RIP Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States passed away at the age of 100 today. He was the first ever President to reach that milestone of living for more than 100 years. 

A rare Southern Democrat and a peanut farmer from the state of Georgia where I currently live, he became President of the United States in 1976 after defeating Gerald Ford at a time the country was coming out of the miasma of the famous Watergate scandal which led to the resignation of Ford's predecessor Richard Nixon. 

President Carter was a gentleman to the core. But unfortunately he presided over a poor economy and the famous hostage crisis when Iran was taken over by a cleric Ayotollah Khomeini who took American Embassy staff in Teheran hostages for 444 days. Both bad economy at home and hostage crisis abroad made him highly unpopular as he was up for reelection in 1980. Earlier same year he tried to salvage his rapidly plummeting popularity by launching a secret rescue attempt on Iranian soil. Unfortunately for him the rescue mission went horribly wrong due to bad weather and collision of two military aircrafts killing some American commandos. 

Later that year a few days before the 1980 Presidential Elections when Carter was up for reelection, his Republican opponent Ronald Reagan, a former B -grade Hollywood actor asked the Americans a pertinent question - "Are you better off now than 4 years ago ? If so, you have your choice", he said winking at President Carter. His message was well taken as less than a week later Ronald Reagan won by a landslide. Poor Jimmy Carter ended up bring one time President. 

President Carter had his tryst with India in 1978 when as he was the first American President in more than a decade to visit India. It was during the height of the Cold War when India was the bete noire of USA as it had firmly tilted towards the erstwhile Soviet Union. The visit went cold as cold as the cold war when the relationship between a Socialist India and a Capitalist America was at best frosty. The visiting US President told to his officials sitting next to him that he didn't get a good impression of India's Prime Minister Morarjee Desai, whom he found blabbering incoherently during their meeting. Desai who drank his own piss every morning and lived until the age of 99, pissed off the Americans. It was an embarrassing diplomatic moment, as the microphone in front of Carter was not switched off and many could hear the conversation. Carter's visit was a milestone as not a single American President chose to visit India for 31 years except him between 1969 and 2000. 

After his Presidency Jimmy Carter didn't sit idle. He never retired, led a hardworking active life engaged in myriads of charity and humanitarian work all over the world which won him the Nobel Prize for Peace. A fighter and survivor he scored a century. RIP Mr. Carter.

RIP Dr. Manmohan Singh

An episode from the year 1991 might ring a bell. This is how Subramanian Swamy, a man who has been in almost all parties and now-a-days a BJP man turned into a BJP critic, then a Commerce Minister in Chandra Sekhar's government, had this conversation with the USA Ambassador to India. This was during a very crucial time in early 1991 when the American led coalition forces were fighting the Iraq War and Indian economy was totally in shambles. The American Ambassador asked Dr. Swamy what India needed in exchange for refueling facility provided on Indian soil to the Gulf bound US planes fighting the Iraq war. 

Here is how the conversation was reported. US Ambassador - "What do you want in return" ? Dr. Swamy replied - "We want $2 billion because we are on the verge of bankruptcy". The Ambassador asked, "You want it from the United States" ? Dr.Swami responded - "No, from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and without any condition attached". 

The Ambassador went on, "How can I get you money from IMF" ? Dr. Swami replied, "You have 87 percent voting right in IMF. So, if you want landing rights, then by Monday I want $2 billion". The American played hard - "Today it is already Friday". Said Swami, "In Washington DC it is still Thursday night. I know you have the ability to pull it off." (And unlike many believe that world leaders get ecstatic by looking at Mahaprabhu's white beard, we know in international matters it is always a give and take relationship and every one plays hard. It invariably needs some negotiation and hard bargaining before a deal is reached). 

So US gave India $2 billion and they were given the landing rights by India. We changed our non-alignment policy overnight. 2 billion dollar, even adjusted to inflation is not a gargantuan amount by today's standard, now considering India a USD 4 trillion economy and $650 billion plus in its Forex reserve. But it was no laughing matter then, when India's Balance of Payment position was extremely precarious and its coffer was on the verge of depletion. India with few hundred million of USD in its reserves and its gold mortgaged in a London Bank was staring at nightmare scenario of economic catastrophe. 

Long rule by the Congress Party and its disastrous, leftist - socialist economy policy followed by years of classic Hindu rate of economic growth took us to the doorstep of impending bankruptcy. Yet it took another Congressman, incidentally not from the Nehru - Gandhi family to fix it. A huge credit for this transformation we are seeing 33 years down the road goes to a man, who after almost retiring from public life became India's Finance Minister by fluke and a two term Prime Minister for 10 years. He is no other than our erudite, educated, a qualified Economist and the first Sikh Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh who is no more. He passed away earlier today at the age of 92. 

Dr. Singh was a gentleman whose integrity was beyond question. Never a politician, he was liked by everyone. He was India's Finance Minister for 5 years, Prime minister for 10 years - both rare achievements by a person who wasn't a politician. Khushwant Singh once mentioned that Dr. Singh once ran for Lok Sabha from South Delhi constituency and borrowed some money from the eminent writer. Needless to say, he lost the election and soon after he returned the money to Khushwant Singh. Such a gesture is very rare these days when money taken in never returned. No wonder such a person lost the election and it says a lot about the people we elect. Manmohan Singh never got elected from Lok Sabha and had to get elected via backdoor to Rajya Sabha to be able to continue in office and contribute to nation. 

Dr. Singh's tenure as India's Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996 was eventful. He opened up Indian economy from the stranglehold of Red tapism, Permission and License Raj, devalued the moribund Indian Rupees to make it more competitive and encourage exports, cut tariffs and improve India's substandard infrastructure. India's economy responded positively unshackling itself from its classic Hindu rate of growth. Its foreign exchange coffer increased to a healthy level. All happened sans any fanfare and fake jingoism surrounding it. 

Yet his tenure as India's Prime Minister between 2004 - 2014 was a mixed back. Though India's economic growth continued, there was visible corruption done by people around him, although his own integrity was impeccable. He watched silently and helplessly as there was policy paralysis everywhere as he was seen as a puppet of the all powerful Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi, followed by her son Rahul. Internationally, Pakistan continued to make one terror attack after another inside India perceiving him as a weak person and the leader of a weak state. Regardless of all these, India's growth juggernaut chugged ahead contrary to many who believe everything was in doldrums before 2014 and "Satya Yuga" (golden era) arrived in India the same year after the arrival of BJP and Modi. RIP Dr. Manmohan Singh. Om Shanti.

Corruption Reporting in Odisha

As reported by this Odia media outlet some government employee has been arrested for taking a bribe of Rs.10,000 ($120). A news from Odisha not long ago didn't just raise my curiosity, it got my attention - "ଯାଜପୁର ଜିଲ୍ଲାର ସୁକିନ୍ଦା ପୋଲିସ ଷ୍ଟେସନର ସବ୍ ଇନ୍ସପେକ୍ଟର ନିର୍ମଳ କୁମାର ସେନାପତି ୧୦ ହଜାର ଟଙ୍କା ଲାଞ୍ଚ ନେଲା ବେଳେ ଭିଜିଲାନ୍ସ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଗିରଫ". Transliterating the gist in Odia, "A police sub-inspector in Odisha was arrested by the Vigilance department when taking a bribe of Rs.10,000". 

It's high time they stop reporting bribes of these meager amounts. I find it ultimate hypocrisy in this getting reported on media, social or otherwise. A classic case of the Odia saying - "HAATHI GALI JAUCHI, PIMPUDI DHARA PADUCHI" (Elephant escapes while the Ant gets caught). The meaning is self explanatory.

We studied in Math and Physics during our school/college days that when a number tends to get infinitesimally small we ignore it considering it as equivalent to zero. And those who are familiar with corruption in India any bribery less than Rs.100,000 ($1200) is too small these days to get noticed and reported. The media should ignore them, rather focus on reporting the big fishes who invariably find a way to escape.

Regardless of what's reported on Odia media, I love reading Odia, my mother tongue. Whenever I visit my home state back home Odisha in India, I make it a point to grab a few books written in Odia language, the most cherished ones being those by the eminent writer Manoj Das. Reading Odia script was never cumbersome for me, even after living in the United States for more than quarter of a century. In Sanskrit there is a saying "BINA ABHYASE BISHAM VIDYA" (without practice knowldege becomes poison). I was able to overcome whatever little bit of initial tardiness I had while reading from Odia script by sustaining reading habit in my mother tongue. I can now boast of being equivalent of linguistically ambidextrous who can read both English and Odia at aplomb.

Living abroad does not give me much option of getting Odia books from stores, so I have to restrict myself to reading Odia newspapers on the web and social media. I see sparks of brilliance in young and not so young minds who pen a whole lot of blogs, articles and short stories in Odia on social media - from short, crispy writings to long, gripping essays. Most of these creative Odia writers who have a passion for writing in Odia, a few themed around feminism. Not to mention I religiously try to catch vernacular Newspapers in Odia font. But I find a few newsworthy and most I wish I could drag and drop into my Trash folder.

Can't stop mentioning certain eye catching news I often stumble upon on regular basis. Some are outrightly funny - "SARAPANCHA KU NISTUKA MADA" (The village head being thoroughly thrashed), "UTAKTA JANATA BHANDA BABAJI RA DAADHI KAATI DELE" (irate mob cut the beard of a fake Guru) and so on. "SASHU SAHITA JWAIN FERAR" (Mother-in-law eloped with son-in-law). And not so amusing pieces like "SAANA BHAI RA TANGIA CHOTA RE BADA BHAIRA MRUTYU" (Younger brother kills the elder one using an axe). The one which hurts me a lot, "JAUTUKA PAI BADHU NIRYATANA / HATYA" (Bride tortured or killed for Dowry). Such news mostly emanate from coastal Odisha districts which makes me believe that my coastal brethren are champion dowry harassers compared to their western Odisha cousins. 

On the same page I read "Bhubanesar RASTARE FERRARI AU BENTLY GAADI BHIDA (Ferrari and Bentlies crowd the Bhubaneswar roads) proclaiming the arrival of nouveau riche in once upon a sleepy township of salaried people. What fun is riding a Ferrari in the capital city of Odisha where a gnawing and crawling traffic can hardly make your vehicle go over 30 kmph (20 mph). If you are intrepid enough to exceed that speed limit you could very well kill someone. If you survive, I would tersely remind you to remember your dependants and make the last payment of Life Insurance policy on timely manner for the risk of going above and beyond 20 miles per hour.

Many think this a symbol of Odisha's progress. In my view too much in the hands of too few is not a sign of upward economic mobility of the entire state. Number of Ferraris, Bentlies, iPhones etc has no doubt gone up. I dont mind it as long as the income used to purchase them are from legal sources. Growing number of dowry deaths and economic inequality is not a sign of upward social mobility by any yardstic. 

Such contrasting news protrays a world of have and have nots in Odisha in particular and India in general. In this context a meager bribe taken by small fries - a Peon, Clerk or sub-inspector is too trivial these days to get noticed and reported by the media. 

Pathani Samanta - the pride of Odisha

Today I decided to commemorate the memories of a gentleman who is not remembered much these days in his place and state of birth, let alone people know or care about him. He is our Samanta Chandrasekhar, popularly known as Pathani Samanta (pronounced Samantaw) - an Odia who dabbled in astronomy producing results with immaculate accuracy in 19th century, at a time modern science and astronomy was at its infancy. He was born exactly 189 years ago, on December 13, 1835.

Born in a village in the district Nayagarh in Odisha, Pandit Samanta deeply studied our Ancient Hindu texts of astronomy written in Sanskrit and was able to decipher the hidden knowledge which supplemented his instinct and intuition. He used his grasp of astronomy to measure the distance of celestial bodies from earth amazingly close to what has been found by modern scientists. Without any access to the modern instruments, he took the help from a hollow bamboo pipe and couple of sticks for his measurement. Pathani Samanta's findings were recorded in his book titled Siddhanta Darpana (The Gospel Treatise Mirror). This book found mentions in the European and American press in 1899. 

During his childhood, Pandit Samanta's passion was watching the movement and position of moon and stars in the night those days when the air was crispy, pollution free - the sky was bright and blue during the day, crystal clear to gaze at night. During the day he would closely observe shadows of Sun and their length. It is said that he could measure the distance of vultures flying high in the sky using his naked eyes and few wooden instruments.

In the year 1894 Sri Chandrasekhar was concerned about his health due to chronic frequent bouts of colic, commonly called in colloquial Odia as "PETA MARA BEMARI" those days. At the age of 59 in an era when the average life expectancy was less than 50, he had reasons to be worried, carrying the burden of 5 sons and a daughter, not to mention his shy but supportive wife. He was a poor man, being dependent on meager income received from the King of Manjusha who was impressed by the Pandit's skills in correctly measuring the height of Mahendra Giri (Hills) using his bare hands and his famous paraphernalia of bamboo sticks & wooden accessories. His ability to correctly predict Lunar and Solar eclipses earned him the title of MAHAMOHAPADHYAYA (The Very Wise and Learned One) by the British India Government - first time ever conferred to a non Brahmin in Odisha. 

Though poor, Pathani Samanta's fame in Astrology and Astronomy had travelled far and wide, enough to get an audience with Commissionner Cook of Cuttack. One sultry August afternoon the duo of Samanta and his son travelled downstream on a boat on River Mahanadi to Cuttack and reached Cook SAHEB's (a colonial way of addressing the Englishmen and still reserved for the elites in India). The Commissioner who was leaving for a game of Tennis gave them an appointment to meet the next day. 

Following morning, Cook took Pathani Samanta to the bank of the river Kathajodi. Pointing to the Saptasajya range of mountain, the Commissioner challenged the later to measure its height. Samanta Chandrasekhar instantly got busy with his hollow bamboo stick and other instruments, burying his head, making calculations on the ground using a piece of chalk - finally deriving his figure of 1178 cubits and 16 fingers. Commissioner Cook cross checked the height of Saptasajya mountains from his official records. The result was tantalizingly close.

An impressed Cook shook hands with Pathani Samanta. The first thing the Pandit did after coming out of Commissioner's residence was to take a dip in the river Mahanadi - for he touched a MLECHHA (outcaste). Touching a beef eating, Christian White man those days was tantamount to sacrilege, so he needed to purify himself by taking a bath in the river before it was too late.

On another occasion, during a bright, starry night sitting on the verandah of the house of Jogesh Chandra Ray, Professor of Science in Cuttack, Pandit Samanta was challenged by the Professor to measure the distance between the planets Mars and Venus shining on the Western sky. The shabbily dressed old man got busy with his instrument and making calculations using a chalk on the verandah. To the Professor's surprise the calculation by Pathani Samanta came extremely close to the actual distance between the two planets. When Sri Jogesh Chandra Ray showed our Pandit a modern Telescope, the old man started dancing as he could see from close up his favorite celestial bodies whom he gazed at from a distance over several decades.

But his joy was short lived, as he didn't live long after this incident. His Colic got better of him, slowly consuming him, destroying the body of one of the finest brains Odisha had ever seen. On his birthday I am taking the opportunity of dedicating my blog to our twinkling, scintillating star of Odisha who is living among the galaxies in the boundless sky where he rightly belongs to - a beacon of light, ray of inspiration for the current generation and many more to come.