Twenty-four years of social watch: ‘Loud Thinking’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THOUGH it has been a long time of twenty-four-plus years, it actually feels like having been started just yesterday. Such has been the mental ecosystem ‘Loud Thinking’ symbolises. It has been a tremendously rewarding social connect which nobody wants to miss — the loud-thinker himself and the readers who lap up every word. When the column enters its twenty-fifth year, mind gets filled with nostalgia with multiple dimensions. That a column continues its social watch for a quarter of a century, suggests something special — allowing the column-writer a little liberty to indulge in a little looking back with a sense of satisfaction. At this stage, the first thing to do is to thank not just the countless thousands of readers across Central India, but also to celebrate the great platform of ‘The Hitavada’ that made not just space but also a place of honour for such writing without fear or favour.

 

Tribute must, thus, be paid to all these dimensions for creating an environment in which such a writing can sustain itself without break. (Of course, almost every column this scribe writes has served its purpose for long, long years, in the process offering immense satisfaction of professional, personal and spiritual levels.) The loud-thinker only hopes that this episode does not come across as patting one’s own back. That is not the purpose at all. The purpose is just of a recall of how the long journey has been — an effort to walk on a straight line (but never on a tight rope, thanks to the realm of freedom of expression). ‘Loud Thinking’ has often tried to nudge readers from their comfort corners and think together on various dimensions of the reality of today’s society. In the process, it touched upon subjects as diverse as language-learning and use to personal conduct to career-choices to scientists of rare merit to eminent personalities to expressing joy and sorrows over various social issues. ...!

 

What made the effort all the more beautiful was the manner and method of readers’ response. It has been just tremendous— beyond words, beyond normal expectations. This scribe has only two words to offer in response — THANK YOU. The effort will continue, of course — in humility and with dignity — with fear of none and favour for none. But it will draw its sustenance from the affection of everybody. At this stage, the loud-thinker can only say that he is the smallest person enjoying the biggest reward of unmitigated joy of having done his duty with commitment. That is all he would always wish for — nothing more, and of course, nothing less. Cheers!