Wars at Will

 It's becoming a pandemic, with world leaders the most susceptible.

Starting wars, I mean. Look around in the last few years. More than any other problem, Coronavirus excluded, it's the manmade ones that are endemic. 

The Russian and the American (and a couple of others) heads of state seem to think it's their playground. They can get up one fine morning and declare a war. Or Abduct Heads of State.

The U.N. watches helplessly. 

If China were to take over Taiwan, the same jokers would preach differently. Or if North Korea were to attack South Korea.

A democracy should probably have a referendum, like that for Brexit, when an offensive is to be launched. The laws must hold a Head of State guilty for a war that nobody in the country wants.

Uprisings in Bangla Desh and Nepal have underscored that unpopular governments or leaders can be unseated by popular will. Some day, it might happen in the bigger nations.

Aunt Turns 90 in April

 I have many maternal aunts, two of whom are surviving. The elder one, Manik Gokhale, will soon turn 90. She has been global in her outlook, like many of her sisters, and lived in Malta and Libya for some years. Has two daughters settled in Australia and Germany. Her son, my cousin, is in Pune, so we meet more often.

She is in the centre in this pic, while we were celebrating the 75th of my cousin, right, back to the camera. Other cousins (mine) are in the pic, and one cousin's husband.

Her 90th will be celebrated soon, in Pune where she lives.

Selfies - A Collection

 These are selfies taken at different times.. 

Pratishtha Batra, Neeti Ingole, Sohni Roy at IIM Indore Audi

Rimjhim, Dheeraj at the lake (Doddabommasandra) 

Garima and Ayan at our place, Pune

Vijayakumar, Dhanapal at Kodaikanal Golf course

Silky Shrivastava and Arun Bhattacharyya, Prestige University

Howrah Bridge

Debasmita and Shrabani, JISU Convocation 2026 Feb.

Abha and Sheetal Koyla restaurant.. Colaba

Prachi and Akansh, IIM Indore ground

Satirical Movies and Plays

 Peepli Live

Zed Plus

Jane Bhi Do Yaaro

Mirza Ghalib in New Delhi

Adrak ke Panje

Kishore Kumar with Shankar Jaikishan

 Zindagi ek safar hai suhana from Andaz, the most upbeat song about Life.. yodeling at its best.

Geet gaata hoon main, gungunaata hoon main.. from Lal Patthar, a serious film with some good songs.

Tum kitni khoobsurat ho.. from Jangal Mein Mangal.. a soft romantic number

More often, Shankar Jaikishan were know to team up with Mohhammad Rafi, and created  some great melodies in his voice for Shammi Kapoor in particular. 

Badan pe Sitare from Prince and Aji aisa mauka phir kahaan milega are two examples.

Where I Watched Which Films

 Maya Memsaab- at Sangeet, Secunderabad. Ek haseen nigaah ka dil pe saaya hai is a favourite song from this.

Anand, and later, Damaad, at Navrang, Jambagh, Hyderabad. 

Sholay in 70 mm, the first time, at Ramakrishna 70mm, Abids, Hyderabad.

Hathi Mere Sathi and Hare Rama Hare Krishna, in Bellampalli.

Painangal Mudivethilai, Tamil in a tapri theatre in Bannerghatta Road

Swapnakudu, Malayalam, in Calicut

Mungaru Male in a Bangalore theatre in Majestic area

Don at Tarakarama, Ramkote, Hyderabad.

Namak Halaal, at Maheshwari, Hyderabad.

Aulaad in a club in Andhra Pradesh. Jodi hamari jamega kaise jani was a nice song.

Salaakhen, in Chandrapur town, Maharashtra.

Robot, in Smruti theatre, Nagpur.

Katyar Kaaljat Ghusli, Marathi, in Nagpur.

Natasamrat, Marathi, in Victory theatre, Pune.

Mohra, in Venkatesa theatre.

Golf Courses I Played On

 The most exotic ones were around Pattaya, in Thailand, where I went with Golftripz in 2010. Laem Chabang was one of three we played, and a tough one. It was designed by Jack Nicklaus, I think. 

Where I learnt my Golf was actually a free (for us) Golf course in Harihar built by the Kirloskars. It was an 18 hole course with narrow fairways, so you had to hit straight. It also had a 3 par with a green surrounded by water, requiring a precise drop. 

Hyderabad Golf Association has a course around the Golconda Fort, very scenic. Also the Kodaikanal Golf Club, with winding fairways, and many ups and downs (apart from your game)-proud to have got a Hole in One there, in 2014. Also Wellington where I got a second one.

I also played at Ooty Gymkhana, ASC Bangalore, Air Force Golf Club at Nagpur, KGA and BGC at Bangalore, Madras Gymkhana, and a course in Kolar, near Bangalore.

Played with Yashad Gaur, Vijayakumar, Dhanapal, and Muthu in Bangalore, classmates in Chennai, and Gadgil, in Nagpur. Garima Shah and Aditi Gupta and Akshar also joined us in Nagpur, and so did Smita Dabholkar and Madhu Helchel.

I am planning to do one in Kolkata soon.. more on that later..