Vijay and Ravi apply for a job in the same company.
They confront each other.
Vijay, in his baritone voice, says, "Mere paas degree hai, diploma hai, intelligence hai, knowledge hai, confidence hai. Kya hai tumhare paas? haan..Kya hai?
Ravi says, "Mere paas 'Jugaad' hai".
Ravi gets the job.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
My thanks to KBC
The KBC season is over and has left behind a few crorepatis and some broken hearts. Yet, none can disagree that this extremely popular game show hosted by the legendary Amitabh Bachchan has broken new records in educative entertainment over the more than ten long years of its running. To me it holds a special place.
Hey, I am no ex-participant but an ardent admirer of the show. I attribute the ‘special place’ status to it for the role it played in transforming my way of looking at me. Good words are sometimes far more valuable than a bagful of greenbacks.
“There are four kinds of people. The fourth kind is the one who knows nothing and does not knows that he knows nothing. The third kind is the one who knows nothing but knows that he knows nothing. The second kind is the one who knows but is unaware that he knows and the first kind is the one who knows and is also aware that he knows.”
With the above words began one of the episodes of KBC season 1. When Mr. Amitabh Bachchan recited the lines in his baritone voice, they penetrated the very depths of my psyche. We all are human beings and we have our own lows and highs in life. One needs to be motivated when felling low. For me the motivation came from the game show that makes princes out of paupers. Allow me to explain the meaning of the lines.
The fourth kind is the one who is simply a fool. The individual is unaware of nearly everything. He has no knowledge to share with others, no zeal to learn from others and no method to prudently approach anything of concern to any normal human being. Moreover, the person is either in the false belief that he knows more than others or is foolish enough to think that the others are fools. Such people are highest in number. Neither is there anything to learn from them nor is there any use in teaching them.
The third kind is the person who although knows nothing but has the zeal to learn. For example, there are poor children who for some reason missed out on education but have the urge to study. People of this kind can be taught the basic things which shall automatically enable them to grow on their own later. The best part about such people is the fact that they are aware of their weakness which is half the battle won.
The biggest problem with the second kind is that they are unaware of their capabilities largely due to a lack of self confidence. They suffer from inferiority complex which makes them think that the others are far more powerful than them which may not be true. This problem makes their souls die a slow death. They need to be awakened either by circumstances or by someone from the first category.
The first category of people includes the geniuses. They are very well aware of their importance, specialty and existence. These kinds of people are very rare and their rarity makes them the perfect teachers. They are most needed for a society to function intelligently, wisely and smoothly. It is always advisable to follow the ideals of such a being.
At that time I realized that I fell in the second category. I recognized that I did have the potential to perform well but I was lacking somewhere. There were doors but I was either too lazy or too confused to enter. That episode of KBC changed me completely.
Hey, I am no ex-participant but an ardent admirer of the show. I attribute the ‘special place’ status to it for the role it played in transforming my way of looking at me. Good words are sometimes far more valuable than a bagful of greenbacks.
“There are four kinds of people. The fourth kind is the one who knows nothing and does not knows that he knows nothing. The third kind is the one who knows nothing but knows that he knows nothing. The second kind is the one who knows but is unaware that he knows and the first kind is the one who knows and is also aware that he knows.”
With the above words began one of the episodes of KBC season 1. When Mr. Amitabh Bachchan recited the lines in his baritone voice, they penetrated the very depths of my psyche. We all are human beings and we have our own lows and highs in life. One needs to be motivated when felling low. For me the motivation came from the game show that makes princes out of paupers. Allow me to explain the meaning of the lines.
The fourth kind is the one who is simply a fool. The individual is unaware of nearly everything. He has no knowledge to share with others, no zeal to learn from others and no method to prudently approach anything of concern to any normal human being. Moreover, the person is either in the false belief that he knows more than others or is foolish enough to think that the others are fools. Such people are highest in number. Neither is there anything to learn from them nor is there any use in teaching them.
The third kind is the person who although knows nothing but has the zeal to learn. For example, there are poor children who for some reason missed out on education but have the urge to study. People of this kind can be taught the basic things which shall automatically enable them to grow on their own later. The best part about such people is the fact that they are aware of their weakness which is half the battle won.
The biggest problem with the second kind is that they are unaware of their capabilities largely due to a lack of self confidence. They suffer from inferiority complex which makes them think that the others are far more powerful than them which may not be true. This problem makes their souls die a slow death. They need to be awakened either by circumstances or by someone from the first category.
The first category of people includes the geniuses. They are very well aware of their importance, specialty and existence. These kinds of people are very rare and their rarity makes them the perfect teachers. They are most needed for a society to function intelligently, wisely and smoothly. It is always advisable to follow the ideals of such a being.
At that time I realized that I fell in the second category. I recognized that I did have the potential to perform well but I was lacking somewhere. There were doors but I was either too lazy or too confused to enter. That episode of KBC changed me completely.
It is possible that the lines I heard had already been spoken somewhere but to me it was this show which redefined me as a person. So, thank you KBC.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Meghnad was better than us
As a twelve year old kid, I had won two gold medals for able to collect a certain amount of funds for the welfare of the elderly. I love doing such work even now. I do not get any more ‘Gold’ medals and I do not need one but the thought that whatever I am able to collect or donate will help support the lives of those deserted by their children, gives me a strange mental satisfaction.
In India, it is believed that Lord Rama is the ideal amongst sons. His popularity is due to the fact that he obeyed his father Dasharatha’s order and went into exile without protest. An obedient son is compared to Rama and it is expected that every son shall behave in a manner close to his ‘idealistic’ way.
We call our civilization as the oldest and we claim, as Indians, we are an example of a culturally progressive society where young ‘respect’ the elders and children ‘sincerely obey’ their parents. If this be true then there has to be a very strong reason for the existence of around 1000 old age homes (including non-registered ones) in this “culturally progressive society”.
There are countless big and small NGOs working for the betterment of the large no of aged persons who have been abandoned or, to simply put, thrown out of their homes by their own children. The statistics of sons doing this inhuman act is high but daughters too are not far behind.
Major states of India have their own share of old age homes. A literate state like Kerala has a very high number of homes for the elderly. West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, etc. show how big sinners we are.
Let us admit, we can never think of coming close to the ‘ideal’ characteristic of Lord Rama. The Ramayana calls him the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the preserver of earth. We mortals have no right to compare ourselves to God or any of his incarnations. Thus Rama stands above any example. He is simply above all comparisons. The question thus remains as to who can be rightfully called the ‘ideal’ son whose example, we as mortals can think of emulating in our own characters.
The Ramayana itself gives us two such characters. Shravan Kumar and, in an especially different manner, Meghnad. Shravan Kumar is a character best known for his devotion to his blind parents. How he carried them in a basket and walked miles visiting places of worship as per their wishes is again a great display of idealism. We, as a society can follow his example because he is a human but then we do not deserve it. This brings us to the third and the last of the ideal sons.
Born as the second son of Ravana, Meghnad was so named for his birth cry sounded like that of thunder. He entered the battle only after his uncle Kumbhakarna and all his brothers had died. The Shri Ramcharitamanas hails him as a great warrior.
The Ramayana tells us an incident in which Ravana scolds Meghnad for his ‘act of cowardice’. It so happened that during the third and the final battle with Lakshmana, Indrajit (another name of Meghnad given to him by Lord Brahma) having witnessed how the deadliest of weapons failed to work against his adversary disappeared from the battlefield for a brief period. He went straight to Ravana, his father, with an appeal to make peace with Rama and end the war to save the demon race from further destruction. Ravana, blinded with pride, scolds Indrajit. This angered Meghnad and he clarified that his objective to fight the battle was to perform his primary duty of a son and secondary duty of a prince. He said that his primary duty was to serve his father’s best interest and as a prince he was trying to protect his motherland.
He stayed by his father’s side at a time when he needed it the most. It was only after his death that Ravana entered the battle. With the open show of disrespect to the elders of our society we are far below the status and the personality of Meghnad.
Each year we burn his effigy hailing it as the victory of righteousness. It was a victory indeed but there were qualities in the demon prince which makes him far better than us.
I reiterate that Meghnad was indeed an ideal son. Yes, he is considered a villain by all of us. Yes, he was on the wrong side but the question is, was he wrong? Take the example of Karna in Mahabharata. We do not consider him to be a villain but an estranged son who only performed his duty as a true friend of Duryodhana (the leader of the Kauravas who were the antagonist in the Mahabharata). Then why do we brand Meghnad as the personification of evil?
Our society is growing fast and we are taking giant steps to the future but in doing so we forget that the people who made us what we are today are growing weaker by the day and our “great Indian culture” tells us not to leave them behind.
Yesterday my boss was telling me about what should be the conduct of an ideal son. I asked him who according to him can be taken as an epitome of ‘ideal son’. He replied, “Rama”. He asked me my choice. I smiled while saying, “Meghnad” and quietly went back to my work.
In India, it is believed that Lord Rama is the ideal amongst sons. His popularity is due to the fact that he obeyed his father Dasharatha’s order and went into exile without protest. An obedient son is compared to Rama and it is expected that every son shall behave in a manner close to his ‘idealistic’ way.
We call our civilization as the oldest and we claim, as Indians, we are an example of a culturally progressive society where young ‘respect’ the elders and children ‘sincerely obey’ their parents. If this be true then there has to be a very strong reason for the existence of around 1000 old age homes (including non-registered ones) in this “culturally progressive society”.
There are countless big and small NGOs working for the betterment of the large no of aged persons who have been abandoned or, to simply put, thrown out of their homes by their own children. The statistics of sons doing this inhuman act is high but daughters too are not far behind.
Major states of India have their own share of old age homes. A literate state like Kerala has a very high number of homes for the elderly. West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, etc. show how big sinners we are.
Let us admit, we can never think of coming close to the ‘ideal’ characteristic of Lord Rama. The Ramayana calls him the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the preserver of earth. We mortals have no right to compare ourselves to God or any of his incarnations. Thus Rama stands above any example. He is simply above all comparisons. The question thus remains as to who can be rightfully called the ‘ideal’ son whose example, we as mortals can think of emulating in our own characters.
The Ramayana itself gives us two such characters. Shravan Kumar and, in an especially different manner, Meghnad. Shravan Kumar is a character best known for his devotion to his blind parents. How he carried them in a basket and walked miles visiting places of worship as per their wishes is again a great display of idealism. We, as a society can follow his example because he is a human but then we do not deserve it. This brings us to the third and the last of the ideal sons.
Born as the second son of Ravana, Meghnad was so named for his birth cry sounded like that of thunder. He entered the battle only after his uncle Kumbhakarna and all his brothers had died. The Shri Ramcharitamanas hails him as a great warrior.
The Ramayana tells us an incident in which Ravana scolds Meghnad for his ‘act of cowardice’. It so happened that during the third and the final battle with Lakshmana, Indrajit (another name of Meghnad given to him by Lord Brahma) having witnessed how the deadliest of weapons failed to work against his adversary disappeared from the battlefield for a brief period. He went straight to Ravana, his father, with an appeal to make peace with Rama and end the war to save the demon race from further destruction. Ravana, blinded with pride, scolds Indrajit. This angered Meghnad and he clarified that his objective to fight the battle was to perform his primary duty of a son and secondary duty of a prince. He said that his primary duty was to serve his father’s best interest and as a prince he was trying to protect his motherland.
He stayed by his father’s side at a time when he needed it the most. It was only after his death that Ravana entered the battle. With the open show of disrespect to the elders of our society we are far below the status and the personality of Meghnad.
Each year we burn his effigy hailing it as the victory of righteousness. It was a victory indeed but there were qualities in the demon prince which makes him far better than us.
I reiterate that Meghnad was indeed an ideal son. Yes, he is considered a villain by all of us. Yes, he was on the wrong side but the question is, was he wrong? Take the example of Karna in Mahabharata. We do not consider him to be a villain but an estranged son who only performed his duty as a true friend of Duryodhana (the leader of the Kauravas who were the antagonist in the Mahabharata). Then why do we brand Meghnad as the personification of evil?
Our society is growing fast and we are taking giant steps to the future but in doing so we forget that the people who made us what we are today are growing weaker by the day and our “great Indian culture” tells us not to leave them behind.
Yesterday my boss was telling me about what should be the conduct of an ideal son. I asked him who according to him can be taken as an epitome of ‘ideal son’. He replied, “Rama”. He asked me my choice. I smiled while saying, “Meghnad” and quietly went back to my work.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
A letter to God
Dear God,
I seek you pardon for anything in here that might offend you but before I begin asking for your ‘blessings’, I need to clarify something. I do not have costly gold ornaments to offer you and neither do I have money. You must be wondering why I am writing such things. After all you are supposed to be omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient being. You do not need the ‘worldly riches’. Those are only meant for mere mortals. I am aware of that and since you are ‘god’ you know that I am not out of my mind.
You see, dear god, the people (your children) around me are behaving in a strange fashion each passing day. Whenever I visit your place of residence (yes, yes I know that you are everywhere but I am talking about the houses created by your children for you), I find that your image is being decorated with costly valuables. So much of the glitterati are there that I am unable to even see your face. Whenever an important festival arrives, you are offered ‘hand’ carved in gold, semi-precious and precious stones, silken robes, sweets made from the purest ‘ghee’, in short, the costliest of jewels, the finest of clothes and the tastiest of cuisines are presented to you. Your ‘house’ is also fitted with the ultra modern luxuries like AC’s. I think it gets too hot in there for you. Your children try to provide you with everything that they themselves enjoy. You have graced them with lots of moolah and that is perhaps the reason why they can do so much in return for you.
However, I am a humble human being. I am sorry but I have not yet understood why you need ACs, jewelleries, beautiful clothes, etc. I am being told by your ‘ardent worshippers’ that I must ‘sacrifice’ something which has monetary value. In a perplexed manner I ask them if I am standing in your house or the Bombay Stock Exchange, at which they get annoyed and sternly tell me that I should not dare to ‘anger’ you. I sincerely apologize for my ‘sacrilegious’ remark. I hope you are not getting ‘angry’. What I can promise you is only this much that if you give me lots of wealth like you have given to others, I will ensure that there won’t be any beggar in front of your ‘house’. No child shall go to sleep hungry at least in my presence. There will be roof over the heads of them who spend their night under the twilight and the unclothed will have something to wear. I apologize again for I won’t be able to give ‘you’ anything. Since childhood I have been thinking that god needs nothing. Forgive me if I am wrong. I need your help in understanding ‘your demands’. Bless me and please guide me, dear God.
With thanks in my heart,
Spiritually yours,
Your little child.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
In a hurry….to die
Beep-beep, off goes the blaring horn fitted on a new-age sports bike and a young rider, dressed in a black jacket resembling the one that Nicolas Cage wore in ‘Ghost Rider’, zooms past me. I was going to my work place dressed in casuals in an auto. By the time I reached my office, I had witnessed around 20 such bikers. Sounds of brakes screeching, horns booming, engines roaring and the winds buzzing had by now bombarded my eardrums.
Hey, I am not complaining because I don’t own a bike and I am jealous of these ‘speed stars’. I am not complaining at all. What I am trying to tell is the danger which those who ride so fast will certainly fall into if they do not stop. This also applies to all who drive be it a bike, a car or any vehicle whatsoever.
I have been a silent witness to this commotion for long. I have seen how the young broods, some of whom are still in school, defy all laws meant for their own safety in order to satisfy their false ego. If you are a regular traveler like me, you too must have seen how rashly these young boys drive their vehicles. They try to overtake every moving machine running on the road. This habit is not just restricted to the youth but many-a-times middle aged people too practice this. They sometimes abuse other drivers who do not allow them to pass through.
In 90% of the cases, the one who seems to be in a hurry has no need of it. Still, if anyone, especially a young boy, drives his vehicle at a speed of, say 40 km, he is mocked at by his friends. Many believe that to impress a girl one has to ride fast. I asked a boy in my neighbourhood (who drives his bike at a breakneck speed of 70 km even within short distances) about the reason behind his rash driving. In reply he said, “Mazaa aata hai” (it is fun). I was left bewildered. What and where is the ‘fun’ in riding so fast?
Another reason could be the rise in the number of violent games that attract the young minds towards a virtual sadistic environment resulting in aggressive behavior amongst them (also refer to my article 'All is not well'). However, the biggest culprit has to be their parents. With the rise in the income levels of the people there has been a rise in sales of both two and four wheelers. If for some, it has become a necessity to own a bike or a car then for others it has become a fashion statement. The parents allow their children to drive even if they are underage. Most of them will deny this allegation as lying is an inherent nature of humans. Most of them might never have heard of Khalil Gibran who wrote about children in this manner:
“Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.”
A earlier report by the World Health Organisation read, “Speed is the main reason behind accidents. An increase in average speed is directly related to both the likelihood of a crash occurring and to the severity of crash consequences. A 5% increase in average speed leads to an approximately 10% increase in crashes that cause injuries and a 20% increase in fatal crashes."
It might be difficult for those who are rash drivers and those who allow rash driving to understand what has been said above but it is important for them to know. While I was returning from office, another of the countless bikers curved around the vehicles on the road at a high speed and disappeared. The auto rickshaw driver commented, “Bahut jaldi hai….marne ki.” (In a hurry….to die). I just hoped Yama is on a holiday.
Hey, I am not complaining because I don’t own a bike and I am jealous of these ‘speed stars’. I am not complaining at all. What I am trying to tell is the danger which those who ride so fast will certainly fall into if they do not stop. This also applies to all who drive be it a bike, a car or any vehicle whatsoever.
I have been a silent witness to this commotion for long. I have seen how the young broods, some of whom are still in school, defy all laws meant for their own safety in order to satisfy their false ego. If you are a regular traveler like me, you too must have seen how rashly these young boys drive their vehicles. They try to overtake every moving machine running on the road. This habit is not just restricted to the youth but many-a-times middle aged people too practice this. They sometimes abuse other drivers who do not allow them to pass through.
In 90% of the cases, the one who seems to be in a hurry has no need of it. Still, if anyone, especially a young boy, drives his vehicle at a speed of, say 40 km, he is mocked at by his friends. Many believe that to impress a girl one has to ride fast. I asked a boy in my neighbourhood (who drives his bike at a breakneck speed of 70 km even within short distances) about the reason behind his rash driving. In reply he said, “Mazaa aata hai” (it is fun). I was left bewildered. What and where is the ‘fun’ in riding so fast?
Another reason could be the rise in the number of violent games that attract the young minds towards a virtual sadistic environment resulting in aggressive behavior amongst them (also refer to my article 'All is not well'). However, the biggest culprit has to be their parents. With the rise in the income levels of the people there has been a rise in sales of both two and four wheelers. If for some, it has become a necessity to own a bike or a car then for others it has become a fashion statement. The parents allow their children to drive even if they are underage. Most of them will deny this allegation as lying is an inherent nature of humans. Most of them might never have heard of Khalil Gibran who wrote about children in this manner:
“Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.”
A earlier report by the World Health Organisation read, “Speed is the main reason behind accidents. An increase in average speed is directly related to both the likelihood of a crash occurring and to the severity of crash consequences. A 5% increase in average speed leads to an approximately 10% increase in crashes that cause injuries and a 20% increase in fatal crashes."
It might be difficult for those who are rash drivers and those who allow rash driving to understand what has been said above but it is important for them to know. While I was returning from office, another of the countless bikers curved around the vehicles on the road at a high speed and disappeared. The auto rickshaw driver commented, “Bahut jaldi hai….marne ki.” (In a hurry….to die). I just hoped Yama is on a holiday.
All is 'not' well
One of the countless problems with this generation is that they are aggressively hooked to their playstations, arcade consoles and PCs playing anything from a simple FIFA to a violent Grand Theft Auto. The increasingly high number of crimes by young boys under the age of 18 is enough proof that the young brood is not in a good mood.
When the mental fatigue starts to settle in, it demands that the person suffering should vent out the tension. This leads the person towards things that are immoral, opposed to public policy and even illegal. Thus young children try to emulate what they play on their consoles. They drive their vehicles at breakneck speeds, enter into a fight for any reason, disregard their own parents, steal, smoke, consume alcohol and slowly they deteriorate into humans lacking any productive aims or objectives
With the rise of competitiveness within the society, parents want their children to grow up as fast as possible. I admit that the weight of the school bag too should share the blame but in the end that is education. The desire of the parents to see their children excel over others forces them to pressurize their young ones into doing things they might not want to. This leads to forming of a rebellious nature in a child’s character and the video game thus becomes the perfect place where he can vent out his frustration. To the children, the virtual world of the game gives them satisfaction and confidence which they fail to achieve in their real lives. This makes them play for longer durations and they become addicts.
Countries like China, USA and Australia are already facing unprecedented social problems due to game addiction. The problems in India have not reached that stage but with the rise in the number of PCs and internet users, we can see the signs of the coming scenario. Now, it is up to the parents to decide the fate of their children because a mere good schooling cannot ensure a good character.
This could be attributed to the fact that spending long hours glued to the screens and concentrating on violent games like Half Life or Hitman can lead to ‘mental fatigue’, which is a term used to describe the tiredness of brain due to no-work or overwork. Mental fatigue gives rise to headache, mood swings, sleep disorder and pain around the eyes. If the problems persist, it may also lead to one of the many forms of lunacy.
When the mental fatigue starts to settle in, it demands that the person suffering should vent out the tension. This leads the person towards things that are immoral, opposed to public policy and even illegal. Thus young children try to emulate what they play on their consoles. They drive their vehicles at breakneck speeds, enter into a fight for any reason, disregard their own parents, steal, smoke, consume alcohol and slowly they deteriorate into humans lacking any productive aims or objectives
With the rise of competitiveness within the society, parents want their children to grow up as fast as possible. I admit that the weight of the school bag too should share the blame but in the end that is education. The desire of the parents to see their children excel over others forces them to pressurize their young ones into doing things they might not want to. This leads to forming of a rebellious nature in a child’s character and the video game thus becomes the perfect place where he can vent out his frustration. To the children, the virtual world of the game gives them satisfaction and confidence which they fail to achieve in their real lives. This makes them play for longer durations and they become addicts.
Countries like China, USA and Australia are already facing unprecedented social problems due to game addiction. The problems in India have not reached that stage but with the rise in the number of PCs and internet users, we can see the signs of the coming scenario. Now, it is up to the parents to decide the fate of their children because a mere good schooling cannot ensure a good character.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Bah! Books
Lucknow October 6, 2010: Yesterday I attended the 8th annual National Book Fair organized by Knowledge Tree Foundation and Wates Vision at Moti Mahal Lawns near one of my favourite malls.
This was the second time I ever visited a Book fair. The last time I did was in 2005 when it was organized at a different location.
Allow me to come straight to the point. This book fair is better than the last one I visited. As a connoisseur of books this book fair had what I wanted- which is good books- and what I wanted ‘at a cheap price’- which was available. The biggest draw was perhaps the bumper discounts that were being offered. Prices were as low as Rs. 20 for books actually costing more than 10 times of it. The whole idea of heavy offers was solely to attract more crowds. However, it seems only a few were impressed.
I spent a total of four hours roaming around the whole place but saw that 75% of the stalls had no visitors. People of various ages were present but not everyone was buying books. I could hear the expressions of ‘wow’ and ‘how nice’ emanating from cheery faces but it ended at just that. Out of curiosity I asked a few stall owners about the state of business. No one gave a positive sign. Most of them had to say that sale was sluggish. Why? I wondered. Is it because the increasing competition of today is forcing the youth away from the hypothetical and largely phantasmal world of fiction? Or, is it because of the fact that Lucknow does not has enough people who simply love reading books.
I pondered over the questions and came to the conclusion that both competition and lackluster attitude should share the blame. It is indeed true that the rise in competition for education and jobs have left the new generation to think of nothing beyond their course and read nothing beyond their course books. The lackluster attitude is present due to the fact that some well known libraries in this city either had to shut shops or are facing a tremendous shortage of visitors. The youth of today finds it better to watch the latest movie at hefty prices but will have great difficulty in pulling out a 30 rupee note for a book.
In the 2005 fair I had witnessed heavy crowds of young college-goers. They were busy sifting through books in a particular stall. The stall manager and his helpers didn’t have a second to spare. And no, his stall didn’t have anything on literary fiction or non-fiction. The only type of books he had was of different competitions like CAT, CPMT, etc. In the ongoing book fair too, the surge whatever little was for a stall having books on computer technology and engineering.
I understood why book-loving culture is fast dwindling and why for people like me this fair was better than the last one that I visited.
The Efficient and the Negligent
Lucknow October 2, 2010: It is really interesting to see how the Indian army not only took the initiative to rebuild the foot-over bridge that collapsed near the Nehru stadium ahead of the Commonwealth games but also completed it in just five days.
That’s incredible, given the fact that men from the civil construction who charged an exorbitantly high price for the project failed in their area of expertise. However, it is also pathetic that for every minor or major incident that befalls the nation, India has to rely on its armed forces. Every time a child falls into a conduit, a natural disaster happens, a road or a bridge meant for civilian purpose collapses or countering internal insurgency, the government seeks the help of the armed forces.
I wonder isn't there any problem along the international border at all and are the army men are playing poker? Then why do they keep complaining about the shortfall of officers? I hope they are not been recruited to build bridges in posh areas of metropolises! I admit that the army is well equipped to meet all the demands expected out of them but if they do everything then what is the need of the civic bodies and administration especially when they are doing such pathetic work.
India must realize that the army has a far bigger responsibility than handling these trivial issues. If the organizations and the departments meant to handle the civilian problems are unsuccessful in executing their work then the dream of a developed India will remain just that- a dream.
That’s incredible, given the fact that men from the civil construction who charged an exorbitantly high price for the project failed in their area of expertise. However, it is also pathetic that for every minor or major incident that befalls the nation, India has to rely on its armed forces. Every time a child falls into a conduit, a natural disaster happens, a road or a bridge meant for civilian purpose collapses or countering internal insurgency, the government seeks the help of the armed forces.
I wonder isn't there any problem along the international border at all and are the army men are playing poker? Then why do they keep complaining about the shortfall of officers? I hope they are not been recruited to build bridges in posh areas of metropolises! I admit that the army is well equipped to meet all the demands expected out of them but if they do everything then what is the need of the civic bodies and administration especially when they are doing such pathetic work.
India must realize that the army has a far bigger responsibility than handling these trivial issues. If the organizations and the departments meant to handle the civilian problems are unsuccessful in executing their work then the dream of a developed India will remain just that- a dream.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The Inseparable 'Jugaad'
Last night I saw a very strange dream. In my dream, I saw myself as an HR manager of a multinational, working with my laptop and sifting through some important documents. The peon entered and announced that the candidates for the vacancy of Junior Manager were waiting outside to be interviewed. I told him to send them in one by one. He nodded and left.
The first candidate entered. He wished me good morning and I asked him to take a seat. He looked very ordinary but his eyes seemed honest. When I asked, he introduced himself to me in such a style that I had never heard before. When I put to him questions on his academics, he deftly answered all of them. He tactfully managed the other questions too. I had immediately made up my mind to select him but I had to follow a procedure and so I asked him to wait outside. Then I summoned the next one.
A boy came in. He was dressed in casuals. After the exchange of greetings, I asked him to take a seat. When I asked him his name, he replied the same in a nervous tone. I asked him to be a little loud as I put my next question. He stammered even though he was qualified enough to answer properly. After a volley of questions, I found him inappropriate for the position and made up my mind to reject him. I told him in a polite way that he would be informed if selected. At this he gave me a look that baffled me. He too seemed in a paralytic shock on what he had heard from me.
Somehow, he got up and left. I was about to ask the next candidate to enter when the phone on my table rang. My boss was on the other side. He asked me about the very same fellow who I had just sent back. I explained the situation to him. He then told me to call him back and give him the job. I asked him the reason to which he explained that the fellow had a relative in a senior position of an organization with which we had good business relationship. That senior person had requested a senior of my company who in turn asked my boss to do the same. Thus I must follow suit.
I called the guy back and asked him directly about his ‘Jugaads’. He immediately started rattling off the names of his relations in all the group companies I knew of. Thus I came to know where and in what capacity his uncle, brother, sister, friend’s brother, brother’s friend and many other combinations-worked. His voice had got a sudden boost which was not there when I was asking him questions related to the work and academics. I then understood the power of ‘Jack’. I was about to issue him his appointment letter when I was distracted by a strange noise. Everything in front of my eyes started fading away and I found myself lying on my bed with the alarm ringing. I thanked the almighty for saving me from cheating with my morals but I kept wondering about the boy who was waiting outside.
The first candidate entered. He wished me good morning and I asked him to take a seat. He looked very ordinary but his eyes seemed honest. When I asked, he introduced himself to me in such a style that I had never heard before. When I put to him questions on his academics, he deftly answered all of them. He tactfully managed the other questions too. I had immediately made up my mind to select him but I had to follow a procedure and so I asked him to wait outside. Then I summoned the next one.
A boy came in. He was dressed in casuals. After the exchange of greetings, I asked him to take a seat. When I asked him his name, he replied the same in a nervous tone. I asked him to be a little loud as I put my next question. He stammered even though he was qualified enough to answer properly. After a volley of questions, I found him inappropriate for the position and made up my mind to reject him. I told him in a polite way that he would be informed if selected. At this he gave me a look that baffled me. He too seemed in a paralytic shock on what he had heard from me.
Somehow, he got up and left. I was about to ask the next candidate to enter when the phone on my table rang. My boss was on the other side. He asked me about the very same fellow who I had just sent back. I explained the situation to him. He then told me to call him back and give him the job. I asked him the reason to which he explained that the fellow had a relative in a senior position of an organization with which we had good business relationship. That senior person had requested a senior of my company who in turn asked my boss to do the same. Thus I must follow suit.
I called the guy back and asked him directly about his ‘Jugaads’. He immediately started rattling off the names of his relations in all the group companies I knew of. Thus I came to know where and in what capacity his uncle, brother, sister, friend’s brother, brother’s friend and many other combinations-worked. His voice had got a sudden boost which was not there when I was asking him questions related to the work and academics. I then understood the power of ‘Jack’. I was about to issue him his appointment letter when I was distracted by a strange noise. Everything in front of my eyes started fading away and I found myself lying on my bed with the alarm ringing. I thanked the almighty for saving me from cheating with my morals but I kept wondering about the boy who was waiting outside.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
The Lemon Seller
Someone asked me the other day about my source of inspiration. I told the person that my parents are my biggest source. However, there are people whose actions or lives I find interesting enough to motivate others.
I remember going to the vegetable market near my home with my mother. Beside the vegetable sellers what one usually encounters are beggars who hunt (and haunt) you till you give them some alms. Most of them are able bodied men, women or children who simply do not want to work. This is one of the reasons why people abhor them.
While buying vegetables, I felt a tap on my arm. I turned to meet a boy whose appearance initially made me believe that he was one of those whom the people disliked. Immediately, I recognized my folly. He had with him a small basket, full of lemons, which he was trying to sell. He asked me and my mother whether we needed some.
This is no big deal. There is a horde of lemon sellers always ready with a basket in any market place. Of course it is true but with this boy it was different. He was no more than four and half feet tall, dark complexioned and poorly dressed. The basket hung in front of him with a rope that came around the back of his neck and he was using only one of his hands to make transactions. The other hand was peculiarly warped. I think one of his eyes had cataract as the pupil was ashen in colour and the other was half closed. His voice had a strange calm that I was able to feel. Without the basket he could have easily posed as a tramp, yet he was different from the others. He was trying to earn despite his disabilities. This attitude of his had earned my respect.
On my insistence, mom bought ten lemons even though we didn’t need them as just a few minutes ago we had purchased our required quantity from another seller. I felt that he must be rewarded for his hard work and more importantly, the zeal to do it. Ma went back into buying other stuffs and I kept looking at the boy who went his way trying to find more customers.
That was seven years ago. A couple of weeks back I recognized the same boy while he was walking down the corridor in front of a row of large shops. Other than his height, his body looked the same but this time there was no lemon basket and he was dressed in decent clothes.
I remember going to the vegetable market near my home with my mother. Beside the vegetable sellers what one usually encounters are beggars who hunt (and haunt) you till you give them some alms. Most of them are able bodied men, women or children who simply do not want to work. This is one of the reasons why people abhor them.
While buying vegetables, I felt a tap on my arm. I turned to meet a boy whose appearance initially made me believe that he was one of those whom the people disliked. Immediately, I recognized my folly. He had with him a small basket, full of lemons, which he was trying to sell. He asked me and my mother whether we needed some.
This is no big deal. There is a horde of lemon sellers always ready with a basket in any market place. Of course it is true but with this boy it was different. He was no more than four and half feet tall, dark complexioned and poorly dressed. The basket hung in front of him with a rope that came around the back of his neck and he was using only one of his hands to make transactions. The other hand was peculiarly warped. I think one of his eyes had cataract as the pupil was ashen in colour and the other was half closed. His voice had a strange calm that I was able to feel. Without the basket he could have easily posed as a tramp, yet he was different from the others. He was trying to earn despite his disabilities. This attitude of his had earned my respect.
On my insistence, mom bought ten lemons even though we didn’t need them as just a few minutes ago we had purchased our required quantity from another seller. I felt that he must be rewarded for his hard work and more importantly, the zeal to do it. Ma went back into buying other stuffs and I kept looking at the boy who went his way trying to find more customers.
That was seven years ago. A couple of weeks back I recognized the same boy while he was walking down the corridor in front of a row of large shops. Other than his height, his body looked the same but this time there was no lemon basket and he was dressed in decent clothes.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Survey Me Not
Lucknow, 17th September 2010: Phobias are of many types. If you type this word on Google, you’ll get a whole list of them. Some warrant attention while others seem stupid. In my profession, I have come across many types of people. Rude, polite, arrogant, caring, kind, misanthropes, philanthropies, selfish, misers- you name them and I have met them. However, the strangest of them all are those who quickly disappear whenever I appear with a questionnaire in hand.
Some time back as part of a project, for which I did my first market research, I discovered the shyness in many of the respondents. This time I also found that some were simply afraid to be questioned. These two attributes was ingrained in around 85% of the surveyed people. I guess that the question of ‘why people are averse to surveys?’ demands a survey in itself. Most of the people I went to belonged to the upper strata of the society. Education surely couldn’t have been the reason for either shyness or fear that I read on their faces. The questionnaire was not on any sensitive issue. It was a simple ‘Do you love your city’ thing. All of them had been clearly informed about the reason behind the survey and all questions were duly explained to them. There was no pecuniary benefit or loss involved to either party. Most importantly I am not a ‘bhai’ and neither do I know any. So why fear a single page and simple set of questions?
There may be a host of answers to this. One can be that the people who arrive with a questionnaire usually do not give an attractive look. On many occasions their appearance is shabby. Hence the people from well off families gain a wrong impression about the surveyor and the whole survey falls flat. It can also be that the person being interviewed is uncomfortable with the medium of instruction. However the interviewers are aware of the local language of the place where the survey is being taken. What I felt was that most people lacked the will to communicate. In a class of students only a few will be interactive. The rest will just sit through the whole period. They are the ones who lack that will to speak out or are unable to do so for any reason. Especially when their opinion is asked they become silent as if we are living under a dictatorial regime. In my current survey I asked a group of 27 whether they would like to participate. Only 15 did and the rest remained silent. They however kept peeping into the questionnaire being filled by others. I did not ask them their reason for not participating. I know that had they the power to express themselves they would have participated in the first place.
Some time back as part of a project, for which I did my first market research, I discovered the shyness in many of the respondents. This time I also found that some were simply afraid to be questioned. These two attributes was ingrained in around 85% of the surveyed people. I guess that the question of ‘why people are averse to surveys?’ demands a survey in itself. Most of the people I went to belonged to the upper strata of the society. Education surely couldn’t have been the reason for either shyness or fear that I read on their faces. The questionnaire was not on any sensitive issue. It was a simple ‘Do you love your city’ thing. All of them had been clearly informed about the reason behind the survey and all questions were duly explained to them. There was no pecuniary benefit or loss involved to either party. Most importantly I am not a ‘bhai’ and neither do I know any. So why fear a single page and simple set of questions?
There may be a host of answers to this. One can be that the people who arrive with a questionnaire usually do not give an attractive look. On many occasions their appearance is shabby. Hence the people from well off families gain a wrong impression about the surveyor and the whole survey falls flat. It can also be that the person being interviewed is uncomfortable with the medium of instruction. However the interviewers are aware of the local language of the place where the survey is being taken. What I felt was that most people lacked the will to communicate. In a class of students only a few will be interactive. The rest will just sit through the whole period. They are the ones who lack that will to speak out or are unable to do so for any reason. Especially when their opinion is asked they become silent as if we are living under a dictatorial regime. In my current survey I asked a group of 27 whether they would like to participate. Only 15 did and the rest remained silent. They however kept peeping into the questionnaire being filled by others. I did not ask them their reason for not participating. I know that had they the power to express themselves they would have participated in the first place.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
The Lone Gunman
The night was a cold December,
Lit with stars sapphire,
The moon of the northern sky,
Seemed drowned in despair
There was a strange chill in the air,
As a white horse trotted down the woods,
It came upon a small cabin,
The one that belonged to Jason Rudd
The sound of the hooves,
Brought the lights on in there,
Out came a healthy man,
With his own riding gear
He walked straight up to the horse,
And patted softly on its back,
Then put the saddle and harnessed,
And pulled out the slender strap
He wore a cowboy hat,
With his jeans up and tight,
The shirt was tucked in,
And the guns shone in the moon light
There was one on each side,
Like two silver rods,
They were his companions,
Beside the sturdy white horse
He then hopped on his animal,
Gave a slight whip,
The beast galloped straight,
To begin a new trip
A short ride took them past,
A row of sleepy homes,
The countryside was quite,
Not even a dog would roam
Jason was the sheriff,
In charge of people’s lives,
But no one was around,
When death took away his wife
The government then woke up,
Gave Jason the arms,
He brought the criminals to justice,
And crime was disarmed
Since then everybody sleeps,
As peacefully as they can,
As out rides Jason Rudd,
The lone Gunman.
-Manas Sengupta
Originally written- 02/12/2009
Lit with stars sapphire,
The moon of the northern sky,
Seemed drowned in despair
There was a strange chill in the air,
As a white horse trotted down the woods,
It came upon a small cabin,
The one that belonged to Jason Rudd
The sound of the hooves,
Brought the lights on in there,
Out came a healthy man,
With his own riding gear
He walked straight up to the horse,
And patted softly on its back,
Then put the saddle and harnessed,
And pulled out the slender strap
He wore a cowboy hat,
With his jeans up and tight,
The shirt was tucked in,
And the guns shone in the moon light
There was one on each side,
Like two silver rods,
They were his companions,
Beside the sturdy white horse
He then hopped on his animal,
Gave a slight whip,
The beast galloped straight,
To begin a new trip
A short ride took them past,
A row of sleepy homes,
The countryside was quite,
Not even a dog would roam
Jason was the sheriff,
In charge of people’s lives,
But no one was around,
When death took away his wife
The government then woke up,
Gave Jason the arms,
He brought the criminals to justice,
And crime was disarmed
Since then everybody sleeps,
As peacefully as they can,
As out rides Jason Rudd,
The lone Gunman.
-Manas Sengupta
Originally written- 02/12/2009
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