Monday, December 29, 2008




Ambigram, Me and My Friend

The very first time I read about ambigrams, about 3-4 years ago, I have always wanted to have my name written as an ambigram. It took great wisdom from my side (3-4 yrs) to actually look for online sites which can create ambigrams. When I finally found one, it so happened that I couldn't copy it :-( So, the mission was aborted until yesterday when I was talking to one of friends. He has a very creative mind and does art works like these, draws portraits etc. I requested him one and he immediately gave me one - actually two - one in black and the other in color.

I cannot stop but admire his creativity in this ART. Comparing it to the normal ambigrams as one would see in the 'Angels and Demons' book, I should say this IS creativity. Hats off to Thilak, the artist! :-)

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

The sixth pay commission in India increases the salary of the University/College teachers(click here). The minister for HRD says this is part of the effort to restore the dignity of the teaching profession. This is most welcome. In addition, they lay new rules that PhD is a basic qualification to become an assistant professor - commendable. (Law makers don't have to be a PhD yet!) The sixth pay commission seems to be welcome, at least to the teachers! But do we have enough 'qualified' teachers?!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Unbelievable

I don't think it could be common for someone to have seen a person in the morning, and after a few hours hear that the person is no more! It has come as a sudden news that Prof. Krishnaswamy, an Associate Professorial Fellow here at NUS, is no more. This morning, around 10.15 when I was running across to organize a seminar, I bumped into him. Though I knew him not personally, I knew him as a person the department respected most - the senior most - who was a great mentor in the development of the department. Around 4, I get the news from a colleague that he suffered a myocardial infarction around 2.45, and around 7, I hear that he is no more! In a way, he was probably lucky - not to have suffered the infirmities of old age - because he was working even that morning in the dept. But to accept that a person whom I saw this morning is no more in the afternoon is quite difficult. Infact, I have not been able to accept so far, any of the no-more's in our family. I weirdly get the feeling that they are some where else, still alive, just non-communicable. The logical mind contradicts,nevertheless, it is peaceful, sometimes, to keep away logic.