Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Election Commission of India and National Voters Day.

 

On this significant day, January 25, 2025, we mark two important milestones: The 75th anniversary of the founding of the Election Commission of India (ECI), which was founded on 25 January 1950 and the 14^th National Voters Day, declared o 25 January 2011, to commemorate the diamond jubilee of the founding of Election of India. These commemorations not only celebrate the rich legacy of the ECI but also highlight the enduring spirit of democracy of India, where every citizen is empowered with the right to vote.

The elections in India, more particularly the parliamentary elections, are considered as the greatest of global spectacle that herald the extraordinary democratic traditions of independent India. Last year 18^th Parliamentary elections were successfully completed by the Election Commission of India which uses technology and faceless hundreds of thousands of foot soldiers of the Election Commission of India who work tirelessly towards making the Himalayan task of conducting elections in India grand success time after time and election after elections. Democracy in India has gained from strength to strength, ever since the foundation of the Election Commission of India, and has made much progress over the decades. When we attained independence and declared ourselves Republic on 26 January 1950, our erstwhile rulers the British and the rest of the world were highly cynical about our survival, let alone our democracy. From the first elections in 1951-52 to the recent 18th parliamentary election in 2024, India has come a long way and our democracy has grown from strength and the world now treats Indian democracy as a triumphant role model. As we cherish the much lauded Indian Democracy, which we cherish so dearly, today is a special day for us to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Election Commission of India, which helps us in conducting free and fair elections in India. 

The Founding of the Election Commission

The Election Commission of India was established on January 25, 1950, a day before India formally became a Republic – 26 January 1950). This autonomous constitutional authority was tasked with overseeing free and fair elections, a cornerstone of democracy. As the guardian of the electoral process, the ECI has upheld the principle of universal adult suffrage, ensuring that every eligible Indian, irrespective of caste, creed, gender, or economic status, has a voice in shaping the nation’s future.

Central to the beauty and vibrancy of the Indian democracy are the Indian electorates - the rich and mighty, the powerful and powerless, the poor and the insignificant, the lettered and unlettered, sheltered and unsheltered, the males, females and the transgender’s, the believers and non-believers, Hindus, Muslims, Parsis, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, religious and non-religious, young, middle aged, old and the very old - all standing as equals, each rubbing shoulders with one another, in the true spirit of equality and humanity first, who make our democracy thrive by using the universal adult suffrage, which we enjoy by virtue of our Constitution.

 The first Chief Election Commissioner of India, Sukumar Sen, was a visionary who played a pivotal role in conducting India’s first general election in 1951-52. This was a Herculean task, given the scale, diversity, and logistical challenges that ECI faced. With over 173 million voters, of whom a significant majority were illiterate, the first election was a testament to the ECI’s commitment to inclusivity and innovation.

One can appreciate the magnitude of the challenge that the Election Commission of India and the founder Chief Election Commissioner, Mr Sukumar Sen, faced when they had to undertake this mission in a country which was left behind in dire straits - as articulated by Shashi Tharoor in his book, Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India –  after centuries of colonial rule and exploitation by the British. Therefore, it was no wonder that there was no optimism in the future for Indian democracy when we attained independence.   

What the odds were for Election Commission of India for making India succeed as a thriving democracy, when we attained independence, can best be seen when we juxtapose Indian democracy as a start-up company in 1947 and the Election Commission as its CEO. Not even the most adventurous and risk taking venture capitalists would have considered investing in the Indian democracy and the ECI. More so since there were many dooms day predictions made by the British, an evidence of which can be best seen from the last British commander in chief of the Indian Army, Gen. Claude Auchinleck. He wrote “The Sikhs may try to set up a separate regime. I think they probably will and that will be only a start of a general decentralization and break-up of the idea that India is a country, whereas it is a subcontinent as varied as Europe. The Punjabi is as different from a Madrassi as a Scot is from an Italian. The British tried to consolidate it but achieved nothing permanent. No one can make a nation out of a continent of many nations.”

Gen. Claude Auchinleck was not the sole voice to make such dooms day prediction for Indian democracy. Dooms day predictions for India and Indian democracy were dime a dozen in the early years of independence. India could not survive as a single nation, was one common observations by most western observers, let alone becoming a successful democracy. One of the former British official, who witnessed the first general elections in India in 1952 wrote “a future and more enlightened age will view with astonishment the absurd farce of recording the votes of millions of illiterate people.” From such negativity and dooms day predictions, Indian democracy has passed through periods of trials and tribulations to emerge triumphant and today when India is commemorating the Platinum Jubilee of the Election Commission of India and the fifteenth National Voters Day, while commending the ECI and patting us – the electorates - on our back, we must resolve to place on records our profound appreciation to the ECI, and all the former Election Commissioners and innumerable other stakeholders who have helped in the thriving of our democracy. We must also spread the message of the importance of voting in a democracy and each of us must go out to exercise our democratic rights without fear or favour.

The First General Election: A Monumental Feat.

India's first general election was held in an era devoid of modern technology and infrastructure. Voter education was critical, as millions of Indians were not only uneducated but were unfamiliar with the democratic process. Symbols were introduced to represent political parties, making it easier for illiterate voters to identify their preferred candidates. The election was conducted in phases, ensuring every Indian had the opportunity to participate. More importantly Godrej company was selected to manufacture special ballot boxes, which had to be safe and secure. The process of manufacturing such huge number of ballet boxes was in itself a herculean task and the Indian industry – Godrej – lived up to its expectations and they worked full steam 24x7 converting their entire facilities in Vikhroli to manufacture the required ballot boxes. Every aspect of the fist election in 1951-52 was heralded as some kind of a miracle made possible by innumerable stakeholders led by the Election Commission of India.  

The success of the first general election, with innumerable handicaps, laid the foundation for a robust electoral framework, inspiring confidence in India's democratic institutions, particularly the ECI.

 Seventy-Five Years of Electoral Excellence

Over the past seven decades, the Election Commission has conducted 18 Lok Sabha elections, innumerable State Legislative Assemblies – which also includes the forthcoming Delhi elections -  and elections for the office of the President and Vice President, among others. ECI has introduced technological advancements like Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs), ensuring transparency and efficiency. Despite occasional allegations and challenges posed by political parties, the ECI has remained steadfast in its impartiality and integrity. It has successfully upheld the democratic fabric of the nation, conducting elections in the world's largest democracy with precision and fairness. Notwithstanding several vituperative attacks from political parties and others making countless allegations against the ECI and its heads, the ECI and the heads of ECI (Election Commissioners) have all done a remarkable job of making the Indian democracy thrive and be an exemplar to the world. 

Although there have been several unheralded heads of the ECI – The CEC and Election Commissioners – one of the names stand out besides the founder Election Commissioner, Mr Sukumar Das and that is TN Seshan.

Transformative Leadership of T.N. Seshan

One of the most transformative chapters in the history of the ECI was under the leadership of T.N. Seshan. Appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner in 1990, Seshan revolutionized the electoral process, emphasizing the need for free and fair elections. He introduced strict measures to curb malpractices, enforced the Model Code of Conduct rigorously, and empowered the ECI to act decisively against electoral corruption.

Seshan’s legacy continues to inspire confidence in the ECI’s commitment to democracy. You can read more about his impact on my blog post tribute which I had paid to T.N. Seshan

https://khened.blogspot.com/2020/11/remembering-t-n-seshan-on-his-first.html 

National Voters Day: A Celebration of Democracy

The Government of India declared January 25 as National Voters Day in 2011 to commemorate the ECI’s foundation and encourage greater voter participation. The day serves as a reminder of the power of the ballot and the responsibility of every citizen to exercise their franchise. It is a celebration of the inclusivity that defines Indian democracy, where the principle of “one person, one vote” empowers over 900 million plus voters today.

India’s Unique Electoral System

India's democratic process is unparalleled, given its size, diversity, and complexity. The ECI ensures that every eligible citizen, from the remotest villages to bustling metropolises, has an equal say in shaping the country’s destiny. It is a testament to the resilience of Indian democracy that elections are conducted peacefully, even in challenging circumstances, reaffirming faith in the electoral process.

 Conclusion

As we celebrate 75 years of the Election Commission of India, let us reflect on the journey of this institution, which has steadfastly upheld the democratic ideals of the Constitution. The ECI’s commitment to impartiality, innovation, and inclusivity has ensured that the voice of every Indian is heard.

On this National Voters Day, let us pledge to uphold the spirit of democracy by participating actively in elections and encouraging others to do the same. The legacy of the Election Commission reminds us that democracy thrives not just on the strength of its institutions but also on the active engagement of its citizens.

India’s democracy is vibrant, resilient, and inclusive, and the Election Commission of India stands as its unwavering custodian, let us hold this institution reverentially, and overlook some odd aberration failures of the institution.

Jai Hind

  

Parakram Diwas - Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti

Today, 23rd January 2025, marks the 128th birth anniversary of  Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose who was born on 23rd January 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa to the illustrious parents - an affluent and successful lawyer Janakinath Bose, and Prabhavati Devi, daughter of Anandamohan Bosu, a prominent businessman in Cuttack. During the 125th birth anniversary, while commemorating the Janma Jayanti of Netaji, Shri Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India

Declared Netaji Jayanti to be commemorated as Parakram Diwas – in recognition of the quintessential Parakram attributes of Netaji and his extraordinary daring pursuits for the freedom of our nation. The PM has also unveiled a hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at the India Gate, which has subsequently been befittingly replaced with a permanent granite massive statue of Netaji, which stands tall today as a symbol of India’s indebtedness to Netaji.

 Interestingly, the giant black granite statue of Netaji installed at the India Gate was sculpted by Arun Yogiraj, the sculptor who has also sculpted the Ram Lalla idol, which was consecrated with the Pran Pratishtha Ceremony, by the honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, at Ayodhya on 22^nd January 2024. Arun Yogi Raj, belongs to a family of five generations of sculptors. He was chosen to sculpt the idol of Ram Lalla, in Ayodhya, primarily because of the highly appreciated sculpting capability that he had demonstrated in sculpting the 30 feet statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose installed in the canopy behind the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate in New Delhi.

The statue of Netaji, standing majestically tall, commemorates the pivotal role played by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, one of the most iconic and influential leaders, who played a significant role in the Indian freedom struggle. Netaji’s role and his militaristic approach in attaining independence for India though were diametrically opposite to the Gandhian way, it must be recognised that this was one of the prime reasons for India gaining independence from British Rule. Netaji’s granite statue at the India Gate will remind us all - fellow Indians – to remember his contributions to the Indian Independence struggle, which will be etched in the annals of Indian history.

It was providential that Arun Yogi Raj who was chosen to sculpt the historic statue of Netaji for commissioning at the India Gate was commissioned to sculpt the Ram Lalla idol. It appears that Yogi Raj, the sculptor hailing from Karnataka, has been gifted with this god-gifted artistic sculpting talent from the legendary sculptor of ancient times, Jakanachari, who hails from Karnataka. The legend of Jakanachari - who is aptly given the epithet “Amara Shilpi” - as a sculptor par excellence is larger than life, which is evidenced in several temples with fine sculptures seen in the temples of the Kalyani Chalukyas and Hoysalas.

The grand statue of Netaji, carved by Yogi Raj stands tall in the Indian Gate Canopy, which has been carved from a monolithic block of granite that weighed around 280 MT. Several craftsmen and artists, under the leadership of Yogi Raj, have worked with passion putting in “26,000-man hours of intense artistic endeavour” in chiselling to produce the statue of Netaji, which weighs around 65 MT. True to the age-old Indian traditions of crafting and sculpting the best of statues by sculptors like Jakanachari, the statue of Netaji has been completely hand-sculpted using traditional techniques with modern tools.

Today as we celebrate the 128th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, we must bow down in reverence to this great son of India who sacrificed what would have been a lucrative ICS career, in service of our motherland. All through his life, Netaji dreamt nothing but freedom for the nation, and in the process, he may have chosen a path, that may not appear to be the right way for some, but then it must be remembered that his aim was solely to get independence for India from the colonial rule of the monster rulers – the British - at any cost and that too for the Akhand Bharat and not the India that we now recognise. It is from this position that we must recognise his path of divergence from Gandhi. It is this path for freedom for India that manifested in the formation of the Azad Hind Force, aligning with Japan to confront the British. Bose's commitment to an unfocused objective of India's freedom demonstrated his unyielding spirit and perhaps it is the fear of this spirit that helped in India get the freedom.

On this occasion it is apt to recall that historic speech of Netaji, where he spoke those immemorable words ' Give me your blood, I will give you freedom' and motivated thousands of his fellow countrymen - the Indian National Army. Netaji’s appeal motivated thousands of his fellow countrymen, the Indian National Army, to fight selflessly for Indian freedom, most unfortunately the INA and the people who fought under its banner, get only a footnote mention while speaking of our struggle for independence. History and as a corollary all of us have been unfair to Subhash Chandra Bose and his men, but then fortunately, though late, his statue standing tall on the ramparts of the Kartavya Path has made amends and etched his contributions in the annals of Indian history and ensured that he and his extraordinary unsung heroes - his fellow INA members and the Azad Hind Force - continue to be remembered and revered by this indebted nation, even as Bose's controversial death in an air crash adds intrigue to his legacy. The circumstances surrounding his death continue to be a subject of debate and scrutiny. As the narrative evolves, there's a growing acknowledgment of the need to delve deeper into Bose's life, acknowledging both his extraordinary contributions and the mysteries surrounding his demise.

Here are some highlights of contributions by Netaji.

Netaji formed the Forward Bloc, on 3rd May 1939, in Makur, Unnao, after parting ways with the Congress. He resigned from the presidency of the Indian National Congress on 29 April after being outmaneuvered by those who were inimical to the growing stature of Netaji in Congress. His main focus was advocating for a more aggressive approach toward attaining independence. This marked a pivotal moment in his quest for a stronger, united India.

He established the Azad Hind Radio, which he used effectively to broadcast messages of inspiration and motivation to the Indian masses, fostering a sense of unity and determination during the freedom struggle.

He founded the Indian National Army (INA) in 1942. This was one of his most significant contributions and his army contingent comprised of Indian prisoners of war and civilians. INA played a crucial role in challenging British rule, particularly in the context of the Burma Campaign. Unfortunately, due to politics, the contributions of the INA and how it helped expedite India's attaining freedom from the British have been completely overlooked at worst and brushed under the carpet at worst.

Netaji proclaimed the establishment of the Azad Hind Government in Singapore in 1943, reflecting his commitment to providing an alternative administrative structure for a free India. He visited the South Andaman district in 1943. On December 30th, 1943, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the Supreme Commander of the Azad Hind, created a historic moment by hoisting the Indian National Flag for the first time on the soil of Port Blair 

Under Bose's leadership, the INA participated in the Battle of Imphal in 1944, a significant military engagement against the British forces. Though the INA ultimately withdrew, the battle demonstrated the strength and determination of Bose's forces.

Netaji established the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, an all-women combat unit within the INA, challenging traditional gender roles and showcasing his progressive vision for an independent India.

He actively sought international support for India's cause, forging alliances with countries like Germany and Japan. His diplomatic efforts aimed to garner backing for the Indian independence movement on the global stage.

Images: Courtesy Wikipedia

Long live Netaji and his INA compatriots in the hearts and minds of Indians.

 

Real Heroes Versus Reel Heroes: An Introspective Note on the Neglect of Scientists in TV and Media Coverage

This write up is courtesy my good friend Dr. S K Malhotra, a senior retired scientist from DAE, who called me this afternoon and urged me to write on the subject issue. He and I along with some other friends had met and chatted for long time when we went to pay our reverence to Dr Chidambaram who passed away on 4th January in Mumbai.

 All the TV channels and the X and other social media was abuzz with a tragic incident of stabbing of Saif Ali Khan. Early hours of this morning, brought the shocking news of a brutal knife attack on actor Saif  Ali Khan at his Mumbai residence. He was rushed to the Leelavati hospital where he is recuperating from this brutal attack after undergoing surgery. The incident, which occurred  around 2.30 AM this morning is deeply condemnable, and I sincerely wish the actor a speedy recovery. Malhotra ji, had called me to upraise me about how this news is getting played out in every single news channel, non stop. What disturbed him was the fact that there was not a single TV channels or reporters from print and other media who were present during the state funeral of Dr R Chidambaram, which we attended on 4 January evening. He was hurt by the neglect of TV news channels, none of who turned up to pay their respect to Dr Chidambaram during his funeral. 

The stabbing incident of Saif Ali Khan was getting played out non stop -  kind of a minute to minute commentary - across all television channels throughout the day. While condemning the cowardly act by the perpetrator who stabbed Saif Ali Khan, what disturbed Malhotra ji, rightly so since I too echoed his sentiments, is the disproportionate importance that media gives to reel and real heroes. This calls for introspection and reflection. The incessant, wall-to-wall coverage of the Saif Ali Khan stabbing unfortunate event, while understandable given the actor's fame, stands in stark contrast to the TV media's absolute apathy toward an equally significant, albeit less glamorous, occurrence two weeks ago—the demise of one of India’s most eminent scientists, Dr. R. Chidambaram.

Dr. Chidambaram, a stalwart of Indian science, played a pivotal role in India’s nuclear advancements, being a key architect of both Pokhran-I and Pokhran-II nuclear tests. These milestones catapulted our nation into the elite club of nuclear-capable nations, bolstering national security while adhering to the principle of nuclear deterrence, a necessity with two nuclear adversaries in our neighbourhood. A recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, Dr. Chidambaram’s contributions have left an indelible mark on India’s scientific and strategic landscape. Despite his monumental achievements, his passing on 4 January received little to no acknowledgment from the Indian TV news channels and other media. While he was rightfully accorded a state funeral, the somber event saw minimal attendance, bereft of the presence of dignitaries or the fanfare that his legacy truly deserved.

This apathy towards one of India’s greatest minds deeply pained Malhotra ji and yours truly as well. in fact all of us who were at the funeral of Dr Chidambaram we’re sorry to find no presence of any of the TV news channels covering the state funeral accorded to Dr Chidambaram. As a science communicator who had the privilege of knowing Dr. Chidambaram personally, I too was disturbed by the apathy of the Indian media. Having worked for 35 years in science museums, striving to inspire younger generations with the achievements of stalwarts like Dr Chidambaram, I find it disheartening that his death was relegated to a footnote while headlines and endless panel discussions are devoted to a reel hero - I have nothing personal against this end less coverage. 

This disproportionate coverage for real and reel heroes in our Indian society brings us to an inconvenient truth: Indian media seems to prioritize glamour over gravitas, spotlighting reel heroes while real heroes languish in obscurity. The adage "all are equal, but some are more equal" sadly applies to the way media chooses its stories and play them endlessly.

Such glaring imbalances raise critical questions about the role of media in shaping public consciousness. How will the younger generation cultivate reverence for scientists like Dr. Chidambaram or aspire to emulate their selfless service to the nation if the media chooses to overlook their contributions? When reel heroes are idolized while real heroes are ignored, we risk perpetuating a culture that values glamour over grit, superficiality over substance, and fame over foundational contributions.

Our scientists, who labour tirelessly to advance our nation in areas critical to its sovereignty and global standing, deserve more than this neglect. They deserve to be celebrated, remembered, and revered, not only to honour their legacy but also to inspire future generations. The media, as a powerful force in shaping societal narratives, bears a responsibility to ensure balanced coverage that reflects the contributions of all those who build the nation—whether through cinema or science.

This is not a critique of the attention given to the incident involving Saif Ali Khan, but rather a plea for introspection. It is a call to recognize that India’s real strength lies in its real heroes—scientists, educators, soldiers, and countless others who work quietly, often thanklessly, for the betterment of the nation.

Dr. R. Chidambaram's life and work should have been an occasion for the media to educate the public, foster discussions on India’s scientific progress, and encourage young minds to dream of achieving similar feats. Instead, his passing was met with an unsettling silence. As someone who has worked in the field of science communication for 39 years and counting, this disregard hurts me deeply.

Let this post, a motivation by my good  friend Malhotra, serve as a reminder to the media and society at large to reflect on their priorities. We owe it to the likes of Dr. Chidambaram, and to the future of India, to celebrate our real heroes—not just in their lives but also in their passing. Let us ensure that their stories inspire and endure.

I earnestly hope that this post reaches those in positions of influence and prompt them to introspect. And may we, as a society, learn to honor and celebrate the contributions of those who truly build our nation.

Jai Hind Jai Vigyan

Images courtesy: Wikipedia and Google 

Forgetting a Wife’s Birthday: Its Consequences – A Tribute to My Classmate and Reflections on Darwin’s Voyage Aboard HMS Beagle

 

27 December happens to be the birthday of my wife, which this year I completely forgot for reasons of shock and sorrow of an untimely death of my Sainik School Bijapur (SSBJ) class buddy, Pradip Talikoti, who passed away in Mumbai at 4.30 AM on 26 December. He had suffered a severe cardiac arrest at 10 PM on 25 December and was rushed by his family to the Saifee Hospital. Doctors had tried all their very best to revive him but then God had a different path set out for our dear Pradip Talikoti (fondly called Paddya by all of us his classmates of SSBJ 77 batch). Ironically the three of us Milind, yours truly and Paddya, from our batch who reside at Mumbai had spoken with each other on 25^th December and infact Paddya spoke to Milind four times and the last one was at 8.30 PM. The news of the passing away of Paddya that came to us around 9 AM came as a huge shock and disbelief. I immediately called up Milind and he too was in utter shock and disbelief. He called Paddya’s number only to learn from his daughter what he had heard and hoped against hope to be false was true and our Paddya had passed away early morning of 26 December.  

Milind and I rushed to Paddya’s house to be with the family – Paddya;’s wife and daughter - and stayed put with with them whole day until performing the last rites around 7 PM on 26 December. Incidentally, later that day, former Prime Minister Shri Man Mohan Singh, the father of economic liberalisation in India, also passed away. The tragic experience of losing a close friend for 54 years must have played on my mind and therefore I completely forgot about my wife’s birthday, next day morning. One of the habits that I cultivated while in service was to combat stress with work, and therefore to come out of the shock of losing Paddya, I decided to go to the CSMVS Museum, where I now work as an Advisor, on 27 December. Even after I returned back home it never occurred to me that it was my wife’s birthday and I had my dinner and went to bed, not for sleeping but get involved in telephone calls and whatsapp discussion reminiscing about our Paddya with the batch of SSBJ 77 classmates.

My wife, must have understood the reasons why I may have forgotten her birthday and did not talk about it even during dinner and she too went to bed early. Late night, around 1 AM, my wife woke up and saw me speaking to one of my Sainik School friend in US and realised we were taking about the shocking and untimely death of Pradip Talikoti, which she knew must have been the reason why I had forgotten her birthday. After I was done with speaking to Channu Kambalyal, she reminded me that in the midst of my shock and sorrow of losing our classmate, I had forgotten her birthday. But then she went on, worried that her husband was too emotionally attached and getting affected with the loss of a very close friend for 54 years, to console me by reminding me of the essence of the song from the film Anand, which she knew I liked the most - Zindagi kaisi hai paheli’, picturised on the main protagonist, Rajesh Khanna, and so beautifully composed by Yogesh, sung by Manna Dey and music by Salil Chaudhuri. She reminded me of how I had overcome the greatest sorrow of my life of losing my father, few years before by expressing my sorrow through my writing and posting a tribute to him, a habit so very dear to me. She further reminded me that last year, to commemorate her birthday, I had written an interesting post https://khened.blogspot.com/2023/12/27-december-jana-gana-mana-national.html on the importance of 27 December in Indian history and persuaded me to overcome my sorrow by doing what best I love, reading and writing. And here I am doing just that - writing this post as an homage to my dear class buddy Pradip Talikoti and praying for his moksha and to wish my wife a belated birthday wishes and mark this occasion by highlighting an important epoch making event that happened on this very day, 27 December, 1831, which is what the title of the post describes.

Darwin and his Beagle Voyage – 27 December 1831

The genesis of the path breaking Darwin’s theory of evolution began with the historic HMS Beagle voyage which Charles Darwin embarked as a young man on 27 December, 1831. This voyage laid the groundwork for Darwin’s theory of evolution. This journey would profoundly influence his understanding of natural selection and the origin of species leading to Darwin's monumental book, 'On the Origins of Species' which revealed the power of evolution through the diversity of life. Arguably this book was one of the most important books of the 19th century and a book that provided an unprecedented impact on later scientific research.

HMS Beagle was Her Majesty’s British Royal Navy Ship, which was under the command of Captain Fitzroy, R.N. HMS Beagle began sailing from Devonport on the 27th of December 1831. The main objective of the expedition was to complete the survey of Patagonia and Tierradel Fuego, which had commenced under Captain King who was tasked to complete the survey (1826 to l830) the shores of Chile, Peru, and of some islands in the Pacific—and to carry a chain of chronometrical measurements round the world. Unfortunately, Captain King could not complete his objective and had committed suicide on sea. Therefore, this incomplete task was assigned to Captain Fitzroy who was asked to complete this survey during the voyage which had begun on 27 December 1831 and was to last for three years. However, the voyage was extended for nearly five years.

Captain Fitzroy, the Commander of HMS Beagle, had employed young Darwin, aged 22, as a naturalist on this voyage. Charles Darwin arrived at Plymouth on October 24, 1831, expecting to sail on the Beagle voyage starting November 4. Excited to be a part of this voyage, Darwin had spent six busy weeks preparing for the voyage. He had consulted and taken lessons from his Cambridge Professor, Henslow. Darwin had come armed with a pair of pistols, and a three-year supply of clothing. He had also brought a collection of books on natural sciences including those recommended by his Cambridge Professor and organised various instruments for scientific research. Darwin was impatient to start his journey, which he considered as the start of his “second life.” Unfortunately, as things would unfold, bad weather delayed their departure on the expected date and the Beagle voyage had to wait for nearly two months for the favourable weather to commence their voyage, which set sail on 27 December 1831. Later in his autobiography, Darwin wrote that “these two months at Plymouth were the most miserable which I ever spent.”

Bad weather had delayed the Beagle Voyage, which was miserably depressing for Darwin who had waited impatiently to start his voyage. Unfortunately, anxiety and depression made matters worse for Darwin, who suffered from heart palpitations. He believed this could be due to some heart disease. He was also concerned that if his heart condition was revealed to any one of the Beagle team, it would reach the Captain who may order him to disembark. He was determined to undertake this voyage, for which he had waited so long, at any cost and had resolved that he would face all hazards to complete this journey. He even carefully avoided running any risk of having a doctor tell him that he was not fit for such a trip. Darwin used the waiting period to his advantage to study and to plan a serious method of work, something he had never thought about previously. This trip, he believed, would give him a great opportunity of improving himself—an opportunity that, he said, “I threw away whilst at Cambridge.”

The HMS Beagle was to carry seventy-four persons on board this voyage, including Darwin as naturalist. Since Beagle was only one hundred feet long and had to carry enormous supplies of food and other essentials for its planned three-year voyage, besides the men on board, sailors were all cramped for space on the Beagle. Captain Fitzroy had special interest in natural history and knew that Darwin would need additional space for storage of specimens collected. Therefore, Captain Fitzroy allotted Darwin a small cabin under the forecastle for the specimens he was expected to collect. Darwin would recount later that his experience on this voyage to manage within cramped space, helped him immensely in maintaining a methodical habits of work.

After waiting for nearly 2 months, finally on December 27, with a favourable wind, the Beagle lifted anchor and set sail for a long voyage which would script history not only for Darwin but also for itself. Although Darwin was ecstatic with the voyage setting sail, his happiness soon gave way to his sorrow owing to the sea sickness which he suffered.  Darwin was faced severe sea sickness for the first two weeks. Even thereafter, Darwin continue to face sea sickness all through his five-year Beagle Voyage even as he continued to collect and document natural history specimens methodically in his dairies couple with neatly drawn hand sketches.

Immediately after his sea sickness condition improved, he found himself in the warmer waters off North Africa.  Darwin removed his materials and instruments, he had brought for collecting and documenting specimens, from his bag and started collecting small sea animal samples, the first of the many specimens he would collect and document on this voyage. Darwin was busy and excited at the exquisite forms and colours of the organisms, which he observed. His seasickness gave way to his happiness and notwithstanding the bouts of sea sickness he would face, Darwin always remained happy and exuberant, so long as he had specimens of any new rock or living thing to examine, catalogue, and describe. Exactly one month after the first examination of his sea animals, he wrote to his father that he thought, if he could judge so soon, that he would “be able to do some original work in Natural History.” His writing was prophetic. By the time he completed his 5 years’ voyage, he had collected lot many samples and documented extensively the flora and fauna on this voyage and all this knowledge would help him finally in the publication of his monumental book 'On the Origins of Species', which was published on 24 November, 1859 

Most of the HMS Beagle voyage, which began on 27 December, 1831, was spent sailing around South America, where Darwin spent considerable time ashore collecting specimens of plants and animals. Darwin filled his notebooks with his observations of plants, animals, and geology. This trip spanned a duration of almost five long years of kind of a different adventure before the HMS Beagle ship returned to Falmouth, England, on October 2, 1836.

Charles Darwin was born in 1809 in Shrewsbury, England. His father was medical doctor who had high hopes that his son would follow his path in medicine and earn a medical degree at Edinburgh University in Scotland. Darwin did enrol for his medical degree at the of sixteen. However, he soon realised that he was more interested in natural history than medicine. One of the main reason for his dislike for medicine was the sight of blood, which made him sick to his stomach. Therefore, he quit medicine and enrolled for his studies in theology at Cambridge. However, even as he was pursuing his theology studies, he focussed his attention on natural history, which became his passion.

Today as we commemorate the seminal work of Darwin, which stands as one of the most influential books in the history of science, I feel honoured that his memory came in handy for me to make amends for forgetting wishing my wife birthday greetings. It helped me realise that my wife’s birthday is stitched with the memory of the historic HMS Beagles Voyage, which is inextricably connected with Darwin and ground-breaking work "On the Origin of Species" that laid the foundation for the theory of evolution by natural selection, reshaping our understanding of the diversity of life on Earth. In that sense 27 December is an important date which incidentally also happens to be my wife’s birthday and hopefully this connect will help me remember her birthday unfailingly.

The key contributions of Darwin’s book included his thesis which proposed the concept of natural selection as the driving force behind the gradual change in species over time. This laid the groundwork for the theory of evolution, challenging prevailing beliefs about the “fixity” of species. Darwin’s book explains how species evolve through the differential survival and reproduction of individuals with advantageous traits, leading to the adaptation of populations to their environments. Darwin presented compelling evidence from the fossil records and biogeography, which he had carefully crafted during his Beagle voyage, supporting his theory by demonstrating the gradual changes in species over geological time and the distribution of species across different regions.

"On the Origin of Species" sparked intense debates, not only within the scientific community but also in wider society. It influenced fields beyond biology, including philosophy, theology, and ethics, challenging prevailing worldviews. While Darwin's contributions to evolutionary biology are monumental, his assumption of blended inheritance reflects the limitations of scientific knowledge in his time. Darwin's assumption of blended inheritance was a logical extension of the scientific understanding of heredity in the mid-19th century. However, subsequent advancements in genetics, particularly the works of Gregor Mendel - which Darwin did not have an opportunity to read and understand - revealed the flaw in the assumptions of Darwin. The scientific logic behind genetic inheritance was first discovered by Gregor Mendel in the 1850s before the publication of the works of Darwin. Mendel experimented on pea plants and recorded how traits get passed down from generation to generation. He noticed that offspring weren’t simply a “blend” of their two parents, as falsely assumed by Darwin.

Darwin's failure or oversight in assuming blended inheritance does not diminish the overall significance of his work. It underscores the reality that failures are an integral part of everyone's lives including Darwin and this must be strongly communicated to our youngsters.

Belated birthday wishes to my wife and hopefully this post, which is courtesy her motivation, serves as her birthday gift 

Images Courtesy Wikipedia

Decadal Reminiscence of “Deconstructed Innings: A Tribute to Sachin Tendulkar” exhibition

Ten years ago, on 18 December 2014, an interesting art exhibition entitled “Deconstructed Innings: A Tribute to Sachin Tendulkar” was opened to the public at the National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai. On the previous evening,17 December, Sachin Tendulkar, accompanied by his family, inaugurated this exhibition at the NGMA Mumbai in the presence of many dignitaries and an unprecedented number of journalists, including photojournalists. I was privileged to be a part of this event in my capacity as the Director of NGMA Mumbai, a position I held from Feb 2013 to October 2018. 

I had forgotten about this exhibition, but then today I was reminded of the exhibition and its inauguration, a historic moment for me when I had the honour to share a dais with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar and speak to him and share the Cricket Connects: India – South Africa exhibition with him. This decadal reminiscence of this historic moment has prompted me to write this blog post. 

A couple of days ago, there was a debate on the Indian Constitution, which will be celebrating its seventy-five years in 2026, in the temple of the Indian democracy, the Parliament. Notwithstanding the vituperative debate in the parliament, what stands out from the debate is the vibrancy of the Indian democracy, which stands as an exemplar of its diversity. The trademark of, multi-religious, multi-lingual, multicultural, argumentative Indians is our resolute unity in our diversity. And such unity is exemplified on many occasions including in collectively complementing the accomplishments of great achievers who bring glory to the nation. One such achiever is Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar, who is hailed across the country and the reverence that the nation has for him was evidenced in this historic moment when the ‘God of Cricket’, Sachin Tendulkar, walked back to the pavilion, after playing yet another memorable innings, for one last time at the Wankhede Stadium, and bidding adieu to Cricket after 25 long years. Just a year before the exhibition at NGMA Mumbai, Sachin Tendulkar played his last Test match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on November 14, 2013, against the West Indies. Tendulkar scored 74 runs in his final innings and gave an emotional farewell speech after the match as he bid goodbye to Cricket. 

Incidentally, just a month before the opening of the Deconstructed Innings exhibition, the autobiography of Sachin “Playing It My Way” was released in November 2014 and it was also the year that won Sachin Tendulkar a befitting ‘Bharat Ratna’, the highest civilian Award. While his autobiography book provided an insight into his cricketing life, the exhibition “Deconstructed Innings: A Tribute to Sachin Tendulkar” provided an altogether new perspective and an artistic insight into the legend's life. This exhibition was innovatively and painstakingly created by ten artists, who joined hands to artistically “deconstruct the innings of Sachin Tendulkar - the sporting legend of India, by collaborating with the legend himself. These ten artists, Remen Chopra, Vibha Galhotra, Sunil Gawde, R Iranna, Manjunath Kamat, Shreyas Karle, Riyas Komu, Jagannath Panda, Anand Trilochan, and Hema Upadhyay, artistically deconstructed the innings of the legend into an understanding of the notion of a legend and the perfection associated with creation alongside the existence of personal ideologies and histories. 

 ‘Deconstructed Innings’, where art and sports intersect, is patronage to both sport and art. The aim was to create an interdisciplinary understanding of the notion of an icon, a legend, and the perfection associated with creation alongside the existence of personal ideologies and histories.  It takes the meaning of the word ‘play’ beyond recreation and into the sector of performance, ideas, and collaborations. The works created through a collaborative effort with ten contemporary artists and Sachin Tendulkar is exploratory in nature and interdisciplinary in definition. These creations through the convergence of art and sport elevate beyond the notion of memorabilia to imbibe unique and personal narratives within elements of their own individualistic creative language with a cricket legend. Art like sport can also inspire a nation and connect to the thousands of Indians who live and breathe sport.

The “Deconstructed Innings” exhibition featured paintings, sculptures, videos, drawings, and sound works, which collectively narrated experiences that we all identify with the cricketing life of Sachin Tendulkar. All these artworks were created by the ten artists – Sachin’s jersey number – after prolonged interaction with the legend himself. The outcome was the works of art featured in the exhibition that had the power to deconstruct the cricketing career of the legend in works of art that had the power to communicate messages, empower meaning, and connect with the people in a manner that crosses all language barriers, which the game of cricket symbolizes in our cricket adoring nation.

 

The works included in the exhibition were created by the ten chosen artists through a collaborative effort with interaction with Sachin and these works were exploratory in nature and interdisciplinary in definition. These creations, through the convergence of art and sport, elevated the experience of the visitors beyond the notion of memorabilia with each artist collaborating to create something unique with Sachin Tendulkar to include his personal anecdotal narratives and elements into their individualistic creative language. This exhibition, conceptualized by Mr. Kiran Desai and curated by Ms. Veerangana Kumari Solanki, presented a range of creative artworks, aesthetically shaped by the ten artists who explored divergent themes of art to deconstruct the legend’s life. It is a befitting tribute that the art-loving community of Aamchi Mumbai could pay to the legend, the ‘God of Cricket’. NGMA, Mumbai was justly privileged to host this exhibition, which was befittingly opened by the legend himself, who also posed for a photo op with all the ten artists who painstakingly created works of art with creativity, love, and passion. No wonder the exhibition was a major success and attracted overwhelming media coverage. The success of the exhibition also prompted NGMA Bangalore, to host this exhibition which was opened by another cricketing legend, Anil Kumble in Feb 2025. 

 On this occasion, I am honored to share a link to a blog where I have paid my 49th birthday tribute to the legend under the title “Happy Birth Day Sachin - God of Cricket, for the leisure reading of those who it may interest.

https://khened.blogspot.com/2022/04/happy-birthday-24-april-sachin.html 

 Images: Courtesy NGMA Mumbai

For those who are interested in knowing details of the artists and the works of art they created which were displayed in the exhibition, here is the list with a brief on the works

1.  ANAND TRILOCHAND

 

A. [Sculpture]

Title: Treasure Box

Medium: wooden bat, coins, video animation

Size: Actual Bat Size

Year: 2014

 

B [Bat]

Title: Run Machine

Medium: oil on wood

Size: Actual Bat Size

Year: 2014

 

 

2. G. R. IRANNA

 

A [Painting]

Title: The Many Lives of Tendulkar

Medium: acrylic on canvas

Size: 54 x 132 inches

Year: 2014

 

B [Sculpture]

Title: Not Out

Medium: wooden bat and cricket balls

Size: Actual Bat Size

Year: 2014

 

C [Sculpture]

Title: Dashavatara

Medium: wooden bat and bronze

Size: 84 x 6 x 8 inches

Year: 2014

 

D. [Bat]

Title: Blind bat

Medium: acrylic on wood

Size: Actual Bat Size

Year: 2014

3. HEMA UPADHYAY

 

A. Title: Completion of oneself through the other

Year: 2014

Size: Variable (site-specific) (6 x 8 inches each)

Medium:  motion lenticular prints

  

B. [Bat]

Title: Untitled

Medium: paper cut images on wood

Size: Actual Bat Size

4. JAGANNATH PANDA

 

A. Title: "... And a billion memories we lived with your dream"

Medium: acrylic, fabric and glue on canvas

Size: 101 X 66 inches

Year: 2014

 

B. "The infinite memories of spectacle"

Medium: acrylic, canvas, mirror, enamel paint, oil

Size:  61 x 49 inches

Year: 2014

 

C. Title: "A memory being lived with a hero"

Medium: wood cut, oil and acrylic

Size: 24 x 22.5 inches

Year: 2014

 

D [BAT]

Title: Memories of Sachin

Medium – acrylic on wooden bat

Size: 33.5 x 4 x 2.5 inches (Actual Bat Size)

Year: 2014

 

5. MANJUNATH KAMATH

A Title: “Arrival of a Cricket God”

Medium: digital print on archival paper

Size: 60 x 168 inches

Year: 2014

 

B. Bat –

Title: Artist with Bat

Medium: acrylic on wood

Size: Actual Bat Size

Year: 2014

6. REMEN CHOPRA

 

A Title: City of Dreams

Medium: wood, digital print on paper

Size: 96 x 204 inches; 144 x 108 inches [Site Specific]

Year: 2014

 

B. Title: Dream Chaser

Medium: wood, acrylic

Size:

Year: 2014

 

7. RIYAS KOMU

 

A. Title: Legacy Beyond Centuries

Medium: fibre-glass cast, wood, acrylic paint

Size:  variable [100 pieces]

Year: 2014

 

B. Bat:

Title: A Legacy Beyond Centuries

Medium: engraving on wood

Size:

Year: 2014

A legend travels beyond the structure of time and into the stories carried forward by generations to create ‘A Legacy Beyond Centuries’.

8. SHREYAS KARLE

 

A. Title: Notes from a Terrace – The Kachha Nimbu observatory archives

Medium: series of drawings and carbon print on paper

Size: variable

Year: 2014

  

B. [image reference of 2 drawings for catalogue details below]:

In case of rubber change use grip cone*

8 x 6 “

Drawing and carbon print on paper

2014

  

 C. Out (box cricket series)

6.6 x 10.6 “

Drawing and carbon print on paper

2014

 

D.  [Bat work]

title- Dhokebaaz

medium- oil paint

size- life size bat.

 

9. SUNIL GAWDE

A. Title: Untitled

Medium: wood, paint, LED screens, video animation and sound

Size: variable (site-specific)

Year: 2014

  B. Bat –

Title: knock out

Medium: Readymade wooden bat, painted fibreglass

Size: 34 x 7 x 12.5 inches

Year: 2014

 

10. VIBHA GALHOTRA

A Title: Reflection

Medium: metal, wood and text

Size: installation size variable (plate – 20 x 14 inches each)

Year: 2014

  

B. [Bat]

Title: Reflection

Medium: wood and metal

Size:

Year: 2014

 

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