This is a follow-up to my previous blog, wherein I want to provide my views on how the world is changing all over and the emerging world finds itself at the focal point.
It was during the 1980’s that the US carmakers were shocked to find out that the Japanese car makers had overtaken them surprisingly in terms of reliability, performance as well as price. The natural conclusion to this phenomenon was favorable Industrial policies and government subsidies. However, the most striking realization for the Americans was that, it was more of business innovation than the peripheral factors. This business innovation was commonly referred as “Lean Manufacturing” and “Total Quality Management”. This phenomenon is similar in other products like Computers, Mobiles wherein the emerging world achieved business efficiency through revamped production and distribution systems. These emerging organizations have proved their competitiveness not only in the home markets but also abroad. We have a significant proportion of MNCs in the developing countries. The best examples are India’s Bharat Forge in Forging, China’s BYD in Batteries and Brazil’s Embraer in Jet Aircrafts, these are easily the best in the business worldwide.
The reason for the rise is that the developing world doesn’t just remain the source of cheap labor, but also economic growth and high quality manpower. We are the source of economic growth because the emerging world represents the majority chunk of the world population with rising spending power with each passing day. We are a source of quality manpower of the continuous investment in education in the past decades, India & China combined produce close to 0.15 Million graduates with professional degrees in Engineering and Computer Science. This is the reason that the biggest and the best firms set-up their most advanced R&D centers in the emerging world. Companies in the Fortune 500 list have 98 and 63 R&D facilities in China and India respectively. Bangalore hosts one of the finest research centers for GE Healthcare and Cisco. Shanghai is the home to the biggest R&D center for Microsoft outside the US.
Organizations all across realize it that it’s not sustainable just to target the Gucci and Audi market segments. They have to learn to appeal to the vast populations present in the second tier cities across the world. However, this does not represent a bed of roses due the lack of many basic amenities in the vast emerging world like Pollution, Infrastructure, Corruption, Piracy, etc. But, what the emerging world has to offer is – POTENTIAL, which compensates for the sea of problems surrounding these countries. The incomes of the population in the emerging world is rising faster than that of the developed world. The market sizes are already significantly higher than the developed world.
The point here is that, we are slowly moving towards a state of Economic equilibrium wherein the economic disparity among the world population on grounds of imperialism and slavery is gradually narrowing. It is perfectly inline with mother nature’s law of equilibrium. It is high time people realize that the emerging nations are not a source of cheap labor, but incremental and disruptive innovation.
Its a Paradigm Shift - Embrace Change!!!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Transitions...
Living in the modern day India at the age of 25, I do feel that our lifestyle has changed like never before.
Who envisioned the fact that we would be the second largest telecommunication network containing 584 million mobile phone connections with forecasted growth rates of 26% YoY in just about 20 years after the first non-commercial mobile service began in New Delhi….
Starting from naught some 20 years back and with growth rates of 8 – 10%, the number of homes that have access to cable television in India is close to 70 million. That’s about the population of the Islamic Republic of Iran, one of the more populous countries in the Middle-East.
The facts and figures are very similar and astonishing for Usage of Internet in India, Fuel Consumption, Carbon Emissions, number of Passenger and Commercial Vehicles, etc.
The above fact do re-affirm that we as a country are economically growing leaps and bounds….
The examples of transitions is very evident in the cities of India wherein relationships are different and complicated than probably our parents would have seen. Live-In relationships, Break-Ups, Divorces, etc is not something that is alien to us. One could say its towards the better as people are uncompromising now unlike yester years, or one could say its towards the worse as we’re losing the culture that had held us all through the years of the existence of our civilization. Only certain thing is that that we cannot refuse change!!
I sometimes get amazed by the magnitude of changed that has happened to me intrinsically, and this might be the case with many of us. This makes me question my fundamentals at times.
However, I guess this is the holistic dilemma that each person in every generation faces and we have to accept the transition.
Who envisioned the fact that we would be the second largest telecommunication network containing 584 million mobile phone connections with forecasted growth rates of 26% YoY in just about 20 years after the first non-commercial mobile service began in New Delhi….
Starting from naught some 20 years back and with growth rates of 8 – 10%, the number of homes that have access to cable television in India is close to 70 million. That’s about the population of the Islamic Republic of Iran, one of the more populous countries in the Middle-East.
The facts and figures are very similar and astonishing for Usage of Internet in India, Fuel Consumption, Carbon Emissions, number of Passenger and Commercial Vehicles, etc.
The above fact do re-affirm that we as a country are economically growing leaps and bounds….
The examples of transitions is very evident in the cities of India wherein relationships are different and complicated than probably our parents would have seen. Live-In relationships, Break-Ups, Divorces, etc is not something that is alien to us. One could say its towards the better as people are uncompromising now unlike yester years, or one could say its towards the worse as we’re losing the culture that had held us all through the years of the existence of our civilization. Only certain thing is that that we cannot refuse change!!
I sometimes get amazed by the magnitude of changed that has happened to me intrinsically, and this might be the case with many of us. This makes me question my fundamentals at times.
However, I guess this is the holistic dilemma that each person in every generation faces and we have to accept the transition.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Clustering...
Why do you think that all the investment banks are concentrated on the Wall Street? Why are all the revolutionary Technology Companies bunched together in the Silicon Valley? Why are all the Film Production Studios heaped up in Hollywood?
Why are the competing peers are clustered into a close proximity? It is pretty natural to think that the convergence of competitors into a the proximity of each other could lead to the loss of competitive advantage for all. However, This is NOT the case, Counter-intuitive but true!
What do companies gain by congesting into one location? See below:
1. The pool of expertise is easily available for all companies, and the mass availability of skill leads to the reduction of cost per unit of skill.
2. The cost of goods or services sold is reduced as the concentration of all players leads to the suppliers setting up their units near the clusters to gain a source of competitive advantage.
3. Clustering presents a huge opportunity for thriving of a vibrant Ancillary industry.
This means that the clustering of industries leads to better achievement of economies of scale for the competing players.
This is the reason that regions like New York City, London Metro pole, Bombay and many more, have thrived and grown into huge economic powerhouses over time.
Why are the competing peers are clustered into a close proximity? It is pretty natural to think that the convergence of competitors into a the proximity of each other could lead to the loss of competitive advantage for all. However, This is NOT the case, Counter-intuitive but true!
What do companies gain by congesting into one location? See below:
1. The pool of expertise is easily available for all companies, and the mass availability of skill leads to the reduction of cost per unit of skill.
2. The cost of goods or services sold is reduced as the concentration of all players leads to the suppliers setting up their units near the clusters to gain a source of competitive advantage.
3. Clustering presents a huge opportunity for thriving of a vibrant Ancillary industry.
This means that the clustering of industries leads to better achievement of economies of scale for the competing players.
This is the reason that regions like New York City, London Metro pole, Bombay and many more, have thrived and grown into huge economic powerhouses over time.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
No Subject
The human mind is always wandering through everything that it can experience around. At certain points in time, one does feel that this is what it actually wanted but the same existing possession seems to be so shallow and in vain. I guess this is a common phenomenon that must have been experienced by many people. I believe that the reason for this is that, every need the mind wants is circumstantial and we do not live in a static world, the circumstances change over time, its dynamic in nature. As a natural inference, so does relationships with people, in terms of physical proximity, mental frequency and degree of association. I'm sure the realization of this is not a very pleasant one, however practical or mature we might be. I also feel that the individuals involved also want to get everything back to the state as it used to be before, but the circumstances and priorities probably hamper this possibility.
Why do circumstances change? I guess its because of the change in one's priorities, preferences, needs, desires, possibilities and obligations of the physical and emotional state. The outcome of the culmination of the complex variables is always enigmatic in nature, and that's the reason that the human psyche is one of the most researched and less understood theories of the modern world.
This is the most vague thing I have ever written, however I don't seem to have the clarity to make it more simplistic.
Life is a pursuit in vain to un-mix the mixed blessing.
Why do circumstances change? I guess its because of the change in one's priorities, preferences, needs, desires, possibilities and obligations of the physical and emotional state. The outcome of the culmination of the complex variables is always enigmatic in nature, and that's the reason that the human psyche is one of the most researched and less understood theories of the modern world.
This is the most vague thing I have ever written, however I don't seem to have the clarity to make it more simplistic.
Life is a pursuit in vain to un-mix the mixed blessing.
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Long Pause
Its been really long since I blogged last... Thats mainly due to the engrossing life I have had so far at AIM and I have been keeping busy with many other things that I find more interesting than blogging.
Just as an Update, I am 4 months away from becoming the young MBA graduate that I started dreaming about some 3 years back. I went to Jakarta for my Action Consultancy with John Clements Consultants, Inc. (An HR Consulting firm) for a tenure of 2 weeks during June 2009. I would definitely share that experience in detail in one of the subsequent blogs.
Prior to that, I underwent the harsh part of the MBA before the more comfortable and convenient latter half of the MBA experience. However, retrospectively I really feel good about it, irrespective of the fact I was academically dissatisfied with my performance.
Coming back to better things in life, I have had two wonderful holidays... First, to the blissful El Nido in the Palawan Islands of the Philippines. Second, to the serene beach in Bataan (some 7 hours drive from Makati) with the company of people whom I love the most here and this vacation remains very very close to my heart. I promise to circumstantiate both these experiences soon in this blog.
MBA so far has been a true learning experience with respect to Academics, Work, Life, etc. and the art of balancing all of it.
I was not feeling very good about not blogging for so long, since I am an expressive person intrinsically. So, the intention of this post is to resume and bridge the long pause between then and now! :-)
Just as an Update, I am 4 months away from becoming the young MBA graduate that I started dreaming about some 3 years back. I went to Jakarta for my Action Consultancy with John Clements Consultants, Inc. (An HR Consulting firm) for a tenure of 2 weeks during June 2009. I would definitely share that experience in detail in one of the subsequent blogs.
Prior to that, I underwent the harsh part of the MBA before the more comfortable and convenient latter half of the MBA experience. However, retrospectively I really feel good about it, irrespective of the fact I was academically dissatisfied with my performance.
Coming back to better things in life, I have had two wonderful holidays... First, to the blissful El Nido in the Palawan Islands of the Philippines. Second, to the serene beach in Bataan (some 7 hours drive from Makati) with the company of people whom I love the most here and this vacation remains very very close to my heart. I promise to circumstantiate both these experiences soon in this blog.
MBA so far has been a true learning experience with respect to Academics, Work, Life, etc. and the art of balancing all of it.
I was not feeling very good about not blogging for so long, since I am an expressive person intrinsically. So, the intention of this post is to resume and bridge the long pause between then and now! :-)
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Recruiter's Night @ AIM
During the last week, I had an opportunity to visit the Recruiter's Night organised by the Career Management Services (CMS) at AIM. The event was primarily intended to be a common platform for the confluence of the Graduating Batch students and their potential employers.
The event took place on the 3rd of September at the AIM Conference Centre in Makati City. The ambience of the occasion was eye catching especially due the formal attire of the students (A rare sight at AIM!!)
The function kicked off with a formal overview of the graduating MBA and MM class of 2008 by the representatives of each of the courses. The overview comprised of a general picture of the functional background of the students along with the diversity among each of them. It is worth mentioning that there is an amazing diversity associated with each batch at AIM. This was followed by an encouraging talk by the Associate Dean of the W.SyCip Graduate School of Business, Prof. Ricky Lim to motivate the potential employers to look for the right match. It was great to have learnt the significance of a relationship between an employer and the employee.
The presence of many of reputed companies present like QTEL from Qatar, First Gulf Bank from Abu Dhabi, Ayala Group-Philippines, IBM- Philippines, Pfizer- Philippines, JP Morgan- Philippines, L&T, RCBC Bank, Telus- Philippines ensured that the purpose of the interaction between the companies and the students had been justifiably served. This was followed by dinner and rounds of cocktails, which hopefully proved out to be the opportune moment for the students to network. (And drink off course!)
My sole intention is to give a credible account of event to a larger set of audience and hope to spread the word. I was lucky to have a group of my batch mates along with me on the day to cover the event and also, thank Regnard for providing us with the opportunity of being an amateur (read novice) journalist :-)
I am attaching some pictures taken on that day and also take this opportunity to wish my seniors a very best in all their future endeavours.
The event took place on the 3rd of September at the AIM Conference Centre in Makati City. The ambience of the occasion was eye catching especially due the formal attire of the students (A rare sight at AIM!!)
The function kicked off with a formal overview of the graduating MBA and MM class of 2008 by the representatives of each of the courses. The overview comprised of a general picture of the functional background of the students along with the diversity among each of them. It is worth mentioning that there is an amazing diversity associated with each batch at AIM. This was followed by an encouraging talk by the Associate Dean of the W.SyCip Graduate School of Business, Prof. Ricky Lim to motivate the potential employers to look for the right match. It was great to have learnt the significance of a relationship between an employer and the employee.
The presence of many of reputed companies present like QTEL from Qatar, First Gulf Bank from Abu Dhabi, Ayala Group-Philippines, IBM- Philippines, Pfizer- Philippines, JP Morgan- Philippines, L&T, RCBC Bank, Telus- Philippines ensured that the purpose of the interaction between the companies and the students had been justifiably served. This was followed by dinner and rounds of cocktails, which hopefully proved out to be the opportune moment for the students to network. (And drink off course!)
My sole intention is to give a credible account of event to a larger set of audience and hope to spread the word. I was lucky to have a group of my batch mates along with me on the day to cover the event and also, thank Regnard for providing us with the opportunity of being an amateur (read novice) journalist :-)
I am attaching some pictures taken on that day and also take this opportunity to wish my seniors a very best in all their future endeavours.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Philippine Diary I
Today is the last day of the 2-Week Pre MBA classes and the coming Monday would bring along the first day of MBA and with it the cases and the CAN group discussions.
The past fortnight has been one of the most happening and enjoyable days of the recent times. I reached Manila on the 16th of August from Kolkata via Singapore. The first impression that Manila gives you a very neat and welcoming one (Mahubay). The city on the way from the NAIA resembles Mumbai in certain ways, mostly in terms of weather. The city gives a very clean and polished feeling unlike Mumbai. However, the place where Asian Institute of Management (AIM) is located is very posh and looks as good as any well developed city around the globe. Some reliable sources do inform me that the looks resemble LA downtown (wow!!). The place is known as the Makati City and happens to be the commercial hub of the country.
The arrival at the institute was a very cordial one, Thanks to the wonderful people out here!! The laptops were registered with the institute and we were allotted the rooms in the dorm of the college on the 6th Floor, Room#602 to be more precise. The suite gives a very professional look, due to the Green Boards, Rolling Chairs and the meticulously separated study space provided for each of the members. The dorm is a well maintained one and truly organised one in terms of amenities given the fact that it was established 40 years ago.
Reflecting on the Pre MBA, I would say with affirmity that attending it was a worthy decision. It helps one with the initial feel of the various subjects of MBA along with subtle hints of the rigour at AIM. The subjects included Language of Business i.e. Accounting, Basics of Economics, Basics of Quant and MS Excel, along with the MBTI personality tests. It also gives one an opportunity to ramp up to speed before the actual battle kicks off. The pre MBA also helped us know the excellent quality of faculty at AIM, I'm informed that one of our professors has been the economic advisor to the President of Philippines. The profiles of the various teachers are truly admirable. The classes have immensely helped in making a rapport with our batch mates and seniors and I guess that would be particularly helpful during the MBA. Also not to forget, Pre MBA also gives some time off to sight see the vicinity of the campus.
I did spend the last weekend moving around the nearby malls in Makati City (Landmark, GreenBelt, Glorietta, etc.) and visiting the places around Fort Bonifacio, which is an urban development in Taguig City, Metro Manila. The cost of living of the city is also very reasonable compared to Bangalore, India and the quality of Life is much better, except for the fact that I don’t have friends and relatives here. Manila also has some of the biggest malls of Asia and I'm informed that those are really huge. The apparent reasoning of such developed retail establishments in a moderately developing economy like the Philippines is that the inflation rate is higher than the rate earned by the Central Bank, so the incentive of saving is lost and people tend to spend more relative to the savings. This can also be explained by the fact that the culture here resembles that of the West, and English is a well known and understood language unlike most of the South East Asian countries.
Food in Manila is really diverse and one can get anything one wishes. Its worth a mention that vegetarians might have a hard time adjusting with the cuisines available here.
A very evident feeling one gathers here is that people are not very worried or tensed about day to day issues, which is wonderful and healthy. Life seems to be a very big party out here and I sincerely admire the attitude. Rock On Manila!!!
The past fortnight has been one of the most happening and enjoyable days of the recent times. I reached Manila on the 16th of August from Kolkata via Singapore. The first impression that Manila gives you a very neat and welcoming one (Mahubay). The city on the way from the NAIA resembles Mumbai in certain ways, mostly in terms of weather. The city gives a very clean and polished feeling unlike Mumbai. However, the place where Asian Institute of Management (AIM) is located is very posh and looks as good as any well developed city around the globe. Some reliable sources do inform me that the looks resemble LA downtown (wow!!). The place is known as the Makati City and happens to be the commercial hub of the country.
The arrival at the institute was a very cordial one, Thanks to the wonderful people out here!! The laptops were registered with the institute and we were allotted the rooms in the dorm of the college on the 6th Floor, Room#602 to be more precise. The suite gives a very professional look, due to the Green Boards, Rolling Chairs and the meticulously separated study space provided for each of the members. The dorm is a well maintained one and truly organised one in terms of amenities given the fact that it was established 40 years ago.
Reflecting on the Pre MBA, I would say with affirmity that attending it was a worthy decision. It helps one with the initial feel of the various subjects of MBA along with subtle hints of the rigour at AIM. The subjects included Language of Business i.e. Accounting, Basics of Economics, Basics of Quant and MS Excel, along with the MBTI personality tests. It also gives one an opportunity to ramp up to speed before the actual battle kicks off. The pre MBA also helped us know the excellent quality of faculty at AIM, I'm informed that one of our professors has been the economic advisor to the President of Philippines. The profiles of the various teachers are truly admirable. The classes have immensely helped in making a rapport with our batch mates and seniors and I guess that would be particularly helpful during the MBA. Also not to forget, Pre MBA also gives some time off to sight see the vicinity of the campus.
I did spend the last weekend moving around the nearby malls in Makati City (Landmark, GreenBelt, Glorietta, etc.) and visiting the places around Fort Bonifacio, which is an urban development in Taguig City, Metro Manila. The cost of living of the city is also very reasonable compared to Bangalore, India and the quality of Life is much better, except for the fact that I don’t have friends and relatives here. Manila also has some of the biggest malls of Asia and I'm informed that those are really huge. The apparent reasoning of such developed retail establishments in a moderately developing economy like the Philippines is that the inflation rate is higher than the rate earned by the Central Bank, so the incentive of saving is lost and people tend to spend more relative to the savings. This can also be explained by the fact that the culture here resembles that of the West, and English is a well known and understood language unlike most of the South East Asian countries.
Food in Manila is really diverse and one can get anything one wishes. Its worth a mention that vegetarians might have a hard time adjusting with the cuisines available here.
A very evident feeling one gathers here is that people are not very worried or tensed about day to day issues, which is wonderful and healthy. Life seems to be a very big party out here and I sincerely admire the attitude. Rock On Manila!!!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
My Maiden Philippine Experience
This is my first post from the archipelago of 7000 islands, The Philippines. I am presently located in Manila, the capital of Philippines, placed on the picturesque Luzon Island. The motive that brings me here to this distant land, is the persuance of MBA at the esteemed Asian Institute of Management in Makati City, Manila. Makati happens to be the Central Business District (CBD) of Manila and is the commercial epicentre of the country. One can observe a marked cultural difference in the country compared to India, and I am still trying to figure out intricate details of the same. Its amazing I must say!
The AIM Campus, however, feels very much at home due to the fact that Indian Students capture the majority of the student Diversity pie.
The classes of Pre MBA, puposed to make us aware of the Accounting, Economics and Quantitative Basics, have already started for us and the schedule has been very hectic as expected, the change in the biological cycle of the body has been drastic over the past few days, but its enjoyable too. Brings back the college days once again!
I have'nt had a chance to roam around the city and find out more about the place as this is my first week at AIM. So, I would leave you with some pictures and try to bring forth more experiences, learnings and Information in the days to come.
The AIM Campus, however, feels very much at home due to the fact that Indian Students capture the majority of the student Diversity pie.
The classes of Pre MBA, puposed to make us aware of the Accounting, Economics and Quantitative Basics, have already started for us and the schedule has been very hectic as expected, the change in the biological cycle of the body has been drastic over the past few days, but its enjoyable too. Brings back the college days once again!
I have'nt had a chance to roam around the city and find out more about the place as this is my first week at AIM. So, I would leave you with some pictures and try to bring forth more experiences, learnings and Information in the days to come.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Visit to BIT Mesra
This was my maiden visit to my college BIT Mesra, as a representative of MindTree Ltd. The visit was a part of the MindTree Campus Confluence initiative (I cannot disclose much about this) and required us to travel to BIT Mesra for the purpose of guidance to a group of pre-final year students.
We traveled one pre decided Friday night from Bangalore to Kolkata and had a next day morning flight to Ranchi where we were received by the official BIT Mesra vehicle, traveling in this vehicle used to be a much hyped affair during the engineering days. We were put up very comfortably in the VIP guest house (same place where Palash Sen and co. stayed during the Live Euphoria performance at BIT Mesra), with same BIT flavor of tripod shaped utensils for serving the curries and Dal and a very hospitable but laid back ambience.
The day involved a rigorous pre and post lunch sessions with the group of students, involving rounds of technical and corporate gyaan. We also had a scheduled meeting with the TnP Chief - Prof. Pant (one of the most amicable persons in BIT) and it was wonderful to meet him after a span of 2 years. It brings back the fond placement memories.
The day came to close ambling in the campus with all the students, who were very inclined to bring forth all the changes (positive as well as negative) that have occurred in BIT in this period. The pride in being a BITian was pretty evident in this group of budding engineers.
As anticipated, it was a wonderful trip and More so, because it’s a nice feeling to be sitting on the other side of the table.
We traveled one pre decided Friday night from Bangalore to Kolkata and had a next day morning flight to Ranchi where we were received by the official BIT Mesra vehicle, traveling in this vehicle used to be a much hyped affair during the engineering days. We were put up very comfortably in the VIP guest house (same place where Palash Sen and co. stayed during the Live Euphoria performance at BIT Mesra), with same BIT flavor of tripod shaped utensils for serving the curries and Dal and a very hospitable but laid back ambience.
The day involved a rigorous pre and post lunch sessions with the group of students, involving rounds of technical and corporate gyaan. We also had a scheduled meeting with the TnP Chief - Prof. Pant (one of the most amicable persons in BIT) and it was wonderful to meet him after a span of 2 years. It brings back the fond placement memories.
The day came to close ambling in the campus with all the students, who were very inclined to bring forth all the changes (positive as well as negative) that have occurred in BIT in this period. The pride in being a BITian was pretty evident in this group of budding engineers.
As anticipated, it was a wonderful trip and More so, because it’s a nice feeling to be sitting on the other side of the table.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Zimbabwe Today
Zimbabwe became an independent nation in April 1980 following the Lancaster House Agreement.
There has been a chronological sequence of events that lead to the downfall of the nation from being one of Africa's most developed nations to the world's worst nations economically and socially.
There has been a chronological sequence of events that lead to the downfall of the nation from being one of Africa's most developed nations to the world's worst nations economically and socially.
I will try to jot down the reasons behind this massacre:
- The Land Reform Program initiated by the Government of Zimbabwe: This was an attempt of an equitable distribution of land among the population. The majority of the land was owned by the minority white farmers in the nation, which was supposed to be given back to the blacks. This in turn saw a major reduction in the agricultural production of the country and increase of disputed land in the nation causing a decrease in the productivity. This created a shortage of agricultural products which was once the backbone of the economy, creating a demand supply mismatch.
- Operation Murambatsvina was initiated by the Government of Zimbabwe following the elections in 2005. An operation aimed towards the crackdown of the illegal markets and towns that caused the emergence of slums in the towns and cities, so as to provide decent housing and living conditions. This in turn, left a huge chunk of population homeless without any rehabilitation.
- Humanitarian Crisis has reached a stage wherein the population is chronically suffering droughts affecting the entire region, HIV/AIDS Epidemic gaining monstrous proportions (1.8 million affected), and unsupportive government price control and land reform policies. There has been a dramatic decrease in the life expectancy from 60 to 37 since 1990, which is the lowest in the world.
- Hyperinflation is attributed to the majority of the issues pertaining to the human population in Zimbabwe. Beginning 2000, the national economy contracted by as much as 40%; inflation has vaulted to over 164,900.3% (official est.) , and there is persistent shortages of foreign exchange, local currency, fuel, medicine, and food. GDP per capita has dropped by 40%, agricultural output dropped by 51% and industrial production dropped by 47%. A $500 million bearer cheque was introduced by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) on May 15 2008 valued at about USD 1.93 at the time of issue. The situation is worsened due to the difference between the Official and Black Market rate.
- A War with the Democratic Republic of Congo has been fought at the expense of billions which by no means have helped the cause of the people of Zimbabwe.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Go Goa!!
So now I’m on a complete blogging spree.... After the Puri experience here I come with the Goa experience. Mind you the Goa trip occurred much before the Puri one... Somehow, just that I could not gather the energy before. The maiden trip to Goa has a special relevance to me because it was among the most sought after destinations of the final year college days, but could not make it due to a terrible sequence of events (beyond the scope here).
The planning phase had been initiated at a very early stage by me, Sumit and Pratap (Pratap recently bought a brand new house at HSR Layout, Hats off to his meticulous planning!!), almost a year ago while shifting together to our newly rented house at #124 VijayShree Complex. And, finally it happened during the first week of April, with a long delay thanks to our professional and personal obligations. The best part of the plan was that it did not comprise of the just three of us but, a total of eight of us including Bumba, Lallu, Dipak, Ezhil and Jha (I'm too bad at remembering good names of people so please pardon me for that).
So, one fine Friday evening in the first week of April, the coterie set upon the Goa bound journey. But, the carrier was such a wonderful one that by the end of the journey, it left us admiring ourselves in awe, for our capability to undermine adversity. And, the icing on the cake was the last set of seats allocated to us (reminded me of the good old school days.... lastbenchers.... but it was not the same comfortable and cozy feeling). Finally, we reached Goa at around 1 o'clock in the afternoon with our ebullience being overpowered by tiredness and dehydration, followed by a wasteful argument with an adamant bike wala (one can rent bikes and cars from them at a daily basis).
Then, we reached the Calangute Beach (one of the most populous beaches of Goa) with hope to find something worthwhile, and to our delight we found a very affordable accommodation (can’t call that a hotel) with the beach a couple of minutes walk away from us. The locality was nice one with a huge potential for pleasure of sight as well as might (After all, Game was the only Aim)!!! So now the time had come to free ourselves upon the arms of the Arabian Sea and this feeling was magnified due a thrilling Para-gliding experience I had along with Pratap, Motu and Lallu. I was noncommittal at first but, Thanks to Pratap on this occasion!!! This was followed by hours in front of the sea with beer in one hand and fag on the other (Then I feel like a man!!! :-))... 
The sight of the lambent sun setting down in the horizon makes one think about the bigger things in life, and not about the insignificant day to day hassles. The evanescent feeling of the Wind in my hair and sand at my feet.... is amazing, romantic, self interrogating, supernatural.... it’s beyond me to put this down in words. After this enchanting rendezvous with the sea, it was dinner time and it was a royal dinner with a variety of Sea Food on offer at the Baga Beach in front of the Britto's or Tito's (Bumba educated me that those are one of the famous places in Goa). Bumba also gave me vital information about beaches in Phillipines, Sea food, etc during the trip... he's a Rock Star!! Then, came another high point of the trip... Ezhil ki zindagi jeene ki iccha jag uthi and we kept ambling aimlessly in search of the true Goa, but alas found nothing (cannot express much here). That’s too a memorable incident, and with lallu around there was no scope of boredom to prevail. I always feel a sense of consanguinity between myself and lallu because of the commonality of the dialect that we both speak informally. This marked the end of our enervated first day in Goa.
Then arrived the day#2 of our trip and we had plans to go to the Palolam Beach (I'm informed it has blue waters and white sand). But, those plans remained as plans due to a hapless interception involving Jha (soon to be a part of the class of IIM K, Congratulations to him...) and our very own apna Holdy (enigmatic personality!!).
However, after a lot of discussions and strategies, we concurred to head towards the Anjuna Beach (the foreigner infested beach - the infamous Scarlett Murder Venue). We had an inundated session sun bathing and profused sea bathing, where we taught Mera Bharat Mahan to a couple of firangi kids. Worth a mention here is the comment that our Ezhil got from the kids causing a lot of embarrassment to all of us, our motu is a genuine whimsical kid at heart!! With the gusto of driving the well maintained blue Wagon R on the streets of Goa, we drove to the much awaited Vagator Beach. Vagator was the most scenic and vignette of all the beaches of Goa, circumscribed by the Chapora Fort of the movie DCH fame, perfectly sating to the eye. 
Here too, we had rounds of bakar with Dipak leading the Bihari bandwagon (he is one of the most amicably non controversial person I have met!!) and Sumit on the center stage as always due to the fact that all the rest seven were his direct friends someway or the other. On our way back we did see a set up of the much hyped Rave Parties, which elevated our hedonist desires, but could not experience it unfortunately due to some unavoidable circumstances.
That was about the end of the second day at Goa and the next day we were supposed to head back to Bangalore with wait listed reservations. Fortunately, 5 of the 8 reservations were confirmed and we have a moderately comfortable journey back to Bangalore.
The tour was definitely very festive, frivolous and a galvanizing one, and more so due to the presence of like minded people together (This is Sumit's favourite one liner). I wish I was destined to be a part of many more such outings with these people around. The feeling emanated by its reminiscence is still Elysian!! Never mind, it was an experience that I would cherish all through and preserve down the memory lane......
The planning phase had been initiated at a very early stage by me, Sumit and Pratap (Pratap recently bought a brand new house at HSR Layout, Hats off to his meticulous planning!!), almost a year ago while shifting together to our newly rented house at #124 VijayShree Complex. And, finally it happened during the first week of April, with a long delay thanks to our professional and personal obligations. The best part of the plan was that it did not comprise of the just three of us but, a total of eight of us including Bumba, Lallu, Dipak, Ezhil and Jha (I'm too bad at remembering good names of people so please pardon me for that).
So, one fine Friday evening in the first week of April, the coterie set upon the Goa bound journey. But, the carrier was such a wonderful one that by the end of the journey, it left us admiring ourselves in awe, for our capability to undermine adversity. And, the icing on the cake was the last set of seats allocated to us (reminded me of the good old school days.... lastbenchers.... but it was not the same comfortable and cozy feeling). Finally, we reached Goa at around 1 o'clock in the afternoon with our ebullience being overpowered by tiredness and dehydration, followed by a wasteful argument with an adamant bike wala (one can rent bikes and cars from them at a daily basis).
Then, we reached the Calangute Beach (one of the most populous beaches of Goa) with hope to find something worthwhile, and to our delight we found a very affordable accommodation (can’t call that a hotel) with the beach a couple of minutes walk away from us. The locality was nice one with a huge potential for pleasure of sight as well as might (After all, Game was the only Aim)!!! So now the time had come to free ourselves upon the arms of the Arabian Sea and this feeling was magnified due a thrilling Para-gliding experience I had along with Pratap, Motu and Lallu. I was noncommittal at first but, Thanks to Pratap on this occasion!!! This was followed by hours in front of the sea with beer in one hand and fag on the other (Then I feel like a man!!! :-))... 
The sight of the lambent sun setting down in the horizon makes one think about the bigger things in life, and not about the insignificant day to day hassles. The evanescent feeling of the Wind in my hair and sand at my feet.... is amazing, romantic, self interrogating, supernatural.... it’s beyond me to put this down in words. After this enchanting rendezvous with the sea, it was dinner time and it was a royal dinner with a variety of Sea Food on offer at the Baga Beach in front of the Britto's or Tito's (Bumba educated me that those are one of the famous places in Goa). Bumba also gave me vital information about beaches in Phillipines, Sea food, etc during the trip... he's a Rock Star!! Then, came another high point of the trip... Ezhil ki zindagi jeene ki iccha jag uthi and we kept ambling aimlessly in search of the true Goa, but alas found nothing (cannot express much here). That’s too a memorable incident, and with lallu around there was no scope of boredom to prevail. I always feel a sense of consanguinity between myself and lallu because of the commonality of the dialect that we both speak informally. This marked the end of our enervated first day in Goa.Then arrived the day#2 of our trip and we had plans to go to the Palolam Beach (I'm informed it has blue waters and white sand). But, those plans remained as plans due to a hapless interception involving Jha (soon to be a part of the class of IIM K, Congratulations to him...) and our very own apna Holdy (enigmatic personality!!).
However, after a lot of discussions and strategies, we concurred to head towards the Anjuna Beach (the foreigner infested beach - the infamous Scarlett Murder Venue). We had an inundated session sun bathing and profused sea bathing, where we taught Mera Bharat Mahan to a couple of firangi kids. Worth a mention here is the comment that our Ezhil got from the kids causing a lot of embarrassment to all of us, our motu is a genuine whimsical kid at heart!! With the gusto of driving the well maintained blue Wagon R on the streets of Goa, we drove to the much awaited Vagator Beach. Vagator was the most scenic and vignette of all the beaches of Goa, circumscribed by the Chapora Fort of the movie DCH fame, perfectly sating to the eye. 
Here too, we had rounds of bakar with Dipak leading the Bihari bandwagon (he is one of the most amicably non controversial person I have met!!) and Sumit on the center stage as always due to the fact that all the rest seven were his direct friends someway or the other. On our way back we did see a set up of the much hyped Rave Parties, which elevated our hedonist desires, but could not experience it unfortunately due to some unavoidable circumstances.That was about the end of the second day at Goa and the next day we were supposed to head back to Bangalore with wait listed reservations. Fortunately, 5 of the 8 reservations were confirmed and we have a moderately comfortable journey back to Bangalore.
The tour was definitely very festive, frivolous and a galvanizing one, and more so due to the presence of like minded people together (This is Sumit's favourite one liner). I wish I was destined to be a part of many more such outings with these people around. The feeling emanated by its reminiscence is still Elysian!! Never mind, it was an experience that I would cherish all through and preserve down the memory lane......
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
F.R.I.E.N.D.S. @ Sterling Puri
Enough of the knowledge worthy stuff I have been writing in the recent times (I feel so when I recall my golden olden days!!!), so thought that I will write something that’s close to my heart (very very close). Off late I have been touring all parts of the country right from a colleagues wedding in Erode, TN to Puri, Orrisa... has been quite hectic but, could not feel it as I have been happy and satisfied with some developments personally as well as professionally... mind comes before the body ..isn’t it??
I went home for a long long vacation of 2 weeks to get some passport formalities cleared and also meet family and friends.... The last part of the vacation was specifically very memorable because of the fact that it was an innumerably planned and once executed F.R.I.E.N.D.S reunion at Sterling Resorts in Puri. The place itself makes me nostalgic given the fact that we had visited this place 4 years ago during college days when we were freaks in the true sense. At that point in time we reached the place with anticipation of two adjoining suites, one occupied by us and the other??? Pushkar will relate to this better....
Day #1:
So now we had finally reached the place..... Here we means myself, Ankit,Thapa, Pushkar and Goldy, with Saket joining us a few hours later. We just had a couple of days in hand and ready to relive it all. The trip started with a Bakar session in the wonderfully air conditioned room at the resort and a perfect English breakfast. Then, we finally moved out of the comforts of the room to the arms of the sea in one of the less crowded beaches of Puri in the middle of killing heat. Yes, that was of course preceded by a sumptuous lunch at Bideshi Hotel suggested by Thapa wherein Ankit was completely unable to lose his Los Angeles charisma. Our high pitch conversations were being frequently interrupted by Ankit saying dhire bolo kya sochega aas paas ka log and was very ably reciprocated by Thapa with the lines saying I'm on holiday..... I can f@#$ everybody this way..... I'm cool!!!. The expression on Thapa's face and the hand-eye coordination while delivering this was simply amazing... Thapa is true genius (read CS... we know what that means?). And, also not to forget Thapa had a very eye pleasing Donkey ride, on the dirty beach of Puri, which he thought to be horse initially (I guess you don’t have horses and donkeys in Nepal??). O.K. then we all headed back to the resort completely tired and desperate to take a plunge in the not very well maintained swimming pool, and to add to the icing of the cake Pushkar made it even dirtier courtesy some unique act of his, I assure no one else is capable of such acts. And then, Saket joined us in the resort after a hard day at office (feel the sarcasm...), by this time we were hungry enough for our dinner. Then, started the big plans for the booze party... Where's the party tonight??? ...... On the sea Shore!!! So, the issue in hand was to get enough stock for a night long sustenance, so the most intrepid of the lot i.e. myself and pushkar (2007) were given the charge and we got the pre-requisites and requisites at the expense of 350 bucks for 10 kms (mind you we're in Puri not Pennsylvania). That night was magical, it was pure, it was undiplomatic, it was we and we were together. The fun was of course acknowledged by our very own Ankit Pushkar (read Cat-Dog) fight, that’s a signature authenticating the genuineness of the parties we have, nothing unnatural. Then came the best part of the night (im still confused whether that was night or morning?).... We suddenly realized that the first rays of the morning sun had descended upon the lovely beaches of Puri and I must tell you that’s a particularly weird feeling!!! And, Goldy with his pran of no booze and meat until he achieves a personal goal (the goal referred here is the baap of all accomplishments and it is achieved but for a mere formality and the ever tensed Goldy!!) was sleeping in peace. Now, I should introduce all of you to a concept of H2O Treatment which is capable to accomplishing the impossible too... We'll see how in the lines to follow.... The simplified definition of H2O Treatment is Water on a bottle head and Bottle head emptied onto the Human Head. That was it; a well executed H2O Treatment by Thapa caused Goldy to rise from the world of his dreams (Wat dreams?? It’s beyond the scope of blogger to express!! Very dirty!!!). By this time Saket also woke up from his sleep after finishing the whole Vodka bottle (13 pegs down.... 14 pegs down!!!!), which was later found hidden below the bed cum sofa in the living room. Then started the song.... "Kya khabar thi jana ki humko pyar ho jayega........Kya khabar thi jana ki humko pyar ho jayega" with Pushkar, Saket and Thapa dancing and me and Ankit uncontrollably laughing. And, poor Goldy thinking How on Earth can these hopeless people do this to me and with a mechanical movement of his feet and elbow in a poorly synchronized tandem. The scene was such that, its beyond my capabilities to re generate it, but rest assured it was one of the funniest and most humorous events of my life.
This circus went on for the whole of that hour and finally we went to sleep for a couple of hours at 7am, (Goldy also had a strategy behind letting us sleep) and abruptly woken back to reality with a revengeful H2O Treatment by Goldy for Thapa (respite to me, Pushkar and Ankit that we were not targeted) and Saket was enjoying the show with complete indulgence.
Day #2:
I really cannot differentiate between the two days, after all one needs to sleep to see a new day. The second days are never as enjoyable as the first ones, coz you start feeling that its the final half of the trip. Plus, Goldy had his flight back to Hyderabad from Kolkata, so he had to leave that day itself.... Sad but true!! The second day we went to the pool again withstanding the disaster caused by Pushkar followed by TT Games thanks to the poor table, poor racket, hot conditions (Grapes are sour … I lost even to Pushkar!!) and then Goldy irritated me by stealing off my favorite shorts …. Goldy should mind it (to be read in Rajnikanth style)!!! Then came the high point of the second day, we went to the Sterling private beach which was truly serene, deafening and monstrous. One needs to feel the sound of violent waves hitting the beaches with closed eyes... that’s the door to creativity, divinity. We played games like shoe (one has to jump on the opponents foot in a bid to win the game), followed by a mad Saket summer salting in the beach.
And of course, accompanied by the wonderfully contrasting moods that Thapa posesses... i.e. when everyone is high, Thapa is low and when everyone is low Thapa is high... you need to have high caliber to act or even behave like Thapa. One needs to witness this phenomenon to realize it. Hats off to Thapa.... eeeeee Thapa!!!!!!! Now came the time to see off Goldy in the Kolkata bound express..... Bye Bye Goldy!! By now, Our hunger was killing us and to our delight, it was followed by a very satisfying meal consisting of a variety of sea food delicacies at Chung Wah, Puri. That night too we took some bottles of beer to the resort, just for the sake of relaxing for of the stressed nerves and enjoyed it well along with a nice IPL match involving the Kolkata Knight Riders (that’s my favorite team). Our bodies had been starved of sleep since a couple of days and that night we needed some sound sleep as we had to leave Puri for Bbsr early morning so as to catch my flight back to Bangalore. So Lights Off and Sleep..........
The next morning we were off to our journey to Bbsr at around 9.30 in the morning and reached the destination at 12 noon, thanks to a very matured driver, his logic of driving slow was that its not good to decelerate in congestion, so drive slow.... God save me!!! That was the end of the Puri Trip for us... Thank God that after all it materialized.
It seems that it will be long before all of us are together again, given the fact that Pushkar is leaving for London for a span less than a year and me to Manila (AIM) for one and a half years. Goldy will also be moving to Delhi soon (FMS) and Thapa does not plan for his future, so I can’t say. Ankit, also might fly to the UK for a couple of months thanks to his Vodafone and Sony projects (Ankit bhai is our Vodafone regional head)... He is the most dedicated worker of the lot.
So, the pure fun will elude us for quite some time it seems. However, cannot predict because all the memorable plans have been unplanned. Hoping and looking forward to another such even in the near future.
*The grass was greener
The light was brighter
The taste was sweeter
The nights of wonder
With friends surrounded
The dawn mist glowing
The water flowing
The endless river
Forever and ever
*High Hopes - Pink Floyd
Disclaimer: This is a very personal blog and targeted only to a specific set of individuals. So, if you are unable to relate to it, it’s not your fault, may be you are not a part of the target audience.
I went home for a long long vacation of 2 weeks to get some passport formalities cleared and also meet family and friends.... The last part of the vacation was specifically very memorable because of the fact that it was an innumerably planned and once executed F.R.I.E.N.D.S reunion at Sterling Resorts in Puri. The place itself makes me nostalgic given the fact that we had visited this place 4 years ago during college days when we were freaks in the true sense. At that point in time we reached the place with anticipation of two adjoining suites, one occupied by us and the other??? Pushkar will relate to this better....
Day #1:
So now we had finally reached the place..... Here we means myself, Ankit,Thapa, Pushkar and Goldy, with Saket joining us a few hours later. We just had a couple of days in hand and ready to relive it all. The trip started with a Bakar session in the wonderfully air conditioned room at the resort and a perfect English breakfast. Then, we finally moved out of the comforts of the room to the arms of the sea in one of the less crowded beaches of Puri in the middle of killing heat. Yes, that was of course preceded by a sumptuous lunch at Bideshi Hotel suggested by Thapa wherein Ankit was completely unable to lose his Los Angeles charisma. Our high pitch conversations were being frequently interrupted by Ankit saying dhire bolo kya sochega aas paas ka log and was very ably reciprocated by Thapa with the lines saying I'm on holiday..... I can f@#$ everybody this way..... I'm cool!!!. The expression on Thapa's face and the hand-eye coordination while delivering this was simply amazing... Thapa is true genius (read CS... we know what that means?). And, also not to forget Thapa had a very eye pleasing Donkey ride, on the dirty beach of Puri, which he thought to be horse initially (I guess you don’t have horses and donkeys in Nepal??). O.K. then we all headed back to the resort completely tired and desperate to take a plunge in the not very well maintained swimming pool, and to add to the icing of the cake Pushkar made it even dirtier courtesy some unique act of his, I assure no one else is capable of such acts. And then, Saket joined us in the resort after a hard day at office (feel the sarcasm...), by this time we were hungry enough for our dinner. Then, started the big plans for the booze party... Where's the party tonight??? ...... On the sea Shore!!! So, the issue in hand was to get enough stock for a night long sustenance, so the most intrepid of the lot i.e. myself and pushkar (2007) were given the charge and we got the pre-requisites and requisites at the expense of 350 bucks for 10 kms (mind you we're in Puri not Pennsylvania). That night was magical, it was pure, it was undiplomatic, it was we and we were together. The fun was of course acknowledged by our very own Ankit Pushkar (read Cat-Dog) fight, that’s a signature authenticating the genuineness of the parties we have, nothing unnatural. Then came the best part of the night (im still confused whether that was night or morning?).... We suddenly realized that the first rays of the morning sun had descended upon the lovely beaches of Puri and I must tell you that’s a particularly weird feeling!!! And, Goldy with his pran of no booze and meat until he achieves a personal goal (the goal referred here is the baap of all accomplishments and it is achieved but for a mere formality and the ever tensed Goldy!!) was sleeping in peace. Now, I should introduce all of you to a concept of H2O Treatment which is capable to accomplishing the impossible too... We'll see how in the lines to follow.... The simplified definition of H2O Treatment is Water on a bottle head and Bottle head emptied onto the Human Head. That was it; a well executed H2O Treatment by Thapa caused Goldy to rise from the world of his dreams (Wat dreams?? It’s beyond the scope of blogger to express!! Very dirty!!!). By this time Saket also woke up from his sleep after finishing the whole Vodka bottle (13 pegs down.... 14 pegs down!!!!), which was later found hidden below the bed cum sofa in the living room. Then started the song.... "Kya khabar thi jana ki humko pyar ho jayega........Kya khabar thi jana ki humko pyar ho jayega" with Pushkar, Saket and Thapa dancing and me and Ankit uncontrollably laughing. And, poor Goldy thinking How on Earth can these hopeless people do this to me and with a mechanical movement of his feet and elbow in a poorly synchronized tandem. The scene was such that, its beyond my capabilities to re generate it, but rest assured it was one of the funniest and most humorous events of my life.
This circus went on for the whole of that hour and finally we went to sleep for a couple of hours at 7am, (Goldy also had a strategy behind letting us sleep) and abruptly woken back to reality with a revengeful H2O Treatment by Goldy for Thapa (respite to me, Pushkar and Ankit that we were not targeted) and Saket was enjoying the show with complete indulgence.Day #2:
I really cannot differentiate between the two days, after all one needs to sleep to see a new day. The second days are never as enjoyable as the first ones, coz you start feeling that its the final half of the trip. Plus, Goldy had his flight back to Hyderabad from Kolkata, so he had to leave that day itself.... Sad but true!! The second day we went to the pool again withstanding the disaster caused by Pushkar followed by TT Games thanks to the poor table, poor racket, hot conditions (Grapes are sour … I lost even to Pushkar!!) and then Goldy irritated me by stealing off my favorite shorts …. Goldy should mind it (to be read in Rajnikanth style)!!! Then came the high point of the second day, we went to the Sterling private beach which was truly serene, deafening and monstrous. One needs to feel the sound of violent waves hitting the beaches with closed eyes... that’s the door to creativity, divinity. We played games like shoe (one has to jump on the opponents foot in a bid to win the game), followed by a mad Saket summer salting in the beach.
And of course, accompanied by the wonderfully contrasting moods that Thapa posesses... i.e. when everyone is high, Thapa is low and when everyone is low Thapa is high... you need to have high caliber to act or even behave like Thapa. One needs to witness this phenomenon to realize it. Hats off to Thapa.... eeeeee Thapa!!!!!!! Now came the time to see off Goldy in the Kolkata bound express..... Bye Bye Goldy!! By now, Our hunger was killing us and to our delight, it was followed by a very satisfying meal consisting of a variety of sea food delicacies at Chung Wah, Puri. That night too we took some bottles of beer to the resort, just for the sake of relaxing for of the stressed nerves and enjoyed it well along with a nice IPL match involving the Kolkata Knight Riders (that’s my favorite team). Our bodies had been starved of sleep since a couple of days and that night we needed some sound sleep as we had to leave Puri for Bbsr early morning so as to catch my flight back to Bangalore. So Lights Off and Sleep..........The next morning we were off to our journey to Bbsr at around 9.30 in the morning and reached the destination at 12 noon, thanks to a very matured driver, his logic of driving slow was that its not good to decelerate in congestion, so drive slow.... God save me!!! That was the end of the Puri Trip for us... Thank God that after all it materialized.
It seems that it will be long before all of us are together again, given the fact that Pushkar is leaving for London for a span less than a year and me to Manila (AIM) for one and a half years. Goldy will also be moving to Delhi soon (FMS) and Thapa does not plan for his future, so I can’t say. Ankit, also might fly to the UK for a couple of months thanks to his Vodafone and Sony projects (Ankit bhai is our Vodafone regional head)... He is the most dedicated worker of the lot.
So, the pure fun will elude us for quite some time it seems. However, cannot predict because all the memorable plans have been unplanned. Hoping and looking forward to another such even in the near future.
*The grass was greener
The light was brighter
The taste was sweeter
The nights of wonder
With friends surrounded
The dawn mist glowing
The water flowing
The endless river
Forever and ever
*High Hopes - Pink Floyd
Disclaimer: This is a very personal blog and targeted only to a specific set of individuals. So, if you are unable to relate to it, it’s not your fault, may be you are not a part of the target audience.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Consumer India
Consumerism is phenomenon spreading across the width and length of the country like never before. This phenomenon is not endemic to particular cities and zones but a characteristic to the modern India. This has led to a spree of chain retailing, hypermarkets, supermarkets, etc. The Indian consumer has never been so privileged to have such a diverse access. News of world class players entering into Indian markets is common place today. The Indian consumer is no more a commodity starved lot today. The Big Bazaar belonging to the Future Group is a revolution to the Indian consumer upheaval.
There have been a number of major reasons to this consumer revolution that is being witnessed in India. The segmentization of the market has been a welcome change where the consumers and retailers are aware of the expectations from each other. The Indian economy comprises mainly of workers in the unorganized sectors and a chain like Big Bazaar has provided affordability and reliability to such a market segment. The possibility of such a revolution can also be attributed to the meticulous supply chain that has been set up by these organizations. This enables enhanced revenues and decreased overheads. The example of such an initiative is the e choupal set up by ITC. Aggressive advertising has helped each of the brands to become visible across the varying demographics of the country. Again, ITC's work has been exemplary in this regard; Bingo is a wonderful example (Demographically varying target segments). The booming economy has helped brands with the improvement in the buying capacity of the consumers; the current generation of Indian consumers is uncompromising in nature. A simple example would be to observe that there is simply no difference in retailing patterns between a posh mall in Bangalore and a similar one in the Queens, NY. Our IT sector also deserves a huge applaud here, after all we are arguably the most sought after IT destination in the world. The role played by the FIIs (Foreign Institutional Investors) is a critical one as we all realize the significance of investment into any sector, we all hope the bulls carry it on........ The recent urbanization trend of modern India has also helped this scenario to a very great extent, also because urbanization entails greater representation in the tax net and that creates a hope for a better India. Last to mention, but not the least is the role played by our very own intrepid entrepreneurs with their incredibly original and innovative ideas. Hats off to our desi leaders.... I strongly feel that Indians have the capability of being immaculate managers due to the fact that the implication of the phrase manage kar lena yaar comes very naturally to us.
The picture is not as rosy and does not apply to the whole of the nation as there are a number of issues on which our country still struggles on. But, the picture presented above is definitely the way forward. This is an optimistic account of things and hope that the optimism pays off. I find the line India Poised very apt in this scenario, with a hope that India finally turns it on......
After all, one cannot discount one seventh of the world population!!!
There have been a number of major reasons to this consumer revolution that is being witnessed in India. The segmentization of the market has been a welcome change where the consumers and retailers are aware of the expectations from each other. The Indian economy comprises mainly of workers in the unorganized sectors and a chain like Big Bazaar has provided affordability and reliability to such a market segment. The possibility of such a revolution can also be attributed to the meticulous supply chain that has been set up by these organizations. This enables enhanced revenues and decreased overheads. The example of such an initiative is the e choupal set up by ITC. Aggressive advertising has helped each of the brands to become visible across the varying demographics of the country. Again, ITC's work has been exemplary in this regard; Bingo is a wonderful example (Demographically varying target segments). The booming economy has helped brands with the improvement in the buying capacity of the consumers; the current generation of Indian consumers is uncompromising in nature. A simple example would be to observe that there is simply no difference in retailing patterns between a posh mall in Bangalore and a similar one in the Queens, NY. Our IT sector also deserves a huge applaud here, after all we are arguably the most sought after IT destination in the world. The role played by the FIIs (Foreign Institutional Investors) is a critical one as we all realize the significance of investment into any sector, we all hope the bulls carry it on........ The recent urbanization trend of modern India has also helped this scenario to a very great extent, also because urbanization entails greater representation in the tax net and that creates a hope for a better India. Last to mention, but not the least is the role played by our very own intrepid entrepreneurs with their incredibly original and innovative ideas. Hats off to our desi leaders.... I strongly feel that Indians have the capability of being immaculate managers due to the fact that the implication of the phrase manage kar lena yaar comes very naturally to us.
The picture is not as rosy and does not apply to the whole of the nation as there are a number of issues on which our country still struggles on. But, the picture presented above is definitely the way forward. This is an optimistic account of things and hope that the optimism pays off. I find the line India Poised very apt in this scenario, with a hope that India finally turns it on......
After all, one cannot discount one seventh of the world population!!!
Monday, May 12, 2008
TSA Trip
TSA stands for Technologists for Social Action. For the uninitiated, TSA is a group of people with an objective to give back to the society, in an attempt of mutual sustenance. It involves a range of activities from visiting Missionaries of Charity (MOC) homes to teaching the underprivileged secondary students (Sri Lankan Refugees).
MindTree happens to be a core participant of this group, the reason being that this initiative is in ideological synchronization with the organizational DNA. Social Responsibility is an essential component of the CLASS (Caring, Learning, Achieving, Sharing, and Social Responsibility) values, which are representative of the culture at MindTree.
This trip happens on the second Saturday of every month wherein the MindTree Minds and their families, friends, etc. dedicate a day of their precious weekend to the benefit of the society. Actually, anyone with a positive intent can join the trip irrespective of the organization one belongs to.
Inline with the theme mentioned, the trip started at about 9AM from the MindTree House III with a separate arrangements for the first timers and regular visitors. This bifurcation is done to educate the first timers on the objective of the trip and relevant information. I believe this is required too, to make participants understand the relevance of this initiative. Also, the first timers were also made to introduce each other in an innovative manner to break the ice and make participants comfortable with each other. As planned, the cabs reached the MOC Destitute Home at around 10 AM. A destitute home is a home for people, who are forced to sacrifice existing relationships due to the lack of love and affection, and set themselves free due to the lack of any loved ones to take care of them. It is a very disturbing scenario wherein one moves out of all family bonds and ties due to the pain one suffers being in it. The experience of visiting a destitute home is one that is unforgettable and very valuable. Each of the residents sees the visitors as their own loved one visiting them, loving them. It involves engaging with the residents, sharing time and energy with them, along with an initiative of serving lunch to them. This takes around one and a half hour and then we proceed towards the MOC Shishu Bhawan. This is a home for children and new born babies, who have been abandoned by parents and illegitimate couples due to reasons beyond the comprehension of a sensitive mind. It is poignant to feel that the children are not responsible for the fate assigned to them, it’s distressing and unfortunate. This is also an experience that has the potential to get the emotional self out of you and makes you wonder what the future of these kids are.... I just hope it’s good. We again spent around an hour with the children surrounded with varied thoughts. This was the last part of the trip, followed by the journey back to the MindTree House in a state of complete silence (Everyone was contemplating I believe).
I strongly feel that one should experience this unprivileged side of life, at least once. There are very few events that have very lasting impression on you, and this definitely has to be one of them. It opens you up to see the other side of things and suddenly the worries of your life start seeming to be so very insignificant. It does make me feel that one does not need a platform to perform socially; it’s just that you should have that intent. It also prevents misdirection in life and helps us realize that it is of utter importance that we avoid creation of destitutes in our vicinity. It is significant that we spread public awareness to make people realize the crime of abandoning a new born and children.
It is amazing to feel the potential of transformation one has, while visiting such organizations and homes regularly. Words are not sufficient to express the religiousness MOC attributes to each of these activities. It’s worth a mention that MOC has been doing a wonderful job with utmost sincerity and dedication. At least, the residents are in a much better state the counterparts straying on the streets. These are organizations that are close to divinity.
The mail seeking my participation read as "TSA is not about material involvement…It is about sharing their lives with us." I could not understand the implication of these set of words then, but now probably I know what the sender wanted to convey.
MindTree happens to be a core participant of this group, the reason being that this initiative is in ideological synchronization with the organizational DNA. Social Responsibility is an essential component of the CLASS (Caring, Learning, Achieving, Sharing, and Social Responsibility) values, which are representative of the culture at MindTree.
This trip happens on the second Saturday of every month wherein the MindTree Minds and their families, friends, etc. dedicate a day of their precious weekend to the benefit of the society. Actually, anyone with a positive intent can join the trip irrespective of the organization one belongs to.
Inline with the theme mentioned, the trip started at about 9AM from the MindTree House III with a separate arrangements for the first timers and regular visitors. This bifurcation is done to educate the first timers on the objective of the trip and relevant information. I believe this is required too, to make participants understand the relevance of this initiative. Also, the first timers were also made to introduce each other in an innovative manner to break the ice and make participants comfortable with each other. As planned, the cabs reached the MOC Destitute Home at around 10 AM. A destitute home is a home for people, who are forced to sacrifice existing relationships due to the lack of love and affection, and set themselves free due to the lack of any loved ones to take care of them. It is a very disturbing scenario wherein one moves out of all family bonds and ties due to the pain one suffers being in it. The experience of visiting a destitute home is one that is unforgettable and very valuable. Each of the residents sees the visitors as their own loved one visiting them, loving them. It involves engaging with the residents, sharing time and energy with them, along with an initiative of serving lunch to them. This takes around one and a half hour and then we proceed towards the MOC Shishu Bhawan. This is a home for children and new born babies, who have been abandoned by parents and illegitimate couples due to reasons beyond the comprehension of a sensitive mind. It is poignant to feel that the children are not responsible for the fate assigned to them, it’s distressing and unfortunate. This is also an experience that has the potential to get the emotional self out of you and makes you wonder what the future of these kids are.... I just hope it’s good. We again spent around an hour with the children surrounded with varied thoughts. This was the last part of the trip, followed by the journey back to the MindTree House in a state of complete silence (Everyone was contemplating I believe).
I strongly feel that one should experience this unprivileged side of life, at least once. There are very few events that have very lasting impression on you, and this definitely has to be one of them. It opens you up to see the other side of things and suddenly the worries of your life start seeming to be so very insignificant. It does make me feel that one does not need a platform to perform socially; it’s just that you should have that intent. It also prevents misdirection in life and helps us realize that it is of utter importance that we avoid creation of destitutes in our vicinity. It is significant that we spread public awareness to make people realize the crime of abandoning a new born and children.
It is amazing to feel the potential of transformation one has, while visiting such organizations and homes regularly. Words are not sufficient to express the religiousness MOC attributes to each of these activities. It’s worth a mention that MOC has been doing a wonderful job with utmost sincerity and dedication. At least, the residents are in a much better state the counterparts straying on the streets. These are organizations that are close to divinity.
The mail seeking my participation read as "TSA is not about material involvement…It is about sharing their lives with us." I could not understand the implication of these set of words then, but now probably I know what the sender wanted to convey.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Children As Soldiers In Strife
India as a nation is facing a new roadblock concerning its welfare of children - The emergence of children as soldiers in strife - This phenomena is most common in the under developed and torn states of Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Nagaland and Assam. Children are getting drawn into fighting both with rebel groups as well as security forces. What was considered a problem in African countries of Sudan, Sierra Leone and other countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal has become a reality for India too. And, this problem has the potential to magnify itself gigantically unless some rectification steps are taken.
According to human right activists, the actual number of children recruited by state or non state groups as soldiers in India is not as obvious as in other countries but we know there is an increasing number of children being drawn into active combat.These children exposed to war and conflict, are one of the most vulnerable groups often forced to witness or perpetrate combat atrocities. They are scarred for life, their childhood shattered.
A UNICEF estimate says about 2.50 lakhs children have been recruited as soldiers in various capacities worldwide. In India no such studies have been done to document the life of these child soldiers. The main reasons the children take to guns being extreme poverty and they see rebels leading well-off lives. To them joining the rebels seems like an opportunity to get out of their misery. When the child soldier learns the tricks of the trade and starts getting money, the parents also enjoy a better life style. While the government doesn't give enough support and compensation for victims, rebel groups step in to act as guardians.
According to the government officials there is no government policy or official guideline about what to do with child soldiers picked up during raids or encounters. Though they are returned to their parents there is no guarantee they will not be picked up by the rebels again. There is no direction for their rehabilitation.
The NGO workers believe the government needs to network with village bodies and activists for holistic development that reaches the interiors. Development of traditional skills and emphasis on natural resource management is essential with improved infrastructure like roads etc.
This situation needs anything except ignorance from the part of the people concerned, our policy makers, administration.... Hence, it is our prerogative to rise and do someting worthwhile to create awareness among the uneducated. For the presevation of our generations to come, our nation, our culture.....
According to human right activists, the actual number of children recruited by state or non state groups as soldiers in India is not as obvious as in other countries but we know there is an increasing number of children being drawn into active combat.These children exposed to war and conflict, are one of the most vulnerable groups often forced to witness or perpetrate combat atrocities. They are scarred for life, their childhood shattered.
A UNICEF estimate says about 2.50 lakhs children have been recruited as soldiers in various capacities worldwide. In India no such studies have been done to document the life of these child soldiers. The main reasons the children take to guns being extreme poverty and they see rebels leading well-off lives. To them joining the rebels seems like an opportunity to get out of their misery. When the child soldier learns the tricks of the trade and starts getting money, the parents also enjoy a better life style. While the government doesn't give enough support and compensation for victims, rebel groups step in to act as guardians.
According to the government officials there is no government policy or official guideline about what to do with child soldiers picked up during raids or encounters. Though they are returned to their parents there is no guarantee they will not be picked up by the rebels again. There is no direction for their rehabilitation.
The NGO workers believe the government needs to network with village bodies and activists for holistic development that reaches the interiors. Development of traditional skills and emphasis on natural resource management is essential with improved infrastructure like roads etc.
This situation needs anything except ignorance from the part of the people concerned, our policy makers, administration.... Hence, it is our prerogative to rise and do someting worthwhile to create awareness among the uneducated. For the presevation of our generations to come, our nation, our culture.....
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
BBC Country profile: The Philippines
More than 7,000 islands make up the Philippines, but the bulk of its fast-growing population lives on just 11 of them.
Much of the country is mountainous and prone to earthquakes and eruptions from around 20 active volcanoes. It is often buffeted by typhoons and other storms.
Two presidents of the Philippines were forced from office by "people power" in the space of 15 years.
OVERVIEW | FACTS | LEADERS | MEDIA
In 1986, President Ferdinand Marcos stepped down after mass demonstrations accompanied allegations of electoral manipulation.
In January 2001 President Joseph Estrada relinquished power following months of protests. He was charged with plundering the economy for his own benefit, found guilty of massive corruption and jailed for life in September 2007. He won a presidential pardon.
On the southern island of Mindanao, rebels have been fighting for a separate Islamic state within the mainly-Catholic country. The decades-long conflict has claimed more than 120,000 lives. Sporadic violence has continued despite a 2003 ceasefire and peace talks.
Other Muslim separatists, the Abu Sayyaf group on Jolo, have a history of violence towards hostages, and the government has declared all-out war on the rebels.
Though it once boasted one of the region's best-performing economies, the Philippines is saddled with a large national debt and tens of millions of people live in poverty. The economy is heavily dependent on the billions of dollars sent home each year by the huge Filipino overseas workforce.
The Philippines has the highest birth rate in Asia, and forecasters say the population could double within three decades.
Governments generally avoid taking strong measures to curb the birth rate, not wishing to antagonise the Catholic Church, which opposes artificial methods of contraception.
The Philippines - a Spanish colony for more than three centuries - is named after a 16th century Spanish king. The territory was administered by the US in the early 20th century. Western and Asian influences have shaped Filipino culture.
OVERVIEW | FACTS | LEADERS | MEDIA
Full name: Republic of the Philippines
Population: 88 million (UN, 2007)
Capital: Manila
Area: 300,000 sq km (115,831 sq miles)
Major languages: Filipino, English (both official)
Major religion: Christianity
Life expectancy: 70 years (men), 74 years (women) (UN, 2007)
Monetary unit: 1 Philippine peso = 100 centavos
Main exports: Electrical machinery, clothing, food and live animals, chemicals, timber products
GNI per capita: US $1,300 (World Bank, 2006)
Internet domain: .ph
International dialling code: +63
OVERVIEW | FACTS | LEADERS | MEDIA
President: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Gloria Arroyo's efforts to tackle corruption and to focus on economic reform have been undermined by a string of scandals.
The president won a second six-year term in June 2004, defeating her main rival, the film star Fernando Poe Junior.
But a year later her popularity rating had fallen to a record low amid opposition claims that she cheated in the 2004 elections. Opponents also levelled corruption allegations against her husband and other family members.
She apologised to the nation for talking to an election official about her hopes for victory in the run-up to the 2004 poll, but denied any wrongdoing. Two subsequent attempts to impeach her have failed.
Mrs Arroyo faces the challenge of delivering on her promises to create jobs and to improve living standards. Social and economic reforms introduced during her first term did little to ease poverty and the country's debt burden.
She advocates constitutional reform, proposing to swap the country's US-style presidential system for a parliamentary government.
She has taken a strong line on law and order and has lifted a moratorium on the death penalty. She has allied herself closely to US President George W Bush's "war on terror".
Gloria Arroyo comes from the political elite in the Philippines. She is a trained economist, whose father was president in the early 1960s.
She was elevated from vice president to president in 2001 after protests led to the ousting of her predecessor, Joseph Estrada. In 2003 she survived an attempt by military mutineers to unseat her.
She is keen to emphasise her Christian faith. Observers contrasted her approach with the hard-drinking lifestyle favoured by President Estrada.
The Philippines has a two-house legislature - the Congress - which comprises a House of Representatives, with up to 250 members, and a 24-member Senate.
OVERVIEW | FACTS | LEADERS | MEDIA
Powerful commercial interests control or influence much of the media.
The lively TV scene is dominated by the free-to-air networks ABS-CBN and GMA, which attract the lion's share of viewing. Some Manila-based networks broadcast in local languages. The country has a well-developed cable TV system.
Films, comedies and entertainment programmes attract the largest audiences. Many TV broadcasters also operate radio networks. There are more than 700 FM and mediumwave (AM) radio stations, most of them commercial.
Press freedom is guaranteed under the 1987 constitution. The private press is vigorous, with tabloid newspapers being prone to sensationalism.
However, the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists said the Philippines was on a par with Afghanistan as Asia's "deadliest nation for reporters" in 2006. Officials have set up a task force to tackle violence against journalists.
The press
Philippine Star - private daily
The Daily Tribune - private daily
Philippine Daily Inquirer - private daily
Malaya - private daily
Manila Bulletin - mass-circulation daily
Manila Times - private daily
Business World - private daily
Television
ABS-CBN - commercial
GMA Network - commercial
IBC (Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp) - government-owned
Radio
ABS-CBN - operates stations nationally
GMA Network - operates stations nationally
Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) - operates stations nationally
Radio Mindanao Network - operates more than 50 stations nationwide
Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) - government-run, operates 31 stations nationwide with emphasis on news, public affairs
News agency
Philippines News Agency - government-run
Much of the country is mountainous and prone to earthquakes and eruptions from around 20 active volcanoes. It is often buffeted by typhoons and other storms.
Two presidents of the Philippines were forced from office by "people power" in the space of 15 years.
OVERVIEW | FACTS | LEADERS | MEDIA
In 1986, President Ferdinand Marcos stepped down after mass demonstrations accompanied allegations of electoral manipulation.
In January 2001 President Joseph Estrada relinquished power following months of protests. He was charged with plundering the economy for his own benefit, found guilty of massive corruption and jailed for life in September 2007. He won a presidential pardon.
On the southern island of Mindanao, rebels have been fighting for a separate Islamic state within the mainly-Catholic country. The decades-long conflict has claimed more than 120,000 lives. Sporadic violence has continued despite a 2003 ceasefire and peace talks.
Other Muslim separatists, the Abu Sayyaf group on Jolo, have a history of violence towards hostages, and the government has declared all-out war on the rebels.
Though it once boasted one of the region's best-performing economies, the Philippines is saddled with a large national debt and tens of millions of people live in poverty. The economy is heavily dependent on the billions of dollars sent home each year by the huge Filipino overseas workforce.
The Philippines has the highest birth rate in Asia, and forecasters say the population could double within three decades.
Governments generally avoid taking strong measures to curb the birth rate, not wishing to antagonise the Catholic Church, which opposes artificial methods of contraception.
The Philippines - a Spanish colony for more than three centuries - is named after a 16th century Spanish king. The territory was administered by the US in the early 20th century. Western and Asian influences have shaped Filipino culture.
OVERVIEW | FACTS | LEADERS | MEDIA
Full name: Republic of the Philippines
Population: 88 million (UN, 2007)
Capital: Manila
Area: 300,000 sq km (115,831 sq miles)
Major languages: Filipino, English (both official)
Major religion: Christianity
Life expectancy: 70 years (men), 74 years (women) (UN, 2007)
Monetary unit: 1 Philippine peso = 100 centavos
Main exports: Electrical machinery, clothing, food and live animals, chemicals, timber products
GNI per capita: US $1,300 (World Bank, 2006)
Internet domain: .ph
International dialling code: +63
OVERVIEW | FACTS | LEADERS | MEDIA
President: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Gloria Arroyo's efforts to tackle corruption and to focus on economic reform have been undermined by a string of scandals.
The president won a second six-year term in June 2004, defeating her main rival, the film star Fernando Poe Junior.
But a year later her popularity rating had fallen to a record low amid opposition claims that she cheated in the 2004 elections. Opponents also levelled corruption allegations against her husband and other family members.
She apologised to the nation for talking to an election official about her hopes for victory in the run-up to the 2004 poll, but denied any wrongdoing. Two subsequent attempts to impeach her have failed.
Mrs Arroyo faces the challenge of delivering on her promises to create jobs and to improve living standards. Social and economic reforms introduced during her first term did little to ease poverty and the country's debt burden.
She advocates constitutional reform, proposing to swap the country's US-style presidential system for a parliamentary government.
She has taken a strong line on law and order and has lifted a moratorium on the death penalty. She has allied herself closely to US President George W Bush's "war on terror".
Gloria Arroyo comes from the political elite in the Philippines. She is a trained economist, whose father was president in the early 1960s.
She was elevated from vice president to president in 2001 after protests led to the ousting of her predecessor, Joseph Estrada. In 2003 she survived an attempt by military mutineers to unseat her.
She is keen to emphasise her Christian faith. Observers contrasted her approach with the hard-drinking lifestyle favoured by President Estrada.
The Philippines has a two-house legislature - the Congress - which comprises a House of Representatives, with up to 250 members, and a 24-member Senate.
OVERVIEW | FACTS | LEADERS | MEDIA
Powerful commercial interests control or influence much of the media.
The lively TV scene is dominated by the free-to-air networks ABS-CBN and GMA, which attract the lion's share of viewing. Some Manila-based networks broadcast in local languages. The country has a well-developed cable TV system.
Films, comedies and entertainment programmes attract the largest audiences. Many TV broadcasters also operate radio networks. There are more than 700 FM and mediumwave (AM) radio stations, most of them commercial.
Press freedom is guaranteed under the 1987 constitution. The private press is vigorous, with tabloid newspapers being prone to sensationalism.
However, the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists said the Philippines was on a par with Afghanistan as Asia's "deadliest nation for reporters" in 2006. Officials have set up a task force to tackle violence against journalists.
The press
Philippine Star - private daily
The Daily Tribune - private daily
Philippine Daily Inquirer - private daily
Malaya - private daily
Manila Bulletin - mass-circulation daily
Manila Times - private daily
Business World - private daily
Television
ABS-CBN - commercial
GMA Network - commercial
IBC (Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp) - government-owned
Radio
ABS-CBN - operates stations nationally
GMA Network - operates stations nationally
Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) - operates stations nationally
Radio Mindanao Network - operates more than 50 stations nationwide
Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) - government-run, operates 31 stations nationwide with emphasis on news, public affairs
News agency
Philippines News Agency - government-run
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Indianity - A Phenomenon
The diversity of our country is truly exemplary. I truly believe that the diversity you witness living and traveling in India will be an unique experience. We can travel different countries to see the extremes of cultures and lifestyles, but the spectrum of variance one can experience in India is incomparable.
Let’s begin with the extreme northern part of the country, the resemblance of a Kashmiri and an Afghan (appearance) is not difficult to identify. Similarly, the inhabitants of the state Punjab across both sides of the border are not different. Along the east, I dont find any linguistic or cultural differences between the residents of the West Bengal and East Bengal (Bangladesh), except for the spiritual belief. Reach the North east of the country and one cannot differentiate an Indian to a Chinese, Infact Arunanchal remains to be a disputable issue till date. As we move down towards the south, we can identify the cultural transition in a manner that amazes me to a very great extent. A very simple example of this transition is that the languages Bengali and Oriya are sound similar while the script is entirely different. Now, if Telugu and Oriya is compared, one can observe an similarity in script while it sounds entirely different. Is this transition not amazing? I had experienced this during one of my long distance train journeys. Now, as we move further south, Can one distinguish a Sri Lankan national to a one belonging to Tamil Nadu? Probably very rare.
This demographic variance of our country is the most amazing and unique to India. However, this is not the only example of variance. Economically also, we are the nation which shelters the worlds poorest as well as the richest. Its not rare to witness a case where, a Mercedes Benz zooms past you on the 8 lane Mumbai-Pune highway constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) where an old lady sits haplessly on the glittering side track with a broken aluminum bowl begging for a square meal. This is truly a slap on the face of development, but again its diversity. Its also worth a mention that things are improving. Slowly but surely.....
The same phenomenon can be witnessed on the political front too. The coalition UPA, constitutes of members who are pre-liberalization and global integration, while it also constitutes of members who fail to recognize whether they belong to India or China. (that’s my opinion)
Given the above facts, it’s not foolish to ask how India bonds together.
The answer to this comes from more than thousand years of history behind us, Our secular paradigm, Our ability to adapt to circumstances, Our pride in diversity, The meticulous policy framework of the independent India and Democracy.
Its of course a very simplified justification of terms, but again the scope is very limited.
Let’s begin with the extreme northern part of the country, the resemblance of a Kashmiri and an Afghan (appearance) is not difficult to identify. Similarly, the inhabitants of the state Punjab across both sides of the border are not different. Along the east, I dont find any linguistic or cultural differences between the residents of the West Bengal and East Bengal (Bangladesh), except for the spiritual belief. Reach the North east of the country and one cannot differentiate an Indian to a Chinese, Infact Arunanchal remains to be a disputable issue till date. As we move down towards the south, we can identify the cultural transition in a manner that amazes me to a very great extent. A very simple example of this transition is that the languages Bengali and Oriya are sound similar while the script is entirely different. Now, if Telugu and Oriya is compared, one can observe an similarity in script while it sounds entirely different. Is this transition not amazing? I had experienced this during one of my long distance train journeys. Now, as we move further south, Can one distinguish a Sri Lankan national to a one belonging to Tamil Nadu? Probably very rare.
This demographic variance of our country is the most amazing and unique to India. However, this is not the only example of variance. Economically also, we are the nation which shelters the worlds poorest as well as the richest. Its not rare to witness a case where, a Mercedes Benz zooms past you on the 8 lane Mumbai-Pune highway constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) where an old lady sits haplessly on the glittering side track with a broken aluminum bowl begging for a square meal. This is truly a slap on the face of development, but again its diversity. Its also worth a mention that things are improving. Slowly but surely.....
The same phenomenon can be witnessed on the political front too. The coalition UPA, constitutes of members who are pre-liberalization and global integration, while it also constitutes of members who fail to recognize whether they belong to India or China. (that’s my opinion)
Given the above facts, it’s not foolish to ask how India bonds together.
The answer to this comes from more than thousand years of history behind us, Our secular paradigm, Our ability to adapt to circumstances, Our pride in diversity, The meticulous policy framework of the independent India and Democracy.
Its of course a very simplified justification of terms, but again the scope is very limited.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Congratulations!
Words are insufficient to express the satisfaction that came along with this subject line mail from Asian Institute of Management, Manila Representative Office in Mumbai, India.
The mail was intended to convey the confirmation of my admission to the Class of 2008-09, starting September 08. The feeling was unimaginable in terms of the magnitude of emotions that went thru my mind. It was awesome!! It is simply unbelievable for me to realize that I’ll need to leave Bangalore to pursue my management education..... It was a dream for me since long... and finally... still keeping my fingers crossed and hoping things to sail smoothly.
The sense of accomplishment is magnified given the fact that I was the youngest in my group and my group discussion and interview experience was also very moderate. Nothing much to boast and unpredictable too....
For now, I’m waiting for the hard copies to reach my permanent address in Kolkata. Also, I’m in process of identifying and searching lucrative and reasonable educational financing options. I just hope to find something worthwhile soon!!
Shubhobrato Ghosh shall keep writing on the latest developments!!! [:)]
The mail was intended to convey the confirmation of my admission to the Class of 2008-09, starting September 08. The feeling was unimaginable in terms of the magnitude of emotions that went thru my mind. It was awesome!! It is simply unbelievable for me to realize that I’ll need to leave Bangalore to pursue my management education..... It was a dream for me since long... and finally... still keeping my fingers crossed and hoping things to sail smoothly.
The sense of accomplishment is magnified given the fact that I was the youngest in my group and my group discussion and interview experience was also very moderate. Nothing much to boast and unpredictable too....
For now, I’m waiting for the hard copies to reach my permanent address in Kolkata. Also, I’m in process of identifying and searching lucrative and reasonable educational financing options. I just hope to find something worthwhile soon!!
Shubhobrato Ghosh shall keep writing on the latest developments!!! [:)]
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Face Value
I often wonder, what is that quality in mankind that differentiates one person to the other. We see numerous people in our day to day life and subconsciously assay the person. The parameters of this estimation is generally very complex and often beyond the scope of human comprehension.
But, the initial parameter of judgment is the appearance of the person, the looks or the more tangible quality of a human. And, we must agree to the fact that this remains to the most lasting impression of a person. But, we also realize that the real self of a person is not tangible and can only be felt or seen by an in depth interaction of that person. Again, the disadvantage of the intangible qualities is that it cannot be judged by the human mind at the first instance. So, this brings us back to the conclusion that the appearance is the most marketable factor of a human being.
This postulate is also suggested by a study that was carried recently in the USA. The study involved the pictures of the CEOs of the top 25 and bottom 25 companies of the Fortune 1000 list. Now, these pictures were given to people who did not know any one of them and were asked to identify which of them seemed more successful than the others. Surprisingly, 90% of the results matched the group to which each of the individuals belonged. It was also given that the subjects in consideration had no variation in terms of race, gender, etc. This study is definitely substantial to the debate in hand.
So, can we conclude that our success depends upon the fact that how are we perceived at the other end? The answer would be a probable 'yes'. This is also justified by the fact that we often have scenarios where we tag individuals on the basis of their appearance (The way one looks, speaks, carries one's self), generically called the personality of the person. We all must have done this at some point in our lives.
So, it might be sensible to say that what actually matters at the end of the day is the FACE VALUE!!
A very well said phrase: "Your Attitude defines your Altitude. Determine it yourself"
But, the initial parameter of judgment is the appearance of the person, the looks or the more tangible quality of a human. And, we must agree to the fact that this remains to the most lasting impression of a person. But, we also realize that the real self of a person is not tangible and can only be felt or seen by an in depth interaction of that person. Again, the disadvantage of the intangible qualities is that it cannot be judged by the human mind at the first instance. So, this brings us back to the conclusion that the appearance is the most marketable factor of a human being.
This postulate is also suggested by a study that was carried recently in the USA. The study involved the pictures of the CEOs of the top 25 and bottom 25 companies of the Fortune 1000 list. Now, these pictures were given to people who did not know any one of them and were asked to identify which of them seemed more successful than the others. Surprisingly, 90% of the results matched the group to which each of the individuals belonged. It was also given that the subjects in consideration had no variation in terms of race, gender, etc. This study is definitely substantial to the debate in hand.
So, can we conclude that our success depends upon the fact that how are we perceived at the other end? The answer would be a probable 'yes'. This is also justified by the fact that we often have scenarios where we tag individuals on the basis of their appearance (The way one looks, speaks, carries one's self), generically called the personality of the person. We all must have done this at some point in our lives.
So, it might be sensible to say that what actually matters at the end of the day is the FACE VALUE!!
A very well said phrase: "Your Attitude defines your Altitude. Determine it yourself"
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Decoupling Theory
Has the Indian Economy decoupled from that of the US? Will a probable economic recession in the US affect India?
We are quite distant from answering these questions certainly. A justified and informed answer would probably be yes as well as No.
Let’s investigate:
The Indian economy has decoupled from that of the US and will not be affected by the economic recession because:
1. The exports to the US are relatively less and constitute a mere 2% of the GDP. So, a decrease in overseas demand will not spell doom to the economy.
2. The Indian economy is mainly driven by domestic demand and the sound fundamentals of the economy will drive the domestic demand further up.
3. The economy has substantial scope of growth in many domestic sectors like Agriculture, which requires investment and is isolated from the global scenario.
Decoupling is a myth and the Indian economy is bound to be affected by a US recession because:
1. As the global trade becomes more and more integrated, the affect one country has on the other increases significantly. Hence, an open country cannot be isolated from a global recession.
2. As the US inches towards the recession, the FIIs try to go for safer investments and the selling in the financial markets increases causing a downturn of the financial market.
3. India’s growth rate for the year to March 2008 will be 8.7 per cent, down from 9.6per cent the previous year, according to the government’s statistics office, reflecting the dual impact of an appreciating rupee and sharp monetary tightening.
We might say that the Indian economy has not decoupled from that of the US, while the fear of such an economic slowdown in the US is much lesser than it used to be previously. This is primarily due to the self sufficience of the Indian Economy in the recent times. However, no global economy can remain isolated from a US slump as majority of the exports of growing economies remain to be the developed economies like the US.
We are quite distant from answering these questions certainly. A justified and informed answer would probably be yes as well as No.
Let’s investigate:
The Indian economy has decoupled from that of the US and will not be affected by the economic recession because:
1. The exports to the US are relatively less and constitute a mere 2% of the GDP. So, a decrease in overseas demand will not spell doom to the economy.
2. The Indian economy is mainly driven by domestic demand and the sound fundamentals of the economy will drive the domestic demand further up.
3. The economy has substantial scope of growth in many domestic sectors like Agriculture, which requires investment and is isolated from the global scenario.
Decoupling is a myth and the Indian economy is bound to be affected by a US recession because:
1. As the global trade becomes more and more integrated, the affect one country has on the other increases significantly. Hence, an open country cannot be isolated from a global recession.
2. As the US inches towards the recession, the FIIs try to go for safer investments and the selling in the financial markets increases causing a downturn of the financial market.
3. India’s growth rate for the year to March 2008 will be 8.7 per cent, down from 9.6per cent the previous year, according to the government’s statistics office, reflecting the dual impact of an appreciating rupee and sharp monetary tightening.
We might say that the Indian economy has not decoupled from that of the US, while the fear of such an economic slowdown in the US is much lesser than it used to be previously. This is primarily due to the self sufficience of the Indian Economy in the recent times. However, no global economy can remain isolated from a US slump as majority of the exports of growing economies remain to be the developed economies like the US.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.jpg)