Can we rely on you?

I started out this blog with a comment on the relations between the Ambani clan and the political system in India, and had then remarked that the Ambani clan had everything going for it; a supportive government, excellent personal relations with the people who mattered, a buoyant market, and the general acclaim of all their peers. I think I spoke too soon.
For now that the Reliance Empire has been splintered into two, the remnants of the Empire have lost their sheen. With all due respect to the Ambani clan, but their constant bickering does neither them nor their investors any good. After all, the problems of the promoters are bound to reflect in the balance sheets of a company. And problems of this magnitude are sure to make a big impact.
RIL or Reliance Industries Limited, as the Mukesh Ambani controlled remnant is termed, and ADAG or Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, as the eponymous controller’s group is named, are now at loggerheads over non-compliance with the non-compete agreement that the two brothers had signed a year back. Mr. Anil Ambani contends that his elder brother had violated the agreement by attempting to create a civil aviation and electricity generation facility in a Special Economic Zone to be set up in the Indian state of Haryana. He says that the non-compete agreement clearly left infrastructure development as a core area for ADAG’s growth, and by implication, RIL should desist from attempting to enter such area of development until such period as mandated by the agreement. RIL contends that the said facilities are integral to the SEZ and as such the SEZ was being created to ensure better growth prospects for RIL and in turn for the state of Haryana, and not so much to compete with the endeavors of ADAG. Besides the non-compete agreement stated that the contentious facility should not be developed unless and until it is essential to the growth of the developer.
To be fair, even ADAG has violated the agreement, but one hasn’t heard much of it until the time when Mr. Anil Ambani chose to highlight his brother’s non-compliance. RIL has pointed out that ADAG’s intent to invest in oil-exploration blocks and pipelines was in direct competition to RIL’s petroleum interests, which were pre-existing, and hence solely their preserve for the given period. However, behaving like magnanimous people, RIL says that it chose to ignore this lapse as it understood that the acquisition of such assets was integral to the growth of ADAG’s Reliance Energy. It has also said that the electricity to be generated in the Haryana SEZ, if produced beyond the needs of the SEZ, the excess would be offered first to Reliance Energy, and then alone sold to other firms.
So, clearly, Reliance Energy doesn’t have much to fear from this facility, as far as intentions are concerned. Whether or not these intentions are translated into action is for time to tell. But one thing’s for sure, the manner in which the whole issue has been handled is rather disappointing, considering the character of both groups, and could have been handled in a more discreet and more amenable manner. Creating a public circus of the issue simply diverts one’s energies and might even make one reluctant to sit down and discuss the matters in a calm and composed manner. If there has been some problem, then it is best to meet, to discuss this in the appropriate forum, and resolve it, rather than dashing off press statements at the drop of a hat. It is imperative that both groups comprehend that in the end, irrespective of who grows faster or better, it will be the Reliance brand name that will grow, whether RIL or ADAG is immaterial.

Doctor Do Little - II

Now this is not a continuation, in the true sense of the word, of my previous blog, because frankly speaking, that piece was a sarcastic one, and wasn’t even intended to be taken seriously as a advisory to anyone. But then, a dear friend of mine wrote a comment criticizing my piece on the very same grounds to which I made no pretense, and so I am writing this piece to clear the air up a little.
I have no problems with Mr. Ramadoss’s statements regarding the obviously unhealthy effects of over-consuming aerated drinks and junk food such as burgers, pizzas, etc. I fully agree with the spirit of his argument. I myself do not partake of aerated drinks as far as possible, and well, junk food, I am trying to limit my consumption to comparatively harmless levels. I never even once wished to suggest seriously to Mr. Ramadoss that he even consider banning the companies producing these aerated drinks or the junk food items. On the contrary, I wished to show him the farcical situation he was in himself, a sort of showing him a mirror.
I hope and would like to believe that Mr. Ramadoss truly feels very deeply about this issue, but if he does feel so, then merely issuing an advisory to parents or celebrities alone will not suffice. Developed countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, etc. have strict nutrition-related legislations controlling the oil, salt and sugar content in packaged and other junk foods. Will Mr. Ramadoss be willing to even consider studying the feasibility of such legislation in India? If he is, then I will accept that his intentions are genuine and that he really seeks to do something in this regard. But if he chooses to only issue televised advisories, which, mind you, have already been relegated to the annals of history, no good is served.
As regards celebrities, yes, with great power comes greater responsibility. But I never ate a McBurger because some celebrity told me to eat it. I never ate a Domino’s pizza because some starlet enticed me to do so. We have to comprehend that the power of celebrity endorsements are greatly exaggerated. Amitabh Bachchan asks people to visit the Polio camps without fail. I hope, given his stature, people heed his word. The number of celebrities who endorsed John Kerry in the last American presidential elections should have ensured his victory, but no, the stars simply didn’t shine.
My friend spoke of McDonalds offering healthier alternatives in the US and waiting for a suitably-sized market in India to launch the same here. I would like to query as to why the Government of India does not ask McDonalds to introduce these products in India, irrespective of whether there is a suitably-sized market or not. And if it chooses not to, is it justified in advising the people not to eat the said ‘unhealthy’ food? Will it not be accused of having deliberately tried to embarrass McDonalds without offering it an opportunity to redress its concerns?
Simply blaming junk food and aerated drinks alone for the growing obesity in the population is not fair, because it ignores the decreasing time being devoted to sports and other recreational activities by the youth. Yes, these commodities do the job of adding fuel in the fire, but they are not the root cause.
Even now when Mr. Ramadoss issued his advisory, people accused the government of being haughty, so even if he would have banned it outright, he wasn’t going to get any different reaction either. The government has already, through the various state education departments, restricted the sale of aerated drinks and junk food in school canteens, having recognized the harmful effects of these commodities. He can explore similar solutions in line with this. If the companies producing aerated drinks are modifying their product set-up in response to public demand, then I think it’s a healthy sign. But if they are being compelled to do so by executive fiat, then I stand against it.
The rights of every individual to live his/her own life in the manner that he/she deems suitable is sacrosanct to libertarians. So, whether or not a person eats unhealthy food shouldn’t ideally concern a State, but we can’t live in such a detached world, can we? The State operates health-care facilities, facilities that are burdened by the inability or the reluctance of the individual to eat healthy foods. So, surely this right infringes on the right of the State to operate its services in a most efficient and effective manner.
The Government may say that it does not seek to become too interfering in the matters of an individual’s health by making such legislations, but I say that no individual will ever mind these legislations so long as he/she is in benefit. I agree that a democracy cannot run in a coercive manner, for that runs completely contrary to its very spirit. But I would like my democracy to run according to some humane laws, the Three Laws of Governance (a modification of Asimov’s Laws of Robotics), as follows:

1. No government may harm its populace or through its inaction allow the populace to come to harm.


2. A government will always obey the summons of its people, except when such summons should contravene Law 1.


3. A government should always work to preserve itself, except when such self-preservation should conflict with Law 1 & 2.

If the Government of India tomorrow is accused of having willfully permitted these companies to market products that it knew were unhealthy, then what defense will it offer? And in truth, hasn’t it done so?

Doctor Do Little!

Somebody please tell Dr. Ambumani Ramadoss (hope I got that name right, don’t want to abuse the wrong ‘gentleman’!) to concentrate on his ministry and not court the press so often. For those who do not have any interest in politics and current affairs, Dr. Ramadoss is the Union Minister for Health, and a bonafide medical practitioner to boot. But of late, Mr. Ramadoss is behaving in a most unhealthy manner.

His response to the reservation issue and the opponents of the same was impractical to say the least, considering that he is responsible for the entire nation’s healthcare infrastructure, and should have been more attuned to the concerns of the protesting students. Maybe politics is a more deeper concern, and considering that Mr. Ramadoss is himself from a designated community, it also involves a tad amount of personal benefit. Thanks to his incompetent handling of the matter, now the H’ble Supreme Court of India is seized of the matter, when it could have devoted this precious time to disposing of the near 20-year backlog. But then who’s bothered about efficiency in this country?

Now, Mr. Ramadoss has shed his garb of a designated community representative and has now assumed the role of a nutritional expert. In his latest sermon, Mr. Ramadoss has advised television and film celebrities as also sportspersons to desist from endorsing aerated drinks such as Coca Cola or Pepsi, as he believes them to be harmful to the general health of the youth of India. Very laudable emotions, Mr. Ramadoss, and to some extent, I agree. But if you feel so strongly about it, why not revoke the marketing licenses of these companies? After all, if there is no supply of these drinks, there will be no consumption, and the celebrities also will not be required to endorse them. Come to think of it, I don’t think you have the courage to do that. After all, the license fees alone amount to a lot, added is the sales tax imposed on every bottle consumed; surely the Union Finance Ministry will have your head for even suggesting that these companies be stopped from marketing their products. We understand your concern, but your diatribe on the celebrities is meaningless.

Now, Mr. Ramadoss has trained his guns on burger joints, and again his beloved children are at risk. Mind you, if he felt so strongly about it, why wait two years before firing the initial shot? Surely it hasn’t suddenly dawned on the poor doctor that the children of India are at risk from these foreign foods? I admit again I agree with him to some extent, but this isn’t the way to do your job, doc! My suggestion still stands: If you feel so strongly about this affair, revoke the marketing licenses of all the companies concerned. It has been done before by George Fernandes, and you could do it again. Just take care to ensure that India is not harmed as it was then. If you fail to do so, God save you!

Impressions from Bengalooru!

I have just come back from Bangalore (has it already become Bengalooru, don’t know, but didn’t seem like it, none of the signs indicated so), and to say the least, I have fallen in love with the city. The wide avenues, lined with trees, the beautiful parks spreading over acres of land in the heart of the city, and the somewhat planned atmosphere gives Bangalore a different atmosphere than that encountered in Mumbai. Maybe I am prejudiced as I did not have the fortune, whether good or bad I don’t know, to visit the suburbs of Bangalore, but what I saw impressed me to the hilt.
Considering Bangalore’s now the hub of the IT industry in the country, the local milieu has simply been transformed. What must have been a sleepy manufacturing outpost, a sort of poor man’s Ooty, a pensioners’ paradise, has now become a hot and happening place. The average age profile of the people on the streets of Bangalore must be somewhat around 30-40, definitely not pensioner material. The streets are lined with eateries, malls, glitzy shops, basically all avenues of expenditure, and believe you me, they were crowded like hell!
But even in this entire hubbub, Bangalore retains its quaint charms. The pristine beauty of the parks, spreading over 750 acres in the heart of the city, is a testament to the resolve of the people of Bangalore to value long-term benefits over short-term growth, something the people of Mumbai have just begun to come to terms with. The massive book stores are evidence to the innate desire to acquire knowledge, something Bangalore shares with Mumbai. Sure, Bangalore has its traffic jams, its floods, but what must remember that it is a growing city, and with time, these flaws will surely dissipate. What I saw in Bangalore by way of infrastructure development left me impressed, what with the ring roads, the metro and flyovers.
I have always been a Mumbaikar, and despite all that you may have read so far, I hope to remain one. I feel confident to claim that I can sense the heartbeat of Mumbai. I know the area, at least part of it, by heart, and can assertively direct someone to his/her destination. Whenever I come back to Mumbai, and invariably the flight would land in the evening or the night, I would feel a shudder of delight go through my body. The beautiful sight of the city, looking like a silken or even velvet garment affixed with diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies, and other precious stones, like the endless sky with its attendant stars, always gives me heavenly delight. But if there is one city in India where I would like to settle down, besides Mumbai and Pune, it would be Bangalore. Chennai is nice for arts and culture, but otherwise the city leaves me cold. Delhi is all history and power, but its air is filled with hypocrisy and deceit, suffocating me to the fullest. Calcutta is emerging a livable city, but as of now, it has a long way to go. So right now, Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore remain my cities of choice, my beloved cities!

Time moves on!

Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun lustrous;
And all the clouds that lowered upon our lives
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.
Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths,
Our bruised arms hung up for monuments,
Our stern alarms changed to merry meetings,
Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.
-(William Shakespeare , Richard III)

I confess, I have altered the Bard’s verse to suit my sentiments for this occasion. I am certain he wouldn’t mind.
Today was the last examination that I was obliged to give as a part of my engineering studies. Four years of torment at the hand of unforgiving teachers and even more vindictive a University finally brought to an end, this day calls for the grandest of celebrations. And so I am sure my friends celebrate.
Engineering was something I got into as an unwilling apprentice. After the 10th grade, I was keen to do studies in the humanities, fired by an idealistic urge to do something for the country. It took some persuasion by my parents before I agreed to renounce this desire, and took admission to the science faculty. There again, I would be required to take up studies in Computer Science, the most technical of technical sciences, or so I would like to believe. If there is one more technical than CS, then I really pity its students. CS was an all right experience, not too taxing, but not too enjoyable either. To my ‘good’ fortune, I would end up doing engineering in CS again. See how this lad, who set out to do something in the humanities, has ended up today giving his last engineering examination?
But to speak the truth, I have no regrets about my career graph so far. I have learnt much about the world, and all practical knowledge. I doubt I would have ever descended from my ivory tower had I pursued a career in the humanities. I met some of the finest and most beautiful people in the course of my education, people without whom I cannot imagine how I would have spent these last four years and emerged a sane man. And for that I am thankful, I really am. Maybe that’s the reward I got for being so patient with engineering, maybe that’s the balm for my wounds.

John Keats says in his poem ‘The Four Seasons’
Four seasons fill the measure of the year;
There are four seasons in the mind of man:
He has his lusty Spring, when fancy clear
Takes in all beauty with an easy span:
He has his Summer, when luxuriously
Spring's honied cud of youthful thought he loves
To ruminate, and by such dreaming high
Is nearest unto heaven: quiet coves
His soul has in its Autumn, when his wings
He furleth close; contented so to look
On mists in idleness--to let fair things
Pass by unheeded as a threshold brook.
He has his Winter too of pale misfeature,
Or else he would forego his mortal nature.

Our Spring has now concluded. The Summer now approaches. It is the change of seasons, it is the churning of the wheel of life.

Whence be India's Areopagitica?

This is true Liberty when free born men
Having to advise the public may speak free,
Which he who can, and will, deserv's high praise,
Who neither can nor will, may hold his peace;
What can be juster in a State then this?

• John Milton (Areopagitica)

When the Rump Parliament of Oliver Cromwell’s Protectorate sat to discuss the Licensing Order of 1643, which aimed at pre-publication censorship of books and all written media, John Milton spoke with great fervor in the Assembly,

“It will be primarily to the discouragement of all learning, and the stop of Truth, not only by not exercising and blunting our abilities in what we know already, but by hindering and cropping the discovery that might be yet further made both in religious and civil Wisdom.
I deny not, but that it is of greatest concern in the Church and Commonwealth, to have a vigilant eye how books demean themselves as well as men; and thereafter to confine, imprison, and do sharpest justice on them as malefactors: for Books are not absolutely dead things, but do contain a potency of life in them to be as active as that soul was whose progeny they are; nay they do preserve as in a vial the purest efficacy and extraction of that living intellect that bred them. I know they are as lively, and as vigorously productive, as those fabulous Dragon’s teeth; and being sown up and down, may chance to spring up armed men.
And yet on the other hand, unless wariness is used, as good almost kill a Man as kill a good Book; who kills a Man kills a reasonable creature, Gods Image; but he who destroys a good book, kills reason itself, kills the Image of God, as it were in the eye. Many a man lives a burden to the Earth; but a good book is the precious life-blood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life. It is true, no age can restore a life, whereof perhaps there is no great loss; and revolutions of ages do not oft recover the loss of a rejected truth, for the want of which whole Nations fare the worse.
We should be wary therefore what persecution we raise against the living labors of public men, how we spill that seasoned life of man preserved and stored up in Books; since we see a kind of homicide may be thus committed, sometimes a martyrdom, and if it extend to the whole impression, a kind of massacre, whereof the execution ends not in the slaying of an elemental life, but strikes at that ethereal essence, the breath of reason itself, for it slays an immortality rather then a life.”

I wish we had the likes of Milton to advise and counsel the Governments of the states of Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, and many others before them, who in their zeal to be populist, have pandered to the demands of a few attention-seeking souls, who make a mountain out of a molehill, and created our own Index Librorum Prohibitum, a sort of list of things that the State views as being a danger to itself and the faith of its subjects.
Why the State will not leave the acquisition of knowledge to its subjects is baffling. It reasons that the people know not what is good and bad, and that the State merely serves to warn them of that which may defile their souls. Again, I refute their claims with Milton’s words:

“To the pure, all things are pure, not only meats and drinks, but all kind of knowledge whether of good or evil; the knowledge cannot defile, nor consequently the books, if the will and conscience be not defiled. For books are as meats and viands are; some of good, some of evil substance; and yet God in that vision, said without exception, Rise Peter, kill and eat, leaving the choice to each mans discretion. Wholesome meats to a vitiated stomach differ little or nothing from unwholesome; and best books to a naughty mind are applicable to occasions of evil. Bad meats will scarce breed good nourishment in the healthiest concoction; but herein the difference is of bad books, that they to a discreet and judicious Reader serve in many respects to discover, to confute, to forewarn, and to illustrate.”

To those who seek to pacify and favor their vote bases and tinker with the censor’s scissors, I say, stay off, else you be burned at the very stake at which you burn these repositories of information, repositories which if we examine further may contain a semblance of the Eternal Truth.

Obeisances to the Rain Gods

I am writing this, sitting on my table, overlooking a lawn that bears the beautiful floral offerings of the magnificent gulmohars towering above. The rains have released the delicate blossoms from their captivity and have brought them to embrace the earth, to whom they always looked at in admiration from their airy domains.
I still remember the day it first rained, last year. June 19th, and my blog read,

Change is good, especially when it's with respect to the weather. The weather for the last few days has been extremely unbearable, and the absence of the rains didn't make things any better. But, now there are no complaints. The life-giving waters have arrived, and the world, at least Mumbai, has plenty reasons to rejoice.

Even today, on the third day of the monsoons, I feel the same. Even if there has been some damage due to the thunderstorms, even if there has been water-logging in some areas. Because blaming the rains for all this is meaningless beyond a point. Because the system is flawed, and incapable of dealing with the ravages of Nature, the very Nature it believes itself to be in control of. Because the damage was destined to happen, it just came today.

I happened to be reading this poem by Sara Teasdale

There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;
And frogs in the pool singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white;
Robins will wear their feathery fire,
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;
And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.
Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perished utterly;
And Spring herself when she woke at dawn
Would scarcely know that we were gone.

• Sara Teasdale (1920)

And in that brief moment after I read it, I realized that Nature is always oblivious to the shenanigans of the human race, and for the better maybe.

The rains always would bring me joy. The freshness of the leaves, the sweet scent of the wet ground, the tipper-tapper sound of the raindrops falling on dry leaves, the soft whish of the breeze, the coolness of the air as it brushes past your face, all this would bring me joy. And it does so even today.
But now, these rains also bring the saltiness of tears as they flow down pale cheeks, the fragrance of friendships wrought in similar seasons and lived in all glory and mirth, the melancholy of watching the leaves depart from the trees, like one soul-mate from another, and the eager desire to undo the workings of Time, to again go back to those innocent days. But the rains also deliver a message to such musings, and it is clear that once Time moves on, its motions assume the finality of the raindrop, once released from the heavens, nothing can ever reverse its path.