Bhubaneswar as the Smart City

Not long time ago, I met an affable friend in Bhubaneswar after a long time. Our chat mostly centered around our common friends, one of whom happens to be in USA and doing well. My friend back home retorted back "He wasn't so smart, so how come he landed up in America" ?

Can't blame my friend back home. He was just following the definition of smartness he was familiar with. As far as I am aware, smart is someone who is sharp, witty or brainy. But Bhubaneswar has its own definition of smartness. Smart is usually an accolade laced adjective deserved for guy, who otherwise known as a LUNGUDA ( a habitual girl chaser), is the one who attires himself with fashionable clothes and shoes, scavenging pretty girls in every nook and corner of the city.

Hence my friend in USA hardly fit the bill for smartness per Bhubaneswar parlance. He was shy, neither rode a motorcycle, nor chased girls, which automatically disqualifies him as smart. The faster one drives, more girls he drives around, more fashionable cloths and shoes one wears, makes one the smartest person on earth. Yet my friend, who is unquestionably brainy and has a great command over English is branded in local lingo as a PENA or DHAIN (nincompoop).

So when Bhubaneswar is officially declared as a smart city, it caught me between the proverbial Scylla and Charybdis, the Devil and the Deep sea. Now I have a Hobson's choice to make, whether to make an emotional call and be glad for a city, which I migrated to as a 7 year old in 1976. Or be cynical about a city, struggling to feel smart about, where the woeful infrastructure on the ground is archaic and the air is so pathetic that you can't speak to someone on mobile without your call dropping in every 5 minutes.

The city which I once called home, grew right before my eyes, as I grew up with the city. During my teenage time it grew like an infant. During my youth it grew like a teenager. Like a teenager starts putting on weight, the city loaded itself with population. Unwarranted and unplanned buildings started sprouting like pimples on a teenager's cheek. A la, a young adult starts growing taller at a faster rate at teen stage in life, Bhubaneswar grew without bounds like a teenager's heart and mind. During my childhood the tallest building was the NA MAHALA KOTHA (The 9 storied Secretariat Building). Now myriad tall buildings criss-cross the landscape. A la the cool temperament of a child changes into a hot natured teenager, salubrious weather of the city has vanished, transforming the city into a hot weathered enclave for the most part of the year. Cool breeze blowing across green foliage, has been replaced these days by hot lava winds meandering through concrete jungle.

Akin to a growing teenager, the city started flexing its muscle in form of its expanding traffic. The voice of the traffic became coarse and it became more and more unruly, same as a teen would behave. As a teenager expands physic and vision, Bhubaneswar expanded itself growing recklessly in all dimension beyond its frontier engulfing small villages and rivulets. Now the rivulets in the form of undrainaged water due to the recent unseasonal rains has come back to haunt it. As the city grew, like the irresponsible parents the inept authority not only slept it became corrupt. Now similar to the spoilt kid which comes back to haunt the hapless old parents later in their life, the city has come back to hunt its residents. Probably a poetic justice which was waiting to happen.

So what the authorities did to cope up with the burgeoning city ? They not only slept when it grew at an exponential rate. Matching it, they became exponentially inefficient and corrupt. Now that it's officially topped the smartest of the smartest cities in India, let's pray the City-zens of the Temple city develop some smart civic sense. Otherwise nothing tangible is going to happen, however smart we call it. Hope the so called smart city eventually doesn't end up one befitting its local definition of smartness. There is Nothing official about it.

American Conservatism - 101

Many Conservatives in America are now wary of Donald Trump, as he is in the striking distance of snatching away the Republican nomination from a field who are Champions of American Conservatism. Their concern - Trump, who was a Democrat before with liberal credentials, will compromise with their  core conservative principles,  once he gets Republican party's nomination.

Trump in my opinion is a PUCCA BEPARI or VYAPARI (businessperson), who not without reason has built a fortune for himself, sitting over an empire of $9 billion. He can resort to all rhetorical crap to his political advantage, but he is far from being a suicidal megalomaniac. Never underestimate the calculative acumen of a successful businessperson. I am sure,  he will campaign and once elected. govern from the center. That's exactly what the conservatives fear.

Here is a glimpse of American conservatism for the uninitiated, encapsulating some of their Core principles.

AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM - We all know this and there is some truth to it. Without certain exceptional qualities and leadership, America wouldn't be where it is today. Even virulently anti Americans grudgingly admit the same. Yet, self glorification takes the mojo out of it. Rubbing of self ego hardly helps, same as the Message - A Self massage doesn't give you the same pleasure, as much as the massage given to you by someone else.

SMALL GOVERNMENT - A la the conservatives, I am a big believer in small governments, often vocal about it. It has been vindicated, smaller the government leads to reduced Bureaucracy means better governance.

GOD, GAY and GUN- They strongly believe in God and firmly against gun control and gay marriage. I believe that gays, like any Homo Sapien deserve the rights to be gay and happy,  and pursuit of life, liberty. But I believe that marriage is a union between a man and a woman.

STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS - With more than 12 million illegal immigrants in USA, it's the right issue for the Right Wingers. There's a legal channel to come to America in order to pursue the American dream, for after all, this is a land of immigrants. But what's illegal is illegal, cannot be condoned.

LESS TAX AND FREE MARKET- My take is both Yes and No. Yes, I am a staunch supporter of free market. Yes, lots of tax loopholes need to go. No - America has one of the lowest taxes in the world compared to other developed nations. So little more tax on the rich won't hurt.

LESS FREEBIES LIKE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS  AND FOOD STAMPS - Agree, it should be temporary. Otherwise, it won't motivate people to work. Extra socialism can be suicidal. Name a few successful socialist countries (Commies won't agree).

ANTI- ABORTION - Conservatives are against abortions, even in the case of Rape and Incest. But I am pro-choice, I believe in a woman's right to chose.

Summing up, I consider myself a center-right persons as almost 40% Americans are. In some matters I am conservative, and in some matter I am progressive.

Dhoni as Pitamah Bhishma

Dhoni is like PITAMAH (Grand Sire) Bhishma of Indian cricket. As Bhishma got an ICHHAA MRUTYU (self death) boon from his father, Dhoni seems to have the ICCHHAA retirement boon from his Godfather (if any).

Bhishma vowed never to die until the HASTINAPUR kingdom is secured. Now that India started well in T20 series with a win and a possible series win, Dhoni after series should gracefully retire - Indian cricket being well secured for future under the leadership of Kohli.

All Indian team members can put their hands for Dhoni to sleep, imitating the SARA SAJYA (bed of arrow) of Bhishma. Kohli can play the role of Arjun by spraying some Champagne on Dhoni's mouth, a la water sprout made by Arjun for Bhishma. That can be a fitting finale of passing the baton to the next generation of cricket MAHABHARAT.

Snowzilla in North East - January 2016

The snowzilla last weekend in the North East and mid Atlantic USA dumped upto 30 inches of snow. The situation was worth around New Jersey where high winds up to 70 miles of hour, compounded by tide due to full moon, caused coastal flooding.

Death toll was reportedly around 20, not so bad to the immense preparedness and professional disaster handling by the authorities. Most are driving related, as there are still people who needlessly cause harakiri by adventuring out, not heeding to the warning by the authorities. I am sure in that case, the human toll can be cut down by half.

It is no coincidence that due to global warming, there is more moisture on the surface of earth, leading to catastrophic hurricanes, cyclones and snow storms than never before. But glad to advance technology, this monster storm was predicted for about a week or so ago, giving advance time to prepare.

Yet no technology has been developed to correctly predict the natural disaster of earthquake. It's said that some animals are known to have a sixth sense to sense and earthquake and are known to behave weird, as the harbinger of the event.

It has been repoeted earlier, cats and mice running helter skelter on street together, rather than cats chasing their bette noire, just before earthquake. A friend mine who studied Engineering close the location of the famous Latur earthquake in 1993, remembers dogs whining and cows mooing, hours before the shudders of tremors came. Sadly, we have to depend on the sixth sense of animals for predicting earthquake.

Trump is certainly not suicidal

I am no fan of Donald Trump, but if the reports on media, social or otherwise are to be believed, there is some concern, that if he is elected as the President of United States, he will go berserk. That kind of over reaction I think is not only preposterous, but little far fetched.

Having followed the American politics closely for close to two decades, I can vouch, nothing of that sort gonna happen. Before Modi led BJP won handsomely in 2014, many predicted doomsday for minorities in India (as if there were no atrocities against Minorities during the times of Congress and the Communist supported governments. Nellie massacre in Assam in 1893, followed by the Delhi massacre after Indira's assassination in 84, both took place when Congress government was in its prime and very much at the helm of affairs). Hardly anything close to that has happened.

So IF Donald Trump gets nominated and IF he gets elected (both conditions have to simultaneously coming true), I am sure he is not going to nuke everyone. (Having said that, a week is a long time in politics and November is politically eons away). A businessman sitting over an empire of $9 billion might exhaust rhetorical crap to his political advantage, but he is far from being a suicidal megalomaniac. Never underestimate the calculative acumen of a successful businessperson.

As they say - all politics are local. Trump is simply playing to the playing fields at his crucial juncture of campaigning. Anything construed beyond his rhetoric is needless fear mongering. Folks on the other side of the globe have more chances of a Mullah Missile or Kim's Kamikaze Kids, rather than Trump sending nuclear warheads on their way.

Youth suicide as a political issue

Every person, has rights to live. It hurts utmost when someone commits suicide. And it hurts more, if that person happens to be young. Because, like every young men and women, they have eons ahead of them, they too have a dream and unwisely decide to procrastinate their unfilled dream by killing themselves.

When does a person decide to end his or her life ? It's not just the frustration with their life, it's more due to the lack of care or concern for the rest of the world, which includes their near and dear ones. If I feel suicidal for some reason, I may resist that thought for a moment, if I think of my family, if not me. Apparently they don't care about their loved one and decide end their life at the spurt of the moment, never getting a chance to regret it later.

Suicides in college campuses are not uncommon. Surging teenage hormone can create havoc in hearts and minds, which can be due to failure in academics, love or bullying by others.

There is an alarming increase in IITians committing suicide in recent years. I have a close friend from IIT, who during his trips to India visits his professors from Alma mater. They told him - gone are the days when intelligent, creative students used to come to these premier institutes. Now many mediocre students churned out of innumerable coaching institutes mange to clear the entrance exam. Once in, they can't cope of the aggressive curriculum and choose end their lives.  

A great tragedy in this context, is the death of an young man Rohith Vemula, who recently committed in an Hyderabad University. He was young and I am sure he too had a dream. So also many young minds who decide to prematurely end their life. But hardly any issue is made out of it. The news of their death dies within a few days of their death. But this case is different, for a different reason.

The greater tragedy is the myopic eyes of our NETAs, whose jaundiced view can rarely see beyond the colors of caste and creed. It feels sick to the stomach to see our politicians back home, busy milking political milage out of this tragedy. Rather than fixing the issue, they try to fix their rivals to get one step ahead of them in the rat race for power.

The greatest tragedy is silence of the silent majority, which is conspicuously deafening. Can't resist repeating my often mentioned joke. A person once went to an astrologer, who after seeing his chart said " You will beg after two years". "What will happen after that ?" asked the person who now was somewhat concerned. The astrologer responded "You will get used to it". So may be the silent majority has got used to the chaotic system.

Netaji Birthday - 2016

Today is the Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a man who has earned my deep admiration and lives in the hearts of many more. He was our true NETAJI (Leader), vindicated by the fact, him being the Commander-in-Chief of an entire Army called Azad Hind Fauz (Independent Indian Army) with no tangible military experience. This is not possible without charismatic leadership qualities.

A highly motivational and charismatic speaker, his famous speech "Give me blood, I will give you freedom" is so simple, yet so profound, inspiring  millions. It still gives me goose bumps. Netaji was academically brilliant who topped Civil Services. But rather than joining the coveted job for his reluctance to serve under the British, he chose the path to travel globally, lived in dense forests and raised an army to fight the enemy almost single handed. Such depth of patriotism is unfathomable these days. My thousand salute to the  man who unfortunately never got the reward and recognition he duly deserved by the country for which he made ultimate sacrifices.

Now, A tale of two NETAJIs. In pre independence time people fondly addressed Subhah Chandra Bose as NETAJI which means " Dear Leader". He earned the sobriquet. The term Netaji (leader) is very loosely used these days to depict any politician from small timers to big fishes. Any KUJI NETA (sundry leader) is a Netaji these days, the more ubiquitous being Mulayam Singh Yadav the UP politician who is addressed the same. Sadly the similarities between them ends there.

In Odia we say KAHI RANI KAHI MEHENTRANI (Where stands the Queen and where stands the Toilet Cleaner). In Hindi they say KAHA RAJA BHOJ AUR KAHA GANGU TELI. Meaning of the proverbs in both languages is quite obvious. The term NETAJI has been diluted and downgraded beyond repair, regressed over time. Hoping to be proved wrong, our generation could fade away remembering Subhas Bose as the last NETAJI of our time, a la the Royal Bengal tiger, soon to be extinct.

Money - the greatest leveller

Like every year, I return to Volunteer filing Income Tax Returns for the lower income people. It gives me the immense pleasure of volunteer work and the accompanied opportunity to interact with folks from different walks of life. From a 95 year old lady, who as a teenager drove a Ford (In 1930s, 90% of American households had access to car), how she flirted with her beau on telephone (Americans then had 4 times more phones per person than British, 6 times more than Germans), to anecdotes from an 18 year old, whose mom never returned to his Indian father after moving to US with him, settling down here for good.

But nothing trumps this encounter a few years ago. Money certainly can be a great leveler, the proof of which I saw in my own eyes. Like every tax season, one fine winter morning I was doing my Volunteer Tax Preparation for low income people. A couple who were filing jointly, as usual were seating across me, while I prepared their taxes. As I was busy going through their documents, entering them on the IRS website, the couple were busy bickering among themselves.

Their verbal cat fight, was reaching its zenith (fights are a ritual amongst couple, only exception were probably Sri Maa and Aurobindo or may be Ramakrishna Paramhans and Sarala Devi). Tax Preparation needs utmost  attention, so the couple's rambling was  an irritating drag on my work.

My cup of patience was full. I was about to mildly reprimand them when all of a sudden their Refund Amount popped up on the screen. They were getting around $3600 back which was a hefty amount in proportion to their income.(The so called  low income folks who come here to file their taxes drive cars, smoke Camel cigarette, stand in line until the door opens and wait patiently when their turn comes).

I interrupted their bickering, announcing the Refund amount which is going to land up in their Bank Account in 2-3 weeks, after e-filing their Returns. Their face suddenly glowed, words turned sweeter. The husband now started calling the wife Sweetie. The wife reciprocated with calling her hubby Honey. They high-fived and praised Good Lord for being generous to them that morning. (Little they understood that it's their own money they are getting back from IRS who holds on to more than a year with 0% APR). The animosity that existed between the squabbling couple only moments ago, was now gone. With a smiling face they warmly shook my hands and bid adieu. No question, Money certainly can be a great leveler. Their reaction made me remember the good ole rhyme

"Money money money.
Brighter than sunshine,
Sweeter than Honey".

Jealousy - An inherent human quality

Last week someone won the Mega Billion Lottery worth $1.5 Billion in USA. I hardly cared. But if that person would be sitting next or someone close to me, it  might have given me some heartburn. We hardly get this feeling for someone we barely known. Many win lottery, I hardly care. But if my loved ones would win, it can me feel sad. The reason is - Jealousy, an inherent human quality. An overwhelming majority of us harbor this feeling.

The extent of jealousy varies from person to person, yet nobody is totally  immune to it. We mostly feel jealous  towards those who tend to have what we aspire for, usually more towards the familiar faces. Women are generally jealous of fellow women about their  looks, jewellery, cloths etc. For men, it's mostly about wealth and material possessions.

Only exception are the parents who are never jealous of their children. Their success make them proud. Any other relationship on earth is not so immune to this feeling.

Reminds me of a scene from the epic Hindi movie "3 IDIOTS", where both the friends of Aamir Khan were sad as they thought their friend Rancho failed the test. And they were sadder, when they found that he topped in the class. The reason, we can very easily sharesome one's sorrow but rarely his happiness at the same breath.

The pangs of jealousy can always be overcome with logic. If someone wins a lottery it is his (or her) destiny. Somebody becomes successful it could be due to hard work and being at the right place at right time, whereas I missed the boat. My jealousy will give me unsolicited headaches and heart burns, with no impact on the other person. I will end up spending more on Motrins and Antacids. So it's better make peace with life and move on.

Martin Luther King day - 2016

Little more than 50 years back on a Southern summer day of 11th June 1963, not far from where I live, the then Governor of Alabama George Wallace tried to block two black students from integrating into the University of Alabama. Only a month before in May 1963, he famously said, "Segregation then, segregation now and segregation forever".

George Wallace died unsung, but Martin Luther King's Civil Rights picked the gauntlet from there, his moment movement gaining steam. Can't stop admiring this man's charisma and leadership. It's said that those who teach leadership quality at Harvard's Business School often allude "Leaders are born, can never be made".

It was followed by his iconic speech "I have a Dream, when a man will be judged not by the color of his skin, but by content of his character." Clips of his speech on TV still raises goose bumps. He went on further "I have a dream, when on the Red Hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and former slave owners will be able to seat down together in tables of brotherhood".
The rest we know is history. I live on the Red Soils of Georgia, Martin Luther King never saw his dream come true during his life time, but a few decades down the road, his dream was realized. Not that racism has completely vanished from America, but it has come a long, vindicated by Barack Obama being the first African-American President.

America has been blessed by able leaderships, at crucial junctures in history. From George Washington who gathered a bunch of rag tagged peasants to defeat the powerful British Army (incidentally America is the only country in history to have ever defeated the British), Abraham Lincoln who kept the United States united after fighting a Civil War, Roosevelt who  rescued America from recession to success in World War II, the charismatic Kennedy who inspired NASA to launch man to moon.  It cradles, nurtures and rewards talent. Obama vindicated the American dream by being a two term President. And the dream continues.

Happy birthday to the Dr. King, the legend, you are and should be the source of inspiration to many, beyond the boundaries of the land you were born, being the harbinger of positive changes in a world beyond borders.

Weddings Reception in India from 1980s - II

I fondly remember another scene from a wedding dinner during my teenage years. The venue was decorated with tube lights and multi colored bulbs, with Insects swarming around. It was also known as LICHU lights in local parlance. 

A big municipality water tanker was rumbling nearby. A few mongrels were roaming, feasting and fighting over the leftover food. They were chased away, running with tail tucked behind their hind legs, only to return back to resume their feast and fight. At the entrance volunteers were seen standing with PAAN (betel) and unfiltered Cavenders cigarettes on plates, destined for guests, post dinner.

Atop the house was the dining area. The impatient guests were trying to push through a narrow entrance leading to long rows of dining tables. After one batch was done the table was cleaned, white paper rolled over and water in dirty plastic glasses were placed every couple of feet apart. One can always see a thick coating of oil mixed dirt floating on the drinking water. Three mountain sized guys with protruding belly, were tasked to stop the crowd who could no further.

 

The burly troika's weapon to stop the marauding crowd, was a big cylindrical slab of wood held horizontally at chest height, pushed towards the unruly guests trying, to prevent them from barging in. The tug of war continued with the crowd trying to get through and those big guys holding the log as the barrier to hold them. Once signaling the tables were ready the big guys relented, eased a little bit taking a breath. The flood gate opened. People poured in like waves across a ruptured dam which would have put DALEI GHAI ( the legendary embankment on river Mahanadi known to burst during monsoon flooding ) to shame.

 

I was a mute yet amused spectator to this saga of crowd control, sandwiched between one batch and the next until the crowd trickled down to a few. After finishing my meal washed down with grease laced water supplied from those rumbling municipality tanks pumping them. I continued towards a corner to wash my hands and mouth. Barely few feet left before I could reach my destination, I had to careful wade through the slushy ground filled with fish and chicken bones plus a blend of rice and potato skins.

 

But I had to take my turn. There was this guy right in front, swishing and rinsing his mouth using extended forefinger vigorously moving across his teeth, from left to right. He cleared his throat, KHRRHH...KHRRH...ARRHHH...ARRHH..THHOO..THHOO. Post rinse his mouth was full and he could not hold the water any longer, it came out with POOOOCH followed by clearing of throat again. A portion of the saliva and food residue filled water just emitted from his mouth bounced from the ground and then splashed on my feet. He was hardly apologetic, looked the other way and passed on the mug towards me. I miss those days and the memories. Receptions these days are way too formal with plastic smiles, devoid of the elements of fun of that bygone era.

Wedding reception in India during 19 80s - I

My last post about attending a marriage reception in India, reminds me of such a dinner, some time in 1980s. Those were the pre-Buffet days, when the guests were served dinner on KHALI (leave made) plates by folks standing straight holding steaming hot food on buckets. Each of them would serve one items, followed by another in sequence, which can put Toyota's assembly line to shame.

It happened so, inadvertently I was sitting next to a high level official of that time. Among the servers were a few of his office staff. As soon as they stood to serve the SIR (depicting our big boss), their jaws widened, protruding the entire phalanx of 32 of teeth out for a forced smile. The SIR was frantically swiping his hand on the KHALI plate resembling car wipers, saying no more, to which the server's responce was to put 10 additional pieces of choice fish slices on former's plate. It's perhaps inadvertently misconstrued as a desire to get the same number of fish slices, hinted with fingers.

Post dinner, the inquisitive in me, asked the server - Why you served your beloved SIR, not one or two, but 10 additional pieces, when we presume, he did not want more? The server reply  "I am a NMR ( a class IV employee) in SIR's office. Even if SIR wants more, he would be too shy to ask me in public. In addition, he will be pleased at my pouring devotion as I pour those 10 fish slices on his plate, equivalent to his 10 visible fingers when he was swiping them. Either way it is a win-win situation for me, because  before SIR retires. I need to make my NMR (a temporary post) permanent". Can't blame him for trying. With a stroke of his pen,his Sir can assure his social security for 5 rest of his life.

(The concluding part of this blog will be continued tomorrow)

Meeting Nouveau Riche - trip to India 2015

Jet lag long gone, but the hangover from my India trip lingers on. Spent some quality time with family. Met friends where Nostalgia flowed with the Vodka and Scotch we sipped. Already miss the all pervading exotic food and effervescent attention. Friends and relatives there leave no stones unturned in showing and showering with hospitality, as in our Indian tradition, ATITHI DEVA BHAWA or Service to Guest is considered as Service to God.

Whenever I am in India, I always wish to attend a marriage ceremony, where the food carried by buckets is served on KHALI (leaf) plates. My hope is belied time and again, my last trip being no exception. I frantically scanned several invitation cards scattered across our house. But to my dismay, all had reception venues in premium hotels and other exotic locations.

So one fine evening, I stepped into the elevator (lift) of a Hotel to attend a reception. No sooner than the pair of doors closed behind, than someone let out a silent, sneaky one from behind. The cramped, crowded, claustrophobic elevator kept ascending, so also the unbearable stink inside it. I could see a few squeezing their noses, some cringing and swaying their face in disgust. I tilted my head towards the person next to me to inhale as much as the cheap perfume he was wearing. All standing inside posed an evasive "Not I" look on their face. As I stepped out of the elevator gasping for some fresh air, I heard a fading voice - "CHHEE, CHHEE (yucky, yucky)". Some one should put a banner in Bold Letter "Please don't Fa*t inside Elevator, it's rude".

Relieved upon reaching the venue, I stumbled upon a few folks, whom I met after a long time. For them a decade ago stepping into a 5 star Hotel would have been one of the "Things to Do Before I Die". With their newly acquired wealth, their profile has undergone a drastic transformation. A few who instantly recognized me, grimaced and engaged me in conversation. Earlier they used to respond to my NAMASTE (Indian tradition of welcoming with folded hands) with theirs. Now little confused, bending a bit, they extended their hand or two towards me for handshake.

Like many restrooms (toilets) in India are equipped with both Eastern style lavatories and Western style commodes, they have a dual identity. They were struggling to adapt at both, trying to make a Blender's Pride of their own. They tried their best to bridge this hiatus of sudden change in status, by punching their Odia vocabulary with a few verb less and syntax less English. But it hardly worked. Apparently Money can by rich, but can't enrich one's class and etiquette.

One of them ensconced me to a corner, and cornered me with queries about America, especially about its KALLEJE (college pronounced in thick Odia accent) and if someone will became a CHHATARA (girl chasing vagabond) if he goes their for higher studies. He was interested in sending his kid to Coke Land, which of late, has become a fad back home.

Nothing wrong in that, for America has arguably some of the best Schools (as KALLEJE is called here). He expressed his desire, that his son should study KAMUTARA SAINSI (Computer Science). I asked him the reason behind his preference for Computers to other subjects, whether his son has real hunger for that subject. Per him, his son spends hours on Facebook chatting and plays various Computer Games, which makes him highly eligible for higher studies in Computers in United States. Good luck.

From their facial expression I could make it out, though thrilled from realizing their dream and being the Nouveau Riche of the town, they still did not feel quite  comfortable in the milieu. During my conversion they gave me an hint of their mind - that many are still unable to accept them and their newly acquired status in public, though they feel they have earned it. It is like people who board a town bus, once they are on board, they dont want others to share their space.

Welcome to the Club folks. Like you, many (including me) have migrated from Eastern Style toilet to Western Commode. But remember, what goes around comes around. I would advise them to visit and contemplate at SWARGADWAR (Gateway to Heaven) cremation ground. One day, all the money and accomplishment will go like smoke from the funeral pyre, swirl and vanish up in the air. A much recommended read would be the famous poem OZYMANDIAS, by the great English Poet Percy Bissy Shelly - all the glory and glamor is destined to be soiled into oblivion in sands of time. Nothing lasts forever. DAULAT AUR JAWANI, EK DIN KHO JATI HAI. One day, Wealth (possibly) and Youth (definitely) wander away.

Teacher's Agitation - India trip 2015

Last month in Odisha, I caught on a local TV Channel a group of government school teachers agitating, demanding to make their temporary jobs permanent. One person said that he is having a 101 degree temperature and doesn't have money to buy medicine. I was filled with empathy for him. But is it the reason for the government to guarantee him a job till 60 ? The fact that he didn't look so sick on camera, didn't go unnoticed to me.

An agitating lady proclaimed on camera, she didn't have food since morning and protesting on an empty stomach. She should be given some Samosas, but her empty stomach doesn't qualify her for a full time job. It's another matter, she didn't look so impoverished.

Another protesting lady whose stomach looked full said - I am pregnant and tired from standing for a long time. With due respect to the lady, is the government responsible for her pregnancy and should reward her as a baby shower gift, a full time job ?

In Odisha, the term service, is used interchangeably for a government job. Nothing is more apt, as payment should always done for a service provided, not easy money doled out in name of social justice. Jobs need to be earned and temporary jobs need not automatically get converted to permanent ones, per the wish of the employee. NAUKRI or CHAKIRI (in Odia), aren't Republic Day LADDOOs (sweetened sugary balls, popular in India for all occcasions), nor charitable handouts, destined to be disbursed freely. If provided just for the sake of sustenance, it lays the perfect breeding ground for inefficiency, complacency and corruption.

A government employee's salary comes from someone's pocket, mainly from a taxpayer's money. It's no easy money and calls for some sort of accountability. The combo of Congress and Commies have cemented a freebie culture, making people unaccountable, churning out KARMA KODHIA or KAAMCHOR (escapist from work), expecting some how the government to support them from cradle to grave, in the form of a permanent job with little or no accountability. At least our politicians are accountable every 5 years.

Why a temporary government job is taken for granted to be converted into a permanent one ? Nothing is permanent in life, perhaps with the exception of government jobs in India. It guarantees employment till the age of 60. It's said in Odisha - NISA RE GHIA MARI CHAKIRI KARIBA, or rub clarified butter on your moustache and go Scott free till the age of 60.

I met folks in my village still whining - my child did BA and/or MA, but SARKAR (government) did not give them any job. Government's job is to provide administration, not dole out jobs. Obliviously over the  years, the craze for government jobs has not diminished.

Per media reports, I was glad that Modi's government has increased accountability of its employees. It feels like a long awaited breath of fresh air and hopefully sustained on the long run. I wish the current government completely revamps the archaic labor laws, making them more amenable and accountable to make hiring and firing a whole lot easier. That will ameliorate the hankering for converting a temporary job to a permanent one, which should be the prerogative of the hiring organization, not the employees birthright.

Lal Bahadur Sastri's death - 50 years later

If Lal Bahadur Sastri did not die this fateful day 50 years back, Rahul Gandhi could be a mid level manager in some non descript private company, only to boast about his great grand father being the first Prime Minister of India and grandma being a Central Minister, instead of being the CEO and Scion of Congress Inc. Only difference, the CEO of a company is accountable to the share holders, where as Rahul Gandhi is accountable to none.

 

Lal Bahadur Sastri was a diminutive man with a towering personality. A charismatic man of umpteenth principle, during his 1 1/2 years of being at helm, he could capture the imagination of millions of Indians. Thinking him as weak, Pakistan attacked India in 1965, soon to be rebuffed. His slogan of the time JAI JAWAN, JAI KISAAN (Hail Soldiers, Hail Farmers) swiftly yielded results, in the form of yield by Farmers which was enough to wipe out India's perennial grain shortage and in the form of motivating the soldiers who gave a befitting response to the attacking Pakis by reaching the outskirts of Lahore.

Sastri's untimely, premature and unfortunate death brought Indira Gandhi to power, who soon consolidated her power and made the Congress Party her family ZAMINDARI (feudal property). Soon others emulated her, except the Communists (though I have no love for them, I admire them for resisting the family fiefdom politics) and to some extent BJP, almost all parties, regional or otherwise, are now family held Inc. From the Badal dynasty of Punjab in North to Karunanidhi dynasty in South, from the Biju Dynasty in East, to Siv Sena Dynasty in West, we have examples aplenty. I am sure the history of India would have been different and our generation who were born in late 1960s and early 1970s would have seen a different India today, if Sastri Jee did not die on that fateful cold Soviet night in Tashkent of 11th January 1966, exactly 50 years ago.

John Kerry's call to Nawaz Sharief post Pathankot attacks

Post Pathankot attack, John Kerry, the US Secretary of State calls his slave Nawaz Sharief (the president of United States won't call the Paki PM, unless it is absolutely necessary). Nawaz Sharief promises to enquire against the perpetrators. As far as America is concerned, a turmoil in the eastern border of their pet dog Pakistan is something of a nuisance, in a year when the Obama administration is hell bent on leaving Afghanistan. So they want to do something to assuage the feeling of India, while keeping their long trusted non-NATO ally against terrorism, i.e., Pakistan in good humor, doing their best to avoid a conflict. It's a role of diplomatic trapeze artist of balancing act, which they have played before and are experts doing so.

To pacify Pakistan is no big deal for them. in worst case scenario a couple of billion dollars thrown as crumbs, same as couple of chicken pieces thrown at a pariah dog. It can and will bring the beggar Pakis in line, with a promise not to escalate any further, at least until US leaves Afghanistan. If things get too hot, at best Pakistan can arrest Masood Azhar as a token gesture, with the later enjoying full facilities and running his operation from the comforts of his jail.

India is a different ball game altogether. It's certainly not Pakistan. Though a proved soft nation, its a burgeoning economy, its AUKAAT (ability) is far different from Pakistan. But USA knows how to assuage its feelings to keep all quite on the eastern front. They will make a few flattering calls from Obama and few visits from John Kerry. We are very prone to flattering and can easily break on diplomatic niceties.

Also the shrewd American State Department is champion working behind the scene, assuaging the feelings of those who matter in India. They know the weak link in the most powerful of Indian power structure -  the Indian bureaucrats, who unlike politicians are permanent features of the government, not accountable every 5 years, having a free hand until they reach the age of 60. The promise of a seat in a good American University for their kids and jobs prospects in US Multinationals can do wonders (Yes, my observation is, even the stubbornly anti-Americans back home have no qualms about sending their kids to America). It has worked before, it could work again.

American economy on roll as it adds 2.65 million jobs in 2015

Per the just releases job report, US added 292,000 new jobs in December. For the year 2015, it added a resounding 2.65 million jobs, 2nd best year since 1999. Not bad at all.

Though tomorrow is another day, the American economy is doing pretty well compared to the rest of the world. The other major economies, China and Europe have slowed down, while Japan is in perennial recession for more than a decade. (India, an aspiring major economy, though not yet in the same league as above nations, is not doing too bad at a growth rate of 7.5%.).

So what makes it different in case US, compared to the rest of the world. My take is simple. In spite of the lacunae it has, it practices the most austere and conservative form of the capitalism in the world. Labor laws favor the employer with easy hire and fire policy. No less than 40 hours work week, unpaid maternity leaves, limited Workers Unions (who are more concerned about the workers rights, but not duities) and so on. Even it's not mandatory for the employers to give paid vacations to their employees, though most companies give at least 2 weeks of paid vacations.

That does not mean that America has no safety net. They have in the form of unemployment checks. If you lose your job and register yourself as unemployed, a zero hassle and in a matter of days, government deposits $300-$500 per week in your bank account. This is for 6 months to a year, depending on the state you live. That's more than enough, I believe to provide enough social cushion. Not to mention the Social Security and Medicare for seniors, food stamps etc for the poor, who also get heavy doses of charitable contributions from corporates, churches and ordinary citizens.

European economy is in doldrums, as since 1970s they followed socialist model of less than 40 hours a week culture, doling out too much freebies to its citizenry, like unlimited unemployment allowance, pension with early retirement options, leading to bankruptcy and perpetual economic recessions. Talking beyond economy, It's another matter that Europe is soon turning into Eurobia, with persistent Arabian influx, which is going to create havoc on their social economic fabric. Or may be the process has already started and on roll....

Saudi Arabia cuts diplomatic ties with Iran

Insecurity and fall from grace from the past glory, can drive a person or a nation towards drastic measures. It is vindicated by the Saudis who just cut off diplomatic ties with Iran.

Gone are the days, especially in 1970s, when the Saudis had a complete  monopoly on hydrocarbons and controlled the cartel called OPEC. A Saudi led oil embargo in 1973, saw severe gas shortage, leading to long lines in front of gas stations in US.

Things have changed now. Saudis, still supplying the largest chunk in oil market are challenged by substantial supply from Countries like Nigeria and Venezuela. Coupled with America's own Shale gas and better fuel efficient vehicles, it has decreases the world's largest consumer's dependency of the Saudis. It has made the later most insecure, ever since I remember.

Ever surplus with oil revenue, Saudi Arabia is now running a deficit of USD 100 billion. So it could soon end or drastically curtail the subsidies on health care, water and gas, it showers on its citizenry. It's akin to a household accustomed to affluence, getting insane and prone to committing harakiri, when going gets tough. It comes with a dollop of double whammy of jealousy, when the rival neighbor and long time rival gets more powerful than ever before. Such a situation can make a person or country do weird, immature things and Saudi Arabia is no difference. This is exactly happening vis a vis Iran in its neighborhood.

Saudi Arabia remained conspicuously silent when Saddam Hussein, who equalled Persians as vermins and the worst thing to happen to mankind, waged a decade long war with its Shia majority neighbors. Americans, who are champion businessmen, made profit out of that war, selling weapon to their then blue eyed boy Saddam, who they described as "A bast**rd, but our bast**rd". There are pictures of Rumsfeld, one of the architects of 2003 Iraq war, shaking hands with Saddam.

Americans, again champion of practising disastrous foreign policy, in one stroke made the Shite Iran powerful. A dumb Bush and dumber Cheney's removed Saddam Hussein, making its Persian neighbor fulfill the vacuum. Now Iran is a major player in the middle east, regarded as the savior of the Shias. It has now tremendous influence in Iraq, supports Assad in Syria, a major player in Lebanon and Yemen. It's fair game in middle east, fair game in a region which has a penchant for turmoils.

The Pragmatic Americans have realized this. With a history of practicing out of box foreign policy whenever it suits their need, they have realized which way the wind is blowing, by making a Nuclear deal with their bette noire Iran. This has made the geriatric Saudi leadership more paranoid. Killing of the Shia Cleric was the mean, to the end of cutting off ties with Iran. Middle East is getting murkier, as ever.

Tips on Jet lag

Here are a few unsolicited tips regarding jet lag and how to avoid it. A jet lag can be a nuisance, an irritant, especially for those plying between India and United States, nations on opposite sides of the globe, with some 11 to 13 hours of time difference, depending on which part of US you live. The long journey can put one's body clock out of whack and life into topsy-turvy.

Jet lag can vary from individual to individual. From those who experience  little or no jet lag, to those who have to make a trip to the Doctor's office for medication when their jet lag stubbornly refuses to relent. But most get it, in some degree, to some extent.

For me it lasts 3 to 5 days, now more on the later side. It's more, when I am in India, where after a sumptuous lunch, I take a long siesta, which is more like my nightly sleep per body clock. Back on US soil, it lasts for fewer days, probably because I immediately go to work.

Here are a few tips on how to minimize the jet lag. This is hardly scientific, rather based purely upon my personal experience.

Try not to sleep during the day. Keep yourself busy, sip some caffeine, especially late in the afternoon when your eyelids refuse to stay open. The more you sleep during the afternoon, longer you body takes to adapt the new edition of clock.

Drink plenty of water and go easy on food. Don't splurge on fried foods and alcohol when you still have a jet lag, it can cause havoc to your system.

Last but the least, time is the best healer. Let your body clock take its own sweet time to adjust. If it's already a week since you have landed and the jet lag stubbornly refuses to go, better see a doctor.

Pakistan yet launches another attack inside India

A few months ago on Arnab's panel on Times Now Channel, a Paki guy was boasting "Our ISI is far superior to your RAW, you can't do anything more than shouting". He had a point. Pakistan perceives India as a soft and not so swift a state. It can't retaliate beyond token official condemnations and cancellation of cricket matches, its economy and nuclear capability not withstanding. This is a sad but factual ordeal, yet vindicated by another Paki origin act on our soil, this time at Pathankot Airbase in Punjab. I have a feeling, this is certainly not the last such act by our beloved neighbor.

Normally, India, a giant nation of multi trillion dollar economy, is expected to make its runt neighbor Pakistan pee in its pants. Yet Pakistan perceives India to have the weaker bladder, with a proven ability of not doing enough, beyond few token condemnations. The proverb "One should command respect, can't demand it", always comes to mind. In 1999, we released Azhar Masood, supposedly the brain behind the recent attack, by a BJP led government, which trumpets being strong on national security. Such so called non-state actors from our esteemed neighbor, roam with impunity. Forget about taking them out, we can't even bend their hair a bit.

Dawood Ibrahim, arguably India's most wanted fugitive not only lives happily in Pakistan, many of our cricketers and movie stars have a history of entertaining him. (Hard to imagine Michael Jordan or Angelina Jolie entertaining Bin Laden). It's said, half of Bombay is in his pocket (Chhota Rajan, Dawood's bette noire is now kept in Delhi, as Bombay is rumored to be filled with Dawood moles). ISI spreads fake currency liberally inside our nation, using D-Company's vast network, spreading its tentacles further. We have hardly done anything noteworthy to hit them back.

Our reputation of a soft state is not just limited to our dealing with Pakistan. The leader of LTTE, said to be our own creation, killed our own Prime minister, on our own soil. A petty forest brigand and elephant poacher sporting an explosive moustache named Veerappan,  planted explosives on regular basis to kill our policemen with impunity, for close to two decades, eluding our law enforcement. In early 1990s, a special forest police squad led by a Karnataka SP Harikrishna and his deputy Shakeel Ahmed, posed as sandalwood smugglers to catch him. But the forest guards were caught off guard, as by some of miracle psychic power Veerappan knew about their arrival before hand and shot both police officers dead.

If Veerappan inside our heartland had powers to get prior information to nab him, a much more resourceful Dawood has 10 times more psychic power to get prior information. It will take a miracle for India to get him during our lifeime, dead or alive, though I wish it to happen.

Moreover, with every terrorist attack, as we have done earlier, it does not bode well for us to time and again run to America and behave like a school kid complaining to the principal about his candy getting snatched by a bully. When Israel, Russia and China face terror attacks their leadership don't cry and run to Uncle Sam. They react swiftly, not softly.

On the aftermath of the Munich massacre of the Israeli Olympics athletes, their PM Golda Meir instructed Mossad to trace the perpetrators and spectacularly kill them. Spectacularly ? Yes - to send them a message, that the state of Israel can retaliate with a vengeance. We should take a cue from them and act accordingly with some sticks, both on short and long term after having exhausted all the carrot options. Otherwise, this farce would repeat again

Experience of payment using credit card - India trip 2015

During my just concluded trip to India, I observed a degree reticence and reluctance in merchants, while paying by cash using larger denominations of 500 or 1000 bill (called note in India with the conspicuous head of Mahatma Gandhi, who was ironically not in favor of consumerism). Don't know why, there is always a perennial shortage of changes with merchants, big or small.

Each green 500 and red 1000, is checked against fraud, by an impromptu visual check at the payment counter, inspected held vertically and horizontally in front of prying eyes. Due to all these, I made it a point to use my credit card wherever it was accepted. I always hated carrying a large amount of cash, especially in the crowded places, reputed to be infested with pickpockets, occasionally patting my pocket to make sure that my wallet is secured for good. Apart from being a secured mode of payement and convenience in carrying, I prefer to pay by plastic for the following reasons.

First, I can dispute my payment in case of any hanky panky, passing on the headache of settling it with the merchant to my credit card company.

Secondly, I have the grace period of 45-60 days to pay for my purchase. For the majority of my purchases I made in India, I don't have to pay until mid February. That is equivalent to borrowing money with 0% interest for  almost couple of months.

Third, I get a 1.5% cash back on all my purchases plus 5% on certain categories. Every year that accumulates to a saving of around $500 in a year. Not bad for me, not bad for consumerism. No doubt Credit cards are suited to encourage consumerism in a nation which champions it.

But in many cases, from the expression on the faces of the merchants in India, especially in Odisha, I bet they weren't so ecstatic to see the plastic, even if the purchase amount is sizable. A week or so back, at the fag end of my trip, I purchased garments running into a few thousand rupees, from a store in Market Building, the Times Square of Bhubaneswar. As I handed over my credit card to the cashier, he gave me a look, a unique blend of losing a CHARENI (25 paisa coin) and chewing a bitter lemon. He queried - "SARE, CASH HABANI" (Sir, can't you pay by cash) ? "Sorry, I don't have cash, so please use my Mastercard" - I retorted back.

Reluctantly, he swiped my card. After a minute, he said "AGYAN, MESINI KAMA KARUNI - Card machine doesn't work". I told him to swipe again and leaned over for a closer look. Another guy, think his supervisor, snatched the card from his hand and chastised him, "KIRE MESINI CHALEI JANINU. MATE DE", Don't you know how to run the machine, lemme try". Now the MESINI (machine) worked miraculously and my card went through clean, like a hot knife through butter, resulting in the ejaculation of the receipt, coming out in a stuttering whir.

I have a feeling both of them were acting in unison, a la "Good Cop, Bad Cop". So why the fuss, NATAKBAJI (histrionics) ? My guess, One, it's typically merchant greed, who would love to hold on to that 1-3% cut at the most (transaction and settlement fee has come down a lot these days). Two, these transactions are recorded and accounted for. So, they can't do a Tax FANKI (avoidance), which could come back to haunt them later.

Online Railway reservation in India has cut down the role of touts and middle men and the accompanied corruption. Similarly, more use of credit cards down the road will lead to cleaner, accountable transactions, adding to national exchequer by substantially subtracting Tax fraud. It will take time, but more use of plastics is a step in the right direction.