Year of Hope

This forum has termed the year 2013 as half cooked. But as we end the year 2014 and as i cerebrated at self chosen intriguing place with family, the broth was fully cooked resulting in various changes that have created hope all around while there are still challenges of unknown and evil lurking around. But surely this year 2014 can be termed as a year of hope.

Most important of those changes was the installation of Narendra Modi at control of executive matters of India with absolute majority and old corrupt, inactive regime was removed. Without any bias one can say that the first six months of the new regime were heavier on decibels and less on contents.  But intent seems to be there and that has created hopes. Of course six months versus 10 years of misrule cannot be compared but still there is hope all around. I agree that in the  global context it’s just one of the developments but what matters  most for maybe one fourth of world's population, it is significant one despite  all the other sensational news breaks in the so called first world countries.  And yes its china is where the action (and reaction) still is and US being US its always deserve respect. Europe has its own welfare, immigration and productivity challenges.  Africa is unstable with regimes, wars and viruses. South America still flatters to deceive and then you have area from Israel in west and India in the east which for all the reasons still remains challenge to rest. We had seen many international crises in Ukraine Vs Russia, ISIS Vs humanity, China Vs others, India Vs Pak. Terror, unstable regimes, natural disasters have added to the misery. Climate changes have impacted life in form of droughts, floods. But despite there is hope as we see incidences and movements led by people like Malalas, Satyarthis, Amtes and many unsung people working for others.

A lucky general who rides on the fall of oil prices globally has helped Indian economy more than policy reforms which India Inc waited for in the post election era. Removal of subsidies, clearer policies for investors still elude us. Drastic reforms have been delayed but then intent is the word be it presentation on governance or cleanliness or be it make in India plan. 2015 will be landmark to see if electoral gains are capitalized or squandered upon. Opposition with as fringe element like TMC at helm (my favourite quiz master heading same ironically), is nonexistent. People of one state after another wanted strong leader and decisive governance.

On world stage ISIS and missing planes grabbed limelight, with US recovering under Obama and facing internal bickering be it healthcare, immigration or war on terror. Europe being as un-innovating, theoretical and welfare driven ageing economy as it can be has failed modern world. China continues to remain dominant but yet vulnerable,. Japan is taking on its rivals despite economic and geo-political challenges.  On this forum I said India has key role and it’s time to rise as i said on this forum, which has been endorsed by planned Obama visit on RD parade in 2015.

India is cauldron but politically it is much matured than what estimated by some established views. Old divisive politics does not matter. Now despite the established view creating much ado about nothing out of so called fringe elements focussing on conversions or an idiotic film or whatever 9 pm TV warrants for its trps, people don’t fall for such gimmicks anymore. We the people want change in day to day lives and we have hope. And most of states including Maharashtra endorsed similar trend where old divisive politics based on caste and religion have been ignored.

Maharashtra is also facing hope on its new CM. Families and casteists who have plundered Maharashtra since ages were shown the door. But then lack of absolute majority, caste driven politics are still challenges here. We had disasters like Malin and draught remains a big challenge along with farmer suicides. Most comforting fact is decline of so called barons and theirs clooneys, across right, left and centre.  Real hope for people of Maharashtra

In Pune we now have 2 MPs, 8 MLAs (100%) of same party which rules state and Delhi. But still we need a strong leader to solve civic issues be it BDP, metro, water, electricity, PMPL, roads, housing, crime control  and so on. Rains created panic but finally they made up the average numbers. Let’s hope we have intent in 2015 to resolve Pune Problems.

In world of business, recovery of US and oil price war eased the matters but still there is a threat of derailment of the recovery and there is terrorism. Technology has seen lot of investment in new game changing start-ups. FB and whatapp merging has unleashed upon us an evil of voyeurism, and ego which we have to guard our next gen.  But then we also have CSR growing and solutions for real problems of the world. Mobility also saw acceptance of standardization but interesting to see how Microsoft goes from where they were.  Apple seems to have lost its way a bit in the race with Google, Samsung. Cloud also got a move to serious business users finding their way. India was able to attract good confidence from FIIs resulting in good market returns. Also New government policies helped.  It will be really interesting to see if Make in India can be a reality not just a day dream.  India Inc and people have suffered a lot. Now there is hope.

On cricket, sudden retirement of the most successful captains has created turmoil at the yearend but once you remove conspiracy theories of match fixing and court matters, same incumbent made it very clear which form of cricket he prefers. I also have a question for Indian fans. Do we really care test cricket?  And yes whatever the purist in India, England and Australia say, the limited over is future and there is no harm in saying so especially if cricket needs to move from 8 teams to attest 30 40 good teams globally. Test cricket needs innovation to be spectator friendly. Though personally i love same in its current form it defies conventional wisdom. Thus we had a flop show in tests especially abroad. Younger generation don’t have hunger to toil for 5 days for same returns that they get playing for say 4-5 overs.  On world stage many promising cricketers have emerged raising hope for 15 when we have another big world cup event to look forward to. Time flies, it was just yesterday that we danced after that Dhoni’s six.

Marathi films had a great year with lots of takers to pay and watch at the theatre. The content ruled with some honest and some stereotype efforts.  Hindi films were disasters at least from my point of view. Apart from Queen the content was missing. They just used formulas. Though they might have raked 100 crore mullahs (I have real doubts on the collections numbers) but still we hope better movies in 2015.

On drama and music we had lot of hope as we saw many talented new comers.  

On personal note this year i lost personally many members in first family, which has been sad but then one has no control over such tragedies. Let’s hope our family has strength to absorb loss in 2015. On other side, it’s been a real happening year. I have fought with many people on social media forums this being election year but let me assure you that it was nothing personal and if have offended anyone hope to rebuild bridges in 2015. I did second leg of Wari as documented on this forum, worked on few personal goals successfully; I retired from round table but continued the work on education. I also had great time at some great locations, read few good books, and had gala time with old and new friends. Three were some changes personally and professionally and also my daughter turned into a teenager this year. Thus am gearing up for challenges in 2015.

Thanks 2014 for reviving hope and let 2015 realize them into reality.

2015

Its been  the year of change. There is a hint hope  as well as the challenge of unknown simultaneously.
Time to assess, analyze and move on to turn around hope into reality.
Its time to rise and make everything better around us.

Lets plan and succeed in 2015. Wish you happy new year 2015.

Nayak

Ganagot: a verbal portrait: Sabne Kaka

I had read a book named ‘Ganagot’ which were biographies of people who PL met in real life.  Being an ardent fan of PL, I had this idea to pen down some characters in real life like PL. Hope I create that generic feel out of personal experiences as in the original book.

SabaneKaka

Every night after 9 PM few music channels on TV and few FM channels play old songs.  Whenever I hear the eternal songs from films like Anaadi,  Madhumati, Chori Chori, my mind rides upon  a time machine to  reach a house very close to the foothill of Parvati (Those outside Pune will not know that there is a small hill which is used for exercise purposes for ages named Parvati. There are few good temples and views on the top of the whole city.) Those were the early 80s. DD was just gaining popularity. Households were buying black and white TVs from companies like EC, Dyanora, Crown.  Every Saturday they used to play a Marathi movie and on Sunday a Hindi movie. Those Marathi movies were either old mythological movies or musical dramas which we used to hate then, or biographies of the saints of Maharashtra, family drama, movies based on local dance called tamasha, few great comedies. We also had few great programs like Gajra: a collection of good literary pieces. But the star of the show was a Sunday movie invariably an old one. As a child, I  loved contemporary Amitabh or Mithun movies with customary fight sequences. Never then I realized that it's impossible for a single man (that too having lean physic of Amitabh) to defeat 20 odd villains in a fight to win over a lady. Maybe that's why we really believed that to win a lady you need to hit 20 people at a time when you grow up. Old movies were boring and that too if you were asked to walk say about 4 km from Sadashiv Peth to Parvati, it was a tough ask.  But then it was an incentive to visit Sabnekaka’s home as we had a separate room there where we could watch Parvati,   while elders saw the movie in the hall. But then you got to get interested in movie plots if you had to see them. I remember being perplexed by Vyjayantimala's double role in Madhumati while I enjoyed songs. I found Raj Kapoor funny.  I was impressed by Devanand in Guide and Jewel Theif  (never believed Ashok Kumar to be a villain at any point till it was exposed in the plot) But the darling was Kishore Kumar with comical presence and voice. The road from Sadashiv Peth to Parvati had another incentive of the detour to Saras Baug to play and eat bhel. We were promised a return journey by auto which depending on movie length was fulfilled when it was really late (late meant 9 30 then). But then we used to enjoy the whole Sunday movie experience thanks to the warm hospitality of sabne kaka and kaku with great food and comments. Sabne kaka is a gentleman personified. He is a professor in Maths and statistics. He had written many books. Very soft spoken quite contrary to the image of maths as a subject and that too as a teacher. I really wish I attended his class at Garware college where he used to teach. Later when I grew up, I came to know the trustee role he played in helping us grow in modernized housing. I don’t want to elaborate but that itself was rare those days. As we got our own TV, these sessions ended. In fact, since the mid-80s  to early 90s DD viewing was another experience as we all know. Sunday movies were shifted to Saturdays. Then in the 90s private channels and satellites entered our living rooms. Rest as they say is history with the explosion of entertainment and media. But still, whenever I hear a song from Madhu Mati or Chalti ka Naam,  I still remember those Sunday evenings.  The other day, I had a chance to meet Kaka. Kaku is no more. Sabne kaka is still the same as in those memories. Look forward to his blessings as always...

Time to rise

Each time a visit to so called first world country evokes same feeling of comparing systems, conditions, and almost everything under the sun. There is feeling of helplessness, frustration you get as you are in awe of life, systems, discipline, public awareness, initiative, functioning government and local bodies, efficient public transport, integrity, professional ethics. These are the attributes which make difference between where we are and where we want to be. Lots have been written, discussed by those qualified to speak on these issues and as well as in the kitty parties denouncing everything that is ‘desi’. I have heard it all and read it all. But this time there is hope and real chance for India to take leap. Now we at least have functioning government. Western Economies are facing sever challenges to sustain welfare policies which differentiate. They don’t have numbers that India or china has.  Skill development is hampered. In the interconnected environs they are visibly threatened by emerging economies.  So its the real time to rise and take a leap. As a child i had a dream to make India on par with foreign countries (though only exposure to that were Hollywood films and TV). As i travelled the world was closer but still we lagged. But now is the real chance. Thus I felt like writing and discussing on such well documented and discussed (to death) topic comparing west to India.

Having said that there is a functioning government, there are still road blocks. Petty politics still can emerge as we saw in Maharashtra. Vested interests can still survive like old foxes that eat flesh of pound every time. We still have miles to go. But then there is hope. Being strong Modi supporter, i still am hopeful as i haven’t seen Modi letting his guard down even with absolute majority.  But then anti-nationals can always rise thanks to strange politics.

But the real change will happen only when we change ourselves as citizens. Yes we need performing government but what we need to do is to inculcate the basic discipline, patriotism, ethic, professionalism, skill development. Only then we can dream about stepping into the realm of first world. How often we break traffic rules, pay bribes to get our work done. Or how clean we keep our surroundings?  Do we really do our job with professional ethics and substance?

And finally we need to manipulate world economical situation to our advantage. In the modern history of world, the countries which did that have qualified be it industrial revolution, colonialism, slavery, great wars, technology, services, manufacturing and so on. For that we need to have diplomatic and economic vision. Next 5 to 10 years or so are going to be defining years in the history of independent India. Is current govt under Modi adept enough? Only the time will tell. But i am hopeful. Let us rise and waste this opportunity.

On personal front been travelling to some great cities and parts of world. I express sincere apologies for being irregular on this page.  I cannot wait for December festivities as usual and the change of calendar as we head towards another year end. Wasn’t it just few months back we welcomed 14. Time flies, but this time it’s definitely time to rise.

It’s that time of the year again......

In this year of change, let’s hope we keep moving towards ‘Acche Din’. ‘Acche Din’ means days when you enjoy peace, prosperity and good health. Let you have quality time with family, hobbies, travel and satisfaction at work. May you have strength to overcome obstacles and difficulties.  Let’s spread the Diwali spirit and make small efforts towards helping those who really need.  Wishing a very Happy Diwali to you and to your near and dear ones.

 It’s that time of  the year again......

9/11 moment again

Thirteen is unlucky number. 13 years have gone by. I distinctly remember that Tuesday and time around quarter to 6 PM IST.  I was interviewing few candidates in a locality of Hyderabad. I had to catch my train back to Pune by 7. Interview was delayed and i rushed out of the ISBN office and reached station just to find that train was 45 mins late. So roamed in those lanes around station dominated by Kebab thelas, mosques, old houses. Majority of people were in their skull caps. And suddenly there was a black out due to electricity failure. There was some strange aerie feeling though i never knew what had transpired miles apart in New York at the same time. As I boarded train, no one had an idea. By nine after dinner, i took my berth and slept like a log to get up at Daund.  The paperwallahs were shouting “USA attacked”. Bought Sakal and Times to know what had happened. Coincidentally in the age of digital media, i got aware of 26/11 also on print media after reading papers delivered at home.  I had retired early after Indian victory over England in ODI on 26^th say by 10ish, as last night on 25^th Nov  I  had a night out due to work. That event on 9^th morning changed the world. Lots have been written about it. But for me only thing to add was world started taking Indian suffering seriously. Terrorism for India was local freedom fight hyphenated with Pak till then.  There were debates and most of the west dominated by liberalism questioned India while ignoring evil existing across Indian borders and within in some anti national quarters. I remember how US froze for almost fortnight. I travelled to Malaysia then on 1^st Oct and flight was empty. Security was beefed up everywhere. US now suffered pain which was meant till then for third world countries like India.  It was defining moment for humanity and personally as well as my daughter was born few months after....

Iraq and Syrian problem is another such moment we now face after 13 years. USA has been silent till now and now only showing intent after being provoked by killing of journalists. USA chose to remain watchfully patient as situational dynamics in those countries are tricky. Helping Syrian govt vs ISIS funded by its own allies is the dilemma.  USA has been conveniently choosy in having allies and only parameter is self interest. But things seem to be poised at a level where if uncontrolled cancer will spread and world will be a different place.   Support amongst section of Indian youths is also alarming. So we are again facing 9/11 moment. Another point is would like to criticize is double standard by liberals, secular media (fiberals as per definition by a friend), while denouncing Gaza attacks they chose to remain silent on genocide and atrocities in Iraq and Syria. Also is it not ironical that those who wanted to drown Indian Army in Kashmir have army as their only saviour to avoid being drowned. It’s high time some vested interests should answer mango people as they are the only ones who suffer and never the leaders or armchair philosophers.