Author: Makarand

Development Professional. A bit heretical. Wanderer. Wide range of interests.

To Kill A Democracy: India’s Passage to Despotism

For anyone who desires to live in a just world where accidents of birth don’t entirely determine one’s future, where there is rule of law, where all humans can live with dignity the first two decades of the 21st century, have been appalling. We are increasingly witnessing democracies degenerating into despotism. Debashish Roy Choudhury and John Keane explore how this is happening in India in their book “To Kill A Democracy: India’s Passage to Despotism”. This is my synopsis of the book. … Read More To Kill A Democracy: India’s Passage to Despotism

MakarandLeave a comment

The Anarchist Cookbook 

I decided to write this small post in order to do my little bit and spread the word about the book and what it talks about. May be some of you readers will be tempted to pick it up and give it a read with an open mind. A few of you may even choose to seek ways to contribute to making this country a better place for us and generations to come. This book will help us all learn on what best we can do and how. However, marginal the contribution, it is still a step in the right direction. … Read More The Anarchist Cookbook 

MakarandLeave a comment

Midnight’s Borders

Suchitra Vijayan wrote ‘Midnight’s Borders: A People’s History of Modern India’ after travelling over 10,000 miles along India’s borders over seven years. The book has stories of people living along India’s borders. Stories that show how countless lives can be destroyed by invisible lines on a map no one understands and that never existed a hundred years ago. Stories of how the tales we tell ourselves about who we are and the land we belong to come to govern what we think and do.
If you are an Indian citizen, I would urge you to pick up the book, read, and reflect. … Read More Midnight’s Borders

Makarand2 Comments

How Democracies Die

I present a synopsis of the book How Democracies Die. The authors argue that death does not come in a spectacular or sudden way, it comes stealthily, taking baby steps, and is often with the approval of the people who are most likely to be affected by it.

The book is bleak but essential to read. Only so that we know where we are and how we got there. No real and quick-fire solutions, I am afraid. It takes a long time to restore life in democracies that are dead or dying. … Read More How Democracies Die

Makarand1 Comment

Life imitates Art

There is magic, fantasy, and a healthy dose of satire. The film was made in 1980 and was meant to be exhibiting a dystopian world. Little did Ray know that what could happen could surpass the world that he could imagine. If you are able to, go watch the film. It is worth your while. It is possible that the country you call your own is actually Hirak Rajar Deshe! … Read More Life imitates Art

Makarand3 Comments

निर्भय स्वातंत्र्य (Fearless Freedom)

निर्भय स्वतंत्र्य (Fearless Freedom) ह्या कविता कृष्णनच्या अप्रतिम पुस्तकाचा हा सारांश आहे. मूळ पुस्तक इंग्रजीत आहे. ते सर्वांना वाचता येईलच असे नाहीं. पूर्ण पुस्तक वाचायला कदाचित वेळ नसेल, आवड नसेल. त्या सर्वांकरिता मी हे पुस्तक थोडक्यात मांडतो आहे. कारण सोप्पे आहे. महिलांच्या प्रश्नांचा आपण कसा विचार करतो, मुळात विचार करतो का, हे आपण स्वतःच तपासायला हवे. पुरुषांनी तर विचार करायलाच पाहिजे. महिलांनीही विचार करायला हरकत नाहीं; आपण सर्वच पितृसत्ताक पद्धतीत राहातो, त्याच पद्धतीतून निर्माण झालेल्या संकल्पना बाळगतो.

तुम्हाला जरका हा सारांश आवडला, आणि शक्य असेल तर पुस्तक जरूर वाचा. इतरांना वाचायला प्रोत्साहित करा. पुस्तकाच्या ह्या सारांशामुळे तुम्हाला वेगळ्या प्रकारे विचार करण्यासाठी खुराक मिळाला असेल अशी माझी आशा आहे.  पुस्तक ह्या सर्व बाबींमध्ये खोलवर जाते. जमल्यास अवश्य वाचा. इतरांना वाचण्यासाठी प्रोत्साहित करा. खासकरून पुरुषांना. महिलांना निर्भयी स्वातंत्र्य मिळण्यासाठी लढ्याची जरुरत आहे आणि त्या लढ्यात आपण सर्व सहभागी होऊ शकतो, किंबहुना आपण व्हायलाच पाहिजे.… Read More निर्भय स्वातंत्र्य (Fearless Freedom)

Makarand3 Comments