Mera Bharat Mahan!!!

A picture speaks a thousand words. Here is an entertaining picture taken near the hydroelectric plant on a Parvati River-Himachal Pradesh-India. In the foreground you can spot a burning lighting shining in a broad day light (Noon time), clearly conflicting the nearby message "Save energy for the nation, Thank You!!" And deep in the background the Indian Signature "Mera Bharat Mahan!!!"

Mera Bharat Mahan!!!

PS.> Thanks to Subbu for lending the camera and more importantly sending the picture across just for a Friday-fun. 

Lage Raho ANNA BHAI

Recent success of Anna movement for Jan Lokpal bill to build zero corruption (a theoretical impossibility) India has been exemplary providing hope to the millions of us for the better future. In my opinion, the movement not only provided a nascent display of the maturity of Indian democratic system nurturing tons of non violent debates, it also demonstrated that coming together India (and more so an Indian) can make herself heard. Anna's fight for one and all, adherence and insistence of his demands and persistence to the cause not only galvanized the entire nation but produced hilarious literature to bring an epidemic laugh on everybody's face.

Here is an e-mail doing the rounds on the internet. A society that can laugh on itself will always improve and progress. All we have to cheer is "Lage Raho ANNA BHAI..."

MPs Salary Hike - Govt Salaries - My take

The adage goes, "If you throw peanuts, you only get monkeys" and no wonder then that the adage aptly applies to Indian Parliamentarians and can (more or less) be extended to the entire gamut of Indian Government employees. Government jobs (Teachers, Police, Judges and Bureaucrats etc.) including Parliamentarians are not seeking the same level of talent equipped to handle the job responsibilities to perfection. There have been exceptions but bluntly put the Government jobs in India today are means to get into a cozy permanent position without any accountability over lifetime. Add to that highly responsible jobs do generate nonparallel amount of extra income through corruption leading extravagent life styles, killing the social conscious attached to the job in the process. It's no surprise then that the most talented and highly self-conscious Indian youth is allergic to the Government Jobs and is looking for an alternative. Illustrious, lucrative and more meritocratic private sector careers then beacon leaving government jobs in hands of ill-equipped (I wish not to call mediocre) youth.

Members of Parliamentarians (MP) carry the most coveted and the most responsible position as policy/law makers in the Indian constitution and sadly many of our politicians are most ill-equipped and lackluster to justify their respective positions. Most of the younger generation - Supriya Sule, Sachin Pilot, Milind Deora, Naveen Jindal and even Rahul Gandhi - that come readily to my mind should ideally fill the chest of all Indians with pride but given their family legacy, Indian politics scene appears to be a family run business. Veterans are no different as they are known to sleep on their chairs and most of them neither demonstrate excellence nor deliver performance/governance. One wonders what our MPs would do if they would not have been MPs? Are they equipped to run alternative administration or policy making management jobs with aplomb? Will anybody else other than their parties hire them? Why then these soles are demanding salary hike? Are they really worthy of it? Alternatively put, Will the Indian state reap the benefits of the amount of money it would be shelling on its policy/law makers?

Answers to these questions are not that black and white as any Politics but I do understand one thing "If you throw peanuts, you only get monkeys" and according to that rule, as a policy maker I would vehemently support the Salary hike for MPs and other Government officials. I prefer to increase the salary package of all the government officials including MPs to their private industry counterparts. I would prefer to do it with a trade-off though. The extra perks - car cavalcade, house and other fringe benefits - should be slashed vehemently and brought under control. Their social status should stay similar to that of a private sector employee. All Government organizations should be run competitively vis-a-vis their private counterparts ensuring good and timely governance with robust processes in place. In the process, government officials should be applauded for their good work and given the stick whenever they err as is the rule in private Industry. The good and honest work should be recognized and promotions and higher responsibilities should be conferred sooner in order to eliminate the otherwise sluggish government careers. All these reforms should be aimed at alluring the promising youth to take up and thrive in the governmental careers, be it a school teacher, a policeman, a Judge, a bureaucrat or be it a MP.

Imagine if India develops a school system as good as Singapore where a school teacher is paid handsomely and can enjoy the social status of a doctor or a lawyer. The talented youth with passion for teaching would never hesitate to take up such a huge job nation building responsibility ensuring good quality education fostering vibrant younger minds. Imagine a Policeman who would never take a bribe to offer a license (will not give license only because he expects a bribe). A traffic policeman who would honestly charge you without taking a bribe and then you would never speed up, break the traffic signal and will obey all legal traffic rules leading to reduced accidents on roads. Non corrupt policemen carrying all their duties with pride without succumbing to pressure from the rich, powerful and influential. Imagine a Judge who would always deliver impartial judgment without being allured to corruption. Imagine every district collector treating his district as his own project -a baby and delivers with par excellence improving thousands of lives. And above all imagine a brigade of young politicians - the status men delivering governance par excellence enticing the youth to actively join politics, more as a reformist...

All these are certainly possible with the beaming economy providing unimaginable opportunities. The need of the hour is to seize these opportunities and what we need is a right person for the right job. That will happen only if we recognize and reward the talented and honest workforce to realize their their true potential so that they fulfill others' dreams. But, one thing is a certain If continue to throw peanuts, we will only get monkeys...

Hope is a good thing and...

Life certainly is a journey full of Twist and Turns, incredibly Topsy and amazingly Turvy. You never know when and where you will find your chosen one and what will help you to figure out that he/she is the one. If you are an ardent believer of serendipity, luck by chance, sudden change of fate, follow omens all the time you have reason to be always optimistic, even in the worst of the circumstances. In his wildest dreams, Harish Kumar - an auto driver from Jaipur would hardly have dreamt of celebrating his honeymoon in America but now he must not only be ecstatic for finding his love but also excited about spending cherishable times ahead: HarishMarryingWhitney

Reflecting the story on the my wilderness, I have the reached the conclusion that there are three (m thinking for more and your aid is welcome) major obstacles:

0. I am not an auto driver *.
1. There are no autos in Belgium.
2. and hence no Belgian/Europian girl drives them.

LoL...So, disheartening :-( but I am still not lost. With a card open and close to my heart, I keep believing in Gabriel García Márquez theory from Love in the time of Cholera: "Hope is a Good Thing and Good Things don't Die".

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* Autos and Taxis are two distinct vehicles and hence Auto driver and Taxi driver should be treated with similar distinction.

Yahoooooo!!!!! No Rat Race @ Class X

HRD ministry in India has recently come up with many steps to reform education sector. Percentage marks in Class X will now be a history and would be replaced by grades accompanied by a percentile score. In this interview, the HRD minister Kapil Sibal explains the plethora of reforms that would indeed reform the education sector. As with most of the Indian legislations, the devil in this case also lies in the implementation. Usually optimistic, I sincerely hope this is a step in the right direction and would make education a fun place as dreamed by the HRD minister in his poem he narrates at the end of the interview:

Please rid me of this awful load!
preparing for the Class X board!!

My thirsty mind craves to create!
Not have exams decide my fate!!

My wondrous eyes yearn to explore!
Much beyond my classroom door!!

My dreams should not be cut to size!
Just because I hate to memorize!!

If you test me for brains and guile!
Don't have to look at percentile!!

With text book I should start to serve!
Enquiringly looking for a new turn!!

Walk away from a trodden path!
Not inviting my teachers' wrath!!

Solving a sum will not help find!
The real answer for a questioning mind!!

Create a place for a lot to learn!
Let learning be a lot of fun!!

-- Kapil Sibal

China Breaking India??

Political theories have always been rife and the current hot theory amongst them is the Chinese version of How to break India. If you go into the details, the theory is no different than Divide and Rule, a very well known theory employed and successfully executed by British while ruling India. So, the question is, will the proposed theory work in the present scenario as well? Pondering about this question while discussing with Anand, I was reminded of another story (popular in the Marathi literature for ages):

Once upon a time, a cap seller was on its way from one town to the another and he has with him a bag full of caps. On the way in a jungle, he decides to take a siesta under the tree but forgets to lock his bag. The monkeys in the jungle are very notorious (what else they can be?) and steal all his caps. Now, in an effort to get back all the caps, he tries everything he can. runs after the monkeys, climbs trees but all in vain!!! monkeys are too fast to him. Moorover, monkeys to their nature, start to irritate him. They start imitating all his actions one after the other and here the clever man comes up with a brilliant idea. He indulges all the monkeys into a game such that they follow all his actions. Whenever he sits, they all sit. Whenever he stands, they all stand. Whenever he jumps, they all jump. Whenever he laughs, they all laugh. Whenever he scratches his head, they all scratch theirs. Then suddenly, he fervently takes the cap from his head and throws it into this bag and all monkeys follow the act. The cap seller immediately locks his bag containing all his caps and runs away. Proud of his achievement, he narrates this story to all his friends and fellow villagers. Soon, the story becomes a legend to be narrated for generations to come...

The time passes and the grandson of the cap seller decides to pass through the same jungle. Confident that he can always get back all the caps from notorious monkeys, he decides to be nonchalant and on purpose decides to keep his bag containing all caps open. Monkeys come, take all the caps from the bag and wait for him to wake up. As he wakes up and sees all the caps being stolen, he is still confident. He laughs out reminiscing a DeJa Vu. Soon, he starts playing the same games with the monkeys as his grandfather did and they also start to follow him religiously. They all sit, whenever he sits. They all stand, whenever he stands. They all jump, whenever he jumps. They all laugh, whenever he laughs. They all scratch their heads, whenever he scratches his head. Satisfied as it has been proceeding the way it has been scripted, the grand son grows more confident and he takes his cap and throws into the bag. At the very next moment, the leader of the monkeys jumps, steals the last cap from the bag leaving the grandson a one liner, "Don't we have grandfathers?"

Moral of the story: Even monkeys learn generations after generations...lol.

Unfortunately, Indian history has not been encouraging when dealing with China. We had to concede a part of our land to China after the famous Sino-India war in 1962. Addressing the parliament after the debacle, the then first prime minister of India Pandit Nehru had defended, "Fellow countrymen, but we don't have to worry. It's only a barren land. Nothing grows on it." To which one of the Parliamentarion Govind V. Pant (I am not sure about the name) responded, "Panditji, Yeah mera sar hein. Ispe koi bal nahi. Kya aap chahate hein ki mein ye kisi aur ko du aur khush ho jau?" (Panditji, This is my head. I am bald. Do you want to me to offer it to someone and be happy about it?)

Given the fact that the younger India much more confident, dynamic and progressive, it would be non-realistic to believe that the "Divide and Rule" theory would work in the present scenario unless we screw up...screw up big time...screw up more than monkeys do :)

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Disclaimer: The post is not meant to offend any of the Chinese friends but to prove the fallacy of the theory. What states do and what people believe is more often than not very different. I am sure we all want peace and no more than peace.

An appeal to VOTE...

I came across is beautiful poem* during some random reading. I thought it's apt and would inspire some (if not at least one) of you to go and vote in the coming Indian elections:

It has happened
and it goes on happening
and will happen again
if nothing happens to stop it.

The innocent know nothing
because they are too innocent.

The poor do not notice
because they are too poor.
And the rich do not notice
because they are too rich.

The stupid shrug their shoulders
because they are too stupid.
And the clever shrug their shoulder
because they are too clever.

The young do not care
because they are too young.
And the old do not care
because they are too old.

That's why nothing happens
to stop it.
And that is why it has happened
and goes on happening
And will happen again.

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*This is an English translation of a poem written by German poet Erich Fried.

India Blinks...

Mega cricket event Indian Premier League (IPL) has deen hijacked out of India. The mega event generated INR 91 Crore (~20Million USD) in the form of tax last year. Contribution to travel, hospitality, fashion industry etc. must have been significant as well. In addition to aiding economic growth it gave new dimension to Indian Cricket and was (is) certainly a national pride. Unwillingness to provide adequate security to host this event is appaling and citing reasons of elections in India can not be comprehended. It would be like saying foreign ambassadors/tourists/journalists not to come to India as they won't be adequately protected because of elections. Worse so, we would be playing in the hands of evil terrorist elements. This is precisely what they are looking for.

There should not be any denial that terrorists attacks are aimed not only to create Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD*) and havoc in public mindset but also to dampen the economic resurgence. Aftermath 26/11 terrorists attack in Bombay, it was perceived that Bombay and largely India is not a safe place for foreign tourists. The ongoing England ODIs were canceled casting shadow on the IPL to be taken place in Apr.-May 2009. Shifted test match in Chennai was an astounding success. This Chennai test match will always be remembered for the courage shown by touring english team to travel to Chennai than Sachin's test hundred. Successful organization of a test match with english team touring had a hope that the things will be restored sooner than later. It demonstrated the will to host upcoming commonwealth games in 2010 and Cricket World Cup in 2011. It took a message to the terrorists and to the world that "Come what may, we'll stand and we'll stand tall".

It was very important to carry this momentum, the self belief and successful organization of the IPL would have testified the same. The dynamics in the sub continent became hugely complicated because of terrorists attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore and the announcement of the impending parliamentary election schedule in India. Situation that seemed crisis was (is) a definite opportunity for India. The attack on Sri Lankan cricketers meant the entire cricket establishment is vulnerable and a successful organization of a mega event like IPL would have been a definite credit to the security forces. The successful organization of IPL along with smooth elections would have sent very strong signals to the world saying "We have the will to combat and rise and we'll never blink".

Sadly though it seems there is no willingness in the government to rise to the occasion and take tough stand. Home minister urging the postponement of IPL has to understand that although elections can't be postponed to later dates, international cricket schedule needs to be respected as well. The postponement of the IPL hence is not a viable solution. Media bits say that all the states except Maharashtra and Andhra pradesh are willing to provide security for the event. Doesn't it make sense for the center to intervene and understand the concerns of these states? Can't they contribute to bolster the system to support the event? Can't IPL be a bit more patient in their talk with the home department? Can't we stand united in this hour of crisis (a classic opportunity) and showcase the Indian might? Is it too difficult?

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* To my knowledge, the origin of the term FUD is related to business. The term was coined by IBM in the 1970s to undermine the credibility of its competitors.

Madman’s Court :)

We were witnessing a procession on Thane (a suburb in Bombay) Railway Station. The whole group must have been around 40-50 people of varying age groups including children to old folks. All of them were surrounded by a rope with four or more policemen holding them and one providing directions. The group flow could be compared to a bunch of randomly oriented capsules flowing through a shapeless pipe in a turbulent manner. This was unprecedented for me as I had not seen anything alike before. I have been away from Bombay for almost a decade now and I am bound to witness new things that generate more curiosity. Upon enquiry I was informed that these were the accused caught crossing the railway lines, a seamless and mostly harmless crime committed by millions all over India everyday. I was also informed that these accused will have to appear in front of what is popularly called Vedyache Court – Madman’s Court. Baptized name generates more curiosity and probably these are the reasons why this court is called a Madman’s Court.

I was informed that there is no fixed time when these courts are held. Magistrate can probably decide when to held a session or take a break. An interesting characteristic of Madman’s court is that fine of the crime is not fixed but escalates after every attempt of defense by the accused. So, it’s wise for the accused to stay calm, pay the fine suggested by the Magistrate and walk out…other things can be tried at one's own peril. Moreover, a bribe to a policemen is fruitless in this case and you are bound to lose at least half if not the entire business day. Bribe, a usual bane acts as boon in many in India. You can possibly escape the scene bribing a policeman or in charge authority for a paltry sum of INR 100 equivalent to ~2 EUR. But when it comes to appearance in front of Madman’s court, I was informed all such tricks fail...what a pain.

From Fund raising point of view it would be interesting if government ensures more policing along the railway lines and creates many more madman’s courts all over the country. I am sure there will be plenty of evaders contributing to the kitty everyday. It has a potential to generate a lot of revenue, may be competing with income tax to start with :) What you say?

…Being A Student…

When I informed friends and colleagues about my decision to embark upon PhD (read it as being a student again), some of them termed it as eccentric. Most of the relatives called it plainly outrageous and stupid. Looking at looming (seemingly never ending) home loan I thought it would be gutsy but not unthinkable and only after I was sure to have finances under control, I decided Abhi Nahi To Kabhi Nahi and went for it.

At times I wonder if it has been a clever decision or not. As I think more and more about it, I end up having mixed thoughts. Thoughts specially outpour during international flights to and from Bombay. The last journey was no different with deluge of thoughts on my mind as I was passing through Indian customs. After what I thought of to be a routine baggage scan I found myself in front a bald held, portly, white uniformed Indian Customs Officer Mr. Ahuja. Probably being first time, it proved to be an experience in itself. He started firing one question after the other. Kahase aayeho? Kya kya hein bag mein? Electronic goods? I gullibly informed him about everything I had (except iPod which I thought I could easily camouflage and wasn’t new anyway) and he started listing everything down on a piece of paper. He then started asking about the cost of each and every item. How much does this record player cost? I said about 80 Euros showing him the bill Prabhat had handed me the other day. What is this? queried Mr Ahuja looking at another popping bill in my wallet. I said this is the bill of a set of bags which I was carrying. One with goods and one as goods and wondered how could he levy that. How about Watches?? I said about xxx euros and realized that I had forgotten the bill of the watches as I had never imagined that I would be facing this. And this camera? asked Mr. Ahuja with a triumphant look. I answered 400 USD reducing the prize as I converted the actual prize from euros to USDs, reducing a sizable sum in the process.

Querying about my camera left me visibly annoyed as I have already been using it for a while now and I thought it was atrocious to list this as one of the items to be levied. Anything else? Chocolates? I answered yes a bit of them. How many? 5-6Kgs?? I affirmed. Chocolates can be levied was news for me. “Perfume(s) hein?” Mr. Ahuja was unstoppable. I said No. “aur Cigerette(s)?” “Nahi bhai”. “Any liquor item?” Asked Ahuja, “NO”, I answered. Wine, Champagne?? Nahi baap, My voice was loud now as I was very annoyed. He summed up and asked me about the EURO versus INR rate, I said ~62. He said, Let’s take 63. Bugger was not ready to leave an inch. Then came another beamer. I think, I should increase the entire cost by 20% as all these goods must be a lot cheaper in Belgium. I had to educate him that all goods in Belgium come with 21% VAT and hence he should offer me a concession rather than taxing more. He was in no mood to bulge though and after some math came up with a magic figure INR 1495 and asked to me sign the paper as an agreement, pay the duty and head home. I only had INR 1000 in my wallet and had no option but to negotiate with the officer. I was quite pissed off and started arguing vehemently. I argued again and again that it’s not right that the camera is being levied and if he takes the cost of camera out everything would fall within the allowable limit of INR 25000. He suggested allowing him detaining my camera as one of the options and then I won’t have to pay anything. Quite sure that I won’t agree to this, he also warned me that if he opens my bags and check everything it would cost me a lot more than INR 1495 and I better pay and go. I retorted that I do not have money to pay. He had no problems to inform me that he could keep the baggage and I can come and pay later. He also suggested me that I could also appeal against the charge in the tribunal. I was in mess, down and out.

I started talking to him again, now in a more negotiating tone. He probably lost his patience as well and asked me to open the baggage. I did so and he sighted lots of souvenirs in both the bags. He lifted one or two and kept them back commenting that I have been traveling a lot. My heart was in my mouth when his eyes fell on a very delicate glass boat from Venice, Italy. I thought he would like me to decorate his showcase with the same but thankfully he kept the piece back. “What is this record player?” He queried again. I said one of my friend’s parents are very much fond of music and possess very special personal records but they do not have a player to listen to them and hence I was carrying it for them on my friend’s behalf. Does it play DVD/CD? I said No. It plays only old records and nothing else. “Any perfume, cigerrette, liquor??” Now, I had had enough really and sarcastically answered “dekh lo Sir…you see it for yourself” He queried kya karate ho? I said, I am a student doing my PhD in Microelectronics in Belgium offering my KUL student card as a proof. I also passesd the following “Boss, I am not in Europe to make a fortune but only for studies and I am no rich as a person on Job there for sure…”. After a quick look at the baggage again Mr. Ahuja left leaving me tantalizing at the gate.

On return Mr. Ahuja suddenly mellowed down and informed me that he was willing to let me go because and only because I am a student. What a reason? What a fantastic reason to carry this student card at least for a while, if not all life…specially while dealing with Indian Custom Officers.

Burning Bombay...

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” cautioned MK Gandhi 6 decades back and looks like it would take us as many centuries to gasp the profoundness.

Whatever is happening in Bombay (as a proud Maharashtrian I refrain from calling it Mumbai as I distaste sectarian divides which bear no fruit, kill cosmopolitanism and are only retrograde) is disturbing to the core. The terror strikes send chilling shivers through my bones, lend me meek and spineless. From 1000 miles away, I think of my countrymen, my family, my friends, my sister who works near marine drive and goes there everyday via CST. I tend to think of her and many like her as soldiers not far from LoC, at least the risks are comparable nowadays. Moreover, it’s not that the strikes would end here, looks as if it’s only the tip of an iceberg. I pray to be proven wrong but I believe that we are going to face many such ordeals in the coming years. Our state of intelligence is abysmal; steadfastness to confront such critical situations is ludicrous and the political willingness to unite in trying circumstances is as usual political and pathetic. All signs indicate that there are no solutions nearby and we are set to suffer big way.

Honestly, when I read news for the first time I thought some psychos have hit the roads and the saga would die down in no time. I did not care a single bit as I called home pretty late in the night almost sure that everything would be fine. Looking back this attitude proves to be precarious and worries me. As these things are happening at periodic intervals do they seem not so serious on prima facie? or I have got used to it. I do not know as yet.

Low and down in my studio as I was watching the live streams I penned down the following words. I think Bombay is yelling this loud and clear to the caretakers of the country. I hope you agree.

My heart breaks and soul sinks

My patience being tested time and again...

You will hide your impotence and sing for my resilience

As you have left me bleeding yet again...

Although it’s not time to be poetic. That's the best I could do. Unfortunately, that’s the only thing I could do…