Dec 26, 2010 Posted by daktre

Justice not so blind in Chhatisgarh

It is a shameful day in the history of Indian judiciary, when a doctor who stood as a voice for the poor, oppressed and marginalised is polished off in the most unceremonious way to a life in the prison. What is on trial is indeed justice itself in this case. Over the last few years, my feelings went from indifference (here was a doctor and an acclaimed activist; not so easy to foist cases on him, I... read more

Dec 5, 2010 Posted by daktre

Switching the poles – the ITM way

A lot has been said, something has been tried and many reports have been published about the huge North-South divide seen in the world today. The resource-rich, but economically poor global South continues to reel under socio-economic, political and apparently scientific poverty (if research publications are any index of science!). We, the global South have the natural resources, human resources and such... read more

Oct 24, 2010 Posted by daktre

The memory remains: MMC ’97 fast-forward

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. - Douglas Adams It was just another among many Novembers for the Head of department of Anatomy at Mysore Medical College. However, it was a special moment for the close to hundred eager minds assembled amidst the dust and echoes in the biochemistry hall. It was here on that November in 1997 that I heard the first... read more

Mar 21, 2010 Posted by daktre

Damned if I die, damned if I don’t

Farmer’s suicide is a silent killer being brushed aside as a marginal issue; after all, a few farmers taking their life ‘here and there’ can’t be that serious. Hmm….neither is it ‘few farmers’ (nearly 200,000 in 10 years) nor is it here and there (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh are just the big five!). Of course, it is not a... read more

Feb 22, 2010 Posted by daktre

Follow the leader…

The auditorium at Tumkur was abuzz with expectation. The district and sub-district health officials from the government health services had congregated for a training session organised by Swasthya Karnataka on administrative procedures. The resource person for the day was Dr. P K Srinivasa, the lead consultant to the Government of Karnataka on implementing the National Rural Health Mission. The... read more