Musings from Antique Origins

E ver since the so called "modern civilization" started in the west, racism has raised its ugly hood in some form or the other. From the age of discoveries to the era of colonialism and even to the modern times, generations of human beings especially in Asia, Africa and the Americas have suffered much and have fallen victims to the most obnoxious  behaviour of the white skinned sapiens. Apartheid signs in South Africa 1956 We have heard heart-rending stories from the victims of slavery, apartheid and various other forms of racial prejudices. While I don’t intend to discuss on the abominable practices of the past centuries, it may not be inappropriate to discuss on one particular incident from the place I now live. On most mornings during my walk, I see a monument and a plaque installed in the memory of one Pulicat Ratnavelu Chetti, the first native ICS officer of Madras Presidency who was a victim of racial discrimination during the 19 th century British India.

Today, I saw a BBC post in my Facebook page that referred to an article written by Niki Rust on 8 th June 2016 on the increased tiger population of the country. It stated that for the first time in over 100 years, tiger populations are rising thanks to the indigenous peoples of the country. The latest global census counted 3,890 tigers, compared to just 3,200 tigers in 2010 and more than half of these are in India. It is interesting to note that in 1900, estimates reveal that there were around 100,000 tigers in India alone. I looked up the details country-wise in Wikipedia and noticed that the present tiger population in Nepal was just 198. The reason I took an interest in the tiger population in Nepal was because I had read that the Terai, a lowland region in southern Nepal lying south of the foothills of the Himalayas, had been home to great biodiversity with large tiger and rhino populations over centuries. 1911 King George V poses with Chandra Shamsher

- First World War and the untold stories of the Indian soldiers- The Great War or the First World War ("The war to end all wars”) ended on 11 November 1918 and the day is popularly called   Armistice Day.    The global commemoration of the centenary of the Great War Armistice was held in Paris on the 12th November 2018. It was attended by world leaders including the US and Russian Presidents apparently at a time when the diplomatic relations among various countries seem to be at a low ebb. A French lady pins a flower on the Sikh saviours of France, Paris, 1916. (Toor Collection) In 1914, India had sent well over 1 million men overseas to fight the war alongside the British and over 75000 had lost their lives. The Indian Army fought against the Germans in German East Africa and on the Western Front. At the First Battle of Ypres (Belgium), on 31st October 1914, Sepoy Khudadad Khan of 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis became the first Indian to be award