Mindful Memoirs – The Flying Finn: The Story of Lasse Virén

Lasse Artturi Virén, born on July 22, 1949, is a Finnish former long-distance runner and politician, best known for his unprecedented feat of winning gold medals in both the 5,000 and 10,000-meter events at two consecutive Olympic Games—Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976. With his trademark endurance, tactical brilliance, and sheer willpower, Virén carried forward the…

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A Global Historical Truth – Races that don’t retaliate will be erased

Across centuries and continents, history proves one brutal truth: timid nations get conquered; strong ones survive. Invaders don’t stop out of conscience. They stop when the cost of conquest is too high. Here are concrete historical examples from around the world—cases where strength deterred aggression, and where weakness brought disaster. Weakness doesn’t earn mercy. It…

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RTI as a Tool for Vendetta? A Case of Misuse at NIPER Mohali

In theory, the Right to Information (RTI) Act is a powerful tool to promote transparency and accountability in public institutions. But what happens when this instrument of good governance is weaponised for personal vendetta and institutional sabotage? My experience at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, illustrates how RTIs can be…

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Post-Adoption Risk: A Cautionary Tale

N. Nagarajan Despite growing awareness and an increasing number of adoptions in India, serious gaps remain, especially when orphanages are linked to certain religious sects or self-styled spiritual gurus. These grey areas often go unexamined, even as vulnerable families and children face lasting consequences. Take the case of a family influenced by a spiritual leader…

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