Newton’s third law of motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Though he meant it the realms of physical science, I am more inclined to think that this is very true in metaphysical terms too.
Many philosophies stress on the theory of Karma. Karma is the basis of all results, that is. One’s own action or attitude manifests in a way the universe reacts to it. I call it action-reaction. In the olden times the reaction used to take time. Things are much swifter these days, going well with the nanosecond times of the present.
I would like to list some cases to bring the point home:
Let me take you all back to times when India produced a Miss Universe and Miss World the same year. It is said that Miss Universe has a better edge than Miss World in the global rating. The candidates to these pageants are selected thru the Femina Miss India contest. In the last round of the same, Sushmita Sen outwitted Aishwarya to win the Miss India Crown; this facilitated her to contest Miss Universe title and relegated Aishwarya Rai to the Miss World pageant. Throughout the Miss Femina contest, which is long drawn process of grooming the girls, everyone associated with it had decided that it would be Aishwarya who would win the title. In the end it turned out to be Sushmita. How come? It was said that throughout the Miss Femina grooming process, Aishwarya held an attitude of disdain on the fellow contestants and showed cocksureness of winning the title. The universes around it did not like the attitude of Aishwarya and lo, she lost the Miss India Crown.
I had already made a post here earlier on Tiger Wood, the legendary Golfer. It is a typical case of action reaction. For quiet some time, he had been cheating his wife and had been having affairs with many girls. He had an attitude of invincibility about whatever he was doing, morally wrong though. The universe didn’t like it and, you all know, he practically lost his family.
I recall an action reaction that had occurred to me, in a positive way. Having scored close to ninety percent marks in CBSE plus two, my daughter earned to study in Stella Maris college at Chennai. We attended their interview call but due to whatever reason, did not make it to the first list. The marks were more than sufficient and she had attended the interview well but alas, she didn’t make the cut. I was with her there and was quiet shocked of the results. I stayed back to see what could be done to get admission for my daughter in this prestigious college. As I was standing on the premises the next day full of disappointment, I got a call from a friend at Kottayam thanking me for the help rendered to his niece to get her an admission to the YWCA hostel in Cochin. Ten minutes later, we were called by the admission office asking us to enrol. What a pleasant action reaction!…..
I have a close friend who had now settled at Cochin after living out side Kerala and India for long. Though they are well meaning people, my friends wife has some unexplainable traits hovering around confusion, non acceptance combined with a persecution complex. That has been bringing quiet a bit of tumultuousness to her life. However, she still has not realized the necessity of changing this attitude and later went into heavy physical distress too that came in the form of skin allergy. She is still fighting it.
A very senior person that I know for a long time, an accomplished one, both in work and professional front, recently landed in a major career mess up that had resulted in him resigning the job and getting lots of negative publicity. While I have high respects for him I have not been very comfortable with his attitude of ego and mistrust of people. The reaction of the universe could be pretty terse too. He may have to do years of mending before he gets back to normal level of living, socially and professionally.
I have been a recipient of many actions reactions that the universe had bestowed on me. It had been both positive and negative. Whenever I had dwelt on it to understand it, the learning had been very solid. With change management properties, one took the message and worked on removing the attitude or undo the actions that were done. I had several times seen positively changed results.
Let us complete this with an exercise which I will leave as a home work for the reader.
The very famous Amitabh Bachchan, who was elected as the actor of twentieth century, legend of his times, revered and liked by people, particularly Indians, all over the world is also a person who had undergone highest levels of tragedies and difficulties in his life. By the simple theory of action reaction, will you be able to decipher as to why he underwent all these tests in his life?
Yes, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction and these days the reactions are pretty instant. Cheers!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
THE U.S. HEALTHCARE REFORMS BILL – A HISTORIC LANDMARK
Though he had been facing a plummeting popularity amongst his countrymen and though he had not been able to carry the entire political spectrum of US along with him, President Barack Obama had achieved what he had set out to during his election campaign. He could get the US Health Reforms Bill passed by the houses of American Parliament. This is a great achievement! He had succeeded where many high profile Presidents of the past had failed. The most significant aspect of the bill is that more than 32 million poor Americans, who were not part of the health insurance coverage, either due to their incapability to pay the hefty insurance premiums or not able to comply with the conditions laid out by the American insurance companies; will now come into the coverage, thru subsidy of the state. Additionally, children will get covered for health insurance with their parents until the age of 26 years. There are many more provisions in the bill, but suffice to say that this is a landmark decision.
It had always baffled the world on how American health system came to be this complicated. As the most developed nation of the world, one expected health for all for American, without it is being completely dictated by agenda centric Insurance companies. There are very good examples of better health policy for citizen in United Kingdom and the Scandinavian countries. The fact is that in the US, money swallowed health. Being a cruel capital economy, money came to control things such as health, social welfare etc. And then, there has not been any escape from the ‘chakravyuh’ created by the money power, despite the best try by well meaning leaders of the past. This is where the efforts of President Obama must get lauded. He knew that things were not going the way he planned. He had so much of opposition from his own party Senators – more than thirty of them!- The entire Republicans stood against the bill. (He thought he could convince many of them but failed). The usual tactics of bringing fear and racialism into the public was adopted by the opposition. Historic events such as “Tea Party’ etc was organised y the opposition to defeat the bill. In spite all strong opposition, President Barack Obama carried the bill through, yes, with some cuts here and some chopping there. A significant achievement indeed!
As one watches the United States of America From a distance, one cannot but feel uncomfortable of the fact on how thoughtless had been the US citizens. It looks like a majority of them had lost the ability to think rationally and had gone under the impact of emotions created purposely by politicians who only stood for commercial establishments with strong money and muscle power. The power of discrimination had left the Americans totally, lest how could the nation not look at the merit of the bill and help passing it in unison than being a deeply divided nation?
One feels that long ago, the Americans had lost the sense of objectivity. As a very self centred nation, subsequent to 9/11, the emotion of fear played a significant part in average American’s life. Emotion indeed takes away objectivity. Lately, even the sense of fairness had deserted them. They had started going into the cocoon than opening up to understand the reality around them. So long as they stay put in the cocoon, there is no escape. In the meantime, nations that have a sense of reality and that try to progress through the challenges of facing reality, will come into the forefront. What we see in China and India is this progress through the sense of reality.
The fact is very simple, if you don’t understand what it is, there is no way you can take up the challenge related to it. It is time the Americans realized this….
It had always baffled the world on how American health system came to be this complicated. As the most developed nation of the world, one expected health for all for American, without it is being completely dictated by agenda centric Insurance companies. There are very good examples of better health policy for citizen in United Kingdom and the Scandinavian countries. The fact is that in the US, money swallowed health. Being a cruel capital economy, money came to control things such as health, social welfare etc. And then, there has not been any escape from the ‘chakravyuh’ created by the money power, despite the best try by well meaning leaders of the past. This is where the efforts of President Obama must get lauded. He knew that things were not going the way he planned. He had so much of opposition from his own party Senators – more than thirty of them!- The entire Republicans stood against the bill. (He thought he could convince many of them but failed). The usual tactics of bringing fear and racialism into the public was adopted by the opposition. Historic events such as “Tea Party’ etc was organised y the opposition to defeat the bill. In spite all strong opposition, President Barack Obama carried the bill through, yes, with some cuts here and some chopping there. A significant achievement indeed!
As one watches the United States of America From a distance, one cannot but feel uncomfortable of the fact on how thoughtless had been the US citizens. It looks like a majority of them had lost the ability to think rationally and had gone under the impact of emotions created purposely by politicians who only stood for commercial establishments with strong money and muscle power. The power of discrimination had left the Americans totally, lest how could the nation not look at the merit of the bill and help passing it in unison than being a deeply divided nation?
One feels that long ago, the Americans had lost the sense of objectivity. As a very self centred nation, subsequent to 9/11, the emotion of fear played a significant part in average American’s life. Emotion indeed takes away objectivity. Lately, even the sense of fairness had deserted them. They had started going into the cocoon than opening up to understand the reality around them. So long as they stay put in the cocoon, there is no escape. In the meantime, nations that have a sense of reality and that try to progress through the challenges of facing reality, will come into the forefront. What we see in China and India is this progress through the sense of reality.
The fact is very simple, if you don’t understand what it is, there is no way you can take up the challenge related to it. It is time the Americans realized this….
Saturday, March 20, 2010
BUY AN OCEAN AND USE A POND
I have been watching the proliferation of ERP solutions in enterprises in an around the country. ERP solution is something like an idea whose time has come. It is selling well. The companies dealing with the same in India have never had it so good.
After a little wait, in Kerala also it had started happening. Leading PSUs and Corporates are going for this solution in the state.
By the way, what does an ERP solution do? It is an application software solution that integrates all the functions of an enterprise. Functions mean manufacturing, sales & marketing, distribution, maintenance, Production planning, HR, Finance & accounting etc etc. Earlier, enterprises used to go for disparate solutions for each function that never used to talk to each other. ERP integrates all these. All data will be in one single database engine and different users of different functions will have there own front-end screens (for data entry & retrieval). In between the database and the front-end, there lies the rules and the tools. Rules are standards & benchmarks and tools are software technology. Using tools you apply rules between the database and the front end. In addition to being integrated, another advantage of ERP is that you get all global benchmarks along with the solution so that the user can look at applying global standards in his company and that gives companies the possibility of doing business with global practices.
ERP had evolved very well over the last two decades. Initially, there were many global players in the market. SAP, Oracle, BAN, JD Edwards, Navision, Axapta, Peoplesoft, Mfg.Pro were some well known global ERP solutions. These products have consolidated and now there are only 3 / 4 global companies vending it. About 60% world market rests with three companies now and they are SAP, Oracle and Microsoft (Surprising.... Microsoft !…). In every nation, there are some local brands as well.(e.g. Indian ERP solution called Marshal from Ramco Systems)
Now, how does a company progress to become an ERP user? Surely it would have had three to four times of application software changes within a corporate before it starts using an ERP solution. It looks like companies grow up to become ERP user. So, ERP usage is a part of a corporate growth. The more mature a company, the more the chances of it being an ERP user. From simple Financial accounting thru business accounting to integrated enterprise planning, at an average, a company would take 15 to 20 years to become a big time ERP user.
Originally used only by large enterprise such as the Tatas, Reliance, Birlas, Mittals, Dalmias etc in India; ERP usage has now penetrated into the SME segment. Indian SME is big, for it forms 40% of our manufacturing, 30 percent of our exports, in addition to being the second largest employer in the country.
These solutions are expensive. 40 to 50 times higher than the original FA solutions (e.g. Tally). Funnily, ERP solution is an ocean and seldom an enterprise get an opportunity to tap its functions fully. A complex enterprise such as Reliance Corporation must be using its ERP to about 50 to 60 % of its capability, whereas SMEs must be using 20 to 30 percent of the capability of the ERP system that they buy and implement.
Let me now come to the marketing tactics played out buy the most leading ERP brand. It is from Europe. It is the 'crowned king' of all ERPs of the world. All most all leading enterprises of the world are its customers. Having saturated in that segment, it has now moved down to medium enterprises and even smaller ones. The company shows the leadership in its marketing. First of all, it shows its un-assailed (so far!) position by playing the premium nature. Its price is more than double of its nearest competitor (which is the second largest software company in the world). It creates the aspiration and the pride of ownership very well in its buyer (after all, which crickter doesnt want to become Sachin Tendulkar). Playing upon the aspirational emotion of the buyer, it then fixes up specification of the users very systematically around its proprietory functional technologies. Such an RFQ coming from a user can never be matched by any competition and thus it wins the order, thereby leaving the competition far far behind. I am seeing company after company in Public sector falling victim to this strategy. Frankly speaking all the competing companies have all the funcionalities that is there with the leader. May be the leader is about 15 percent more when one compares the functionalities betwen each other. But it uses its leadership and its proprietory functional technologies to win the orders at very high prices. Organzations shell out 15, 20, 30 crores of rupees upfront for buying this software. Later, the maintenance contract per annum would come to almost 25 to 30 percent of the buying cost. Companies have to really work hard to pay back the investment.
Lastly, would such an ERP have brought double or triple level of growth in the corporation? I am not sure. Candidly speaking, I doubt it (that is in spite of being an IT evangelist for close to three decades!).
I have seen many organizations spending lavishly to own this mother of all ERP but not getting the paisa fully vasool. They buy an ocean and use it as a pond! Why should companies go for such an expensive solution?
Why would every man want to marry Aishwarya Rai? The answer is the same!
After a little wait, in Kerala also it had started happening. Leading PSUs and Corporates are going for this solution in the state.
By the way, what does an ERP solution do? It is an application software solution that integrates all the functions of an enterprise. Functions mean manufacturing, sales & marketing, distribution, maintenance, Production planning, HR, Finance & accounting etc etc. Earlier, enterprises used to go for disparate solutions for each function that never used to talk to each other. ERP integrates all these. All data will be in one single database engine and different users of different functions will have there own front-end screens (for data entry & retrieval). In between the database and the front-end, there lies the rules and the tools. Rules are standards & benchmarks and tools are software technology. Using tools you apply rules between the database and the front end. In addition to being integrated, another advantage of ERP is that you get all global benchmarks along with the solution so that the user can look at applying global standards in his company and that gives companies the possibility of doing business with global practices.
ERP had evolved very well over the last two decades. Initially, there were many global players in the market. SAP, Oracle, BAN, JD Edwards, Navision, Axapta, Peoplesoft, Mfg.Pro were some well known global ERP solutions. These products have consolidated and now there are only 3 / 4 global companies vending it. About 60% world market rests with three companies now and they are SAP, Oracle and Microsoft (Surprising.... Microsoft !…). In every nation, there are some local brands as well.(e.g. Indian ERP solution called Marshal from Ramco Systems)
Now, how does a company progress to become an ERP user? Surely it would have had three to four times of application software changes within a corporate before it starts using an ERP solution. It looks like companies grow up to become ERP user. So, ERP usage is a part of a corporate growth. The more mature a company, the more the chances of it being an ERP user. From simple Financial accounting thru business accounting to integrated enterprise planning, at an average, a company would take 15 to 20 years to become a big time ERP user.
Originally used only by large enterprise such as the Tatas, Reliance, Birlas, Mittals, Dalmias etc in India; ERP usage has now penetrated into the SME segment. Indian SME is big, for it forms 40% of our manufacturing, 30 percent of our exports, in addition to being the second largest employer in the country.
These solutions are expensive. 40 to 50 times higher than the original FA solutions (e.g. Tally). Funnily, ERP solution is an ocean and seldom an enterprise get an opportunity to tap its functions fully. A complex enterprise such as Reliance Corporation must be using its ERP to about 50 to 60 % of its capability, whereas SMEs must be using 20 to 30 percent of the capability of the ERP system that they buy and implement.
Let me now come to the marketing tactics played out buy the most leading ERP brand. It is from Europe. It is the 'crowned king' of all ERPs of the world. All most all leading enterprises of the world are its customers. Having saturated in that segment, it has now moved down to medium enterprises and even smaller ones. The company shows the leadership in its marketing. First of all, it shows its un-assailed (so far!) position by playing the premium nature. Its price is more than double of its nearest competitor (which is the second largest software company in the world). It creates the aspiration and the pride of ownership very well in its buyer (after all, which crickter doesnt want to become Sachin Tendulkar). Playing upon the aspirational emotion of the buyer, it then fixes up specification of the users very systematically around its proprietory functional technologies. Such an RFQ coming from a user can never be matched by any competition and thus it wins the order, thereby leaving the competition far far behind. I am seeing company after company in Public sector falling victim to this strategy. Frankly speaking all the competing companies have all the funcionalities that is there with the leader. May be the leader is about 15 percent more when one compares the functionalities betwen each other. But it uses its leadership and its proprietory functional technologies to win the orders at very high prices. Organzations shell out 15, 20, 30 crores of rupees upfront for buying this software. Later, the maintenance contract per annum would come to almost 25 to 30 percent of the buying cost. Companies have to really work hard to pay back the investment.
Lastly, would such an ERP have brought double or triple level of growth in the corporation? I am not sure. Candidly speaking, I doubt it (that is in spite of being an IT evangelist for close to three decades!).
I have seen many organizations spending lavishly to own this mother of all ERP but not getting the paisa fully vasool. They buy an ocean and use it as a pond! Why should companies go for such an expensive solution?
Why would every man want to marry Aishwarya Rai? The answer is the same!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
PROF. K.N.RAJ
Prof. Dr. K.N Raj, a doyen in the field of economics and planning, passed away on Wednesday the 10th of February, of heart attack at a hospital in Trivandrum. He was in his late eighties.
Being part of the professional and management scenario of the state for some time, I have been hearing of Prof. K.N. Raj and his contributions to the state and the country. Though I did not get an opportunity to meet him and talk to him, in my mind I had always nurtured a very high respect for him. And I was always deeply impressed by the way he kept himself off the limelight. In a state where everyone tries to act as God (is that why Kerala is called as God’s Own Country?), in his qualities, here is one person who was God like; to his students, fraternity and the fellow beings.
Around ten years back, I had attended a Rotary club sponsored seminar on Science, Technology and Information and the main speaker was Prof. MGK Menon who, at every step of his speech was reminding the audience of his role in building India (may be, as a non resident Keralite, he might had thought that the resident Malayalis do not know much about him and that would have led him to blow his own trumpet!). The ‘I’ factor of his speech was so annoying that I couldn’t resist walking out. When I was telling this experience to a past president of Kerala Management Association who had been part of the industrial development of the state for long time, he said that may be Prof. MGK could learn a thing or two from Prof. K N Raj. That said it all and my respect for Prof. Raj doubled instantly.
Yesterday and today, I had read many obituaries and memoirs on Prof. K N Raj that had appeared in the news papers. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (who is no less an Economist of world repute), Defence Minister AK Antony, students, colleagues, son, newspaper editors, state Finance Minister Thomas Isaac and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen; all had written in glowing terms about his contributions to the state and country. Briefly putting it, K N Raj did his post graduation and doctorate in Economics in London School of Economics. After working for a news paper in Colombo, Sri Lanka for a while, he joined Reserve Bank of India in its research. It was soon after India had undergone its ‘tryst with destiny’ (independence of the country, as beautifully put by Pundit Nehru). As an RBI professional, KN Raj got plenty of opportunity to be part of Indian Economy build up. He had had many interactions with the then Prime Minister Nehru and that landed him in the country’s Planning commission as its first Economist. It is said that he was the originator of India’s five year plans. Later, he moved to Delhi School of Economics as its head and converted it into a world famous institution. Then he became the Vice Chancellor of Delhi University. It was when Achutha Menon was the Chief Minister of Kerala. On his invitation, Prof. Raj moved to Trivandrum to build up another world famous institution; the Centre for Development Studies (CDS). He had been economic advisor for all Prime Ministers of the country (except for AB Vajpayee).
The most important element of his career was that of an excellent teacher and that stood out in all memoirs written by all eminent people. When we have Gurus like him, it is only natural that quality students will get developed. His students dwell all over the world in very important positions, both in corporate and in government. He was a true Guru.
Another very pertinent aspect of his character has been him shunning publicity at all costs. The earlier example mentioned will give an indication of the ego that people carry. Personalities of one tenth of importance of KN Raj must be dwelling in cloud nine with head held high. They would be dropping the names of people in power that they have helped (?) to carry out their functions. Here is a person; the originator of India’s Five Year plan, Excellent Institution Builder (DSE,DU & CDS), Trusted Advisor (to the Prime Ministers and world leaders) and yet wanting not to be known around. Never wanting to carry his weight around! In our scriptures, it is described about people who are Stita Prajna (permanent equanimity of the mind) and Prof. K N Raj is an absolute example of the same. It has been said that he never accepted any award or recognition. When the Nation bestowed him its second highest civilian honour of Padma Vibhushan, he was unwilling to accept it. It required the personal persuasion of the then President of India for Prof. Raj to receive it. Is there anybody like him?
Prof. KN Raj was not only a great Economist, he was very good individual too. Seldom have we come to know of personalities of this rare combination, such as Prof. K N Raj.
May his soul rest in peace!
Being part of the professional and management scenario of the state for some time, I have been hearing of Prof. K.N. Raj and his contributions to the state and the country. Though I did not get an opportunity to meet him and talk to him, in my mind I had always nurtured a very high respect for him. And I was always deeply impressed by the way he kept himself off the limelight. In a state where everyone tries to act as God (is that why Kerala is called as God’s Own Country?), in his qualities, here is one person who was God like; to his students, fraternity and the fellow beings.
Around ten years back, I had attended a Rotary club sponsored seminar on Science, Technology and Information and the main speaker was Prof. MGK Menon who, at every step of his speech was reminding the audience of his role in building India (may be, as a non resident Keralite, he might had thought that the resident Malayalis do not know much about him and that would have led him to blow his own trumpet!). The ‘I’ factor of his speech was so annoying that I couldn’t resist walking out. When I was telling this experience to a past president of Kerala Management Association who had been part of the industrial development of the state for long time, he said that may be Prof. MGK could learn a thing or two from Prof. K N Raj. That said it all and my respect for Prof. Raj doubled instantly.
Yesterday and today, I had read many obituaries and memoirs on Prof. K N Raj that had appeared in the news papers. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (who is no less an Economist of world repute), Defence Minister AK Antony, students, colleagues, son, newspaper editors, state Finance Minister Thomas Isaac and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen; all had written in glowing terms about his contributions to the state and country. Briefly putting it, K N Raj did his post graduation and doctorate in Economics in London School of Economics. After working for a news paper in Colombo, Sri Lanka for a while, he joined Reserve Bank of India in its research. It was soon after India had undergone its ‘tryst with destiny’ (independence of the country, as beautifully put by Pundit Nehru). As an RBI professional, KN Raj got plenty of opportunity to be part of Indian Economy build up. He had had many interactions with the then Prime Minister Nehru and that landed him in the country’s Planning commission as its first Economist. It is said that he was the originator of India’s five year plans. Later, he moved to Delhi School of Economics as its head and converted it into a world famous institution. Then he became the Vice Chancellor of Delhi University. It was when Achutha Menon was the Chief Minister of Kerala. On his invitation, Prof. Raj moved to Trivandrum to build up another world famous institution; the Centre for Development Studies (CDS). He had been economic advisor for all Prime Ministers of the country (except for AB Vajpayee).
The most important element of his career was that of an excellent teacher and that stood out in all memoirs written by all eminent people. When we have Gurus like him, it is only natural that quality students will get developed. His students dwell all over the world in very important positions, both in corporate and in government. He was a true Guru.
Another very pertinent aspect of his character has been him shunning publicity at all costs. The earlier example mentioned will give an indication of the ego that people carry. Personalities of one tenth of importance of KN Raj must be dwelling in cloud nine with head held high. They would be dropping the names of people in power that they have helped (?) to carry out their functions. Here is a person; the originator of India’s Five Year plan, Excellent Institution Builder (DSE,DU & CDS), Trusted Advisor (to the Prime Ministers and world leaders) and yet wanting not to be known around. Never wanting to carry his weight around! In our scriptures, it is described about people who are Stita Prajna (permanent equanimity of the mind) and Prof. K N Raj is an absolute example of the same. It has been said that he never accepted any award or recognition. When the Nation bestowed him its second highest civilian honour of Padma Vibhushan, he was unwilling to accept it. It required the personal persuasion of the then President of India for Prof. Raj to receive it. Is there anybody like him?
Prof. KN Raj was not only a great Economist, he was very good individual too. Seldom have we come to know of personalities of this rare combination, such as Prof. K N Raj.
May his soul rest in peace!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
BETTER KOCHI RESPONSE GROUP (BKRG)
On Saturday the twenty ninth of January happened the official inauguration of Better Kochi Response Group (BKRG). BKRG is a group consisting of discerning Kochi-ites from various vocations. Having been very successful in their professions, the variety of expertise of the group is phenomenal. There are doctors, architects, journalists, chartered accountants, advocates, town planners, former civil servants, teachers, entrepreneurs, bankers, consultants and similar professionals in BKRG. Currently it is small group of about twenty five people. The group has been meeting for more than two years now. The objective of the group is to help Kochi become a world class city by improving its infrastructure and other facilities by bringing in cohesion between various governmental agencies who are working at it and make available its expertise to find better solutions for every day problems being faced by Kochi-ites. The ultimate goal of BKRG is to have a better Kochi for all of us, the inmates and for the travellers.
Architect Gopakumar, a well known Kochi socialite is the brain behind the group. Having seen Kochi from very close quarters for more than four decades, he understands the maladies of the city not only as a citizen but also as a visionary architect. Having worked under a colossal personality such as Sir Charles Correah, it is no surprise that this man is always brimming with wonderful innovative ideas to resolve the city’s infrastructure frustrations. Among many other personalities, yours truly also is a member of the group (the Charter Secretary at that).
The group had taken up many projects at the right earnest. The Vyttila Mobile habitat project is one of the major projects that it had associated from the genesis. South Over bridge widening, Public toilets, Bus shelters, Road signage, Water transport, Biogas plants for solid waste management etc. are some other initiatives that the group is actively pursuing. Being part of it, one really gets enamoured by the sheer bureaucracy that prevails in the working (or not working!) of the government departments in coordinating the activities. Having seen it all, one remembers the ‘doha’ of Sant Kabeer; “Dheere Dheere re mana, Dheere sab kuch hoi” (Oh mind, go slow please, for everything happens very slowly only). It is sure, in Kochi nothing can get created all of a sudden, it can only be evolved that too very slowly, slower than anywhere else in the country!
Coming back to the inauguration function, the inauguration was done by Prof. K V Thomas who is not only our Member of Parliament, but also a Union Minister. One must say he is a genuine person concerned about the progress of the city. Others who graced the occasion are the worshipful Mayor or the city and her Deputy. It is no mean task to be the Mayor and Deputy of the deeply corrupt Corporation of Cochin. To add to that, there is the ego of the individuals that acts as the bane for city’s progress.
Among others, the comments of two Public Sector CEOs who spoke at the occasion require merit and immediate attention. Mr. Ramachandran, the Chairman of Cochin Port Trust warned the attendees about the vehicular traffic challenges that the city and state would face when the International Transhipment terminal will come alive at Vallarpadom in the coming four years. Imagine six thousand huge container trucks moving out of the terminal every day! (It can create traffic jam till Coimbatore from Cochin, with the current highway infrastructure!)
The Chairman of Cochin Shipyard Ltd spoke about the aversion that Malayali particularly Kochi-ite has to Water. Not only that we are wasting all the rain water we receive but also we hardly put to use the inland water ways that we have in the form of rivers and backwaters for transportation, he said. If we use the water transport, the traffic of Cochin can be brought down by fifty percent, he opined. How true he is! Yes, while Malayali is averse to water, he is so fond of the other water (the inebriating one) to the extent that we are the largest per capita consumers of the same in the country!
Surprisingly, a function like this which was organised for the city’s welfare and progress, was least covered by the press and media. And herein lies the irony. When the press and media thinks that it is their (selfish) agenda to work for the welfare of the city, and as fourth estate, it is their bounden duty to be the flag bearers of city’s progress, how can they bear the idea of a small bunch of people (howsoever experienced or eminent they are) coming together to work for it?……………….
Un-digestible and really un-acceptable for them, is it not? It looks as if it is their raison d’etre for Kochi to remain as it is!
Architect Gopakumar, a well known Kochi socialite is the brain behind the group. Having seen Kochi from very close quarters for more than four decades, he understands the maladies of the city not only as a citizen but also as a visionary architect. Having worked under a colossal personality such as Sir Charles Correah, it is no surprise that this man is always brimming with wonderful innovative ideas to resolve the city’s infrastructure frustrations. Among many other personalities, yours truly also is a member of the group (the Charter Secretary at that).
The group had taken up many projects at the right earnest. The Vyttila Mobile habitat project is one of the major projects that it had associated from the genesis. South Over bridge widening, Public toilets, Bus shelters, Road signage, Water transport, Biogas plants for solid waste management etc. are some other initiatives that the group is actively pursuing. Being part of it, one really gets enamoured by the sheer bureaucracy that prevails in the working (or not working!) of the government departments in coordinating the activities. Having seen it all, one remembers the ‘doha’ of Sant Kabeer; “Dheere Dheere re mana, Dheere sab kuch hoi” (Oh mind, go slow please, for everything happens very slowly only). It is sure, in Kochi nothing can get created all of a sudden, it can only be evolved that too very slowly, slower than anywhere else in the country!
Coming back to the inauguration function, the inauguration was done by Prof. K V Thomas who is not only our Member of Parliament, but also a Union Minister. One must say he is a genuine person concerned about the progress of the city. Others who graced the occasion are the worshipful Mayor or the city and her Deputy. It is no mean task to be the Mayor and Deputy of the deeply corrupt Corporation of Cochin. To add to that, there is the ego of the individuals that acts as the bane for city’s progress.
Among others, the comments of two Public Sector CEOs who spoke at the occasion require merit and immediate attention. Mr. Ramachandran, the Chairman of Cochin Port Trust warned the attendees about the vehicular traffic challenges that the city and state would face when the International Transhipment terminal will come alive at Vallarpadom in the coming four years. Imagine six thousand huge container trucks moving out of the terminal every day! (It can create traffic jam till Coimbatore from Cochin, with the current highway infrastructure!)
The Chairman of Cochin Shipyard Ltd spoke about the aversion that Malayali particularly Kochi-ite has to Water. Not only that we are wasting all the rain water we receive but also we hardly put to use the inland water ways that we have in the form of rivers and backwaters for transportation, he said. If we use the water transport, the traffic of Cochin can be brought down by fifty percent, he opined. How true he is! Yes, while Malayali is averse to water, he is so fond of the other water (the inebriating one) to the extent that we are the largest per capita consumers of the same in the country!
Surprisingly, a function like this which was organised for the city’s welfare and progress, was least covered by the press and media. And herein lies the irony. When the press and media thinks that it is their (selfish) agenda to work for the welfare of the city, and as fourth estate, it is their bounden duty to be the flag bearers of city’s progress, how can they bear the idea of a small bunch of people (howsoever experienced or eminent they are) coming together to work for it?……………….
Un-digestible and really un-acceptable for them, is it not? It looks as if it is their raison d’etre for Kochi to remain as it is!
INDIAN PADMA AWARDS - HOW GENUINE ARE THEY?
The announcement of Padma Awards prior to the Indian Republic day has its own usual share of controversies behind it. It is nothing new. However it requires some debate if its importance and relevance need to be carried forward further.
The newspapers questioned the selection of a hotelier who had figured in the Padma Bhushan category. In fact he had five criminal cases against him in the past of which, three got dropped by the agencies in the middle of investigation (!) and in the other two, the courts acquitted him. And he receives the third highest civilian honour of the country! I guess he is close to the chief executive of the country for I had seen him asserting the same when his hotel was inaugurated in Cochin.
Then there is this businessman of Kerala who profess that business is charity for him and the company. In his business vertical, there had been many doyens who, in addition to doing business the ethical way, had also done plenty of charity. They did not qualify but our man did because he was very vociferous about it, not to mention about his connections with the people associated with the party chief of the biggest political party in India.
I know about an eminent person who, after having won the Padma Shri is now managing the power that be, for getting the Padma Bhushan. To this effect he is now into some ‘visible’ activities that would give him sufficient score to get it!
We now read about a world champion in an even of sports, who had written to all and sundry including Mr. Rahul Gandhi MP about the humiliation meted out to him, by not considering him even for a Padma Shri! He may have a point regarding the selection criteria but asking for a Padma Award as he had done, seems the height of it. I am sure there are many more deserving cases who never got it, right?
Two famous Ayurvedic physician of traditional yore from Kerala got selected together for Padma Bhushan this year. I am sure it must have been tough decision for the mandarins of Cultural ministry to make, for they are used taking favours from both Ayurvedic houses for their wellness treatment. So instead of selecting one and disappointing the other, it was decided to give the award to both! What a win-win situation!
And then there is this Pravasi whose full page advertisement hit the newspapers on the very next day of the announcement of the awards of him being selected for the Padma Awards (much before him getting it from the President of India! can there not be a slip between the cup and the lip?). It is an open secret in the state of the millions that he spent on politician belonging to the ruling party to get the Pravasi award, a couple of years back. This route could also be none other!
I have read about a senior bureaucrat of the state government being revered by the cultural and social leaders of the country, particularly those resident in Delhi. It is a fact that he had long stint in the Centre at the Cultural Ministry and its was his department that sat thru the Padma decisions for many years. The cultural & social mafia loved him so much that they gave him such a fantastic farewell when he reverted to his home cadre on promotion!
A friend of mine who is a farmer based at Palghat, who had done some very innovative agricultural practises, to the extent of getting GIS patents and Awards from Agricultural ministry, out of sheer curiosity once asked me in passing as to how Padma awards are decided. Maybe in the back of the mind he may have this desire to own one. But poor him, doesn’t he realise that Padma Awards are not meant for poor humble farmers!
So, what is the sanctity of Padma Awards? Is it a sham show? Or is it half genuine and half nepotic? Should it be continued? Is it right for some visible ones to receive it and other deserving people to get ignored? Should the authorities tighten the selection criteria by having a re-look at it?
There are many questions. Will they ever get answered?
The newspapers questioned the selection of a hotelier who had figured in the Padma Bhushan category. In fact he had five criminal cases against him in the past of which, three got dropped by the agencies in the middle of investigation (!) and in the other two, the courts acquitted him. And he receives the third highest civilian honour of the country! I guess he is close to the chief executive of the country for I had seen him asserting the same when his hotel was inaugurated in Cochin.
Then there is this businessman of Kerala who profess that business is charity for him and the company. In his business vertical, there had been many doyens who, in addition to doing business the ethical way, had also done plenty of charity. They did not qualify but our man did because he was very vociferous about it, not to mention about his connections with the people associated with the party chief of the biggest political party in India.
I know about an eminent person who, after having won the Padma Shri is now managing the power that be, for getting the Padma Bhushan. To this effect he is now into some ‘visible’ activities that would give him sufficient score to get it!
We now read about a world champion in an even of sports, who had written to all and sundry including Mr. Rahul Gandhi MP about the humiliation meted out to him, by not considering him even for a Padma Shri! He may have a point regarding the selection criteria but asking for a Padma Award as he had done, seems the height of it. I am sure there are many more deserving cases who never got it, right?
Two famous Ayurvedic physician of traditional yore from Kerala got selected together for Padma Bhushan this year. I am sure it must have been tough decision for the mandarins of Cultural ministry to make, for they are used taking favours from both Ayurvedic houses for their wellness treatment. So instead of selecting one and disappointing the other, it was decided to give the award to both! What a win-win situation!
And then there is this Pravasi whose full page advertisement hit the newspapers on the very next day of the announcement of the awards of him being selected for the Padma Awards (much before him getting it from the President of India! can there not be a slip between the cup and the lip?). It is an open secret in the state of the millions that he spent on politician belonging to the ruling party to get the Pravasi award, a couple of years back. This route could also be none other!
I have read about a senior bureaucrat of the state government being revered by the cultural and social leaders of the country, particularly those resident in Delhi. It is a fact that he had long stint in the Centre at the Cultural Ministry and its was his department that sat thru the Padma decisions for many years. The cultural & social mafia loved him so much that they gave him such a fantastic farewell when he reverted to his home cadre on promotion!
A friend of mine who is a farmer based at Palghat, who had done some very innovative agricultural practises, to the extent of getting GIS patents and Awards from Agricultural ministry, out of sheer curiosity once asked me in passing as to how Padma awards are decided. Maybe in the back of the mind he may have this desire to own one. But poor him, doesn’t he realise that Padma Awards are not meant for poor humble farmers!
So, what is the sanctity of Padma Awards? Is it a sham show? Or is it half genuine and half nepotic? Should it be continued? Is it right for some visible ones to receive it and other deserving people to get ignored? Should the authorities tighten the selection criteria by having a re-look at it?
There are many questions. Will they ever get answered?
Friday, January 1, 2010
NEW YEAR MUSING
How time flies! The year 2009 is gone. One feels it was just yesterday that we welcomed it, soon to be gone. Twelve months went by like twelve minutes. Time moves so fast, really.
By the end of every year, one just wants it to go by. Seldom will you find anyone who doesn’t want to bid adieu to the year going by. And with lots of expectations, he looks forward to the New Year. He indeed celebrates its arrival, of course, with fond hopes. It is another matter that the year that he bid adieu was the year that he welcomed sometimes back with plenty of fanfare. Truly, herein lies the contrast of life.
World over the Year 2009 was a difficult one. The global meltdown showed its highest intensity in the year. To add to that, there were sufficient violence, terrorism, accidents & deaths. The world didn’t soften a wee bit last year. It was trying times indeed for majority of its inhabitants!
Into the fag end of the Year 2009 was the Copenhagen summit. It was one event leaders of every country were involved, one way or the other. The Western front, spearheaded by the host country of Denmark, drafted very strict laws on carbon emission to be promulgated and put to effect during the summit for every nation to adhere to it. Nations headed by China and India resisted it due to the simple reason that all these laws were forced being put to effect due to the carelessness and irresponsibility of the very developed nations during yester years in the matters of carbon emission, global warming and Ozone depletion. It is indeed confounding to find who is right and who is not. End of the day, the summit really did not succeed in its endeavors. So, there could be another time and another place to continue the debate on and arrive at decisions that concern the future of mankind.
How would one rate Year 2009, good, bad or ugly? It simply was not a good year and stood somewhere between bad and ugly. A very eminently forgettable year that it was.
It is in such junctures that the expectations on the coming year really go up. Therefore, every body is looking forward to the Year 2010 to be a glorious one. On matters of Economy, Environment and Peace, every one wishes the year to make profound positive changes for the betterment of mankind. Let us just hope the Year 2010 delivers!
While I have been receiving many email and SMS wishes from yesterday onwards, the first phone call of the new year day to wish me well came from a good friend of mine for long. While the pleasantries were exchanged, he very casually said that this year would be good for me. I then reiterated that it better be and thanked him for the wish. It was then that he realized that he REALLY predicted that this year is going to be good for me. Then he added that simply because it just came out of his mouth as a very innocuous statement, the year would indeed be good to me. ‘Let your tongue be golden’, I sincerely wished him in return.
On that profound hope let me end this post. Like last year, this year too would fly by. I am sure I would get the time to review it in the end.
Let the time reveal what is in store.
By the end of every year, one just wants it to go by. Seldom will you find anyone who doesn’t want to bid adieu to the year going by. And with lots of expectations, he looks forward to the New Year. He indeed celebrates its arrival, of course, with fond hopes. It is another matter that the year that he bid adieu was the year that he welcomed sometimes back with plenty of fanfare. Truly, herein lies the contrast of life.
World over the Year 2009 was a difficult one. The global meltdown showed its highest intensity in the year. To add to that, there were sufficient violence, terrorism, accidents & deaths. The world didn’t soften a wee bit last year. It was trying times indeed for majority of its inhabitants!
Into the fag end of the Year 2009 was the Copenhagen summit. It was one event leaders of every country were involved, one way or the other. The Western front, spearheaded by the host country of Denmark, drafted very strict laws on carbon emission to be promulgated and put to effect during the summit for every nation to adhere to it. Nations headed by China and India resisted it due to the simple reason that all these laws were forced being put to effect due to the carelessness and irresponsibility of the very developed nations during yester years in the matters of carbon emission, global warming and Ozone depletion. It is indeed confounding to find who is right and who is not. End of the day, the summit really did not succeed in its endeavors. So, there could be another time and another place to continue the debate on and arrive at decisions that concern the future of mankind.
How would one rate Year 2009, good, bad or ugly? It simply was not a good year and stood somewhere between bad and ugly. A very eminently forgettable year that it was.
It is in such junctures that the expectations on the coming year really go up. Therefore, every body is looking forward to the Year 2010 to be a glorious one. On matters of Economy, Environment and Peace, every one wishes the year to make profound positive changes for the betterment of mankind. Let us just hope the Year 2010 delivers!
While I have been receiving many email and SMS wishes from yesterday onwards, the first phone call of the new year day to wish me well came from a good friend of mine for long. While the pleasantries were exchanged, he very casually said that this year would be good for me. I then reiterated that it better be and thanked him for the wish. It was then that he realized that he REALLY predicted that this year is going to be good for me. Then he added that simply because it just came out of his mouth as a very innocuous statement, the year would indeed be good to me. ‘Let your tongue be golden’, I sincerely wished him in return.
On that profound hope let me end this post. Like last year, this year too would fly by. I am sure I would get the time to review it in the end.
Let the time reveal what is in store.
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