64 years is not a long time in the history of a nation.
However it is a longtime for historians to observe and compare various regimes and also the changing moods of times.
Not today, perhaps a few decades later we will be able to compare various politicians and times and appreciate how times changed slowly but definitively.
My generation was not there at the time of independence, however we were witness to various important events.Like the first time ever emergency in the country, censorship of the press and finally first time ever non congress government.All the set tenets of democracy that we were taught in school were challenged and they fell easily like a pack of cards.
The next decade was spent in machinations by congress and a non existent opposition with a lot long standing pillars of democracy falling.
However amongst all this there was a show, a put on by Mrs. Indira Gandhi since she was the de facto single one (wo)man government.At least she showed that she was pro people and pro poor.She seized every opportunity presented and made it appear that the government was listening.
The next decade was also dedicated to congress where the process of nation building and breaking down of the socialist fabric of the country took place.
Then various coalitions along with BJP and congress tried to put up a brave front.
However during the present tenure some very disturbing trends have taken place.
Various ministers appear to have become parallel power centers and seem to be overreaching their mandates and briefs. In fact they are mandated by the Party President- who is acting above the PM.
Furthermore, the ministers make it appear that they are ruthless in their approach and dealings with the the public. Never has any government shown a medieval feudalistic behavior more than the present one.
I have been an ardent fan of the present PM since he could be considered as the architect of modern and economically stronger India.
Unfortunately not only has he indicated a dumb and a muted approach towards various issues but also a lack of understanding of the current politik.
The absolute brazenness with which various ministers approach the problems of the general- public is amazing.
When the report card of any professional is viewed first look is always taken at the basic job fulfillment and later at the amount of resources that have been used and with what efficiency. In the case of our esteemed gentleman there is no sense in talking about fulfillment of the basic job with the FM unable to contain the finances,inflation and price rise. Minster of development unable to build roads.Agriculture minister unable to control supply and prices.On top of it everyone is going around generating controversies in fields totally unrelated to their ministries.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
FEEDBACK ON BLACKMONEY TO THE GOVERNMENT
Following email has been created by the MOF for getting nations’ feedback on black money, penalties involved in case of tax avoidance etc.
bm-feedback@nic.in
Now that creates a very interesting case.
Knowing the way government operates it is difficult to imagine that it will not try to be vindictive against the citizens who give positive response for black money.
The point is out of the people having access to email system how many are actually NOT paying income tax due to being below the taxable income level.
Which also means that how many of the people who have reasons to not pay tax on their income will be actually giving any feedback on email and ask govt. to penalize the evaders.
Now the category of these people will be very small and will include almost all small businessmen, all big businessmen, all politicians, bureaucrats , gangsters, hawala dealers, property dealers, property sellers ( that will include ALL lower and medium class citizens who cannot sell without receiving part of the proceeds in black).
Now how many of us does that leave?
My daughter told me that when the constitution was being drafted - the citizens used to given the option of commenting on various articles in discussion.
I think that was a different case.
More important is why did the government not put up the new DIRECT TAX CODE for discussion to the citizens.May be it would have got a better response.
bm-feedback@nic.in
Now that creates a very interesting case.
Knowing the way government operates it is difficult to imagine that it will not try to be vindictive against the citizens who give positive response for black money.
The point is out of the people having access to email system how many are actually NOT paying income tax due to being below the taxable income level.
Which also means that how many of the people who have reasons to not pay tax on their income will be actually giving any feedback on email and ask govt. to penalize the evaders.
Now the category of these people will be very small and will include almost all small businessmen, all big businessmen, all politicians, bureaucrats , gangsters, hawala dealers, property dealers, property sellers ( that will include ALL lower and medium class citizens who cannot sell without receiving part of the proceeds in black).
Now how many of us does that leave?
My daughter told me that when the constitution was being drafted - the citizens used to given the option of commenting on various articles in discussion.
I think that was a different case.
More important is why did the government not put up the new DIRECT TAX CODE for discussion to the citizens.May be it would have got a better response.
Monday, May 30, 2011
MODESTY (finally)BLAZE(ING) AWAY
The people of my generation may be familiar with the comic strip Modesty Blaize.
Though it had nothing to do with the quality that is hidden in the name,still it reminds me of a quote that I read sometime ago:
"Modesty has something weird about it. You've lost it the moment you think you have it."
Today's papers have featured the much later noted quality of Puyol the Barcelona Captain and Dhoni who preferred to have the sidelights instead of the limelight.
It is well known how Amitabh Bachhan has almost perfected the art of magnanimity and modesty to a fault.Never has he posed to have taken the credit of any of his film successes or KBC or anything.Even publicly accepting his failures and financial duress brought about by his financial ignorance has become legendary.
He has never ever called himself a superstar- he just calls himself an Artist unlike SRK.
Same has been the case with Dhoni.
All these public personalities are bringing about changes in the Indian psyche- that had become warped by the faulty influences of the west (read American).
It is also an irony of sorts that the American thinkers who gave the concept of modern management to the world and kept harping about team work and team spirit were the ones who brought about the culture of "I" or I-ism as we can call it.
It is always I did this, I achieved this for my company. Their arrogance was amply rewarded by fat bonuses by bosses who agreed that it was indeed "he" who did it.
This was indeed also reflected on the field where slowly the fine art of slices and cuts in cricket, tennis and soccer gave way to hard and power shots.This was accompanied with words like killing instinct, ruthlessness.The words did not belie the spirit of the sportsman.
While doing prayanama I have learnt and doing anulom-viloma very fast and forcefully gives rise to one's ego and reverses the changes that pranayama was supposed to bring about.
Speaking in the spirit of holicism- they are all connected.
Breathing hard while living normally will bring about anger,anguish,jealousy,depression etc.
Now I'm not preaching that all the sportsmen should start breathing slowly, but prior to their games in the dressing room they are always told to breathe deeply.How does that explain the western thinking of doing everything fast and shallow.
Fast food, fast exercises,power yoga,pop music etc.
We had simple yoga, slow breathing,slow eating and no aggression.
It's possible that we have not achieved what the west has , but we don't try to make a virtue of what we have either.In fact so strong is our spirit of self flogging that it hurts.
The kind of leadership that Dhoni is expressing will have very strong connotations in the otherwise emotionally starved country.With the prominent families of the countries like Reliance, Gandhi,Modis (remember?)etc showing gross distrust of their own families do not leave much for the public to emulate. Now that the bar has been moved by FEW GOOD MEN- I'm sure it will pervade down to the starving public.
It'll probably start like the cult of touching feet that has restarted in the Indian life courtesy the television.
Though it had nothing to do with the quality that is hidden in the name,still it reminds me of a quote that I read sometime ago:
"Modesty has something weird about it. You've lost it the moment you think you have it."
Today's papers have featured the much later noted quality of Puyol the Barcelona Captain and Dhoni who preferred to have the sidelights instead of the limelight.
It is well known how Amitabh Bachhan has almost perfected the art of magnanimity and modesty to a fault.Never has he posed to have taken the credit of any of his film successes or KBC or anything.Even publicly accepting his failures and financial duress brought about by his financial ignorance has become legendary.
He has never ever called himself a superstar- he just calls himself an Artist unlike SRK.
Same has been the case with Dhoni.
All these public personalities are bringing about changes in the Indian psyche- that had become warped by the faulty influences of the west (read American).
It is also an irony of sorts that the American thinkers who gave the concept of modern management to the world and kept harping about team work and team spirit were the ones who brought about the culture of "I" or I-ism as we can call it.
It is always I did this, I achieved this for my company. Their arrogance was amply rewarded by fat bonuses by bosses who agreed that it was indeed "he" who did it.
This was indeed also reflected on the field where slowly the fine art of slices and cuts in cricket, tennis and soccer gave way to hard and power shots.This was accompanied with words like killing instinct, ruthlessness.The words did not belie the spirit of the sportsman.
While doing prayanama I have learnt and doing anulom-viloma very fast and forcefully gives rise to one's ego and reverses the changes that pranayama was supposed to bring about.
Speaking in the spirit of holicism- they are all connected.
Breathing hard while living normally will bring about anger,anguish,jealousy,depression etc.
Now I'm not preaching that all the sportsmen should start breathing slowly, but prior to their games in the dressing room they are always told to breathe deeply.How does that explain the western thinking of doing everything fast and shallow.
Fast food, fast exercises,power yoga,pop music etc.
We had simple yoga, slow breathing,slow eating and no aggression.
It's possible that we have not achieved what the west has , but we don't try to make a virtue of what we have either.In fact so strong is our spirit of self flogging that it hurts.
The kind of leadership that Dhoni is expressing will have very strong connotations in the otherwise emotionally starved country.With the prominent families of the countries like Reliance, Gandhi,Modis (remember?)etc showing gross distrust of their own families do not leave much for the public to emulate. Now that the bar has been moved by FEW GOOD MEN- I'm sure it will pervade down to the starving public.
It'll probably start like the cult of touching feet that has restarted in the Indian life courtesy the television.
THE INIMITABLE INDIAN WOMAN
Yesterday I was with a colleague of mine for lunch.
While my friend was away at a class for some HOLISTIC course (now how can I complain about that!), his wife was preparing the lunch.
All soaked with the tears generated by the onions she was cutting,the oil fumes from the frying- she was regularly being disturbed by the mobile phone.
Always emerging from the kitchen with a smile - she was patiently taking the calls and giving elaborate instructions to whoever was calling.
Knowing that she was a homemaker I was intrigued as to who she is talking and giving almost corporate like instructions.
Slowly as we slipped into a conversation she told me was the new President for the local chapter of Rotary club.She was planning some event for the induction ceremony.
I'm sure my face did not hide the dismay and various feelings that were adequately being reflected.
Here was a man no different than me doing something that was to improve himself after an arduous tour of duty.
On the other hand was a lady who like any seafarer's better half has brought up the entire family on her own steam.She is handling the college admission of her son and simultaneously an important social event for an international body- from the confines of her kingdom and the comfort of her kitchen while making a great Bhindi dish and other equally sumptuous dishes that so effortlessly seem to be ornamenting an Indian dining table.
I did congratulate myself for being born a male- for it would not have been easy if I was to be born in the shoes of any of these ladies.
Now I can comfortably get away by appreciating their cooking and writing a few good lines for them.
While my friend was away at a class for some HOLISTIC course (now how can I complain about that!), his wife was preparing the lunch.
All soaked with the tears generated by the onions she was cutting,the oil fumes from the frying- she was regularly being disturbed by the mobile phone.
Always emerging from the kitchen with a smile - she was patiently taking the calls and giving elaborate instructions to whoever was calling.
Knowing that she was a homemaker I was intrigued as to who she is talking and giving almost corporate like instructions.
Slowly as we slipped into a conversation she told me was the new President for the local chapter of Rotary club.She was planning some event for the induction ceremony.
I'm sure my face did not hide the dismay and various feelings that were adequately being reflected.
Here was a man no different than me doing something that was to improve himself after an arduous tour of duty.
On the other hand was a lady who like any seafarer's better half has brought up the entire family on her own steam.She is handling the college admission of her son and simultaneously an important social event for an international body- from the confines of her kingdom and the comfort of her kitchen while making a great Bhindi dish and other equally sumptuous dishes that so effortlessly seem to be ornamenting an Indian dining table.
I did congratulate myself for being born a male- for it would not have been easy if I was to be born in the shoes of any of these ladies.
Now I can comfortably get away by appreciating their cooking and writing a few good lines for them.
Friday, May 27, 2011
When I had created this blog , I had set out to explain "the world according to garp"(a book from the seventies)- I mean the world as I saw it.
I had hoped to put forward my point as to how the different aspects in a person's life are not as random as we think but are very closely connected.
It is not a rare accident that he gets to be born where he has no choice,studies in a place and in a way that he barely can control (right upto higher education)- then pursue a career that he has no aptitude for.
So far it was alright but hence on the way his physical health and spirit keeps up with him is in the same pattern that he has been destined or he has designed himself and.
The way that he will create wealth and succeed in it (or not), the type of illnesses that he will encounter; the way he will keep and raise his family will all have a single thread running thru. This thread will be the most natural thing when viewed in totality.If you fail to see this thread you will only see randomness.
It is this thread that is referred to as HOLICISM - or about the WHOLE.
It is very important for everyone to recognise this thread and try to bring about all the actions (taken and proposed) to be connected with this thread.
I do not mean that one has to conform to a pattern thruout his life - but simply recognise in everything that he does and happens to him.
All the philosophers from Socrates to Buddha have given philosophies so that this thread could be identified.
Buddha called it the five fold Madhyam marg.
Which I feel is very appropriate as much later even Shakespeare acknowledged (not that we care about his endorsement)- "It is no means to be in the means".
I still feel that I haven't written all that want to write- but considering what I'm thinking - this much is sufficient.
I had hoped to put forward my point as to how the different aspects in a person's life are not as random as we think but are very closely connected.
It is not a rare accident that he gets to be born where he has no choice,studies in a place and in a way that he barely can control (right upto higher education)- then pursue a career that he has no aptitude for.
So far it was alright but hence on the way his physical health and spirit keeps up with him is in the same pattern that he has been destined or he has designed himself and.
The way that he will create wealth and succeed in it (or not), the type of illnesses that he will encounter; the way he will keep and raise his family will all have a single thread running thru. This thread will be the most natural thing when viewed in totality.If you fail to see this thread you will only see randomness.
It is this thread that is referred to as HOLICISM - or about the WHOLE.
It is very important for everyone to recognise this thread and try to bring about all the actions (taken and proposed) to be connected with this thread.
I do not mean that one has to conform to a pattern thruout his life - but simply recognise in everything that he does and happens to him.
All the philosophers from Socrates to Buddha have given philosophies so that this thread could be identified.
Buddha called it the five fold Madhyam marg.
Which I feel is very appropriate as much later even Shakespeare acknowledged (not that we care about his endorsement)- "It is no means to be in the means".
I still feel that I haven't written all that want to write- but considering what I'm thinking - this much is sufficient.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
THE SOCIALIST AMERICA (U.S.)
Strange are the ways of god.
Strange are the ways of those who follow that god.
Even stranger are the ways of those who advertise their trust in THAT god on their currency.
A country that victimized a large no. of it's citizens in the 50's and 60's on the pretext of being communist.
Is giving into equitable distribution of wealth...Ayn Rand must surely be turning in her grave.
Today POP Obama declared that he will endeavor to make Healthcare affordable for it's seniors and underprivilged.So that it's citizens don't have to go to Mexico and INDIA.
Quite a noble step for a nobel prize winner.However not when he adds in the next breath that he will tax the rich more in order to collect more tax and intends to bring about a legislation by July.
I don't have anything against a leader in trying to get his country out of trouble - when it means doing away with all the "isms' and simply trying common sense.
What it does remind me is a quote by Hegel:
There is no system, no idea that is permanent.Every system or idea breaks down and combines with it's antisystem to form a quasi stable system which lasts for another period till it discovers and forms another unstable system, which will last for some time.
In our very short life span we have already seen the downfall of UK,rise and fall of EU, CRASH of USSR, actual fall of the Berlin wall... what else?
I also read somewhere that no currency has ever lasted for 100 years.(Don't be fooled the modern dollar is only 50 years old when it was taken off the gold standard).
If that is right the $ is in for even a meteoric crash in the next 10 years ...if not earlier.
By the way Google still hasn't accepted Obama as it's normal dictionary entry, it shows up red when typed.
Strange are the ways of those who follow that god.
Even stranger are the ways of those who advertise their trust in THAT god on their currency.
A country that victimized a large no. of it's citizens in the 50's and 60's on the pretext of being communist.
Is giving into equitable distribution of wealth...Ayn Rand must surely be turning in her grave.
Today POP Obama declared that he will endeavor to make Healthcare affordable for it's seniors and underprivilged.So that it's citizens don't have to go to Mexico and INDIA.
Quite a noble step for a nobel prize winner.However not when he adds in the next breath that he will tax the rich more in order to collect more tax and intends to bring about a legislation by July.
I don't have anything against a leader in trying to get his country out of trouble - when it means doing away with all the "isms' and simply trying common sense.
What it does remind me is a quote by Hegel:
There is no system, no idea that is permanent.Every system or idea breaks down and combines with it's antisystem to form a quasi stable system which lasts for another period till it discovers and forms another unstable system, which will last for some time.
In our very short life span we have already seen the downfall of UK,rise and fall of EU, CRASH of USSR, actual fall of the Berlin wall... what else?
I also read somewhere that no currency has ever lasted for 100 years.(Don't be fooled the modern dollar is only 50 years old when it was taken off the gold standard).
If that is right the $ is in for even a meteoric crash in the next 10 years ...if not earlier.
By the way Google still hasn't accepted Obama as it's normal dictionary entry, it shows up red when typed.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
FAKE LICENSING IN AVIATION
It's one thing to invite public opinion in these matters and quite different to know what goes on.
Shipping is an elder brother to aviation in more ways then one.Most of the things including uniforms,technical vocabulary has been taken from Navigation and Engineering part of shipping.
In India itself the qualifying exams for various grades have been and are very tough, and that sends people to UK and Singapore where they are relatively easy. However that is not to say that the Indian Licenses command less respect in the shipping circles.Indians are in the top 3-4 nationalities in terms of salary.
The reason why exams are tough in India is because the surveyors are quite out of touch with the latest and ask questions about systems which are obsolete.However that is no more and the exams structure has been modernised in keeping with world trends. The present DG has brought about transparency in the system . However the surveyors who finally pass the candidates always keep a mental quota of the passout, just like CA or ICWA.However it is called M.O.T.(Matter of Time)- and everyone manages to pass in a proper way. We did have cases of fake licenses itself all over the world but that is history with new STCW conventions.
So finally to say that nothing can change without will to change.-
Shipping is an elder brother to aviation in more ways then one.Most of the things including uniforms,technical vocabulary has been taken from Navigation and Engineering part of shipping.
In India itself the qualifying exams for various grades have been and are very tough, and that sends people to UK and Singapore where they are relatively easy. However that is not to say that the Indian Licenses command less respect in the shipping circles.Indians are in the top 3-4 nationalities in terms of salary.
The reason why exams are tough in India is because the surveyors are quite out of touch with the latest and ask questions about systems which are obsolete.However that is no more and the exams structure has been modernised in keeping with world trends. The present DG has brought about transparency in the system . However the surveyors who finally pass the candidates always keep a mental quota of the passout, just like CA or ICWA.However it is called M.O.T.(Matter of Time)- and everyone manages to pass in a proper way. We did have cases of fake licenses itself all over the world but that is history with new STCW conventions.
So finally to say that nothing can change without will to change.-
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