Avoid Cell Phones While Driving

As the tragedy stuck deep on my extended family, and we stood in solid grief over the death of my cousin Devi's husband Nagaraj's death on Thursday, 26 March 09, leaving behind his mother, 31 year old widow and 9 and 5 year old sons and two sisters, hundreds of relatives and friends, and near to 100 employees working for him reminded me of some facts. Nagaraj had been an affluent business man with a big construction company and a petrol bunk in the prime area of Chennai. But 35 is no age to die in a tragic car crash with a lorry on the ECR road with a self driving on a new moon night. Little bit of caution could have saved him and his family from a life-time grieving. Hearts broke as the children kept playing as the funeral began.
Few Definite Do's and Don't for all of us to avoid such tiring situations:
Sure NO-NO's :
AVOID CELL PHONES While driving
Do not plan travel outstations during nights
On urgent travels during nights, do not travel alone
Never drive when you are drunk

Few Do's
Occasional long distance travellers better take an experienced driver
Keep emergency contact details in your wallet
Insure adequately to keep families finances safe in case of unforeseen tragedies
Inform your spouse on your investments, commitments time to time

Accidents are inevitable, but tragedies can be avoided provided we take some cautions. Simple mistakes some times cost us a lifetime. Better avoid making them.

Neeya Naana - Freedom of Speech

Proud I am as a Citizen of India, for I have my fundamental right - Freedom of Speech.
The right that gives me freedom to voice out my opinion without hurting others, the freedom to express my ideas and thoughts without provoking onto others, and the freedom to cherish what I think as my ultimate birth right.
After long many years, I had a forum where both my oratorical skills, emotional tangles and inner views got a wider audience. Participating in a Talk Show where people shared genuine thoughts, emotionally inter wined arguments and classical examples of our day to day lives, I could not ask for more. Anchor Gopinath is an excellent anchor, best coordinator and well planned and well equipped person with knowledge on the subjects he deals with and with a sense of humour and empathy to handle difficult situations standing as a bridge between two completly different groups debating on a concern or an issue.
Yesterday the topic we went for shoorting, both myself and my husband was "Is Indian Woman a glorified servants?" But ironically, Gopinath had never brought this subject between the couples who came in for debate. Instead, he very smartly took the angel of common issues, confronting between men and women inside the spectrum of marriage. Married for years, bonded with understanding, emotions, care and unending love and affections, and at the same time, with totally unspoken hidden woes, unknown struggles of inner thoughts got a platform to share, with a wit and a sense of humour trying to bridge the so called hidden gaps in a very very vital relationship in the society- Husbands and wives.
Not all of us get an opportunity to openly pour out and voice out what we struggle to explain in normal circumstances, but with a group of like minded people sitting on your side, and also the lights and cameras catching your every word and emotion, and having the person need to know sitting opposite to you, and very talented anchor beautifully weaving the thread to speak and express, Neeya Naana becomes the best platform to raise beyond those boundaries. It is not just another entertainment talk show, but it is an edifice on which people understand things looking from a different angle, and perceptions happened to change. Though at the spur of the moment you may feel like having argued with the other person unnecessarily, or even guilty for what you said, later you would realise that actually you spoke your heart.
India needs such platforms to bring in an awareness on lot many issues that entangle our social and private lives. This show undoubtedly raises to the very objective of its existence. No wonder this show has the highest popularity ratings in the Tamil Television Industry. Hats off to the Director Antony, and the unremitting willingness to work by the entire crew of Neeya Naana who made the live of participants more comfortable and the show a grand success. Gopinath rocks as usual.... and Neeya Naana definetly needs that best Pat!!!

Glad Elections are coming this April

I am excited from the time, I have seen the Chief Election Commissioner announced the dates for the upcoming General Elections - Decision 2009 as I would like to call it, after seeing all the hype, happiness and end results of US Presidential Elections on Nov 4, 2008.

But, I have a different reason to be happy and a different reason to be sad!!!

Like all good people do, let me list out my sad things first:

• 600 million people enlisted to vote, but hardly 50% of them actually vote
• Crores of Rupees drained in the name of Elections- some places still having paper ballot
• Wide diversity on thoughts and approach highlighted in every speech and constituency
• One more election> One more set of Leaders> One more list of manifestoes> But nothing changes even after 6 decades of Independence..... corruption, exploitation, population, pollution, poverty continues endlessly........

Now the best part:

• Roads are now getting cleaned, relaid as needed and medians are in place
• Thankfully my street lights, even lights in the darkest bridges are illuminated and the cities are glowing
• Thankfully, all the provisions supplied on Ration cards are of good quality this month
• Thankfully, all exams are getting over earlier before the sound pollution begins
• Ironically, every other politicians strengths and weaknesses are exposed by themselves and opponents respectively
• In a recession hit market, there is a sudden cash flow. In fact overflow
• Law and Order is in place, and everyone is alert. Alert beyond expectations.
• Lot of daily wagers are finding jobs to keep themselves busy, including press, printing and paper industry, cab operators, drivers, electricians, painters, banner makers, tea shops, weavers, carpenters, florists, hotels and the entire small scale industry is accelerated, thanks to our political rallies and election campaigns.
• Election in India is in one way a blessing to the common man for he is remembered ardently once in 5 years at this time, his issues are tried to be addressed, concerned are heard and solutions are seemed to be provided.

My own expectation from this election is we get a healthy cabinet who can stand high and take the country tall in the world map. We need smart leaders who can stand in par with developed Nations, shake hands with same thoughts, opinions, visions and a global enrichment for India. Wishing the country a very healthy, talented, qualified, unbiased and uninfluenced Prime Minister leading the Parliament in the forth coming general elections. India Awake to the New Dawn Soon!!!