Delhi's Election Office shone in the May 2019 Lok Sabha Elections

Dr. Ranbir Singh, IAS officer and currently Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, who was at the helm of the Delhi chapter of the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections gave an information packed talk under the title "Elections in India: A Carnival of Democracy" on 17th August 2019

It was an eye opener to hear about the elaborate planning, immense effort and dedicated work that was put in to ensure inclusiveness of all from 18 year olds who were first time voters to nonagenarians, from transgenders to those who were wheel chair bound and facilitate a fair and smooth election process

An affable and communicative Dr. Ranbir Singh answered questions freely and interacted with the audience post the talk




Particularly helpful was the line-up of his very pleasant and eager to assist staff members, complete with forms and data-banks to assist audience members who had any clarifications/modifications in relation to their Election Identity Cards, or any other related queries.

Vultures circling around - The sorry state of a Super-Senior Citizen in Delhi

Indian politician, former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj passed away on 6 August 2019 in New Delhi...

My first reaction - I had just met her a few days ago, she looked so good, so healthy, was smiling and interacting with all so normally...what happened...why this sudden demise?

Second reaction after reading the medical reasons - she had a massive cardiac arrest and passed away within the hour - thank God she did not have to suffer a lingering, extended, painful, traumatic, draining hospitalization. If one must go, even if before one's time, this is the best way to go

Third reaction - she had people who cared about her (genuinely) around her - her husband and daughter

There's a saying "Health is Wealth" - when one is young, strong and healthy one has no reason to ponder on this or bother at all to understand this. Its only when one is ill that one realizes the true meaning and import of this saying. Not just health, when life slaps you with problems, is when one remembers God, begging for mercy, though one may have inflicted multiple others with vicious impunity

My vivacious, party loving mother till few months back was up to her usual merry go round of socializing, partying,

shopping, insisting on driving herself, in-spite of repeated admonishments by her doctor and me, that she must shun driving, taking care of her medicines, including daily insulin injections independently, managing her house beautifully



Its Shraavan Purnamashi - the monsoon full moon
starts off the Hindu festival season - Mom celebrates all the festivals with such deep belief and gusto

On Janamashtmi (the day marking the birth of Lord Krishna) she decorates her mandir at home, adorns the Radha Krishna-ji with new clothes and ornaments, the Bal Gopala-ji (child Krishna idol) gets special attention from her. Freshly bathed, dressed and ornamented with his crown topped with a tiny mor-pankh (peacock feather), she seats him in his jhoola (swing) and ties a rope of strung marigolds to the jhoola. In the evening puja and aarti she will sing bhajans in praise of Radha Krishna and gently rock the Bal Gopal-ji's jhoola

And now she is in a diaper...
begging for food, dependent on whoever will do even the littlest for her
osteoporosis and a debilitating lower back pain have confined her to her bed
exorbitant hospital and doctors fees, doctors on home visits are outdated
suffering a stream of inefficient, grouchy, pilfering, so-called attendants, charging unreasonable fees - these women and their "Nursing Agencies" are making hay when the sun shines

And the vultures are circling around - though she has been fleeced of practically all of her property and money, whatever little is left - they are waiting to scavenge

Shraavan Purnamashi 15 August 2019