St Valentine must be sobbing

St. Valentine was one of the greatest shepherds who led his life in the path of god and for the redemption of mankind. Consequently he had to face miseries and was ultimately martyred like all other messiahs of peace. He was buried on February 14, and hence the day is celebrated as ‘Valentine’s Day’ the world over.
But here lies the ambiguity. The day is not actually included in the
Liturgical commemoration list of the Catholic calendar of saints for universal liturgical veneration as revised in 1969. More than a Christian festival, it has become a day of celebration by lovers, assumed lovers and couples, to express their love-publicly or in private.
Traditionalists and fundamentalists see it as an ‘attack on our culture and rich heritage’. Hence, the moral policing brigade becomes very active on this day, especially in our country. Dukhataran-e-millat (Daughters of the community) in Kashmir, or Ram Sene in Mangalore, or Shiva Sainiks in Maharashtra, or their slight variations in other parts of the country are all products of this politics of hatred, based on ‘inferiority’ complex as also the inherent prejudices that they have. But it does not end just with the condemnation of the day. At times, they get really violent and every year there are instances of attacks by those hoodlums in some part of the country. They go to the extent of physically abusing young couples, some of whom are barely in their teens.
Who is right? And who is wrong? Really difficult to say. Things are not as black and white as they appear to be. Both sides have genuine reasons and grievances. But then, none is really patient enough to sit and talk. Perhaps, St Valentine will have to visit the pastor again to preach his flock of sheep, who have deviated from their path. But till then, who is going to decide in a Democracy as to what is right and what is wrong?
Whichever way it is, one thing is sure. St Valentine must be sobbing in the Heaven. And tears must be in both his eyes. He must never have thought that his birthday would become a ploy for big corporate giants of greeting cards, chocolates and flowers to exploit his naïve sheep. But then he never have approve either that if his flock became delinquent, unchecked ‘moral police’ would curb them forcibly.


Happy Valentine Day to all the sheep of the flock!!!

New Balance between state and market needed

The ongoing financial crisis became prominent since September 2008 after the failure of few big financial American firms due to subprime mortgage crisis in the US, although its signs were visible early that year. A negative aspect of Globalisation was soon visible when the US financial crunch hit other markets as well and it rapidly evolved into a global credit crisis and deflation. That resulted in a number of European bank failures and declines in various stock indexes. This led to reductions in the market value of equities and commodities worldwide. The crumbling figure in Wall Street is affecting markets from Tasmania to Tanzania.
The mess that began due to fast, unregulated mortgage lending in the US has now become a perilous crisis and markets worldwide have lost the confidence of the investors. There is fear amongst investors and depositors, bankers as well as regulators since no easy solution seems to be in sight. United Kingdom’s Prime Minister acknowledges this when he says, “This is not a time for conventional thinking or outdated dogma but for fresh and innovative intervention that gets to the heart of the problem.”
Federal banks have tried all possible options. Most Reserve Banks have cut down on interest rates. On January 8 the Bank of England cut down base rate to 1.5%, the lowest in the Central Bank’s history since its inception in 1694. The economy is also being affected by cuts in capital spending.
Finance is one of the most international of industries. All major banks have their networks spread wide across seas and continents. Thus when banks run into trouble, it’s not clear who should actually help. Generally the favoured practice has been the direct government intervention. The US Congress announced a $700 billion rescue package, referred by many as ‘socialism for the rich’. But this is not always a viable option. US itself is not in a position to announce similar package for the automobile industry. And then there are many small or third world countries where these big banks have their balance sheet far exceeding their gross domestic products.
Industry watchers predict a ‘bleak 2009’ for the Global Economy. According to International Monetary Fund (IMF) US economy will grow only 0.1% in 2009. Europe, China or India is also expected to have very slow growth rates. Thus nobody will be able to take over the US as the world economy, but that everyone will drag down everyone else. Dennis Snower, president of Germany’s Kiel Institute for the World Economy, believes, “Governments are making the same mistake….They’re trying to deal with the crisis on a piecemeal basis.” Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, too agree that the problem has now become a global phenomenon and so only a multinational solution can work. “While American eyes are on the intersection of the Wall and Main Streets, there is much more to the story,” he says. “The response to these crises will have to be larger and global.”
Ideological differences, as also other hostilities, however are proving great impediments in tackling this global problem. Governments are fast realizing this and so a sense of ‘intimate cooperation’ has developed among nations. Economists worldwide are stressing on the need to reexamine the free-market system. French president Nicholas Sarkozy has even spoken of the ‘new balance’ in market economy between the market and the state. American President George Bush, however, still supports the free market system. He has reiterated that “capitalism is not perfect, it can subject to excess to excesses and abuse, but it’s the most efficient way of structuring the economy.” China, which still calls its economy ‘socialism with market characteristics’ has welcomed America’s bailout plans and emphasize that greater market check is necessary for regulation.
Indian Prime Minister (and current Finance Minister as well) hinted as early as in September itself that India can’t remain unaffected by the global financial crisis for long. But looking back at the year passed, the year has not been as bad as it could have got and certainly the Indian economy has not been as affected as many feared. India has often been described as an elephant who does not know its potentials. The year 2008 has not been as bad for the economy. Yes markets are at ebb. Even Reliance Industries had to cut down on its expenditure and postpone future adventures. But with inflation now coming to below 6 mark and slash in petroleum price, costs of most commodities are now in control. But if India wants to play major role in the world economy, then it needs to take some bold steps and cut down on subsidies. But with the Left becoming a formidable force in recent years and the general election ahead the government here is taking every step cautiously.
No doubt the financial crisis has affected those maximum that seemed to have the soundest economy-USA, Germany, Japan. In last two years more than a million home have been lost to foreclosure in US alone and experts believe that another 1.5 million is on the verge of foreclosure. The third world countries have suffered so miserably that it’s becoming difficult for them to come back on its own. The IMF is already lending money to Hungary, Iceland and Pakistan and several other are pleading for aids. World leaders thus need to augment at least $500 billion to IMF. China has offered about $200 billion and one expects similar goodwill gestures from countries with huge reserves, like Japan, Saudi Arabia.
No country, as of now, appears to take over America as the leader of the world economy. But one thing is sure, the ongoing crisis will give rise to a slightly ‘balance’ system with many players coming to foreground. Dollar thus will lose its initial monopolistic credence. Euros and Yen too will grow in value and that will have political implications as well.

Amidst confusion hope still flickers in Singur

As one drives to Singur from Kolkata on NH-2, some old tattered banners and billboards are still seen- “Welcome Tata” and “Give back our Land” both in English and in Bengali. Rather contradictory! But that’s the grim reality surrounding the Nano Project. As one gets close to the original factory site different signboards are found scattered from the ‘Nano Bachao Samiti’ (Save Nano Group) requesting Tata to come back.
Everyone by now knows that about 900 acres of land were given to the Tata Motors for the Nano Project, owned by about 12000 land holders. Roughly 11500 farmers willingly gave their land. Of those who did not accept the money, most are still willing to part with their land for the project and in the interest of the locality. But all they want is proper compensation. Nitya Ananda, one such farmer says, “I want industry. But I don’t want a situation where I have no land, no business, no job….what will I do then.” In fact that was the apprehension that most farmers had. They claim that the land yield three crops every year. 92 year old Gopal Santra, one of the most vocal farmers from the opposing group vehemently says, “Tata came here not for country service. But for business.”
Majority of the villagers are not happy though. Uattarram Patro, who willingly gave his land for the project, says “before the Nano project was announced, one bigha of land cost 15-30 thousand rupees. The government gave us Rs 3 lakh.” Farmers, however, claim that the current value is above Rs 7 lakh. Gopal Santra stresses, “I have two sons and the eldest is 50 yrs old. The money offered to us is nothing compared to the current market value.”
Most of the land owners who gave their land were not directly connected with the land, that is they were engaged in other works for livelihood, like masonry, electrician or had some shops. So besides money from the land, which they could easily invest into business, they also ahd more opportunities since constructions had begun at the factory. Says Vishnoodhar, a local villager who had set up a small tea stall near the site, “when construction was going on I could easily earn Rs 300-400 everyday. Now the whole day’s sale hardly exceeds fifty.”
Robin Palen, a local teacher, explains “if land holders had acted intelligently or they had got proper counsel, free from politics, it could have been a win-win situation for all.” He elucidates that most land that fell under the project were one or two crop land. Moreover, about 500 bighas were fallow. Only a small portion yielded three crops each year. But the region is low lying and hence crops often got washed away. That was the reason villagers could not depend upon agriculture and were most of them were also involved in other professions. “A farmer would at best earn 6-7 thousand rupees from one bigha land”, he further explains, “if they had only deposited Rs 3 lakh, the interest every year would amount to at least 20000.” Besdies one member was getting job and others too could easily earn more rand by engaging in some other profession. But if farmers don’t want to sell their land? He refutes, “Haven’t they been selling their land when some one in the family was sick, or when their daughters got married?”

Robin Palen laments, “We never thought industries would come knocking at our village…We missed a golden opportunity.” Locals, especially those who did not have land there or who willingly gave their land also moan on the ‘golden opportunity’ lost and halted the sudden development that had begun in the region. Doctors from Kolkata had started to visit those villages weekly at company’s expense. Roads leading to neighbouring villages were fast being constructed. Says Rabindra Shah, “Tata had built embankments and canals. Our crop was thus saved from flood this year.” In the neighbouring Joymollah village at Bairaberi the Company gave Rs 4 lakh to buy benches, desks, table, chair, and fans. But on September 23 Tata decided to move out of Bengal and with that all aids too have stopped. Vandana Pakhira, a woman from the neighbouring village, becomes aggressive when approached, “What’s the use talking about it now. Tata has already gone.”

Yes Tata has decided to move out and land had not yet been given back. So what next? Most on the locality still hope that the company will have a rethink and the government would persuade them to come back. And if they don’t, villagers pray that some other company would come as the land is no more suitable for cultivation. Gopal Santra rightly concludes, “We want Tata, but we also want job security.”

Ideas from an “Accidental Entrepreneur”

Book: Imagining India- Ideas for the new century
Author: Nandan Nilekani
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 515
Price: Rs 699
Publisher: Penguin Books India
ISBN- ISBN: 978-0-670-08196-7


For some strange reasons, knowledge in science and technology is considered a handicap towards developing a social-intellect. It is a perception that businessmen do not usually make good public intellectuals and can not contribute to national debate.
Nandan Nilekani, the co-founder of Infosys and its current CEO, too acknowledges this. In the very introduction of “Imagining India: Ideas for the new century”, Nilekani comments that “not being a specialist of any particular stripe, whether history, sociology, economics, or politics” actually gives him a broader viewpoint on most significant issues. At a time when most of our arguments tend to get polarized, an avid amateur, and someone who can avoid the extreme ends of the debate is what we need. Perhaps someone, who can give us an eagle-eye view of issues about which most people speak, but very few would talk about.
Nilekani has attempted to understand India through the evolution of ideas. Book talks in brief about India’s recent past; i.e. the socio-politico-economic history of independent India, especially in the last two decades after the government opened the markets out of compulsions and there was rapid surge in market economy.
Nilekani is himself the product of that period. Born and brought up in ‘socialist’ India shaped by Gandhiji and Nehru’s outlook, but becoming an entrepreneur in 80s and co-founding Infosys, Nilekani is himself the living example of emerging and changing India.
The book is loosely divided into four parts. In these four parts, Nilekani traces the growth of India and elucidates it with some interesting and some stark examples and hurdles that came on the way. All through Nilekani is optimistic about the demography of the country and believes that it’s exploding population that once had become such a bane that forcible ‘sterilizations’ were conducted during the emergency.‘We may have been short on various things at various times, but we have always had plenty of people.’ The demographic shift to India and China was looked upon as a threat in the West. However, with growth our human capital has emerged as a vibrant source of workers and consumers not just for India, but for the global economy.
Nilekani has very interestingly written about how our imperial linkages and then after independence internal tussle proved beneficial when IT and BPO boom began. Thus, where initially, English had become a mark of superiority and elitism, today everyone wants to learn the language, so much so that learning English has in itself developed into a $100 million industry in India.
Being a technocrat, however, he sees technology as the primal node on which development of India or any country hinges upon. He cites examples of how old styled Babus never actually wanted to see computer technology taking over manual works. But how computerization has ultimately not only made their work easier and more accessible, but it has also reduced corruptions from different sectors.
Indians have a strange tendency of blaming politics and politicians for everything. But he quotes V. S. Naipaul, ‘The politics of a country can only be an extension of its human relationships’. Nilekani seems optimistic though. With growth and spread of education, awareness of people will ultimately force the government to act and implement policies that are in the interests of the nation and its people. He, however, cautions that like earlier made mistakes, populist measures can appear to be in the interest of the masses, but in the long run it only harms the nation.
The book is based on Nilekani’s experiences and is his vision for the country. Not a great book on India, but considering that it has been written by an entrepreneur and not a sociologist, it deserves appreciations. The book seems very repetitive though. Notes by the ‘accidental entrepreneur’ and conclusion in itself sums up what the author wants to say. All the chapters in between seems to beat about the same bush from different angles. The interest created at the beginning fades slowly. But the book is filled with hilarious anecdotes and those are the most refreshing to read. Perhaps, if properly edited, the book could have been better. But Nilekani appears to be so widely read and he actually had long discussions with ‘friends, historians, sociologists, statisticians, economists, entrepreneurs, politicians, civil servants, policy makers’ etc before writing this book and that is commendable for an ‘accidental entrepreneur’.