The HRD ministry is clearly pissed off at the order of the SC over the OBC reservation issue and now it is finding ways to redeem its power by being strict with the IIMs. This ministry which is trying hard to show how much it cares for one class of students is willing to put the future of many others in limbo by not being clear on when the admission results of the IIMs can be declared.
The IIMs had asserted their autonomy by declaring a deadline of 21 April to declare the results but it appears that they had to finally bow to the wishes of Mr. Arjun Singh. The decision to defer the 21 April deadline was welcome as the court hearing on the government appeal was scheduled on 23rd. A two day delay which could result in better clarity was logical. But now, even after the court has made it clear that the reservations for OBC will not go ahead from this academic year, the IIMs are still waiting for a ‘directive’ from the HRD ministry before deciding on anything. Mr. Dholakia told the press that the IIM directors need to meet before deciding on anything. With the delay that has already happened in the admission process, it would have been prudent for the IIM directors to have anticipated the different scenarios and the SC’s decision and to have reached decisions on various scenarios so that once the SC decision was actually out, immediate action could have been taken and a further meeting of the directors was not needed. This would have speeded up the result declaration process and would have put to rest the anxiety of the thousands of IIM aspirant awaiting their results. Maybe this is a deliberate move to avoid a standoff with the ministry; I just hope!
However, the ministry has realized that its power can be undermined by the IIMs in the current structure and so is contemplating an Act to make the IIMs answerable to the parliament [1]. It is sad to see that the politicians, in their urge for power, can go against all rationality and try to meddle with an efficient system. IIMs and their Alumni have done India proud on the both the national and international scene. It is not without reason that bright young men and women, many of whom have cozy jobs, want to slog it out and become ‘IIM grads’. This is because of the way IIMs have functioned and the standards they have set for management education in the country. The fact that politicians, who mainly attain their post because of either playing with public sentiment or by brute force, see themselves competent enough to run these institutions of repute is a ridicule of the existing management, faculty and students of these institutions and is unacceptable.
The only involvement that IIMs and politicians should think of is training IIM grads to become able government administrators. The political parties can participate in the campus placements and ‘recruit’ these students directly into the parliament and policy making bodies of the country. If these institutions are of such high standards that entry of under privileged classes into these institutions is the only way to ensure their social upliftment, then I am sure that the graduates from these institutes would be capable enough in running the country and taking it towards its dream of social justice and equality. After all, they have proven themselves on various national and international arena and are successfully running large organizations all across the world. I hope the HRD ministry starts looking at the IIMs as an asset and incubator of future leaders rather than use them as a means to serve political ends.
IIM Campus Report 2020:
‘..The largest recruiter this year too has been the Government of India (GOI) with 23 offers for their various parliamentary positions. The recruiting panel this year consisted of none other than the President himself along with the PM and the Defence Minister. “I am thrilled with the ideas and value system that these young minds bring to the table. Interacting with them gives me hope that we are handing down India into good hands”, commented the President. Meanwhile the GOI has become the most sought after recruiter in all IIMs with students preferring to GOI roles over high paying and overseas offers..’
[1]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/IIMs_likely_to_lose_autonomy/articleshow/1946866.cms
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Inside the Internship
Internship is always a mixed bag of experience for one and all. While some claim to have learnt a lot, others feel they just wasted time during the internship period.
What follows are some points which I have collected through experience, talking to people and observation that may make an internship experience more valuable:
1. Professionalism is your profession!
The first thing to remember is that an internship is no different from the actual work environment. So, you should be a thorough professional in whatever you do during the internship. Common courtesy, ethics, team work and a positive attitude go a long way in determining what you experience during the internship and what you make others experience around you. Remember many companies are now increasing the intake of their regular employees through the PPO route. Whether or not you get a PPO depends on whether you are seen as a potential employee who is professional in your dealings and whether you fit with the company value system. So, at no point think that you are still a student and it is ok for you to slack on professionalism. In the corporate setting, you are the employee of the organization and they will expect no less from you.
2. Initiate the initiative inside!
When people tell me that they were not given any work during the internship or that for the initial few weeks, even the guides were not clear of what to do with them, I tell them that such a case presents itself as an ideal opportunity to show one of the greatest strengths that organizations look for: Initiative.
Remember that internship is not only about the organization to extract work from you but also for you to highlight your worth and value. Remember also that in the real corporate life also there will be times when you are not given fresh responsibilities and you see yourself doing the same ‘damn thing’. In such a case too, it is up to you to seek new opportunities and show how else you can add value. A similar logic applies to internships. If the guides are not clear what to do with you, you make a list of tasks that you think you can complete till something concrete is decided for you and that may add value and discuss them with your guides. This helps in two ways. One, you show initiative and eagerness to add value (a big positive) and second it gives you something meaningful to do with your time. This small task that you have chosen also serves as a good opportunity to show your quality of work so treat it as important and do it thoroughly.
Tasks selected can be as simple as creating a list of ‘Dos and Donts’ for interns when they join the team (something you can make easily based on your own experience and by finding out from some other interns in your unit) or cleaning up redundancy in the LAN with the help of someone senior or just asking other employees in your team if there is something you can do to help them. I have seen that everyone is more than happy to offload some work to someone who is willing. Don’t crib at what work is being given to you. Remember it is just a temporary arrangement till you get something your project.
Always remember that it is in your hands how much you take out of the internship. If you just wait for opportunities to come to you, you may or may not get something but if you go out there and hunt down opportunities proactively, you will always be the winner.
3. Don’t be single; Mingle!
If at the end of the internship only your guide knows you, you may not have made the best use of your time in the organization. Remember, that internship is an opportunity for you to know the organization and for the organization to know you. By talking to people, not only in your immediate team but across teams or even units, helps you get a proper perspective of how the company is. Even if you finally decide not to join the company, you still have benefitted by expanding your business network.
Here again initiative is needed. Your project may be such that interaction with other people in the organization may not be needed but that should not stop you from contacting your Alumni in the organization or discussing some issues and experiences with other team members or even with other fellow interns. I am not saying that one should deliberately try to forge relationships just for gain rather the idea should be learning about the organization and how it would be like working for it.
4. One Date you don’t want to miss: Update!
It is very important that you establish clear channels of communication with those who are the stakeholders in your project. At all times the stakeholders should know what you are up to and where things stand. It may be worthwhile to agree with your guide for a quick update (through a mail or a meeting) on the progress of the project atleast once a week. This not only helps the guides know whether you are on track but also helps them remember you atleast once in a week! If you offer to make such an arrangement, it again shows initiative on your part.
Also, get a mid term review done by all stakeholders. A mid term review helps in highlighting your work to one and all (remember some people might not be able to make it to the final presentation at the end of the internship) and also know how you are doing and what else you can do to improve the quality of your work.
Be professional and agree to a date beforehand and block everyone’s calendar. A reminder with the agenda (agreed upon by others) a day before the meeting is a good practice to avoid last minute hiccups. Book the room well in advance, inspect the room to see if all the apparatus you need work and whether appropriate number of chairs are there (if this is a large gathering).
You can make an impression by showing your meeting handling skills too!
5. Fill it, shut it, DON’T forget it
Remember that if you have decided to work for the company, you will most probable be working with the same people you worked with during your internship. Otherwise as well, never lose contact with them. It is always good to keep in touch even after the internship. Whether you get the PPO or not, relationships should always be maintained.
What follows are some points which I have collected through experience, talking to people and observation that may make an internship experience more valuable:
1. Professionalism is your profession!
The first thing to remember is that an internship is no different from the actual work environment. So, you should be a thorough professional in whatever you do during the internship. Common courtesy, ethics, team work and a positive attitude go a long way in determining what you experience during the internship and what you make others experience around you. Remember many companies are now increasing the intake of their regular employees through the PPO route. Whether or not you get a PPO depends on whether you are seen as a potential employee who is professional in your dealings and whether you fit with the company value system. So, at no point think that you are still a student and it is ok for you to slack on professionalism. In the corporate setting, you are the employee of the organization and they will expect no less from you.
2. Initiate the initiative inside!
When people tell me that they were not given any work during the internship or that for the initial few weeks, even the guides were not clear of what to do with them, I tell them that such a case presents itself as an ideal opportunity to show one of the greatest strengths that organizations look for: Initiative.
Remember that internship is not only about the organization to extract work from you but also for you to highlight your worth and value. Remember also that in the real corporate life also there will be times when you are not given fresh responsibilities and you see yourself doing the same ‘damn thing’. In such a case too, it is up to you to seek new opportunities and show how else you can add value. A similar logic applies to internships. If the guides are not clear what to do with you, you make a list of tasks that you think you can complete till something concrete is decided for you and that may add value and discuss them with your guides. This helps in two ways. One, you show initiative and eagerness to add value (a big positive) and second it gives you something meaningful to do with your time. This small task that you have chosen also serves as a good opportunity to show your quality of work so treat it as important and do it thoroughly.
Tasks selected can be as simple as creating a list of ‘Dos and Donts’ for interns when they join the team (something you can make easily based on your own experience and by finding out from some other interns in your unit) or cleaning up redundancy in the LAN with the help of someone senior or just asking other employees in your team if there is something you can do to help them. I have seen that everyone is more than happy to offload some work to someone who is willing. Don’t crib at what work is being given to you. Remember it is just a temporary arrangement till you get something your project.
Always remember that it is in your hands how much you take out of the internship. If you just wait for opportunities to come to you, you may or may not get something but if you go out there and hunt down opportunities proactively, you will always be the winner.
3. Don’t be single; Mingle!
If at the end of the internship only your guide knows you, you may not have made the best use of your time in the organization. Remember, that internship is an opportunity for you to know the organization and for the organization to know you. By talking to people, not only in your immediate team but across teams or even units, helps you get a proper perspective of how the company is. Even if you finally decide not to join the company, you still have benefitted by expanding your business network.
Here again initiative is needed. Your project may be such that interaction with other people in the organization may not be needed but that should not stop you from contacting your Alumni in the organization or discussing some issues and experiences with other team members or even with other fellow interns. I am not saying that one should deliberately try to forge relationships just for gain rather the idea should be learning about the organization and how it would be like working for it.
4. One Date you don’t want to miss: Update!
It is very important that you establish clear channels of communication with those who are the stakeholders in your project. At all times the stakeholders should know what you are up to and where things stand. It may be worthwhile to agree with your guide for a quick update (through a mail or a meeting) on the progress of the project atleast once a week. This not only helps the guides know whether you are on track but also helps them remember you atleast once in a week! If you offer to make such an arrangement, it again shows initiative on your part.
Also, get a mid term review done by all stakeholders. A mid term review helps in highlighting your work to one and all (remember some people might not be able to make it to the final presentation at the end of the internship) and also know how you are doing and what else you can do to improve the quality of your work.
Be professional and agree to a date beforehand and block everyone’s calendar. A reminder with the agenda (agreed upon by others) a day before the meeting is a good practice to avoid last minute hiccups. Book the room well in advance, inspect the room to see if all the apparatus you need work and whether appropriate number of chairs are there (if this is a large gathering).
You can make an impression by showing your meeting handling skills too!
5. Fill it, shut it, DON’T forget it
Remember that if you have decided to work for the company, you will most probable be working with the same people you worked with during your internship. Otherwise as well, never lose contact with them. It is always good to keep in touch even after the internship. Whether you get the PPO or not, relationships should always be maintained.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
How to choose the right B-School
Collecting my earlier articles at one place.
This one was oriniginally published on rediff.com (May 08, 2006)
http://ia.rediff.com/getahead/2006/may/08mba.htm
Happy Reading..
How to choose the right B-school
Surya Saurabh May 08, 2006
Seeing your name on the list of accepted candidates for the B-schools of your choice leaves you feeling both happy and relieved. Unfortunately, this state of mind is short-lived as you are immediately faced with another crucial decision: which institute should you finally opt for?
This decision causes an understandable amount of apprehension and anxiety; the choice you make now will impact you for the rest of your life. I would even go so far as to say your career will partly be shaped by the decision you make now.
Here are a few parameters to go by when deciding which institute is 'hot' and which is not:
Ask the right question.
What do you want from this MBA?
Are you just content with the brand value of a degree? After all, you are going to join your dad's business and it just seems more savvy to have an MBA. Or are you serious about getting an education?
Are you solely concerned with bagging a good job placement?
Are you looking forward to being a student?Maybe, your answer is a combination of all the above in varying degrees.
My sincere advice is not to be guided purely by the placement statistics that seem to overshadow every other facet of management education. Remember, a good B-school is not a placement agency.I am not saying good placements are not important, but don't let that be the sole determining criteria.
Who's your teacher?
While choosing a B-school, you should look at the quality of education you will receive. The calibre of the faculty is a very important parameter. This can be easily obtained from the institutes' web sites.
Almost all institutes have detailed profiles of their faculty members, their educational background, industry links, research and teaching experience.
Talk to people who have graduated from various institutes and see what they have to say.
What will life be like?
Also important is campus life at the institute of your choice. You should look at the student community, their profiles, work experience and background. This data is again easily obtained from the institutes' web sites.
A good institute should have a healthy mix of people with various years of experience in the industry, in varied domains and with sound educational background. Such a mix helps add value to the course by way of the differing perspectives the students bring with them.
Campus life also includes the plethora of activities students get involved with. Education in an institute of repute is not only about classroom learning, it is about taking on responsibility, getting involved in events, managing the show.
Look for various seminars the students organise, the formal and informal events they conduct, the committees and clubs they have and the activities they undertake.
The pressure of the rigorous curriculum will never lessen such activities if the students have the potential, zeal and enthusiasm to handle the additional strain with aplomb.
Once you join the institute of your choice, don't shun the pressure. It will be a part and parcel of your working life in the years to come.
All work and no play?
It should never be all work and no time to unwind. After all, you are still a student. Campus life is complete only with the inclusion of fun and frolic. Look for how students unwind, relax and take respite from the demands of the course.
Cultural events, games, outings, parties all contribute to the overall experience the course provides.
All this information can be obtained by talking to the current students or alumni. Look at online student forums and groups where most of these aspects are discussed.
Always bear in mind that it is not the lifeless walls that make a institute what it is. It is the people there, the buzz they create and the experience they provide by just being themselves.
Surya Saurabh is part of the PGDM Class of 2007 at IIM-Kozhikode.
P.S. - I graduated on March 17, 2007 :)
This one was oriniginally published on rediff.com (May 08, 2006)
http://ia.rediff.com/getahead/2006/may/08mba.htm
Happy Reading..
How to choose the right B-school
Surya Saurabh May 08, 2006
Seeing your name on the list of accepted candidates for the B-schools of your choice leaves you feeling both happy and relieved. Unfortunately, this state of mind is short-lived as you are immediately faced with another crucial decision: which institute should you finally opt for?
This decision causes an understandable amount of apprehension and anxiety; the choice you make now will impact you for the rest of your life. I would even go so far as to say your career will partly be shaped by the decision you make now.
Here are a few parameters to go by when deciding which institute is 'hot' and which is not:
Ask the right question.
What do you want from this MBA?
Are you just content with the brand value of a degree? After all, you are going to join your dad's business and it just seems more savvy to have an MBA. Or are you serious about getting an education?
Are you solely concerned with bagging a good job placement?
Are you looking forward to being a student?Maybe, your answer is a combination of all the above in varying degrees.
My sincere advice is not to be guided purely by the placement statistics that seem to overshadow every other facet of management education. Remember, a good B-school is not a placement agency.I am not saying good placements are not important, but don't let that be the sole determining criteria.
Who's your teacher?
While choosing a B-school, you should look at the quality of education you will receive. The calibre of the faculty is a very important parameter. This can be easily obtained from the institutes' web sites.
Almost all institutes have detailed profiles of their faculty members, their educational background, industry links, research and teaching experience.
Talk to people who have graduated from various institutes and see what they have to say.
What will life be like?
Also important is campus life at the institute of your choice. You should look at the student community, their profiles, work experience and background. This data is again easily obtained from the institutes' web sites.
A good institute should have a healthy mix of people with various years of experience in the industry, in varied domains and with sound educational background. Such a mix helps add value to the course by way of the differing perspectives the students bring with them.
Campus life also includes the plethora of activities students get involved with. Education in an institute of repute is not only about classroom learning, it is about taking on responsibility, getting involved in events, managing the show.
Look for various seminars the students organise, the formal and informal events they conduct, the committees and clubs they have and the activities they undertake.
The pressure of the rigorous curriculum will never lessen such activities if the students have the potential, zeal and enthusiasm to handle the additional strain with aplomb.
Once you join the institute of your choice, don't shun the pressure. It will be a part and parcel of your working life in the years to come.
All work and no play?
It should never be all work and no time to unwind. After all, you are still a student. Campus life is complete only with the inclusion of fun and frolic. Look for how students unwind, relax and take respite from the demands of the course.
Cultural events, games, outings, parties all contribute to the overall experience the course provides.
All this information can be obtained by talking to the current students or alumni. Look at online student forums and groups where most of these aspects are discussed.
Always bear in mind that it is not the lifeless walls that make a institute what it is. It is the people there, the buzz they create and the experience they provide by just being themselves.
Surya Saurabh is part of the PGDM Class of 2007 at IIM-Kozhikode.
P.S. - I graduated on March 17, 2007 :)
Monday, April 16, 2007
Where’s the ‘service’ in this service-driven economy?
We all know how the service sector has been driving the Indian economy to newer heights. With almost 60% of the GDP no being contributed by the services sector, we all believe that the future of India is in the services sector (like other developed economies).
However, the hoopla is very appealing only if you are a provider because there are consumers ready to buy your services. Change the suit and become a consumer and you will immediately see the shallowness of our much touted service sector.
Everyday, if you pay attention, you will see how customers are treated like dirt and how there is a total absence of the essential service mindset. If you look at the mission and values of the services companies, you will most definitely find words like ‘customer delight’, ‘empathy’ and the like but the truth is that these words never trickle down to the actual front desk people who are supposed to provide this ‘delight’ to the customers. The sad part is that this problem is faced by customers at not only at small scale service providers but big ticket providers like Air Sahara, Foodworld, Videocon!
In a recent experience with Air Sahara, I almost lost my connecting flight due to a 1.5 hour delay in the Sahara Bangalore - Mumbai flight. Late flights are something which we have now almost accepted as Business As Usual but what appalled me was the total lack of interest in the Mumbai Air Sahara staff to listen to what I needed and him taking more interest in what his female colleague had to say rather than what his customer wanted to know! A complaint to the mail-id given to me (bomdm@airsahara.net) hasn’t even generated an acknowledgement of the receipt of my mail.
There have been numerous occasions when I have seen the checkout counters of Foodworld not occupied resulting in a long queue forming in the existing counters and in most occasions I had to demand that a new counter b opened before any action was taken. Again a mail to higher ups hasn’t generated any response!
My wife bought a Videocon Next Food processor in December. The demo personnel has not managed to come to us even after 4 months and numerous reminders because he either works only from 12 noon to 5pm (he has never been able to meet an appointment beyond these times!) or does not want to do such a lowly thing as a demo!
The lack of the ‘delight’ element is the result of two factors:
1. We are not doing a good job as consumers. Having got accustomed to dealing with public sector organizations (Railways, Air India, PWD etc) over the years, we have become used to poor service. We are not demanding enough and we don’t complain to the providers about deficiencies. This results in them most of the times not being aware of what is going wrong. Most of the times I have seen that everyone is just waiting for someone to take the lead. Once you point out the deficiency, others will second that. As Indians whose time has come, we should be man enough (and woman enough) to get what we deserve.
2. In this fast growth phase when demand clearly outstrips supply, the focus of the organizations is on the back end rather than the front end as due to high demand, a customer lost will definitely be replaced by a new customer. Allegiances to particular brands are not yet fully established so customer service as a differentiator is not a priority for most companies. Due to this need to ramp up fast, the employees at the front end are not fully trained to treat the customer as king. They are not there to ‘serve’ customers. They are there to just do their job. Hence, almost all the time you will see the front end staff ill-informed, unable to handle customer complaints and defensive and reactive.
With liberalization now more than 25 years old, foreign competition entering into every arena and consumers, though slowly but surely showing more brand preferences, companies that identify this gap and strive genuinely to fill it by making customer service as their differentiator, will survive the onslaught of the competition.
During my ordeal with Air Sahara at Mumbai airport, a Jet Airways staff helped me even though I had arrived on a Sahara flight and she immediately raised the image of Jet in our minds and has definitely won over two customers!
However, the hoopla is very appealing only if you are a provider because there are consumers ready to buy your services. Change the suit and become a consumer and you will immediately see the shallowness of our much touted service sector.
Everyday, if you pay attention, you will see how customers are treated like dirt and how there is a total absence of the essential service mindset. If you look at the mission and values of the services companies, you will most definitely find words like ‘customer delight’, ‘empathy’ and the like but the truth is that these words never trickle down to the actual front desk people who are supposed to provide this ‘delight’ to the customers. The sad part is that this problem is faced by customers at not only at small scale service providers but big ticket providers like Air Sahara, Foodworld, Videocon!
In a recent experience with Air Sahara, I almost lost my connecting flight due to a 1.5 hour delay in the Sahara Bangalore - Mumbai flight. Late flights are something which we have now almost accepted as Business As Usual but what appalled me was the total lack of interest in the Mumbai Air Sahara staff to listen to what I needed and him taking more interest in what his female colleague had to say rather than what his customer wanted to know! A complaint to the mail-id given to me (bomdm@airsahara.net) hasn’t even generated an acknowledgement of the receipt of my mail.
There have been numerous occasions when I have seen the checkout counters of Foodworld not occupied resulting in a long queue forming in the existing counters and in most occasions I had to demand that a new counter b opened before any action was taken. Again a mail to higher ups hasn’t generated any response!
My wife bought a Videocon Next Food processor in December. The demo personnel has not managed to come to us even after 4 months and numerous reminders because he either works only from 12 noon to 5pm (he has never been able to meet an appointment beyond these times!) or does not want to do such a lowly thing as a demo!
The lack of the ‘delight’ element is the result of two factors:
1. We are not doing a good job as consumers. Having got accustomed to dealing with public sector organizations (Railways, Air India, PWD etc) over the years, we have become used to poor service. We are not demanding enough and we don’t complain to the providers about deficiencies. This results in them most of the times not being aware of what is going wrong. Most of the times I have seen that everyone is just waiting for someone to take the lead. Once you point out the deficiency, others will second that. As Indians whose time has come, we should be man enough (and woman enough) to get what we deserve.
2. In this fast growth phase when demand clearly outstrips supply, the focus of the organizations is on the back end rather than the front end as due to high demand, a customer lost will definitely be replaced by a new customer. Allegiances to particular brands are not yet fully established so customer service as a differentiator is not a priority for most companies. Due to this need to ramp up fast, the employees at the front end are not fully trained to treat the customer as king. They are not there to ‘serve’ customers. They are there to just do their job. Hence, almost all the time you will see the front end staff ill-informed, unable to handle customer complaints and defensive and reactive.
With liberalization now more than 25 years old, foreign competition entering into every arena and consumers, though slowly but surely showing more brand preferences, companies that identify this gap and strive genuinely to fill it by making customer service as their differentiator, will survive the onslaught of the competition.
During my ordeal with Air Sahara at Mumbai airport, a Jet Airways staff helped me even though I had arrived on a Sahara flight and she immediately raised the image of Jet in our minds and has definitely won over two customers!
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Views on News
It’s pathetic to see the television these days. It just reminds me of the lowly state that we have gone to. Watching the 24 hour news channels, just repeating stories of sex and violence makes me crave for the good old 1 hour news that we used to get on DD. Due to the need to fill in the 24 hour slot, everything is now becoming news. Reporters have now entered into the personal lives of many and nothing goes unnoticed or non-debated.
It is sad to see how the news channels have now sensationalized reporting. What with programs like ‘Vardat’, ‘Sansani’ and the like, the only picture painted in the minds of the people is that of a society full of barbarians, cannibals and rapists.
Another effect of these channels is that now everyone in India has got a voice; be it through sms, calling in, being part of the live audience or emails. Maybe this is a good thing; afterall this is the ultimate aim where everyone gets to say what they want. The flip side however is that in this era of everyone’s voice, even the voices which spread hatred and divide the society have found ways to shun the limitation of time and distance and reach out to like minds across the country and the world. We can often see politicians calling out to certain sections to weed out other sections. We can now easily listen to what women in Bhopal are saying about Priyanka’s marriage to Omar and chose which side of the debate we are on. Things that should have been a concern of a locality or a city become a national matter dividing the country into differing camps. A national debate is good but on what issues? On issues like a Bhopal Sindhi girl marrying a Muslim boy? First of all, it is a personal choice and should not be news! How does that affect someone in Bangalore? And should it affect someone in Bangalore? Do we seriously think that when a similar incident happens in Bangalore we will bother about what people in Indore chose to do? So why do we have to go through the torture of a national debate on such a local issue? Why should the media hype stories so much (mostly through repeating them to make sure everyone has seen them) that they appear bigger than what they actually should be?
When news was only for an hour on DD, only issues of actual merit (the most important of the most important ones) only used to get a mention.
It is sad to see how the news channels have now sensationalized reporting. What with programs like ‘Vardat’, ‘Sansani’ and the like, the only picture painted in the minds of the people is that of a society full of barbarians, cannibals and rapists.
Another effect of these channels is that now everyone in India has got a voice; be it through sms, calling in, being part of the live audience or emails. Maybe this is a good thing; afterall this is the ultimate aim where everyone gets to say what they want. The flip side however is that in this era of everyone’s voice, even the voices which spread hatred and divide the society have found ways to shun the limitation of time and distance and reach out to like minds across the country and the world. We can often see politicians calling out to certain sections to weed out other sections. We can now easily listen to what women in Bhopal are saying about Priyanka’s marriage to Omar and chose which side of the debate we are on. Things that should have been a concern of a locality or a city become a national matter dividing the country into differing camps. A national debate is good but on what issues? On issues like a Bhopal Sindhi girl marrying a Muslim boy? First of all, it is a personal choice and should not be news! How does that affect someone in Bangalore? And should it affect someone in Bangalore? Do we seriously think that when a similar incident happens in Bangalore we will bother about what people in Indore chose to do? So why do we have to go through the torture of a national debate on such a local issue? Why should the media hype stories so much (mostly through repeating them to make sure everyone has seen them) that they appear bigger than what they actually should be?
When news was only for an hour on DD, only issues of actual merit (the most important of the most important ones) only used to get a mention.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
The Great Indian Debate: 2007 Cricket World Cup
A joke doing the rounds sums up our WC debacle:
Q. Why can’t Virgin sponsor the Indian cricket team?
A. Because they keep getting F***ed!
After a shameful exit from the WC, the Indian cricket team was splashed over the information media. All news channels, papers and the like were flooded with analyses, figures and then disclosures and animosity. Fans moved from ‘Let’s burn them up’ to ‘Sachin is a God and no one can challenge that, let alone a foreigner’ mood.
Some of the initial comments of the shocking performance were shocking on themselves!
1. There was tremendous pressure on the team – Hello! This is the Cricket World Cup! What else do you expect? What’s to note here is that it was an admission of a fact that we have known all along that we succumb to pressure and still lack the ‘killer instinct’. When the nation sends its team to the world cup, there will obviously be expectations and more so in a cricket-crazy country and more so when the team boasts of some of the top batsmen in the world who are revered not only by fans in India but by competitors in other teams. And this expectation is not new. It was there even when we won the World Cup in 1983 and it will be there whenever we play in the World Cup. They say that the actual test of swimming is not in the confines of a warmed, silent pool but in the roar of the mighty ocean waves. As long as we do not have the courage to battle it out with those waves, we can never hope to life the glory in our hands.
Another thing that comes to mind is why are we doing so poor in hockey then or even swimming or the in any other sport for that matter? There is no pressure there, isn’t it? So, are we saying that we do not perform when there is pressure and we do not perform when there is no pressure? I think there needs to be an ‘optimum pressure’ for the Indian teams to perform! Someone doing some research on it? J
2. “This was not the team I wanted.”, “The senior players acted like the Mafia.” – Why the hell are you there for then Mr. Chappell? And what the hell is the board for? If there were such obvious and potentially devastating tension in the team, why didn’t anyone know about it and if they knew, why didn’t anyone do something about it! From my experience in the corporate world I know that a good team leader needs to assess all risk factors and take steps to mitigate them before it’s too late. I guess, in the case of Team India, it had become too late. What is striking is that everyone, from Vengsarkar to Chappell to BCCI officials has disclosed some internal problems with the team and what’s surprising is that these people are the ones responsible for Indian cricket. If things were not smooth, it is they who are to blame. It is the responsibility of the selectors, the board and the coach to make sure that the team works as a team, that all differences are sorted out and that on the field, it is actually ‘Team India’ and not a combo of ‘Team Dravid’, ‘Team Sachin’ and the like. The Indian team has failed because the board, the coach and the selectors couldn’t find players who could be knit into a common cause. It is a failure of the leadership and not the players.
Q. Why can’t Virgin sponsor the Indian cricket team?
A. Because they keep getting F***ed!
After a shameful exit from the WC, the Indian cricket team was splashed over the information media. All news channels, papers and the like were flooded with analyses, figures and then disclosures and animosity. Fans moved from ‘Let’s burn them up’ to ‘Sachin is a God and no one can challenge that, let alone a foreigner’ mood.
Some of the initial comments of the shocking performance were shocking on themselves!
1. There was tremendous pressure on the team – Hello! This is the Cricket World Cup! What else do you expect? What’s to note here is that it was an admission of a fact that we have known all along that we succumb to pressure and still lack the ‘killer instinct’. When the nation sends its team to the world cup, there will obviously be expectations and more so in a cricket-crazy country and more so when the team boasts of some of the top batsmen in the world who are revered not only by fans in India but by competitors in other teams. And this expectation is not new. It was there even when we won the World Cup in 1983 and it will be there whenever we play in the World Cup. They say that the actual test of swimming is not in the confines of a warmed, silent pool but in the roar of the mighty ocean waves. As long as we do not have the courage to battle it out with those waves, we can never hope to life the glory in our hands.
Another thing that comes to mind is why are we doing so poor in hockey then or even swimming or the in any other sport for that matter? There is no pressure there, isn’t it? So, are we saying that we do not perform when there is pressure and we do not perform when there is no pressure? I think there needs to be an ‘optimum pressure’ for the Indian teams to perform! Someone doing some research on it? J
2. “This was not the team I wanted.”, “The senior players acted like the Mafia.” – Why the hell are you there for then Mr. Chappell? And what the hell is the board for? If there were such obvious and potentially devastating tension in the team, why didn’t anyone know about it and if they knew, why didn’t anyone do something about it! From my experience in the corporate world I know that a good team leader needs to assess all risk factors and take steps to mitigate them before it’s too late. I guess, in the case of Team India, it had become too late. What is striking is that everyone, from Vengsarkar to Chappell to BCCI officials has disclosed some internal problems with the team and what’s surprising is that these people are the ones responsible for Indian cricket. If things were not smooth, it is they who are to blame. It is the responsibility of the selectors, the board and the coach to make sure that the team works as a team, that all differences are sorted out and that on the field, it is actually ‘Team India’ and not a combo of ‘Team Dravid’, ‘Team Sachin’ and the like. The Indian team has failed because the board, the coach and the selectors couldn’t find players who could be knit into a common cause. It is a failure of the leadership and not the players.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
The Great Indian Debate: Reservations
I have been watching some interesting debates on some interesting happenings in the country. I would have liked to shy away from these debates as I have seen that debates do not make much of a difference anymore but somehow having association with UP and Bihar, I am unable to not say something for long! Atleast I can blog about it!
The Reservation debate
The recent SC ruling on the 27% reservation for OBCs has sparked about another debate on ‘affirmative action’.
Some points I don’t fully understand:
1. The reservation is based on the premise that ‘wrong’ was done over the ages to certain sections of societies and now it is our responsibility to give them privileged status to ‘undo’ all that was ‘done’. The Japanese PM’s apologies, for all the atrocities that Japan committed during the World Wars, comes to mind.
2. What’s difficult for me to understand is how long a period to consider while deciding that social injustice has been inflicted. Will two generations (100 years) be enough or does that have to be something over 1000 years? There are priests in my village who have been poor by any standards since as long as I or my dad can remember! Are they facing social injustice?
3. Also, how long should the affirmative action happen till we can say that the historical sin has been adequately compensated for? Have we set a time frame for this or is it perennial? Will two generations of benefit for a deprived family do or should it continue till the family has atleast an IAS, IPS, an IIT and an IIM grad or should it be till they are given a certificate of social justice?
4. Who should pay the price now for this affirmative action to succeed? The so called ‘forward classes’ are composed of various castes. Some have inflicted more injustice than some others so why should all suffer equally now? When caste based benefit is being given, why isn’t caste based suffering also imparted?
5. What is the injustice we all are talking about? If I can recollect my history classes properly, the caste system made sure that only certain castes could do certain activities (Like ‘Khatriyas’ only could fight.) So, was that injustice? It was a deprivation. So, why is there no reservation in the armed forces now? The backward classes were not allowed to enter temples. Now it has been abolished but I don’t see people saying that backward classes should be given a reservation to enter temples. Why not? So, why isn’t the same thing being done for education? If backward classes were deprived of education, why not just allow them to enter like others without any discrimination and let the injustice correct itself?
6. What is the success (or failure) of the existing reservation policies? Has it been assessed? Who is accountable for it? If the constitution initially had set the provision for reservation for only a certain time frame, why has that time frame not been honored? Who is to blame? Have we learnt any lessons from it? Are we doing it right? What will be done differently with the OBC reservation? If we can’t say whether the SC/ST reservation has been successful, why are we going ahead with a similar provision for someone else?
It is important to give equal opportunities to all. We all are the citizens of this country, sharing the same passions and the same plights. It’s the duty of policymakers to help all those who need help, irrespective of the caste, color or creed. The help should not be dishing out freebies but providing the right environment, basic amenities that makes people of India strong and confident and able to compete with the global workforce in this globalised era.
The Reservation debate
The recent SC ruling on the 27% reservation for OBCs has sparked about another debate on ‘affirmative action’.
Some points I don’t fully understand:
1. The reservation is based on the premise that ‘wrong’ was done over the ages to certain sections of societies and now it is our responsibility to give them privileged status to ‘undo’ all that was ‘done’. The Japanese PM’s apologies, for all the atrocities that Japan committed during the World Wars, comes to mind.
2. What’s difficult for me to understand is how long a period to consider while deciding that social injustice has been inflicted. Will two generations (100 years) be enough or does that have to be something over 1000 years? There are priests in my village who have been poor by any standards since as long as I or my dad can remember! Are they facing social injustice?
3. Also, how long should the affirmative action happen till we can say that the historical sin has been adequately compensated for? Have we set a time frame for this or is it perennial? Will two generations of benefit for a deprived family do or should it continue till the family has atleast an IAS, IPS, an IIT and an IIM grad or should it be till they are given a certificate of social justice?
4. Who should pay the price now for this affirmative action to succeed? The so called ‘forward classes’ are composed of various castes. Some have inflicted more injustice than some others so why should all suffer equally now? When caste based benefit is being given, why isn’t caste based suffering also imparted?
5. What is the injustice we all are talking about? If I can recollect my history classes properly, the caste system made sure that only certain castes could do certain activities (Like ‘Khatriyas’ only could fight.) So, was that injustice? It was a deprivation. So, why is there no reservation in the armed forces now? The backward classes were not allowed to enter temples. Now it has been abolished but I don’t see people saying that backward classes should be given a reservation to enter temples. Why not? So, why isn’t the same thing being done for education? If backward classes were deprived of education, why not just allow them to enter like others without any discrimination and let the injustice correct itself?
6. What is the success (or failure) of the existing reservation policies? Has it been assessed? Who is accountable for it? If the constitution initially had set the provision for reservation for only a certain time frame, why has that time frame not been honored? Who is to blame? Have we learnt any lessons from it? Are we doing it right? What will be done differently with the OBC reservation? If we can’t say whether the SC/ST reservation has been successful, why are we going ahead with a similar provision for someone else?
It is important to give equal opportunities to all. We all are the citizens of this country, sharing the same passions and the same plights. It’s the duty of policymakers to help all those who need help, irrespective of the caste, color or creed. The help should not be dishing out freebies but providing the right environment, basic amenities that makes people of India strong and confident and able to compete with the global workforce in this globalised era.
Till the end of time..
What is this feeling, I thought I knew,
A feeling that grows and is always new.
What is this desire burning within,
Makes me cry, laugh and and want to sing.
Who is this angel, I want to keep,
A girl, a woman, a vision so deep.
She made me see a world so pure,
Full of love, happniess and colors galore.
She made me want to live and love,
She, the angel, from heaven above.
And to you my angel I promise to shine,
Just for you, forever, till the end of time.
A feeling that grows and is always new.
What is this desire burning within,
Makes me cry, laugh and and want to sing.
Who is this angel, I want to keep,
A girl, a woman, a vision so deep.
She made me see a world so pure,
Full of love, happniess and colors galore.
She made me want to live and love,
She, the angel, from heaven above.
And to you my angel I promise to shine,
Just for you, forever, till the end of time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
