Refraction

The Indian Constitution is a remarkable document that enshrines the values of democracy, equality and justice for all its citizens. It also recognizes the historical and social realities of India, where certain sections of the society have been oppressed and marginalized for centuries. Therefore, it provides various safeguards to ensure justice to the weaker segments of the society, especially the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and the Scheduled Tribes (STs), who have faced untouchability, discrimination and exploitation. One of the most important constitutional safeguards is Article 17, which abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice in any form. Untouchability is a social evil that denies human dignity and rights to a large section of people based on their birth in a particular caste. Article 17 makes untouchability a punishable offence and empowers the state to enact laws to prevent and eradicate it. Another constitutional safeguard is Article 46, which mandates the state to promote...

What do we want in our life? What are our needs? Most people will say, they want wealth, power, happiness, success, love, fame, security and freedom.  Of course, all these things are needed in our life. But there are other things too, which are highly valued but we often neglect them. interestingly most of these things are free of cost. for example air, you can not live without it. Hold your breath for a minute and you will experience how important it is. We don't value it because it is available in abundance. Just like air, there are so many gifts of nature available in abundance and we never appreciate it. We are slaves of our worldly desires - wealth, power, pleasure, comfort and fame. We spend almost all of our time seeking them with a feeling that having them will make us happy.  But unfortunately, no matter how much we get it, we will get used to it and will start demanding more. The greed takes over the needs. The most valuable things are free and there is no n...

We are living in an era, which has a backbone of the internet.  We cannot deny the fact that the internet has revolutionised the way we communicate. Two decades ago, no one would have thought that we will be able to see a person across the globe and will be able to communicate with him one on one. Today, it is possible. With a tap of a finger, you can make a video call from your mobile device. We share digital photographs on social networks and emails have replaced paper. Indeed, technology has changed our lives and it will continue to adorn our lives. In the year 2008, new idea sparkled on the internet. It is now popularly known as bitcoin. Bitcoin is a crypto-currency working on concepts of the blockchain. It became more popular in online transactions and has the potential to revolutionalise the international economy. The security offered in blockchain makes it uncompromisingly reliable. Nowadays, blockchain is the most secure way of conducting online...

Every country in the world has economic development as an important objective of its national policies. Increasing aspirations of the middle class is pushing development to the centre national discourse. This is now witnessed in elections in every part of the world including India. Each country adopts an economic model suitable as per its ideology and strengths. But one common factor in each development strategy is the importance of the ethical dimension. Economic growth must be inclusive, sustainable and achieved through transparent policies. Otherwise, people can turn against such strategies and it may become a curse. In historical context, a major push to economic growth came from the industrial revolution. The availability of the capital from commerce, useful scientific innovations and government support led to an industrial revolution in Europe in eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. But this was accompanied by extreme exploitation workers by factory owners. The workers had to ...

हर ख़ुशी है लोगों के दामन में, पर एक हंसी के लिए वक़्त नहीं। दिन रात दौड़ती दुनिया में, ज़िन्दगी के लिए ही वक़्त नहीं। माँ की लोरी का एहसास तो है, पर माँ को माँ कहने का वक़्त नहीं। सारे रिश्तों को तो हम मार चुके, अब उन्हें दफ़नाने का भी वक़्त नहीं। सारे नाम मोबाइल में हैं, पर दोस्ती के लिए वक़्त नहीं। गैरों की क्या बात करें, जब अपनों के लिए ही वक़्त नहीं। आँखों में है नींद बड़ी, पर सोने का वक़्त नहीं। दिल है ग़मों से भरा, पर रोने का भी वक़्त नहीं। पैसों की दौड़ में ऐसे दौड़े, की थकने का भी वक़्त नहीं। पराये एहसासों की क्या कद्र करें, जब अपने सपनो के लिए ही वक़्त नहीं। तू ही बता ऐ ज़िन्दगी, इस ज़िन्दगी का क्या होगा? की हर पल मरने वालों को, जीने के लिए भी वक़्त नहीं।

On a perfectly ordinary afternoon, when the wind was restless and the sky undecided between sun and cloud, a girl turned to her friend — a boy who was known for his curiosity and occasional impatience — and asked a peculiar question. “Would you do something for me?” she said, quite seriously. He straightened up, surprised. “Of course,” he replied without hesitation. “What is it?” She didn’t answer right away. She was the sort of person who chose her words with care. “I need you to complete four tasks,” she said eventually. “They’re simple. Repetitive, even. But you’ll do them at different times, and in different places. I’ll tell you when.” He raised an eyebrow. “What kind of tasks?” “You’ll need a bucket of water,” she said, as if that explained everything. “I’ll give you a map. Follow it. At the end of the path, you’ll find a tree. Your task is to water that tree. That’s all.” He stared at her, waiting for the real part to begin. But there was nothing more. No monster to fight, no tr...

I am haunted by the ghosts of my past, Who knows how long this torture with last. Demons taunt me at every turn, Wanting me to burn. My inner demons don’t let me go, They just enjoy the show. The show of my hell, Is like the ringing of bells. I can survive, Will remain alive. ‘You can’t escape,’ they said, I will come out ahead. I may be haunted, But these demons shall not taunt. Me anymore, This is what I allow for. I allow the pain, Because it will let me gain. I will find myself, And let the demons burn themselves.