Thursday, August 24, 2006

A Presidential Clutter!

Hello People! It’s been quite a while.

Last month was underscored by a host of surprises. So when I was declared elected as the President of our Student Bar Association (a body of around three hundred undergrads) on the 29th of July, the happening belied all capabilities of foresight I could have had.

While the incident infused me with immense self-confidence, the days that followed have taught me lessons galore.

In our fledgling yet national law school, problems are the only constant. Not that these glitches are peculiar to us alone, but still this is not the best of times to have taken the office. Power has been defined as the ability of a person to influence the behaviour of others. While I’m still not sure about the ramifications of this value loaded concept on my post, I do realize that I’ve now become responsible to a lot of people.

When the new hostel facility was out and out rejected by a majority of our students, mass agitation was the inevitable outcome. While the fact that I stayed at my home made my locus standi (right to bring up a claim) weak, it didn’t deter me from dealing with some unprecedented confrontations.

As the Convener of the moot court society I was made to draft six pages of minutely delved upon rules for our internal moot court competition. Except for the eligibility criteria, the rest was well taken by the students. While the Faculty Advisors had vehemently proposed the initial eligibility criteria, owing to pressure from the student fraternity which wanted a more relaxed criteria, the volte-face within the moot society was inevitable. The rules were relaxed.

I had slogged for three days to come out with the rules. However, all of it went up in smoke. Not that I liked the initial eligibility criteria myself, but this was the first time that my hard work didn’t get any recognition. And more importantly, this was the first time I was working for others (without pursuing any personal agenda). The entire episode ensured that I cut a sorry figure for myself. I even contemplated resigning. After all, why should I work when my efforts don’t bring any results?

However, some deep contemplation brought me back to my senses. My religion too (Hinduism) expects me to work without bothering about the results. I’ve taken up a position of responsibility and I must work!

God willing, justice will be done to me!

On the personal front, the WTO Course offered by an Austian Prof. (who is here for this semester on an exchange programme) is giving me unparallel satisfaction. I hope and prey that I'm not jumping the gun. Intellectual Property Law also being offered this sem is fascinating too.

The year ahead would throw a lot many challenges. I would expect your active support.

Adios!

Friday, July 14, 2006

Let's Save the Tigers!

Although I am quite focused on making a career in International Trade Law, Tiger Conservation is an area I would always like to remain associated with.

I have visited the Bandavgarh and Kanha National Parks a legion of times in my growing up years and have seen and observed the tiger in its natural abode innumerable times. I recall being in Bandavgarh -in one of my several visits- around the time when Sita, a tigress had been poached. The discussions with various people associated with the park then, have for long remained ingrained on my memory. Such has been my association with Bandavgarh National Park that my parents- both doctors- were once contemplating about buying a house near the park. In fact, forests and wildlife have always remained subjects of my fascination. One of my uncles has recently retired as the Director of the Wildlife Institute at Deharadun, and he is another person who has inspired me to respect the forests and the wildlife.

After undergoing the Environmental Law Course in the second year of Law School, my resolve for doing something for the tigers only became stronger. I am aware that saving the tigers is indispensable for India’s water security (given the 'tiger-forest-water' link). However, I also look at the tiger as a heritage we need to preserve for the future generations. I have gone through the report of the Tiger Task Force (which was appointed by the PM last year to look into sudden disappearnce of Tigers from a National Park in Rajasthan) in parts. They seem to be more concerned about the human populations inside the parks than the tiger. Nevertheless, they do have some good suggestions for improving the enforcement agencies.

Having read Valmik Thapar’s Last Tiger -which relies on the WPSI report- in parts, I realize that it is the market for tiger skins and bones in Tibet (for skins) and China that fuels its poaching in India. As long as the source isn’t dismantled, the problem would always persist. The economic factor would always remain a driving force for the poachers. The porous Nepal border along with the ‘no visa required’ policy for movement across it, is another facilitator.

The Wildlife Protection Act even after hundred amendments can’t save the tiger as long as the market for tiger products is not dismantled. And since it exists outside our territory, the role of Public International Law gets underscored here. It is high time that bilateral consultations are entered into with China. We now have enough proof to show that activities in the Chinese territory are a source for tiger poaching in India. The ban on transboundary harm is a rule of binding customary international law.[1] This rule is embodied in Principle 21 of the Stockholm Declaration and in the new Convention on Biological Diversity according to which States have “the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States”. It makes a prima facie case for a petition to the International Court of Justice if China doesn’t co-operate as it is violating a customary rule of International Law.

I have interned under Satish Maneshinde, one the most prominent lawyers practicing at the Bombay High Court and can recall at least one case which involved the tiger and the Wildlife Protection Act. We were for the accused who got acquitted after a trial which lasted for ten years. I am convinced that we cannot expect much from the current system to save the tiger.

I have also submitted a research paper on ‘Legal Personality of Animals and the Animal Rights Discourse’ as part of my Jurisprudence-II course at the Law School and have looked into possible reasons for poor enforcement of Wildlife Protection Laws in India.

My rationale behind posting this piece is to keep me motivated right through the year for completing my paper on Tiger Consevartion. I would request my regular readers to chip in with suggestions.

[1] Catherine Tinker, Responsibility for Biological Diversity Conservation under International Law, 28 VAND. J. TRANSNAT’L L. (1995) 777, 806-09.

Monday, June 19, 2006

Cities Classified!

People, I’ve my presentation coming up tomorrow. Have been researching on the Dispute Settlement Mechanism of the WTO for five weeks now. Getting the work published in a quality journal will require a lot more effort. Let’s see how things shape up.

Delhi in May- June is not the best of places to work in. Yet, I’ve had my share of fun here. With this visit, I have now lived in most of the major cities of this country after having visited some well known places of the world. Here’s an objective assessment of these places in order of my liking.

1. Bombay…

I’ve lived in this city for around 6 months (all stays taken together).I just can’t think of settling down at any other place in India (God willing). Having said that, I must stress that I love Bombay primarily for its old downtown area. It’s archaic buildings in Anglo-Saxon architecture, the peaceful localities of central Bombay, the Regal theatre and CafĂ© Leopold in Colaba, Swaminarayan (Dadar) and Siddhivinayak (Prabhadevi) temples, the age old Irani restaurants, the Bombay High Court, those bus rides along the Arabian Sea, the nightlife, and of course it’s people are just some of the other alluring factors.

This city can both make and break men. For the common man, life is a struggle here. But its energy is contagious. It has inspired many a great careers and has nurtured a host of great men. Truly, no city in India even comes near to Bombay. It rulez. It inspires.














Victoria Terminus















The Bombay High Court















Regal














Gateway of India














Leopold

2. Muscat…

I remember Muscat for its high sophistication, scarce population, exotic locales and those high speed car rides (almost all major car companies of the world have show rooms here…cars are the only means of transport available…and everybody can afford them…that’s Muscat for you) . It’s only after coming here that I realized that the Arabian Sea is actually blue! :). The city is sparking clean too. Given the number of Indian faces one comes across (mostly mallus), it’s almost as if India shifted to a posh setting. I’ll never forget Muscat for the landing at the Seeb International Airport…as the aircraft descends and hovers above the sea, seconds before landing, the sight of the arid mountains in contrast with the dark blue sea remains unparallel.














That's a solid rock in the background, right in the middle of the sea...


3. Gold Coast…

I stayed here for a week in March, 2005. The place is known all over the world for its sublime beaches. Surfer’s Paradise and Burleigh Heads are the two prominent Surfing venues. State-of-the-art malls, extremely friendly Aussies, the Pacific Ocean, cheap eat-outs, outstanding nightlife, sea doves and the extremely economical and efficient public transportation system make it worth its name.














Isn't that serene?

4. Berne…

Although I’ve just seen the old city, the sights and sounds of this fantastic part of the world deserve a special mention. The sights of flashy trams moving through its old lanes, basking tourists at the Parliament Square, the house of Albert Einstein, those age old human settlements, and the chimes from that archaic cathedral make this place special.














Berne, basking in it's medieval glory.

5. Brisbane…

Though I didn’t see much of the city, the towering skyscrapers, the GABA Cricket Stadium, and the wonderful people at the QUT, Faculty of Law will stay in my cerebral alleys forever.



















A cutting-edge bridge over the Brisbane river...

6. Geneva…

‘Posh’ is one word I would use for describing this famous metropolitan. Lake Geneva, the University, extremely fashionable people, the WTO Headquarters and host of other International Organizations make it a charming city. French is the language spoken and prices are sky high.

How about this for a home?

7. Chandigarh…

I lived here for a month in April-May 2004 for my first ever work experience at the Chandigarh District Courts at Sector-17. This planned city had a very pleasant climate at a time when most of north India was oppressively hot. It’s highlights; the four lane roads with the latest flashy cars zooming about, the lush green public parks, the market at Sector-17, the good-looking crowd, the ever so gregarious and friendly Sardars, the peaceful localities, the spotless cleanliness, the disciplined people, the proximity to Shimla and of course, the parathas!


8. Bangalore…

I stayed here for a fortnight in November 2005. People, this place truly rocks! The malls, the pubs, the crowd, M.G. Road, M.T.R, the ISKCON temple and of course the National Law School (we stayed in its campus for a week while researching for the WTO moot), the sprawling campuses of the Indian Institute of Science and that of IIM-B make it special.














Bangalore Central...














MTR...Bisi Bella Bath (rice cooked with lots of spices) Rocks!














NLS...enlightenment at the other end!














ISKCON temple by night...

9. Calcutta…

As with any other Non Resident Bengali, the association with this place dates back to my childhood days. The best-bit; dirt-cheap high quality food at the roll walaas and the authentic Chinese restaurants, the old streets, the yellow taxis, Kalighat temple, Eden Gardens, the underground rail network, Park Street, Writer’s Building, fish markets and of course the kind hearted and emotionally charged people. Although I’ve been to the city a legion of times, I’m yet to witness a Durga Puja there.

10. Hyderabad…

This city has everything to take one for a ride. The people here know well how to enjoy life. The outskirts have some brilliant resorts which make every visit worthwhile. And of course, how can I ever forget Hyderabadi Biryani!














Authentic Hyderabadi Biryani specially prepared for me at batchmate Basava Rao's place by his cook.


11. Pune…

Pune is another city I’ve frequented many times. Two of my closest cousins grew up here which meant we visited them quite often. My uncle used to stay in the tranquil cantonment area and his house had borne with a host of other cousins. Lately, my brother shifted his base there- another factor which has kept me associated with this city. Pune has recently become one of the major higher education centers of the country, a fact that gives the city a very young, hip-hop look. The Osho Ashram ensures a constant inflow of foreigners. With such huge student population, the city does have its share of fun, frolic and quite obviously, trouble!

12. Delhi…

Delhi is beautiful, albeit extremely hot in May-June. It has some excellent shopping arcades and ravishing food joints. Buses are all dilapidated and the auto-rickshaws hardly run on meters. This political capital of the country gets a lot of media attention. While South Delhi has an opulent look, the old city is very crammed up and wears a worn out look. Delhiites dress up very well. However, there is nothing here other than the Supreme Court that inspires. It doesn’t throb like Bombay.Delhi Haat and Ansal Plaza are worth a shot. The unlimited thali food at Andhra Bhavan Canteen for Rs.5o is incomparable.



















With Arun and Rachit at India Gate...

13. Dhaka

Extremely conjested.Read the Bangladesh post

14. Chennai

I stayed here for a week in November 2005. It was a time when the entire city lied completely inundated and had virtually nothing to offer. So, it would be unfair to comment about it before giving it another shot. Do read the Chennai post


P.S.- I’m heading back home on the 24th. The law school reopens on the 3rd of July. Professional commitments would keep me occupied till the 10th of July. I don’t intend to participate in moots this year and would hopefully post pieces related to relevant social issues every fortnight from now on. I haven't done justice to the tiger paper and can sense a feeling of guilt gripping me tight. I'll make amends.

And I take my photography quite seriously. So, kindly respect my copyrights. Special thanks to Sangeetha for the Delhi picture.

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

The Swiss 'wrap up'

Hello people! It’s been almost two weeks in Delhi. More than anything else, it’s the weather which is keeping the spirits low. X-Men-3, Da Vinci Code and Ice Age-2 are the three movies I’ve seen so far…all at PVR, Saket, supposedly the best multiplex of the city…

Internship is going fine, albeit at my own pace.

Its high time I wrap up the Swiss story. Here are some shots from our trip to Bern, the political capital of Switzerland. It was by far the best place we visited there. We had stopped by on our way back to Zurich and had just about enough time to see around the old city…
























































The train journey from Geneva to Zurich via Bern was phenomenal in more than one ways...


































Albert Einstein's house in Bern...



















Aish at Bern...


















Everytime the age old bell of this clock tower rang at the stroke of every hour, we could sense the past gripping us in its medieval corridors...



























Shadows...




























































The Gothic cathedral came into existence in 1421. Its tower was added in 1893. The colourful statutes embellish the Cathedral.































An old pavement...








































Aare, a tributary of Rhine passes through Bern















The Swiss Parliament...














Switzerland is undoubtedly an enchanting place.We were there only for a week and found very little time to see around. Nevertheless, whatever little I saw would remain ingrained on my memory forever. I take this opportunity to thank Adarsh and Roy for the wonderful company. I also thank all my friends at the Law School for the support they provided right through the effort (Hoysala, Basva, Rachit, Anurag, Anshul and Siddarth deserve a special mention for bearing with my mood swings during the preparation days...special thanks to Anjali, Monal and Anubha for all the encouragement...for whatever reasons, these people always made me believe that we would get past the national rounds...a big thanks to our sponsors Allahabad Bank, Jindal Power and Steel and the State Govt. of Chhattisgarh.Lastly, I thank my parents and brother for everything. God willing,I'll visit again!

As they say in Geneve, au revoir!

Friday, May 19, 2006

Delhi...

People...there has been a slight change in plans here. Actually, I got hold of an an intresting opportunity to do a research based internship at the Indian Society of International Law here...of course, the area is WTO law...However, the Tiger thing is still very much on and lets see how I juggle things...Delhi is dry and boring...it's no match for Bombay's class...Mumbai rulez...will always do...at least for me...

By the way, since the internet facility here is not all that great, i might not be able to wrap up my Swiss story from here...here's one part i 've managed to upload...















Flying over the Swiss Alps on our way back...































Colours of flying...

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Off to Delhi

I am heading for New Delhi tommorow morning for this year's internship. I would be working on a project on 'Tiger Conservation in India'. I'll be back in the last week of June, just before the Law School reopens.This project would hopefully take me to uncharted territories.

God willing, I'll post the rest of the stories from Switzerland soon.

Au revoir!

The Countryside


After the priliminary rounds, we found time to visit La Plaine, a village town on the France border...it took us 20 minutes by train











Risked my life for this one...


Thats France on the other side...


Was DDLJ shot here....just asking?

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Some Eye-catchers


Perhaps the closest I'll get in this life...


Roy in a sublime blend


A BMW scooter...our Vespa is very common too...


Cars galore...




Fashion (shoot)...


Tram...


Modern or Postmodern?


The sun sets around 9:00 PM in April...the Nightlife starts around ten...


Haloed...in the train to Bern