My family joins me in wishing you and your near and dear ones an eventful, colourful, satisfying and happy
2006.Sudhir
THE ROAD NOT TAKEN Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.Robert Frost
Onward to 2006 I quote this poem by Robert Frost, almost copying my good friend Shailesh's email for 2006, because it set me to think on similar lines. I got the whole poem from the website to read it fully and share it with you.
Did I take the road less traveled by is what I asked myself and has it made any difference?
Friends, I went through so far, until a few years back, on the road much traveled by. Non the less I think I pruned the shrubs and bushes and removed the thorns along the way that many don't but did not plant any trees that created jobs; that road was as challenging and exciting as it could get, until I came to another spot where I saw two roads that diverged in a wood .... and this time I took the one less traveled by.
This second journey has been quite interesting and compelling too and on the whole quite satisfying, though perhaps at the cost of giving apprehensions to my near and dear ones about my sanity! Despite this, I have had their love, affection and support and I must express my appreciation of that.
I know that there is plenty of ground to be covered by me and inshah allah, it will be done in good faith, health and least worries. I have learnt that every effort makes a difference. I try to leave no stone unturned.
So far I have been learning about and following efforts of Shailesh and other friends who have been ceaselessly and passionately working towards Citizen's Empowerment in India. I think it is time for me to get on board through the instrument of Right to Information and make some more difference.
As the year 2006 dawns, I have decided to ensure that no calendar month goes by without my using the Citizen empowering Instrument of RTI. My passionate foray into Anti Noise Pollution activism, Affordable Public Transportation and other Urban Issues can give me at least 12 questions to be asked in a year under RTI. What that will lead me into, I know not but that it may enable the system to improve a little bit is exciting enough for my decision to take the less trodden path.
My first passion has been engineering and that will take its rightful place as India's economy gets on its up turn. It is as important to me to be part of that process as those on the less trodden paths. I do see 2006 as continuation of all that I have been doing with the addition of using RTI to make a difference.
I am sure you would find something around you that is not working and ask why? or perhaps ceased to ask why! I would suggest you do not leave it at that and to yourself - ask the question to the right people through Right to Information and make India's democratic process a working and vibrant one.
Please join
National Campaign for People's Right To Information - NCPRIhttp://righttoinformation.org --
Warm RegardsSudhir Badami
+91 98216 85072
Email ID: badami@vsnl.com, badami@iitbombay.org, sudhirbadami@gmail.com
Gilbert Buildings, 1 Babulnath 2nd Cross Lane, Mumbai 400 007Visit http://personal.vsnl.com/aspirations for information on NOISE pollution.
Be aware that Noise is Health Hazard, not just nuisance.