Larry Diamond event - 11/03/05

Internationally renowned scholar Larry Diamond will be speaking at the second Fall lecture of the New York Democracy Forum being organized by the New York City-based international affairs non-profit, Foreign Policy Association and the National Endowment for Democracy.
The title of the talk is: "Can the Whole World Become Democratic?"
Details can be found by clicking on Larry Diamond's picture on the upper right hand side of FPA's homepage.
Registration necessary!

Sreenath Srennnivasan gives his expert tips - for free!

My friend at WABC TV, Sree, is an expert in the media, as well as an instructor at the Columbia University School of Journalism. H'es giving some free classes soon, and if you visit his website, the details are all there.
Hope you can benefit!

Earthquake fundraiser and Halloween Party with DJ Rekha

For those of us who believe in having fun and supporting a worthy cause simultaneously, I sugest you check out DJ Rekha's awesome parties, one of which is coming up this Sunday, October 30th, 2005. Details are on her company's website.
I have never attended any of Sangament's events (her comapny's name is Sangament, short for Sangam Entertainment), but they are supposedly some of the best South Asian/desi parties in the tri-state area. Not to mention, Rekha herself is ranked as one of the most influential South Asians in the US by Newsweek magazine.
Enjoy!

Some quotations by Pakistani poet-philosopher Allama Iqbal

The quotations below are from a book called “Stray Reflections: A notebook of Allama Iqbal" that I havent been able to read in its entirety just because it gets a little too deep and philosophical at times. But a great read nonetheless.
Iqbal was largely responsible for "envisioning" and dreaming of Pakistan as an independent nation-state years before it gained independence from the British in 1947.
He passed away in 1938, leaving behind a strong legacy and is now remembered as the greatest "Pakistani" poet-philosopher.

• I have often played hide and seek with wisdom; she conceals herself always behind the rock of determination.

• “Think of the Devil and he is sure to appear”. This is equally true of God.

• Nations are born in the hearts of poets; they prosper and die in the hands of politicians.

• Recognize your limitations, estimate your potential, and your success in life is assured.

• Fanaticism is patriotism for religion; patriotism, fanaticism for country.

• The weak lose themselves in God. The strong discover Him in themselves.

My writing on Chowk.com

Chowk has become a South Asian portal; a doorway opening into the lives of South Asians the world over. It's a great resource for anyone wanting to learn about South Asian history, culture and society.

I wrote two articles for them a few years ago, and somehow didnt continue writing, but enjoyed the process of being "published" online.

One article was on Nazia Hassan, the founder of pop music in South Asia, while the other was on Noor Jehan and Lata Mangeshkar, the musical legends of Pakistan and India, respectively.
I thoroughly enjoyed writing both, but for different reasons.

I knew Nazia Hassan personally and so writing about her after her death was very personal and emotional. It was cathartic in a way, quite literally, because the original article was published in one of Pakistan's largest circulating dailies, "The Nation", a few weeks after her death. The one on Chowk was edited and amended as a eulogy to her, one year after her passing.

The Noor Jehan and Lata piece got popular approval, even though I wasnt expecting it to get many rave reviews. For those familiar with South Asian music, we all know that Lata gets her fair share of the limelight even though Noor Jehan is widely considered the better singer. Hence the title of the article, "The Dueling Divas". I'm not going to further pique your interest; read the article!

In many ways, I actually consider the "Dueling Divas" article to be my "magnum opus". It comes out to be almost 3,200 words long and I did extensive research for it as well. As in Nazia Hassan's case, this piece was written after Noor Jehan's death in the year 2000. It never got "published" except for on Chowk, and for that I am remorseful. I wish people could have read it widely and shared their views. It is my belief that most Pakistanis share the views I penned down in the article. I would have loved to receive even more feedback.

Incidentally, the Nazia Hassan article was translated and re-published in another Urdu-language newspaper - without my permission! I didnt bother taking legal action. Instead, I basked in the glory of my success as a "cross-over" writer.

Honestly, though, it was good to know how my writing was gaining readership. What else can a writer ask for?

Maybe that's why blogging is so awesome.

Here's to an early retirement - and a future in blogging!