Abilities and Critics

Life reaches a point where there is no return…a start that has been made has to be completed….no matter how bad d odds are…n the task at hand has to be done as good as your abilities allow you to…

Questions always exist as to how far a person can achieve if his talent or abilities seem limited…n people wil wonder…does dis person really deserve dis success….but people always miss the larger picture … that success is mainly decided by two main factors which are—-hard work..n luck…n none of this are limited by a person’s abilities..
That might help to explain why some people ..who wer less educated went on to make the greatest companies or inventions that we know of today…
we people are all missing in some aspect or the other..which we can notice very well when we compare ourselves with others…but that seldom discriminates us or lessens our probabilities to be successful….

One important facet of life is that it should be lived with passion..
If we don’t have passion towards our work..we’ll never be able to be successful in it..
Passion allows us to stand by our convictions..to hav the courage n strength to withstand failures..n to always continually strive for what we believe in n what we enjoy doing…
All said..it suffices to conclude that ..regardless of much people doubt our talent or abilities..
our success in life..depends primarily on….Hard work,passion and a bit of Luck…..

Smoker’s Paradise

Once upon a time in a village far far away, there was a man who was working in his farm. It was time of harvest and he was cutting the crops with a scythe. Then all of a sudden something happened. In the panic that followed he accidently cut his own nose with the scythe. He had lost his nose in the freak mishap. Bleeding profusely the man had a thought. He thought that if he went in front of the rest of the village with a cut nose he will be ridiculed for not having a nose. This thought began worying him more than anything else. Even the present pain was nothing he thought compared to the pain from the humiliation he would have to suffer from the rest of the village for not having a nose. He thought for a moment and then he had the EUREKA moment. He made up a story and rushed back to the village with a calm and peaceful look on his face. When the other villagers saw him they were quiet confused as to why this person was smiling even as he bled through his cut nose. On being asked as to what happened he narrated to them the entire incident about how his nose got accidently cut and after that he added his made up story. He told everyone that when his nose got cut, he was able to see God. He claimed to have talked to God and said that was why he was so calm and at peace. His trick worked and instead of being ridiculed by the villagers he was hailed as a hero by them. He soon became a popular figure in the entire village. A few days later another person thought that even he could see and talk to God if he cut his nose. Then he would also be considered someone great. So without giving it a further thought he too cut his nose. Obviously he could not see any God, nor could he hear His voice. So having lost his nose he thought of lying that he too saw God. Thus this other person also started claiming that he could now see God. The news spread like fire in the entire village that one can see God if he cuts his nose. Everyone began believing in this and soon everyone in the village cut their nosea and began claiming that he could see God. Soon the entire village lost it’s noses and claimed to see God in the fear of being ridiculed or outcasted. Then one day a traveller came to the village. When he noticed that everyone in the village was minus a nose, he could not resist asking the question as to why everybody’s nose in the village was cut. Soon he came to know about the entire story. He declined to believe in the story and even in the fact that he could see God if he cut his nose. The villagers got enraged by this and beat the outsider black and blue. They then covered his face in soot and paraded him on a donkey through the entire village. They then threw him out of the village.

The case with smokers and the world around them is somewhat similar. Everywhere there are people who take to smoking accidently or on someone’s insistance, and get addicted to it. They then start giving reasons as to why they smoke sometimes even start claiming that smoking makes them feel elevated and relieved from stress and all. Others soon fall prey to this advertising and follow the smokers to smoking and get their own noses cut. Now even if they do not feel any thing after smoking they quietly begin accepting everything in fear of being ridiculed or outcasted by the rest of the people. And this is the way people take to smoking(or cut their noses) now if someone challenges their belief they start mocking him, and try to convert him to someone like them. If he dosen’t fall prey to smoking even then, he is cast out like a leper.

By now you must have started wondering as to why have titled this article as “Smoker’s Paradise“. This was done intentionally. If no one else read this article I definately wanted the smokers to read this and that is the only reason why i gave this article this title. I could not figure out any other way of making smokers read something related to Quit Smoking other than misleading them this way. I apologize for this.

Coming back to smokers and the world of smoking, the reason as to why people burn their money to smoke by smoking is un-understandable to me. Some say that smoking relieves them of the stress that they are under, though momentarily. So they smoke. Some say they smoke because it makes them feel relaxed. Some smoke because they feel it helps them to concentrate, to focus on their work. Some smoke because they take it to be a style statement. They feel that smoking will make them look stylish. Some even believe that smoking will help them find a girl as they believe that girls go ga ga over guys who smoke. While some others do it just to ape some celebrities who smoke. But the reality is somewhat different. All these are mere myths associated with smoking. All these are simply made up stories by people who have cut their own nose.

People believe that smoking helps them to relax and enables them to concentrate on their work better. This actually occurs because when one smokes, he while taking in the smoke actually inhales harder than when breathing normally. This causes more oxygen to draw in. Similarly while exhaling one exhales harder than when breathing normally while smoking to exhale all the smoke that was taken in earlier. This causes more oxygen to be inhaled and more carbon dioxide to be exhaled thereby providing the brain with blood containing more oxygen resulting in a feeling of relaxation. This same effect can be caused when one takes deep breaths. So why smoke?

Some say that they are under so much stress that they need to smoke to relieve themselves of the stress. If stress busting is the only objective, it can also be achieved by chewing gum or eating chocolate. These are also proven stress busters and actually come cheaper than a cigarette. So why smoke? Also the stress levels can be reduced by practising simple deep breating and meditation for 10 minutes daily. So why smoke?

Another myth associated with smoking is that it is stylish and that girls like guys who smoke. In reality smoking is only disgusting and gives nothing but an odour to your mouth. Also a survey done by MTv relvealed that the myth that girls like guys who smoke is indeed a myth. So why smoke?

To sum it all up smoking is nothing but an addiction that is derimental to one’s own health and wealth. Smoking also adversely affects those who are nearby you when you smoke. In no way does smoking help you with anything except causing lung cancer and other health issues. One smokes once and gets addicted to it. The urge to smoke then becomes irresistable and if asked why one smokes, he comes up with reasons like those mentioned above. One then gets so involved with these reasons that he then actually begins believeing in them even if they may not be true and purely made up. One gets involved with these reasons so much that his mind then makes these reasons come true. So much so that one may not feel hungry if he does not smoke, if he believes that smoking makes him feel hungry. This is known as a psychosomatic condition. Why else would people like to spend their money and ruin their health for a pack of cigarettes which itself says that it is injurious to the smoker’s health.

Think with your mind and you will realize what I argue upon is true. If you are a smoker you may even experiment it out. Life is precious, Money is hard earned and Cigarette smoking is injurious to health. Don’t waste your precious life and your or your parents’ hard earned money to smoke. It is nothing more than an addiction which eventually leads to sorrows, troubles, complexities, problems and in the case of some even to DEATH! Act wise and please do not take to smoking. If you already are a smoker, act wise and QUIT SMOKING!

Behind those close doors

There are two extremely disparate ways of looking at what happens behind those close doors. Either it’s everyone knows what happens behind those closed doors or no one knows what happens behind those close doors. Lots of things happen oblivious to the public eye. You got what I mean, right?

Duh! I am not talking about the things bollywood has corrupted our minds with but about our hostel rooms. Yes, our little cubicles which teach us the meaning of redundant space as in the 250 odd acre campus a bit of extra room wouldn’t have hampered the bushy growth. The first year is the one when it wouldn’t matter if doors existed or not… They were just there because they were supposed to be there. No collusions, no secret tries at triumph; everything was out there for all to see. The sophomore year dawns with the advent of “The LAN”; enemy lines are about to be drawn. The musings begin… Paranoia sets in; doors make their presence felt and knocks take longer to be heard. But sanity still prevails.

 The “pre final year”, the supposedly most important year arrives. Clans have been formed. Weapons have been drawn. Information is the key; internet is the playground. Clandestine visit to the profs in search for projects and future prospects for lor’s. The skill of licking has been lubricated beyond the limit and it has proved to be more important than talent or for that matter, even fate if one believes in it (as always there are a few exceptions). Eyes wide open in the cut-throat search for that notice which might change their fortunes. The rooms turn stuffy and stingy but air will not be allowed to adorn the prison cells (sorry for the irreverence towards the dorm rooms but can’t help it). Once and for all, territories have been decided and the doors are closed!

P.S. Note the stance changing from “our” in the second para to “their” in the third para! Pretentious psychology, I guess.

Name me!

I was just sky gazing the other day I got lost in the mesmerizing maze up there. It was pretty disorienting. I lost my sense of up and down. Number of thoughts nearly equalling to those of the twinkling stars were clashing in my brain; when something called me. Let that something be called the ‘x’, the universal variable. I hope this variable finds it true identity.

X: Hello my master!

I was a bit awkward as it whooshed past me and also perhaps no one had called me master with so much reverence! I did not comprehend as to who was talking to me.

Me: Hi. May I know who this is?

X: I don’t know. (Someone else of the same species replied. So it can be said that x is a set.)

Me: Sorry! How come you don’t know the answer to that?

X: You are supposed to tell me that.

Me: Uh huh! I am not some scientist that I’d be able to decipher that code. I’m just a common man.

X: So what? The common man demands so many rights but when it comes to anything else… He is just a common man with no power at his disposal!

Me: Excuse me! You’ve no right to say that. I’ll prove that I can do things. Okay. Tell me, what do you do?

(The little push to the common man’s ego made him plunge into the pool of action)

X: That’s better. I’m someone in your brain. I can’t explain exactly what I am because you are supposed to tell me that. I’m not a neuron or an electron or a synapse or some tendon. I actually give you ideas. Just like the one you’re having right now.

Me: Huh! I’m not even a biologist or some expert in brain anatomy but I perhaps get what you’re trying to convey. I don’t think the genesis of thought has yet been discovered!

X: You’re pretty close. I’m (in fact we) that which gives birth to thought and carries it along. I run along undiscovered paths every time to reach the best destination. I run a lot as I don’t have a predilection for shorter paths but just for the final destination. I do a lot of work but I am not named yet. I want a name. Please name me!

I remained silent as they continued to race along at mind boggling speeds producing thousands of other creations of their own. Perhaps the X in your brain just started out in disgust or awe or whatever…

Future Peek-SVNIT goes GREEN!!

It is another pleasant day at the SVNIT campus. As I sit in my hostel room doing nothing, the breeze continues to blow into my room through the open door of my balcony. But this breeze does not come alone. It brings along an idea. An idea which instantaneously enters my mind triggering my imagination. As the gears inside my head begin to rotate, more and more imaginary things come to my mind, travel to my hand and ink themselves down on this piece of paper. As the title suggests, this is a piece of imagination about the future. It may even be called day-dreaming. But this still a peice of imagination as to how the future can be. And moreover how it can be over here in SVNIT. The idea of SVNIT going GREEN may sound highly anachronous and incongruous. To some it may even sound Vernian. But then there is no tax on imagining, as least not yet. This is actually an article as it may be written in the future(distant or near).

SVNIT goes GREEN!

The world just became a better place to live, thanks to SVNIT. SVNIT has always been in the news for one reason or the other. But this time it is back in the news with a bang, a big and loud bang. The lush green campus of the prestigious institute got greener as the institute’s very own power plant generating green electricity from the wind and sun was inaugrated making SVNIT self-sufficient in terms of electricity.

The electricity is generated in a huge system operating over the entire campus. The electricity is generated by harnessing the wind’s energy by means of wind mills installed all over the campus, not only on the open ground but also on the roof tops of the campus buildings. The solar energy is also utilised to generate electricity by means of solar panels installed at various locations around the campus. The electricity generated by this conversion of the wind and solar energy is directed into a private grid that is then used to supply electricity whenever and wherever needed in the campus. This entire system is so designed that it can generate sufficient electricity to fulfill the needs of the entire campus. The institue however plans to keep and maintain the earlier electricity supply system. But the SVNIT electricity bill is surely going down.

This entire setup is special in itself. But what makes it more special is the fact that the entire system and all of it’s components were designed by the students and professors of this institute making it completely indigenous. No doubt SVNIT is counted one among the creame de la creame institutes offering quality technical education. This entire setup however involved a huge initial cost. But thankfully due to the combined efforts of the institute and it’s alumni, it was taken care of.

The institute next plans to become self-reliant in terms of cooking gas supply by setting up a Bio-Gas plant. The plant will operate on the organic waste generated in the campus to produce Bio-Gas that will take the place of the conventional LPG gas presently being used for cooking purposes. Seems as if the wallets of GGCL are also going to get lighter.

But whatever may happen in the future, SVNIT has already set an example by becoming India’s first campus to become self-sufficient in terms of electricity generation. And that too without causing any harm to the environment. This definately is one giant step for SVNIT. Or the SVNITians say

“As the world battles…We help the Earth win”

No doubt they are!

The Matter of Marathi

I had wanted to raise this issue since a long long time, but i just did not get the right chance. Thanks to confluence to give me such a platform and thanks to Gaurav for motivating me to write. So finally i am writing what i wanted to write since a very long time.

The debate on this issue has been on since a very very long time. But it has gained vast momentum recently. Maharashtra, Mumbai and the Marathi manoos have been the major elements of this debate. Some say Maharshtra has been encroached by the non-Maharshtrians and that they are now eating away on the rights of the sons of the soil. Some say today Marathi is being sidelined in its birth place and Hindi and Gujrati are taking it’s place. Though some part of all this is true and some isn’t, what we need to think today is, weather the politicisation of the issue is right or not, and whether the point raised by the politicians is correct. As a person who has lived in Maharashtra and Gujrat and experienced life at both places, I would like to express my view on this issue. It may feel biased to some and correct to some. But what i want to say before you start reading this article is that while reading this article plese think neutrally and do not form an opinion about anything until you reach the end.

Mumbai being the economic capital of India, provides a lot of job opportunities and so people from all over the country and all walks of life come here in search of a better life. Some have their dreams fulfilled, some are not that lucky. Some people come here and they become Mumbai’s forever while some just return back. But in all these happenings what happens to the people of Mumbai needs to be noticed. What was said by Balasaheb Thackrey and what is being said by Raj Thackrey today needs to be noted and thought upon. What the MNS and the Shiv-Sena advocate for must be taken into consideration.

The motive of these parties may be political. But the point that they have raised is not entirely uncorrect. They say that in a state having a state language apart from the national language all work should be done in the state language i.e. Marathi. As an example we can look at the southern state’s of Tamil Nadu and Kerela. Everything there is carried on in their native language. At this the point that there has not been as much migration in those states as in Mumbai can be raised. OK. Point taken. But then what can you say about Gujrat where a major part of the office work was being done in Gujrati?? And it is not the only place of concern. Take the radio channels for example. Everywhere the RJ’s are speaking in the local language except Maharahtra. Here Every radio channel RJ is asked to speak in HINDI as there is a lot of Hindi speaking junta around. Very rarely i have heard an RJ speaking in Marathi. How can this be justified? Just because the Marathi people are considerate dose not mean that they should be taken for granted. And to add to the woes, what happens when a question is put as to why this RJing is not done in Marathi, the reply comes that it is not our national language Hindi is. Well where does this thing go when in Gujrat. Here the RJ’s don’t speak in Hindi. The entire show is done in Gujrati. Now why? And this is just one example to cite. There are many many more. Infact today Marathi has almost vanished from Mumbai and Hindi and Gujrati have taken it’s place.

I respect Hindi as a language. I ve got no grudge against any other language either. But at the same time I love my mother tongue too. I can’t see it fading off this way. I can’t see the way it is being neglected. I can’t see the way the Marathi manoos is being made to forget his own Mother tongue. Actually the Marathi manoos is more to blame for this situation. When he was subjected to Hindi as a second language, he took it more as it facilitated him in conversing with a lot more people.And instead of taking Marathi to their homes he took back Hindi to his own home, which eventually has lead to what has happened today. The MNS and the Shiv-Sena are trying to change this situation and propagate the use of Marathi in Maharashtra. I don’t feel there is any worng with this. What is wrong in urging people to speak in their Mother tongue?

As for the other points raised and the demands that are being put by these parties. I do not think all of them are worth supporting and infact some of them are baseless. Take for an example the point of reservation for the son of the soil. What a dumb point! Why can’t the Marathi Manoos prove himself and go towards success. Why does he need the support of reservation for it. Why just can’t he admit the fact that he is lagging beacuse he is lazier and less hard working. What i feel is that these political parties should try to eliminate these aspects of the traditional Marathi Manoos rather than demanding a reservation for him.

As for the violence, violence can never be supported. There can always be a better way of saying a thing than going the voilent way. But again we cannot forget that this is politics and things like these are a part and parcel of that. Unless and until these parties have some power in their hand they just cannot bring about any change, be it good or bad. There are many aspects of this politicisation that cannot be justified, yet which are necessary from the political point of view. Each and every political party in our country resorts to such kind of acts some time or the other, willingly or unwillingly,publicly or privately. And all these have only one answer according to me,”this is politics!”

But the demand for all the work of the state to be done in Marathi is correct. The propagation of Marathi, and building the respect for Marathi is necessary. Else this language will die. Just put your Mother tongue in the place that my Mother tongue is today and i am sure you will feel the pain and the need for the upliftment. Maybe then you may feel my point of view right. May be then you will understand.

New York = Ahmedabad ?

I saw this new movie New York recently. For those who don’t know, it’s about the retribution faced by Asians (especially Muslims) in America after the 9/11 attacks. A very nicely told story of how a perfectly innocent guy is driven to terrorism and destruction just because of his religion.

The first thing that came to my mind after I saw this movie was, How similar the story and the issue depicted in the movie is to what happened in Gujarat post-godhra in 2002. The more I thought about it, the more I realised how intolerance and prejudice (racial or religious) transcends borders and is the same everywhere.

In New York, the plight of the Muslims in America after the w.t.c attacks is the same as that faced by those in Gujarat in the immediate aftermath of the Godhra massacre. Not only that, even the reason of their misery is similar. While what happened in America was a reaction to the truly evil act committed by a few mindless zealots, what we saw in Gujarat was an outcome of the dastardly act committed by some fanatics in Godhra. The similarity is that in both cases, the people who faced the retribution were totally disconnected from the respective events. The average Asian in America had nothing to do with the terrorists just as the poor Bakery owner in Baroda or Ahmedabad had nothing to do with Godhra.

In the U.S, what happened was due to the prejudice that suddenly sprang up against Muslims, Arabs and Asians along with the free hand given to the investigative agencies there. What we saw in Gujarat was due to the intolerance that has been systematically developed among the Gujarati populace by fanatical right wing organizations that use “Ram” to justify their acts. This intolerance in Gujarat has also percolated into the law enforcement agencies which were mute spectators and at times even active accomplices in what happened.

I ve heard many people praise New York and sympathize with the victims in the movie. All I wish is that we showed similar empathy and solidarity even in real life, in Gujarat. I don’t want to get in to the politics of the issue. I despise Modi for what he did (or didn’t do). I know most of my fellow gujaratis don’t. I don’t care. All I wish is that we, as a civilized, peaceful society; and as a state that gave India Gandhiji and Sardar Patel atleast understand the gravity of what happened in February 2002. I feel saddened by the fact that we have, in the last 7 years, not made a single expression of collective remorse at what happened! We must learn from Australian P.M Kevin Rudd who publically apologized for what the country had done to the aborigines there. Would it be too much to expect our elected leaders to at least say they regret what happened? A little compassion never does any harm….

I know some friends who still justify what happened 7 years ago by using the “Every action has a Reaction” nonsense. To them all I can say is that reactions do not happen hundreds of kilometres away from the action!! I don’t care what view you subscribe to, left, right or centre. At least be humane enough to feel sorry for what happened…..

The Reservation Story.

With my brother’s admissons coming up i am once again subjected to the world of government admission procedures and reservation. Reservation…this could easily be the most debatable topic in the lives of the common man and most of those who do not belong to the reserved class must be against it and obviously those who are getting the benefits of it on the other side. But today with the reservation being almost 50% we really need to think, do we need it and if its getting too much or not.

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar at the time of independence demanded resevation for the people who were treated untouchables to help them improve their standard of living and come at par with those who caused these atrocities on them. As much as i know he had asked for the reserved status for only an initial period of 10 years. But our political leaders in their race for power kept on promising reservation even after the initial 10 year period, eventually creating the situation that exits today. Instead of uniting the society we have made sections of it. Today we are a nation that queues to be called backward. We are a nation that organises nationwide campaigns to get the backward status.

Today higher education is slipping out from the hands of the common man. With the government colleges and institutions giving 50% of their seats to the reserved class, the only option that is left for the common man of the unreserved class is to study in private institutions that charge enormous fees and donations. So if the common man cannot pay the fees should he stop his children from studying? Isnt’t the government failing then?

Today life a really a luxury for the reserved class. As soon they are branded RESERVED they become the government’s son-in-laws. They get previlages each and everywhere. During admission to government schools, they are charged less fees. After that when schooling ends, they have a good 50% of the seats reserved for them. All they need to do is appear for the exams and their admisssion to a good institute is ensured. There too they get a discount on the fees. Plus scholarships for the reserved class. Then comes the time of job. While selections in the government sector again all they need to do is appear for the interviews to get selected for the job. When in the job, they again get an upperhand over thier colleagues as again for the promotions caste is considered. Not to forget being RSERVED they also have discounts on taxes too. And all this beacuse our ancestors treated them badly! Isn’t this punishing someone else for something someone else has done. And then why is it invalid when we blame the muslims who invaded India and destroyed so many temples during their regime? Why is their so much fuss when Babri Masjid is destroyed? Well lets not drift away from the main topic and coming back to it, even if we accept that our forefathers committed artocitites on the so the today’s reserved class’s forefathers. Isn’t the non reserved class being subjected to atrocities today?

And moreover if we look at the motive of reservation that Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar had in mind while demanding reservations. He wanted upliftment of the poor of the society. But with what is happening today we are only enlarging the rich-poor divide. With the rich of the reserved class eating away rights of the poor of the reserved class. What we really need to think toady is wether the reservation being given is going to the people who deserve it or not. Definately a poor boy from the rural areas of chattisgarh who studies under the light of the street lamp after a day’s hard work to earn his bread need the benefits of reservation more than a rich boy living in the city of mumbai having all the facilites at his disposal. But the thing his the rich boy gets a bit more marks from the poor boy and avails the benefits of reservation. I dont think the rich boy deserves it as compared to the poor boy. What we need today either the complete cancellation of reservation or reservation based on economic basis. If we think as a whole, what is happening today is the undeserved people are getting an edge over the deserving. Thinking of India’s development, is it really going to happen if we keep on giving chances to the undeserved and keep on denying the same to those who really do? Can India 2020 be a reality?

And the worst part of the whole scenario is that people now keep on demanding more and more reservation. The Gajjars recently organized a massive nationwide agitation to get the status of ST instead of SC. It dosent need an einstein to figure out why. Plus when in institutions like the IIT’s when these undeserved people are unable to cope up with the competiton and the level of study and when they fail, the reserved category organisations start blaming the institutes on the grounds of atrocities against the reserved class. What really pissed me off recently was the statement a fellow student of mine who belongs to the reserved category. When i asked him why dont you put in a bit of efforts to pass this is what he said,

“Yaar…ek to mereko kuch samajh me aata nahi…aur tension thodi na hai mujhe kuch…mereko to bas exam likhna hai aur kaise to bhi usme pass hona hai…ek baar degree leke is college k bahar gaya to mereko job to lag hi jayega!! “

And we call such people as the future of our nation. Don’t you think we are making a big mistake somewhere?

With my brother’s admissons coming up i am once again subjected to the world of government admission procedures and reservation. Reservation…this could easily be the most debatable topic in the lives of the common man and most of those who do not belong to the reserved class must be against it and obviously those who are getting the benefits of it on the other side. But today with the reservation being almost 50% we really need to think, do we need it and if its getting too much or not.

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar at the time of independence demanded resevation for the people who were treated untouchables to help them improve their standard of living and come at par with those who caused these atrocities on them. As much as i know he had asked for the reserved status for only an initial period of 10 years. But our political leaders in their race for power kept on promising reservation even after the initial 10 year period, eventually creating the situation that exits today. Instead of uniting the society we have made sections of it. Today we are a nation that queues to be called backward. We are a nation that organises nationwide campaigns to get the backward status.

Today higher education is slipping out from the hands of the common man. With the government colleges and institutions giving 50% of their seats to the reserved class, the only option that is left for the common man of the unreserved class is to study in private institutions that charge enormous fees and donations. So if the common man cannot pay the fees should he stop his children from studying? Isnt’t the government failing then?

Today life a really a luxury for the reserved class. As soon they are branded RESERVED they become the government’s son-in-laws. They get previlages each and everywhere. During admission to government schools, they are charged less fees. After that when schooling ends, they have a good 50% of the seats reserved for them. All they need to do is appear for the exams and their admisssion to a good institute is ensured. There too they get a discount on the fees. Plus scholarships for the reserved class. Then comes the time of job. While selections in the government sector again all they need to do is appear for the interviews to get selected for the job. When in the job, they again get an upperhand over thier colleagues as again for the promotions caste is considered. Not to forget being RSERVED they also have discounts on taxes too. And all this beacuse our ancestors treated them badly! Isn’t this punishing someone else for something someone else has done. And then why is it invalid when we blame the muslims who invaded India and destroyed so many temples during their regime? Why is their so much fuss when Babri Masjid is destroyed? Well lets not drift away from the main topic and coming back to it, even if we accept that our forefathers committed artocitites on the so the today’s reserved class’s forefathers. Isn’t the non reserved class being subjected to atrocities today?

And moreover if we look at the motive of reservation that Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar had in mind while demanding reservations. He wanted upliftment of the poor of the society. But with what is happening today we are only enlarging the rich-poor divide. With the rich of the reserved class eating away rights of the poor of the reserved class. What we really need to think toady is wether the reservation being given is going to the people who deserve it or not. Definately a poor boy from the rural areas of chattisgarh who studies under the light of the street lamp after a day’s hard work to earn his bread need the benefits of reservation more than a rich boy living in the city of mumbai having all the facilites at his disposal. But the thing his the rich boy gets a bit more marks from the poor boy and avails the benefits of reservation. I dont think the rich boy deserves it as compared to the poor boy. What we need today either the complete cancellation of reservation or reservation based on economic basis. If we think as a whole, what is happening today is the undeserved people are getting an edge over the deserving. Thinking of India’s development, is it really going to happen if we keep on giving chances to the undeserved and keep on denying the same to those who really do? Can India 2020 be a reality?

And the worst part of the whole scenario is that people now keep on demanding more and more reservation. The Gajjars recently organized a massive nationwide agitation to get the status of ST instead of SC. It dosent need an einstein to figure out why. Plus when in institutions like the IIT’s when these undeserved people are unable to cope up with the competiton and the level of study and when they fail, the reserved category organisations start blaming the institutes on the grounds of atrocities against the reserved class. What really pissed me off recently was the statement a fellow student of mine who belongs to the reserved category. When i asked him why dont you put in a bit of efforts to pass this is what he said,

“Yaar…ek to mereko kuch samajh me aata nahi…aur tension thodi na hai mujhe kuch…mereko to bas exam likhna hai aur kaise to bhi usme pass hona hai…ek baar degree leke is college k bahar gaya to mereko job to lag hi jayega!! “

And we call such people as the future of our nation. Don’t you think we are making a big mistake somewhere?

Targetted!

A couple of days back; some Indian students were racially abused and beaten up in Australia. There has been an alarming increase in violence against Indian students and professionals in the U.S. Since the last 6 months or more, we have been hearing incidents of violence every few days. Now Australia has joined in too.

While we cannot conclude that there is a general ill-feeling against Indians, it does appear that with the global economic recession and all, we have become a target for frustrated out-of-work people. As an Indian and a student who might go abroad, it worries me to see this trend of targeting working professionals.

I know that the governments of the respective states cannot be blamed for the violence but the lack of any action taken against the perpetrators of such crimes is worrying. There is hardly any attention givento it in the media, World as well as Indian. If such things would have happened against foreigners in India, there would surely be a public outcry in the west. The Indian government, by not forcing the issue, has strengthened the notion of India being a soft state.

Excited!!

Thanks  a lot for having me on board Gaurav!!

I m looking forward to an enriching experience with u ppl… though i do feel that this is going to be not just confluence but also conflict of ideas at times too

But as Gandhiji used to say “mat bhed ho to koi baat nahi, bus mann bhed nahi hona chahiye” (its ok to have difference of opinions, but there must not be conflict of hearts)

cheers

India Unbound!!

I recently bought the book India Unbound by Gurcharan Das.
For those who dont know, Das is the former CEO of Procter & Gamble and has been involved in the corporate world for decades. His book is a part memoir and part account of the economic and social upheavels India has faced since independence.

I have almost finished the book now and can say that it is a riveting tale told in a masterly way by Das. It is for all those who are interested in the social,political and economic scenario in India… We youngsters have grown up in midst of high growth rate, a liberal economic scene. For a us the kind of success achieved by people like Narayana Murthy, Dhirubhai Ambani and others is more achievable than ever before. So it was both enlightning and interesting for me to see how different things were in pre-reform India.

Das begins with the mixed economy envisaged by Nehru and analyses it well. He candidly admits that like most of the Indians, he was thrilled by Nehru’s ideas at that time and was looking forward to their implementtions. Using his personal experiences, he narrates how the great Indian dream soured and it became apparent that the socialist policies had failed miserably and were leading us nowhere.

Throughout the book, Das uses his personal ringside view of the state of affairs in India as an employee of a company and later as its CEO…. He takes us throught the strangulating days of the License Raj and upto the crisis that triggered the reforrms in1991. He uses numerous people and companies to explain the churning in the Indian economic scene..

While reading this book, I happened to have to go to the office of BSNL in Bharuch, much against my wishes. I needed to change the internet plan in my broadband connection. After putting it off for as long as I could I finally went when it became unavoidable….

it took me 20 mins to locate the person responsible for my requirement. I climbed two flights of stairs thrice before finally meeting the bsnl babu in the basement!! His office was in the basement. When I approached him he looked at me disdainfully, as if I was impeding on his precious time. He put his tea cup down and raised his eyebrows. seeing his demeanour, I forgot who was the client and who was the ‘public’ servant and addressed him as if I was talking to the chief minister of Gujarat! He asked me some questions about my connection. He was particularly interested in why I was using so much internet… After some more timepass, he told me the solution to my problem… “Write an application, on a blank paper” and then abruptly opened his file and started going through something. It was sometime to realise that my appointment was over. I asked him by when my plan change would come into effect. He replied by pointing towards another desk without looking up…. I took a deep breath and went away looking for a piece of paper, bracing myself for some more dosage of Indian babudom….

After two houurs I emerged from the basement, tired, sweating,but victorious. I had applied and had successfully submitted the application to the correct place. Now if all goes well I ll get my plan change. If not, then – back to the basement….

My experience is nothing new. Every adult Indian has gone through it, for getting driving license, telephone number, electricity,etc. Why it struck me is because it made me realise how lucky we are. From what Das has described in his book, What I experienced for two hours, once in so many years is something my dad and his dad had to go through every other day!! It just proves Das’ contention that though we have come out of the dense woods of the socialist raj, we are yet to reach completely green pastures.

As Robert Frost would say, We have miles to go before we sleep……