Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Rock and Roll with the Nosferatu

Of late, I have been 'enjoying' watching the Egyptian revolution. Not that I am sadistic overtly sadistic, but at least some people are fighting against oppression and nonsense. The Grinch smile on the right side of my jaw emanates from this faint hope that maybe, we can also have a Tahrir Square one day, to fight against corruption and government in adequacy.

Of late, I have made a special someone rather annoyed with my political rants and about as to how we need a 'revolution' in India. A basic clarification, revolution can mean anything that changes the fabric of a system {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution}. The revolution that I talk about is the moral revolution needed within the country. As the advent of the engine brought about the industrial revolution, we need to create the ecosystem for a 'social revolution'.

What is it that needs to be changed? Not our consitution (maybe a few amendments but is a fundamentally decent document), not our state boundaries, not our military or financial structures (at least not as much) but the philosophy of accountability. We need a major cleanup. Generally, most countries have a particular type of corruption that is massively prevalent (Political, Moral, Police and/or Judicial, Finance, etc.). In India, all of them are massively prevalent and unless something changes, the country will 'implode' into a state of nature once again.

It is not a political debate (All parties are more or less as bad and hence, we are certainly between the devil and the dead sea), but a harsh look at what is happening around us and how corruption has made its way into the very fabric of society. The only way to get rid of mad stains from a intricate piece of work is to dry clean it. Meaning, we need to get rid of almost all our current leaders and make room for an entire new crop. We need to lay some major guidelines on selecting those running for power and focus on enforcing them. Corruption in the government needs to be treated as treason and be equated as such with the regular punishment as life imprisonment and all embezzled money returned to the treasury. The normal question asked upon finishing this rant, who.

The answer, we all have to. Congress is SHIT, BJP no better, NCP even worse, etc. etc. etc. Our ministers are shit for the most part and their families are more or less shit as well since they will also continue the parasitic growth. The only way for us to get rid of these parasites, is to fight against them and against corruption from a grass root level. We must fight for a massive anti-corruption drive within the government, police and judicial system. If 30% of ministers have a criminal suit against them then they all must be sacked immediately. A citizens charter based Gestapo organization must be formed to look into various departments and any sign of corruption must translate to immediate action. The guilty must not get away.

I am not in favour of rioting but I do believe that Gandhiji's ideals are truly noble in this regard. We need to protest against those that have done injustice, against those that fail to protect us, against those that help and abet those that cause injustice or harm. I salute the men and women that have faced social stigmas and slaps at every corner when trying to get justice. At least, they tried. It is sad that almost all of us don't even do so. It is sad, that most of us just write on blogs and have debates on them. It is sad, but most of us really do need Viagra, but of the MLK, GANDHI and Mandela sorts.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

The Emperor Has No Clothes

Of late, the burgeoning Indian economy has manifested itself into many new faces within and outside its borders. Although on the outside we seem to be smart doctors and merry making wedding revellers, the inside seems to be little different other then that we believe that we are smart doctors and merrier making wedding revellers. The rant this time focuses on the concept of diversity and the belief system within a community or group. Call it my luck or misfortune, of my 26 years of existence, 5.5 have been outside of India. Also, these 5.5 years have been the formative ones for me and giving credence to my snobbery, I consider myself to be an Indian global citizen. It is probably for this reason I call Delhi a shithole at times yet loving it as a home.

My reasons lie in the weather of the city, 10 degrees with a rare chance of realism. The history of Delhi is quite impressive, 2500 years old with a distinct blend of Islamic and British architecture. However, the over the last two generations, the history of Delhi was primarily categorized by migration, leading to a genesis of what we call Delhi today. The migration was predominantly from the neighbouring states, namely UP, Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana. Since migration happens in bunches and generally attract similar communities, various colonies were formed as small island versions of Indian communities and / or states. CR Park was invaded by Bengalis, Mayfair Garden by the Sindhis, GKs by Punjabis, VV and Hauz Khas by Punjabis and Marwaries and so forth. However, this migration pattern was unique in one single point, they did not become Delhi, they defined Delhi.

The migrants outweigh the locals by far (3 is to 1 I think), leading to Delhi expanding itself to include many new customs and redefining of its culture. This metamorphosis also meant the destruction of some older customs and a dominance of a new Ideology, trading (including brokerage and agenting). I am trader myself and don't disregard the profession, but my fellow patrons can at times put the industry to a bit of shame, especially the real estate and marriage kinds (The last ones being blood sucking vipers)

During a rather informative conversation with a Jew last year, I came to a realisation that one of the major reasons for them to command so much business prowess was to do with the fact that for 2000 years, they only had a permanent (so to speak) home for 50. This lead to them becoming rather astute in trading (the only form of business that is mobile yet versatile) and assuming risks that befell any such job. Most of the migrants to Delhi were middle class village or town folk that came here to seek a better life (probably with the dismal hope that the government would be of some use). Being a socialistic economic ridicule, the only options were to do trading and some sort of manufacturing. The license raj beneficiaries managed to become rich and buy homes in Lutyens Delhi while the rest tried to find their own spots.

These entrepreneurs became what is known as the wealthy traders of Delhi and through their roots in Punjab, UP, Haryana and Rajasthan, were able to create small empires. After listening to a hundreds of older entrepreneurs (its amazing what 4 pegs of JW can do to make a great party rather boring at times), I believe that they indeed worked their guts out, made sacrifices and went through harrowed times. I think all of us have heard the partition stories and even dripped a tear or two. This sort of spunk gave them tremendous confidence and at times uncalled for audacity. The biggest fallout of the rags to riches story lies in the level of laughter that the protagonist displays at a party.

However, the emperor was indeed naked in the fact that Jews differed from Delhi traders in one single difference, the focus on education. Since most of the latter were not educated and yet achieved financial rewards, the importance of education never achieved the status that is enjoyed in the West or even in East Asia. The second generation of many of these traders never learnt the importance of education besides what was 'practical' for survival or for a 'stable' future. Hence, engineering, medicine, CA for a boy vs. homemaking for the most part for women. Little regard was given to social sciences, language or culture and that was what Delhi needed the most. Hence, we see a plethora of ugly brown bags, clumsy pencil heels, big butt cellulite, bra and pantylines that speak volumes and a language that closely reminds me something that Holly Golightly would say, except with BMW and Porsche dropped somewhere along the way.

The Jews understood the values of social sciences as they had their culture to protect (and it was the most important thing for them) while many Delhiites believed that culture corresponds to spending easy money on consumables and not building assets. Hence, despite being home to a dozen billionaires, I don't see a DLF center of arts or a Mittal Hall. Most of the government officials get their names on streets and avenues but many of us hardly bother to see what their contribution was with the view that there was none really. Contrast this to the Carnegie halls, the Rockefeller centre and plaza or the Baron Thyssen Museum. John F. Kennedy sent 400 marshals in 1962 to secure racial integration at a school where a black girl was refused enrolment. I have yet to hear an MP or Politician do anything of the sort in Delhi, be it for cheap fame, a city of 500 rape cases a year.

The nakedness of Delhi is evident to most people in the country and is frequently heard about at crowded parties in Bombay, Chennai or Bangalore. My mom, a lady from Bombay still cites that Delhi is quite a village when compared with Bombay and probably has to do with reasons cited earlier. As I came back from the 32 degrees of warmth in Tirupur, the cold of Delhi strikes me to my core, but more so than that of the -5 degrees at Dusseldorf that struck me two months ago. I guess the heaters don't function very well as it might be a bit too expensive.

Alright, its not that bad. We are not all Scrooges and yes there is some light coming about within the heart of Delhi, but it is probably our job to make sure that we create this new culture and redefine our home into something that we can proudly leave for our children.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Dreams and 'Surrealistic' Pleasures

Yesterday, during one of my several 6 hour-night-long conversations with a special someone, many interesting questions were raised which were forgotten over the past year or so. Some of them, pertaining to my 5 or 10 year goals, managed to provoke my lethargic brain into finally getting some rust of it. I suppose the wringer that has started to consume me from my core was about what I want to do or accomplish over the next decade.

Since I have been back from Barcelona (August 1, 2010), I feel as if I have been on a wild doze of Acid, loosing a bit of grip on truth and reality. I guess, the simulacrum is giving way, leaving me to hang on the edge for the moment. Work, social-life and personal indulgences have been at a peak giving me a longer high than usual. I can assume that this might be the low afterwards but something is markedly different this time. I can't really describe it properly but the trough has a blend of irrational tribulations mixed with a fear that is reminiscent of a period I went through briefly in college wherein one is lost. I guess I had Dante, Homer and a host of philosophers to guide me through then but this time they might already be a bit exhausted. This time, I am afraid that I have to discover the path alone and alone not by chance, but by choice.

My character as a person revolves around change and wanting to be different, something which has a mix of my father and other people that I admire. The common elements between all great people of this world is passion and passion alone. It drives them towards a personal goal (detouring at insanity routinely) with such ferocity that the world does not seem to exist. Its like a car at 250 km/Hour where even the asphalt blends in with the green surroundings. I feel like that driver, thrilled but in danger of getting lost and crashing.

I have also come to realise that I particularly am not fond of this city and am worried about what India is becoming and stands for. I see it at every traffic light, that despite my car going beyond 20 km/Hour, there is still despair all around and much needs to be done. It is for that matter that probably, the direction I need is in front of me but that I am hesitating in choosing that path yet. Churchill once said, 'the empires of the future will be empires of the mind' and it makes sense to me instinctively. However, there is much to be done.

........

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Do I belong here..!

Upon the ending of the film Gattaca, Vincent says, " for someone who was never meant to from this world, I am having a hard time leaving it" after he embarks on a year long mission on Titan, one of the moons of Saturn. His feelings had more to do with the sacrifice of Jerome Morrow and the love, Irene, which surfaced over the past few years.

As small cog in the wheel of life, be it Vincent or any of us, the question that begs an answer, life goes on no matter what and so what of any of us?. Civilizations come and go, heroes emerge and fall, destinies change overnight and the only thing that remains are memories or stories. Acts become anecdotes, anecdotes become stories, stories legends, legends myths and then they perish. If this be the case, I pose the question that I posed myself 8 years ago, what is the purpose of life? What I choose it to be....What do I choose it to be...? I don't know because with the previous logic, does it matter?

No offence to Europeans or otherwise, to me life is not really about working 7 hours a day and then having a pint or glass. Thats the same as becoming an ascetic (somethin which is more appealing to me at the moment) and escaping from the troubles of life. The truth is that I enjoy facing problems in life and many of them are self made since ignorance in many ways is bliss, but not for me.

Right now, a surreal world seems more logical than my own and as I embark upon my journey into the next phase of life, I step upon a challenge that hounds me day and night.

Friday, February 12, 2010

You ill-breedingly morbid lizard-blood sucking mongrel

The title of this post reflects on a major discovery which I encountered while talking with a friend about the Bose-Einstein Condensate (of which I still understand little about). The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy has been discovered by me, to be discovered more in the coming weeks (I just got a copy) and delve into the world that I truly belong to (probably).

The topic came up shortly after my seemingly ignorant brain (and a blasphemous one at that too) did not realized that Bose, in the Bose-Einstein condensate was Satyendra Nath Bose, one of the greatest minds in Indian science. However, what caught my fancy was not only his brilliance but something alluding to the lack of attention given to people such as him.

While explaining quantum physics to his students, he stumbled upon an equation that was correct in theory but vice versa in practice. While explaining the equation to a student, he realised that the equation was needed to be written a bit incorrectly (or differently) so as to make the experiment right. He had little idea as to what significance his mistake would have on the world of quantum science.

He tried to get the University of Dhaka to understand his work but got no support. He then sent his work directly to Albert Einstein who realized it and got to publish it in Zeitschrift für Physik, a prominent physics journal. (75 years later, a team of scientists at MIT would try to create this condensate in practice, winning the Nobel prize in physics in 2001 and creating a branch of physics relating to super-fluidity)

It was after this that he was able to go to Europe and meet De-Broglie, Curie and Einstein himself. When he returned, it was a recommendation from Einstein that got him to become a professor as he wasn't a PHD. Bose, to me is a man that makes me proud to be an Indian and also dismayed.

The definition of Genius is someone have an IQ of above 136 or about .1% of the population. The Indian population in 1925 (when Bose was active), was about 120 million (extrapolated based on population growth 1961-2009 and backwards). Thats about 1.2 lakh geniuses in the country. That was 85 years ago.

Today if the same logic was to be used, the country would have 1.2 million geniuses hovering around with only China having more. Yet all the Nobel awards, Pulitzers, science awards naming of scientific terms go to the Americans, Germans, French and the Brits. When all of their population combined does not yield even half of the geniuses that India produces.

The National Science Foundation of the US gave USD 32 billion for R&D in the US for colleges. The entire Indian education budget is less than USD 10 Billion meaning that these geniuses will wither away. These 1.2 million people are the key for mankind's progress, the key for India rising up as a nation of truly brilliant people, as a nation that gave something to the world that is timeless, that one day we will have more people like Bose,Einstein,De-Broglie, Heisenberg,Pauli,Roentgen, Curie, Gauss, Raman, Chandrasekhar, Fermi, Chadwick, Thompson, etc. etc. etc.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Happy New Year

Hey Guys,

A warm welcome to 2010. To celebrate, I also thought of changing my blog a bit towards more philosophical stuff and hence deviate a bit from the education bashing.... :)

Hope to meet you all soon,

Adi

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Canned Tuna and Audioslave

By now, I think that almost all the people i know, know that I love Audioslave. Why, well, the same reason as I love canned tuna. After being in Barcelona for about 5 months, a lot has changed. So much so that I don't remember myself anymore.

Today, while reading a blog online, a question was posed as to which are my happiest memories and as whether they were with someone. I was a bit dumbfounded by the question as I did not know what the question meant. I really did not have any real happy memories. Don't get me wrong, I am quite happy and content with my life and have been for the most part but despite being a visual person, I have no such images in my head. I like to believe that maybe there are too many to keep track but then thats what i say to myself.

The truth is that seeing so many people from different backgrounds (again), I think my learning has been more towards psychology then actual business. It poses too many questions and I keep losing myself within this bottomless well. As the strategy guys said, the Chesire cat answered alice, that depends on where you want to go. Where do I want to go?

The world is moving, ever changing and evolving. Where I wanted to be yesterday is no longer relevant as today the path doesnt exist, nor does the world be the same. Chris cornell recites:

if you're free you'll never see the walls
if your head is clear you'll never freefall
if you're right you never fear the wrong
if your head is high you never fear at all

in Exploder.

There are no walls, but is one really free. The head is clear but the feeling is of freefall. I know I am wrong and hence fear the right. The head is high but built on a leviathan of fear.

I think I need a shrink, or maybe the little white rabbit is moving too fast for me.