'the-south-asian' is a month old on the web. It has been a modest beginning - the aim has been to bring you rich and quality content, in keeping with the secular traditions of the region. The response from our readers has been heartening and encouraging.

One of the lead stories this issue is on Mr. Mohan Singh Oberoi, who turned 101 in August - his century has been one of hard work, success and spectacular growth. He does the region proud.

While working on a story for the-south-asian, our team visited some of the historic sites in and around Delhi. At  the Tughlaqabad site, which goes back to Nizamuddin's time (over six hundred years ago), a man of eighty or more sat on the remnants of an ancient wall. He observed us keenly for a while, and then gestured to us to come towards him.  Speaking  fluent English, he asked us why we were there. The answer was pretty obvious to most of us. After an exchange of information on Tughlaqabad, he said, "Do you realise that generation after generation, in the Indian sub-continent, has inherited a collective memory of pain, hatred and animosity.  We have immortalised and documented killings, battles, and death - on canvases, on paper and on stone.  Why can't we document love and friendship and positive emotions? Why can't we have modern day stupas  or monuments in celebration of people who propagated secularism and co-existence of religions? Is there any monument that immortalises Dara Shukoh ? How many people are aware that Dara (Shahjahan's oldest son and his favourite too) was working on a book on synthesis of Hinduism and Islam - that he had translated major works of Hindu philosophy? Minds such as Dara's are not celebrated - they are left in oblivion." 

We did not ask him who he was - it may have been irreverent to do so. His dream was certainly one that most of us would like to share - a dream of truly secular South  Asia where children, one day, might follow a curriculum common to all - where they read Prem Chand, Faiz, Nazrul Islam, Michael Ondaatje, Intezar Hussain, and many others - imagine? 

Roopa  Bakshi