Written by S NAGARAJAN
Date: 25 December 2016
Time uploaded in London:- 6-17 am
Post No.3481
Pictures are taken from different sources; thanks.
contact; swami_48@yahoo.com
This article first published in www.ezinearticles.com under expert author : santhanam Nagarajan
Brindavan Express by Mr V.Desikan
Santhanam Nagarajan
The book under review Brindavan Express written by Mr V Desikan is a fantastic book.
Mr Desikan belongs to Tamilnadu.
He has obtained his degree in electronics from the Madras Institure of Technology and joined in Defence Research and Development organization at Bangalore. He is the recipient of ‘Scientist of the Year (1983) DRDO award from the late Prime Minister of India Mrs Indira Gandhi
He has jotted down his thoughts systematically from time to time and like a sculptor creates his dream statue, has written down articles weaving his beautiful thoughts with a humorous touch.
The book has 73 articles under twelve captions namely My roots, Emotions, Life is a game, My living town – Bangalore, Food, Music and Novels, Future Tense, Language, Growing old, Science and Engineering, What is in a name and Mixture.
One of his friends Mr RV Rajan induced him to publish these article in a book form.
The articles were published in a leading English daily Deccan Herald. His style is lucid.
Each and every article kindles readers thought process. His conclusions are compelling and convincing.
As a scientist he dreams towards a better future where every thing is perfect. He points out that the future lies in Nano technology.
There are many quotations through out the book from great men like Rabindranath Tagore, Harry Emerson Fosdick, Shakespeare, G.K.Chesterton etc.
The book makes an interesting reading. He has
The book is neatly printed and can be obtained from leading book shops.
Some excerpts from the book:
About his Boss:
My boss Burman, a confirmed bachelor was in charge of system integration. He was a chain smoker.If he liked someone,he would call him an ‘idiot’ or ‘a fool’ – I was one of his favorite idiots!
On seeing his dream vehicle, the 40 feet long SANGAM:
I went towards my favorite SANGAM and stood there for a long time. I looked at her and gently whispered (what Brutus told Cassius):
‘Forever and forever farewell, my dear
If we do meet again, why, we shall smile.
If not, why then this parting was well made.’
About Sundal :
If there be Chat Centres, fast food outlets all over our cities, why can’t someone open a ‘Sundal Center’?
About KDK (Kumbakonam Degree (Coffee) Kaapi :
Thank you KDK
You bring me joy in the morning
You bring me joy in the morning;
About the requirement of a positive newspaper :
I have a real problem on hand. All my life I have enjoyed sipping my morning coffee, reading the morning newspaper. I have recently discontinued my habit as it is no more a pleasant experience. Now I need a ‘Positive Newspaper’ badly.
I have a dream:
My idea of Next-gen city is that it should be
Totally green and with Zero pollution
With efficient and complete public transportation
With minimum private vehicles
Total Connectivity – Airports, roads, sea (where applicable)
Full Safety
I congratulate Mr Desikan for releasing this wonderful book. I strongly recommend this book for the book lovers.
*********
Tamil and Vedas 
R.Nanjappa (@Nanjundasarma)
/ December 25, 2016Essay is said to be a loose sally of the mind. It works as a two-edged sword: lightens what is dark and dense, and treats of light stuff with heavy seriousness! We used to enjoy essays by old masters like G.K.Chesterton, A.G.Gardiner, Robert Lynd, A.P.Herbert, E.V.Lucas, Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, Max Beerbohm, etc We had great anthologies those days.
Somehow, Indians do not seem to have taken to and developed this art form seriously (in English, any way.) R.K.Narayan delights us even in his smaller sketches, but R.K. Laxman is also very good in the few pieces he has written. K.Chandrasekharan’s essays used to be heavy, and on serious subjects. But one real master writing English essays was N.Raghunathan ( of The Hindu) [Vighneshwara] whose Sotto Voce (3 volumes) was a delight to hold and read.It could not be read without a classical dictionary by one’s side. He could be devastatingly serious criticising the Avadi Socialists, or hilarious joining issues with Sir.C.V. Raman on his comment that the human belly was not meant to digest chillies! Pothan Joseph I could read only from his Swarajya days, and he was delightful. Of course we used to enjoy pieces by Frank Moraes. In the mid-60s he used to write a column every Monday in The Indian Express telling youngsters how to write!
Rajaji’s weekly fare in Swarajya was heavy stuff, though he used to be wide-ranging in his “Dear Reader” column, covering what Frank Moraes had called “Men, Matters and Memories” in his Sunday Standard column, under the name Ariel! Once Rajaji reviewed Vladimir Nabokov’s novel “Lolita”! And he taught us how Khrushchov was to be spelt! ( It was ‘o’ and not ‘e’.) He taught us that தமிழ் நாடு should be written as Tamil Nad in English and not as Tamil Nadu since the ‘U’ sound was not fully pronounced in Tamil! [குற்றியலுகரம்] He also said that வாய்மையே வெல்லும் was not the correct translation of Satyameva Jayate since the word Satyam did not mean just வாய்மை!
Later, The Illustrated Weekly used to carry some good essays by A.S.Raman,(Chiaroscuro), RGK etc. The articles in The Bhavan’s Journal could not really be called ‘essays’. These were our sources of essays by Indians those days.
The indication of the contents of Brindavan Express here has ignited the spark and makes us eager to devour the whole stuff! The fruit of life-long learning and reflection of a top mind ought to be interesting and instructive. Thanks for bringing it to our notice.
Santhanam Nagarajan
/ December 25, 2016super true sir true.
Sri V Desikan, leading scientist of high order is my dearest friend. I participated and spoke in the book release function. Thanks for your beautiful thoughts. It is brilliant as usual.