BOBKANNAN BLOGS

Today is General Council Meeting of AIADMK at Thiruvanmiyur Chennai. Police movement started yesterday itself. Today morning after the walk sat in a small eatery where more than 20 policemen/women too had breakfast. As we are always in a hurry to paint the police black I was observing their behavior as they ate. They displayed normal courtesy to the hotel boys calling them as 'Thambi" and told them not to be in a hurry or nervous. After food they religiously went to the counter and recited whatever they ate and paid for it. They also conversed with the crowd when they chose to interact. They did mention the high frustration they fight thro but never sounded bitter. As I left I told them "today is a big day for you people, do well, all the best and good day ". They too appeared to be happy with the interaction and left. Since there is heavy overdose of negative news about police I thought I should share this experience. *********************...

It was a quiz program to test the knowledge of Tamil. Three schools participated out of which two had good brand value and were also from urban/metro areas. The third was from a small remote village near Kinathukadavu in Coimbatore district. I was delighted when the boys from this school won and earned handsome rewards in cash and kind. It is a middle school of less than 500 students and KPA of teachers include visiting homes of students and convincing parents on value of education to send students to schools instead of work. In others words marketing of a school which did not have brand value. The students wore new uniform for the program and were beaming with confidence to compete. The urge for knowledge and consequent respect and recognition it fetches ignited their spirit to be competitive. It was very pleasing to see the humble teacher accepting standing ovation equally humbly stating that NRIs from their district also have come to know of the school and are support...

It was 6 p.m. All the students in the hostel had assembled near the Badminton ground where there was a loudspeaker tied at the top for making announcements and also for radio broadcast. As the beep sound 'çook' 'cook' of the radio was on there was pin drop silence among more than hundred students who had assembled. There was anxiety as the news reader introduced himself and announced "headlines". "The Pakistani army surrendered to Indian forces in Bangla Desh" was the first heading and all the students roared. The other headings could not be heard as they got drowned in the roar even as saner elements appealed for calm to listen to the full news. "Lt. General Niazi of the Pakistan army surrendered   with his troops to the Indian army led by Lt. General Jagjit Singh Arora at 4.30 p.m. today evening at Dacca" was the news that remains till date one of the happiest. 90000 soldiers of the Pak army became prisoners of war and the...