Why I Think My Dad Should Be President

My dad once told me about something that happened at a relative's wedding we were attending. One of the guests he had not met before apparently did a double-take when he was introduced to my dad, who was dressed formally in a suit and tie.

"I'm sorry," said the gentleman, shaking my father's hand and looking a little embarrassed, "for a moment there, I thought you were Ariel Sharon!"

There's one reason right there. He looks presidential. Well...Prime Ministerial, at any rate.

My dad stands a modest 5'3" above the ground, but he has more energy than three Ariel Sharons, two John McCains and one Barack Obama combined. At the age of 60, he continues to work harder than I can ever say I have, and does it all with a positive attitude unsurpassed by anyone in my entire family.

Born on July 29, 1948, the second son of a renowned scientist, engineer and teacher who himself traveled the world, my father spent much of his childhood and adolescence moving. After high school, he went on to study Commerce at St. Xavier's College, Calcutta, despite resistance from my grandfather, who wanted him to be an engineer like him.

My dad learned the art of survival early - as an eight year old, he was perhaps the youngest boy to live in a school hostel; in college, he made his own money, selling advertisements for newspapers to companies; and when working in the highly volatile and competitive steel industry, he walked several tightropes to rise above those with far greater experience than him.

He worked hard, continuing to move frequently in search of better opportunities, but always looking out for my mother and myself. We never lacked anything, except enough time with him. I wouldn't have cared as much if he had been the serious sort of father, immersed in newspapers and uttering monosyllables most of the time. But my dad is the fun sort, the kind who has energy, no matter how gruelling his day has been, to make you laugh. It made his absences all the more painful; but it imbibed in me an unshakable optimism, and a deep love for humour that I am enormously grateful for.

So, he is his own man, has a positive attitude and plenty of energy. He is also young at heart, something that will serve him well in mobilizing the youth. But what about foreign policy experience?

On that front, I'd say he has way more to offer than Obama and Palin put together. To allay any fears "voters" might have, I'd like to mention that my dad has had a passport since he was in his early twenties, and has now traveled to so many countries, they'll have to invent a passport with at least fifty pages if they want to keep pace with his globe-trotting. He has met with presidents, prime ministers and political and business leaders across the globe, negotiating and collaborating with them on urban development, oil sludge removal from the oceans, and business solutions for the countries' problems.

What he lacks in direct military experience, he makes up for with sound judgment - having "palled around" with several folks in the military, he has an informed opinion about war and terrorism, and a variety of ideas on how to deal with them, all of which he will elaborate upon when he wins the parental primaries.

I cannot think of a better forum to unveil our campaign slogan; a simple one that I think will resonate with voters of every age:

Papa for President!

Thank you for your support.