After a colleague said he was determined to “do something” about the Mumbai terror attacks by writing a blog, I was determined not to write on the subject lest it be construed as an equally preposterous motive. My overwhelming emotion was Guilt. Guilt at having chosen not to contribute actively to the country’s well-being. Guilt at not having had the courage to join the armed forces and abstain from seeking a cushy existence. However, the reaction of most “responsible” Mumbaikars and the clichéd call for politicians’ heads prompts another cynical blog post. As day-2 of the unbelievably tragic chain of events unfolded, the media, after having contributed thru some exceptionally courageous reporting, gave in to the pressures of sustaining shifty eyeballs and roped in famous faces to deliver their platitudes.
Sample some of the gems: Sanjana Kapoor, who runs an inherited theatre and has no publicly known expertise on internal security or public administration was seen exhorting “Delhi not to vote if Shivraj Patil was not removed”. Who or what is “Delhi” ?? Certainly a bunch of theatre persons making a call for an undemocratic act of omission cannot possibly be seen as representing “Delhi’s” decision. What annoys me is not that the person in question made such a ludicrous suggestion. (I would do likewise if asked about my views on marine conservation) Why the media should allow them a forum to do so beats me.
Shobha De, the queen of acerbic sound bites warned politicians against meddling with “her” Mumbai. The city has had enough of them it seems. Another young gent stood with a candle in his hand to threaten politicians and terrorists alike about messing with Mumbai. So who will guard Mumbai? The Page-3 circuit?? Or do we expect terrorists to be scared of candles? Then we have Suhel Seth who makes it his business to appear on TV as an expert on just about everything. For someone who is widely described as a “fixer” at best, I am perplexed why TV channels fall over each other to have this unpleasant, abrasive and pompous soul on screen (I can understand Sanjana Kapoor having cosmetic value if little else).
To cut to the chase, I guess we are all justifiably enraged, sad and deeply anguished at the goings-on in our country. Each one of us could have been caught in the unfortunate sequence of events. Most of us have lost friends, relatives or people we knew of. What I am lashing out at is our standard reaction to blame it all on the politicians. It is as much our country as it is Vilasrao Deshmukh’s. How many of us dream of a career in the armed forces/police services for our children (I am told Shobha De has 5 of them!), nephews or nieces? Did we even try going down that road ourselves?
Before we blame the “system” for being discouraging, lets remember that it is the same system that threw up the heroes who we are saluting today. They were there because they dared to believe that individuals can make a difference regardless of the inherent deficiency in a system. I am not just referring to the ATS/NSG heroes. Even more heroic were the Taj and Oberoi staffers who could have scurried for cover, run to their living rooms and blamed the political system for the woes that befell their property. Contrast that with our typical response to blasts in a locality. Most of us stay put at home and encourage friends and relatives to do likewise. How many of us rush to help the wounded? Instead of queuing up at TV studios, why could the Cine Actors not rush to hospitals to donate blood if such was their concern for the city?
Make no mistake. I am not defending the terrible state of affairs that our governance has reached. It is a system that we have created and the more passive our participation, the worse it will get. Let us introspect to direct part of the anger at ourselves instead of venting it at inept and indifferent politicians. They probably have a different view of their duty from what an utopian society would have demanded of them. To change the system, we have to be part of it (and not thru symbolism by voting). Till then I refuse to blame or complain. By not even attempting to participate in the country’s governance, I am as guilty as someone who has done so incompetently.
I cannot help but conclude with my comments on some of the comical political responses to the event:
- Replacing Shivraj Patil with P Chidambaram is a case of diverting a fireman from one burning house to another. The economy is now poised to face an even starker threat and we could do with the business-like approach of PC as opposed to the professorial approach that our Prime Minister is known to have (pressures on his schedule apart). Perhaps, it is a telling reflection on the bench strength in the UPA.
- Using Ram Gopal Verma’s presence as a trigger to oust Vilasrao Deshmukh reminds me of the farcical moment when Rajiv Gandhi brought down the Chandrashekhar Government ostensibly because of Haryana Police constables posted outside his house.
- Narendra Bhai got it wrong for once. Increasingly regarded as someone who emphasized action over symbolism, he disappointed this time. Ironically, I have received text messages from those who previously regarded him as a pariah, hailing him as a potential saviour of the nation. Perhaps he was winning over a different constituency this time .
Lastly, where on earth is Arundhati Roy?? I am certain she will land up in Mumbai soon protesting human rights violations against the slain terrorists. Unless she already has. I have not watched TV for the last 3 days.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Barack who??
This is a sequel of sorts to my earlier post on middle-class pseudo-snobbery and the first post in this blog.
I picked up the newspaper on yet another lazy sunday to see the edit page replete with columns on the new U.S. President and all kinds of analysis: from what he means for foreign policy to his familiarity with India to his wife's sex appeal. I met a friend for a few beers in the afternoon who in turn gets a call from a friend in the U.S. No points for guessing what they discuss. Obama's "presidential demeanour", acceptance speech, Sarah Palin's wardrobe and the like. Rinku and I went out for dinner this evening only to overhear folks having an intense argument on whether Obama is good for India and if Sarah was a potential nominee next time round. If you do not have a point of view on Obama (or maybe his hairstyle) today, you are not "with-it".
In contrast, I ask dozens of friends and colleagues to name the Member of Parliament from the constituency they reside in and they seldom get it right. "Queenie Dhody" and "Rohit Bal" are familiar names but alas elected representatives in the world's largest democracy are rarely accorded this privilege with the educated "elite" even in their own constituency. At workplace today try comparing familiarity between Carla Bruni and Devi Singh Shekhawat and you'll get what I mean (unless you are wondering who the latter is yourself!) .
Some thoughts that in my opinion will help us retain sanity in the current Obamania are:
- Election promises are made either targeting a particular socio-economic or ethnic group or in response to one's opponent's position on an important subject. The complexity of fulfiling the promise sinks in when one occupies the seat of power. So it is rather naive to make predictions on what a future government means for anyone basis mere public speeches and electoral commitments.
- The American Presidency, like any other democratic insitution, has historically been managed with primary focus on what will ensure a comeback 4 years hence as opposed to stated position in preceding campaign. Obama will be no different as he is an elected representative after all.
- The media does little research before it writes. Hence, an Indian nominated to the advisory committee of the transition team is supposed to have enough influence to grant Narendrabhai Modi his visa!
In short- lets not get too carried away by media coverage about a charismatic President-elect and try to foretell what the actual Presidency will be like.
Much as I am tempted to pass these off as my original views, they are the result of my eavesdropping during the afternoon beer. The neighbouring table was occupied by one of the top-most mandarins of the Vajpayee government . A man who had dealt with Democrats and Republicans alike and knew exactly what not to expect. I could not help agreeing with him completely.
Given the unprecedented media coverage of the American presidential polls in India, what we should indeed sit up and notice is the extent of the American middle-class' involvement in their country's political system. We on the other hand find it fashionable to have opinionated discussions around the American Presidency but Indian politics is treated as the preserve of the lower middle-class. Compare the calibre and backgrounds of people queing up to be part of the administration there with the line-up that we have.
We are certainly permitted counter arguments around America being the world's most important nation, Devi Shekhawat lacking Carla Bruni's charisma or worst of all blame the Indian political system for churning out what it does and the resultant disinterest. In my view though, our obssessive focus with the U.S. Presidency boils down to our age-old fetish for all things "phoren".
It is time we took similar interest in our own administration and drove majority opinion around creating a system that allows capable professionals adequate governance opportunities with the same fervour that we debate Obama's possible role in enhancing India's nuclear power generation capability . In the last Lok Sabha elections, it was a cocktail circuit fashion-statement to merely have voted. I sincerely hope the next one sees at least as much middle-class interest as the U.S. presidential elections did!
I picked up the newspaper on yet another lazy sunday to see the edit page replete with columns on the new U.S. President and all kinds of analysis: from what he means for foreign policy to his familiarity with India to his wife's sex appeal. I met a friend for a few beers in the afternoon who in turn gets a call from a friend in the U.S. No points for guessing what they discuss. Obama's "presidential demeanour", acceptance speech, Sarah Palin's wardrobe and the like. Rinku and I went out for dinner this evening only to overhear folks having an intense argument on whether Obama is good for India and if Sarah was a potential nominee next time round. If you do not have a point of view on Obama (or maybe his hairstyle) today, you are not "with-it".
In contrast, I ask dozens of friends and colleagues to name the Member of Parliament from the constituency they reside in and they seldom get it right. "Queenie Dhody" and "Rohit Bal" are familiar names but alas elected representatives in the world's largest democracy are rarely accorded this privilege with the educated "elite" even in their own constituency. At workplace today try comparing familiarity between Carla Bruni and Devi Singh Shekhawat and you'll get what I mean (unless you are wondering who the latter is yourself!) .
Some thoughts that in my opinion will help us retain sanity in the current Obamania are:
- Election promises are made either targeting a particular socio-economic or ethnic group or in response to one's opponent's position on an important subject. The complexity of fulfiling the promise sinks in when one occupies the seat of power. So it is rather naive to make predictions on what a future government means for anyone basis mere public speeches and electoral commitments.
- The American Presidency, like any other democratic insitution, has historically been managed with primary focus on what will ensure a comeback 4 years hence as opposed to stated position in preceding campaign. Obama will be no different as he is an elected representative after all.
- The media does little research before it writes. Hence, an Indian nominated to the advisory committee of the transition team is supposed to have enough influence to grant Narendrabhai Modi his visa!
In short- lets not get too carried away by media coverage about a charismatic President-elect and try to foretell what the actual Presidency will be like.
Much as I am tempted to pass these off as my original views, they are the result of my eavesdropping during the afternoon beer. The neighbouring table was occupied by one of the top-most mandarins of the Vajpayee government . A man who had dealt with Democrats and Republicans alike and knew exactly what not to expect. I could not help agreeing with him completely.
Given the unprecedented media coverage of the American presidential polls in India, what we should indeed sit up and notice is the extent of the American middle-class' involvement in their country's political system. We on the other hand find it fashionable to have opinionated discussions around the American Presidency but Indian politics is treated as the preserve of the lower middle-class. Compare the calibre and backgrounds of people queing up to be part of the administration there with the line-up that we have.
We are certainly permitted counter arguments around America being the world's most important nation, Devi Shekhawat lacking Carla Bruni's charisma or worst of all blame the Indian political system for churning out what it does and the resultant disinterest. In my view though, our obssessive focus with the U.S. Presidency boils down to our age-old fetish for all things "phoren".
It is time we took similar interest in our own administration and drove majority opinion around creating a system that allows capable professionals adequate governance opportunities with the same fervour that we debate Obama's possible role in enhancing India's nuclear power generation capability . In the last Lok Sabha elections, it was a cocktail circuit fashion-statement to merely have voted. I sincerely hope the next one sees at least as much middle-class interest as the U.S. presidential elections did!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Un-Civil Defence
Terrorism has finally struck at the soul of our country. Middle-class India is now wary of frequenting crowded marketplaces, evening-show movies and the like. The comparison most of us make is with the absence of terror-strikes in post-9/11 U.S. and our shameful track-record on the subject. A cursory look at the machinery that is responsible for our internal security will reveal why it should surprise none.
- The country's internal security is largely in the hands of a "coveted" cadre of cops drawn in from the Indian Police Services (IPS). Most of them opt for this service after having failed to make it to more lucrative/prestigious forms of civil services and many spend the first 2 years of their career re-appearing for the same exam in the hope of escaping from the torturuous rigmarole of chasing criminals in the middle of the night or queling rioteers. Given the nature of the civil services entrance process, they typically tend to have a pronounced academic bent and most of them are far more comfortable with Leo Tolstoy's "War & Peace" as opposed to Kalashnikovs (a lot of them turn to literary pursuits post retirement!). To expect folks of this genre to either develop an overnight sense of comfort with armed combat or a deep sense of commitment to the nation's battle against terrorism (when they normally harbour overt frustration at not having made it to civil administration) is a little far-fetched.
- Battling terrorism succesfully is dependent heavily on intelligence gathering. The country's intelligence network largely rests on 2 agencies- RAW and IB. I recently read a shoddily written but factually revealing book on RAW by an ex-serviceman. What is abundantly clear is that the 2 organisations revel in working at cross-purposes and focus singularly on one-upmanship with the political dispensation. Further, postings in these organisations often tend to be driven by a personal need to stay in Delhi as opposed to either commitment to internal security or domain expertise at intelligence. These internal conflicts are legion even within the CIA & FBI but 9/11 forced them to close ranks. Alas, a string of terror strikes seem to have contributed to nothing similar in our country. Intelligence gathering is dependent on trust and relationship developed with "sources" over several years and the deputation-driven musical chairs arrangement does not facilitate this.
I believe its not too late to invest in a system that should correct this in the long-term:
1. The IPS should be de-linked from the traditional civil services route. We should have a Police Academy on the lines of the National Defence Academy which should draw upon committed youngsters, preferably at under-graduate level and provide them with specialised training for 3-4 years. Like with the NDA, various streams of specialisation can be evolved- crime, intelligence, district administration and the like.
2. In the short-term, the Police Services should import specialists from the army in select crack outfits for combat and intelligence. There are several talented defence personnel who may not be able to climb the ladder within defence ranks given exalted medical requirements. However, they are certain to add a lot more value to the civilian security establishment than the current system permits. Believe it or not, RAW has folks from the Forest and Income Tax services deputed for external intelligence but defence personnel (when deputed) get relegated to telecommuncations and the like!
3 days ago, I expressed my admiration for the MOSSAD to a former CBI-chief I bumped into at at a bar. He reciprocated it and went on to mention how he was surprised when the MOSSAD chief called him to dinner when he was on an "undercover" trip to Israel. I thought it was a telling reflection on the state of affairs in our country.
- The country's internal security is largely in the hands of a "coveted" cadre of cops drawn in from the Indian Police Services (IPS). Most of them opt for this service after having failed to make it to more lucrative/prestigious forms of civil services and many spend the first 2 years of their career re-appearing for the same exam in the hope of escaping from the torturuous rigmarole of chasing criminals in the middle of the night or queling rioteers. Given the nature of the civil services entrance process, they typically tend to have a pronounced academic bent and most of them are far more comfortable with Leo Tolstoy's "War & Peace" as opposed to Kalashnikovs (a lot of them turn to literary pursuits post retirement!). To expect folks of this genre to either develop an overnight sense of comfort with armed combat or a deep sense of commitment to the nation's battle against terrorism (when they normally harbour overt frustration at not having made it to civil administration) is a little far-fetched.
- Battling terrorism succesfully is dependent heavily on intelligence gathering. The country's intelligence network largely rests on 2 agencies- RAW and IB. I recently read a shoddily written but factually revealing book on RAW by an ex-serviceman. What is abundantly clear is that the 2 organisations revel in working at cross-purposes and focus singularly on one-upmanship with the political dispensation. Further, postings in these organisations often tend to be driven by a personal need to stay in Delhi as opposed to either commitment to internal security or domain expertise at intelligence. These internal conflicts are legion even within the CIA & FBI but 9/11 forced them to close ranks. Alas, a string of terror strikes seem to have contributed to nothing similar in our country. Intelligence gathering is dependent on trust and relationship developed with "sources" over several years and the deputation-driven musical chairs arrangement does not facilitate this.
I believe its not too late to invest in a system that should correct this in the long-term:
1. The IPS should be de-linked from the traditional civil services route. We should have a Police Academy on the lines of the National Defence Academy which should draw upon committed youngsters, preferably at under-graduate level and provide them with specialised training for 3-4 years. Like with the NDA, various streams of specialisation can be evolved- crime, intelligence, district administration and the like.
2. In the short-term, the Police Services should import specialists from the army in select crack outfits for combat and intelligence. There are several talented defence personnel who may not be able to climb the ladder within defence ranks given exalted medical requirements. However, they are certain to add a lot more value to the civilian security establishment than the current system permits. Believe it or not, RAW has folks from the Forest and Income Tax services deputed for external intelligence but defence personnel (when deputed) get relegated to telecommuncations and the like!
3 days ago, I expressed my admiration for the MOSSAD to a former CBI-chief I bumped into at at a bar. He reciprocated it and went on to mention how he was surprised when the MOSSAD chief called him to dinner when he was on an "undercover" trip to Israel. I thought it was a telling reflection on the state of affairs in our country.
Friday, August 29, 2008
An embarrassment of Riches
Last weekend, the Times of India carried a column by a well-known and saucy columnist who rather harshly credited Abhinav Bindra’s gold medal almost entirely to his wealthy ancestry. Give the same private facilities to an impoverished young man and he too would dish out a medal (since a rich man cannot be talented) seemed to be the suggestion. I do not even wish to argue with this warped piece of logic (the columnist still goes on to sell more works of fiction in India than any other writer) but the column ended up articulating something that characterizes us. As a nation, we are still uncomfortable with affluence. The rich are supposed to be manipulative, exploiters of the labour class and generally unscrupulous. Be it social debates or bollywood, in the rich v/s poor battle the rich man is always evil. Have you seen maids running away with the driver and the “maalkin’s” jewels in Hindi movies? Don’t we all know of at least one household which has suffered a similar saga? Despite all the economic progress we have made, we have not shed the conscientious compulsions of being overtly socialist.
In stark contrast, I found our separated-at-birth neighbours being fairly comfortable with the fact that their former President would perhaps spend the rest of his life in an abode which facilitates his love for golf, cigars and whisky. The person who is likely to succeed him is an affluent businessman and the widower of one of the largest land-owning families of the country. He shares power with a former prime minister who too was a reigning industrial czar before he took to governance. If you look closely, apart from the hypocrisy of prohibition, Pakistan is a lot more comfortable with the good life than we are. Some say, it is largely a nation of “north Indians” and hence, living well or aspiring to do so is part of the DNA. Could it have something to do with the fact that Pakistan’s founder Jinnah loved the good life himself and brazenly so? There perhaps lies the answer to our double standards.
Our first prime minister too was a man who was more comfortable in the social company of Edwina Mountbatten but had to toe the Gandhian line for political survival. Hence, there was a constant balancing act between having your clothes dry-cleaned in London and nationalizing banks. The burden of carrying on the Gandhian legacy ensured we were socialists not just in our government policies but also in personal lives , at least the overt part. One is yet to see pictures of Netas with whisky glasses even though most politicians that I have met have an enviable private bar. We still insist that the kurta-pyjama is our “national dress” and business tycoons shed their Saville Row suits with remarkable ease when they take to politics (Vijay Mallya is an honourable exception but you can attribute it to his being un-ambitious in Politics). Rajiv Gandhi bucked the trend a bit with his Gucci/Cartier wardrobe making it to national publications but his family seems to be shying away from carrying the sartorial legacy forward.
We are firmly on the path of economic development, the odd GDP growth rate hiccups notwithstanding. We are making progress because we have embraced an open economy and shed some socialist baggage (but for the odd Singrur) . It is time we accepted some of the beneficiaries of capitalism for what they have accomplished. Currently we insist on painting them with a tarnished brush simply because one has to conform to a certain stereotype.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Finally a Blog Post!
My previous posts have been about matters of national or social import (albeit self-perceived) but I was told thats the handiwork of a columnist. A blogger is meant to write about his personal experiences, problems, moments of euphoria etc something like a Web diary a la the Big B. I always thought that doing so would be terribly pompous. I mean, why would somebody want to know I had an upset stomach, for instance? However, I succumb and am finally biting the bait of self-importance and here is my first attempt at megalomania.
This weekend was the first long weekend since I changed jobs and also acquired a poor man's SUV. We planned on an economical getaway and settled for "Cloud End", a forest lodge off Mussoorie. As my first tangible benefit, I was gifted a 75-300 zoom lens as an important accessory for the visit. (To my utmost relief, my photography skills are something that have finally found domestic admiration). In true corporate style, summary of the trip as under:
- Cloud End is a superb destination for those in search of solitude amidst extremely picturesque environs. One needs to drive through a challenging dirt track in thick forests to reach this "hutment" nestled between scenic peaks and overbearing jungles. The succulent stuff that they dish out at the barbeque is to die for but the loo can drive you to death. If you seek opulence or perhaps even great hygiene, this is not the place for you.
- For my 6'2" frame and generally aggressive image, I turned out to be quite a chicken in the forests. When we left the place at night for a dinner invite, I bribed the lodge staff for a to-and-fro escort. (I blamed it on my poor sense of direction though!)
- Our hosts on day-1 were super. From great food to engrossing company to my favourite whiskies, we had it all. The bonus though was even better. Rinku had maintained (and it was a long standing difference of opinion) that government officials were either boring or arrogant (or both!). Thanks to our hosts, she now stands fully converted. In fact, in my decade-plus of knowing her, I had never seen her open up on the first meeting before.
- An Innova purchase is to be avoided at all costs. Nearly 200 of them crossed me on each side of the journey and each of them was driven by uncouth, rash (even rogue) taxi-drivers. They are the only people meant to drive that minibus anyway. My truck on the other hand deserves kudos for a superb suspension though the engine could have done better at high altitudes. I deserve a pat on the back too for being able to drive 10-12 hours at a stretch in my ripe middle age.
- The practically non-existent cellphone signal coupled with the absence of music and television in the eerily quiet lodge ensured I could read for hours on end. That brings me to the only serious point I insist on making in this post. I used to be a voracious reader till 1992 but since then reading has been sporadic and need-based. My current job involves a lot of travel and however pretentious it may sound, frequent air travel (obviously minus these distractions)really helps me catch up on reading. Hence, over the last few months there have been some reads that I recommend to all those I meet and I must put them on record in this blog. These are books that have probably influenced me permanently and I would want most of my friends to read them too.
1. India after Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha. This book seeks to chronicle the "history" of our country after independence. (typically termed as "political science" in academics) Apart from providing me with tons of information, it has helped a relative history-ignorant soul like me form a different perspective on several issues. National Language for one. I had always dismissed the Dravidians who protested against Hindi as parochial jingoists. Indeed I took great pride in my ability to speak Hindi with the same fluency as those from the cow belt and sans the accent from my home state. It has belatedly dawned on me that the nation as it exists, was anyway a contribution from the British. Hence, rather than view the use of English as a colonial hangover, it is perhaps prudent to recognise the Britisher's role and positive contribution to the Nation State the way we define it today.
2. Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra: I was once told "good fiction is not just fiction". This book is a telling example of that. Written about the Mumbai police and its relationship with the underworld, it goes beyond the cliched stuff on bribery driven nexus or religion based allegiances. It draws up the socio-economic profile of a middle-class mumbaikar thru the eyes of a policeman, throws up larger social conflicts and of course delves into the functioning of the police in far greater detail than anything I have read before. The narrative style with two parrallel stories converging towards the end is also refreshing though supposedly un-original. (apparently patented by Haruki Murakami years ago)
3. Fooled by Randomness by Nicolas Nassem Taleb. My blog title is a giveaway about my being deeply influenced by this book. I am responsible for recommending it to several, some of whom have begun reading it a second time. This book explains (rather wittily ) through compelling logic and statistics on how incompetent all of us are on the work front and how most of us confuse our good luck to be signs of our competence. The logic tends to be absurd at times but the moot message comes through very powerfully. A few caveats though. This book calls for the ability to concentrate for long periods of time (its not an easy read). More importantly, to internalise this book, one needs to have the rare ability to laugh at oneself. Lest I get too cynical, I had postponed reading the author's sequel of sorts "The Black Swan". Temptation got the better of me and I have started off this weekend. Please do not be surprised if the title of this blog changes in the weeks to come . Though, in this book, the writer makes fewer attempts to conceal his intellectual arrogance and contemptuous personality.
And yes, I have captured some satisfying pictures in Mussoorie including a breathtaking glimpse of the full moon. Hope to post them soon.
This weekend was the first long weekend since I changed jobs and also acquired a poor man's SUV. We planned on an economical getaway and settled for "Cloud End", a forest lodge off Mussoorie. As my first tangible benefit, I was gifted a 75-300 zoom lens as an important accessory for the visit. (To my utmost relief, my photography skills are something that have finally found domestic admiration). In true corporate style, summary of the trip as under:
- Cloud End is a superb destination for those in search of solitude amidst extremely picturesque environs. One needs to drive through a challenging dirt track in thick forests to reach this "hutment" nestled between scenic peaks and overbearing jungles. The succulent stuff that they dish out at the barbeque is to die for but the loo can drive you to death. If you seek opulence or perhaps even great hygiene, this is not the place for you.
- For my 6'2" frame and generally aggressive image, I turned out to be quite a chicken in the forests. When we left the place at night for a dinner invite, I bribed the lodge staff for a to-and-fro escort. (I blamed it on my poor sense of direction though!)
- Our hosts on day-1 were super. From great food to engrossing company to my favourite whiskies, we had it all. The bonus though was even better. Rinku had maintained (and it was a long standing difference of opinion) that government officials were either boring or arrogant (or both!). Thanks to our hosts, she now stands fully converted. In fact, in my decade-plus of knowing her, I had never seen her open up on the first meeting before.
- An Innova purchase is to be avoided at all costs. Nearly 200 of them crossed me on each side of the journey and each of them was driven by uncouth, rash (even rogue) taxi-drivers. They are the only people meant to drive that minibus anyway. My truck on the other hand deserves kudos for a superb suspension though the engine could have done better at high altitudes. I deserve a pat on the back too for being able to drive 10-12 hours at a stretch in my ripe middle age.
- The practically non-existent cellphone signal coupled with the absence of music and television in the eerily quiet lodge ensured I could read for hours on end. That brings me to the only serious point I insist on making in this post. I used to be a voracious reader till 1992 but since then reading has been sporadic and need-based. My current job involves a lot of travel and however pretentious it may sound, frequent air travel (obviously minus these distractions)really helps me catch up on reading. Hence, over the last few months there have been some reads that I recommend to all those I meet and I must put them on record in this blog. These are books that have probably influenced me permanently and I would want most of my friends to read them too.
1. India after Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha. This book seeks to chronicle the "history" of our country after independence. (typically termed as "political science" in academics) Apart from providing me with tons of information, it has helped a relative history-ignorant soul like me form a different perspective on several issues. National Language for one. I had always dismissed the Dravidians who protested against Hindi as parochial jingoists. Indeed I took great pride in my ability to speak Hindi with the same fluency as those from the cow belt and sans the accent from my home state. It has belatedly dawned on me that the nation as it exists, was anyway a contribution from the British. Hence, rather than view the use of English as a colonial hangover, it is perhaps prudent to recognise the Britisher's role and positive contribution to the Nation State the way we define it today.
2. Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra: I was once told "good fiction is not just fiction". This book is a telling example of that. Written about the Mumbai police and its relationship with the underworld, it goes beyond the cliched stuff on bribery driven nexus or religion based allegiances. It draws up the socio-economic profile of a middle-class mumbaikar thru the eyes of a policeman, throws up larger social conflicts and of course delves into the functioning of the police in far greater detail than anything I have read before. The narrative style with two parrallel stories converging towards the end is also refreshing though supposedly un-original. (apparently patented by Haruki Murakami years ago)
3. Fooled by Randomness by Nicolas Nassem Taleb. My blog title is a giveaway about my being deeply influenced by this book. I am responsible for recommending it to several, some of whom have begun reading it a second time. This book explains (rather wittily ) through compelling logic and statistics on how incompetent all of us are on the work front and how most of us confuse our good luck to be signs of our competence. The logic tends to be absurd at times but the moot message comes through very powerfully. A few caveats though. This book calls for the ability to concentrate for long periods of time (its not an easy read). More importantly, to internalise this book, one needs to have the rare ability to laugh at oneself. Lest I get too cynical, I had postponed reading the author's sequel of sorts "The Black Swan". Temptation got the better of me and I have started off this weekend. Please do not be surprised if the title of this blog changes in the weeks to come . Though, in this book, the writer makes fewer attempts to conceal his intellectual arrogance and contemptuous personality.
And yes, I have captured some satisfying pictures in Mussoorie including a breathtaking glimpse of the full moon. Hope to post them soon.
Monday, July 28, 2008
D Lal & Sons
With the trust vote as a backdrop, I am tempted to adapt one the most powerful lines uttered in Ram Gopal Verma's "Sarkar" by the chandraswami inspired Godman, - "Amar Singh ek insaan hai. Dalaali ek soch". Hence, to understand the phenomenon that is Amar Singh (and his ilk), it is important to internalize the concept of Power Broking. Before I proceed I must confess, I have enormous (though grudging) respect for Amar Singh. He is self-made, has achieved what he sought to in a very short span of time and in a profession where power is the end objective, he has defined a means of continually staying relevant. To gauge a man’s political stature simply by measuring the size of the electorate behind him is passé and in a fast maturing democracy like ours, voters are just one moving part of the overall engine. There is a place for mass leaders and likewise one for those who move and shake them in order to keep the political barometer stable.
The metamorphosis of the safari-clad hanger-on into the urbane deal-maker has been done to death. That is not what this post seeks to achieve. I attempt to explore and unravel the secrets behind their success given that their existence is not restricted to the political domain. Most management trainees in corporates get bullied by name-dropping, archaic distributors who know the corner office occupant from his hardship days. Journalistic circles have stories galore about some of their brethren having the ability to "manage" government corridors and most business houses have liaison specialists who revel in pressing the right buttons and not necessarily with dollars alone. So what is it that makes this breed tick?
1. Information is Power: I have never met Amar Singh but we once traversed a few floors together in a hotel elevator. The other occupants were a safari suited crony, the hotel attendant and the Head of State of an obscure country with his security detail. Mr Singh engaged in a rapidfire conversation with the attendant, enquired about the credentials of the dignitary, expressed surprise at the minimalist bandobast and also sought comparisons with the Clinton entourage. As we got off the elevator and he settled into the exclusive lounge with the head of a large PSU bank, I couldn't help admire the ease with which he struck a rapport with a social "unequal" and the comfort with which he slipped into schmoozing with a corporate chieftain minutes later. What did not escape me too was his insistence on gathering information albeit seemingly irrelevant. It is probably a sigma of several such titbits that add up to a potentially explosive armoury of facts. Examine most deal-makers closely and you will observe a startling attention to such details coupled with an elephantine memory.
2. Objective Emotion: In the days when the likes of Murli Deora and Rajni Patel stalked the corridors of power , affiliations were public but animosities were guardedly muted and at best, undercurrents were on public display. Pramod Mahajan broke the mould but even he often had the gloves on while throwing his punches. A Rajiv Shukla (or Rudy) on the other hand wear their supposed hates on their sleeve with dignity being thrown the wind when the game is in play. Defining these goalposts is an integral part of the battle strategy so as to ensure at least team formation for the immediate spat on hand is a little less complicated. A fierce exchange of adjectives (and the odd expletive), an embarrassing laundry of dirty linen and of course a steadfast refusal to capitulate on the grounds of pride and dignity is par for the the course till one step before end-game, at which stage objective considerations take over. The difference though is that an Ajit Singh or a Narayan Rane falter after a few weeks (or at best a month) but successful practitioners of the trade can shadow box for a few years before "realising" they wore the same uniform. In the ensuing period, rhetorical diatribe is raised to a point where the price of compromise for the player in need is astronomical. But in an era where a 180-degree turn from an "uncompromising position of principle" is fairly accepted (and in fact expected), tactical venom spitting is a winning strategy.
3. A Friend Indeed: Here one has to give it to the brokers. One cannot succeed in this profession unless one has really debited the favour bank for friends. It is unlikely that Amitabh Bachchan keeps Amar Singh's company because of a shared love for hindi poetry or Dhirubhai's legendary association with Murli Deora owed itself to a paucity of alternative congress connections. Most of us would help friends if it were no sweat off our backs but those with the relevant phone books would go that extra mile and seek a favour in turn to help those who they count as friends. A prominent Delhi-based journalist openly boasts that a record number of people would name him as the person they would try to reach if they were given one number to dial when caught in a crisis. It is tempting for cynics to attribute several of these connections to facilitating the oldest profession in the world but even if that were the case, the ability to subsequently honour Omerta is essential and praiseworthy. There need be no permanent enemies but it is essential to have a few all-weather friends.
The metamorphosis of the safari-clad hanger-on into the urbane deal-maker has been done to death. That is not what this post seeks to achieve. I attempt to explore and unravel the secrets behind their success given that their existence is not restricted to the political domain. Most management trainees in corporates get bullied by name-dropping, archaic distributors who know the corner office occupant from his hardship days. Journalistic circles have stories galore about some of their brethren having the ability to "manage" government corridors and most business houses have liaison specialists who revel in pressing the right buttons and not necessarily with dollars alone. So what is it that makes this breed tick?
1. Information is Power: I have never met Amar Singh but we once traversed a few floors together in a hotel elevator. The other occupants were a safari suited crony, the hotel attendant and the Head of State of an obscure country with his security detail. Mr Singh engaged in a rapidfire conversation with the attendant, enquired about the credentials of the dignitary, expressed surprise at the minimalist bandobast and also sought comparisons with the Clinton entourage. As we got off the elevator and he settled into the exclusive lounge with the head of a large PSU bank, I couldn't help admire the ease with which he struck a rapport with a social "unequal" and the comfort with which he slipped into schmoozing with a corporate chieftain minutes later. What did not escape me too was his insistence on gathering information albeit seemingly irrelevant. It is probably a sigma of several such titbits that add up to a potentially explosive armoury of facts. Examine most deal-makers closely and you will observe a startling attention to such details coupled with an elephantine memory.
2. Objective Emotion: In the days when the likes of Murli Deora and Rajni Patel stalked the corridors of power , affiliations were public but animosities were guardedly muted and at best, undercurrents were on public display. Pramod Mahajan broke the mould but even he often had the gloves on while throwing his punches. A Rajiv Shukla (or Rudy) on the other hand wear their supposed hates on their sleeve with dignity being thrown the wind when the game is in play. Defining these goalposts is an integral part of the battle strategy so as to ensure at least team formation for the immediate spat on hand is a little less complicated. A fierce exchange of adjectives (and the odd expletive), an embarrassing laundry of dirty linen and of course a steadfast refusal to capitulate on the grounds of pride and dignity is par for the the course till one step before end-game, at which stage objective considerations take over. The difference though is that an Ajit Singh or a Narayan Rane falter after a few weeks (or at best a month) but successful practitioners of the trade can shadow box for a few years before "realising" they wore the same uniform. In the ensuing period, rhetorical diatribe is raised to a point where the price of compromise for the player in need is astronomical. But in an era where a 180-degree turn from an "uncompromising position of principle" is fairly accepted (and in fact expected), tactical venom spitting is a winning strategy.
3. A Friend Indeed: Here one has to give it to the brokers. One cannot succeed in this profession unless one has really debited the favour bank for friends. It is unlikely that Amitabh Bachchan keeps Amar Singh's company because of a shared love for hindi poetry or Dhirubhai's legendary association with Murli Deora owed itself to a paucity of alternative congress connections. Most of us would help friends if it were no sweat off our backs but those with the relevant phone books would go that extra mile and seek a favour in turn to help those who they count as friends. A prominent Delhi-based journalist openly boasts that a record number of people would name him as the person they would try to reach if they were given one number to dial when caught in a crisis. It is tempting for cynics to attribute several of these connections to facilitating the oldest profession in the world but even if that were the case, the ability to subsequently honour Omerta is essential and praiseworthy. There need be no permanent enemies but it is essential to have a few all-weather friends.
4. No Pride to go before a fall: This enterprise is rather unforgiving on the way up. One has to stomach insults, gate-crash into parties , wait endlessly at office lobbies/living rooms and hope it will all add up in the long run. A senior government functionary told me several years ago how an instrumental power broker in the last trust vote had once landed uninvited to a do in his honour accompanied by a veteran Maharashtra politician. Not only was he comfortable doing so, he actually beamed proudly on being introduced as the biggest fixer in town. Moral of the story: if you have not inherited a powerful address book by birth, you have to keep pride aside while creating it. Secondly, one should never attempt to take moral high ground in public. In fact, it is the absence of stated principles that equip the power broker with the lethal stones to throw at the glass houses that everyone increasingly seems to reside in.
With the passage of time and with our populace displaying greater maturity, I expect some of the activities that D Lal & Sons engage in to be legitimized. That will rid them of some of the sleaze in their imagery and also compel society to be less contemptuous of them than it currently is. One has to admire each of the deal-makers for being self-made with no Gandhi/Abdullah/Pilot surname to back them. For it to be a level playing field, we need to have the new darling of parliament, Omar Abdullah daring to contest from Aska (a constituency in my home state from where the sitting BJD MP was bought). Step back and remove the names involved and one realises the nation owes several progressive developments like Abdul Kalam's Presidency (read the first 10 pages of P C Alexander's autobiography if you dont believe me) and the eventual clear passage of the nuclear deal to machinations by members of "The Firm".
Sunday, July 13, 2008
PLAYing to the Gallery
I just returned home after sitting through a terribly boring play. The play was directed by a well-known theatre personality (or so I am told by my Mumbaikar friends) who insisted on also being the main actor, the narrator et al and I could not comprehend a thing about the happenings on stage but I got the distinct impression that I was not in a minority. A few months ago, I had watched another play by the same director with identical consequences . Why then do I watch plays when I actually cant figure out most of them? And why is it that people readily describe movies as "good", "average" or "bad", but when it comes to theatre, its always platitudes like "it was so intense" or "the characterisation was really well thought through" or worse still " I could really identify with so-and-so" . In my view, plays, like a lot else around us, give us a false sense of intellectualism about ourselves. I must sheepishly confess that I never told people I thought a play was utterly boring for fear of being typecast as unintelligent. I must also concede that while I have at best run into an odd friend or colleague in a cinema, I do find myself seated amidst a few well-known lawyers, writers and painters while I watch a play. As I reluctantly stood up and joined the crowd applauding the actors after tonight's performance, I couldnt help laugh at my own pretentiousness at having come back to watch yet another Makarand Deshpande farce.
But why just theatre. Lets take reading habits for instance. I once had a leading south-Indian lawyer gatecrash into a do at my place and wax eloquent on Machiavelli's "Prince" and "The Arthashastra" being essential reading for all those who breathe. Given my limited intellect, I had taken about 3 months to read the former (mind you, a pithy 150-page book!) but I actually managed to hold an animated discussion with him about the latter, a book that I am yet to read. I was quoting from the former and I easily managed to get away with it! I had to look pleadingly at the wife every few minutes to prevent her from giving the game away. Later, she confessed she was most impressed with my ability to talk confidently on a subject I knew nothing of with someone who did so for a living. I borrow the title of my blog from a path-breaking book, "Fooled by Randomness" (again, I took a full 4 months to finish it). I recommended it to a colleague who was caught raving about the contents and radical ideas of the author a mere 48 hours later. So much for trying to fool with randomness.
Most of us would probably readily agree at having "acquired" tastes. In plainspeak what it means is we made an effort to like something because societal pressures forced us to. One such category is Art. Its typically patronised by two kinds of people. The first who do not know what to do with their money and the second who have to differentiate the decor in their homes and a painting ensures exclusivity of some kind. Quiz most art-lovers and you will discover their appreciation journey comprises going to galleries every weekend, speaking to the odd gallery owner for tips and familiarising themselves with names of prominent and promising artists. (The latter is typically a term used to describe painters whose work one can easily afford) Ultimately, a purchase decision is based on the universal set of all 3 i.e. painters one sees frequently, recommended by gallery owners/fellow buyers and subject to budget criteria being met. It is extremely rare to find a genuine art-lover, one who reads about the history of various styles of art, researches the work of specific painters and goes on to take an informed purchase decision about something one likes too. In fact, several purists do scoff at the vulgar dimensions that investment in art has taken. On the intellectual aspiration pecking order though, there are few interests to beat art at the moment.
Places to be seen at is another inexplicable one. Shopping at Khan Market is my favourite in this category. While the market has lost all its former character and is as crowded, commercial and yuppie as any other, there is a breed (the wife included) which still believes in shopping there for toothpaste even though a store 200 metres away from home stocks it. And while Midlands book shop in Aurobindo Market is better stocked, one buys books from Bahrisons because it affords the privilege of standing behind Mark Tully at the cash counter. Somehow, shopping here seems to provide people with a sense of elitism. My opinion on this subject though is disdainfully attributed to my lack of exposure to a LBZ address and consequent ignorance of this venerable institution.
Having lived in Delhi for a while, one has come to reconcile to material snobbery. The kind which lends itself to flashing a gold Rolex,the ubiquitous Mont Blanc or as I recently discovered, loafers with loud, gold lettering that scream "LV". These folks are so much simpler to deal with given that they frequently confess to their indulgences being no more than a means of showing off. Intellectual pretensions though tend to run much deeper and most practitioners of the game tend to violently defend their passions as a means of deep-rooted gratification. Do write to me when you catch a theatre "enthusiast" confessing to watching plays for the sake of being seen there. Ditto for those who cant "live without Khan Market". That will be the day.
As for me, I belong to both categories of wannabes. Little wonder then that the wife considers me to be one of the toughest people in the world to put up with. But hey, at least I confess. I also confess to having watched one excellent play in the last two years. Slainte to that!
But why just theatre. Lets take reading habits for instance. I once had a leading south-Indian lawyer gatecrash into a do at my place and wax eloquent on Machiavelli's "Prince" and "The Arthashastra" being essential reading for all those who breathe. Given my limited intellect, I had taken about 3 months to read the former (mind you, a pithy 150-page book!) but I actually managed to hold an animated discussion with him about the latter, a book that I am yet to read. I was quoting from the former and I easily managed to get away with it! I had to look pleadingly at the wife every few minutes to prevent her from giving the game away. Later, she confessed she was most impressed with my ability to talk confidently on a subject I knew nothing of with someone who did so for a living. I borrow the title of my blog from a path-breaking book, "Fooled by Randomness" (again, I took a full 4 months to finish it). I recommended it to a colleague who was caught raving about the contents and radical ideas of the author a mere 48 hours later. So much for trying to fool with randomness.
Most of us would probably readily agree at having "acquired" tastes. In plainspeak what it means is we made an effort to like something because societal pressures forced us to. One such category is Art. Its typically patronised by two kinds of people. The first who do not know what to do with their money and the second who have to differentiate the decor in their homes and a painting ensures exclusivity of some kind. Quiz most art-lovers and you will discover their appreciation journey comprises going to galleries every weekend, speaking to the odd gallery owner for tips and familiarising themselves with names of prominent and promising artists. (The latter is typically a term used to describe painters whose work one can easily afford) Ultimately, a purchase decision is based on the universal set of all 3 i.e. painters one sees frequently, recommended by gallery owners/fellow buyers and subject to budget criteria being met. It is extremely rare to find a genuine art-lover, one who reads about the history of various styles of art, researches the work of specific painters and goes on to take an informed purchase decision about something one likes too. In fact, several purists do scoff at the vulgar dimensions that investment in art has taken. On the intellectual aspiration pecking order though, there are few interests to beat art at the moment.
Places to be seen at is another inexplicable one. Shopping at Khan Market is my favourite in this category. While the market has lost all its former character and is as crowded, commercial and yuppie as any other, there is a breed (the wife included) which still believes in shopping there for toothpaste even though a store 200 metres away from home stocks it. And while Midlands book shop in Aurobindo Market is better stocked, one buys books from Bahrisons because it affords the privilege of standing behind Mark Tully at the cash counter. Somehow, shopping here seems to provide people with a sense of elitism. My opinion on this subject though is disdainfully attributed to my lack of exposure to a LBZ address and consequent ignorance of this venerable institution.
Having lived in Delhi for a while, one has come to reconcile to material snobbery. The kind which lends itself to flashing a gold Rolex,the ubiquitous Mont Blanc or as I recently discovered, loafers with loud, gold lettering that scream "LV". These folks are so much simpler to deal with given that they frequently confess to their indulgences being no more than a means of showing off. Intellectual pretensions though tend to run much deeper and most practitioners of the game tend to violently defend their passions as a means of deep-rooted gratification. Do write to me when you catch a theatre "enthusiast" confessing to watching plays for the sake of being seen there. Ditto for those who cant "live without Khan Market". That will be the day.
As for me, I belong to both categories of wannabes. Little wonder then that the wife considers me to be one of the toughest people in the world to put up with. But hey, at least I confess. I also confess to having watched one excellent play in the last two years. Slainte to that!
Friday, July 11, 2008
To Be or Not To Be
In the wake of the Nuclear deal, the absurd political theatre that one is witnessing leads to a few interesting observations/conclusions both, about the conduct of the Indian polity and the metamorphosis of the “aam aadmi”.
1. Its about time we saw through the charade that is Manmohan Singh. If one were to objectively look beneath the impressive professional credentials, gentle demeanour and apparently apolitical conduct, one would instantly discover the canny manipulator devoid of any lasting principles. If Vajpayee introduced the “I-don’t-need-to-be-PM-but-I-will-do all-it-takes-to-stay-there” brand of politics in our country, Manmohan Singh has converted it into a sublime art form. From embarrassing Abdul Kalam with dubious President’s Rule recommendations in Bihar to aiding a petty legislation aimed at merely dethroning a doctor (coincidentally his personal cardiac consultant) to cozying up to anyone who promised him support in a trust vote for the nuclear deal, Manmohan Singh has displayed a near Machiavellian penchant for expediency. Unfortunately for him, the nuclear deal forced him to reveal his hand and he can no longer hide behind the garb of being a non-playing captain with little control over a team which has a rule-book of its own. Having said that, his exemplary handling of his public image should merit closer examination from global political leaders most of whom would do well to have an image like our PM that is completely de-linked from their actions. Even the opposition chooses to call him “weak” at best, a clear pointer that it is still considered politically unwise to publicly demean the face behind the “mukhota” (oops, wasn’t that a Congress favourite?)
2. Never before have Central or State Agencies been so unabashed in their subservience. Political re-alignments at the centre lead to overnight action from the CBI/Customs Authorities against opponents. This is also a departure from the past where at least an attempt to display adherence to procedure could be expected and actions at the behest of political masters would not be as obvious and immediate as one has seen in the last few weeks. Add to this the whimsical re-opening or dropping of cases by state agencies and the plot thickens. As an aside, for all their officer associations etc, the police cadre does not even attempt a feeble protest when their brethren get shifted on the basis of say, media coverage of a murder. It is justifiable for this to happen if there is organized crime prevailing for a considerable length of time but rampant transfers in the wake of unfavourable media reports on an odd crime investigation is a little inexplicable. In certain states, civil servants are moved on mere rumours of corruption since it helps protect a clean image for the political class in the run-up to the elections. For a bureaucracy that steadfastly closes ranks when it comes to protecting their ilk, this helplessness is intriguing. Judicial activism has also become a thing of the past and the judiciary seems more intent on flexing its muscles on matters of far less import like declaration of assets by judges and insulating brother judges from alleged dishonourable acts of the past.
3. This may raise the hackles of feminists but contrary to their behaviour in civil society where the fairer sex is generally more mature, tolerant and sensitive, women leaders seem incapable of handling power sensibly and consistently overplay their hand and effortlessly convert opportunity into adversity. Mayawati, just a few months ago had both, a strong electoral result and favourable initial overtures from the centre going for her. Contrast it with the potential mess she has landed herself in with strengthened political alignments in her state, CBI back to baying for her blood et al. This, after having had the carpet pulled from under her feet by the BJP whilst trying to pull off a similar feat in the days of power-sharing by rotation. In the not so recent past, Jayalalitha had landed herself in a similar situation largely by demanding more than her rightful pound of flesh in her parleys with George Fernandes and Mulayam Singh only to end up with egg on her face. It is not only in the face of victory that one has seen displays of avoidable rash behaviour. Uma Bharti did her cause no good by initially playing hardball and then throwing a messy tantrum when things did not go her way. From being an important player in the saffron scheme of things, she has only seen herself getting increasingly marginalized and has to now eat humble pie in order to engineer a comeback from the wilderness. Is it a deep rooted need to prove that they are not the weaker sex in the big bad world of politics that one sees such frequent displays of mindless aggression and bad timing? I do not have an answer yet but perhaps this will form the subject of a research thesis by another observer of politics (or maybe psychology).
4. What is interesting though is that the only people who seem overtly outraged by the lack of spine in the recent political re-alignments are a few TV journalists in perpetual search of sound bites. The rest of the country could not care less and has accepted this as par for the course. Most involved citizens are more concerned with discussing the pros and cons of the nuclear deal, impact of inflation or at best life of the current government. There is hardly any anguish at the volte face of the ruling class and one does not see anyone sympathise with the Left as they moan at the “betrayal”. Sympathy towards the Left, if any, seems to derive itself from their foolhardiness at staying married to a position once pregnant with it. Is this a growing indifference of the Indian middle class towards seemingly earth-shattering goings-on in their country? Or is it the coming of age of Indian citizenry who have objectively accepted the fact that politicians have a job to do and part of it entails doing all it takes to govern the country regardless of any moral considerations whatsoever?
Time (and the next elections) will tell.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Politically Incorrect
Growing up in moffusil Orissa, I was constantly goaded by my folks to aspire for what was probably the most coveted profession in our parts of the world: The Civil Services. Sure enough, as time flew, there were successful "candidates" in the neighbourhood. Their joy at having discovered the Holy Grail was short-lived as a rabble-rousing, union leader of the town that we lived in ( the guy Ma warned you against)went on to occupy ministerial position and our very own blue-eyed boy had to grapple with the ignominy of taking instructions from him. The fear of being shunted to (even more) far flung, famine struck districts and its resultant complications (the wife's kitty parties et al) ensured our neighbourhood envy was sufficiently compliant.
Suitably disillusioned, one decided to plunge for the lucrative world of multi-national corporations with starry eyed dreams of climbing the corporate ladder, raking in the big fat bonuses and teeing off with the gliterrati over the weekends. The corporate world though was not remarkably enlightening and one had to quickly come to terms with the fact that the boss was keener on the price at which you sold his bosses' property than what your "goal-statement" specified and one dealt with "crackberries" who responded to emails on their PDAs at unearthly hours of the night or day depending on the sleeping habits of the CEO. My only consolation, when I checked the toilets of a hotel room the global head of my organisation was slated to occupy was the fact that I was accompanied on this supremely cerebral activity by somebody who was significantly higher up in the echelons.
Whilst grappling with shallow and often meaningless jargon like "mission statement", "strategic intent", "long-term vision" and the like, my thoughts wandered to the day-job of a politician and a comparison with the enviable Corner Office seemed like a no-contest. The challenges and perils of governance aside, if one were to dissect a minister's job like a MBA is (supposedly) trained to do, one arrives at some interesting comparisons.
One of the toughest challenges that corporate leaders face is the need to deal with several talented and ambitious people all of whom aspire to reach the top but the pyramid ensures only a few do while the rest are left licking their wounds. The leader is supposed to reward the truly meritorious and yet ensure the relative "have-nots" are kept suitably motivated after every round of promotions or job rotations. While a business leader has to deal with faceless individuals all of whom will go unrecognised at public places, compare it with the challenge that a political leader has to face post a ministerial reshuffle when he has to deal with bruised egos of public figures as their "moves" (or lack of them) make national headlines the next day and will determine whether they stand in serpentine queues at the airport or qualify not to be frisked.
How about job complexity? Without even getting into trying to compare the relative difficulty of managing a P&L and governing a country, lets get into a more basic facet. The single purpose for existence of a business is profit. The Government on the other hand has a far-reaching social responsibility apart from dealing with several legitimate yet conflicting points of interest. Hydel power generation v/s population displacement for instance. Add to this the myriad pulls and pressures of a system with various forces legally bestowed with powers to influence or obstruct a course of action and the challenge multiplies geometrically. For the record, most corporations claim to have a system of checks and balances too but the single point control of bonus cheque ensures absolute power.
Right from the time one aspired to join business school, one was made to believe that communication skills were the one trait sans which all hopes of making it big could be laid to rest. In north India, this was defined as a superior ability to roll ones "R"s while those south of vindhyas typically believed in peppering their power point presentations with abstract graphs and charts in a bid to appear suitably intellectual. Contrast the communication skills required for a board room presentation full of pretentious Zegna-clad employees with that of addressing half a million people at Ramlila Maidan or negotiating in a "heads-you-lose-tails-i-win" situation a la the topical Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan.
Despite the obvious no-contest on "skill-sets requirement" (pardon the corporate jargon please) it is alarming, and even a tad disappointing to see the absence of interest within the intellegentsia for a political career. The government could more than do with private sector discipline and the private sector would be greatly enriched by folks with understanding of grass-root dynamics and governance. Sadly this cross-pollination is absent in our society even though it defines the developed world where there are examples galore of people making the shift on both sides of the border.
For all the hype around youth and nex-gen, governance in our country continues to rot with the geriatric polity and an archaic, mafia-like bureaucracy which lends itself to sycophancy and self-preservation. Hopefully, some of us can and will make a difference.
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