A couple of days back, I read about the death of an India student in UK, killed by strangers while on picnic with friends.
There had been many similar stories from Australia over the last years. In the beginning of the year, I remember reading the story of an Indian Student being killed and his body put in a sack and abandoned elsewhere. I knew this boy from his younger years as he was senior to my daughter in local Bhavan’s School. Son of a clerk working in a Hospital in the city, this brilliant boy went to IIT, Madras before going to US for higher studies. It is yet to be known on why he was killed.
There could be many reasons for Indian students becoming victims in distant lands. It could be racial issues, jealousy, love tangle, rivalries due to academic/professional matters or many other reasons. However it is very heart wrenching to hear stories like this.
The fact of the matter is that one is not safe in somebody’s land. These places do offer best higher education, excellent living conditions and possibly, the best of employment. But, howsoever the immigrant tries, he simply cannot truly merge with the total culture and traditions. The color of the skin, the language that one speaks and the living practices that he follows; make one stand out, mostly as a sore thumb. An African, an Indian, a Chinese, a Sikh all are so stereotypical that, they become butt of ridicule and humiliation for the locals and there is definitely discrimination. It could be very depressing.
Why do we need to speak about other nations? It is being practiced so lavishly here in India too. I remember staying and working in Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab & Haryana, in addition to being a union territory. My skin color and my language stood out and there were many instances that I had undergone discrimination from the hands of locals. There is distinct difference in the features of a north Indian and a south Indian. There, I was a Madrasi (for a north Indian, anyone comes from this side of the Vindhya Hills is a Madrasi), a ‘kala admi’ (black man) and someone who landed in those part of the world for the sake a livelihood. What more are needed to treat him as an outcast? Some of the experiences had gone so deep into my psyche that when I was working for the country’s leading computer company in Delhi, I was offered to be sent to California, USA on a job transfer, I refused it. My HR director called me a strange being to refuse a job in USA, the land of uncle Sam that everyone loves to settle down and of course, a land of plenty of opportunities. Instead I resigned from the job and returned to my home State to start the life of an entrepreneur.
One is in peace only when he is comfortable. Having worked in Delhi, Chandigarh and Bangalore, I have never felt comfortable in any of these places. This is an innate, internal feeling. To add to that is the discomfort when you are restricted to socialise only with your own family. After coming back to my own home State, I not only did grow professionally but socially too.
After having traversed this far in life, I am convinced that peace and happiness are the paramount things that one must aspire for. To enable that to happen one must be extremely in harmony with oneself and the surroundings.
And being in own place with own people, one derives that comfort.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
AN INDIAN HISORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Last week, I was welcomed to kickstart a seminar organised by by German Indian Business Centre (GIBC), Hannover at Hotel Gokulam Park in Cochin. This is what I delivered.
My first experience with Wolfgang Höltgen of GIBC was when he took the excursion of German SME CEOs to India. To them, I gave a historical perspective of India.
So I felt that in this meeting of introducing GIBC too, I would give a historical perspective to you the audience.
Recent genetic research indicates that the Indian subcontinent was subjected to a series of massive Indo European migrations during about 3500 BC. The Austro-Asiatic tribals or the Dravidians are hypothesized to have been the earliest inhabitants of India, while incoming Indo-European tribes may have displaced Dravidian-speaking tribals southward.
Linguistic evidence points to the Indo-Aryan languages as intrusive into South Asia, sometime in the 2nd millennium BC. Indo-Aryan migration into Punjab is thus approximately contemporaneous to the decline of the Indus-Valley civilization (what we call the Harappa – Mohenjo-Daro civilization)
The decline of the Indus-Valley civilization from about BC 1900 resulted in many Indus Valley cities being abandoned during the period, while many new settlements began to appear in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab etc. This shift by Harappan and other Indus Valley cultural groups; is the only archaeologically documented west-to-east movement of human populations in South Asia before the first half of the first millennium B.C.
The known Economic history of India begins with the Indus Valley civilization. The Indus civilization's economy appears to have depended significantly on trade, which was facilitated by advances in transport. The period was marked by intensive trade activity and urban development. By 300 B.C, the Maurya Empire united most of the Indian subcontinent. The political unity and military security allowed for a common economic system and enhanced trade and commerce, with increased agricultural productivity.
Then came the Silk Route which is referred to a historical network, extending from Europe through Egypt, Somalia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran or then Persia, Central Asia, Pakistan, Java-Indonesia, and Vietnam until it reached China. There existed both land and sea routes. Extending 6,500 km, the Silk Route gets its name from the lucrative Chinese silk trade along it, which began during the Han Dynasty by 200 BC.
The consolidation of Hinduism, thereafter the period of the brahmanic supremacy in it resulted the genesis of Buddhism and Jainism in India. Many famous kings ruled India at that time, Kings Ashoka, & Kanishka are some important names. The beginning of AD saw the revitalization Hinduism in India by the sage Adi Shankara.
During the first 1500 years of AD, India produced its classical civilizations. During this period India is estimated to have had the largest economy of the ancient and medieval world, controlling between one third and one fourth of the world's wealth.
From the beginning of the second millennium AD, India saw the invasion of Muslim warriors from Afghanistan, Persia and Mongol. Mohamed of Ghazni, Genghis Khan and Mohammed of Ghaur are the initial prominent invaders. In fact Genghis Khan, the fearsome Mongolian warrior of the 12th century, may have done more than rule the largest empire in the world; according to a recently published genetic study, he may have helped populate it too, It is estimated that he had close to 37 wives of which 6 were from Mongolia. During his invasions he killed the males and raped the women. It is estimated that legally & illegally he had sired close to 14000 children. An international group of geneticists studying Y-chromosome data have found that nearly 8 per cent of the men living in the region of the former Mongol empire carry Y-chromosomes that are nearly identical to that of Genghis Khan. That translates to 0.5 per cent of the male population in the world, or roughly 16 million descendants living today.
During this time came other Muslim Dynasties such as the Slaves, the Khilgis, the Tuglaqs, the Lodhis, and the Moghuls. Post the Mughals, The indigenous Marathas came into rule most of India.
India slipped into European colonial rule thereafter; the French, Dutch, Portuguese and later the British. It was plundered, looted and left totally squeezed of its wealth by the colonial powers particularly, the British.
After 350 years of the east India company and the British Raj, in 1947 our Country got independence and on August 14th midnight the country’s tryst with destiny started.
Then began The India within- the inward India with a heady mix of socialism, mixed economy, five year plans, the rules and misrules; sometimes dynastic democracy, and by 1991, India landed in the worst of its times - the Forex Crisis
The other contemporary parallel was the Soviet Union splintering into multiple nations as a result of Perestroika & Glasnost perpetuated by Michael Gorbechev
As said by one of the characters of Helen Keller, this worst of times was the best of times too. For India got opened up. LPG came into being.
By now two decades of Reform process had gone in here. India is now the IT POWER, Soft Power and the beginning of Transnational Indian commerce had started(The Tatas, Birlas, Ambanis, Mittals…)
However it was also times of worldwide religious fundamentalism & Global terrorism
That resulted in the failing America (9/11 and later economically). Now we stand at the failing Euro Zone.
In spite all these, Germany continues to be very strong. That is the Relevance of German India Business Centre or GIBC.
My first experience with Wolfgang Höltgen of GIBC was when he took the excursion of German SME CEOs to India. To them, I gave a historical perspective of India.
So I felt that in this meeting of introducing GIBC too, I would give a historical perspective to you the audience.
Recent genetic research indicates that the Indian subcontinent was subjected to a series of massive Indo European migrations during about 3500 BC. The Austro-Asiatic tribals or the Dravidians are hypothesized to have been the earliest inhabitants of India, while incoming Indo-European tribes may have displaced Dravidian-speaking tribals southward.
Linguistic evidence points to the Indo-Aryan languages as intrusive into South Asia, sometime in the 2nd millennium BC. Indo-Aryan migration into Punjab is thus approximately contemporaneous to the decline of the Indus-Valley civilization (what we call the Harappa – Mohenjo-Daro civilization)
The decline of the Indus-Valley civilization from about BC 1900 resulted in many Indus Valley cities being abandoned during the period, while many new settlements began to appear in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab etc. This shift by Harappan and other Indus Valley cultural groups; is the only archaeologically documented west-to-east movement of human populations in South Asia before the first half of the first millennium B.C.
The known Economic history of India begins with the Indus Valley civilization. The Indus civilization's economy appears to have depended significantly on trade, which was facilitated by advances in transport. The period was marked by intensive trade activity and urban development. By 300 B.C, the Maurya Empire united most of the Indian subcontinent. The political unity and military security allowed for a common economic system and enhanced trade and commerce, with increased agricultural productivity.
Then came the Silk Route which is referred to a historical network, extending from Europe through Egypt, Somalia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran or then Persia, Central Asia, Pakistan, Java-Indonesia, and Vietnam until it reached China. There existed both land and sea routes. Extending 6,500 km, the Silk Route gets its name from the lucrative Chinese silk trade along it, which began during the Han Dynasty by 200 BC.
The consolidation of Hinduism, thereafter the period of the brahmanic supremacy in it resulted the genesis of Buddhism and Jainism in India. Many famous kings ruled India at that time, Kings Ashoka, & Kanishka are some important names. The beginning of AD saw the revitalization Hinduism in India by the sage Adi Shankara.
During the first 1500 years of AD, India produced its classical civilizations. During this period India is estimated to have had the largest economy of the ancient and medieval world, controlling between one third and one fourth of the world's wealth.
From the beginning of the second millennium AD, India saw the invasion of Muslim warriors from Afghanistan, Persia and Mongol. Mohamed of Ghazni, Genghis Khan and Mohammed of Ghaur are the initial prominent invaders. In fact Genghis Khan, the fearsome Mongolian warrior of the 12th century, may have done more than rule the largest empire in the world; according to a recently published genetic study, he may have helped populate it too, It is estimated that he had close to 37 wives of which 6 were from Mongolia. During his invasions he killed the males and raped the women. It is estimated that legally & illegally he had sired close to 14000 children. An international group of geneticists studying Y-chromosome data have found that nearly 8 per cent of the men living in the region of the former Mongol empire carry Y-chromosomes that are nearly identical to that of Genghis Khan. That translates to 0.5 per cent of the male population in the world, or roughly 16 million descendants living today.
During this time came other Muslim Dynasties such as the Slaves, the Khilgis, the Tuglaqs, the Lodhis, and the Moghuls. Post the Mughals, The indigenous Marathas came into rule most of India.
India slipped into European colonial rule thereafter; the French, Dutch, Portuguese and later the British. It was plundered, looted and left totally squeezed of its wealth by the colonial powers particularly, the British.
After 350 years of the east India company and the British Raj, in 1947 our Country got independence and on August 14th midnight the country’s tryst with destiny started.
Then began The India within- the inward India with a heady mix of socialism, mixed economy, five year plans, the rules and misrules; sometimes dynastic democracy, and by 1991, India landed in the worst of its times - the Forex Crisis
The other contemporary parallel was the Soviet Union splintering into multiple nations as a result of Perestroika & Glasnost perpetuated by Michael Gorbechev
As said by one of the characters of Helen Keller, this worst of times was the best of times too. For India got opened up. LPG came into being.
By now two decades of Reform process had gone in here. India is now the IT POWER, Soft Power and the beginning of Transnational Indian commerce had started(The Tatas, Birlas, Ambanis, Mittals…)
However it was also times of worldwide religious fundamentalism & Global terrorism
That resulted in the failing America (9/11 and later economically). Now we stand at the failing Euro Zone.
In spite all these, Germany continues to be very strong. That is the Relevance of German India Business Centre or GIBC.
MY GITA, HIS TOO
Just read that in the Siberian court, part of the Russian State alitigation has started to ban the sale & proliferatiion of BHAGAWAD GITA there. What they are trying to ban is the Russian translation of Bhakta Prabhu Pada’s (ISKCON) commentaries of GITA. Yesterday there was a furore about this in the Loksabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament.
For Indians particularly the Hindus, GITA is the most sacred of their scriptures. GITA has the status of Bible or Koran, though it is much older than the two. Originally brought out in Sanskrit, some 3 to 4 millennia ago, it has now been translated to most of all languages of the world. So many seers, saints and learned men had written their own commentaries on the contents of Gita. In every Indian Language, you will find minimum hundred different versions of GITA commentaries done by various personas.
What actually is GITA? The epic MAHABHARATA, written by Sage Vyasa, describes the life and times of Pandavas & Kauravas, the cousins who quarrelled a lot on who will rule India and to decide the same, eventually they went into war. It was sort of an all India war with other neighbouring kingdoms joining either of the teams. Lord Krishna joined up with Pandavas based on their request with a pledge that he will not do the fighting but will act as a charioteer and thus he drove the chariot of Arjuna - the third of the Pandava brothers and the most accomplished warrior among them. On the very first day, as he reached the war zone lead by Krishna in his chariot, he saw his Godfather, Elders, Gurus, Cousins, Acquaintances and all standing on the other side. He came into deep guilt consciousness of fighting and killing them and out of sheer pain decided not to fight by letting go his weapon. At this point in time, Krishna said the words of wisdom that is contained in GITA. These words were said to motivate Arjun, to let his guilt go away and to tell him what is right and what is wrong. GITA is fairly an elaborate advice. After listening to Krishna, Arjuna let go his remorse and got charged up and motivated to fight the war. In the end, the Pandavas won the Kurukshetra war (Kurukshetra is the place where the war took place. The place exists in the Haryana State of North India)
Though it was a motivating wisdom of Lord Krishna, exhorted to his friend Arjun to fight the war, GITA is considered by every Hindu more metaphorically than as a war advice. Typically it is all about overcoming the war of life and coming out victorious in the end. It contains the fundamental definitions of everything. And also the HOWs of everything. It is indeed delivered by the ONE who had mastered everything in life. It could be considered as THE ULTIMATE UNIVERSAL ADVICE that one could get in life. That is the reason; it had been translated in every language of the world.
Let me add about the various commentaries/interpretations made on the GITA verse by various people, saints and seers included. Sanskrit today is not a spoken language. Having come out eons ago, the words in GITA does not come out with a standard set of meaning. Thus, different commentators of GITA used different meaning to the words of wisdom that contained in the original. That is why every commentary looked and meant different to people. May be cults like ISKCON has propounded its own versions of the understanding of the text. It may be possible that in some of those interpretations, it must have come out as a war cry, making certain governments of the world to look at it sternly.
Most of the epics and scriptures of the past has these challenges. The interpretations of the text become very contextual and the meaning also varies accordingly. Look at the Bible. Luke, Mathew and John had commented it differently. There are different interpretations to Koran by various sects of Muslims. So ultimately, commentaries, explanations and interpretations of the scriptures come out the way the interpreter wants it.
Therefore, I said in the caption; My GITA, HIS TOO………………
For Indians particularly the Hindus, GITA is the most sacred of their scriptures. GITA has the status of Bible or Koran, though it is much older than the two. Originally brought out in Sanskrit, some 3 to 4 millennia ago, it has now been translated to most of all languages of the world. So many seers, saints and learned men had written their own commentaries on the contents of Gita. In every Indian Language, you will find minimum hundred different versions of GITA commentaries done by various personas.
What actually is GITA? The epic MAHABHARATA, written by Sage Vyasa, describes the life and times of Pandavas & Kauravas, the cousins who quarrelled a lot on who will rule India and to decide the same, eventually they went into war. It was sort of an all India war with other neighbouring kingdoms joining either of the teams. Lord Krishna joined up with Pandavas based on their request with a pledge that he will not do the fighting but will act as a charioteer and thus he drove the chariot of Arjuna - the third of the Pandava brothers and the most accomplished warrior among them. On the very first day, as he reached the war zone lead by Krishna in his chariot, he saw his Godfather, Elders, Gurus, Cousins, Acquaintances and all standing on the other side. He came into deep guilt consciousness of fighting and killing them and out of sheer pain decided not to fight by letting go his weapon. At this point in time, Krishna said the words of wisdom that is contained in GITA. These words were said to motivate Arjun, to let his guilt go away and to tell him what is right and what is wrong. GITA is fairly an elaborate advice. After listening to Krishna, Arjuna let go his remorse and got charged up and motivated to fight the war. In the end, the Pandavas won the Kurukshetra war (Kurukshetra is the place where the war took place. The place exists in the Haryana State of North India)
Though it was a motivating wisdom of Lord Krishna, exhorted to his friend Arjun to fight the war, GITA is considered by every Hindu more metaphorically than as a war advice. Typically it is all about overcoming the war of life and coming out victorious in the end. It contains the fundamental definitions of everything. And also the HOWs of everything. It is indeed delivered by the ONE who had mastered everything in life. It could be considered as THE ULTIMATE UNIVERSAL ADVICE that one could get in life. That is the reason; it had been translated in every language of the world.
Let me add about the various commentaries/interpretations made on the GITA verse by various people, saints and seers included. Sanskrit today is not a spoken language. Having come out eons ago, the words in GITA does not come out with a standard set of meaning. Thus, different commentators of GITA used different meaning to the words of wisdom that contained in the original. That is why every commentary looked and meant different to people. May be cults like ISKCON has propounded its own versions of the understanding of the text. It may be possible that in some of those interpretations, it must have come out as a war cry, making certain governments of the world to look at it sternly.
Most of the epics and scriptures of the past has these challenges. The interpretations of the text become very contextual and the meaning also varies accordingly. Look at the Bible. Luke, Mathew and John had commented it differently. There are different interpretations to Koran by various sects of Muslims. So ultimately, commentaries, explanations and interpretations of the scriptures come out the way the interpreter wants it.
Therefore, I said in the caption; My GITA, HIS TOO………………
Thursday, November 24, 2011
PAKISTAN – A WITHERED DREAM
A great subcontinent with a glorious culture dating eons back, which at one time was the richest country of the world, to which the nations from across the world found way to reach so as to trade with her and learn from her ancient institutions, which welcomed both visitors and conquerors with the same hospitality - only to be plundered, looted and left squeezed-out by them, finally split into two countries (later three) based on religious grounds (though the leaders at that time said, political grounds!); saw birth of a new nation within by name Pakistan. The word Pakistan meant ‘Clean Land’ (‘Pak’ in Urdu is Clean and ‘Stan’ in Farsi meant place). However, as per Choudhry Rehmat Ali, the founder of Pakistan National movement who coined the word Pakistan; PAK is an abbreviation of Punjab, Afghan (not Afghanistan, but the erstwhile North Western Frontier Province called Afghania) and Kashmir. It is another matter that subsequent to the formation of Pakistan, the coiner of the word was truly disillusioned with the very nation that he helped form.
Close to six and half decades later, Pakistan today stands as a withered dream.
While Pakistanis would never accept their angst toward India, from their communications and body language, the feeling is quiet evident. Over the last two decades, India had moved completely away from all its comparisons with Pakistan, it is on its way now to joining China in economic status. Pakistan is left way behind. Whenever I read books written by Pakistani authors or hear interviews with them, I see the angst showing up in tongue in cheek form. All said and done, India is there in every Pakistani’s subconscious mind. Having begun the journey together, it is but natural that we get to see them very disappointed.
What is Pakistan today? With all that happening around, it looks more like a banana republic. Left to rule by inefficient, clannish politicians who really do not know whether they are coming or going, with no assistance coming from corrupt establishment and bureaucracy. A completely porous border with Afghanistan continues to give the country mighty migraine! The country side is full of primitive Jihadis who are fighting sectarian wars against each other, when they are not scheming against India. The Pakistan army continues to have it its thumb well on the government and the rulers. To top it all, the country is continuously affected by natural calamities one way or the other. When it is not earth quake, it is the flood! The country and its people are totally ravaged!
The rich and famous are fleeing the country. Or at least they are forced to send their children study outside the nation, either in Middle East or Europe. They live a secluded but exclusive lifestyle, completely cut off from the masses. Education has taken a back seat within Pakistan with madrasas teaching hatred against the kafir and indoctrinating youngsters to plan jihads. Where went the fashionable Karachi, the cultural Lahore and the Swat valley – formerly called the Switzerland of Pakistan?
Majority of Indians initially had lived with a Pakistan complex while the Pakistanis always had shown a persecution complex. The feeling against each other is the highest when the two neighbours played Cricket of Hockey. Win and loss are quiet metaphorical for both, with the winner enjoying true revenge!
Slowly we see that the southern part of India has started forgetting Pakistan. The resultant amnesia of Pakistan in the mind of south Indian is giving them other thoughts, thoughts about progressing and doing well in life. Soon you will see the same with other Indians too. Times are changing. In this nanosecond decade, there is no time to sit down and brood over a dream that had soured. Pakistan is becoming a thing of the past and past is passé. All are busy, with their life and vocation. Pakistan is slowly becoming alienated, even from the Indians!
How can Pakistan ever forget India forgetting it?
Close to six and half decades later, Pakistan today stands as a withered dream.
While Pakistanis would never accept their angst toward India, from their communications and body language, the feeling is quiet evident. Over the last two decades, India had moved completely away from all its comparisons with Pakistan, it is on its way now to joining China in economic status. Pakistan is left way behind. Whenever I read books written by Pakistani authors or hear interviews with them, I see the angst showing up in tongue in cheek form. All said and done, India is there in every Pakistani’s subconscious mind. Having begun the journey together, it is but natural that we get to see them very disappointed.
What is Pakistan today? With all that happening around, it looks more like a banana republic. Left to rule by inefficient, clannish politicians who really do not know whether they are coming or going, with no assistance coming from corrupt establishment and bureaucracy. A completely porous border with Afghanistan continues to give the country mighty migraine! The country side is full of primitive Jihadis who are fighting sectarian wars against each other, when they are not scheming against India. The Pakistan army continues to have it its thumb well on the government and the rulers. To top it all, the country is continuously affected by natural calamities one way or the other. When it is not earth quake, it is the flood! The country and its people are totally ravaged!
The rich and famous are fleeing the country. Or at least they are forced to send their children study outside the nation, either in Middle East or Europe. They live a secluded but exclusive lifestyle, completely cut off from the masses. Education has taken a back seat within Pakistan with madrasas teaching hatred against the kafir and indoctrinating youngsters to plan jihads. Where went the fashionable Karachi, the cultural Lahore and the Swat valley – formerly called the Switzerland of Pakistan?
Majority of Indians initially had lived with a Pakistan complex while the Pakistanis always had shown a persecution complex. The feeling against each other is the highest when the two neighbours played Cricket of Hockey. Win and loss are quiet metaphorical for both, with the winner enjoying true revenge!
Slowly we see that the southern part of India has started forgetting Pakistan. The resultant amnesia of Pakistan in the mind of south Indian is giving them other thoughts, thoughts about progressing and doing well in life. Soon you will see the same with other Indians too. Times are changing. In this nanosecond decade, there is no time to sit down and brood over a dream that had soured. Pakistan is becoming a thing of the past and past is passé. All are busy, with their life and vocation. Pakistan is slowly becoming alienated, even from the Indians!
How can Pakistan ever forget India forgetting it?
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
കടം വരുമ്പോള് ധനം വരുന്നു
അച്ചന് പറഞ്ഞു, എന്നച്ചന് പറഞ്ഞു
മിച്ചം സൂക്ഷിക്ക ഭാവിയില് ഗുണം ചെയ്യും
ഇല്ലാലത് ഇല്ലാത്തവന് കൊടുത്താല് കിട്ടും
പുന്ണ്യമ്തുപകരിക്കും ഉണ്ണി നിന് പരമ്പരക്ക്
ശ്രേഷ്ടന് അച്ഛനത് ചെയ്തു കുറെ വച്ചു മിച്ചം
പിന്നെക്കുറെ മാറ്റി പാവങ്ങള് അഗതികള്കായ്
കിട്ടിയ പുന്ണ്യത്തോടെ കൂടാതെ മിച്ച്ചങ്ങളും
കൂട്ടി അന്തസ്സോടെ ജിവിപ്പു ഭൂവില് മക്കള്
നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകള് മാറി തത്വങ്ങള് കാറ്റായി മാറി
ഗ്ലോബലൈസേഷന് പടിപ്പുര കടന്നുള്ളിലെത്തി
ഉപഭോഗ സംസ്കാരം വന്നുറച്ചുല്സവം
എം എന് എന്സികള് ആടി താള ലയങ്ങളോടെ
ഉള്ളവനില് നിന്നന്തരം ഇല്ലത്തവനുയരവേ
പിന്നെയവന് അന്തര്ധാനം ചെയ്യവേ, കെട്ടുപിണഞ്ഞ
തത്വങ്ങളില് മധ്യവര്ഗം നില്പൂ കിതപ്പോടെ
അന്ഗുമില്ല്ല്ലിങ്ങുമില്ല മിച്ചങ്ങള് ഒന്നുമില്ല
നാടോടുമ്പോള് നടുവേ ഓടണമെന്ന ചൊല്ല്
വാണിജ്യ സഖാക്കള് ഓതിടുമ്പോള്
മിച്ചങ്ങള് ഇല്ലാതെ പിടിച്ചു നില്പാനിവന്
താങ്ങല് അന്വേഷിപ്പൂ ആര് സഹായിപ്പോന്
വരൂ വരൂ മൂന്നു മിനിട്ടിനകം പണം
പണ്ടങ്ങള് വേണമില്ലേല് പ്രമാണങ്ങള്
വീട്ടില് വച്ചിട്ട് എന്തിനു കേഴുന്നു നാട്ടില്
ചൊന്നൂ ബാങ്കുകള് പണയ ഗൃഹങ്ങളും ഒന്നൊന്നായ്
പണ്ടത്തിന് ജാമ്യത്തില് ചുമല ഗാന്ധിക്കെട്ടുകള്
കീശക്കുള്ളില് തള്ളി തത്വങ്ങള്ക്ക്അവധിയും നല്കി
ഞാന് ചിന്തിച്ചു ജീവിതം നൈമിഷികം
ആഘോഷമാണ് കാതല് സന്തോഷിക്കണം എന്നും
സത്യങ്ങള് മാറിടുന്നു തത്വങ്ങള് മാറിടുന്നു
ഉപഭോഗ സംസ്കാരം അമ്മാനം ആടിടുന്നു
നൂതന ധന തത്വങ്ങള് ഉണ്ടാകുന്നു പുതു
സത്യം വരുന്നു ' കടം വരുമ്പോള് ധനം വരുന്നു '
മിച്ചം സൂക്ഷിക്ക ഭാവിയില് ഗുണം ചെയ്യും
ഇല്ലാലത് ഇല്ലാത്തവന് കൊടുത്താല് കിട്ടും
പുന്ണ്യമ്തുപകരിക്കും ഉണ്ണി നിന് പരമ്പരക്ക്
ശ്രേഷ്ടന് അച്ഛനത് ചെയ്തു കുറെ വച്ചു മിച്ചം
പിന്നെക്കുറെ മാറ്റി പാവങ്ങള് അഗതികള്കായ്
കിട്ടിയ പുന്ണ്യത്തോടെ കൂടാതെ മിച്ച്ചങ്ങളും
കൂട്ടി അന്തസ്സോടെ ജിവിപ്പു ഭൂവില് മക്കള്
നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകള് മാറി തത്വങ്ങള് കാറ്റായി മാറി
ഗ്ലോബലൈസേഷന് പടിപ്പുര കടന്നുള്ളിലെത്തി
ഉപഭോഗ സംസ്കാരം വന്നുറച്ചുല്സവം
എം എന് എന്സികള് ആടി താള ലയങ്ങളോടെ
ഉള്ളവനില് നിന്നന്തരം ഇല്ലത്തവനുയരവേ
പിന്നെയവന് അന്തര്ധാനം ചെയ്യവേ, കെട്ടുപിണഞ്ഞ
തത്വങ്ങളില് മധ്യവര്ഗം നില്പൂ കിതപ്പോടെ
അന്ഗുമില്ല്ല്ലിങ്ങുമില്ല മിച്ചങ്ങള് ഒന്നുമില്ല
നാടോടുമ്പോള് നടുവേ ഓടണമെന്ന ചൊല്ല്
വാണിജ്യ സഖാക്കള് ഓതിടുമ്പോള്
മിച്ചങ്ങള് ഇല്ലാതെ പിടിച്ചു നില്പാനിവന്
താങ്ങല് അന്വേഷിപ്പൂ ആര് സഹായിപ്പോന്
വരൂ വരൂ മൂന്നു മിനിട്ടിനകം പണം
പണ്ടങ്ങള് വേണമില്ലേല് പ്രമാണങ്ങള്
വീട്ടില് വച്ചിട്ട് എന്തിനു കേഴുന്നു നാട്ടില്
ചൊന്നൂ ബാങ്കുകള് പണയ ഗൃഹങ്ങളും ഒന്നൊന്നായ്
പണ്ടത്തിന് ജാമ്യത്തില് ചുമല ഗാന്ധിക്കെട്ടുകള്
കീശക്കുള്ളില് തള്ളി തത്വങ്ങള്ക്ക്അവധിയും നല്കി
ഞാന് ചിന്തിച്ചു ജീവിതം നൈമിഷികം
ആഘോഷമാണ് കാതല് സന്തോഷിക്കണം എന്നും
സത്യങ്ങള് മാറിടുന്നു തത്വങ്ങള് മാറിടുന്നു
ഉപഭോഗ സംസ്കാരം അമ്മാനം ആടിടുന്നു
നൂതന ധന തത്വങ്ങള് ഉണ്ടാകുന്നു പുതു
സത്യം വരുന്നു ' കടം വരുമ്പോള് ധനം വരുന്നു '
INDIA WHEN THE WORLD POPULATION HITS SEVEN BILLION
The population of Planet Earth had crossed Seven billion as of yesterday, the 31st of October 2011. After reaching 4 billion in the year 1975, the population has been growing by a billion every 12 year or so.
7 billion People! Of this, 2.5 billion stays in China & India. China currently leads the world with the population figures of about 1.34 billion and India is following suit at 1.21 billion. As China’s population growth rate has come down, it is expected that India would overtake China by 2025 to be the most populous nation of the word.
India’s case is a curious one. The overflowing population of the country could be a demographic dividend or a demographic disaster. Planners call it an opportunity and a challenge at the same time. If the 1.2 plus billion people are going to stay, work and live in India, I would foresee this more as a disaster than a dividend, unless the country prepares at a breakneck speed to accommodate its growing millions, which is very unlikely.
Statistics says that India now has more than 60 per cent of the population under the age of 35 years. This would be 50 per cent if one looks at Indians under 25 years of age. This is what is highlighted as demographic dividend by the ‘India zindabad’ apostles. That the working population availability is highest in India could be a dividend if so many of men and women are able to find out decent employment to pursue their lives. Therein lay the irony!
The Europe had aged and North America is ageing fast. India’s demographic dividend, if allowed to channelize and distribute well across these geographies, could really form a major dividend. Whereas products and services move freely across the continents and countries of the world, people movement is still very restricted. That could result in a huge mass of employable population rotting in the country for want of gainful jobs to make a good living. If the jobs do not come by, which one doubts, the present level of economic maladies that affect the world and the country is an indication, could lead to a disaster than dividend.
China had strictly enforced population control measures some four decade back. One child per family was made a norm and if anyone exceeded it, penalties and holding of the benefit to the family resulted in citizen complying with the law. India, during Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s emergency reign (with the help of her son Sanjay Gandhi), tried to enforce population control measures on its people. But it failed and the numbers went on increasing, though the population growth rate had come down to 17.64 per cent now from 24 per cent in the 1970s. Though the rate had come down, I find the 17.64 per cent figure still very high. The state of Kerala, which had been a model for the country in demographic matters, the growth rate is only 4.86 per cent.
Another major concern that India is going to face is the inequitable sex ratio. As per the last census (2011), there are only 914 girls available to every 100 boys. Female foeticide due to the cultural preference for families to have boys more than girls had played a major role for this to happen and this would add to the demographic disaster of India, in time to come.
Coming to the state of Kerala; as per country’s census 2011, the population is at 33.3 million persons. This forms close to 3 percent of the national population and it dwells in only 1 per cent of the total area of the country! Kerala has the highest population density of 859 people per square kilometers and it is three times the national average. The most wonderful aspect of Kerala demography is that the sex-ratio of the state (females per 1000 males) of 1084. Kerala is the only state in India with a female positive figure. In addition to all these figures, the Human development Indices (HDI) of the State are at par with that of the developed nations in terms of life expectancy, infant mortality etc. No wonder, all these figures made Kerala the model state of the country, on demography statistics.
7 billion People! Of this, 2.5 billion stays in China & India. China currently leads the world with the population figures of about 1.34 billion and India is following suit at 1.21 billion. As China’s population growth rate has come down, it is expected that India would overtake China by 2025 to be the most populous nation of the word.
India’s case is a curious one. The overflowing population of the country could be a demographic dividend or a demographic disaster. Planners call it an opportunity and a challenge at the same time. If the 1.2 plus billion people are going to stay, work and live in India, I would foresee this more as a disaster than a dividend, unless the country prepares at a breakneck speed to accommodate its growing millions, which is very unlikely.
Statistics says that India now has more than 60 per cent of the population under the age of 35 years. This would be 50 per cent if one looks at Indians under 25 years of age. This is what is highlighted as demographic dividend by the ‘India zindabad’ apostles. That the working population availability is highest in India could be a dividend if so many of men and women are able to find out decent employment to pursue their lives. Therein lay the irony!
The Europe had aged and North America is ageing fast. India’s demographic dividend, if allowed to channelize and distribute well across these geographies, could really form a major dividend. Whereas products and services move freely across the continents and countries of the world, people movement is still very restricted. That could result in a huge mass of employable population rotting in the country for want of gainful jobs to make a good living. If the jobs do not come by, which one doubts, the present level of economic maladies that affect the world and the country is an indication, could lead to a disaster than dividend.
China had strictly enforced population control measures some four decade back. One child per family was made a norm and if anyone exceeded it, penalties and holding of the benefit to the family resulted in citizen complying with the law. India, during Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s emergency reign (with the help of her son Sanjay Gandhi), tried to enforce population control measures on its people. But it failed and the numbers went on increasing, though the population growth rate had come down to 17.64 per cent now from 24 per cent in the 1970s. Though the rate had come down, I find the 17.64 per cent figure still very high. The state of Kerala, which had been a model for the country in demographic matters, the growth rate is only 4.86 per cent.
Another major concern that India is going to face is the inequitable sex ratio. As per the last census (2011), there are only 914 girls available to every 100 boys. Female foeticide due to the cultural preference for families to have boys more than girls had played a major role for this to happen and this would add to the demographic disaster of India, in time to come.
Coming to the state of Kerala; as per country’s census 2011, the population is at 33.3 million persons. This forms close to 3 percent of the national population and it dwells in only 1 per cent of the total area of the country! Kerala has the highest population density of 859 people per square kilometers and it is three times the national average. The most wonderful aspect of Kerala demography is that the sex-ratio of the state (females per 1000 males) of 1084. Kerala is the only state in India with a female positive figure. In addition to all these figures, the Human development Indices (HDI) of the State are at par with that of the developed nations in terms of life expectancy, infant mortality etc. No wonder, all these figures made Kerala the model state of the country, on demography statistics.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
THE ETERNAL GHAZAL: “WOH KAAGAZ KI KASHTI, WOH BAARISH KA PAANI”
Music has this fantastic ability to change one’s mood. It could motivate us, make us happy, bring peace to us, make us very angry and sometimes very sad….. Sometimes it may the cadence of lyrics and sometimes it may simply be the tune. Whichever way, it definitely impacts us. We had read about cows giving more milk after listening to music and basketball players scoring high after music therapy sessions. No wonder Howard Gardner the great Professor of Cognition and Education at Harvard called it as one of the best forms of intelligence that man possesses.
The wonderful part of music is that one can enjoy music even without understanding the meaning of the words. It could be gaiety of the voice or the tune of the symphony. I had seen many people completely immersed in the music/songs without understanding a word of it. Such is mostly the case of ghazals for the south Indian, particularly the Malayali. In that, one person with his melodious but deep voice stands apart and he was Jagjit Singh. There is this innate ability in his voice to move people and make them very much at ease. And that is why along with Mehdi Hassan of Pakistan, he had become the toast of the subcontinent.
That voice is no more…. We will never hear it live; its owner had left us to be in eternal peace, leaving us all in deep sorrow of a loss that will be impossible to bridge.
I reproduce below the first stanza of the ghazal “Woh Kaagaz ki kashti who baarish ka paani” with its English translation:
“Ye daulat bhi le lo, ye shoharat bhi le lo
Bhale cheen lo mujhse meri javaani
Magar mujhko lautaa do bachpan ka saavan
Woh kaagaz kii kashti, woh baarish ka paani”
Meaning……
“Take away my wealth, take away my wellbeing
Need be, snatch my youth away from me
But return to me the spring of my childhood
And that paper boats that sail in rain water”
How can one forget the paper boat sailing in that rain water… All of us had done it…Love to go back to the life of kaagaz ka kashti and baarish ka paani?
Immortal lines from Gulzar, sung with utmost feeling by Jagjit Singh. It will ever reverberate in the memory of any music lover. Goodbye, Singer, may your soul always rest in peace ……………
The wonderful part of music is that one can enjoy music even without understanding the meaning of the words. It could be gaiety of the voice or the tune of the symphony. I had seen many people completely immersed in the music/songs without understanding a word of it. Such is mostly the case of ghazals for the south Indian, particularly the Malayali. In that, one person with his melodious but deep voice stands apart and he was Jagjit Singh. There is this innate ability in his voice to move people and make them very much at ease. And that is why along with Mehdi Hassan of Pakistan, he had become the toast of the subcontinent.
That voice is no more…. We will never hear it live; its owner had left us to be in eternal peace, leaving us all in deep sorrow of a loss that will be impossible to bridge.
I reproduce below the first stanza of the ghazal “Woh Kaagaz ki kashti who baarish ka paani” with its English translation:
“Ye daulat bhi le lo, ye shoharat bhi le lo
Bhale cheen lo mujhse meri javaani
Magar mujhko lautaa do bachpan ka saavan
Woh kaagaz kii kashti, woh baarish ka paani”
Meaning……
“Take away my wealth, take away my wellbeing
Need be, snatch my youth away from me
But return to me the spring of my childhood
And that paper boats that sail in rain water”
How can one forget the paper boat sailing in that rain water… All of us had done it…Love to go back to the life of kaagaz ka kashti and baarish ka paani?
Immortal lines from Gulzar, sung with utmost feeling by Jagjit Singh. It will ever reverberate in the memory of any music lover. Goodbye, Singer, may your soul always rest in peace ……………
Thursday, October 6, 2011
STEVE JOBS - THE GENIUS WHO DARED TO WALK ALONE
Way back in the early eighties, when one started his career as a sales professional in the instrumentation field, never had I thought of the possibility of spending a major part of the life and career associated with Computers and Information Technology. A North Indian friend motivated me to look up at IT as the field of career choice and with minimum expectations, I walked into the Office of the HR head of HCL at Delhi, seeking out an opening. One thing led to the other and soon I had metamorphosed as a computer salesman. The love affair that had started then with Information Technology is still going strong though one had moved on through the routes of management and entrepreneurship. It had been fun but it had also been a lot of tough learning, for the Technology had been growing at rapid strides and obsolescence was a malady that could strike products and people any day. One had to be on his toes always in the sunrise industry of emerging technology. For those who had the attitude, drive and resilience, this had been a great career that gave excellent learning curve.
John Naisbitt in his book Global Paradox had said that if automobile technology grew at the pace of IT, today a Toyota Lexus would have travelled at the speed of sound for a handful of gas and it would cost less than 2 dollars. It is no sheer exaggeration! That was indeed the pace at which IT grew. Some companies and personalities had been instrumental for this to happen. They pushed, pushed and pushed the technology and people connected to it to take it this far. Thomas Watson, Andy Grove, Bill Gates, Scot McNealy, Larry Ellison, John Chambers are some of the aggressive technology pushers. But among all, stands tall a name, totally apart, mostly untouched by any of them. And that name is none other than STEVE JOBS.
A college dropout, a tinker of technology, Steve Jobs travelled the path less travelled by others. In everything he did there was the underlying innovation. He was the man on the spot, he learned from people and nature, thought very differently from others and dreamt completely different dreams. The maverick innovation that he spearheaded was evident in all that he did, including the naming of the company he founded with Steve Wosniak. When technology organizations called themselves as Business Machines, Microsoft and Computer Associates etc., he called his company Apple (How is an Apple connected to Computers?) and christened his product as McIntosh (which is the name normally associated with Liquor and Tobacco). Anyone who used his products, stayed permanently put with his company. Throughout my career, I had never seen a company that had such longer term loyal fan following. Such was his genius and some out-of-the-world products came out of his stable, particularly in the latter part of his life (yes, there are reasons). Just have a look, iPod, iPhone, iPad….. it was success all the way and Apple laughed the way to bank and the market capitalization of the company hit the roof. Before he withdrew from Apple for health reasons, Apple crossed USD 100 Billion in revenue terms! Need we say more?
It was crazy seeing people queue up before Apple show rooms hours before the opening to buy the products the company had launched. Customers loved every single product of Apple; Apple software partners gained immensely developing apps around apple products. Resellers gained more by selling Apple products. In all, it was win-win-win all the way!
Steve Jobs stands totally apart as an entrepreneur, thinker, designer and even as a human being. Whenever one looked at his photos (that was the closest that I had been to Steve Jobs!) there was this mellow, pale, sad tinge of a look that one saw. His eyes never laughed, it bore a sad expression, an expression that you see in people suffering from the weightage of the thought of all the bad things that is happening around us. But, his eyes also had this steely resolve. It said that he was someone out there to complete what he started….
One is not in the know of his personal life. One has read of his affinity to hippie culture while growing up, his liking for Bob Dylan and Beatles (in fact he gives high credit to Beatles for giving him a management strategy. Somewhere he said “My model for business is The Beatles: They were four guys that kept each other's negative tendencies in check; they balanced each other. And the total was greater than the sum of the parts. Great things in business are not done by one person, they are done by a team of people.") It looks like; in faith he followed Zen Buddhism. His personal life was a very private one. Yes, it best remained that way.
Notwithstanding the fact that he would ever be remembered as an entrepreneur who set up to run a ‘blue ocean’ company, he was forced to quit the company he founded, way back in 1985. In 1983, the company and the board brought in John Scully, the much touted marketing genius who made his mark in Pepsi Cola, to take Apple forward. The tactics of Scully to compete with IBM (thereby moving from a ‘Blue Ocean’ to ‘Red Ocean’ company) did not find acceptance from Steve and the subsequent fracas left him being evicted from the company he founded. Jobs went out to start another company; Next Inc, and tinkered with hardware and software for some time, only to be bought up by Apple which was by then nose diving to obscurity. The second stint of Jobs saw Apple sending Sony’s Walkman into oblivion thru its iPod and later making Nokia run for cover with the fantastic iPhone. And, recently there was iPad the tablet, all going into million unit sales soon after the launch. Futuristic products from the visionary technocrat!
I had always believed that innovation is the outcome of very simple thinking. The more complicated one is, the least innovative he is. All the futuristic products of Apple gave very simple, very friendly but everlasting utility to users. It is rare in the field of technology to find a person who combines maverick designs to very simplistic utility. I feel his prying mind was always occupied with user concerns and pain areas and with 'lay' users in mind he always thought of simple usages for better adaptability of technology. And he succeeded where many failed!
Cancer is a dirty disease. Pancreas cancer is even worse. I was very saddened to read him catching it. The news of his fight with cancer, his long absence from Apple for treatment and him coming back again were read with bated breath. However, finally the genius surrendered to the disease. At a young age of 56, yesterday, Steven Jobs bid adieu to the world. He has become a memory but a very strong one. Every genius in this world would want to take his name in his thoughts. He gave so much to the company, to the customers and to the world.
I bow before the genius of Steve Jobs and pray his noble soul rest in eternal peace.
Mails received from Readers:
From: Gopakumar M Nair [mailto:gopakumarmnair@gmail.com]
Sent: 07 October 2011 11:04
To: S R Nair
Subject: Re: Remembering steve @apple campus by many
My dear SR,
Thank you very much for linking me to your blog.
The piece you have written on Steve Jobs in your inimitable and very personal style is very touching. I had known until now your background only from when you left HCL and founded Team Frontline to now. So the previous period that you talk about in this blog and deals with how you turned away from Instrumentation to embrace IT and from a careerist to an entrepreneur not only fill those gaps in my mind but I found them inspiring as well. Youngsters venturing out from professional colleges into the big world will do well to know the path taken by a pioneer like you.
The parallels between your innovative organization in Kerala and Steve Job's on a wider canvas of the world become evident to those who read your blog. Maybe you didn't mean it that way, but then those who know you from close and Steve Jobs from following him through media cannot but see the similarities in the two of you. I am proud to be your friend and customer. In a way, it is my way of knowing Jobs better.
With warm regards and congratulations on an excellent blog.
Gopi
From: V George Antony [mailto:george@uaeexchange.co.in]
Sent: 07 October 2011 11:51
To: S R Nair
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
Thank you and good write up
Best Regards
V GEORGE ANTONY | Country Head - India
UAE Exchange & Financial Services Ltd.
From: C.P.Mammen [mailto:mammencp@ccstechnologies.in]
Sent: 07 October 2011 11:55
To: S R Nair
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
SR, an excellent tribute to Steve Jobs.
With regards,
Mammen C P.
From: balagopal.b@sbi.co.in [mailto:balagopal.b@sbi.co.in]
Sent: 07 October 2011 12:09
To: S R Nair
Subject: Re: Steve Jobs
Dear SR
A fitting tribute to a truly great man. Very well written .
Regards
B Balagopal
Chief Manager(MPST)
State Bank of India,
From: as.girish@apollotyres.com [mailto:as.girish@apollotyres.com]
Sent: 07 October 2011 12:03
To: S R Nair
Subject: Re: STEVE JOBS
Dear SR,
The first mail was sent immediately on seeing your mail .This is being sent after reading your rich tribute to Steve Jobs.You have penned down this from the bottom of your heart .Pl share all such thoughts with us because we will benefit from the same..Iam circulating your tribute to all NIPM members.
I still remember how much moved you were when we lost.Mr.C.K.Prahalad.
Regards
A S Girish
HEAD (HR & ADMN.)
Apollo Tyres Ltd.
From: Roy I.Varghese [mailto:rv@rva.in]
Sent: 07 October 2011 12:55
To: S R Nair
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
SR,
Great Obituary.
I have read a commencement speech given by Steve Jobs to fresh graduates in which he said :This is the day I have reached anywhere near graduation !
He mentioned in his speech about three turning points in his life:
1.His biological parents left him in the hospital for adoption and it took a few days for a couple to adopt him who are his worldly parents.
2.His frustrations after he was sent out from Apple at the age of 28 ( I still remember the magazine cover which reads: Jobs is Jobless) and his coming back to life due to his marriage to his girl friend and he went on to create world’s best animation company which merged with Apple and Jobs was back in Apple.
3.His diagnosis of cancer in a routine medical test , was told initially that it is not curable and his plans for the limited period of life left.
I have never used an Apple product partly due to the fear of getting hooked to a company and its products, but always envied the creativity and genius of Steve Jobs.
Roy
From: Dr. George Sleeba [mailto:gsleeba@vguard.in]
Sent: 07 October 2011 13:47
To: S R Nair
Subject: Re: Steve Jobs
Dear SR,
Really a great obituary about a truly great and noble soul. I enjoyed reading every word of it. Only you can do it !
George Sleeba
From: cmd@cslonline.in [mailto:cmd@cslonline.in]
Sent: 07 October 2011 16:06
To: S R Nair
Subject: Re: Steve Jobs
Dear Mr Nair,
Must say one of the more articulate & balanced summing up of a legendary innovator. Very well written. Thank you.
Best regards
K Subramaniam
Chairman, Cochin Shipyard Limited
From: Sunil K Zachariah [mailto:sunilkzach@futuristicindia.com]
Sent: 07 October 2011 17:05
To: S R Nair
Subject: Steve Jobs
Dear S R,
I just read your great blog on Steve Jobs. Excellent piece indeed.
Best regards,
Sunil K Zachariah
Original Message-----
From: A.V George [mailto:avgeorge@avggroup.net]
Sent: 10 October 2011 10:22
To: S R Nair;
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
THREE APPLES CHANGED THE WORLD:
ONE SEDUCED ADAM;
ONE FELL ON NEWTON;
ONE WAS OFFERED TO THE WORLD BY STEVE JOBS !
--------------------------------------------------
From: Jose P Philip [mailto:josepphilip50@gmail.com]
Sent: 09 October 2011 12:22
To: S R Nair
Cc: srnair.cochin@gmail.com
Subject: Re: STEVE JOBS
Dear SR,
A good memorial writing about Steve.
HE succeeded where others failed.
He developed a potential technology for the upliftment of mankind.
Imagin the millions of people who have been benefited with the innovations of Steve , millions of customers,instituitions,corporates, Apple" own employees,etc. in this world .
He has been a cause to change their lives.
Note his words in 2005 , from a talk at Stanford University.
" YOUR TIME IS LIMITED ,SO DON'T WASTE IT LIVING SOMEBODY ELSE'S LIFE.
DON'T BE TRAPPED BY DOGMA - WHICH IS LIVING WITH THE RESULTS OF OTHER PEOPLE'S THINKING .
AND MOST IMPORTANT , HAVE THE COURAGE OF FOLLOW YOUR HEART AND INTUTION '
Regards,
Jose P Philip.
From: I.Balachandran [mailto:vpriya@sify.com]
Sent: 08 October 2011 16:35
To: S R Nair
Subject: Praise Steve Jobs
Dear SR,
Your Eulogy on Steve Jobs is very befitting the man, who passed away at an early age of 56. Steve Jobs had been an visionary, innovator, team leader, inspirer, developer, technologist, psychologist, marketer and financial wizard rolled in one. He was a rare breed.
So much has been written about him in the newspapers, so much has been said of him in other media. What were the achievements of Steve Jobs? He created excellent user experiences for his consumers that they were ready to queue up for his products. He prized them premium since he estimated that his consumers would see his products worthy of the prize he demanded. His products became such cult items that a considerable section of the wealthy or wannabees wanted ensure they were not seen without them. Apple brought out new versions every six months to tell crazy customers you need to upgrade and they were always ready to do so. He made huge profits for his company that his company's cash reserves were more than that of the "wealthiest" nation of the world. He definitely achieved what none has achieved before. He did all these when he was battling cancer. Truly, a great achievement worthy of, perhaps, more than the praise he received.
But all these also make me think of the value of systems of the society today. Great efforts of people who made an impact on the life of the common man and the poor most often get much less praise. Those who enabled the poor to have a full meal a day get less attention. Take examples of Mr. Swaminathan, the leader of our green revolution or Mr. Kurien, who spearheaded the White revolution. Will the profound impact they made on our country and our people be as eulogised as the man who lead Apple to prosperity and beyond? The media lauds those who the audience wants lauded. Aren't our value systems a little out? Isn't that a root cause for the problems people and nations are facing? Why do periods between recessions continue to shorten? Why are great companies of yesterdays, like Yahoo, cast aways today? Will Google & Apple too take the same route in the near future? Why is success and reign at the top a short tryst with destiny before the fire is extinguished? Why are "investors" giving priority to companies showing meteoric rise but prone to technological obsolescence while ignoring those rooted in the soil?
While we were in the management school, we had learned of the concepts - Product, Promotion, marketing & societal marketing. It was believed that societal marketing, where goods and services that promote the long term good of the society, was the sustainable and durable. But today we make the same consumers consume more of same or similar goods that they may not want anymore till they get constipated. Then the economy stalls. The huge population that is outside the ambit of this overfed consumer is ignored and left to have nothing at all. What a pity!
Isn't it time, we appreciated and honoured real greats who made the lives of the underprivileged better? Should the eulogy match the width & tier of the population who benefited? Or should it be like honouring Obama with a Nobel Peace Prize for what he was expected to do for the betterment of the world but had shown no inclination to do?
Praise Steve Jobs but let us not forget the greater men who made a difference to this world and its 'real' people. Let us also remember there is so much efforts to be done at the grass roots to make the people of this world happier.
An Apple a day, does it really keep the doctor away?
Regards,
Bala
From: Sam Santhosh [mailto:sams@calsoftlabs.com]
Sent: 08 October 2011 12:30
To: S R Nair
Cc: TiE Kerala;
Subject: Re: STEVE JOBS
Well said SR !.
Btw, Dont forget Steve Job's contribution to Pixar. At one time he was the only CEO in the world running tow multi billion dollar companies at the same time.
Rgds,
Sam
-----Original Message-----
From: Murali Gopalan [mailto:murali.gopalan1@gmail.com]
Sent: 08 October 2011 09:23
To: S R Nair; TiE Kerala;
Subject: Re: STEVE JOBS
SR,
Steve Jobs inspired me, personally, and I set up an innovation program in our company that has become a hit with our customers.
I had a "jailbroken" iPhone in Jan 2006 for use in India that made me marvel at its design and inspired my guidance to my systems development teams for simple user friendly designs.
Thanks for your thoughtful note.
Murali
From: Alex Thomas [mailto:alex@tierra.in]
Sent: 08 October 2011 00:11
To: S R Nair; 'TiE Kerala';
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
Dear SR
Lot of people are singing paeans to Steve Jobs . I am not sure whether he deserves all those accolades.
It is sad that Steve Jobs died so young. However, is he worthy of the huge tributes being poured out globally by everyone from national & business leaders to millions of fans of Apple and their products?.
I think we should judge somebody’s legacy by asking how the people in the society are getting benefitted with their work.
Steve Jobs has revolutionized the product design and marketing but do any of the Apple products make any fundamental difference in the way we are living. Many people are sporting iPhones and iPads but does it really make any difference in their lives like Personal Computer made.
The personal computer or the home computer was initially designed by Ed Roberts, supported by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, who were working on the software side. This development took the whole personal computer revolution to a new level . In the process Microsoft made the computers affordable to every one today. Steve Wozniak designed the first Apple Computer a little later which was a slow starter .
Both Jobs and Gates did not invent something very new which was not available in the world during that part of the time but they tried to revolutionize their respective fields..
Microsoft has made efforts to reach most parts of the world and it was Bill Gates idea that the computers should be made affordable for people even in the developing nations or the underdeveloped nations. By the contrary the Mac Books which are very well designed are made and priced in a way that they are not affordable to many people.
Similarly the iPhones which are the best smartphones , designed very well, and priced very high and are affordable by only a small population.
Bill gates is portrayed as a cut throat capitalist but he did his best to reach the masses, earned money and realized that life is more precious than money. Now he use that for charity. Apple also is making money but Jobs is/was a poster boy of the media because of his dramatics. And he is not known for any charitable activities .
Steve Jobs will definitely be remembered by many people but may not be because of any lasting change made in their lives.
Regards
Alex Thomas
Managing Director │Tierra Food India Private Ltd│ Cochin
Tel: 0484-2783028│Fax: 0484-2551460│Mob: +91 9388689400
From: S R Nair Sent: 08 October 2011 11:03
To: 'TiE Kerala'; Alex Thomas
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
Dear Alex Saab,
Everyone is entitled to have an opinion. I respect your views. Knowing you as much as I do, your's is an opinion which normally differed from the crowd.
Having said that, let me put it this way that an obituary or tribute is never done in comparative terms. When someone passes away, it is natural that we speak about his positives and portray the contributions made by him. We call it his 'yashus'. You will agree that Steve Jobs truly deserved one.
Some inputs from you on technology are not factual, I am afraid. For instance, the first Personal Computer with a true OS was Steve job's (Apple's) creation and not IBM's or Bill Gate's. By this very fact itself he will get your acceptance, I am sure.
If PC was a true innovation that benefitted mankind (similar to Internet) some 30 years back, now the innovation called Tablet (Jobs called it iPad) is revolutionalising the unification of media. Our children will not remember PC but this unified device only. Such is always the evolution of technologies of times!
Both Bill Gates & Steve Jobs are creations of American capatalism. One looked at entrepreneurial opportunities aggressively whereas the other embraced innovation. Who is up & who is down does not arise here. But I personally feel that the former is cut throat whereas the latter was genuine (an 'original' - so to say!). That is how most people saw them, mostly.
Having not offered charity does not diminish Steve Jobs's stature a wee bit. (it is normally said that people who offers charity does it due to their guilty conscience). His contributions to mankind thru technology far outweighs the lack of charity from his side. (by the way who said that Jobs did not do charity?)
My mail to you is not to diminish or refute your considered views. I am trying to bring some clarity, that's all. My respect for Bill Gates almost compares with that of you & you know that!
Thanks
SR
-----Original Message-----
From: V K Mathews [mailto:vkm@ibsplc.com]
Sent: 09 October 2011 13:19
To: S R Nair; Alex Thomas
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
Dear Alex,
Thank you for the interesting perspective, which is different from most of the rest. I also refer to SR's well articulated views and facts. Being a person from this industry where our own business plans and strategies are influenced and affected by such business leaders as Gates and Jobs, I thought I too should share my thoughts.
Steve Jobs is one of the greatest IT innovators of our times whose passion for innovation and perfection is a model for all! He has caused to change the way we live by redefining the human-computer interface and thus delivering a whole new portfolio of services, which has opened up a completely new world of ICT opportunities and benefits.
Having an innovative idea is one thing, but executing it to such perfection as what Apple did is unique of Steve's conviction and determination. And finally, getting his ideas embraced by the world, and more so, by the next generation of consequence is where Steve Jobs standing different from others.
There are always brighter and better ideas, but how does it matter if it is not embraced by the masses? This is where Steve scores 100 percent. With just few products (iPod, iPhone, iPad and the Mac), Steve Jobs created the second most valuable company in the world worth over US$ 300 billion! This is the real stamp of the acceptance and consequence of his ideas, which will influence the way technologies will be used to change the way we live and transact with each other in future.
My salute to this great man who has made such a positive difference to the world we live!
Best Regards
VK
________________________________
V K Mathews
Executive Chairman
The IBS Group
Phone: +91 471 6614 300
Fax: +91 471 2700 082
e-mail: vkm@ibsplc.com
-----Original Message-----
From: RK Nair [mailto:rknair@gmail.com]
Sent: 10 October 2011 18:15
To: S R Nair
Cc: 'TiE Kerala'; Alex Thomas
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
I had been in the technology field from 1979. I agree with SRs views. There is no doubt that Steve Jobs was probably the greatest innovator of our times. The world ows a lot to this man. Let us pray for his soul. Let us also hope that soon India will see some great innovators like Steve Jobs!
Regards
RK Nair
-----Original Message-----
From: abraham ak [mailto:drakabraham@gmail.com]
Sent: 10 October 2011 18:33
To: S R Nair
Subject: Re: Steve Jobs
Dear SR
Thanks for presenting my feelings on Steve Jobs in a manner , that I could never have managed. Being a gadget addict, and the possessor of
3 iPods, iPad2, and an iPhone "dupe", I feel orphaned.
Dr AK Abraham
John Naisbitt in his book Global Paradox had said that if automobile technology grew at the pace of IT, today a Toyota Lexus would have travelled at the speed of sound for a handful of gas and it would cost less than 2 dollars. It is no sheer exaggeration! That was indeed the pace at which IT grew. Some companies and personalities had been instrumental for this to happen. They pushed, pushed and pushed the technology and people connected to it to take it this far. Thomas Watson, Andy Grove, Bill Gates, Scot McNealy, Larry Ellison, John Chambers are some of the aggressive technology pushers. But among all, stands tall a name, totally apart, mostly untouched by any of them. And that name is none other than STEVE JOBS.
A college dropout, a tinker of technology, Steve Jobs travelled the path less travelled by others. In everything he did there was the underlying innovation. He was the man on the spot, he learned from people and nature, thought very differently from others and dreamt completely different dreams. The maverick innovation that he spearheaded was evident in all that he did, including the naming of the company he founded with Steve Wosniak. When technology organizations called themselves as Business Machines, Microsoft and Computer Associates etc., he called his company Apple (How is an Apple connected to Computers?) and christened his product as McIntosh (which is the name normally associated with Liquor and Tobacco). Anyone who used his products, stayed permanently put with his company. Throughout my career, I had never seen a company that had such longer term loyal fan following. Such was his genius and some out-of-the-world products came out of his stable, particularly in the latter part of his life (yes, there are reasons). Just have a look, iPod, iPhone, iPad….. it was success all the way and Apple laughed the way to bank and the market capitalization of the company hit the roof. Before he withdrew from Apple for health reasons, Apple crossed USD 100 Billion in revenue terms! Need we say more?
It was crazy seeing people queue up before Apple show rooms hours before the opening to buy the products the company had launched. Customers loved every single product of Apple; Apple software partners gained immensely developing apps around apple products. Resellers gained more by selling Apple products. In all, it was win-win-win all the way!
Steve Jobs stands totally apart as an entrepreneur, thinker, designer and even as a human being. Whenever one looked at his photos (that was the closest that I had been to Steve Jobs!) there was this mellow, pale, sad tinge of a look that one saw. His eyes never laughed, it bore a sad expression, an expression that you see in people suffering from the weightage of the thought of all the bad things that is happening around us. But, his eyes also had this steely resolve. It said that he was someone out there to complete what he started….
One is not in the know of his personal life. One has read of his affinity to hippie culture while growing up, his liking for Bob Dylan and Beatles (in fact he gives high credit to Beatles for giving him a management strategy. Somewhere he said “My model for business is The Beatles: They were four guys that kept each other's negative tendencies in check; they balanced each other. And the total was greater than the sum of the parts. Great things in business are not done by one person, they are done by a team of people.") It looks like; in faith he followed Zen Buddhism. His personal life was a very private one. Yes, it best remained that way.
Notwithstanding the fact that he would ever be remembered as an entrepreneur who set up to run a ‘blue ocean’ company, he was forced to quit the company he founded, way back in 1985. In 1983, the company and the board brought in John Scully, the much touted marketing genius who made his mark in Pepsi Cola, to take Apple forward. The tactics of Scully to compete with IBM (thereby moving from a ‘Blue Ocean’ to ‘Red Ocean’ company) did not find acceptance from Steve and the subsequent fracas left him being evicted from the company he founded. Jobs went out to start another company; Next Inc, and tinkered with hardware and software for some time, only to be bought up by Apple which was by then nose diving to obscurity. The second stint of Jobs saw Apple sending Sony’s Walkman into oblivion thru its iPod and later making Nokia run for cover with the fantastic iPhone. And, recently there was iPad the tablet, all going into million unit sales soon after the launch. Futuristic products from the visionary technocrat!
I had always believed that innovation is the outcome of very simple thinking. The more complicated one is, the least innovative he is. All the futuristic products of Apple gave very simple, very friendly but everlasting utility to users. It is rare in the field of technology to find a person who combines maverick designs to very simplistic utility. I feel his prying mind was always occupied with user concerns and pain areas and with 'lay' users in mind he always thought of simple usages for better adaptability of technology. And he succeeded where many failed!
Cancer is a dirty disease. Pancreas cancer is even worse. I was very saddened to read him catching it. The news of his fight with cancer, his long absence from Apple for treatment and him coming back again were read with bated breath. However, finally the genius surrendered to the disease. At a young age of 56, yesterday, Steven Jobs bid adieu to the world. He has become a memory but a very strong one. Every genius in this world would want to take his name in his thoughts. He gave so much to the company, to the customers and to the world.
I bow before the genius of Steve Jobs and pray his noble soul rest in eternal peace.
Mails received from Readers:
From: Gopakumar M Nair [mailto:gopakumarmnair@gmail.com]
Sent: 07 October 2011 11:04
To: S R Nair
Subject: Re: Remembering steve @apple campus by many
My dear SR,
Thank you very much for linking me to your blog.
The piece you have written on Steve Jobs in your inimitable and very personal style is very touching. I had known until now your background only from when you left HCL and founded Team Frontline to now. So the previous period that you talk about in this blog and deals with how you turned away from Instrumentation to embrace IT and from a careerist to an entrepreneur not only fill those gaps in my mind but I found them inspiring as well. Youngsters venturing out from professional colleges into the big world will do well to know the path taken by a pioneer like you.
The parallels between your innovative organization in Kerala and Steve Job's on a wider canvas of the world become evident to those who read your blog. Maybe you didn't mean it that way, but then those who know you from close and Steve Jobs from following him through media cannot but see the similarities in the two of you. I am proud to be your friend and customer. In a way, it is my way of knowing Jobs better.
With warm regards and congratulations on an excellent blog.
Gopi
From: V George Antony [mailto:george@uaeexchange.co.in]
Sent: 07 October 2011 11:51
To: S R Nair
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
Thank you and good write up
Best Regards
V GEORGE ANTONY | Country Head - India
UAE Exchange & Financial Services Ltd.
From: C.P.Mammen [mailto:mammencp@ccstechnologies.in]
Sent: 07 October 2011 11:55
To: S R Nair
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
SR, an excellent tribute to Steve Jobs.
With regards,
Mammen C P.
From: balagopal.b@sbi.co.in [mailto:balagopal.b@sbi.co.in]
Sent: 07 October 2011 12:09
To: S R Nair
Subject: Re: Steve Jobs
Dear SR
A fitting tribute to a truly great man. Very well written .
Regards
B Balagopal
Chief Manager(MPST)
State Bank of India,
From: as.girish@apollotyres.com [mailto:as.girish@apollotyres.com]
Sent: 07 October 2011 12:03
To: S R Nair
Subject: Re: STEVE JOBS
Dear SR,
The first mail was sent immediately on seeing your mail .This is being sent after reading your rich tribute to Steve Jobs.You have penned down this from the bottom of your heart .Pl share all such thoughts with us because we will benefit from the same..Iam circulating your tribute to all NIPM members.
I still remember how much moved you were when we lost.Mr.C.K.Prahalad.
Regards
A S Girish
HEAD (HR & ADMN.)
Apollo Tyres Ltd.
From: Roy I.Varghese [mailto:rv@rva.in]
Sent: 07 October 2011 12:55
To: S R Nair
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
SR,
Great Obituary.
I have read a commencement speech given by Steve Jobs to fresh graduates in which he said :This is the day I have reached anywhere near graduation !
He mentioned in his speech about three turning points in his life:
1.His biological parents left him in the hospital for adoption and it took a few days for a couple to adopt him who are his worldly parents.
2.His frustrations after he was sent out from Apple at the age of 28 ( I still remember the magazine cover which reads: Jobs is Jobless) and his coming back to life due to his marriage to his girl friend and he went on to create world’s best animation company which merged with Apple and Jobs was back in Apple.
3.His diagnosis of cancer in a routine medical test , was told initially that it is not curable and his plans for the limited period of life left.
I have never used an Apple product partly due to the fear of getting hooked to a company and its products, but always envied the creativity and genius of Steve Jobs.
Roy
From: Dr. George Sleeba [mailto:gsleeba@vguard.in]
Sent: 07 October 2011 13:47
To: S R Nair
Subject: Re: Steve Jobs
Dear SR,
Really a great obituary about a truly great and noble soul. I enjoyed reading every word of it. Only you can do it !
George Sleeba
From: cmd@cslonline.in [mailto:cmd@cslonline.in]
Sent: 07 October 2011 16:06
To: S R Nair
Subject: Re: Steve Jobs
Dear Mr Nair,
Must say one of the more articulate & balanced summing up of a legendary innovator. Very well written. Thank you.
Best regards
K Subramaniam
Chairman, Cochin Shipyard Limited
From: Sunil K Zachariah [mailto:sunilkzach@futuristicindia.com]
Sent: 07 October 2011 17:05
To: S R Nair
Subject: Steve Jobs
Dear S R,
I just read your great blog on Steve Jobs. Excellent piece indeed.
Best regards,
Sunil K Zachariah
Original Message-----
From: A.V George [mailto:avgeorge@avggroup.net]
Sent: 10 October 2011 10:22
To: S R Nair;
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
THREE APPLES CHANGED THE WORLD:
ONE SEDUCED ADAM;
ONE FELL ON NEWTON;
ONE WAS OFFERED TO THE WORLD BY STEVE JOBS !
--------------------------------------------------
From: Jose P Philip [mailto:josepphilip50@gmail.com]
Sent: 09 October 2011 12:22
To: S R Nair
Cc: srnair.cochin@gmail.com
Subject: Re: STEVE JOBS
Dear SR,
A good memorial writing about Steve.
HE succeeded where others failed.
He developed a potential technology for the upliftment of mankind.
Imagin the millions of people who have been benefited with the innovations of Steve , millions of customers,instituitions,corporates, Apple" own employees,etc. in this world .
He has been a cause to change their lives.
Note his words in 2005 , from a talk at Stanford University.
" YOUR TIME IS LIMITED ,SO DON'T WASTE IT LIVING SOMEBODY ELSE'S LIFE.
DON'T BE TRAPPED BY DOGMA - WHICH IS LIVING WITH THE RESULTS OF OTHER PEOPLE'S THINKING .
AND MOST IMPORTANT , HAVE THE COURAGE OF FOLLOW YOUR HEART AND INTUTION '
Regards,
Jose P Philip.
From: I.Balachandran [mailto:vpriya@sify.com]
Sent: 08 October 2011 16:35
To: S R Nair
Subject: Praise Steve Jobs
Dear SR,
Your Eulogy on Steve Jobs is very befitting the man, who passed away at an early age of 56. Steve Jobs had been an visionary, innovator, team leader, inspirer, developer, technologist, psychologist, marketer and financial wizard rolled in one. He was a rare breed.
So much has been written about him in the newspapers, so much has been said of him in other media. What were the achievements of Steve Jobs? He created excellent user experiences for his consumers that they were ready to queue up for his products. He prized them premium since he estimated that his consumers would see his products worthy of the prize he demanded. His products became such cult items that a considerable section of the wealthy or wannabees wanted ensure they were not seen without them. Apple brought out new versions every six months to tell crazy customers you need to upgrade and they were always ready to do so. He made huge profits for his company that his company's cash reserves were more than that of the "wealthiest" nation of the world. He definitely achieved what none has achieved before. He did all these when he was battling cancer. Truly, a great achievement worthy of, perhaps, more than the praise he received.
But all these also make me think of the value of systems of the society today. Great efforts of people who made an impact on the life of the common man and the poor most often get much less praise. Those who enabled the poor to have a full meal a day get less attention. Take examples of Mr. Swaminathan, the leader of our green revolution or Mr. Kurien, who spearheaded the White revolution. Will the profound impact they made on our country and our people be as eulogised as the man who lead Apple to prosperity and beyond? The media lauds those who the audience wants lauded. Aren't our value systems a little out? Isn't that a root cause for the problems people and nations are facing? Why do periods between recessions continue to shorten? Why are great companies of yesterdays, like Yahoo, cast aways today? Will Google & Apple too take the same route in the near future? Why is success and reign at the top a short tryst with destiny before the fire is extinguished? Why are "investors" giving priority to companies showing meteoric rise but prone to technological obsolescence while ignoring those rooted in the soil?
While we were in the management school, we had learned of the concepts - Product, Promotion, marketing & societal marketing. It was believed that societal marketing, where goods and services that promote the long term good of the society, was the sustainable and durable. But today we make the same consumers consume more of same or similar goods that they may not want anymore till they get constipated. Then the economy stalls. The huge population that is outside the ambit of this overfed consumer is ignored and left to have nothing at all. What a pity!
Isn't it time, we appreciated and honoured real greats who made the lives of the underprivileged better? Should the eulogy match the width & tier of the population who benefited? Or should it be like honouring Obama with a Nobel Peace Prize for what he was expected to do for the betterment of the world but had shown no inclination to do?
Praise Steve Jobs but let us not forget the greater men who made a difference to this world and its 'real' people. Let us also remember there is so much efforts to be done at the grass roots to make the people of this world happier.
An Apple a day, does it really keep the doctor away?
Regards,
Bala
From: Sam Santhosh [mailto:sams@calsoftlabs.com]
Sent: 08 October 2011 12:30
To: S R Nair
Cc: TiE Kerala;
Subject: Re: STEVE JOBS
Well said SR !.
Btw, Dont forget Steve Job's contribution to Pixar. At one time he was the only CEO in the world running tow multi billion dollar companies at the same time.
Rgds,
Sam
-----Original Message-----
From: Murali Gopalan [mailto:murali.gopalan1@gmail.com]
Sent: 08 October 2011 09:23
To: S R Nair; TiE Kerala;
Subject: Re: STEVE JOBS
SR,
Steve Jobs inspired me, personally, and I set up an innovation program in our company that has become a hit with our customers.
I had a "jailbroken" iPhone in Jan 2006 for use in India that made me marvel at its design and inspired my guidance to my systems development teams for simple user friendly designs.
Thanks for your thoughtful note.
Murali
From: Alex Thomas [mailto:alex@tierra.in]
Sent: 08 October 2011 00:11
To: S R Nair; 'TiE Kerala';
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
Dear SR
Lot of people are singing paeans to Steve Jobs . I am not sure whether he deserves all those accolades.
It is sad that Steve Jobs died so young. However, is he worthy of the huge tributes being poured out globally by everyone from national & business leaders to millions of fans of Apple and their products?.
I think we should judge somebody’s legacy by asking how the people in the society are getting benefitted with their work.
Steve Jobs has revolutionized the product design and marketing but do any of the Apple products make any fundamental difference in the way we are living. Many people are sporting iPhones and iPads but does it really make any difference in their lives like Personal Computer made.
The personal computer or the home computer was initially designed by Ed Roberts, supported by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, who were working on the software side. This development took the whole personal computer revolution to a new level . In the process Microsoft made the computers affordable to every one today. Steve Wozniak designed the first Apple Computer a little later which was a slow starter .
Both Jobs and Gates did not invent something very new which was not available in the world during that part of the time but they tried to revolutionize their respective fields..
Microsoft has made efforts to reach most parts of the world and it was Bill Gates idea that the computers should be made affordable for people even in the developing nations or the underdeveloped nations. By the contrary the Mac Books which are very well designed are made and priced in a way that they are not affordable to many people.
Similarly the iPhones which are the best smartphones , designed very well, and priced very high and are affordable by only a small population.
Bill gates is portrayed as a cut throat capitalist but he did his best to reach the masses, earned money and realized that life is more precious than money. Now he use that for charity. Apple also is making money but Jobs is/was a poster boy of the media because of his dramatics. And he is not known for any charitable activities .
Steve Jobs will definitely be remembered by many people but may not be because of any lasting change made in their lives.
Regards
Alex Thomas
Managing Director │Tierra Food India Private Ltd│ Cochin
Tel: 0484-2783028│Fax: 0484-2551460│Mob: +91 9388689400
From: S R Nair Sent: 08 October 2011 11:03
To: 'TiE Kerala'; Alex Thomas
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
Dear Alex Saab,
Everyone is entitled to have an opinion. I respect your views. Knowing you as much as I do, your's is an opinion which normally differed from the crowd.
Having said that, let me put it this way that an obituary or tribute is never done in comparative terms. When someone passes away, it is natural that we speak about his positives and portray the contributions made by him. We call it his 'yashus'. You will agree that Steve Jobs truly deserved one.
Some inputs from you on technology are not factual, I am afraid. For instance, the first Personal Computer with a true OS was Steve job's (Apple's) creation and not IBM's or Bill Gate's. By this very fact itself he will get your acceptance, I am sure.
If PC was a true innovation that benefitted mankind (similar to Internet) some 30 years back, now the innovation called Tablet (Jobs called it iPad) is revolutionalising the unification of media. Our children will not remember PC but this unified device only. Such is always the evolution of technologies of times!
Both Bill Gates & Steve Jobs are creations of American capatalism. One looked at entrepreneurial opportunities aggressively whereas the other embraced innovation. Who is up & who is down does not arise here. But I personally feel that the former is cut throat whereas the latter was genuine (an 'original' - so to say!). That is how most people saw them, mostly.
Having not offered charity does not diminish Steve Jobs's stature a wee bit. (it is normally said that people who offers charity does it due to their guilty conscience). His contributions to mankind thru technology far outweighs the lack of charity from his side. (by the way who said that Jobs did not do charity?)
My mail to you is not to diminish or refute your considered views. I am trying to bring some clarity, that's all. My respect for Bill Gates almost compares with that of you & you know that!
Thanks
SR
-----Original Message-----
From: V K Mathews [mailto:vkm@ibsplc.com]
Sent: 09 October 2011 13:19
To: S R Nair; Alex Thomas
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
Dear Alex,
Thank you for the interesting perspective, which is different from most of the rest. I also refer to SR's well articulated views and facts. Being a person from this industry where our own business plans and strategies are influenced and affected by such business leaders as Gates and Jobs, I thought I too should share my thoughts.
Steve Jobs is one of the greatest IT innovators of our times whose passion for innovation and perfection is a model for all! He has caused to change the way we live by redefining the human-computer interface and thus delivering a whole new portfolio of services, which has opened up a completely new world of ICT opportunities and benefits.
Having an innovative idea is one thing, but executing it to such perfection as what Apple did is unique of Steve's conviction and determination. And finally, getting his ideas embraced by the world, and more so, by the next generation of consequence is where Steve Jobs standing different from others.
There are always brighter and better ideas, but how does it matter if it is not embraced by the masses? This is where Steve scores 100 percent. With just few products (iPod, iPhone, iPad and the Mac), Steve Jobs created the second most valuable company in the world worth over US$ 300 billion! This is the real stamp of the acceptance and consequence of his ideas, which will influence the way technologies will be used to change the way we live and transact with each other in future.
My salute to this great man who has made such a positive difference to the world we live!
Best Regards
VK
________________________________
V K Mathews
Executive Chairman
The IBS Group
Phone: +91 471 6614 300
Fax: +91 471 2700 082
e-mail: vkm@ibsplc.com
-----Original Message-----
From: RK Nair [mailto:rknair@gmail.com]
Sent: 10 October 2011 18:15
To: S R Nair
Cc: 'TiE Kerala'; Alex Thomas
Subject: RE: STEVE JOBS
I had been in the technology field from 1979. I agree with SRs views. There is no doubt that Steve Jobs was probably the greatest innovator of our times. The world ows a lot to this man. Let us pray for his soul. Let us also hope that soon India will see some great innovators like Steve Jobs!
Regards
RK Nair
-----Original Message-----
From: abraham ak [mailto:drakabraham@gmail.com]
Sent: 10 October 2011 18:33
To: S R Nair
Subject: Re: Steve Jobs
Dear SR
Thanks for presenting my feelings on Steve Jobs in a manner , that I could never have managed. Being a gadget addict, and the possessor of
3 iPods, iPad2, and an iPhone "dupe", I feel orphaned.
Dr AK Abraham
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
GO KISS THE WORLD
This book written by Subroto Bagchi, Vice Chairman & Gardner, MindTree, Bangalore has been with me for some months. After having done a perfunctory scan and ‘mota mota’ reading, I kept it in my rack of pending books to be read. In between so many books came and went (including Bagchi ’s ‘The High Performance Entrepreneur’) but somehow I could not lay my hands on it for long. Having got some free time on Sunday the 14th August, I took the book and completed reading it within the next four hours in one sitting. In one reading because the book was so interesting, well written, well printed and contextually well composed. If I didn’t read this book it would have been a great miss for me, certainly. My Independence day SMS greetings to friends contained a one-liner from this book (“Our achievements are as good as the value that they create for others”- can it be said better?)
Instead of writing a review about the book, I thought it fit to place here some of the other insights that I picked up from the book, as below:
1. Your pain is as large as your inability to see the pain elsewhere
2. When you make a choice, you also chose the consequences
3. You can acquire any amount of material success you want but do not expect that to be the source of your happiness
4. Sometimes, one has to blessed to be ordinary
5. Success creates entrapment as it is much easier to stay with the familiar
6. Perception is reality and it takes time for perception to build (as told to him by Sridhar Mitta)
7. While it takes time to build perceptions, it takes even longer for perceptions to change (as told to him by Sridhar Mitta)
8. What makes an organization truly memorable and provides it with not just differentiation but defence is its EMOTIONAL INFRASTRUCURE. Emotional Infrastructure is the collection of all emotional aspects of an organization. It is the shared consciousness and soul of the enterprise. It goes beyond just culture
9. Most men takes more out of life than they give to it, a few give more than they take out of it. The world is run by the latter.
10. No other profession takes the true worth of your own abilities than a sales job for the simple reason that the outcome of the job is binary; you either made a sale or lost it.
11. Those who write well, learn to synthesise their ideas better and it makes them better thinkers.
12. Success is your ability to rise above your discomfort, whatever be your current state of wealth.
13. There are two futures; the future of desire and the future of fate. The man’s reason has never learnt to separate them (Written by J D Bernal in his book ‘The World, The Flesh & The Devil’ as quoted by Bagchi)
Throughout the book one found several similarities of the background, the thoughts and actions of the author with oneself. Thus the empathy factor while reading the book, has been the highest.
Bagchi ’s way of expression, clarity of thought and contextual communication are brilliant. Somewhere he said he would have made a better teacher. Indeed it is true. Reading the book, one couldn’t have thought of a better teacher than him.
Instead of writing a review about the book, I thought it fit to place here some of the other insights that I picked up from the book, as below:
1. Your pain is as large as your inability to see the pain elsewhere
2. When you make a choice, you also chose the consequences
3. You can acquire any amount of material success you want but do not expect that to be the source of your happiness
4. Sometimes, one has to blessed to be ordinary
5. Success creates entrapment as it is much easier to stay with the familiar
6. Perception is reality and it takes time for perception to build (as told to him by Sridhar Mitta)
7. While it takes time to build perceptions, it takes even longer for perceptions to change (as told to him by Sridhar Mitta)
8. What makes an organization truly memorable and provides it with not just differentiation but defence is its EMOTIONAL INFRASTRUCURE. Emotional Infrastructure is the collection of all emotional aspects of an organization. It is the shared consciousness and soul of the enterprise. It goes beyond just culture
9. Most men takes more out of life than they give to it, a few give more than they take out of it. The world is run by the latter.
10. No other profession takes the true worth of your own abilities than a sales job for the simple reason that the outcome of the job is binary; you either made a sale or lost it.
11. Those who write well, learn to synthesise their ideas better and it makes them better thinkers.
12. Success is your ability to rise above your discomfort, whatever be your current state of wealth.
13. There are two futures; the future of desire and the future of fate. The man’s reason has never learnt to separate them (Written by J D Bernal in his book ‘The World, The Flesh & The Devil’ as quoted by Bagchi)
Throughout the book one found several similarities of the background, the thoughts and actions of the author with oneself. Thus the empathy factor while reading the book, has been the highest.
Bagchi ’s way of expression, clarity of thought and contextual communication are brilliant. Somewhere he said he would have made a better teacher. Indeed it is true. Reading the book, one couldn’t have thought of a better teacher than him.
For professionals and entrepreneurs, it is a book worth reading. I strongly recommend it to all.
In this connection, I also deem it fit to add the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi as expressed in ‘Young Indian’ in the year 1928. He had mentioned seven SINs therein and they are:
* Politics without Principle
* Wealth without Work
* Pleasure without conscience
* Knowledge without Character
* Commerce without Morality
* Science without Humanity; &
* Worship without Renunciation of EGO
Continuing with the thoughts of Subroto Bagchi, I feel that knowledge of the above sins and behaviours based on that will reach a professional and an entrepreneur way above the rest.
Are you listening?
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
ANOTHER ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IN THE MAKING
Brace yourselves Ladies and Gentlemen, in all probability; there is a global economic Tsunami in the offing. The dark clouds of the same have been hovering around the sky for some time now, in the form of global inflation, food shortage, stock market slides, northward interest rates and liquidity shortage. The Deficit crisis in US though got resolved for the time being by the Obama administration, had resulted the Standard & Poor downgrading the rating of that country from AAA to AA+ and this had amply augmented the process of Downturn. (It is another matter that the same Standard & Poor applied poor standards in rating the derivatives of the subprime loans). The present precarious economic condition of European nations particularly Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain & Italy will make matter worse for the globe. The crude oil price hasn’t fallen yet and the skyrocketing of Bullion rates is another manifestation of the challenges to come about.
Then there are talks about Rupee appreciating against dollar which is bad news for exports. Conversely it could be positive for the country that our oil imports will get the benefit from a weak dollar.
In the last instance of the major global recession that happened only 3 years ago, though India was not impacted at the scale of what happened to China and all, our IT sector and Exports were affected. This time too it could happen to these sectors though there is this comfort factor that western IT companies have sufficient cash surplus to pursue the ITS & ITES services to continue being in India. This is happy news.
What is the situation for India now? We would want the crude oil prices to come down. This alone will control the inflation and bring down the interest rates. Lower interest rates will move up the financial services market, particularly the stock market, giving fillip to retail investors who are really off it now.
When American and European markets are not doing well, the advice given to FIIs was to invest in attractive Asian market. India should await that to happen. But will that ever happen? Please consider the present political situation in the country. Madam is sick and away, the PM is inactive and not really in control, the coalition parties are continuing the loot, perceptions of big and rampant corruption at high places, civil society agitations, states wanting to split etc. are not giving them any confidence to do so. This could be a major worry for all.
News of Global recession brings fear in every body’s mind. Our Finance Minister hasn’t really commented on it. Like everyone, he is also on a wait and watch mode. I hope and pray that as in the past, the recession will not make a major impact on our country. However, my hunch says no. As we are getting more and more integrated into the global economy (do you know that India has invested in Rs.1,83,000 crores in American Debt papers?), the chance of the impact can only go up. Is that not the reason for our FM, RBI Governor etc . keeping mum and watching the developments? So, there is no surety on anything. It comes as it comes. We cannot predict anything in advance.
Is there a reason to panic? Presently, no. Though time hasn’t come for one to go into true austerity measure, it would be a good idea to restrict ostentatious spending. This is time for cautious optimism. The emerging huge Indian market could be a saviour for the Indian trade and commerce. However we need to ensure is that we get into the market with products and services that has global quality and standards. That could be a challenging task for the Indian industry particularly the SME sector. The huge SME sector needs to go thru the transformation process to be the best. It is where systems, process and technology come to help. Organisations that undergo the change in these lines will benefit immensely from the local market. So it is time for Indian industry, particularly the SME to think, plan and act.
Is it a tall order?
Then there are talks about Rupee appreciating against dollar which is bad news for exports. Conversely it could be positive for the country that our oil imports will get the benefit from a weak dollar.
In the last instance of the major global recession that happened only 3 years ago, though India was not impacted at the scale of what happened to China and all, our IT sector and Exports were affected. This time too it could happen to these sectors though there is this comfort factor that western IT companies have sufficient cash surplus to pursue the ITS & ITES services to continue being in India. This is happy news.
What is the situation for India now? We would want the crude oil prices to come down. This alone will control the inflation and bring down the interest rates. Lower interest rates will move up the financial services market, particularly the stock market, giving fillip to retail investors who are really off it now.
When American and European markets are not doing well, the advice given to FIIs was to invest in attractive Asian market. India should await that to happen. But will that ever happen? Please consider the present political situation in the country. Madam is sick and away, the PM is inactive and not really in control, the coalition parties are continuing the loot, perceptions of big and rampant corruption at high places, civil society agitations, states wanting to split etc. are not giving them any confidence to do so. This could be a major worry for all.
News of Global recession brings fear in every body’s mind. Our Finance Minister hasn’t really commented on it. Like everyone, he is also on a wait and watch mode. I hope and pray that as in the past, the recession will not make a major impact on our country. However, my hunch says no. As we are getting more and more integrated into the global economy (do you know that India has invested in Rs.1,83,000 crores in American Debt papers?), the chance of the impact can only go up. Is that not the reason for our FM, RBI Governor etc . keeping mum and watching the developments? So, there is no surety on anything. It comes as it comes. We cannot predict anything in advance.
Is there a reason to panic? Presently, no. Though time hasn’t come for one to go into true austerity measure, it would be a good idea to restrict ostentatious spending. This is time for cautious optimism. The emerging huge Indian market could be a saviour for the Indian trade and commerce. However we need to ensure is that we get into the market with products and services that has global quality and standards. That could be a challenging task for the Indian industry particularly the SME sector. The huge SME sector needs to go thru the transformation process to be the best. It is where systems, process and technology come to help. Organisations that undergo the change in these lines will benefit immensely from the local market. So it is time for Indian industry, particularly the SME to think, plan and act.
Is it a tall order?
Saturday, July 23, 2011
THE CASE OF BEING Dr. MANMOHAN SINGH
Our Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has now become the second longest serving PM of India after Mrs Indira Gandhi. However, he has a long way to go before he beats her. It is a feat that is almost impossible for him, considering the present geopolitical situation of India and his age.
A brilliant Economist in his hey days (do not know if it can be said of him now, for him now it is more politics than economics), he had been a Researcher, a Professor, A Bureaucrat, an Economic adviser to Minsters, later a Cabinet Minister and now the Prime Minister and he had seen it all. Many would argue that lady luck had smiled on him many number of occasions, for him to be here. There is another school of thought that he had been a compromise candidate due to his abilities of mouth-shut and non-indulgence, in addition to being a ‘yes’ man. Thanks to his discipline, back seat driving in Politics had taken deep roots in India.
He came into prominence when India had only Hobson’s choice left to economically redeem itself globally. As a financially tottering nation came into the hands of Narsingh Rao to take care in 1991 and it was Rao as PM, who chose Dr Manmohan Singh, till then a Bureaucrat and economic advisor and brought him in as the Finance Minister of India. Rest is history, the whole world will know. India opened up and ‘globalization’ came here to stay. There is argument still whether the credit of globalization should go to Dr Manmohan Singh, particularly when there was no choice left for the country. Whatever be the merit of the argument, it is a fact that he presided over India’s globalization and that grew India to its present position as a leading global economic power. If ever he has to be remembered by posterity it is this deed and there is nothing else to really write home about, for all his latest deeds had been a result of the back seat driving that happened by the power that be, and every Indian knows who it is.
One has to truly marvel this ‘humble’ soul for the discipline with which he had gone about with his Prime Minister-ship. In his case, the dictum of “power corrupts..” had been proved wrong. He stayed totally ego less, truly as a dedicated servant of the Gandhi family. Even today, a single word from madam, he would fold his ‘bori- bister’ and vacate the office instantly. This aspect of behavior, we cannot see or expect from any Congressman of India, including the cronies who form the kitchen cabinet of the madam.
So, what is happening now? Most of the ills of the country are the result of the decisions taken by the coalition ministers of the UPA-1 ministry of Dr Manmohan Singh. A person like him, however clean he is, did not have the power and the leadership to manage or control his errant ministers, particularly those who came from allied parties such as the DMK, the TMC etc. What is the situation now? Completely mired in large corruption scandals, Dr Manmohan Singh has his back to the wall. Whereas he is looking at the madam for directions, it is not clear if he is getting the full support. Ministerial colleagues like Kapil Sibal (fully) and Pranab Mukherji (to some extend) are putting their mite behind him but we see him retreating more and the helplessness is writ large on his face, howsoever emotionless it is……..
His leadership style never had the ability to manage chaos. Whilst he has been innovative in his financial policies (particularly when he was the FM), his thinking always had been that of a ‘bureaucrat’, like the servant looking at the master for directions. He neither has the courage to take strong epoch making decisions nor was he capable of correcting and leading his colleagues to the right direction. What is that he has now? Only the clean image and he is clinging to it like his dear life. But when everything around him is so dirty and when he has no guts to take strong decisions, what is the point in clinging to it? It is better for him personally to leave the chair, with whatsoever cleanliness intact.
It is here that I would like to add an observation of the personal changes that he had undergone. After his heart surgery, he is much more in distress. The physical discomfort is very evident in his acts and deeds. His body language, his voice delivery, even his emotionlessness, is clearly affected as a result of that. One really does not know if he is really enjoying the Prime Minster ship. He looks to be stuck on to it, like a reluctant husband…
Is it the country’s fortune or misfortune? Time will tell……
A brilliant Economist in his hey days (do not know if it can be said of him now, for him now it is more politics than economics), he had been a Researcher, a Professor, A Bureaucrat, an Economic adviser to Minsters, later a Cabinet Minister and now the Prime Minister and he had seen it all. Many would argue that lady luck had smiled on him many number of occasions, for him to be here. There is another school of thought that he had been a compromise candidate due to his abilities of mouth-shut and non-indulgence, in addition to being a ‘yes’ man. Thanks to his discipline, back seat driving in Politics had taken deep roots in India.
He came into prominence when India had only Hobson’s choice left to economically redeem itself globally. As a financially tottering nation came into the hands of Narsingh Rao to take care in 1991 and it was Rao as PM, who chose Dr Manmohan Singh, till then a Bureaucrat and economic advisor and brought him in as the Finance Minister of India. Rest is history, the whole world will know. India opened up and ‘globalization’ came here to stay. There is argument still whether the credit of globalization should go to Dr Manmohan Singh, particularly when there was no choice left for the country. Whatever be the merit of the argument, it is a fact that he presided over India’s globalization and that grew India to its present position as a leading global economic power. If ever he has to be remembered by posterity it is this deed and there is nothing else to really write home about, for all his latest deeds had been a result of the back seat driving that happened by the power that be, and every Indian knows who it is.
One has to truly marvel this ‘humble’ soul for the discipline with which he had gone about with his Prime Minister-ship. In his case, the dictum of “power corrupts..” had been proved wrong. He stayed totally ego less, truly as a dedicated servant of the Gandhi family. Even today, a single word from madam, he would fold his ‘bori- bister’ and vacate the office instantly. This aspect of behavior, we cannot see or expect from any Congressman of India, including the cronies who form the kitchen cabinet of the madam.
So, what is happening now? Most of the ills of the country are the result of the decisions taken by the coalition ministers of the UPA-1 ministry of Dr Manmohan Singh. A person like him, however clean he is, did not have the power and the leadership to manage or control his errant ministers, particularly those who came from allied parties such as the DMK, the TMC etc. What is the situation now? Completely mired in large corruption scandals, Dr Manmohan Singh has his back to the wall. Whereas he is looking at the madam for directions, it is not clear if he is getting the full support. Ministerial colleagues like Kapil Sibal (fully) and Pranab Mukherji (to some extend) are putting their mite behind him but we see him retreating more and the helplessness is writ large on his face, howsoever emotionless it is……..
His leadership style never had the ability to manage chaos. Whilst he has been innovative in his financial policies (particularly when he was the FM), his thinking always had been that of a ‘bureaucrat’, like the servant looking at the master for directions. He neither has the courage to take strong epoch making decisions nor was he capable of correcting and leading his colleagues to the right direction. What is that he has now? Only the clean image and he is clinging to it like his dear life. But when everything around him is so dirty and when he has no guts to take strong decisions, what is the point in clinging to it? It is better for him personally to leave the chair, with whatsoever cleanliness intact.
It is here that I would like to add an observation of the personal changes that he had undergone. After his heart surgery, he is much more in distress. The physical discomfort is very evident in his acts and deeds. His body language, his voice delivery, even his emotionlessness, is clearly affected as a result of that. One really does not know if he is really enjoying the Prime Minster ship. He looks to be stuck on to it, like a reluctant husband…
Is it the country’s fortune or misfortune? Time will tell……
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
MF HUSSAIN - THE PAINTER OF HORSES
The look of an angel
With long fingers
The nonagenarian
The horse painter
The non conformist
With a creative air
Deft strokes producing
Peerless pictures
The weathered wall painter
With abstracts of modernity
So prolific on canvass
Thousands in numbers
The ladies’ man
With plenty of muses
Superstars to Socialites
To lap up adulation
No compromise
With artistic freedom
The proud man
Forced to flee
A thankless world
With nimble memories
A cruel world of
Religious fanatics
Toothless law
With no security
Fleeing to end
His Life offshore
He will be back
With Posthumous fame
The shoeless fakir
For a shameless country to claim
With long fingers
The nonagenarian
The horse painter
The non conformist
With a creative air
Deft strokes producing
Peerless pictures
The weathered wall painter
With abstracts of modernity
So prolific on canvass
Thousands in numbers
The ladies’ man
With plenty of muses
Superstars to Socialites
To lap up adulation
No compromise
With artistic freedom
The proud man
Forced to flee
A thankless world
With nimble memories
A cruel world of
Religious fanatics
Toothless law
With no security
Fleeing to end
His Life offshore
He will be back
With Posthumous fame
The shoeless fakir
For a shameless country to claim
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS & TRIVIA
• To those jails that were once filled by the parents on account of freedom struggle, the children go in; convicted for corrupt deals and crime.
• The quantum of corruption had ballooned exponentially. Bofors scandal was worth just seventy odd crores of Rupees and it cost the person his prime minster-ship. Now it is thousands of crores, and still the PM chair is very much intact.
• One of the most powerful persons of the world is a prisoner to her own security services. Even if the bird is a golden cage, it is nothing but captivity that it undergoes.
• Is leadership a way to amass wealth and power?
• If one nation has really problems of plenty, it is India. Truly it suffers on account of a huge population.
• After a person takes oath in a court to be truthful in his deposition and is found to be guilty later, then why is he not jailed for contempt of court for being untruthful at the first place?
• The crux of every known religion is love and compassion. Then why does religion fight each other?
• If nirvana is liberation from the sensory pleasures and finding the true self/God within, then why do we fanatically go after external Gods/God men for salvation?
• How many crores of Rupees will give you the peace of mind?
• Why do some make rules and regulation for everyone to follow but themselves?
• Who is the culprit that causes your emotions to burst; others or yourself?
• Is it worthy not to act because every action produces equal and opposite reaction?
• When leadership is full of thornes, is followership bed of roses?
• Who will bell the cat? You or your neighbour?
• Are you doing the right thing when you don’t tell someone because it will hurt him?
• Who is most powerful, Jesus Holy Christ or the Pope?
• Countries get rich by selling arms and war goods to others. They progress while humanity kills each other and destroy everything around. Is that what you call progress?!
• What goes around, will it come around? What about that goes to Swiss bank?
• What is true money, the white or black?
• When Buddha was an atheist, why is he called Bhagwan?
• Buddhism teaches Maitri Bhavana and defends it with Karate and Kungfu!
• It is very seldom that we find the words from someone matching with the true meaning of it?
• God is said to be ‘nirguna’, niramaya’ and ‘nirakara’. Then why does God look like human being in our thoughts?
• What is truth and how do we achieve truth?
• The quantum of corruption had ballooned exponentially. Bofors scandal was worth just seventy odd crores of Rupees and it cost the person his prime minster-ship. Now it is thousands of crores, and still the PM chair is very much intact.
• One of the most powerful persons of the world is a prisoner to her own security services. Even if the bird is a golden cage, it is nothing but captivity that it undergoes.
• Is leadership a way to amass wealth and power?
• If one nation has really problems of plenty, it is India. Truly it suffers on account of a huge population.
• After a person takes oath in a court to be truthful in his deposition and is found to be guilty later, then why is he not jailed for contempt of court for being untruthful at the first place?
• The crux of every known religion is love and compassion. Then why does religion fight each other?
• If nirvana is liberation from the sensory pleasures and finding the true self/God within, then why do we fanatically go after external Gods/God men for salvation?
• How many crores of Rupees will give you the peace of mind?
• Why do some make rules and regulation for everyone to follow but themselves?
• Who is the culprit that causes your emotions to burst; others or yourself?
• Is it worthy not to act because every action produces equal and opposite reaction?
• When leadership is full of thornes, is followership bed of roses?
• Who will bell the cat? You or your neighbour?
• Are you doing the right thing when you don’t tell someone because it will hurt him?
• Who is most powerful, Jesus Holy Christ or the Pope?
• Countries get rich by selling arms and war goods to others. They progress while humanity kills each other and destroy everything around. Is that what you call progress?!
• What goes around, will it come around? What about that goes to Swiss bank?
• What is true money, the white or black?
• When Buddha was an atheist, why is he called Bhagwan?
• Buddhism teaches Maitri Bhavana and defends it with Karate and Kungfu!
• It is very seldom that we find the words from someone matching with the true meaning of it?
• God is said to be ‘nirguna’, niramaya’ and ‘nirakara’. Then why does God look like human being in our thoughts?
• What is truth and how do we achieve truth?
Monday, April 11, 2011
BHARAT RATNA FOR SACHIN TENDULKAR
For long, Sachin Tendulkar has been the toast of the nation. Beautifully put by the young but thinking Virat Kohli to the commentator on the night that India had won the World Cup 2011, ‘he has been bearing the cross of the entire nation for 21 years’. Every single Indian, even if he is not a cricket fan, is in awe of Sachin and is concerned of his welfare. For all mothers, he is the son; for girls, he is the brother; for every sportsman, he is the role model; for dreamers, he is the manifestation of ultimate achievement. He is the darling of the nation. He simply cannot do anything wrong. When Greg Chapel told him to prepare for retirement, whole nation wanted to kill Chapel and suck his blood. ‘How dare he bring such a thought’ was the nation’s cry!
How did he protect his reputation this long? For a nation of 1.2 billion people, whose only obsession is cricket, he is the SUPER HERO. And this person maintained his image without a dent for long 21 years. He is well behaved, very even keel and still maintains the same levels of humility as in the past. For a player who hasn’t had academic accomplishments, we consider him as the ultimate master. Players say that he is a great team mate. He still practices for longer duration than any other player and has the discipline of his life and career intact. He is a good mentor for the junior players. While they respect him, they are so protective of him. The most valuable player of the tournament, Yuvraj Singh consecrated all his achievements of this World cup, to Sachin.
There are only minimum examples all around the world of a sportsperson who had achieved the stature that Sachin had grown into. From his game, there was Sir Don Bradman; in the field of athletics, there is a Carl Lewis or a Sergei Boobka. There is a Michael Jordan in Basketball, A Pele in Football; very few to count. Though Cricket is not a game played by all the nations of the world, in terms of followers, Sachin will have more followers than anybody. Just see how many Indians are there in the world and you will understand it.
How many records can a person really hold? Sachin Tendulkar keeps practically all the records of the game with him. In some areas, he has gone beyond any one’s reach. Even in this world cup, he is the second largest run getter. The Indian team dedicated this world cup to Sachin for, that was the only achievement that had eluded him in his long career.
Going with the wishes of the nation, Sachin hasn’t yet started to think about retiring from the any forms of the game. Though he is not partaking in the 20-20 world cup matches, he is still the captain of the Mumbai Indian team for the IPL 20-20 matches. We would continue to see Sachin Tendulkar chugging along, at least for another couple of years as he still has enough cricket juice left in him. He would know when to call it a day. But for now, he is still enjoying the game and doing a great job of it.
Maharashtra government passed a resolution in the assembly in the week of World cup win to recommend Sachin Tendulkar for Bharat Ratna Award, the highest civilian award that the country bestows on a person. Getting Bharat Ratna is a rare honour. Only very few had the privilege of getting it. This darling of the masses has now been officially nominated by his home state for the same.
The question is, has Sachin reached up to it, to the extent of being the Bharat Ratna recipient? Going back at the history, if one looks at the roll of honour of The Bharat Ratna recipients, you will see that a majority of them received it very well past their prime. Some of the well deserving personalities (such as Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel) got it posthumously. There is not even one person who had received in his thirty’s, forty’s or the fifty’s. No sportsperson has ever received this recognition. It looks like sports persons are not included in the category of Bharat Ratna recipients. An award such as Bharat Ratna reaches a person at the fag-end of his/her life and career. Look at Personalities such as Lata Mangeshkar, Bhimsen Joshi, Ravi Shankar, Bismillah Khan, Amartya Sen, Abdul Kalam and M S Subba Lakhshmi. All of them got the recognition after they went past their prime. They were all maestros in their field but they had to wait long to earn it. The pertinent question therefore is, has Sachin reached that stage?
Looking at the stage of life of all the above personalities, they had received the Bharat Ratna recognition after they had gone beyond the stage of self-actualization to that of SELF TRANSCENDENCE. Has Sachin reached the stage of self-transcendence in life?
There is still a lot of cricket left in him. He is much more of a commercial brand proposition now than that of a transcended person. There are some more milestones for him to reach. I feel the Bharat Ratna will taste him better when he receives the same after he retires from the game or at least at the very last stage of his career.
There is another question. If he is given Bharat Ratna now, what else will we give him at a stage when he really completes his accomplishments to become a transcended person?
A mute question it is, I believe. Though I know for sure, every emotional Indian will want it to happen now.
How did he protect his reputation this long? For a nation of 1.2 billion people, whose only obsession is cricket, he is the SUPER HERO. And this person maintained his image without a dent for long 21 years. He is well behaved, very even keel and still maintains the same levels of humility as in the past. For a player who hasn’t had academic accomplishments, we consider him as the ultimate master. Players say that he is a great team mate. He still practices for longer duration than any other player and has the discipline of his life and career intact. He is a good mentor for the junior players. While they respect him, they are so protective of him. The most valuable player of the tournament, Yuvraj Singh consecrated all his achievements of this World cup, to Sachin.
There are only minimum examples all around the world of a sportsperson who had achieved the stature that Sachin had grown into. From his game, there was Sir Don Bradman; in the field of athletics, there is a Carl Lewis or a Sergei Boobka. There is a Michael Jordan in Basketball, A Pele in Football; very few to count. Though Cricket is not a game played by all the nations of the world, in terms of followers, Sachin will have more followers than anybody. Just see how many Indians are there in the world and you will understand it.
How many records can a person really hold? Sachin Tendulkar keeps practically all the records of the game with him. In some areas, he has gone beyond any one’s reach. Even in this world cup, he is the second largest run getter. The Indian team dedicated this world cup to Sachin for, that was the only achievement that had eluded him in his long career.
Going with the wishes of the nation, Sachin hasn’t yet started to think about retiring from the any forms of the game. Though he is not partaking in the 20-20 world cup matches, he is still the captain of the Mumbai Indian team for the IPL 20-20 matches. We would continue to see Sachin Tendulkar chugging along, at least for another couple of years as he still has enough cricket juice left in him. He would know when to call it a day. But for now, he is still enjoying the game and doing a great job of it.
Maharashtra government passed a resolution in the assembly in the week of World cup win to recommend Sachin Tendulkar for Bharat Ratna Award, the highest civilian award that the country bestows on a person. Getting Bharat Ratna is a rare honour. Only very few had the privilege of getting it. This darling of the masses has now been officially nominated by his home state for the same.
The question is, has Sachin reached up to it, to the extent of being the Bharat Ratna recipient? Going back at the history, if one looks at the roll of honour of The Bharat Ratna recipients, you will see that a majority of them received it very well past their prime. Some of the well deserving personalities (such as Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel) got it posthumously. There is not even one person who had received in his thirty’s, forty’s or the fifty’s. No sportsperson has ever received this recognition. It looks like sports persons are not included in the category of Bharat Ratna recipients. An award such as Bharat Ratna reaches a person at the fag-end of his/her life and career. Look at Personalities such as Lata Mangeshkar, Bhimsen Joshi, Ravi Shankar, Bismillah Khan, Amartya Sen, Abdul Kalam and M S Subba Lakhshmi. All of them got the recognition after they went past their prime. They were all maestros in their field but they had to wait long to earn it. The pertinent question therefore is, has Sachin reached that stage?
Looking at the stage of life of all the above personalities, they had received the Bharat Ratna recognition after they had gone beyond the stage of self-actualization to that of SELF TRANSCENDENCE. Has Sachin reached the stage of self-transcendence in life?
There is still a lot of cricket left in him. He is much more of a commercial brand proposition now than that of a transcended person. There are some more milestones for him to reach. I feel the Bharat Ratna will taste him better when he receives the same after he retires from the game or at least at the very last stage of his career.
There is another question. If he is given Bharat Ratna now, what else will we give him at a stage when he really completes his accomplishments to become a transcended person?
A mute question it is, I believe. Though I know for sure, every emotional Indian will want it to happen now.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
TSUNAMI
What name have you
Unpleasant, complex and strange
Other name of gory destruction and death
Always unkind, cruel and unwanted
Mother earth heaves for you to happen
Of the loads assimilated while moving
And the inner plates rubbing each other
The undulations, vibrations and the mighty roar
As if having hurt the inner conscious
And of the soaring sign wave of emotion
And then the exit, forceful, to all direction
Unreigned, wild and a violent aftermath
Then you begin the sea, with it withdrawing first
To return with furious tidal waves
That climb the trees and houses on way
The battering annihilation of life inside
Nothing is spared, man or matter
Leaving huge colorless imprints
Of merciless killing and death
And yes, the suffering, for years to come
You are nature’s time bomb
The avenger who takes all of life away
Leaving near ones to dread to live
With crestfallen thoughts of meek destiny
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
A PERSPECTIVE ON INDUSTRIALIZATION OF KERALA
We need a simplified Industrial policy for the state for (1) Facilitating investment in the state (2) Employment generation and employability enhancement (3) Adherence to high quality standards.
Kerala per say is not a business friendly state. The attitude of the policy makers, bureaucrats and the citizens of the state to business men and entrepreneurs within Kerala is not very positive. In their eyes, business men and entrepreneur are manpower exploiting, tax evading and PROFIT making people who are not welcomed.
In Kerala entrepreneurship is not celebrated or recognized.
The policy makers and executives conveniently forget the economic principle that Entrepreneurship is the foundation stone of economic progress. Any society which is not entrepreneurial will not grow and the present economic ambience of the state is a testimony to this fact.
When the Revenue Minister and Finance ministers of the state use public podiums to castigate businessmen and entrepreneurs publicly, who will dare to start a venture here?
For a state like Kerala with limitations of space, with no major manufacturing industries around, with people aspiring for white collar jobs, with so many NGOs and people clamouring to maintain the pristine nature of the state, the only call is to focus on SERVICE sector as the major industrial activity.
With this in mind we should make Kerala a centre of technology and skilled economic activity so as to give fillip to Service sector.
Kerala state government must support skill development and other promotional measures to set up Knowledge based industries in Kerala.
Though the Technocity and other district based information parks are there in the making, our Techno parks are slated to establish small companies within. This will not boost employment in large numbers in the state.
We need to take into account of the fact that every year Kerala state produces about 30000 fresh graduate engineers, 10000 diploma engineers, 10000 MCAs and another 30000 graduates who aspire to make it big through white collar employment. For close to 75000 employment seekers per annum, do we have world’s top IT companies present in Kerala for providing jobs? Sadly, no.
Infrastructures like Smart city, Techno city etc. must persuade big time employers like IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP etc. in IT development area and large BPO companies such as Accenture, IBM, Sodexho, Cap Gemini etc. in the BPO sector to set their base in their infrastructure. These companies will take care of the large employment requirement of the state, year on year.
People working in new generation companies aspire for enough of entertainment facilities around the place of working. Attitudinally the policy makers turn their eyes away from these realities. The requirement is genuine and by closing our eyes from this, we only forbid the arrival of such companies from setting base in Kerala.
Other major business segments to be focussed are Financial Services, Hospitality and Healthcare. The state must promote institutions of excellence in these areas for training the job seekers for these sectors.
Next in line could be Educational services, Biotechnology, Media, R&D and Design services.
Industries based on Ayurveda and Food processing also needs encouragement of the state.
Major hindrance to our growth is the lack of infrastructure, particularly roads and transportation facilities. The State has to take up the widening of roads and getting the roads into good shape, of the existing highways and the roads inside the city corporation limits.
Better transportation facilities round the clock are required for cities such as Cochin & Trivandrum. Both the cities also must plan for MRTP system now itself. The authorities and policy makers are neglecting the need of Cochin for a metro. Alternate transportation facilities such as water transport for the city of Cochin must be immediately implemented. It could be on a PPP model so that the state is not burdened on the capital expenditure required for them.
In a state like Kerala where large industries are not favoured due to constraints of space and population, Small and Medium Establishments (SME) must be focussed.
A new Industrial policy should be incorporated for specific interventions for the development of Small & Medium Enterprises which undoubtedly contribute significantly to the economic growth of any state.
SMEs must get interest subsidy, loan disbursement, quality certification, marketing assistance and awards and recognition.
To promote Venture Capital Funding for SME projects, adopting innovative technologies such as Nano technology, Information Technology and Bio-Technology, the Government should provide funds to FIs/Banks who have the necessary expertise in operating Venture Capital Funds. The minimum amount to be given to any such funds should be Rs. 100 Crores.
Though these are perspectives on the focus areas or areas of business, the basic aspect of the attitudinal change required in Malayali on entrepreneurship and companies is something that needs immediate attention. Unless that comes through, any plan that we make in Kerala to elevate its industrial output will not come about.
So, who will bell the cat?
Kerala per say is not a business friendly state. The attitude of the policy makers, bureaucrats and the citizens of the state to business men and entrepreneurs within Kerala is not very positive. In their eyes, business men and entrepreneur are manpower exploiting, tax evading and PROFIT making people who are not welcomed.
In Kerala entrepreneurship is not celebrated or recognized.
The policy makers and executives conveniently forget the economic principle that Entrepreneurship is the foundation stone of economic progress. Any society which is not entrepreneurial will not grow and the present economic ambience of the state is a testimony to this fact.
When the Revenue Minister and Finance ministers of the state use public podiums to castigate businessmen and entrepreneurs publicly, who will dare to start a venture here?
For a state like Kerala with limitations of space, with no major manufacturing industries around, with people aspiring for white collar jobs, with so many NGOs and people clamouring to maintain the pristine nature of the state, the only call is to focus on SERVICE sector as the major industrial activity.
With this in mind we should make Kerala a centre of technology and skilled economic activity so as to give fillip to Service sector.
Kerala state government must support skill development and other promotional measures to set up Knowledge based industries in Kerala.
Though the Technocity and other district based information parks are there in the making, our Techno parks are slated to establish small companies within. This will not boost employment in large numbers in the state.
We need to take into account of the fact that every year Kerala state produces about 30000 fresh graduate engineers, 10000 diploma engineers, 10000 MCAs and another 30000 graduates who aspire to make it big through white collar employment. For close to 75000 employment seekers per annum, do we have world’s top IT companies present in Kerala for providing jobs? Sadly, no.
Infrastructures like Smart city, Techno city etc. must persuade big time employers like IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP etc. in IT development area and large BPO companies such as Accenture, IBM, Sodexho, Cap Gemini etc. in the BPO sector to set their base in their infrastructure. These companies will take care of the large employment requirement of the state, year on year.
People working in new generation companies aspire for enough of entertainment facilities around the place of working. Attitudinally the policy makers turn their eyes away from these realities. The requirement is genuine and by closing our eyes from this, we only forbid the arrival of such companies from setting base in Kerala.
Other major business segments to be focussed are Financial Services, Hospitality and Healthcare. The state must promote institutions of excellence in these areas for training the job seekers for these sectors.
Next in line could be Educational services, Biotechnology, Media, R&D and Design services.
Industries based on Ayurveda and Food processing also needs encouragement of the state.
Major hindrance to our growth is the lack of infrastructure, particularly roads and transportation facilities. The State has to take up the widening of roads and getting the roads into good shape, of the existing highways and the roads inside the city corporation limits.
Better transportation facilities round the clock are required for cities such as Cochin & Trivandrum. Both the cities also must plan for MRTP system now itself. The authorities and policy makers are neglecting the need of Cochin for a metro. Alternate transportation facilities such as water transport for the city of Cochin must be immediately implemented. It could be on a PPP model so that the state is not burdened on the capital expenditure required for them.
In a state like Kerala where large industries are not favoured due to constraints of space and population, Small and Medium Establishments (SME) must be focussed.
A new Industrial policy should be incorporated for specific interventions for the development of Small & Medium Enterprises which undoubtedly contribute significantly to the economic growth of any state.
SMEs must get interest subsidy, loan disbursement, quality certification, marketing assistance and awards and recognition.
To promote Venture Capital Funding for SME projects, adopting innovative technologies such as Nano technology, Information Technology and Bio-Technology, the Government should provide funds to FIs/Banks who have the necessary expertise in operating Venture Capital Funds. The minimum amount to be given to any such funds should be Rs. 100 Crores.
Though these are perspectives on the focus areas or areas of business, the basic aspect of the attitudinal change required in Malayali on entrepreneurship and companies is something that needs immediate attention. Unless that comes through, any plan that we make in Kerala to elevate its industrial output will not come about.
So, who will bell the cat?
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
INDIA: YESTERDAY, TODAY & TOMORROW
At many places I hear of India reaching the economic super power status. Has India really reached the level of a global economic super power? I am not sure about it! But one thing is sure, India is moving forward to become a global economic super power.
The rate at which it is growing, India, currently a fast developing nation, is expected to become a global super power. Of course, there are others in the race too. China for instance, is ahead of us and may be, there are Brazil and Russia. A leading consulting company had even coined a word BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa) to be the global economic giants by year 2025. If everything is going well, that is.
For the purpose of an analysis, we will have to put India in three time zones. And that is the past, the present and the future.
Of course India has had a glorious past. Let us look at India in the 17th Century. Up till then, India was one of the richest nations in the world. Every other nation, particularly those who had sea travel power, wanted to reach India somehow, to trade with her and to be connected to her. Lots of armies from far beyond and from the neighboring nations invaded and that included Alexander from Greece, Timur from Mongol, The Genghis Khan, The Lodi’s, Khilgis, Mughals etc. Then came the Europeans, the Portuguese, the French, the Dutch and later, the British. Under the British, India got plundered, squeezed hard and left high and dry as a very poor nation. By the time she gained independence in 1947, India has had everything sucked out of her by her invading rulers.
For close to two hundred and fifty years, India remained as one of the poorest of nations. It had lost all its sheen and the height of its helplessness got exposed in 1991, when the country’s foreign exchange earnings dipped as low as seven days’ worth of Import, economically, we were almost on the brink of death.
With no choices left, India had to take the diktats from the World Bank and International Monitory Fund to follow the reform process. It was at this point a South Indian Prime Minister (Narsingh Rao) combined his strengths with a Punjabi Finance minister (Manmohan Singh) to reverse the trend. India got opened up. It started getting liberalized and it started understanding the power of Private sector. From a ‘Hindu growth rate’ of two percent, the country started growing steadily, initially at rates higher than four percent and that moved up to 7 to 8 percent. Over the last two decades, the country had been growing economically at above 6% in a compounded manner. And that has been a phenomenal growth indeed! We have only one country to beat in the growth rate and that is China. So, at present, the India Juggernaut is rolling forward, steadily.
So, now is the future to be looked at. Where do we go from here?
Many predict that India could make it to being one of the top three nations of the world, along with China and United States, in future. Let us see what will make that come true.
Currently we are adjudged as a soft power. A soft power is that has technology power. Yes, India had become an IT super power for the last 10 to 15 years. Information technology, particularly software and India are very synonymous. We now need to bring technology into the country’s governance soon. This is expected to improve efficiency of bureaucracy, not to speak of annihilating the rampant corruption that we are in today.
But now, we need to improve our infrastructure drastically. Infrastructure would include road, rail, power, ports etc. No nation had ever progressed without roads. Transportation is the lifeline of any growing nation, that includes road, rail, air and water transportation. There is plenty of scope for that to improve in our Country. How is it possible? It can only happen through regulated public private participation (ppp).
We need to give much more attention to education particularly the higher and vocational education. Our learning centers had become quiet archaic. For a country which boasted of Nalanda and Takshasila centuries ago, our present education system is nothing to write home about.
India is one of the most populous countries of the world. Every sixth person of the world is an Indian. With more than 1 billion people of whom 30 percent are middle class, we offer one of the largest markets to corporations of the world. In fact, our middle class alone will be bigger than the markets of America and Europe respectively. And again, more than forty percent of the Indian are of the age group of less than 25 years. Only India has this youth power advantage which is now globally called as ‘demographic dividend’. How effectively we could deploy this youth power across the world needs to be seen. The future global opportunities should give our youth a big boost to meet their aspirations.
Our political system really needs to mature to catch up with our growth. The country, though a democracy, is not politically very mature. Local parties and the coalition government is not a boon to our growth. So is dynastic politics. More and more educated people should get into politics and the governance of our nation.
India’s growing malady is corruption at the high places. Today we hear about corruption cases that had deprived the country of wealth to the tune of Rs.1,76,000 crores in 2G scam, Commonwealth Games (Rs.8000 crores), Adarsh Housing, Bangalore land scam etc. Unless we put a check on it, we could disintegrate into a worthless nation soon.
The corporates of our country currently is only running after profits. For them, the motto is profits at whatever means. For this, they form unholy nexus with ever corrupt politicians. Year on year, the size of the corruption is increasing heavily. It is time the corporates also started thinking about is social responsibilities. The rules of the country and their political allies must not allow crony capitalism to be formed to plunder the nation.
Inclusivity is another challenge that the country is facing. The gap between the rich and the poor is increasing very rapidly. Unless we are able to bring all the people of the nations, be it rich or poor, dalits or upper class and touchable or untouchable, we have to bring all to the umbrella of governance and financial independence as much as possible. Inclusivity has to the nation’s highest priority.
As a nation, over the last 15 years, we never had it so good. While we had grown economically, we also could elevate 10 more percent of the population out of poverty. There is much more to be done. If we are governed well, there is every chance for India to emerge as the Global Economic Super Power.
On to this dream, I rest my post.
The rate at which it is growing, India, currently a fast developing nation, is expected to become a global super power. Of course, there are others in the race too. China for instance, is ahead of us and may be, there are Brazil and Russia. A leading consulting company had even coined a word BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa) to be the global economic giants by year 2025. If everything is going well, that is.
For the purpose of an analysis, we will have to put India in three time zones. And that is the past, the present and the future.
Of course India has had a glorious past. Let us look at India in the 17th Century. Up till then, India was one of the richest nations in the world. Every other nation, particularly those who had sea travel power, wanted to reach India somehow, to trade with her and to be connected to her. Lots of armies from far beyond and from the neighboring nations invaded and that included Alexander from Greece, Timur from Mongol, The Genghis Khan, The Lodi’s, Khilgis, Mughals etc. Then came the Europeans, the Portuguese, the French, the Dutch and later, the British. Under the British, India got plundered, squeezed hard and left high and dry as a very poor nation. By the time she gained independence in 1947, India has had everything sucked out of her by her invading rulers.
For close to two hundred and fifty years, India remained as one of the poorest of nations. It had lost all its sheen and the height of its helplessness got exposed in 1991, when the country’s foreign exchange earnings dipped as low as seven days’ worth of Import, economically, we were almost on the brink of death.
With no choices left, India had to take the diktats from the World Bank and International Monitory Fund to follow the reform process. It was at this point a South Indian Prime Minister (Narsingh Rao) combined his strengths with a Punjabi Finance minister (Manmohan Singh) to reverse the trend. India got opened up. It started getting liberalized and it started understanding the power of Private sector. From a ‘Hindu growth rate’ of two percent, the country started growing steadily, initially at rates higher than four percent and that moved up to 7 to 8 percent. Over the last two decades, the country had been growing economically at above 6% in a compounded manner. And that has been a phenomenal growth indeed! We have only one country to beat in the growth rate and that is China. So, at present, the India Juggernaut is rolling forward, steadily.
So, now is the future to be looked at. Where do we go from here?
Many predict that India could make it to being one of the top three nations of the world, along with China and United States, in future. Let us see what will make that come true.
Currently we are adjudged as a soft power. A soft power is that has technology power. Yes, India had become an IT super power for the last 10 to 15 years. Information technology, particularly software and India are very synonymous. We now need to bring technology into the country’s governance soon. This is expected to improve efficiency of bureaucracy, not to speak of annihilating the rampant corruption that we are in today.
But now, we need to improve our infrastructure drastically. Infrastructure would include road, rail, power, ports etc. No nation had ever progressed without roads. Transportation is the lifeline of any growing nation, that includes road, rail, air and water transportation. There is plenty of scope for that to improve in our Country. How is it possible? It can only happen through regulated public private participation (ppp).
We need to give much more attention to education particularly the higher and vocational education. Our learning centers had become quiet archaic. For a country which boasted of Nalanda and Takshasila centuries ago, our present education system is nothing to write home about.
India is one of the most populous countries of the world. Every sixth person of the world is an Indian. With more than 1 billion people of whom 30 percent are middle class, we offer one of the largest markets to corporations of the world. In fact, our middle class alone will be bigger than the markets of America and Europe respectively. And again, more than forty percent of the Indian are of the age group of less than 25 years. Only India has this youth power advantage which is now globally called as ‘demographic dividend’. How effectively we could deploy this youth power across the world needs to be seen. The future global opportunities should give our youth a big boost to meet their aspirations.
Our political system really needs to mature to catch up with our growth. The country, though a democracy, is not politically very mature. Local parties and the coalition government is not a boon to our growth. So is dynastic politics. More and more educated people should get into politics and the governance of our nation.
India’s growing malady is corruption at the high places. Today we hear about corruption cases that had deprived the country of wealth to the tune of Rs.1,76,000 crores in 2G scam, Commonwealth Games (Rs.8000 crores), Adarsh Housing, Bangalore land scam etc. Unless we put a check on it, we could disintegrate into a worthless nation soon.
The corporates of our country currently is only running after profits. For them, the motto is profits at whatever means. For this, they form unholy nexus with ever corrupt politicians. Year on year, the size of the corruption is increasing heavily. It is time the corporates also started thinking about is social responsibilities. The rules of the country and their political allies must not allow crony capitalism to be formed to plunder the nation.
Inclusivity is another challenge that the country is facing. The gap between the rich and the poor is increasing very rapidly. Unless we are able to bring all the people of the nations, be it rich or poor, dalits or upper class and touchable or untouchable, we have to bring all to the umbrella of governance and financial independence as much as possible. Inclusivity has to the nation’s highest priority.
As a nation, over the last 15 years, we never had it so good. While we had grown economically, we also could elevate 10 more percent of the population out of poverty. There is much more to be done. If we are governed well, there is every chance for India to emerge as the Global Economic Super Power.
On to this dream, I rest my post.
Monday, January 24, 2011
LEARNING 2011 – THE INTERNATIONAL LEARNING CONFERENCE @ COCHIN
Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD)- Kochi Chapter which I chair this year, in association with Lifelong Learning Foundation (LLF) Kochi organized an International Learning Convention; “Learning 2011” on 14th & 15th of January 2011 at Pastoral Orientation Centre, Kochi, Kerala.
The objective of the Convention was to introduce effective learning methods and processes to corporate facilitators, educationalists, trainers and teachers in this part of the world. From the archaic teaching process, the emphasis has to shift to learning process and the convention’s goal was to reiterate that learning is the responsibility of the learner. Methods like Theme centred Interaction (TCI), Open Space Technology (OST) etc. has brought in an effective experiential learning process for the seekers of knowledge. Once the learners undergo these methods, we expect the landscape of training to change for the better. Therefore, the learning convention was to play a catalystic and pioneering role to explore innovative ways in which individuals and organizations could learn and grow. In the process, our interest was to change and better the landscape of training and learning.
The 'Living Learning' experience
Learning is an integral part of our lives. In the conventional education and training systems, focus is more on the teacher and trainer. Humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers who had contributed much to the philosophy of learning, relates learning to personal change. He says that learning facilitates when the learner participates responsibly in the learning process.
Self-initiated learning which involves the whole person of the learner—feelings as well as intellect –is the most lasting and pervasive one. Independence, creativity and self-reliance are all facilitated when self-criticism and self-evaluation is primary and evaluation by others is of secondary importance.
Ruth Cohn, founder of 'Theme-Centered Interaction' (TCI) introduced the 'living learning' system. To her, the intended process of learning, the subjective learning experience of the individual as well as the shared goal in learning are expressed as equal components. Living learning emphasizes careful perception of oneself and others in both private and professional areas. It strengthens individual autonomy and interdependence. Living learning nurtures mutual respect.
In the living learning system, main role of the facilitator is creating opportunities for people to learn. This means providing congenial climate for learning, by establishing and maintaining appropriate structures and methods. Living learning is a natural process similar to organic farming as against those using chemical fertilizers. Living learning may lead to change through a slow, yet steady process unlike the conventional teaching and training promising quick remedy. Living learning system may not provide fast food type solutions to quench the thirst of the learner. Yet it could lead to robust, stable personal growth with due respect to her unique style. Such a change will help the learner to achieve her purpose in her life-leading to self-actualization.
At the 'Learning 2011' participants got ample opportunities to experience the fascinating journey of learning, triggering reflections and insights, that would last very long.
The facilitators of the “Learning 2011” came from over all over Europe. Names such as Hans-Georg Vom Berg, Hermann Eppler, Christa Reppel, Bernd Krock, Christiane Bieker & Thomas Abraham (he is from Kerala) are torch bearers of this learning tradition and we were fortunate to get them together for “Learning 2011”. It was for the first time that a convention of this order ran on parallel multiple tracks. At all point in time during the convention, 6 parallel sessions were running simultaneously.
About one hundred and fifty delegates from corporate establishments and teachers from professional institutions, Schools, Business schools and Colleges took part in “Learning 2011”.
A project of this magnitude with the facilitators from Europe needed funds and this could not have come from the delegates alone. Canon India, Kochi Refineries BPCL, BSEL Infra Projects Ltd, Manappuram Finance Ltd, National Textile Corporation, IBS Software Services, Petronet CNG Ltd, Muthoot George Group, HLL Lifecare Ltd, Synthite and Kitex Ltd chipped in with sponsorship.
The Convention was inaugurated by Mr. Prashanth Bhattacharya IAS, National President of ISTD. Mr. Mohan, Director-HR of Bharat Petroleum delivered the keynote address. After this, the delegates were split to different tracks (breakout sessions) upon their own choice and six parallel sessions ran concurrently for the next two days.
In the evening of the first day, there was an entertainment program in which Kerala Shastra Sahitya Parishad, an NGO of intellectuals, did a street play based on the concept of learning. Additionally, ‘System of Thoughts’, a band consisting of the students of TocH Public School Cochin played before the audience.
Before the Valedictory function on the second day afternoon, the participants of the training did a poster exhibition displaying the details of their learning during the convention. After this in a truly interactive valedictory function, participants paid encomium for the trainers and the trainers expressed their views about the process. The volunteers were acknowledged and mementos were given away to participants along with participation certificates.
As you see, this was truly a pioneering endeavor. A training of this nature never happened in Public domain in Kerala before. Efforts were put to bring the best of the facilitators, who were leaders in their field. It was the first time in Kerala that a training seminar has 6 track training sessions running parallel. Above all, the training methods that are learnt will help the delegates to employ international methodologies in their training efforts to make the learning process simple, effective and long lasting.
As I had always believed, learning is the constituency of ISTD. We had done our bit to enrich this constituency by bringing in the best of global practices. It was an experience that I would never forget.
The objective of the Convention was to introduce effective learning methods and processes to corporate facilitators, educationalists, trainers and teachers in this part of the world. From the archaic teaching process, the emphasis has to shift to learning process and the convention’s goal was to reiterate that learning is the responsibility of the learner. Methods like Theme centred Interaction (TCI), Open Space Technology (OST) etc. has brought in an effective experiential learning process for the seekers of knowledge. Once the learners undergo these methods, we expect the landscape of training to change for the better. Therefore, the learning convention was to play a catalystic and pioneering role to explore innovative ways in which individuals and organizations could learn and grow. In the process, our interest was to change and better the landscape of training and learning.
The 'Living Learning' experience
Learning is an integral part of our lives. In the conventional education and training systems, focus is more on the teacher and trainer. Humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers who had contributed much to the philosophy of learning, relates learning to personal change. He says that learning facilitates when the learner participates responsibly in the learning process.
Self-initiated learning which involves the whole person of the learner—feelings as well as intellect –is the most lasting and pervasive one. Independence, creativity and self-reliance are all facilitated when self-criticism and self-evaluation is primary and evaluation by others is of secondary importance.
Ruth Cohn, founder of 'Theme-Centered Interaction' (TCI) introduced the 'living learning' system. To her, the intended process of learning, the subjective learning experience of the individual as well as the shared goal in learning are expressed as equal components. Living learning emphasizes careful perception of oneself and others in both private and professional areas. It strengthens individual autonomy and interdependence. Living learning nurtures mutual respect.
In the living learning system, main role of the facilitator is creating opportunities for people to learn. This means providing congenial climate for learning, by establishing and maintaining appropriate structures and methods. Living learning is a natural process similar to organic farming as against those using chemical fertilizers. Living learning may lead to change through a slow, yet steady process unlike the conventional teaching and training promising quick remedy. Living learning system may not provide fast food type solutions to quench the thirst of the learner. Yet it could lead to robust, stable personal growth with due respect to her unique style. Such a change will help the learner to achieve her purpose in her life-leading to self-actualization.
At the 'Learning 2011' participants got ample opportunities to experience the fascinating journey of learning, triggering reflections and insights, that would last very long.
The facilitators of the “Learning 2011” came from over all over Europe. Names such as Hans-Georg Vom Berg, Hermann Eppler, Christa Reppel, Bernd Krock, Christiane Bieker & Thomas Abraham (he is from Kerala) are torch bearers of this learning tradition and we were fortunate to get them together for “Learning 2011”. It was for the first time that a convention of this order ran on parallel multiple tracks. At all point in time during the convention, 6 parallel sessions were running simultaneously.
About one hundred and fifty delegates from corporate establishments and teachers from professional institutions, Schools, Business schools and Colleges took part in “Learning 2011”.
A project of this magnitude with the facilitators from Europe needed funds and this could not have come from the delegates alone. Canon India, Kochi Refineries BPCL, BSEL Infra Projects Ltd, Manappuram Finance Ltd, National Textile Corporation, IBS Software Services, Petronet CNG Ltd, Muthoot George Group, HLL Lifecare Ltd, Synthite and Kitex Ltd chipped in with sponsorship.
The Convention was inaugurated by Mr. Prashanth Bhattacharya IAS, National President of ISTD. Mr. Mohan, Director-HR of Bharat Petroleum delivered the keynote address. After this, the delegates were split to different tracks (breakout sessions) upon their own choice and six parallel sessions ran concurrently for the next two days.
In the evening of the first day, there was an entertainment program in which Kerala Shastra Sahitya Parishad, an NGO of intellectuals, did a street play based on the concept of learning. Additionally, ‘System of Thoughts’, a band consisting of the students of TocH Public School Cochin played before the audience.
Before the Valedictory function on the second day afternoon, the participants of the training did a poster exhibition displaying the details of their learning during the convention. After this in a truly interactive valedictory function, participants paid encomium for the trainers and the trainers expressed their views about the process. The volunteers were acknowledged and mementos were given away to participants along with participation certificates.
As you see, this was truly a pioneering endeavor. A training of this nature never happened in Public domain in Kerala before. Efforts were put to bring the best of the facilitators, who were leaders in their field. It was the first time in Kerala that a training seminar has 6 track training sessions running parallel. Above all, the training methods that are learnt will help the delegates to employ international methodologies in their training efforts to make the learning process simple, effective and long lasting.
As I had always believed, learning is the constituency of ISTD. We had done our bit to enrich this constituency by bringing in the best of global practices. It was an experience that I would never forget.
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