The Agni, a Missile and a Woman!

Inside the four walls or out, women are more commonly victimized and also abused, specially verbally and emotionally, although sometimes even physically as well. Status is not a matter; all are bonded to a same chord. Be it Poor or middle class or a rich and powerful like Orpha Winfrey, all have a story to tell. However, in every darkness there is light, it is heartwarming to see some of these women are gone make it large, they simply can be called as path breaker. My tribute to the one and only Tessy Thomas, the missile woman.

Agni – V

The successful test launch of the missile is a major leap forward for India in the area of military technology and military deterrent capability, making it the fifth country in the world to possess such a technology.

Agni-5, with a range of over 5,000 km, is a three-stage, all solid fuel powered, 17-metre tall missile with capability to carry various forms of payload. It can be launched from land-based mobile platform and has the capability of hitting multiple targets.

In 19 April 2012 at 8.07 am, the Agni V was successfully test-fired by DRDO from Wheeler Island off the coast of Orissa.

Tessy Thomas

Having broken through glass ceilings in various professions, women in the country now have another reason to celebrate as one from amongst them is set to head a key missile project. The Government has announced the path-breaking appointment of 45-year-old defence scientist, Dr. Tessy Thomas, one of around 200 women scientists and technicians working for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), as project director of the upgraded version of the 2000 km intermediate range nuclear capable ballistic missile, Agni-II.

Dr. Thomas is currently associate project director of the 3,000 km range Agni-III missile project.

Tessy Thomas  is from Alappuzha, Kerala. She  was born to a small-businessman and mother was a homemaker. She did her engineering  graduation  from Government Engineering College, Thrissur. She grew up near a rocket launching station and says her fascination with rockets and missiles began then. She also has an M.Tech in Guided Missile from the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune. She was named after Mother Teresa, the late Nobel laureate.

She is married to Saroj Kumar, now a commodore in the Indian Navy and they have a son, Tejas  an engineering student who shares his name with India's indigenously developed light combat aircraft, also made by the DRDO. In a glowing tribute in 2008, The Indian Woman Scientists Association did not forget to mention that "like most women Tessy Thomas also does a tight-rope walk between home and career, between being a mother and a scientist who is dedicated to her job. "We feel Tessy Thomas serves as a role model and an inspiration for women scientists to achieve their dreams and have their feet planted in both worlds successfully," the group said.

Thomas, was also part of the team that was involved in the post-test analysis of the failed firing of the first Agni-III missile. She said there were some shortcomings in the missile which were overcome resulting in a smooth flawless test.

!!!A 5000+ range missile and a bunch of  Weaker Sex, Fairer one whatever you call them, it is reality.!!!

Vanished into Thin Air!

Journey of existence never pass through a straight path, predicting the upcoming is impossible. However, we spent heaps of time on planning our prospect but a few lucky one survived through to see the full quota of their plan virtually executed.  Predicting the forthcoming is impractical. Some out there must be joking when they believe or predict the future. Some people who became non existence but may exists. Leaving no trail behind but left bags of question mark. Mysterious disappearance is something that left behind a big question mark. If going through such database, amazed to see how thousand of peoples vanished without leaving any trail and hand of law never found them. Some of these peoples were commoner and most probably were slayed or dead without any trail but some are not so. History is peppered with intriguing tales of people who, for all intents and purposes, inexplicably vanish from the face of the earth without a trace.

Harold Holt- Former Australian PM

Harold Holt, the Prime Minister of Australia, one Sunday morning in December of 1967 when the Prime Minister went for a swim and was never seen again. Of course, a massive hunt was undertaken, but despite one of the largest search-and-rescue operations ever mounted in Australia, his body was never found. Stories of that he had been kidnapped by a Chinese submarine, or that he had been abducted by a UFO. Most likely, however, the 59-year-old Prime Minister—not in the best of health at the time anyway—was simply swept away at a beach notorious for its strong and dangerous rip currents and the rest is, as they say, history.

Pednekar Family

Thirty four-year-old Jagdish Pednekar belonged to a family of traditional gold jewellers. On 31^st December, 1998, when the city was busy with New Year’s Eve celebrations. However, for Dadar resident Jagdish Pednekar owner of Pednekar Jewellers at Sihvaji Park, it was time to pack his bags and set off on a vacation. His 21 year-old wife Urmila and five-year-old daughter Shweta were looking forward to their holiday in Mahabaleshwar. The Pednekars left for Mahabaleshwar in their Ceilo car on December 31. That was the last time their relatives and friend saw them.

A few days later, the police in Mahad found the car in the ravines near Mahabaleshwar. It had tumbled down a 350-foot slop. Surprisingly, when the police inspected the car from close quarters,  they found no blood stains.  Moreover, the doors of the car were locked. There was no trace of either the occupants or their belongings. Where had the Pednekars disappeared? Had they been kidnapped, or did Jagdish Pednekar pull off a vanishing trick? Because Mr. Pednekar is believed to have paid only two installments for the car. Another theory doing the rounds was that he owed money to the extent of Rs. 20 lakhs to about 150 persons. The questions remain unanswered for years or over decade after the incident took place.

Monsingh or Mohan Singh or Whosoever?

In 1987, among many I also read to the advertisement. It was given by a person named Monsingh and mentioned that he was from CBI.  The advertisement invited applications from youngsters in their early twenties for the post of Intelligence officers. The venue for the interview was a five-star hotel in south Mumbai where he had booked a plush room. From the 100 candidates whom he interviewed through the day, 28 persons were recruited as 'junior CBI officers'.  As part of the training program, the officers were informed, they would have to take part in a 'mock raid'. The new recruits were taken in a luxury bus to Chani Road from to prestigious Tribhuvandas Zaveri showroom is situated. The show- room was equipped with closed- circuit cameras and a video monitor. Claiming to be a CBI officer, Monsingh rushed into the shop around 2.30 p.m. and flashed a partly printed, partly handwritten search warrant. His next step was to ask the shop owner to switch off the TV cameras and the video monitor. The imposter went around picking up gold and diamond ornaments at random and stuffing them into polythene bags, which had small slips containing the government seal on them.

While his 28 junior officers searched for incriminating documents, Monsingh lugged the black bag containing ornaments and cash to the luxury bus, Instructing his subordinates to keep a vigil on the shop's staff and excusing himself "to check another scandal nearby", Monsingh zoomed away in the bus along with the booty.

After four anxious hours, both the shop owners and the junior officers realized that they had been cheated. Policemen found on! That Monsingh had already checked out of the hotel in the morning. The driver of the luxury bus said that the conman was dropped behind the hotel. Eyewitness accounts revealed that Monsingh was in his early forties, dark-complexioned, with a thick moustache. He spoke good English with an unmistakable south Indian accent. Twenty-Five years have passed and he is still at large.

Both incidents happened in Mumbai while I was in Mumbai, decades passed but my curiosity still intact.

!!!Thin or Thick Air, but these peoples never traced or seen??????????!!!

Coup d’etat!

A brilliantly executed stratagem or  a triumph, also described as a highly successful, unexpected stroke, act or move. Also can be defined as a clever action or accomplishment. That was what a coup meant for. However, coups are not so glorifying act, most of the cases it is benefiting a handful power greed men specially those in uniform. The coups, mostly ends with lots of bloodshed. My beloved country, India is the largest democratic country and second largest populated one, no Indian will ever dream of a military coup, specially in this wonderful land. However, from out of blue there was a speculation about it. All speculations are based on the news that, on 16^th  January night without notifying the government the infantry unit of the 33rd Armoured Division based 150 kilometres from Delhi and a unit of the airborne 50 Para brigade based in Agra to the south, reached the outskirts of Delhi before being ordered back. According to the Indian Express newspaper report, this movement raised alarms in the capital. However, Indian defense ministry and the army quickly denied the report. The Indian army and defense ministry said the units were engaged in routine exercises to test mobility in fog and did not need to warn the government in advance. Coup in India? It seems like a third degree joke.

coups are very common in the Muslim countries, countries those practice communism, East African and South American countries.  Bagladesh, Pakistan, Argentina have experienced several such incidents. Look back to a few that taken place since last 50 years.

Bangladesh

There were several coups since hard fought freedom in 1971. On 15 August 1975 a coup was organized by officers of Bangladesh Army. They were led by Major Syed Faruqe Rahman and Major Rashid. The coup resulted in the assassination of the country's president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his entire family (daughters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana escaped as they were in Germany) and several ministers and leaders of the Awami League. The government set up by Major Faruque, Major Rashid and Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad was overthrown in another coup on 3 November 1975. Ziaur Rahman survived as many as 21 coups during his five years until succumbing to the 22nd one.

Pakistan

Since its independence in 1947, Pakistan  has spent several decades under military rule and there have also been numerous unsuccessful attempts since 1949. Operation Fair Play was the code-name for the coup d'etat conducted at midnight on July 4, 1977 by the Pakistani military led by army chief Gen. Zia-ul-Haq against the government of then-Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. In October, 1999 senior officers loyal to army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf arrested prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his ministers after thwarting the Sharif regime's attempt to dismiss Musharraf and prevent his plane from landing in Pakistan as he returned from a visit to Sri Lanka.

Even there was speculation about a attempted coup in Nepal around May, 2009.  Most of the cases the coup leaders ends terms ends with an another coup or same  like Ziaur Rahman, Zia-ul-Haq and don’t forget Saddam Hussein.

Till date, Army, in India is very respected and untouchable but if ever such situation arrived then the handful men uniform have to fight a billion plus people, impossible task.

!!!Lucky, born in a democratic country and will fight against all odds to live as one!!!

Ordinary Life, Extra-Ordinary Tales!

What is an ordinary life? Little hectic, often boring, lots of struggling and mostly moving through a analogous pattern, it is very much like a merry-go-round. However, with conscious effort we can come out from this boring pattern and it is not difficult for us to spice up the life by giving different meaning or venturing to a new world. However, it is indeed a difficult task to upgrade a ordinary life to an extra-ordinary one. The tales of two human, and their extra-ordinary life.

Chirs & Rachel Rohrlach

In the documentary ‘A Good Man’, Indian-Australian filmmaker Safina Uberoi follows the Chris's family and I followed her to bring this incredible tales of an extra-ordinary man.

Fourteen years ago, Rachel suffered a stroke just a day after she and her new boyfriend Chris had told their parents she was having a baby. Rachel was then just 21. Although Rachel was in a coma for many months, the baby survived. Rachel recovered consciousness as a quadriplegic. Her son was born while she was in a coma. Against all medical and family advice, Chris took both the baby and Rachel home. He went on to marry her and has never left her side. Matter of fact apart from the teen aged boy Rachel had then, they gone to have another child.

Chris, an Australian farmer strapped by years of drought and raising their teenage son and the addition of a new baby proved to be a great financial burden, so Chris and two friends came up with the controversial solution to build and manage a brothel. He comes up with a bizarre solution to their financial woes. Rachel approves and together they work towards making it happen. Although brothels are legal in Australia, there is still huge local opposition to their plans. Chris triumphs against all odds and manages to open the brothel.  Chris just worked harder, while managing the farm by day, running the brothel by night, and shuttling his beloved wife between the two locations. Despite Rachel's quadriplegia, the drought they could take such joy in each other and their children.

William Kamkwamba

The extraordinary true story of a Malawian teenager who transformed his village by building electric windmills out of junk. Self-taught William Kamkwamba has been feted by climate change campaigners like Al Gore and business leaders the world over. His against-all-odds achievements are all the more remarkable considering he was forced to quit school aged 14 because his family could no longer afford the  fees. Mr Kamkwamba, who is now 22 years old, knocked together a turbine from spare bicycle parts, a tractor fan blade and an old shock absorber, and fashioned blades from plastic pipes, flattened by being held over a fire.

The finished product - a 5-m (16-ft) tall blue-gum-tree wood tower, light bulbs and a circuit breaker, made from nails and magnets off an old stereo speaker, and a light switch cobbled together from bicycle spokes and flip-flop rubber. He upgraded his original windmill to 48-volts and anchored it in concrete after its wooden base was chewed away by termites.

Then he built a new windmill, dubbed the Green Machine, which turned a water pump to irrigate his family's field. The home-grown hero aims to finish bringing power, not just to the rest of his village, but to all Malawians, only 2% of whom have electricity.

!!!Nothing is miserable unless we wanted to live in it.!!!