The Dreamer's Diary

Amidst all the backlash, rebuke, and name-calling directed at West Bengal’s yesteryear's academic system—particularly at the school level during the Communist era—my generation grew up in an environment that, despite its flaws, fostered a culture of critical thinking and intellectual curiosity. Today, after spending more than two decades in different parts of the country, mostly in Northern India, I realize with clarity that the education we received in Bengal, though often criticized for lacking a so-called "competitive spirit," instilled in us values that make us proud. Unlike the education system prevalent in North and Central India (the Hindi belt), our system encouraged independent thought, questioning, and a broad engagement with literature and history beyond prescribed textbooks.   Encouragement to Think, Question, and Explore   One of the most defining aspects of our education was the freedom to think and ask questions( no, that time it was not labelled as an...

Imagine the bustling throng at Queen's Park Oval, the sun casting a golden light over the cricketing coliseum where passion and performance intertwine. The drums of the Caribbean resound like thunderclaps, and the intoxicating rhythm of Calypso music vibrates through the air. As the crowd erupts in fervent cheer, the atmosphere crackles with a palpable energy, charged with the history of unequal rivalries. In the midst of this vibrant chaos, the legendary West Indies fast bowlers—the fearsome foursome: Colin Croft, Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, and Joel Garner—make their way to the crease, firing from all angles...  giants, towering and intimidating, their very presence tea leaves that threaten a brewing tempest on the pitch.  But standing his ground, unwavering as an ancient oak amidst the storm, is a man of 5.4 feet—a beacon of determination and grace. A white hat perched atop his head, a smile that radiates warmth, and eyes that burn with focus. Sunil Gavaskar, the little ...

So, there is this friend of mine, well-educated and well-placed from a socio-economic perspective in today's world, even "let" his wife work as a school teacher. On the occasion of Women’s Day, he proudly gifted her a jewelry set, seemingly evidence of his support for her autonomy.  However, over the dinner, this same man erupted in fury when the subject of her wanting to embark on a solo trip.  This incident is a microcosm of the pervasive hypocrisy that underpins many modern relationships, illuminating the troubling dual force of ostensible progress and buried patriarchal attitudes. It is all too common to find well-meaning individuals (mostly men) who proclaim their support for women's empowerment but are often shackled by outdated notions of ownership and control. The contradiction in my friend's behavior highlights a cultural dissonance prevalent in many societies today: the idea that a woman's autonomy is acceptable through specific lenses but wholly obj...

I f there’s a phrase that has been mercilessly paraded and turned into a mockery of itself in recent years, it’s “being proud of.” Personally, I find this expression not just laughable but rather a thin veil cloaking deeper issues that often reside beneath the surface. Yet, amidst this sea of empty rhetoric, there exists a rare gem—our tiger population, once teetering on the brink of extinction but now experiencing a revival that could bring a tear to your eye if only the tears weren’t mixed with dread over what’s to come. Let’s take a moment to applaud the past dedicated efforts of the government and its trusty Forest Departments and other NGOs and private initiatives. Their hard work has yielded results that can be measured in vibrant stripes rather than mere percentages. Credit where credit is due: the rescue of the tiger owes much to two decades of consistent scientific efforts. A commendable feat achieved through not just wishful thinking but painful hard work, vigorous funding, a...