The Times are a Changin...

"Parliament is Supreme", scream the Politicians, Pseudo-Intellectuals and the cocktail crowd. That is granted. But "Parliamentarians are Not". It is clear that these "Parliamentarians" have done a poor job regarding corruption and have misused the "power" vested in them. Our "Parliamentarians" are drunken with power and are hell bent on resisting the "political flogging" meted out to them by Team Anna.


One of the major criticisms of Team Anna’s Satyagraha is that it was undemocratic and extra-parliamentary in approach and that Civil Society does not represent the majority opinion of the citizens of Bharat. Times have changed and people who prescribe to this opinion are ostriches with their head buried in the sands of time. 

With the advent of modern communications technology a broader base of citizens distributed Nationally are able to participate and voice their opinions on issues of National importance. An elected politician represents just his or her constituency, whereas the issue raised by Team Anna energized people across the country, who showed their support by their presence and participation in support of Team Anna’s Satyagraha. Their sheer numbers probably exceeded the votes garnered by many Members of Parliament, to get themselves elected. 

Anna said it best indicating that the people of the country are the owners and that the elected Members of Parliament and Bureaucrat’s job is to serve the owners. There is no argument that the politicians and bureaucrats have failed the owners when it comes to curbing corruption. 

In the absence of a process for a National Referendum, Team Anna has effectively utilized the process of Satyagraha on which the very foundation of our country was established as demonstrated by the Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. This is the beginning of a trend and heralds a change in the role of the politician in the Democracy of the Future. 

On a local level, politicians will continue to champion the causes of their constituents. On a National level or for that matter at the State and City level, more and more issues will be thrown open to citizens to vote upon and decide. The politician’s role in this aspect will be to ensure that the referendum does not discriminate between a particular community based on their religion, affiliation or gender. 

In the absence of such a process, Team Anna has taken the first step and demonstrated effectively how a National Referendum can be “demanded” in a non-procedural manner.

Currently, the demands have only been accepted for consideration. They still have to be formulated into a Bill and it has to be voted upon by Parliament. In the Democracy of the future, the parliamentary vote would be eliminated, by the issue voted upon by the citizens. While we may claim that “Parliament is Supreme”, let it be noted that Parliament is accountable to the citizens of the country and that the citizens of the country collectively, supersede the “Supremacy of Parliament”.

This process has been implemented in smaller democracies and the time has come for the world’s largest democracy; Bharat and the world’s richest democracy; the US, to pay heed to the issue of National Referendum and institutionalize a process by which it can be done. In the US many State and City level issues are voted upon as Ballot Measures, by the citizens. So for the ostriches whose heads are buried in the sands of time, this is an indication, that a time may come when certain issues may be decided directly by the citizens of the Country, State or City, with the Parliament being a shared body of power as opposed to the sole body of power.

Get Real Mr. Murthy

The claim that IIT graduates are not up to snuff, that coaching classes is one of the reasons responsible for this situation could well be the outcome of the statement being framed incorrectly. An alternate claim could well be that the IT industry does not provide interesting opportunities to attract IIT graduates.

Kudos to the IT Industry:

The IT Industry comprising of notable companies such as Infosys, TCS, WIPRO and others, has put India on the map as a leader in World Class software solutions and BPO service providers. The IT Industry has been so successful that the term “Banglored” is being used to describe jobs in the developed world that are being outsourced. Even President Obama, (who moves his head from side to side as he speaks), talks of jobs that he wants in Buffalo, (while he looks in one direction), instead of evaporating to Bengaluru (while he looks in the other direction). The people involved in the IT Industry are doing a yeoman’s job and something that has brought our Nation a tremendous amount of pride, employs a lot of individuals both directly and indirectly and brings in much needed foreign exchange.

There is more to IT:

IT activity can be broadly categorized as Architecture, Construction and Services. The Indian IT industry for the most part is involved in “construction” activity that extends the customers existing computing environment and services. The former involves “pounding the keyboard”, and the latter involves providing technical support, maintenance etc., answering the phone, and/or doing some administrative work. Star IIT graduates look for opportunities that go beyond these activities, let alone answering the phone during night owl hours!

Where the Opportunity is, Graduates will go:

Consequently graduates gravitate to where the opportunity and remuneration is, be it the Financial or FMCG sectors. Yes, they follow the money. Furthermore, there are attractive opportunities at companies such as Intel, GE, Microsoft, etc. Graduates interested in software development would rather work for high tech companies involved in developing innovative products rather than IT companies involved in “construction” activities. The fact of the matter is that industry comes to IIT and clamor for IIT graduates. Many have multiple job offers. Some are disappointed with the compensation extended and do look for alternatives. And yes there maybe some slackers.

In search of the ideal IT candidate:

The issue of competency in English was raised. Technical skills and competency are orthogonal. One could be very competent technically in Hindi or their regional language. Obviously, English competency is important in the IT industry that is involved in what is commonly referred to as “body shopping”. And yes the IT companies eagerly look for technically competent individuals, fluent in English who would be happy and content “pounding the keyboard” that they i.e. the IT company can “body shop”. Infosys is an excellent company and it does well by hiring graduates that augment its success from regional colleges. An IIT graduate who scores the JEE, and graduates from this elite institute, probably aspires to something more than being recruited and bunched with second and third rung college grads.

In Summary:

It appears Mr. Murthy’s statement was based on anecdotal experience and not grounded on facts. Maybe, just maybe, the IITs are the wrong place to look for the ideal IT employee.

The Great R&D Debate

“There is hardly any worthwhile research from our IITs” says Jairam Ramesh. True. R&D in an academic context, means developing a new capability that has not been done elsewhere or being among the first few to demonstrate it.

Look at MIT, Princeton, Cornell, and Caltec etc. people say. They want the IITs to be in that league. This is indeed a truly laudable ambition. Is this realistic? Does India have the capital, resources and infrastructure they have? Is India wishing a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget?

Here is a reality Check.

India is playing catch up even in commercial areas by importing “Packaged Technology” for Mobile phones, Automobiles, Internet connectivity and even FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods). Even the Tata Nano, an excellent engineering feat in its own right, has an imported engine design. Indians are conservative lot, risk averse and afraid to fail. Besides it is easier and faster time to money to buy working solutions rather than develop indigenously. The upside, India doesn’t have a “Not Invented Here” attitude.

Look at the once ubiquitous coin box. It was a magnificent and Herculean effort that brought phone connectivity to the remotest parts of India. What about a follow on to this? Technology changed, mobile phones appeared. Even the poorest of the poor have Mobile phones. India did not progress fast enough. Despite its phenomenal success, this telecommunication effort appears to be a “one trick pony”.

There are outstanding examples in Defense and Aero-Space. However, most of these accomplishments are replication of what has already been accomplished by US and Russia. The first moon probes were launched successfully in 1966. Russia was first with the US four months behind. India caught up with Chandrayaan I achieving what was accomplished over forty years before. At least here India is catching up.

The notable exception is Atomic Energy. India in some areas is at the forefront of nuclear technology. And yet Nuclear Power Plants are being imported. India’s first Test Fast Breeder Reactor which is based on a French Design at Kalpakam, Tamil Nadu attained criticality (i.e. success) in 1985. The follow on commercial prototype is yet to go into production more than 20 years later. India does not move fast enough.

Look at China! They are replicating what Japan did. Copy and sell cheaper. They have even copied the ubiquitous three wheeler auto rickshaw that plies Indian streets and roads. Why is India lagging in this arena?

Yes R&D is important, there is no argument. But the IITs and for that matter India needs to be prudent and place bets intelligently. Go for small successes and build upon them. Given the circumstances this is a long and arduous road that has to be taken.

This hue and cry about lack of research at IIT is an indication of a herd with Science and Technology blinders, wanting to vie with the Joneses with hollow drums that only make a lot of noise.

This may be heresy, in the short run; it is more efficient to facilitate the best minds going to where the research is being undertaken rather than waiting for research to come to the best minds. This is a fact, this is happening. People can moan, groan and lament. This is reality. Let it not be fought. India has more excellent minds than opportunity. Let these minds flourish elsewhere rather than rot in India. Indians have migrated to the West and the world has benefited by their efforts. This is working for India. India’s investment is in human resources and in developing great minds. It has paid rich dividends and has worked so far.

Trade and commerce is freer in this interconnected world where past walls have crumbled. The West has technology to sell; India should be in a position to buy. As long as India is in a position to buy, it can afford to be in this position.

The take away here is that India should continue to acquire technology and pursue import substitution. At the same time aggressively produce goods and services that the West will want to buy. To date the biggest successful export from India is Human Resources; both Brain and Brawn. Somewhere in the distant future, the laudable goal of being abreast in R&D with the world will become a reality.

Prescription for IIT:

India has a lot of catching up to do and it has to be done at an accelerated pace. India also needs to be active in new emerging areas to be in the lead. The IITs can play an important role in both these endevours by:

• Leveraging significant scientific discoveries that are proven in the lab
• Determine its relevance to Indian environment and needs
• Evaluate the feasibility of developing the technology to make the discovery commercially viable or meet a specific purpose.
• Acquire the licensing if applicable and build upon it.
•  License the outcome to generate a revenue stream

Becoming a resource to Industry is another area of importance. Graduating students and alumni are the best resources to establish links with industry. Programs should be launched to make it attractive for industry to engage with IIT on joint projects. Faculty should be encouraged to spend a portion of their time in industry and be allowed to retain part of the earnings resulting from their personal engagement.

Jai Hind!

Mission IIT

IIT is frequently in the cross hairs of controversy. Recently the first salvo was fired by Jairam Ramesh, who claimed that the faculty at IIT is not world class¹ and that they are excellent because of the quality of the students. This was followed by Narayan Murthy’s claim that IIT graduates are not up to snuff and that coaching classes was one of the reasons responsible for this situation². Anand Kumar, who founded Super 30, countered that the coaching classes are geared to crack the JEE³. Representatives of the faculty weighed in with observations of their own and echoed Murthy⁴.

The biggest asset the IITs have created is Intellectual Capital. This has benefited the Nation and the World. Brand IIT is internationally acclaimed. Looking ahead Mission IIT is to increase this asset with the right mindset that serves India’s National Interest both nationally and internationally. 

A desire expressed by many is that the IITs should rank among the world’s best universities, in the same league as MIT, the Ivy League, and Stanford etc. The closest IIT comes to is MIT. The MIT curriculum includes Anthropology, Economics, and Political Science etc. The Ivy Universities have broader and more diverse majors. Therein lies a clue! Expecting the IITs in its current Avatar, to rise and rank among these Universities is like asking a Leopard to change its spots.

The issue that surfaces occasionally is that the IITs should serve India’s National Interest. This is cast as an Excellence Vs Relevance debate. Excellence is a given. The debate centers on Relevance. The Govt. of India is a major stakeholder by way of its investment in the IITs.  That makes the citizens of India major shareholders. The IITs must serve the National Agenda of Inclusive Growth and bridging the Urban-Rural Divide. In that respect, achieving World Class should be an outcome, not a goal. The goal ought to be to establish an Iconic category of Excellence with respect to serving the National Agenda. This could very well result in the IITs becoming a role model for other institutions across the world to follow.

Performance to Date:

The output of the IIT i.e. the “Product” comprises of the Graduates, Post Graduates, Relevant Research and Industry Engagements. The Nation has benefited from the accomplishments of the B.Tech students and the role the faculty has played in shaping the minds and capabilities of these students. The institution has produced numerous PhD, M.Tech and MSc graduates. Their contribution to the Nation is either unrecognized and at present not as significant as the contribution of the B.Tech graduates.

No one could have foretold the fact that the Nation (the US and the World) benefited from the combined efforts of graduates (both from IITs and other colleges) who migrated to the US, who together with graduates working in India brought about the Software Revolution as well as other technological advances. The much maligned and lamented Brain Drain morphed into Brain Gain.

As far as Research and Industry engagements is concerned? “There is hardly any worthwhile research from out IITs” says Ramesh.

However, past performance does not guarantee future results and there is general agreement that changes are required to generate the appropriate output for the future.

Mr. Murthy’s claim in the absence of valid data is conjecture. However, it could very well portend a trend that may be real. An important first step is to do a detailed analysis of the opportunities graduates are pursuing and feedback on their performance from Industry.

Focus on Technology:

Technology is a phase in a product life cycle between a Scientific Discovery being demonstrated in the lab and the discovery being part of some capability/utility that is reproduced reliably using Engineering methodology. That is to say Science is involved in discovering “something”. Technology is involved in demonstrating that this “something” can be reproduced and provides the platform for the Engineering phase which is involved in this “something” being part of a solution that has some broad or narrow utility.

With this in mind, the Excellence Vs Relevant issue would be to focus Excellence in Technology with Relevance being a target.

Expectations:

The expectation of the IITs is that it provides excellent technologists, technologists with business acumen, technologists with managerial and leadership skills, Innovators and Entrepreneurs. The goal is to contribute to the Technological Intellectual Capital of India. The country needs more individuals who will provide thought leadership and become change agents, the likes of Nandan Nilekani, Naraya Murthy, Jairam Ramesh and Arvind Kejriwal.

Graduates are expected to possess attributes critical to be successful in today’s environment, such as excellent presentation and inter-personal communication skills, be well versed in group dynamics, have the practical skills required to solve real world problems that go beyond just the theoretical realm. This underscores the importance of multi-dimensional skills and creative thinking.

With the above in mind, the following recommendations are made:

Recommendation #1:

Tune and refine the JEE. Improve it to filter in the best technical mind set. Maybe add sections that test analogies and logical thinking. A focus on English is a red herring. The JEE could be translated into regional languages and that would still work. Coaching will always be focused on cracking the Test in whatever Avatar it takes. 

Recommendation #2:

Expand the curriculum to include new majors in other areas like MIT – Economics, Political Science, Social Science etc. Set up separate JEEs to filter in students with excellent multi-dimensional skills. Use the real estate of the IITs effectively to build new departments. Make English proficiency an important criterion for these majors. New coaching classes will emerge. 

Recommendation #3:

The students enter as rough gems. The professors play an important role in shaping and polishing them. The rigor of the academic program acclimatizes students to deal with and perform under stress. The theoretical knowledge is the fabric for procedural thinking that provides the framework of solving real world problems. But that is not all. Ask any successful IIT graduate and they will assert that hostel life and experience gained outside of academics played a major role in their careers and lives. Each year assign a sizable number of the inter-disciplinary freshmen to a select set of hostels and let them be together till they graduate. Each year a different set of hostels can be selected.  Hostel 8 had the max number of IITB-75 graduates, which has emerged as the most successful batch of all IIT’s thus far. Hostel life fosters bonding and camaraderie that lasts for life and is stronger between batch mates and less so between different batches. If this sounds like Social Engineering, it is. Empirical evidence supports it. Extra-curricular activities are important and should be allowed to foster. This by far is probably the most important aspect of IITs. A healthy mix of academics and extra-curricular activities are key in shaping these precious stones into polished gems. The environment is analogous to that of a Petri Dish. Put the right mix of minds together, allow them to grow and progress. The results will be outstanding

Recommendation #4:

Rural India is trailing and it will take many years to catch up to assimilate advanced technologies that are prevalent in developed countries. What IIT can do for Rural India is an enigma at this time. However, making a six month rural residency requirement for all students of government aided institutes (not just IITs) will go a long way in bridging the "mind set" gap, between Urban and Rural India. In the initial stages the focus would be to build the infrastructure (toilets, living, and dining quarters). With comfortable living conditions this would be a wonderful experience for students of all disciplines to converge from all over the country. It will promote national integration and another level of bonding. As part of this exercise, graduates should be instilled in the notion of Nation Building.  IITians, collectively can play a major force in improving the Quality of Life for all segments of society, both Urban and Rural.  

Concluding Thoughts:

Globalization is nothing new. It has existed for centuries. What has changed is the velocity at which capital, goods, manufacturing and services move across international borders. India is playing “catch up” and currently importing “packaged” technology for applications such as, mobile telephones, internet connectivity and even automobiles. The IITs have to play a significant role in fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Competing in the Global environment; to lead India to be a contender in the World Economy, requires people who have Quantitative and Qualitative expertise. The IITs are one of the institutions that have to play a major role to address this challenge as well.

References:

1. Jairam on IIT faculty:

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/iit-iim-faculty-not-world-class-jairam-ramesh-107764

2. Murthy on IIT:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/careers/education/NR-Narayana-Murthy-Quality-of-students-deteriorating-IITs/articleshow/10217630.cms

3. Ananth Kumar’s response:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/IIT-exam-panel-behind-poor-student-quality-Super-30-founder/articleshow/10241241.cms

4. IIT faculty echo Murthy:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/IIT-heads-echo-Narayana-Murthy-on-dipping-quality/articleshow/10296730.cms

Four Statements that cannot be disputed

1.  You  cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

2.  What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

3. The  government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

4. You  cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.

Special Economic Zones (SEZ’s)

Despite all the controversies, India has rightfully embarked on building new “Urban Centres” in areas earmarked as SEZs. These Urban Centres will provide much needed relief to India’s Mega Cities. They will provide opportunities for urbanites as well as the uneducated, unemployed, unskilled (U3s) from Rural India (Bharat). Situating these SEZ’s on the periphery of existing cities and in Bharat, is inarguably the right solution for the entire country. 

These SEZs will provide opportunities for people:

• Currently living in India’s congested cities, 
• Living in Bharat, 
• Migrating from Bharat to India in search of a better life. 

The challenge is to build them fast, build them well and build till supply catches up with demand. An SEZ in Bharat i.e Rural India, will be a mixture of an Urban Economy, surrounded by a Rural Economy.

The requirement of export orientation only for an SEZ is an unnecessary constraint. The Economic Engine of the SEZ could be anything. Exports and Manufacturing are important, but jobs, any job and affordable housing are MORE IMPORTANT. Any estimate of the number of jobs are spread sheet guesstimates at best. The person who gets a job doesn't care if it is Manufacturing or Export Oriented.

The SEZ's main purpose should be to provide a magnet that will attract the “core” residents, namely the Middle Class (Urban and/or Rural) to move there and in the process provide employment for the Uneducated, Unskilled, Unemployed. It could be a “jobs” oriented SEZ, or a “housing” oriented SEZ, a la Vashi. Vashi was originally not intended to be the bedroom community of Mumbai, however, it flourished only after the extension of the harbour line to Panvel. Now one can hop on a train at Vashi and 55 minutes later arrive at CST (formerly VT). Although industrial employment was a goal at Vashi, for the most part it is bursting (literally) as a satellite to Mumbai for commuters. And while that maybe so, it provides plenty of service-oriented jobs in Vashi as well.

Regardless of its orientation, an SEZ has to provide ancillary amenities like schools, entertainment, retail outlets, medical facilities etc. for the "core" residents, to be motivated to move there; be it skilled people for jobs or commuters.

Figure 2

The whole focus of a "jobs" SEZ ought to be simplified. Attract big companies or a group of industries to establish operations in a zone demarcated as an SEZ and promote the formation of all the things around it that makes for a High Quality of Life for the individuals who reside there. Give companies that wish to establish an operation a Tax Break (like a pre-tax write off) rather than a tax holiday. Tax revenue could be realized from the income of the builders and providers of ancillary services needed to make the SEZ viable.

An outstanding example of an Industrial township in what was once Bharat is the steel city - Jamshedpur. When Tata's set out to establish a Steel Plant, they didn’t set out to build just a steel plant. They set out to build a city and they did. Their Steel Plant was the Economic Engine. And we have Vashi as a "commuter SEZ' example. There maybe some failures, and that is par for the course. Let the market decide where to invest their "construction" money. Let the government focus on facilitating the movement of capital, facilitating equitable land acquisition policies, assist in infrastructure and establish guidelines that protect the environment, safety and hygiene etc. Water and Electricity would be utilized even if the SEZ is a failure. SEZs should be thrown open for any sector.

Land Reform and Infrastructure:

Land for SEZ and Infrastructure to the site are the two big hurdles that Industrialists and Developers face. Acquisition of owned (malki) land has been contentious as experienced in Singur, Nadigram and other places. Current land laws inhibit parties from entering directly into agreement with landowner’s without government intervention. However, there is non-arable, non-forested land owned by the government that is available. This land could be leased or sold to SEZ developers. Land for SEZs and resentment amongst the rural population due to a number of reasons is a major hurdle that is stifling India’s economic progress. Addressing these issues is a must for a achieving the economic goals that will benefit those who have not benefited by liberalization.

A politically incorrect review of the World Cup Finals

India demonstrated it's Top, Middle and Bottom at the World Cup Finals against Sri Lanka. There was some confusion at the toss and it had to be redone. There was some speculation that the Sri Lankan captain recanted his choice. In any case, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat. India's bowlers (the Bottom of the order) placed a strangle hold over the Sri Lankan  batting, choked their run rate during the first twenty overs and captured two crucial wickets. Sri Lanka's constipated batting  during this period was a crucial part that paid rich dividends later despite the diarrhea of runs during the final  overs. Zaheer, Munaf and Harbajan bowled well. Sreesanth was fodder thrown in resulting in a run frenzy during his spells. For all it's worth, India should have just thrown him into the Arabian Sea and let him swim back to Kerala. But for the 60 odd runs Sri Lanka scored in the last five Batting Power Play overs, they would have been rolled over by the Indian batting Juggernaut and we would have been left with flattened Sri Lankan Chappatis. The match would have ended early, with no drama whatsoever. A score of 250 would have been a cake walk. A Score of 300 would have been a challenge. 274 was just right for the good match it turned out to be. So let it not be forgotten that the initial spell by the Indian bowlers played a key role in setting the stage for a lower total and the later spell set the stage for an interesting match.That has to be appreciated. Sreesanth added grist to the mix besides being a warm body present to make up the eleven. There was talk of why not Arvind and someone even suggested Pathan. In the end it wouldn't have made a difference. Sreesanth and Piyush Chawla were place holders and get to be winners just by being there. Lucky dudes!

The Sri Lankan's walked in chest puffed and confident, having massacred the Indian bowling during the last ten overs. We've got bowling was their attitude. However, all India needed to do was keep the run rate around or at 5 for most of the innings and then finish off by making 275 for a victory.

Sehwag getting out on the second ball he faced was a BIG wicket. Sehwag was rather arrogant asking for a review without batting an eye lid. This was the second time he has done this. On another occasion, his celebrated colleague, Sachin Tendulkar asked his then partner Virat Kohli, at the other end whether his being given out LBW was questionable. Virat must have confirmed the umpire's decision and Sachin accepted the verdict without requesting a review. At the very least Sehwag could have solicited Sachin's opinion. India was expecting an explosive start from Viru, like the one that set the stage for the win over Pakistan. Nevertheless, Viru's loss would only meant India would have to work harder. 

Then Sachin fell at 31. Oh my gosh! He has been caught behind the wickets or in the slips so many times, because he went fishing. Should have waited for the next day. Would have been very relaxing. Visions of India's batting trend of lemmings jumping off a cliff one after another? Are we goners? Train wreck waiting to happen? Another fashion parade of men in blue walking in and walking out? We've seen this before one too many times? Is there life after Sachin? The Sri Lankans' chest puffed out even more? India's hopes took a hit with Sachin's wicket falling. India will have to pull a rabbit out of their helmets.

Somebody Tweeted....RAJINIKANTH IS THERE! HOW CAN WE LOSE? Oh yes, he helped with his eyes he neutralized Murali's spinnas and Malinga's Slingas. Score some for Rajinikanth, my namesake.

With Gambhir and Kohli batting well, hopes began to rise ...momentarily.  When Kohli was caught brilliantly, another gasp. Dhoni walks in. Why Dhoni and not Yuvraj? Dhoni hasn't had a good tournament batting wise, but he has performed well under pressure.  To keep the left right combination going, the commentators speculate, to unsettle the bowlers. Good move! Dhoni said it best, during his post victory interview, something like, pressure was mounting and often times he has come in when pressure was  over the top. This time he felt he could do something about it. It was his moment. With Dhoni and Gambhir cruising, India's hopes rose again. The Sri Lankans shoulders sag, the puff in their chest vanished. Poor Gambhir, there must be a bee in his bonnet. Dhoni counseled him a number of times to take it easy. His run rate, though rather a tad low, was not a problem. He could take his time to score his century for himself and notch one up for the country. Unfortunately, that was not to be, because of the bee? 

By then the crisis stage was over. India was cruising. However, India needed about just as many runs as balls to win. Despite the win within grasp, victory is not assured until it is done, signed and sealed. Tension mounted during the power play when the Gollywog Malinga, gave away just two runs(?) in the first Batting Power Play over. Pressure eased the next over with a four from Dhoni. And then spirits soared when another four followed in the next over and what a finish with a flourish it was, with a six by Dhoni! A well deserved, "Man of the Match".

The finals had its gut wrenching, teeth gnashing, stomach churning, tension ridden, breath taking moments. Hopes soared and then dipped a number of times. Many a flip flops occurred between times of certainty and times of uncertainty. It was one heck of a roller coaster ride. What a victory, what a dash to the finish. Two symbolic finals one against Australia, the world's number one (that's history), then Pakistan, (we hope many more will be played in the near future and beyond), and then the Final Finale!

At the end of it all it was a Match that was! क्या मैच था| 


P.S.  Got this from a Facebook post: DEAR RAJ THACKRAY, A CHANDIGARH LAD, A JHARKHAND CAPT & A DELHI BOY WON D WORLD CUP FOR US & DEDICATED IT TO A MARATHI LEGEND. UR REGIONAL HATRED HAS FAILED. JAI HO. ROCK ON INDIA ;-)

And that goes for Bal Thakur (That was his original last name, shouldn't he be proud of his Marathi roots) as well.


P.P.S. Good thing I was not there. Two Rajinikanth's and two Shastri's in the  same vicinity at the same time would have been more than the Wankede crowd could have handled. The crowd would have gone wild and the World Cup would have to be rescheduled. 

Now for a different perspective:

Country                 Population

Australia                 22 Million

Bangladesh           150 Million

England                  51 Million

India                    1.2 Billion

New Zealand            4.5 Million

Pakistan               176 Million 

South Africa            50 Million

Sri Lanka                20.5 Million

West Indies              4 Million

India has twice the population of the above top contenders put together. Granted about 60% or more of the males are not fortunate enough to have either the resources or physique to qualify for the team. However, with this kind of "demographic dividend", we should be nothing short of dominating the game rather than having to squeeze through at times. Let this be the goal for the next World Cup tournament to be held in Australia and New Zealand. 

P.P.P.S. A Rs. 1 crore ~ $225K award, did that have to be announced at the game? Sure the reward is well deserved. It could have been announced at a felicitation ceremony. Despite our progress we lack a sense of decorum.

At the IPL we call it auction instead of Draft. We say players are bought and sold instead of drafted or traded. Some of the dances in Bollywood movies are so sexually suggestive and the women dressed so scantily dressed, yet there is outrage over the cheer leaders at IPL.

In praise of Affluentitis

Affluentitis: A privilege that comes from having a significant amount of wealth which enables one to indulge in "conspicuous consumption". Could be misspelled as affluentitus, related affliction - Affluenza.


Conspicuous consumption is not to be confused with "wasteful consumption" which involves needless depletion of non-renewable resources. Conspicuous consumption primarily involves acquisition of luxurious items and partaking in extravagant experiences.

Affluentitis - a condition, not to be confused with Affluenza, which has negative connotations.


People with this privilege are the target of criticism by "Left Leaning" individuals and the envy of those who aspire to acquire it.


Affluentitis can be compared to an additive to the fuel of an engine that propels the "economic" train of a country. The challenge is to make this train long enough so that every individual has the opportunity to hop on board.


A vibrant economy with affluentitis can result in a turbo-charged economy. Skeptics need only look to China. Granted the disparity between the "nouveau riche" and the very poor is stark. Studies show that this is a transient situation. More and more people are being lifted out of poverty and China is well on the path to become the world's #1 economy mid-century, if not sooner.


The good news is that India is predicted to be the world's #2 economy some time this century. The bad news is that there will be about 1.5 Billion plus, people to share that pie. The challenge is to ensure every family is given the opportunity to "earn" their share of the pie.


Affluentitis creates opportunities for artisans. The acquisition of luxury goods provides employment for a number of persons both directly and indirectly. For example a luxurious watch studded with gems involves a number of artisans and the skills involved is intricate. The more expensive the item or experience, greater is the the opportunity for the providers to earn better wages. The caveat however is that this would hold true only if the items acquired are Swadeshi. The penchant for phoren stuff does nothing by way of employment for Desi artisans.


Furthermore what is and what is not "conspicuous consumption" is relative and involves making a moral judgement. For example the acquisition of an air-conditioner by a family in Jaipur, would be considered "conspicuous consumption" by a family living in a hut with no electricity in a village in Rajasthan, where extreme heat is experienced in summer.


Why is it then; when a person who stretches their budget to buy a piece of jewelry as a gift, it is considered reasonable, whereas when a person splurges on an airplane it is much ballyhooed? Relatively speaking, both are inessential and a luxury. Besides the airplane continues to create employment for a raft of highly skilled people. Granted, more people are involved in the jewelry business than in aviation. It only underscores the fact that the goal is to enable more people to be afflicted with nano-affluentitus, so that more jewelry is purchased. And so why not enable more people to buy personal planes for pleasure, like so many people do in the developed countries?


The goal for India is to remove the "artificial barriers" that inhibit affluentitus. Artificial barriers are ones that decree whether one is engaged in legitimate business or in a "business" that breaks the law. Once upon a time there was a ban on importing gold. People engaged in the "business" of bringing in gold were dubbed "smugglers". A change in the laws, resulted in the collapse of a "lucrative" underground activity and legitimized those who continued to engage in this business. One such barrier today is the Land acquisition laws. Other artificial barriers are of the protectionist kind as to who can do what and who can't. Protecting the economy from external "threats" is one issue. Erecting internal barriers results in protecting the weak and stifling the strong. It is better to enable the strong to perform better and give the weak alternative opportunities.


The economic situation and state of technology is far better today than what the US faced in the 1930's. The challenges for India are somewhat similar in that the plight of the poor and the state of the infrastructure is probably worse than what it was in the US at that time. The industrialists of that period were referred to by the pejorative term, "Robber Barons". Many of these "Robber Barons" have left legacies that and it is affluentitis that made such legacies possible.


The much appreciated Taj Mahal is an example of "conspicuous consumption" legacy. After all it was a tribute by one man, albeit a king, to one woman his departed beloved. Today, affluentitis is not just the privilege of the Royalty of the past. It is much more widespread and present in just about every country. For instance even in Cuba, which "inhibits" affluentitis, it is enjoyed by Castro and his coterie. In many instances affluentitis is acquired through unethical means. Needless to say, that should be prevented.


India is going through a period of cognitive dissonance. People hero worship cricketers, but make snide comments about the money they make. On the one hand there is "talk" of double digit growth, but when it comes to execution there are many barriers due to bureaucratic reasons i.e. corruption and anti-affluentitis sentiment which is the prevailing mindset in India. While people are entitled to their opinions, this mindset often results in becoming obstructionist.


Affluentitis is an indelible fact and rather than being slighted, it should be encouraged and applauded when acquired through diligence, hard work and ethical means.


Inherited affluentitis has its merits, as well. Particularly when the inheritors take their windfall to greater heights.


Every family desires and aspires for a better life.  For some it is wishful thinking. Many are willing to put in the effort required and achieve upward social mobility. Affluentitus is the inherent desire of all such families. After all the goal of every parent ought to be to provide a better platform than their own for their kids, from which their kids can launch their careers. Only when opportunities abound and this happens abundantly, will an economy and society flourish.