Sunil George

[Vikram Chandrashekar @Vikrchan]

Memory of riots and unrest during my college days

For me a distinct memory as a student is of the riots and unrest that followed the announcement of implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations by the then-PM-VP Singh.  It was August and September of 1990, and we were in class 12.

What had until then seemed like a political debate taking place in Parliament and in newspaper columns suddenly entered campuses, hostels, and homes. There was no social media back then. Questions of reservation, caste, merit, and justice became intensely personal. Conversations turned into arguments, and a generation of students found itself drawn into a conflict whose roots were deeper than most of us understood.
The protests spread rapidly across the country. Students gathered on roads, blocked traffic, shouted slogans, burned tires, and even confronted the police. Colleges remained uncertain places, with classes suspended and some examinations postponed. Each day brought reports of new demonstrations, arrests, injuries, and deaths. The atmosphere was charged with anger, fear, and a sense that events were moving beyond anyone’s control.

The first reported act of self-immolation had a profound effect. It shocked the country, but it also created a terrible precedent. Soon there were reports of other attempts. Young students, many of them barely adults, began to believe that setting themselves on fire was a way to make the nation listen.

Think of their families. Perhaps they believed the children had gone to college as usual. Perhaps their mothers had prepared food that morning, and fathers had hope for the future. They may never have known how close they had come to losing their children. It was difficult to understand how a political decision, however important or painful, could bring a student to the point of destroying their lives.
The protests continued. More students died, more families suffered, and the arguments became harsher. Each side spoke of justice, betrayal, equality, and sacrifice. Yet, as most times, the dead were too often reduced to numbers, symbols, or proof of someone’s political position.

I witnessed one such attempt in Bangalore too. A protest had gathered on the road outside, and students were shouting slogans and holding placards. The scene was tense, but such gatherings had by then become familiar. A young man stood apart from the others. I do not remember his face clearly. Suddenly several students rushed toward him. They pulled him away, threw water on him, and tried to stop what was about to happen. There was fear.The attempt was prevented, and he was taken away.
That experience remained with me long after the protests ended. It taught me that public anger can quickly become personal tragedy and that political movements often demand the highest price from those with the least power to shape them. No cause, however deeply felt, should require a student to burn himself in order to be heard.

We were young, emotional, and convinced that the future was being taken away from us.

A nation must be judged not only by the policies it adopts, but also by whether its young people believe they still have a future within it.

[Sunil George @IamSunilGeorge]

Some steer in the right direction, and foundational. Rightly before it gets too big to fix.

[Sam Altman @sama]

Some of our principles are in conflict, so here is what we are going to do:

https://t.co/UQA6ddG356

[Sonam Wangchuk @Wangchuk66]

2nd DAY OF LEH-DELHI #CLIMATEMARCH
A March of 1,000 Kilometers over some of the world's Highest passes above 17,500 ft altitude to
#SaveLadakh #SaveHimalayas
#SupportLadakh

[Nikhil Kamath @nikhilkamathcio]

The more #philosophy you read (not stoic), having a community seems to be the biggest precursor to #happiness (as fleeting as it might be).

I have 5 bros in my life I would do all for, life-changing this is, seriously ♥️

[Anoop Nair @anopnair]

Recent digital meter installation damaged the complete internal circuit at my house. BESCOM officials checked and confirmed the fault. Says that it's not their concern. Live wires kept open all around with 2 kids at home. @mdbescom @MinOfPower @Tejasvi_Surya Please help.

[Sonam Wangchuk @Wangchuk66]

Dilli Bahoot Door Hai!
For a whole week Del-Leh airfares r above Rs 33000 when all roads r blocked for 6 months.
Much cheaper to fly to London, than to Leh!!!
Imagine students, patients returning home!
Few additional flights shouldn't be hard!
@JM_Scindia @AmitShah @narendramodi

[Sonam Wangchuk @Wangchuk66]

I AM UNDER HOUSE ARREST OR WORSE...
Ladakh UT shaken by my #ClimateFast
for safeguard of Ladakh under 6th schedule

Pease watch:
https://t.co/E9l9YfXZor

@narendramodi @AmitShah @AmitShahOffice

[Sonam Wangchuk @Wangchuk66]

AFTER THE 1st DAY
OF MY #ClimateFast FOR LADAKH...
Still on rooftop as roads were blocked & I've been denied permission to get to #KHARDUNGLA
More later...

#SaveLadakh
@350
@UNFCCC @UNEP #ilivesimply @narendramodi @LeoDiCaprio

[Sunil George @IamSunilGeorge]

@DineshKarthik That SloMo!!!😎

[Vir Das @thevirdas]

Not one to post motivational quotes. But this is one I have saved and read from time to time. For whenever you need to take the L.

[David Morris @wdmorrisjr]

Parents have to choose their battles.

8 fights worth picking with your kids:

[Vir Das @thevirdas]

There are issues boarding trains in Pasazhyrsky @MEAIndia do help! This is a direct message from a students family to me.

[KTR @KTRBRS]

Please pass on the young champion’s details if you can. I will contribute in my personal capacity

[Sunil George @IamSunilGeorge]

@BangaloreRepair Map Coordinates : 13.0641325, 77.5124405
Ward No: 12
Locality: Mallasandra, Shettihalli, 560057

[Sunil George @IamSunilGeorge]

@BangaloreRepair
#RepairBangalore
4 years now and still counting!

[Madan K R (ಮದನ್ ರಾಜಗೋಪಾಲ್) @madankadambi]

@DCPTrWestBCP @BBMPCOMM @bbmpcommr

Please have a look on this road... In Shettihalli, Mallasandra, Jalahalli West....

Pregnant women, school kids, senior citizens are suffering a lot... Pls arrange for tar Road... @CMofKarnataka @VishweshwarBhat @ShyamSPrasad

@Rmanjunath_mla your area sir..

[BangaloreRepairProject @BangaloreRepair]

Dear @BSBommai @CMofKarnataka Sir, we realise that its difficult to take out time from your busy schedule. But we challenge/request you to come with us on a tour of Bangalore and see what Bangalore is going through
Your Day, Your Time
#RepairBangalore
#ChallengeTheCM

[Shashi Tharoor @ShashiTharoor]

Congratulations to Jeni Jerome from Tvm's Kochuthura on her maiden flight as co-pilot. When she flies today's ⁦@airarabiagroup⁩ flight SHJ to TRV, it's the realisation of a childhood dream of a girl from a small fishing hamlet to be a commercial pilot. A real inspiration!

[Dr. Arvinder Singh Soin @ArvinderSoin]

Black fungus - NOT contagious. It does NOT spread from direct or indirect contact. Avoid misinformation.

[Sunil George @IamSunilGeorge]

@shivanirai @taapsee @SonuSood @bhumipednekar @KTRoffice @DMETELANGANA
Dear DME, the application is sent on email. Please help, the patient Subir Guha has just undergone a surgery and needs the Liposomal Amphotericin - B . 120 vials for 20 days.
Thank you @KTRTRS for the information. @Kows_14