सिपाही हूँ , ऐ ज़िन्दगी

सिपाही हूँ , ऐ ज़िन्दगी
ये खेल तुम्ही से सीखा हूँ

हथियार नहीं फेंकूँगा ,आखरी साँस तक लड़ूंगा
तुम तो खेल के परिणाम से अवगत हो
मेरा तो विश्वास और साहस का पुकार है

तुम कल को देख सकते हो, परख सकते हो
मेरे कदम फिर भी नहीं लड़खड़ायेंगे
ये मेहनत बोल रहा है , हिम्मत बोल रहा हैं
लगाओ अपना सारा दम मुझे हराने में ।
धर्म राज ,शकुनि , शिखण्डी
अपनाओ चाहे किसी कीं भी कूटनीति
कृष्ण के कर्म सिद्धांतों को मानता हूँ
वाकिफ हूँ तुम्हारे हर दाव  पेच से
तैयार हूँ ,चलो खेलो अपना अगला चाल
Dedicated to Indian Air Force

blossom ahead of others !

People will try to crush you
humiliate you
gang up against you
poke you, irritate you
Create situations to obstruct your path
Subvert your opportunities of visibility
Will project themselves as taller than you.
most of the times
this is done by the people around you
but none of this should stop you
from shining bright,
not the lobby, not the unholy nexus
not the thorns, not the tall branches
If you believe in yourself
and if you spend time in
empowering your inner and outer self
my friend, your turn shall come
when you too will shine bright like this rose
blossom ahead of others !

 

तुम्हारे साथ ज़िंदगी चाहती हूँ

हाथो में लखीर बनके

तुम्हारी तक़दीर बनके

नींद में सपना बनके

दिल की धड़कन बनके



सांसो में खुश्बू बनके

तुमहरी सोच बनके

आँखों में चैन बनके

घम में आँसू बनके

अरमान बनके , ख्वाहिश बनके

एहसास बनके, उमीद बनके

रूह में समा जाना चाहती हूँ
तुम्हारे अंदर जीना चाहते हूँ
तुममे झलकना चाहती हूँ

अपने लिए एक पहचान चाहती हूँ

तुम्हारे साथ ज़िंदगी चाहती हूँ

जब ठंडी हवा बदन से चुके गुज़र रही है

तुम टोपी पहन के सुबह सुबह बगीचा में बैठ के
सिसकी लेते हुए चाय पीते मुझे ही याद कर रहे होंगे
वो जो तुम्हारे मुँह से सफ़ेददुआं निकल रहा है
नरमी से मुझसे लिपट के कहता हैं , मई हूं तुम्हारे साथ

मानो ऐसे , जैसे हमारे बीच ये सात समुन्दर की दूरी हैं ही नहीं


तुम्हारे टोपी के नीचे जो बिखरे हुए बाल हैं
शायद हर सुबह मेरा इंतजार करते होंगे
मेरी उंगलियों की आदत सी जो हो गयी हैं उन्हें
जल्द लौटा दो मुझे मेरे वो पल


 हर सुबह अखबार पड़ने से पहले
तुम्हारी चश्मा  छुपाती थी
और बहुत दूर जा कड़ी होती
ताकि तुम बार बार मेरा नाम लो
तुम्हारी पुकार सुन सुन के
आहिस्ता आहिस्ता जिंदगी से मोहब्बत सा हो गया हैं
मेरे वो दिन लौटा दो प्लीज
 


गरम पानी मेरी बोतल में भर के,
मेरा सारा सामान मुझसे पहले मेरी गाडी में पोहोचते थे
इतना प्यार शायद किसीने कि सीसे नहीं किया हो
ये एहसास बार बार दिलाते थे

साथ में सब्ज़ी काटना चौंकना, मेज़ सासजाना ,
आखरी रोटी के २ टुकड़े करके खाना
कितने मस्त थे हम साथ साथ


एक आइसक्रीम का
चाकलेट हिस्सा मेरा, वैनिला तुम्हारी
जन्नत सा लगता था
अब तो फ्रिज भरी पड़ी हैं चोकोबर से मगर वो स्वाद ही न रहा


कब आएं गे फिर वो दिन,
कब हम दोनों सुबह और शाम एक साथ देखेंगे
मेरी wine और तुम्हारी चाय
तुम्हारी whiskey और मेरी coffee
क्या यूँ ही स्काइप  पे चियर्स करते रहेंगे ?
जल्द लौट आना प्लीज

कई अरमान सजाये हैं मैं ने
तुम्हारे लौट आने पे ये करेंगे वो करेंगे
ऐसा करेंगे वैसा करेंगे
हर आहट पे ऐसा लगता हैं

जैसे तुम आने ही वाले हो
बस आ ही गए हो

अब भी  जब ठंडी हवा बदन से चुके गुज़र रही है
न जाने क्यों ऐसे लग रहा है जैसेतुम्हारा दाहिना-हाथ पीछे से मेरे कंधे को दबाते हुए दिलासा दे रहा हैं
मै जल्द आ रहा हूं,  बस थोड़ा और इंतजार करो,  मई जल्द आ रहा हूं

WHY TOASTMASTERS !

My decision to join the toastmaster’s program was based on and influenced by the first-hand account and experiences of a friend. My main agenda was to retire my fear of being on stage and try to invest into my (at best) modest diction, vocabulary and confidence, and collect upon them later.

If the summary of my experiences of the past few months were to be to weighed against that of my expectations, I would say the scale is balanced, and that I have found or learnt everything that I had hoped or wished for.I have gained and yet have lost nothing. 

Akin to a sculptor, chiselling and chipping away at unnecessary rock and stone, revealing the beautiful curves and contours of the hidden statue inside, the sessions and classes of the toastmaster have bought out the confidence in me. It has peeled back the layers of fright and dread covering and shadowing my ability to be loud and clear in front of the crowd. To speak with clarity, and not mumble. To be loud, yet not brash. And to present with charisma, and not falter.

Toastmasters has shown me that one need not possess a creative streak or the skill it takes to be an orator nor be born with an aptitude for the language. These are skills that one can hone. That you can learn through practice and repetition. And I can say with pride I have done so. Never have I ever commanded such control and grip over vocabulary and deeper understanding of the rules and intricacies of grammar.

In Toastmasters, I have found a fraternity sans discrimination. It is a safe space where I see that I can stumble fall and fail, and yet be received back with open arms and encouragement. I have found a college of scholars with an unparalleled cumulative encyclopaedia and an arena with a caucus so fierce to put the halls of Rome to shame. And I am proud to find myself a party and privy to their discussions and debates and to learn and teach more than I ever could.

I want to continue being a toastmaster for a lifetime, being a Hindu by faith, I believe in life after life, making the accumulation of knowledge a continuous process, and a skill learnt will never be forgotten or lost even if the life in one body form comes to an end. It is a blessing that I got introduced to toastmasters the least in the ’40s of my life. I discover a new me every Friday morning, surprising my yesterday’s self which stares at me in unbelievable amusement, that my knees don’t wobble anymore when I hold a mike to address a gathering.

 This is going to be a remarkable journey, a journey of transformation, of evolution, of discovering and rediscovering the multiple shades of a beautiful, confident person lurking inside me.

I am a proud yet humble Toastmaster.

Sangeeta Reddy (0657-2139)

AVATAR  toastmasters club (7521449)

Area 3, Division J.

District 41.

pm speech after scrapping article 370, on 8th august 2019

Whenever the prime minister decides to address the nation, netizens come up with funny memes and images.
Today was no different, the jokes and caricatures came in as a sigh of relief from the anxiety we suffered while eagerly waiting for his address to the nation.
Though his speech was a little repetitive and jingoistic, it undoubtedly made an impact.
He repeatedly spoke about the rights of the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, started the speech by invoking the sacrifice made by Shri Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.
In his words ……………….
The country and people were taking things for granted, they have even given up discussing scrapping of 370 and 35a, they stopped believing that change is possible and impossible can be done. He explained that There was on one available to explain the benefits of article370, all it did in past 70 years is help Pakistan in instigating violence in India which led to the death of 42500 innocent people.
He congratulated people on starting this new chapter where people of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh will have equal rights and responsibilities like any other Indian.
The progress which never happened, the rights which were upheld will now be delivered, he took it as his responsibility to safeguard the future of every citizen of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
No government will make rules which will work against the good of nation, debates and discussions inside and outside the parliament is an ongoing healthy continuous process.
Not everyone will have the same view or opinion on any issue, it is normal to have different ideologies but what matters is once a decision is taken, we all should take it forward and concentrate and contribute in implementing it harmoniously, every citizen of the nation should take part in it.
He spoke for daughters and sisters of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh encouraging them to come and make their society a progressive one.
Elsewhere in India Dalits are protected by st, sc acts, minorities are protected under the minorities act, minimum wages act guarantees minimum wages, there is a reservation system for the underprivileged but no such facilities were extended to Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakhi’s for all these years because of article 370 and 35a.
Under the new system, the centre will prioritize on extending all the benefits which central government employees receive like LT, HRA, education allowance, health schemes to the existing workforce of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
A large part of his speech focused on motivating the Jammu & Kashmir police with perks and good words.
Gave an assurance to fill all the vacancies in govt jobs, provide more employment opportunities for local youth in the public sector, private sector, army, paramilitary etc.
Other benefits like Pradhan Mantri scholarship scheme to encourage students to study.
All central government facilities will be extended as Jammu & Kashmir would now be directly under the central rule, good governance, ease of living, new work culture, accountability and answerability.
New institutions like IIM’s, AIIMS, irrigation and power projects, airports, good road transport and a strong effective anti-corruption bureau will be created.
He spoke in favour of voting rights for migrants from East Pakistan, whereas they enjoy these rights elsewhere in India.
He ensured that the people of Jammu & Kashmir can choose their MLA’S, cabinet and ministers and the chief minister like before. The only change is they will be under the supervision of Delhi, which is good for the people and their progress.
If all goes well Jammu & Kashmir WILL BE REINSTATED AS STATE WHEREAS Ladakh will remain a UT forever.
In the recent past panchayat, elections were conducted systematically and the elected representatives have been in direct touch with him since the governor’s rule was established, he often met them and many times at his home to address local issues like electrification of every home and to make their areas open defecation free.
Now after abolishing art. 370 these panchayat leaders will get an opportunity to work in the new system more effectively.
The focus should be on putting an end to Decades of dynasty rule and give the local youth a chance to take up new emerging leadership roles. The dynasts took the weaknesses of earlier governments for granted and assumed themselves to be immune to any intervention.
He focused on converting the crown of India into the world’s largest tourist destination highlighting the Kesar, shawls, and apples of Kashmir, organic products and herbal medicines of Ladakh, urged the members of Bollywood, Telegu and Tamil film industry to come forward and shoot their films in the valley.
Requested the business leaders to Build studios, theatres, IT companies to focus on bringing in the digital technology and science and technology to Jammu & Kashmir’s mainstream
After becoming UT, the progress of people of Ladakh is the responsibility of the central government, with the help of Leh Ladakh hill council, the development work can be taken to every home
Ladakh can become the biggest centre of solar power generation along with being an attractive spiritual and eco-tourism destination.
The local talent will be used without any discrimination on the path to progress.
Only a handful of people who want to disturb the place will encourage terrorists and radicalism backed by Pakistan, but the rest of India will stand by Jammu & Kashmir helping them in integrating with the rest of India.
I reassure you that normalcy will be restored in the very near future, congratulations and best wishes on achieving this and seeing this day.
Government is also ensuring that Eid will be celebrated in a peaceful environment, special arrangements will be made to bring home those living outside the state.
He expressed his heartfelt thanks and indebtedness to my army jawans, state employees and Jammu & Kashmir police for managing the ground situation in stressful times.
Jammu & Kashmir is our crown and to protect it many brave citizens like Shri Maulvi Gulamuddin, Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, Mohammad Usman, Rokshana Kausar, constable Aurangzeb fought for it. Government honoured all of them with various bravery awards and the list of such brave citizens who laid down their lives in the line of duty is unending.
This decision is taken only to help Jammu & Kashmir walk in the path of economic development
The Prime Minister requested every citizen to show to the world that together we can build a new Jammu & Kashmir, together we must build a new brave India.
_____________________________________________
My understanding :
I can personally step into the shoes of a Kashmiri and feel their pain right now, but if I were you dear brothers and sisters maybe I would have given this change a chance to bring in peace prosperity and progress to the region. There is no harm in trusting the expressed noble intent.
Keeping our ego’s and differences aside let us work for harmony in the region, for god's sake let us not allow agents of death to create a rift among-st us in the name of our creator.
We are too small to fight a battle for our Lord and in the process facilitate the killing of innocents on both sides.
Dear Prime Minister if you really want to go down as a brave man in history then this is your opportunity to oversee a smooth transition from the old structure to the new one.
Dear fellow Indians stop mocking, stop celebrating this is no triumph, the real success lies in hand-holding and walking fellow Kashmir’s into Indian mainstream.
Let us be unitedly diverse and diversely united, this is our strength and beware of the enemy who is sitting at an arm’s length, waiting to destroy us and our love for each other.

तुम लौट आना

तुम लौट आना 

जो यादें दिल में कैद हैं

वो पिगल रहे है , ओझल हो रहे है  

पिगलके मुझे किश्तों में ज़िन्दगी दे रहे  है 

इन  साँसों को बरकररा रखने 

नई  यादें बनाने आजाना 

कुछ लम्हों को अमर करने  आजाना 

मेरी यादें तुम्हारी राह देख रही हैं 

मेरी साँसे तुम्हारी राह देख रही है 

ढलता हुआ सूरज मेरी और देखके 

इशारों में कहता है, कल सुबह उसे लेके आऊंगा 

चाँद बादलों के बीचमें से झांकते हुए
 मेरे ऊपर रात बर नज़र रखता हैं 

हर सुबह पंछी खिड़की पे बैठके

मेरे कमरे में  तुम्हे ढूंढ़ता है 

मेघ गरजते है बरसते है
 मेरे सात सात रोते हैं

बिस्तर की सिलवटे भी तुम्हारी राह देख रही है 

 इस दिल को संभालने , समजाने आजाना 

 हम सब के लिए एक बार आजाना 

नई  यादें बनाने आजाना 

तुम्हारी राह देख रही हूँ 

जल्दी लौट आना