टिकोण से देखते है। उनके अनुसार भारत ने सभी मुल्को के साथ सलोखे से, दोस्तीपूर्ण स्वाभाव से सम्बन्ध रखने चाहिए जो की एक अर्थशास्री के अनुसार उचित है परन्तु डॉ. जवाहरलाल नेहरू जी ने जो परमाणु प्रसार के खिलाफ जब भारत का पक्ष रखा था तब तकरीबन तकरीबन १०,००० परमाणु मुखास्त्र अमरीका के पास थे और उतने ही रशिया के पास। जब की यूके, चीन, पाकिस्तान, फ्रांस जैसे मुल्को के पास अपने अपने परमाणु हतियार थे, START II अग्रीमेंट में कोई भी अपने मुखस्त्रो को २,००० के निचे नहीं लाना चाहता था। हमारे बगल के दोनों मुल्को के पास परमाणु हथियार थे। तोह क्या उन युद्धजन्य परिस्थितिओ में भारत सिर्फ मूक दर्शक बन कर रहता?”

“कलाम साहब अध्यात्म जीवन और सायन्स को कैसे रिलेट करते है? और मातृभाषा का महत्त्व क्या है?”

“हमारा (भारतीयों) का आध्यात्मिक ज्ञान हमारी ताकद है और रहा है। हमने अन्वेषकों के आक्रमण से हमेशा अपने आप को उभरा है। हमने सोसायटी में आने वाले बदलाओं को सहा है। परन्तु इन समायोजनों में हमने हमारे लक्ष्य और महत्वाकांक्षाओं को कम कर लिया। हमे सायन्स और टेक्नोलॉजी और विरासत को देखने का नजरिया बड़ा करना होगा। टेक्नोलॉजी की फील्ड में आगे जाना अध्यात्म के बंद करने से नहीं होगा। हमे तरक्की का खुद का मार्ग बनाना होगा। विरासती ज्ञान और नए नजरिये का संकल्प लिए स्वप्नों को सजाना होगा। इंग्लिश बहुत आवश्यक है मौजूदा समय क्यों की विज्ञान सम्बन्धी मूल ज्ञान इंग्लिश में है। पर मुझे विश्वास है की कुछ सालो बाद हमारी भाषाओ में विज्ञान का मूल ज्ञान होगा और उस वक़्त हम भी जापान की तरह परिवर्तित होके तरक्की कर सकेंगे।”

“वैसे तोह कलाम साहब के साथ बातचीत करने के लिए शब्द अधूरे पद जाये, लेकिन अब ७ बज चले है, यह कार्यक्रम जारी रहेगा अगले दिन भी। जाने से पहले प्रस्तुत है कलाम साहब की हिंदी में अनुवादित कुछ पंक्तिया…

.

.

और रेडिओ बंद हो गया। आज मैंने कलाम सर के व्यक्तिमत्व का एक नया पहलु समझा था। वे एक देशप्रेमी थे, जो खुद के मृत्यु के पश्चात उन्हें सरकारी कलेण्डर की छुट्टियों में नहीं बल्कि काम में खोजने की सलाह देते थे। कलाम एक ऐसी शख्सियत थी जिन्होंने अपनी रिटायरमेंट के बाद खुद को गरीब बच्चो के प्रति समर्पित किया। उन्होंने खुद किये गलतियों से लिए सबक को तजुर्बे में परिवर्तित किया और हम सब में एक धारणा(फिलोसोफी) की तरह समा गए।

किसी ने क्या खूब कहा है,

“चाहे लहू, पसीने या पानी से हो

यह आग जलती रहनी चाहिए

मेरे सीने में न सही, तेरे सीने सही

इन रूहों में कलामियत बसनी चाहिए ।”

– हर्षवर्धन