An Indecisive Indian

Honesty, integrity and probity! Big words but in our practical world, particularly in government, do we have that exemplar leader who is truly that? One who has never misused official machinery, or enjoyed a consideration of any kind from any one with whom they have official dealing. Not many, for sure. I was certainly not one of them. Yet, I was what I would say, reasonably honest. I am glad today that I was. Why? After I retired, the jealous and downright corrupt among IR bosses started hounding me and the ICF Vande Bharat team with fake Vigilance cases because the advent of this train and its appreciation was either unpalatable to them or detrimental to their corrupt dreams. In those days, it is this confidence that we had been honest kept us going fearlessly. Yes, friends, these words written by Shakespeare are not cliches, truer words have perhaps not been written:   ‘No legacy is so rich as honesty’ (Mariana in All's Well That Ends Well), ‘ Virtue is bold and goodness neve...

We in India are living today in what our political leaders call Amrit Kaal . A decisive period of next twenty-five years, or perhaps less, for India to attain prosperity with inclusive growth of the fruits of development reaching all. An ancient civilization emerging from the shadows of the past to regain its rightful place as an influential country with a prominent global profile! Let us talk about India and Indian Railways (IR) in this backdrop.   Do you believe it is going to happen or is it a mere dream? Well, I for one believe that happen it has to, not a question of if, but when.   The people’s President APJ Abdul Kalam has famously said, “Dream is not the thing you see in sleep, but is that thing that doesn't let you sleep”. It may look like a dream today but it is up to us now to let this dream prevent us from sleeping. Whether it happens finally in 2045 or 2050, we must give shape and form to this dream with a meaningful vision and strong actions. A series of invigora...