The day India woke up

I distinctly remember 26/11 a year ago. We have TV sets all over the office. At around 3-4pm I saw my colleagues flocking around TVs & out of curiosity I joined them. Initially when I saw terrorists in the roads of Mumbai my instinct reaction was this was some kind of a bluff.

Slowly I started panicking, started thinking about all the people I know who lived in Mumbai. I was hoping they were safe. I also called my brother to ascertain what I was seeing on the TV was indeed true.

Reality struck, panic disappeared, I started to make sense of what was happening. Although I don't live in India I stay connected to everything that happens in India. My friends, my relatives, my family all of them live in India. Over the next 2-3 days I turned one of the wall-mounted TVs towards my desk so that I could stay updated.
Many people lost their lives, many others were affected, a city was shaken to its depths.
The terrorist achieved what they set out to achieve in the most gruesome manner.

But the incident brought a number of changes- some of them positive.

India woke up to new age terrorism, guerrilla warfare, India woke up to the need to forget small religious difference & stay as one, India woke up to the need to be proactively vigilant, India woke up to the need to fight for ourselves, our safety, for our life & the lives for our loved ones.

Over the last 12 months There have been a number of changes, the most important being the appointment of P Chidambaram as Home Minister.
Changes are taking place and will continue to do so... but they take time. Don't get dis-illusioned with the pace of change. don't expect immediate answers.

But keep asking questions, voice your opinion, and most importantly VOTE, vote for the right person.

To me 26/11 is the day when India was re-born the day we & the Government woke up. Lets remember all those who lost their loves ones, lets salute those who lost their lives so that we can stay safe.

Let their sacrifice not go in vain.

R