Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:
Why were so many dharnas, agitations and public movements required to build Assam and the North East? Find it out for yourself by reading the book. The voluminous text under the guise of Assam covers the political history of undivided Assam, more precisely the northeast. It covers the period between 1947 and 1971. I would fancy calling this treatise the Political History of the North East as it was only after the independence that Assam was divided into various smaller states in the decades to follow.
But let’s stop here for a moment to ponder if such narrations (Political History) are conducive and should be written. Well, they are useful, provided, they capture the untold story of the state from reliable sources. Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam, deserves praise for approving this.
The uniqueness of the title is that it stems from the archives of the state and the central government, the public sector, libraries, newspapers, columns, books by citizens, and recorded statements of political and social heads who squarely construct the narrative. It is not a politically driven narrative but a neutral one based on facts. The archive records put the ruling dispensation of those times, especially the government of India, in poor light.
The title enumerates the linguistic and ethnic fissures of the North East after independence. It tells the gory story of the partition of India on the eastern border and the scheming role of the Muslim League in dividing her. The leaders of the Muslim League allowed Muslims from East Pakistan to enter India and live here only to build a sizeable Muslim population and dwarf the local population of Hindus, the effects of which are still visible. It also reveals the names of certain Indian Muslim leaders of that era who were close to Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
The editor appears dispassionate in his job because of which the narration enjoys that flush of impartiality. Eminent people from all walks of life have contributed munificently in bringing this spine to light. The book is divided into eight chapters, which are further divided into sub-chapters. This does not include the customary chapters. The catchy foreword is by the honourable Chief Minister of Assam.
A striking point that repeatedly comes up chapter after chapter is how the Congress government of Assam had to entreat the government of India for projects and issues relevant to the North East. To succinctly put it, Assam and the North East required many agitations, protests, and strikes to progress. No state, region or country is complete without the panorama of its history and mythology. The book does well to cover that. As a border region, the northeast had to face many invasions and wars described well in the pages one after another. The Tea industry has been the mainstay of Assam. The chapter is a real eye-opener when it comes to tea. The book is a comprehensive assortment of institutions, movements, local heroes and the all-time great personalities of India. It has some explosive chapters too. For example, did Nehru for the sake of the vote bank tamper with the ethnic and demographic tapestry of Assam and the northeast? The answer lies embedded in the pages of the title.
Why were things not as easy for the North East as they were for the western borders of India? So many dharnas and agitation were required to build Assam. Assam unlike Punjab (both border states) which was close to the capital had tough logistics and credibility issues while tackling the government of India. The central leadership was perhaps not aware of the complexities of the region. For every small project, Assam had to confront the government of India.
The book does well in capturing the ancient history of the land. The sources of data collection are extensive. Northeast is a complete potpourri of cultures. There was bitterness and mistrust between the plains (Assam), the hills and the government. Language was always a sensitive issue. The people of the northeast had to continuously fight for their identity. This spoke of the complexity of the land where they belonged to. The curse of partition and its shady manoeuvres haunts Assam and the northeast even today. Northeast was subject to linguistic dissensions. Assam is a politically sensitive border state. There was a time when people called it a Cinderella State.
The narrative is a brilliant effort by the Government of Assam. Congratulations to the education minister and the editor too. The idea should be embraced by all Indian states to understand their current position and trace their origins.
Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety in content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause? The bank details are given below:
NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION
Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)
IFSC code: BKID0006805
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Kamlesh Tripathi’s Publications
GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE
(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US which include Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed at MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada; Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India; Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore).
ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY
(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; It is also available for reading in the Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)
AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES
(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity, which is the undying characteristic of Lucknow. The book was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, USA; Black Gold Cooperative Library Administration, Arroyo Grande, California; Berkeley Library, University of California).
REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD
(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2016).
TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN
(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his way through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February 2018 at Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
RHYTHM … in poems
(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day-to-day life. A few poems from the book have been published in Shillong Times, Bandra Times and Bhavan’s Journal. The book is available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
MIRAGE
(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available on Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)
AWADH ASSAM AND DALAI LAMA … The Kalachakra
(The story of the man who received His Holiness The Dalai Lama and his retinue in 1959 as a GOI representative when he fled Tibet in 1959. The book was launched on 21st November 2022 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama at Dharmshala. The title is archived in the library of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) Government of Tibet, Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) and the personal library of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The title is also archived in The Ohio Digital Library, USA. It was recently included in the digital library of the world-renowned company APPLE).
BHAVANS JOURNAL
Short stories, Book reviews and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: 1. Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; 2. Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; 3. Eagle versus Scholars June, 15 & 20, 2020; 4. Indica, 15.8.20; 5. The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; 6. Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. 7. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; 8. Happy Days, November 15, 2020; 9. The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15, 2020; 10. Power Vs Influence, January 31, 2021; 11. Three Refugees, March 15, 2021; 12. Rise and Fall of Ajatashatru, March 31, 2021; 13. Reformed Ruler, May 15, 2021; 14. A Lasting Name, May 31, 2021; 15. Are Animals Better Teachers? June 16, 2021; 16. Book Review: The Gram Swaraj, 1.7.21; 17. Right Age for Achievements, 15.7.21; 18. Big Things Have Small Beginnings, 15.8.21; 19. Where is Gangaridai?, 15.9.21; 20. Confront the Donkey Within You 30.9.21; 21. Know Your Strengths 15.10.21; 22. Poverty 15.11.21; 23. Top View 30.11.21; 24. The Bansuriwala 15.1.22; 25. Sale of Alaska 15.2.22; 26. The Dimasa Kingdom 28.2.22;27. Buried Treasure 15.4.22; 28. The Kingdom of Pragjyotisha 30.4.22; 29. Who is more useful? 15.5.22; 30. The White Swan from Lake Mansarovar 30.6.22; 31. Bhool Bhulayya 15.9.22; 32. Good Karma 30.9.22; 33. Good Name vs Bad Name 15.10.22; 34. Uttarapath—The Grand Trunk Road 1.12.22; 35. When Gods Get Angry 1.1.23; 36. Holinshed’s Chronicles 15.1.23; 37. Theogony 15.2.23; 38. Poem: Mother 14.5.23; 39. The Nag Mandir 30.6.23; 40. The Story of Garuda 30.7.23; 41. Janmabhoomi vs Karmabhoomi 31.8.23; 42. The Ghost Town of Kuldhara 15.9.23; 43. The Tale of Genji 15.10.23; 44. The Soul Connection 1.12.23; 45.Book review: Jungle Nama … a story of the Sundarban 16.3.24; 46. Book review: A Forgotten Chapter 16.5.24;
THE SHILLONG TIMES
ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: HAPPY NEW YEAR 8.1.23; 2. POEM: SPRING 12.3.23; 3. POEM: RIGHT AND WRONG 20.3.23; 4.THE GUSH OF EMOTION—WRITING, 26.3.23; 5. THE NAG MANDIR, 7.5.23; 6. POEM:MOTHER 7.5.23; 7. POEM: RAIN RAIN 9.7.23; 8. POEM:YOU COME ALONE YOUGO ALONE 6.8.23; 9. RAIN RAIN (SECOND TIME) 10.8.23; 10. POEM: GURU TEACHER 1.10.23; 11. POEM: AUTUMN … THE INTERIM HEAVEN 15.10.23; 12. POEM: HAPPY DIWALI 12.11.23; 13. OVERCOMING BLINDNESS: LEARN IT THE JOHN MILTON WAY 10.12.23; 14. THE HAPPY PRINCE AND THE HAPPY MAN’S SHIRT 31.12.23; 15. ANNUS MIRABILIS 2024 7.1.24; 16. GANDHI TO MAHATMA GANDHI- Incidents that Shaped Gandhi in South Africa 28.1.24; 17. POEM: TOGETHER BUT NOT MADE FOR EACH OTHER, 11.2.24; 18. THE BIRDS BEES AND THE SPIDERS OF NICHOLAS GUILDFORD AND JONATHAN SWIFT 25.2.24; 19. THE OVERCOATS OF NIKOLAI GOGOL AND RUSKIN BOND 10.3.24; 20. THE ETHNIC COLOURS OF HOLI 24.3.24; 21. A LESSON FROM DALAI LAMA, 21.4.24; 22. POEM: MORNING WALK 28.4.24; 23. TRIP TO RHINE FALLS, SWITZERLAND, 19.5.24; 24. POEM: HURT 2.6.24; 25. POEM: YOUR CONSCIENCE WAS MY SIGN ON 16.6.24; 26. THE EERIE WAYS OF TIME 7.7.24;
THE ASSAM TRIBUNE
ARTICLE: 1. THE MAGIC OF READING 11.12.23; 2. GANDHI TO MAHATMA 29.1.24; 3. GEOGRAPHY OF SOLITUDE 8.4.24; 4. A LESSON FROM DALAI LAMA, 22.4.24; 5. A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION, 29.4.24; 6. THE FOUR-LEGGED LIBRARY, 12.5.24; 7. AGE AND ACHIEVEMENT, 10.6.24; 8. READ … TO RISE ABOVE MEDIOCRITY, 1.7.24;
THE ARUNACHAL TIMES
POEM: 1. HOPE—IN THE ARC OF TWIGHT 2. SPRING 3.3.24; 3. POEM: THE MORNING WALK 10.3.24;
BANDRA TIMES, MUMBAI
ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: SPRING, 1.4.23; 2. POEM: MOTHER, 1.6.23; 3. POEM: RAIN RAIN, 1.8.23; 4. A LESSON FROM DALAI LAMA 1.6.24;
ARTICLES IN THE DIGITAL MAGAZINE ESAMSKRITI
29.12.2020: INDICA BY MEGASTHENES; 14.3.22: ABOUT THE DIMASA KINGDOM ASSAM; 10.12.22: GRAND TRUNK ROAD-UTTARAPATH; 5.10.23: THE GHOST TOWN OF KULDHARA NEAR JAISALMER;
(ALL THE ABOVE BOOK TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)
A linguistic Survey of India reveals there are 780 mother tongues in India. Out of which, 480 are spoken by tribal or adivasis concentrated in the north-east and central-east of India.
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Arunachal Pradesh has a population of 14 million, which is just about 7% of UP. Yet in Arunachal Pradesh, people speak in 66 tongues—one of India’s least-populated states is linguistically the most diverse.
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With more than 210 tongues, India’s northeast is the world’s most linguistically diverse place.
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The length of an average sentence in English has been reducing. According to a study, it came down from an average of 63 words in the 16th century to 22 words by the 19th century. One current estimate for sentence length is 14.3 words, a number that will no doubt go down even further, given the direction that technology is taking language to. Earlier in 1896 for the democratic nomination for the president, the average length of a sentence was 104 words, whereas, today politicians speak in sentences that are less than 20 words long.
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Overseas Indians having foreign passport remit on an average $70 billion, annually to India, which is approximately 3% of India’s GDP. Given India’s large twin deficits in the fiscal and current accounts, these remittances continue to be a vital bridge to India’s economic stability. (TOI 24.1.19).
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Almost one-third of India’s coastline was lost to soil erosion between 1990 and 2016, according to the National Centre for Coastal Research (TOI 24.1.19).
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The giant statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel known as the Statue of Unity was built at an astronomical cost of Rs 2,900 crores (TOI article by Ronojoy Sen dated 3.11.19).
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Sardar Patel was instrumental in getting the 560 odd princely states in 1947 to join the Indian Union. (TOI article by Ronojoy Sen dated 3.11.19).
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It was well known secret that Nehru and Gandhi had tense moments. In December 1947, Nehru and Patel traded letters on the handling of Kashmir and both threatened to resign. With Gandhi playing the arbiter. (TOI article by Ronojoy Sen dated 3.11.19).
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As many as 3447 people died in India due to fireworks and crackers in the decade of 2005-2014. This was way higher than the figure of 1,429, that the deadly dengue killed during the same period. (Dipankar Gupta’s article (Why do Indians live dangerously?) TOI 3.11.18.
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About 28 motor cycle and scooter riders died daily on Indian roads in 2016 because of not wearing helmets (Dipankar Gupta’s article (Why do Indians live dangerously?) TOI 3.11.18
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In the past four years or so, a total of 23,013 people were killed while trespassing railway tracks, alighting from running trains or falling off them.
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Another study points out that as many as 452 workers lost their lives between 2013 and 2016, because normal precautions were not taken. The fact is not just the illiterate poor who take unnecessary risks. About 15 motorists die every day for not putting on their seat belts.
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The 2004 National policy for Urban Street Vendors states, India has about 10 million street vendors. The numbers would have surely gone up by then.—TOI article 23.1.19 Arbind Singh, the national coordinator of National Association of Street Vendors of India (Nasvi)
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India is home to the highest number of TB patients globally—TOI article dated 23.1.19
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A third of central government employees are due to retire in the next 10 years. On an aggregate basis, government is ‘short staffed’ going by the number of employees it can have. At the start of 2014, there were 33 lakh employees as against the sanctioned strength of 40.5 lakh, which translates into a shortage of around 18%. The maximum gap is in the revenue department where over 45% jobs are vacant.
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The pay panel of India has estimated that the US federal government has 668 employees for every one lakh citizens, compared to 139 in India.
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The average size of homes now being built in the US (average family size 2.4 people) has touched 2,600 sq ft, an all time high, and twice the size of most other developed countries. In contrast to that an Indian family with a household strength of 4.8 persons cramps itself in a 504 sq ft. Indian NSS computed that 32% of Indian urban homes are 258 sq ft or less, which translates to 60 sq ft per person—the minimum specified for a US prison cell.
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India’s per-capita emission is among the lowest in the world (155th in ranking) a tenth of that of the United States, and a 4th of that of China.
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White house is a mansion and office–cum-residence that has 132 rooms and 35 bathrooms.
Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers that includes both children and adults and it has a huge variety in terms of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate for the cause. The bank details are given below:
NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION
Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)
IFSC code: BKID0006805
*
Our publications
GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE
(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 7 prestigious libraries of the US, including, Harvard University and Library of Congress. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in Libraries and archives of Canada and Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai)
ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY
(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi)
AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES
(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be its undying characteristic. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014)
REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD
(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)
TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN
(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his ways through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February, 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
RHYTHM … in poems
(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day to day life. The book is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
(ALL THE ABOVE TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)