A Father To Be Proud Of

"He was one of the most… enchanting orators I had ever met. He could deliver for hours on topics that swayed from "Cryogenic Engines" to "Rods from the Gods" to "AFMSF-10". He had a piece of "Gen" for everyone and his BC (Baatcheet) had enough substance to be made notes of. His logical reasoning, maturity of decision & clarity of thought could've put many grey-haired prodigies to shame. Sqn Ldr Ritin Jain ('Baba' as his friends called him) was a rare friend, a trustworthy pilot and above all humane. Baba’s death left many of us shocked and helplessly agitated.”

-Words by Sqn Ldr S Bokil in the Aerospace Safety Magazine.

Indian Women Are Capable Of Leading The Society In The Right Direction"

“ Recent violence in Mangalore and other parts of the country, on name of safekeeping of virtue of Indian Society, set me thinking on what is the right character of an ideal society. Is it where the mind is without fear and the head is held high or is it where the world is broken up into tiny fragments by narrow mindedness, intolerance and violence. It is where we have equal rights and opportunities for all or is it a society which is marred by regression and draconian chauvinism that is perpetrated by likes of Sri Ram Senne and Taliban, who perhaps have only one image of a woman in society; barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen!

Good Morning Respected Judges, teachers, my fellow students and very worthy opponents. The Topic of today’s debate is “Indian Women Capable of Leading the Society in the Right Direction.” And I stand before you to speak in favor of the topic.

There are innumerable examples of Indian woman from past as well as present; who stand testimony to the fact that Indian woman is not only capable of leading the society, but also leading it into the right direction.

Devi Sita of Ramayana displayed righteousness in face of perhaps the strongest possible adversary in the history.

Razia Sultan inspired and led her society and nation into the finest period of Pre Mughal Era.

Indian National Congress, the backbone of Indian freedom struggle was pioneered by the likes of Anne Beasant.

Indira Gandhi led the country through Green Revolution as well as victory in 1971 Indo-Pak War.

Kiran Bedi and Indira Nooyee are examples of Indian woman’s leadership in their respective fields and capability of breaking the glass ceiling.

The list is long and the time is not. All of these have not only led the society but also led it into the right direction.

The words “right direction” has a major connotation here as there are examples of other leaders like Hitler, Idi-Ammin and Changez Khan, who have perhaps led their societies, but where?? Is well known. The trait of being able to lead the society and that too specifically in the right direction is a trait which comes naturally to an Indian Woman.

For those worthy opponents, sitting across the stage, I would like to explain how.

An ideal society, which we would all agree, would be the one that is free of pain. One that is progressive, tolerant and free of greed.

To lead a society towards this goal, the leader should himself rather herself understand and feel the pain. The leader should have compassion, tolerance and very importantly, the right sense of the often misused word “Maryada”.

Each of the qualities required by the leader is personified by the Indian Woman. She is strong like Indira Gandhi, compassionate like Mother Teresa, free of greed like Sonia Gandhi and as full of “Maryada” as the mother of each one of us present here.

The Indian Woman is strong like Rani Lakshmibai and Kalpana Chawla and her intelligence is seen every year in the result of class 10^th and 12^th board examinations, where girls top the pass percentage.

Respected judges, through you, I would like to pose a question to my very worthy opponents. Are Sonia Gandhi, Renuka Chaudhary, Sushma Swaraj, Pratibha Patil Jayalalitha and many others, lesser leaders, as compared to their male counterparts? Why, why should leadership be restricted by caste, creed, religion or gender and not my merit alone? The arguments of my opponents echo the sentiments, of fanatics, of so-called moral police.

The ban on education of women by Taliban and curtailing of their social freedom by like of Bajrang Dal is the typical reaction of a male-dominated, narrow minded, regressive and violence prone society that we would have if women are not part of leadership.

To conclude, I have a plea to make, let us lead our society to “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high. Where women are emancipated and share the burden as well as privileges. A happier, safer and more peaceful society. The choice is ours to make.”

Thank You

– Debate written by Late Sqn Ldr Ritin Jain for his daughter Mayurika a.k.a Pakhi Jain. In Memory of my beloved Father.