KAHIHI

This land of largest democratic polity
With the greatest economic stability
For long hasn't had single largest majority
On the verge of losing its ancient tranquility
With heads and leaders full of opacity
Ravaging the treasures ostentatiously
Bitten, smitten by a mocking incongruity
For they, who swear by integrity
Will be locked with those ill performing their duty
Yet not ashamed to announce proudly
Yes, I live in such a country
For there is, nonetheless, one who instills unity
One who marches with a solid ethical motivity

Precisely when the information revolution in India is at its peak, the Prime Minister, with the help of his media advisors, has thrown the country back by half a century, say in the days of radio transmission or license raj.
What a fall! Or fallback!
When a quarter and a billion citizens are waiting to hear his few words though sparse and lackluster like that of the draught affected farmers of India and not like not-affected farmers of Israel getting a few inches of rainfall, he is talking to five almost unknown entities called editors who have no concern whatsoever with the aam aadmi, a hollow phrase that the Congress people devised under the impression that it would catch with people.
In the earlier days when means for information circulation were limited, perhaps this age old idea of PM calling the editors piecemeal would have been apt. But, even today? What a regressive step! The lion, instead of roaring to scare, is chirruping and other animals are vociferating trying to suppress his voice. Are the laws of new raj changing?
PM will describe to five unknown editors who will try to disseminate the information to the nation. What a perspective!
How many years it may take to convince the nation?
What proportion of sycophancy would they mix into it?
What’s their influence on the people?
The editors almost were unknown. This too, when a roar, and if unable a whisper on DD, could have been sufficient. In such a situation the administration is working in the same old dumb manner, one would easily surmise. What else?
To get an idea what may come out of such a futile and forlorn exercise can be depicted by a small example:
After the so called press conference was over, one ever ecstatic editor, Mr. Ketkar, fond of his habit of lifting the palkhi of Gandhi family, (He admitted this the same evening to Marathi wing of CNN IBN) tried to steal the show by saying nothing about the conference, ditto a congress spokesmen and what he had been doing since ages and would like to continue in future; obvious from his enthusiasm and hitherto edits and other articles written so far.
In the evening Nikhil Wagle, the aggressive editor of the captioned news channel, asked Ketkar to analyze the follies made by the PM in his conversation with the five editors like continuation in the office and at the same time to vacate for Rahul Gandhi, police action on Ramdev Baba followers in the midnight. Ketkar continued the faux pass, true to the nature of a self-appointed spokesman of a political party, replying that he doesn’t analyze this but he is interpreting it. Further when asked about his duty as an editor to do the job, Ketkar retorted by continuing; in fact I’m doing the same i.e. analyzing but you are failing to understand it. (Spokesman ship certificate dropped on the table of the party chief for signature?)
Half of his dream is fulfilled. Further he criticised the MP and consultant editor Bharatkumar Raut. The reasons are obvious and any regular follower of such programs would know it.
I’ve a feeling one day Ketkar would reveal this in the manner he called himself a palkhi carrier impatiently forgetting that PM may not necessarily be watching his buttering but hundred thousand people certainly are.
Earlier too he made such impatient comment as a panelist on TIMES NOW.
When asked about televising the meetings live on the national channel as insisted by Anna Hazare team, Ketkar opposed, an ardent Congress supporter that he is. He reasoned that the members may play to the gallery in such a situation. Prashant Bhushan, in his exactly opposite to Ketkar’s restless manner, responded patiently that the members of the committee are responsible citizens of this country, asking further you mean they would behave in the manner you describe.
Ketkar nonplussed.
Congress was a lethargic party in past allowing license raj to continue for years. The path of progress was opened when it was out of clutches of Dynasty for a brief time under P. V. Narsimha Rao and his appointed FM Manmohan Singh appointed by him – a truth nobody can deny unless he has vested interests.
By means of the cool coca-cola-like behaviour of the present PM do you think the economy would have moved or would it move any further? He needs a propellant. Narsimha Rao was the best. Thus we could see the fruits that are nourishing us till today.
Both the possible propellants, one that could have been but turned away from the scene and the other one who is waiting to be, are impaired. And if decided to depend on the set of advisors, the scholars of yesterday who are not even familiar with the techniques past IT explosion, forget using or applying them, then God save our country. They must be thrown out as they can’t gather public support and in fact eroding it, nor they are subject wise modern and efficient.
The crop of self-assuming spokesmen in the meanwhile is growing like weeds (Congress grass) that are harmful for the productive growth. It must be strongly sanitized.
In the meanwhile next five editors are waiting like that of Vidarbha farmers looking at the sky. No trace of PM-doot though Aashadhasya Prathem Divas and a week has passed.....
Long live chaatak.

One of the key areas in the banking sector, where banks have to give proper attention, is the human resource. As banking becomes more sophisticated, there is a need to improve the skill set of the bank employees.
The Government has set up a committee to look into the HR issues of state-owned banks with a view to improve HR policies.
Getting people with adequate skill and knowledge is the need of the hour.
The Indian Banks' Association has finalised a scheme for common recruitment of personnel for nationalised banks.
With the cooperation of Indian Banks' Association the Government had launched a Central Electronic Registry earlier this year for recording mortgages. It would help check frauds of multiple borrowing against the same property and help in the growth of the market and the banking industry.
These are some of the versions published in different newspapers of the speech given by the finance minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee recently.
But Baba I’ll miss my bus, I said to my father while he was withdrawing cash from a big branch of a big bank. A big counter divided the customers and the bankers. I couldn’t see anything beyond the counter.
Don’t worry. I’ll get the cash before your bus arrives or else as your school is nearby from here, I’ll reach you to the school.
He had a Lambretta scooter then.
A handsome man was working on the ledgers standing behind the ledger keepers making entries of debits and credits in red cover heavy ledgers, triple the size of laptops in width and double of height. I could see when my father lifted me to show how the work goes on.
Don’t worry young girl. You’ll get your school bus. A noise came from behind the ledger keepers. He was the branch manager. The branch was heavily loaded with customers, proving the popularity of the branch.
What do you like to have as a fun maker chew?
Peppermints. (Cadburys and Amuls had not been the craze then)
What flavour?
Orange, I answered.
Go into the cabin and collect as many as you want. They are on the table. It’s my table. Don’t worry.
The watchman loaded with gun having more-stiff-than British upper lip and hardnosed, though looking fearsome smiled and opened the cabin door with a fractional smile before the movie-hero like manager threw a look at him.
I looked at my father. He was smiling approvingly. They knew each other.
I collected three peppermints from a saucer on his table and came out chewing one.
This amazing man was handling how many things at a time!
He may prove to be a good father too, my father whispered to me when we were out of the premises after collecting the cash.
This is the story of around bank nationalization days i.e. 1969.
After 42 years and 10 months I recollected the incident after watching and reading the captioned quotes of the finance minister at a banking function in Mumbai.
Indira Gandhi nationalized the banks and brought them to the doors of the common man, a necessity then; thereby elevating the standard of the citizens at the lower strata, especially many of the engineers and engineering diploma holders who spent their parents’ already insufficient means and were about to face unemployment. They could own their initially small scale and then medium scale industries.
The credit undeniably goes to Indira Gandhi.
Globalisation trend knocked the door after that. Computerization became the necessity and as if to countermand it, bankers started behaving like babus in the government.
On the flashback of the above incidence a current topic:
Though not so as big as the one I quoted earlier, I now have an account in an air conditioned branch.
The bank now has its own rules along with a few permitted by government under a ticket of autonomy. The officer concerned was not even able to manage four or five customers he was facing, he struggled. As the counter dividing the customer and banker was removed and a simple table took its place, one has to face the eyes of the barking fellow. He didn’t know the fixed deposit interest rates that kept changing twice a month. Difficult, agreed. But neither was he having paper sheets handy nor was he able to save the chart on the screen. He was shuffling the papers and then getting up from his chair to whisper into his colleagues’ ears and coming back, for what reasons nobody could surmise.
(I remembered at this moment the Tony Curtis slapstick comedy of 1965, Boeing Boeing, hoodwinking with three air hostesses of three different airlines acting to be loving each of them to the extent of making them feel that they are at home but fumbling when state-of the-art aircrafts are put in the services thereby bringing all of them at the same time in Paris. And then Jerry Lewis carrying the burden taking his position!)
Fed up watching his shuffling with the FDRs, after half an hour I went to manager’s cabin. There wasn’t anybody else. Even so he looked uneasy. I told him my difficulty and to look into the matter. The man was deputed to London for five years and just back.
Lo and behold, the man didn’t know how to operate computer. That was the secret behind his getting uneasy. He needed a clerk to help him.
At least this office is ditto a replica of a government office where babus are provided with a platoon of helpers.
And this man according to their new pay revision is drawing about fifty thousand rupees a month plus, plus a clerk of say twenty five thousand.
So Mr. Mukherjee these people too have got their contribution to the profit and loss figures and NPAs you mentioned. The young generation may be efficient. Now root out this age old parasites that would be sucking the profit for a few more years of the banking tree.
Cosmetic changes like renaming a Human Resources Development (HRD) to a Human Resources Management (HRM) won’t improve things. Politicians are in the habit of presenting old schemes in new packing.
The bank heads are waiting for your orders obediently, Sir.

Kith and kin feel entering their hypothesized heaven

Recently, I came across an outwardly fragile and ill man, an aam aadmi, with inherent mental guts.

Weather being comfortably cold, it is a touring time in south peninsula. Highways are jammed with thousands of public, private buses and vehicles – a good sign of financial progress the ruling party is boasting about.

It was a lavish seven-seater on highway number 17. Little after crossing Panvel, a dhaba appeared. It was 8.30 p.m. The vehicle driver got down for his dinner. He was atypical. Unlike other drivers, generally with an expected look of having it from the hirers of the vehicle, this driver took his seemingly usual corner. His confidence while marching towards the table made it apparent.

He ordered his pint and started his evening session with an added confidence.

Our aam aadmi who had hired the vehicle didn’t approve the act. What we do at such times? Keep quiet? Discard the behavior?

This bold aam aadmi took out the visiting card of the two-car-fleet owner and rang the office from his cell phone. He narrated the story and asked to order the overconfident and apparently victorious highway sarathi of the vehicle for a retreat. The Information Technology & Telecom revolution benefit.

The sarathi with his unyielding face was initially reluctant to accept the defeat. However, he finally succumbed to his master’s orders.

Further story in a nutshell is common. The liberalization has liberalized few people in strategic positions more than others. They earn money in excess and finding difficult to cope, invest in such adventures without thinking whether it’s worthwhile or not.

Such kind of miniscule transport business with no worries for the returns or carelessness about expansion is always leading to loss as one has to hand it over to the other man who can’t be under anyone’s control and vigil. There are several possibilities of parting your money by under filling of petrol, repairing costs, thefts, imaginary bribery amounts and toll. Forget the death toll in case of drunken driving. Highway laws are different than the written ones, one has to experience himself.

The tour operators of this kind may have sought all the permissions necessary. But how can one assure the behaviour of the driver on the highway? And who is responsible of the mishaps in such cases?

Or whether we have to spend this life like the kind of deers in the jungle scared of the tigers and lions every moment on these shoddy highways that our rulers have constructed?

This man has shown the courage. Everybody can’t do that. And why everybody should do it?

Such kind of careless behaviour has led to accidents causing deaths a few times of the worshippers visiting religious places with a faith in their minds that the deity would provide them a happy life ahead!

This is an irony.

Initially I was not much enthusiastic of the taxi services of two new fleets, Meru and Easy Cab, as being carried away by the above kind of impression. But recently they have changed my opinion. The taxis are present in your porch dot at time. Their preconditions are well defined. The drivers are well behaved and in between the fleet owners’ representatives keep on enquiring about the status of the travel and finally your feedback specifically about behaviour of the drivers and the time schedule.

I hope they keep up the spirit and their upcoming small followers also do the same, liberalizing us from that Stone Age fear of the deers.

Sunk into the scams the ruling party is patting itself for the financial achievements constantly; their two leaders’, party and executive, mouths shut and paralysed during the session time though! It’s the time they take a lesson or two from the of aam aadmi of the above kind and behave with firmness when the scam scum is visible everywhere else.

At such a time a little care and concern shown for common people if exhibited by the rulers may appease us like that of the fleet.

Maharashtra has a ved (mania) for celebration. Of any kind! Come September or August, people of Maharashtra are charged for ten days. They don’t do anything but sing songs in haphazard manner with no mercy to rhythm, they play loud speakers defying 50 decibel limit to express their joy with delirium. Come October and they are ready to repeat the fruitless act. Then Diwali and other single day celebrations follow. Joy one should take, but not to the extent of wasting huge time and expense of keeping one’s career waiting.

Obama came to the city. Far away from the city of Illinois his media managers might have chalked out the itinerary of his India visit. However, imagine Michelle Obama mingling in the crowd of boys of an English medium school in Fort and straight heading to dance to the tunes of an ethnic Koli Marathi song – you’re under loss of state of mind.

It’s never so with Americans at the upper hierarchy and I’m grieved to say, always so, with Indian political counterparts. A fresh like pomphret example of Common Wealth Games in Delhi!

So they planned from a distance that is exactly on the opposite of the globe and executed the plan in filthy Mumbai without a wrinkle on the face. Soon our shameless politicians, with their crest fallen faces, may visit US to study how to reciprocate the gesture in a comparatively clean city. However, let us keep aside the political analysis by the analysts with crooked and favourable angles expressed as a running commentary.

Michelle’s dance! The scene kept cheering the mind. Michelle is a good dancer. She caught to the tunes immediately with Madhuri Dixit’s ease. It’s in their blood. To catch the rhythm. But Barrack was not at ease. Doesn’t matter. In last few, about 20 seconds he tapped on the tunes. That was a symbol of humility. How many of our politicians with their dogmatic face and vain pride could have shown this gesture?

That achieved two purposes. It tickled the hearts of rich and at the same time created a feeling of pride among the original tribes of Mumbai. Bichchare Bhandaris and Pathare Prabhus, other original tribes! Would have the tour planners thought of this? Congress the ruling party of Maharashtra may be able to draw a benefit from this gesture.

Owing to sincere and persistent requests, Obama danced with his sleeves folded and with fastened necktie.

We were taught to button the sleeves while meeting seniors. To fold full shirt sleeves was supposed to be uncouth. The British tight upper leaps are able to gulp the morsel? The Korean and Chinese taken over the garb of dark suits would be able to digest it?

Our Marathi entertainment channels don’t care of President of India and new chief of the state who is a M.S. from California. The dissuading Marathi entertainment channels thumping hideous programmes in the name of humour on the face of the Marathis evading the intro and life portrait of a so educated chief minister. They were accompanied by relatives, the journos in high places, like that in Adarsha Society. Are they not equally sinful in their act?

I had regards about the British stiff upper lip. But in Bush’s time that was burned out by Tony Blair.

It’s said that: a true American never accepts anything for free. He pays for it and pays for best quality. Despite their depleting resources they’ve not given up the habit. Prima facie Obama has made a provision for 50 thousand jobs. BPOs are not affected as the fear loomed a month ago. Go, grab them.

Analysts are not catalysts. Throw them in the recycle bin.

Though so, we have our own iconic example, still intact. Years ago Indira Gandhi danced to the tunes of folk songs of Adivasis in a remote village. She sincerely believed to be a daughter of an Adivasi in her earlier birth. With her grace and a little smile, the impression is as live in my mind as then was.

Hinjewadi, a large land mass made of farms, hillocks, mountains, and greenery all around, has witnessed staggering growth in last 6-7 years. The property prices have gone up 300 times. A farmer at one time who hailed his bullock cart as his pride, today drives Boleros, Scorpios, Fords – plurals because a single farmer owns and has the capacity to maintain multiple vehicles. The only greenery or the green shades you can see today are the green paints, if at all used, on the exteriors of the constructions that have sprouted like a swarm of locust on the same farmlands.

Jai Ho IT, Information Technology or simply said Software, Computers et al.

Hinjewadi and the surrounding areas are now thickly populated with IT professionals, an elite mass enjoying the pride that banking professionals enjoyed once upon a time. By elite I mean, one who doesn’t care how much is spent and being ignorant of the fact that they are the biggest contributors to the prevailing inflation, at least in Hinjewadi and surrounding areas – one kg of tomato in a near remote area costs Rs. X, the same will cost Rs. X+2 in an area where IT professionals reside; just because vendors think IT guys are rich, and also because IT guys don’t bargain, it’s against their pride to negotiate.

Yes, it does sound foolish.

While this habit of IT professionals does agitate me, I might still pardon them for negotiation is skill, and not everyone can master it. However, what stirs me up ecstatically is that these professionals who pledge to work “for the logic”, “by the logic”, many a times go “off the logic”.

Once a beautiful, peaceful pensioner’s paradise has now turned into a mess full of traffic, pollution. While the advent of IT in Pune has kept India shinning, the residents of are left whining. I have heard many lament about “amchya velela hey asa nhavta” (it wasn’t like this during our times). I will explain.

Reaching Hinjewadi IT Park requires you to cross a bridge, if you are coming from Wakad or Aundh. That the traffic chokes at the ends of the bridge requires no logic to understand. Also it is exciting and despicable of course to see that a bridge has been built perpendicular to the Mumbai-Pune-Bangalore highway, imagine there is a signal on a national highway. I don’t understand which engineer’s (again a class that takes pride in being logic and calculations maestro) analysis and implementation that is.

Now these IT guys flock to office in the morning and are rushing home in the evening. Everyone is in a hurry. Thus begins overtaking. Bikers are experts in this (Pune has also been known for its two wheeler population), they don’t leave a narrowest gap in which they don’t creep in, perhaps they can even ride their two wheelers on Shilpa Shetty’s curvy narrow waist. In the angst and the quest to find gaps, each one tries to get into the opposite lane thus blocking the traffic coming from opposite direction. A long serpentine queue progresses then on their side. It gets real chaotic on the middle of the bridge from where neither can you take a U turn nor can you jump off the bridge. In the haste to save few minutes, hours are wasted in that traffic congestion. But nobody understands this logic. No one wants to follow the traffic rules or the lane discipline. And all this by the same IT professionals who when in foreign countries (onsite) follow minutest of the rule. However, as soon as they land in India, discipline shreds off, logic is dumped in the trash bin, and hypocrisy creeps in.

“Oh it’s so pathetic in India. Go and see in that country, how everything is perfect, no traffic, no pollution,” they crib sitting in the car on the same bridge on which they had once tried to overtake and now are spitting out gargles of Bisleri water.