FINALLY, MY OCI

FINALLY, my Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card has landed after a very long and turbulent journey and the two-year choppy ride has ended. I thank the Almighty God for having given me the strength to combat it out. In life I have faced many challenges, but the OCI has undoubtedly been the most gruelling.

My profound thanks to senior advocate Agnelo Diniz and his team for the sustained legal battle in the High Court and Adv Gaichangpou Gangmei and his team for having represented me when the matter went up to the Supreme Court. My gratitude also to the government of India Advocate Raviraj Chodankar for having been fair in ensuring that finally Justice prevailed.

I am also immensely humbled by the prayers and blessings of my friends and well-wishers across the world during this marathon until the finishing line.

Getting this OCI card has entailed a lot of patience, persuasion and persistence. All’s well that ends well.  

–Aires Rodrigues, London

DUST YOU ARE!

THE season of Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday reminds us that  “Dust you are, and into dust you shall return.” During this season we remember God’s divine love through the Stations  of the Cross, Sundays of Lent that focuses on our renewal and  reconciliation, the ministry of priesthood that was instituted at the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday. As Jesus said, “Do this in memory of me!” Christ’s crucifixion on the Holy Cross on Good Friday was with the words, “Lord, forgive them for they don’t know what they do,” and finally there’s the resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.

The season of Lent invites us to  participate in Christ’s mission and ministry of empowering people through the various parish associations and small Christian communities, etc. We should reach out to people and touch their lives by regularly visiting the sick and  disabled, the orphans and aged seniors.

Participating in building God’s kingdom means taking part in the death and resurrection of Christ. Many parish associations are always short of members and volunteers who will empower and enrich their association and reach out to the people within the parish. To  make our Lenten mission more meaningful, let us not only contribute monetarily towards  alms but also contribute our time and talent towards the renewal of ourselves, church and society. Many parish associations need continuous help and assistance. Let us abstain from speaking rudely to people. With this Lent let us first reconcile with ourselves, ask God pardon for the wrongs we have done and then spread this message of reconciliation to people around us.

–Cajetan Peter D’Souza, MUMBAI

POTABLE WATER IS NEEDED!

A FEW days ago there were two news items. The first was a claim by one Dr Ajay Sonkar that the Ganga river remained germ-free despite a huge footfall during the recently concluded Mahakumbh. He attributed this to 1,100 types of bacteriophages that instantly eliminate harmful bacteria.

According to him, the Ganga is the only river in the world that has these useful organisms that alter the RNA of the bacteria.

The second news was from the Bihar Economic Survey which stated that the Ganga river in Bihar was not fit for bathing. The reason being the higher content of bacteriological population. The report suggests that the water is useful for aquatic life, wildlife propagation, fisheries and irrigation only.

Both news items contradict each other! Let’s leave aside this aspect. It will be exciting if the researcher identifies the hundreds of bacteriophages, develops a method to introduce and profligate them in the rivers. The work should not be restricted to the Ganga river in Bihar but also in the other Indian rivers. If the technique works, then it could be made applicable for the rivers of the world. He will be doing a yeoman service to the people by turning non-consumable water fit for consumption and other purposes.

— Sridher Iyer, Caranzalem