Bunch of Thoughts

As I spent my first day taking classes at the NLSIU, I realised how much teachers and teaching has changed since the last time I went to college. No longer are teachers monotonous, no monologues, nobody even waited for the time to pass, eagerly waiting for the bell to ring for the ordeal to end. Teachers at NLSIU made the sessions lively, interactive, full with stories and real world examples that made us understand patent law.  Gone are the blackboards with chalks or whiteboard with markers, what we got was some slick presentations that kept us engaged all through. As as time moved on , we reached the pneultimate lecture of the day. I stepped out for a quick samosa and chai at the college canteen and was late for the lecture on Patent Infringements. As I walked back, the class was well under way. Teaching us was Mr Kannan from Banana IP , a local firm offering patent services. Mr Kannan was off to a great start, he got all the 40 odd students very engaged. He had ...

After more than a decade, I went back to being a student. Having signed up for a Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights at the National Law School Bangalore, I went to attend my first class.  I had little idea what lay in store for me but was excited to be back in college. After a long ride to NLS listening to a biography of George Washington, I walked into the college premises and noticed their motto - धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः The motto means that Dharma protects those who protect Dharma. India's #1 law school could not have chosen a better motto. This motto for me is the essence of the teachings of Krishna as he urges Arjun to follow his dharma in the Bhagwad Gita. Krishna goes on to teach that it is the duty of everyone to protect dharma even if it means going to war against one's own who follow adharma. It brings to the fore a larger question - should dharma be followed in fighting adharmis ? Mahabharata shows that it is necessary to fight adharma using any a...

Only 50% of Mumbai and Bangalore showed up to vote. Crumbling infrastructure, increasing migration and lack of development should have agitated many an urban educated voter.  47 lakh votes were sent via SMS by Mumbaikars to select the winner of Big Boss Season 7 but only 44 lakh votes were cast to elect a national government. Why the apathy ?  But then my mind questions - In the history of the world, when has the middle class brought about a revolution ? When has the middle class challenged the status quo ?  The fact is that the middle class is the biggest beneficiary of the 'status-quo'. Middle class mindset is to make 'peace' with the status quo.  It all begins with our middle class up bringing - we are taught that we are the torch bearers of 'values' and hence need to work hard, be honest and struggle to rise within the system. Goal of a middle class life is to struggle and get established in the system. The system provides security and stabil...