PRM 10 IRMAN Ruchi Agarwal, 56 [7 Feb 1969 – 8 May 2025], succumbed to helicopter crash at Kedarnath. Sadgati. From Bareilly. Economics from Shri Ram Delhi. Deeply shocked and saddened. 56 is no age, my dear friend to leave us. You are within us for more than 36 years now. I do not know whether you realized the difference you made to us. You have made us better beings in your own way. You continue in us, in our musings, in our thoughts, actions, and networks.
New Pope, 267th, is elected. New Sovereign of Vatican City State. Leo XIV. Born Robert Francis Prevost, from the United States, 69 [14 Sep 1955]. A mathematical graduate. A masters in divinity. Doctorate in canon law. Polyglot. Missionary in Peru, for 10+ years. Again, apostolic administrator of a Diocese in Peru for another 9 years. Cardinal only for the last 2+ years. The Pope in his first speech sought peace, peace in the world; peace in all our minds. Let peace be on us.
Rohit Sharma, 37, retires from Test Cricket. Maybe at the instance of the BCCI. Virat Kohli may follow. Rohit has already retired from T20s. He continues to be available in the IPL. May also continue in ODIs for some more time. Rohit’s Test Career is 11 years with 67 Tests: 4,301 runs. Highest Test Score – 212. Captained 24 Tests with 50% wins.
Operation Sindoor, since 7 May 2025, in response to 22 April Pahalgam attack by militants killing 26 people. Pakistan’s counter retaliation by Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos. These included Missile strikes on targeted locations in Pakistan, and drone battles by both the countries. Ceasefire was announced on May 10, after talks between Director Generals of Military Operations. Did the US play a role in this ceasefire? Before the launch of Operation Sindoor, India suspended the Indus Water Treaty, 1960; closed checkposts; and cancelled visas of Pakistani nationals in India. We hear: any act of terrorism is an act of war, therefore a violation of ceasefire.
Rabindranath Tagore. Viswakavi, Gurudev. 164 [7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941]. Polymath – poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter. Author of Gitanjali which gave him the 1913 Nobel Prize. 2230-song strong Rabindra Sangeet. National Anthem-giver to India – Jana Gana Mana; and Bangladesh – Amar Shonar Bangla. Founder, Santiniketan, and Visva-Bharati University. Gurudev started referring to Gandhi as Mahaatma. And it stuck.
Mother’s day. Mother. Amma, Maa, Maata, Ammu, Mom, Mommy, Mammy, Mam, Aai, Thalli, and Janani. Maatrdevo bhava. Nurturer par excellence with love, hope, faith, compassion, promise, and care. Boundless. Unwavering. Can we mother? Can we be mothers? Can we activate the mother, the woman in all of us? Each one of us. Can we be Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving ‘mother’? Can we be Maxim Gorky’s ‘mother’? Can we be mother and father at the same time, like Krsna, Siva, and Lalita? Can we be friends like a parent, mother, and father? Can we inspire and offer trust? Can we be patient and show courage for the child to grow? Can we be there, just there? Can we let them? Can we let us?
Can we learn mothering in childhood? In school? Can we practice? Can we offer the agency of being a ‘mother’?
Yes, we can. If we coexist, flowing. Listening to the innermost. In N? maatryoga for 7L.