Shashi Tharoor and Dark Era of Inglorious Empire

Speech at Oxford Union:



Looking Back at the British Raj in India: The University of Edinburgh



Exclusive Interview By Karan Thapar On His Book 'An Era Of Darkness'





About British Colonialism In India In His New Book 'An Era Of Darkness'

The Black Prince 

is a 2017 international historical drama film directed by Kavi Raz and featuring the acting debut of Satinder Sartaaj. It tells the story of Duleep Singh, the last Maharajah of the Sikh Empire and the Punjab area, and his relationship with Queen Victoria.

The story revolves around the young prince as he attempts both to regain his throne and reconcile himself with the two cultures of his Indian birth and British education. (Wikipedia)

Victoria & Abdul 

is a 2017 British biographical drama film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Lee Hall. The film is based on the book of same name by Shrabani Basu, about the real-life relationship between Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her Indian Muslim servant Abdul Karim. It stars Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Michael Gambon, Eddie Izzard, Tim Pigott-Smith and Adeel Akhtar.

The postcolonial critique of the film

The arguments presented by Shashi Tharoor are based in real research and facts. They are not concocted from hearsay talks or tea-stall gossips.

Listen to Dr. Shidhanshu Trivedi. Even though he is doctorate degree holder in Mechanical Engineering, all his arguments are based on hearsay talks and not based on hard facts. This speech is one of the best example of misplaced postcolonial argument. One should be proud of one's cultural identity. However, our perception of our culture shall be based on real life lived experience. The difference in Shashi Tharoor's highly academic post colonial argument and that of Dr. Shidhanshu Trivedi's fake rhetorics is very clear.

The popular resistance of post colonial subject results in reply words, like tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing.

Points to ponder:

• Write on key arguments in Shashi Tharoor's book - An Era of Darkness.
• Write critique on both the films with reference to postcolonial insights.
• Summarise Ngugi Wa Thiongo's views in 'Introduction: Towards the Universal Language of Struggle' - from 'Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature'.  

Teachers Day 2018

Teacher's Day 2018

On 5th September, 2018, Home School / Ghar Shala Sanstha organised an evening talk  with the teachers of the group of schools. In this speech the speaker talks about the difference between academic guru and spiritual guru; Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the scholar teacher and plagiarism & Knighthood controversies; and role and significance of teachers in the era of Google Guru and Artificial Intelligence.

The Letter

 

The School Management offered this meaningful thanks-giving letter to all the teachers of the school:

Thank You Teachers..

Since Its inception in 1939,the Gharshala Sanstha has been nurturing students in its uniquely “GHAR” like environment. It happens only because this school gets teachers the way teachers should be.

Today happens to be “Teachers' Day”. Dr. Radhakrishan, the first vice presedent of India and the second president of India, happned to be a school teacher and his birthday is celebrated as  “Teacher’s Day”. It’s wonderful compliment to the teachers of the nation that our president was actually a school teacher.

In the Indian culture, we have always recognized a teacher as a very important part of one’s life to the extent we said: “ Acharya Devo Bhava” which means a teacher is like god.

In the making of an individual human being, or in the making of a society, or a nation or even in  the making of a world at large, a teacher has a significant role. In the process of enhancing abilities and developing interest in a particular subject-definitely a teacher has a big role. For many children, which teacher is teaching what subject determines whether they love that subject or hate it. The subject gets identified with that person. If the teacher is inspiring enough then the subject suddenly becomes interesting.

In current times  people tend to think that the significance of a teacher has come down, because everything that a teacher can say, the internet can say too. No, the significance of a teacher has gone up manifold. Now that the burden of delivering information is taken away, a teacher’s  job becomes mainly to inspire and enhance a student as a human being- which has always been the main task.

 

When you work with children who are that part of humanity which is still in the making, what you make of them is in your hands. It is one of the greatest  responsibilities and privileges that a human being can have: to actually shape another life is a tremendous privilege. So, when such a privilege is being vested in somebody’s hands, it’s very important that the highest calibre of minds, the highest integrity and inspiration goes into that.

Seeking  learning with love is the most innate longing with every student.

And Teacher has the ability to respond to this innate urge.

Happy Teaching.

Happy Teacher’s Day.

Thank You.

Photos of the Day: