The Lalit Blog

Lalit Shastri Early one morning, just as I was about to leave for my walk, a car pulled up at my front gate. It wasn’t the time for visitors, but as I approached, I recognized a friend from the Industry Department. After exchanging greetings, I led him into the drawing room, where he wasted no time in getting to the point. The early morning visitor informed me that his boss, XYZ, had been in New Delhi for several days, awaiting his appointment as CMD of Air India. The PMO had cleared his appointment, but the Civil Aviation Minister was sitting on the file, delaying the process. He explained that a senior journalist, known for covering the aviation sector, was also a close confidant of the Minister. That day, the Minister was scheduled to address a press conference, and if the journalist could raise the issue, it might put enough pressure to expedite the appointment. "What do you expect me to do?" I asked. He urged me to contact the journalist and request him to intervene. Rig...

 Lalit Shastri Congress diehards clinging precariously to the party, that’s going down a never-ending slide at a fast pace election after election and its leadership that couldn’t be more unpopular are trying every trick possible to build a tilted narrative to somehow revive their party’s shattered image and prospects without realizing that the majority of the Indian population is now too wary of the Congress leadership and their sectarian and communal politics. The latest in terms of a narrative from the Congress side is the futile bid to touch a chord with  the opinion makers across India by using Noam Chomsky as an intellectual and author of “How the World Works” to criticise the media at large using Chomsky to give a call for heightened media literacy and vigilance.   The thought being thats being forward very subtly through the social media is that breaking free of constraints requires expanding the spectrum of acceptable thought, questioning entrenched assumptions, ...

The author is on extreme left. Second from left is Nawabzada Nasir Mirza, who left for the heavenly abode on 3rd Dec. 2014.  He was the youngest Prince of Bhopal State and grandson of erstwhile Nawab of Bhopal H.H. Sir Hamidullah Khan and son of Nawabzadi Qamar-i-Taj Dulhan Rabia Sultan Begum Sahiba, the youngest daughter of H.H. Sir Hamidullah Khan (1916–2001) and Late Agha Mohammad Nadir.  I still vividly remember the warmth and kindness of Nawabzada Nasir Mirza, my dear friend who left us for his heavenly abode on December 3, 2014. He was a man of noble lineage and an even nobler spirit, the youngest Prince of Bhopal State and the grandson of the illustrious Nawab of Bhopal, H.H. Sir Hamidullah Khan. His mother, Nawabzadi Qamar-i-Taj Dulhan Rabia Sultan Begum Sahiba, was the youngest daughter of Sir Hamidullah Khan. Rabia Sultan Nasir carried forward the legacy of his family with quiet dignity. His mother’s eldest sister, Abida Sultan, the heiress apparent to the title of...

Lalit Shastri As a global society, we must strive for peaceful coexistence and embrace the spirit of inclusivity. Our shared future depends on our collective responsibility to protect the environment, preserve wildlife, and safeguard the delicate balance of our ecosystems, including our rivers and forests. It is time we shun violence, extremism, and division in all its forms, fostering unity over discord. We envision a socio-economic order where equity, transparency, and accountability reign, ensuring that skill and merit are valued over privilege, exploitation and denial of equal opportunity to all due to the quota or reservation system. Also, corruption has no place in a society where every individual is dedicated to the common good, working for the advancement of humanity and securing a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come.  Together, we can build a world where compassion, justice with fairness, and progress guide our actions—creating a legacy that honors bo...

  “Whenever I give a lecture on Quantum Physics, I feel as if I am talking on Vedanta!” – Hans Peter Dürr. Lalit Shastri The above quote by  Peter Dürr prompted me to explore deep and draw a comparison or draw an analogy between Quantum Physics and Vedanta. The idea that "matter doesn't exist" in quantum physics can be confusing because it challenges our everyday understanding of reality. Here's a simplified explanation: Classical vs. Quantum View Classical Physics: In the everyday world, we see objects as solid and well-defined. A chair, for instance, is a solid object with a clear location and shape. This is the classical view of matter. Quantum Physics: At the smallest scales, the rules of the universe behave very differently. Instead of being solid and fixed, particles (like electrons, protons, etc.) exist in a state of probabilities. They don't have definite locations or state until they are observed or measured. Key Concepts 1. Wave-Particle Duality : In qu...

Lalit Shastri After four decades of relentless dedication to journalism, guided by a deep commitment to the larger cause of society, I have made the difficult decision to cease writing editorial pieces. The ideals of truth and justice I once upheld seem increasingly irrelevant in a society fractured along narrow caste and religious lines, where the masses are ever-willing to be swayed in any direction by those who exploit division for power.  Politicians have perfected the art of drawing strength from vote bank politics and divisive agendas, leaving society fractured and vulnerable. Matters are further entrenched by a reservation and quota regime woven into our Constitution with no end in sight—a system that perpetuates division rather than unity. Corruption has metastasized like a cancer, with politicians presiding over a pyramid of pliable bureaucrats whose spines have turned to rubber, bending in any direction to serve their political masters. The entire government machinery and...