The Magic of Guava

Have you ever thought guava can be more salubrious than orange or apple? Rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, folic acid, potassium (contains more potassium than banana per 100 g of fruit weight), copper, magnesium, and manganese, guava is a unique tropical fruit that contains about four times the amount of vitamin C that an orange normally contains. Guava is a storehouse of a number of nutrients, low in calories and fats, but contains several vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant poly-phenolic and flavonoid compounds that play important role in prevention of cancers, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Fresh guava is an natural source of antioxidants and vitamin C. The outer thick layer contains higher levels of vitamin C than the pulp stored in the pith. With high vitamin A content and flavonoids like beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and cryptoxanthin, guava possesses excellent antioxidant properties, which are essential for good health. Moreover, vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes, good eyesight and skin. Since guava is rich in carotene, it helps prevent lung and oral cavity cancers. A specific study on the lycopene content in pink guava suggest that taking a fresh pink guava everyday can prevent skin damage from UV rays and also protect from prostate cancer.

Major Health Benefits

Lowers the Risk of Cancer: Rich in vitamin C content, which is approximately 400% more than oranges, guava protects cells from free radical damage.

Prevents Diabetes: Rich in fiber, guava helps prevent diabetes by decelerating the assimilation of sugar in the body.

Regulates High Blood Pressure: Guava reduces cholesterol in blood and prevents it from thickening, thereby maintaining fluidity of blood and reducing blood pressure.

Improves Good Eyesight: A rich source of vitamin A, guava promotes better eyesight.

Promotes Healthy Thyroid Gland: The absence of iodine and good sources of copper in combination play a crucial role in controlling thyroid.

Provides Healthy Skin: It can improve skin texture because of the abundance of astringents in the raw guavas. In addition to the astringents, guava is also rich in vitamin-A, B, C and potassium which are very good source of antioxidants and detoxifiers that keep skin glowing and free from aging, wrinkles and many other skin disorders.

Promotes Fertility: With a substantial amount of folate content, guava bears fertility-promoting properties. So try this out as a passion fruit!

Relaxes Nerves and Muscles: Having guavas can relax nerves and muscles as it's a good source of magnesium.

Keeps Brain Healthy: The vitamin B group plays a major role in the functioning of brain. Rich in vitamin B3, a component that stimulates brain function, and vitamin B6 that acts as an important vitamin for brain and nerve function, guava certainly can be a radical agent in keeping your brain healthy and powerful as well.

Cures Diarrhea and Dysentery: The rich astringents in raw guava which are alkaline in nature and have disinfectant and anti-bacterial properties help cure diarrhea and dysentery by inhibiting microbial growth and removing extra mucus from the intestines.

Ameliorates Constipation: One of the richest sources of dietary fiber, guava seeds, if ingested whole or chewed, serve as excellent laxatives.

Cures Cough and Cold: Since guava is rich in vitamin-C and iron which are proven to be preventive against cold and viral infections, juice of raw guavas or guava-leaves provides relief in cough and cold.

Promotes Weight Loss: Being very high in roughage and very rich in vitamins, proteins and minerals, but with no cholesterol and less digestible carbohydrates, guava is very filling and satisfies appetite very easily.

Cures Scurvy: As a rich source of vitamin-C, guava can help cure scurvy.

So next time you go for shopping fruits, don't ignore guava!

Pomegranate: The Wonder Fruit

Often touted as the emblem of prosperity, fertility, and rebirth, pomegranate has lived many millenniums across the globe, with its humble beginning in Transcaucasia dating somewhere around 4000 BC. For many initial centuries, pomegranate was rather dull and overlooked fruit; however, recent studies have unfolded some prominent health benefits which now attract significant public attention. Firstly, pomegranate has a miraculous ability to not only protect against atherosclerosis – a medical symptom in which arterial walls become thickened thereby triggering heart attacks and strokes - but also it reverses the thickening process and transforms arteries to a more natural state. Moreover, pomegranate bears the ability of lowering systolic blood pressure in addition to which it can effectively reduce the levels of bad cholesterol and help increase the levels of good cholesterol. An article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2000 states that a clinical trial of pomegranate juice on healthy adult men and unhealthy mice showed a significant increase of antioxidant levels that resulted in 90% drop in bad cholesterol.

A recent research on the health benefits of pomegranate shows that certain cancers such as prostate cancer and breast cancer can be prevented by taking pomegranate juice regularly. A specific substance in this fruit that has been effective in decreasing the levels of PSA (prostate specific antigen), is a wonderful medication for treating prostate cancer patients. A clinical study shows that 80% of the men having pomegranate juice daily found their PSA level decreased dramatically.

Pomegranate has also a greater impact on men with problems of impotence. The powerful antioxidants found in pomegranate improve blood flow in all areas of the body and thus dramatically lower the risk of heart attacks, strokes and impotence.

10 Health Benefits of Pomegranate

1. Consuming pomegranate juice regularly can help prevent acne and eliminate its root causes by correcting digestive problems and promoting healthy circulation of the blood. Rich in iron and vitamin C, a constituent part of hemoglobin that helps absorb oxygen, it acts as a powerful antioxidant that is known to protect the skin from damaging free radicals.
2. Drinking pomegranate juice is also a good remedy for skin damaged by sun exposure. It helps increase the life of fibroblasts, which are responsible for producing elastin and collagen that keep the skin tone healthy and enhance the skin’s elasticity.
3. Pomegranate is a rich source of various vitamins including vitamins A, C and E as well as folic acid.
4. With quantum composition of antioxidants, pomegranate helps prevent formation of bad cholesterol, which is a primary reason for many fatal diseases like heart disease, heart stroke, and high blood pressure. So, a glass of pomegranate juice daily can certainly guard you against these lifestyle ailments.
5. Taking pomegranate juice can help correct male impotence.
6. Studies show that drinking pomegranate juice daily can prevent dental plaque.
7. A specific research has stated that pregnant mothers who consume pomegranate juice can protect the neonatal brain from damage.
8. In Ayurveda, pomegranate is specifically mentioned for reducing symptoms of diarrhoea.
9. Some studies show that pomegranate can reduce the possibility of developing Alzheimer's disease among older people.
10. Pomegranate juice is great elixir for youthfulness as it prevents cell damage significantly.

High Blood Pressure: Natural Cure

In my previous blog titled The Silent Killer I attempted to touch upon the alarming numbers on the state of hypertension across the globe as a silent killer. Well, I thought that's not quite enough to serve the purpose. For any patient, or for a person at the brink of being afflicted, what's more pertinent is to get relief anyhow.

Before delving deeper into controlling the disease, let's first understand how you can read the symptoms of the disease. The first symptom of hypertension may appear as a pain at the back of the head and neck on waking in the morning, which normally disappears after sometime. Some other symptoms are dizziness, pain in the chest, frequent urination, nervous tension, fatigue, and difficulty in breathing. It's not uncommon that hypertension symptoms may not always be apparent, but most people don't even notice the symptoms at all. This triggers much larger problem for those patients as they feel they are quite healthy and don't need to visit a doctor.

Causes of High Blood Pressure

In most cases, the causes of high blood pressure remain unknown, but there are certain conditions that could contribute to the risk of developing high blood pressure. While not all of these factors are controllable, awareness about them makes you conscious of the existence of the risk of high blood pressure.

Age: One of the biggest risk factors for high blood pressure levels, age triggers a direct impact on the the risk of developing high blood pressure. With growing age people become accustomed to certain habits and in consequence the stress level increases. Although in the past the lower age group segment hardly had any symptom of hypertension, with changing lifestyle, wrong food habits, younger adults are getting affected.

Food Habits: In today's world, when fast-food is a trend, the chance of getting afflicted with high blood pressure is imminent. Foods like red meats, junk foods, fried or refined foods, and other food items with high fat, sugar and salt content become a major contributor to hypertension.

Stress: Stress has a direct impact on the high blood pressure cannot be understated. In modern society, where “work hard, party harder” is the tagline, stress can't be weeded out. Both emotional and physical stress plays a larger role in taking the toll.

Heredity: This is a specific factor that cannot be controlled and people with a family background of high blood pressure are definitive to developing the disease.

Obesity: Obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for developing high blood pressure. Obesity results from wrong food habits. For anyone who is overweight should try to reduce weight through healthy methods like dieting and working out.

Alcoholism: Excessive alcohol consumption is a contributing factor to increasing blood pressure levels.

Wrong Medications: Normally, women who take contraceptive pills on a regular basis are prone to the risk of developing high blood pressure. Certain medications like diet pills can also contribute to the problem.

Natural Remedies

Apart from taking medicines as prescribed by doctors, the patients can also try on certain home remedies those have proven helpful in reducing the high blood pressure.

Garlic: According to some scientific observations, garlic can act as an effective means of lowering blood pressure. Garlic has a blood thinning characteristic, so it reduces spasms of the small arteries. It may be taken as raw cloves of one or two a day.

Indian Gooseberry: Indian gooseberry is a good remedy for high blood pressure. A tablespoon fresh Indian gooseberry juice mixed with equal amount of honey can be taken in the morning.

Lemon: Lemon is a great food to control high blood pressure. Being rich in vitamin C, this prevents capillary fragility.

Grapefruit: Grapefruit is also useful in preventing high blood pressure.

Watermelon: Watermelon is another safeguard against hypertension. The watermelon seeds which are rich in potassium have a definite action in dilating the blood vessels, which results in lowering the blood pressure.

Parsley: Parsley is quite useful in reducing high blood pressure. It contains elements that help maintain the blood vessels and keep the arterial system healthy. It can be taken as a beverage by simmering 20 gm of fresh parsley leaves gently in 250 ml of water for a few minutes.

Vegetable Juice: Raw vegetable juices, especially carrot and spinach juices, taken separately or in combination, are also beneficial in the treatment of high blood pressure.

Flaxseeds: Flaxseeds are very rich in fiber and effective in lowering LDL cholesterol and preserving HDL cholesterol. Flaxseeds should be consumed regularly along with soups, cereals and yogurt in order to reduce high blood pressure.

The Silent Killer

With every ounce of urban pleasure comes a pound of torment, invisible but experienced. The growing economic indexes, decadent lifestyles, and a fair amount of carelessness all in tandem contribute to the aggravated health standards of urban citizens. Less physical activity, increased use of alcohol and tobacco, high consumption of junk foods, and undoubtedly, relentless increase of stress and strain from work have taken a toll on all of us.

According to report published by World Health Organisation (WHO), one in three adults worldwide has raised blood pressure, which is main cause of around 48% of all deaths from stroke and heart disease. The report also reveals that behavioural risk factors, including tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and the harmful use of alcohol, are estimated to be responsible for about 80% of coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. Upon further bifurcating the leading behavioural and physiological risk factors, the deaths attributed to various reasons include 13% of global deaths are attributed to raised blood pressure, 9% due to consumption of tobacco, 6% due to increased blood glucose level, another 6% for physical inactivity, and 5% for overweight. Further, the resort clarifies that high blood pressure causes 51% of stroke deaths and 45% of coronary heart disease deaths.

Although mean blood pressure (MPB) has noticed a dramatic fall in almost all high-income countries, for example, the male systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the US has been decreased from 131 mm Hg in 1980 to 123 mm Hg in 2008, and the female SBP decreased from 125 mm to 118 mm Hg, on the contrary, the MBP has been increasing in most African countries. The reasons are obvious: increasing smoking rates, a significant shift towards Western-style diets and less exercise. The WHO’s director general Margaret Chan says, “In some African countries, as much as half the adult population has high blood pressure.”

According to report, the developed nations have noticed a significant fall in average blood pressure because of widespread diagnosis and treatment with low-cost drugs; however, specifically in Africa, more than 40 per cent of adults are estimated to have high blood pressure. And a very interesting observation though it seems, obesity marks almost 100% growth in ever region of the world between 1980 and 2008. Almost half a billion people or 12 per cent of the world’s population are considerably obese. Twenty-six per cent of adults in the US and 3 per cent in Asia are obese.

The health statistics also looks very dismal in India as well. Almost one in every four people in India suffers from high blood pressure. A report suggests that 25% of urban Indians and 10% of rural Indians suffer from high blood pressure. Among the metros in India, Mumbai leads the race with 44% of men and 45% of women suffer from high blood pressure, whereas 30% and 33% among men and women in Delhi, and 24% and 17% among men and women in Kolkata. In India, 57%of all stroke deaths and 24% of all coronary heart disease deaths are linked to high blood pressure.

High blood pressure may afflict anyone, but there is nothing to be worried about. Greater awareness about the risk factors and the symptoms of this disease is the only effective way of managing it. Early detection and preventive measures can literally make the difference between life and death. High blood pressure can be treated efficaciously and controlled with proper medications and lifestyle transformation. Remember, high blood pressure can't be cured permanently. So a symptom of decrease in high blood pressure should not be considered as a permanent cure and hence treating high blood pressure should not be stopped then.  

Killer Inputs

How many of you are seriously health conscious? Forget about health. Do you really care about the foods you take daily? Maybe, that sounds like a difficult proposition for people in a hustle-bustle life. When you are hungry, you don't look for the protocols, and what comes your way, well justifies your crave for foods. Right. Pause. Think for a moment. It's not all about delectably packaged junk foods from branded companies, there are many delicious local food items that could have charmed you for long, all for sumptuously satisfying your epicurean taste buds, would have a complete bearing on your health. Remember, food items rich in fat, sugar and salt are directly associated with a higher chance occurrence of many modern health problems be it heart disease, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, or thyroid. And the explosive fact that may give you a shocker is the higher sugar, salt, and fat components in food, the more your affinity for eating. And the vicious circle of eating more and getting inflicted with killer diseases starts with the “dangerous trios” - sugar, salt, and fat.

As chefs emphasize sugar, salt, and fat make a food unbelievably palatable. These basic three ingredients stimulate neurons, which in turn they trigger the release dopamine, a chemical that influences your craving for foods. Like a perfect foreplay that stimulates you to reach at the highest orgasmic level, a judicious combination of sugar, salt, and fat drives you towards an “epicurean bliss point”. From there your flight for indulgence takes off. Perhaps, this secret is known to the barons of food business. Restaurants, multinational fast-food companies, and even your local dhabas, they all create magic around this “epicurean bliss point”. A judicious mix of sugar, salt, and fat is loaded into the royal dishes you often hanker everyday. That's not just the whole truth, the more you take such foods, an unfailing addiction level grows in your mind, and whenever you come across such food items, your brain triggers an unusual high appetite for that food.

Whether it's a packet of potato chips, a piece of hamburger, or a bottle of soft drink, the marvel of “modern food engineering” has elevated the epicurean level. What flavor would delight customers is not a prerogative of cook, rather it's a complex food designing process that stems from the “blissful stimulation” - a pleasurable experience felt when layers of food ingredients melt over your taste buds, and you desire more. And this influences hypereating syndrome, a psychological condition which is difficult to avoid once generated.

So, the consequences are hitting hard on our face. The people across the globe, especially in western countries like US and UK, are getting fatter and fast catching up the modern ailments such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart stroke, and specific type of cancer. Cancer researchers at the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) claim that a reduction in the intake of sugar, salt and fat would certainly help decrease the growth rate of disease. Similarly, a high intake of salt and fat is directly related to to occurrence of high blood pressure. Patients with high blood pressure are 300 percent likely to have a stroke than people with normal blood pressure. Again, saturated fat, popularly known as raising “bad cholesterol” is mostly found in food items such as butter, cream, cheese, cakes, biscuits, pies, pastries, and chocolates increases the risk of heart disease.

Well, as the saying goes “prevention is better that cure”, it's now your turn how you manage your life and lead a healthy lifestyle. Remember, a balanced intake of killer inputs (sugar, salt, and fat), as defined as GDA (Guideline Daily Allowance) would help you reduce the chance of getting inflicted with modern diseases. A GDA of 90 g of sugar, 6 gram of salt, and 70 gram of fat are advised for an adult. Beyond that you have the freedom of eating more healthy fats found in foods such as nuts, olive oil, and avocado. Moreover, going for sweets, you can always bank on honey, dates, and other fruits. And yes, a caution for salt, the less the healthier. 

Yellow Magic

Apart from its contemplative engagement with epicurean palatable pleasures and umpteen social rituals and traditions, turmeric has equally impressed the ingenious imaginations of scientific tribes across the world, for its extensive medicinal properties have proved to be hugely beneficial for mankind on many dimensions. Turmeric, the indispensable local yellow spice of all seasons, has been a secret ammo of housewives and ayurvedic doctors on many occasions. In Ayurveda, turmeric had a special position in making common medicinal formulations.

With passage of time, the modern pharmacology has greatly endeavored to decipher turmeric's magic while composing complex medicines. And that's not just all, from beauticians to herbal product manufacturers, everyone has a special reason to publicize the amazing benefits of turmeric in their circle. Indeed, it's now scientifically proven that the various antiseptic properties of turmeric significantly help treat cuts, wounds, abrasions, skin afflictions, infections, and burns. The most promising fact about turmeric is that it speeds up the healing process.

According to Ayurveda, turmeric comprises an anti-inflammatory agent that helps alleviate gastrointestinal discomforts. Raw turmeric props up cartilage and internal bone structure. As a home remedy for arthritis, people take turmeric in warm milk at night before sleep. For its antimicrobial properties, turmeric paste is being traditionally used by Indian women to improve their skin gloss. Turmeric is also used an anti-aging agent. Research institutes across the globe are now seriously investigating the pharmacological properties of turmeric to treat Alzheimer's disease, cancer, arthritis, and other clinical disorders.

Researchers at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) have proved that curcumin, the key yellow bioactive component of turmeric, may help the immune system clear the brain from the plaques found in Alzheimer’s disease. In the last few decades, extensive research works have been conducted to establish the biological activities and pharmacological actions of turmeric and its extracts. Curcumin has been shown to have wide range of biological actions such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic, anticoagulant, antiprotozoal, antiviral, antifibrotic, antivenom, antiulcer, hypotensive and hypocholesteremic activities. Clinically, curcumin has proved to be effective in reducing postoperative inflammation. A number of scientific findings about turmeric also show that it can even prevent leukemia by protecting DNA from harmful pollutants.

Clinical researches also substantiate the fact that curcumin thrusts very powerful antioxidant effects which can neutralize free radicals which cause serious damage to healthy cells and cell membranes. In specific diseases like arthritis where free radicals are measurably responsible for the painful joint inflammation and internal damage to the bone joints, patients find great relief when they use turmeric in their foods. A recent study on patients with rheumatoid arthritis proves that curcumin has a wide impact on the amelioration of joint swelling. Researchers have found that eating curcumin may significantly reduce the chance of developing heart failure.

In fact, turmeric's towering journey as a common spice and natural cure alongside human evolution is well documented. Now that the researchers across the world are extensively investigating the medicinal properties of turmeric, it won't be a tall claim to establish that someday turmeric can be a core component of many drugs treating a number of ailments.  

On A Different Note

With growing trust deficits in democratic institutions, the citizens of this country today confront with burning challenges of harsh social issues and endemic corruption in all public offices, and hence they abruptly conclude that no institution in this country is working with integrity and propriety. Such generalizations are indeed irrational and questionable. Any system, however competent, is guided by rules and regulations established by law makers of that country. Remember, laws are dynamic and consequently change with social evolution. Whenever the laws become static and inscriptions of rock, then all the problems crop up and the people in power often misuse the embedded lacunae in the legal system.

For a progressive democracy like India, which has significantly excelled in many dimensions of human development in last few decades, the credit for excellence goes to the citizens of this country, and yes, a part of that credit is also meant for the people in power who have enabled a fairly workable system despite many challenges. Although in the course of time the ratio of good people in power to bad people in power has diminished significantly, there are myriads of ways to improve this system and make all the stakeholders accountable for their action. And for this we urgently need a vigilant judicial system to uphold the democratic principles laid down by the Constitution of India and then quickly intervene in the administration whenever it feels the principles of law are not sufficient to administer justice.

In the recent past, we have observed a frequent judicial activism in all walks of democratic institutions because the learned judges of Supreme Court or High Courts have convinced that either the administration is not discharging the desired responsibilities or the laws are not sufficient to handle the complex issues. However, the selective activism is not enough to manage the multitude of conflicts generated during the execution of law. What's essentially required now is to bring in drastic transformations in the working of democratic institutions that govern the hopes and aspirations of a billion plus populous nation.

As the growth story of India in last two decades has become a global case study for other functional democracies, it's imperative now for the law-makers of this country to strengthen democratic principles with checks and balances. Wherever we need radical changes in the laws to ensure fair justice to the citizens of this nation, the Parliament must pass ambitious, forward-looking bills to enrich the legal framework of this country. And the beauty of our democratic system is that together we can establish an effulgent India unfailingly.  

Privatize Air India

The recent threat by 100 Air India pilots to go on a strike mode has again raised serious questions about the airline management by the Civil Aviation ministry. Although the ministry has toughened its stand and clearly indicated that if this strike persists it would be pushed to a position to shut down international operations, the ground reality is that the government can't even think in those tough lines, for how these politicians and bureaucrats would avail the freebies like foreign tours without the presence of a national carrier. Despite Air India bleeding for decades together and burning taxpayers money, the Civil Aviation ministry has never mulled over the gravity of the issue. And the reasons are quite obvious. Rather not serving the national interests, AI has literally turned into a family carrier for ministers and senior bureaucrats.

When the losses are piling up and there is no turnaround strategy for this business, then why the Civil Aviation ministry is not privatizing Air India? Instead it's lingering on political decisions to infuse more public money into an already bankrupt business. The government must now understand that the disastrous failure of Air India stems from the flawed decisions taken by the ministry in the past. No political decision however looks benevolent is driven by vested interests, and the Civil Aviation ministry is no different either. Irrespective of politicians who have held this ministry in the past, their primary objective has been to cultivate a hand-and-glove rule to embezzle public money through various financial decisions.

Now the big question is that whether Air India can survive the losses for eternity? Perhaps, few years down the line, if the prevailing situation doesn't improve, the government would be forced to shut down the state carrier. So, it's better the ministry should come out with a privatization policy. There are well-documented business cases in airline industry across the globe as how bankrupted national carriers have been privatized and transformed into highly profitable ventures. A case in point is the Germany's national carrier German Airlines. In the 90s this German carrier was in a severe financial mess. However, the German government's decision to privatize it at right time worked wonder. And the Lufthansa's telling story is just another compelling example for transformation of morbid Air India.

So, what's more important at this point in time is to reach at a political consensus to turn around Air India through privatization route. Rather debating on the prestige issue of bleeding Maharaja and spoon feeding it through various financial supports, the ministry must think rational and arrive at a logical conclusion. Privatize it.

Satyamev Jayate: A Newfangled Social Movement

Every television audience was in a state of boundless suspense till the most expected debut TV program by Aamir Khan went air on Sunday (May 6) at 11 am on Star Plus. And I was equally hinged to my conviction that the program would be an out-of-the-box creation, not because Aamir Khan during his entire career in Hindi film industry has proved to be Mr Perfect, but often he has convinced to public that he is not just an entertainer, rather he is the epitome of social movements at a time when the citizens of this country have lost faith in our system, be it political, bureaucratic, or judicial. Aamir Khan just proved it right. Absolutely right. The program was worth watching for every genre of audience across social hierarchies.

Many would question the format of this program for its semblance with reality TV. But it was an altogether different breed of program that Indian TV viewers got to experience it first time with a different expectation. I wish all the viewers would at least internalize that difference. Started with a quite moving emotional anecdote by touching upon the role of mother in everyone's life and then building up the synchronized viewers' empathy, Aamir logically came down to brass-tacks – the sordid state of female foeticide across the country.

Although everyday we come across with myriads of reports on female foeticide in newspapers and television programs, what's different here in this program was the story-telling by Aamir along with glaring evidences from a panel of victims who certainly were not only from the lower strata of our society, which is often misconceived by majority of people, rather an eye-opening case was there from an elite family living in the capital of this country. Remember, the victim who's a doctor and married to a doctor as well and lives with a family of educationists ranging teachers and professors, essayed her story with great poignancy. Unbelievable. Under the hood of elitism and false tradition, how these hypocrites are engaged in such heinous crimes without fear for the consequences.

What's more startling was that when a Delhi-based doctor revealed that how the government in 70s started sex determination test in typically government hospitals as a measure to check the growing population of this country - the most abhorrent fact that any citizen of this country would like to assimilate. And that was a hard fact indeed. The program that was started under the auspice of government patronage eventually multiplied its tentacles and now the sex determination test is a Rs 1000 crore plus industry in India. The politicians and government machinery in tandem have been beguiling us for many decades and still we hardly have time to introspect.

The nexus was even deeper and devastating. When two journalists, who carried out sting operations on “female foeticide and integral role of doctors” across many districts in Rajastan, exposed the dirty kinship between government and judiciary, the trust of public in a democratic system could have touched the nadir. In the recent past we have observed the fashionable judicial activism in selective cases; however, when it comes to an endemic social issue, the same loaded activism loses its steam.

I wish the viewers of this program couldn't have expected more than what Aamir reiterated at the end - the magic wand. When the Prime Minister of this country helplessly cries that there is no magic wand to check corruption, on a very distinct and compelling note Aamir accentuated, yes there is a magic wand, and it's we the citizens of this country. Only we can bring in the desired changes in this country by participating in such movements. A great thought indeed. Kudos Aamir. Hope you equally overwhelm us in the coming episodes.

NCTC Imbroglio

The growing hiatus between non-Congress chief ministers and the Centre on the NCTC issues conspicuously reflects the underbelly of federal structure enshrined in the Constitution of India. The sad part is that despite clarifications from Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram on the role of NCTC as a nodal agency for counter terrorism, the chief ministers have consciously agreed to disagree on the operational points of this new framework. Touted as a draconian enactment by the Centre to encroach upon State powers, many chief ministers like Naveen Patnaik, Mamata Banerjee, Nitish Kumar, J Jayalalitha, and Narendra Modi have raised their concerns that this will act as an autocratic body with boundless powers to supplant state authority on law and orders issues. Now the moot question is whether it's a valid concern over Centre-State relations or a well thought-out collective strategy by non-Congress chief ministers to buckle down UPA by playing the federalism card. Nevertheless, the politics from policy making in India can't be ruled out.

Now come down to brass-tacks. Whether the states can singularly handle modern-day terrorism issues without support from Centre is the big question. The growing instances of terrorist attacks in India including Maoist problems unambiguously suggest that the states are extremely vulnerable to these fringe groups within and from outside the borders of Indian territory. Dealing them with kid gloves as states think is just laughable and a matter of extreme impracticability. The recent incidents like taking hostage of Italian tourists in Odisha and abduction of Alex P Menon, district collector of Sukma (in Chhattisgarh) unfold the menace of Maoist violence in states. What these states have done? Simply, the state administration has surrendered to the demands of Maoists. How long the innocent civilians of this country would pay price for the afflicted state governance?

If the states are so equipped with power to handle these grave issues, then why do they send SOS message to Centre during crisis? Federalism is one issue and handling terrorism with iron fist is another. A zero tolerance policy is only the need of the hour. Despite all political differences the chief ministers must understand that the state police are nowhere close to the desired capability to handle serious security issues like terrorism. Without sufficient and actionable intelligence the state police can't even trace out terrorists, forget about bringing them into justice. So, what's urgently required now a broad consensus among states and the Centre to form a nodal agency like NCTC and work cohesively to act tough against terrorism.  

Race for the President

Amidst all kinds of hypes and hoopla for the race of next President of India, many names those are doing rounds in political consultations among various parties maybe a deliberate part of a larger facade that UPA has conscientiously floated in public to obfuscate the real winner for this race, which anyway Sonia Gandhi, the President of UPA, will unfold it as a last minute surprise. Whether the media is consciously meditating over any viable name, be it Pranab Mukherjee or Hamid Ansari, the Congress party will certainly repeat it tricks as it did cunningly last time.

With growing factions among NDA allies, the BJP has already lost its golden chance to gather unanimous consensus for giving another opportunity to our ex-President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam when SP was even eager to support an apolitical person like Dr Kalam. It's now obvious that NDA has hardly any major role to play in this Presidential election other than supporting the candidate to be finalized by the Congress party towards the end of this month. Till then all types of media hypes around this will only buttress UPA's secret plan.

Well, as Sonia Gandhi has already started consultations with leaders of UPA's major allies, it seems she is garnering absolute consensus on her decisions, not on the candidatures for the poll. And the interesting part of this consultation process is that once the magic mark is achieved and decisions of various regional party leaders are converged to a potent winning strategy, Ms Gandhi will pull out the final pigeon from her sleeve.

The chances are that neither Pranab Mukherjee nor Hamid Ansari would be the final choice of Sonia Gandhi. They are just the decoy candidates. So, who is that luckiest one? It's a million dollar question. Given the current political situations, Pranab Mukherjee is the most sought-after politician in UPA who's not only an astute trouble-shooter, but also he is equally bankable in all seasons.

Remember, Pranab Mukherjee has some higher aspirations in politics and that's only possible before 2014 general elections. How is that feasible then when Dr Manmohan Singh has held the highest position? So it won't be very surprising that when Sonia Gandhi would ask Dr Manmohan Singh to move to the Rashtrapati Bhawan and bless Pranab Mukherjee with the dream job of his life. And both these decisions of Sonia Gandhi will act as a game changer for UPA's success in 2014 elections. Till then all are speculations.

News Sense

Of late the erudite editors of Indian media houses have lost their intellectual sparkle. Sourcing, selection, prioritization, and publication or broadcasting of news items are now a matter of marketing gimmick rather than an editorial prerogative. Every morning when one looks at the front page of any newspaper, the obvious perception that pierces into ones mind is that today's editors are more concerned about sensational local news than a far-reaching story which has a national prevalence. And the same problem prevails with 24x7 news channels. The concept of breaking news is another design to trap gullible eyeballs. Circulation or TRP is more important than the content. In the rat race to become the numero uno in own domain is the new adrenaline rush that has afflicted the media proprietors.

Why the erstwhile editorial mettle has eventually reduced to a predominant “yes boss” culture in Indian media? Before economic liberalization, editors were more powerful than the collective political forces. In the eighties, it was a cliché that if there is someone in India who's the second most powerful person after the prime minister of India is the editor of Times of India, but that perception was strongly diluted in the nineties when the proprietor of that media house asked the then editor to bend a little, the editor vehemently started crawling. And that's certainly a turning point in the history of Indian media when proprietors encroached upon the sanctity of editorial decision making process.

The advent of a corporate culture in media became another anathema for editors. The conflict started slowly but certainly snowballing. The marketing and business honchos in media who in all probability were bedecked with an MBA degree from the premier management institutes of India or abroad started playing the role of demi-god. And it was quite rational for the proprietors of media to rely on those managers coterie because they were the brain behind multiplying revenue. Then the ethics and social responsibility of media took a back seat. And this culture proliferated across the board - if a news has no business sense, then it's certainly no news.

The business culture in media was so overwhelming that many bright editors left their old organization to start new media ventures with a promise that they will ensure an editor-driven organization, but it was all a tempest in a tea cup, short-lived, and improbable. Because the venture capitalists who invested in those media houses were thorough businessmen. For them profits were more important than a self-aggrandized editorial policy. The same editors who once thought leaving the old organization, where business guys took a prominence, and then starting their own venture being partnered with other guys who in their sense were editorially sensitive could be an innovative idea, were bugged by their own flawed logic. After all, businessmen are businessmen and profit is their primary motive. Who does care a fig for news sense?     

Age of Consent

What could be more hypocritical than denying the fact that the growing rate of adolescent sex among Indian teens over last two decades has been well documented in Indian media and other social agencies and then passing a Victorian bill to increase “age of consent” in order to create more confusion around decriminalization of sex among youngsters. The septuagenarian law makers of India are far from the social reality. If the bill on new “age of consent” passed by Union Cabinet last week is anything to be believed, then digest this: a boy of 17 having a consensual sex with her girlfriend of same age could be punished under “rape charges” of IPC because moving on the legal “age of consent” would be 18.

When most of progressive democracies across the world believe in the fact that 16 is the right age for consensual sex, the old, orthodox parliamentarians of India think completely otherwise. Where are we heading? Do our parliamentarians really understand the current social dynamics?

In a country like India, making antediluvian laws is another craze among law makers. When the rest of the world think progressively and live in the present, then why our leaders are so passionate about moving back to Victorian age? Either our leaders are too imbecilic to perceive the changing social attitudes towards sex or they are blatantly inhuman to criminalize teen sex.

With growing liberal attitudes towards sex across Western countries and to decriminalize LGBT sexual activities, the most advanced nations have revisited the statutory “age of consent” and most of them have reduced that magic age than increasing it. For example, in UK, Canada, Belgium, Holland, Norway, and some states of the USA, the age of consent is 16, and in Denmark, Greece, and Sweden, it's 15. And the most interesting fact that in Italy, the motherland of our UPA chairperson Ms Sonia Gandhi, the age of consent is 14.

What's more pathetic in Indian context that our law makers still refuse to acknowledge the glaring fact that teenagers not only explore or casually experiment, but also do really have sex and even sometimes do more than the adults do. Rather than imposing upon a moralistic or ethical view on sex and defining archaic, draconian laws, our law makers would try to read the current social reality and debug their purulent mindset before passing any law.