Bharat Rakshak

Session Five from the Multiversity International Conference on Decolonising Our Universities held in Penang, Malaysia, 27-29 June 2011 under the auspices of Universiti Sains Malaysia and Citizens International. The conference brought together scholars, activists, students and journalists from Asia, Africa, the Mideast and elsewhere to address the problem of Eurocentrism in the universities of the Global South and to explore alternatives and paths of resistance.

Chaired by Zainon Ahmad, Consulting Editor of The Sun newspaper in Malaysia, this opening session on the second day of the conference features three presentations on the theme of decolonizing math, science and law. The main speakers include:

C. K. Raju, Visiting Professor in the School of Mathematics at University Sains Malaysia, laying out a framework for 'Decolonising Math and Science Education.'

"Decolonising math and science education") is now online at

http://ckraju.net/press/2011/New-Sunday-Times-pH2.gif report and
http://ckraju.net/press/2011/New-Sunday-Times-pH1.gif (cover: making math easy)

The text version is at

http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/ISSU ... m/Article/

The printed version of the earlier 17 July report is also now also online

http://ckraju.net/press/2011/NST-17-July-2011-pH1.gif (cover: Re-imagining universities)
http://ckraju.net/press/2011/NST-17-July-2011-pH2.gif (Escaping from the clutches of colonisation)
http://ckraju.net/press/2011/NST-17-July-2011-pH3.gif (contd)


The text version is at
http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/ISSU ... n/Article/

The two key earlier reports in the Sun by Zainon Ahmad (1 July and 12 July) are at

http://ckraju.net/press/2011/the-Sun-1- ... rticle.gif

(text link: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/65758)

and

http://ckraju.net/press/2011/the-Sun-12 ... Zainon.gif

(text link: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/75912)

US Prez Barack Obama hasn't slept for a week, say aides. The rest of the world, too, is having nightmares about a possible US debt default

India's outgoing ambassador to the United States, Meera Shankar, was showered with praises as the US administration gave her a warm send off, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lauding her role in strengthening the partnership between the two countries.
"On behalf of the American people and the Obama Administration, I extend my best wishes to you as your celebrated tenure as the ambassador of India comes to an end," Clinton told her when she met the Ambassador last week.

In fact, the last week of Shankar's tenure was packed with a number of receptions hosted in her honour.

"I thank you for your service and remain deeply grateful to you for helping to strengthen the important partnership between our two countries," Clinton said at a State Department reception hosted in her honour.

Later, at a reception hosted by Shankar at her residence, Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman said Shankar was one of the most effective and influential diplomats.

"She was well-prepared, eloquent, at the same time reasonable as she pursued her country's interests," he said.

Under Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs, Robert Hormats, said Shankar had pursued the challenging task of representing India in the US, reaching out not only to the government, but also the Congress, the business community, think tanks and the media.

Shankar was also presented with a US flag in recognition of her achievements, along with a certificate sent by Congressman Ed Royce, the co-chair of the India Caucus in the House of Representatives.

The Indian community of the Greater Washington Area too hosted a reception for the ambassador where Robert Blake, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Bureau highlighted the immense contribution made by her in serving India's interests in Washington.

Is it routinue for Amir-khan to give such high powered send off to envoys of other countries?
Meera Shankar given warm send off in the US

One of the most uninspiring tenures in the entire history of the Indian Foreign Service mercifully ended on Sunday with Meera Shankar demitting office as India’s ambassador to the United States of America. It now falls upon Nirupama Rao, her successor, to sweep up the broken pieces left by Shankar’s painfully extended tenure in Washington and try to restore at least some of the camaraderie in Indo-US relations that melted away almost on a weekly basis from the day the outgoing ambassador presented her credentials to President Barack Obama on May 20, 2009.
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However, the imperatives of heading a mission as large as India’s embassy in Washington with four consulates demand that this will not be the incoming ambassador’s first task. Shankar was virtually not on talking terms with three of India’s four consuls-general in the US although, in principle, it was up to her to provide leadership and team spirit to these officers in order for India to holistically advance the country’s interests vis-à-vis the US.
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On occasion, despite Singh’s efforts, things did fall apart, as reported in the news pages of The Telegraph from time to time. Last September, the external affairs minister, S.M. Krishna, had to personally intervene and severely rap the ambassador on her knuckles for allowing the collapse of a fake university in the US, Tri-Valley, to develop into a political hot potato in India on account of the complete indifference of Shankar to the plight of Indian students who had been duped by this university.

Similarly, when allegations that India’s consul-general in New York, Prabhu Dayal, had slave-driven his maid exploded in India’s face in June and triggered a row with the US state department over the interpretation of the Vienna Convention that governs diplomatic and consular relations worldwide, Shankar remained completely indifferent to the swirling controversy. Krishna considered the developments to be serious enough to telephone Dayal from Myanmar where he was on a visit.
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Unfortunately, the new ambassador broke the ground rules of the carefully planned reception. It is common at events in Washington that senators come and go to functions while they are on so that they do not miss the roll call for voting in the chamber: which was one reason why the July 28 reception was held on the Capitol. But Shankar made a long, rambling speech at the reception which held senators hostage. They could not get up and leave in deference to both politeness and protocol while the ambassador was speaking ad nauseam and many senators missed their votes that day. Not once after that incident could she get American legislators in any significant number for any event during the rest of her tenure.
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The prime minister’s national security adviser promptly organized the dinner at the Dumpukht Restaurant at the ITC Maurya in New Delhi. Other than Narayanan’s wife and Emanuel, the only people invited for the meal were members of an Australian family with whom Emanuel was staying. Unfortunately, the then environment minister, Jairam Ramesh, who has his ear to the ground, picked up word about the top Obama official’s itinerary and spilled the beans at a meeting in the Prime Minister’s Office at which Shankar was present. She harangued Narayanan into inviting her for the private dinner, but Narayanan put firm conditions. Shankar should not open her mouth and certainly should not talk shop.

But Shankar not only violated the terms of the invitation, but also made a spectacle of herself by leaning over and talking to Emanuel all the time despite being deliberately seated as far away from the chief guest as physically possible, according to those present at the dinner. The effort by Narayanan and Emanuel to take their personal rapport forward for the benefit of Indo-US relations was a non-starter, at least that evening.
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Having covered the outgoing ambassador for 27 months, this writer has enough anecdotes of this kind not for one column, but for an entire book which could serve as a guide for students of diplomacy about what not to do in this profession. But for now, what matters is a sense of relief that India’s engagement with the Americans is set to improve with a change of guard at the embassy in Washington.
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CHANGE OF GUARD - India’s new ambassador to the US faces a tough challenge by K.P.Nayar

Shankar accepted the invitation without due diligence, then discovered that several paintings by the late M.F. Husain were part of the show. She then unceremoniously cried off and yet visited the exhibition unannounced.

An excellent piece on the reality in Syria unlike in India’s sold out and ignorant print media and trivia obsessed TV channels, who copy US corporate media. Many Indian diplomats, specially those who have served in US continue to promote US partisan interests at national cost, for some consideration or out of stupidity. No wonder, this encourages US officials to expect that Indians behave like indentured labour.

India and the US may never be allies

In an interview with an Indian website, Strobe Talbott, a former deputy secretary of state in the Clinton administration and now president of the conservative Brookings Institution, Washington DC, think tank, the kind which guided, cajoled Washington into wars into Afghanistan, Iraq and Iraq says ,

"And, by the way, one reason we may never be or not, in the foreseeable future, is because there is still a huge constituency in support of India's non-aligned status, despite the fact that I would say that non-alignment and the non-aligned movement is very much an artifact of the Cold War."

As if the Cold War for domination did ever stop, relentlessly pursued by Washington and its allies aka poodles and protectorates.

So has the cold war finished! If US can treat Russia like that than what to expect from spineless Indians, ever ready to love US presidents deeply and singing praises of British colonialism. These are signs of genetic mutation embedded in a colonised and enslaved mind.

So what Talbolt says is that if you are not with us you are against us. Be an ally like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen and others. Do not expect much change with those suffering from Washington Consensus Syndrome controlling Indian foreign policy. What can 79 year old Foreign Minister Krishna contribute. PM wants a dummy Foreign minister who pleases Washington and PMO surrounds itself for foreign policy advice those who kowtow to Washington.

The fact is that US and India’s strategic interests have rarely coincided fully and are unlikely, but Washington wants New Delhi to give in. US gifted defense grants and hardware to Pakistan, which has always been used against India and not China or USSR. Washington let Pakistan complete its nuke program. NPT was created primarily as an instrument against India. US gifted billions in 1980s and trained terror groups which now attack India at will. David Headley, an FBI double agent was complicit in 26/11 rampage in Mumbai. If India had a lawyer with courage and patriotism, a case could be filed in a Mumbai court charging FBI for complicity in 26/11 as a case has been filed against ISI in USA.

Let these supporters of Washington or trumpets state, when has Washington ever taken India’s interests into account. The nuclear energy deal? Has George Bush much else to show except disasters in his foreign policy. Did we get a clean waiver from NSG as claimed? Talbot and his ilk and his supporters in India wanted India to buy US fighter aircraft and be tied toWashington’s wishes regarding Indian security. India must sign nuclear liability bill! So what if there are Bhopal or Fukushima like catastrophes!

In the name of promoting 'democracy' murders and criminal acts are perpetrated daily and violation of international and human laws has become a second nature to US and its European poodles with help from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Freedom House and George Soros' Open Society Institute. The NED has four affiliate institutes: The International Republican Institute (IRI), the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), and the American Center for International Labor Solidarity (ACILS) among others.

Washington openly allots money in its budget for promoting rebellion, mayhem and even terror acts against governments, which do not surrender to US interests and dictates.

Many Indian diplomats, specially those who have served in US continue to promote US partisan interests at national cost, for some consideration or out of stupidity. No wonder, this encourages US officials to expect that Indians behave like indentured labour.

CHANGE OF GUARD - India’s new ambassador to the US faces a tough challenge by K.P.Nayar

One of the most uninspiring tenures in the entire history of the Indian Foreign Service mercifully ended on Sunday with Meera Shankar demitting office as India’s ambassador to the United States of America. It now falls upon Nirupama Rao, her successor, to sweep up the broken pieces left by Shankar’s painfully extended tenure in Washington and try to restore at least some of the camaraderie in Indo-US relations that melted away almost on a weekly basis from the day the outgoing ambassador presented her credentials to President Barack Obama on May 20, 2009.

From Lalit K Jha
Washington, Aug 2 (PTI) India''s outgoing ambassador to the US, Meera Shankar, was showered with praises as the US administration gave her a warm send off, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lauding her role in strengthening the partnership between the two countries.

Shankar presided over as India''s envoy in the US during a period when the bilateral relations were going through historic transformation.

"On behalf of the American people and the Obama Administration, I extend my best wishes to you as your celebrated tenure as the ambassador of India comes to an end," Clinton told her when she met the Ambassador last week.

In fact the last week of Shankar''s tenure was packed with a number of receptions hosted in her honour.

"I thank you for your service and remain deeply grateful to you for helping to strengthen the important partnership between our two countries," Clinton said at a State Department reception hosted in her honour.

Later, at a reception hosted by Shankar at her residence, Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman said Shankar was one of the most effective and influential diplomats.
"She was well-prepared, eloquent, at the same time reasonable as she pursued her country''s interests," he said.

Under Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs, Robert Hormats, said Shankar had pursued the challenging task of representing India in the US, reaching out not only to the government, but also the Congress, the business community, think tanks and the media.

"She travelled extensively across the United States and projected India even to those who had very little knowledge of the country and its achievements, in a very clear, positive and convincing manner," he said.

Why not India reconsider that $50B of US treasury bonds, and divert that entirely to Gold purchase? This should happen in an instance of time frame, unplanned and sudden... actually very late in the game.

Why not India reconsider that $50B of US treasury bonds, and divert that entirely to Gold purchase? This should happen in an instance of time frame, unplanned and sudden... actually very late in the game.

The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) Planning and International Cooperation Wing (PIC) has sent out a terse circular to defence officials emphasising that all contacts between foreign defence delegations and armed forces officials will have to be routed through the PIC wing in the MOD. Signed by Smita Nagaraj, joint secretary, PIC, the March 22 circular was sent with the approval of Defence Minister A.K. Antony. It was in response to a foreign delegation meeting a senior army officer without informing the MOD. It was another instance of a cautious defence minister raising the alarm on the armed forces meeting foreigners without his knowledge.

The Wikileaks cables paint a picture of the defence minister going slow on ties with the US. In one cable, Roemer fears that the "civilian leadership continues to differ on key foundational documents necessary to move the Indo-US military-to-military relationship closer. A 2009 cable from the US charge d'affaires in Delhi says that security co-operation objectives can be implemented only with the acquiescence of the civilian leadership, "which at times appears to be at odds with the services. Specific examples include Minister of Defense (sic) Antony's rejection of the multi-lateral Malabar exercises despite the Indian Navy's preference for them". A senior bureaucrat told India Today, "To put it bluntly, the services, especially the Navy, were sucking up to the Americans."


It was this divergence of opinion among the political class, bureaucracy and military that the US embassy officials seemed to noted with concern. A cable notes, "The defense relationship is on a strong growth curve despite a variety of frustrations. The Indian uniformed leadership of all three services-in particular the Navy-appreciate their improving ties with the US military, but bureaucratic inertia and recalcitrant officials in the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defense continue to complicate attempts to improve the partnership. Despite these challenges, military-to-military contacts continue to be a strong foundation of our strategic partnership."

Meera Shankar is a protege of KS and I wouldn't think she is so undiplomatic and negligent as protrayed.

Most likely she was a hands-off chief and allowed the consulates more freedom. Looks like they misused that freedom and went their bad ways with negative consequences.

Why we should quit bashing the US of A.

Eight Reasons to Quit Bashing America

A recent study from Pew Global Attitudes showed that 15 out of 22 nations believe that China has replaced, or will soon replace, the United States as the world's leading superpower.

Barring radical changes in India's governance and social responsibility and nationalism, India is a weak contender. She is mercilessly divided by anti national and anti Hindu (Hindus are 85% of the population) forces. Rampant corruption makes it incapable of asserting might to contest the US leadership.

Here are Eight reasons that US is still numero uno.


~ Debt Drama: We agree with recent comments of Mr. Buffet and recognize the political drama that is the underpinning of the hasty Standard & Poor's decision to downgrade the sovereign credit of the United States. The debt ceiling is an arbitrary number and most of the debt is to strongly pro-American companies and individuals.

~Manufacturing Might: America is still the world's leading manufacturer, with 22% of global manufacturing, focused primarily on advanced, capital intensive production.


~ Small Population, Big Productivity: Although the United States population is about one-fifth the size of China, the American economy is still three times bigger. And American manufacturing workers are eight times more productive than their Chinese counterparts.

~ Unparalleled Free Market Value: The market values of Exxon Mobil and Apple (the top 2 companies in Wall Street) alone are greater than the market value of the entire Shanghai stock market.

Moreover, America's multinationals are dominant, representing 47 of the world's 100 largest companies by market value. Meanwhile, 15 of China's 20 largest companies are state-owned and run.

~ Export Rich: America is the world's third-largest exporter (just behind China and Germany) and its upside potential is enormous. Only 2% of America's small- and medium-sized businesses export at all right now. And about two-thirds of our trade deficit is due to Chinese and energy imports.

~ Bountiful Agriculture: America remains the world's agricultural king, accounting for 20% of global trade. It has twice the arable land of China (which is 25% desert) and its farms are the most productive in the world.

By contrast, 60% of India's people are in agriculture, but the sector accounts for only 15% of GDP. Moreover, about 40% of India's crops spoil on the way to market, due to poor infrastructure.

~ Resource Rich: The United States boasts 28% of the world's coal reserves and Louisiana alone has four times the proven natural gas reserves of China.

The United States has twice the fresh water of China, while China's annual carbon emissions are already twice that of America.

~ Investment Capital Magnet: America is still the No. 1 destination for foreign direct investment. On a cumulative basis, it has four times that of the United Kingdom and six times that of China.

Could this be the real reason?

Embassy redacts Ambassador's Sonia “Christian” remark

http://www.hindu.com/2011/03/25/stories ... 401600.htm