Glorious India

It is said that unless you dream you will under achieve; today’s dream will be tomorrow’s reality. Also it is only when you dream you know what to do. Mine is a huge dream.

Here is an extract …

SUNDRY   TIMES

Special correspondent

Washington

19 June, 2011

While addressing the United Nations assembly on India’s entry as a permanent member in the Security Council, Prime Minister Singh, announced that the state of J&K is historically and legally integral to the polity of India. He added that a sovereign state never negotiated its territory.

The shock and awe that ensued was perceptible in the Assembly. The statement was received with deafening silence.  Are we seeing a new and resurgent India ready to lead the world through the twenty first century? – may have been the thought pervading the minds of many present.

To the discerning, developments within India over the last few months were indicative of the rising stock of India.

Actually it had all started just prior to President Obama’s visit to India post Diwali last year.

First it was the ousted Pakistan President Mushraf who admitted to training terrorists to act against India. Then it was the former premier of Britain Tony B. saying that the West should have years ago listened to India in regard to terrorists and terrorism.  The world finally woke up to the fact that India has to be heard.

Listening and asking were the only items on the agenda of Barack Obama during the visit, the longest by a serving President of the USA. Even on the first day of the visit it became clear that the USA wanted to take from India rather than give something. The world had begun to realize that while the infrastructure was in China, business and business acumen was in India. You needed the latter more for infusing life in an economy in the short term.

So the USA wanted India to create more jobs in that country. Ban on export of dual use items to India was quietly given the burial. Nuclear business with the USA was assured and a tacit understanding was reached between the countries for a permanent seat for India in the Security Council.

Besides, the USA had not missed India’s stand on up-valuing the Yuan expressed during the G20 meet in Korea just prior to the Presidential visit. India was about the only country that supported China to resist the pressure from other Nations to upgrade the value of Yuan. While all these countries looked at exports into China, India was seeing imports from China of infrastructure projects. In return India inc would set shop(s) in China to boost its economy. The world did not miss the bonhomie and camaraderie between the two great powers.  China was aware that in the ensuing year India will surpass its economy to be the number two in the world.

It is well known that in the beginning of the year Narayana Murthy of Infosys and Bill Gates of Microsoft merged their philanthropic efforts. It is rumored that a conglomerate (in the form of a SPV) to be formed by Infosys, TCS and Wipro coming together, is planning to buy out 66.6% stake in Microsoft.

Internally, India was dealing with situations with an iron glove.  The original team of three interlocutors in Kashmir was increased to eleven to include three Generals who commanded troops in the valley. Well known poet and activist Javed Akhtar and the Shahi Imam of Juma Masjid, Delhi, were also included in the team. The secessionist Hurriyat leaders were given an option to participate in the impending General elections in J&K or face sedition charges. They chose the former.

It was only in December 2010 Afzal Guru, a terrorist convicted of masterminding an attack on the Indian parliament was hanged to death and in February this year the lone terrorist Ajmal Kasab, who was convicted in the 26/11 massacre of the innocents in Mumbai was executed after all due process of law.

There has since been a marked reduction in the number of militants infiltrating from Pakistan.

In late January this year the Government had brought in an ordinance banning religious and extremist groups directly or indirectly participating in politics. The factions of Muslim league in Kerala and at National levels have dissolved and joined their respective coalition partners. On the verge of being banned, RSS dissolved itself and merged with the mainstream BJP.

In a compromise, before the honourable Supreme Court, involving all affected parties, the disputed land at Ayodhya was taken over by a trust comprising representatives of all faiths of the world. A university for study of spiritualism is coming up in the twenty odd acres there, with additional land being given to the trust by the UP government.

In Karnataka, status quo remains. Yeddiyurappa’s government continues. It was agreed that that ` 4.5K million earmarked by various political parties for bribing dissident MLAs be donated to the corpus raised for restoration of all water bodies in Bangalore and other parts of Karnataka.

Similarly, ` 27K million recovered from the CWG scam is being spend by the Delhi government on cleaning up the Yamuna and rehabilitation of slums in the NCR. Part of the fund is also earmarked for promotion of Olympic sports, after India won a record 71 medals in the 2010 Asiad. This was followed by a resounding thrashing of Australia in the just concluded Cricket world cup. Along with Vekatesh Prasad as the bowling coach, Cricket Australia is in negotiations with Mohinder Amarnath as the senior coach and Robin Singh as the fielding coach.

It is apt to mention here that Kapil Sibal, the HRD minister in Singh’s cabinet, has in the pipe line a revamp of the country’s education system, to ensure that at the end of 15 years of learning we get a product that is employable. It was only recently the CII and FICCI concluded after a protracted study, that the problem within the country was of unemployability and not unemployment.

Notwithstanding the big strides made by India on the economic and political fronts, the Union Government of India be impressed upon to maintain an adequate and motivated defence force equipped with the state of the art weaponry and also establish a potent defence related manufacturing base (industry) in the country with the aim of ensuring that India remains a Super Power for a long time to come.

The curious case of the head scarf

I am almost completely bald. When I am asked the reason for my clean pate, I narrate this story. There was a time when the flock of hair on my head was the envy of many. A decade ago one night God appeared in my dreams.  He said “Vish, It is time”. I was aghast. I pleaded “God, I am young with two children yet to find their feet in this difficult world. Give me a few more years.” God assured me that it was not my life he wanted. He continued “Vish, your head has become too heavy for your shoulders. So, I give you the option; you can have what is either inside or on the outside.” That is it; since then I have lost most of the hair on my head.

On a recent holiday by the sea I was pictured hugging the waves covering my head with my kerchief.  A friend asked me why I did that. I then realised it was an unconscious effort to cover my bald pate and assume I looked younger.

Over centuries people wore headgear for various purposes. The army has worn it as part of the uniform dress code. A helmet is worn for protection. Among the other many reasons is just vanity. Some times the head is required to be covered inside a place of worship. While in the North the ladies necessarily have to cover their hair inside a temple, in South India it is considered sacrilegious.

How important is a headdress? I for one did never gave it any thought but wore it occasionally as required. But these days headgear and head scarf are international headlines.  It seems Barack Obama, the President of the USA, during his imminent sojourn in India will not visit Amritsar contrary to an original plan. Having to cover his head while visiting a place of worship has been cited, in some circles, as a reason, for the skip.  A frivolous reason one would have thought. Surely, Obama has worn different headgear on various occasions before. Why not once more?

Well it seems he has a problem. The report is that 10 to 30% (varying reports) of resident Americans in the USA think Obama is not Obama. Not surprising I would say. A decade or so ago there was a report that a newly elected President of the USA, thought that Pakistan and India were involved in a civil war, a la America in the nineteenth century. So it is par for the course in the USA, if a few Americans think that Obama is or will become somebody else (sans beard) if he wore a headdress. No headgear for the President - what with elections to the Senate just around the corner.

Can I believe this to be just a ridiculous game being played by Obama’s detractors? What if he wears a head dress of a native Indian chief or a bolero hat? His predecessor George B. surely would have worn the Texan hat.

I guess Indian polity is after all on the ascent.

‘Cabin Cupboard’ and Five S.

Have a place for everything and have everything in its place – I learned this quite early in life.

Coming as a boarder from a Jesuit run school, it was not such a cultural shock when I joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) in the middle of my teens. I reached there carrying the only black steel trunk I was allowed with contents according to a printed list received along with the call letter.  The pleasant shock was each of us cadets was given a separate independent room called cabin. Keeping the inter services nature of NDA, cabins were in squadrons and squadrons formed part of battalions. Oh! At last a room of my own – we were in dormitories at the school. However the joy of moving into the cabin would be brief as I was to soon learn.

In the cabin there was a cot aligned to a far corner with stands for fixing a mosquito net. In the corner across from the cot was a study table with a chair in front. The study table had a top drawer and a bottom cupboard on one side. As you entered the cabin, immediately on the left was the dresser, the rear aligned with the wall and a mirror fixed on top and to the rear. The dresser had drawers and a wardrobe for hanging clothes. From the corner adjacent to the wardrobe, two racks, one a foot and the other about five feet from the ground and each three feet in length were fixed to the wall perpendicular to the entrance. The entry from the corridor was the exit also.

Every cabin was similar and every cadet – that is how we were known in the NDA - was moving into his cabin with exactly similar belongings. In addition at the NDA we were issued with similar kit and clothing.

The rules were set.

Everything we ‘owned’ while in NDA had a place and at all times we were to ensure that everything was in its place! The black trunk went under the bed with the civies (private clothes) and all other private things not required to be used in NDA during the term, locked and to be opened only for mid term holidays or the term break.

After these items were sorted out into the trunk, the daily use items were laid out in places earmarked for them; on the dresser, place for items of personal hygiene was on the right near corner, cosmetics on the left near corner and so on. The kit bag had a corner near the racks; shoes were placed on the bottom rack and field equipments on the upper rack. These items, when not in use, were never to be seen anywhere other than in their designated places.

The folds in the blankets, the set up of the field kits, the exact location of the toothpaste et al were standardized and we were supposed to always remember them.

It was imperative that the cabin be always maintained without a speck of dust literally. Inspections termed ‘cabin cupboard’ (short for ‘cabin cupboard inspection’) were carried out periodically. Nevertheless anybody could walk into the cabin anytime, put a finger anywhere. Hell waited for you if some dust was dug out.

The cabin door was to be left open whenever I was in it. The window and the venation blinds were to be closed whenever I left the cabin. The french windows were to be open only during study time.

Soon the whole set up became part of the routine and to this day we ‘cadets’ feel that there was no better home than our cabins at the NDA.

We moved on and decades later I left the Army and took up a second career as an entrepreneur in the industry.  There I was introduced to something called Five S. They said that about three decades or so ago, some westerners researched the secret for consistent excellent quality of Japanese products in the market. It seems they came across a unique concept followed in Japanese manufacturing processes. The Five S concept was explained to me as follows:

-       SEIRI –          Organisation/Sort out

-       SEITON –      Orderliness/Systemize

-       SEISO –        The Cleaning/Shining

-       SEIKETSU – Standardise

-       SHITSUKE -  Sustain/Discipline

I was also given loads of presentations and literature on the subject. Statistics of ‘before’ and ‘after’ in many multinationals were cited. I was told that if I were to succeed this was the only way.

The National Defence Academy along with its cabins was commissioned on 07 December 1954. Since then all cadets while in NDA and ever after have lived life Five Star.

Action – better than speech

“Well done is better than well said” - Benjamin Franklin

In an earlier piece I had said that in any situation, if the intention of interpreters is the same the differences are complementary. The contrary is also true. If the intention of the perpetrators is different their actions seemingly coordinated will work at cross purposes.

Let us take the case of the absurd game being played in my backyard, in Bangalore. A democratically elected Government in Karnataka, a couple of years back enjoyed the support of just enough legislators to stay afloat. They poached some from the opposition to strengthen their legislator party.  Subsequently along the way some legislators purportedly lending their purse to the party – so that they can illegally ‘mine’ more – wanted a CM’s favourite out of the cabinet. This blue eyed legislator was wielding such powers that the money bags felt threatened and they forced the CM to remove her from the cabinet. Months later the CM reshuffles his cabinet and re-inducts the removed favourite. Now a few elected representatives who did not get a cabinet berth, revolt as they felt sidelined – in this game a hand of some opposition parties have also been cited. The game is still on with involvement of the Governor and the honourable courts also thrown in. The media on its part follows this ‘game’ stroke by stroke as is done for an international cricket match or a Indo-Pak hockey encounter. Now, where do the legislators have time for governance for which they were elected in the first place? While they were all elected to govern, governance, obviously, is not their intention.

On the wider canvass similar scenarios play out at the National level too. It is the same in world politics. Do not for a minute assume that the US, Russia or any ‘ally’ are less self serving than our humble politician. Whether it is J&K, Ayodhya, Afghanistan or Iraq the common question from those involved is ‘What is in it for me?’

When the US attacked Iraq or Afghanistan, the primary motive was not the welfare of the Iraqis or Afghans. In Iraq it was the oil and in Afghanistan it is control of central Asia. If terrorist activities are almost nix in main land USA, it is not because of their actions in Iraq or Afghanistan; it is because of tightened internal security.

How strange that most of us more often than not get taken in by what is said than what is done.

India is a young Nation. Just 64 years old. It has a unique character which is incomparable. We have to give it time to mature and the process is in place. Like wine, anything to mature has to go through a process of hardship (crushing of grapes), upheaval (stirring) and evolution (undisturbed storage).  It is then that it gets better with age. India should develop its own character. Along the way there is bound to be some collateral damage and suffering. We must learn from history and act to minimize these adverse effects.

The key is to appropriately educate as many Indians as possible. The idea is to make everybody employable. Say only properly educated Kashmiri will know what is best for him; only a prpoerly educated tribal of Central and East India and will know what is best for them. Until then the less educated will continue to be exploited.

For this it is imperative for the intention of all involved be the same.

Defence Forces of Super Power

A prominent news item in the Indian press on October 12, 2010, was

 -  quote -

“CWG: Army told it can’t attend closing ceremony. For more than a month, 1500 people from the Army have worked overtime for the Commonwealth Games. Their to-do list has included managing venues used for the games, handling protocol requirements with the international contingents in town, and stepping in to rebuild a crucial bridge in record time after it collapsed days before the Games began. For all this, the Army is not being compensated…But now, they've been told the closing ceremony is off-limits. The Organising Committee, has said it has run out of tickets.  ”

- unquote -

The tone of this report would have been apt on innumerable occasions in the last six decades and more.

Since independence in the name of civilian control in a democracy, the political class and the bureaucracy kept the defence forces out of focus, which may have been by default initially but slowly it became by design.  May be preoccupation with guarding our new borders and fighting successive wars did not give our forces time to reflect on their changing equation within the establishment. By the time the soldiers realised the truth they were already way down in the official hierarchy.  It was evident that the Government was exploiting the sincerity of the soldier.

At the time of Independence, we can emphatically say, that the Indian Armed Forces was an organized lot motivated for love of country and as inherited from the British. The hierarchy and responsibilities were defined, training standards were excellent and above all commitment to cause was definite. The Indian Armed Forces even then was a disciplined and dependable organization. You could not say the same of any other institution at that point of time, including civil services.

Democratically elected Governments always have an eye on its vote bank. They tend to be reactive rather than be proactive. Action can be expected of them only if there is an outcry for a cause amongst the public and/or the media. It is a pity the Indian media on its part, pursuing sensationalism for eyeballs, have never really understood the role of Armed forces in nation building.

Another disheartening fact is that there is the tendency in some quarters to always project the Indian soldier through the prism of Indo-Pak relationship. Neither fighting terrorism and extremism in J&K and elsewhere in the country nor rescuing children from disused bore wells has helped to change this perspective.

Very few soldiers exercise their franchise for various reasons. Inadequate facilities provided to a soldier for voting is one major factor. Here again whether this is by design or by default is a moot point. The soldier, in India,  thus is not pivotal to political power!

Traditionally pay and perks are not motivating factors for a soldier to perform optimally. It has always been pride and a sense of duty to the Nation. The compensation paid is to provide the soldier with adequate means to maintain his status (family, children, education et al) and pride in society while he is in service and as a veteran. The Government does not understand that adequate pay and perks in that regard allows a soldier to fully commit himself to his duties.

Any great democracy sustains only with a dedicated and committed military backing. Except for decision making at National and International levels,  the defence forces have to be given a pride of place in society. It is that PRIDE which commits a soldier to put his life on the line. The aspiration  of India to become a super power can be realised only with a strong and PROUD defence forces.

Lessons from CWG, 2010

A cup is either half full or half empty, when it contains liquid only till half way up from its bottom. The optimist, they say, is happy to see the part which is half full and hopes for a desired result soon while the pessimist exults beholding the part which is empty and concludes the result will never come. There is something wrong here. Neither view will give a desired result. Going in for action to either get the cup full or empty as quickly as possible, depending on requirements, we will have a desired result  - either a full or an empty cup.

Recently CWG New Delhi, 2010 was compared to an Indian wedding. This may have meant many things. If it was meant that all frailties leading to the event will adjust by themselves, during the event, there is a point – because more the chaos at a wedding more the fun for the participants – nothing else matters as long as the wine and food are good. A couple of hugs and back slapping generally wash away all blues. At CWG if everyone gets medals and the media are well looked after …..

The difference in the CWG - despite its relevance in the current world order being debatable - and the Indian wedding is that the CWG has brought to focus the shortcomings of a Nation on the threshold of becoming a global power. For the Nation’s aspirations to fructify, we have to do a critical self analysis and get the ‘cup’ full or empty as quickly as possible. We can not leave to chance the success of a programme, venture or event.

Whatever the verdict on CWG, it is obvious that the planning, preparation and execution to the build up were handled by authorities with an unprofessional and amateurish approach. There was no blue print and foresight was lacking. Rampant corruption among the organizers compounded matters. India has a big lesson to learn from this - an opportunity we cannot afford to lose.

Post games, these aspects will be drowned in a cacophony of incoherent voices throwing blames at will. Some heads may look to roll. The Nation will get caught up in another game like the one being played in Karnataka. There will arise a voice crying ‘all is well that ends well’. CWG, New Delhi will be forgotten.

If we do not wake up we can never improve the system. This is a fit case to analyse the conduct from posing candidature to post conclusion activities in regard to the games, including continued use / reuse of assets.

The idea is not to equate the games with an Indian wedding.

The Singharh hike

A couple of years back one evening, my daughter all of 21, on the eve of her first weekend at work with a MNC announced to no one in particular “I am going on hike this weekend”. I looked up from my lap top computer with a wry smile. She was all excited at the prospect of an all night climb and the out doors. She has gone on many weekend hikes since.

Years ago, in my teens, I was privy to similar chants at the National Defence Academy. (NDA).  How many times have I heard “I am on singharh hike this Sunday”. But there was not the same enthusiasm in that refrain. And herein lies the difference. You enjoy doing something when it is not forced on you.  The ‘hike’ was a trip on foot from NDA, Khadkwasla to the top of the Singharh fort and back, in field service marching order (to the ounce in weight) starting at 7’Oclock .A.M – with packed breakfast – and finishing by noon or thereabouts. At NDA the ‘Sunday singharh hike’ was awarded for an act of omission or commission! (It depends on who you are -the perspective changes between the giver and the receiver).

But the singharh hike in NDA meant different things to different people.

A hike to anywhere is an enjoyable event if that is your only out door activity in the week. But for us cadets at the NDA any day of the week was filled with physical/outdoor activities.  So on the face of it another day hiking under the sun was no special attraction. For most of us it meant a lost Sunday – half was same as full Sunday, any way; by the time you returned from Shivaji’s citadel around noon, cleaned up and finished lunch, your day was up. A trip to Pune on liberty was a non starter for a ‘hiker’. A movie in the evening meant hiking back to mess on limbs/body parts other than the human way.

If the week was easier than normal a few of us did enjoy the hike. Taking a leaf out of David Livingstone’s life, the veterans were always on the look out for newer and shorter routes to the top of the fort. Some even considered hiring a monitor lizard to climb up the sheer cliff, a la Tanaji Malusare, the General who re-captured the fort for Shivaji in 1670. I am not aware if some one really managed to do that.

At times a group veered off the route and made for the shores of the Khadkwasla lake. By mid day they were on the finish line with the mandatory ‘singharh slip’ from the fort, looking tired and dirty. How that was managed, to date, remains a secret – and rightly so.

There is nothing more refreshing than a drink of chilled Coca Cola along the way on the return trip. Invariably on these Sundays at the mouth of the Khadkwasla dam, coming in from the IAT side, was a make shift ‘shop’ selling just that – chilled Coca Cola from ice boxes! Years later when I was posted at NDA, I met this enterprising employee of NDA, who saw an opportunity and moonlighted on those Sundays! He had since graduated to trading in used cars, one of which he managed to sell to me.

As I drove up in that car along the tarred road to the gates of the Singharh fort with my family, the excitement was missing. That is how time can change perceptions.

Now, I often wonder at my daughter’s passion for hikes – never knew it could be hereditary.

Open your mind and 'see' the truth

Recent pronouncements in the case related to the disputed land in Ayodhya has given me a chance to voice some of my concerns. I am born a Hindu and live my life as a Hindu. A Hindu who believes that the truth lies within as ordained in the Bhagwatgita.

In such a belief in Hinduism there is no place for methods and rituals and places all humans on the same pedestal – whatever the faith or ways of offering prayers.

In Hinduism we learn to constantly seek the truth. Blind faith is for the uninitiated. I do not have to follow something as part of a belief. I have a right to seek the truth. So I question in my individual capacity and as taught by Rishis; was Ram an ‘Uttam Purush’?

How can we say that Ram is beyond fault? He punished his pregnant wife by discarding and banishing her to wilderness. The wife then and after was never convicted of any crime. So wither justice? There is the argument that he had to ‘listen’ to his subjects and deliver some obscure justice to regain their waning faith in him, the King. So, is it alright that a section of his subjects (read Sita and her well wishers) can be discriminated against to please another section? Definitely not. The logic is skewed here. Is this logic mirrored in some of the recent developments related to Ram’s ‘birthplace’? Maybe?

I quote from the Bhagwatgita

na jayate mritaye va kadacin

    na yam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah

ajo nityah sasvato yam purano

   na hanyate hanyamane sarire

“ He is never born, nor does he die at any time, nor having (once) come to be will he again cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, permanent and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain”

Chapter II : Stanza 20

I plead with the self appointed guardians of Hinduism to go out and clean the already existing innumerable, dirty beyond filthy, temple towns and temples and the river Ganges, a life giver. I plead with the self appointed keepers of all faiths to stop building any more places of worship. There are enough and more going around.

If any of you have excess land and funds please build houses for those who do not have a roof above their head. Build schools to give knowledge to the uninitiated.  For ‘God’s’ sake do not build any more filthy places of worship.

I as a Hindu and an Indian do not really care whether or where other Indians pray as long as they are Indians.

Hey Ram

This morning I was surfing the news channels over breakfast. One reporter was passionately voicing as to how the honorable High Court in UP is going to decide today whether Ram was born at the disputed site in Ayodhya. I got a lump in my throat and the breakfast would not go down.

When the judgment came in the evening, a lot of people were again voicing that the honourable court has confirmed that ‘Ram’ was born at the disputed site.

What I am raising is a question of language and presentation. I have my doubts if the language used by the honourable judges says for certain that ‘Ram was born at that particular place’. If it is then I can only say that my disappointment is compounded.

My intellect cannot  accept that somebody (especially ‘pillars’ of democracy – judiciary, media) in 2010 AD can say that “Lord Sri Ram”, the hero of “Ramayan” was born here or there for certain – when a lot of us are not even sure of his existence as depicted in the epic.

Conversely if the honourable court has used words other than professed through the media, a clarification has to be issued.

Having said that, I am happy if this is further uncontested, and in the context the concerned parties settle the issue as it were. The intention is we get the ‘dispute’ out of the way and move on to more important affairs.