A Year Later......He Lives Another Day !

A regular midweek afternoon turns a 180 for me when I heard the news of a gang war in Mumbai last year. Even the most popular english news channel in India paid little importance to the gun shots, till after an hour the sounds became louder. It was not gang war but an uncalled for attack from infiltrators from across the border on the nations entertainment and financial capital- what is now remembered as 26/11 (analogous to the famous 9/11 attack on the twin towers in NY). 60 odd hours of gun battle,at six different locations- in one of Mumbai's affluent regions captured the worlds attention that entire Thanksgiving long weekend. That date has now etched a mark in the history books for many years to come. It’s been exactly a year since the deadly and simpleton terrorists, on the instruction of their cowardly leaders, sitting across the border, scared this great city. Many have written and debated about this horrifying incident over the past year. Bureaucrats have met, Presidents and Prime Ministers have discussed, even cricketers have interacted to reduce the tension, resolve the issue and bring the culprits to justice. But here we are, one year later sending dossiers and dossiers, answering one question after another thrown at us by our neighbors in the hope of winning their support to end this ordeal. Unfortunately the wound still remains fresh!!! I am not here to talk about those things once again and reiterate what’s going around in the media.

Out of the 10 simpletons who opened fired in Mumbai, nine met their fatal end for their so called proclaimed 40 virgins, unfortunately one 22-year old young man was seduced into the hands of the Mumbai Police and not the 40 virgins he had dreamt of ! Mohammad Ajam Kasab, the lone gun man captured, now fights for his life which was priced for a meager sum of few 100,000 rupees by his leaders, as a reward for this sinister act. Look where he is now, in a secure and highly guarded penitentiary, for a year. A YEAR? Is he still alive? Something doesn’t sound right!

I am not a lawyer or a politician and have no judgment on the processes of law; I am well aware that my brother who is on his way to be a very competitive and successful lawyer will refute my every view and logic- the difference you get by looking at it legally and emotionally. I'm sure by now most of us have seen the HBO documentary which aired legally at least in US last week. It was the entire narrative and transcript of the conversation between the terrorist and their henchmen (those who haven’t ,here is a glimpse of it http://indiaatwar.com/?p=4638). I base my judgment and anger on what I have seen and heard, very well aware of the rules of the land.

It’s been one complete year and this murderer still lives to breathe the free air of the land he colored in red. Going back in time, remember 2001, when America was introduced to the worst form of terror- it took them two month to give a reply back to the perpetrators’ literally wiping a nation from the world map. Even America didn’t possess enough proof as much as India did to take a stern action to express its anger. The link which shows this documentary has not yet been aired in India primarily due to the legal proceedings in Kasab’s case. A few years back , a similar situation occured with regards to the magnum opus- BLACK FRIDAY- based on the Mumbai blast, the case was dragged for more than a decade to come to some conclusion. An analogous fear lingers in the minds of the people thinking about 26/11. My question is why, why such a delay in bringing the accused and guilty to justice? In Kasab's case there is proof from surveillance cameras, interrogation reports and eye witnesses which buttress this case and clearly spell one judgment –GUILTY AS CHARGED. But in spite of all this, after 365 days , Ajmal Kasab lives another day. Unless India does not shed away its soft stands on terrorism, many such Kasabs will grow in our neighbor’s poor cities and villages, eventually haunting us to death.

In my view, and my view only, I would support the establishment of a special court at par with the privileges of the Supreme Court to tackle with only terrorism related cases. Such a court will hopefully expedite the cases at a faster rate than presiding at state level or apex courts. A verdict from such a court should lawfully prevents it from a mercy plea which will not stall the execution of terrorists like Afzal Guru who used this judiciary loop hole in the system to halt the execution of his sentence. Another issue which slowed the proceedings of Kasabs case was the appointment of a lawyer. Why do we need a defense lawyer? Who is he going to defend? A terrorist and murderer who the world has seen committing a heinous crime like 26/11? We put the lawyer life and career on the line, who is either obligated or forced to defend a case which he knows from day one is a lost cause. Remember the attack on the female lawyer by political party workers in Mumbai for agreeing to defend Kasab- not because she wanted to, but because that was the only way the case would begin. Some may even try to twist the case for sensationalism- remember the defense lawyers statement on Kasab being a minor! Well that one point almost got him off the hook. We should appoint such defendants (ironically choice of word) lawyers only to narrate the charge-sheet, explain the proceeding of the case and finally the last judgment of his life! One might refute at this junction clinging to the point – ‘innocent until proven guilty’. Don’t we already know what and who Kasab and Afzal Guru are? Haven’t they already confessed and proved themselves to the world with their actions?

The government of India can continue its diplomatic effort with its neighbors and international society to win support, but terrorism in a problem in our neighborhood which is spreading into our house if not dealt with aggression. India cannot fight the terror in the world alone, but it can show its determination and robustness by asserting its stand firmly on how it intends to deal with this problem and the creators of this problem.

Linguistic Supremacy

After years of struggle from the British Raj which united a nation of diverse individuals, today this very diversity seems to be slowly poisoning the spirit of unity among Indians. India has seen internal conflicts on the bases on religion, culture, poverty etc. but overlooked the silent propaganda of linguistic prominence. After more than 60 years since Independence, in an era of technological and economic supremacy, we are being distracted by linguistic supremacy. One may ask, what is linguistic supremacy? And I would define it in view of the contemporary scenario as “An attempt to revive and preserve regionalism and cultural nexus in 21st century INDIA”.

Unfortunately this so called revolution is not similar to the freedom struggle carried out by scholars and patriots, but by power hungry and electoral vultures, who are singing the songs of linguistic patriotism to fulfill their personal and political ambition. Rise of regional politicians in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh etc, are currently driving this issue all the way to their warm seats either in the national parliament or state assembly.

India is a land of more than thousand languages with the Indian constitution recognizing HINDI as the official language ( acc to Official Language Act of 1965- corrected by my brother from my previous statement of calling HINDI as the national language) and 18 other regional state languages. The issue of what should be its national language was under debate post independence, which the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru settled the quandary between English and Hindi in a very contentious manner. This insulted many Dravidian leaders, provoking and instigating an Anti-Hindi agitation by the Tamils. Today many, like the Tamil DMK party, have grown with a sole agenda to propagate their regional language and culture- The MNS and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, the SP in Uttar Pradesh, the Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha in Karnataka, to name a few.

The 2004 movement by the Karnataka Film Industry to delay release of Hindi Cinemas by 4 weeks to promote regional Kannada films, last year’s anti-North Indian movement by the nascent MNS in a multi-cultural metro like Mumbai against non-marati speaking migrants from UP and Bihar, the failed legislation of only licensing educational institutions which make Kannada the language of education, the conversion sign boards to regional scripts, forceful conversion of all official documents to only regional languages etc are just few of the most absurd actions taken to promote the spirit of linguistic patriotism. The most recent incident which caught my attention was the assault of a prominent regional leader taking oath to office in the national language by other political leaders who narrated the oath in the regional language. Have we stooped so low that we are forcefully trying to instill in people this so called regionalist / linguistic feeling?

I personally respect one’s personal preference of their own regional language. I am proud to be a Kannadiga and also take pride in speaking my language but do I have the right to force that pride into someone? The legislator who was assaulted hails from a state which has Hindi as its regional language. Was he wrong in speaking in a language he is comfortable in? Many of India’s national leaders from the south do not even speak Hindi, is that considered offensive towards national pride? For five years the nation’s first citizen, the President of India did not utter a word of Hindi in all his national addresses, why didn’t anyone create a ruckus then? But there are extremes also to this cause, such the Anti-Hindi MNS chief, who doesn’t talk any other language in ‘public’ except his mother tongue, in an attempt to show solidarity towards the language, when his children are studying in English medium schools learning French and German. How about the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, who holds the tag of being a true proponent of the Tamil cause; he has educated his children in reputed English medium universities. To add to this list are also Pro-Hindi and Anti English politicians from the northern state of India, Uttar Pradesh, who educated his children in international universities. Why such a hypocrisy when it comes to one's own kin?

In a country where inter-national migration is highest, how can linguistic dominance find any takers? When an aspiring software engineer from north moves to Bangalore or Hyderabad to fulfill his ambition, how will he or she feel welcomed when they are shoved with documents in either Kannada or Telugu? How will they commute when the number and destinations on intercity buses is in regional script? How will they read commercial boards when they are in a medium alien to them? If this continues to happens, migration will comes to a standstill, dramatically constraining not only India's but also the state's economical and social growth. Why is it that these linguistic politicians do not recognize this issues? Yes, I must assert myself here saying that “when in Rome be like a Roman”- one should learn the medium of language they are surrounded by in due course fo time but should have the freedom to communicate in the language they are comfortable in. I believe the acceptance of bilingual or even trilingual schemes which facilitates communication in regional, national and English should satisfy these linguistic patriots- or will it ?

In an age when India is competing with countries like China, Russia and Brazil for technological and economic significance, one factor which makes us stand out among the crowd is our linguistic abilities. Fluency in national and regional language along with English has enabled young India to migrate to various parts of the country and the world conquering new horizons. In such a rat race, we cannot afford to indulge ourselves in linguistic dominance ignoring nationalistic spirit of progress. Every Indian should be aware and proud of his culture and language; and also have the freedom to express himself by means comfortable and satisfactory to oneself without being radically forced by hypocritical and unconvincing principles.

Path to Revival

Many have spoken about the cause of the downfall of this great city and many have foreseen it fasting moving along the path of oblivion but has anything been done to prevent it? Is there something which could be done to divert this path towards a new horizon? The essay referenced in my previous blog has illustrated clearly what went wrong with Detroit and what spelled its doom over the past four decades. The auto industries, the labor unions, the industrial and political lobbyist’s, corrupt politicians, disinterested sub-urbanites, and the black-white divide was summarized as the recipe of disaster for Detroit. As an idealist I have my concoction of steering this city towards a greener patch as every Detroiter might have. It is a quality of a champion to find opportunity under adversity and for this city facing its worst phase in decades has the opportunity to deviate from its traditional path and start fresh as a new, young and modern city. Not many cities get an opportunity like Detroit to press the restart button without being criticized about it-rather it will be applauded for doing so finally! The concoction which I have formulated is a blend of India and other big cities around the US.


One of the most visible disabilities of Detroit over the decades and now an area to exploit to its advantage is the local transportation. The automakers have sidelined the proponent’s of local transports for their commercial benefits overlooking the plight of those who cannot afford to own one of their gas guzzlers. Why not have eco-friendly taxi services, run by the three Detroit automakers? They can employee the drivers and run the service commercially for profit. There are two advantages on establishing such system. If each of the three auto makers has a fleet of 750 to 1000 eco-friendly taxis they not only can use this as a real time testing ground for their hybrids but also employee at least 3000 unemployed individuals. Another mode of transportation which can be revitalized in the city is the subway or metro system. It is a proven success in cities like New York, London and even Mumbai, where over 5 million people travel on the subways daily. In the age of suburban living, transportation to the major points in a city prove to be a boon to the citizens. If we dig deeper and look at the future prospect of this initiative, it gives way for the opportunity to develop commercial offices in and around downtown which have easy access to these satellite subway systems, drawing the crowd back to the city.

Continuing with the effort of restructuring, the rundown areas around downtown can be cleared to give way to solar fields. In this era of non-conventional energy, Detroit can take the opportunity to convert its barren and vacant real estate to encourage solar farms and stations. With most of the high rises towards the east side of the city, the solar panels have a clear path for sun light from the southwest. This will not only drive investments from outside but also reduce the energy cost of commercializing the city itself. The vacant real estate along Woodward Ave is an ideal location to erect charging station for the electric taxis and cars extracting power from the neighboring solar fields. The construction of a solar park on the beautiful island of Belle Isle on the Detroit River will not only serve to harvest energy but also utilize it to demonstrate its effectiveness and exploits.

Speaking about instituting solar parks and solar farms, the city can promote urban vegetation and green houses similar to the one in Bangalore and Hyderabad which are known for its botanical gardens. The products from this effort can be utilized to enhance the green market along Russell Street which houses Detroit’s own sabji mandi called Eastern Market. Maintenance of greenhouses, botanical gardens, solar farms etc boosts employment and investment by small bio tech labs and universities to harvest their products and conduct research.

In the prequel of this blog, I had highlighted the bright and colorful two block area of Greek Town and its populous streets and restaurants. Now imagine multiplying this two block area by five, for the Arabic populations which is the highest outside Saudi Arabia, for the Indians and Asians who are nowadays located everywhere and the African American who hold a majority in and around Detroit. This multi cultural setup will attract people of all race and creed to their shops, restaurants and cultural centers from all neighboring cities and even states. If anyone has to question the viability of such an outlook, they should look at the China Towns in New York and Chicago or even at Dearborn which houses the vastly populated Middle Eastern immigrants in Michigan. The fleet of cars, electric cabs, and metro railways passing by this multicultural center will not only bring revenue and employment to the city but also bring back its lost life.


Another mock up which can be capitalized by the city are piers similar to the one in San Francisco or Chicago which harbors tourist boats and ferries; and houses restaurants, roadside vendors, souvenir shops etc. The ideal location which comes to my mind for such a setup is Belle Isle and the River Front adjacent to the GM headquarters. Currently there is only one ferry- the ‘Detroit Queen’ operating 3 or 4 times a day between Belle Isle and the Ambassador Bridge. Connects the dots and the ride resembles the Maid of Mist without the glorious Niagara falls, with Canada on one side and the United States on the others, making it a perfect setting for tourist and the tourism industry.

As Idealist as these ideas might be, I do understand the practicality behind implementing these changes under the current scenario. The current city deficit, crime rate, city political corruption and to an extent social and racial divide are few of the demon’s which need to be fought along this path of revival. Suggestion like tax incentives, subsidies, financing, donations etc are option which can be explored to make such ideas and innovations viable, but not in this blog and not by an immigrants who wants to see his second home live its glory days once again. I reiterate my line that Detroit has to seize this opportunity before it’s too late to revive itself to a bold, dynamic, colorful, young and lucrative Utopian metropolitan.

Path to Oblivion

This week I read an interesting cover story on the TIME magazine’s September issue. It spoke about a city once known as the power house of American Economy, the Nation’s Engine and the 4th largest city in the country. Yes, your understanding of these adjectives are right- I am talking about Motown-Detroit, Michigan. This essay “Detroit’s Future: Will Once Great America City Recover?” by Daniel Okrent threw light on the curve of once the cities dominance to its near oblivion. It was a subtle eulogy from a son to his home town, proudly flaunting its glorious days to making a sincere effort prescribing anecdotes to restore its fable life.

Detroit has been my house for the last three years in an alien country. Before leaving India, I was introduced to Detroit with adjective from dangerous to black to opportune. In these three years, I believe I have seen this city in all different lights and shades unlike my peers studying or working across the stretch of this country. I too came to this country like many other Indian students to live the American dream and to work for a prestigious company. Fortunately, under such dim circumstances I am living my dream but not Detroit or its residents. I cannot do justice by describing the city as Mr. Okrent but I can speak about my new home from an outsider’s view.

When you walk on the once famous Woodward Avenue from my university towards downtown, it’s hard to miss the towering skyscrapers growing taller and taller as if at every step a new level is added to these majestic architectural masterpieces. Detroit is one of the very few downtown's I have seen which still boost of its mid 20th century and masonic architectural designs. But by the years these building resemble the WWI veteran lost in time. As we enter downtown, we are greeted with the recently constructed Comerica Park, home of Detroit’s baseball time on one side and the bright and colorful Fox Theater on the other. I can compare this to a gate way decorated with lights along its length and two white tiger statues on a tall pillar representing the cities logo. Unfortunately this is as much light and color we would see on this road till we reach the banks of the river. The remaining stretch of the road is surrounded by towering rundown, empty buildings beseeching for occupants and life. The billboards are either colorless or unchanged from months and years. The only advertisements you see are of lofts, apartments, offices –FOR SALE/FOR LEASE. As every dark tunnels has a bright ending, so does this street ending on the banks of Detroit river bordering Canada ; hosting the famous General Motors Headquarters on the west side of the river and the Caesar’s Palace Casino on the east side. This is the state of the main artery of downtown Detroit. The picture painted here is similar or worse on the adjacent streets and avenues.

In most major cities, downtown is the central hub for all suburban dwellers for parties, celebrations, shopping, offices etc. But in Detroit, the downtown after 8 PM depicts a picture of a city under curfew with shops closed and a hand full of bars and casinos open late. The streets transform into a breeding ground for beggars, thieves, and muggers analogous to a Transylvania where vampires roam freely at night. Unlike Chicago, New York, Atlanta, which is known for its buzzing streets, road side vendors, glittering shops and loud honking vehicles, Detroit ironically home of the three biggest automakers reflects empty roads, quiet streets and dark corners in most parts of the city. Failed business and poor infrastructure have driven people away from downtown towards the suburbs, leaving a once fertile and lucrative real estate to dry like barren land for the cattle's to gaze , chewing away its residual life. Somewhere within this large city is a small place called Greek town which reflects the life of a colorful, noisy and busy downtown. A small region around two blocks, houses a five star casino and wall to wall restaurants serving delicious Chicago style pizza's to authentic Greek cuisines. The parking spaces are filled with expensive cars, the restaurants are buzzing with hungry customers, the small lanes are blocked by parked Hummers or Limousines and the music in the air is remixed with joyous gamblers sings the song of wealth and victory. Where did these people come from ? Aren't these affluent Michiganders, if not Detroiters dwelling from the quiet suburbs of Detroit ? Step out of this two block area and we are once again eclipsed by the grim, dark and lonely streets of downtown which seem endless on a cold winter night.

As many major cities in the developed and developing country demonstrate a progressive graph , Detroit seems to have started from the top and now is running downstream slowly hitting rock bottom. The economic situation over the past year has dipped the curve sharper than expected translating the cities worst fear into reality. Attributed with a very high percentage of unemployment , shutdown factories, closed offices etc drove people away from the once industrialised city , leaving behind few to savor whatever juice is left in the city. Festivities like the Detroit Art Festival and Dally in the Ally which show cased the creativity of its people generated revenue through sales and sponsors was either a no show this year or had been taken out of the yearly calender due to financial issues. Earlier this year due to the slump in the economy, an event like the Detroit Auto Show, rated as the best in the world saw its worst year in terms of products and participation, reducing the marketing quotient to minimum. There are many such event and festivities which used to bring this dead city to life, at least for a day, which are slowly withering out or moving their bases to lucrative suburbs. As the dark clouds overshadow the once bright sun over Detroit, is there an umbrella which can protect this city and sustain it through this bad weather to either live its glory for few more years or revive itself to start a new chapter?

Many have spoken about the cause of the downfall of this great city and many have foreseen it rapidly moving along the path of oblivion but has anything been done to prevent it? Is there something which could be done to divert this path towards a new horizon? The essay referenced above has illustrated clearly what went wrong with Detroit and what spelled its doom over the past four decades - the auto industries, the labor unions, the industrial and political lobbyist’s, corrupt politicians, disinterested sub-urbanites, and the black-white divide was summarized as the recipe of disaster for Detroit. As an idealist I have my concoction for steering this city towards a greener patch as every Detroiter might have..................................PATH TO REVIVAL

92% or A+

A revolutionary change to the Indian education system has taken place with the elimination of the class Xth board exams for the central education system. It is being considered as a partial fulfillment by the HRD ministry under the first 100 day agenda set by the new government installed in India after its thumping victory earlier this year. The first question which arises in everyone’s mind is- how will students be evaluated ? and the answer is just 6 letters- A+,A,B,C,D or E. Yes, the life of a student now will be dictated not by percentage but by grades; grades which will be a representation of a student’s demeanor, knowledge and co-curricular activities- in short his/her overall development.

Over the years many attempts have been made to revamp the current education system, from compulsory primary education, to free education for the economically backward segment of the society to restructuring the education curriculum. As commendable as these efforts might be, somewhere down the lane they encountered speed breakers and road blocks which stalled the effort. It will be looked at anxiously next year, when this new effort by the government is implemented across India.

As a norm of physics, every action has a reaction and as much as the government tries to market this reform positively it will have its initial (hopefully) negative implications. Looking at the positives of this reform, it was intended to – ‘de-traumatize’ the current education system and reduce the pressure and stress on students. The thought of an examination bring shrills down the spines of many students and add to this the word BOARD, and imagine the state of the students. I am sure many of us can relate to this having been there a decade ago. Replacing the timely examinations with continuous evaluations of students during the course of the academic year is a step in the right direction. Students will be judged on their overall performance in course, sports and classroom interactions. This gives an opportunity for those reticent first bencher's to learn to express themselves and put aside their introvert characters. This measure also gives way for the athlete to gain credentials by excelling in an area he/her is comfortable with. A creatively gifted individual who previously had the opportunity to expressive his talents only during the stipulated 45 min of class period, can now utilize this creativity throughout the course of the academic year to gain extra credits. Overall, it does not matter anymore if you know complex chemical reactions or understand quantum physics or know all the countries capital, but more about how do you express and utilize the knowledge you pose to understand. Under the continuous evaluation criteria, students will be able to apply their learning’s thought practical assessments, which I personally believe is a better way of learning that sitting on a hard wooden bench for 6 hours listening to a monotonic lecture. This process of evaluation also allows the flexibility of setting up a progressive curriculum where every stage of evaluation is inter-connected. That is to say, a curriculum is split into 4 phases where the teaching of phase 1 will be required to understand and apply the concepts of phase 2 and an understanding of phase 1 and 2 is required to progressive into phase 3 and 4. With this process, a comprehensive evaluation at the end of the academic year is eliminated reducing the burden on students. At every phase of the evaluation a student will have a better understanding of his/her strong points, resulting in a comprehension of their interests and passion. Who knows, we might see a reluctant engineer become a journalist, a confused doctor become an actor etc. For every contemporary student the end result of an examination is getting a high percentage, whether it is by studying long hours before the exam, memorising every word in the text book or even spending time writing those illegal resources on transparent papers, or post-its etc. But now with the word examination eliminated till the 10th grade, students will spend more understanding concepts rather than mugging them and practicing rather than writing their 'secretive notes'. I have come across many, and at time also guilty of memorizing the contents of a book and outputting it on the answer sheet without an iota of reasoning to what was being written. As they used to call it in school- garbage in garbage out! Over all I see this reform bringing about many positive changes in the education system which not only involves the school board but also teachers, students and parents.

On the flip side, this reform measure has its dark patches which need to be addressed before active implementation. One big issue which I see is the disparity in grade allocation for respective score percentages. Under this new system the interval between minimum and maximum for a grade is considered irrational. A student scoring 90% and 99% are under the same grade bracket of A+. I believe that this disparity must be reduced to a small range introducing intermediate grades. In this day and age, every student knows the value of 1% and is ready to put that extra effort to earn that percentage, but with this grading system, the 1% is now changes to 10% which is inversely proportional to the effort and competitive spirit of a student. This concern also has a conjunctive relation to the admissions process where a decimal difference can make or break a student’s chances of admission into a reputed institution. Where will the institutions draw a line now? If there are 50 seats in an institution and the admission criteria is set to grades higher than A, what will the institution do if they get 150 A+ applicants? Where is the infrastructure for these 150 applicants? Digging deeper, if the institutions decide to take up an elimination process by conducting an examination, what’s the purpose of having the grading system? Something for the ministry and institutions to think about! Moving on to other concerns, consider a student who opts out of the 10th board but due to unforeseen circumstances has to relocate and to his misfortune the best institute in the region accepts only scores secured during a board exams for admission. Where will the student go now? The very fact that this reform has not been communized between different educational boards will hamper the flexibility we enjoyed of changing schools after our 10th grade. One factor which I fear the most is personal vendetta and favoritism between a teacher and a student or to put is subtly, discrepancy in evaluation. Internal assessment gives way for personal vendetta and favoritism towards a student to be settled during evaluation. The disparity of what a teachers thinks is worth a high grade may change between teachers from a neighboring class or even a neighboring school. A school in a small town might not have all the facilities to evaluate the performance of a student as par as a school in a big city. Where did reasoning for communizing the education system go now?

As much as we draw pros and cons on this reform, the silver lining lies on the fact that a step in the right direction was perceived and implemented. Parents, students and teachers are crying out loud for a change in the system, but I rather look at a revamp of the system. Today’s young India is competitive, dynamics and hungry for success which is recognised and appreciated all around the world. Now wonder President Obama compares the intellect of Indian students with those from his own back yard, while talking of a educational revamp in America. Any future reform intended should be perceived, with these qualities continuing to remain as an integral part of our education.

Disoriented

A day will come when every social network will have the options: straight, bi-sexual, gay or lesbian! Or even the options male, female or transgender! In view of the current progressive global revolution for the LGBT's, many counties around the world are easing their law against same sex relationships. Recently 3 major states in United States legalised gay marriages, in India the Delhi high court decriminalised homosexuality. Many gay activist considered this as a move in the right direction. It is really a right move? Is this what some hand full of people in world were waiting for to throw the skeletons out of their closets?

These verdicts showed two sides of a coin in the global community. One who came out in the streets in jubilation and the other who came out in the streets pushing these skeletons back into the closet. Lets trying getting into their shoes and view each aspect from their side of the coin.

Lets talk about the jubilant group who finally can say it out loud that they are gay and gay. For years we have heard stories about LGBT's and their secret clan. The secretive gay clubs, the close door affairs etc were treated as taboo for many years. Once considered as a underground society has now risen to the surface and are walking 'hand in hand'. A society comprising of people like any one of us with a distinct difference of sexual preference. People who share similar emotions, experience similar pain, talk, walk, eat like any one of us, but still over the years have been considered as outcasts. Why the difference? just because they express their affection differently, just because a guy will look at a guy differently, a girl rubs the back of other girls. All species on the face of this earth have their own unique way to express their affection. We have fought many a times discrimination's against color, nations, caste and language, but somewhere, we not only overlooked but also continued the silent discrimination against LGBT's. Today in many countries they have been given the right to speak up, voice their opinion, start a family, and also participate in governing elections. We walk down the busy streets of New York, Chicago, London, Paris, Bangalore, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Sydney but are never able to distinguish people based on their sexual orientation. These people are not different in any ways from us, but we still treat them as outcasts, look at them in disgust and poke fun of them. We have voiced our concern when housing societies discriminate based on caste and religion, but continue to refuse leasing or selling houses to people of varied sexual preferences. Where did the voice against discrimination go now ? Religious and ethnic groups cry foul when they are depicted differently in feature films but these very people laugh till their stomach hurt on gays being depicted comically. Where did the sense of sensitivity go ? Governments and political parties carry out demonstrations and exhibit their physical strength to express their views on protectionism towards local citizens, but stay muted when a local is axed from his/her job purely based on sexual preference? Where did the objective of protectionism towards your own people fade away now ? Would we act the same if one of our own- a friend, a brother or a sister confessed of their orientation? Would we outcast them, would be make fun of them? For decades these people have lived silently in love and pain among us hoping that one day they to can walk arm in arm with their loved one without the fear of being a social outcast.

For many it it still very hard to understand the logic of being attracted to the same sex and this cognitive challenge has formed the second face of the coin. From the time homosexuality came to the forefront, many religious clans have considered it against the will of God. Their argument stand that, God made a man and a women for a particular reason, so going against Gods creation was considered a taboo and a sin. Today many Christian, Islamic, Hindu and other religious bodies in the world are fighting against this unnatural turn of events. Many are even calling this a plague effecting the balance of nature. On a religious point of view, God speaks of progression in living beings by the uniting a male and a female. This basic principle is destroyed among LGBT's who cannot carry forward their progression defying both science and religion by natural means. Socially, the relationship between a man and a women has always been considered as an accepted norm and an inherent part of life. Biologically a X and Y chromosome can pair with each other or with itself but when these chromosomes take the human form this simple concept does not jive with science or nature. So, what do these STRAIGHT people have a problem with, apart from causing imbalance in the course of nature? Can we be ever comfortable in the presence of a LGBT? Can be allow out children to school or college knowing that his teacher or instructor is a gay or lesbian, without the fear of them being an influence on the child? Can we be comfortable working with a colleague who confesses to be a homosexual and expresses his friendship physically with a pat on the back or a hug? Will we be comfortable when a gay or lesbian friend asks you for dinner or lunch purely with a platonic intention? Over all it creates a very awkward atmosphere for both sections of society where one tries to accept and the other tries to respect one's sentiments.

As we all try walk this tender line, balancing natures principle and modern practicality, I tried to flip the coin and analyze in my own way what all the ruckus is from both sides. At the end its how you and I perceive the debate between being straight and accepting homosexuality and being homosexual and living under the shadow of heterosexuals. We all live under one huge umbrella held by our creator and irrespective of our religion, caste, ethnicity, language and sexuality, we have to continue to live together to make this place called earth work.

"Reality" Bite : Part-2

The affinity to reality shows was overshadowing the mundane daily soaps. This pandemic as I put it started from the prime time hit Kaun Banega Crorepathi an adaptation of the famous American shows Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. India found a new reason to be glued to the television Monday through Thursday, watching people being asked questions for thousands of dollars (lakhs of rupees) by none other than Amitab Bachchan. This initiated a deluge of game shows based on similar format.

Over the years, Indian television was flooded with channels and reality shows. Shows like MTV Roadies, Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao (I am a celebrity.. get me out) where people and celebrities are asked to perform outrageous tasks for money and were challenged mentally and physically for monetary rewards catapulted the ratings. Shows like Indian Idol, Sa re ga ma, India’s Got Talent etc opened new doors for people like you and me to show our talent. Shows like Big Brother (originally also called Big Brother) and Khatharo Ke Khiladi ( Fear Factor) have given forgotten cinema and television personalities to come back on the small screen and stake a claim for revival.

Recently one more adaptation of a famous American reality shows called The Moment of Truth was introduced to the ever eager Indian audience called Sacch Ka Samana, where celebrities and the aam admi ( common people) come on the show and face a lie detector test. A scary thought for many but to my surprise this show has already spurred so many controversies. The most interesting one which provoked me to write this blog was a cry from the house of the parliament, which is being assembled for the Budget session and debate.... yes budget, but somewhere somehow our dear politicians wanted to debate on the acceptability of such a show on Indian television. Their allegations stand as mentioned: Anti-Indian, instigate infidelity and foul behavior, has sexual content, against Indian culture and unethical!!! Now, beat this, the government has accepted to debate on this topic and has slapped a show cause notice on the television channel broadcasting the show.

Are our politicians going to decide what we are and we are not supposed to watch? Where were these representatives when they aired shows like Big Brother and Khatharo Ke Khiladi where people are asked to eat insects and kill animals as part of their task, where contestants men and women were made to live under the same roof for months while the nations watches their every move. Where were the sentiments of ethics and culture when celebrities in Big Brother were physically bonding (if you know what I mean) and physically abusing others participants. What about the foul languages and derogatory statements made in such shows? Aren’t such acts against our culture and instigating foul behavior among the viewers? No one in the parliament said anything when one of their own, a popular Mahasrashtrian politician participated in one of these shows? They do not cry foul when a married man takes part in a televised swayamwara of t a controversial item girl? Isn’t that promoting infidelity? Why such hypocrisy when it comes to this new show?


Where did these politicians go when various english and regional channels were screening feature films containing sexual content, infidelity etc. Where did they go when fashion networks were broadcasting provocative shows with skinny pale skin models walking the ramp with minimal clothes? Where did these politicians go when American soap operas, which are based on deceit, infidelity and sex, were telecasted in the afternoon for the entertainment of home makers? Wasn’t that exposing the Indian nari (women) to anti-Indian culture? They speak about having regulated viewing and time table for certain shows based on their censor rating. I wasn’t aware that our notion of anti-culture and anti-Indian changes based on the hour of the day. Why now that our representatives want to bite into our pie?

I believe in this day and age you, me and all the parents are responsible enough to be aware of the contents in a television show. We are well prepared to face the realities of life and own responsibilities to our actions. I would rather have my parents tell me what to watch and what not to rather than the Babu’s in Delhi. What is wrong in people coming on television to tell the truth? What is wrong if they want to make some money in the bargain of may be being publicly humiliated? It was their personal choice to stand up in front of billions of people and wash their dirty linen.


Are we so scared to tell the truth, when one of the founding pillars of our nations is Sathya Mai Vijay. A nation which boosts of following Gandhi's principles is governed by politicians who are afraid to face the truth. I wonder if any politician will dare to sit on the hot seat and be under the lie detector and prove that we are not a nation of cowards and liars. We are not a nation with skeletons in the closest. We are not a nation who are afraid of facing the reality and own responsibilities for our mistakes.

"Reality" Bite : Part-1

Post Ramayan and Hum Log era, Indian television has undergone transformations in leaps and bounces. In the early nineties, having channels DD1 and DD2 were considered a luxury. I remember my childhood days when every Saturday and Sunday I sat in front of the television to watch He-Man, Mahabharat, the afternoon regional movie and the evening Bollywood movie. The shrill sound from the rainbow colored screen on DD1 and the Hindustani music telecasted as a mark of respect for two days after the death of an eminent political leader were considered synonymous with Indian television. As I see it today, television was considered innocent. Limited and watchable programming lured us to the television screen every week slowly becoming a part of our mundane life.

The late nineties experienced the introduction of satellite television, opening the flood gates for more than a dozen channels. From an univision programming of news, soap operas, epic series and movies we moved to specific viewership format, where each category of programming had its own channel. With time the epic series and regional movies on weekends were taken over by daily soaps; the Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and the Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. The innocence was being lost by shows depicting family feuds, vendetta, murder, horror, infidelity and excessive emotions. What's surprising is that the TRP's were at their highest during this period. Gone were the days of Nukkad, a simple and joyful tale dealing with the struggles of the youth to make a living in a harsh social and economically challenging environment. We related to characters of Kadar Bhai, Dhukia, Khopadi, Ganpath Hawaldar and many more, who played real life character, who had real life problem and expressed real life emotions.

The dawn of the 21st century again brought about a big transformation to television in India. It bought in the MTV culture, which captivated the youth of the nation and exposed it to the vast pool of music, fashion and celebrities. India as a whole was undergoing a revolutionary transformation in every field, from science, sports, commerce to fashion. People were slowly getting exposed to western culture through television and print media. Television show anchors underwent a lingual switch from Hindi to English. Daily soaps had moved from crowded society locations to villas. Actors and actresses were traveling in Mercedes and BMW’s with their cycles, bus passes and rickshaws stored in some far away abandoned warehouse. The traditional Indian attire was replaced with D&G, Armani and other famous Indian fashion houses. On a whole the colors of Indians television had shifted from black and white to high definition!

This high definition society was flaunting its new avatar (identity) to the world. International programs and news made us more aware of our surrounding. Kids spoke fluent English thanks to cartoon network, a young techi was accustomed to the British and American accent thanks to Friends and Yes Minister and a home maker decorated her shack into a palace thanks to teleshopping networks and home keeping programs. These are just few of the examples how the transformation of television in India changed the face of the country. All these changes were welcomed with open arms with few cries of hypocrisy. Until……………..

"What's In The Name"

62 years after Independence we are still fixated to one parivar, the Gandhi parivar. India's obsession to this family has grown in recent year under the rule of the congress at the center and most states throughout India. The Gandhi parivar after independence has given many famous personalities from Jawaharlal Nehru to Sonia Gandhi. Admissibly these personalities have shaped India's future and are considered iconic figures of the Indian political system. But does this give their political party and family the right to consider themselves as the first family of India or to be even more caustic, the monarch of India's politics?

The obsession to name renowned institutions, roads, airports and structural landmarks on famous personalities has been abused by many political parties. Statues have been erected and roads have been renamed by every new government to symbolize their significance and dominance. A situation has come where such acts of dedications are no more a privilege but a symbol of pride.

Recently in Mumbai, the Bandra-Whorli seal link was inaugurated after being conceptualized in 1962 and tendered in 2000. Under the congress government in the state, the bridge was named .. guess what ? .... Rajiv Gandhi Sethu !! One more dedication to the late Rajiv Gandhi. Just a year back the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh had named the new international airport ... again .... Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. After some research , I found out that there are two airports under that same name. Added to this there are technical institutions, universities, a cancer research center under his name. Such similar examples can be found under the name of Jawahlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi .

We cannot blame only one political party for abusing such a tribute. Recently, the queen of dalith has erected 7 statues of herself including a new 18 ft statue around 100ft pillars. The Marata-Hindu party in Maharashtra have also misused the name game for their benefits by changing development program names which reflect their contributions. Overnight change in roads names to their icons, the mighty Marata ruler Shivaji and the renowned freedom fighter Veer Savarkar shows examples of the importance given to name games to express ones prevalence and significance in the eyes of the citizens.

Today this very caucus cries foul for naming the Bandra-Whorli sea link after the late prime minister. What is their alternative ?.... Veer Savarkar sethu !! Can we ever look at the big picture ? Why cannot we just name it Bandra-Whorli Sea Link, Sea Necklace or Mumbai Bridge (suggested by a friend). We dont see famous monuments like the Golden Gate Bridge or the London Bridge named Clinton bridge or Princess Diana Bridge! If a dedications has to be made for this bridge in Mumbai, why not in the name of someone who relates and is acceptable to the nation.. why not to the mortars of Mumbai terror attack ? Why not the iconic Sachin Tendulkar who himself hails from Mumbai ? Why do we have to politicise everything ?

This structural monument is a dedication to the technological advancement of India in infrastructure development and politicizing such a monument will lose the essence of its purpose and importance. As Shakespeare had once said : " what's in a name?- Where Juliet tell Romeo that a name is an artificial and meaningless convention" This one line encapsulates the struggle and tragedy of the famous play which reflects the similar struggle to overcome India's fixation and political prejudice towards names.

British Raj (1947) - License Raj (1990) - Quota Raj (????)

Over the years India has been successful in overcoming different raj’s , from the British to the license raj. But one which has damped India’s effort towards understanding the real meaning of equality is Quota Raj. A word which has been misused and misinterpreted over the years by all- people who derived it and deserved it. I am not here to argue on the system as a whole but what provoked me to put my views across was the misuse of this very word which has handicapped us today. Recently the Maharashtra government came out with a abominable law to reserve 90% of seats in junior colleges (11th & 12th Std) for its state run board and the remaining 10% for the common central boards.

We have already tampered with the government job sector and higher education system, plaguing them with various quotas and now we have set out to tamper with the lives of young boys and girls. The juvenile innocence are being fed with the concept of quota when they should be enlightened about the vast opportunities ahead of them.

The Indian education system is currently balancing three to four educational boards trying to avoid conflict among them. But this new rule has brought to attention the need to communize these education boards, such that we create a level playing ground. There exists a variation within states boards as we move from north to south and east to west adding to the confusion. Different evaluation systems, different question papers and at time different curriculum have made this system debatable. The marked difference I have seen across all the boards is the language options in a curriculum, with Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Orissa etc.. paying emphasis on regional language. I personally do not disapprove of this because it is important to know one’s own native language if given the opportunity (I personally do not know how to read or write my native language due to the different education boards I studied during my schooling). Apart from this I believe we teach identical concepts of mathematics, science, history, geography, english etc. Why have a difference in curriculum across the boards, of when and what to teach, on a concept which does not change from region to region. Why can’t we have a common curriculum spelling the same words, with native language as the only dividing line ?

It is very debatable to pronounce which board is superior. I have experienced the differences personally and through friends at school and college. Few boards pay emphasis on science and math’s as a whole while others also pay emphasis on specialized topics like economics and civics. Within a specific subject for example, mathematics, I have seen difference in emphasis being laid on applied, commercial and general mathematics. Shouldn't students have knowledge of all these subdivisions without being biased against the other? To further illustrate the difference, social studies in few boards have history, geography economics and civics as sections of a single book but others have them as separate subjects of examinations, paying equal emphasis. Should we all not be educated equally on all topics under the umbrella?

The examination system also shows distinctions across boards, with disparity in question paper patterns and evaluated scores. Consider this; When you might be hard-pressed in preparing for your board exams with twelve papers, your neighbors will be on the verge of completing his/her exams with only six! Why the difference ? When you neighbor knocks on your door to distribute sweets on achieving a high 90% on the exam, you will be anxiously waiting for your results knowing that the average score that can be attained in your board is around the mid 80’s ! Why the difference? When you get up early and log on the Internet, hoping to see your name in the admission list on the schools web page, you are taken aback to see your name in the waiting list when your scores were in the top bracket for your board but lacked the meat to compete with others. Why the difference ?

In the past few years complex methods such as indexing scores (which still evades the understanding of common people and lacks transparency) across different boards have helped solve the problem to an extent when it comes to admissions, but overall the system still continues to balance itself to attain stability.

With close to 10% of students in Maharashtra studying outside the state board , why did the government have to introduce such a discriminating law? A motive to encourage students to join state-board adopted institutions? A motive to further divide the cracked system? Such populist laws have been put forth from various governments but not a single successful attempt has been made to unify the system. In an attempt to give equal opportunity to all students they seem to have somewhere lost or overlooked to plot of the game.

We have plagued the young minds of India with the ancient caste system and now we are trying to infuse in them a discriminatory notion based on the type of education system they hail from!

$$$ v/s Brains

A week back an interesting debate was sparked between me and a good friend on intelligence and money. The debate started with a single statement - " A degree in management (MBA) is all about money making but PhD is seeking intelligence." As surprised as I was on such a refutable comparison, it made me challenge my thoughts on how I can defend a profession I intend to pursue in the coming years. We bombed thoughts and views across like it was a battle field and the victorious will have the satisfaction of justifying once call on pursuing a particular career path.

Generationalizing from a family of well educated individuals with a PhD next to their name, I had to be careful not to undermine the achievements they have attained in their field, during the process of defending my reasons and views of how an MBA degree equally reflects your capabilities by challenging you intellectually in par of a post doctorate degree.

So, is pursuing a MBA only about money making and not about intelligence ? Is having a PhD one of the best ways to project your intellectual proclivity? Does, being qualified as a doctorate have an upper hand as apposed to having a business degree? Some might argue this comparison has no base because both can at times go hand in hand, for example- a PhD in Business management ! But what I am trying to point out here is a comparison of how intellectually challenging these two qualifications are.

Today an entrance into a leading B-School is matter of pride for many young students and professionals. The process of admissions have gotten tougher with time due to the increase in competition and talent around the globe. Globalization within campuses have increased the awareness among non-economic background aspirants. Collaborations with international universities have given students the opportunity to adventure away from their current profession. The staggering pay checks,reputation and power in Wall St. has enticed the world to take this profession seriously. Alumnus from reputed institutions from around the world took center stage either in global businesses for eg. Mukesh Ambani, Donald Trump, Ratan Tata, Anand Mahindra etc.. and in statesmanship for eg. P. Chidambaram, Michael Bloomberg, George Yeo etc...These people have shaped the the world in their own ways with intelligence, knowledge and innovation. None of the above have a doctorate degree but rank among the most influential people in the world. They have run successful business which have shaped the market for the world from the automotive sector to petroleum to real estate to running countries/cities finance and governing body successfully. We find their names and brands in every walk of life with many being role models and icon to aspiring businessmen. Does it mean they are in only in for the money and have no stimulating intellect? Doesn't it sound weird that they achieved so much and had little intellectual proclivity as compared to a doctorate who dedicates his/her life to research and intellectual supremacy (as the notion goes).

Does, having a MBA degree alone qualify you for influx of $$ in your bank account? With every passing year, business school have been mushrooming in every corner , but those who make it to the top are those who have worked for it and have the intelligence to apply, what I love calling a glorified personality development course. It matter from where and who edifies you that course. An admission into a Ivy league B-School requires a strong resume, a strong score, creativity and sound intellect. The combination of these traits and the tag of a prestigious school helps you propel further.

On the other hand, a doctorate might have worked for five to six years to attain his degree but during the course of this work there are many who lose track of reality and real world situations. There have been discoveries and researchs carried out which cannot be applied to real world and can only be added to text books as references. Can we claim such a doctorate intelligent, who has the knowledge and skills of research but cannot produce findings which is acceptable and practical in everyday life. There have been many great doctorates in the field of science and even business who have formulated strategies and techniques which have proven to be very useful to a MBA student, who then take that learning and knowledge, and applies it to the real world with a hint of self contributed intellect.

The contributions from renowned erudite scholars like John Forbes Nash, Jr whose work on Game Theory to the most recent Dr. Paul Krugman's "Analysis of trade patterns and location of economic activity" have helped business admin students understand and apply various strategies to run a successful and lucrative business, not only satisfying personal gains but also meeting the growing demands of the world. It is these MBA degree holders who have made these findings practical in the real world and tested their viability which intern has led to further studies and innovations both in the field of research and business.

At the end a doctorate degree or a business management degree, one will need intellect, creativity and presence of mind to make it to the top . A degree alone cannot say if you or me are intellectually or monetarily inclined.

Nation to a Corporate

The global scene of dominance has changed over the last few decades. Economic power has taken precedence over military power. The American and the Soviet dominance has slowly dwindled away after the cold war era and in the 21st century the West has to compete with the BRIC countries, considered to be developing nations in the past. This new front has shifted gears and is in full speed to attain economic prominence in the world stage. Under these changing circumstances, the old and tested formulae of governance must make way to the more dynamic, contemporary and lucrative methodology. What I am trying to say is a nation cannot be treated as a geographical divide of culture and ideology but as a corporate having it business objective set at attaining economic sustainability and then supremacy. On saying this, it does not mean other governance sectors are of any little importance. But when you as a nation have set your goals to move forward progressively, the economic structure of the nation drives all its branches like agriculture, infrastructure, law, health and culture towards that common goal.

After all the tamasha of this years elections and a thumping verdict in favor of a ruling national party, it was time for governance to take center stage. We have a Prime Minister who has his visions clear on what he and his government wants to achieve in the next five years. The accidental Prime Minister had become the peoples choice to lead this country forward during its tough times. In the following days after the elections results, the elected party set its sight on establishing a formidable, experienced and transparent government. There were a lot of words flying in the air of who would be what minister. One thing which caught my attention and provoked me to write this essay was the nomination of Montek Singh Ahluwalia for the post of Finance Minister. A technocrat with an Oxford degree and also currently the deputy chair of the planning commission, he had the potential and experience to handle India's economic top job.

Is India as a nation ready to revamp its 62 year old system and adjust to a corporate governance formula? How affective is it to have technocrats running crucial sectors of the government? Won't technocrats have better understanding of the ground reality than politicians ? Will technocrats understand the political sensitivity of certain issues? And ,are elected representative ready to work with technocrats ? These are few of the questions which came in my mind as I visioned India as INDIA Inc. rather than REPUBLIC OF INDIA.

Imagine an India led by a technocrat politician and advised by other dynamic, visionary and efficient technocrats. Wont that structure make a cabinet meeting look like a board meeting....!! Sounds interesting doesn't it. A government in which a lawyer is heading the ministry of law, a economist heading the finance and commerce department, a educationist heading the HRD and education department, a veteran soldier heading the defense ministry etc.. Well versed with their area of expertise gives them the liberty to focus and implement regulations effectively. They relate more to the situation than someone who is bestowed the duty on compulsion or by political balancing. For example, imagine a comparative situation where a technocrat or a politician with no defense background has to take a decision on national security and threat from his enemies. A technocrat will have a better understanding on the military capabilities of the country and his countries capability to defend the nation. In lieu we have a politician who has never interacted with the defense forces and doesn't have an understanding of defense mechanism, is expected to take prompt and apt decision on national security. To state another example, a high school teachers turned politician who has no educational background or experience in finance is given the responsibility of handling the nations finance under such economic backdrops. Do we really have so much time in hand in such a fast and competitive global scenario of try our hand on such individuals?

On the flip side technocrats think from the brain and not from the heart, which the politicians do well ( I must say few of them think well from others pockets also!!). There is a very fine balancing act which today's politicians perform to maintain their vote bank and also prove their worthiness to the people. Issues regarding reservations to the backward classes in educational institutions and other public sectors is an old formula but in this contemporary world of internet based entrance exams, this method proves profitable to many politicians on voting day. Issues on free rice and flour to the poor, free electricity to the farmers etc are viable and test ways to lure public favoritism. What would a technocrat, treating these issues as business objectives over a period for 5 or 10 years do? He might aim at development of schools for the backward classes and encourage merit based selection to generate competent work force to run this very mechanism he has been thriving to develop. He would create jobs for the poor to earn their rice and flour and be more self-sufficient. He would encourage farmers to harvest renewable sources of energy for their cultivation having a vision of eradicating the dependency of conventional energy. All these ideas may look fascinating to us on the long run but can they really attract votes?

Summing up, I believe a fine blend between technocrats and educated politicians can help in the transition from a nation to a corporate. A shrewed politician acting along side an erudite technocrats who has his mission memorised is an appropriate way in this age to deal with a nation of varied economic, social and cultural backgrounds, marching towards its objective of global recognition or as they say in corporate world - GLOBALIZATION!

Underdog Millionaire

Last two of season 1 prevail as top two of season 2 as the lights dim, music is turned off and spectators descend the stairs with a sense of satisfaction mixed with feelings of joy and sadness. In spite of being miles away from the fanaticism of Indian sport lovers, this seasons IPL continued to capture the world audience by its quick, colorful, loud and glamorous version of the old gentleman's game. In the backdrops of will it, won't it-the IPL stood its ground and with its chairman's determination we were able to experience a sporting extravaganza.

People expected a certain disconnect when the IPL was shifted to South Africa after constant failures in negotiations on security with the home ministry, which had the responsibility to conduct a safe and smooth general election. Reluctant at first to stage the home groomed event anywhere else apart from its own backyard, the organizers tried their best to work around the home ministries request, until a fortnight before D-day there was a sudden decision to play the tournament in the Proteus backyard. To look at it now the decision was worth the risk.

After all the shenanigans and ruckus, the spotlight was back on the players and the game. Experts had their money on Delhi Daredevils to carve their name on the trophy followed by Chennai and the defending champs Rajasthan. In all their discussions two teams were blind sighted as contenders, as a reflection of their previous performance. The Deccan Chargers which were pitched as front runner in season 1 on paper and Bangalore RC's who were always considered a test team from the start. In 2009 fortunes changes for BRC by a millions dollars increasing the hopes and expectations from Malleshwaram to Whitefiled to Jayanagar. The DC's drafted a change in their fortunes with new colors and a new leader to ignite a sense of regional patriotism spreading from Hitech city to Charminar.

With the call of "play ball", the two underdogs surprised the world audience by defeating the defending champions and a formidable side convincingly making a clear statement to its critics. This fortune was short lived for the BRC's as they got back to their old habits, but the DC's marched forward under an able and dynamic captain. As the tournament progressed, Bangalore lost their plot and slumped at the bottom half of the table until a change of guard from the flamboyant and rash Englishman to the more subdued, reliable and veteran Indian. Bangalore started to win not only matches but also the hope of thousands of Bangalorians, who had continued to cheers for their team in their hardest times. On the parallel the fortunes for the DC's derailed by overconfidence and complacency. It took flawed performances by other teams to open a path towards a semis birth. On the last round robin game, it was a contest between the two underdogs who had flirted with their fortunes throughout the series. A contest to determine who would play the mighty Delhi and the talented Chennai contingents in the semi-finals.

As the final four took shape, it was predicted to be a contest between north (Delhi) and south (Bangalore/Chennai), a divide invisible of its existence to the eye but deeply rooted in many Indians on either side of the geography. But what came out of those two days of fierce contest was pleasingly surprising and a reminder to critics to never count anyone off. A contest between the underdogs who were fighting for recognitions, acceptance and supremacy. A rivalry only seen for now to prove info tech and bio tech dominance had poured onto a cricket field miles away. What was for the winners?-A team set to prove they had the capabilities to win not only on papers but also on the field and the other set to remove a tag of a lazy test match side.

What came out of the finals had little significance to what was seen on that day. Two champions in their own respect ; a Aussie war horse and the Indian Jumbo had led teams down and out to the top two spot. Their recipe of hard work, determination, passion and a tea spoon of luck created the perfect blend to sum up the tournament. They managed to prove that age is temporary but class is permanent. Whoever said that T20 was meant for the young has to see what we saw in IPL2 and eat his own words to hail the brilliance and talent of these fine men.

At the close of season two, India has witnessed another famous rags to riches story in a different form to converse about for many coming weeks. Will SRK's KKR turn their fortune in season 3 inspiring me to write another blog is a thing we will have to wait for an year!!!

From Raddhi to Gaddhi Part-2

In my previous blog I expressed my views on how we could be miss-governed by someone who keeps their interest and a handful of peoples interest over the others.

As many analyst put it the world is not bothered about the India elections and who would ride to 10 Janpath. Fortunately not because the world is not interested in India, but because they are confident of our system and the past track record of our leaders. But should the world show concern if a leader from a minority in India rises to the Gaddhi in Delhi? Should we hail that as the rising of a leader from raddhi to gaddhi (from dirt to thrown), some may say why shouldn't we? didn't the world do it when America elected its first African American president?

For many in India it will be a perfect script for a blockbuster bollywood movie another rags to riches movie, may be another Oscar winning movie! But what is there for India in this script......

Yes India is always proud of its diversity, be it a Sikh PM, a women President and a Muslim Vice President. A rise of a dalith or any lower section citizen to India's highest office is something to be proud of, but only for a deserving candidate, who not only recognizes the need for his people but also for all Indians. Being an Indian I am proud of our power structure and diversity it emits.

We do need leaders who work to uplift the needful segment of the nations. We have to rise as one India not a segregated India. We need a leader who may not be foreign educated but can take educated decisions to take India forward. We need a raddhi to gaddhi story of a individual who worked for it and who , we the people of India elevated to become our leader not someone who is an opportunist, someone who sneaks their way into the political mess we are held ransom to .

As I come to the end, I apologise if I have hurt the sentiments of anyone, but I want to voice my opinion and as an Indian I have the right to do so, keeping in mind not to hurt any ones sentiments. But to leave a mark on the stone , I would rather prefer an educated , intellectual, diplomatic and prosperity driven leader than an opportunist.

From Raddhi to Gaddhi Part-1

How modern is India? How open minded is India? How ready is India?

These are the question which wonder in my mind as I make my second attempt to write a blog. Today on one of my favorite programs on an Indian English news channel, a group of elite panelist were thrown a question which goes something like this : Is India ready for a Dalith Prime Minister?" Are we ready? Is the world ready to see India governed by a non foreign educated, non-english speaking leader?

So I wondered about this and I had two sides of it; you decide which side I tilt.

Demographic segregation has been prevalent in India from ages and we as citizens have flirted with this concept over the years. We have taken this system as a cushion in creating and solving many if India's dilema. Politician use this a magnet to attract vote and even cause tensions between communities for their own political viability and few even to bloosom their political aspirations. Many have been successful and few have failed, that is the weightage this system carries in India.

So coming back to the question of is India prepared to be governed by a leader who believes to be lost and a victim of this segregation. One such leader is slowly climbing the ladder today and for many its a scary sight. A hindi teacher from a small town in one of northern India most demograpfically segregated state, she climbed the political ladder , potentially errupting as a king ( or should i say queen ) maker in the 2009 general elections. With India's two major parites scrambling for alliences to fulfill their own political aspiration, we shouldnt be surprised is she sneeks into the race.

Known for her dalith propaganda and total autocracy within her party, the Bhainji from northern India is also infamously know for corruption, bad governance and self propagation. So can this powerful figure emerge from the dirt and challenge likes of an economic genius or a hindhuthva hardliner, a gifted orator of both english and hindi language? Quite a fierce challenge isn't it, but in Indian politics anything can happen.

Over viewing the left and the right , where the left being a hard pro-dalith and hindi speaking powerhouse , the right being english speaking, foreign educated and elite symbols of Indian political system. After being governed for nearly a decade by two of India's biggest names not only is politics but also as international figures are we ready to accept a so called anti-obama (as one news magazine puts it)? One who doesn't speak english, one who keeps her interest first and her sect interest if needed ahead of the nations? I believe India has come a long way from the time Sri BR Ambedkar formulated a affirmative system for the lower segment of the Indian society. For many city educated and college educated young Indians, these social segregation's does not matter. Our politicians have enforced laws and regulations which keep reminding us of this awful break in our system for their own leverage. Today India has a PM whose resume can put any world leader in shame, and his grasp of the international scenario is immensely acknowledged by the citizens all over India. Now going from that to someone who doesn't even acknowledge India's growth in the international platform is a hard CHANGE to accept. We are know to the international community as a young, vibrant and educated country . These adjective have been added over the ,I agree, but they have reached their peak in the last decade. India's reflection are our leaders , even though we cant be fully proud of few our leaders but we have handful who we can look up to and who have given India a face value. From going to an international brand, a prosperous country focusing on competing with itself and the world , are we ready to focus on matters like which section of the society should be given privilege and free pass and which should be treated as a pseudo dalthi. All this on the expense of neglected economic growth, international relations and national harmony.

Envision India

I know most of you reading this blog will predict what the theme of my blog will be about, but I wanted to start off this exercise by talking about something which stuck to my head, the current general elections taking place in India. As we know this week India voted in its third phase of its 5 phase election saga in states where issues from terrorism to development to demographic segregation ( or as we Indian love to call it CASTE) were important factors.

Days before this round of election, there were a lot of talks about one region in particular, Mumbai. After yet another deadly experience with growing global terrorism, Mumbaikars showed the apathy towards the government and our dear politicians in large numbers. Something which caught my eye in particular was, it was not the down trodden residents of Mumbai or the insipid party workers and supporters which were making the noise but the more affluent and vocal middle and upper middle class. One more interesting point was the percentage of youth driven protests and media exerts. This made me happy and saddened at the same time that me being an Indian was not able to do anything sitting two continents across, but there was a new wave of prospects to answer the traditional "chaltha hai" attitude.

A day after the voting day , I was eager to log on to my regular news network in India to listen to few of the analysis and post voting discussions. I was surprised, shocked and disappointed. India had seen the lowest percentage of voting this elections and the biggest question was where was Mumbai on voting day after 26/11. Some say long weekend drove them away, some say the heat drove them away and some say the politicians didn't not energize them sufficient enough to make them vote!! During India's display of democracy, somewhere in Bangalore and Delhi, two groups of young India with the help of some famous personalities of Indian cinema were taking out ad campaigns and literature's on our duty and right to vote. The responsibility to vote before we complain and the power to decide who runs OUR country. I personally believe this as one of the most effective initiatives I have seen in recent times after the OBC/SC/ST quota decision by the current government. I shower accolades to these two groups Janagraha and Jago Re India for putting all their efforts to make India vote. I believe a initiative driven by the youth, advertised displaying young India would have motivated many to step out from their comfortable A/C classrooms, cafes, meeting joints and also those glued to their LCD tv's, PlayStation's, laptops etc. I am pointing out the youth of India.

I have been fortunate enough to witness two contrasting government system elections. Here in the US which is mainly a Presidential System and India which adopted the British Parliamentary system. What I saw in the US was 2 years of hard fought elections right from the party nominations to the presidential elections on Nov 4th. I personally cannot comment much on the system as I am still learning the american political setup. But The reason I point out this 2008 Presidential elections is mainly because of two reasons. Firstly, Pres. Barack Obama and secondly the drive to pull college students and first time voters to express their views and vote.

Many of you who follow the news and read about last years elections will surely remember journalist talking about a tech savvy Obama team. Their methods to attract the youth and allowing them to express their views. Visits to universities, where most of the first time voters were initiating town hall style interactions with them. Setting up offices near universities, starting communities in popular social networks where the college crowd could voice their opinion and even reaching out to the mobile savvy crowd by texting their agenda. All this slowly transformed into a group of energized, enthusiastic, YES WE CAN voters. The day following Nov 4th, leading news papers showed a surge in youth voters between the age of 18-35. Most of them voted for their new young , dynamic president. I must confess, I am a Obama admirer also.

The reasons for pointing out the above section was to bring to light two factors which I believe are very important for India to emulate if it wants its voting records to improve and expect more participation from its citizens. The first part of this observation was the drive to reach out to the youth. As the current statistics project, India's national average age is between 28 to 35 years. This itself shows how vibrant , young and energetic India is and how we can make use of this energy to place India higher in the global platform. During the course of this election, I have never heard of any candidate reaching out to the youth in a method they relate to . Speaking in a language they can understand. I don't believe students and young working professionals will visit dusty grounds and crowded road shows to listen to politicians blame their rivals and blow the toot about their minimal achievements. We want to hear the the issues, issues which relate to progressive India, issues like employment, education infrastructure development, improving education standards, creation of jobs, reduction of corruption etc...and not communal derogation and maligning personalities. Visit colleges and universities, sit with students and acknowledge their concerns on education,infrastructure and job creation, make your case to us regarding our concerns. Go to companies and government offices, interact with people at the grass roots directly, understanding their concerns on job security, health care benefits,tax reforms etc. Mr. Politician , market yourself in a way where we can trust, you understand our requirements and will work towards developing a product which suits a broader frame work.

The second part of this observation, which I know is a hard bargain to make in the Indian political system is of a fixed/nominated PM candidate. There were in previous cases arguments made by communist parties in India to make elections based on fixed portfolios. I personally agree this would be a big leap, but starting of with knowing who our Prime Minister will be give citizen an idea what they are getting when they go press the bottom next to the symbol. Today under the current situation, we know Mr. L.K Advani is the leading PM candidate from the NDA and as the UPA(or Congress !) puts its across, Dr. Manmohan Singh will be given a second opportunity to lead this country forward. I have nothing but respect to both candidates, but the questions is, under the current multi-party government system India has embraced since mid 1990's, we really don't know who will finally take the oath to office from Ms. Prathiba Patil. Will it be the vetran hindutva leader or the acclaimed economist or will it be leaders from smaller parties who will decide the fate of the next formation. This uncertainty in our system doesnt drive enthusiasm to go vote of a particular personality. We have been seeing ads in India echoing "My vote is for congress - My vote is for Dr. Manmohan Singh", laid by the Congress party. Should we take that as a writing on a stone? Should we be sure that after May 14th, we will not be surprised by the UPA ( if it attains a majority) by announcing a second, third or even a forth candidate for India's top job, just because of political number balance? On Nov 4th , people in US voted for Barack Obama, they voted for him knowing he would be president and the democratic party will not ( and cannot ) change its nomination. They had confidence in him that we will pick a team which will work towards Americas problem. Should we as citizens of India ask or demand to know who would be the PM if their party came to power or should we just hope its a person who wont take Incredible India down!!

As we move to the last two stages of India's celebration towards democracy, we as Indians should think , do we want Change ( a word becoming very popular), do we want the system to be fixed? Do we want to be a part of this system? We should think, have I voted to be a part of this system? Have I done my duty which gives me the right to criticize my leader if he/she is not working towards change? Do I voice my opinion and make my feelings be heard?

I have not voted, I am not eligible to vote sitting in a different country. But I am an Indian and when given a chance I will VOTE , I will voice my opinion and dismay. Till then I use this as a source to put my views across and hope together we take one step at a time towards the right direction.