Yes we can, seems to be the new mantra with Indian politicians. What works in the good ole US of A should also work in India, be it slogans or blogging. Age no bar, blog karo bar bar, is the new mantra. Please click here to read  my take on this:

Even those who have met Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC only once cherish their encounter with him and read whatever is written about him with great fondness. I received many calls, starting with one by Mrs Rama Sharma of Shimla early on Saturday morning, when my middle on him was published in The Tribune. His memories bring out positive vibes from a range of people, young and old, and I am glad to be the scribe whose writing helped bring them out. Please click here to read my reminiscences of interaction with this great man

The imposing four storeyed Rashtrapati Bhavan has 340 rooms, but on this day in 2002, all eyes were fixed on the Ashoka Hall. It was originally built as the State Balroom and the assembled guests walked on the polished wooden floor. Many glanced at the ceiling with a painting in the leather that depicted a royal hunting expedition in the centre and scenes from court life in the corners. It is a dark painting, and because of leather being the canvas, even the white has become brownish. The Persian-style paining was commissioned by Lady Willington when her husband was the Viceroy of India.
Those seated under this imposing canopy included Vice-President Krishan Kant, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Home Minister L.K. Advani, Defence Minister George Fernandes, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, Air Chief Marshal Srinivasapuram Krishnaswamy and a large number of retired and service military officers.
The PBG buglers sounded the fanfare from the central vestibules. Everybody in the Ashoka Hall stood up. The President of India, Kocheril Raman Narayan, was escorted to the room by his aides-de-camp, dressed in the finery of their office. The band then played the National Anthem. The hall has seen many glittering events, but none as this one. On this day, the first-ever Marshal of the Indian Air Force was to be presented his baton by the President of India.
Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC, had been named for this rarest of rare honours on January 26. This was the investiture ceremony for him and it meant a lot to everybody present, even though it had taken a while for it to happen.
A tall, handsome Sardar, sporting a milky white beard, wearing an Air Force uniform with five stars on the lapel, medals gleaming on his chest, marched up to the President with a sure stride. He belied his years and stood straight before the Supreme Commander of the Indian armed forces.
In a departure from the customary investiture ceremony protocol, but in keeping with the importance of the occasion, the Defence Secretary, Mr Yogendra Narain, read the citation that concluded thus:
“His inspiring career, towering personality and distinguished reputation have endowed him with a unique stature in society and have earned him the respect of the nation. Even till date, he actively associates himself with various welfare activities of the Air Force as a father figure of the service, which he nurtured from its fledgling days.

“For his most outstanding and extraordinary service the nation the President of India is pleased to confer upon Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh the rank of Marshal of the Indian Air Force.”

The President acknowledged the salute of the veteran warrior. The baton was brought up on a velvet cushion. It was a magnificent creation that took the blue from the sky and had the glitter of gold gliding. The President handed the baton to Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC, who saluted him again.
The Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC, turned 90 on Wednesday, April 15, 2009. The nation salutes its only living 5-star general, whose dignity, philanthropy and upright moral conduct make him an exemplar.

Good politician is not an oxymoron, though many Indians, indeed most of the world, treats what our political leaders say with a pinch of salt. Much has been written about Captain Kanwaljit Singh, who died in a car accident recently. He was a gentleman who rose above being a mere politician and the outpouring of grief and respect that he received after his death reflects well on someone who has spent a lifetime in public service.
The ninth death anniversary of Jasdev Singh Sandhu is an occasion to remember a multifaceted man who was a political leader of yore, and an old family friend. One of Giani Kartar Singh’s most able lieutenants, Jasdev Singh Sandhu held various positions. A well-read man, he was a storehouse of information and I benefited many a time from the information that he carried in his head. His son, TPS Sandhu and daughter-in-law, Anoopinder Kaur Sandhu, run educational institutions named after him. Please click here to read an article that I wrote about that gentleman politician.

A Norton Online Living Report says that more Indians fall in love on the Net than people from other countries. Now, I must confess that I have been in love with the Net ever since it came in the public domain, and it is fabulous to see the evolution of this medium, but a reality check is always in order and the last time I checked, pheromones and electrons lived in different worlds. In any case, I have developed healthy degree of skepticism about so-called scientific reports, which you may understand if you click here