Thursday, June 24, 2010
AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT
A mini story
The just born baby girl was left in the cradle in front of the orphanage in early morning by someone. May be by an unwed mother or some relatives, who knows. Here, nobody asks……
As usual, the orphanage took care of the baby. Registered her in the books. Took her to the doctor and got the certificate. Gave her a name. She became part of it. Like in any orphanage……
As her luck would have it, within six months, a couple, a south Indian husband with a north Indian wife, issueless for more than ten years, adopted her, of course, through legal means. Her name was changed again as per the wishes of the couple. The man was an upcoming entrepreneur.
Years went by. The business boomed. The baby lived in full opulence with an ostentatious lifestyle, for, her dad had become the biggest industrialist in the country in the business vertical that he was in.
She did her schooling in Mayo School, the undergraduate studies London, and the MBA from the world’s top university in the US.
By then her dad’s company had grown on to become a transnational organization, spreading all over the world.
The baby, who was orphaned and destituted when born, went on to get listed by the leading world finance magazine as one of the topmost heiress of the companies of of the World……………
Yes, as luck would have it………
TEST YOUR STRENGTH
A mini story
On an evening, I was at the shop that sells most of duty paid imported stuff, to buy the blade cartridge for my shaving set. Just near me, I saw this lady, a fair one but with careless dressing. Her face said something, a sad look with a hazy expression. She way buying nylon rope and was checking with the salesman whether the rope is strong enough.
“Madam, you can even hang yourself in this. Will not break, very strong imported nylon,” the salesman reassured her.
Everyone in the shop had a hearty laugh at the comment of the salesman.
“Oh I see, It is that strong. Then give it to me” said the lady, who was indeed embarrassed.
We both went our ways after the purchase.
Three days later, while reading the local daily in the early morning, I saw a photo of a woman who died by hanging on the previous day. A strong tremor spread through my body. I wanted to vomit.
It was her………… The fair lady in the unkempt dress with a hazy sad look……………………………….
On an evening, I was at the shop that sells most of duty paid imported stuff, to buy the blade cartridge for my shaving set. Just near me, I saw this lady, a fair one but with careless dressing. Her face said something, a sad look with a hazy expression. She way buying nylon rope and was checking with the salesman whether the rope is strong enough.
“Madam, you can even hang yourself in this. Will not break, very strong imported nylon,” the salesman reassured her.
Everyone in the shop had a hearty laugh at the comment of the salesman.
“Oh I see, It is that strong. Then give it to me” said the lady, who was indeed embarrassed.
We both went our ways after the purchase.
Three days later, while reading the local daily in the early morning, I saw a photo of a woman who died by hanging on the previous day. A strong tremor spread through my body. I wanted to vomit.
It was her………… The fair lady in the unkempt dress with a hazy sad look……………………………….
Friday, June 11, 2010
AN EXPERIENCE OF A TRAIN JOURNEY
Day before yesterday while travelling between Cochin and Chennai by train, I came across this couple. They looked sufficiently old (to be in their seventies) but there was this aura of positivity around them. I saw them talking between each other on various people (it seems, about relatives). Though it was not prudent to listen to the conversation between people, inquisitiveness got the better of me and listen I did. In as much as the conversation that I overheard, I haven’t heard them speaking anything negative about people. I found it strange, as normally in such personal conversation about people, particularly by Malayalees, one always hears some comment about others that is not always positive, to say the least. I liked them instantly but did not get across to them as it was dinner and sleep time inside the train.
Next day morning I did have an opportunity to talk to the couple. It was one Mrs. & Mr. Simon, Malayalees, originally from Kunnamkulam, Trichur but settled in Chennai. They went to Kottayam to attend the marriage of the son of Mr. Simon’s younger sister. Some references to Kunnamkulam warmed up Mr. Simon to me and we talked.
Mr. Simon is an Engineer who had worked both in India (Chennai) and Sharjah, UAE. He has two daughters, one a doctorate in Biochemistry and the other, a Teacher by qualification. Both are employed in UAE where they stay with their husbands, who are also well employed. Two of their grand children are in Chennai studying for Engineering while staying at the hostel and they visit the Simons on every week end.
Mr Simon is about seventy Five years old and Mrs. Simon, two years his junior. They are in Chennai for close to half a century staying in the same apartment but on rental. Mr. Simon looked always in control of situation. Asked why he didn’t build a home his answer was simple. Having two daughters, he didn’t deem it fit to build a house. If he had a son, he would have done so. Being daughters, giving them a house is unnecessary, as girls would go away to husband’s home. Whatever saving he has, would go to them eventually. He is very happy to stay continuously in the rented apartment particularly because his land lord was very co-operative and didn’t want them to move out.
I was surprised to see him working still. He works as an engineer consultant to 5 hospitals looking after the instrumentation in the hospitals. It is his responsibility to keep the hospital equipments, particularly testing and monitoring instruments in proper working condition. He works for 3 hours in one hospital per day. He earns sufficiently to make a living and still drives the car to work. He says he is very happy. He doesn’t want to disturb anyone and do not want anyone to disturb him either! Life is peaceful for him and he is yet to be troubled by any major geriatric diseases.
Mrs. Simon on the other hand is a diabetic. She has other troubles of Blood Pressure, Joint pains etc and takes plenty of medicines everyday. Things are generally under control but with occasional bouts of illness, sometimes necessitating hospitalisation. She had been a home maker throughout and is happy and contented. Children are well settled. Life went as per their plan and what more can she ask for? God has been kind. She reads her Bible everyday, goes to Church every Sunday and keeps writing something or the other on Bible thoughts, only for her own consumption.
Mrs Simon was more talkative that Mr. Simon. “One day soon, we will go away. We have no regrets. God was good to us” was her parting statement. When the train reached Chennai, I helped them alight. Mr. Simon shook hand and they went away. We never exchanged any addresses or phone number but simply were happy to have met each other and talked. We may or may not meet again; as nothing is sure in this world.
I was very impressed by their attitude to life, their independence, their positivity and of course, their non-complaining nature. In this materialistic world where people are never satisfied with whatever they had earned, here is a couple with such a value system being happy about whatever they had achieved.
No wonder nature had been extremely kind to them and let them live their life with happiness intact.
I was very happy. It was a good, simple learning. May God be with them…
Next day morning I did have an opportunity to talk to the couple. It was one Mrs. & Mr. Simon, Malayalees, originally from Kunnamkulam, Trichur but settled in Chennai. They went to Kottayam to attend the marriage of the son of Mr. Simon’s younger sister. Some references to Kunnamkulam warmed up Mr. Simon to me and we talked.
Mr. Simon is an Engineer who had worked both in India (Chennai) and Sharjah, UAE. He has two daughters, one a doctorate in Biochemistry and the other, a Teacher by qualification. Both are employed in UAE where they stay with their husbands, who are also well employed. Two of their grand children are in Chennai studying for Engineering while staying at the hostel and they visit the Simons on every week end.
Mr Simon is about seventy Five years old and Mrs. Simon, two years his junior. They are in Chennai for close to half a century staying in the same apartment but on rental. Mr. Simon looked always in control of situation. Asked why he didn’t build a home his answer was simple. Having two daughters, he didn’t deem it fit to build a house. If he had a son, he would have done so. Being daughters, giving them a house is unnecessary, as girls would go away to husband’s home. Whatever saving he has, would go to them eventually. He is very happy to stay continuously in the rented apartment particularly because his land lord was very co-operative and didn’t want them to move out.
I was surprised to see him working still. He works as an engineer consultant to 5 hospitals looking after the instrumentation in the hospitals. It is his responsibility to keep the hospital equipments, particularly testing and monitoring instruments in proper working condition. He works for 3 hours in one hospital per day. He earns sufficiently to make a living and still drives the car to work. He says he is very happy. He doesn’t want to disturb anyone and do not want anyone to disturb him either! Life is peaceful for him and he is yet to be troubled by any major geriatric diseases.
Mrs. Simon on the other hand is a diabetic. She has other troubles of Blood Pressure, Joint pains etc and takes plenty of medicines everyday. Things are generally under control but with occasional bouts of illness, sometimes necessitating hospitalisation. She had been a home maker throughout and is happy and contented. Children are well settled. Life went as per their plan and what more can she ask for? God has been kind. She reads her Bible everyday, goes to Church every Sunday and keeps writing something or the other on Bible thoughts, only for her own consumption.
Mrs Simon was more talkative that Mr. Simon. “One day soon, we will go away. We have no regrets. God was good to us” was her parting statement. When the train reached Chennai, I helped them alight. Mr. Simon shook hand and they went away. We never exchanged any addresses or phone number but simply were happy to have met each other and talked. We may or may not meet again; as nothing is sure in this world.
I was very impressed by their attitude to life, their independence, their positivity and of course, their non-complaining nature. In this materialistic world where people are never satisfied with whatever they had earned, here is a couple with such a value system being happy about whatever they had achieved.
No wonder nature had been extremely kind to them and let them live their life with happiness intact.
I was very happy. It was a good, simple learning. May God be with them…
Thursday, June 10, 2010
AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!
And finally the Bhopal gas tragedy case came to a verdict. After some 28 years of trial and after some 18 judges presiding over it, one after the other. Mind you, this is only a lower court. All the accused are big and powerful enough to appeal against it and probably capable of influencing the judgement at the higher courts or at least prolong the case in the higher courts for another quarter century. By then, all the accused would be dead and gone! What a speed at which justice get delivered in our country! Looking at it, It was very evident, as way back in 1994, the Supreme court was involved in diluting the case by registering it under reduced charges of Section 304 A of IPC instead of Section 304.
Now coming to the sentence. For killings thousands of innocent people overnight and for deforming another ten of thousands later, the accused had been sentenced for TWO years. Glory be for Indian justice!
Touted as the biggest industrial disaster of the last century, that had happened due to the absolute callousness of the management of the company; Union Carbide Ltd, that made many families lose its breadwinners and the near and dear in Bhopal, this sentence underwrites the power of money and muscle in Indian Polity. It is found on investigation that the tragedy was waiting to happen for year as the safety standards of storing the killer Methyl Iso Cynite gas (MIC) was absolutely below par.
The Worldwide Chairman of Union Carbide, Warren Anderson went out scot-free from India when he visited the country soon after the tragedy. His name was not in the accused list and it never figured anywhere in the verdict. The Indian Chairman of the company Keshub Chandra Mahindra and Vice Chairman Gokhale got the lightest sentence possible of two years and so was the case of another six senior managers of the company. Thus, the verdict of the tragedy finally whimpered off. And the MNC practically came out unscathed by paying paltry compensation to the victims (another matter, if it ever reached them?) for having caused the damage, much to the chagrin of the victims concerned.
Public memory is normally very short. However in this case it wasn’t that short. So many agitations, representations, complaints and sit-ins had happened in this case across Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh and the rest of the country. But what is the result? Money and Muscle power won, eventually.
Some left and other political parties raised hue and cry after the judgement, but even that was half hearted. Looking at it, one can understand as to how deep money would have gone into to silence the political parties, whether left, right or centre.
Whether they empathise with the victims or not, the verdict had now become just another sensational story for the media, particularly the electronic one. We now see statements from former bureaucrats, officials and ministerial authorities on how Warren Anderson got scot-free and on how Ministry of External Affairs decided not to seek his extradition from United States etc. There will be some more breaking news, debates and accusations before everything get forgotten, soon.
And proudly we say, ‘equal justice for all’ which is guaranteed by our constitution. How many politicians and industrialist had gone behind bars so far in India for the heinous crimes that had committed?
You don’t even need to count your finger tip!
None, practically……………
Now coming to the sentence. For killings thousands of innocent people overnight and for deforming another ten of thousands later, the accused had been sentenced for TWO years. Glory be for Indian justice!
Touted as the biggest industrial disaster of the last century, that had happened due to the absolute callousness of the management of the company; Union Carbide Ltd, that made many families lose its breadwinners and the near and dear in Bhopal, this sentence underwrites the power of money and muscle in Indian Polity. It is found on investigation that the tragedy was waiting to happen for year as the safety standards of storing the killer Methyl Iso Cynite gas (MIC) was absolutely below par.
The Worldwide Chairman of Union Carbide, Warren Anderson went out scot-free from India when he visited the country soon after the tragedy. His name was not in the accused list and it never figured anywhere in the verdict. The Indian Chairman of the company Keshub Chandra Mahindra and Vice Chairman Gokhale got the lightest sentence possible of two years and so was the case of another six senior managers of the company. Thus, the verdict of the tragedy finally whimpered off. And the MNC practically came out unscathed by paying paltry compensation to the victims (another matter, if it ever reached them?) for having caused the damage, much to the chagrin of the victims concerned.
Public memory is normally very short. However in this case it wasn’t that short. So many agitations, representations, complaints and sit-ins had happened in this case across Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh and the rest of the country. But what is the result? Money and Muscle power won, eventually.
Some left and other political parties raised hue and cry after the judgement, but even that was half hearted. Looking at it, one can understand as to how deep money would have gone into to silence the political parties, whether left, right or centre.
Whether they empathise with the victims or not, the verdict had now become just another sensational story for the media, particularly the electronic one. We now see statements from former bureaucrats, officials and ministerial authorities on how Warren Anderson got scot-free and on how Ministry of External Affairs decided not to seek his extradition from United States etc. There will be some more breaking news, debates and accusations before everything get forgotten, soon.
And proudly we say, ‘equal justice for all’ which is guaranteed by our constitution. How many politicians and industrialist had gone behind bars so far in India for the heinous crimes that had committed?
You don’t even need to count your finger tip!
None, practically……………
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