The other side of the Khobragade Controversy: Who's the victim?

Looking at the recent revelations in the Khobragade incident, one is compelled to question who the victim is? Is it the nanny or the consul? Is Ms. Sangeetha Richard just another nanny or is she a mole? Did she spy on her employer? What did she take away with her when she left Khobragade's residence in their absence?

Though this maid ran away and accused her employer of maltreatment in June 2013, why did the arrest happen soon after the Indian PM left US after a visit? Did they wait till Ms.Richard was safely in the protection of the US authorities?

And when the Indian government reciprocated by calling for verification of the domestic workers of the American embassy staff, Sangeetha's family was quickly flown to the US. Why is this particular maid so important for the US authorities? There are many other underpaid immigrants over-working in the US.

Most of these questions will never be answered in public media due to diplomatic secrecy. With John Kerry expressing regret over the way the Consul was dealt with and India taking a tough stand by cancelling star treatment to the American embassy staff, the severed diplomatic relationship might take a long time to repair.

The Khobragade Incident : India- USA in diplomatic Standoff

Ms. Devjani Khobragade, the Deputy Consul General of India in the USA was arrested on 12 th December, in full public view. As a matter of fact she was allegedly handcuffed on the street when she dropped her kids to school in New York City. She was then strip searched by a female officer of the NYPD before being jailed with drug addicts for company.

The Indian government took a tough stand against this treatment of their diplomat in a country which is a huge democracy, like itself. It accused the US of highhandedness meted out to Indian officials, while American embassy officials enjoy VIP treatment here. The road opposite the US consulate in New Delhi is kept clear for the safety and quick passage of US embassy staff. The barricades were withdrawn and all privileges given to the Americans in India were cancelled.

The US authorities, meanwhile, deny handcuffing her. They've gone on record saying that the strip search was standard procedure before taking a person into custody.She was allowed to use her phone for two hours after she was arrested.

The charges against Ms.Khobragade,39 were a) lying about her maiid's pay during visa declaration b)exploitation of the maid by over work and lower pay. The diplomat was served the sub peona on 11th December on these charges.

You may read the unfolding of events here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devyani_Khobragade

It is to be noted that Ms.Khobragade, the daughter of a retired highly placed Indian bureaucrat, had owned a flat in the controversial Adarsh Housing Society in Mumbai!She was one of the illegal beneficiaries in that scam. Her father was CEO of Maharashtra Housing And Development Association(MHADA).

The problem with some Indian bureaucrats is they are used(privileged) to go scott free for discrepancies in their work. They are used by corrupt politicians to flout norms and given their share of the loot.

People like these diminish India's national image all over the world.

If Ms.Khobragade had done the same in her home country, it wouldn't have been noticed at all. She just chose the wrong place to go wrong.

Yet, she should have been treated with dignity(consular immunity) and not stripsearched and dumped with druggies. Indian government should stop pleasing the US(for investments) at the stake of national interests. And the people of India must wake up and elect deserving individuals as representatives in the government.

The Hrithik-Suzanne Split and the Perfect Marriage Myth

Hrithik Roshan. The name takes me back to my 16 year old self being unable to put a face on the guy in my dreams. Humans cannot dream new faces. Then came the blockbuster hit Kaho Na Pyar Hain. Lo!! There he is dancing on the silver screen, Prince Charming...

Not just for me, I can safely say HR is the heart throb for a generation of young girls. Ofcourse, showbiz abounds with beautiful people and he's not the only one.

His marriage to Suzanne followed his successful debut. They looked like a normal Bollywood couple with their share of linkups and rumours. I refrain from judging these people because the two alone know what they've gone through.

Having a spouse in showbiz surrounded by good-looking people isn't easy. But infidelity is not an accident, it's a choice.

'Marriage is a gamble!'

'Marriage is a compromise, you lose some, you gain some.'

Relationships are not perfect all the time. They have highs and lows and they evolve. The same applies to marriage too. But the institution of marriage is a social necessity, without which our society would be in utter chaos.

Marriage is not a fairytale. It's where two people share their happiness and face hardships together, after the honeymoon is over. Mutual respect and trust are the foundation of a lifelong bond.

'Why mars and Venus collide' is a book I wish I had read before marriage or soon after. The single most important point the author makes is not to pin your happiness on your spouse. Do your own thing, have your own circle of friends etc and share it with your spouse. It's your responsibility to cheer and support your spouse to be the best he/she can be.

Marriage is about falling in love with the same person every day!!

The major culprits in marital disharmony are lack of good communication, proximity to friends of opposite sex, infidelity, emotional infidelity, finances and extended family issues.

Once you have children, you are parents first and their well-being is priority. I wish HR, Suzanne and their lovely kids,the very best of days.

Kidzania's take on American Gothic

We were at Kidzania last sunday with baby and toddler. It's a playtown offering a wide range of activities for children of all ages. The town has its own currency, kidzos. You either pay or earn kidzos for each activity.

Toddler had a good time in the playhouse which included a ball pit, kitchen and inflatable beds(serve as trampolines). The funky version of American Gothic adorned the living room of the playhouse which was also the parents' lounge.

Ootkeyarea!!

No, I haven't been to Ooty. I am not searching for my keys either. Let me explain...My little one wakes up for a cuddle twice during the night. And tonight was no different except that I couldn't go back to sleep along with her. I woke up before dawn with sleep slipping away in the wake of my random thoughts.The average person has upto 30,000 thoughts per day. Since I am an average person, it's perfectly normal :-)

And it actually put a smile on my face to know that this was a case of UHTCEARE. Yes, that's the word.It is surprising (to an average person)that a word is spelt u-h-.Uht is the old English word for the time before dawn. Ceare means to care or worry. UHTCEARE means lying awake and worrying before dawn. I love this word because it can be used instead of a whole sentence! And happens to me often though it is best avoided for keeping in good health.It is one of the forgotten words which should be brought back into common usage. Thanks to Mark Forsyth for caring enough to compile such words. Oh it's pronounced oot-key-are-a. For the love of words! Good day!!

P.S:Another word starting with 'uh' is uhlan, pronounced as you-lan. The 'lan' rhymes with run. A uhlan is a soldier armed with a lance.

Spooky Dolly

My little one played with the doll yesterday and pulled some of its hair out from the pleats.

It was on my bedside table and was the first thing that came into sight when I woke up. Kind of spooked me out!!!

Pancakes for 8 month olds

Here's a simple pancake recipe I tried this week. The texture was perfect for my 8 month old to chew with her gums.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp rice flour

Half a large banana

1-2 tbsp milk

1 egg yolk

Blend all the ingredients to form a smooth paste. The batter should not be very runny. You might use more or less milk to adjust the consistency.

I used only the yolk of the egg since I was apprehensive of the protein in it's white. Check with your child's doctor before giving whites. If your child is already used to eggs, then you can add a whole egg.

Now grease a nonstick pan with a little butter. Pour the batter in small spoonfuls to make little pancakes. Flip them when you see air bubbles on top. The batter cooks fast so be careful not to burn it.

Cook for a minute on the other side and remove into serving bowl. This recipe is suitable for baby led weaning.

You can feed them to older kids too. And even mom! Ahem ;-))