A brand name called Trump

Donald Trump's is a case study in marketing - How to successfully sell a political brand name by branding your opponents.

Politics is a game of mind. It is an art to plant the seeds of doubt in the minds of electorates regarding your opponents, by defining him before he defines himself to the voters.

Trump has successfully done this to his opponents. He defined Jeb Bush as "someone low on energy". Politics is a matter of perception. With his definition he made Jeb Bush, who spoke with long monologues on debates, look drab and boring, with his $150 million chest not withstanding.

Trump's branding of Rubio as diminutive "Little Marco", lampooning his size from top to bottom, worked against Rubio both literally and figuratively. Verbal punches flew between them, but Trump was the one who came out as winner, as he was able to connect to audience to perceive Rubio the way he wanted them to.

Height matters a lot for a public persona (exceptions apply). A good height enhances the stature, it's an asset which attracts attention, adding invaluable value to someone's Leadership ability. Rubio at 5 ' 10" may not fit the bill of a short person and no one has measured his private parts in public. But public perception is very important in politics, your branding can hurt you pretty bad.

The powerful, ever pervading media gave a lot of credence to Trump by repeating often his off the cuff statements - prominent being the CNN. Around this time last year, when the network's rating was fast plummeting, Trump's arrival was like Manna dew from the heaven.

CNN followed Donald Trump, covering his speech everywhere and the smart businessman effectively sold himself using his powerful demagoguery. Both the ratings of CNN and his popularity soon started skyrocketing. Later when Trump trounced Rubio in laters home state of Florida, the little Marco told bluntly to CNN - "You guys made him".

He had a point. By December Trump had taken all by surprise. When he boycotted the debate on Conservative Fox News, the networks ratings plummetted due the lack of his presence - a brand name called Trump.

Trump has generated an estimated free advertisement revenue worth $2 billion since he entered into the Republican fray. So it's not that he owes to the networks - the networks owe him too.

Reminds me of Amitabh's movie HUM (Us) released in 1991. In a scene Anumam Kher who plays the role of a crook cop, delivers a very meaningful monologue - BAGAWAT MEIN TEEN KISAM KE ADDMI HOTE HAIN (There are three kinds of people in a mutiny), ATYACHAARI (the tormentor played by Danny), KRANTIKARI (the mutineer, played by Amitabh), AUR UN DONO KA JHAGDE KA FAIDA UTHATE HUE HAMARA JAISE BYAPARI (Taking advantage of their rivalry are our kind of businessmen).

Very aptly described indeed, its the media, the BYAPARI being the real winner in this case. Not to mention Trump, also a PUCCA BYAPARI who knows his business has already made his business, whether he wins or loses this November.

Philippines president wants to separate from UN

"May be we will just decide to separate from United Nations" - said Rodrigo Duerte, the President of Phillipines, aftet UN criticized his anti-drug campaign as human rights violation.

UN's utterance is a classic example of the wrong man saying the right thing. It is the world's biggest, bloated Bureaucracy, utterly inefficient and spineless against its veto power wielding members.

At least an year ago Saudi Arabia headed the UN council of Human Rights. Amongst its other members is China, another Champion of human rights violation, completing the league of distinguished gentlemen.

In June, 1981 following the Israeli taking down of Iraqi Nuclear Reactor on the outskirtsof Baghdad. US promptly vetoed any UN resolution against Israel.

I still vividly remember this cartoon by R K Laxman on the front page of Times Of India, where the UN Secretary General says to the recalcitrant, mockingly grimacing Israeli PM - "The more you launch such an attack, you will be criticized more severely".

35 years down the road, not much has changed. If this threat from Philippines materializes, a trend would be set for more nations to come out of this behemoth global Babudom, which is not a bad idea at all. Why stick to an institute which after scores of years of existence, has far more failures than achievements to its credit. 

Philippines president wants to separate from UN

"May be we will just decide to separate from United Nations" - said Rodrigo Duerte, the President of Phillipines, aftet UN criticized his anti-drug campaign as human rights violation.

UN's utterance is a classic example of the wrong man saying the right thing. It is the world's biggest, bloated Bureaucracy, utterly inefficient and spineless against its veto power wielding members.

At least an year ago Saudi Arabia headed the UN council of Human Rights. Amongst its other members is China, another Champion of human rights violation, completing the league of distinguished gentlemen.

In June, 1981 following the Israeli taking down of Iraqi Nuclear Reactor on the outskirtsof Baghdad. US promptly vetoed any UN resolution against Israel.

I still vividly remember this cartoon by R K Laxman on the front page of Times Of India, where the UN Secretary General says to the recalcitrant, mockingly grimacing Israeli PM - "The more you launch such an attack, you will be criticized more severely".

35 years down the road, not much has changed. If this threat from Philippines materializes, a trend would be set for more nations to come out of this behemoth global Babudom, which is not a bad idea at all. Why stick to an institute which after scores of years of existence, has far more failures than achievements to its credit.

Cell ohone, Internet and their evolution

Exactly two decades ago, in month of August 1996, I had my tryst with two innovations which eventually would turn transformational - Cell phone and Internet. Juxtaposing them was strictly fantasy.

At my work place in Calcutta, only one PC with brand new Windows 95 on it had access to internet. With eyes wide open, I gaped at the world wide web, as our instructor rumored to be immensely knowledgeable on internet browsing gave us a demo.

He carefully typed on the screen www.cricket.org, precursor to the ubiquitous crickinfo website. Popped up a picture of Wasim Akram in his baggy  green outfit, my first ever sight on internet.

A person next to me ask our boss in Bengali - INTORNET TA KI JINISH (What thing is internet ?) Prompt came back this response - TUMI NACHBO, AMI DEKHBE (You will dance, I will watch).

Same week, I had my first exposure to cell phone, when a mobile saleman was running around the city, doing sales pitching of his mobile phone. I was just back from a stint in England and the guy thought (erroneously) that I could afford the luxury of a cell phone.

He showed me the phone which about the size of a foot long Subway sandwich. The thought of carrying a bulky item with me all the time was not quite appealing, With its protruding antenna carrying it in pocket would cause further embarrassment.

I was initially tempted into buying one as standing in line at STD booths after 9 PM (for cheaper rates) to make out of state calls was a real pain in the butt. Having a mobile with me would save me a trip to the dingy, sultry and stinky STD booths with the next guy behind the line frantically scratching the dirty windows making gorilla like gestures towards me.

It is said that in 1960s Elvis Presley, the famous American singer, possessed one of world's first mobile (cell) phones. The King of Rock 'n' Roll carried it with him in a suitcase, so that he could make calls from his limousine. The cost of a call was so exorbitant that only a celebrity like Elvis could afford it.

Same way the price of the calls was what finally dissuaded me from purchasing one. Each incoming and outgoing call would cost me 8 rupee a minute. I was not very enthusiastic about paying per minute what a Dosa or Chicken Roll would cost me at that time.

A few of my friends who bought kept their mobile numbers their best kept secret. One guy reluctantly shared his number with me so that he can sneak in incognito to my place for weekend bachelor parties without his wife's knowledge. He strictly told me to call him sporadically and hang up soon after saying "Party is on", for the calls were exorbitant.

Those days internet access at work in India was limited to mostly to office. During the regular hours at work it was surfing (the term has given way to browsing) time. During the day it was mostly viewing Hotmail and for some, looking at hot females after hours. No website was blocked, hardly any security measures were followed. I am sure anybody trying to access such sites now at work these days will pay a hefty price.

Now cell phones are a lot slicker, handy and gives you the access world wide web on your fingertips. It has become an inseparable part of our paraphernalia.

On days if I leave my smartphone at home, I feel like the smart monkey of the PANCHATANTRA fairy tell, who once told his Crocodile ride about leaving his sweet liver back home. Love it or hate it, cell phone has become our inseparable organ. Love it or hate it, learn to live with it.

Loved watching Arnab Goswami doing some verbal VALATKAAR on Jaisha case

Watching Arnab Goswami doing some verbal VALATKAAR (Rape) of a few Sports Officials, disrobing and grilling them regarding the OP Jaisha episode - the runner from Kerala who wasn't supplied water while taking part in women's Marathon by our officials, who were supposed to be doing this job.

For a change, I love every bit of Arnab doing that. Here are a few snippets.

Arnab to the Vice president of Indian Athletics Federation :

"Did you ever take part in athletics in your life".

The VP could not hear the question (obviously a Champion GALUA, an Odia term for a stubborn faker). On being asked again he mumbles : I played some football.

Arnab : Don't you drink water in breaks during football game.

Federation VP : I don't drink water. Mumbling something inaudible again, he said "Only drink when needed".

The response of this official would have put "Didi's non stop nonsense", a popular Comedy show of our times to shame.

Another official with Walrus moustache raised his hand : May I speak.

Arnab : No you can't. You are not going to speak anything new. Just shut up and listen.

This guy looking like Veerappan's sibling just kept waving his hand like a  wiper on the windshield of a car, towing official line "if the allegations are true, proper  investigation will be done, action will taken blah blah"

MAZA A GAYA - had tons of fun. Good job Arnab in bringing this to the national limelight.

Analysis of India's Olympics performance as curtains come down in Rio

The year was 1984. In the general election following Indira Gandhi's tragic  assassination, Congress came to power winning more than 400 seats. BJP was reduced to only two MPs, far below the rest of the major opposition parties.

The two members of BJP in Lok Sabha were mocked at as HUM DO, HUMARE DO (We two, ours two), taking a cue from the famous Family Planning Campaign of that era.

The same can be attributed to our performance in the just concluded Rio Olympics. HUM DO, HUMARE DO - can well be attributed to the two ladies, who against all odds won 2 medals for us.

Now fast forward 30 years from the year 1984, to 2014. The same BJP which was poked fun at, improved its tally from 2 MPs to 284 MPs. It was now India's Grand Old Party Congress's turn to be poked fun at, reduced to just to 44 MPs, less than the peak temperature of a typical Delhi summer.

Million analysis have been done about India's performance attributing the causes for our failure - from apathetic Politicians and Officials who are considered part of the problem rather than solution (the usual disclaimers apply), to our poor genes and diet.

The myth about the genes is as vague as the myth during my childhood days - that there is no Business in the blood of Odias, who are destined to fail as businessmen and entrepreneurs. I was never aware of any Business Blood Group, nor checked the blood group of my numerous Odia friends who are now successful businessmen.

My take on India's poor performance in Olympics is best depicted by this Hindi phrase in nutshell :

KHELOGE KUDOGE TO HOGE KHARAB, PADHOGE LIKHOGE BANOGE NAWAAB.

Roughly translated it means,

Sports & games makes you a commoner,
Excel in academics, become an emperor.

It speaks volumes about where our priorities lie. No system will succeed without the participation and cooperation of the commoners. Those blamed for our debacles aren't any aliens from another planet, they come from the same milieu.

Summing up this attitude is what I heard in Odia mumerous times  during my childhood - "CHHATARA MANE KHELANTI, SUNA PILA MANE PATHA PADHANTI. KHELA RU KANA MILIBA. PATHA PADHI OFFICER HELE LOKE MUNDIA MARIBE" - Only girl chasing vagabonds indulge in Sports. Golden kids focus on studies. What's there in sports and games. If you succeed in academics and becomes an officer, hundreds will bow before you". A clearly feudal mindset, where sportpersons are demeaned.

Well, such Golden kids rarely win an Olympics gold medal. In the world of competitive sports, at the highest level where class and quality matters, it needs a lot more skill and steely nerve to make the difference.

A 13 year old girl Gaurika Singh from our tiny Northern neighbor Nepal and the youngest athlete in Rio, won one of the heats in Swimming and numerous hearts world over. It prompted me to visit the website of Swimming Federation of India. Their achievements section is blank, with a picture of Michael Phelps on the front page. That pretty much sums up our swim without an aim.

When we won a gold in 2008, thanks to  shooter Arvind Bindra, I thought a new era has dawned,  when more Golds will follow in the following Olympics. No golds came in 2012 and 2016. Like the proverbial monkey climbing a bamboo pole, we climb 2 feet up and then 3 feet down. The saga unfortunately continues till date.

Yet we can always take a cue as well as solace from BJP's spectacular bounce back, from HUM DO, HUMARE DO to a Single majority party on its own. It would be heartbreaking for me not to have the high expectations, especially when the China and Britain have already done so. We sure can, provided, as we studied in Intermediate Physics - our immense potential energy is converted to kinetic energy extended to the Sports arena.

Better late than never. If we sow the seeds now and rightly nurture the plant, it will bear fruit in due time. It won't happen overnight, its a long term project which will take decades to yield some tangible results.

Hope the monkey keeps on climbing the bamboo pole, and keep climbing and climbing, as slipping is not an option.

Don't blame cricket for India's poor performance in Rio

With a handful of hours to go before the Closing Ceremony at Rio Olympics, here are some notable Medal tallies -

BRITAIN - 27 Gold, 22 Silver, 17 Bronze

AUSTRALIA - 8 Gold, 11 Silver, 10 Bronze

JAMAICA - 6 Gold, 3 Silver, 2 Bronze

NEW ZEALAND - 5 Gold, 9 Silver, 5 Bronze

SOUTH AFRICA - 2 Gold, 6 Silver, 2 Bronze

KENYA - 5 Gold, 6 Silver, 1 Bronze

What's the commonality among these nations ? They also play a game called Cricket. The game of the Willows haven't stopped these nations from winning a sizable number of Olympics medals. So should cricket be blamed for India's below par performance at the Olympics ?

Don't think so. Please don't blame it on Rio for Cricket. It's not the fault with cricket, it's the fault with us, our stubborn reluctance to go above and beyond Cricket. Not choosing to play any game other than cricket is our

problem. Nobody forces us to do so pointing a gun at our head.

It's a classic catch 22 situation. Without participation of public a Sports can't prosper and to grow a sports it needs to be popular, at least to some degree. As the word popular stands - it's only the people who can make it popular. Our people have decided not to play any other game than cricket. Hence, the end result of HUM DO, HAMARE DO (We two, Ours two) - alluding to the two medals we got so far from the Olympics, thanks to the two ladies.

Most events at Olympics aren't mass sports. In fact USA, which has an insurmountable lead in the medal tally, two of their most popular sports, Football (American version) and Baseball don't find a spot in the Olympics. A Michel Phelps, in spite of winning more than a quarter of hundred medals by himself, won't be mobbed in the street of New York, whereas a Kobe Bryant or Payton Manning might be. Only a interested few follow majority of the Olympics sports, yet win medals dime a dozen.

As cricket has become a Banyan tree in India, other sports simply don't get any nutrient to grow under it. Taking a cue from the beginning lines of our Preamble - "We The People of India" are responsible in feeding and nurturing this sacrosanct Banyan tree. More than the system, it's the people who have allowed this to happen. Only the same folks can come out of the shadow and popularize other games, not withstanding the Banyan tree standing by itself.