Once Again Happy New Year!!!

Every year comes and goes, just like every month, week and a day. What’s great about New Year, especially when you are Indian and living in an era of globalization?

I stay in Tamil Nadu, I get a holiday on Tamil New Year and hence I celebrate it.

According to my religion, the day followed by Diwali is a New Year. My great – great – grandfathers have been celebrating it and all my relatives wish me that day, hence I too party that day.

I have now jumped into a corporate, earning my own living, which makes me remember another New Year – Financial New Year. Not paying my taxes before the end of year and planning my monetary approach, may rob me of my hard earned money.

Hyderabad is my hometown, spent fifteen years there – sweet reminiscences of ‘school – off’ still make me rejoice Telugu New Year. I stay very near to Karnataka and my mother is from Maharashtra. ‘Fortunately or unfortunately’ Kannada and Marathi New Year coincide with Telugu New Year, else I would have more new years to cheer.

During my school, I used to consider the starting of an academic year as a New Year and wished that this year never ended as it meant end of holidays.

Finally, I welcome 1^st Jan because more than half of the world welcomes it and hopes that the year ahead brings prosperity, good health, and peace in their lives.

Why this concept of a New Year ever started? Is it to illustrate the existence of human civilization or count the age of our Mother Earth and say “Happy birthday!! You have really grown old.”

In fact, the concept of a New Year validates an idiom – “Change is the only thing which remains constant.” The biggest change in the year 2011 was enlightening of civil society – autocrats dethroned in Arab spring (Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Syria), the Wall Street protest in USA, the protests in London, China, Russia and finally the biggest fight against Government for strict anti-corruption laws in India. Another example is of Indian Economy: At the start of year 2011, it was growing, the share market was roaring and as we come to the end it is sinking, the economy reaching to the point of ‘stagflation’. In the field of sports, Indian cricket team won the World Cup but was also whitewashed in England series. Tiger Woods and Roger Federer started the year in despair, struggled throughout the year only to achieve success at the end.

Thus, the reason for the celebration of a New Year can be considered as a tool which can be used to move forward, if looked back, since every year passed by brings a novel learning and gives an experience to face new challenges i.e., adapt to the change.

We Indians are lucky enough to rejoice several New Years, meaning more utilization of the tool, meaning more number of checks backwards, meaning more number of introspections, meaning more number of resolutions and thus chunking our bigger aspirations into small milestones which are to be covered in short intervals.

‘Once again Happy New year!!!’ to all the readers and I hope this year brings joy and prosperity in your lives.

Has the revival of Education System in India begun??

“There is a decrease in the quality of students joining IIT. Only 20% who graduate from these precious institutions find success in their future endeavours which include higher education, jobs or even as academicians.” Narayan Murthy, an alumnus of IIT, a software engineer, and one of the most successful Indian entrepreneurs.

“By the time they join the IIT system, they are mentally fatigued. Many are not even interested in engineering. They want to sell soaps, not become mechanical/chemical engineers.” Gautam Baru, IIT Guwahati Director.

“Most students come with a hangover of long years of coaching. This is an elimination test and there is a limit to what an instrument like an entrance exam can do.” Bhaskar Ramamurthy, IIT Madras Director.

A thought to these statements made me to introspect, find answers for some very basic questions – How the word ‘Education’ can be defined? What is the need of education? Is education only a tool which makes a person eligible to earn a job in a company and make a living? Is it a mad race wherein you gather degrees and put them behind your name whenever you need to show your grandeur, one of the example being your wedding card (Mr. XYZ BTech, M.S, MBA, PhD), which not only gets you a good life partner (Mrs. ZYX B.Com, M.Com, M.Phil, PhD) but also acts as a status symbol, just as the brand of clothes you wear or a car you drive reflects your splendour?

But I am afraid, if education was only to earn a living or to get a good life partner, we would not have people like Steve Jobs, Mark Zukerberg (college dropouts), Sachin Tendulkar (a school dropout and wife a doctor) who have achieved more than any highly qualified person could have ever achieved. Coming to the first question – Then what is education??

‘Education’ is a process, an unending process, wherein, at every stage of learning, a person enhances his proficiency, develops his personality, discovers his individuality, tunes his temperament, builds his character, thus creating his own identity.

But in our education system, this process terminates in our high schools, or at most at higher secondary level, thanks to the contagious virus of coaching institutes, causing an epidemic and affecting every learner of the society. These institutes only teach to crack codes (entrance exams), thus initializing a computer program (student) to keep on cracking codes at every stage of his life, an example being a engineering student – IITJEE, AIEEE, GATE, CAT, GRE, IES (to name a few). He enters into this vicious trap, gets lost and at some point realizes that he has learnt only to solve complex subject equations but lags far behind in the subjects (leadership, teamwork, creativity, ethics, interpersonal skills) for which there are no equations at all.

The recent proposal to eliminate the IITJEE exam 2013-2014 may be one good step in many that have to still be implemented. This will stop turning the learner into a hacker, it will end the era of information dumping coaching institutes and give way to those where information is explored and analysed, ideas nurtured, thus turning the  neophyte spark into a fire.

Has the revival of education system in India begun??

Bollywood –Bizarre ??, Bewildered ??, Burlesque ??

   Before I start, a note for ardent Bollywood fans – the views expressed are completely personal; any resemblance with the public view is purely coincidental and it is a pure fictitious work.  I hope the above lines may appease the aficionados of Hindi cinema, just like the introductory lines of the film assure them that the plot and characters in the movie are fictitious.

    But why do they add another clause which states – “Any person resembling the character of a movie is purely coincidental?” Surely, it is impossible to find ‘super men’ like ‘Salman Khan’ of ‘Bodyguard’ or ‘Ájay Devgan’ of ‘Singham’ who can defy gravity and produce incredible somersaults; their strength incomparable, as their one punch with a bare fist can make an indentation even in the hardest metal you will find on the planet and a slap or a kick makes a person fall nearly 200 metres away after several rolls. Have you ever come across a person with the superlative power that our ‘Singham Bhaiya’ has? His one blow on top of the head, with a jump in air makes the other person first to fly in the air as if he is standing not on the firm ground but on a trampoline, and then to roll in the air before his chest hitting the ground.      Thus, the recent movies that this industry has produced make me call it ‘Folly – wood’ and ask a question – “Has Bollywood not turned bizarre??”

      One month back there was a high end drama regarding the release of movie ‘Aarakshan’. Politicians, so called Messiahs of the backward classes, eminent artists from the Bollywood, and the members of screening authority of Indiawere all into a melodrama, media being the best connector, as it has always been in the recent times. As a spectator a very basic question arises in the mind of a mango man (aam aadmi) – “What the hell they were doing during the release of ‘Delhi Belly’?” You see, Bollywood is not the same as it used to be. Everyone in the industry is confused and contemplating of what to show and what not to, what to tell and what not to, and finally what will be passed by the censor board and what will be rejected. Bollywood bewildered??

      In the recent times Bollywood has turned into ‘copy – wood’. Although, in the past it used to borrow stories and concepts from Hollywood, it has gone a few steps further by not only borrowing plots, scenes, dialogues from regional movie making industries such as Kollywood, Tollywood but also counterfeiting the banners for their features. Raone, Kites and Murder are some of the examples. And at the end, their achievement is the successful mockery of an original work. Bollywood Burlesque??

     It is really hard to pick the most appropriate adjective from the above. Thus, I leave to the readers, and the viewers of Hindi cinema to decide which B – Bizarre, Bewildered and Burlesque suits the best for Bollywood.

By: Abhijeet Piyush Jain

Time to think beyond….

Other day when I was returning to Chennai from Hyderabad in a train, I had a company of few elderly people who were involved in an interesting conversation. What topic could be more enthralling than cricket in India?? It started with the Indian win in WC and moved on to IPL, a carnival that lasts for more than a month every summer.

“Which team are you all supporting?” asked one of the elderly men.

“I don’t want to support any of the teams as it is only an extravaganza of money and glamour. Didn’t you see the lavish inaugural ceremony last night? I wonder how much money they might have spent on it”, said another man who was himself brandish.

“Very true, this money could have been donated as a charity. There are still many who toil themselves hard for basic needs, Roti, kapada, makan”, followed the other who had just denied a penny to a handicapped child.

“In fact, this tournament only engenders regional hatred among, we Indians.” continued the other man who was vilifying a person belonging to some other region just few minutes ago.

“What will be the end achievement of this tournament – The tournament will be remembered for the biggest scam, for the biggest on field controversy – A player weeping not because his team had lost or he had performed badly but because he was given a tight slap on his cheek by his own national team mate.”

I gave a thought to the arguments made by those people and tried to figure out whether they were right?? Money and Glamour – We cannot call a tournament bad if it showers huge lump of money on players. There was a similar league which was introduced in Hockey if many of us still remember. Why did it fail?? It could not create the provincial loyalty that was mentioned by the wise man?? The answer is simple, it lacked charm – the owners were not ‘richies’ to deluge money on the players, neither there were DJ’s nor cheer leaders on the ground. Who doesn’t want to have a glamorous life?? We can’t keep complaining about the more tantalizing things rather should try to make those not, more alluring. If not, it would be same as criticizing and compelling a technocrat who prefers to join a MNC which provides him with all luxuries to serve the nation as a teacher in an education institute where he not only receives minimal wages but is also humiliated by his own students.

The second argument was regarding so much money being spent which could have been given as charity.  Firstly, does India really lack in announcing the number of schemes for the welfare of poor and to do charity?? What it lacks in, is its implementation and transparency. Secondly, does a grand ceremony tell nothing about the nation?? Then why do we Indians praise other countries and make a note of them as the upcoming nations by just watching inaugural and valedictory ceremonies of Olympics (China) and the FIFA world cup (South Africa).

Coming to the most important question, what is the end result?? 1. A few years ago we recognized only 11 Indian players who owned the Indian cap, or at most 15 who were included in the squad. The Ranji and Duleep trophy were and are the least followed which was the major cause for opaqueness in selections. With advent of IPL, there is no chance for politics, nepotism and cronyism in the game and every player is chosen according to his credentials. 2. One of the biggest worries of the parents whose children want to take up cricket as profession, what if he doesn’t get into 11?? This will no longer be a worry and if such a system could be introduced in every sport, it will not be long when we find our country topping the Olympics medal tally. It is time we give up our pessimist attitude and think beyond…..!!!!

Is India Really ‘Bleeding Blue’

“After 28 years India is going to lift the World Cup” says Ravi Shastri in post match ceremony. Wankhede stadium, packed with roaring crowd, which had come to see ‘Men in Blue’ perform, go wild. The last time when India became champions, many of us belonging to this young generation “Bleeding Blue” were still to be born and heard about it as enchanting stories. In the past two weeks, the number of “Tirangaas” waving high has outnumbered records of several years with patriotic level touching the sky. It is a dream come true for all we youngsters to be a part of victory, though as spectators and take pride in being an Indian.

But the immediate question that strikes my mind – Is there any difference between 2^nd April 1983 and 2^nd April 2011?? If no, why the win is so exaggerated?? Is it not just a victory in game of cricket?? 28 years down the line, India has come a long way and the answer to the first question is surely ‘yes’. When India had won the World Cup back in 1983, the win had revolutionized the game of cricket. It was then, cricket was followed as religion and players like ‘Sachin’ became God. But now the things will change, the game will be seen as a battle, the player as a member of an army fighting in the battle field (stadium), not to shed blood, acquire power or wealth but to prove a point that there is a nation “Rising India” where people are more skilled, hard working, passionate, confident, fighting a war to show their self-belief and willing to be role models for the entire humanity.

Battles aren’t won without good leaders. Leaders aren’t born as divines in Heaven. They are self-made through their character, their ability to take decisions and stand by it (irrelevant of being right or wrong), leading from front and being example for others. What Dhoni did as a leader was to follow these simple thumb rules. India had many magnanimous leaders who brought us freedom 64 years ago. But today there is a severe crisis. We have leaders who dance like serpent (Singhji) on the music played by the charmer (Soniaji). We have leaders who lead from the front but only to create their own statues and name the erections in their own name (Mayaji). We also have leaders who take decisions and stand by it ignoring the regulatory authorities only for his personal gain and to cause great loss to the exchequer (Rajaji).

But was it only the leadership at the helm that mattered?? Can the effort of the team as a whole be ignored?? Was it only ‘Gandhiji’ who brought us freedom and the trust, unity among the members of party can be ignored?? Who said, today we don’t have parties which show unity?? Indeed we have, topping the list is our CWG team headed by Kalmadiji which looted the country in unison, second stand our Yeddyurappaji running a mine business in Karnataka. Please don’t ignore the contribution of our support staff in this win. Our Government as well has a good support staff always willing to contribute (to whom??) in the form of Karunaji and Mamtaji. Yes we do have a good squad with diplomat as a captain, bureaucrat as vice-captain and the officers as players who put in all their effort to rob the country.

Coming back to the question answered in the second paragraph – Will it be seen as a battle to bring glory to the country?? Can the country with a population of 1.2 billion people, find some charismatic leaders?? Can we all work as a team to become ‘World Champions’?? “Will India Really Bleed Blue”??

My First Blog Ever

Reading as a habit came to me late in life. But when it came, it made me realize that it opens you to a whole new world where life is enlightened with sparks of ideas subduing the perplexed person trying to ‘live on’ in his disinteresting dark world. The knowledge contained in books is as vast as oceans in the world. Reading about varied subjects, people can indeed cognizant us with knowledge as infinite as universe, but the sacred power usually overlooked by man is – they make you aware of your own strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes which leads to self-awareness of your infatuation which is an ultimate guide for you to achieve something special in life.
Why am I writing about reading in my first blog, so that people may read this and use it as a tool to understand the purpose of their lives and become self-willed rather than living to destiny?? Or do I believe that the power of pen is greater than the mighty sword?? Well, the answer to this may be – it has done wonders for me giving strength to upload this write up in the electronic media (open to all), indicating about my penchant towards writing. Hope it does the same for all those who are living in a shell and do not want to chase their dream.
Being my first blog I would like to share a few things about myself so that people who will read my crap in future will get an aroma of my believes and flavor of my thoughts. It is often said that the character of a person can be judged knowing his idol and why he adores him. Thus, I decided to write about my idol and dedicate it to the biggest inspiration of my life that is considered the divine power in the field of cricket ‘Sachin Tendulkar’. He is worshipped by millions of people for his elegant shots and skills on the brown carpet. But worshipping him only for this reason will be a smaller part of the bigger story. I worship him for all the human values that he has which are rare to find in an individual. Discipline – A sober who still follows the principle ‘Early to bed, early to rise’, says no to late night parties which is a rebuke to the longevity of his career. Hard work – A man with more than 32,000 runs under his belly still never miss the scheduled practice sessions which should remind us about a primary school thought ‘Hard work is key to success’ forgotten by many living in the world of ‘smart work’. Passion – A man who impinged his purpose of life – ‘to bat’ (one of the professions with smallest word a person can choose) in the fate book very early in life and worked day in, day out chasing his passion – ‘to score runs’. But the best part is his hunger is insatiable, never ending and he keeps on delivering as a ‘run-machine’. Humble – With innumerable records in his name and no stone unturned in his career – starting at 17 as a naïve to venerable player and the mentor of Indian team at 37 many alterations have come in his batting style, role as a player but one quality remain unchanged – he is still the same down to earth gentleman with minimum of pride and ego for himself.
All we youngsters who want to be big players not only in cricket or for that matter in sports but in any field of our interest should learn and follow these principles in their life. A special note for young cricketers, before learning the game from the ‘Little Master’ practice and pursue these qualities right in your childhood because they don’t come easily. A last adage – never get carried away by the materialistic illusions (money, fame) which are ephemeral rather believe in eternal integrity, remain focused and trust your heart. ‘When to thine own self thou stay true’