Carving a niche

There is a rash of social networks out there, each one focusing on some niche. Just came across this site called Tipsbase, which is about sharing tips and tricks on a wide variety of topics. Another site, going by the nicely coined Telonu (Tel-on-u) is a site that basically helps you to 'rave, rant and rate' your workplace. The theme is centered around generating reviews for prospective applicants and a place for co-workers to gossip annonymously. And then there are other apps building around existing social networks, like the recent Twitority and Twithority , which are solutions around the micro-blogging site Twitter. It really is wonderful to have so many social networking sites and apps around, each focused on a small niche. After all, that is what entrepreneurship is about, isn't it? Identify a space, focus on it, and come up with a usable solution. Now that seems rather obvious. Nothing new about it. What got me thinking was that it is now that we are witnessing an almost exponential growth in these kind of apps. Orkut started the trend with social networking. Then came along the hugely popular Facebook - which started as social networking for college grads, and there is MySpace to add to the party as well. In video sharing, too, it was started by YouTube, and now there are Hulu, Seesmic and Vimeo (the list is not exhaustive, by any means) that allow you to share videos. When I think about these sites, it all seems so simple. So dead simple. So obvious. And yet, only a few bright minds could actually see the voids, the holes in the wall, so to say, and get the proper brick-masons together. It's all about identifying the niche, however small. And siezing the opportunity. Another thing that struck me was that social networks are spawning to fill in a need. That is different from forming a group or community within an existing social network. What's the difference? Well, a dedicated site you can go to, a one-stop-shop, if you will. In some way, this Web2.0 revolution is similar to the dotcom boom of the 90s. So will there be a bust as well? Most definitely. Sites can be hugely popular, but that does not necessarily translate into revenue. Sites like Facebook, YouTube are grappling precisely this issue. Ditto with Twitter. Of course, advertising constitutes a big part of the revenue model, but especially in times like these, advertising budgets of companies would dip as well. Well, but one thing is sure. Make hay while the sun shines, as they say. When the rains come, dive for cover. And that's where the real test lies. 

As I was mulling over these thoughts in the shower, a few others were also going through my mind. About a niche, and seeing the opportunity. Mind you, these are only thoughts, I'd not call them any ingenious ideas - or even ideas. How about a social network for bachelors? Being in Bangalore, there are a lot of bachelors. Every year thousands of fresh graduates land in the IT city to begin their professional careers - in the IT/BPO and tech sectors. Most of them are graduates. How about a social network to help them? Most basic needs - accomodation and food. There are a lot of PGs and rental houses in Bangalore. But if you've been through a house-hunt, you'll know that it's a harrowing time. Especially hunting for PGs. And then there's the question of sharing your apartment. A question on the minds of a lot of guys who come alone to the city is about finding a room-mate, and of course a room. And there're a lot of guys who at any point of time are looking for a room-mate to share an apartment with. You know, someone's getting married, someone's shifting to new place to be closer to the place of work (or their girlfriend!). I've myself faced this issue, when my roommate got married. And if you are like me, you'd prefer to have someone you know - or someone your friend knows really well - as a roommate rather than a totally unknown person. (As an aside, though, I did not know Kaustubh when we shifted in together along with Parin - whom I knew from my undergrad days - but that's another thing.) So how about a site that pairs people? And creates an easily browsable, and most importantly, reviewed by people you know - or people your people know - database of houses. You want to look for a house, your colleague's cousin may be looking for someone to share his apartment with. Bingo! I know that sites like Sulekha.com do exist. But they are a general classified site. Not specific to this particular issue. 

Another good thing for bachelors would be about messes, lunch homes, tiffin services. Now there are message boards for that. But a person who's totally new to the city does not have much chance of being on those message boards. He could, however, join the network before he comes to the city, and get some pretty handy tips. Speaking of tips, he could even get tips on where he could search for accomodation. Browsable by rent, locality, and proximity to the main work-hubs (Electronic City, Bagmane Tech Park, or ITPL). Well, as I said, it's just a thought. May be some one has already thought about it, and done it. But if not, any takers for this one? 

A forgettable Saturday morning…

When I came out of the multiplex I wished I had a variant of short term memory loss which would make me forget the last three hours. Those three hours, three excruciating hours, would rank as the worst three hours I’ve ever spent in a cinema hall. This was pure torture, and to add insult to injury, I paid to go through it! Damn! Couldn’t have been a worse Saturday afternoon. Well, in case you haven’t got the drift, I’m talking about the latest release Ghajini, which I along with eight other friends watched today afternoon. I’m now wondering what made me – us – watch this movie in the first place! Was it because it was an Aamir Khan movie? Well, none of us is a diehard Aamir fan. I guess it was just curiosity which made us go for it. We wanted to see exactly how inspired it was by Memento. But curiosity killed the cat, and we managed to escape by hair’s breadth. But only just.

I have good news and bad news about this movie – or rather the traumatic experience we just had – and I’ll begin with the good news. Because it’d only take a line. The rest of the post can be about the bad. Aamir has done a decent job as Sanjay Singhania. Well, he’s done as well as much as the script – or what passes for it – would’ve allowed him. He portrays the angst and the vengeance nicely. But that’s about it. Asin, the female lead in the Tamil original looks nice, but she has nothing other to do than look nice, and be chirpy. Now, that’s where the good part ends. The other female lead, Jiah Khan’s character Sunita is a medical student who comes across Sanjay Singhania’s medical case file. Now the shot in which Sunita is introduced is a medical college laboratory scene, where some professor is pontificating on the importance of the human brain. “The human brain is the most important organ of the human body!” Aah, that was enlightening. And we have the students – of whom Sunita is one – huddled around him listening with rapt attention. Sunita is wearing make up and a garish pink lipstick. Gosh!! If that is how doctors attend medical college laboratory… Sunita’s character is shown to be so dumb that I guess if there is a Hollywood remake of Ghajini her character would definitely be a blond! I can go on about such ‘minor’ things the whole post. But I’m not giving to ranting about things in general, so I’ll skip the part.

The plot – a person having anterograde amnesia seeking revenge – has so much promise. The original Christopher Nolan movie Memento was an excellent piece of work dealing with this central theme. But what Murugadoss has done is just pick up the central theme and weave a traditional Tollywood Masala script around it and presented it to us. There is way too much blood and gore, right from the first reel to the last. Now I’m not amongst the weak hearted to complain about this, but the problem is that it’s senseless blood and gore. You can understand about it in an out-and-out action movie. Hello, this is about one person’s vendetta where he’s battling himself as much as the persons he’s seeking for his lady-love’s murder. And so you have to sit through much head-smashing, backstabbing (the literal kind) and people being hurled around. It would have done the director some good – and heck, the audience as well! – to put some thought into portrayal of the characters instead of so much needless violence. For instance, there’s a cop who finds out about Singhania’s true story. But he’s just a filler, with no significance to the plot whatsoever. He might as well have not been there! And then there’s Sunita. The dumbest, stupidest character I’ve seen on celluloid in a long long while. Considering the standard far coming out of mainstream Bollywood, this is a BIG compliment! She becomes interested in Singhania’s case, then finds out about him, then manipulates him, then goes and tells about him to the bad guy and finally turns around and decides to help him. You and me – and anyone with an IQ higher than 10, I guess – can make out by the goons standing behind the supposed business tycoon that he’s a bad guy in the whole story. But our Sunita – the final year Medical student – just summarily walks up to his door and tells him all about Sanjay Singhania. Why? Oh well, she just wants to help. God help us if all med graduates have a brain like Sunita’s.

The climax is just too contrived to believe it. Heck, it is laughable! And we were in splits watching the last half hour of the movie. Even going by Bollywood’s standards, the hero single-handedly running over a dozen or more of the baddies is a bit too much to digest. We’d expected more from an Aamir Khan movie, at the least. The final scene actually leaves you chuckling, looking at the heroics of our injured hero. And to think that Bollywood had graduated pass such clichés.

Verdict: Avoid at all costs! And if you do happen to watch the movie, I sincerely hope the trauma of watching it induces a temporary short-term memory loss that makes you forget the last three hours.

School 2.0

I've just started School 2.0. Its' been a few years since School 1.0 was complete, after four years of undergrad studies and another two years at the Electrical Engineering Department at IIT Bombay. And no matter how hard you might have mugged up all the texts for that Numerical Methods course in your grad studies, you do get rusty if you haven't been in touch for a while. And so I decided to use some of the spare time at work to go back to School. Well, the spare time is courtesy the end-of-year project closure formalities, which means that we do not have much concrete work to do right now. I felt this would be a good opportunity to get back in touch with the basics. So I'm currently studying applied probability theory and stochastic processes. And helping me out with it is the excellent course material from the Masachussets Institute of Technology! MIT has an excellent initiative called the Open Courseware (OCW), where lecture notes, assignments and exams and solutions are uploaded for the courses offered in MIT. The material is real good, and I would encourage everyone who hasn't already checked out their site to do so. 

Dance your blues away

Came across this video on you-tube, and something about the video just kind of struck a chord in the heart. I cannot describe what it was about this video - may be it's the music, may be it's the ridiculous - but endearing - dance. Check out the video, and leave your feelings in the comments. 

The 'Annual Story-telling competition'

Yesterday, we had at work, what a friend jokingly put as the 'annual story-telling competition'. In other words, filling up our annual performance appraisal workflow. Yes, it's *that* time of the year again! Amongst other things employees are required to fill out their key achievement during the year, the targets achieved by them, their strengths and key development needs (a euphemism for weaknesses, I guess ;) ), and their career interests and development goals. Employees also had to fill out a section where they had to fill out specific events which showcase their creativity, initiative, and a host of other 'skills'. Now filling out your achievements is something like drafting a patent application, if you ask me. You have one idea and you dress it up until it sounds like it's the next big thing of the century! Similarly, you might have only a couple of 'achievements'; But now putting down only two of them can't be good, can it?! You've been planning to buy that new car with the increment you're supposed to get! (Of course, in these times, it's good enough if you keep your job, and do not take a pay-cut, forget about an increment.) So you fill in the details of the 'story'. So for instance, if you implemented a research paper, you might put it as: 

• Designed and implemented a new method to significantly improve the accuracy of phoneme recognition. 

Heck! Did you, now?! Now, your boss might have a different take on that. He might consider the fact that you got any work done at all, as a fair and just 'achievement'. 

Well, but wait! There's more to come. You might have been the fifth author in a research paper that your group published (OK, there were six contributors - here's a nice link about author's list in papers), where you were responsible for drawing diagrams and proof-reading, but you definitely

• Co-authored a publication submitted to some of the most well-known conferences and journal. 

Note, that you delicately avoid mentioning whether it was accepted or not! You can't be blamed entirely, the date for announcing acceptance falls *after* submit the appraisal! Touche. 

The next section deals with your strengths - and weaknesses. Now, here's where you get to blow your own trumpet - or saxophone, or bugle, or any of those instruments in the opera - officially. So suddenly new strengths sprout overnight like the bean-stalk that grew overnight in the Jack-and-the-bean-stalk tale. And you mention both technical and soft-skills. So, you suddenly develop excellent presentation and communication skills, effective leadership qualities (if you're coveting that corner cubicle) besides strong analytical skills and being a technology wiz-kid, generally. And then comes the most important part - your career goals. Here's where you say that your boss deserves a promotion. Hell, NO, you aren't batting for him. But if your boss doesn't get that promotion, you wouldn't get his cubicle, will you?! So you put in your short-term and long-term goals. Of course, over a period of five years, you'd want to be managing a team of five people (who, just like you do now, will be cursing their boss and finding faults with just about everything he does). So you write: 

• Long-term goal: To lead a team of competent engineers with a strong focus on developing new products for the company. 

Ah, competent engineers. Tch-tch. A good friend of mine wanted to 'work with a strong and encouraging technical mentor to develop my technical skills', as part of short-term career goal. Ahem. The mentor has to be strong technically, and encouraging to boot! Of course, this was edited subsequently. About your key development needs - weaknesses - you need to put in how the company should spend big bucks so that *you* get that big promotion the next time around! Hehehe ;) Now isn't that exciting?!  

That was just a tongue-in-cheek look at 'the annual story-telling competition'. We all do exaggerate a little bit when it comes to this part. So a little 'story-telling' is fine, I guess. But 'weaving a fairy-tale' is not! I think this is just capping whatever you've done over the year. After all, your boss isn't blind to what effort you've put in - or not- during the year. Of course, just putting in long hours, and effort is not going to be enough. Somewhere, you also have to be a nice person. No one wants a high-performing jerk around. Well, they might put up with them, but that's just about it. 

Update: Here's another excellent post on the same topic. 

Service with a smile? Er, not exactly

Just read this article on Rediff.com which left me with a feeling of deja vu. Now I'm not the one to rant about something that happens in my life on the web. But I could really identify with what the writer of the article said, and so I thought I'd begin my post with an incident that occured last week. I'd been to my bank (one of the leading private sector banks in the country) to get a copy of the monthly account statement signed by the bank and to have the bank seal attested on it. I was required to submit this as proof of holding the account to my stock broker (who incidentally, insists on having the signed statement after being given one cancelled cheque and one cheque -of the same bank account - which the firm duly encashed!). The first thing that the person manning the counter tells me is that NO, that isn't possible. It isn't the policy of the bank to provide a seal and signature on print-outs of account statements! Now this is something that really puts me off. I've seen people at counters and when you approach them, the first thing that they tell you is often how it (your work) cannot be done! They will not tell you about the alternative to go about it. They will just tell you that whatever you want to do cannot be done! And I've had this experience everywhere - in public and private enterprises. I've had this experience at nationalized banks, at private sector banks (like the one I just described), in my previous organization - with the system admin department - which is an MNC. So obviously you cannot just blame the callousness and lethargy attributed to government institutions in India. The problem is more with the mindset. I do not understand why, instead of helping the person out by saying, "Sir/Ma'am, I can definitely help you with this, and this is how you can go about getting your work done", the first thing you are greeted with is a NO-It-can't-be-done smile by the 'executive' - yeah, everyone is an executive now - at the desk. Getting back to the smiling executive who greeted me at the bank, I asked him that the copy that I have is the same statement which the bank e-mails me every month, and why should the bank have a problem with not signing something that is provided by it?! He again went back into denial mode. Finally, when he did help me out, he asked me to fill a form (well, the ubiquitous form-filling) to request for a statement, and he said that the bank would provide me with a statement that is signed by an officer, and... hold your breath, charge me Rs. 112 for the same! This, I should say amounts to extortion at best, and robbery at worst! Hello, why should I cough up a hundred rupees for something that I am clearly entitled to?! But he would have nothing of that.
I have noticed that the problem lies not with the organization - both private and public sector enterprises have this problem - but with the people and their mindset (of course, it's the same people whether it's a public sector bank or a private one, isn't it?). I'm currently reading Gurcharan Das's 'India Unbound', a marvellous look at the economic journey of the Indian State, and he has an interesting look at this issue. When I go to the Saree shop, he says, the shop-owner gladly unrolls a dozen sarees before me, quite willingly, and after I leave does the thankless job of rolling back each one, and neatly stacking them back. Same is the story when I go to the local bania (grocer) - he will willingly take down my order and have it delivered at my home. Ditto with the family jeweller. But the moment I go to the telephone exchange, says Das, the picture is in stark contrast. I have to put up with the most shoddy service and pay for it. Same with the clerk at the railways ticket counter. The customer here, is regarded as a nuisance, and dealt with accordingly. Das analyzes this situation saying that the saree shopkeeper, the grocer gave excellent service because there existence depends on the customer.

If he was courteous and offered quality products at a competitive price, his customer would reward him. If not, his customers deserted him for the shop next door. There was no competition in the railways, telephones, or banks, and their employees could never place the customer in the center.

Well, that was about competition, and before the economic liberalization, that was certainly true. But it is surprising that the situation is somewhat the same today - well, it has definitely improved, yet it leaves a lot to be desired - in this era of globalization, where there is competition everwhere. Is there more to this than just competition? As the writer of the article above says :

While the nationalized banks have learnt to bill virtually for every 'service' provided by these new generation banks... the latter have learnt the art of proividing abysmal service and getting away with it.

I think it has more to do than just competition. And competition certainly matters when an organization is growing - and wants to get as many customers as quickly as possible - but once you are a blue-chip company, I guess complacency sets in. And it no longer matters if a few customers are turned off - and turned away - by the service you offer. There are always hundreds others to be lured by smart advertising. But they are missing the point. They say that in business, the biggest profit you can earn is the goodwill of the customer. The viral advertising by the customer is the greatest - not to say the cheapest, it's virtually free! - advertising that you or your business can have.

Musings of an armchair security expert

Shaken and stirred. That is how I would describe the people of India. The terrorist attacks in Mumbai have shaken the people. The impunity with which the terrorists struck was unnerving. But they have also stirred them out of their complacency, and stupor. They have also been stirred to pour out in the streets as could be seen yesterday (December 3), when they assembled not only at Mumbai, but across cities - at Cubbon Park in Bangalore, Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, and of course the Gateway of India in Mumbai. The outrage, the anger and the pain of the people was clearly visible. They were as pissed off (possibly more!) at our politicians - spineless, soul-less lot that they are - as they were at the terrorists. They want action. Many of the placard carrying people wanted an attack on Pakistan. And this sentiment is echoed even at the workplace - at lunch table discussions and coffee-time chit-chat. Enough is enough, is the common refrain. We have to make a statement. That we won't take it lying down any further. Well, attacking Pakistan is easier said than done. Here, I contribute my tuppence about what I feel should be done now.

1. First, we need to put our own house in order. That is the toughest thing of them all. Revamp the security, policing, and intelligence gathering infrastructure. Of course, Rome was not, and cannot, be built in a day. But we have to make a start. It's a sad joke that while the terrorists are equipped with the latest arms and ammunition, and are imparted training on par with our commandos, the police force that deals with them is armed with .303 rifles, sub-standard and unhygenic bullet-proff vests and outdated training procedures. One report I read on the Internet said that most policemen in Mumbai haven't fired their weapons in ten years!! The reason - the absence of a firing range for the cops.
2. Intelligence gathering should be spruced up big time. Every time we have an attack like this, the intelligence agencies say that states and the police had been warned of such an attack. Well, the general public has no way of knowing how true this is - is this an attempt by the intelligence agencies to cover up for their failures? Or did the police and security agencies fail to act? Is the role of intelligence agencies only limited to providing intelligence? Is there any system to check on follow-ups and the action taken on the intelligence?
3. Make the security forces - the police, the Rapid-Action-Force, and the Armed Forces, a lucrative career option. It is sad that the widespread protests by Officers - serving and retired - on the Recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission are summarily ignored by the political establishment.
4. Training procedures for the police and commando forces need a desperate revamp. The police cadre have the most important role to play in countering terrorism. It is they who are, so to say, the first line of defence. And is they who play a very important role in preventing and thwarting terrorist attacks. Just like we professionals need training to enhance our skill-sets, the same is true of the police!
5. With a billion-plus people, policing in India is both a unique challenge and a nightmare. But we can use technology to assist us here. The London Metro train stations are as much of a surveillance nightmare as the CST train station in Mumbai and some of our busiest bus terminals. But what assists policemen in London is technology. A hundred eyes are capturing every inch of the place, and computers analysing the video feed. Of course, there is no substitute for human intelligence, but technology can, and should, be employed to make the task easier.
6. Is a politicians life more important or valuable than the life of the citizens? A report yesterday revealed the shocking fact that as much as 60 percent of the NSG commando force is used for providing security to the politicians. And these are supposedly the best of the best in the country! Shouldn't they be kept in a state of readiness - through trainings, and battle-exercises - to repond to any incident anywhere across the country? It is shocking that they took over 14 hours to reach the site of the Mumbai terror siege!
7. Everyone seems to be clamouring for a strong anti-terror law. Well, yes, that is required. But what is more important is the enforcement of such a law - a fair, and just enforcement - to act as a deterrent for terrorists. For that the security agencies have to be trained in gathering and recording intelligence, and in investigative methods. Why don't cases against even known criminals hold up in court? Because of shoddy investigation practices, primarily. The police need to be trained on how to build up a watertight case. They need to be as technically savvy as the terrorists that they are confronting. Again, it is about upgrading your skills. The latest skills in forensic science, in analysing evidence, in intercepting communication, in retrieving data from laptops recovered from terror suspects, even in psychological profiling to understand what would be next on the terrorists' minds! We need to build watertight cases that will hold up in court. Technology can be a huge added advantage, but first, we need good, sound policing. But most of all, in guaranteeing safety to a witness testifying against a criminal. We need something similar to the witness protection programme that they have in the US. How do we expect a witness who stands the risk of being eliminated by the terror-bigwigs or underworld bosses to expect to testify?!
8. Depoliticize important postings. The Home and Defence Ministries should be headed by the most able person for the Post, and not necessarily from the ruling Party. I feel we need to take a leaf out of the book of the US, on this one. It is possible for a Republican to be given a post in a Democratic presidency, and vice versa. Why not have the same system in India? The Defence Minister and Home Minister will be executive, paid posts - and only the Best of the Best shall head them.

But for all this to happen, who should take the initiative? The answer is loud and clear. It is We, The People of India. The Mumbai terror attack was a ghastly event, but the silver lining to it, to use a phrase, could be that it has roused us all. That it has the potential to unite us, as Indians. And forget our ethnic, linguistic, religious, social differences. Yesterday, everyone who came out on the streets was an Indian - and only an Indian. The anger against the politicans was clear. But then, aren't we the ones who elected them in the first place? Or aren't we the ones who did not vote, thus leading to these people being elected? One way or the other, we cannot ignore our own responsibility. The anger against the self-serving, corrupt politicians is justified. But that anger has to translate into something bigger. And larger. Than just holding rallies, and carrying placards denouncing politicians. In a democracy, the buck stops at us, I guess. I've made a decision. That I will make sure that I vote in every election. If I do not find a candidate suitable of my vote, I'll still go out and invalidate my vote. That way, at least I will ruin the game of the booth-capturers and bogus voters.

Darna Mana Hai!

After the anger, the helplessness, and myriad other emotions, comes the most debilitating of them all - fear. The terror siege in Mumbai may have ended, but its grip over the people is as strong. In fact, it is perhaps growing stronger by the moment. People are afraid to venture out in public places - a friend told me how she noticed that malls were noticeably less crowded over the last weekend. People are putting off travel plans, those who cannot are living under the constant shadow of fear. Even at the workplace, coffee-room conversations revolve around the uncertainties that plague us: about how it's no longer certain if you can walk the streets without fear that a bomb may go off nearby; about how the very place where I work is a prime terror target (it's a technology park, surrounded by DRDO installations, staff quarters, offices all around). People are glued to their television sets following the latest news. And in fact, that makes them even more paranoid. Viewing the images of death, destruction, and tragedy adds to this macabre setting.
One wonders why the media is adding to all this by mindless and insensitive reporting of every tragedy? Why is it making a tamasha of sorts about the funerals of the lives of the brave officers who laid down their lives? Why does it have to stick in a microphone and a camera in the face of the grieving mothers, sisters, and fathers, in the expectation of a sound-byte? Can it not allow them to grieve privately? Why does it make a spectacle of the tragedy? I cannot forget, how, in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist strike at CST train-station, the media was broadcasting 'live' images of the dead-bodies strewn about, blood-stained floors, and people weeping. I guess much has been written about terrorists, the politicians, the people's anger, candle-light vigils, et al. But what about the media that is adding to this melting-pot of emotions? In my view, it is creating (and using for it's own good) something like mass hysteria! Why do we need to know if more terror strikes are being planned? Why do we need to know that 'specific intelligence inputs have warned of strikes on XYZ installation'?! Can we do something about it? Well, we can all debate about it at lunch tables, coffee rooms, and over IMs, and in the blogs. But honestly, I feel that all this just adds to the 'fear psychosis' that is slowly, but surely, gripping some of us. And unless we make a deliberate, conscious effort to come out of this, we will play right into the hands of the terrorists. They will die, but the seeds of terror and fear that they've sown will live on. So let us not fall prey to their designs. Let us be alert, but not hysterical. Let us be sensitive, but not paranoid. Do the CNN IBNs, the Aaj Taks, the Star News have their microphones out now? Are they listening (or reading)?

United we stand

There's an Airtel advert airing currently on television. This ad shows the significant contributions made by Indians to various fields - it shows Aryabhatta, Sushrut, J.C. Bose, and many others who left behind an indelible mark in their respective domains. The ad concludes with the tagline, "Just image what a billion people can do together...". Well, the possibilities are boundless. But then the question arises, will the billion odd people of India rise as one? Will they keep aside petty differences of language, of dressing, of the cuisines? Will they consider another Indian as an Indian first - and as a Sindhi, a Marwari, a Bihari, a Gujrati, or a Madrasi later? Can an Indian in Tamil Nadu empathize with another in Kashmir, and vice versa? Yesterday, when news of the terror attacks broke, colleagues and friends came over to ask if everyone in the family was fine. They did that as courtesy, as well-wishers. But not everyone had the same experience. As I was talking to one of my friends, she said that not even a single person asked her if her family was fine. So much so that her colleagues who sit right across her, were too busy in their own activities to ask her. How can they be so distant, she asked. How can they be so casual about the whole incident, was her refrain. Well, that has been the trouble with us Indians through out history. That we couldn't stand as one, especially when it mattered the most. That we couldn't empathize with our countrymen in other parts of the country. These views may seem cynical. I'm not saying that there is no goodness left in our people, that the milk of human kindness has dried up. No. That is not the point. The point is that we've become way too selfish to think about anyone else. About our neighbor. About the guy who sits across our desk. About the colleague who is going through some family crisis. And these people, these are white-collared, educated people. So it makes me wonder. Does education really teach us to care for each other? Does it teach us empathy? Do it teach us unity? Well, I doubt if it does. It just gives us with an opportunity to feed ourselves and our family.
I'm not saying, not even implying, that education is useless. That it does not make a good individual. It does help in creating awareness, in spreading the knowledge and ideas to all. It does help in creating equal opporutnities. It does provide even the person in the lowest strata of society the chance to excel. But is that itself enough? Is it the solution to the narrow-minded and selfish attitudes that have taken us over today? Does education have the solution to the divided state that the nation finds itself in. A friend of mine works for the non-profit organization Akanksha. This is a non-profit organization working for under-privileged children. But it does not just focus on educating them, in the sense of formal education. Inculcating values and a sense of belief, in themselves, in their brothers and sisters is a big part of the kids' 'education' in Akanksha. When we were in school, we had a half-hour activity called value-education. This was intended at inculcating good values in us kids. But is it possible to inculcate values by having a class of value education in the curriculum? If it were so, then would we find ourselves at this juncture today? How can we forge the social fabric that binds us? How can we rise as one? We can, if we put aside selfishness. If we think about our neighbor, as much as we think about our own family. If we show a little empathy. But how do we do this? Well, there are no easy answers...

We, The People...

There could not have been a worse start to the day. The only thing that I can say about is that it was a lot better than what some others would have had to endure. Like the people trapped in the Taj. Or the families of the police officers who would come home draped in the Tricolor. I called up my fiancee at around 7 AM and she asked me to switch on the television. And what I saw just numbed my senses. No, that is no overstatement. The impunity with which the terrorists stuck is mind-numbing. It was almost like they were mocking the entire security and intelligence set-up of the country. The latest terror attack dwarfed all the previous ones, and revived the memories of all the past ones - Mumbai train bombings, the blasts in Jaipur, the bombings in Bangalore, in Ahmedabad. How many more such bombings do we have to endure, I thought? All the people I know were safe, but yet the heart felt heavy. It felt as if those who died were in some way connected. That I knew them in some way. Do we have to wait, before, God Forbid, someone we 'know' is taken away from us? The heart just felt helpless, and yet there was a seething anger within. The anger was as much as the bastards who did not even spare a hospital as much as at the politicians and the government who just chooses to wait and watch. Watch as countless innocents die. Watch as the terrorists continue to mock them. Watch as the terrorists mock us collectively, as a nation. The US was subject to one of the worst terror bombings. But how many such incidents have occured since 9/11? Here, in India, on the other hand, wave after wave of terror attacks is launched, and the government does nothing. Well, perhaps I'm losing rationality and reason as a result of what just happened. It is easy to blame everything on the government. But it does seem like it is falling short on prevention. The intelligence agencies are utilized more for political espionage rather than actual intelligence gathering. Top postings are awarded on political clout rather than merit and suitability for the post. In this environment, how will the fight against terror be effective?
I cannot put my finger on it, but the latest terror attacks have something that have me shaken. Many of my friends I spoke to echoed this opinion. There is no guarantee that a person who steps out of his home will come back, they said. Well, that pretty much sums up the sentiment. But besides the anger and the resentment at the perpetrators of such heinous acts and the government, was helplessness at our own situation. All we can do is discuss about these incidents when they happen, and blow hot and cold about the terrorists, the government and just about anyone. But can we do anything concrete about it? Will we? Do we have the courage to rise from our stupor - yes, it is a stupor when such incidents barely make a mark on us if we do not lose a loved one? What can we do? And it was this feeling that made me, us, feel helpless. That there is little that we can do to thwart the terrorists in their goal. But if we think again, is there truly nothing that can be done? Well, how about creating awareness? About the politicians and the dirty games that they are playing. About the cancer that they are breeding through out the country? It is said that we get the leaders that we deserve. After all, the leaders are elected by the electorate. And so, the least that we can do is to generate awareness and create public opinion. Not against or for a particular community, but against those who exploit the weak amongst these communities for their selfish gains. Against those whose sole purpose is destruction - of life and property.
If we do not do something about this now, it may be too late. I'm reminded of something that was said in reference to the Holocaust in Nazi Germany. That all it takes for evil to spread is for the Good to stand there and do nothing. It is time for us to take a stand, not just stand there and do nothing. In whatever way we can - big or small. There are not any easy answers, but then for a problem like this, do we expect there will be?! Not many people read this blog, but for all that do, and for all who will read this post, please spare a moment to think about the situation before us today. The terrorists are reaching out and striking at will. The objective is clear - to strike fear in our hearts and create doubts and divisions in our mind. If we do not foil them now, it may be too late...

Update: After I wrote this post, I talked to some of my friends, and I thought about writing about some of what they had to say. One said that what will this (blogging) do, there are countless such blogs written about this, people rave and rant about it. Does it change anything? Another lunch table topic that revolved around this was about the blame game that plays itself out after every such incident. Blame is put not only on the government, the police, the intelligence agencies, but also on certain communities. This brings to light yet another observation - that even so-called cultured, rational, reasonable people with a broad-minded view have today become polarized. More than a few friends I talked with were of the view that these guys should just be eliminated. Blow up these guys they said. Well, is that going to be the solution? Really, that is besides the point. The point is, that whatever is happening - and the government's 'response'  - has unnerved people enough to think this way! And these are all people who are educated, some of the brightest minds, some of the people who've had exposure to multi-cultural societies. My fiancee had a totally different view. Why don't these guys (the terrorists) realize that they are ultimately spoiling their own community? She said that these guys took to arms because they were a deprived lot, because they were brainwashed, because they were exploited. But they do not seem to realize that their actions are in fact going to make it even more difficult for others of their ilk. It is they who would have to bear the brunt of the backlash - and there's no denying that there will be one. And so, she said, these people will stop these activities when they realize the consequences of what they are doing. "You are so naive, my dear", was my reaction to that. Yes, she is right about the cause. But I honestly do not believe that the terrorists would ever see that they are ultimately making it difficult for themselves. They are way too indoctrinated to see that.  

After a tough day at work...

After a tough day at work, the evening yesterday could not have been more fun! The whole day was spent in some demos and meetings with the big bosses, and after a non-too-impressive showing, I was in just the mood to have a nice break and just forget everything. And just as I was wondering how to unwind, a friend calls to ask if I'm game for watching the movie 'Dostana'. Well, I jumped at the opportunity, and promptly said yes. I hadn't watched the promos of the movie and didn't know anything apart from the bits appearing in the media that told me that this laugh-riotwas somehow connected with homosexuality!

Well, so we started out to catch the 7 PM show at Fame Cinemas in Lido Mall. The opening sequence itself in which the two protagonists, Sam (aka Sameer) and Kunal come face to face leaves you in splits. They happen to run into each other a couple of times and as luck would have it, both Sam and Kunal are looking for a place to stay. The landlady of the apartment they find refuses to rent out the place to guys, saying it's open only for girls. So Sam comes up with an idea to make the landlady relent. But convincing Kunal is not going to be easy. Well, the idea is that they tell the landlady that they are a gay couple, and she needn't be worried about renting out the apartment to two guys. Just when they've convinced the landlady, the lady's gorgeous niece, Neha (Priyanka Chopra) makes an entrance. Kunal wants to back out of the plan seeing Neha, but Sam convinces him to play along. The rest of the film is about the hilarious consequences of the lie that Sam and Kunal have told.
The filmmaker succeeds in giving the audience a lot to watch about. That he does so without employing oft-repeated cliches, or over-the-top, raunchy humor, or double-entendre (which seems to be the standard fare dished out by Bollywood filmmakers of late) is definitely an accomplishment. But the entire movie rides on the shoulders of the two lead actors - Abhishek Bachhan and John Abraham. They are just superb in their roles. The subtle nuances like the body language, expressions and looks that convey so much more and are so important in a comedy (well, any genre, but making people laugh is serious business!) are captured by both Abhi and John perfectly. I have to admit that John's performance especially came as a pleasant surprise. I'd thus far equated leaden acting with John (barring the exception of Taxi No. 9211, I should say), thinking that his physique and his oomph quotient with the female audiences were the only reasons he merited a role. Well, after watching John as Kunal, I must say I've changed my opinion. Here his performance is superlative, the comic timing just right. Abhi impresses as well, and there are scenes which make you laugh just because of the way Abhi carries them off. The scene where he decides to 'think like a woman, but act like a man' tickles the funny bone quite a bit. Priyanka is the female lead, but all the other actors (including here) seem to be the supporting cast.
Well, the funny part aside, the movie captures the warm camaraderie between Sam, Kunal and Neha quite well. The three grow into very close friends, with Neha confiding everything to the duo and becoming slightly possessive about them. The trouble is, both start loving Nheah, and want to tell her the truth. How their attempts fall flat is the subject of further humour. Neha flips for her boss, Abhimanyu Singh (Bobby Deol_ and the duo tries every trick in the book to get her to ditch Abhimanyu. Do they succeed, and who of the three gets the lady? Well, I'm not playing spoilsport!
But all in all, the movie is definitely worth a watch once. I came out the theater refreshed and the tough day at work was a distant memory. Hope to see more such movies from Bollywood!

Obamania - Lessons for India?

And so Barack Obama has become the first African-American to be elected as President of the United States. The television channels are going ga-ga over this historic election, the internet is agog with activity (according to this post, CNN.com had 27 million unique visitors on their site and 276 million page views - these numbers are pretty staggering, one should admit) and Obamania will doubtless grip the print media and tomorrow's edition of every newspaper will have Obama plastered all over it. The Illinois senator, whom not many gave a chance to win the Democratic nomination an year ago, let alone the winning the Presidential race, is now laughing all the way to the White House. This campaign was one of the most widely covered - not only in the US but outside it as well - and also one of the most expensive. It often got acrimonious and even ugly, especially with John McCain's campaign not letting go any opportunity to smear their opponent. Anyways, countless reams have already been written about this, and this post is not my tuppence to what has already been written. I would rather like to collect some of my thoughts - some which flitted in and out of my mind over the course of the campaign (while reading about it on the Internet or the newspapers) and some of the more recent ones.
The first is a line McCain said in his concession speech.

...But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

As I was listening to this little bit, I couldn't help but ask myself, "Can we say the same thing about our politics?" Can we say that the hundreds of crores of ordinary Indians believe that they can make a difference through their vote. Well, apparently not, if we look at voter turnouts in all elections - from the elections to the City Corporations, to the State Assembly elections to, of course, the National elections. Do we have the leaders (or can we even think of a single leader) who can stir this feeling within us?
The second is about the issues being discussed. Well, having never lived in the US, I can only form my opinion on the basis of what I read on the internet and newspapers. But the Presidential debates, or even the appearances of the Presidential (and Veep) hopefuls on television are something to take notice of. They are about specific issues and the candidates are quizzed about specific solutions to the issues. Whether or not the candidates reply is political rhetoric is another question. But the elections are fought on issues - healthcare, economy, taxes, jobs. I do not recollect any election in India fought on specific issues. Parties do release a manifesto, but that is at the Party level. Individual candidates are never quizzed about their commitment to the manifesto, or about their particular solutions, their suggestions. Agreed that democracy in America is much more evolved than here in India. Agreed that the social dynamics are hugely different. But we never have a candidate who has specific visions on improving primary education, on affordable health-care, on the state of the roads (or the lack of them). All we have is jingoism and un-abashed display of political might and election speeches which hardly have any substance.
The third is the transparency with which funds used by the campaign are tracked. Well, I'll not be niave enough to say that all is fair in the US presidential elections and shady deals do not take place. But I was indeed amazed this morning to read an account of the break-up of the funds utilized by either campaign. Do we have the same accountability? Do we even come close? Do we have a impartial watch-dog that does the book-keeping? If we do, then I'm not aware of it. The Election Commission does look into all the issues. But why isn't the data made public, if it does collect all this data?! The taxpayer has a right to know where his money is going!
But perhaps the most important of all things is the fact that this is the first time an African-American has been elected to the highest office in the United States. And in this context some startling (or surprising, to say the least) facts came to light. Barack Obama is only the third African-American to be elected to the Senate. This is rather surprising for a country which prides itself for providing every person the opportunity to pursue his/her dream. I would think that India does pretty well in this aspect. No, I'm not going to be beating my chest like a nationalist about how well we've done! But I honestly feel that India does have a very commendable record. Of people from all walks of life, from religious and ethnic minorities being elected to high office, of being elected to Government bodies - and serving with distinction, one might add. Whether it is the Government, or Defence Services, or Corporate organizations, India has provided opportunity to people from diverse backgrounds. I would not like to trivialize the issue by looking at people's caste or religion. But here in India, in spite of many short-comings, we do have a multi-cultural representation in most walks of life. And that is where lies our strength. Not long before, an African-American (or a black, to use the politically incorrect words) would not be seen as having a chance to occupy the 'White' House (no pun intended). In India, we accept without raising an eyebrow a Muslim being the Commander-in-Chief of our Defence Forces. A Christian being the country Defence Minsiter does not raise hackles. Well, their religion is not important, but the point I want to make is that these events are considered routine in a Hindu-majority country. Today, Barack Obama has created history. But before this, how many Americans would have given a coloured person a chance at occupying the highest office? But what is sad - almost tragic - in India is that the political class is sowing the seeds of dissension by following a mindless policy of appeasement of the religious, linguistic and ethnic minorities. Instead of rallying and unifying the country, they are sowing the seeds of its demise...
And last, but not the least, how many politicians would graciously accept defeat and pledge support to the winner to strive so that we

... leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited
John McCain, in his concession speech

Can we hope to get politicians who will strive to make this a better place to live in? Who will put aside petty political differences and unite people instead of dividing them? Well, a people get the leaders they deserve...

Asian Tigers, and the Lumbering Elephant

There are a few things different about this post. First, I'm writing this the good ol'-fashioned way - using pen and paper. The reason behind this - and the second thing that's different about this post - is that I'm writing it not at my desk at home or office, but sitting on the Upper Berth of a Sleeper Class Compartment in the Udyan Express. I'm traveling to Bombay (this name oddly strikes me as more 'romantic' than Mumbai), and the train is running a couple of hours late. It's twilight and the train is meandering its way through the Western Ghats. We've just crossed Khandala, and gazing out of the window, I could see the vast valley and the little sleepy hamlets spread out below. The sky above was turning from crimson red to a dark orange and finally Night spread it's Cape over the villages and towns below (and us!). I could see the lights beginnning to twinkle in the houses of the village-folk. It was a really beautiful feeling - beauty is often found in simple things, and when you least expect it.
The journey has not been tiring - all I've done is eat, rest and read a bit and sleep a lot. But I'm beginning to feel the monotony of travel - the gentle swaying motion of the train, the sights and sounds of the countless hawkers plying their trade, and my co-passengers. Somehow, I couldn't strike up a conversation with any of them (well, try I did). My stop is still a couple of hours away (we should've been there by now!), and so I pulled out the little pocket notebook (the paper variety!) and my pen (not a stylus ;) ) and started scribbling to while away the time.
The rest of this post is about part of a book that I've been reading during the journey. I borrowed the book from a friend at work, and started reading it even as I was waiting for the train to arrive at the Bangalore City Junction. The book is India Unbound (Penguin Books, 2000) by Gurcharan Das. My friend had advised me "to carry something lighter for the journey" as well, saying that the book makes for some rather serious reading. Now serious it is, dealing with the Economic policies of Independent India, charting our course through the years of the "License Raj" (the term was coined by C. Rajagopalachari, I came to know) to the Liberalization of 1991, and India's almost meteoric rise in the Knowledge Economy of the present decade. A book on such a topic definitely makes for some serious reading. But I found the book (the part that I've read so far) very absorbing both in content and in the style of narration adopted by Das. The first part of the book (which I finished reading an hour back) looks at the period from 1942-65. The first chapter is interestingly (but very aptly) titled 'Ranting in English, Chanting in Sanskrit', and together with the second chapter looks at pre-Independence India, and how the English language and Western Education opened up the doors for Indians to the global world. It is often (incorrectly) said, that the Western Education only created clerks for the British bureaucracy in India. Well, that may be true to an extent, but it also created Engineers, Lawyers, Doctors and other professionals, and it brought the history of other cultures and Revolutions within the ambit of our thinkers and intellectuals. The first part of the book also examines a traditional Indian prejudice against businessmen and entrepreneurs. And this is most certainly true. Somehow creating wealth is deemed secondary - Das cites some philosophers' theory that the Vaishyas were the third in the caste heirarchy, after the Brahmins and the Kshatriyas. He also looks at the reasons why an Indutrial Revolution has always eluded India. Inspite of having a great Rail network. After all, in other countries, most notably America, the Railroad ushered in an era of prosperity, trade and commerce.
The way Das poses issues and examines various viewpoints and facets of the issue makes for very interesting reading. One thing was particularly interesting - the author delving into the traditional Indian psyche to explain one of the reasons why India did not witness a technological revolution. On why it did not, could not, innovate - and this is true for the last couple of centuries, and not just the past six-odd decades. He says that Indians, unlike Americans, are not "tinkerers". Manual labour is held in somewhat of a contempt, and tradition shows a bias toward the pure sciences rather than applied sciences or technology. I think that Das has hit the nail on its head. We Indians are generally not the "Just Do It" variety - we prefer to mull over theoretical problems rather than experiment and get our hands dirty - both literally and figuratively speaking.
Das also examines various economic policies expounded by various thinkers and economists during this period (1942-65). He describes his time at Harvard as one of "encounters with ideas rather than persons". He describes his own economic and social views at the time (liberal and socialist) and describes how he moved from being an uncritical exponent of Marx to a capitalist viewpoint. He also looks at the policies of the Indian Government at the time and how they nipped in the bud any trace of entrepreneurial spirit. He describes very nicely the travails of homegrown entrepreneurs like Kasturbhai Lalbhai and how the State instead of encouraging them, did the exact opposite - put in place excessive controls that made private enterprise virtually non-existent!
I'm continuing this part of the post on the 'morning after' (my train journey, obviously!) as the swaying of the train as it picked up speed on the plains made legible writing impossible. Getting back to the book, Das looks at how the flawed policies of the Government and the Bureaucracy instilled a culture of complacency at best, and inefficiency, low productivity, lobbyism, and corruption at worst in state enterprises. And how, surprisingly, Nehru defended the low productivity in Parliament! His reasoning - these enterprises were not 'set up to generate profit, but to meet social objectives'. The book looks at how ministers and bureaucrats, who had no experience whatsoever in running a business, presided in a shockingly ad hoc manner on business decisions. To sum it up, we got the 'worst of both worlds' by pursuing Nehru's brand of Socialism - the controls of socialism and the monopoly of capitalism'.
Reading the book really makes you think about a line Das uses a couple of times - "When individuals fail, it's a blunder; but when leaders fail, it's a catastrophe'. I've always wondered how the other Asian Economies who more or less started out at the same time as India did, have today become tigers, while India is still light years behind them! Of how, countries like Malaysia, or city-states like Singapore or Hong Kong have achieved so much with a fraction of the human and natural resources of India. Reading the book gives you some idea of the reasons behind this. Anyways, this post has already become long enough (and I'm really, really hungry!). So I'll sign off for now. But I'm sure that reading the remainder of the book will spur another post. Till then, ciao!!

Charge of the Young Brigade

A lot has been written on the future of the Famous Five of Indian Cricket, with the print, television and online media debating furiously on the future of Saurav Ganguli, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, and Test Captain Anil Kumble. Saurav has already set the ball rolling by announcing his decision to retire from international cricket at the end of the ongoing series with Australia. What spurred this post was the performance of the Indian team in the ongoing test match (Oct 15-19). Anil Kumble was forced to sit out and so MS Dhoni took over the reigns and Amit Mishra got to make his Test debut. And to say that both have excelled (especially Mishra, bagging five scalps in his very first match!) would be an understatement. At the end of the fourth day's play, the test is poised for an exciting finish (I read a few reports which said 'Australia heading for defeat', but I'm sure that the Indians would have to earn this win). The enthusiam of the younger lot of cricketers is definitely a huge bonus. Yes, you do need experience at the highest level. But fresh blood, and fresh legs, and most of all a fresh outlook tends to make up for some of that. A friend remarked today that Kumble had better step aside voluntarily, or else the day he'd have to accept a CRS (Compulsory Retirement Scheme) might not be far. And it couldn't have been truer. While the aging war-horses have brought glory to Indian Cricket, they must not be a stumbling block in the careers of those who would bring it glory in the months and years to come. And so, it's only fair that the Mishras, the Chawlas, and the Rohit Sharmas and Badrinaths get their chance at the highest level. It would be unfair to have them wait in the wings just so that the Famous Five can bow out on their own terms. Barring the case of Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble, the other three have perhaps passed the stage of bowing out when people ask "Why?" rather than "Why not?!" Probably they should look back at the start of their own careers, to look at how excruciating the wait was to break into the team, to don the Indian colours. Finally, it would be nice to see them go out on their terms, rather than be shown the door... Change is the only thing that is constant, they say... It now remains to be seen who takes up the baton from Saurav...

Small car, Big gains

After a tumultuous time in the state, the Tatas' have finally said Tata to Bengal, and Singur and moved to Gujarat. So it's goodbye to one M (Mamata) and a hello to another (Modi)! The move has dampened Durga Pooja celebrations in Bengal, according to reports on the internet, and print media. Understandably as well, I would say. The Nano factory had provided a stimulus to the local economy in Singur. The local people are understandably both disappointed and angry at the Tatas' decision to move out. But I guess they have only themselves to blame. Indirectly, if not directly. Mamata Banerjee's protest wouldn't have any fire without support from the locals. This is a loss for the state, but also for India as a whole. What kind of signals does it send out, when an elected government is held hostage by a renegade opposition leader? When it cannot come true on the promises it made? Well, you can call me an unabashed capitalist, but there is no option to industrialization, if we are to progress. No, I'm not saying that snatching your land for setting up a factory is fine. But that's where the state has to step in. To ensure that you are compensated fairly for your land. That you've got a fair bargain. If the state cannot ensure that, you cannot blame the industrialist for that! And that was what Mamata did. Instead of working out a package where the farmers would be compensated fair and square, she demanded complete transfer of land back to the farmers. What would they do with just the land? Ultimately, as the Singur plant demonstrated, the gains to be had out of industrialization are immense. Creation of a micro-economy in the industrialized zone. Creation of jobs, of infrastructure - roads, transport, electricity and water. Is the transfer of land back to the farmers worth sacrificing all this? Mr. Ratan Tata famously said that he will not pull out, even if a gun is held to his head. In the wake of the decision (to pull out), he said, "Ms. Banarjee has just pulled the trigger".

Since August, when the agitation started in Singur, several states had shown interest in offering Tatas the necessary incentives for their project. Finally, Gujarat has pipped them all to the post. The speed with which the government moved clinched the deal. And I think that is what is really noteworthy. Whatever may be said about Mr. Modi's style of functioning (some say that he's autocratic), you cannot deny that he's moved swiftly and smoothly. In fact, this is what invites investors to the state. I'd once read an article a long time back (when Mr. Modi assumed office for his third term as CM) about how he personally takes initiative to cut red-tape and bureaucracy. Gujrati people have business in their blood. Give them a conducive environment, and they're sure to flourish. And Gujarat has indeed emerged as one of the most investor-friendly destinations. At the Vibrant Gujarat summit in 2007, Mr. Tata had said, "You are stupid if you are not in Gujarat!". That one of the foremost industrialists in the country (and worldwide!) should say this, says a lot about the economic scenario in the state. And with the Nano project moving into Gujarat, this image will doubtless be embellished. Though it's a small car project, the gains will be BIG. As they would say in Gujrati, "Project nu naam Nano chhe, par faydo bau moto!"

Apocalypse Now

As I'm writing this the BSE Sensex is about 700 points down, or almost 6 percent down. The bloodbath does not seem to stop, with the market losing anything between 4 to 6 percent every single day! And no one knows when or where it'll stop. The markets have already breached the two-year low in India, with the US markets touching a five year low! And the turmoil has already claimed a life, with an NRI shooting his family and then committing suicide, with the stock market crash turning him from a millionaire to a virtual pauper almost overnight. In an earlier post, I'd written about the fall of some of the biggest investment banks. But what is unfolding now is surpassing everything. It's a 'once in a lifetime' event, and may be a life-changing event for some.
The turmoil has left the small investor in a fix. The prices look very attractive, but everyday a new low is touched, surpassing the previous day's low by as much as 10 percent. Does he go out and buy, or does he sit tight? Well, I'm buying in small amounts, reasoning that nibbling at the stocks is the right way to go. That's the only bright side to this whole scenario, if you were to call it that. That it's a right time to buy if you have the cash to spare. But how far down will it go? Well, it's always darkest before the dawn, as they say...

The road less taken

Today evening talked to a friend after a long time. It'd been almost a month since we talked, and just thought I'd catch up on how things were going. This friend of mine is a really special person. No, I don't mean special to me (which he is!), but a special human being. Brilliant in academics right from the school days, he completed his Engineering degree from one of the most prestigious colleges. He was picked up by Infosys as part of their campus recruitment programme. He could have gone places, with his intelligence. But my friend was slightly different. He did excel at work, no doubt. The awards that he won (and I'm sure he hasn't told us about all of them) prove it. But he wanted to do more. More for society, more for those who aspired, but their conditions held them back. Right from the time he joined Infosys, he spent a lot of time volunteering to teach kids from the slums, the backward areas. It gave him a special joy, something much more than excelling at work. It gave him a sense of fulfillment. Every weekend he used to come to Mumbai from Pune (where he worked), and Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings were spent teaching slum kids. Ditto with festivals like Holi, Diwali, and important occasions like Independence Day. But it was not enough. He knew that he had more to give. So one day, he just decided to give up his job in Infosys, and pursue his passion, his dream full-time. All of us who knew him, though not shocked, were a little surprised. Full-time social service?! But fortune favors the brave, and he was offered a full-time position by the Akanksha Foundation, an NGO working in the field of education for the under-privileged. He now 'works' in a special school, where he conducts classroom and other activities for kids. We've talked a few times about his 'day at work', and all that it involves. Teaching kids is no child's play (no pun intended)!! The kids have boundless energy, and it is us volunteers who find catching up with them difficult, he said once. At the end of your day at work, you're totally tired. But it's a sweet tiredness. And with that tiredness comes a feeling of satisfaction. And to see a kid's smile... Well, it definitely makes it worth it.
Today he was talking about preparations that he does every evening for the next day's 'classroom'. It's difficult to hold the kids' attention for a long time (well, the adults don't do too better ;) ), so Akanksha has devised short activities, spanning not more than 20 minutes. Unless it is an activity like drawing, or coloring sketches. Or crafting something. And so, he spends about an hour to an hour and a half for each such 20 minute activity. Planning about what to capture in that 20 minutes, how to present it. And then making photocopies of the material to be distributed to the kids. There's a lot of planning and skill involved. And committment. To your dream, to your passion. It's not something for the casual altruist. Early next year he'll assume charge of a school in Pune, that Akanksha Foundation plans to manage. Assuming charge of a school!! That sounds like a Herculean responsibility. But we know he'll do it just fine. It couldn't have a better 'headmaster' ;) at the helm of affairs. When we heard that he's been given the responsibility, we were very happy for him. He'd always wanted to do this. Finally, he'd found his true calling.
My friend found very early on in life what his passion was. He found and worked hard towards pursuing his passion, his goal, his dream. Well, as he'd say, he's only started working on fulfilling his dream. But he's started. How many of us can say confidently that we've found our calling? To begin with, your's truly can't. But that requires listening to your inner voice. And daring to listen to it. Not be swayed by family, friends, society. Just pursue your heart. And being sure that it's leading you the right way. My friend dared to take the road less taken. He'll celebrate his 26th birthday in a few days. Here's wishing him in advance, that he sees his dream being fulfilled. Here's wishing you the very best in Life, now and always, Chikka. Here's wishing your kids that they achieve their dreams. For that is his only dream...

Love thy neighbor... Even if he slaps you!

The headline carried on the front page in today's edition of the Times of India just riled me no end. 'European Union raps India' it shrieked. And below the headline were the words, 'Describes Church Attacks as Massacre of Christians'. And may be I got out of the wrong side of the bed today morning, but the words just put me off. The church attacks were a reference to the recent attacks on Churches in Karnataka and Orissa. Of course, the issue has been hotly debated in many forums - on mails, by casual bloggers, by seasoned columnists, in the television and print media. But the point really is not about the attacks. It is about a conglomeration of countries trying to interfere with the sovereignity of a nation. A nation's internal security is it's concern alone. And people living in glass houses certainly shouldn't throw stones. Look at what the French President, Mr. Sarkozy had to say about the issue of Sikhs in France. "We respect their customs and traditions and they are welcome to France. But we have rules regarding the neutrality of civil servants... So while we respect the customs of Sikhs, we expect them to follow the rules of the Republic", he said. This was Mr. Sarkozy's response when asked about the ban on Sikh turbans in government-funded schools. And honestly, I admire him for his clear words on the topic. Unlike the ruling coalition in India, where the leaders hem and haw about calling a spade a spade. For clinging on to their chairs. To preserve their votebank. And do not utter a word about a third party interfering in the nation's internal affairs. To give an analogy, this is like your neighbour giving you sermons on familial harmony because he happened to overhear that argument you had with your wife last night. Not only that, imagine the same neighbor calling you a serial wife-beater! Calling the attacks on the churches a 'massacre' is being exactly like the neighbor. Well, if he (the neighbor) were to do that to me, I'd tell him to shut the *#$** up! But our premier, being the genial Sikh that he is, gives an 'assurance' to the neighbour about 'the constitutional right' of the minorities 'to profess and propagate their respective faiths'!! I can understand the profess part. But propagate?! What the hell does he mean by that?! But then you expect no more from a man who 'professes' the 'love of Indian people' for Mr. Bush, the president of the US of A! What riled me was the fact that this remark was a slap on the administration of the country. And the fact that the administration remained a mute spectator, instead of reminding the EU to keep their noses out of a sovereign nation's affairs.

The box said 'Requires Win 95, NT or better'. So I installed Linux

Yes, it is true... I've just switched loyalties to Linux! I'm now using the Ubuntu 7.10 64 bit edition, and from my initial experiences, I'm just loving it! Especially, the graphics part, which IMHO (in my humble opinion ;)) is way beyond what Windows Vista has to offer. The nVidia GeForce 6150 Graphics card which was lying unutilized all this while (yep, I'm not a great gaming enthusiast), suddenly sprang to life and the snazzy effects are cool, to say the least. Well, there were teething troubles in getting up my notebook to full functionality, so to speak. But they were just that - teething troubles. And thanks to the huge Ubuntu community out there, getting them sorted out was no sweat. That's the best part about using Linux. There's a whole bunch of guys out there, who've likely faced the same problem that you're facing right now, and you'll find the answer on a forum. You just have to google on your problem, and Voila! And oh, the ubuntu official forums are there, too. So getting my Wireless connection up and running, and fixing the sound issue (no sound) was done in a matter of an hour or two (well, the sound card issue was vexed).
The move from Windows was prompted by an itch, really. An itch to do something different, to just experience a different OS for a while (OK, OK, I'm a geek ;)). And at not having to pay through your nose for softwares, and updates - who doesn't like free stuff?! And real quality free stuff!! The installation itself was pretty easy. I've worked on Linux boxes quite extensively during my grad student days at IIT, Bombay, and so Linux installations were nothing new. In fact, Linux itself was nothing new. And there was a time when I was more comfortable at command lines than Windows-based apps (for one, it really helps on a notebook, when you don't use a mouse). But installing Ubuntu from the disc proved nothing at all like installing that Linux distro I'd installed on my machine during my IIT days. No manual partitioning, no setting up /boot, /home, /swap; no being prompted for LILO or Grub. Just a glide through the set-up process where you're asked for the place settings and a couple of administrative things. The whole set-up was done within half an hour, and I was ready to go! Next followed setting up the Internet connection (the LAN card was configured correctly, so this was smooth), and getting help on setting up the Wireless connection. And fixing the sound issue. This far the UI,while being on par with Windows, was pretty ordinary after all. Then I installed the restricted firmware for the nVidia Graphics card, and boy! The snazzy effects while switching between apps, opening or closing a terminal, switching workspaces... A whole lot of cool stuff! Then downloaded the security updates from the Ubuntu site, and there I was ready to go.
I've been using Ubuntu for the last couple of days, and the experience has been perfect. In fact, it does all the things Windows does, and more! So unlike the Linux distro that I'd used in IIT-B, I don't have to mount and unmount the CD-ROM and USB drives - they're done by the system. Even though I'm comfortable with that part, that was a pleasant surprise (yep, I hadn't quite been in touch with the evolution of Linux the last couple of years). At the same time, the command line just puts a lot of power at your fingertips (literally and figuratively). I don't think I'd be moving back to Windows any time soon. So here's to Linux!
Cheers!!

Dont Look, We're changing! Bet you can't NOT look!!

Amidst a lot of hype and buzz, the Android phone was finally launched in the US on September 23. I guess it'll be quite a while before it comes around to Indian markets, but looking at the features it really made me wish I could lay my hands on one. Here is the coverage on Techcrunch, and you can read another post here. Now you'd think that these 'smart phones' are only for the nerd and geeks amongst us, but if you scratch the surface, it's kind of a revolution that's happening in the mobile space. It began with the iPhone launch in July, and it's really catching up with the Android launch. Mobile phones are no longer just devices that you use to make calls, or text messages to your friends or girlfriend. They are packing in a whole lot of features - right from checking your e-mails to searching maps to cool apps that allow you to do a whole lot of stuff that seemed just un-imaginable just an year ago! You can use your mobile phone to listen to your favourite songs, to chat with your friends, to browse the web, to check your e-mail (and make sure that it syncs up with the mail server!)... And the list goes on... Heck, you can even take snaps, record a video inpromptu, and watch full-length movies on that small device! And you can carry all this functionality in your pocket! And with at least 8GB of storage, you don't have to offload data every other day to your notebook. I seriously can't think of something that my notebook can do that these phones cannot! Now a lot of phones had these kind of features for a while now. They were restricted to the cool dudes with hot pockets. Or the business executive who'd use them as a PDA. But with these phones being launched in the USD 200 range, they've become a lot more you-and-me-friendly, from the cost point of view. The fact that the iPhone 2G sold as many phones in the first week as the first iPhone sold in a month says something! The Android phone may not (yet) give the iPhone serious competition, but it's sure to revolutionize the segment, and give Steve Jobs something to think about. The mobile phones are changing in yet another aspect. They started out as big, bulky devices, and then moved to a phase where small was in. Now it seems that the catch-phrase is Big is Beautiful and life for the mobile phone seems to have come full-circle! But then looking at everything that's packed in there... Well, I can't wait to get either the iPhone or the Android for myself. But I guess I'll have to wait... At INR 31K, the iPhone in India is still a bit out of my range. And the Android G1 will take a while to come to our shores... Till then, you can drool over some of these images ;)

T for technology, T for terror

Came across this post on TechCrunch about GnuPG, a software that helps you to encrypt mails, to avoid a hacker looking into your private mails. The post is a little bit geekish, but contains nice step-by-step instructions to use both GnuPG and FireGPG, a Firefox extension which provides a nicer interface than the command line one given by GPG. I haven't tried it (well, I don't have any incriminating mails to hide, for one. For another, I'm not running for a public post, to have some enthusiastic hacker look into my mailbox ;) ), but it looks pretty useful tool to have. But call it the effect of the current security situation, call it paranoia, the thought occured to me that this could easily be (mis-)used by terrorists or anyone with nefarious motives to communicate securely, without having the intelligence agencies eavesdropping. Already the bad guys seem to be one step ahead of the good guys, and in these times of cyber-crime, cyber-fraud and cyber-terrorism, this is a real serious prospect. The Internet has shrunk the world, and while it certainly helps me to chat with my friend in the US, it also helps the bad guys to co-ordinate their plans for that bombing in Cairo, sitting in Alaska (OK, no reference to Palin here ;) )! As terrorists and criminals become increasingly hi-tech and get more educated, highly qualified people into their fold, it's becoming a case of playing catch-up with them. Now I'm not saying that the bad guys are not already using encryption and this site will have some one saying 'Eureka!'. But the point I'm trying to make is that there's such a wealth of information available online that can easily be mis-used. Like Naseeruddin Shah's character says in Wednesday, "Internet pe 'bomb' ke liye search karo toh 352 sites milengi!" Yes, sad but true. We talk about technology enabling our lives. But it is also being used in the pursuit of much more dastardly acts, acts that are claiming more and more lives - across the world...

Fewer traffic rules = Fewer accidents?!

A week back read an article in the Times of India about a town in Germany that did away with traffic signals. Not only this, it also tore down kerbs and erased all marked crosswalks. To quote from the article:

Bohmte has scrapped its traffic lights, torn down the kerbs and erased marked crosswalks. The main street is now shared equally by bikes, pedestrians, cars and trucks. Initiatives like this which aim to break the hegemony of cars are popping up across Europe.

Now a really interesting result of this experiment was that the town actually witnessed accident rates declining! When I read the article, a thought came to my mind, can this work in India? And the very next moment, I found the very idea simultaneously revolting and ridiculous. Why, well, we already have many parts which do not have signals; sidewalks if they exist at all, are taken up either by hawkers or by motorists (yes, you can try to navigate the sidewalks of Bangalore or Pune!) and whoever saw marked crosswalks! Drivers lack even the basic courtesy, forget about road discipline, honking incessantly and overtaking even in a crowded street. Pedestrians consider the road as a park, strolling along without looking right or left. Add to this, the occasional cow ambling across the road. And what you have is nothing short of total mayhem! The philosophy of fewer rules is based on one simple thing - consideration for your fellow drivers, or pedestrians. But do we see that here? Everyone is in a tearing hurry, either to get to work, or to rush back home, or to catch that movie show. The article talks about the concept of "shared spaces" pioneered by Dutch engineer Hans Monderman. This concept can work when people take time to slow down a little bit. On the road. And in their lives as well... When they inculcate a little bit of discipline. But most of all, when they learn to be considerate about their fellow citizens. Till then, I don't think that fewer rules will lead to fewer accidents in Indian cities.

A Saturday...

So after a busy week, Saturday evening was a welcome break. There's nothing like enjoying a weekend of movies, eating out, and especially when you've really had to work hard through the week. 'Work hard, party harder' as they say! Saturday evening was spent watching two movies, and eating out at Bombay Post, a restaurant on Airport Road in Bangalore. We rented DVDs for A Wednesday and Rock On, two movies I'd been planning to watch for a long time. And 'A Wednesday' just had me floored. I do not remember the last time Hindi cinema gave such a hard-hitting, fast paced, taut, thriller of a movie. It's a must-watch! I'll not be a spoiler and say anything about the plot. Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah, are at their best, reprising their parts to perfection. Kher's character, Prakash Rathod, the Commissioner of Police of Mumbai, is a tough cop, efficient and calm in the face of crisis. Watching the movie really made me feel that we need officers like Prakash Rathod leading our police force today - tough, calm, efficient and quick decision makers. The other actors are pretty fine as well, but this movie is only about Prakash Rathod, and an anonymous caller who threatens to blow up the five bombs he has planted in various places across the city. This morning's papers carried a small item about Taare Zameen Par being selected as India's official entry for the Oscars. A Wednesday was in the contention as well. Now I haven't seen TZP, but I really felt that Wednesday deserved the wider audience that it would have got, had it made the cut. For the rivetting performances, for the plot, but most of all for the message it carries. For the thoughts that it spurs in the viewer's mind. Especially in this age, when terrorist bombings have become disturbingly common. Especially in India, which is bleeding through a thousand cuts - Mumbai, Lucknow, Jaipur, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, and now Delhi...
The other movie we saw was Rock On, and I don't know whether it was because I saw a movie like Wednesday just a few hours before this one, but honestly felt that it was OK. Well, yes, just OK. The music is fantastic, no doubt. In fact, in music, I think this is a movie which has dared to be different in a long, long time. And it's no small compliment that the music of Rock On featured in Rolling Stones magazine! Only the second time Indian music featured in Rolling Stones. But the movie itself drags at times. I felt that a little bit too much takes place in flashback. And the theme of friends re-uniting after a misunderstanding causes them to drift apart is pretty stale. We saw the same thing in Dil Chahta Hai. OK, the movie is not bad, not at all. But there are times when it left me looking at the watch. And when that happens, well, you know it... Farhan Akhtar makes his acting debut in the movie, and he does a good job of portraying Aditya. The rest of the cast is good as well. I especially liked Purab Kohli in his role, infusing a youthful charm into the movie. Of the leading ladies, Prachi Desai looks really cute. Goswami has also played the role of Debbie nicely. Overall it wasn't a bad watch, but well, it was Wednesday which rocks!!

And they all fell down...

After a brief lull, I'm back to blogging! The week just whizzed by, and here I am on a Saturday afternoon chained to my desk at work, working on the technical paper submission deadline! (Well, the chained to the desk part was exaggerated :D) But while I was busy trying to get everything done before the deadline, the world outside was witnessing a huge turmoil. The week began with the frontpage news on Monday crying out that Lehman Brothers is filing for bankruptcy. That too the biggest Chapter 11 bankruptcy claim filing in US history! This was followed by news of AIG looking out for buyers, and doubts being expressed about other banks like Morgan Stanley as well. Suddenly, the who's-who in the world of investment banking were on their knees, begging for government largesse. While Lehman filed for bankruptcy, the US government attempted to bail out AIG with an infusion of US$ 85 billion. Here is a post on the mess that the big banks find themselves in. The numbers are staggering - 4 trillion dollars down the drain! The next few days carried the grim news of the aftermath, with the effects being felt in India as well. Almost all of 2500 employees in Lehman's India operations would be losing their jobs. And when the banking and financial sector was facing such a tough time, the impact was bound to felt on the IT industry, with BFSI (Banking, Financials and Insurance Services) being a major part of product/services offerings of some of the top players. So news of lay-offs and pink-slips in organizations world-wide was not unexpected, though the sheer numbers were shattering. HP announced cuts up to 25000 people, while Satyam announced it was 'right-sizing' about 4500-odd people. And suddenly, IT professionals became aware of the Sword of Damocles hanging over their head. The stock markets, too, reacted to this turmoil, and several millions of rupees of investor wealth was wiped out. (Though they did bounce back on Friday, and gave investors something to cheer about as the week ended.) What will happen in the weeks ahead? No one knows how deep the rot brought on by the sub-prime crisis has set in. After all, when a Bank that had never posted a loss in any single quarter in its 158-year old history goes bust, you really do not know what to expect...