Indra's Drishtikona (Viewpoint)

Indra's Drishtikona (Viewpoint) http://drishtikona.com My online journal with thoughts, opinions, comments and more.. Thu, 17 May 2012 09:03:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 Indra's Drishtikona (Viewpoint) http://drishtikona.com/images/favicon.gif http://drishtikona.com en Bihar-A Temple Project http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/003046.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/003046.php#comments Sat, 10 Mar 2012 01:31:32 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/003046.php BBC, Washington Post, Independent, Guardian and a score of other foreign news media. However, it adds perhaps a little weight and seems to be more authentic that makes me happy. I still don’t know why the national newspapers and digital media didn’t cover the news or if I just failed to notice it. The news caught my sight as few months ago my son and daughter-in-law had been talking about visiting the Angkor Wat Temple complex that is world heritage site some day. "Built during the reign of Hindu King Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat is one of Cambodia’s prime tourist destinations. Spread across a sprawling campus of 203-acres, the temple was chiefly dedicated to Lord Vishnu, one of the Hindu Gods, until the late 13th century. In the years ahead, the temple became dedicated to Lord Buddha." The news of the grand temple plan of Acharya Kunal Kishore replicating Cambodia’s iconic 12th century Angkor Wat temple on the banks of the Ganges River near Patna was exciting: "The Angkor Wat temple in Bihar will be as majestic as the original, and slightly larger – it will be 222ft by 222ft, and its five shikharas [towers] will also be 222ft high," according to Kishore Kunal. It will be ready in ten years and will cost at least Rs 60 crore. The news was entered by Rajesh in his face book first and today after seeing the report in Washington Post I did also expressed my excitement. Interestingly, as reported, Acharya has still not visited the original temple complex in Cambodia. I wish, he would have done it and extensively gone around and studied the details. I got somewhat educated too with the story of Rama: “The god Ram was believed to have visited the site in the course of his journey and was welcomed by King Sumati of the Vaishali kingdom.” Acharya has been doing a great service to projecting a positive image of Bihar. Once I wished him to put all his resources in education and healthcare of Bihar and become the inspiring force to add hundreds of professional colleges and hospitals. His breaching the caste gap through the appointment of the priests from the deprived castes for temples was exemplary. I wish Acharya a grand success in getting realized his Angkor Wat temple project without any obstruction because of false secular fanatics or financial resources. However, I shall like the temple to become the grandest architechural feat of the world and be one day included in the list of the seven wonders of the contemporary world? Besides Rama Temple, Acharya should plan to have at least one temple each for Lord Mahavira and Buddha, equally grand matching to the overall architecture of the temple complex. Bihar had been the land of their enlightenment and its greatest kings Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka who could realize the concept of India by integrating the whole country. Acharya’s trust could start the work of integrating the habitations around the temple through various schemes of village planning, educational and healthcare institutions to match the ambience and heritage of the temple complex. Sometimes, I get skeptical thinking about another dream project-Nalanda University that was to get established in Bihar and could have become the brightest jewel in the crown of resurgent Bihar. New Nalanda University would have easily become a knowledge hub with balanced mixture of old and new style of education with a school each built by many countries and the most sought for university to join as teacher or student. Let the people like me who may not see the project getting completed and opened to the public live the dream and enjoy. ]]> BBC, Washington Post, Independent, Guardian and a score of other foreign news media. However, it adds perhaps a little weight and seems to be more authentic that makes me happy. I still don’t know why the national newspapers and digital media didn’t cover the news or if I just failed to notice it. The news caught my sight as few months ago my son and daughter-in-law had been talking about visiting the Angkor Wat Temple complex that is world heritage site some day. "Built during the reign of Hindu King Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat is one of Cambodia’s prime tourist destinations. Spread across a sprawling campus of 203-acres, the temple was chiefly dedicated to Lord Vishnu, one of the Hindu Gods, until the late 13th century. In the years ahead, the temple became dedicated to Lord Buddha." The news of the grand temple plan of Acharya Kunal Kishore replicating Cambodia’s iconic 12th century Angkor Wat temple on the banks of the Ganges River near Patna was exciting: "The Angkor Wat temple in Bihar will be as majestic as the original, and slightly larger – it will be 222ft by 222ft, and its five shikharas [towers] will also be 222ft high," according to Kishore Kunal. It will be ready in ten years and will cost at least Rs 60 crore. The news was entered by Rajesh in his face book first and today after seeing the report in Washington Post I did also expressed my excitement. Interestingly, as reported, Acharya has still not visited the original temple complex in Cambodia. I wish, he would have done it and extensively gone around and studied the details. I got somewhat educated too with the story of Rama: “The god Ram was believed to have visited the site in the course of his journey and was welcomed by King Sumati of the Vaishali kingdom.” Acharya has been doing a great service to projecting a positive image of Bihar. Once I wished him to put all his resources in education and healthcare of Bihar and become the inspiring force to add hundreds of professional colleges and hospitals. His breaching the caste gap through the appointment of the priests from the deprived castes for temples was exemplary. I wish Acharya a grand success in getting realized his Angkor Wat temple project without any obstruction because of false secular fanatics or financial resources. However, I shall like the temple to become the grandest architechural feat of the world and be one day included in the list of the seven wonders of the contemporary world? Besides Rama Temple, Acharya should plan to have at least one temple each for Lord Mahavira and Buddha, equally grand matching to the overall architecture of the temple complex. Bihar had been the land of their enlightenment and its greatest kings Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka who could realize the concept of India by integrating the whole country. Acharya’s trust could start the work of integrating the habitations around the temple through various schemes of village planning, educational and healthcare institutions to match the ambience and heritage of the temple complex. Sometimes, I get skeptical thinking about another dream project-Nalanda University that was to get established in Bihar and could have become the brightest jewel in the crown of resurgent Bihar. New Nalanda University would have easily become a knowledge hub with balanced mixture of old and new style of education with a school each built by many countries and the most sought for university to join as teacher or student. Let the people like me who may not see the project getting completed and opened to the public live the dream and enjoy. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/003046.php/feed/ Hampi: My Experiences http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002999.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002999.php#comments Sat, 12 Nov 2011 09:03:42 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002999.php Vijayanagara and Bahmani empires of south. However, I don’t remember if there was any enthralling reference of Hampi that could make me visit Hampi during many a visits to Bangalore that I made during my professional career. Some years ago I read about Hampi in an article. The writer had referred to the Nobel laureate VS Naipaul’s critical comments on Hampi. “Look carefully and you can see scattered everywhere the crumbling wreck age of former greatness: "Palaces and stables, a royal bath ... the leaning granite pillars of what must have been a bridge across the river. A long and very wide avenue, with a great statue of the bull of Shiva at one end, and at the other end a miracle: a temple that for some reason was spared destruction, and is still used for worship." Everyone whom I referred about my intention advised me to use overnight train from Bangaluru to Hospet. However, I decided to go by road. On Nov5, we started after a lovely breakfast from Mini, the daughter of my host and the friend since IITdays. Even at 9AM, it took almost an hour to reach Yashwantpur on NH4. Bangaluru has over grown its infrastructure development. Up to Chitradurg, the NH is part of the dream North-South Corridor. The hills around Chitradurg are dotted with huge number of wind mills something that we had seen in Tamil Nadu when we took a tour of its temples. The road between Chitradurg and Hospet is single lane but pretty smooth but for a small portion. It’s barren and rocky on both sides of the road and with little water resources. But the farmers grow sunflower and maize. One gets hardly any important township or rest place on this stretch. But as we neared Hospet and the huge water reservoir on the Tungabhadra River.

Suddenly, we found the land becoming very fertile growing good crop of sugarcanes and banana in around Hospet. A large number of steel mills appeared on the right side belching smoke as we neared Hospet and I got reminded of infamous Bellar, that is pretty near to Hospet. Hospet appeared to be very poor and dirty. I never expected it as Hampi the world Heritage site in just near it. I wish the tourism as well as urban development ministries of the state and centre would have made some planned nedeavour to improve it, as it as the entry for the millions of tourists coming for Hampi. But how can we hope for improvement of the quality of faculties when the corruption has gone so deep in our country in every state and town. However, I was really happy to find an oasis in Vijayshree Heritage Village resorts with wonderful facilities. We rested and in evening enjoyed Rajasthani entertainment: Jhummar dance, rope tricks, magic and many things and finally the Rajashthani cuisine in dinner.

Nov 6 was the day for seeing Hampi as it existed. We took the assistance of a middle aged guide. It was nice that our vehicle could go to all important destinations of interests. I divide the city and our visits to five types of the structures. 1. Hampi had some huge stone sculptures: kadalekalu Ganesh, Narsinmha, Siva Linga, Stone chariot that lies in Vitthal Temple courtyard.

2. Hampi has a large number of temples built in different corners. The deity in main Virupaksha Yemple is still worshipped. Vittthal temple, Hazara Rama temple with thousand panels depicting incidences in Rama’s life and all other temples are in ruins. The deities are damaged but the decorative relief carvings, statues and panels in the temples and its various mandapas are intact. Many structures such as Gopuram and halls of dance are in good conditions. But main and unique feature of Hampi is the presence of well constructed and laid bazaars in front of the main temples. Vijaynagar was known of its trade that expanded up to Europe. I have not seen such combination in any other places. Perhaps this was the innovation of Vijayanagara’s kings, traders and architects. There are many temples in ruins worth seeing but with our limitation, we could see only the main ones.

3. The area that housed the palaces of the kings such as Harihar Rai and Krishnadeo Rai is huge and is lying in full ruins. I wish I would have visited this place when I was a little younger. Yamuna remained seated in the vehicle in most of the places. It further reduced my enthusiasm. 4. Zenana enclosure was for the queens. The main palace like others that were surprisingly made of wood has vanished after the whole city was burnt by the Muslim army of Bahamani Empire. But Lotus Mahal and the Queen’s Bath got spared and are intact as there were built in bricks. I couldn’t understand why the bath and dining halls of the queens were not integrally built but located at certain distance.

5. Royal enclosure is another impressive area. It has the beautiful step well, stone channels for carrying water from River Tungbhadra to different places. It had separate meeting places for royals with ministers and officers as well as with public.

And finally the surrounding hills presenting different things with the varying sized and shaped bolders moved me. As someone has very rightly said,"If dreams were made out of stone, it would be Hampi."

My last place of visit was the Kiskindha where Ram and Lakshman waited for Hanuman to bring the news of Sita being in Lanka. I saw a number of persons reciting Ramcharit Manas in the Rama Temple on the top of the hill. My imaginations flew few centuries back how Rama with Lakshman spent their time waiting. But naturally after walking for six hours we were pretty hungry. I made somehow to Mango Tree Restaurant that has become famous among the tourists both Indians and foreigners. I had known about Mango Tree through a blog. Its popularity was evident from the crowd there. It was beautiful and clean and also provided good food too. Yamuna had some trouble in reaching the place but either she braved or the hunger made her walk though with few stops in between. And we returned to Village Resort. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002999.php/feed/ Malice of Education http://drishtikona.com/archives/employmenteducation/002943.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/employmenteducation/002943.php#comments Sat, 16 Jul 2011 12:49:53 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/employmenteducation/002943.php A report in Crest, Times of India describes the job challenges for today’s teachers. “From being a step ahead of iPad-carrying students to making elaborate data sheets, from looking good in class to networking with paranoid parents, new age teachers (instructors) are working very hard to stay relevant in a constantly evolving smart classroom.” And some questions start troubling my mind. What is the percentage of such fortunate students of its total population? Is it the reason of such high score in CBSE and board examinations? Are these schools training the students in just learning techniques to ace the examination without getting any significant real knowledge? And then I come across another report of ‘India Today'-’95% and nowhere to go’, that provides a glimpse of the hollow performance of the students from the similar high-end schools. “A Class XII English teacher at a Delhi government school says, "It is possible to score 100 per cent even in English with the current lenient marking scheme. My school has had an exceptional result this year, with more than 29 per cent getting over 90 per cent in English. This, from students who cannot string three sentences of English together.” And then should not the country’s educationists and intellectuals know about the status of education in the rural India away from our metros and cities, where even as on today 70% of the population lives? Many school buildings have come up. The government has employed hundred thousand or more teachers. Many students have got cycles for transportation. The students also get some sort of mid-day meals as incentive to come to school. But the performance of the students shows a dismal situation: “In August last year, Unicef, Patna, carried out a survey, where the learning level of students from classes II to V was evaluated, in select schools in 27 districts. While 82 per cent students of Class II were found unable to even copy sentences from their Hindi textbooks, 68 per cent of Class V students were unable to read Hindi prose in Class IV textbooks. Sixty-six per cent students in Class II were found unable to count from one to hundred and 96 per cent were found unable to calculate time in hours, minutes and seconds.” Is it not shameful? The country must think of the system that is behind such performance. Unless we correct that, we are going for disastrous consequences. Can we think of the government intervention? Not at all. People who matter are busy in saving their chairs or accumulating ill-gotten money as we keep on hearing every day. ]]> A report in Crest, Times of India describes the job challenges for today’s teachers. “From being a step ahead of iPad-carrying students to making elaborate data sheets, from looking good in class to networking with paranoid parents, new age teachers (instructors) are working very hard to stay relevant in a constantly evolving smart classroom.” And some questions start troubling my mind. What is the percentage of such fortunate students of its total population? Is it the reason of such high score in CBSE and board examinations? Are these schools training the students in just learning techniques to ace the examination without getting any significant real knowledge? And then I come across another report of ‘India Today'-’95% and nowhere to go’, that provides a glimpse of the hollow performance of the students from the similar high-end schools. “A Class XII English teacher at a Delhi government school says, "It is possible to score 100 per cent even in English with the current lenient marking scheme. My school has had an exceptional result this year, with more than 29 per cent getting over 90 per cent in English. This, from students who cannot string three sentences of English together.” And then should not the country’s educationists and intellectuals know about the status of education in the rural India away from our metros and cities, where even as on today 70% of the population lives? Many school buildings have come up. The government has employed hundred thousand or more teachers. Many students have got cycles for transportation. The students also get some sort of mid-day meals as incentive to come to school. But the performance of the students shows a dismal situation: “In August last year, Unicef, Patna, carried out a survey, where the learning level of students from classes II to V was evaluated, in select schools in 27 districts. While 82 per cent students of Class II were found unable to even copy sentences from their Hindi textbooks, 68 per cent of Class V students were unable to read Hindi prose in Class IV textbooks. Sixty-six per cent students in Class II were found unable to count from one to hundred and 96 per cent were found unable to calculate time in hours, minutes and seconds.” Is it not shameful? The country must think of the system that is behind such performance. Unless we correct that, we are going for disastrous consequences. Can we think of the government intervention? Not at all. People who matter are busy in saving their chairs or accumulating ill-gotten money as we keep on hearing every day. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/employmenteducation/002943.php/feed/ Two States, Two Universities and common Mentors http://drishtikona.com/archives/employmenteducation/002939.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/employmenteducation/002939.php#comments Sat, 09 Jul 2011 11:11:59 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/employmenteducation/002939.php Amartya Sen and Sugata Bose are at the helms of affairs of setting up two world class great institutions of excellence: Nalanda International University and Presidency University. While the former one is to come up near Rajgrih in Bihar, the later one will grow out of the former Presidency College, Calcutta in West Bengal. As one from Bihar and also an alumnus of Presidency College, I am looking with a great hope for the two institutes to get shape. With the age factor against me, I don’t know if I shall see the institutes bloom in its full glory. I sometimes wonder if the two distinguished professors will prove themselves two great managers too to complete these dream projects that can shape up and change the academic culture of the eastern India and bring a pride to the whole nation. While Nalanda International University will come up as a new campus on 1000 acres, it is not known if Presidency University will have a new campus out of Calcutta. Perhaps it will be necessary for Presidency University to move to a new campus in an appropriate location because of the space constraints in present location today. Otherwise, it will have a similar disadvantage that IIT, Kharagpur faces today. Image Academically, it will be easier for Presidency College to take shape of an University. It has already around 18 full-fledged departments of various subjects providing graduate and post graduate courses. And I hope that even after the damage caused by the leftists government, it must have some excellent faculty in each department and scaling up may not be difficult. Presidency University can also look to its alumni to assist in getting its dreams realized. I would have liked each of the department to become a full fledged school in the university, and the best of the alumni of the department from across the globe could head and help to make it world class. In a country with $22 billion dollar worth of valuables stashed in just one temple, the fund can’t be a problem for this great cause. I wish the industrialists, alumni and also people of the country to donate generously for the fund required in making the dreams of Presidency University realized. I always look back to the example of Madan Mohan Malviya. If he could arrange the entire fund for seeing his dream shaped, why can’t it happened today in much more prosperous India of the day? In case of Nalanda International University, I wish the teachers are paid in line with the best in the world and selected from all over the world. Each school such as the school of historical sciences and the school of environment and ecology that are starting next year must cover every aspect of the subject in different departments. The centre and Bihar government must construct a 6-lane express way connecting the university from Patna airport and railway station, and plan a world class International satellite township with all infrastructural facilities on the periphery of the university campus. The region must remain sanitized for providing the academic ambiance. I wish it happens faster with some Japanese or Chinese efficiency as both the countries are participating in the project. Interestingly, both the projects have a tacit support of the chief ministers of the states. ]]> Amartya Sen and Sugata Bose are at the helms of affairs of setting up two world class great institutions of excellence: Nalanda International University and Presidency University. While the former one is to come up near Rajgrih in Bihar, the later one will grow out of the former Presidency College, Calcutta in West Bengal. As one from Bihar and also an alumnus of Presidency College, I am looking with a great hope for the two institutes to get shape. With the age factor against me, I don’t know if I shall see the institutes bloom in its full glory. I sometimes wonder if the two distinguished professors will prove themselves two great managers too to complete these dream projects that can shape up and change the academic culture of the eastern India and bring a pride to the whole nation. While Nalanda International University will come up as a new campus on 1000 acres, it is not known if Presidency University will have a new campus out of Calcutta. Perhaps it will be necessary for Presidency University to move to a new campus in an appropriate location because of the space constraints in present location today. Otherwise, it will have a similar disadvantage that IIT, Kharagpur faces today. Image Academically, it will be easier for Presidency College to take shape of an University. It has already around 18 full-fledged departments of various subjects providing graduate and post graduate courses. And I hope that even after the damage caused by the leftists government, it must have some excellent faculty in each department and scaling up may not be difficult. Presidency University can also look to its alumni to assist in getting its dreams realized. I would have liked each of the department to become a full fledged school in the university, and the best of the alumni of the department from across the globe could head and help to make it world class. In a country with $22 billion dollar worth of valuables stashed in just one temple, the fund can’t be a problem for this great cause. I wish the industrialists, alumni and also people of the country to donate generously for the fund required in making the dreams of Presidency University realized. I always look back to the example of Madan Mohan Malviya. If he could arrange the entire fund for seeing his dream shaped, why can’t it happened today in much more prosperous India of the day? In case of Nalanda International University, I wish the teachers are paid in line with the best in the world and selected from all over the world. Each school such as the school of historical sciences and the school of environment and ecology that are starting next year must cover every aspect of the subject in different departments. The centre and Bihar government must construct a 6-lane express way connecting the university from Patna airport and railway station, and plan a world class International satellite township with all infrastructural facilities on the periphery of the university campus. The region must remain sanitized for providing the academic ambiance. I wish it happens faster with some Japanese or Chinese efficiency as both the countries are participating in the project. Interestingly, both the projects have a tacit support of the chief ministers of the states. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/employmenteducation/002939.php/feed/ Mysteries of ‘India Story’ http://drishtikona.com/archives/indian_politics/002890.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/indian_politics/002890.php#comments Sun, 06 Mar 2011 23:49:36 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/indian_politics/002890.php 5-trillion economy. Further, Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit recently in India said, “Whichever way you look — consumers, innovation, spending, globalisation — India is at the centre of the thing.” I wonder what all it constitutes this figure or that of the country’s GDP. And how should we access India story? Does GDP constitute the hawala money going out of the country every day? Some estimates it to the extent of Rs 3,00,000 crore annually. Does it take care of the wealth of persons such as Hasan Ali Khan in banks in foreign countries? The government can only assess it correctly. As reported, a Liechtenstein bank has shared a list of 26 Indians who hold foreign accounts there. But how many banks in tax havens are having the stashed account of Indians and what will be the total wealth involved? Can there be a right estimate? Does it include the wealth such as one discovered from the muth of Puri? Many mutts in Puri or in the whole of India are having such wealth? A similar report also claimed that the gold and other valuables with Jagannath temple are worth Rs 500 crore. The whole of India knows about the wealth of temples in South such as Tirupati. Stories of persons such as Bachchan and Ambani offering crores worth of diamond and gold keep on appearing in media. How much the country’s gold and valuables are stocked with thousands of temples and shrines? Indians love gold and silver from ages. What will be the gold in India of 1 billion plus population if every family numbering even 30 million posses just 1 once of it? I remember the news report about MP Birla’s wealth in his house. He had huge amount of gold and silver coins with jewels starting from Chandra Gupta Maurya period. It got reveled because of a legal case. Can someone access the wealth of the thousands of business families in India? Stories of other former kings such as Nizam, Maharaja of Darbhanga, and hundreds like them keep on appearing in media. If one takes into considerations all the wealth already existing and getting accumulated, India may get much nearer to the top position or even exceed. India may thus be a much larger economy than what it’s officially. Coming back to other India stories, it is really a great one. In every sector and facet of activities in every corner of the globe the persons of Indian origin are achieving the heights never scaled by their ancestors in that number. It’s something to be proud of. Many Indian companies are today really MNCs. The world recognizes today the role of Indians in R&D. It is evident from the number of R&D centres set up by so many of many Fortune 500 companies in India. In every part of the globe Indians are making their presence felt. Many CEOs are becoming visible worldwide as better managers. But when MPs like Bimal Jalan or NK Singh and many international agencies start telling the miserable stories of the people of India, one get a shock of life. How can a nation be developed with 60% below poverty line? How can the news of the multi-million dollars residences of Mukesh or Mittal be rightly accepted and assimilated for the aam aadami? Will ‘aam aadami’ keep on living on the doles of the government, may be through Adhar or UID or be empowered to live his own life with a sense of achievement and enjoy a better quality of life with his hopes and joy? However, there is some hope too. Many are trying hard to change the rural India that has a much larger canvas. Young men and women are getting involved in it. It was clear from more than 400 of them joining Tata Jagriti Yatra and many such endeavours of individuals and enterprises. I wish the politicians and bureaucrats change themselves fast enough with their acts to change the popular perception of theirs, otherwise the aam aadami will change them in the way it’s happening in some part of the world today that none had imagined. ]]> 5-trillion economy. Further, Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit recently in India said, “Whichever way you look — consumers, innovation, spending, globalisation — India is at the centre of the thing.” I wonder what all it constitutes this figure or that of the country’s GDP. And how should we access India story? Does GDP constitute the hawala money going out of the country every day? Some estimates it to the extent of Rs 3,00,000 crore annually. Does it take care of the wealth of persons such as Hasan Ali Khan in banks in foreign countries? The government can only assess it correctly. As reported, a Liechtenstein bank has shared a list of 26 Indians who hold foreign accounts there. But how many banks in tax havens are having the stashed account of Indians and what will be the total wealth involved? Can there be a right estimate? Does it include the wealth such as one discovered from the muth of Puri? Many mutts in Puri or in the whole of India are having such wealth? A similar report also claimed that the gold and other valuables with Jagannath temple are worth Rs 500 crore. The whole of India knows about the wealth of temples in South such as Tirupati. Stories of persons such as Bachchan and Ambani offering crores worth of diamond and gold keep on appearing in media. How much the country’s gold and valuables are stocked with thousands of temples and shrines? Indians love gold and silver from ages. What will be the gold in India of 1 billion plus population if every family numbering even 30 million posses just 1 once of it? I remember the news report about MP Birla’s wealth in his house. He had huge amount of gold and silver coins with jewels starting from Chandra Gupta Maurya period. It got reveled because of a legal case. Can someone access the wealth of the thousands of business families in India? Stories of other former kings such as Nizam, Maharaja of Darbhanga, and hundreds like them keep on appearing in media. If one takes into considerations all the wealth already existing and getting accumulated, India may get much nearer to the top position or even exceed. India may thus be a much larger economy than what it’s officially. Coming back to other India stories, it is really a great one. In every sector and facet of activities in every corner of the globe the persons of Indian origin are achieving the heights never scaled by their ancestors in that number. It’s something to be proud of. Many Indian companies are today really MNCs. The world recognizes today the role of Indians in R&D. It is evident from the number of R&D centres set up by so many of many Fortune 500 companies in India. In every part of the globe Indians are making their presence felt. Many CEOs are becoming visible worldwide as better managers. But when MPs like Bimal Jalan or NK Singh and many international agencies start telling the miserable stories of the people of India, one get a shock of life. How can a nation be developed with 60% below poverty line? How can the news of the multi-million dollars residences of Mukesh or Mittal be rightly accepted and assimilated for the aam aadami? Will ‘aam aadami’ keep on living on the doles of the government, may be through Adhar or UID or be empowered to live his own life with a sense of achievement and enjoy a better quality of life with his hopes and joy? However, there is some hope too. Many are trying hard to change the rural India that has a much larger canvas. Young men and women are getting involved in it. It was clear from more than 400 of them joining Tata Jagriti Yatra and many such endeavours of individuals and enterprises. I wish the politicians and bureaucrats change themselves fast enough with their acts to change the popular perception of theirs, otherwise the aam aadami will change them in the way it’s happening in some part of the world today that none had imagined. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/indian_politics/002890.php/feed/ Manmohan, Media and Opposition http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002885.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002885.php#comments Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:35:43 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002885.php emphasizing that he is not a lame duck prime minister. Manmohan Singh vowed to stay in office to press ahead with reforms. I shall wish the people to judge by two promises he made. Let us wait till the end of the budget session after which he promised to have a major cabinet reshuffle. Will he able to touch any of the strong weight poor performer or unscrupulous minister? Will he be giving some challenging ministries to the young brigade already in ministry and are subordinating the heavy weights? Manmohan has also promised that no wrongdoers would be spared. He didn’t provide a time-frame. He must not keep the people of India waiting for long. Can he not bring the wealth siphoned back in nation’s exchequer through an ordinance with a clause of paying back with interest if the courts acquit the wrongdoers? However, I am shocked that none of the editors present there asked questions on the performances of his ministers. How many kms of roads were built against a promise of 20 km per day? Why are we failing to provide power to the country men even after so many years? What is the reduction in the number of cases in the courts? How long will it take to his Bharat Nirman targets that were to be finished by 2009? What time will it take to execute at least some of the projects in Orissa, Chattisgarh, and Jharkhand? What is the progress on the Sibal’s dream plans of skilling and educating India? Why the editors were so meek with no concern on the speed of development and reform? Many questions would have come from the elite journalists of the small screen. And then why is the major opposition party also failing badly to take up these development issues, be it of physical infrastructure or HDI, where the government keeps on promising with no significant improvements? It never came out even with a strong denial of the prime minister’s charge on it for blackmailing? Many perceive to day that Manmohan's aura is fast fading. ---- PS: Views of Suhel Seth: "The press conference held last week by Manmohan Singh, India’s prime minister, was an unmitigated disaster. Mr Singh’s enormous brand was felled at the hands of some very reasonable television folks. None of them was out for the kill. But then the prey succumbed even without any poisoned arrows being fired."]]> emphasizing that he is not a lame duck prime minister. Manmohan Singh vowed to stay in office to press ahead with reforms. I shall wish the people to judge by two promises he made. Let us wait till the end of the budget session after which he promised to have a major cabinet reshuffle. Will he able to touch any of the strong weight poor performer or unscrupulous minister? Will he be giving some challenging ministries to the young brigade already in ministry and are subordinating the heavy weights? Manmohan has also promised that no wrongdoers would be spared. He didn’t provide a time-frame. He must not keep the people of India waiting for long. Can he not bring the wealth siphoned back in nation’s exchequer through an ordinance with a clause of paying back with interest if the courts acquit the wrongdoers? However, I am shocked that none of the editors present there asked questions on the performances of his ministers. How many kms of roads were built against a promise of 20 km per day? Why are we failing to provide power to the country men even after so many years? What is the reduction in the number of cases in the courts? How long will it take to his Bharat Nirman targets that were to be finished by 2009? What time will it take to execute at least some of the projects in Orissa, Chattisgarh, and Jharkhand? What is the progress on the Sibal’s dream plans of skilling and educating India? Why the editors were so meek with no concern on the speed of development and reform? Many questions would have come from the elite journalists of the small screen. And then why is the major opposition party also failing badly to take up these development issues, be it of physical infrastructure or HDI, where the government keeps on promising with no significant improvements? It never came out even with a strong denial of the prime minister’s charge on it for blackmailing? Many perceive to day that Manmohan's aura is fast fading. ---- PS: Views of Suhel Seth: "The press conference held last week by Manmohan Singh, India’s prime minister, was an unmitigated disaster. Mr Singh’s enormous brand was felled at the hands of some very reasonable television folks. None of them was out for the kill. But then the prey succumbed even without any poisoned arrows being fired."]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/government_policyadministration/002885.php/feed/ Why doesn’t Manmohan Resign or Retire? http://drishtikona.com/archives/indian_politics/002883.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/indian_politics/002883.php#comments Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:02:31 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/indian_politics/002883.php Why could not he bring about the changes in labour laws for improving manufacturing that can provide the employment? If he claims to get through the nuclear bill why could he take a similar stand on the reforms that could really help in solving many problems of fast growth? If Manmohan Singh could oversee Railways during Lalu why did he allow Railway to become a white elephant during Mamtaa regime? Why couldn’t even a single railway station be transformed to world class standard of conveniences? Is he not responsible for India failing to become number one in steel and textile production? Why India should exports cotton and iron ores and not the finished product? Is not a shame that India produce only around 70 million ton of steel and takes pride in that? Why are so many of the industrial houses waiting for all these years to get the construction of steel plants started? Why the project delay cost are in hundreds of thousands crores? Why should Manmohan not allocate coal linkages for the power plants in Bihar or not allow sugar industries to come up in the state in big way that could bring prosperity in the poor state? Every day one can read stories after stories somehow linked with PM’s failure, be it the Coal India’s mismanagement or PMO inefficiency in ISRO or 2G? Why should Manmohan and his minster after six years of their rule keep on blaming NDA for all the ills? Finally how can a minister failing to expedite the road building do what is required to build the shabby Indian cities to global standards? Is it not a shame that a former, president of CII and the vice chairman of an automobile company complains of not having proper road to get in the supplies and transport the finished vehicles out of plant in Rudrapur in so many years? Can one think of a super power taking more time to transport a container truck from Mumbai to Gurgaon that to bring that in from Singapore to Mumbai in ship? Why should a rikshawala of Bihar pay Rs 100 to post office for sending Rs 2000 to his village home in Bihar and that also taking 20 days? Can Manmohan Singh convince that six years of rules are not good enough to change these? I am sure as an old man Manmohan must be wishing to retire and resign but Sonia may not be allowing him to do that. Rahul is hesitant and others are afraid. ]]> Why could not he bring about the changes in labour laws for improving manufacturing that can provide the employment? If he claims to get through the nuclear bill why could he take a similar stand on the reforms that could really help in solving many problems of fast growth? If Manmohan Singh could oversee Railways during Lalu why did he allow Railway to become a white elephant during Mamtaa regime? Why couldn’t even a single railway station be transformed to world class standard of conveniences? Is he not responsible for India failing to become number one in steel and textile production? Why India should exports cotton and iron ores and not the finished product? Is not a shame that India produce only around 70 million ton of steel and takes pride in that? Why are so many of the industrial houses waiting for all these years to get the construction of steel plants started? Why the project delay cost are in hundreds of thousands crores? Why should Manmohan not allocate coal linkages for the power plants in Bihar or not allow sugar industries to come up in the state in big way that could bring prosperity in the poor state? Every day one can read stories after stories somehow linked with PM’s failure, be it the Coal India’s mismanagement or PMO inefficiency in ISRO or 2G? Why should Manmohan and his minster after six years of their rule keep on blaming NDA for all the ills? Finally how can a minister failing to expedite the road building do what is required to build the shabby Indian cities to global standards? Is it not a shame that a former, president of CII and the vice chairman of an automobile company complains of not having proper road to get in the supplies and transport the finished vehicles out of plant in Rudrapur in so many years? Can one think of a super power taking more time to transport a container truck from Mumbai to Gurgaon that to bring that in from Singapore to Mumbai in ship? Why should a rikshawala of Bihar pay Rs 100 to post office for sending Rs 2000 to his village home in Bihar and that also taking 20 days? Can Manmohan Singh convince that six years of rules are not good enough to change these? I am sure as an old man Manmohan must be wishing to retire and resign but Sonia may not be allowing him to do that. Rahul is hesitant and others are afraid. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/indian_politics/002883.php/feed/