Thoughts on Ayodhya dispute

It's a judgement that the whole of India was watching. For most of us, the concern was about the repercussions rather than what the Allahabad High Court bench had decided. It's an issue that has been a point for dispute for over a century now, and however optimistic we may be, there will always be the lingering doubt whether we have actually reached a final, amicable resolution.

For those of you who are unaware of the history behind the dispute, this article from Livemint.com would be a good start. Today's judgement throws up a mix of reactions. Is the formula arrived at a hasty compromise rather than a long-term solution? Obviously, the courts have deliberated over this case long enough; the 8500-page judgement being adequate proof.

Will splitting the disputed land ensure peace for one and all? Doesn't it reinforce the divisions that exist between the two communities? From a land that prides itself on its secular traditions and unity in diversity, was this the only way out? Can't all communities come together and build a multi-religious centre of worship, or a museum that celebrates India's diverse culture? Is our secularism best left for the constitution, for speeches on Independence and Republic days, and our textbooks?

The whole country has been praying for peace. But is our notion of peace an absence of violence, or one of goodwill and harmony?

As will be the case with all posts on this forum, your thoughts are always welcome.

A story to tell Rahul Sharma, pg10

[caption id="attachment_227" align="alignleft" width="550" caption="A story to tell"][/caption]

In keeping with the vision of being a global school for thought leaders and change masters, MDI recently welcomed its new batch of management students by introducing them to distinctive schools of thought and novel means of change.

From yoga classes to interactive sessions with industry bigwigs, all modules of the student induction programme were carefully designed to familiarize the students to a system of education that encouraged learning through practice and through example.

When studies formally began the following week, this approach was seamlessly integrated into the pedagogy, in design and in execution. The mix of subjects for the first term aims to build the fundamental foundations of business education as well as to incrementally change mindsets and behaviour for the better.

As crucial as what, is how; and how the faculty aims to bring about this transformation, is primarily through the casebook method of teaching. Distinct from rote learning, it redefines the role of a teacher from teaching to facilitating. By taking up real world examples, initiating discussion and ensuring participation, the teacher aims to get from commotion to concord by only asking the right questions. Very often, it is just an innocently curious ‘Why’.

Throwing one into the deep end of the water and challenging one to swim, in the multitude of ways one might, the teachers here at MDI help one learn for life, and from the multiplicity of solutions that may exist for any practical predicament.

We may forget the complex equations taught to us in school or college, but we hardly forget the stories that our grandma told us. We may forget Sec 2(d) of Business Law, but we may never forget the curious case of a certain Khwaza Mohammed vs. Husseini Begum. This is more or less what MDI’s case method approach is towards learning; through story-telling.