In a world filled with religious barriers, the essence of goodness often finds itself entangled in dogmas that restrict its true potential. As we navigate through the complexities of religious beliefs, we must question whether being a good and kind human necessitates religious adherence or if other, more profound attributes transcend such boundaries. Let’s critically examine and try to unravel the role of religion in shaping human goodness and explore the essential attributes that foster a compassionate and harmonious society, where universal brotherhood thrives.
Religion’s Role in Being a Good Human
Religion has served as a guiding force, instilling moral principles and values for many individuals. However, we venture into a compelling question – does goodness solely emanate from religious doctrines? The power of goodness cannot be confined to mere adherence; instead, it flourishes with the tool of neutrality, which harbours impartiality, immensurability, and integrity of boundless degrees.
Attributes Beyond Religion for Human Goodness
Going beyond religious affiliations, we discover fundamental attributes at the core of a good human being. Empathy, kindness, compassion, and integrity form the bedrock of human goodness. The seed of goodness is sown long before religious consciousness emerges; every child transcends religious boundaries, embodying the attributes of their parents.
Embracing Humanity: The Path to Goodness
To be truly good, one must embrace humanity as a whole. Embracing our shared human experience breaks down barriers of prejudice, fostering a deep sense of interconnectedness. In moments of need, religious labels fade away, and the goodness within propels individuals to lend a helping hand without hesitation.
Fostering Peace and Amity: Key Attributes for Society
In building a peaceful and amicable society, certain attributes take precedence. Tolerance, understanding, and respect for diversity pave the way for harmonious coexistence. In fostering peace and amity, goodness assumes the central role, transcending any rigid principles, and becoming the essence of collective cohesion.
The Primacy of Human Virtues Over Religious Identity
Religion can offer moral guidance, but it is the embodiment of human virtues that truly defines goodness. Humanistic values such as empathy and benevolence hold greater potency in fostering a compassionate society. Kindness and compassion, not religious austerity, sustain a society thriving with fidelity.
Universal brotherhood shatters the barriers of caste, creed, and religion, making it vital for humanity’s advancement. Cultivating shared values and mutual understanding unites us beyond religious boundaries. Humility and kindness leave indelible impressions, defining one’s identity as a human above all else.
Embracing Diversity in India: The Path to Amity
India’s unique cultural heritage – ‘Unity in Diversity’ – sets her apart in the global landscape. While diversity serves as a source of strength, it poses challenges in maintaining amity and respect for one another. Inculcating goodness that transcends religious adherence offers a solution, paving the way for a harmonious society.
Insights and Reflections
As we reflect on the endless discussion over goodness beyond religion, one truth emerges resoundingly clear: the virtues of humanity shine brighter than rigid religious beliefs in defining a good and kind human. Religion may inspire moral values, but it is empathy, compassion, and respect for humanity that propel us towards a harmonious and loving society. Embracing the universal goodness within each of us, let us liberate it from the shackles of religious barriers and shape an ideal society where ‘GOODNESS-DRIVEN-HUMANITY’ prevails, laying the foundation for a world where humanity stands above all else.
Father is an aroma of our existence, an invisible shield who protects us subliminally! He is a kind of roof of the house where his children dwell! A father is a philosopher, guide and a pathfinder for his children! The degree of Dad’s affection has been unexplored yet! His blessings have mesmerising repercussions on the holistic well-being of his children! I am spoilt for the choice of words as my words are turning puny to describe the real characteristics and untamable significance of the presence of a father in one’s life. Fathers are the framework of our unframed lives! The greatest damage in my life so far, which is irreparable, is the dissociation with my father on account of his sudden unexpected demise! His love for me was unparalleled! I firmly believe that nobody can love me as he did!
Father’s Day to me is one of the most precious and auspicious days of my existence because I love my father to an indescribable degree, as he was the cause of my existence on the planet. He was the torch-bearer for me, who illuminated the values of philanthropy and the magic of thinking big in life. His noble teachings enabled me to stand against adverse circumstances and sustain the trials and tribulations patiently. The man who put me in the temper of spiralling thoughts; and imparted the spark of self-respect, innovative ideas, and a go-getter spirit, which have now become my attributes. His persuasive art of narration left an indelible impression on my character that further helped me in my personality development.
He was taciturn by orientation; used to speak less, but act more. His one word was symbolic for thousands of words. His gesture was a perfect pointer to learning what to eschew and what to assume. He always used to cite the examples of mediocrity as ‘middle road is the safest’. The credit for my being today in the face of hardships goes to his impeccable preaching and didactic tales that he used to tell when I was a lad of my doting dad. The testimony of his greatness lies in his fathomless respect for all great men of all ages under the sun, irrespective of caste, creed, boundary and region. He was a cosmopolitan by streak whose liberal thoughts delved deep, finding their genesis in humanity.
I have tried to capture my intuitive affection for my father in a few couplets. I owe these couplets a tribute to my late father on this Father’s Day! He left for his heavenly abode 4 years ago, leaving me alone without thinking about who will guide me whenever I encounter unforeseen situations! By the time he left me alone, I was not prepared to live without him! He left me stunned and lamented unrelentingly, perennially.
Death is a scary phrase, but an ultimate truth – no one will deny subconsciously! However, the bigger question is – does death end life? No, it is not; else, it has varied opinions! Someone believes, it is the deeds that determine whether one will be remembered or not; while others believe that the impacts you bring into other’s lives is something makes you eternal. There is no conclusive image in the mirror of life.
Life keeps moving at a faster pace every day. We’re always connected through our devices. There are constantly new ideas and e-mails and all sorts of things for us to follow and learn from. Somewhere in the mix of all this, however, we’ve began to struggle with finding meaning in life.
It’s great to improve ourselves, but we have to remember that we’re not doing this just for our own benefit. The impact we can have on the world is only as good as how much we influence the lives of others for the better. Improving yourself will give you happiness as you are helping others to improve too.
And you’ll be happier if you’re honest with yourself and others and learn how to maintain the right perspective about failure. When you fail to stick to your word, this is how others feel about you. It makes having a happy life really difficult when that’s what you’re known for. Which is why it’s so important to be honest with others.
Start by writing down the times that you lie throughout the day. Not only that but record when you make promises to help yourself keep them. Also, try committing to being 100% honest for an entire week. You’ll be surprised how hard it is to follow even the promises to yourself that nobody knows about. But you will quickly discover the power it has to make you happier, as well.
It’s equally important to recognize that you’re going to experience failure and difficulties in life. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be happy. Just look at all of the people whose illnesses have made them better people. History is replete with examples of the great men who endured different hardships before turning the corner.
Recognizing the hidden benefits of hardships is the first step to getting through them well. It’s also helpful to recognize when you’re apprehensive to do something because you’re afraid of failing. You never know what you can do until you try! Never give up trying for the fear of failing. Fear is nothing but a psychological barrier to start.
People will like you better if you focus more on what you can contribute than on what’s wrong in the world. Have you ever noticed how draining it is to be around someone who complains a lot? It’s hard not to get frustrated with things that bother us, but it’s an awful waste of our time and energy. Not to mention how unlikeable it makes us to others!
To get out of your negative mindset, just try to be a little more proactive. If you’re always complaining that you don’t have time, for instance, get up an hour earlier. Or maybe you’re constantly griping about the economy or climate change. Stop worrying about what’s wrong and look to what you can do to make things better for yourself and the world around you.
You’ll also find yourself living with more purpose and happiness if you choose your career wisely by focusing on the positive difference you can make in others’ lives. Making sure that you’ll have an impact for good is a simple way to guarantee fulfilment. Even if you’re already in your career, it’s not too late. Take some online classes, learn some new skills, and prepare yourself in other ways to make a better difference on the world in your career.
If you are committed to working for bringing change in the lives of the people to make this world worth-living, your life doesn’t end even after death. See the contribution of scientists whose inventions have impacted the lives of billions of people! They passed away centuries back but they are still remembered. Whenever we set to fly in an aeroplane, the image of Wright Brothers flashes in our mind. They died centuries ago, but their lives haven’t been ended. Therefore, death doesn’t end life – this is eternal, and individuals’ deeds determine their destiny.
Extending tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 72nd Birth Anniversary
Reviving the most sought after Gandhian philosophy of non-violence on his 72nd death anniversary would be the real tribute to the naked fakir – the messenger of peace, in the troubled times, we have been passing through and replicating his Guru Mantra — non-violence — in all circumstances fitting formula in our lives to restore peace, harmony and amity in our society and the strength of tolerance to the nation, would add bountiful solace to his tormenting soul.
The ongoing hubbub over post CAA across the country, leading to dividing our society and disrupting the peace and amity do not sing anyway with the Gandhian philosophy and his prototype of ideal Indian society. Anything causing discrimination on the basis of religion can’t be a Gandhian model. He aspired to make such a society where everyone would be equal before the establishment and the law irrespective of one’s religion and belief, which is also the spirit of our constitution.
We are into the difficult plank of time where our economy is passing through its tailspin phase. It’s surprising that nobody talks about the receding employment opportunities where youth are looking desperate after jobs as Indian is the youngest country now in the world, consisting over 70% population below 35 years. Other serious problems like the malnutrition, the suicide of farmers and thinning communal harmony with innumerable imminent problems seeming to emerge aggressively, are the escape of the radar as the establishment doesn’t look very much concerned on these issues. Antagonism, envy, and partiality on grounds of creed have literally reached its zenith on Indian social fabric.
Friends! It’s gradually getting tough for us to tailor a tolerant and harmonious fabric that may tighten the loosening amity in our society, which will go a long way in realising the dream of the Ram-Rajya that the man of the last Millennium our own Mahatma Gandhi whom the world at large cherishes with honour and idiosyncrasy envisioned of. But what we should do. Do we have any choice? Of course, we do have. Either we can get away from the tough time and ride the storm or stay against the wave of hatred and advocate restoring the composite culture of India — ‘Unity in Diversity’ — the beauty of the Indian Republic that distinguishes her from the rest of the world, making her the ‘Vishwa-Guru’.
We need to restore mutual cooperation and trust amongst us irrespective of caste, creed or region, realising that we are Indian first who bear the identity of diverse oneness; otherwise, our succeeding generation will be vandalised inhaling the venom of disharmony and it would be difficult bouncing back towards communal harmony — one of the niche identities of India that establishes her a role-model before the international community would be near to impossible.
We need a ‘Social Army’ to curb this sort of ongoing nuisance and adverse stream emanating from across the society heading to weaken our country. In the ‘Social Army’ every citizen must be the soldier to crush the anti-social-national vibes. I earnestly appeal you all through my couplets to inculcate harmonious values in our children to bust the impending danger of disharmony looming across the latitudes & longitudes of INDIA. It’s time to awake and invalidate the hurriedly emerging social order reeling to tarnish the sanctity of our hard-held rare composite culture and communal harmony. If we are successful in doing so, this would be the real tribute to the father of the nation on his 72nd death anniversary.
Now introspect with my couplets…
आओ चलें अब मिल्लत की ओर
भारत है अपना क्या ही अनमोल…
आयोध्या, अजमेर छोड़ो अपने अपने
देखो सिर्फ मुल्क की तरक्की के सपने…
हम तो हैं खालिस वतन के अपने
अब दुनिया हमें जो कुछ भी समझे…
ये गंगा यमुना का संगम, इल्म व अदब का है मखज़न
हिमालय है इसके सर पर, बुद्ध, ख्वाजा इसकी अज़मत…
हम सब हैं भारत के वासी, यही है हमारी साझी विरासत
अमन, मोहब्बत व इंसानियत, हमें न चाहिये कोई रियासत…
An Unbiased Dialogue between TIME and the INDIAN Republic on Republic Day 2020…
By SHAHNAWAZ AHMAD ANSARI
Traditional Republic Day 2020 unveiling usual happiness.A country wide rage of protest despite usual happiness of Republic Day 2020
There is a relentless natural phenomenon but unnoticed and unobserved — what? That is nothing but implicit dialogues amongst different natural existential contours that sometimes seem to be unbelieving, but in the real sense of the term, they happen spontaneously. One of such dialogues between TIME and the Indian Republic happened unbiased, uninterrupted and uninfluenced on the 71st Republic Day of India. The dialogue unfolds here.
I am an impartial and silent observer TIME. While passing through the tropics of India I saw it is Republic Day today in Indian. As being Time, I am quite impeccable in the calculation of a single moment because nothing gets an escape from my universal radar and hawkish eye. I thought the Indian Republic would be in the full swing of its constitutional execution which took a rigorous exercise of almost three years in its formation involving a potential team of intellectuals from different shades and sections of society representing a balanced representation of societal configuration with some erudite individuals of international eminence. But, I instinctively sensed something amiss and discovered that it was nothing short of the spirit of the Republic. How I discovered it, is based on my conversation with the Indian Republic. The dialogue between us is below.
TIME = T
INDIAN REPUBLIC = IR
T: Hello Indian Republic! How are you?
IR: I am not as good as you are!
T: Why?
IR: Because you are similar inside-out. Your covert and overt manifestations are no different.
T: And yours?
IR: I have been adulterated in the true sense of the term.
T: How!
IR: My watch-dog ‘Indian Constitution’ is no more loyal and uniform. It is manipulated by the change of governance and doesn’t behave as you do.
T: I thought you would be happily celebrating your 69th birthday today!
IR: Nothing as you think! I am losing the ground because what is written in the constitution is not exactly in the execution.
T: What sort of altered execution is there in your constitution?
IR: Actually, every ruling government doctors as per their political agenda.
T: I noticed yesterday, there was mayhem in different cities that seemed agitation rather than the preparation for the celebration of your birthday — Republic Day.
IR: Actually, I sometimes behave as ‘Mobocracy’ rather than ‘Democracy’ which is not the new emergence but the gradually acquired old feature of mine reaching to its cult status now.
T: Are all the governments alike?
IR: Yes. Their approaches are different but the intents are the same. The centrists play minority card while the rightists do majority politics — in the game, the leftists have no significant existence. In the end, what is the ultimate mission — is to be enthroned at the altar of anything — nothing else!
T: I sense the regular filibuster over religion. Does your constitution put any restraint to curb this sort of upsurge?
IR:You sense right. The constitution declares India as a secular state and provides directives to follow secularism both in spirit and statute besides safeguarding the civil rights of the citizens under the envelope of Fundamental Rights — one of the features of the basic structure of the constitution that keeps all the citizens in tandem under the ambit of ‘Right to Equality’, which is the real beauty of Indian Democracy.
But the political parties manipulate by fomenting the masses using their minor and major permutations and combinations. Nowadays, the ruling party of the Indian Republic is all set to subvert the basic structure of Indian constitution by legislation, which is strictly prohibited as no one is entitled to do so. But certain subversive legislations have been doing the rounds in democratic air, bringing a series of protests and dissidence against the legislation. And the good thing is that the number of law-abiding citizens irrespective of caste, creed and region has been increasing gradually, who are joining hands in the protests to strengthen the voice of dissidence against the unconstitutional legislation.
T: How do you see your 71st Birthday in the form of Republic Day?
IR: In fact, the celebration of my birthday is a melodrama rather than the real cause it deserves.
T: Are you happy on your Birthday?
IR: My happiness is similar to a father who is on the verge of losing one of his seven sons.
T: Anyways, I wish you Happy Birthday with innumerable happy returns of the day! But I think Indians call it Happy Republic Day as your birth is symbolic to Indian Republic. So, once again!
Worth-Reading brilliant piece by Raghuram Rajan that encompasses the entire gamut of the spectrum of 2 decades of India’s economic travails and other socio-political gradients, poisoning the spirit of the very Idea of New India and also offers his prescription to revive the distressed Indian economy.
Tremendous change took place in last five yearsDiwali Celebration by a poor labourer in economic slowdown
Festive light is in decoration to duly fly high in the sky, the palate of sweets goes beyond the streets in hobnobbing. Plenty of prospering songs unveil from every mouth, wishing you the fest from East, West, North & South.
But the poor still look out at the sloganeering riches, found nowhere the light but breaches, only speeches. The light looks them dark as they are in search of dishes, wandering around to catch the earning bite, not delight.
We enjoy the sparkling beauty of light and sweets in holiday bite, but a rickshaw puller is shivering for regular light in festive delight. His heart also beats for festive delight but coffer gives him no sight, Goddess Laxmi of candlelight also classifies the deprived and the elite.
Workers are penniless as no jobs are there for their lone survival, asking for half the remuneration, but abated with no hope of revival. Every sector is experiencing an unprecedented massive slowdown, whatsoever, don’t speak up or frown, always say thank to the crown.
Country is in crisis, everyone is crying how to sustain and alive, but Premier asserts at international forum, everything is alright. Economic crisis, growing gradually, losing hope of bouncing back, cultural crisis points towards the minority-lynching and the slack.
Meandering masses desperately searching for employment, take pride, dwelling in the totalitarian set up, happily incubating theocratic ride. More than happy to see the cultural crimes despite minted starvation, perceiving this crime, the solace to their ancestors a sort of satisfaction.
Identity crisis prevails everywhere, a scourge falling upon the citizens, to prove the citizenship in the motherland upon their own birth’s soil, forget not, this is the deliberate order of the messiah, and the jolly royal, now the country belongs to all but one, whose ancestors boiled to be loyal.
Harassed communal harmony singing that old song of unity in diversity, but programmed jingoism of hate, dismissing the amity and the integrity. The magical transformation of hate-mongering was a full five-year plan, not only fanatics but also current establishment ensued the deadly dawn.
May God efface the plight of the pauper by this festive fantastic light, restore the banging harmony, dwindling brotherhood with insights! Receding income, increasing chaos, but no solution only commotion, Oh my lord, let my people awake from the fake to crush intimidation.
Whether Green or Black, don’t ask me because I have no such mask, my misery is State’s charm, I have no might to fight the festive light. Premier’s festival is shot in the arm with green delight and charm, wishing those, whose festive light is dim, to prosper them with delight!
Missile Man and former People’s President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam addressing the Nation on the eve of his demitting the office of the President of India from Rashtrapati Bhavan on July 24, 2007.
Today is Missile man’s day! Yes, we are talking about former People’s President of India and not political President (Dr APJ Abdul Kalam) — a man of many shades — an accomplished scientist, father of Missile Technology of India, an ardent propagator of humanity and communal harmony, a complete and pure Indian by heart and soul, a spiritual connoisseur, a voice of underprivileged, a symbol of honesty, a scientific-philosopher and most importantly a legendary patriot of his type, setting a new paradigm of patriotism and nationalism.
Let’s pay homage to him in his enunciation and acquired philosophies based on the travails he faced in his life. His philosophy was not any plagiarism like so many so-called great Indians did to achieve the feat of greatness. He softly said, “Excellence is a continuous process and not an accident.” He didn’t derive this statement from any book, but it was his personal experience through trials and tribulations of life. His grit and determination speak volumes more in his work than his speech. He believed in what he asserted later, acted wholeheartedly and delivered the optimum, the best. His optimism was ‘Universal’ that’s why he said, “Look at the sky. We are not alone. The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to those who dream and work.”
His observation about life is somewhat different as he asserted, “Life is a difficult game. You can win it only by retaining your birthright to be a person.” He did emphasise being a person, means a person of character, quality and courage with the ability to script newer avenues beyond the stereotype, putting every odd aside coming in your path of being a man. He further says, “Man needs his difficulties because they are necessary to enjoy success.” The silent message of his quote is that life is not a bed of roses, and if it turns – a bed of roses, then you won’t be able to relish the gem of success. Life is real and earnest, meant to do everything worthwhile.
He said, “If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher.” Making a nation as per his belief is an integrative exercise wherein everyone is a stakeholder of this life-long project. It’s cumulative and customised in numerous ways like the members of family and society have to play their respective roles, and contribute beyond their capabilities to make an ideal nation. Hence, the onus falls upon father, mother and teacher — this is a worthy message for the trio.
The current crises our country is facing are before us whether it’s economic or cultural. Indian economy in its dire state is not anyone’s surprise, swinging towards vulnerability and hate crimes destined towards a particular community is no way going to help India achieve the goal of economic prosperity and preserve the civilisational heritage. The current state is leaving nothing but a blot on the very identity of India, for which he put his sweat and blood. His thought “We will be remembered only if we give to our younger generation a prosperous and safe India, resulting out of economic prosperity coupled with civilisational heritage”, bears near semblance of the current deplorable state of the country.
The dwindling values in the educational system of India cut a sorry figure as it has become more a commercial activity rather than a tool of man-making and nation-building. Look at his take on education: “Educationists should build the capacities of the spirit of inquiry, creativity, entrepreneurial and moral leadership among students and become their role model”, it is an eye-opener if we think, retrospect and introspect in the real sense of the term. Recently, flabbergasting news got viral a couple of days after we celebrated Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary in his home state – Gujarat when there was a question in Gujarat state school examination: “Why did Mahatma Gandhi commit suicide”? Did Mahatma Gandhi commit suicide or shot dead? Isn’t it the distortion of the history of our great men?
Words are tiny to describe the importance, agility and vitality of a mother in an individual’s life and his/her every success at every sphere. Mother’s sacrifice for her children is universal. But hearing in Kalam Sb’s word would be spicing up the veracity of the fact, making the belief of a common man steelier and will convey an invigorating message to those who dishonour their mothers. Besides being a world-renowned scientist, an educationist, a motivational speaker, a philanthropist and a true patriot who squarely deserves Bharat Ratna, he was a die-hard follower of his mother like an innocent child who did never forget her fathomless motherly affection. Remembering his child days — the period of his struggle and poverty, he has written a poem with the title “Mother” in his book “Wings of Fire”.
Mother “I still remember the day when I was ten, Sleeping on your lap to the envy of my elder brothers and sisters. It was full moon night, my world only you knew Mother! My Mother! When at midnight, I woke with tears falling on my knee You knew the pain of your child, My Mother. Your caring hands, tenderly removing the pain Your love, your care, your faith gave me strength, To face the world without fear and with His strength. We will meet again on the great Judgment Day. My Mother!
He further elaborates: This is the story of my mother who lived ninety-three years, a woman of love, a woman of kindness and above all a woman of divine nature. My mother performed Namaz five times every day. During Namaz, my mother always looked angelic. Every time I saw her during Namaz I was inspired and moved.
Dr Kalam characterises a couplet which Dr Iqbal wrote for all the ages and for the person like him:
हज़ारों साल नरगिस अपनी बेनूरी पे रोती है
बड़ी मुश्किल से होता है चमन में दीदावर पैदा
Transliteration: (“Nargis, I am given to understand, is a rare beautiful flower that blooms once in many, many years. And even that flower has to mourn its woeful fate for thousands of years before an appreciator of its beauty is born.”)
Dr Kalam’s birthday reminds us, “Greatness is a blend of sagacity and tenaciousness, which doesn’t come to anyone overnight. It demands 3D’s: Diligence, Determination and Dedication”. And the role-model of 21st century Dr Kalam was a construct of all these to be essentially great. He was an epitome of sacrifice, who acquired greatness by his firm resolve and Himalayan commitment. He started his journey on the earth as a ‘MAN’ and ended it as a ‘GREAT MAN’ by starting his heavenly abode.
One of his enlightening quotes: “Let us sacrifice our today so that our children can have a better tomorrow” unfolds multiple layers in its genesis, establishing its relevance for us in myriad ways. Here ‘Sacrifice’ points towards making a ‘Knowledge Society’ that he envisioned; making the society of cooperation, love, solidarity and universal brotherhood. We need to sacrifice our trivial whim and pleasure and educate our children, garnishing them with moral values and the virtues of humanity and humility. Education is the only weapon left for us, which has the potential to rescue us with the plight of poverty and petulance, giving us the courage and conviction to fight the disparities and prejudices up against us.
Mournfully and resolutely, on the 88th Birthday anniversary of Dr Kalam, I extend my warmest homage to this great man of the millennium India has ever had, and take a pledge to enliven his dream that he cherished for India and the Indians of ‘Knowledge Society’. On this momentous occasion, I appeal the nation at large that the real tribute to Dr Kalam would be to work for realising his dream of making India a ‘Knowledge Society’ for which he worked till his last breath — if you remember, he was collapsed while delivering a motivational speech to the students of IIM Shillong and passed away the next day by a massive cardiac arrest. I wish to see Kalam’s rebirth in my lifetime!
Economic CrisisHate Crime…Identity CrisisIndia is passing through numerous crises. Economic crisis and marginalisation of largest minority in line with Nazism top the list. Constitution is used by the sleight of hand to accomplish the cherished dream of theocratic State.
Every country has her own history, topsy-turvy of her evolution, so has India. Starting from Pre-historic, Ancient age, the most civilised — Indus valley civilisation, Vedic age, Mauryan age, Gupta age, Pre-medieval age, Medieval age and the Modern age, which is further divided into Pre-independence & Post-independence ages.
Now we are in the post-independence age, which is ultra-modern age — 21st century — the 1st century of the third millennium. The first two decades of the 21st century has marked the acme of scientific developments, but our country is still in crisis! Doesn’t it sound surprising? Of course, it is! Let’s have an overview of the reasons why the country is in crisis?
Understanding Country (Nation)
A country (nation) is a union of many odds, diversities and complexities. It unifies disparate peoples; promotes cohesion in conflict-affected and fragile states, which are important tangible aspects of state-building and peace-building. Wherein, a legitimate political order needs to be based on some agreement about the boundaries of the political community, national priorities and collective identity. In addition, a shared over-arching identity can focus attention away from ethnic and sectarian identities that may have become the source of divisions in violent conflict. This leads to ideas of nationhood, thereby building a country (nation).
Moreover, we need to understand the nation in the light of Indian constitution, which defines: India, also known as Bharat, is a Union of States. It is a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular and Democratic Republic with a parliamentary system of government. The Republic is governed in accordance with the Constitution of India which was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26th November 1949 and implemented on 26th January 1950. The Constitution entitles a Parliamentary form of government which is federal in structure with certain unitary features.
The constitutional head of the Executive of the Union is the President. But the real executive power is vested in the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister because the constitution provides the framework that the Council of Ministers led by Prime Minister, is to aid and advise the President, who exercises his/her functions in accordance with their advice. This way Prime Minister of India becomes the CEO of the country and the President — a mere titular head whose role is as significant as a rubber stamp.
As the real power vests with the Prime Minister, he takes every decision that eventually impacts the larger interests of the country. The right decision makes the country land in prosperity and sustainability, while the wrong decision plunges into crisis. And now, the country is doomed to face numerous crises. Let’s take a sneak peek objectively that how and why the country is in crisis and who are responsible for the existing and impending chaos.
NRC and CAB: Citizenship Crisis
Recently at a political rally in Kolkata, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted, “I want to assure all Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and Christian refugees that you will not be forced to leave India by the Centre. Don’t believe rumours. Before National Register of Citizens (NRC), we will bring the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), which will ensure these people get Indian citizenship.” What is the gist of this statement?
It’s quite clear. Simply, it’s nothing but the replication of what Hitler did in Germany with the Jews is being done with the Muslims in India. Shah & Company is all set to penalise the Muslims in every possible way shooting the bullet through the barrel of the constitution. He is talking about refugees and not Indians. Evidently, India will welcome any and every kind of refugee as long as they are not Muslim.
Of late, all this talk of refugees and immigrants is a sort of ‘Majoritarian’ politics at the anvil of ‘Authoritarianism’, which is an overarching strategy of the government to dividing the Indian people on the basis of religion. It’s a scare-mongering exercise and both-edged sword destined to the Muslims, making them feel insecure about their place and status in their own country, and simultaneously telling Hindus that this country really belongs to them, reassuring that they will never have to fear their citizenship.
If Amit Shah’s recent assertion in West Bengal was not a jumla, then the only people without the requisite documentation, who will actually face deportation once an NRC-type exercise is run across India — will be Muslims. This sort of nefarious politics is not only against the letter and spirit of the Constitution but also marks a potentially dangerous turn. This turn is bound to boost the morale of the Hindu-fanatics to perpetrate atrocities upon Muslims, making the mob-lynching-exercise – a holy act of cultural proportion.
The CAB amendment would also mean, in effect, that the NRC will have no impact on people other than Muslims because all others would qualify for Indian citizenship even if they are undocumented. The NRC, after the CAB, would, in operation, only require Muslim Indians to establish that they or their ancestors entered India lawfully. Other Indians may be mandated to produce documents, but even if they fail, they would qualify for citizenship.
The Supreme Court has already shifted the burden of proof to individuals to prove their citizenship based on documents such as of birth, land ownership or voting rights, which most impoverished and poorly lettered citizens find difficult to muster. To make matters worse, the home ministry under Shah has already notified the right of every state government, and even district magistrates, to establish Foreigners’ Tribunals, and for these tribunals to frame their own procedures and standards of proof.
The NRC & the CAB are terrifying tempests that threaten to swallow up India in the near future. The implementation will destroy in its wake this country as it was imagined and promised. Mayhem in Muslim society has surfaced deeply and everyone there is anxious about this impending upheaval. Doesn’t it attack India’s secular democratic constitution or the violation of the right to equality granted by Article 15 of the constitution?
Is it not a man-made calamity and whim-created identity crisis?
Dire state of Indian economy: Economic Crisis
The tailspin of the Indian economy is on the verge of stalling. The latest estimates for GDP show a slid for a fifth straight quarter to 5%, the slowest pace in more than six years. Abjectly, the mainstay of demand — private consumption spending — slumped to an 18-quarter low, with the expansion decelerating sharply to 3.1%, from 7.2% in the preceding quarter and 7.3% a year earlier. With demand for manufactured products ranging from cars and consumer durables to even biscuits having sharply diminished, manufacturing gross value added growth (GVA) growth plunged to an eight-quarter low of 0.6%. The RBI observed in its last monetary policy statement, consumer confidence gauged by its July survey has worsened appreciably, with 63.8% of respondents expecting unrestricted spending to stay at the same level or shrink a year ahead. Last year in June 2018, it was 37.3%.
The debilitating sales slump in the auto sector resulting in unemployment and a sweeping consolidation of public banks has created more than misery. At this juncture when all efforts should be directed towards getting the wheels of the economy moving, the government has chosen to shoot itself in the foot with an ill-conceived mega bank merger of public sector banks (PSBs). This will not only shrink the number of PSBs dramatically — from 18 as on date (27 in 2017) to a round dozen — but worse, will take PSBs eye off as one of the main stumbling blocks to economic revival — abysmally poor credit growth.
“The ongoing financial crisis in India is unprecedented. The entire economic situation had changed after implementation of initiatives like demonetisation, Goods and Service Tax and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. India has been facing such an economic downturn for the first time in 70 years, a liquidity crisis wherein lenders had stopped funding businesses, resulting in a situation where they had to survive on cash. In the post-independence period, nobody had faced this sort of situation where the entire financial system is under threat”, says NITI Aayog vice-chairman, Rajiv Kumar.
Isn’t it economic crisis? Doesn’t it put the country in crisis?
Abrogation of Article 370 & 35(A) in J&K: Constitutional Crisis
Recently, the shrewd turn of the government has indirectly amended Article 370 by amending Article 367, asserting that the Constituent Assembly shall mean the legislative assembly. What is the grey matter hidden over here in this amendment? It’s razor-sharp and tricky! How? The government can then argue that due to the operation of the President’s rule in the state, the role of the legislative assembly has devolved upon Parliament in New Delhi, which can recommend on behalf of the legislative assembly on account of the dissolution of the assembly.
This way, the government has completely ignored the well-established position in the law that whatever is not done pervasively can be accomplished indirectly. Constitutionality restricts to amend Article 370 without obtaining the consent of the people; one cannot indirectly amend it in the absence of their consent. But, you see, it has been already done!
Precisely, the government has changed the basic constitutional relationship of the people of J&K to the Republic of India without consulting them or their elected representatives. This casual disregard for Article 370 (3) and Article-3 is overwhelming treachery with our democracy and nothing short of legislative totalitarianism.
Federalism is the basic structure of the constitution and it means sharing of power between the Centre and states. Since the Kashmir assembly would have opposed bifurcation of the state into two UTs, we did not hold assembly elections along with Lok Sabha polls. Currently, the state is under President’s rule, and Parliament has exercised the powers of assembly. This means we have gone against the spirit of the Constitution and made it a plaything. Converting a well- functioning State into Union Territory is a rare constitutional exercise happening first time in India. The founding fathers of the Republic favoured a strong Centre, but they were also prudent in seeking the route of persuasion and accommodation towards linguistic and religious minorities in the interest of national integration.
Geographically and metaphorically, Jammu and Kashmir is the crown of secular India — a Muslim majority region in a Hindu majority country. Its people and leaders had chosen secular India over Islamic Pakistan, a fact that Islamists never reconciled with. But the territory has faced decades of brutal occupation, is now under strict martial law, with reports of torture and extralegal detention.
Constitutionalism is the anti-thesis of authoritarianism, which tries to limit the power of constitutional authorities through doctrines such as rule of law. It opposes to rule by law, ensures equality before the law, equal protection of laws to all and non-arbitrary exercise of power. But the sudden abrogation of Article 370, like the imposition of Emergency in 1975, is nothing short of the sad demise of constitutionalism.
Isn’t it a threat to the constitution and the created crisis, the country is up against?
Mob Lynching, Hate Crime against Muslim Minority: Identity Crisis
Mobs in India are lynching minorities. There’s been a series of violent attacks on minorities, especially Muslims. But the Hindu nationalist government is failing to forcefully condemn the violence. The attackers often accuse their victims of smuggling beef. Now, beef is illegal in many Indian states because cows are sacred to Hindus. Videos of these brutal beatings have gone viral on social media. But for the most parts, the attackers are not being punished.
According to Hate Crime Watch, crimes based on religious identity were in single digits until 2014, when they surged from nine in 2013 to 92 in 2018. Of the 291 incidents mentioned by the website, 152 occurred in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled States, 40 in Congress-ruled States and the rest in States ruled by regional parties or coalitions. Rarely, if ever, did bystanders attempt to stop the violence or police arrive on time to do so. In both studies, Uttar Pradesh topped the list of states with the largest number of hate crimes for the third year, followed by Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Bihar.
As per the data revealed from an authentic source, 86% of those dead in cow-coated violence since 2010 are Muslim. Of them, 97% of the attacks took place after 2014. Almost 122 incidents of cow-coated violence took place in India between 2014 and 2019.
Although lynching is not a new phenomenon, yet the meticulously designed and trending new-craft of lynching took an aggravated turn since 2014. And in 2015 when Mohammed Akhlaq was lynched in UP’s Dadri for allegedly storing and consuming beef in his house, it gathered scrupulous storm, setting a new plot for lynching as the Akhlaq’s assailants were acquitted followed by felicitation rather than bringing them to book.
Since then, there is no looking back as the brutality turned out experimental in every nook and corner of the country, strengthening the belief of the fanatics that whatever they did were righteous, spicing up the religious verve as the majoritarian society as well as the state machinery — whether it’s judiciary or executive — protected them like holy war crusaders.
That orchestrated mob-lynching paved the royal road to the ‘right-wing-lynch-squad’, boosting their morale to cling to communal sprawling and looking for a slide to making ‘lynching’ — an ethos of sorts and a routinely telecast ‘serial’ alike. In fact, the aftermath of mob-lynching persuaded the assailants that lynching was no longer a crime as it got a thematic approval from the ‘Social-Naxals’ as well as the ‘Governmental-Smugglers’, thereby invigorating them to conspire for these incidents consistently.
Regrettably, “Jai Sri Ram” has become a provocative ‘war-cry’ today that leads to law and order problems, and many lynchings take place in its name. It is shocking to see so much violence perpetrated in the name of religion! These are not the middle ages! The name of Ram is sacred to many in the majority community of India.
Hasn’t this situation created a crisis where the life of a Muslim is at stake?
Starting from 2015, the voice of dissent whether it is against the hyper-Hindutva or the fascist order has been crushed. Three eminent Maharashtrian rationalists, Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and MM Kalburgi have been shot dead for rejecting superstition in favour of reason, and Gauri Lankesh of Bengaluru for her independent views and her opposition to Hindutva.
Others have been threatened with death and forbidden to write. Writers are told don’t publish your book or we will burn it. Don’t exhibit your paintings or your exhibition will be destroyed. Filmmakers are told, ‘Change the dialogue in this scene and cut out the next scene. What is this?
The fundamental right of freedom of expression enshrined by the constitution under Article 19 is under threat. The people are dictated: do as you are told, or your life and your art are not safe. It seems that the questioning mind, the creative imagination, and freedom of expression have no place in the present political climate, and where there is no respect for freedom of thought or for democratic rights, writing becomes a risky activity.
The minorities and those who don’t support the Hindu Rashtra agenda have become targets for fanatics who roam the streets. Christian churches have been vandalized. Lynch mobs are openly attacking and killing Muslims on invented rumours. Historians are feeling the heat now that Indian history has been brought under state control. In some states, large chunks of the past have been distorted or done away with altogether.
History repeats itself as there has always been the case in authoritarian regimes all over the world where art is kept under state control and writers face punishment and persecution if they step out of line. The Russian authors Joseph Brodsky and Aleksandra Solzhenitsyn who was thrown in jail by the communist regime but later won Nobel Prize for literature.
Lately, an FIR was lodged against the 49 celebrities, including Ramchandra Guha, Mani Ratnam, Aparna Sen, Shyam Benegal, Anurag Kashyap, raising concern in July over the growing incidents of mob lynching. The lodged FIR consisted of several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sedition. This is despite the Supreme Court’s stance that sedition charges cannot be invoked for criticism of the government. Supreme Court Justice Deepak Gupta also recently advocated the dilution – if not complete abolition – of the sedition law.
Is the country not in crisis where the freedom of expression is under threat?
Dissent against Totalitarianism Unnoticed: Voice Crisis
People across the spectrum have been dissenting ever since the manifestation of authoritarianism starting from 2015 to the current date. In 2015, a four-month drive was launched by a group of writers and film personalities against the growing incidents of communal violence and the Modi’s government’s inability to protect writers and intellectuals from the enemies of free speech.
Hindi writer-journalist, Uday Prakash, protesting against the murder on August 30, 2015, of Kannada writer-academic, MM Kalburgi was the first to return his award. This was followed by Nayantara Sahgal, eminent Indian English writer-intellectual, and Ashok Vajpeyi, Hindi poet and cultural administrator, both returned their awards. Almost 50 personalities, of whom, nearly 40 were Sahitya Akademi award-winners, returned their awards.
The award-returners protested against the attack on the freedom of expression, and most of them were in the opinion that the pro-Hindutva turn in Indian polity and culture post-2014, has been gaining ground exponentially. That’s why they thought to take a stand. Was award wapsi a hugely successful movement against intolerance or especially revolting crusade against a legitimately elected government? The answer perhaps lies in between.
Recently, within a month, two IAS officers — Kannan Gopinathan from Dadra & Nagar Haveli Cadre and S. Sasikanth Senthil from Karnataka Cadre — resigned showing their dissent against the repressive policies of the government.
On 21st August 2019, Kannan Gopinathan, a 2012 Batch (IAS) officer did put down his papers stating that one of the reasons behind quitting the job is the denial of “fundamental rights” to lakhs of people in Jammu & Kashmir after the special status was scrapped from the state. He further added that Article 370 or its abrogation is not the issue, but denying citizens their right to respond to it, is the main issue. They could welcome the move or protest it, that’s their right, but it has been denied forcefully violating the spirit of Articles 19 & 21 of the Indian Constitution — this disturbed me enough to resign. He also said, “Not that my resignation will cause anything even worth a flutter. But one has one’s own conscience to answer”.
On 6th Sept’ 2019, S. Sasikanth Senthil, a 2009 Batch (IAS) officer resigned stating that it would be “unethical” on his part to continue in service “when the fundamental building blocks of our diverse democracy is being compromised in an unprecedented manner.” He further added, “I also feel strongly that the coming days will present extremely difficult challenges to the basic fabric of our nation and that I would be better off outside the IAS to continue my work at making life better for all. It simply cannot be business as usual anymore.” He said the decision was purely a personal one and was in no way connected to anyone or any event during his current stint.
On 9th Jan’ 2019, Shah Faesal, a 2009 Batch (IAS) Topper resigned from the government services, citing “marginalization and invisiblisation of around 200 million Indian Muslims at the hands of Hindutva”as a reason. He asserted, “To protest against the unabated killings in Kashmir, and lack of any sincere reach-out from the Union Government; the marginalisation and invisiblisation of around 200 million Indian Muslims at the hands of Hindutva forces reducing them to second-class citizens; insidious attacks on the special identity of the J&K State and growing culture of intolerance and hate in mainland India in the name of hyper-nationalism, I have decided to resign from Indian Administrative Service”. He further added, “The current regime’s subversion of public institutions such as RBI, CBI and NIA has the potential to decimate the constitutional edifice of this country and it needs to be stopped. I wish to reiterate that voices of reason in this country cannot be muzzled for long and the environment of siege will need to end if we wish to usher in true democracy”.
What does this dissent show from across the spectrum? Do these situations not conform to India (Country) in crisis?
The challenge to secular, democratic, and pluralist India has come to the fore after the landslide victory of Modi-II, acquiring a renewed and stronger mandate and is actively consolidating its power at the Centre. Now it’s quite obvious that this new dispensation is armed with an ideology and a socio-political programme that is at odds with what we have been accustomed to for most of India’s post-independent period. It’s remarkable that when the RSS supremo proclaims that India is a ‘Hindu nation’ and ‘Hindutva’ is its identity, he is simply bringing a blow at the secular concept of Indian citizenship and at the Constitution itself.
Spraying anti-Muslim venom into society on one hand, and advocating the value of ‘positive secularism’ on the other, it has become a new trend today to decry secularism as “a tired, formulaic, hack concept”. Similarly, the law of sedition, (124A of the IPC), and illiberal provisions of the IPC like section 153A, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and other draconian laws were being invoked in the name of fighting terrorism. Legitimising Hindutva, pushing the validity of majoritarianism as an imperative of electoral democracy and calling for an authoritarian ‘national unity’ and ‘patriotism’ on the deeply divisive and reactionary basis is what pseudo-nationalism seeks to achieve for the communalists.
Now the freedom of the press and the freedom of speech and expression in India today are under threat. Besides journalists, ordinary citizens too found the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression diminished and constrained by a climate of fear and intimidation. Everyone knows, a total information blackout and Internet shutdown was imposed in flagrant violation of Article 19 of the Constitution on the entire population of the former State of Jammu & Kashmir for a prolonged period, without the government even bothering to offer a serious explanation as to why such extreme measures were called for.
What quantum of extremes should be there to declare India (Country) in crisis?
Disrupting Communal Harmony…Injuring the Soul of Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi @ 150 Birth Anniversary: Cultural Crisis
Mahatma Gandhi firmly believed in the idea of communal harmony, secular nationalism and unity of the country. He was deeply committed to Indian Pluralism and human rights and individual dignity. He was also aware and appreciative of the contribution to Indian culture by all communities, particularly of Muslims. He believed in tolerance and acceptance of all religions within the Indian national framework. A modern nation-state, he knew, could not be built on intolerance towards others and by excluding them. Nationhood cannot be based on religion. It will only lead to intolerance, hatred and violence. He opposed ‘Religious Nationalism’ as he believed it does lead to fascistic tendencies.
The communalists are hate mongers on one hand, and champions of their vested interests on the other. It is also important to note that communalists cannot be democrats either. They do not believe in democratic dissent. Anyone who disagrees is a traitor to the ’cause’. Majoritarian thinking, which is contrary to the idea of democracy, is dominating and the minds of people have been communalised, as never before in the history of the country. Communal politics has brought out the worst in us. Presently, Communal harmony and democracy in India are facing a grave threat. It seems the demise of democracy, with all voices of dissent, are being stifled.
The RSS, with its agenda of nationalism was not the country’s enemy but its ideology of dividing India into communal lines has posed a serious threat. Although the NDA government had taken several regressive steps like demonetisation and GST, which had slowed the country’s growth, yet its communal agenda is the most dangerous to — communal harmony in India. Sadly, the promotion of hate-culture in politically compartmentalised climate is disrupting our age-old communal harmony.
Our country is a country of bewildering diversity and the Gandhian concepts of truth, non-violence and tolerance is highly necessary to maintain this diversity. Today our unity is in great danger like never before and as true Gandhians and patriots it is our fundamental duty to not only preserve but strengthen this diversity and save the country from violence and hatred, on one hand, and from likely disintegration, on the other.
This is nothing short of a cultural-crisis our country is facing now.
Takeaways from the Current Crises
Knowingly, our founding fathers had the wisdom to declare India a secular democratic republic, not because they were against religion but because they understood that in our deeply religious country of many religions, only a secular state would provide an overall umbrella of neutrality under which every Indian would have the right to live and worship. The Constituent Assembly, which carved out the Constitution, had a majority of Hindu members but they drew up the Constitution, which gave liberty, equality and fraternity to all Indians.
Rather than choosing Hindu Rashtra, our founding fathers chose a secular and democratic structure to safeguard the spirit of the salient feature of ‘Unity in diversity’. Unfortunately, the model they adopted is under threat now. Our freedoms are in danger; and it is affecting every surface of our lives: what we eat, whom we marry, what we think and what we write, and, of course, how we worship. Today we have a situation where diversity and opposition to the ruling ideology are under fierce attack. Is this the same India that Rabindranath Tagore envisioned via his poem?
‘Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high’
The politics of hate-mongering and the marginalisation of the largest minority of India will not only affect them alone but also the nation at large. Nobody would be able to escape from its unconscious affect. The current state of affair reminds me of the popular couplet of one of the noted Indian poets – Rahat Indori:
This is a time to take a clarion call by the majority community to debar the hate-crime, step forward to restore the communal harmony and ask the question with the establishment of creating employment and how to ride out the storm of the economic slowdown. Nation comes first over anything else. Our country is passing through numerous crises. What we need as a nation is to think beyond narrow confines and come-forward to protest as we did in 2012 with the slogan — India against corruption. This time, we can usher in with the slogan:
Male Infertility: A social-taboo asking a lot of questions in the wake of its rising incidence.
Two friends – Naveen Ahuja and Moqeem Kareem are in conversation while puffing…
Moqeem:Hey Naveen, what is this male infertility? Nowadays, we find people discussing. Yesterday, while coming out from canteen, I overheard one of our colleagues talking to her friend about the infertility of her husband. She is very much worried as she hasn’t been blessed with a baby seven years after her marriage.
Naveen:Yes, this issue is gaining ground as last week I also read an article in the newspaper about male infertility. It covered this pressing issue widely, pertaining to an array of factors responsible for it, presenting some startling facts as well. Actually, male infertility is a taboo in our society, but its incidence has been escalated over the decade globally. The sperm count has been in a free fall. It’s worrisome.
Some findings reveal that the incidence of infertility affects an estimated 15% of couples globally, amounting to 48.5 million couples wherein males are found to be solely responsible for 20-30% of infertility cases and contribute to 50% of cases overall. Sperm counts have been in a free fall in western countries over the last 10 years.
Infertility, in general parlance, is a condition when couples are unable to conceive a child, even though they have had frequent, unprotected sexual intercourse for a year or longer. Up to 15 per cent of couples are infertile. In over a third of these couples, male infertility plays a role. In male infertility, there is erectile dysfunction, low sperm production, abnormal sperm function or blockages that prevent the delivery of sperm. Illnesses, injuries, hormonal imbalances, chronic health problems, lifestyle choices and other factors can play a role in causing male infertility. The semen analysis is one of the main tests to evaluate the male partner.
Moqeem:Oh! Now, I am able to connect that infertility case of my neighbour. Actually, one case of male infertility has come to the light recently. My neighbour Asim is 32-year-old, who got married to Salma five years ago with no issue yet, consequently Salma has been consistently ridiculed by her in-laws for her inability to conceive a child. They took her to multiple Ayurveda centres but nothing helped. A visit to the gynaecologist and a couple of tests later, she got the rude shock that the real reason behind her failed attempts to conceive was actually her husband—Asim.
Naveen:In fact, gone are the days when talking about male infertility seemed to be a taboo, but now in the face of advancement in medical science, the reality is being revealed. Infertility is most often seen as a woman’s issue and it is they who bear the brunt of not bearing a child. But according to a recent report by the WHO on the status of infertility in India, of all infertility cases, approximately 50% is due to “male infertility”, owing to various reproductive anomalies in the male.
Moqeem:You have handful of information about male infertility in general, which I didn’t expect that much from you. You are very informative. Do you have an account in Indian context? Please elaborate!
Naveen:The incidence in India is no less than the global rate. Let’s see through the data and the survey report that will give the better overview.
Male Infertility in India
The fertility rate of Indians (measured as the number of children born to a woman), has plummeted by more than 50 percent, from 4.97 during the 1975-80 period to 2.3 for the current period of 2015-20. By 2025-30, the report projects, the rate will nosedive further to 2.1, touching 1.86 from 2045-50 and 1.78 from 2095-2100, reveals the World Population Prospects – 2017 Revision Report.
Latest statistics reveal that male infertility in India is very high. It generally occurs due to low production and motility of sperm, abnormal shape of sperm or complete absence of it. A group of Indian scientists have also found underlying genetic factors for infertility in Indian men. They hope this knowledge could help them develop a genetic test for male infertility in near the future.
The AIIMS doctors have reported that over 12–18 million couples in India are diagnosed with infertility every year. They have reported that while the sperm count of a normal Indian adult male used to be 60 million/ml three decades ago, it now stands at around 20 million/ml.
Moqeem: The data seems correct because lately when Asim-Salma visited their consultant gynaecologist, she said that it is observed that male infertility factor is the primary reason for the inability to conceive in your case. The incidence is specially high between the age group of 29 and 35. They either have a combination of low sperm concentration or poor sperm motility, or abnormal morphology. However, due to social stigma, male fertility problems are considered secondary and most often go undiagnosed and untreated.
Naveen:Actually, there are so many reasons behind the rising incidence of male infertility. Earlier, it was perceived that this is only found in women, but now the share has reached almost 50%. The reasons and its remedial measures listed by the physicians so far are as follows:
Reasons behind Male Infertility
Unhealthy lifestyle
Lack of physical activity
High-pressure jobs
Pollution
Poor diet
Alcohol consumption and smoking
Tobacco use affects spermatogenesis causing low sperm count
Unhealthy lifestyle
Using certain illicit drugs
Being overweight
Having certain past or present infections
Being exposed to toxins
Overheating the testicles
Having experienced trauma to the testicles
Having a prior vasectomy or major abdominal or pelvic surgery
Being born with a fertility disorder or having a blood relative with a fertility disorder
Certain medications
The primary causes of male infertility include low sperm production, abnormal sperm function, or blockages that prevent the delivery of sperm. But while these issues are sometimes the result of underlying health problems, they can also be caused by certain lifestyle factors. One recent study even suggests that the type of job a man has can significantly impact his chances of conceiving with a partner.
In the same study, the researchers found that 13 per cent of the men with physically demanding jobs had low sperm counts. In contrast, only 6 percent of men who did not perform such strenuous work had lower semen concentrations. The researchers were able to demonstrate that the physical demands of the job were what mattered: Other work factors like late-night shifts, heat, noise, or prolonged sitting were not associated with semen quality.
The same study reveals that diet and lifestyle are much more likely to be contributory factors than environmental chemicals such as pesticides, plastics and hormones in the water, because of the evidence that they could induce such striking effects at low levels of exposure is unconvincing.
There is a chance that women might ultimately be behind the sudden drop in sperm count, because of the rates of maternal smoking and the use of painkillers during pregnancy, and the reduced sperm counts of sons in adulthood.
A baby boy’s testes are formed during the first trimester when many women don’t know they’re pregnant, and the period immediately after their formation is critical for the production of testosterone. What we are seeing now could be the expression of a generational problem: the fact that, since the 1970s, women are more likely than ever to smoke and take over-the-counter painkillers.
Remedial Measures…
Often, the exact cause of infertility is not identified. Even if an exact cause isn’t clear, the doctor might be able to recommend treatments or procedures that will result in conception. In cases of infertility, the female partner also is recommended to be checked. This can help to determine if she will require any specific treatments or if proceeding with assisted reproductive techniques is appropriate. Treatments for male infertility include:
Surgery
Treating infections
Treatments for sexual intercourse problems
Hormone treatments and medications
Assisted reproductive technology (ART)
In case the above-mentioned methods fail, and it’s impossible for a man to father a child. One can adopt lifestyle changes and home remedies. The following steps might be effective towards the restoration of male fertility.
Increase the frequency of sex
Have sex when fertilization is possible
Avoid the use of lubricants
Practice stress-reduction techniques
Consider going to counselling
Express yourself
Stay in touch with loved ones
Some Interesting Facts about Male Infertility
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s) are a major cause of fertility problems
Presence of Aluminum may affect swimmers, reducing the sperm count
Higher temperature affects male fertility
Male fertility decreases with age in a subtle way
Vegetarians and vegans might have poorer sperm
Smoking badly hurts male fertility
Obesity heavily affects male fertility
The heat releases from Laptop affects the sperm badly
A loss of smell can be a sign of infertility
Depression or emotional stress can impair a man’s fertility
CandidQalam 
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