Siddharth Chatterjee: Perspectives-My work in the United Nations, the Red Cross and the Indian Army

On the eve of India's independence day, how safe can we say the subcontinent is? 

Is there a possibility for a breakthrough for peace or are we headed towards a breakdown to conflict that not only affects the two countries, but the region and perhaps the world?

 There is no choice but to sit down and address and resolve all issues for the sake of its people, its future growth and prosperity. Here is the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/siddharth-chatterjee/post_5422_b_3755719.html

President Obama has announced an early departure of the US military from Afghanistan. I am certain many soldiers would be happy with this decision.  This opinion piece is a reflection of my own time as an officer in the Indian Special Forces, where I had extensive exposure to counter insurgency operations, and how I saw people change under combat stress. The damages of war go far beyond what we once believed; society has now reached an understanding about the kind of moral, financial, communal and psychological toll wars can have on the soldiers, their family, community and even country. Is it a ‘silent disaster’ waiting to explode with unknown consequences? If the world cannot find a way out of war, then we may well be defeated as a civilization. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ siddharth-chatterjee/the- spoils-of-war_b_3586601.html  

Having witnessed firsthand the ravages of polio, nothing can be more gratifying for me than to watch the world unite to eradicate this debilitating and crippling disease. In late April 2013, Bill Gates, UNSG Ban Ki-moon and the Prince of Abu Dhabi co-hosted a vaccine summit, where world leaders pledged over $4 bn of the $5.6 bn to eradicate polio, also called the End Game. 

 Following that conference I have written this opinion piece, where I state that moving towards eradicating polio sets the stage for improved health systems and marks the blue print for eradicating many other diseases all over the world. 

 This summit has filled me with optimism for the future that no child has to ever suffer the egregious effects of this disease and we move towards creating a world free of other preventable diseases. The past week saw the World Health Assembly in Geneva. We have also seen polio has reemerge in Kenya and Somalia. World leaders and organizations once again came together to...

Indian Bollywood movies have for years perpetuated two stereotypes about law-enforcement in the country. They are either bumbling fools, always arriving well after matters have been sorted and justice has been served. Or they are corrupt; venal men out to exploit the system to satisfy their greed. In truth, while neither stereotype is fully representative of law enforcement personnel in the country, they are not entirely wrong either. The recent spate of rapes, unbridled violence, police brutality, a distressing absence of respect for women's rights and a general breakdown of law and order in many parts of India is a matter of grave concern. Here is a link to my opinion piece: "How to improve India’s police – a roadmap" http://www.firstpost.com/ blogs/how-to-improve-indias- police-a-roadmap-677462.html

India is generally at or near the bottom of the heap of women's misery. A UN index in 2011 amalgamated details on female education and employment, women in politics, sexual and maternal health and more. It ranked India 134th out of 187 countries, worse than Saudi Arabia, Iraq or Iran. In this article Cherie Blair and I make the case that financial independence, especially for urban poor and rural women, is the best way to ensure their empowerment. This can only come through jobs. Women are half India’s demographic dividend; if they are given the right tools and community support, they can not only become financially independent, but could also become the engines that fuel India’s future growth.   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cherie-blair/promoting-womens-economic_b_2917923.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ siddharth-chatterjee/post_ 4403_b_2664480.html World Water Day is being celebrated on March 22, 2013.   Even after nearly twenty years since World Water Day started in 1993,  over 1000 children in India die daily from water borne diseases. The entire world is watching India celebrate Kumbh Mela one of the holiest festivals in the Hindu calendar, which happens every 12 years. Sadly the waters of the Ganges where 30 million bathed on February 10, is neither fit for bathing or drinking.  The National Geographic once described the Ganges as a septic tank, and they may be right, as the levels of fecal contamination is really jaw dropping. I thought it would be useful to draw attention to this important event with an opinion piece I have developed with Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO’s (World Health Organization) Deputy Regional Director for the South East Asian Regional Office. We hope this piece will generate a broader discuss...

http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/12/09/for-child-soldiers-every-day-is-a-living-nightmare/ I sincerely hope 2013 proves auspicious and a harbinger of hope. This terrible tragedy of child soldiers and children exposed to the savagery of armed conflicts is stopped forever. We must see collective and concerted actions to bring this tragic chapter of human history to a close.