Center of Rationality!

Comment to the article 'Let’s reap the faith' by Fareed Zakaria:
  
The difficulty about any religion is that it seeks identity beyond the realm of rationality. While the quest for identity is a natural phenomenon about any sect, identity in a modern world of multiple identities can’t come through scriptures and other traditional ways. Islam or Hinduism or Christianity can’t be different in an open world where universalisation of values is the order. When someone is trying to justify or vilify the existence of an Islamic Center near the WTC memorial site in New York, both should understand that the validity of their stance depends upon the context of the situation. No one should doubt concerns about the role of Islamic fundamentalists in creating disorder around the world and hence about such a center. But the fact that the Islamic fundamentalism itself is not a segregated phenomenon but apart from other factors, probably a reaction out of hegemonic and discriminatory policies of the West led modern world necessitates the need for soul searching and reconciliatory steps on the part of Western countries. If the West wants Islam to come out of its 6th century mould, West too needs to come out of its Christian bias. As they say, until you do not change yourself, you can’t change others. On the part of the the moderate Muslims, they would do well to convince the US people that the center ought to be there because rationality and propriety demands that, and the center would be symbol of a modern inclusive world and not a sixth century theocratic religion.

Inspiring Innovation

What would you do when you suddenly have enough money to do whatever you want? Launch businesses, go on a shopping spree, have fun…or simply splurge. Well, this is precisely where you would find that you can learn something from Nandan Nilekani.

When Bill Drayton coined the phrase ‘social entrepreneurs’ in 1981, he won’t have imagined that in the then so called third world of India, a man will rise to make society his enterprise through business. That was the year in which Nandan Nilekani along with N. R. Narayan Murthy and five other friends founded Infosys. Infosys went on to become India’s most successful software firm,  most admired and innovative company and first Indian company to be listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange of the US…and all of this in less than a three decades of its foundation.
So what is it that makes Nandan an asset to the humanity in every possible dimension of the term social entrepreneur? What makes this iconic technocrat entrepreneur a sought after figure to ensure that social welfare schemes reach to the weakest and the poorest (Chair of Unique Identification Authority of India)?  And what makes the man not just an innovator but one who inspires innovations and much more? Remember, three times Pulitzer Prize winning author Thomas Friedman credits Nilekani for inspiring his book, ‘The World is Flat’. 
In fact it is one word that has been a constant sailor of the Nandan rhetoric: Idea. Nandan Nilekani in his 531 page book based upon 126 interviews, “Imagining India: Ideas for the New Century” throughout talks about ideas. Actually, the whole book is divided as: The Ideas that have arrived, Ideas in progress, Ideas in battle and Ideas to anticipate. And Mr. Nilekani’s book of ideas has been an extraordinary success, topping bestseller lists in the US.  When Vir Sanghvi asked him in an interview, “How does it feel to know that your ideas are reaching Americans who’ve never heard of you or of Infosys?” Nandan replied:  ‘It’s a great feeling. It’s actually the best feeling. That’s the kind of thing I really enjoy. What was Infosys? It was an idea. What do we owe our success to? To ideas, not to labour and machinery. And now I find that my ideas are influencing people I have never met. How can I not enjoy that?’
                Born in a well-educated, South Indian middle-class Brahmin family, Nandan Nilekani grew up in a very modest environment.  Nandan calls himself an accidental entrepreneur who never thought of being a tycoon. But even after founding a fast growing software firm, he bought his first car only at the end of the decade of 80s. But there is more to that. Today Infosys is the 4th largest Indian company by market capitalization and his personal wealth is in excess of Rs 3,000 crore. But still Nandan carries the most primitive mobile that you can ever think of and drew a modest salary of Rs 40 lakh last year without billing any other expense to the company! His lifestyle didn’t change much even thirty years after a series of lucky opportunities. When asked about it he once said, “The whole idea of being an entrepreneur, creating values and bringing change was not about that. We wanted to build a company based upon middle class values of ethics and honesty where people are treated as human capital.” Upon money he said, “I really don’t have many expensive tastes. I have more money than I will ever need. My children will not join the company and I believe in the middle-class tradition that they should earn a living themselves. So what am I going to do with the money? Leave it to charity when I die? In that case, why not use it to do some good while I’m alive?” 
Nandan has always stood to his words. His wife Rohini is the chairperson of Akshara Foundation, Pratham Books and Arghyam. Akshara Foundation is dedicated to education and the Arghyam trust tackles water issues.  He also launched New India Foundation way back in 2004 to support genuine research on post-Independence Indian history. And even after a busy life schedule he can be seen among school kids from the disadvantaged sections discussing their anxieties and aspirations. 
Another reason why Nandan Nilekani is much more than a technocrat is his constant association with public service assignments. He co-founded and chaired the Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF), a partnership between the citizens, corporates and the administrative agencies, for almost three years since 2000. He is the member of the review committee of the Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and member of the Sam Pitroda headed National Knowledge Commission. He is also part of the National Advisory Group on e-Governance and was the chairman of the Government of India’s IT Task Force for Power. In January 2006, he became one of the youngest entrepreneurs to join 20 global leaders on the World Economic Forum (WEF) Foundation Board.
All of the above were amateur associations.  But in July 2009 he relinquished the post of CEO and MD of Infosys Nandan Nilekani to chair the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Many people said that heading a government organization was not like managing a tech juggernaut since nothing succeeds in India on the government level. Mr. Nilekani wrote on his blog, “I have long been a champion of a reform approach that is inclusive of the poor, and in my book, I described unique identity as one of the key steps for achieving this goal….When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offered me the opportunity to head the UIDAI, I saw it as a chance to help enable ideas I have supported for a long time.” He concluded saying, “I hope that together, we will be able to make this initiative an enormous success.”
One year down the line, the doubts are subsiding. UIDAI is heading towards emerging as a role model for the governments world over where delivery of welfare schemes remain the greatest challenge.
                      
Photo Credit: http://www.hindu.com/

OUTPERFORM YOUR IMAGINATION

Chic yet strong, Outlander 2010 is a comfortable, high-performance car capable of taking on the rest of the soft-roading world.

Yes, the hairy chest is gone, so is the lump of lard, and the muscles are sleekly defined now. But there’s still that reassuring stubble around the face. Rohit Bal’s new inspiration is definitely not one of the SUVs on the road.

It makes you an artist and a warrior of the road at the same time; it makes you a chap and a man at the same time. The avant-garde fashion designer inspired new hunk on the road, Outlander, is a perfect lifestyle vehicle. Stylish looks, great performance, plush interiors, innovative features and one that lends itself to business purposes as well as leisure driving, Outlander 2010 is a perfect value for its price tag of Rs 19.95 lakh.

Remember that James Caviezel and Sophia Myles hot French kiss on a distant land in the 2008 Hollywood movie 'Outlander'. Ah! Here you go and try it. Outlander won’t disappoint you for being an unsavory observer. The sharp and slick look of the vehicle will always entice you for one more. Apart from style, elegance and boldness, there is a lot of drama and even a touch of mystery in the line, which adds to its glamour, and to quote Rohit’s own word, “is reminiscent of what one sees in iconic movies like Grease, The Fast And The Furious and Wanted.”

Launching his fabric collection inspired by Outlander 2010, side by side, Rohit said, “I believe that the Outlander 2010 is a “mean” machine, that it embodies ‘”steal on wheels” and this is what is reflected in the garments.”

One of the most-awaited SUVs in the Indian market, the Outlander 2010 is a wonderful blend of technology and luxury. The ‘Stylish Utility Vehicle (SUV)’, as Mitsubishi refers to it, is fully loaded with a ‘custom’ sound system co-designed by the Mitsubishi with Rockford Fosgate, a leading US car audio brand. And it is a biggie with four six-inch speakers, twin dome tweeters, a 10-inch sub-woofer and a 650 watt amp sound. Once in action, trust me, the system rocks.

There is lot more to the lifestyle quotient of the Outlander. Ample space, sporty seats, huge wheel arches, four wheel drive, and a roof that arches down towards the rear are features that stand out. Car-like coil spring and strut suspension on all four wheels guarantees you a good on-road behavior with Mitsubishi’s reputed soft-roader handling. Add to that new combination meter, mirror mounted turn indicators, new door and dash trims, USB port, aluminum pedals, auto-folding Outside Rear View Mirrors (ORVMs) and leather covered instrument panel and the Outlander looks to drool over.

The Outlander is not without its share of aggression. The deep-set headlights and the thick bumper, with its pushed-in fog lights, is very Range Rover.  And the luggage capacity is a jaw-dropping 882 litres (with third-row seats folded), and the space goes up to 1690 litres if the second row seats are dropped as well. The four-wheel drive system or the All Wheel Control, is a step up on the Honda CR-V. Unlike CR-V, it doesn’t lose energy and fuel efficiency in case it encounters any slip. And once you turn the dial to the 4WD auto mode—the system responds much faster to any slip requirements in extremely slippery, slushy or sandy conditions with no let up even if one or more wheels begins to slip. All enough to head out on a camping trip and get your feet dirty.

If you include value for money, the Outlander has everything to be counted. For high speed driving in slippery or extreme conditions, the Outlander has a vehicle stability control system, Active Stability Control (ASC), similar in concept to that of Mercedes’ ESP, a massive boon on SUVs as it keeps the car heading straight despite sudden loss of pressure to one of the wheels. At present, the only SUVs on sale fitted with this system retail for upwards of Rs 45 lakh. Outlander is one vehicle that is significantly well placed to be seen and noticed.

An integrated monocoque construction and a design that has an almost Audi-like restrained elegance about it, the wider Outlander’s bulk has a charm that is rugged yet attractive and contemporary yet stylish. The Outlander 2010 offers luxury and finesse along with significant off road capability. Finally, on the Indian auto horizon is something with enough appeal, enough substance and enough spunk.

If fashion designers are the new style icons, Rohit has been quite successfully outlandish in endorsing Outlander 2010, to fire the aspirations of an upwardly mobile generation.
Photo Credit: http://www.zcars.co

Make Your Own Path

Simply Unstoppable: The Hummer H3 strikes a perfect balance between off-road capability, on-road comfort and efficiency
It is all about being bold. It is about having an attitude. It is about being a statement on the road. And yes, it is about having some exclusive opportunities, too.

Originally adapted from a military vehicle for the most powerful army of the world the Hummer H3 is a midsize SUV which can easily wade through almost all kind of terrains possible on four-wheels.

Take it on a journey across deserts, or drive it on a rainy day, above hills or strenuous mountain passes, this baby on wheels won’t disappoint you. The Hummer H3 guarantees full comfort to the explorer in you to go, revel and experience the world.

Ever wondered the look on fellow drivers….when you take a lavish drive on this beast?

You buy a Hummer to assert individuality and differentiate yourself from other individuals. For you, it’s more than a mode of transportation; it’s a companion and a playmate. It adds flavour to your driving experience and enhances your day-to-day experiences. It gives you every reason to see your car as superior to all other SUVs, and luxury sports cars.

The fun-to-drive-spirit of Hummer comes along with a celeb touch. Arnold Shwarzenegger, Sunil Shetty, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh…are some of the proud owners. Interestingly the star value has always maintained steady growth over the years. Another, fun part of the owning a Hummer is sharing your Hummer experience with others in the Hummer Clubs, exclusively for YOU.

Hum Along!

With fully welded steel frames, it is designed to provide you a peace of mind whatever you do and wherever you go. The 9.7 inches of ground clearance will sail you through the bizarre of rocky terrain.  And the rippling 3.7 L V8 engine with 239 well-domesticated horses to get you “out there” even faster along with 6,000 pounds of tow. These awesome off-road capabilities of this legendary brand give you a sense of taming nature, of total security and supreme power.

As for the concerns about The Hummer’s gas guzzling abilities, The H3 could just be the lady. She moves well and doesn't drink much. But in terms of style, there's no argument about its resemblance with The Hummer Heritage. The familiar hood, flat windshield, and slab sides… it carries the boxy lines, high sills, and shortened windows of its lineage. Compared to the Land Rover LR3 and Nissan Pathfinder SUVs the Hummer H3 is three or four inches compact as well.  On the inside are refinements like leather-wrapped steering wheels and easy reading gauges. And on the outside, a prominent ‘H3’ tailgate badge heralds your departure from the ordinary and your arrival into a whole new class. Driving a Hummer is a powerful and exciting experience that only Hummer owner truly understands. And of course it's still the go-anywhere climb-anything machine.

So the only thing you need, the next time you plan a scenic four wheeling, is to be behind the wheels of The Hummer. You can flaunt your assault-vehicle styling climbing over treacherous rocks and cruise even through 24 inches of water at 5mph. And if desert is your Hummer destiny, the big militaristic tires just soften steering response against desert gusts. And there is one more Hummer promise: The wind noises always remain subdued. Actually, when the going gets tough, The Hummer gets going.

Your Last Chance:

With Hummer already out of production, NOW is your only opportunity to own a Hummer. As for warranty and snags, GM is still out there to serve you for the whole warranty period of five years.

So, it’s your turn to own it and make your own path.

Exceptional standard features:

• H3 earned 4.5 stars in frontal crash tests and 5 stars in side impact tests

• OnStar free for one year

• Electronically controlled full-time four wheel drive system

 Only vehicle in its class able to:

• Climb a 16 inch vertical wall

• Scale a 60% grade hill

• Traverse a 40% slope

(Photo Credit: http://api.ning.com/)

As we let some die, do we ourselves remain alive?

Have you ever looked into the eyes of a destitute (beggar) who asks for alms and said ‘No’ without any anger? Well, you might say, 'Ah, I was busy with my friends...I was near the red light...blah blah blah. But was this the only reason why you just 'ignored'? Wait. Before I go in detail let me tell you how I thought of talking about it.                                                                                         Where do I go?

(Photo Credit: i.telegraph.co.uk)

                                    One week ago, a report was published in ‘mint’ that on an average ten homeless people are dying on the streets of Delhi every day mostly due to hunger. I am someone who always chooses to give a coin or two to at least a few beggars who come across. I became a bit more generous after reading the article. So, far away from the mad rush in Delhi where people do not have time to think about themselves, I was sitting at the railway station in Anand (Gujarat) yesterday. I had a rare occasion after a long time to observe for almost two hours a couple of beggars there as was waiting for my train.

    ‘De do kuch…khaane ke liye nahi hai’, asked an old women beggar to a man who looked quite well to do. The women persisted to ask the man for a penny and the man kept denying until she left. But for the time being she was there, the man never looked into her eyes to say a ‘No’ or say anything else with conviction. The man was uncomfortable in denying her anything as he kept asking her to go away!                                                                                                             

I always feel a similar discomfort whenever I have to deny alms. I know many of them are begging as a profession and not because they have nothing else to do. I know many of them do not beg because they don’t have food and cloth but because they want to go to a movie or smoke or wine or have drugs or just have some extra money. I also know that the contempt for beggars is not altogether unjustified. But before seeing the 'this' or 'that' perspective, the shades in between are too much important to be just ignored! And trust me those who die are not part of any beggar’s gang or ‘beg-to-enjoy’ beggars but those who really need food and shelter.
So, why do these people die? Is it simply because of population explosion? Is it simply because of high inflation? Even if these are the reasons, are we, the rest of us not to be blamed? There are many poor families who do not have any children. The fact that the class with the ‘voice’ is not getting affected does not make their misery an evil.
For all the big dreams that we all genuinely possess, the breakdown of social system and family values, the growing disdain for the old, the poor and the helpless and the increasing needs of our consumer driven lifestyle is where lies the roots of this artificial disaster.
We all have right to pursue our individual aims but the fact that more and more people dying even as the rest of us are getting rich and powerful surely should be enough for us to realize that not all is well with the way we are building modern societies.

My train was about to come and I was standing near that man. He smiled and asked, ‘Aapka reservation AC me hai?’ I smiled back to nod and see the guilt in his eyes still trying to escape. I remembered the famous couplet of Kabir:

Rahiman ve nar mar chuke jo kahin mangana jai!
Unte pehle ve mue jin mukh niksat nahi..........

(Those who go to beg anywhere die before begging, but those who deny alms die even before them.)

To all the Carnivore Humanity and the wasteful users!

Comment on 2010 on track for warmest year on record published in The Washington Post: 

Two days before I wrote on my Facebook (FB), ‘A great reason y v hv spiraling food prices over last decade is increasing meatification of our diet due 2 higher average income!!! r d carnivores human beings listening?’. The reply and the logic argued were more of avoidance than of genuine query about why we should go veg. The greatest logic that our carnivore fellows have is: ‘To keep eating non-vegetarian food and remain silent!’ And that is what most of them have done.

Now that the report released by NASA and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) suggest, I am sure my friends who chose to reply on FB would also realize why April has become the cruelest month literally.

Well someone might say, ‘How does it impact global warming if one individual checks his/her eating habit?’ When I put the same question to Mike Pandey, the winner of Green Oscar last year during one of my environmental projects, he said, “Every single one of us has to take remedial action now. There is a need for collective effort that is missing. Individual participation alone can turn the tide. Laws are good, government can do its best but until we, citizens, every single one of us participates, no action plans, no Copenhagen will be successful. It is very important for every single one of us to start conservation. Whether it be shutting of the tap, using less energy, switching of the TV or mobile phone charger when not in use. Developing reverence for water, not wasting it. Using buckets. Not washing your cars with hose pipes. All these will make a difference. Believe me, every single drop of water, if it goes to the river…every single action can turn the tide…”

When we blame our government of  irresponsibility for not checking environmental pollution, sadly we choose to ignore that we too have a responsibility.

In India passion wins at last...

Comment on the article Sangham Radio making waves by Ramesh Menon.   

The tragedy of policy making in India is that it is made mostly by those who have never been to villages and who have always seen villages, poor and the so called backwards with a sense of contempt. And to make matters worse, there is a system in place (inherited from the British) which is based on the basic assumption of administration as a rule and not service, something a modern democracy should be.

Wherever you go, there is so much of paperwork, so much of 'Jaan Pehchaan' and 'jugaad' mentality, so much of stress upon letting only those things happen which is of benefit to 'them'. This is essentially why innovation comes in this country at a cost which sometimes destroys the innovation itself.

Sam Pitroda told in a recent interview that he does not remember if he ever had to go anywhere except signing legal papers his counsel prepared, when he was in America. In India, getting the 'permission' to innovate, to be an entrepreneur, to do something new takes more energy than the enterprise itself.

The effort of the Dalit women is definitely a role model. The very fact that they kept waiting for almost ten years is testimony to their determination and passion.