On An American Independence Day, 2012

Posted on July 5, 2012 by indra

On its eve, I asked Anand to tell me about the significance of the day and how it is celebrated. I don’t know if I got satisfied. However, Anand and Shannon are excited as they can have fireworks here in evening unlike that in California.

Every time I visit US, I get many surprises and amass a lot of information and knowledge. I visit the book shop. Though Borders have gone but Barnes and Noble are there. But perhaps very soon, the assault of internet and eBooks will make this one also disappear.

The stories of American decline have become a persistent theme for columnists. Obama may contest and Buffet may caution. But Sorkin says. ”We’re 7th in literacy, 27th in maths, 22nd in science, 49th in life expectancy, 178th in infant mortality, third in median household income, number four in labour force and number four in exports.” But perhaps the damage here too is through the politicians who have more of personal vested interest rather that of the USA and its people.

I feel China reigns everywhere in US particularly in all the American homes, where one finds almost everything made in China. The Chinese manufacturers have been improving and innovating all that American households need from toilet accessories to fancy solar lights and all sorts of toys or furniture for all the pockets of Americans.

Naturally only few firms can be Google, Microsoft and Apple that can remain at top of the global list with all manufacturing moving to the Chinese. However the contagious spirit of American innovativeness in the cutting edge technologies and every other areas of knowledge keep America at top and will sustain it unless the politicians don’t make it bankrupt to the brink.

And the American spirit of openness and liberty of all kinds that keep the quality of living at the top, will also keep US at the top I can experience that at every step. Rajesh has bought a house in Austin where they shifted recently. The young couple who has sold his house to Rajesh has gone on a world trip after selling it. In India we would have called them mad.

The other I was in a government office to get my ID card. I was waiting for the photographing by the agency. A girl was before me. As soon as she went for the picture, she gave a broad smile and retained it for quite some time. We hardly smile even for the photographs. Shannon complains about it.

We went yesterday for a Hindi movie, ‘Teri Meri kahani’. Anand was with us. In the theatre Galaxy that is owned by an NRI perhaps, I found a good number of old couples all by them, crowding to see the movie, “The best Exotic Marigold Hotel”, that is based on India. They are living life as pensioners without depending on their son to support. As I found they were all very happy and cheerful unlike us moaning all the times for our children. They enjoy their life and even the old age. They hardly bother about your dress and manner at the dining table unlike Britishers. Shannon’s mother even now at the age of 77 years living independently and keeping herself happy unlike our old widows in India. We can’t think of even the wife of late Anilbhai Ambani living alone in a separate house.

I am seeing the same attitude and approach in my own growing grandsons and granddaughters. I wish them to imbibe the best of the American culture and their parents to facilitate avoiding the undesirable ones.

It’s interesting that the cost of higher education of the children is the worrying factor for the immigrants who come, get higher education and then employment and citizenship of US. But the attraction of higher education in US still very high as it is the best and highly paying. The lines for emigration are still the longest in front of American missions and consulates across the world.

During my morning walk I come across parents from different parts of India, some from the remote villages. And credit goes to those young girls and boys who dared to move to US for higher education to satisfy their aspiration of living in this great country. America’s absorptive capacity for the immigrants and ability to assimilate them in the society makes one wonder about its positivity in tenacity.

American strength is in its human resources that are the most innovative and entrepreneurial. And it will remain a superpower till it sustains it and keep on challenging it. One can see that in the way US is trying to get over its dependence on Arab oil through the two new innovative developments: shale oil and mileage efficiency.

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Manmohan: Will he or willn’t he?

Posted on July 2, 2012 by indra

Manmohan has taken over the task of putting the country’s economy back on track. He expressed his wish by a call to revive the animal spirits in the country’s economy. Naturally the nation wishes him to live up to his credentials. Will he or will he not?
Many doubt. I too doubt sometimes, though I will like to be wrong.

I will like to be correct in doubting, if it goes in favour of his master. But there is another reason too for doubting. In second run and that too if you are not looking after the responsibility exclusively, it becomes difficult to repeat the grand performance of the past. At least, this is my experience of professional career.

Manmohan has many things against and for in this stupendous task. The first is naturally the time gap of twelve years that changes many things. The second is the overall global situation that is one of gloom. The third is his own image of the last eight years that has made him perceived as ineffective. The fourth and the most important one: will he be able to free himself from the halo-effect of his real employer? Will the Queen Bee also love country’s economy to be on track or will she insist on the doles and subsidies for winning the next election and take the advantages of being in power?

Let us look at some of the good signals that have been coming recently that make us cheerful with hope. Some foreign investors have started announcing investment in India.

Ikea has finally decided to enter India and invest15 billion euros in stores. Huawei, the Chinese giant in networking announced its plan to invest 2-billion in India to set-up global R& D centre. The Coca-Cola Co. and its bottlers plan to invest an additional $3 billion in India. Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts announced the setting up its third manufacturing plant for automotive components at Bidadi near Bangaluru, and is investing Rs 500 crore for the plant. There are some more small and medium or big ones.

Even the rating agencies are changing the balance in India’s favour. Crisil Research has forecast that the Rupee will appreciate to around 50 to the dollar by March 2013 end.

Even the domestic companies have come forward to announce the intentions of investment that will help in removing the gloom. Godrej companies announced its investment plans.

Manmohan and his cabinet ministers will also act to create a positive picture of the country’s attractiveness for investment. Kamalnath has already declared the launch of the second phase of urban development plan with an investment $40 billion. All these add to reinvigorate the India story.

Some results also are better. Indian factories in June stepped up production and hired workers at the fastest rate in more than two years, though sagging demand abroad took a toll on growth in new export orders. I wish Manmohan could take some unpleasant but necessary decisions to discourage low priority items from imports. The HSBC manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 55.0 in June, a four-month high, from 54.8 in May.

However, Manmohan will have to lead from the front and take his ministers along his route. Sibals or even an insignificant one such as Beni must not create controversies and damage the image of the India Story.

And it’s doable, but to make it happen, the prime minister and his team will have to work with the animal spirits that his party men demonstrate at the time of election, reaching to all nooks and corners of the country, campaigning and appealing. For making the country’s economy move ahead with double digit growth, Manmohan will have to make the administration exhibit that animal spirits for taking and speeding up the country in development mode, for removing all the blockades in implementation. It will require hard work and fortunately the young people of the country are ready for it if someone may be Manmohan, sincerely demands that. It’s the destiny that has again given him the opportunity by taking Pranab babu out.

Manmohan can make it happen. Let me wish this for the last time. Let Manmohan at least ensure the proper shaping of NHAI and power related issues.

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Joyous June, 2012 in US

Posted on June 28, 2012 by indra

We didn’t only escape the intolerable heat waves of Noida, many things added to our joy in this month, June 2012 that will remain memorable for a long time in the remaining life. It was a month with the birthday of Rakesh, our anniversary and Father’s Day that we celebrated. It has been also a month when Emma graduated from her play school and we joined the function organized by her school’s teachers. Shephali also graduated from Jordon Hospital, New York and moved to Austin, Texas. And more importantly, Rajesh with Shephali and Svanik moved into their own beautiful house in Austin on June 25. But let me confess, I got more reasons for my over-joyous feeling.

I watched three launches of the top three tech companies of USA who are the topmost globally too. It started with Apple’s laptop with a super-high resolution “Retina” display, setting a new standard for screen sharpness, followed by Microsoft’s Surface. And then only yesterday, June 27, I watched Google unveiling its own branded Nexus 7 tablet with unique features. Google co-founder Sergey Brin also showed off the Google Glass, a consumer version of its electronic eyewear that can live-stream images and audio and perform computing tasks, with all fanfare. Google made keynote history at IO, skydiving Google Glasses into the venue with the help of a team of stunt bikers and rappellers.

All these presentations appeared to me like some magic shows of the childhood days. Each time some new feature of the product got exhibited on the big screen, the crowd with sheer surprise clapped and clapped.

And adding to the achievements of the technology companies, something of my interest had come on June 22. Tesla Motors delivered Model S, the world’s first premium electric sedan, to its first customers at an invitation-only event at the Tesla Factory in Fremont, California. Legendary Elon Musk introduced the all-electric Tesla Motors (TSLA) Model S sedan and talked about deriving great pleasure in pumping out cars made by former union workers from a factory set up in the famously expensive part of the world.

I have now two observations to make. Though Indian media and columnists such as Chidanand Rajghatta, the Washington-based foreign editor of The Times of India and author of The Horse That Flew: How India’s Silicon Gurus Spread
Their Wings, keep on writing about a large presence of Indian techies in these companies, I didn’t find a single one coming on the stage during these presentations.

Microsoft’s Surface and then Google’s Nexsus7 made me realize how immature has been the story of India’s national tablet, Aakash, and the way India’s HRD minister has kept on creating the fiasco with Aakash Tablet.

USA remains at the top of tech innovations. We hardly find anything such as the one described above coming from Japan, Germany. May be, with huge thrust on R&D, the Chinese will lead others even here too.

However, the story of joyous June can’t end without the mention of June 28 when the US Sureme Court upheld most of the Obama administration’s health care reform law. I hardly appreciate the difference. But I am to believe Anand about its significance as and when we decide to avail our permanent residency of USA.

June, 2012 has been a great month.

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Nitish and Narendra

Posted on June 25, 2012 by indra

I had come to USA leaving the Indian politics behind. However, whatever is happening in India makes me feel sorry for the country and more so because the hero (or villain) in the story is from Bihar. Why are the politics and politicians in effective power becoming so intolerable and thus unattractive?

Nitish views of “secular credentials” as a necessity for being India’s prime minister wouldn’t have carried much worry if it wouldn’t have come at this moment in India when the political parties are regrouping the alliances in the election of the president of the country. Very smartly, he didn’t name the person, but even a child knows that he meant the chief minister of Gujarat. Why shouldn’t Nitish be brave and name him clearly?

Nitish Kumar has once again tried to cross the norms of a great chief minster that many and I too will wish to see him. I strongly denounce the way he tries to capture the headline and creates some turbulence in the alliance. At least he must not go this way in the interest of the people of the state.

Moreover, the people of Bihar have elected Nitish because of his alliance with a party and alliance in which he served as the cabinet minister of India too.

Have the people of Bihar given Nitish Kumar the mandate to decide if a chief minister of another state of India is ‘secular’ and to permit his spokesman to call the same person ‘fanatic’? I wish Nitish would not have expressed his view this way just for appeasing a community even if he intends to go some other political group? Would it stop him from aspiring to be the prime minister that he pretends that he doesn’t wish?

Is it not a poor strategy for the well-being of the migrant people of Bihar? Fortunately, Gujarat doesn’t have some Bal/ Udhav/Raj Thakre who can make this an issue against all the migrants from Bihar working in Gujarat and the people of Gujarat are not as fanatic.

Further, what does Nitish try to tell the world by siding with Pranab Mukherji? Is not Pranab one of the main heroes of the same dynastic party and its policies and actions for all these years that he had decided to oppose along with his other friends at one time to join the present alliance? Doesn’t Nitish Kumar believe that the government at centre is corrupt and is the cause for major of the ills of economy today? Does Nitish agree with his irresponsible spokesman that the reason of high inflation is the globalization and not the governance? As engineer chief minister, Nitish must tell truth to the people of Bihar in no uncertain words.

Few more questions are haunting me after reading many views of and about Nitish- but almost all in newspapers of one media group. Is the Group any way influencing Nitish Kumar or alternatively is Nitish Kumar assisting the media group as his sole agent instead of expressing his views in a press conference?

The group published first published his interview. Then Saturday issues of ‘Crest’ and Economic Times had, one major article each, on the ‘Nitish vs. Narendra’ issue.

Let me clarify that I neither know nor a fan of Narendra Modi. However, because of association with Gujarat since early 90s I am impressed with the way it has developed and changed. I was also impressed the way he snatched the opportunity from West Bengal for the Nano project that many other states also wished. Who could have thought of Gujarat becoming a major cluster of automobile production?

I don’t know the reason for the sudden love of Nitish for Pranab Mukherji. After all if Pranab was so enthusiastic for Nitish and Bihar, he could have certainly helped Nitish and Bihar in last so many years. Why should Nitish find an excuse for going closer to the Nehru Sonia Dynasty? Who knows perhaps Nitish might be having similar compulsion as it came out for Mulayam or Nitish also may be trying to experiment as Mulayam had been doing over the years.

Why did Nitish come out against BJP or Narendra Modi at this time? Is there some invisible agency after the creating the rift at this moment? It appears that both-Nitish and Narendra are in pseudo fight with each other for quite some time now. However, fortunately Narendra has not been reacting himself…

It is not only the first letter of the name, but something more is similar between the two. Both the states are putting a lot of emphasis on development, but the basic parameters of human developments are very poor in both states.

I wish Nitish would have focused on real areas of development in Bihar such as effective education in rural Bihar and total lack of higher education facility of the state or power plants instead of depending on the views of some educated sycophants about his mirage of achievements on development fronts. Bihar is far behind. Nitish must focus on making Bihar prosperous not by getting the number of BPL enhanced but by empowering them to lead a better life.

Why should Modi remain a source of distress for Nitish?

Irresponsible media with all imaginative and deductive analysis is flaring up the rift between Nitish and Narendra. We had never seen so much of coverage of the two in the recent past. Naturally, every story makes all Congressman is happy and BJP and the rest morose. I wish instead some TV channel head such as Pranay Ray of NDTV could make the two debates for an hour. Thereafter, the countrymen could have made their own inferences.

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Sangma over Pranab

Posted on June 21, 2012 by indra

I am emotionally weak. I am old. I got morose when Anna and more so, Kejriwal charged Pranab with corruption and when person as old as Advani wished to set up a candidate against him just for opposition.

I and many like me must be envying the possibility of Pranab getting a peaceful and royal retired life in Presidential palace at Raisina Hill for the next five years and even thereafter with all the perks going with the highest post of the country. Now Sangma has also got a support from the main opposition party.

As I think over a little more, I feel like preferring Sangma over Pranab. And here are my reasons:

1. Pranab might be very good as troubleshooter for Sonia’s government lately. However, his performance as the senior most cabinet minister has not been so great. Pranab rather messed up India’s story through his last budget He didn’t do anything, not even for medication for the old men like me, particularly those who are in the rural India.

2. Pranab was not the outright choice of Sonia. The political constraints and circumstances made her choose Pranab. Left to her, Sonia would have chosen Ansari. Credit goes to the direct and indirect pressure from Mamta-Mulayam episode for Pranab’s projection for the role.

3. While Pranab performed well, he hardly dared to change the narrow-mindedness of Sonia, be it on Lokpal Bill or Black money issue in national interest. He was never brave and remained loyal to an unexplainable extent to Sonia after the initial abrasion. India doesn’t need the re-establishment of royalty.

4. Once President, Pranab will go out of the way to help Sonia, particularly if Election 2014 demands it.

5. As much as I know, Pranab had been softer to the leftist rulers of Bengal when they were brutally trying to suppress Mamta and damaging the industrial fabric of the state.

6. Pranab never went out of the way to help Bihar or even Bengal to come out of their poverty and backwardness. He has not done anything in Bengal in his entire illustrious career for which he can be remembered by the people of the state.
7. Pranab appeared to perform extraordinarily good because Congress under Sonia hardly nurtures brilliant and efficient ones and reminds me of a Bhojpuri saying, jahan rookh n brichh wahan rend pradhan.

8. All the governments till date have neglected North-east with huge potentials to contribute to the mainstream. With Sangma as President, I hope it will get some importance. I wish Sangma goes to propagate higher education in the people of the region.
9. PA Sangma had been a brilliant speaker even with all his limitations.

10. Sangma has withstood the opposition of Sharad Pawar and resigned NCP.

11. Mulayam is supporting Pranab after a deal and Shiv Sena with all the characteristics of antinational gesture such as torturing the poor people from Bihar and UP is supporting Pranab.

12. Sangma will be much lesser a politician in the highest post than Pranab.

I wish both would write through media some sort of manifesto about how they will function in the highest position of the country.

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India Story: Bloom or Gloom

Posted on June 20, 2012 by indra

Be it horrendous news reports of rating agencies such as S&P or Fitch or of the ever increasing double digit inflation, from every side it appears that the India story is full of gloom. However, as usual there are some sectors and individuals who keep the hope alive with all odds against them and in spite of all the governance or policy paralysis in a democracy, particularly one like India where every person worth a mention has got a different view on every issue of national importance. That must be the reason that all the burning issues, be it poverty or universalization of education, infant mortality or dowry tortures have remained as pertinent today as on the day of Independence. Should we be morose or live with hope? Here are some that do make us feel good.

India’s private sector remains one of the strongest among the major economies of the world. Indian companies are not only innovative but also very capable in leadership and organization. It fights all odds-higher taxation, power outages, and unscrupulous competition. India Inc plans to take the innovative route to cost-cutting when the cost of input goes higher. For example, while Maruti Suzuki, in a bid to bring down cost of manufacturing vehicles, plans to use plastic to build fuel tanks as against conventional steel in models such as the new Swift, FMCG major, PepsiCo India, has opted to save cost by using palm oil instead of rice bran oil for cooking its snacks. It will be good if India’s other manufacturing companies to take inspiration from the iconic companies in Japan, for example Toyota Motors rather than GM or Ford in USA.

Toyota retains a 44% market share in Japan, almost three times that of Nissan or Honda, its main domestic competitors. That gives it economies of scale. It aims to produce at least 3m cars a year in Japan, and is cutting costs to such a degree—through lines that can be flexed according to demand, through cars that sit side by side rather than nose to tail, and thanks to robots that do almost everything except procreate—that it reckons it can turn a profit from making 50,000 vehicles a year at a single factory, compared with about 200,000 previously. Is that is exciting?

Here is another hope. As reported, on June 1, forty of India’s wealthiest gathered in Bangalore for a closed-door discussion on philanthropy hosted by Bill Gates, Azim Premji and Ratan Tata. While some were interested, but still hesitant to give away large chunks of their wealth, for the others, the question was not ‘how much to give’, but ‘how to give’ in order to maximize impact.” I am sure they will hear the voice of the time and focus on the education of rural India. It is only through education that India can come out of deprivation and poverty. Let the government and its operators- politicians and administrators, go on doing the doling to feed the interests of their own middlemen.

Indian youth is another hope. While a lawyer education minister keeps himself busy in creating controversy on his own, the million of students with dreams of higher education are going for all routes to succeed in life. Here is an example: Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently teamed up to form edX, a not-for-profit online education initiative. edX launched a course, ‘Circuits and Electronics’, in this February and 1, 20,000 students registered to take the course worldwide. India was the second-largest country in terms of people registered for the course.

Today a laptop/tablet or even a smart phone with internet facility is getting transformed into a school, a college or a university. Initiative such as Udacity, Coursera, iTuneU and edX are making it possible. Knowledge is getting free. I am sure with the previous example that the youths of the country will not miss this opportunity and expand and deepen their domain knowledge and realize their dreams of studying in Stanford, Princeton or Pennsylvania, MIT or Harvard or even in our own IITs or IIMs and compete with others in global job market.

And I have a reason to believe that it will happen. As reported, by 2015, India will have more Facebook users than any other country on Earth. I wish the whole lot use it more productively.

India’s governments have a history of responding with bold reforms only when the country’s back is to the wall. Political leadership will get up from the slumber.

The world is looking towards India to get its act together… Will India’s own political leaders realize that and get into some serious business rather than only politicking?

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Economy: India Loosing Focus

Posted on June 17, 2012 by indra

Denunciation of S&P’s warning to lower investment rating expected better reaction than those from Moily orAshwani Kumar.No amount of solaces through press statement or articles in media from the government’s own economists, be it Rangarajan or Kaushik Basu but visible actions can improve the poor perception. S&P is not the lone talking the slowdown. The views of Moody, OECD, and HSBC are also on the same line. Eurozone crisis might have affected but it is not the cause of the downfall or blurring of the India story. Manmohan Singh who gets so much importance from Obama for his advice as reported in media would have chalked the clear short term and long term roadmap for the government to follow and monitored the same to avoid a repeat. With Congress assuring his job till 2014 election, his response must be more forthright, positive and different to prove all his detractors and opposition wrong.

Sonia and her team was busy sorting out the way to overcome the hurdle created by Mamta-Mulayam duo in getting the party’s presidential candidate to reach Raisina Hill. Manmohan who started well with announcement of the intention of overseeing speedy implementation of all high value infrastructure projects would have focused on some more actions.

Manmohan would have at least selected to get GST and land acquisition bill on fast track through a steely determination as showed at the time of getting Nuclear Bill through. The two bills would have changed the perception of the domestic as well as foreign investors in India story. If Manmhoan could talk about getting the presidential candidate accepted by the opposition leaders, he could have certainly worked some overtime on just two important tasks. It would have been a visible seriousness of the government for reform. If Sonia can talk or meet with Mulayam, why can’t Manmohan do with Yaswant Sinha or Advani?

Unfortunately, the recent government actions such as increasing MSP of grains or holding up the decision on diesel prices has not signaled its inclination towards tough decision for improving the economy. The situation can only aggravate the bad situation to worse with prospect of monsoon deficit.

Manmohan would have focused on the governance task in New Delhi and made the administration work. Manmohan’s promise of monitoring of infrastructure projects too is halfhearted. Many feel bad when an economist prime minister has not realized that with electricity how a nation can become a super power. With effective implementation and restructuring of governance, Manmohan would have focused on overcoming the capacity shortage of water, electricity, road, broadband, air transport and port. Manmohan could even now reorganize his cabinet and put together all infrastructure activities under one of the senior most ministers. However, Manmohan Singh as usual preferred instead to participate in the Group of 20 (G-20) developing nations’ meet in Mexico and the Earth Summit in Brazil next week.

Interestingly, Kapil Sibal, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Ghulam Nabi Azad, foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai and ambassador Nirupama Rao with Sam Pitroda were in Washington pleading India’s case. Surprisingly, I hardly found any significant coverage of the talks, or of India, in the US media.

I wish after ensuring the easy passage for Pranab, Sonia focuses on changing the poor perception about the India story through the appointment of a right Finance minister to replace Pranab, who can undo some of the damaging decisions of the government that has made the India Inc suspicious about the government’s intention.Indecision is costly, but wrong decision are damaging.

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Mischievous Mamata

Posted on June 15, 2012 by indra

While the nation is getting rated ‘junk’ category, inflation running high making even the better ones in billion feel miserable, share market in turmoil, deficits unmanageable and the India story getting tarnished with the news of scams after scams and black money, it seems the ruling party and the government is under the control of the most incapable hands and minds. India Inc is worried. Foreign investors are getting out of India. Leadership hardly shows any sign of facing the situation and innovating ways to overcome the hurdles or find way out of the labyrinths. The media news doesn’t speak for any active action plan.

Every Indian knows what the president does but for spending few hundred millions on making foreign tours with the extended family members. However, the most powerful political leader is busy seeing her own candidate in the ceremonial palace for the first citizen. And that is at the cost for the nation. The PM was already inert. The allies have signaled lack of confidence in his ability. FM is himself is a candidate of prudential election. How can a person in Pranab position steer the finance of the country today?

A real drama went on for the whole day on India’s TV channels on June 13. Mamta was outright the heroine of the day. But more than a heroine, she had been mischievous all through. She kept media informed but in her typical way. The media totally failed to read her mind. Sonia Gandhi failed much more and miserably.

Mamta made the media know that Sonia had invited her for consultation on the name for the next president of the country. After coming out Mamta again talked to media and informed that Pranab Mukherji is Sonia’s first choice and Hamid Ansari the second. By the statement, she made clear to the minority mass that Hamid Ansari is not the first choice of Sonia. She moved to Mulayam for a meeting.

After half an hour meeting, when Mamta and Mulayam came out, Mamta gave Mulayam the chance to announce to media first. Mulayam announced the names of the three-Kalam, Manmohan, and Somnath. Both wished all political parties to have a consensus on one of the three.

The two names had hardly any surprise. While Kalam had been the popular choice of the country, the name of Somnath was to just satisfy the Bengali mass in her home state to compensate for the rage for not naming Pranab.

But the biggest surprise was the inclusion of the name of Manmohan, the person who is the Prime Minister and who has not shown any inclination to go out unless thrown out or removed by Sonia. The initiative of Mamta and Mulayam clearly raised question about the usefulness of the ineffective economist, Manmohan as the prime minister any more. The naming of Manmohan as president clearly showed the wish of even the allies.

Sonia appears to be loosing the control. Mamta is challenging Congress to throw her out of UPA. It must be a miserable time for Sonia and the whole of Gandhi clan. Sonia would have weighed the consequences of taking Mamta on her side much earlier.

Many think as an honourable person, Manmohan would have on his own stepped down. But he would not and be in the chair as any loyal person till Sonia wishes. I don’t know how the history of India will record the political contribution of Sonia. Has she degraded and degenerated the highest posts of the president and the prime minister by putting her loyal acquaintances?

However, let Sonia and Manmohan appreciate the critical situation of Indian economy.

Sonia must end the confusion and declare the name of UPA’s candidate fast. If she retains Pranab Mukharji as the candidate, she must also declare the name of the person who shall hold the portfolio of finance ministry and who shall be the leader of the house. Alternatively, let her see in no uncertain way that the finance portfolio remains with Manmohan and give him the freedom to prove his worth as economist and steer the country out of the present troublesome storm.

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My India: Anguish or Anger

Posted on June 13, 2012 by indra

I dreamt of India as emerging, shining and competing China. All my blogs on China vs. India were based on my conviction: If China can do, so can India.

But since last two years or so, things are declining. India has suddenly slowed and slowing further. There is darkness on horizon. The gloom is infectious and exponentially enveloping the people of the country, as those who can do something to stop the slowdown and correct the situation are having different priorities.

I am in anguish. But it is not only me. Deepak Parekh, Narayana Murthy, Premji, and Rahul Bajaj-they all have expressed their anguish. I am sure that Congress doesn’t consider them also anti-national as they consider Anna.

I am in US. However, I can’t detach myself from my country, even though in wonderful company of my sweet grandchildren. The bad news make me moose.

I was surfing the site of New York Times’ Business section. I happened to go through two reports- one related to India and the other to China. I am giving below the first paragraph from both with link:

India related

NEW DELHI — Like China, India has long been eager to showcase the best features of its fast-growing economy on the international stage. But whenever it gets a chance to shine, something almost invariably goes wrong.

China related

GUANGZHOU, China — With China’s domestic economy stumbling badly this spring as construction and retail sales slow, this country is unleashing a fresh surge of exports that is preserving millions of jobs in Chinese factories but could fan trade tensions with the West.

I switched over to the Economist. The Economist had few headlines in the related to India: ‘Stopping the spiral’, ‘Farewell to Incredible India’; ‘A Bric hits the wall’; or ‘Travellers checked’. India is growing less hospitable to foreign investors. Should one stop surfing or watching the news channels?

I had thought Pranab Mukherji had done something great when he had proposed some retrospective tax in his budget this year. Thereafter, I heard many talking against that. I didn’t bother. But when even Narayana Murthy considers that as an action that has gone against India’s investor-friendliness, I rethink over the same. Should not Pranab retract his step?

Ruchir Sharma has warned India in ‘Breakout Nations; S&P report now names India ‘The First Fallen Angel’. Everyone is pointing finger to the way India is getting run by UPA-II government with Manmohan as Prime Minister and Sonia as the defecto power behind it.

No amount of brave face or statement from Pranab or even some gestures from PMO can amend the wrong. It has already created the unwanted gloom. Manmohan must show his magic and Sonia must support. Economy must be the focus without any politics. But there is hardly an indication of change. Congress may survive two more years in government, but the country will lose the opportunity once more and go backward in development by years.

An eminent journalist writes, ‘anybody who cares for India is today in deep, deep anguish’. Why do Manmohan and Sonia not hear the voice of the people?

Some from the opposition gives me an answer, ‘Sonia hardly bothers in real term. Who stopped her to treat her constituency as a model for development and transform that into a model for others to emulate? The same is true for Rahul or for that matter the Congress Party. Perhaps, they are just incapable and they don’t wish to use the services of those who can bring the required effectiveness in the governance.

A journalist writes, ‘Institutionally, the Congress has demonstrated no political commitment towards nor placed any priority on sustaining high growth and deregulating the economy, at least not in the time since 2004.’

“If the India story has fallen off the tracks, does one need to point fingers only at Prakash Karat and Mamata Banerjee — or should one also interrogate the role of Sonia Gandhi and how niggardly she has been in spending political capital on economic reform?”

I was shocked when the economy is so critical the country’s TV channel discusses who meets whom for the forthcoming next President election or the new system of IIT_JEE.

Is the time approaching fast for the Indians to get in to ‘anger’ mood or mode from the present one of ‘anguish’?

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Why is Kapil Sibal so Adamant?

Posted on June 10, 2012 by indra

As reported, at least one of the older IITs, IIT-Kanpur has decided to go for an open war against Sibal’s wish and has decided its own way to pick students for the next academic year. The institute has shot down the IIT council’s proposal of a common entrance test for all centrally-funded engineering institutes and announced its own exam. The IIT-Kanpur’s special senate meeting attended by around 80 members unanimously passed a resolution to that effect.

Why has been Kapil Sibal so adamant? Any such controversy neither builds a good image of the government nor of the globally recognized brand of the institute.

Instead Kapil Sibal should work on some other priorities. It would have been a better service to the nation if Sibal would have gone for the initiative first to have common and agreed curricula for the subjects such as English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology for class XII of all the boards in the country. Interestingly, USA with differing curricula in its 50 odd states is also working on an initiative to have ‘Common Core State Standards’ for English, Mathematics and Science in K-12. Has Sibal surrendered because of the fear of facing so many states?

But Sibal would have certainly assisted IITs to become globally more accepted and sought for institutes. Why can’t the IITs be lucrative enough to draw the best students from all over the globe, as Stanford or MIT does? Can the embassies in different countries sell IITs’ image and encourage parents to send their children to it? Will Sibal work for and ensure that the infrastructure in IITs are improved to world class standard so that the foreign students from developed countries don’t repent for their decision, if some decide for it?

Kapil Sibal however, has succeeded in dividing the older IITs and perhaps in this manner, he might be able to introduce the new system. As reported, IIT Delhi and Bombay could back IIT Kanpur in holding their own entrance test or join it, while Madras, Roorkee, Kharagpur and Guwahati will stand by the Centre’s decision. I doubt if the directors are not divided for certain vested interest and some are siding with the minister for certain personal reasons, perhaps benefiting them somehow.

‘One-nation one-test’ proposal will certainly affect IITs’ exclusiveness. A decision such as this can’t be agreed upon by vote as claimed by Sibal and can’t be executed so abruptly. Sibal would have taken time and convinced all the faculty and alumni representatives. After all, Sibal himself a professional must understand the mindsets of professionals for a major change. IIT-JEE has a long clean history and has been a brand itself.

However, a quick final decision will be necessary for distressing those who are to appear in 2013 examination. It should certainly not suffer from the present policy paralysis in the government. It is unfortunate that the media reports, grouping of the older IITs in two: one with Sibal and the other with exclusive IIT-JEE are also varying. Again, frustratingly, the different bodies from the same institute are expressing different views.

Let the final change be brought in 2015 after due debate and discussion.

Will Mr. Sibal agree or will he push it harder for getting one more feather in his cap of so-called reforms in education?

As one editorial of a national newspaper puts, ‘Leave IITs alone’A former director of IIT-C also plead for the same,

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