Last Wednesday at 9.30PM terrorists simultaneously strike several luxury hotels and tourist hangouts. They open fire and injure hundreds, then proceed to take scores of hostages. In an editorial in the NYT, Suketa Mehta writes:

The terrorists’ message was clear: Stay away from Mumbai or you will get killed. Cricket matches with visiting English and Australian teams have been shelved. Japanese and Western companies have closed their Mumbai offices and prohibited their employees from visiting the city. Tour groups are canceling long-planned trips.

But the best answer to the terrorists is to dream bigger, make even more money, and visit Mumbai more than ever. […]

So I’m booking flights to Mumbai. I’m going to go get a beer at the Leopold, stroll over to the Taj for samosas at the Sea Lounge, and watch a Bollywood movie at the Metro.

I am scheduled to go to techfest in January which takes place in Mumbai to present my lab’s work and show off our robots with our infamous Self-reAssembly demo. I’m not sure what the techfest status is now but if the powers that be will let me I intend to join Suketu Mehta and have a beer at the Leopold. Those powers being the techfest organizers, my professor, and my mom. I would say the latter will be the hardest to convince as she has been giving me updates hourly with reasons why I should cancel my trip. She also likes to write all her emails in all capital letters as if that’s more convincing.

But in today’s global world do you think you are any safer in New York? Terrorists can strike anywhere. It’s probably safer to be in Mumbai right now than before. The bombing has already happened.

Filed under: Robot, Urban Exploration by admin |