USA + India = BFF, y’all

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A few hours ago, a mutineer who covers the Executive Branch sent me this:

For Immediate Release
January 25, 2009
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Message on the occasion of India Republic Day
As the people of India and people of Indian origin in America and around the world celebrate Republic Day on January 26, I send the warmest greetings of the American people to the people of India. Together, we celebrate our shared belief in democracy, liberty, pluralism, and religious tolerance.
Our nations have built broad and vibrant partnerships in every field of human endeavor. Our rapidly growing and deepening friendship with India offers benefits to all the world’s citizens as our scientists solve environmental challenges together, our doctors discover new medicines, our engineers advance our societies, our entrepreneurs generate prosperity, our educators lay the foundation for our future generations, and our governments work together to advance peace, prosperity, and stability around the globe.
It is our shared values that form the bedrock of a robust relationship across peoples and governments. Those values and ideals provide the strength that enables us to meet any challenge, particularly from those who use violence to try to undermine our free and open societies. As the Indian people celebrate Republic Day all across India, they should know that they have no better friend and partner than the people of the United States. It is in that spirit, that I also wish Prime Minister Singh a quick recovery.

Incidentally, if you were unaware of the latest regarding the health of Prime Minister Singh, here you go (thanks, Manoje):

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday successfully underwent a coronary bypass surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Science in New Delhi as doctors removed 10 blockages in his heart…
Dr Ramakanth Panda, the chief of the Asian Heart Institute in Mumbai, headed the surgical team comprising doctors that performed the beating heart surgery. The prime minister had undergone his first heart surgery in 1990 and then had an angioplasty in 2004. This week, he complained of chest plain and the angiography revealed 10 blockages, which prompted the doctors to opt for a surgery. [rediff]

I am ridiculously delighted to learn that the surgical team was headed by a panda. I love pandas.

For those who crave some learnin’ about the reason for the thoughtful press release:

The Republic Day of India is a national holiday of India to mark the adoption of the Constitution of India and the transition of India from a British Dominion to a republic on January 26, 1950. It is one of the three national holidays in India…
To mark the importance of this occasion, every year a grand parade is held in the capital, New Delhi, from the Raisina Hill near the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President’s Palace), along the Rajpath, past India Gate and on to the historic Red Fort. The different regiments of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force march past in all their finery and official decorations. The President of India who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, takes the salute. Floats exhibiting the cultures of the various states and regions of India are in the grand parade, which is broadcast nationwide on television and radio. Also part of the parade are children who win the National Bravery Award for the year. The parade also includes other vibrant displays and floats and traditionally ends with a flypast by Indian Air Force jets. [wiki]

Unfortunately, the “National Bravery Award” is not given out to those who have the intestinal fortitude to admit to their parents that they’re not going to med school. Totally sounds like that’s what it could be though, right? Yeah, not so much. I looked it up for us and discovered that its back-story is a lot more interesting than anything as prosaic as disappointing one’s parental units:

The origin of the award dates back to October 2, 1957, when India’s first Prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, was watching a performance at Delhi’s Ramlila grounds, at the Red Fort, and a fire broke out in a shamiana (decorated tent) through a short circuit. Subsequently, a 14-year-old boy , a part of the student’s scout team, promptly took out his knife, and ripped open the burning shamiana, saving saved lives of hundreds of trapped people; this incident inspired Pt. Nehru initiate the awards, he asked the authorities to constitute an award to honour brave children from all over the country, and the tradition has continued hence. [wiki]

But, uh, back to the lecture at hand. Perfection is perfected, so I’m ‘a let ’em understand. From a young G’s perspective, maybe in 2010, President #44 can be in India for Republic Day. You see, a different head of state is honored as “chief guest”, each year. Last year, it was Nursultan Nazarbayev, the President of Kazakhstan, and in 2007, it was Mr. Carla Bruni. A girl can dream…

124 thoughts on “USA + India = BFF, y’all”

  1. Man, being treated by a Panda is way too funny … though I come form the part of India (Orissa) where Pandas are common surnames, and yea Dr Panda is from the state too. On another note, earlier last yr, I came to know about Obama being a Hanuman ‘bhakt’ from SM only – and yesterday, saw a piece of Indian news where they showed some Hanuman temple priests in India are conducted a puja for him on the oath day. They are too hoping that Obama visits the temple when he comes to India. Aaahmazzingly crazy… as crazy as the thought of being treated by a ‘Panda’!

  2. a different head of state is honored as “chief guest”, each year.

    They invited France three times? Three times? And still the French won’t learn Hindi.

  3. I guess the name “Panda” fits perfectly in our Hindu culture with all the animal imagery of tigers (Durga Devi uses one for transport), lions (Narasimha), and bears (Jambavan), oh my. Not to mention rats (rat temple, Ganesh’s vehicle), snakes (snake temples, Shiva’s bling), birds (Garuda, etc) and I believe the 4 dogs that protect the Vedas are proof that all dogs go to heaven (like the title of the kids movie from a while back). But of course, Pandas still rule.

    President Obama sent a very nice & letter that’s flattering to Indians in India – he’s an honorary Desi after all.

  4. (In my last post, I left out the Divine Cows, horses, boars and bulls and other hooved ones. Each animal in Hinduism is supposed to symbolic. check out http://www.dycuk.org/dattatreya.html )

    That would be amazing if Obama was invited to be the chief guest at India’s Republic Day. I’m sure he wouldn’t turn the invitation down, too.

  5. But, uh, back to the lecture at hand. Perfection is perfected, so I’m ‘a let ’em understand. From a young G’s perspective…

    Now, are you just trying to get my attention? You had me at “back to the lecture.”

    I love pandas.

    I nominate this for best piece of SM political commentary, January 2009.

  7. a happy republic day and a kung hei fat choy y’all. it’s a year where your hard work and perseverance will result in froot. prez o, reportedly born in the year of the ox, also represents those traits of honesty, diligence and fortitude. so hang in there. be cool.

  11. India practices religious tolerance in name, for sure. I think the practice needs to be perfected somewhat, still.

  14. BTW, I had a friend last-named ‘Panda’ back in college in India (all those many years ago). I always pronounced it Panda too. He never corrected me. It was common friends who told me, it is not pronounced ‘Panda’, it is ‘Puhndaah’ the first syllable going rather like ‘pundit’, as Dizzy Desi points out in #8.

    P.S. Hello port, and thank you!

  16. I vent through the rediff link and it sounds like a rather complex and risky procedure. ten blockages. grafts from arms and legs. a history of diabetes. i’m just surprised this wasnt big news. anyone know who was the person in charge when mr singh was undergoing the surgery?
    that said, wish mr singh well on his recovery.

  17. 16 · khoofi said

    anyone know who was the person in charge when mr singh was undergoing the surgery?

    nobody was officially in charge (probably didn’t want to create an alternative power center to manmohan singh, before rahul is deemed fit to ascend to the throne), but pranab mukherjee was dealing with finance.

  18. I second the redirecting of National Bravery Awards. Someday, we will be recognized by our country for risking life and limb…

    //flashback//

    “Dad, I want to be a photographer!”

    (All hell breaks loose)

    //end flashback//

  19. How better to celebrate the institution of India’s progressive, secular values than by going out with friends for a drink, being intruded upon by right-wing Hindu activists, being called a prostitute, being slapped and molested, and having the government shuffle its feet and play defense?

    That’s called partying Karnataka style! Happy Republic Day!

  21. Panda. Good name for next Rajnikanth movie. Sivajikkappuram evan da ? Sivajikkappuram Pan da!

  22. Thanks for the equivocation, kd. “Oh, its terrible what we allow to happen in the name of Hindu culture – but aren’t the Muslims worse?” I hope that wasn’t what you were trying to do, because it is cowardly not to look to your own house first. For your further information, two of the women assaulted in Mangalore were hospitalized.

  23. thanks for hoping for me, Nizam. I hope so too. i didn’t say anything about ‘worse’ though – is that something you think?

    i AM sad about the state of affairs. worse – i tried arguing with both sets of offenders in my mind, and lost. “thou shall not hurt someone just for your beliefs” wouldn’t work because these guys believe in a universal moral framework, one that’s different from one that privileges the individual.

    http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/haidt07/haidt07_index.html

  24. 1 · bollywoodplusplus said

    Obama being a Hanuman

    I thought so. He and his vanara sena will be oversmartstupid enough to bring Dronagiri mountain to rescue the economy with Mrita Sanjivani. On the other hand, you could be called a ‘Bhajji’ Singh for your statement.

  26. 17 · stand up said

    16 · khoofi said
    anyone know who was the person in charge when mr singh was undergoing the surgery?
    nobody was officially in charge (probably didn’t want to create an alternative power center to manmohan singh, before rahul is deemed fit to ascend to the throne), but pranab mukherjee was dealing with finance.

    Yeah, there was total confusion. [link]. They could appointed the VP (leader of Rajya Sabha) as the acting PM, no harm in that?

  27. Confucius sez,

    “Yeah, there was total confusion. [link].”

    Jumping Jibril from Jupiter! You werent kidding. Here’s more.

    Singh underwent bypass surgery in 1990 in Britain. He also underwent wrist surgery in 2006, prostate gland surgery and a cataract removal procedure last year, officials said.

    Mannie is a bionic sirdar yaar. He’s probably just girding up for the nex 100.

    Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani sent bouquets of flowers to the prime minister.

    I thought this was touching. We shall be anemones but we do extend our noodly appendages when the chips are down.

  29. 16 · khoofi said

    i’m just surprised this wasnt big news. anyone know who was the person in charge when mr singh was undergoing the surgery?

    Sonia Gandhi Same as before the operation. (or after)

  30. i’m just surprised this wasnt big news. anyone know who was the person in charge when mr singh was undergoing the surgery?

    It was (still is) very big news in India.

    Pranab Mukherjee was in-charge, according to the rules

  31. 23 · kd said

    these guys believe in a universal moral framework, one that’s different from one that privileges the individual.

    well, i believe in our legal system. these guys belong in jail. one’s moral framework is no mitigation for perpetrating violent crime. but i do hear what you’re saying, and i don’t believe you endorse these thugs. so rob, see how your saffron friends like to party? what a diverse and merry bunch y’all are!

  32. so rob, see how your saffron friends like to party? what a diverse and merry bunch y’all are!

    Port, While I don’t normally like to air “dirty laundry” in public, I will take your bait and meet you with, err–Koenraad Elst’s (self-)critical assessment of the Hindu right–yes, there are a lot of deficiencies, but that only means the future is that much brighter. I have to confess to having discussed commonalities tonight over dinner with some right-wing Filipino’s at a Korean restaurant (eats included a scallion and seafood pancake and–err–beef tongue BBQ–but, one can invoke the more ancient Vedic texts as is–err–appropriate).

    🙂

  33. 32 · rob said

    While I don’t normally like to air “dirty laundry” in public

    That’s right. you like to have your henchmen in india do it to christians and muslims and anybody else they don’t like because they wore short skirts or kissed in public or whatever else the offense of the day is, even as you sit comfortably in a country that is welcoming to diverse cultures and immigrants. your ability to be comfortable with bankrolling extremism shows a deep seated bigotry. you are the kind of person who would have been in the taliban if they were muslim and shoveling money to pat robertson if they were christian. but be happy. your brand of hate will likely carry the day as your people tear india’s historical secularism – that you use as some sort of exhibit of tolerance – apart and reduce it to a hindu theocracy. i just hope that this destruction takes at least a couple of generations so i don’t live to see it, and the people i know are able to clear out of there before then.

  34. 33 · right

    LOL–I am flattered that you think I have “henchmen.” It must really burn you up that my “peeps” pass the “smell test” in US politics (I am not including campus politics here), unlike, say, the Islamists or (really, in decent company, in the US–you’ll know what I mean if you “know what I mean,” what, what?) the Pat Robertson types. How did the “Hindu fundoos” manage to penetrate to such heights in US society and politics? Maybe b/c your underlying narrative is false? In fact–yes, yes, that would be the reason. But, go ahead, add another epicycle to your theory about how bad and dangerous Hindus are. Meanwhile, I will cackle–and plot further alliances for us.

  35. It must really burn you up that my “peeps” pass the “smell test” in US politics

    it is only a matter of time before their extremism becomes more visible. look already how modi was not even permitted to enter the u.s. this will only become more prevalent over time as the sangh increasingly runs rampant. i don’t need to add epicycles because i never said anything about how bad and dangerous hindus are. i said hindutvavaadis, the radical hindu extremists whom you support, are a poison. but lie on this too, as you do with everything else, to feed your messed up world view.

    Meanwhile, I will cackle–and plot further alliances for us.

    of course you will. as you plot more destruction of mosques and murder and killings of missionaries and nativism. just like self interested pakistanis have all got out of pakistan, the same will happen as you reduce india to a theocracy.

  36. How did the “Hindu fundoos” manage to penetrate to such heights in US society and politics?

    i don’t know whom you are referring to, but i would like you to name five (or three) vocal hindu fundoos in positions of power and responsibility in us society.

  37. 33 · right said

    <

    blockquote>32 · rob said

    That’s right. you like to have your henchmen in india do it to christians and muslims and anybody else they don’t like because they wore short skirts or kissed in public or whatever else the offense of the day is, even as you sit comfortably in a country that is welcoming to diverse cultures and immigrants. your ability to be comfortable with bankrolling extremism shows a deep seated bigotry. you are the kind of person who would have been in the taliban if they were muslim and shoveling money to pat robertson if they were christian. but be happy. your brand of hate will likely carry the day as your people tear india’s historical secularism – that you use as some sort of exhibit of tolerance – apart and reduce it to a hindu theocracy. i just hope that this destruction takes at least a couple of generations so i don’t live to see it, and the people i know are able to clear out of there before then.

    Ha. Comments like this make me want to establish a Hindu Rashtra just out of spite.

  38. 36 · right said

    How did the “Hindu fundoos” manage to penetrate to such heights in US society and politics?
    i don’t know whom you are referring to, but i would like you to name five (or three) vocal hindu fundoos in positions of power and responsibility in us society.

    Since the definition of “fundoo” seems to be “anyone who doesn’t apologize for being Hindu” I guess. . . well just about everyone outside of Hartford, Connecticut then huh?

  39. 38 · Noogie said

    Since the definition of “fundoo” seems to be “anyone who doesn’t apologize for being Hindu” I guess. . . well just about everyone outside of Hartford, Connecticut then huh?

    you might want to call all hindus fundoos, but that is only in your sick head. are all muslim wahhabis? or taliban soldiers? sane people can tell the difference.

    Comments like this make me want to establish a Hindu Rashtra just out of spite.

    yes, the comments made you do it. next?

  40. of course you will. as you plot more destruction of mosques and murder and killings of missionaries and nativism. just like self interested pakistanis have all got out of pakistan, the same will happen as you reduce india to a theocracy.

    Wow Rob I didn’t realize you were such a high roller.

    Mogambo. . . khush hua.

  41. LOL–I love how your cramped playbook forces you to deal with someone like me by accusing me of of advocating “murder” just b/c I don’t accept your tired platitudes. Yeah, you’re open-minded.

    look already how modi was not even permitted to enter the u.s. this will only become more prevalent over time as the sangh increasingly runs rampant

    Wow–you really misinterpret this–Modi got banned precisely b/c most Americans don’t care—so his ban was an expression of special interest outcomes (hey–that’s as American as apple pie too–but, look for some payback there too)–as the Sangh wises up, and communicates its ideas better (e.g., restore historical temple sites, resist Islamist intimidation) this won’t work anymore for the Left/Islamist alliance. Sorry.

  42. you might want to call all hindus fundoos, but that is only in your sick head. are all muslim wahhabis? or taliban soldiers? sane people can tell the difference.

    Sane people don’t usually assume anyone who points out that they’re wrong must be part of a vast conspiracy.

    These blog posts are just the tip of the iceberg. We plan to roll out phase II next time we meet in our secret volcano lair.

  43. 41 · rob said

    Modi got banned precisely b/c most Americans don’t care—so his ban was an expression of special interest outcomes

    sure. the government bans people whose actions they don’t care about. got it.

    as the Sangh wises up, and communicates its ideas better

    you think this genie will be bottled up? because reactionary forces always know when to stop, right?

  44. you think this genie will be bottled up? because reactionary forces always know when to stop, right?

    But I was promised they’d use the third wish to free me. . .

  45. 42 · Noogie said

    Sane people don’t usually assume anyone who points out that they’re wrong must be part of a vast conspiracy.

    you were the one saying that all hindus are fundoos. i was saying that was a sick thing to say. i guess that makes me a bigot then.

  46. 45 · right you were the one saying that all hindus are fundoos. i was saying that was a sick thing to say. i guess that makes me a bigot then.

    Could you start to focus on “truth” and stop worrying about being a “bigot”? I mean, were the first humans to master fire (a) people who had “advanced,” (with the necessary implication towards the other contemporaneous peoples) or (b) people who were “pro-fire bigots”? Where is this playing other than at JNU?

  47. 46 · rob said

    Where is this playing other than at JNU?

    if it doesn’t play anywhere other than jnu, maybe you can stop throwing around jnu papers as you always do to somehow claim that the prevailing view of hinduism is somehow jaundiced. i am glad you put “truth” in quotes, that about summarizes the selective readings that hindutvavaadis use to justify their paranoia and their nativism.

    as for your fire analogy, are you saying that hindutva is the one true belief system and those who don’t adhere to it are backward, or should be “converted” to it? sounds pretty inclusive to me.

  48. I’m just being lazy and triumphalist about the fact that Hindutva is “safe” and “accepted” in US politics/culture/society, unlike, say, Islamism or Communism. I admit that that’s intellectually lazy, though–and we need to go to work on it.

  49. 48 · rob said

    I’m just being lazy and triumphalist about the fact that Hindutva is “safe” and “accepted” in US politics/culture/society

    exactly like how modi was denied his visa because it was so accepted. don’t worry though, your extremism will get played out in the full glare of day as communal violence in india becomes more rampant, and minorities of all stripes are at the receiving end.

  50. 49 · right exactly like how modi was denied his visa because it was so accepted. don’t worry though, your extremism will get played out in the full glare of day as communal violence in india becomes more rampant, and minorities of all stripes are at the receiving end.

    You badly misunderestimate [error intended] what is going on. . . Now that we have VHP-A better organized, Modi can get a visa anytime. . . . and why are you focussing on whether the US gives a visa–LOL–focus on whether our peeps or your peeps are winning–LOL–I know you want “Unkill” to continue to discriminate against Modi, but–it ain’t happening, man. Unkill is giving “us” lots of “high-tech” stuff even as you write.