Why Do We Sink This Low?

Let me tell you a very interesting albeit true story. There is large family whose one son is not very happy with the life they lead and wants to earn big bucks. So he goes and finds a job with a rich family who treat him like dirt but our guy is happy making his moolah. One day the rich family accuses him of a heinous crime and almost persecute him. The guy's family back home stands by him and goes all out to get him freed. After raising a lot of dust they manage to free him and get him back home. The father and neighbours go all out to make him feel comfortable and even go ahead and promise him a job.

You think the story ends on a happy note here? No. The boy goes begging back to the rich family to adopt him since he has been proved innocent. The rich snooty family looks at him like he is some loony (which I have no doubt of) and simply throws him out.

You must be thinking, "Who could ever be such a moron?" Well, we are. Atleast it looks like we are being ruled by some. First we go and make a hero out of a terror suspect. Then we go all out to bail him and give him a royal welcome. This notwithstanding our honourable chief minister offer's him a job!

The terror suspect rejects the offer and goes on to beg the Australian government for a honarary citizenship which they plainly reject.

"I won't be doing that," Howard was quoted by a local TV network.
There is no case for that to occur and I'm not sure that we have honorary Australians anyway, but he wouldn't be the sort of person you'd make an honorary Australian," he said.

But I'm not aware that there is such an animal, such a person, such a beast. I don't think so, I don't think we have honorary Australians, do we?

Sheesh! What is the need for our government & media to suck up to Haneef & family like this?
Am I the only one getting genuinely troubled by all this?

The Manhole Way To Money?

It all started with the dramatic fall and rescue operation of Prince, a five-year-old in Kurukshetra, who fell into a 60-ft hellhole last July. The massive rescue operation involving the Indian army culminated in a happy ending when Prince was fished out after spending 48 traumatic hours. This unfortunate event was well milked by all news-starved channels and received publicity equal to if not more than the wedding of AbhiAsh.

There were reports of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh having led the nation in praying for the safety of Prince whose travails was captured live by the television channels. Soon after the rescue, flashes of people rejoicing and distributing sweets were beamed. Haryana minister announced cash rewards and free education for the "brave child of Haryana".
Amidst all this instant adulation and loads of good luck, somewhere the trauma and tribulation of the child was forgotten. What however remained in the public memory was the fame and riches that came along his way.

Suddenly children in India seem to be falling into pits and manhole with alarming frequency. Are these a part of some strange coincidence or is it being seen as an easy shortcut to fame and money?

Here is a list of children fallen in such drains and pits since Prince.

Child falls into manhole, dies

Four-year-old falls into water tank, dies

Child falls into drain and is washed away

Boy falls into sewer, Army called in

Boy feared drowned in manhole at Musheerabad

And the latest seems to be little Suraj in Jaipur.
Hope fading for kid trapped in borewell

How do these kids manage to fall into holes and crevices that are so inaccessible by the rescue teams? While I am not implying that parents are pushing their children into manholes and open drains in the lure of quick money, fame and public sympathy, what’s worrying is the rate at which such incidents seem to be occurring.By airing this concern over careless parents, I am by no means trying to condone the civic authorities who don't seem to bother over open drains and coverless manholes.

Time our civic authorities are made answerable to such unfortunate incidents.

Prayers to little Suraj Banjara.

Beggar pays Rs 36,000 LIC premium – The Next Lucrative Career Option?

A lot has been written, said and criticized about beggars and begging, movies have been made which exposed the high level hierarchy & the racket behind this dirty business. Yet it is one of the banes that India is trying hard to battle with little success. Why would it ever succeed if begging can provide them an income that is otherwise unthinkable?

Sarvatia, who boasts of two insurance policies with annual premiums for 36000, a sizable bank balance is a professional beggar. And there are many such successful professionals (sic) spawned thanks to this ever growing industry.

A beggar in Bangalore should be making more than a junior executive. Let me tell you how. Bangalore is well known for its heavy slow moving traffic and long traffic signals. Those traveling through Koramangla, Silk Board Junction, and Airport road will really know what I am talking about and these beggars lose no time to stalk the hapless souls stuck in their bikes and cars. And most of the times these beggars are successful in getting few coins simply by making the commuters feel guilty of leading a good hardworking life while they supposedly languish in the streets.

Now going by the rule of thumb and the clever planning of begging zones, they make close to Rs. 50 or more an hour and assuming they work 10 hours its Rs. 500 a day and by that calculation its 15000 per month. Not a bad figure at all considering they don’t need to pay any taxes. And yes that’s more than what entry-level executives in many companies make.

Any brilliant ideas on how to tackle this burgeoning problem?

[Image Courtesy: Hobotraveler.com]

Will India Win the World Cup?

It’s the billion-dollar question running on every cricket loving Indian’s mind these days and is one question that is quite impossible to answer at this stage. Yes, we are a strong one-day team with an impressive batting line-up, a good bowling squad and undoubtedly we have a capable captain, yet will we be the World Champions?

And here’s an interesting story in the Indian Express saying, “Why Team India Needs to Win the World Cup” and Arjuna Ranatunga states that “India Should Win the World Cup”.

With less than a week for the action to begin, the tension is getting to build up. Cricket seems to be the ruling topic of all discussions, be it at the office pantry or among the group of girls walking down the corridor.

The vegetable pushcart vendor down our street opines candidly – “India will win only if they stop their dependency on Sachin and don’t fall like a pack of cards when he gets out.”

“What India lacks is killer instinct!” rallied my neighborhood aunty in her high-pitched voice. “Absolutely no fighting spirit” she sadly shook her head.

Everybody worth his or her salt seems to have an opinion on this.

So what do you think? Will India bring home the cup?

Are We Really a Free Country?

25 days ago the Cauvery verdict was announced and it has been 25 days since all prominent Tamil channels have been banned in Karnataka. What’s the connection one may ask?

Apparently one section of the society states that the cable operators association is supporting the government’s decision in opposing the decision of the tribunal, while others feel that the cable operators fear the wrath of the Kannada activists. Yet another group rationalizes that viewers may get influenced or agitated, as the case might be, seeing the reactions in Tamil nadu. But nobody, not even the cable operators seem to know how this ban came into effect and nor are they aware when the situation is going to be reversed.

Freedom of expression is one of the most fundamental of all rights yet our government feels the need to regulate it. So what can we next expect after banning channels, websites & blogs? What kind of a freedom do we enjoy if we need to be spoon-fed predigested news, either on TV or in mainstream print? And what in the name of the good lord are consumer rights?

Except a few disgruntled voices here and there nobody seems to care enough to even muster a protest. And to think that some pompous bureaucrat sitting in his office & passing such blanket regulations, with no explanations whatsoever, is totally unjustified and irks me no end.

Now that the Karnataka government has rejected the decision of the Central tribunal and are seeking legal review, when do we get our channels back please?

Parents and Senior Citizens bill – A Reflection of the Times We Live In?

India has long been synonymous for its deep-rooted culture & strong family bonding to the extent of being called “highly emotional people”. Among the few countries where parents consider it their duty to fund the education of their children right upto college & beyond, contribute all their life savings for their expensive weddings and are most happy to babysit their grandchildren.

For a generation that grew up on the stories of Shravan and Dhruv & where high-strung movies like Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Vivaah still run to packed houses, it’s funny that today we have come to require the Parents and Senior Citizens Bill. The passing of such a bill subtly warns us that in our hurry to jump the progress bandwagon we seem to have far left behind our principles and values.

Well, the Bill lays down that children who neglect their parents could be sent to jail for three months or be liable to pay a fine of Rs 5,000. It also empowers parents to disinherit their children from their property. The best factor of this Bill has been that no age limit has been defined. It’s completely another matter to see how many takers will be there for this Bill among the parent population.

If movies are a reflection of the society we live in then no wonder we get to see Bhagbaan.

The Great Indian Mutiny - We are nominated!!

As a part of the group blog - The Great Indian Mutiny, I am overjoyed in letting you know that the we have been nominated, under the BEST GROUP/COMMUNITY BLOG. The voting for fourth edition of Indibloggies, the most recognised of Indian Blog awards is under way.

All of us at The Great Indian Mutiny are delighted for being nominated in the Best Group/Community Blog Category. We would like to thank all of you who nominated us and the jury for shortlisting us. It has been a fantastic experience for the past year as we have been constantly trying to create a unique platform where bloggers from a diversified variety of backgrounds and experience come together to reflect on what India is really about.

Please vote for us here

Are we guilty of low expectations?

Are the IIT’s & IIM’s Over-rated, Over-hyped, Over-exposed & Under performing?

This is no diatribe against India’s loved and respected Institutions. But it is a rant against the cult of mediocrity that we have come to accept.

Come placement time and our institutions lose no breath in pointing out the success of IITians overseas especially the software breed in the Silicon Valley. The media too readily laps up the story and reams are eloquently written on the success that our talent in its concentrated form of IITians reaps - in dollars nonetheless.

If one out of every six people in the world is an Indian and the best ones go to IIT and if the best among them go to the US, isn’t it quite obvious that they should do well regardless of the excellence of the institution?

Where does IIT stand in terms of innovation and contributing to the Indian economy? What have their expensive, taxpayer-subsidized elite engineering education contributed to India? Why does our best engineering talent remain hung in the middle management of IT companies?

According to Dunu Ray, ‘IITians Are Big Fools'. A former IITian himself, Dunu Roy is post-graduate in Chemical Engineering from IIT Bombay & has devoted over three decades in the field of rural development. At the recently held Techfest at IITB, Dunu raised the dander up with his unique ability to debunk conventional wisdom and said “ IITians are victims of the politics of education and science”.

The only industry that seems to have flourished, thanks to the IIT’s & IIM’s, has been the coaching institutions. Their claims to crack these entrance examinations have spell bound their target segment to such an extent that even normal school is considered a distraction. Right, we sure are heading somewhere.

If we are going to let cramming power rule over and creativity, imagination, we might as well bid adieu to ever being even close to a super power.

Is the education these institutions imparting actually help groom entrepreneurs? If so, why are we still at the bottom of the innovation totem pole?

[Humor] Sorry Saar, No Change

India faces a perennial shortage of coins. I can safely bet that every person who has spent a few hours either travelling or shopping anywhere in India would have heard this common refrain - Sorry, no change. Be it the autorickshaw driver, your grocery storekeeper or the pushcart fruit vendor - nobody ever has the required change.

So where are the Indian coins disappearing?

All the while I thought it was our regretful habit of hoarding them in our large piggy banks but a recent vist to one of the malls got me the answer to this issue.

Bling it on!

Sanskrit - The Mother of European Languages

Sanskrit gets a new spokesperson in Professor Dean Brown, an eminent Theoretical Physicist, cosmologist, philosopher and Sanskrit scholar, whose translation of the Upanishads was published by the Philosophical Research Society. The following is a very interesting interview where Professor Dean Brown brings about an interesting co-relation of Sanskrit & Physics.

A very interesting interview with Professor Dean Brown, an eminent Theoretical Physicist (and Sanskrit Scholar, who has recently translated the Upanishads). He brings about an interesting co-relation of Sanskrit & Physics.

Mishlove Interviews Prof Dean on Sanskrit tradition

[Duration: 23:28|Taken: 04 June 2006|Location: Israel]

Prof. Dean Brown also points out that most European languages can be traced back to a root language that is also related to Sanskrit - the sacred language of the ancient Vedic religions of India. Many English words actually have Sanskrit origins. Similarly, many Vedic religious concepts can also be found in Western culture. He discusses the fundamental idea of the Upanishads - that the essence of each individual, the atman, is identical to the whole universe, the principle of brahman. In this sense, the polytheistic traditions of India can be said to be monistic at their very core

While it might be considered a forgotten language in India, globally Sanskrit has found many takers. The American Sanskrit Institute founded 18 years ago with a vision to spread “the ease and joy of learning Sanskrit through an immersion experience, the enjoyment of making the sounds, fluently reading the original Devanagari script, and directly reading, chanting and understanding sacred literature.” The Indological department, University of Bonn Germany conducts various courses and study programmes.

While the world is waking up to Sanskrit – the divine language, where are we in terms of preserving the world’s oldest known tongue?

Smriti Irani Quits "Kyun ki" Due to Bad Script!!

How I wish! but nothing like that has happend. Before those ardent serial watchers panic and start wondering if this could ever happen, let me clarify - No,its certainly no announcement but just plainly wishful thinking on my part. My apologies to Kyunki fans who might have had their BP's shot high and who might be huffing and puffing at my 'bad joke'.

Whatever got into me on a warm sunny tuesday morning? Things are as hunky dory as possible with the Virani parivaar. The daughters-in-laws, grandchildren at the ironically named "Shantiniketan" are working their best to put their families through as many hardships that can possibly occur during one's lifetime. The scriptwriters are burning the midnight oil devising new dubious schemes that can be tested. Viewers are still happy as Kyunki constantly challenges their aging memory to keep track of its umpteen plots.
So how cruel can one ever get to announce of any such displeasing news, moreso ever when its completely made up!

Anyways let me give my reasons however so flimsy it may sound: June Brown is threatening to quit Eastenders as the plot is turning to be grim.
"So what?!" you might say.
Nothing, just that June, 79, has been acting in Eastenders for 22 long years. Thats right! and suddenly wokeup to the fact that the dreary soap is turning too grim for her taste. Source So it was just me thinking (aloud) how would it have been if Smriti Irani could also wake up to this fact too.

Over the ‘Job’- Hill?

Who would you like to hire for your organization?

Candidate A - Shriram R has extensive experience in the field of accounts, finance and has held several managerial positions in India and abroad. He has specialized knowledge in the field of Internationally renowned Accounting Software packages like Quick Books, MYOB, Peach Tree, Sage, Quicken, Great Plains, Real World, FACT, Tally, WINBSF & Mediaware FA.
Expected salary: 1.8L

Candidate B – Sujay B.Com; 3 yrs exp in Tally
Expected salary – 4.5L

Now surely, most of you would think I have gone bonkers to even be asking such a question. But in reality it’s close to 4 months and Shriram is still hunting for a job while Sujay has already jumped to another company for a higher salary. What is working against Shriram is sadly his ‘maturity’. The years of experience he has gathered now has turned into his liability.

Meet the pissed off generation of today’s India - the other side of the new resurgent & shining India that the media never tires to talk about.

My friend who works for a well-known FMCG group in the human resource department claims to have seen more than her share of discrimination when it comes to recruitment. But what had even her fuming was that one of her candidate, who was ideal in all requirements, plainly got rejected once the management realized he was approaching 50.

Since when did 50 pronounce the end of a career?

Indian companies today prefer hiring younger employees. Reason? They view older workers as having less energy, low productivity, higher salary expectations and unwillingness to learn new technology. This couldn’t have been any further from the truth. Older workers require lesser job training and stick on to their jobs for longer.

Rejecting such applications, recruitment agencies & companies smugly reply back – “Your experience is way too much than what the job demands” Or “ We might not be able to meet your expectations”.
What they actually mean: You are too old or you may ask for too much money and your way too senior to report to my young yuppie manager.

Take Rajeev (Actual name withheld on request), a 43-year-old general manager in Bangalore. He has got years of rich experience in operations--has even managed operations from real estate to a renowned transport corporation. After quitting his last job he's been looking for a position at mid management level for the past one year. The repeated response he receives seems to be: “We are unable to find a suitable position for you.”

"I find it hard to accept that nobody requires my experience anymore," he says. "Why doesn’t companies want to invest in someone who is 40+ years old?” Having got a family to run he now has joined a small NGO.

When some remark senior employees are there for just the salary. Is it not true there are people like that in every generation?

Despite all the media song & dance of the growing-rich India, middle class in India still struggles to meet the demands of education, medical expenses apart from the various tax woes. With the ever-rising cost of living in metro’s and unbelievably sky rocketed prices of realty it is impossible for an average 50-year-old employee to think of retirement. Why, we don’t even have a social security allowance to fall back on!

The US too faced this problem but was quick to find an answer in the form of a job portal called www.jobs4point0.com, a job bank that caters to job seekers age 40 and older. Does India have such an answer to this burning issue?

The matured working population is saying, 'Appraise me on my skills & experience, not on the number of birthdays I've had’. Are organizations that endlessly talk about Corporate Social Responsibility paying heed?