"Three people have been sentenced to death in the trial of those accused of involvement in the 1993 serial bombings in the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay). The court ordered that Pervez Sheikh, Abdul Turq and Mohammed Mushtaq Tarani be hanged for planting bombs in India's financial capital." This is the latest piece of news (taken from the BBC site) involving capital punishment in India.
It reminded me of a discussion I had recently with one of my friends about the logic of having death sentence as a punishment. The basis for that discussion was a book called The Chamber by John Grisham which I had just finished reading. After reading the book, I was pretty averse to the idea of capital punishment as I did not feel it really served any purpose. The people involved in the execution never feel good about it, in fact many of them have been known to get affected from the entire process. One of the questions I had was whether we (society, government, judiciary, etc) had the right to take a life based on our judgment of a person's crime. What gives us the right to kill any person? Isn't a life imprisonment a better and more humane way of punishing a criminal?
Of course, there are enough and more counter-arguments. One of the primary ones is the fact that once a person has committed a heinous crime such as rape and murder or serial killing etc, that person no longer has any right to live. His/her fundamental/human rights shall be forfeit in the larger interest of the society. After all, the victims also had a right to live which was taken forcibly from them by the criminal. The issue of terror is also involved. If we keep terrorists imprisoned rather than executing them, their release can be bargained by fellow terrorists as was seen in the case of Kandahar. Thinking from the position of the victim's family, the one thing they would want is the criminal who has caused them grief to be removed. The society would be a much better place without the criminal. And it is simply not worth it to spend so much of the tax-payer's money to keep that person alive. This site for pro-death penalty provides quite an in-depth analysis of why capital punishment is justified.
Having said all this, I managed to dig up a very interesting section on the subject of death penalty specific to India. The Indian law advocates the use of capital punishment in the "rarest of rare" cases. The argument brought forth in the article is that "Paradoxically, it has arguably been the development of the "rarest of rare" doctrine that has helped the death penalty survive as a form of punishment over the years".
The article also points out that most of the people who are executed are from poor and uneducated backgrounds with inadequate procedural safeguards. It is very difficult for such people to get good legal representation. It goes on to state that "The Constitution of India protects the right to life (Article 21), the right not to be arbitrarily deprived of one's life (Article 21), and the right to equal protection by law (Article 14). Capital punishment violates all of these."
The time I spent reading on this topic led me to discover two more interesting articles. Both deal with a specific example - the case of Mohammed Afzal. One which presents simplistic arguments about why he should not be hanged. And the other which is an in-depth analysis of the entire case. The first one is a blog post about why Mohammed Afzal should not be hanged. The main points brought forward are that executing a terrorist would make him a martyr in the eyes of other terrorists and hence not solve the purpose of detracting them. Capital punishment in a way ends up legitimizing the use of violence as a means to the end. Moreover, speedy justice is a more effective tool than capital punishment. (I only question the "justice" part because capital punishment is considered a form of justice).
Specific to the case itself, I found it interesting that Arundhati Roy has actually published a book on this topic. I managed to dig the intro of that book here. It requires free registration with the outlook website. For those who can't be bothered to register there, I have just copied a small piece from that article for reference.
"Even the Supreme Court judgement, with all its flaws of logic and leaps of faith, does not accuse Mohammed Afzal of being the mastermind of the attack. So who was the mastermind? If Mohammed Afzal is hanged, we may never know. But L.K. Advani, Leader of the Opposition, wants him hanged at once. Even a day's delay, he says, is against the national interest. Why? What's the hurry? The man is locked up in a high-security cell on death row.
He's not allowed out of his cell for even five minutes a day. What harm can he do? Talk? Write, perhaps? Surely, (even in L.K. Advani's own narrow interpretation of the term) it's in the national interest not to hang Afzal? At least not until there is an inquiry that reveals what the real story is, and who actually attacked Parliament?"
As you can see, she actually questions the appropriateness of the entire trial to the extent of suggesting a conspiracy theory. However, that is a debate which diverts the attention from the main subject of the post. So having read all that I did, do I believe capital punishment should be abolished? Yes, for the most part. This was the position with which I had started my argument with my friend. And we had signed off on a note where we decided that we need to do more reading on the topic before arriving at any concrete answers.
However I still feel that capital punishment is not necessarily a deterring factor when the actual crime(s) is/are being committed. If perhaps it can be proved that it is a deterrent, it may be considered as an effective tool. Reasons such as economic ones do not seem as relevant to me because we are talking about someone's life here which really cannot be trivialized by talk of economic issues. A lot of money is anyway spent on trials and legal procedures as a part of the capital punishment process. Moreover, even the accused has a family. No matter how heinous the crime, I don't think the criminal's family should be made to go through a period of torture and anxiety awaiting the execution. Speaking of the victim's family, there are two fairly recent cases where the family members have requested for the criminal's clemency. One involving the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and the other was the brutal murder of Graham Staines and his sons. In both cases, the wife of the victim has requested for clemency. Finally, are we really making the world a better place to live in by executing a few criminals? Does the execution of a Dhananjoy Chatterjee really affect anyone outside the families of the victim and the accused himself? I admit I still do not have any concrete answers yet to these questions as well as the many more running in my mind.
It is worth noting that worldwide 120 countries have abolished the death sentence in law or practice. In a briefing pointing out the recent cases of execution from India, Amnesty International further presses the case for the removal of death penalty. While some of the arguments brought forward seem to me to be tilting in favour of the accused, there is good merit in the arguments overall. They are further substantiated in this article bringing out the legal as well as practical aspects from the Indian angle, and presses for the removal of death penalty as a form of punishment.
With all these thoughts put together in a random and arbitrary way, I would just like to sign off this post with my view that as a part of civilized society, I believe we should progressively work towards the abolishment of death penalty.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
The First Citizen(s)
After an eternity, returning to the blogging world with a slightly changed look for my blog. I suppose I should give my brother due credit for reviving the interest, not that I had lost it but had sort of turned from that direction!
This post is mainly about the biggest news of the day - India has finally elected its first woman president. Ms. Pratibha Patil takes over from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam as the 13th President of India.
It is sad that a historic moment like this has been mired by petty politics which is quite unbecoming for the post of the first citizen of our country. Even though there have been some proclamations in the media about the first woman president, this has largely been overshadowed by the real "motives" behind Ms. Patil's nomination for the post. However, I do not wish to debate on her qualifications and election. What provoked me to write this piece was my brother's post on Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the outgoing president of India.
Even though I am nowhere near as critical of Dr. APJ as my brother, I would say that some of what he has written has substance. No doubt that Dr. Kalam was a favourite with the general people of India but even his election in 2002 was hardly free from issues. Dr. Kalam's simplicity and his "non-political" background have been cited as refreshing changes in the "corrupt political system". The media has as usual gone overboard with their representation of Dr. Kalam as a middle-class superhero. The numerous forwards asking people to sign petitions for Dr. Kalam's re-election are further reflection to the uninformed nature of public opinion.
Personally, I admit I have always had a soft spot for Dr. APJ, mainly because he was a professor in Anna University for a brief period when I was studying there. But that does not really mean that he is the best president that our country can have or has had. In many ways, it is similar to the brief speculation about Mr. NRN of Infosys for the post of president. Mr. NRN may have his own achievements and credentials, especially in building the software giant Infosys, but the proposition of his candidature for the post of president seemed a little naive to me. Similar to Dr. Kalam, the fact that NRN (as he's called in Infosys) does not have a political history appeals to people who are increasingly disillusioned by the current nature of politics in India. However, I feel that the larger picture of having a suitable person with the right credentials and experience for the post was being ignored in these debates and speculations.
One of the things which I found a little unpleasant as I was reading on this topic was the way the late Mr. KR Narayanan had been depicted by some constituents of what was the NDA when he stepped down from his office. I managed to dig up a piece written by P. Sainath on the late former president. One of the finest presidents of our country, reading about some of his achievements was quite a revelation to me. A simple search on wikipedia helped me find this info about him. I was simply amazed at the length and details of his achievements and contributions to society whether as a parliamentarian, academician, diplomat or president. Even though internet was not as prevalent back then in India as it is now, I could not help wondering whether we would have sent such forwards and requests for his re-election. It also makes me think whether people would ever rise above politics and appreciate such people's achievements rather than have a narrow-minded view of them because of their political background.
Having said all this, I would like to wind up this post by appreciating the significance of the election of India's first woman president and hope that her tenure is remembered for all the right reasons.
This post is mainly about the biggest news of the day - India has finally elected its first woman president. Ms. Pratibha Patil takes over from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam as the 13th President of India.
It is sad that a historic moment like this has been mired by petty politics which is quite unbecoming for the post of the first citizen of our country. Even though there have been some proclamations in the media about the first woman president, this has largely been overshadowed by the real "motives" behind Ms. Patil's nomination for the post. However, I do not wish to debate on her qualifications and election. What provoked me to write this piece was my brother's post on Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the outgoing president of India.
Even though I am nowhere near as critical of Dr. APJ as my brother, I would say that some of what he has written has substance. No doubt that Dr. Kalam was a favourite with the general people of India but even his election in 2002 was hardly free from issues. Dr. Kalam's simplicity and his "non-political" background have been cited as refreshing changes in the "corrupt political system". The media has as usual gone overboard with their representation of Dr. Kalam as a middle-class superhero. The numerous forwards asking people to sign petitions for Dr. Kalam's re-election are further reflection to the uninformed nature of public opinion.
Personally, I admit I have always had a soft spot for Dr. APJ, mainly because he was a professor in Anna University for a brief period when I was studying there. But that does not really mean that he is the best president that our country can have or has had. In many ways, it is similar to the brief speculation about Mr. NRN of Infosys for the post of president. Mr. NRN may have his own achievements and credentials, especially in building the software giant Infosys, but the proposition of his candidature for the post of president seemed a little naive to me. Similar to Dr. Kalam, the fact that NRN (as he's called in Infosys) does not have a political history appeals to people who are increasingly disillusioned by the current nature of politics in India. However, I feel that the larger picture of having a suitable person with the right credentials and experience for the post was being ignored in these debates and speculations.
One of the things which I found a little unpleasant as I was reading on this topic was the way the late Mr. KR Narayanan had been depicted by some constituents of what was the NDA when he stepped down from his office. I managed to dig up a piece written by P. Sainath on the late former president. One of the finest presidents of our country, reading about some of his achievements was quite a revelation to me. A simple search on wikipedia helped me find this info about him. I was simply amazed at the length and details of his achievements and contributions to society whether as a parliamentarian, academician, diplomat or president. Even though internet was not as prevalent back then in India as it is now, I could not help wondering whether we would have sent such forwards and requests for his re-election. It also makes me think whether people would ever rise above politics and appreciate such people's achievements rather than have a narrow-minded view of them because of their political background.
Having said all this, I would like to wind up this post by appreciating the significance of the election of India's first woman president and hope that her tenure is remembered for all the right reasons.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Its Showtime....
And so the day has arrived.. Just got back from the inaugration of IRIS 2006 - which promises to be larger than life.. the start was pretty much perfect with a pretty thoughtful lecture By Ms. Naina Lal Kidwai, the CEO of HSBC India.. it is always good to listen to people like her address young audiences who have so much to learn from corporate leaders like her..
Now, after the inaugration, we are gearing up for the kick off of some of the events today.. we have Papyrus, Marksman, Cerebrate (Strategy) and Factorise lined up today.. and of course all the really big games - Ashwamedha and Kalpavriksha - start tomorrow.. for more information on all the events and details about IRIS itself, visit http://www.iimi-iris.com/iris-2006/index.asp
Do watch the intro with the speakers on and enjoy the IRIS theme.. as we have kept saying over the past few momnths, Welcome to the Show, Welcome to IRIS!!
Now, after the inaugration, we are gearing up for the kick off of some of the events today.. we have Papyrus, Marksman, Cerebrate (Strategy) and Factorise lined up today.. and of course all the really big games - Ashwamedha and Kalpavriksha - start tomorrow.. for more information on all the events and details about IRIS itself, visit http://www.iimi-iris.com/iris-2006/index.asp
Do watch the intro with the speakers on and enjoy the IRIS theme.. as we have kept saying over the past few momnths, Welcome to the Show, Welcome to IRIS!!
Thursday, August 17, 2006
The Six Sigma Men!
TQM.. Six Sigma.. ISO 9001.. all these terms can hardly be imagined in the sub-urban, crowded trains of Mumbai, can they? But there is a set of people who make it possible.. They are the people now famously known as the "Mumbai Dabbawaalas".. I just learned today that their association is termed "Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers' Association".. As a B-school student, let me go with the acronym tradition and call them NMTBSA..
Going by the latest trend in all IIMs, our institute also arranged for a lecture by the famed dabbawaalas from Mumbai.. I must admit that I was quite skeptical about what significance such a lecture would have.. And whether its been unnecessarily hyped by everyone.. But after attending the session and especially seeing the documentary at the end, I would say that all Indians should atleast see how the system works.. It almost reflects a utopian world as far as I am concerned.. Which makes it even more special because such a thing has been in existence for almost 116 years now..
The kind of service these dabbawaalas provide is quite hard to imagine, given the circumstances they do it in.. Anyone who has been in a Mumbai local train knows what it takes to wrestle one's way to get any space on those trains.. For them to cover the entire length of Mumbai in those trains carrying those heavy loads, both on the western and central lines, and provide service with a zero error rate (well officially it is 1 error in 6 million) is simply mindboggling.. Again I would like to stress on the kind of environment they do it in.. Not a single dabbawaala is educated more than 8th standard.. Their average age is 52 years.. And many of them have to carry loads upto 75-80 kgs on their heads.. Their only dependence is on the Mumbai local train service which is very reliable as long as the weather gods don't intervene drastically.. The way they sort out and separate the 2,00,000 dabbas they handle every single day is quite amazing.. Not a single dabba gets misplaced or sent to the wrong destination.. The system is entirely manual and surprisingly, there is NO mistake ever made.. The confidence of the President and the Secretary of the association in their system was quite a revelation.. Why shouldn't they be, after all they are Six Sigma certified!! The secretary actually made fun of terms such as Logistics and Supply Chain Management saying that they are told they are good at it but he doesn't even know what they mean.. Being a so-called OR enthusiast myself, I was really amused by a lot of his comments..
All in all, I would say it was a very humbling experience for every one of us listening to the two gentlemen talk about an organization where every single employee is also a partner.. Everyone earns the same amount of money.. All the revenue generated is distributed equally among all the partners.. It reminded me of the word syndicalism used by Bertrand Russell in his writings.. When I say syndicalism, I am not referring to the Trade Union aspect of the philosophy; I am talking about the fact that every single person has an equal stake in the organization.. Such a system is very difficult to find and the Dabbawaalas are unique not only in that respect, but also the fact they have the most efficient system in the world.. Finally, I must thank our Operations professors for arranging such an interaction which gives people like me a different perspective to life altogether.. Life never ceases to throw its set of surprises, does it?
Going by the latest trend in all IIMs, our institute also arranged for a lecture by the famed dabbawaalas from Mumbai.. I must admit that I was quite skeptical about what significance such a lecture would have.. And whether its been unnecessarily hyped by everyone.. But after attending the session and especially seeing the documentary at the end, I would say that all Indians should atleast see how the system works.. It almost reflects a utopian world as far as I am concerned.. Which makes it even more special because such a thing has been in existence for almost 116 years now..
The kind of service these dabbawaalas provide is quite hard to imagine, given the circumstances they do it in.. Anyone who has been in a Mumbai local train knows what it takes to wrestle one's way to get any space on those trains.. For them to cover the entire length of Mumbai in those trains carrying those heavy loads, both on the western and central lines, and provide service with a zero error rate (well officially it is 1 error in 6 million) is simply mindboggling.. Again I would like to stress on the kind of environment they do it in.. Not a single dabbawaala is educated more than 8th standard.. Their average age is 52 years.. And many of them have to carry loads upto 75-80 kgs on their heads.. Their only dependence is on the Mumbai local train service which is very reliable as long as the weather gods don't intervene drastically.. The way they sort out and separate the 2,00,000 dabbas they handle every single day is quite amazing.. Not a single dabba gets misplaced or sent to the wrong destination.. The system is entirely manual and surprisingly, there is NO mistake ever made.. The confidence of the President and the Secretary of the association in their system was quite a revelation.. Why shouldn't they be, after all they are Six Sigma certified!! The secretary actually made fun of terms such as Logistics and Supply Chain Management saying that they are told they are good at it but he doesn't even know what they mean.. Being a so-called OR enthusiast myself, I was really amused by a lot of his comments..
All in all, I would say it was a very humbling experience for every one of us listening to the two gentlemen talk about an organization where every single employee is also a partner.. Everyone earns the same amount of money.. All the revenue generated is distributed equally among all the partners.. It reminded me of the word syndicalism used by Bertrand Russell in his writings.. When I say syndicalism, I am not referring to the Trade Union aspect of the philosophy; I am talking about the fact that every single person has an equal stake in the organization.. Such a system is very difficult to find and the Dabbawaalas are unique not only in that respect, but also the fact they have the most efficient system in the world.. Finally, I must thank our Operations professors for arranging such an interaction which gives people like me a different perspective to life altogether.. Life never ceases to throw its set of surprises, does it?
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Back on the road again!
So I am finally back after what seems like forever.. Have been missing blogging lately.. Was just waiting for some appropriate moment to resume.. And so today happens to be the auspicious occasion..
Well, the last few months have shown me how things can change very quickly in one's life.. Just 3 months back, I was sitting in Bangalore, in an air-conditioned office, working for a common goal in a project which seemed to be going on forever.. In fact, if I rewind back by 3 more months, I could well have been on a flight to Silicon Valley in the US of A.. But then as it happens, I had to take a crucial decision at that juncture and ended up refusing that offer for "greener" pastures in life.. So, after rounds of GDs and Interviews and nervously waiting for results, I found myself selected for the course on Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) in the Indian Institute of Management, Indore (IIM-I as it is more commonly known!)..
Its been a month and a half since I got here and I already have many experiences which will remain with me for a long time to come.. I had always heard so much about experiencing life in a B-school, but being here and actually being a part of everything is really exhilarating.. Sure, its a competitive world and everyone wishes to finish top one day.. But the different kind of people I have met here and most of what I have learnt so far is really intangible.. Whether it is the initial intro sessions, the late night parties, the theatre club performances, the World Cup matches in the audi, the birthday celebrations, the student body elections, the freshers' and talent night performances, the quizzes, the games, or the latest matki-phod competition, and so much more which I can keep writing about, it has been so much fun and at the same time, such a unique experience that it seems tough to believe that I have been here for not even 2 months.. Ohh, we do have classes too!! :P In fact, we are already more than half-way through this term.. But who wishes to write about acads on a blog when one's happy!!
I have been reading quite a bit about people writing their experiences in Infosys and I have made up my mind that I need to dedicate some space to Infy in my blog too.. But that needs to be a separate post.. For now, I'd just like to sign off saying that I am back blogging again.. with the determintaion to be more regular from now on..
Well, the last few months have shown me how things can change very quickly in one's life.. Just 3 months back, I was sitting in Bangalore, in an air-conditioned office, working for a common goal in a project which seemed to be going on forever.. In fact, if I rewind back by 3 more months, I could well have been on a flight to Silicon Valley in the US of A.. But then as it happens, I had to take a crucial decision at that juncture and ended up refusing that offer for "greener" pastures in life.. So, after rounds of GDs and Interviews and nervously waiting for results, I found myself selected for the course on Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) in the Indian Institute of Management, Indore (IIM-I as it is more commonly known!)..
Its been a month and a half since I got here and I already have many experiences which will remain with me for a long time to come.. I had always heard so much about experiencing life in a B-school, but being here and actually being a part of everything is really exhilarating.. Sure, its a competitive world and everyone wishes to finish top one day.. But the different kind of people I have met here and most of what I have learnt so far is really intangible.. Whether it is the initial intro sessions, the late night parties, the theatre club performances, the World Cup matches in the audi, the birthday celebrations, the student body elections, the freshers' and talent night performances, the quizzes, the games, or the latest matki-phod competition, and so much more which I can keep writing about, it has been so much fun and at the same time, such a unique experience that it seems tough to believe that I have been here for not even 2 months.. Ohh, we do have classes too!! :P In fact, we are already more than half-way through this term.. But who wishes to write about acads on a blog when one's happy!!
I have been reading quite a bit about people writing their experiences in Infosys and I have made up my mind that I need to dedicate some space to Infy in my blog too.. But that needs to be a separate post.. For now, I'd just like to sign off saying that I am back blogging again.. with the determintaion to be more regular from now on..
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Just Let 'em be...
Being a man, I feel it is naturally hypocritical for me to write on a subject like sexual harassment. I have done my share of ogling at women, passing comments, etc. Although I would like to think I have not "offended" any woman, there is no way I can say whether it is true.
Amit Verma sums is it up quite well in his post here. Especially this part of his post makes a lot of sense to me:
"I suppose women are used to the male gaze, and I can't imagine how. But everytime a man talks disparagingly about letches, he's being hypocritical, to some extent or the other. After all, we all 'check out' women fairly often. If we're male, we have the gaze. Maybe we've just learnt to make it less obvious. One man's checking out is another man's letching. Where do you cross the line?"
I have discussed this with my female friends and it was quite a revelation for me when they told me that they face such things almost every time they go out, whether they are alone or in a group. I can't help squirming when I hear about the kind of things they go through almost on a daily basis. I know I can't truly relate to the sort of harassment they go through. I do not even know whether raising a voice in public will even change anything. I am slightly pessimistic about what raising one's voice in public will do. What if the girl actually does not want me to raise my voice and give undue importance to such an episode? As one of my friends put it quite succinctly, "just let women be". Wish men paid heed to these words.
Many of my male friends think that harassment has a lot to do with the dress that girls wear. They argue that "revealing" dresses naturally "provoke" guys more into passing lewd remarks, etc. I do not really agree with them. The kind of instances I have heard and seen about do not really indicate any such tendencies. Inspite of all the "modernization" in our culture, I still don't think all girls still have the freedom to wear anything they want to. Most of them are very conscious of what the society will say if they wear "bold" dresses. With people like the shiv sainiks and similar "ethnic" groups playing police and custodians of the "great indian tradition and culture", I don't know whether we will actually see a day when women are given complete freedom in our country.
Amit Verma sums is it up quite well in his post here. Especially this part of his post makes a lot of sense to me:
"I suppose women are used to the male gaze, and I can't imagine how. But everytime a man talks disparagingly about letches, he's being hypocritical, to some extent or the other. After all, we all 'check out' women fairly often. If we're male, we have the gaze. Maybe we've just learnt to make it less obvious. One man's checking out is another man's letching. Where do you cross the line?"
I have discussed this with my female friends and it was quite a revelation for me when they told me that they face such things almost every time they go out, whether they are alone or in a group. I can't help squirming when I hear about the kind of things they go through almost on a daily basis. I know I can't truly relate to the sort of harassment they go through. I do not even know whether raising a voice in public will even change anything. I am slightly pessimistic about what raising one's voice in public will do. What if the girl actually does not want me to raise my voice and give undue importance to such an episode? As one of my friends put it quite succinctly, "just let women be". Wish men paid heed to these words.
Many of my male friends think that harassment has a lot to do with the dress that girls wear. They argue that "revealing" dresses naturally "provoke" guys more into passing lewd remarks, etc. I do not really agree with them. The kind of instances I have heard and seen about do not really indicate any such tendencies. Inspite of all the "modernization" in our culture, I still don't think all girls still have the freedom to wear anything they want to. Most of them are very conscious of what the society will say if they wear "bold" dresses. With people like the shiv sainiks and similar "ethnic" groups playing police and custodians of the "great indian tradition and culture", I don't know whether we will actually see a day when women are given complete freedom in our country.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Don't mingle with singles..
A day before the International Women's day, it is but natural that there are many articles on women and their status in the society is widely discussed. The sad truth is that even though there may be women who are able to make their own decisions and enjoy freedom, their number is still quite low when compared with the ones whose lives are controlled by either their families. How many girls in our country, whether in urban or rural areas, get the freedom to choose when to marry and with whom? Things may be a lot better than what they were 20 years ago, but a lot of change still needs to come into the mindset of the people.
I find it really disconcerting that we have women requesting men to put on their thinking caps when it comes to respecting and appreciating the new "empowered" woman in a newspaper like this. Isn't it a basic level of freedom which any man should automatically think about giving to any woman? Does it really require such articles to point out these things which seem fairly obvious?
I find it really disconcerting that we have women requesting men to put on their thinking caps when it comes to respecting and appreciating the new "empowered" woman in a newspaper like this. Isn't it a basic level of freedom which any man should automatically think about giving to any woman? Does it really require such articles to point out these things which seem fairly obvious?
Monday, March 06, 2006
Changing times...
I remember reading Ram Guha's article in the Hindu recently about him supporting any team but England in international cricket matches. Well, I share the same views. And this article sums up the mindset of the Englishmen, or atleast what it used to be. Things are not too different this time either, even though the "second-string" English team actually performed quite admirably in the first test (probably better than what their "main" team would do.)!
I am glad we are in an age where the pommies are not given undue importance by the rest of the cricketing world. Perhaps the one sore point nowadays is the sad decline of cricket in the West Indies. It is really sad to see them getting beaten by every other team nowadays. It is not so much the fact that they are losing, it has more to do with the manner in which they are doing so. And there doesn't really seem to be any solution in sight. Hopefully the world cup next year may bring about a change in fortunes. For the sake of cricket, I hope the revival of the Carribean kings happens sooner than later.
I am glad we are in an age where the pommies are not given undue importance by the rest of the cricketing world. Perhaps the one sore point nowadays is the sad decline of cricket in the West Indies. It is really sad to see them getting beaten by every other team nowadays. It is not so much the fact that they are losing, it has more to do with the manner in which they are doing so. And there doesn't really seem to be any solution in sight. Hopefully the world cup next year may bring about a change in fortunes. For the sake of cricket, I hope the revival of the Carribean kings happens sooner than later.
Love for the game!
There are some things in life which really move you.. This article shows the other side of cricket.. Away from all the glamour, media attention and adulation from the crowds, there are players who simply play because of the love for the game..
I admit that Narendra Hirwani is one of the players I have ridiculed in the past.. I still remember one of his fielding errors which made me laugh when I saw it live.. I felt very guilty as I read this article and realized that a lot of injustice was done to a player like him.. I somehow feel equally responsible for his not being selected in the team when he deserved it.. I wonder how we'd have looked at this man had he played for India in that crucial Kolkata test against Australia and won that match for us..
Somehow, all of us tend to get clouded by stardom and what the media chooses to inform us.. With all this talk of Saurav Ganguly and his exclusion from the team, I wonder how many of us even bothered to think why people like Hirwani, Kanwaljit Singh never really got their due. How many of us are even aware of such players? It just amazes and inspires me to read stories of such men who keep fighting on and on inspite of being ignored repeatedly and perhaps unjustifiably so. It makes me think that there is so much more to cricket than just winning a test match and being counted as one of the best in the world..
I think this piece sums it up really well
"Watching cricketers like Hirwani, who possess the ability to go on forever and a day, defying age, pushing themselves further and excelling against opponents a whole generation younger, provides a unique kind of thrill. Not all journeys need a final destination; often the joy of the ride is fulfilling in itself. "
I admit that Narendra Hirwani is one of the players I have ridiculed in the past.. I still remember one of his fielding errors which made me laugh when I saw it live.. I felt very guilty as I read this article and realized that a lot of injustice was done to a player like him.. I somehow feel equally responsible for his not being selected in the team when he deserved it.. I wonder how we'd have looked at this man had he played for India in that crucial Kolkata test against Australia and won that match for us..
Somehow, all of us tend to get clouded by stardom and what the media chooses to inform us.. With all this talk of Saurav Ganguly and his exclusion from the team, I wonder how many of us even bothered to think why people like Hirwani, Kanwaljit Singh never really got their due. How many of us are even aware of such players? It just amazes and inspires me to read stories of such men who keep fighting on and on inspite of being ignored repeatedly and perhaps unjustifiably so. It makes me think that there is so much more to cricket than just winning a test match and being counted as one of the best in the world..
I think this piece sums it up really well
"Watching cricketers like Hirwani, who possess the ability to go on forever and a day, defying age, pushing themselves further and excelling against opponents a whole generation younger, provides a unique kind of thrill. Not all journeys need a final destination; often the joy of the ride is fulfilling in itself. "
Saturday, January 28, 2006
MBA - not enough to be a good manager!
For someone who has spent a long time in the field of management (first as a student and now as a top level manager) to say that management education lacks this is something. There seems to be a growing sense of dissatisfaction and incompleteness about the experiences gained as management students.
More and more people seem to be writing about the things lacking in B schools worldwide. Or maybe its just me who's reading too much into a few articles written by certain disgruntled people!
More and more people seem to be writing about the things lacking in B schools worldwide. Or maybe its just me who's reading too much into a few articles written by certain disgruntled people!
Monday, November 14, 2005
Poet, Writer, Sportsman or Smoker?
Isn't it slightly ironical that in those days, Smoking was not considered to be politically incorrect!! We are supposed to be a much more modern and forward-thinking nation now!
This is an article which gives an insight into Pandit Nehru's not so well known side.
This is an article which gives an insight into Pandit Nehru's not so well known side.
For Netizens
An interesting article on the latest "social" innovations in the field of Information Technology. True to my current profession, I should be and am fascinated by the new features people are coming out with on the internet.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Crime Time
Is it just me who is reading too many crime incidents or has it really increased recently? Either way, none of these series of incidents are acceptable. Are there any solutions to these problems?
What does one do if the police itself is responsible for such heinous acts?
The entire country needs to own responsibility for this.
There are people who do not spare the ones they "love".
Militancy is not new to Jammu & Kashmir. But can anything be done about this perennial problem? Why do we remain unaffected even after numerous incidents every month? Will we react the same way if a place like Bombay or Bangalore faced similar incidents for a month?
These are just a few incidents I read today. Everyday the papers seem to be full of such incidents. I can think of atleast 5-6 criminal incidents in the recent past straight off the hat. Maybe all this is a result of the media sensationalizing incidents and making a big hash out them. But why, oh.. why are such incidents happening at this rate in the first place?
What does one do if the police itself is responsible for such heinous acts?
The entire country needs to own responsibility for this.
There are people who do not spare the ones they "love".
Militancy is not new to Jammu & Kashmir. But can anything be done about this perennial problem? Why do we remain unaffected even after numerous incidents every month? Will we react the same way if a place like Bombay or Bangalore faced similar incidents for a month?
These are just a few incidents I read today. Everyday the papers seem to be full of such incidents. I can think of atleast 5-6 criminal incidents in the recent past straight off the hat. Maybe all this is a result of the media sensationalizing incidents and making a big hash out them. But why, oh.. why are such incidents happening at this rate in the first place?
5 and 5 is 55!
Tagged onto this by elf. Well, this thing's being going around for a while now I guess. Anyway, all of you reading this can give it a shot. Here's a lame attempt from me:
He was driving down a lonely road late night. There was noone in sight until he saw this lady standing by the road requesting for a lift.
He drove on past his home as her destination was much further on though common sense told him to stop.
She smiled as she knew he'd never return.
He was driving down a lonely road late night. There was noone in sight until he saw this lady standing by the road requesting for a lift.
He drove on past his home as her destination was much further on though common sense told him to stop.
She smiled as she knew he'd never return.
Why don't you respect me?
Did you ever feel that someone isn't showing the respect due to you? Has it ever happened that you made a stupid attempt at pleasing someone? Have you gone back on any recently made promise? Ever waited for really long to get a membership in a club?
Well, you are not the only one. As can be seen here.
Well, you are not the only one. As can be seen here.
Friday, October 07, 2005
The Best Ever!
As the series between Australia and the Rest of the World is going on and Australia re-asserts their strength(thanks largely to Gilchrist's form), there has been lots of talk and debate over the selection of the players for the Rest of the World team and whether they actually are the best in the world right now. I daresay there are many names which could and should have been there. However, it is impossible to please everyone and most of the players chosen will undoubtedly feature in everyone's team. I found this which tells one about all the ROW teams in the history of the game.
The whole world is currently going gaga over Freddie Flintoff who was the chief architect in England's victory in the Ashes after 18 years. With due to respect to Flintoff's talents as a cricketer, I think this article summarizes just why this man was and still is the best ever!
The whole world is currently going gaga over Freddie Flintoff who was the chief architect in England's victory in the Ashes after 18 years. With due to respect to Flintoff's talents as a cricketer, I think this article summarizes just why this man was and still is the best ever!
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Is this love?
Nowadays, I've got a very convenient explanation for anything that's happening in life. Let me make it clear that this explanation is not to satisfy anyone else. Its just that I feel that everything that's happened so far was all written in DESTINY. Not that I am worried about what's lined up ahead. It is a convenient way of explaining a lot of pleasant and not-so-pleasant memories.
I've been told that most people think about destiny only when something untoward happens. However, I feel quite the opposite. I tend to think about it when I am quite happy, like if I've had an unexpectedly pleasant day in office. In fact, last Monday was a perfect example where I was feeling really good about myself and everything seemed to work out just perfect. Just one of those days when you feel everything will fall in place right from the time you wake up.
A few days back I got a rude reminder about how life can change within a second. I was driving back home at night from the railway station. It was raining quite heavily and as I turned from the "Outer Ring Road" in towards my street, I got hit by some bird right next to my eye. Not that I fell down from the bike and got hurt. Nothing serious happened. The unexpected blow just knocked the wind out of me for a few minutes. I was lucky that my reflexes were sharp enough and I managed to close my eyes before I got hit. And everything was back to normal within some time. However, it made me realize how one's life can be completely affected by such an innocuous incident. I still don't know what bird it was. Poor thing may not have survived the accident.
I don't know what I'd be thinking had it been a very serious accident. Maybe I might have again cursed "destiny". See, doesn't she provide a convenient explanation for everything that happens. I think I am in love with destiny right now.
I've been told that most people think about destiny only when something untoward happens. However, I feel quite the opposite. I tend to think about it when I am quite happy, like if I've had an unexpectedly pleasant day in office. In fact, last Monday was a perfect example where I was feeling really good about myself and everything seemed to work out just perfect. Just one of those days when you feel everything will fall in place right from the time you wake up.
A few days back I got a rude reminder about how life can change within a second. I was driving back home at night from the railway station. It was raining quite heavily and as I turned from the "Outer Ring Road" in towards my street, I got hit by some bird right next to my eye. Not that I fell down from the bike and got hurt. Nothing serious happened. The unexpected blow just knocked the wind out of me for a few minutes. I was lucky that my reflexes were sharp enough and I managed to close my eyes before I got hit. And everything was back to normal within some time. However, it made me realize how one's life can be completely affected by such an innocuous incident. I still don't know what bird it was. Poor thing may not have survived the accident.
I don't know what I'd be thinking had it been a very serious accident. Maybe I might have again cursed "destiny". See, doesn't she provide a convenient explanation for everything that happens. I think I am in love with destiny right now.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
"Time of my Life"
I read some astrological prediction online which tells me that september is a speculative month for me. I shall be re-thinking my career path, etc, etc..
Now, I am not one who believes in any of these astrological predictions. Sure, some of them turn out to be true. In this case, it ain't entirely false. I have been wondering what I wish to achieve in life for a while now. It started WELL before this month started.
I was reminded of my musings when I saw this post. Well, its just that "time of my life".
Here's the lyrics of an awesome song by Green Day. Its called "Time of your Life".
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time.
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it's worth it was worth all the while.
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
Now, I am not one who believes in any of these astrological predictions. Sure, some of them turn out to be true. In this case, it ain't entirely false. I have been wondering what I wish to achieve in life for a while now. It started WELL before this month started.
I was reminded of my musings when I saw this post. Well, its just that "time of my life".
Here's the lyrics of an awesome song by Green Day. Its called "Time of your Life".
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time.
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it's worth it was worth all the while.
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Sports Icons
The papers nowadays seem to be more enthusiastic about reporting the "rise" of a teenage sensation Sania Mirza more than cribbing about the sorry state of Indian cricket.. Yeah I know they do it because Sania would obviously sell more.. But that's not what I wish to talk about right now..
As I write this, India's heading for yet another defeat in the finals of a tournament.. I can't remember any final apart from the Natwest Trophy final which we have won in the past 5-6 years.. This is, sorry I should say "was", supposed to be one of the best Indian teams right.. Then why such a pathetic record.. Losing 8 out of 9 finals (i think it may be more).. And with all of 1300 Crore Rupees, the BCCI has FINALLY got one national level academy going.. Applause.. What a noble thought and initiative taken up by the unsurpassable members of the BCCI.. We must be grateful to them for taking such giant steps in selecting the best team.. The Board of selectors have a meeting in Bangkok to select the team.. while all our aspirants slog it out in the Ranji matches happening all over the country.. Is anybody even bothering to see HOW a particular player performs? What is the criteria for selection in the Indian team? Have we given a proper chance to all the hopefuls? Well, whats the point in being the richest board in the world if the money isnt invested in the right channels.. Ok, I rest my case here..
Coming to the team itself, I think our captain needs to be true to himself.. It is about time he realized that he may not be one of the top 11 cricketers in our country any more.. He's done a lot for our country's cricket, there's no doubt about it.. But I think his time has come.. I'd be glad if he can prove me wrong (like England did), but he's been given a chance too many one feels.. His batting has become a household joke now.. It is sad to see him such a state.. The once admired "Dada" has now become the object of ridicule everywhere..
Speaking of England, they have FINALLY made sure they won't lose this Ashes series.. To be honest, I am not fond of Australia.. I think they deserve to be beaten.. There couldn't have been too many people happier than me the day they lost to Bangladesh in a ODI.. However, the only thing that irks me is the fact that it is England who's doing it.. The English media doesnt need much to go overboard about their players.. But, for them to have beaten this Aussie team, I do not even wish to imagine what would happen if this comes true.. The Aussies are still hopeful that they'd square the series.. And I do not want either of the things to happen.. I mean I want neither England to win the series nor Australia to win the last test.. Wish there was some way out of this situation...
Finally, coming back to Sania Mirza, it is indeed pleasing to see that she is making rapid progress in her career.. Even if she is not able to sustain it for too long (which I sincerely hope she can), the amount she's achieved is simply incredible considering the standards of women's tennis in our country.. She is very rightly a huge icon already.. Of course, her good looks aid her cause in a BIG way.. And in the midst of all this Sania-adulation, I remember reading somewhere that certain sections of our society are asking her to "dress properly"!! My response to such people is simply this: GET A LIFE!!
As I write this, India's heading for yet another defeat in the finals of a tournament.. I can't remember any final apart from the Natwest Trophy final which we have won in the past 5-6 years.. This is, sorry I should say "was", supposed to be one of the best Indian teams right.. Then why such a pathetic record.. Losing 8 out of 9 finals (i think it may be more).. And with all of 1300 Crore Rupees, the BCCI has FINALLY got one national level academy going.. Applause.. What a noble thought and initiative taken up by the unsurpassable members of the BCCI.. We must be grateful to them for taking such giant steps in selecting the best team.. The Board of selectors have a meeting in Bangkok to select the team.. while all our aspirants slog it out in the Ranji matches happening all over the country.. Is anybody even bothering to see HOW a particular player performs? What is the criteria for selection in the Indian team? Have we given a proper chance to all the hopefuls? Well, whats the point in being the richest board in the world if the money isnt invested in the right channels.. Ok, I rest my case here..
Coming to the team itself, I think our captain needs to be true to himself.. It is about time he realized that he may not be one of the top 11 cricketers in our country any more.. He's done a lot for our country's cricket, there's no doubt about it.. But I think his time has come.. I'd be glad if he can prove me wrong (like England did), but he's been given a chance too many one feels.. His batting has become a household joke now.. It is sad to see him such a state.. The once admired "Dada" has now become the object of ridicule everywhere..
Speaking of England, they have FINALLY made sure they won't lose this Ashes series.. To be honest, I am not fond of Australia.. I think they deserve to be beaten.. There couldn't have been too many people happier than me the day they lost to Bangladesh in a ODI.. However, the only thing that irks me is the fact that it is England who's doing it.. The English media doesnt need much to go overboard about their players.. But, for them to have beaten this Aussie team, I do not even wish to imagine what would happen if this comes true.. The Aussies are still hopeful that they'd square the series.. And I do not want either of the things to happen.. I mean I want neither England to win the series nor Australia to win the last test.. Wish there was some way out of this situation...
Finally, coming back to Sania Mirza, it is indeed pleasing to see that she is making rapid progress in her career.. Even if she is not able to sustain it for too long (which I sincerely hope she can), the amount she's achieved is simply incredible considering the standards of women's tennis in our country.. She is very rightly a huge icon already.. Of course, her good looks aid her cause in a BIG way.. And in the midst of all this Sania-adulation, I remember reading somewhere that certain sections of our society are asking her to "dress properly"!! My response to such people is simply this: GET A LIFE!!
Friday, September 02, 2005
Peace..
Well... its a loooooooooooooooooong time since i wrote anything on my blog.. i feel totally lost right now... it seems as if i am starting all over again..
For people who still visit this blog page, thanks for your patience.. Don't think I deserve it.. However, I shall make a sincere effort to make some time for my blog frm now on..
There's been a lotta talk about war/peace/disarmament, etc in the media recently.. Apparently our ex-Army Chief thinks that the button for nuke weapons should be with our "trusted" politicians.. Interesting, I must say.. I'd hav thought he'd be the last person to say that..
As for the recent nuke-deals, this is an interesting interview.. I still wonder when the world will come to a stage when everyone stops trying to please the United States.. Why, oh why should we care what the US thinks about our policies? Why do they get away with everything that they think, do, etc.. What a pity..
Another interesting piece I read was about Vietnam in The Hindu. The Vietnam war has always fascinated me and I have always wondered what life in such a place would be..
For people who still visit this blog page, thanks for your patience.. Don't think I deserve it.. However, I shall make a sincere effort to make some time for my blog frm now on..
There's been a lotta talk about war/peace/disarmament, etc in the media recently.. Apparently our ex-Army Chief thinks that the button for nuke weapons should be with our "trusted" politicians.. Interesting, I must say.. I'd hav thought he'd be the last person to say that..
As for the recent nuke-deals, this is an interesting interview.. I still wonder when the world will come to a stage when everyone stops trying to please the United States.. Why, oh why should we care what the US thinks about our policies? Why do they get away with everything that they think, do, etc.. What a pity..
Another interesting piece I read was about Vietnam in The Hindu. The Vietnam war has always fascinated me and I have always wondered what life in such a place would be..
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