Sutanu Guru: HOW DR. MANMOHAN SINGH BEATS V.P. SINGH HANDS DOWN...

Sutanu Guru: HOW DR. MANMOHAN SINGH BEATS V.P. SINGH HANDS DOWN...:

I used the words “till recently” because there was some lingering, forlorn hope that the current Prime Minister would at least do something that would enable V.P. Singh to retain the crown. But then, forlorn hopes always remain hopeless. I realised this when I read newspaper stories about how a Supreme Court Bench has yet again criticised the PMO. This time, the rap on the knuckles is because the Prime Minister has failed to convene a meeting of the Cauvery River Authority despite reminders. Allow me to use the words of the Bench: “What do you mean by this? It is shocking that you require the consent of all the states even for a date of a meeting? Is the PM to see his convenience or the convenience of the members? It is surprising that the PMO is asking the convenience of everybody before fixing the meeting.” Just imagine. The Prime Minister is the head of the Cauvery River Authority set up to tackle the often ugly dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the sharing of Cauvery waters. What conclusion can you draw from the fact that he is not able to set up a meeting with some chief ministers? Either he is truly helpless and powerless, or he is indifferent and callous. Either ways, it bodes ill for India.

Read More: http://www.sutanuguru.com/2012/09/how-dr-manmohan-singh-beats-vp-singh.html

Passionate About India: America's Great Game and the shameful ruin of Syri...

Passionate About India: America's Great Game and the shameful ruin of Syri...:

 In politics, they say, history repeats itself! In July last year, by a 326-90 vote, the US senate passed a critical military spending bill, thereon allocating more than $600 billion for defence and military purposes. The bill specifically allocated money for training the US military for war with Iran. Furthermore, the bill included specific plans on mobilization of fighter aircraft, arms & ammunitions for war against Iran by all possible routes viz. sea and air.

Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/09/americas-great-game-and-shameful-ruin.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: OUTSOURCE BPL HOUSING

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: OUTSOURCE BPL HOUSING:

So in totality, the Union government's refusal for more funds coupled with unspent allocation and corruption have worked as the main obstacles for the proper implementation of the programme. India must take a cue from the Singapore government, which under the HDB (Housing and Development Board) Annual Report, 1962, has provided well-built and well-designed houses to the lower income groups at affordable cost. Also, under HDB Annual Report 1964, there are provisions for lower middle income groups to own houses facilitated by the Singapore government. The programmes are totally corruption free and have insulated the beneficiaries from exclusion, exploitation and unsanitary living conditions; all of which are enormous dry holes for the Indian government. These cropped up housings in Singapore represent well maintained, modern, and quality self-contained flats with landscaped environment that are streets ahead of the residential units built in India under IAY. The Singapore’s housing constructions for the poor is centralised that help it escaping the curse of duplication and fragmentation of work and lack synergy among various departments, which is a testimony in India. 

Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/09/outsource-bpl-housing.html

Typos: TIME FOR THE TIGER

Typos: TIME FOR THE TIGER:

 It is an unfortunate fact of our times that nothing seems to have the right to exist for its own shake. Even tigers have to earn their keep by drawing in tourists who in turn become the dynamo of the local economy. Even a temporary ban on tourism would destroy the local economy. The poor would grow poorer and more desperate. The parks, now empty of tourists, would remain porous to trespassers and the temptation and the opportunities to kill a tiger would be greater than ever before.

 Read More: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/09/time-for-tiger.html

Passionate About India: The government should immediately ban the word 'Ch...

Passionate About India: The government should immediately ban the word 'Ch...:

        The government on its part banned bulk messages for 15 days, as well as multimedia messages of over 25 KB throughout the country. The government also blocked a total of 310 web pages, which provided, in one form or the other, morphed images of riots in Assam which had been instigating hate sentiments among over 60 million Indian net users. The banned web pages include specific pages from Twitter and Facebook as well – it’s estimated that 36 million in India use Facebook and 15 million use Twitter. Our ruling elites have perchance presumed that banning SMS texts and some social networking sites is enough to stem the trouble – these in reality are actually the tip of the iceberg of a much deeper-rooted problem. Although the government has set the tone of its action by blocking the hate pages from various websites, this is more of a juvenile and a temporary step. What our policy makers forget is that till one and a half decades ago, there were no social networking sites, yet there had been numerous catastrophic riots in the region.  

Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/the-government-should-immediately-ban.html

Business is Marketing: JUST DO IT!

Business is Marketing: JUST DO IT!:

 However, simplicity is the most difficult thing to achieve. The ones who can achieve it have been the most successful. Charlie Chaplin was one such legend. He simplified films. All his films were immaculately constructed. He understood human psychology perfectly and depicted it in the simplest manner in his films, which is why even today, they are as enjoyable to watch. Come to think of it, simplicity can be pretty complex. Only if you have a deep understanding of the problem can you think of a simple explanation or a simple solution. As Lao Tzu once said “I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.” The one who can master these three virtues is sure to succeed.

Read More: http://rajitachaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/just-do-it.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: SENSE OF CENSOR

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: SENSE OF CENSOR:

 It is anybody’s guess as to why regulatory bodies like BCCC are not steering their swipes at the TV channels by compulsorily introducing program ratings or labels! In fact one should go to the extent of labeling each episode of the TV programs – which will give clear indication for the discretion of the viewers and for the kids – instead of hitting the broadcasters’ punching bag now and again. In most of the developed countries, TV programmes and films shown are categorically rated, so that the viewers are discreetly informed about the type of the program or movie they would be watching. In Australia for example, the television classification tags are well laid down (like MA15+ ratings means it can be shown between 9:00 pm and 5:00 am and AV15+ signifies content of violence in the film). Otherwise there are many ratings; one signifies for pre-schooling, another for children in general while some labelling are meant for 15 years plus category. US too have specific classifications of TV programs laid down its regulatory body.
 
Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/08/sense-of-censor.html

Passionate About India: An open letter to my Muslim brothers

Passionate About India: An open letter to my Muslim brothers:

 But my question is: is that justification for molesting lady constables, desecrating the Amar Jawan Jyoti, randomly attacking people from the north east and threatening them and also destroying a Buddha statue? This is where my blunt question to my Muslims brothers, who are also fellow Indians must be asked: why are you getting so worked up over the persecution of Muslims in Myanmar? Why are you not holding rallies and organising protests against the daily massacre of Muslims in countries like Syria? Why are you not protesting against the senseless manner in which Shias are being butchered in Pakistan? Even more important: is there any dearth of real problems that Muslims face in India, while they remain one of the most economically marginalized sections of the society?

Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/an-open-letter-to-my-muslim-brothers.html

Typos: THE SILENT EXTINCTION

Typos: THE SILENT EXTINCTION:

 Otters are a resilient species and have bounced back from the brink in many parts of Europe. Given half a chance, they might do so here as well. All we need to do is remind the government and concerned agencies that our conscience and our rivers need the otters as much as the otters need them.
 
Read More: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/08/the-silent-extinction.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: PEACE IN THE ECONOMY

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: PEACE IN THE ECONOMY:

 It gets far more important for our policy makers to consider peace keeping efforts as a vital part of economic growth. A riot or a violent turmoil creates negative externalities for the state and nation at large, thus decreasing the investor confidence and investment in the state. Even a small businessman would be able to explain the loss he/she faces because of one day shut down during these scenarios. Riots not only create one day economic loss but also leave the entire society and business paralyzed for weeks and even months and lingers in minds for a lifetime.

Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/08/peace-in-economy.html

Sutanu Guru: ARE WE HEADING AGAIN FOR THE SHAH BANO, BABRI MASJ...

Sutanu Guru: ARE WE HEADING AGAIN FOR THE SHAH BANO, BABRI MASJ...:

India, and the Congress are once again playing with fire. It will consume many more innocent Muslim and Hindu lives if we don’t stop this dangerous game right now. But then, if even the Partition and hundreds of riots after that have not taught us any lesson, I guess we Indians deserve the bleak future that awaits us.

Read More: http://www.sutanuguru.com/2012/08/are-we-heading-again-for-shah-bano.html

Business is Marketing: NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP

Business is Marketing: NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP:

Every cartoon this boy submitted was rejected by his high school yearbook staff. Later on, even Walt Disney refused to hire him. Yet, he never gave up. Finally, in 1950, his dream of becoming a professional cartoonist was fulfilled as his comic strip Peanuts was published. It soon became a big hit and Charles Schulz was soon earning $30,000 a year by 1953. The characters of his cartoon strip became virtual heroes and soon they were adorning cards, books, clothes, lunchboxes, et al. Snoopy, one of Schulz’s creations, was such a big hit that he soon became the mascot of NASA in 1969. NASA’s lunar excursion on the Apollo 11 mission was called Snoopy! Ford used the characters from the cartoon strip Peanuts to sell the Falcon. The characters of Peanuts were also used for 15 years to sell the products of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. A man who faced a lot of rejections and misery, but all the time kept his focus on what he loved, Schulz finally showed the world that ‘quitters never win and winners never quit’.

Read More: http://rajitachaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/never-never-never-give-up.html

Passionate About India: Why the UID card should be made every citizen's co...

Passionate About India: Why the UID card should be made every citizen's co...:

 Against this gloomy state of social indices and their non-scientific projections, the incumbent government in 2009 announced its plans to implement the Unique Identification Number (UID) project across India under the Unique Identification Authority of India (or UIDAI). The government named this project Aadhaar, a project with an objective of providing a unique identification number to all its citizens, which will further allow the agency to maintain all data and biometric information at a single centralized server.


Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/why-uid-card-should-be-made-every.html

Typos: UNDONE BY THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING

Typos: UNDONE BY THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING:

 Didn’t he or his clients ever get in trouble? Riaz smiled but his eyes were mocking me. “Sir, toosh ka shauk bade logon ka shauk hai. Woh sab kanoon ke bahar hain. Wahi kanoon banate hain… my clients are too big and powerful. They can’t be touched. Even if I’m travelling to Delhi or Mumbai with a big consignment, or even if it’s one of my men and if I get into trouble, all I have to do is make one phone call and all is well… sab theek ho jata hai… You don’t worry… I guarantee you and your shawl will reach home safe” he said and grinned. I wasn’t sure who was the cat and who the mouse in this game of ours. I was wondering what my options were… Option one: I could inform the cops but they obviously knew already and weren’t bothered. Or I could let it be and walk away because nothing would come of it anyway. Or, option 3, I could inform environmental agencies about this exchange… and that’s done. But I’m sure it wouldn’t go anywhere beyond Riaz and his fellow shawl merchants getting hassled a bit and having to make a few phone calls.

 Read More: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/08/undone-by-unbearable-lightness-of-being.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: PERENNIAL BLACKOUT

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: PERENNIAL BLACKOUT:

 The bottom line of the problem is the poor showing of the State Electricity Boards and dearth of reforms in power distribution that can portend a situation of losses touching up to 1.2 per cent of India's nominal GDP by March 2014. With no effort to stem the crisis, the losses rose in FY 2010 to 0.9 per cent, a significant jump from 0.6 per cent in FY 2006. Th e losses are accumulating because the power generation has failed to keep pace with our economic growth. It is paradoxical that electricity generation has experienced a draw-down in the liberalised era from its previous period. In the period 1980-81 to 1990-91 the power generation grew by impressive 124 per cent, only to be blunted by the ill-effects of much reduced growth in the next decade by mere 58 per cent, and then followed by an augment of 75 per cent in the first decade of this century. Accordingly, a similar consumption trend prevailed.

Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/08/perennial-blackout.html

Typos: THE GREATEST!

Typos: THE GREATEST!:
 
 What makes him the greatest is the fact that on five separate occasions, he had the opportunity to make millions of dollars by turning professional and each time he refused to take the bait. If he had signed on the dotted line, he would have been one of the richest sportsmen in the world and you wouldn’t have needed this column to hear of him, and he knew it all and yet he refused, each and every time.

Read More: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/08/the-greatest.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: RIOTERS’ ADVANTAGE

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: RIOTERS’ ADVANTAGE:

  In the 3 major post-independent riots (the Delhi riots against Sikhs in 1984, the post-Babri Masjid riots in 1992 and the Gujarat mayhem in 2002), the role of police has been quite unsatisfactory and in all these incidences, the state machinery had to rely on Army or specialised forces to gain control over the situation. However, the army which comes for the rescue takes time for their deployment with their little knowledge of geography and the prevailing situation, which often becomes a hindrance for them to put the situation back to normal.

Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/08/rioters-advantage.html

Passionate About India: From Wisconsin to Aurora, Colorado: The American g...

Passionate About India: From Wisconsin to Aurora, Colorado: The American g...:


 I had written this after the Virginia Tech shootout and I write again – capitalism is a great slave, but a pathetic master. This truth unfortunately gets lost in our chase for that elusive dream... especially in America, the land that has been marketed as the land of dreams – the Great American Dream. It’s the dream of being independent masters of our lives, the dream of making big bucks and the dream of being happy – even if that happiness is being bought by money, which all of them chase out there. No doubt, the US, on its part, has been fairly successful in creating material comfort aplenty. It has upped the living standard of its average citizen to an extent that it stands amongst the highest – even if that is a result of more than 200 years of unbridled growth and exploitation. Thus, the shop window of Americanism looks lucidly attractive; you’ve got all of them standing there – from Bill Gates to Michael Dell – in Tommy Hilfigers and Ralph Laurens! And that is what has made the rest of the world mindlessly chase Americanism, not necessarily happiness or an ideal form of society. All because the shop window looks very impressive and it has been marketed very well.

Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/from-wisconsin-to-aurora-colorado.html

Typos: THE LITTLE BROWN DOG

Typos: THE LITTLE BROWN DOG:

 little too late for that little brown dog tonight. Why did the little brown dog die? Did it have to? If we hadn’t been waiting around for two hours before we could get help to arrive, could a life have been saved? Who knows! But at least we would have done our collective best.
 
Read More: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/08/the-little-brown-dog.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: POLITICS OF ILLEGAL COLONIES

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: POLITICS OF ILLEGAL COLONIES:

 Illegal colonies have become not only a problem for dwellers but a huge concern for urban development. Not only these colonies are denied of basic amenities, but also are excluded from the developmental schemes. After years of running around, the Centre has finally given a nod, in the backdrop of broader economic impact to regularise around 1200 colonies of Delhi.

Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/08/politics-of-illegal-colonies.html

Passionate About India: Privatise and outsource our prisons!

Passionate About India: Privatise and outsource our prisons!:

 What’s worse is that our prisons are no more corrective centers. With time, these are increasingly become training centers for to-be criminals. Since there is no such concept of correction in our prisons, even a one-time criminal comes out as a seasoned criminal. And why not? With the training of inmates for skill enhancements being poor, they are left with no option other than resorting back to the criminal world. For the uninitiated, the functions performed in Indian jails include tailoring, paper and leather work, carpentry, baking, textiles and candle making. And it requires no NSSO-type survey to find out that such skill sets without an enabling environment generate little productive engagements.
 
Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/08/privatise-and-outsource-our-prisons.html

Passionate About India: As the only national party left with mass leaders,...

Passionate About India: As the only national party left with mass leaders,...:

The death of mass leaders in Congress started from the times of Indira Gandhi when the inner party democracy – that at one point elected Lal Bahadur Shastri as the PM – gave way to dynastic politics. Indira, at least herself, became a mass leader; but by the time Rajiv became the Prime Minister purely on sympathy, the mass leaders started finishing off. The last of the mass leaders in the Congress under Sonia – Sharad Pawar – left Congress; and YSR, the one and only mass leader left, met an unfortunate end too. So now, what the Congress is left with, from Sonia to Manmohan to Chidambaram to Rahul, are all well-planned and planted leaders from here and there instead of leaders with a mass base. The real politician – though again without a semblance of a mass base – Pranab Mukherjee, through his sheer number of years, is now in the President’s chair, and with the number of times he has been betrayed, not necessarily the Congress plant many are assuming him to be. With a mind of his own and wounds unhealed, he can turn anybody’s way when it really matters!

Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/07/as-only-national-party-left-with-mass.html

Typos: ARE YOU STRONG ENOUGH TO BE MY...?

Typos: ARE YOU STRONG ENOUGH TO BE MY...?:

He gambles, she smokes, he binges, she’s profane… Do you have the strength to keep them strong to fight their demons and shed their shells and selves that make them weak, push them to gamble, smoke, binge and abuse…? More importantly, do you have the strength to take on and tide over the initial resistance, the defiance, the justifications and then the repeated broken promises, the defensive overreactions and counter accusations, for they all shall follow.

Read More: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/07/are-you-strong-enough-to-be-my.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: BETWEEN THE BLACK AND THE WHITE

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: BETWEEN THE BLACK AND THE WHITE:

The enduring legacy of Gaffar Market in Delhi’s Karol Bagh area is well-known to not only residents of Delhi but even to the people outside Delhi. It’s a grey market per se that stands for mobile phones, cameras, television sets, accessories and garments at a much cheaper rate than that available at the authorised shops. One should drop the notion that the products in Gaffar market are backdated; in fact, when iPhone was launched, it reached the market months before it was available at Apple’s stores! Nikon, Microsoft, Olympus, Tag Heuer – you name it – it’s all dumped in the grey markets of India at much less cost and there by attracting shopping bonanza. The electronics companies are clueless on how to beat the grey market, as it is continuously eating away their market share pushing down their sales through authorised dealers. Apart from slashing prices and rolling out value added services, the producers also trying to rope in shops in other grey markets like in Delhi’s Palika Bazaar, Mumbai’s Heera Panna or Kolkata’s Fancy Market.


Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/07/between-black-and-white.html

The Fascinating World of Marketing: THE OLD FOX WITH ITS NEW TRICKS

The Fascinating World of Marketing: THE OLD FOX WITH ITS NEW TRICKS:

 L’Oreal realised, as did Amway, that in India there is big masstige segment. So L’Oreal has decided to offer a lower priced hair care range, including sachets for its shampoos. Elle from France recently launched women-wear at Indian prices. While usually, facilities at a typical international budget hotel are at best of the basic level, in India, Holiday Inn Express, Premier Inn or Formula I all provide multi-cuisine, including regional cuisine, restaurants in their properties, dustbins in the rooms, as also full length mirror for the convenience of saree draping women. So what is the takeaway?

Read More: http://kk-srivastava.blogspot.in/2012/07/the-old-fox-with-its-new-tricks.html

Business is Marketing: TALK TO ME

Business is Marketing: TALK TO ME:


 Humans are the most social of all animals. We love to talk and interact with others. It is one activity we crave for and if are deprived of it, we could sometimes lose our sanity too. Well, advertisers are realizing this fact too; i.e., if they do not interact with their consumers, they could lose their market share to those who do so! The latest development in TV ads is helping advertisers do just this. Technology is being used to change ads from being a one-way communication process to two-way. It’s time that companies realized that not many are watching their ads. Think about it. Every time there is an ‘ad break’, we use it for a ‘loo-break’ or a ‘mobile checking break’ or a ‘what’s-on-in-other-channels- break’!!! This is making many big advertisers turn away from TV.


Read More: http://rajitachaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/07/talk-to-me.html

Typos: HE WON’T BE GONE WITH THE WIND

Typos: HE WON’T BE GONE WITH THE WIND:

But Eric Liddell is not most people. Most people don’t have his gifts and most people don’t have the courage or the conviction to run through life or a race with the power and grace of the ‘Flying Scotsman’.

Read More: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/07/he-wont-be-gone-with-wind.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: ARE WE BEING TESTED, RIGHTLY?

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: ARE WE BEING TESTED, RIGHTLY?:

The only solution here is to have complete transparency and a nation-wide awareness campaign. I can bet that 80 per cent of us have no clue on whether we are being used as Guinea Pigs during hospitalisation or not! A central portal is needed to make sure that all complaints and grievances are addressed!

Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/07/are-we-being-tested-rightly.html

Passionate About India: Road accidents or preventable and predictable mass...

Passionate About India: Road accidents or preventable and predictable mass...:

So, that afternoon, did my brother really let my father down by taking a ride on a two-wheeler from our institute’s campus to the highway to have lunch? No. I believe every 20-year-old at times takes his own decision and thinks that this much seems quite fine a risk. We all have the right to go out on the road and come back alive. It’s India’s pathetic road safety that let him down. We are a country of road killers. The highest number of road deaths in the world happens in India. If it were America, chances are fifty times more that my brother would have been alive.

Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/07/road-accidents-or-preventable-and.html

Passionate About India: Courts for the rich Amar Singh and Abhishek Manu S...

Passionate About India: Courts for the rich Amar Singh and Abhishek Manu S...:

Meanwhile, the media seems to be hyper active by not only going into the very personal life of Pinki, but also by airing obscene clips, completely destroying her private life. Worse, she was shown totally naked and a video of her undergoing medical tests at a nursing home in West Bengal was also aired all over! This MMS had been circulated through the internet and is widely available. And unfortunately, there’s no one to stop this national auction of the dignity of someone who has brought national pride through her talent!

Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/07/courts-for-rich-amar-singh-and-abhishek.html

Typos: PEDALING PHALLACIES

Typos: PEDALING PHALLACIES:

Incase you are waiting for the last word from yours truly before resuming your morning rides around the children’s park, here’s the consensus – Cycle less than three hours a week and you get to enjoy all the benefits without having to worry about ‘going soft ’. Europe loves cycling and is (coincidentally?) creaking under the weight of an ageing population with low birth rates. The Chinese cycle everywhere possible and yet one in four earthlings is Chinese and as for the Swiss, can’t really blame them for cycling everywhere. I mean when their buses have routes called “Extra fahrt” and insist on having “fahrt plans” for their passengers, I can understand why they eschew public transport and risk the dreaded ‘I’ everyday. The jury’s out on this one so stick to the 3hrs/week fahrtplan gentlemen, and as for the ladies, don’t you get too smug now. You never know what I’ll dig up next

Read More: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/07/pedaling-phallacies.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: BLACK BOOKS

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: BLACK BOOKS:

It’s imperative for the HRD ministry to shorten the supply chain and maintain an online database of books procurement and sales. Moreover, NCERT needs to come up with their own shops for books sale and also keep the track of books across the supply chain. All in all, the supply chain needs to be shortened, made transparent and above all be tracked. Or else, the students would start their education with a visit to the black market and lesson of illegal hoarding as their first lesson of life.


Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/07/black-books.html

Passionate About India: Why the CBI, like the CAG and EC, must be made an ...

Passionate About India: Why the CBI, like the CAG and EC, must be made an ...:

On the other hand, CBI is regularly manipulated to ease the cases filed on the government. CBI, in its charge-sheet, claimed that Jasbir Singh, who is supposed to have heard Tytler inciting a mob to kill Sikhs, could not be examined as he had settled in America and his whereabouts couldn’t be traced. The CBI’s claim got falsified when media telephonically located Jasbir Singh in no time. After the case was ordered to be re- investigated by the court, CBI reportedly submitted that Jasbir Singh’s testimony cannot be relied upon and asked the court to close the case. The entire incident happened to save Tytler, who has had close ties with the ruling government. Similarly, the CBI tried to save Sajjan Singh; he again has had close ties to UPA. Similarly and interestingly, despite the fact that the High Court or- dered CBI to probe the Rs 5,700 crore NRHM scam, nothing much was done by the CBI until just a few months before the UP polls. All charges however were suddenly dropped and all cases against Mayawati buried, aft er she lost the UP polls. CBI said that it made a “grave error” while calculating assets of Mayawati. In return, the erstwhile harassed Mayawati supported UPA in Uttarakhand and also backed UPA’s presidential nominee.


Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/07/why-cbilike-cag-and-ec-must-be-made.html

Sutanu Guru: TONGUE IN CHEEK: HOW THE NAC CAN SAVE THE UPA IN 2...

Sutanu Guru: TONGUE IN CHEEK: HOW THE NAC CAN SAVE THE UPA IN 2...:

The Rajiv Gandhi Naani Yaad Dila Denge Act: Since the father immortalised the term “Naani Yaad Dila Denge” along with something called Bofors, it is befitting that this wonderful law be named after him. This is quite a straightforward law and will help India rebuild the great institution called the Indian family. Any Indian who even mistakenly says or writes anything critical about either India or the Family (It’s the same thing really) will be required to spend quality time with maternal grandmothers. This way, the institution called the family will be saved, the Family will not be embarrassed and secular warriors like Mani Shankar Aiyar will launch a series of television soap operas where the arch villain will be Narendra Modi and his arch henchman will be Baba Ramdev. Anna Hazare too will put in guest appearances.


Read More: http://sutanu-guru.blogspot.in/2012/07/tongue-in-cheek-how-nac-can-save-upa-in.html

Typos: THE ROADS TO RAGE

Typos: THE ROADS TO RAGE:

That night, in the face of another rude jibe, I sensed that old fire flicker inside but the mood of the night was too heavy and happy to let it flicker for long. The fire died out and I just smiled at him aand said “main aapke bhale ke liye keh raha hoon... Here I’m trying to help you stay safe... aur tum tewar dikha rahe ho... And you are shoving this attitude in my face!”.


Read More: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/07/roads-to-rage.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: MURDER LEGALISED

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: MURDER LEGALISED:

The Supreme Court in 2006 gave a landmark judgment aiming at a major police reforms. Some important directives include the state police must be purged of political influence by setting up a State Security Commission, a new Police Establishment Board will look after all transfers, promotions and posting for below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police personnel and many more. Many states didn't comply with many of the directives. Moreover, these directives didn't address the plight of low ranking personnel’s living conditions, who are the main perpetrators of a culture that ignores the abuses that happens inside the police stations often culminating in custodial deaths.


Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/07/murder-legalised.html

Passionate About India: The American Dream: Rajat Gupta symbolises this mo...

Passionate About India: The American Dream: Rajat Gupta symbolises this mo...:

Rajat Gupta has hogged headlines over the past twenty odd years – he has championed that art. While his educational background without doubt has been exemplary, his consulting advisory was not necessarily so. McKinsey & Co.’s way of focus on core competency – and divesting from diversification strategies – necessarily has been one of the most debatable strategies that he represented during his tenure at the firm. Actually, it is one of those strategies that have given consultants the reputation of being people who take your watch and tell you the time; there is no strategy in this strategy. McKinsey’s consultants, of course, have championed such strategies and theories which are arguably of no great significance or research. I’m reminded of the book In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman – two McKinsey consultants – written on the basis of research that Tom Peters himself later admitted was concocted. Rajat’s stint post McKinsey has been clearly far more controversial due to the more obvious frauds. And now that he has been found guilty of insider trading, the Indian media in particular is hell-bent on portraying it as an example of a perfect ‘American Dream’ gone sour. The question is, is that so?


Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/06/american-dream-rajat-gupta-symbolises.html

Typos: WILL YOU DANCE WITH ME ON THE CRYSTAL BALL?

Typos: WILL YOU DANCE WITH ME ON THE CRYSTAL BALL?:

A shared vision of the future means the world of my tomorrow and the world of her tomorrow should at least be neighbours if not the same. If I want to live with my parents, in the middle of a grassland in Botswana, and love quoting Byron in the bedroom, it just wouldn’t work, no matter how much we might be attracted to each other if she wants to live independently, close to a mall, but never away from Delhi, and hates poetry and prefers reading the Economic Times while I’m celebrating Byron. Yes, I can hear you mumble the dreaded C-word, a bonafide love killer – compromises.


Read More: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/06/will-you-dance-with-me-on-crystal-ball.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: WATER WOES

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: WATER WOES:

In Bangalore, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has floated tenders thrice in last 3 months for water tanker operators to meet with an impossible outcome viz. the stark statistics of zero response! A water supplier at Koramangala area earns approximately Rs. 4,000 per tanker, which is much profitable commerce compared to the government’s offer. BWSSB’s flat rate is Rs.1,650 per day per tanker – way below the private operator’s rate, who at times are found to charge anywhere between Rs.6,000 to Rs.8,000 per day. The demand-supply gap in the city is so wide that it can't be mended by government fleet of just 42 tankers – not a match with private operators possessing 10,000 vehicles.


Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/06/water-woes.html

Business is Marketing: IT’S ALL ABOUT CREATING THE RIGHT IMAGE

Business is Marketing: IT’S ALL ABOUT CREATING THE RIGHT IMAGE:

She is a heroine of a different generation and yet this month, so many celebrated her birthday as if she were still with us. She may have gone long ago; yet, she lives on, for her images just don’t seem to fade. In fact, every time an  unseen or unpublished image of hers is discovered, it makes it to the front page of almost all newspapers. The lady is Marilyn Monroe. Images are very powerful, they just live on and some even become iconic. The face of the Cuban revolutionary, Che Guevera, also being one such image. It’s not just a face. It symbolizes rebellion and freedom,  feelings that the youth just love. Put this face on any merchandise and it becomes a bestseller. The number of T-shirts  emblazoned with Che’s face that have been sold is incredible. It’s ironic that a revolutionary, who rebelled against the  capitalists, has today become the biggest bestseller of the capitalist world.   


Read More: http://rajitachaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/06/its-all-about-creating-right-image.html

All About Business Strategy... Well, Almost...: A CULT ENTREPRENEUR SOLVING A SOCIAL DILEMMA

All About Business Strategy... Well, Almost...: A CULT ENTREPRENEUR SOLVING A SOCIAL DILEMMA:

Wikipedia, which derives its name from the word ‘wiki’ (a website whose content can be edited through a simplified mark up language or a rich text editor), was anti-establishment at its very core, and one would not be surprised at the same, if one were to closely examine the credentials of Jimmy Wales himself. Disdain for what passes off as convention and a passionate search for freedom have been part and parcel of Jimmy’s character, whose initial schooling happened in a oneroom schoolhouse, which was run by his mother and grandmother. His most pleasant memory of that time is the Montessori influence on the school, which meant that he could spend a lot of time studying anything he felt like. And perhaps his most unpleasant memory was how bureaucrats and high school inspectors used to constantly interfere in the school’s functioning.


Read More: http://a--sandeep.blogspot.in/2012/06/cult-entrepreneur-solving-social.html

Passionate About India: After giving the killer blow to CPM, is Mamata goi...

Passionate About India: After giving the killer blow to CPM, is Mamata goi...:

Yes, she has been in the news in the recent past for all the wrong reasons. It’s outright insecure and almost suicidal for a national leader of an intellectual and free-thinking state like West Bengal to target a professor for forwarding a cartoon! There are no two ways of looking at it. Leaders are supposed to let their work do the speaking and not their might. We aren’t living in the Hitlerian era. It’s also ridiculous to talk of turning Calcutta into London by painting the trees blue. London is about its democracy (freedom of forwarding cartoons), equality in access to health, education and justice, its high life expectancy, negligible infant mortality and a far more equitable society apart from its astounding standard of safety and cleanliness in comparison with Calcutta. In all these respects, West Bengal and Calcutta are at least 25 years away, assuming we get a government led by a sincere leader who works genuinely day and night for its people. Apart from arguably destroying the future of Indian Railways by compromising on possible safety upgradations by not increasing railway fares again and again at a Central level, Mamata has also not announced a budget for West Bengal and kept all finances at her whim and fancy; she has hardly done anything worthwhile for the state’s education, health or employment situation while continuing to work in a very autocratic highhanded manner. Thus, many would argue she indeed has rightly won the ire of intellectuals of Bengal who supported her so wholeheartedly, and are now deserting her one by one.


Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/06/after-giving-killer-blow-to-cpm-is.html

Typos: HOW GREEN IS MY VALLEY STILL?

Typos: HOW GREEN IS MY VALLEY STILL?:

Last evening, I had taken photographs of a lone boatman silhouetted against the pink and gold sky. Then as night pulled an inky blue curtain over the sky, I began dismantling the lens while that boatman paddled up to me. “Good morning sir!” chirped the voice and I looked up at a cherubic little face and a beatific smile. The boatman was a tiny little kid in his little blue and battered boat. Even though it was clearly way past ‘good evening’, I replied with an equally cheerful “good morning”. The boy’s smile grew wider as he proceeded to show me his wares. My shikara-wallah, Yusef, told me that Zahid, for that was the boy’s name, sold little trinkets to tourists after school to help his father, a fellow shikara-wallah, keep the fire burning in what was by necessity, a very large kitchen. Twelve year old Zahid and I had a little chat after he’d fleeced me off a pair of 500s. I knew he loved going to school so I asked him why he didn’t look like he was going to school this morning, he said “chhutti hai!”

Read More: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/06/how-green-is-my-valley-still.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: THE LOTTERY OF BPL CARDS

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: THE LOTTERY OF BPL CARDS:

For all its efforts, the government has initiated its flagship programme called Targeted Public Distribution Scheme where BPL cardholders will get subsidised food and other eatables from the ration shops. In this context, our finance minister himself has lambasted the programme, “About 58 per cent of subsidised grains do not reach the target group, of which a little over 36 per cent is siphoned off the supply chain...” The anomalies in BPL cards distribution are many. In Gujarat for instance, Congress has voiced its protest against the incumbent BJP government of channelising thousands of bogus BPL cards and incurring losses running into thousands of crores. In Warangal in Andhra Pradesh, several BPL cards have been issued to people earning between Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 a year, sparking controversy! Most astonishingly, a man who has paid Rs 3.46 crores to obtain liquor license has been issued one BPL card! In Karnataka, out of 1.2 crore families present in the state, 98 lakhs families have been recognised by the government as living below poverty line! That means about 80 per cent of the population in the state are eligible for BPL cards, especially in a state that is deemed as one of the most progressive state in the country!


Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/06/lottery-of-bpl-cards.html

Passionate About India: Run!!! The merchants of death are angry!

Passionate About India: Run!!! The merchants of death are angry!:

I can easily cite scores of such examples from reports on miserable conditions existing in hospitals all over India. Although examples of the opposite nature are becoming rarer by the day, there are sparkling exceptions; and it gives me immense pleasure to write about one such example – the Shramjibi Hospital in Belur, West Bengal. When they admit a patient, they never ask him/her to deposit any money. Patients are almost always surprised to receive a very low bill (almost always one-fifth of the amount charged in other hospitals) when the treatment is over. For example, a coronary bypass surgery for heart costs Rs.25,000 at the hospital, inclusive of pre-and post-treatment charges. In the unfortunate case of the patient expiring during treatment, the management of this hospital never presents any bill to the relatives of the patient. Elsewhere, a bypass surgery may cost upwards of Rs.100,000 to Rs.350,000. Honestly speaking, since the surgery in a hospital and other services are not burdened with any transport and distribution costs, charges to be paid by patients for such surgeries should not exceed 100% of basic costs. But charges these days on operations are unfortunately 500% to 1000% of basic costs, and patients also can easily be blackmailed because of the prevailing threat of death. I am aware and proud of Shramjibi Hospital. Yet, on the other hand, services rendered by many private doctors and by private/public hospitals are of such miserable standards that one can even label them with the choicest of invectives; one reason I get the impression that these places are infested with ‘merchants of death’.


Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/06/run-merchants-of-death-are-angry.html

Typos: FRIENDS?!

Typos: FRIENDS?!:

And last but not the least, are you best-friends enough to be honest with each other and also love the other enough to accept honesty in the other, without conditions or judgment. Do you have enough compassion to say, “I love you and you can tell me anything at all. I’m not promising I will agree with you but I will understand. And I promise I will not walk away from you… because I know you, love you, understand you and because you are my best friend”?

Read More: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/06/friends.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: TUNING THE TUTOR

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: TUNING THE TUTOR:

Formal schooling and coaching centres (a.k.a tuition centres) have become synonymous to each other. Today, schooling is deemed to be incomplete without those extra hours in tuition centres. Be it at secondary education level or be it for any competitive entrance examination, securing high marks and grades today is ought to be virtually impossible without attending a couple of tuition classes. I rarely come across students who bag success without the baggage of extra coaching. Recently, what caught my fancy was a news that was published in one of the leading dailies, about how a group of students from Ahmedabad cleared not only school examination but also state’s board examination, with decent grades, without attending any extra tuition classes.


Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/06/tuning-tutor.html

Sutanu Guru: EIGHT YEARS OF UPA AND EIGHT & A HALF LESSONS

Sutanu Guru: EIGHT YEARS OF UPA AND EIGHT & A HALF LESSONS:

Before I write about the eight and half lessons that we Indians can draw from 8 years of the UPA regime, allow me to describe the two principal leaders of UPA. First, Sonia Gandhi. No matter what her critics say, the fact is that she has revived the Congress when it looked like all was lost and displayed more political astuteness and maturity than most other leaders. Then Manmohan Singh. No one can doubt his personal integrity and the wealth of experience he has as an administrator. Besides, no one should even begin to doubt their commitment to India.

Read More: http://sutanu-guru.blogspot.in/2012/06/eight-years-of-upa-and-eight-half.html

Passionate About India: SRK: The unabashed and rocking symbol of decadent ...

Passionate About India: SRK: The unabashed and rocking symbol of decadent ...:

When he sees elderly idealistic looking people in the audience, he himself says that he knows he is blamed as the symbol of a decadent culture! In fact I almost jumped with surprise when he said that in one of our IIPM shows, for those were the exact words I heard from my dad just a few hours before entering the venue! Later, he laughed it off saying he knows that’s how parents often look at him!! Actually that’s what sets him apart.. While most stars in Bollywood wouldn’t have ever used the word decadence in their lifetime, SRK can use it upon himself and laugh!

Read More: http://arindamchaudhuri.blogspot.in/2012/06/srk-unabashed-and-rocking-symbol-of.html

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: THROUGH THE LENSES

COMMON SENSE SIMPLIFIED: THROUGH THE LENSES:

Like China, the sparkling image of Uncle Sam has been achieved by the most effective use of soft power. The ‘American dream’ and ‘American way of life’ galvanised the entire world. Its products like Lucky Strike cigarettes, Coca-Cola, and other mass production brands have been instrumental in beating the Soviets in the cold war. In recent Hollywood movie MIB3, the lead actors were found driving American cars (Ford) and not non-American cars. Similarly, in most of the American movies, the production houses use American products, American stores, American tourist spots, American technology and even warfare, unlike India that rarely features their domestic brands in the movies or books.

Read More: http://prasoonsmajumdar.blogspot.in/2012/05/through-lenses.html

Typos: A LITTLE BIT OF US...

Typos: A LITTLE BIT OF US...:

The way this works is that our shared experiences which have shaped our partner have now become a part of them. So there’s a little bit of me in my partner and vice versa. So if I become a little careless or take the relationship for granted, and my partner begins to drift away, and towards other people, our shared experiences will remind her of what we have shared. And indeed, if our shared experiences have been truly unique, and have indeed shaped her, then those experiences will remind her that what she has with me is irreplaceable and worth working on… And it’ll buy me time to get my act together and reassure her that what we have is still as beautiful and special as it used to be…


Read More: http://prashantobanerji.blogspot.in/2012/05/little-bit-of-us.html