76th REPUBLIC DAY

ON January 26, 2025 as we celebrate our 76th Republic Day to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India in 1950, let’s boldly face against the changes and challenges we face in our nation like unemployment, communalism, terrorism, illiteracy, corruption, poverty, hunger, and disease and fight against the evils that are dividing the nation. Let’s pledge to stay united and vow to bring a social change in our society and nation by our active involvement and participation.
—Cajetan Peter D’Souza, Mumbai

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SURENDRA DESAI!
WE wish birthday greetings to our dear senior advocate Surendra Desai on his 80th birthday. The highly knowledgeable, extremely sincere and very versatile down to earth advocate, Surendra Desai, is a true role model for the legal fraternity. He brings to bear the rigorous discipline of facts and vigorous value of fairness upon the gravest of matters. These are true traits of a hero!
Very privileged and blessed to know Adv Surendra Desai for the last over four decades. In fact, as a college student in 1987m I appeared successfully against him before a Division Bench of our High Court comprising of late Justice GF Couto and late Justice GD Kamat which upheld the disqualification of the then Panjim Municipal Council councillor who had been disqualified on a petition filed by me. He was Goa’s first councillor to be disqualified.
Surendra Desai completed his law degree while serving in the Indian Air Force and joined the legal profession in June 1974. He had joined the Air Force in 1963 as a ground engineer and is a veteran of the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars.
Sir, Surendra Desai, wishing you good health and all the very best in the years to come. May God bless my hero!
—Aires Rodrigues, London

JAMAAT-E-ISLAM HIND
WE are deeply saddened by the tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, which has claimed the lives of many innocent devotees. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the bereaved families in this moment of grief. We stand in solidarity with those who have lost their loved ones and pray for patience and strength in this time of grief.
This unfortunate incident once again underscores the urgent need for meticulous planning and crowd management in such vast gatherings. The safety and wellbeing of pilgrims must be the highest priority. Seamless arrangements for the common devotees must be ensured, and the administration should not neglect the fundamental responsibility of prioritizing their safety over special services and access for VIPs.
The Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government must take responsibility and immediately address the shortcomings in their arrangements. The lives of ordinary pilgrims deserve the same level of care and protection as the VIPs and special guests. I urge the authorities to take corrective measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
—Prof Salim Engineer (@MSalimEngineer)
Vice President, JIH