random musings

Our Lady of Alice Bhatti: A Review

2012-01-07T11:57:00.001+05:30

Mohammad Hanif is an author who's always taken me by surprise. I picked his first book anticipating that it was an in-depth investigation into the death of General Zia, only to discover that it was fiction, Catch-22 style. The book seamlessly integrated multiple plots to present a coherent story.

I picked his second book with similar expectations (despite many warnings not to pick the same). The turning point was Abhijit Banerjee, one of Foreign Policy magazines top 100 intellectuals for 2011, was reading the book. The book seemed to have been written in a hurry and lacks the 'slickness' of Hanif's first work. The underlying theme i.e. violence against women is subtle but the way the plot is structured is a let down. For instance, why does the protagonist Alice Bhatti fall in love with her complete opposite Teddy Butt? The timelines in the climax are also very confusing (was it morning, afternoon, evening?)

I would have probably enjoyed this book better if I had no expectations.

Bonne Année

2012-01-02T17:00:00.002+05:30

En 2011, j'ai décidé de publier un article en français. Un années plus, voila mon première article en français. j’espère que j’écris beaucoup d'articles en français cette année.

Bonne chance pour moi...

Steve Jobs: A Biography - Review

2011-12-26T17:07:00.000+05:30

Its both easy and tough to write a book on Steve Jobs. Easy because its a story that everyone loves, a college drop-out who gets kicked out of his own company, only to make a spectacular comeback and change the way we consume our technology (Howard Roark anyone?). Having said that, its tough to keep a reader engaged given that almost everyone is familiar with the broad outline of the Jobs story especially after his death. It is this ability to keep the reader engaged that sets Walter Isaacson apart.

The book is gripping right from the beginning especially given that it was Jobs who was chasing Isaacson to write his biography and gave Isaacson complete independence to publish whatever he wanted. This is akin to Oliver Cromwell asking his painter, Sir Peter Lely to paint him 'with warts and all'. This book shows Job as a flawed genius, a person who put his interests ahead of others including his family. Here was a man who had stupendous success in various fields but at the same time very vulnerable, temperamental and very willful (Jobs had delayed his cancer treatment for months and trying out various 'alternative' therapies).

I would not delve into this book further (and diminish the pleasure of reading it) but it would suffice to say the book paints a complete picture of Jobs, as his wife wanted it, 'with warts and all'.

Hello Bastar: A Review

2011-12-22T21:20:00.001+05:30

Rahul Pandita talks about a topic that every Indian has heard about but is not familiar with - Maoism (the book has a short note on the difference between Maoism and Naxalism). The book is based on excellent first hand research given that the author has spent considerable time with Maoists in their hideouts.

Unfortunately, despite the stellar research the book does not match the depth of some of Pandita's articles. Its not the content but the structuring of the content that needs to be blamed. I would have preferred a chronological approach to this subject, given that the seeds of the movement are as old as our country itself - the Telengana agitation, where the communists tried to overthrow the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1948. The Maoist movement has seen the emergence and merging of various factions, such as CPI-ML, PWG, MCC etc. over the years, a fact that has been glossed over. There is also less coverage about Maoists who have surrendered to the state and their uneasy fate (and other people who fall on the wrong side of Maoists).

This is a book that could have been a definitive authority on the Maoist movement, but sadly it barely scratches the surface of India's biggest internal security threat.

The Fallen Star

2011-11-19T08:53:00.000+05:30

"Fame or infamy, either one is preferable to being forgotten."
- Christopher Paolini, Brisingr

There's probably no sadder sight than a fallen star - from a person who commanded attention to one who is seeking it. These people show that fame and fortune can be fickle companions.
Vinod Kambli's allegation that the 1996 semi final was fixed is evidence of a desperate man seeking to get attention that he had lost more than a decade ago. A promising cricketer, no less talented than Sachin Tendulkar could not last long enough at the top. These allegations follow a failed Bollywood career and tv career.
Kambli is unfortunately not the only example, one can name plenty.
Can stardom be a curse? Does it make one out of synch with society? Or do stars expect fortune to be a privilege that's theirs forever?
A broad generalization may be tough to come by, but what is clear is that life does throw out some winners and some sore losers in the end.

Sport and Life

2011-07-24T11:12:00.001+05:30

On the night of 2nd April 2011, India had erupted into a mass hysteria - the very first in recent memory. This had been triggered by a six hit straight down the ground by Dhoni off Kulasekara, a shot that sealed a victory, which seemed improbable a few hours ago, to secure what is perhaps cricket's most coveted prize - the World Cup. Firecrackers were burst, cellphone lines were jammed, there was dancing in the streets, people converged on the important thoroughfares for a victory lap, in short everyone felt a sense of victory. I shared this victory by putting up my first celebrity profile picture in Facebook.

All off this made me wonder what was it about sport that inspired people and before I could answer that question, what was about that sport that inspired me? My theory is that sport mimics life albeit in a shorter time span. Like life sport throws winners and losers. And sportsmen show some of the characteristics that we aspire to have - character, grit, determination. And I feel it is this human connection that makes sport popular.

It is in short, the drama of life that we enjoy.

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Chapter 5: The Lady

2011-06-29T21:02:00.002+05:30

She loved him more than anyone else. It was with proud eyes she observed her husband take stage to give his maiden address as the Prime Minister elect. It was a culmination of a dream and she was proud to have played such a crucial role in it (after all he had thanked her first). Yet there was something that was gnawing inside her. She could n't help but think of the future especially her role. She had been independent through out her life, she was an accomplished journalist. She couldn't help but think how her role as the first lady (technically as per the constitution the second lady) would have an impact on her life. Would this be an end to her career as a journalist or would it be a new beginning for her: maybe a time to focus on writing the book she had been thinking about. She chastened herself for thinking so much about herself on what should have been the happiest day in her life.

The Trial

2011-06-11T20:06:00.000+05:30

Dedicated to Parul, loyal reader and friend

"All rise for Judge Jackson." Judge Jackson took his seat and casually waved his hand asking the entire court to settle down. It had been a few hours since both the defense and the prosecution had finished presenting their closing arguments to the case. The accused, Brian Murphy, a twenty three year old was seated next to his lawyer. He made no effort to hide his tension, it appeared that the wait and in fact the whole trial had taken a toll on him. On the other side was Public Prosecutor Richards. He had a reputation for going tough on crime and he believed in a policy of zero-tolerance.

The police acting on an anonymous tip-off raided the house of the accused and found 100 grams of cocaine. This according to the prosecutor was intent to distribute and he implored the jury that such criminal intent must meet with adequate punishment. No matter how small the crime, people like Murphy were dangerous on the city streets. A miscarriage of justice would embolden Murphy and his likes to commit more serious crimes, Prosecutor Richards claimed. The defense on its part argued that Murphy had no intent to distribute the drug in question and the prosecution had failed to convincingly prove the same. The defense also asked the jury to reflect on the fact that Murphy's previous brush-ins with the law indicated that he was guilty of drug abuse and nothing more (Murphy was arrested for smoking marijuana previously). The defense argued that reform was the need of the hour and people like Murphy needed help and not punishment.

Judge Jackson, after hearing the arguments, asked the jury to deliberate. They had to reach an unanimous decision for proving the charge. "Your decisions will have consequences - both on the safety of our community and the future of this young man."

The time for the judgement had come. Judge Jackson had asked whether the jury had reached a decision. The jury foreman answered that they had. Judge Jackson asked the foreman to readout the verdict. "The jury having deliberated all the points in the case, have found the defendant, Brian Murphy, guilty as charged by the state."

Murphy, had sunk in his seat after he had the verdict, tears were welling up in his eyes, he vaguely caught his lawyer talking about an appeal. He did not pay attention to him. He was going to prison now.

Chapter 4: The Hero

2011-05-05T20:34:00.001+05:30

He has a new hero now. He watched with growing interest the election campaign from the day the nomination papers were filed to it's climax - the swearing in ceremony. He was in awe of every aspect of the new PM, right from the way he talked to the media to the way he conducted his campaign.

He was convinced of the parallels in both his and his hero's lives - both of them were born in the same town exactly 25 years apart. He now heads the school's debating society that was founded by the new PM. He flirted with the idea of changing his stream from science to commerce like his hero. He was thinking of a compelling reason to convince his parents for this volte face.

He was confident that both he and the country had turned a new chapter.

Chapter 3 : The Constant

2011-05-04T19:51:00.001+05:30

He let out a huge sigh as he watched the evening news. He ignored his daughter's quizzical look and continued to stare at the TV. He looked what at his new boss, the new Prime Minister, make a speech on the television. He had been in the system far too long and he felt he knew exactly how the next 5 years would pan out.

The first few months the new chap would show energy, probably give him a new assignment and follow the progress of each initiative with zeal. Post this honeymoon period, the weight of responsibilities, the inertia of the system would start getting to him and to make matters worse the popularity ratings dwindle, the media turns from an indulging friend to a raging adversary. The last phase, in a bid to get reelected would be characterized by frantic activity, desperately trying to hold on to power. The style may change but the substance never does.

A new five year cycle repeats has begun, fortunately for him he will retire in three.

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Chapter 2 : The Predecessor

2011-04-29T22:08:00.001+05:30

He was now the ex-Prime Minister. He saw his rival, many years his junior, make his maiden press conference. He saw a mixture of relief, happiness and anxiety in the new PM. In a strange way, he was sure he was the only one who understood what was going on in the young man's mind - for the battle had been won, the war still remained unfinished.
He reread his press statement, it was a trifle banal, but there's that much a loser could say. He let out a deep sigh and signed on the resignation letter his secretary had placed on the table. He pressed the buzzer on his table and his personal staff had assembled inside his office. He thanked each one of them personally. After the last of his staff left, he had one last look at his room, switched off the light and closed the door behind him.

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Chapter 1 : Solitary

2011-04-29T20:52:00.001+05:30

Finally he was alone. He washed his face at the sink in the corner and he studied his reflection. He took out his handkerchief and wiped out the beads of water. He took a deep breath and tried to gather his thoughts. The last few weeks were a rush, moving from city to city, meeting various people, shaking countless hands. He kept a punishing schedule for this day.
The day had finally come and the result was weighing down on him. Now was the time to take a stock of things and plan for the future. He made a mental note of all things that had to be done.
A knock on the door that interrupted his train of thought. A familiar voice said, "It's time." He gave a quick nod. He had one last look at himself before he left. As he walked towards the podium he managed to hear the the announcer amongst the din of the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our youngest Prime Minister."

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Paradise Found: The Laccadive Blog

2011-04-21T20:44:00.001+05:30

Lakshadweep, etymologically speaking does not break down into the more obvious laksha (one hundred thousand or a lakh) and dweepa (island). If that were the case we would be 99,964 islands short. It is believed that the origin of the first part of the name is lakshya (aim or destination). These set of islands were important navigational landmarks for merchant vessels from the middle east on the way to the southern coast of India (around 200- 400kms away). It is therefore no surprise that the inhabitants of Lakshadweep are known for their sailing prowess.

Geographically and culturally speaking the islands can be split as Laccadive and Minicoy. Minicoy is closer to Maldives as compared to India and its inhabitants speak Dhivehi, the official language of Maldives. The inhabitants of Laccadive speak a dialect of Malayalam. The islands are completely dependent on the mainland for meeting all their requirements. The only items for which they are self-sufficient are coconuts and fish.

Honestly I had not heard of many people visiting Lakshadweep before. It appears that the government does not actively promote tourism - all outsiders (including Indian citizens) need a permit to stay overnight; there is only one private resort which has been closed down due to an ongoing court case. The only reason that I could surmise from this is that these islands are of strategic importance to our country.

So when the chance came to visit Lakshadweep, the offer was too good to pass. Getting to Lakshadweep from Delhi is quite a challenge. After an overnight stay in Bangalore, we took the morning flight to Aggati island. There were not too many of us on board in the flight, giving me the feeling that this was my very own private jet. 15 minutes before touchdown the beauty of Lakshadweep was self evident - small islands with white sand beaches strewn casually across an azure ocean.

My next few days were spent in the ocean - sailing, snorkeling and scuba diving. A definite must visit place for people looking to get away from it all.

So far so good

2011-03-07T17:05:00.000+05:30

The world cup has kicked off around the same time when many people started questioning the relevance of the 50 over format. Two weeks into the tournament, the future of the 50 over format seems secure (doubters can ask the English skipper Andrew Strauss). Apart from a few inconsequential matches, we’ve had our first upset, first tie, the fastest century (still blown away by Kevin O’ Brien’s innings), the most successful run chase in a world cup.

I personally feel that 50 over cricket offers teams many more opportunities to get back into a game vis-à-vis the 20 over format. A few good overs for either side can change the balance. The India-England tie is a case in point. The match swung in favour of India in the 42^nd over and by the 49^th over it was out of our hands again. The addition of the Batting Power Play has also played a key role in keeping the excitement of the format. It should ideally used by the batting side to push the batting side to put the game beyond the opposition. However it’s increasingly seen by the bowling side as an opportunity to pick up a few wickets and change the balance of the game.

Let’s hope the world cup is able to sustain this level of excitement. There’s nothing like a successful tournament that puts to rest the doubts about the future of the 50 over format.

Dhobhi Ghat

2011-01-22T23:05:00.000+05:30

The first thing that one notices about Dhobhi Ghat is that this movie does not have intervals. And theaters, in a bid to hold on to one of their important revenue streams keep on reminding you that there isn't one and constantly encourage you to buy pop corn before the movie begins.

Just like the non-interval was an experience for me, so was the movie. I would call it a non-story because unlike stories this does not have a conclusion, its more like a snapshot of 4 characters in Mumbai. Each character has been carefully created and the casting was spot on. I was particularly impressed with Prateik Babbar and Kirti Malhotra. It isn't often that one eclipses Aamir Khan and both manage to do exactly that.

I was intrigued by Kirti's character the most. She plays Yasmin, a small-town girl from UP. She records a series of videos for her brother, which start off like letters and towards the end become more like diaries. And just like Aamir Khan's character, one is also drawn to this character. With every passing minute of watching her video, you become more intimate with her and you are curious to know what happens to her.

A must watch for those looking for an off-beat movie experience.

My First Contest Win

2010-12-23T14:54:00.000+05:30

I had recently submitted an entry for a contest organized by he Hindu Metro Plus and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Participants had to write in 20 words or less on how social networking affects their lives. My entry (which subsequently won) was:

"Online social networking does not let my relationships wither away with time and distance."

Unfortunately for me I could not collect the prize.

The Prescient Dr. Ambedkar

2010-12-11T18:30:00.000+05:30

At first I was planning to write my thoughts and feelings about Dr. Ambedkar's speech when the Constitution of India was being adopted. But later I felt that it would be unfair to the reader if I were to distill such a great speech. This speech must be enjoyed in it's entirety. The speech can be found on the website of Pragati.

The Cobbler

2010-12-03T14:03:00.000+05:30

It was a cold winter morning with a hint of fog. Our bus stopped at a traffic light. There was a cobbler crouched on the pavement. In a well practiced routine he unpacked his anvil, hammer and other tools from his rucksack. He neatly stacked up the shoe soles one on top of the other. He fumbled briefly, while he was trying to tie the various colored shoe laces on the nails that were punched into the wall of a building that doubled up as his backrest, was this due to the cold or due to old age, no one could tell. What was he doing so early in the day, a time very few people were about? Would coming a few hours earlier help him earn more? How much did he earn in a day? Some questions that stayed with us as the light turned green and our bus moved ahead.

The Man from Nowhere

2010-12-01T22:02:00.001+05:30

It was a warm April night. I had decided to make a quick visit home as the next day's classes were canceled. I rushed to the bus station to take the overnight bus home. After buying the ticket I quickly seated myself by the window, trying to take make this journey as comfortable as possible.

As I was observing the late night bustle of the bus station, a voice came from behind, "Is this seat taken?". Startled, I quickly turned back and mumbled "Huh?". The stranger repeated his question again, to which I replied no. "Do you mind if I sit here?". I shook my head. There was a fundamental dissonance in the stranger's appearance and the way he spoke. He was dressed ordinarily bordering on the shabby while his English belied a considerable stint abroad. On the whole he was just another face in the crowd except for his eyes. They were sharp and fiery.

As soon as the bus started, he asked "Going home?". I said yes."So you must be one of the students studying in the engineering college here. I believe that this college has a good reputation.". I nodded my head. He went on "Unfortunately I know very little about engineering or science as a matter of fact. I feel a bit like a fossil with your generation.".I asked the next question to keep the conversation going, "Are you heading to Hyderabad?". "I have no choice I am afraid this seems to be a non-stop service", he said with a laugh. Curiosity got the better of me and I decided to ask, "Have you studied abroad or something? Your English seems so polished". "While your appearance isn't" he added as if completing the unspoken part of my question. "As the old proverb goes 'Appearances can be deceptive'. To answer your question yes. I studied or at least tried studying Economics and Philosophy at Oxford during the sixties.". I remarked immediately, "Oxford, wow!". He smiled at me and said, " I really enjoyed my stay there. The atmosphere, the peers it was a wonderful experience. Anyways who wants to hear an old man talk about his youth.". I urged him to continue.

He said, he had received a scholarship to study philosophy and economics in 1965. "I arrived probably during the peak of student politics, days where we thought we were agents of change, days when ideas were more important than material possessions. At first I decided to keep away from these discussions. I had come with some preconceived goals and I was in no mood to waste my time. Within a week there was no way I could keep away from discussions, they had a magnetic effect on me.

In May 1968, 3 years after my arrival, an important thing happened, French students shook their country for a month. We were keenly following the events unfold across the channel. This was real action, away from the safe confines of the university, a seismic shift from the theoretical to the practical. It was around this time that I took a decision that changed my life forever.

We were at a friend's house discussing the usual mix of philosophy, economics and politics. I do not remember what the exact topic of discussion was, that's not important anyway. All I remember was that I had accused the west of the many ills that plague the developing world. And suddenly one of my friends said, "Accusing the west and being a permanent victim of the past is the easiest thing. We live in the present now. You were the one who was impressed with the May riots in Paris; it's time for you to move away from the domain of thoughts to the domain of action.". At first, I thought he was trying to change the topic in an attempt to defend the west. But on careful reflection, I realized that my friend had a point, if I wanted to make a difference, I had to get back home. I decided to discontinue my studies, a decision that has labeled me as an eccentric in my family for life. Life's funny sometimes, a decision taken with absolute conviction can reduce someone from a role model to a failure.

Even though I had decided to move back to India, I had no idea what I would do once I got there. After consulting a few professors and friends I had decided that I would move to a village in one of the poorest districts in my state. A few weeks later, I landed in a village not far off from your campus.

One of the first things I had learned was humility, something that cannot education cover. I thought that my knowledge would yield instant results and bring about a transformation. I couldn't have been more wrong in my life. Changing people is tough, one needs to understand them to change them. Its a long and patient process. The journey has not been easy but I cannot think of a profession that gives me such happiness."

I had not realized that we had reached the bus terminus. "Looks like the journey's end young man.". I wanted to ask him many more questions but before I could do so the stranger picked his bag, waved a goodbye and merged into the morning crowd at the bus station.

My first Cartoon/ Political Satire

2010-11-18T19:25:00.000+05:30

The Social Network a Movie Review

2010-11-18T19:03:00.002+05:30

The film's tagline reads "You don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.". The film's tagline could have easily read "You could have 500 million friends and still be lonely.". This movie follows the drama behind the founding of what is probably today's most visited site in the internet - Facebook.

The strong and gripping storyline apart, the film's strength also lies in it's casting. Jesse Eisenberg plays Zuckerberg's role with aplomb. He expertly showcases both aspects of an eccentric - the brilliance and the social awkwardness. You are sometimes in awe of Zuckerberg's brilliance, upset at his arrogance but in the end you feel sorry for his loneliness.

Armie Hammer does a great job as the Winklevoss twins, expertly showing the subtle differences in their attitudes. And last but not the least, Justin Timberlake, pulls off the rather manipulative role of Sean Parker with ease.

All in all a great watch. Given that many of us use Facebook, it's very difficult not to hit the Like button.

My Letter to the Editor of Hindu

2010-10-27T09:50:00.004+05:30

I had written the following letter to the editor of Hindu after the recent controversy surrounding writer Ms. Arundhati Roy. I hope it does get published. In case it doesn't:

Dear Editor,

My objection with the article or statement of Ms. Roy is not is in it's content but in the manner it is expressed. She paints a picture of India as a dictatorial regime at a time when the world looks at India as an emerging power.

There would always be a section of society especially in a multicultural society as ours that would not subscribe to the same views as hers. Just because some people call her to be tried for sedition does not mean that this is the mainstream opinion. And so far the government has not decided to charge her.

She must also be aware that however controversial her opinions are, none of these are censored and she does get heard. Such is the maturity of our democracy.

Kashmir is a sensitive topic for the entire country and as with any other sensitive topic this must be treaded with care.

Regards,
Surya

A Journey - A Book Review

2010-10-24T19:59:00.001+05:30

Tony Blair's (TB) autobiography is a fascinating read. It gives us an insight into the political life of one of contemporary history's most controversial politicians. And unlike other autobiographies this book does not bore the reader too much with the background and instead cuts the chase to his ten years in Downing Street. The book has a conversational ring to it and shows us why TB is one of the most charismatic politicians around. There are quite a few instances in the book that make you laugh out aloud.

The first few chapters talk about his rise from the opposition to the job of the Prime Minister, his first and only job in the government. There is a certain candor in his ambition to lead the Labor party and the British people. As a reader you buy the New Labor mantra, the sense of optimism, that led him to take office. He also lays bare some of the strategies, machinations that are part and parcel of politics.

For me personally, I enjoyed the chapter on Northern Ireland peace process, that culminated in the Good Friday agreement. This chapter gave me an insight into one of the key conflicts in Europe. TB distills all the lessons learned in resolving this conflict into a few points, a kind of a ready reckoner in resolving conflicts.

No discussion of TB is ever complete without what would be considered his biggest legacy, the Iraq war. Though he does make a convincing case against Saddam, you do not buy the argument fully especially given it's current consequences. What you do agree is that the nature of the conflict has changed and that conventional mechanisms against a guerilla outfit would not succeed (which makes you ask was removing Saddam the right idea).

I also agree with him that every democracy the role of media must be examined. With 24x7 news the power and reach of media is tremendous. They can bring down anyone they choose on the flimsiest grounds. They need to realize that with great power comes greater responsibility. (His relationship with the media nose-dived post Iraq and you can understand where these thoughts come from).

All in all a good read, with interesting anecdotes about world leaders (including our very own Dr. Manmohan Singh) and the royal family (I did not know that the royals had a barbecue where they cooked and cleaned up, imagine the queen clearing your plate).

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Musings of the Casual Traveler

2010-09-02T20:52:00.001+05:30

"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated"
- Steve Jobs quoting Mark Twains's famous line in a keynote in September 2008 after Bloomberg had published a 17 page obituary on Jobs.
I guess the same can be said about the US economy. After the global financial crisis of 2008, many armchair economists had written off the US, claiming that it's days are numbered and all the action would shift to Asia. I was reminded of Mark Twain's famous quote when I visited the US this August. As tempting it may be to see the decline of American dominance, nothing can be further from the truth.
True the impact of the 2008 crisis was severe on both America and the world. However America unlike Europe is already on it's feet and on moderate path to recovery. Our globalized world is as such that if America fails, so does the rest of the world, as the US is one of the largest trading partners for many countries.
In my recent trip I had the good fortune of visiting the Bay area, one of the innovation hubs for America. It is amazing that within 12 years, Google has become a household name, Apple is dominating the way we consume content, Facebook the way we interact. Herein lie the two biggest strengths of America - innovation and entrepreneurship. The force that keeps in the driver's seat of the world economy for the time to come.

Songs of Blood and Sword - A Review

2010-06-29T21:24:00.000+05:30

This book is clearly a labor of love. You can really feel Fatima Bhutto's pain in the last few chapters that describe the ruthless killing of her father. Unfortunately this is the very same quality that makes the book sound more like a gossip magazine rather than a well researched book on contemporary Pakistan.

Fatima paints all the characters in black or white - a Mir Murtaza Bhutto who could do no wrong, a messiah who could rescue Pakistan from itself and his elder sister Benazir who has always been arrogant, calculating and opportunistic (it appears right from birth). It is this kind of contrast that made me even more skeptical as each page progressed. She criticizes Benazir for wearing the hijab, while Murtaza's transformation from silk suits to salwaar kameez on arrival in Pakistan is unnoticed. This partial treatment extends to allies of her father - personal histories of a few controversial figures have been conveniently brushed aside. The book also contains some narratives that border the ridiculous like Benazir's plan to marry Yassir Arafat, a complicated Army-Benazir-CIA angle in the murder of Shahnawaz Bhutto (Fatima's uncle).

The book leaves a lot of questions unanswered, for instance, the funds that fueled the lavish lifestyle of the Bhutto brothers in exile while they had no visible signs of livelihood (Fatima practically describes the Sheraton in Damascus as a second home), the miraculous survival of some of Murtaza's contingent during the series of events that led to his death, Zulfikar's controversial role during the 1971 war etc.

Songs of Blood and Sword is a book that promises a lot, given the unique vantage point of Fatima, her engaging style of writing but ultimately delivers very little.

White Man's India

2010-05-13T11:05:00.005+05:30

In a recent article in Forbes India, the MD of Telenor India Stein-Erik Vellan says that Indians are warm and hospitable people. He narrates an incident where an Indian family whom he's met in a restaurant invites him for dinner the next day. Gregory-David Roberts, in his bestseller Shantaram,heaps lavish praise for the open door hospitality of Indians.

While I don't fault either of them for these observations, I can't help but wondering if they would have had a different experience if they were not white. I am not too sure on that one. Would the person who took Mr. Vellan home show the same hospitality to a fellow Indian whose visited Delhi for the first time?

Why is that we put our best foot forward when foreigners are involved and get incredibly suspicious when our own countrymen are involved? Doesn't charity begin at home?

The IT Industry's one-man shows

2010-02-12T08:32:00.003+05:30

Louis V. Gerstner Jr. (the former CEO of IBM)in his book, 'Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?' describes IT industry leaders as people with enormous passion, incredible talent and lastly (and definitely not the least) the most outspoken people who are not afraid to talk their mind.

Nobody else can describe the stalwarts of the IT Industry in better words. I can think of very few industries where the founders hold so much of sway.However despite their brilliant achievements, one of their biggest weaknesses is their inability (or the lack of willingness)to nurture the next generation of leaders to take over their business. Can we imagine an Apple without Steve Jobs, an Oracle without Ellison?

I would probably attribute this to the fact that the IT Industry is one of the most rapidly changing industries. Most IT companies are a generation old (a majority of the current big players have been setup in the 70s and 80s). Visions for what could be the next biggest thing could be diametrically opposite. As a result, founders could have difficulty in giving up control to people who don't seem eye to eye and therefore surround themselves with people who do not aggressively challenge their vision. Leading to the fact, that there is no clear cut second in command.

I strongly believe that in addition to leading new technological changes, IT bosses must also think about succession planning, people who keep their company relevant long after they are gone. How many of the current crop can pull off an IBM?

Does a small country's solution to a problem solve the same problem for a bigger country?

2010-01-23T19:06:00.005+05:30

I was disappointed after reading Thomas Friedman's recent article 'The Copenhagen That Matters'(click the link for the original article) especially given Mr. Friedman's experience and achievements.

In Mr. Friedman's article he talks about how Denmark has been more successful in solving the green energy problem. He talks how 30% of the country's electricity comes from renewable sources etc. It is tempting to get carried away that Denmark's approach to this solution can be replicated by larger countries like the United States.

But if you think about the scale of a problem Denmark has a population of 5 million people, one-sixtieth of the population of the United States (200th of India's population). It ranks 133rd in area. To add to its advantages, it is a prosperous country (30th in GDP per capita). So what we have here is a small, prosperous country with limited coal and oil that has been successful in going green. Given these facts it is not surprising.

For countries like United States (and also India) going green with much larger populations spread over a huge area with varying climate is tough. Satisfying the energy needs in a sustainable manner is a challenge both technologically and monetarily. This problem has a radically different solution from Denmark's.

Democracy

2009-12-24T20:05:00.001+05:30

Etymologically speaking the word democracy is derived from the Greek word demokratia, which roughly translates to ‘power to the people.’ We Indians take great pride in calling ourselves the world’s largest democracy. Are we democratic in the truest sense, where people with differing opinions are able to voice their views? Do we follow due democratic process of resolving our differences through consensus?

My answer is no. This answer is more than evident in the recent case of the creation of the state of Telangana. The tactics undertaken by both the proponents and opponents of the bifurcation of the state of Andhra Pradesh lie somewhere between emotional blackmail (in this situation read as ‘fast unto death’) to outright violence, either of which are undemocratic means. This issue, like many other issues, has not been debated – taking various opposing views to account, the pros, the cons, the costs, the benefits, the sticky issues (the status of Hyderabad in this case). The debate has given way to passion which is often accompanied by the veiled threat of violence. Aren’t the principles of democracy being compromised (often by elected leaders themselves) when public or private property is being destroyed? Both parties in the tussle have tried to tip the decision to their favor by these tactics, often accompanied with rhetoric. Telangana or not this is not the way we reconcile our differences. The architect of our constitution Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was prescient when he said that there was no room for either armed revolution or civil disobedience in a democracy (as constitutional methods of redress were available), calling them grammar of anarchy. (Source: Ramachandra Guha’s ‘India after Gandhi’).

The burden of a properly functioning democracy falls both on the electorate and the elected. The electorate must not be swayed by emotion and demand greater accountability and statesmanship from the people they elect. The elected must be accommodating to views that differ from their own and debate points on merit and not on passion. It appears that in Andhra, it is the MLA Dr. Jayaprakash Narayanan who is the lone voice of reason in the sea of anarchy.

People and institutions must ensure that the ideals of democracy are not compromised. Democracy may be slow, frustrating and sometimes appear from being far from perfect but it works, and to quote Sir Winston Churchill - “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.”

The art of pricing

2009-10-31T08:59:00.003+05:30

A few weeks ago,just before the festival of diwali, I had visited a nearby mall with my friend. In purely observational terms it appeared as if the typical diwali buzz was missing. In most of the apparel and footwear shops, the salesmen were outnumbering the customers. The effects of recession notwithstanding, I somehow felt that quite a few companies (particularly the MNCs) in India have not been able to solve the price and consequently the value conundrum.

At a famous denim label retailer, the cost of an ordinary looking cotton shirt was Rs. 3000, probably 15 times more than its humble counterpart from Sarojini Nagar. For my untrained eye it was definitely not worth it. My friend also narrated a story about a particular shoe brand, where over a period of 6-12 months there was a total markdown of 70% in price.

The same goes for automobile companies too. A few years back I had the opportunity to visit the launch of the Ford Mondeo. The car had a fairly good international reputation but was priced at Rs 16 lakhs approximately. For an additinal investment of a few lakhs (at most 2-3 lakhs) more, one could get a Mercedes Benz C-class. Thus for a relatively smaller incremental investment a person can buy into one of the truly global luxury monikers. I guess the same goes for the Fiat's best-seller in India the Fiat 500. When was the last time you saw these 2 cars on the road? There are many more examples across other sectors.

So how do you price correctly? I am still working out a watertight answer for that one still. But as a starting point, I feel that Indian consumers look for value, which in itself is a combination of (what I feel is) utility, price, the snob value among other things. Until each company figures out the complete value proposition, complete success would elude them.

Frisking... the new urban Indian tradition?

2009-08-22T11:25:00.003+05:30

A few weeks ago, Continental Airlines got into controversy for frisking our ex-president Dr. Kalam. This got me thinking, hasn't frisking become a part and parcel of our existence in urban India?

Theaters, malls, hotels wherever you go you get frisked. If you drive a car you have the pleasure of getting someone to check on your boot and glove compartment. I am not sure whether these meaningless checks would act as a sufficient deterrent. At least these do not make me feel safer.

What is amazing is that all of us have got used to it so much that we just wait patiently in line to get frisked. Was Continental just trying to fit in ;)?

Whats wrong with Hollywood?

2009-06-27T18:22:00.003+05:30

2 bad movies in almost as many weeks - Angels and Demons followed X-men Origins: Wolverine. I expected better of Hollywood - what seemed like safe bets turned to be quite disappointing.

To be fair, Angels and Demons was probably a difficult book to convert to a movie - condensing Dan Brown's research into a 2 hour movie was always challenging and I guess the movie failed on this front (despite having a brilliant actor and director Tom Hanks and Ron Howard).

Wolverine seemed to be a rehash of an Indian movie - complete with a villain who stops at nothing, a brother who deviates from the right path, a heroine who acts as if she loves the hero at the behest of the villain (but later confesses the love was real and doing it to save her sister), filmi dialogues ("you are not an animal...") etc. The only thing that saved it from being a complete Indian flick was that the characters were mutants. If one ignores the story, the action scenes were equally disappointing (and probably drew inspiration from Indian flicks) including a Rajniikant inspired split a bullet into two with a sword routine. Probably what was missing was a 'maa' or a more Deewar like melodramatic showdown between the brothers.

Are Indians predisposed towards dynasties?

2009-06-20T17:40:00.005+05:30

I am not talking in politics alone - something that has received sufficient coverage already. Almost in every field - in business, cinema, medicine, law and even sports (probably the only field where the progeny may not reach the same level of success as their peers in other fields). What is it in us that makes us follow, more often than not, the profession of our parents, thus creating a dynasty within the profession?

In a recent article a sociologist remarked that most children (especially in the middle class) do so because the price of failing is very high and in cultures like India where saving face is very important, she is probably saying the truth. This explanation partially answers my question. Is it because it is an easier way out? Or is it because we know little of other professions (or not even bother findng out)? Is this an Indian phenomenon or there in other cultures also?

A well-known editor has remarked that the children of politicians entering politics is a dangerous trend - giving rise to a new 'caste' and virtually making it impossible for other people to break-in. I am pretty sure this is the case in the world of cinema. Will this mean as time wears on, quite contrary to popular belief, the career choices available to us become more limited?

A Short Story

2009-05-02T10:46:00.000+05:30

As Mr. Anderson walked out of the court room in Virginia, his face did not betray the emotions that were swirling inside him. How could have Zion have gone down? How could one of Fortune’s top 50 ‘Most Respected’ companies two years ago end up penniless?

When Jack Anderson took over the coveted CEO’s post twenty six months ago, he considered himself at the pinnacle of his career, years of hard work culminating in this top position, yet the end had come so fast. Life in the corporate jungle was always going to be tough he had thought, fighting off competition both within and outside the organization: it was survival of the fittest, the nature’s code.

The seeds of doom were sown when the big project he and his company had bet on came tumbling down like a pack of cards. The Eurasia power project one of the largest in the world was commissioned by the Russian government. Its concept was simple, they had to tap the vast natural gas reserves of Siberia, transport it across to the site of the new energy station, about 40 minutes by the local train from Moscow, via a pipeline. Zion had to extract the natural gas, commission the pipeline and the power station. Zion would realize its investment as soon as it started generating and selling the power to the local grid. The Russians were satisfied with their proposal and as the Time magazine had stated ‘this project marks a new phase in the relationship between Russia and the West’. They had raised money by divesting some of their stake and borrowing money from financial institutions.

The project never got off to a good start. The corrupt Russian bureaucracy ensured that they squeezed as much as they can from the project by citing various clauses under the ‘New Russian Industrial Policy for Foreign Industries’, more popularly known as Khrushchev’s code after it’s author. This led to various delays and the costs kept on going up. What Zion and Jack had underestimated was the growing disillusionment of the people with the new capitalist way of life. Life had become tougher after the collapse of the Soviet Union. They felt that their natural resources were being exploited and they were not getting a fair deal. In light of these new events the Kremlin decided to take on Yukos, Russia’s largest oil company. Its owner Mikhail Khurdokovsky was shown no mercy by the Russian courts and was sentenced for corporate fraud. He was made a specimen to showcase the Russian government’s commitment to its citizens for safeguarding its natural wealth. This trial and the subsequent sentence sent shock waves across the world especially in the energy industry and shook investor confidence in any company that dealt with Russia.

It was rumored that the Russian government might take over the Eurasia power project as well. The creditors of Zion wanted out, the shareholders went on a massive selling spree sending the company’s stock crashing. The pleas and the reassurances of the top brass of the company were of no avail. The project came to a standstill and the radical restructuring plan failed. The threat of bankruptcy loomed over them, it was only a matter of time. Could this have been avoided Jack wondered. If only the Russians had come forward and quelled the fears of the investors.

There seemed to be only one option left: Paul Baxter’s offer of merger on his terms. This could save the company, avoid bankruptcy but this also meant that he could no longer be the man at the helm of Zion. An offer which he had dismissed as ridiculous few months ago was his only way out.

As he faced the press, Jack adjusted his tie and spoke “Ladies and Gentlemen as per the directive of the court and the decision of the Board of directors to safeguard the interest of our employees and investors we have assented to our merger with Baxter Energy, Houston. Thank You”.

From the archives - Travelogue - South-East Asia - Part 4 of 4

2009-05-01T22:09:00.001+05:30

And finally ...

Hello Again,
This is the final installment of my account of this trip. We arrived at changi airport at 4 pm local time (we lost an hour due to the change in time zone). We caught a taxi after collecting our luggage. The taxis in Singapore are all meter run and these meters are not tampered with, a welcome change from India. Our hotel le Meredien Singapore is located at orchard road, one of Singapore’s main roads. After checking in we asked the receptionist about the interesting sights of Singapore. They gave us wrong info about the timings and we went of to Sentosa Island first and just managed to see the underwater world. Later on in the evening we went too little India and had our dinner at a south Indian veg restaurant called Komal Vilas. After dinner we went to Mustafa and bought lots of soaps and shampoos. Little India is like pondy bazaar with Tamil flowing around and equally if not more dirty (yes, Singapore ain’t so clean after all).We had difficulty in catching a taxi and it took us an hr to catch one. We reached the hotel at 2330 hrs and no restaurants were open and we had to settle for some chicken fried rice (I did not eat well at Komal Vilas). The following day we enrolled ourselves for the city tour (afternoon) and night safari (evening). In the morning we went to singapura plaza and did some shopping there. On buying a pack of duracells we got a coupon for a free burger at burger king. We promptly redeemed this coupon and had our lunch there. In the afternoon we were dropped at suntec city (a reclaimed piece of land) and we were taken for a trip around the city. We had a jovial guide named Benny. He joked that sing was reclaiming so much land that they might even reach Indonesia but since they bought sand from them the distance would remain the same. Singaporeans pride themselves about their government and its efficiency and that they plan for 20 to 30 years in the future instead of a term (a hint for the incumbents in India). Singapore resembles a huge efficient factory. The people live in small apartments in the suburbs and they get housing loans with interests as low as 2%. Most of the citizens are not taxed i.e. about 2/3rds of them. Well what beats me is why Naidu was so obsessed with Singapore, Andhra and Singapore is 2 entirely different entities and the Singapore model at best could be applied to vizag. Coming back, we were dropped off again at suntec city at 6 pm and picked up for the night safari. The safari was disappointing as we mostly saw cattle but we managed to catch the animal show. After being dropped off we went again to burger king for a meal.
The next day we decided to explore the MRTS and try the newly laid north east line. We went off to a wrong station in the beginning and we later returned to our destination at 1030. After a quick lunch we went to the hotel. The taxi driver remarked that India had a better democracy and that they had to choose only one party here for elections (then why have them?). We left for the airport at 1400 hrs by a Mercedes taxi and we arrived one hour before the ETD. After exhausting our remaining Singapore dollars at the duty free shop we left for our gate. The flight was uneventful except for an Indian family who right from the time in the airport in Singapore to Delhi airport were bent on making thing miserable for their co passengers. We had the briefest of transits in Bangkok as we had to immediately join the queue for the Delhi flight. The last leg was the most tiring as we had to wait in the tarmac for an hour at Delhi airport. Though customs created no problems our luggage as delayed. The same taxi driver who dropped us off a week ago was there to pick us up. We reached home at 0130 hrs and we unpacked and we finally slept an hour later.
That’s all folks

From the archives - Travelogue - South-East Asia - Part 3 of 4

2009-05-01T22:06:00.003+05:30

Hello Again,
This letter is about our Phuket stay. We arrived on Tuesday morning by Thai airways flight. From the aircraft we got a panoramic view of the island and the airport was right beside the sea. After collecting our luggage we went to our hotel by a coach and one of our co-passengers was a Bangalore based construction magnate. After a one hour drive, during which we talked about the unfolding political scenario in India we reached our hotel which was in the rather over commercialized area of Phuket and was called Patong Beach. After checking in we went to an Indian restaurant on the main road. The food was decent and the bill was mind bogglingly high. After paying him we retreated to our room for a brief siesta (we slept for 3 hrs). On waking up we decided to go to phuket fantasea a cultural extravaganza. After skilled negotiating by the 3 of us we managed to get the best priced tickets (at least we hoped so). The fantasea people sent us a coach and we went to the place which was located at Kamala Beach. Anyways it was a pretty good show (it cannot be compared to what we saw at Disney or universal). We came back home at 2330 and turned in. after a disappointing breakfast (not enough variety) we went for the city tour and accompanying us was a tamilian family. The man became an ardent admirer of amma and nanna. He asked them their opinions and advice for every practical thing. We went to an exorbitantly charged monkey show in the afternoon. After a quick lunch at McDonalds (we patronized this place during our stay eating 3 meals here) we went for a walk along the beach in the evening. We also decide to a bit of shopping but all the shopkeepers were out there to fleece us by charging about 500 to 1000% the actual price.
We had our dinner at kfc that evening. The rooms in the resort were not good and we had to change ours due to faulty air conditioning we had to change ours in the afternoon. The following day, after our breakfast we got ready to leave for Singapore.
Bye for now

From the archives - Travelogue - South-East Asia - Part 2 of 4

2009-05-01T22:04:00.005+05:30

Hello Again,
This is about our second day of our trip.
After a heavy breakfast (yes that was the meal relished by all 3 of us) we got ready for our city tour. It took us to all the temples the golden Buddha, the reclining Buddha, the temple of the dawn. For the third temple we had to cross the river chao praya and it was quite a bumpy ride. The Buddhism practiced in Thailand is quite against the principles of Buddha in the sense these chaps eat every living creature except humans and worship idols. I felt that I saw a purer form of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Enough of my theological digressions back to the story. The tour guide took us to the gem store again where we had the free refreshments (that was one hallmark of this trip we spared nothing that was free). From there we broke from our group and proceeded to the city palace. Our group consisted of 4 families and each represented the various phases of marriage. The first couple consisted of a newly wed Mumbai pair on their honeymoon, the next family consisted of a Chennai family with 2 kids, the third was ours with a grown kid and the last an old dignified couple from Mumbai who had settled kids. This was a jolly group and we were united by the fact that none of us wanted to talk about Sonia’s chances of being the PM (the guide was asking “so you got a new PM eh?”). At the city palace and it was raining heavily. I managed to bargain for an umbrella that was charged at 300 bahts and buy it for 100 bahts. Afterwards with the help of a guide we went and saw the emerald Buddha and the other buildings of the city palace. The best being a scale down model of Angkor Wat. We took a tuk-tuk back to the hotel. After a brief rest we took the sky train at nana station and went to huge mall at Bangkok’s center. It was amazing that a city like Bangkok had such facilities. The prices matched the mall’s size and the only thing we did there was have lunch and use the pay toilet (at 1 baht per head I was embarrassed to ask for 3 entries.) we packed dinner at subway and turned in early. The following day after breakfast we proceeded to the airport in a taxi. The driver asked for 3 bahts for a phone call and at same the moment he asked his mobile went off and I couldn’t hide my amusement. At the end I did give him some money.
That’s all for now

From the archives - Travelogue - South-East Asia - Part 1 of 4

2009-05-01T21:48:00.003+05:30

My mother had come across some of the letters I wrote to my relatives describing our trip to Singapore and Thailand in 2004. I am not only amazed by the fact that these letters survived 2 hard disk crashes but also at my initial attempts in blogging (I was ahead of my times, I guess blogging wasn't there in 2004). Here goes:

Hello all,
This letter is a brief account of our trip to Thailand and Singapore. It all began when dad came home around 6pm and confirmed (for sure) that we were leaving. We had no time to inform anybody except folks at Madras. (It just seemed as though we were running off to a country before authorities began closing on us.). Our flight was scheduled to depart 5 min past midnight and this led to an interesting incident that revealed the common sense of the authorities manning the country’s entry and exit points. Since the ETD was past midnight the boarding pass showed the date as 16th and the time we entered the security check it was 11pm and the date was 15th .this made the alert guard and his equally alert superior believe that we had arrived a day before the departure. We had to explain the concept that there are 24 hrs in a day and so on to gain entry to the gate. The flight was uneventful except that amma and I had to eat vegetarian. We reached Bangkok at 530 am local time. They said that Indians could get visa on arrival and said that the process would take a few minutes. But due some weird ordering process people who submitted their papers after us got their visa much before us. Anyways after a one and a half hour wait we went to the coach that dropped us to the hotel. The flow of traffic and the traffic sense the people possessed in Bangkok is truly amazing. They drive at 100 kmph without any accidents and people do not honk – both certainly impossible in India.
Our hotel was called the Bel-Aire princess and was located in the business district of Bangkok called Sukhumvit. After a heavy breakfast we went to a place called Rose garden and en route we went to a jewelry store (which every tour operator takes you in Bangkok so you can’t escape it). We bought some American diamonds and some Thai silk. After this little shopping we proceeded to our destination. The rose garden gave us an insight at the Thai way of life and traditions. They derive a lot of their traditions from India and in fact worship lord Ganesha. The show also included a traditional Thai boxing match and a Thai wedding ceremony. On our way back we experienced torrential showers.
We reached our hotel around 530 pm and the rain had thinned down by then.
All 3 of us were hungry when we returned to the hotel and went to Pizza Hut. One of the popular myths is that Thais can speak English. Their English is at best as good as our Laloo’s. After a hefty dinner (as we skipped lunch) we bought shirts and slippers and some mineral water (the hotels charge an exorbitant amount for water). We went back to our room which was in the 16th floor (it gave us a good view of the city skyline) and hit the sack.
I will write later about the other days later.
Bye for now

Book-review: The Post-American World

2009-01-17T12:04:00.003+05:30

I guess 'The Post-American World' was probably the kind of book that I would have noticed at the book-shop, picked it up, had a quick glance at it and kept it back. I would have though the book had nothing new to offer other than a bunch of recycled facts - America's day is up, the Goldman Sachs's BRIC report, the dragon is in etc. I am thus thankful to my father's colleague who had presented him with this book.

Zakaria, a seasoned journalist, sums up the entire theme of the book in his own words - 'It is not about the collapse of America but the rise of the rest'. He backs this up with a variety of facts and analysis. For instance he argues that America would continue to be the number one superpower - as it leads economically, technologically and militarily. China and India may grow in these 3 dimensions but they would be still be a distant second and third (respectively) to America. America is still the world's largest economy, it produces more Nobel laureates than any other country and its military's reach is unparalleled. Zakaria also points that economy and technology would be the key factors that would let America avoid the same fate as Britain.

In the final section of the book, Zakaria argues brilliantly that America must reinvent the way it conducts its foreign policy, be more accommodating to the rising superpowers and thus become the first amongst equals in the Post-American world.

Why are we like this?

2008-12-06T11:00:00.004+05:30

Like millions of other Indians, I too was glued to the TV set, seeing one of the boldest terror attacks unfold on Indian soil, feeling the same sense of outrage and helplessness that has gripped the entire nation.

Now there is a sense of disappointment, partly perhaps due to the fact that the Indian leadership has gone through the same motions that follows any attack: blame the bureaucratic machinery, go saber-rattling with Pakistan, promise 'Never Again', all of which translates into no action. The other has to do with media - it seems to me that some journalists see this an opportunity to build their credentials at this time, trying to emulate a certain journalist who has built her reputation at times of India's tragedy, choosing sensationalism instead of objectivity.

What prevents us from taking any concrete measures? Is it because public memory is too short? Are we victims of our own resilience - shutting a part of ourselves to get back to normal life? Or do we get lost once again in our own games of identity politics. These are some of the questions we must answer as an entire society - right from the common man to the man in power.

The problem with the Aviation Industry in India

2008-10-26T08:00:00.003+05:30

The aviation sector has probably come the closest to the financial sector in terms of creating headlines over the past 2 weeks. I am writing this post based on my newly acquired knowledge from reading Sam Walton's autobiography.

I base my entire argument on the fact that airlines have stopped caring about the customer. As simple this argument may sound, satisfying a customer is the toughest thing for any business. I believe that any customer for an airline would be looking for cheap, convenient, on-time travel. Airlines have failed on all of these parameters. Tickets are not cheap any more, though airlines cannot do much about crude prices, they can be more operationally efficient - so that they can pass the benefits to the customer - eliminating on-board meals is not the solution.

The location of new airports in Hyderabad and Bangalore are certainly not helping matters. The time one gains by flying to these cities is lost by the sheer distance from the city. Add to that hidden costs like taking a taxi to the airport and the User Development Fee (a concept nobody understands) taking a train seems a much better option. With regard to customer service, when was the last time you felt wow i wont mind flying this carrier again?

As with any other industry the airline industry has some factors within its control and some factors beyond it. Government bail-out or not the only way the industry can survive is to develop a better customer value proposition.

Do Economic Theories come with an expiry date?

2008-10-26T07:32:00.002+05:30

I am not an expert in economics leave alone macroeconomics, but the recent nature of events have gotten me thinking on this subject especially on the issue of government intervention. There has been a strong emphasis on deregulation, laissez-faire economics over the last 2-3 decades. This school of thought (often call the Chicago Free School of Thought) has got its fair share of the Nobel prizes.

The last few months have seen government action on an unprecedented scale - banks, insurance companies have been nationalized, there is growing support for a more aggressive role for the government in the economy.

Are the theories of the past to be blamed? Does this mean countries have to constantly challenge themselves on their respective economic policies? What might have worked wonders in the past may not work in the future.

Do Economic Theories come with an expiry date?

Google Chrome - the new browser or the new OS from Google?

2008-09-27T10:44:00.004+05:30

It has almost been a month since Google's launch of the beta-version of its browser, Chrome. I have not yet downloaded it,but I have read the comic that they published (those guys in Google). This new browser promises to have been designed for the new generation web-pages (or handling more sophisticated content), a minimalistic look and feel etc. But I believe there is more to it than taking over the market share from Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Mozilla's FireFox. I base my argument on the following two points:

1. The growth of Internet esp. broadband subscribers
2. The Software as a Service (SaaS) model

The growth of Internet esp. broadband subscribers

The growth in broadband subscribers is a worldwide phenomenon. Broadband penetration is still in the early 20s even in the industrialized west. True there are still issues of reliability and availability (especially with my service provider), but we should be getting to a point in the future where high broadband internet which would be available everywhere.

SaaS Model

SaaS model of doing things would grow with the growth in broadband internet. There are companies which offer content on demand, enterprise applications, office software (like google docs). As a result, sometime in the future, it would be possible to listen to one's favorite song while working on the next days presentation, all while being on the web. The need for storing content locally on the hard disk might not be so important. You can access your data anywhere, anytime.

That's where the browser comes in - its our gateway to the internet. It would not matter which OS is being used, the amount of hard disk space etc (what would matter is the amount of RAM though). You log in to your space and start working.

Investment Banking - my take

2008-09-27T09:28:00.003+05:30

And on the pedestal these words appear:
`My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away."
- Percy B. Shelley, Ozymandias

These were the first words that came to my mind when I read an article about how Lehman was forced to keep it's giant jumbotron on despite filing for bankruptcy (apparently New York City rules require those neon lights to be switched on to dazzle the tourists). Their failure at one level seems incomprehensible - they hired the best talent, they had decades of experience - some of them surviving the Great Depression, the Asian Financial Crisis etc., yet they failed. Was it poor management, arrogance, a short-term view of things? I don't know.

As of today, September the 27th, there are officially no American (or even global?) investment banks. The survivors - Goldman and Morgan Stanley have reclassified themselves as bank holding companies. Is it the end of the industry as we know it?

The answer is both yes and no. Investment Banking would survive, but would reinvent itself in a different format. Government regulations for one are going to be much tougher. Both presidential candidates have vowed to reform the system. The French President has proposed a meeting of G-8 leaders to overhaul the current capitalist system (he said when they were successful they took those fat bonuses, when they fail its the taxpayer who bails them out). I have read somewhere that contracts for senior executives might have clauses that might prevent them to take home a big paycheck in case of a big failure There might be tougher norms like the post-Enron Sarbanes-Oxley to push for more transparency. All these new measures, would make it nearly impossible for banks to take those kind of risks, that got them those dizzying returns (and hopefully avoid the kind of trouble they got themselves in).

Government money, in an election season, is always going to have its price.

Give Monsieur Sarkozy a break

2008-09-13T10:04:00.003+05:30

I guess no other political leader, over the past few months, has received as much bad press as Sarkozy (Bush excluded). True, he has done a few things that very few people in public life would even dream of - getting divorced, getting hitched and getting married again - all within a year of being in office.

I witnessed the 2007 French Presidential elections in close quarters - I was there at Place de la Concorde where Sarkozy's victory rally was being held, another rally for Segolene Royal was held in a stadium behind my residence.

Personal life apart, I believe that Sarkozy is the best option for France. This is not only because that there is no other alternative - the socialists are squabbling (I do not know much on Bayrou), the Far right - le Pen's party had to sell off it's party headquarters to the Chinese (I guess the irony of this action was not lost on anybody). France faces real problems - a sluggish economy that has a slower growth rate than the Eurozone, immigration, globalization, the lack of SMEs (SMEs are the backbone of every economy, George Bush apparently remarked that there is no word for Entrepreneur in french). France needs a maverick like Sarkozy to take these challenges head-on and not a status-quo guy like Chirac. In his 14 odd months in office, he has taken on the unions and to an extent weakened them (if one considers public symapthy/support as the means of measurement), taken a more aggressive and proactive foreign policy. His stamina is remarkable - any major news, he would be there within an hour.

Regardless of the fact whether he gets re-elected or not in 2012, he would go down in history as a guy who changed France (or tried changing it).

Innovation?

2008-08-30T13:46:00.003+05:30

Innovation, is in my opinion one of the most abused and exploited word in the english lexicon. Everywhere right from companies to B-schools to mainstream media use this word , it seems to be the panacea for any business problem - losing market share? Innovate, lower customer satisfaction? Innovate.

In fact, in one of my case presentations, a very eminent professor asked us the following question, "What do you think car company X should do, given that many new foreign car companies have stated their intention to enter the market?". Our answers were pretty mundane focusing on fuel efficiency etc. The answer, as you would have correctly guessed, that he was looking for was 'Innovation'. He said parking would be a problem, small collapsible cars would be the order of the day (a la George Jetson). Maybe I should have ventured further and said cars that do not require any fuel at all, to hell with one of the most fundamental laws of the Universe - 'Energy can neither be created nor destroyed', as long as I am pushing the limits of innovation.

People do not seem to appreciate that innovation is a holistic process -right from conceptualizing to the final execution to creating a new revenue stream for the company (whats the fun innovating if you do not make any money out of it?), they simply think of it as introducing a new product that has never existed before. Could it be a new way of doing things? Sachet shampoos for instance pioneered by the FMCG companies for instance.

I strongly believe that there needs to be a framework for deciding what is innovative and what is not. The fundamental question any 'innovation' should satisfy is 'what problem or challenge did this solution or product overcome in a concrete manner, that was not suitably addressed before'. This way sachet shampoos addressed the problem of how lower middle class people would buy a costly shampoo. This question should be made more robust in order to differentiate a 5% increase in fuel efficiency and a 50% increase, until then both companies would claim to be highly innovative.

So until I finish working on this 'one question' to separate the grain from the chaff, just youtube 'ibm + innovation'.

A night in the ICU

2008-08-23T08:29:00.004+05:30

One of the most toughest things that I had ever done was spending one full night (I was there helping out my mother), last week, in the ICU of Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad. (For those unfamiliar with Nizams or NIMS, it is an equivalent of AIIMS in Andhra, thus attracting the top medical talent but at the same time facing many budgetary constraints).

The quietness of the night combined with the collective tension prevailing in the ICU makes it an eerie place. One is always in a state of readiness, as if waiting for something to happen (it reminded me a bit of Band of Brothers, where the soldiers are in their 'fox-holes' in a permanent state of alert). At the same time, there is very little that one can do, other than being a silent spectator, when something does happen. I guess this inability combined with the hope (a selfish one, I might add) that one does not witness the inevitable is what makes it tough.

At the end of it, I was glad it was an uneventful night, but for the patients and their relatives especially for those who constantly attend on them (in our case my grandmom, mom and my uncle)it is the end of one day and the beginning of another day of hope and prayer.

Social Networking etc.

2008-08-16T12:03:00.000+05:30

Last year, Microsoft invested 230 million dollars in Facebook and thus valuing Mark Zuckerberg's creation at 15 billion dollars (not bad for another Harvard drop-out). Until then I did not take social networks to be a serious business model where people make money. I thought of it more as a tool which people like myself use to keep in touch with friends far and wide and find people like the person you shared lunch with in sixth grade. Scratch a bit deeper and it is a marketer (at least an online marketer's) dream come true.

Whats there for a marketer? You are not only able to fine tune and specify the segment you want to target, but you can get an amazing amount of data about that particular segment. All of us who use social networks give a lot of personal data (not the likes of phone number address,subjects one failed in etc.) but data like one's likes and dislikes, what football club does one support etc. (just check out the communities column of your Orkut or the fan of xyz on Facebook)without realizing it. This way we can meet with people who share our likes and dislikes around the world without leaving the comfort of our seat.

Based on all the data we fill in our profile it is possible for a marketer to make a variety of groupings. For instance he can find out what percentage of people in a city (say Delhi) in the age-group of 18-25 (based on the Birthday column we fill during sign-up) are interested in football (based on community affiliations)? He could show a small advertisement on the side of the page about the new season's home jersey. He could keep a check on what people are thinking about by following the various discussion groups that these social networks offer.

Social networks on their parts have to keep us or the audience engaged so that we spend a lot of time on their website. That is why they 'empower'/entertain us with various online tools like Poke, Super Poke and Zombies to keep us engaged. The longer a user is logged in, the better are the chances for a click on the banner.

Social networking is a recent phenomenon, it would be interesting to study the amount of money they generate. Statistics are available on the amount of time people spend online. According to an article in BBC 233 million hours are lost in a month in social networking, this converted to money terms means 130 million pounds a day.(For the record, I am blogging in my off-hours only :)).

The challenge that companies like Facebook face is the balance between the monetization of the information that they have about users (read us) and user privacy.

William H. Gates III

2008-08-16T10:49:00.000+05:30

William H. Gates III or Bill Gates has called it a day in Microsoft, in the last week of June. (He still remains as its non-executive chairman).

Though many of his critics (mostly techies) would label him as a guy who made it big despite making mediocre software, it is hard to ignore the legacy of a man, who I would label as one of the pioneers who brought computing home. He may not have been an innovator, GUI (Graphical User Interface) was pioneered by Xerox, but one forgets successful immitation also requires a bit of innovation. He was able to foresee the rise of personal computing, he was able to offer a cheaper alternative in combination with IBM (a company which historians accuse of missing the early digital highway bus)and Intel as opposed to a completely properitory package of Apple and thus encourage people to try new technology at a lower price. He drove home the advantage in the 90s when Apple was in a state of flux (with Jobs being out of his own company for a while). Only now has a resurgent Apple and the open source movement have truly begun to challenge Microsoft in the personal computing segment.

Under his leadership one cannot accuse Microsoft of being completely usurped by new competitors (read Xerox - company which did every right thing in the early years of computing but failed to capitalize) .True many of his ventures met with limited success like the XBox (still fighting it out with Ninetendo and Sony) and some did not like in search and web (a distant third in Search)and personal music players (zune vs. iPod no chance). Atleast he is ensuring that he has a toe hold in each new wave of innovation. Microsoft's bid for Yahoo and a piece of Facebook are certainly steps in that direction.

His biggest achievement may have been to call it quits at the right time. It might be painful for a founder to distance himself from his creation, but thats the right thing to do especially in the cutting edge software industry. It would not be possible for Gates to spot the next biggest trend in computing as he did 2 decades ago (Microsoft missed search and web, Google missed social networking, who knows what Facebook would miss), but by stepping aside he is empowering his successors to do so without his interference.

We are like that only - Rama Bijapurkar

2008-08-16T09:34:00.000+05:30

I first heard of Rama Bijapurkar in Kishore Biyani's (of Big Bazzar fame) book 'It Happened in India'. Her credentials were impressive - a former McKinsey consultant in retail (something that the business press has been giving a lot of coverage over the past 3 years), a guest columnist in many business magazines and papers.

So when he book came out, I immediately took it without a second thought. One month later, I would be lying if I said I was not disappointed. I guess I had different expectations from this book, I was expecting some case studies on how some MNCs became successful and why some did not. Unfortunately the book just mentioned a few companies without delving deep into their respective causes of success and failure.

The author seems to reinforce (I might add to the frustration of yours truly) the same point 'India is a different market - it is composed of different sub-markets. There is no one-size fits all startegy', every 5th page of the book. As if repetition was to embed this idea in the sub-concious. The other thing that I did not like about this book was the sheer amount of statistics present, for instance 'rural india has x million households and they have y million tv sets, z million 2-wheelers as compared to urban india which has ...'. After a while these figures lose significance and only true marketing and sales professionals would understand the import of x million.

Its not that this book had nothing new to offer, there was an interesting chapter on how to make sense of various data sources like those conducted by marketing research organizations and census data. She also dispelled the notion that one has of rural india, rural india = agriculture=poor farmer, with some strong facts.

Its a good read for hard core marketing and sales professionals, for the others I would recommend Kishore Biyani's 'It Happened in India', in which he explains, amongst other things, why the Big Bazzar stores are organized in a particular manner, the potential for retail in India, the Future Group (the holding company for Big Bazzar, pantaloons, central etc.). The lower price of Rs 99 for Mr Biyani's book as compared to the Rs 425 for Ms. Bijapirkar's book also helps.

Blog Lurker to Blogger

2008-08-16T09:10:00.000+05:30

I have finally decided to blog, after a 2 year stint as a blog lurker (or a blog critic as I prefer to put it) and thus fulfilling a promise I made (to myself) in 2006. I do not know the reason for this change, maybe because I would like to give some expression for some of the thoughts and opinions flowing in my head right from social networking to books to movies to politics (and the list goes on....)