Jalandhar, January 25
An old age home is the sad option that old, weak and disillusioned men and women resort to when homes become dungeons and the kids that they fondly nurtured, tormentors.

It takes heartfelt empathy and dedication on the part of the staff, for these old age shelters to feel like a home. Though it still has a long way to go, the Apahaj Ashram in Jalandhar is an organisation which is at least trying to get there.

The ashram houses 148 inmates, 80 of them senior citizens.

There’s an interplay of hope and disappointment as The Tribune digs out the stories of some of the elderly inmates of the ashram.

The Dark Side of "India Shining"

(Seattle, WA, December 29, 2010) When Westerners think of India, they most likely conjure up images of Bollywood movies, yoga, and the Taj Mahal. Some might think of call centers, perhaps the most salient symbol of India's economic rise to North Americans. And although India's rich cultural landscape and powerful global status are deserved, the government continues to hide a lesser-known, yet greater, reality: India's addiction to impunity and gross human rights violations.

Washington, September 25

Growing up near the air force base in Dayton, Ohio, Tejdeep Singh Rattan knew he wanted to serve in uniform. When the military discouraged him, he persisted but again got a cold shoulder.

When he was turned away the third time, Rattan -- a Sikh with a turban and beard -- became suspicious.

The Queen of Britain will now have two Sikhs in her Royal Guards for her safety, reports said.

According to media reports, Signaler Simranjit Singh will be the first soldier to go about his duties wearing a turban. The second one is Lance Corporal Sarvjit Singh who will be ensuring the Queen’s security.

Sikh police officers want special bulletproof turbans to be developed so they can serve in firearms units, according to the new British Police Sikh Association.

The Sikh religion requires its male followers to wear the turban, but existing police safety helmets do not fit on top of them.

Insp Gian Singh Chahal, vice-chairman of the British Police Sikh Association, said the Home Office needed to make provision for Sikhs and recognise that they had a role to play.