"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
-- Robert F. Kennedy

Where there's hope, there can be faith. Where there's faith, miracles can occur. And this was what happened when the Peace Bus from Srinagar rolled out to Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

2005 witnessed cementing of the fragile peace process between India and Pakistan giving hopes for a peaceful coexistence between the two sides. And opening of roads, linking the two halves of Kashmir was a major breakthrough in the long quest for peace between the neighbours.

Along with peace comes development, and that was evident in the Indian economy as well. In its 20 years history, the 30-share Sensitive Index (Sensex) of Bombay Stock Exchange, has passed through various stages, both in the bull and bear phases. But in 2005, it saw a meteoric rise, touching the 9,000 mark.

It is hard to see the Indian economy boom petering out in the coming years.

With element of peace and stability around, if anything, the pace of growth is more likely to pick up. Let's hope so…