India: The Powerless Superpower

Posted on August 1, 2012 by indra

India has gone for a record of a sort. As the media was reporting, the last two days of power outage affecting half of the country was the worst in India till date. But now I find someone claiming it to be the worst in the world, ‘the world’s largest blackout’.

As an example of responsiveness, the country has gone for a reshuffle of cabinet with the power minister taking over the home portfolio. Manmohan Singh or Sonia Gandhi couldn’t wait for few hours or days to affect their changes, as if heaven would have fallen without that. India is becoming a mockery of governance.

Besides the horrendous revelations of corruptions by anyone in any job, be he a judge of high court taking a Rs 100 crore-bribe for bail or a builder or CEO in NCR amassing some few thousand crores through unscrupulous means, the next news of natural or man-created record making losses can be reported from any area such as railway fire near Chennai or riot in Assam. And the government and its spokesperson on the TV channels will come out with excuses of all sorts, blaming it to the old government or some other agency.

Why couldn’t India focus and solve a single problem of providing power and establish systems to make it the best? Why do we go on under planning everything, the generation, the transmission or the distribution? Why can’t we get at least the availability of sufficient and quality out of the list of the requirements of s superpower?

Can Manmohan Singh, the economist who even staked his job for the nuclear deal with US provide a formula of growth with the present power situation in the country? Are the problems and its solutions not known? Why can’t India go for just this single objective of leaving power shortage behind? Perhaps many other problems will get automatically sorted out with just one thing?

And were Manmohan and Sonia not knowing the impending vacancy? Why couldn’t they find a suitable professional for this totally technology related ministry? Why should they prove their right of appointing anyone as cabinet minister? Is there no one in the whole of India who can run this important ministry? May be one of the best secretaries of the government could have been assigned the task. India will never be able to solve any outstanding problem unless there are innovations and out-of-the-box approach in the government’s functioning.

I wish the government doesn’t and the people don’t allow this sort of passing the buck. Let the politicians not play with the dreams of the people of the country. The consequences may be unimaginably horrendous for them.

PS:
I am still brooding why the regulating power machinery of the country couldn’t avoid the worst blackout of the world. I remember in 70s West Bengal was facing an acute shortage of power. Hindustan Motors was at that time the major manufacturing plant of the state and so a major consumer of power too. However, the state electricity board fixed a quota of power availability. Drawing of any power above that meant the shutdown of the supply from the source. The main plant had a number of departments, for example Engine, Axle and Transmission, Press shop, Forging, Foundry, and then car constructing division starting from body shop, paint shop to car assembly. We had at that time primitive distribution system and very poor telecommunication in the factory. It was a nightmare to keep the plant running, But still it was made possible. We used to keep on running some and closing other divisions. Some equipment such as furnaces of paint shop required a lot of staring time got preference but individual machines could be grouped to run as and when it was possible with the amount of power supply. It meant a strict vigilance and a lot of tension for the people running it, but it was possible.

I only wonder why can’t the state drawing more power could be shut instead of allowing the whole of North grid or other national grids to fail in India. The responsibility of compulsory shut down can be deployed down in such a manner that only some get affected and that too for a short time. The failure is that of the management and the poor working culture of the regulatory departments and perhaps that of corrupt practices.

Can or will the ruling politicians of India stop making excuses and passing the buck on all the developmental issues? Let the country work for making all developmental issues apolitical. Let no one call India a ‘powerless super power’ again.

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Will Aamir Show Make Difference?

Posted on August 1, 2012 by indra

Years ago, when private TV channels started, we had been watching only Star Plus. But then I got disenchanted with the soap shows and shifted to the news channels, surfing and blogging. After trying many, Yamuna switched to ‘NDTV Imagine’ with ‘Ramayana’ and ‘Colors’ for ‘Uttaran’. Perhaps a month before we left for US last April, ‘Imagine’ closed its shop.

After coming to Cary in May, Yamuna went for Star Plus and Life OK. Those were the only available in the package that Anand has for us through Home TV. I kept on watching my news on ‘NDTV 24×7’ on i-Pad. However, it was a chance that we could hit Aamir’s show, ‘Satyamev Jayate’ on Star Plus. And with the very first, I got impressed. We watched it here in Cary at 10PM on Sundays. Aamir appeared initially pretty curt and unattractive. But his shows revealed many things on the critical social problems in India and touched somewhere immensely. We were hardly aware of many things that came up in each show, be it on female foeticide, child sexual abuse or medical malpractices or water conservation.

I liked the way Aamir provided the solutions of the issues through the successful case stories of the distinguished persons or groups working on the problems. I came to know of the generics medicines from the episode on medical malpractices. Generic medicines against the branded ones may provide some relief for the high expenditure on medicines for common people. The work being done in Andhra on organic farming and Dr. Ramoo who has been helping thousands of the farmers was really impressive. Even the solutions of water scarcity in many different states may solve the problem for many more villages and must be encouraged by the state government. Water harvesting must become compulsory for any housing complex.

Aamir’s show have covered 12 topics till date: female foeticide, Child sexual abuse, Dowry system, medical malpractices, Love marriages and Honor killings in India, Physical Disabilities, Domestic Violence, Pesticide poisoning and Organic farming, Alcohol abuse, Casteism and Untouchability, Old age, Water crisis and Rainwater harvesting,

Each episode ended with a sweet song. Two of them:”Ghar Yaad Aata Hai Mujhe” and “Bahut Yaad Aathe Ho” really touched me and I kept on humming them for a long time after the shows.

Aamir Khan has attained a new image of his own with ‘Satyamev Jayate’ and got very good media support not only in India but abroad from too. As one writes, In just three months, the Sunday morning show, “Satyamev Jayate,” or “Truth Alone Prevails,” has become a national phenomenon and as popular as KBC or even Ramayana. It got reproduced in seven languages and drew a cumulative audience of nearly 500 million.

Aamir is completing the series today. July 30, 2012 with his thirteenth show of ‘Satya Mev Jayate’ I wish some government agencies or NGOs working on the issues set up some follow up plans for the solutions of the problems with a time frame through Panchayats and city governments. As reported, the Aamir show has made an impact.

Will Aamir Khan himself or Star Plus have the follow-ups or further plans for ‘Satyamev Jayate‘? Will the educational institutes carry on with the movement?

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Pranab Story- A Case in Perseverance

Posted on July 24, 2012 by indra

Since I had started listening to the proceedings of the Indian parliament on TV, I got impressed with Pranab Mukherji. Fortunately for the country, both the leaders of opposition in the two houses of parliament are brilliant parliamentarians and speak very well. They prepare for the speech very well with lot of content and easily understandable logic. Every time I expected Pranab to fumble in replying to the issues raised by them, I found Pranab excelling and impressing superbly with his replies loaded with tones of data and history. Only sometimes I didn’t like his facial expressions. It gave an impression of ridiculing the opposition about their knowledge and intention. However that is a personal trait. Perhaps that can’t be corrected or might have come with an over confidence of the age in favour. (IMAGES)

When Manmohan became unimpressive and ineffective, I wished to see Pranab as Prime Minister. Pranab deserved it, as he was involved and kept in front line in every key difficult task facing the government. However, with a dynastic political party in power, it didn’t materialize. As a good soldier or perhaps with no way out, Pranab kept on yielding to the wishes of the Queen and performing the best. Sometimes, I wondered how Pranab could have been doing justice to so many important assignments, particularly when he headed insane number of GOMs.

My religious leaning made Pranab impress me after seeing Pranab personally conducting the rituals in worshiping Durga. I got emotionally attached with Pranab after watching his childhood story and the way Pranab grew in the remote village of West Bengal on TV. It reminded me of Lal Bahadur Shastri. However, Pranab can’t become Lal Bahadur Shastri nor perhaps Lal Bahadur had all that Pranab has.

I wish Pranab could have shown the same detachment for his son’s political aspirations that was shown by Mahatma Gandhi, Rajendra Prasad and Lal Bahadur Shastri. Perhaps Pranab with his proximity to the Nehru family have learnt to follow their values here.

However, I don’t agree with Pranab that he never aspired to become Prime Minister and he never felt bad when he was sidelined. His argument of the lack of fluency of Hindi or Bangali Hindi could not camouflage a very logical human aspiration in a professional career.

I wish Arvind Kejriwal wouldn’t have voiced his charges after Pranab Mukherji got elected to occupy that big house at Raisina Hill, a dream for any Indian. It’s the beauty of India’s democracy that made it happen.

And even today I feel Pranab must thank Mamta and Mulayam for forcing Sonia to decide on his name for the highest post, otherwise Sonia would have gone for Ansari.

And I enjoy the miracle of destiny: Perhaps, Manmohan first addressed Pranab as Sir, when Manmohan was employed as governor of Reserve Bank of India by Pranab, then finance minister. And then Pranab had to say Sir when Sonia selected Manmohan as prime minister. And now Manmohan will have to address Pranab, the Birbhum boy, as His Excellency.

Will Pranab be able to leave back a legacy as president that will be remembered in the history of India for ever?

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Maruti Mayhem- A Gory Reminder

Posted on July 21, 2012 by indra

Manesar mayhem and the murder of an innocent efficient general manager reminded me again of a gory day of my early professional career in Hindustan Motors. It was early 70s. The leftists were trying to grab political power in West Bengal with help of the labour unions. In the name of trade union, the leftists had innovated and pioneered many methods to terrorize and force the management to agree to whatever they wanted without following any norms of negotiation. Indian industry had by then learnt many new terms: ‘slow down’, ‘work to rule’, ‘tool down’, ‘gherao’ and many more. Bengal spearheaded the militancy in trade union organized process of protesting too. In one such incident, I would have been murdered but for my destiny. About 20,000 workmen had suddenly struck work and had started burning cars and office furniture. I was unaware of the seriousness of the development, but got shocked when found surrounded by thousands of them. One threw a huge flower vase on me. I escaped. Some came to my rescue also. I sustained only some injury.

Interestingly, neither the government’s law and order machinery nor the management provides any protection to the supervisors and managers in such cases of murderous monstrosity. The right of protest is democratic and so perhaps the right to murder for getting the demand. Nothing has changed. Nothing has happened to eliminate the possibility of such abrasion of democratic rights. Even today as in those days, the workers consider the senior supervisors and managers as the representatives of the management and so their enemies. The workers have all the right to abuse their seniors and even assault them. Many intellectuals take their side and reason it out as because of the inequity.

As reported, Maruti Suzuki workers who went on the rampage appear to have systematically and mercilessly “hunted” senior executives. At least 26 executives have sustained fractures, with several having multiple injuries, as the protesters used everything from rods to car parts. How can this situation be tolerated for better productivity in competitive world? It is more surprising in a successful Japanese company such as Maruti Suzuki.Where did Maruti Suzuki go wrong this time?
As a new phenomenon, the workers capture the plant and don’t go out of the premises. And in such a case, they can cause any damage to the plant and machinery. Even the judicial orders go unheeded sometimes. The police or industrial protection forces that are now put for the security of the plant from terrorist attack can’t interfere.

The militancy in trade union is against all norms of the right work culture for industrial growth and global competitiveness. Political affiliation of unions has made it worse.
Unfortunately, the country and it leaders have not taken any step to eliminate these occurrences. I remember one more similar incidence in which a close acquaintance of mine from Noida region got killed by the protesting workmen. At that time too, I was in USA.

As usual nothing will happen and no long term solution will be sought even after this gory incident at Manesar, even by Maruti Suzuki’s Japanese management. Only the family will suffer the agony. And some few people who hardly know the reality will write editorials and columns, discuss and debate on the issue for a day or two on TV news channels.

Unfortunately, persons such Ratan Tata, RC Bhargava or Anand Mahindra will not even express their opinions, as it will go against them.

Maruti Suzuki will get in peace with the labour union or may take a long term decision to go in different states to reduce the risks as others such as Tata Motors or even Hindustan Motors did. But the militancy will continue as the government and the politicians will dare not building a consensus to bring changes in labour disputes act or related reforms.

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India Brand Democracy

Posted on July 16, 2012 by indra

SA Aiyar on Sunday in Times of India wrote, “A recent study in Financial Times shows that relatives galore of Chinese politicians have become millionaires. The “princelings”, as children of top Chinese politicians are called, have riches that dwarf comparable Indian princelings”. And I am sure the Indian politicians will have now one more arguments to spread their family hold in India. They and their followers with vested interests might not take China as the benchmarks for its various developments and achievements arguing as the outcome of its authoritarian rule, but will certainly quote the article for arguing in their favour about the corruption in the political clan.

Two recent happenings in the northern part of democratic India must worry the people who value the democracy as the savior of this poor and emerging country. Akhilesh, the worthy son of Mulayam got elected his wife as MP but more surprising was her getting elected unopposed and even the national parties not fielding its candidates. And in Bihar, Lalu Yadav got his wife Rabri Devi back in power through back door even after she had lost from two assembly seats in the last election and as reported, when even with his few MPs opposing it. The helpless mass kept on watching and approving all this pseudo democratic way to keep power in the family. Nehru, who didn’t stop Indira from entering politics, must take the blame of starting the new type of imperialism in India. As reported, even Lal Bahadur Shastri was frustrated and at one time had almost decided to leave politics.

The way Sonia Gandhi with her cronies and even a much smaller clan is ruling the country today is certainly not that the constitution makers would have dreamt. The opposition shares the blame equally that didn’t allow her to be the prime minister. At least she would have been exposed. Even after all propping, Rahul Gandhi is not daring to take up the responsibility of running the country for the fear of getting exposed faster.

The only other party in opposition has become equally unimpressive and vulnerable with no single person acceptable to the top leaders in the party to lead it after the sanyas of Bajpai. Moreover, the interference of RSS in actual running of the party will hardly get popular acceptance for winning the 2014 election unless it comes because of default from the mess in the ruling Congress.

And all the political chaos has made Manmohan Singh a hero. He will be the prime mister till 2014 election and who knows even after that even after not following the basic requirement of getting popularly elected. Still we, Indians will keep on calling it democratic.

It is strange that Indians, known as one of the most politically conscious race hardly showing any concern. It is strange that the prevailing political scenario doesn’t allow Jai Prakash Narayan type of political leaders to be born and grow. Demographic dividend theory doesn’t include the advantage of strong democratic political leadership.

Regional leaders are taking advantage of the situation and succeeding with all its policies of keeping the country ignorant and masses in dark about the necessity of the national parties. It serves the purpose of creating the political family strong enough financially to keep it politically relevant. How have the parties of Lalu, Ram Bilash survived even when it had lost elections after elections?

Naturally there are some regional leaders who are considered honest. Nitish, Mamta, Patnaik are among them. But will those parties get anytime equally strong person to replace them when required even due to some eventuality?

Many like me now have started seeking the assistance of the Supreme Almighty to bring some miraculous change for the country with all potential to grow with perhaps a new reincarnation.

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Agonizing Noida and Myrtle

Posted on July 11, 2012 by indra

July 8, 2012. We had just reached Myrtle in South Carolina after a drive of 160 miles from Cary, NC. We were taking lunch before checking in the beach hotel. Shannon had planned this 2-night holiday at the best beach of the world to celebrate the fifth birthday of Emma. We were very happy. Emma and Zachy were furthering my emotional exuberance. And right at that moment, Anand gets a call from Rajesh in Austin that gave the message about the burglary in our Noida house. This is the fourth time that we had it there. My manager in me passed on the best instruction and decided to enjoy every moment of the trip to Myrtle. And we did.

Myrtle, SC, USA


After the first burglary that was when we were in Noida, the news of the burglary had only made me feel elated as well as morose: elated because mindless burglars in Noida still think me, at 73, rich enough for making me prey and morose because they damage fittings that cause worry to find service providers in Noida to repair them back. I don’t wish to blame police, as with so intense poverty, lack of employable education but high aspirations among millions of young men, perhaps burglary in NCR townships is one way of earning. At least those young men think so.

It is unfortunate that fellow neighbours remain unconcerned. Last time in 2008, the burglary happened breaking the main door when the neighbour had a security guard literally right at my gate. Even after my complaint neither the neighbour nor the police even questioned him about the burglary.

Before this trip, Anand had been jokingly suggesting keeping the door open and an appeal pasted for taking away the articles they wanted without breaking anything. I knew the message will not reach the right persons.

I again appeal to the adventurous burglars to visit me when I return and let me know what they wanted from my house. I promise I shall be giving them that without any one letting it known.

I don’t know how to convey the message to those who tried to burgle my house in Noida. Can some media men and friends in Noida help me in finding a way out?

For residents of Noida and even my neighbours, I have an appeal for a change in the system of central security through sector’s RWA. We can contribute and keep guards for small group of neighborhoods, say in every row of houses. People may take my advice otherwise till they don’t suffer themselves. It’s up to them.

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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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