tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-157870202024-03-23T11:26:40.890-07:00Randomness RedefinedAn Indian's perspective of the random happenings in his life and the world.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-80103416949601995482009-01-01T08:32:00.000-08:002009-01-01T08:37:40.050-08:00Circle of LifeRemember how we learnt a water cycle and a carbon cycle and a biomass cycle in school. Life is cyclic too, it seems.<br /><br />Three years back, I wrote <a href="http://randomnessredefined.blogspot.com/2006/01/cracked-cat.html">this post</a> sitting exactly where I am sitting today, hoping to go somewhere. I was then working for our family business.<br /><br />And today, having been there done that, I am back, starting a new innings again, and would rather be nowhere else. As they say, life comes a full circleMayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-3607331436510523702008-12-08T10:55:00.000-08:002008-12-08T10:57:20.853-08:00Commercialization of TerrorRecently, there has been a lot of talk around the politicization of terror. But the same people who seem to find the politicization of terror an abominable sin, have been indulging in the commercialization of terror.<br /><br />Let us look at the Indian media. First it ensured minute by minute coverage of the terror attacks, while putting its own journalists in the line of fire. While these media personnel were busy condemning politicians for visiting the terror sites, they forgot that journalists themselves were distracting security agencies from their jobs. A part of the security forces had to be deployed to ensure that overzealous journalists don’t get themselves killed. But each of them egged their correspondents on. And why not, it’s all about TRPs. If one channel doesn’t, someone else will. <br />After all, such attacks don’t take place everyday.<br /><br />And the live footage was easily revealing every commando movement, every action of the NSG. Thus the terrorists could easily have stayed forewarned, and prepare for what was coming at them. Makes you seriously doubt, whose side was the media on?<br /><br />I remember 9/11 coverage by the American media. Many channels had refused to make money out of the tragedy, with a self imposed moratorium of 2 days on commercial advertisements. Only public service ads were displayed during breaks. No such moratoriums by the Indian media. Every penny that could be made was to be made. <br /><br />To add to this, the soundbyte hungry media didn’t even have any pity on the rescued hostages. Every rescued survivor had a mike thrust in his face, for a description of his ordeal. The ubiquitous “How do you feel” (or “Aap kaisa mehsoos kar rahe hain”) was thrown at every individual willing to speak up. Those who wouldn’t respond were literally chased by the media. Even the great Barkha Dutt – the defining femme fatale of Indian journalism, was party to it, chasing down traumatized foreigners to the rescue vehicles.<br /><br />Despite such profound examples of sheer stupidity/ greed, what disgusted me the most about the media is that it kept patting itself on the back on completion of the commando operation. There were so many channels congratulating themselves for displaying exclusive footage. Others were happy that they brought to us uninterrupted coverage of the death and gore of the terror attacks. Still others celebrated their journalists, who risked their lives. (else their jobs might have been at risk)<br /><br />And to top it all, the Indian media wants to take up the leadership in bringing about security, and punishing the failed political leadership. Every Newspaper/ news channel worth its salt has created a marketing gimmick to connect itself with public anger. Times group has its “Mumbai Cares” and “Guts before glory” programs as CRM tools, while DNA has its “Eyes and Ears of Mumbai”. Aaj Tak has its “Aatank ke Khilaaf Ailan-e-Jung”. The list is endless. Each has their premium SMS service to which you can send a message; so that they can now monetize your anger.<br /><br />It is high time we start seeing through the gimmicks of the media, through the fake concern for the Indian people. Just like any other business, profits are their sole objective even if it means exploiting our emotions. For long enough, the media has hijacked the voice of the nation, its time to reclaim our voice from them.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-53393663837933162582008-11-29T05:30:00.000-08:002008-11-29T05:36:24.089-08:00Spirit of MumbaiHere’s a term that has been much abused - the spirit of Mumbai. Once again there are terror attacks on Mumbai, and once again, you can expect the term to be thrown around aplenty. The media and the politician will no doubt be looking to salute the spirit of Mumbai. So what is the spirit of Mumbai?<br /><br />The way it has been used after each terror attack just goes on to convince me that the spirit of Mumbai is a red herring. Coined by politicians and popularized by the media, it is a term used to distract people from the failings of the government to deal with government passivity to terror. Every time I see any politician cornered in a debate over the failure of the government, he will change the topic to appreciate the spirit of Mumbai, earning audience applause in the process. It has become an easy way to get out of tight corners for the nincompoop politico.<br />Of course, the spirit is no myth. Most offices (expect those in vicinity of the terror attack, like mine) conducted business as usual on Thursday and Friday. There was 100% attendance in most offices, trains were as crowded during peak hours. <br /><br />Though schools and colleges were closed, most coaching classes and private tuitions continued to be run as per schedules. Though people may have avoided getting out of their houses unnecessarily, one could still find hawkers in the street, most shops open. A remarkable feat, considering paramilitary and military forces were fighting with terrorists in a part of the city.<br /><br />Part of this spirit though is borne out of sheer necessity. Mumbai is an extremely competitive business minded city. If I don’t reach office, someone else will. My place on the road maybe taken up by another hawker, if I don’t turn up. If my shop has its shutters down, my customer will turn to the shop next door. Terror is no excuse for not working, for not performing. This city IS the business capital of India, and the business must go on. Only cricketers and politicians have the luxury of chickening out, of not doing their jobs.<br /><br />My request to every Mumbaikar is this: Yes, we are spirited. Yes we will continue to live like we have, terror or no terror. We will not be afraid of attacks. But let us not allow the politicians and the media to exploit our spirit. I request everyone that every time you hear the mention of the term ‘spirit of Mumbai’ look for ulterior motives. Look at if the person mentioning it is using it to divert our attention. Do not let applause to our spirit calm the sense of outrage, the anger within us. Stay angry. Ensure that terror is an election issue, for nothing else but votes matter to the politician. Enough is enough, we Mumbaikars need to draw the line. We will not be afraid of terror, but we will also hold our politicians accountable for it.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-20349889728886949562008-10-31T09:53:00.000-07:002008-10-31T10:12:34.978-07:00Changes during an economic downturnEver since disaster stuck Lehman, things havent been what they used to be. Slowdown and recession fears loom large. <br /><br />And you know that the economy is in dire straits when:<br /><br />• Industry associations forget ‘growth’ and speak about ‘costs’<br /><br />• Marketing becomes the popular choice over finance in b-school campuses<br /><br />• The statement “I am a banker” generates sympathy rather than envy<br /><br />• The ‘am’ in the above statement becomes a ‘was’<br /><br />• HR managers hope that attrition rises<br /><br />• Keynes replaces Friedman as theory of choice in economic text books<br /><br />• The word ‘regulation’ is written in favourable terms in pink papers<br /><br />• China becomes the’ savior’ instead of the ‘threat’ for the global economy<br /><br />• His race is not a problem if the president can handle the economy<br /><br />• The benefits of socialism are discussed outside the confines of Kerala and West Bengal<br /><br />• And finally this happens to the world's richest football club:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uZw63_j6UX31-QVVBZm6AXEgBo-f6im13itlp4zYRr3R7twGazv5JcB24I-qphxtiHfODMTKBSxbCxdgJ1G6dWiQMog9AlfiIRUs1nhmkMsdB0ivnwbr4ytAIVx6c87btpQ-Tw/s1600-h/Manchester_United_home_jersey+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 152px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uZw63_j6UX31-QVVBZm6AXEgBo-f6im13itlp4zYRr3R7twGazv5JcB24I-qphxtiHfODMTKBSxbCxdgJ1G6dWiQMog9AlfiIRUs1nhmkMsdB0ivnwbr4ytAIVx6c87btpQ-Tw/s400/Manchester_United_home_jersey+2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263366418897463122" /></a>Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-73683646964506440132008-01-15T10:25:00.000-08:002008-01-15T10:34:28.081-08:00Discovering Indian-ness – Part I: Cricket<p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">(As an effort to revive my blog, this is the first part of a multi part series on things that connect us as Indians, a common thread running through us. I am not sure how frequently will I be able to update the series, how many parts will there be to this series, or even if there will be a next part. <span style=""> </span>I very well realize that I run the risk of stereotyping Indians, but it is a part of an introspection process. <span style=""> </span>The idea is borrowed from <a href="http://correresmidestino.com/part-1-the-weather/">Zhu’s blog</a>, who is writing a series on Canadians.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">It would be the most obvious thing to say that we are such a diverse country. Some say there are 2 Indias, many go on to say there are too many Indias to count. And yet, we have not just survived 60 years as a nation, but we have whole-heartedly embraced the Indian identity, despite our differences, be they religious, linguistic, social or any of the many parameters that lead to the diversity of the nation. So what is it that forms an Indian within us? What is it that generates uniform sentiments amongst most of us, if not all of us? In this series, I will try my level best to answer these questions. Criticisms, ideas, opinions are all welcome)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Based on the above background, it would be anyone’s guess that my first article should be dedicated to cricket. </p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnxSub5j1WOOyWseJuIYSGQvHyCl2GbZv-jyKxo9bxtDPnbOdIitU9wEIInBbu9EVyji9KcnFo4v80FdAKyWQAIvpeU2gKm-c5iuuslHOLUv7UePA56LkZZAATiBmEtsK-SJdWQ/s1600-h/collage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnxSub5j1WOOyWseJuIYSGQvHyCl2GbZv-jyKxo9bxtDPnbOdIitU9wEIInBbu9EVyji9KcnFo4v80FdAKyWQAIvpeU2gKm-c5iuuslHOLUv7UePA56LkZZAATiBmEtsK-SJdWQ/s320/collage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155772660997346194" border="0" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Yes, Cricket! The topic on which every Indian has an opinion on, must have played some time in his life and thinks he can do a better job than the captain/coach leading the men in blue on the field. Hockey may be our official national sport, but to borrow from Pepsi, there is nothing official about cricket. If there is a cricket match, you can bet what the topic of conversation for the next few days is going to be. Cricket pervades through coffee tables, dinner conversations, roadsides, class rooms, tea-shacks, i.e. the works. If there is a TV in the open anywhere in the neighborhood, you can be sure that there will be a small crowd around it. Cricket is a universal ice-breaker in India, and people who have just met become close friends just based on cricket conversations.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Cricket is an import from England, but the sport has been truly Indianised. The Brits watch cricket with gentlemanly grace, Australians and South Africans with a can of beer, the West Indians with a touch of Calypso, but Indians watch it with passionate fervor, with devotion to the game. The Indian cricket team may not be the best in the world (except for the shortest version of the game), but I am sure every team would love to have supporters like the Indian cricket fans.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Cricket is played across the country, from east to west and north to south. Gully cricket is an important part of formative years of any kid in India. It doesn’t matter if you have the equipment or not, you can play cricket anywhere. The bat may take the form of a flat piece of wood, <i style="">Thaapi</i> (a washing instrument) from the wash room or just a hard cover book. Any kind of ball will do, and if it’s not there, a rolled up piece of paper or a small, rounded stone serves the purpose. <span style=""> </span>Any place is good enough to serve as the cricket pitch, be it an open ground, the staircase, the road or even classrooms during the recess. Your skill level is also no restriction for playing cricket, although being good certainly provides its own bragging rights.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">But bragging rights aren’t limited to playing the sport. Your knowledge of the sport is as important. Most Indians are arm-chair cricketers, who love to talk cricket. At such times, being able to throw in obscure cricket facts, pulling out player statistics and talking of on-field incidents can make you very popular. But be careful not to bluff, as it is very easy to get caught, given the mania surrounding the game. And that would be very embarrassing.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Indian cricketers have demi-god status in India, and are the richest cricketers in the world. Fan support remains unparalleled in the cricket world and can rival any other sport. <span style=""> </span>The Indian cricketers earn more from product endorsement than from playing the sports. However, this fan support has curtailed their public life severely, as Indian cricketers can’t be seen in public, as they carry the risk of being mobbed. However, the ire of fans is as passionate as their support. The average cricket fan takes defeat and non-performance very seriously. Even Sachin was booed in his home ground following India’s disgraceful exit from the World Cup. Past greats have faced the same fate, with both Gavaskar and Kapil facing questions on their role in the team towards the end of their careers. Sachin and Saurav have just managed to silence critics asking for their retirement.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">There are critics of the sport in India. Most of them consider it a waste of time, considering the length of a game. Others are just put off by the hype surrounding the game. Many accuse cricket of ruining the development of other sports in India. Still others aren’t able to digest the home team’s inconsistent performances. However, even the critics find it hard to ignore cricket, and you shouldn’t really be surprised if you find a critic as ardently following cricket.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Cricket has gone beyond the status of sport in India, and has often been referred to as a religion in India. However the passion for the sport is limited to international matches. Only recently has there been any interest in local leagues, which is essential for the development of the sports, as well as cricket retaining its status in India. I hope the interest continues, as cricket continues its status as the unofficial sport of India. </p> <br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_d2Fb-IJxlQ&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_d2Fb-IJxlQ&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">Jeetega bhai Jeetega!!!<o:p></o:p></i></p>Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-25330630787093492102007-10-17T23:11:00.000-07:002007-10-19T15:31:25.604-07:00France: At Crossroads?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4D7OqBeaYbmpEwOTt7Gs5lBa2xHO0UCbeWd4pipwvL3ES9n2cZOzC4lSF8QZ5TNB5S9tXR10LHBOenkT06Y6Af1nljdkP6JA8uWcRswsJAX8ceREOzAgdRGJDXkr_JhIF4VVZyQ/s1600-h/Sarkozy_edited.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4D7OqBeaYbmpEwOTt7Gs5lBa2xHO0UCbeWd4pipwvL3ES9n2cZOzC4lSF8QZ5TNB5S9tXR10LHBOenkT06Y6Af1nljdkP6JA8uWcRswsJAX8ceREOzAgdRGJDXkr_JhIF4VVZyQ/s320/Sarkozy_edited.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123176116765231154" border="0" /></a>It’s been a long time since I blogged. When I last blogged, I never thought I would be blogging the next time sitting in Paris.<span style=""> </span>Well I have to sit, as I have walked more than 10 km today. The walk was interesting and enjoyable, given the beautiful weather and the even more beautiful Parisian architecture to admire. But I did not walk the distance so that I can talk about the weather or beautiful buildings (there might be a post on that too, you never know). I was forced to walk to my college in Paris because of a train strike, which brings me to the topic I wish to address today. <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Strike? In France? Isn’t France supposed to be a capitalist country? (Did I take some of our communist friends from Calcutta with me?) I had the same perception of France when I left India a month ago. I have been trying to understand French politics, its people and a bit of its history, and I am surprised that France has at all been capitalist.<span style=""> </span>The people and successive governments in France have adopted socialistic policies. Unions in France are very strong; the right to strike, vacation, pension and social security are almost sacrosanct. Privatisation is a bad word, and people really don’t trust corporations. Perhaps the only thing capitalistic about France is that it recognizes the right to private property.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The French economy isn’t doing too well, and there are reasons for that. European integration has lead to free movement of goods, capital and people. Capital has migrated out of France in search of lower wages, people have moved into France in search of higher wages and goods have found higher prices. Unemployment and illegal immigration are just the tip of the iceberg of French problems. In order to solve the unemployment issue, France had adopted a rather, ahem, “interesting” policy of mandatory 35-hour work weeks for all employees in France. <span style=""> </span>(While some employment was created in the process, the labour bills of many French companies shot up and they are struggling to be competitive today). Economic growth has been sluggish (hovering around 2%) and inflation is up, especially since the introduction of Euro in France.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""> </span>France pays great retirement benefits to all employees, which are taken out of the taxes collected annually (France doesn’t have a pension fund). With an aging populace, fewer people are working every year (to pay taxes) while more number of people get added to the retired list (to enjoy pension and retirement benefits). To add to its woes, France also has one of the earliest retirement ages in all of Europe, and also allows earlier retirement (than the retirement age) in many jobs. This allows some people to pay taxes for fewer years than period of their retirement benefits. The retirement benefits have led to some fiscal disarray. To further complicate matters, taxation is a taboo subject in French politics. Being a part (rather a founder) of the European Union, France is obliged to exercise fiscal discipline, keeping its fiscal deficit under control. France needs to cut down its spending on retirement benefits. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Against this backdrop, the last elections in France were held. Nicholas Sarkozy, the current president of France won the elections with a slogan of “Rupture”, which was telling the people that we need to change our ways drastically, if we wish to grow. Any person would be forgiven for saying that Sarkozy could not have won the election. Sarkozy is the son of an Hungarian immigrant and his promises included taking away benefits rather than extending benefits to the people. Sarkozy promised sweeping reforms and gave slogans like “Work more to earn more” to the vacation-loving French. However, Sarkozy had proved his mettle as interior minister during the riots that raged through Paris last year. More surprising than his victory was the popularity- ratings that he enjoyed after the polls. Sarkozy had effectively managed to get the people of France to agree in principle that change was needed in the way things had traditionally been done in France, which by itself was no small achievement.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Sarkozy, along with his labour minister Xavier Bertrand have started trying to implement their promises, and the first task they took on was taking away the early retirement option extended to rail employees, firemen and electricity workers in France. This has led to the strike with which I began my blog. This is the first crisis for Sarkozy, and for the first time in ages, there has been an unpopular strike in France. How things shape up after this may decide the future course of French politics for years to come </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I had the option of skipping my classes, but one of the reasons I chose to walk to my institute was to show solidarity with Nicholas Sarkozy, for I believe he is a man who can set things right in France. I’ll be leaving France in December, but it is always great to see a politician strive hard and stick to his guns for what he believes is right for the country. I hope some Indian politicians are learning something.</p>Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1156263380554581792006-08-22T09:14:00.000-07:002006-08-22T09:16:20.576-07:00Ball Tampering Controversy: Tragedy or Farce???Once more, the gentleman’s game is surrounded by controversy. An umpire, Darrell Hair with a history of accusations of racial bias, accuses a team, Pakistan, with a history of ball tampering of doing the same. The captain walks off with his team, which forces the umpires to award the match to England. ICC, too didn’t take too high a view of the Pakistani team’s actions, and has initiated action against the Pakistani captain. Inzamam returned the favour, accusing Darrell Hair, and the ICC of racial bias.<br /><br />The Pakistani media, as expected has lashed out at both Darrell Hair and the ICC. But given the fact that senior Pakistani bowlers have admitted to regularly tampering the ball, is it possible to give them the benefit of doubt? Such things get ingrained in the sporting cultures of countries. It is not the first time the Pakistanis have been accused of ball tampering. These allegations have come from non white players as well. But then, the proof of ball tampering available is only as credible as the proof against Darrell Hair’s racial bias. There are only historical actions and perceptions in either case.<br /><br />Not that Darrell Hair, or the ICC for that matter, is free from racial bias. Darrell Hair’s actions seem to personify the anti-Asian bias, with Hair having gotten into the hair of players from all Asian cricketing countries. Muralitharan, Harbhajan, Shabbir and Danish have all been accused of chucking. The evidence of ball tampering seemed grossly inadequate, and no camera captured any footage of ball tampering. Yet, he accuses the team of ball tampering and deducts 5 runs, at a point of time where the match was very exciting.<br /><br />Inzamam’s reactions too, were immature, leading his team off the field. What did he expect the umpires to do? Wait for an eternity, for the Pakistanis to make up their minds whether the want to play or not? Pakistanis could have continued playing, lodging a formal protest with the ICC later.<br /><br />ICC has not been a saint either. Cricket was deemed to be the white man’s game, and that the power has shifted from England to Asia, hasn’t gone down too well with some of the whites. There have been racial comments about poor standards of umpiring of Asian umpires, but one can only look at the controversies created by the so-called ‘elite panel’ of umpires, to understand their standards. Steve Bucknor has regularly taken controversial decisions, many a times having match altering impacts. One of the reasons that Sachin hasn’t been able to perform has been poor umpiring, some umpires just seem to be too eager to give him out.<br /><br />And now the latest twist: Pakistan wants BCCI to use its muscle to help it. After all, Asians should stand together, they argue. But what has the PCB done to seek such favours? The PCB comments over Gavaskar’s favoritism in the appointment of Shrinath as Match referee, haven’t exactly endeared them to the BCCI. Indians have always helped Pakistanis, with Dalmiya changing ICC rules so that Shoaib could play in Australia despite the chucking allegations. But PCB has never been willing to share a reciprocal relationship. Ehsan Mani’s comments over not have a major ICC event in India don’t exactly encourage co-operation with Pakistan. Why then, does PCB expect help in cleaning up its mess?<br /><br />The above events were unfortunate, and avoidable. But the immaturity from either side has turned the situation into a farce, with off-the-field events making more news than on-field events. Just hoping that the air clears, and we can get back to focusing on the game.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1153684631462563232006-07-23T12:49:00.000-07:002006-07-23T12:57:11.476-07:00Tradeoffs Involved in Indirect Taxation<p>Economics is all about trade-offs. The government too, faces such tradeoffs while coming out with any economic or financial policy. Such is the case while deciding indirect taxes. This article has been written with the intention of analyzing the effects of indirect taxation on the market equilibrium, which leads to the analysis of constraints on the government while deciding taxes.<br /><br />The objective of indirect taxation (or any form of taxation for that matter) is to maximize the revenue generated for the government. In that context, high tax rates would be ideal. But as we shall see very high tax rates are also undesirable, as they tend to stifle economic growth, as well as contribute to inflation. Hence the government is caught in a balancing act, where it needs to trade-off revenue generation in the favour of economic growth.<br /><br />(The analysis has been made keeping in mind the Indian scenario. This includes underlying assumptions of a democratic setup, a significantly large poor and lower middle class vote-banks, and a rapidly growing economy.)<br /><br /><br /><strong>Effect of Indirect taxes on Market Equilibrium:</strong><br /></p><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3959/1473/640/demand%20supply.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3959/1473/320/demand%20supply.0.jpg" border="0" /></a><p><br />In a market with no indirect taxes, at equilibrium, the price paid by the consumer is the same as the price obtained by the seller. If Ps is the price obtained by the seller, and Pc is the price paid by the consumer, then Ps=Pc. Qe is the equilibrium quantity.<br /><br />An introduction of indirect taxes causes a change in equilibrium. Now Ps is no longer the same as Pc. Rather Pc > Ps, by an amount t, which is the tax paid to the government, i.e. Pc = Ps + t. Also, there is a reduction in the equilibrium quantity, from Qe to Q* as shown in the diagram below.<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3959/1473/640/indirect_tax1.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3959/1473/320/indirect_tax1.0.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><br />From the above diagram, the following conclusions are drawn:<br />i. The Consumer ends up paying a higher price. If the demand is relatively elastic, there is less incidence of the tax on the consumer, but if the demand is relatively inelastic, the consumer bears the major brunt of the tax.<br />ii. The Seller gets a lower price. In case of an inelastic demand, the seller can pass of a major brunt of the tax to the consumer, but in a relatively elastic demand, the seller has to bear the major brunt.<br />iii. There is a reduction in the quantity consumed at equilibrium. The more inelastic the demand, the lesser is the reduction in consumption. The greater the tax amount, the higher the fall in consumption.<br />iv. The difference between Pc and Ps is the tax that goes to the government. In order to maximize tax revenues, items with relatively inelastic demands, i.e. necessities should be taxed.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Revenue maximization and Constraints</strong><br /><br />In order to maximize its tax revenues, the government can either impose high taxes on non-necessary (luxury) items, or impose taxes on necessities, so as to minimize any tax loss due to fall in consumption. However, both options are subject to severe constraints.<br /><br />A high rate of taxation leads to a fall in consumption. Any fall in consumption leads to a slowdown in the production of that particular good. In addition, the rise in price for the consumer leaves him with lesser disposal income to spend, which in turn will cause a further fall in consumption. Hence, a high rate of taxation on too many goods may lead to a general industrial slowdown. This is not desirable for the government, as the government does not wish for a recession in the industry, which will bring down the growth rate of the economy in general.<br /><br />(Although this may not always be true. In an ideal scenario, the government is the biggest spender, and the revenues collected by it will be pumped back into the economy. This will again give an impetus to the industry. A recession on higher incidence of tax hence, is not a certainty. But in the Indian context, due to the leakage in the system, and on account of a significant proportion of defence expenditure, a relatively smaller percentage of the revenue makes it back to the national economy.)<br /><br />Similarly, imposing taxes on necessities has its own political connotations. Also, the tax burden in case of necessities can be almost entirely passed on to the consumer. As the consumer cannot run away from necessities, the rich and the poor are equally affected by indirect taxation. The price rise of necessary goods causes an increase in inflation, which has always been a politically sensitive issue. Any government wishing for public good will does not want a rise in inflation.<br /><br />Thus the government is severely constrained in terms of ways to generate revenue from indirect taxation. Any government looking for a healthy growth rate will always keep tax rates moderate, while looking for other sources of revenue. Political pressures also keep governments from taxing necessities, especially in a country where the price of onions decides the future of the government. <a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a> Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1150728993806364722006-06-19T07:42:00.000-07:002006-06-21T01:07:58.936-07:00Adios, Mumbai<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3959/1473/1600/mumbai.1.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3959/1473/320/mumbai.1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Well, its time to say good-bye to Mumbai, at least for some time. I am headed to Kolkatta (Joka, to be exact) to do my MBA at IIM C. Not that this is the first time I will be away from my beloved city, but this seems to be the longest period I will be staying away, and will miss the sights and sounds of the lovely city. Here is a list of the things I will miss the most about the city.<br /><br />Being a foodie, the street food of Mumbai is placed high on my list. The variety of foods offered on the streets of Mumbai is a delight. (Needless to say, very easy on the pocket too). From the ubiquitous <em>Vada Pavs</em> (They have been branded as well in Mumbai) to the different types of “puris” (No, not the Amrish and Om types), i.e. <em>Bhel Puri, Pani Puri, Sev Puri, Dahi Batata Puri</em> etc. etc.; all are my culinary favourites. Add to the list roadside sandwiches, Pav Bhaji, Kulfi, Chinese and another Mumbai specialty, the <em>Golas</em>. Made from crushed ice laced with sherbets of different flavours, these are a relief from the scorching heat.<br /><br />Well the street food reminds me of the best place to relish them: The Beach. “<em>Chowpatti jaayenge, Bhel Puri khaayenge</em>” was made famous by Rishi Kapoor. And the beaches of Mumbai are certainly one of the best places to enjoy the Mumbai street food. In addition, the strolls with family as kids, football matches with friends, sand castles, and sunsets are all parts of memorable evenings spent on the beaches of Mumbai.<br /><br />Traveling in Mumbai isn’t easy with the crowded local trains and BEST buses. And yet I will miss them, for they are a quintessential part of Mumbai. (I am sure the “100 years of bringing people closer” slogan for centenary celebration of railways must have been inspired by a peak hour Virar train). The public transport in Mumbai may be far from convenient, but it is cheap, efficient and quick, especially the Mumbai locals.<br /><br />What makes Mumbai special is the security one feels while moving around the city. I have no data or figures to support it, but I believe Mumbai is one of the most secure cities in the country. Petty crime is very limited, and is not the biggest worry the common Mumbaikar. One can travel across Mumbai at anytime, and yet feel safe and secure.<br /><br />Having stayed in the same suburb of Mumbai all my life, I will really miss taking long walks down the roads of Borivali. It is almost impossible to walk around this area without bumping into someone I know.<br /><br /><em>Ganeshotsav</em> in Mumbai is something special, something in which every individual from all walks of life involves himself. The <em>Ganeshotsav</em> has become an integral part of the Mumbai identity. I especially enjoyed visiting various pandals to see the creative forms in which Lord Ganesh was portrayed. (I know Durga Pooja holds a similar charm in Kolkatta, but I am not sure whether you can actually enjoy dancing during the <em>visarjan</em> the way one does in Mumbai.)<br /><br />But what I will really miss is the people of Mumbai. And by people I don’t mean my friends and family (Of course, I will miss them too!). I mean the common man of Mumbai, the Mumbaikar. Resilient, helpful, honest, cosmopolitan individuals that make Mumbai the great city it is, a microcosm of India.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1149843631183915032006-06-09T01:58:00.000-07:002006-06-21T01:04:50.396-07:00Football World Cup: Missing TalentsThe greatest sporting spectacle, the football (soccer for the Americans) World Cup starts today. The sport is the most followed in the world. And there has been a huge build up to the sport, with all leading dailies in India (a country, which hasn’t ever qualified for the World Cup) dedicating a lot of print space to it. “All the best football and all the best contemporary players will be on display”, they claim.<br /><br />Well, I certainly hope for the best football, but the world cup will definitely miss out on some of the greatest contemporary players. Some due to injury, others, due to non-qualification of national teams, and yet others due to coaches preferring younger players.<br /><br />Wayne Rooney’s injury has been much publicized, with Englishmen ready to cite his injury as an excuse for not winning the World Cup (Not that too many are betting on England to win anyways).But Rooney is an exciting player, and amongst the best strikers in the World today, and neutrals like me would love to watch him play (recent reports show that Rooney may be able to play in the world cup). Djibril Cisse, French striker fractured his foot in a friendly against China, which leaves him out of the World Cup. Other players on the doubtful-due-to-injury list include the mercurial S&M player Mateja Kezman, Euro 2004 top-scorer and Czech striker Milan Baros, teammate Vladimir Smicer, and more recently, the Dutch trio of Phillip Cocu, Van Bronckhorst and Wesley Sneijder, all limping off in a friendly against Australia.. Claudio Reyna, Roque Santa Cruz, Rafael Van der Vaart and Golden boot favourite Andriy Shevchenko are on the list too.<br /><br />Aging players will also be missing, especially with teams whose coaches have a fetish for youth. Edgar Davids, Roy Makaay and Clarence Seedorf, all in good form, will miss the World Cup, losing their position to younger players. The Dutch coach Marco Van Basten has gone in for a young squad, forcing viewers to miss the talents of these players. Darren Bent, who impressed all (all but Eriksson) with his performance in the Premiership will also be missing.<br /><br />Senegal, which beat defending champs France in the last World Cup, Wales, Colombia, Ireland are some teams which have not qualified for World Cup this time. Hence the talented players from these teams will obviously be missing. Which means the likes of Diof, Cisse, Keane, Cordoba, Moreno etc. will also be absent from the World Cup scene.<br /><br />But the player I will miss the most this World Cup is arguably one of the greatest left- wingers in the world, drawing comparisons with George Best, and like Best, a player who hasn’t played any World Cup. This was the last chance for this Welsh Wizard to prove his mettle on the greatest stage, but again, Wales couldn’t qualify. Yes, I am talking about Ryan Giggs.<br /><br />Ryan Giggs has been one of the stars at Manchester United, causing havoc in opponent’s defence with his dribbling on the left flank. He has been the cause of many United victories, and even at 33 years of age, played a pivotal role this season in ensuring Manchester United a second place in the league.<br /><br />The other players mentioned in this article have had their World Cup moments, or can look forward to playing the World Cup in the future. But Ryan Giggs will be one footballer who never got an opportunity to set alight the World Cup, the grandest footballing event, with the magic only he can unleash.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1148299609138518112006-05-22T05:05:00.000-07:002006-05-22T05:06:49.160-07:00Stock Market Crash and the EconomyFor the past three years, the stock market has seen an unprecented rise. From languishing in the 4000s, the stock market has risen to more than 12000. Simultaneously, the Indian economy had been growing consistently at a rate of more than 8%. Different reports indicated that India and China would be the drivers of growth of the world economy.<br /><br />Many experts claim that the rise in stock market is an indicator of the growing economy. It was our robust economy that had attracted foreign institutional investors (FIIs) towards the BSE. Many reasons were given for the continued FII romance with the stock exchange. However, all, of a sudden, the markets seem to be crashing. FIIs have panicked into selling, and others are following them.<br /><br />All it took was the rumour of a bill on taxing stock market investors in the same way as traders are. The FM started shouting his favourite word, whenever the stock markets falls, i.e. “Conspiracy” , and denied all reports of such a tax. **Digression: The Sensex crash couldn’t have come at a worse time for the government. It coincides with the completion of two years in power, and the middle class is upset over reservations. The Congress has done poorly in two states that had gone to polls recently. The government-bashing left has just grown stronger. End of Digression **. This did not pacify the FIIs, and the Sensex continues to fall. If the stock market is indeed a function of the economy, then does it mean that are economy can sink because of a rumour?<br /><br />Experts have always linked stock market boom to the boom in Indian economy. While I am no expert, I never quiet agreed with them. I have always held the belief that stock market rise is all about sentiment. If the market sentiment is good, the stock market will do well even if the economy and industry in general don’t. It has been seen time and again that a few individuals can manipulate the stock markets for their personal gains.<br /><br />The market may be one of the factors that moves the economy, but is certainly no indicator of the economy. But this does not mean that the FM can relax while the market falls. The bad sentiment from the market starts affecting other sectors very soon, spreading depression. The Finmin must ensure that a positive sentiment prevails once again in the market.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1147710770267317092006-05-15T09:30:00.000-07:002006-05-15T09:32:50.280-07:00Anti Reservation Protests: We are still the Land of the MahatmaTake a poll today, and you will find that there are more fans of Bhagat Singh amongst the youth than those of Mahatma Gandhi. Much of the youth feels that violence was more potent a weapon against the British than non-violence. “ Maar do saale ko”, shouts the latest blockbuster Rang de Basanti, in which a corrupt politician is murdered by the protagonists. The mass appeal of the movie, and the way it has influenced the Indian youth makes one believe that the present generation feels that violence is a valid form of protest.<br /><br />And yet, when it comes to the real-life political issue that has got the youth of India protesting, i.e. Mandal-II, it is a pleasant surprise that all protests have been non-violent at the students end. All violence that has occurred during the protests has been by the government machinery. It is the police who have lathi-charged the protesting doctors in various cities. There have been no instances of students being arrested, trying to kill Arjun Singh, the perpetrator of the crime of dividing the nation on caste lines, as the protagonists in RDB did. There have been no instances of youth being arrested trying to bomb the parliament, even though they haven’t received an iota of support from any political party.<br /><br />But one definitely sees protest marches, similar to those against the Simon Commision. We do get to see non-violent protesters braving against lathi charges in the vein of Lala Lajpat Rai. And we see these young protesters, resorting to Bapu’s beloved weapon, the hunger strike. Add to these new forms of non-violent protests that technology has armed them with. Online petitions, blogs, chain e-mails and SMS have all been an active part in their campaign against reservations. Humour has been used to good effect, with some e-mails suggesting a reservation in the Indian cricket team, where the opposition bowls at reserved category players at a lesser pace.<br /><br />Brash, rebellious, irrational are some epithets commonly hurled at youngsters. But the decency and calm with which the youth of the country has protested reservations in higher education, just goes to show the maturity of the youth of today. They may adore Bhagat Singh, but are equally adept at using the Mahatma’s methods.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1147503460105081722006-05-12T23:55:00.000-07:002006-05-12T23:57:40.123-07:00Assembly Elections 2006: A SnapshotThe Assembly election results are out, and have surprised no one. In all states except Assam, the people have voted decisively in favour of one party or alliance.<br /><br />In Bengal and Kerala, the left has swept the polls. So did the DMK alliance in Tamil Nadu. While the results were as expected by psephologists, the magnitude of victory has surprised a few. There were a few reasons for this.<br /><br />In Kerala (as in Tamil Nadu), it has always been seen that in every elections, the alliance which is in opposition wins the polls. As the Left Democratic Front (LDF) was in opposition in Kerala assembly, it was bound to win owing to the anti-incumbency factor. Added to that was the fact that the national leadership of Congress didn’t speak to much against the Left during their campaigns, as the Left was supporting the Congress government at the centre. However, the left (as always) continued to blast both the governments, the UPA in the centre, and the UDF in Kerala. So was the case in West Bengal as well.<br /><br />In Bengal, added to the muted campaign by the Congress, the opposition was in a complete state of disarray. The CPM had effectively blackmailed Congress from staying out of the ‘Mahajyot’ of Mamata Banerjee. Budhadeb Bhattacharjee’s work had floored Calcuttans, and for a change, Calcutta voted for CPM. CPM baiters had been crediting scientific rigging for CPM’s long stay in power, but even the worst critics were forced to admit that elections this time were free and fair.<br /><br />In Assam Congress reached near the majority mark, which is an achievement in itself, as Assam has a history of voting out the incumbent government. Again the benefits of a split opposition were all too clear. The AGP had suffered a split, with former CM Prafulla Mahanta forming his own party, and neither tying up with the BJP.<br /><br />In Tamil Nadu, the elections were expected to be too close to call, but the DMK-combine swept the poll. CPM and Congress benefited from the largess shown by the DMK, and won a large number of seats in TN. Amma was decisively voted out. A part of the loss could be blamed on actor Vijaykanth, whose party, the DMDK, ate 7% of AIADMK vote.<br /><br />The Assembly polls show major gains for the left front and major losses for Congress in Kerala & West Bengal. This would mean a more aggressive left front, and a weaker government at the centre. The good results for parties like DMK will revive talks of a non-Congress, non-BJP third front. SP and CPM have been dropping hints on the formation of third front for quite some time. The BJP was a non-entity in all these states (Except Assam), and nothing was expected from the BJP. However, the poor showing in WB and Assam further weakens the BJP standing in national politics.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1146893003970718552006-05-05T22:22:00.000-07:002006-05-05T22:23:23.986-07:00Kid's Channels in India: An EvolutionKids these days are pampered with choice. Look at the TV channels for them: Cartoon Network, Pogo, Hungama, Animax, Nickelodeon and 2 channels from Disney (I hope I didn’t miss any). Kids are a big market, and influence the choice of many FMCGs purchased (from biscuits to toothpaste), and hence these channels do great business.<br /><br />When I was a kid, all I had during vacation was 2 hours of dedicated programming for kids on the metro channel of Doordarshan, called as fun-time. That was before the private TV channels hit India. Even after that, there was little focus on kids, with regular channels providing time-slots for kids programming. <br /><br />The first big step in dedicated children’s entertainment was Cartoon Network or CN. CN also started sharing time with TNT, a movie channel. CN showed cartoons in the day, and TNT showed movies evening onwards. During that time it was believed that at primetime, children lost control on the TV. Soon Cartoon Network shattered the myth, by successfully becoming the first 24 channel for children in India.<br /><br /> Nickelodeon was launched at around this time, but it couldn’t make similar inroads. Indian kids found most of the shows too foreign to relate to. So CN continued its monopoly on the Indian market, with no other Channels coming to the fore. To tap into the rural Indian market, CN gave the option between Hindi and English subscription. But CN realised that with its total emphasis on cartoons, it was missing out on the tweens and early teens’ market. So CN came out with Pogo, a channel targeted at these age groups.<br /><br />But in the past three years, a flurry of channels has come to India. Animax hit India with Japanese anime. Disney who till now, had been content with providing content to other channels, started two channels. Hungama was there, but it too spiced up its channel from being a non-descript, obscure channel to a prime competitor in the race.<br /><br />And yet, the rural kids market is up for grabs. And why? Because of the same reason Nickelodeon didn’t work in India. Rural kids found many of the concepts too alien. That’s where Doordarshan scored with Shaktimaan. An Indian superhero saving Indians (and sometimes the universe), in locations they can relate to, with themes they are familiar with, speaking a language they understand. Shaktimaan became a huge hit all over India. No more marshmallow-chewing Americans saving the world.<br /><br />TV channels have recently caught up to this trend. Disney has launched two Indian shows, Hatim & Aryamaan (which was on DD for some time). It plans to start an animated series, Hanuman (the movie that became such a hit with little ones). Pogo had roped in Shaktimaan a long back. Hungama also has its “Hero”. Cartoon network has started Raja Hindustani on Sundays for showing cartoons based on Indian legends. But going by CN’s previous ventures of Tenali Rama, and Akbar-Birbal, CN tends to cast characters into western stereotypes, which is why they don’t become popular in India.<br /><br />With tremendous IT expertise, India has the potential of bringing about its own culture of animation series, just as Japan did so successfully. The success of Hanuman, the first full-length Indian animated series, has shut the naysayers up, who raised doubts about the acceptability of anime in Indian markets. Though technically not the most perfect animated film, Hanuman was able to do great business just because kids were able to relate to it. The children’s entertainment industry should take lessons from this.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1146199893341606592006-04-26T21:50:00.000-07:002006-04-27T21:51:33.356-07:00The Irrelevant SMS PollsAll News channels have hit upon the new source of revenue: SMS Polls. Everyday there is a poll on one of the top stories of the day on each channel. In fact on many a channels, there is a show, that actually goes around what is the response of the people. But other than being sources of revenue for these channels, do these polls hold any significance?<br /><br />Some of the questions asked by the polls such that people can vote in just one way. Look at this question: Should Rahul Gandhi assume a greater responsibility in Congress? Now be it a supporter, or a detractor of Rahul Gandhi, he would vote in the affirmative. If Rahul Gandhi isn’t going to take more responsibility in the Congress, why the hell is he there for?<br /><br />Yet other questions are completely open to interpretation. Consider this question asked on one of the News channels: Will Rahul Gandhi’s presence make a difference to Congress in UP? Well it all depends on what does one mean by difference. If they mean that Congress gets a few more seats, then the answer would be yes. If it means Congress becomes a major force in the UP Vidhan Sabha, No. (That’s too much for Rahul Gandhi to achieve, even though the media would like to attribute god like powers to him.)<br /><br />I have been a critic of “Don’t Know/Can’t Say” (DKCS) option in polls. If you don’t have an opinion, why vote? However, there are times when it is the best resort. Some of the questions raised are such that only experts can have the answer. At such times one can use the DKCS option. If a large number of people vote in this fashion, it is equivalent to making the statement to the poll holder that the general public doesn’t understand the complexity of the issue. According to me all answers to the polls on nuclear deal between India and US should have been DK/CS.<br /><br />And how does one ensure that the votes form a good sample set? There has always been this controversy on SMS polls, as one person is allowed more than one vote. So a person who feels strongly about the issue (or has his mobile bills paid by his company) may vote multiple times, while others may not. How then, can that poll hold any significance?<br /><br />All in all, these polls are revenue generation tools for news companies. I don’t think even the news channels take their polls seriously.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1145885265027994122006-04-24T06:20:00.000-07:002006-04-25T02:26:36.696-07:00Happy Birthday, God!<a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1931/tendulkar2crop44538wp.jpg" border="0" width="140" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" /></a> <a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/8625/untitled2cy1.png" border="0" width="200" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" /></a><br /><p>Sachin Tendulkar may want his birthday to be a quiet affair, so the least fans like us can do is wish him a very Happy Birthday. The last season may not have been the best for him, nor his health, but we fans definitely believe that the God of Indian Cricket will soon be back to his peak form, demolishing bowling attacks like only he can.</p><p>So heres wishing the little master a very very Happy Birthday! May the next year bring in lots of good luck and form for him!!!</p>Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1145121181440730012006-04-15T10:08:00.000-07:002006-04-15T10:13:01.456-07:00On AtheismAtheism seems to be ubiquitous. From Amartya Sen and Ananth Pai, to most of the bloggers I communicate with, everyone claims to be an atheist. This post isn’t intended to comment on the validity of atheism as a philosophy. It is just an attempt by a devout, religious person like me (I hope I am not burnt at stake for this) to understand the reason(s) behind atheism’s growing popularity.<br /><br /><strong>Being an atheist is modern/cool.<br /></strong>Atheism implies rejection of God and religion and with it the baggage of tradition that comes along with religion. So an atheist sets his own rules. He can go around shouting I’m a rebel like Aamir Khan in RDB. It hardly matters if he has a reason for rejecting a particular tradition. It is cool to bash tradition anyway.<br /><br /><strong>Being an atheist is convenient.</strong><br />In a world torn apart by religious fundamentalism, it is very convenient (especially for bloggers) to be an atheist. This allows the blogger to criticise fundamentalism in any particular religion, without having defend the religion indicated by his surname. It also allows him to choose the traditions and festivals convenient to him. “I will burst crackers on Diwali because I enjoy them. Why should one waste time on Lakshmi Poojan? I don’t believe in God anyways.”<br /><br /><strong>Being an atheist is intellectual<br /></strong>That one is an atheist automatically implies that one has the capability to think for himself, as one must not have rejected a widely held belief like God just for the heck of it. Being an intellectual, (and hence atheist) is especially important to all writers. Who will buy their books if the public doesn’t believe that the author is giving them some independent thought?<br /><br /><strong>Being an atheist is secular<br /></strong>In fact, the dictionary meaning of secular doesn’t leave much difference between <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=atheism" target="_blank">atheism</a> and <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=secularism" target="_blank">secularism</a>. Considering the Indian definition, which means equal respect for all religions, atheist show equal amount of contempt for all, and hence fit the secular bill.<br /><br /><strong>Being an atheist is rational and scientific<br /></strong>The concept of God implies something all-powerful and supernatural. Both these concepts are beyond scientific rationale. Hence God and religion automatically become unscientific and irrational. Acceptance of God requires the humility to accept that there are things beyond human comprehension. Rationalists and scientists are trying to comprehend all the mysteries of the world. Hence a rejection of God is but natural to them.<br /><br />It would be easy for anyone to dismiss atheism as pop-culture, but atheism has survived for centuries, and I have no doubt it will last as long the concept of God does. After all, there are so many advantages of being an atheist.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1144857833358497252006-04-12T08:58:00.000-07:002006-04-12T09:03:53.426-07:00I dream of the IIMsThe IIMs had always been a dream for me. My first attempt at the CAT (the entrance exam for the IIMs) was in 2003. Had prepared a lot for it and had a good exam. But the moment I came out of the examination halls, I heard that my effort had been a wasted one, for the CAT papers had been leaked, and the CAT would be reconducted.<br /><br />The CAT was reconducted in Feb 2004. But somehow, I just couldn’t motivate myself for the same level of preparation. I don’t know whether it was the frustration of the wasted effort, or just my usual complacent attitude, but I wasn’t motivated enough to take the retest. Even with the half-hearted approach, I managed to secure 98.82 percentile. I would have managed to get a few GD/PI calls from some of the IIMs, had it not been for a technicality called sectional cut-offs. My percentile in one of the sections was too low. A case of so-near-yet-so-far!<br /><br />Having not made it to the IIMs in 2004, I joined on of the best Software firms in India. (Yeah! That’s the only option for engineering graduates, irrespective of your discipline of graduation).Simultaneously, I decided (once again) to appear for CAT in 2004. As luck would have it, CAT 2004 came too close to my IT training exam in my company. Caught between a rock and a hard place, I had to divide my attention (I had so little of it anyways) between studying for my IT training, and my CAT. The result? My performance went down in CAT 2004 by more than a percentile and a half. (One percentile corresponds to approx 1750 ranks in the CAT). So I had no hopes of making it.<br /><br />But the bench period in my software company had frustrated me so much, that by March 2005, I had decided to have another crack at the CAT. So as to avoid jokes from my colleagues, I used to go around saying, “My CAT seems to be a Govt. five year plan. Will be attempted for five years, and yield no results!” Yeah! Laugh at yourself, and the world laughs with you, and not at you. But I was determined to crack the CAT this time.<br /><br />Some where in June I realised, that staying away from home and looking after myself, in addition to my job, weren’t allowing me enough time to prepare for CAT. So I decided to go back home and join my family business. This allowed me free evenings for my classes, as well as my studies. (Mom’s cooking and care was an added bonus!). I contributed to the company as well, developing the <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.singhaniasystem.com/" target="_blank">website</a>, and streamlining a few processes. It helped me learn a lot of things I was not exposed to in the IT behemoth I was working for. I was also allowed 2 weeks leave before the CAT. Had a decent CAT, though I felt that I should have performed better in Verbal section, which traditionally had been my strength.<br /><br />On the second day of 2006, I was awoken by a friends call, asking me how many IIMs had called me for the next stage, i.e. GD/PI. I sat up. I didn’t know the results of CAT were out. I spent the entire day checking the IIM websites, to see which of them had called me. This time I had managed four IIM calls, from Calcutta, Indore, Lucknow and Kozhikode. (Ok, so I had missed the big two, but an IIM is an IIM, so the saying goes).<br /><br />And so began a strenuous time of fine-tuning my soft-skills. There were newspapers to be read, academics to be revised, opinions to be formed, current affairs to be studied, hobbies to be pursued……… The list seemed endless. One by one, I went through my GD/PI encountering all sorts of questions and topics. (My IIM-Calcutta PI was very interesting, will post something on that soon)<br /><br />Today, the results were out. The culmination of three years’ efforts had finally arrived. Dear readers, I have made it to IIM-C, which was the best institute I had a call from. And I am ecstatic! Wow!!Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1144317181137960312006-04-06T02:52:00.000-07:002006-06-21T01:11:36.926-07:00Waking up to Minority AppeasementFor most of the Indian media (especially English journalists), Indian Muslims have been holy cow. Most journalists and columnists bend over backwards to prove their “secular” credentials. Anybody who spoke about minority appeasement and reforms in Muslim personal law was a Hindu fundamentalist. Even after the Parliament attacks and Mumbai bomb blasts, no one spoke about Islamic fundamentalism in India. However, recently, some of the same columnists have changed sides, and are asking the Muslim community in India difficult questions.<br /><br />The trend was started by Vir Sanghvi. In his editorials to the <a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/">Hindustan times</a>, he repeatedly asked why the moderate Indian Muslim is silent. Vir Sanghvi argued that the strongest criticism to Hindu fundamentalism came from within the Hindu community, but the silence of the Muslim communities silence over Haji Yaqoob’s prize offer was seen as tacit approval. Vir Sanghvi further went on to say that if moderate Muslims chose to remain quiet, the rest of India should speak up, so as to isolate such acts of fundamentalism.<br /><br />One of the staunchest critics of the Saffron Brigade, Jug Suraiya joined in. In his article, <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1445664.cms">Islam Agonistes</a>, Jug Suraiya states lashes out at reactions of the Indian Muslims on the Danish cartoons. On the political reaction to the UP Hajj minister’s offer, Suraiya comments, <blockquote>That he is walking around scot-free suggests a form of self-censorship, a<br />self-composed timidity of response (the Hindutva brigade would call it<br />appeasement) where Islam is concerned. </blockquote><br /><br />The latest addition to this list is Swaminathan Anklesaria Aiyar, noted economist, whose column <a href="http://www.swaminomics.org/">Swaminomics</a> has cult following. Known rarely to write on non-economic issues (or social issues without economic nitty-gritty), Aiyar attacks the virtual silence in India over the proposed execution of Abdul Rahman (<a href="http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1473371.cms">The sad silence over Abdul Rahman</a>). He goes on to state, <blockquote>But I hear no outcry from moderate Muslims, or Hindu intellectuals who normally<br />wave the secular flag. None of the major secular parties seems interested in<br />deploring the horror<br /></blockquote><br />What, in the past few months has changed so much, that columnists are condemning the Indian political and social reaction to Islamic fundamentalism? As Vir Sanghvi himself explains, Islamic fundamentalism in India was, until recently, seen as an insecure reaction to Hindu fundamentalism. However ever since the extremist Muslim in India has started associating himself with the cause of global Islam, there is a growing sense of insecurity amongst Indians. The recent protests, whether against prophet caricatures, or the visit of George Bush, were on issues that hardly affected the Indian Muslim. And yet Indian Muslims turned out in large numbers to join the protests.<br /><br />It is a clear case of double standards on the parts of the so-called moderate Muslims, as well as the Indian politicians. But at least, some of us have learnt to call a spade a spade.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1143785188664570452006-03-30T22:05:00.000-08:002006-03-30T22:06:28.686-08:00Fashion Weeks and Wardrobe MalfunctionsIt’s that time of the year again. Another India fashion week has got under way. So it will be more designers strutting their creativity on more models on the ramp once more. Does the average non-page 3 really care? Does he see anything that one can wear? Why then the hype and glamour surrounding the fashion week?<br /><br />For any average person, a fashion week just means an opportunity to ogle at gorgeous models. Both men and women are more interested in what the models are not wearing, rather than what they are. Most of the dresses on show are completely unwearable for the non party-goer. Would you wear a sheer dress to your office? Or go to the mall wearing a long feathered hat? Whom are the designers kidding?<br /><br />A regular feature of these fashion weeks have been wardrobe malfunctions. The Lakme India Fashion Week began on the 28th of March, and in the past three days has already seen two incidents of wardrobe malfunctions already. The term “Wardrobe Malfunction” caught public attention after the Janet Jackson fiasco at the superbowl. But in the Indian context, it becomes more important.<br /><br />A few years back, Negar Khan had a wardrobe malfunction on the ramp, where she got noticed by a music video maker. How, after that she went on to become the queen of music videos and item-numbers, is history. So, for any model looking to tread this path, a wardrobe malfunction is an easy way to get noticed. A model who can keep her cool after her dress falls off, is certainly not shy at exposing, hence ideal stuff for item-numbers. Also, these wardrobe malfunctions have provided the fashion week with free publicity as well.<br /><br />However it does not mean that all wardrobe malfunctions are engineered. There is some merit to the fact that there is little time between successive appearance on the ramp, which allows any model little time for change of costume, make-up and hair. So an accident is always a possibility which cannot be ruled out.<br /><br />And anyways when the interest of the majority of the audience is in what is not worn, a wardrobe malfunction is always welcome thing!Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1143120010218716422006-03-23T05:18:00.000-08:002006-03-23T05:20:10.266-08:00Nullifying the effect of AmritAccording to Hindu mythology, the Amrit is a drink that provides immortality.<br /><br />After the general elections of 2004, Sonia Gandhi had taken what could be called the political equivalent of the Amrit, by sacrificing the topmost executive post of the country, the office of Prime Minister. By doing this, it was widely believed (and projected) that Mrs. Gandhi had proved that she had no love for high offices, and was doing everything out of her love for the country.<br /><br />It was this Amrit that protected Mrs. Gandhi from the actions of the government, time and again. Be it the Oil-for-food scam, the Quattrochi Scandal, or the midnight dissolution of the Bihar assembly, no fingers were pointed as Mrs. Gandhi, simply because she wasn’t heading the government. She was simply the head of National Advisory Committee (NAC), with the power to look at any official document, but accountable for nothing.<br /><br />Somewhere in the same universe, a non-descript Congressman by the name of Madan Mohan filed a case against a Jaya Bachchan for holding two government offices of profit simultaneously. The poor lady defended herself saying that she hadn’t received a cent of the other office she held, hence should not be disqualified from the Rajya Sabha. But the EC interpreted it as not just what she was receiving, but also what she was entitled to receive, that made her ineligible.<br /><br />Jaya Bachchan’s party found out that the same clause was applicable to the head of NAC. And the proverbial Pandora’s Box was opened. Suddenly all the Madam’s Congressmen were running helter-skelter to protect their Soniaji. The only way out was the promulgation of an ordinance, which left the head of NAC out of offices of profit. The parliament was adjourned sine die, as an ordinance cannot be promulgated when the parliament is in session.<br /><br />And thus the effect of Amrit was nullified. There was an office (of profit, may I add) that Mrs. Sonia Gandhi wanted, unlike the popular perception. Mrs. Gandhi suddenly isn’t willing to sacrifice her parliament seat now, as she sacrificed her Prime Minister ship. Why is the heading the NAC more important to Mrs. Gandhi as compared to being the PM?<br /><br />Well, one of the reasons is that the prime minister’s post is a crown of thorns, especially when heading a coalition government. Also the Prime Minister is held responsible for the failings of the government. Mrs. Gandhi got effective control over the PM’s post, minus the accountability. It was a win-win situation for her.<br /><br />Mrs. Gandhi now finds herself in a sticky situation. The promulgation of an ordinance would take the sheen off her sacrifice, while being out of the NAC would leave her without any control on the government.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1142844018009766832006-03-20T00:36:00.000-08:002006-03-20T00:40:18.023-08:00Commonwealth Games: Reminders of North East<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3959/1473/1600/kunjarani16032006.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3959/1473/320/kunjarani16032006.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The first Gold of the 2006 Commonwealth Games for India was won by N. Kunjarani Devi. Kunjarani hails from Manipur, one of the smallest states of India, one of our seven sisters. She is just one of a strong lineup of (non-cricketing) Indian sportspersons the North East has given to the country.<br /><br />Pemba Tamang too hails from the same state as Kunjarani, and has won India gold as well. There is a long line of sportsperson from the NE. Bhaichung Bhutia, India football’s poster boy, hails from Sikkim. So does Tomba Singh, another Indian footballer. Half of last commonwealth games’ gold winning Indian women’s Hockey team was from the North East.<br /><br />If we look at our contingent of athletes to any international sporting event, one generally sees a lot of faces from the North East. Considering the size of the North East, these athletes have brought India more than their proportionate share of glory in the international arena. However, until the time they win medals at such events, the North East is generally absent from the national consciousness. Some people consider the commonwealth games as just a part of the colonial hangover. However the games hold much more importance, more so with India and its diversity.<br /><br />Why is it that so many sportspersons emerge from the North East? Yes, the difficult mountain life makes them hardier, but that’s not the only reason.<br /><br />While the rest of India looks at education to provide them with a better means of livelihood, sports are considered as the manna in the North East. Now considering the deplorable condition of non-cricketing sports and sportsmen in India, one wonders if it’s the right choice. Well, this is just an indicator of how living conditions are in the North East.<br /><br />The North East is suffering from acute neglect by the nation, and this has given rise to insurgency. Just take a look at the fierce pride on the face of Kunjarani Devi while saluting the national anthem. Can one believe that her state is suffering from secessionist militancy?Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1142677835662290792006-03-18T02:29:00.000-08:002006-03-18T02:30:35.673-08:00If India had a Marxist PM: My Take.In a very interesting article on Rediff, Amulya Ganguli explores what would happen <a href="http://ia.rediff.com/news/2006/mar/17amulya.htm">if India had a Marxist PM</a>. He seems to have forgotten a few things. Here’s what I think would also have happened.<br /><br />In all probability, India would handover not just Sikkim, but the entire North East to China as a gift, for being kind enough to allow India to exist. In addition, there might even be a promise of India replicating the red revolution. General Mao, Lenin, Stalin and Marx would replace Mahatma Gandhi on our currency notes.<br /><br />The police force would be wound up. Instead, Naxalites would become the internal peace keeping force. If the government faced a shortage of internal security forces, Maoists from Nepal would be imported.<br /><br />It would be a criminal offence to leverage technology. All machines would be replaced by humans, thus solving our employment problems. Any one earning over Rs. 100000/- a year would be arrested.<br /><br />Books written by Romila Thapar would be textbooks for all subjects. The golden period of India would be that of Aurangzeb, and History textbooks would be full of his heroic acts of protecting his people from the atrocities of religious zealots like Shivaji and Guru Govind Singh. All revolutionaries and freedom fighters would be painted as stooges of the British Empire. India would get its freedom out of economic compulsions of the West, rather than the sacrifices of our martyrs.<br /><br />The IITs and IIMs would be replaced by JNU clones. There will be reservations for illegal (they won’t be illegal then) Bangladeshi migrants in them.<br /><br />Saurav Ganguly would be the captain of Indian Cricket team once more. There would be seven other Bengali players, the rest from Kerala. All imports from Australia would be banned.<br /><br />Our Nuclear weapons will be gifted to Ahmedinijad, so as to show the rest of the world, how disarmament should be practiced. In return perhaps we could get some oil.Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1142330640993317862006-03-14T02:02:00.000-08:002006-03-14T03:02:49.846-08:00TOI Goofs up Again!We TOI readers don’t expect much from it. We know the news will have its bias, lots of pages will be wasted on tabloid worthy news, and there will be ads of indiatimes, planet M and other sister concerns masquerading as news. All we ask is to give us the content where we are used to reading it. That is the only reason we are addicted to the newspaper.<br /><br />The Mumbai edition today saw another goof up. Maybe the editor had a dose of <em>Bhaang</em> before editing the newspaper. Maybe it was the columnists. Maybe it was just the intoxication of being a superbrand. Because today (14 March 2006), in the Mumbai edition, there appears the same article twice, under different headings. On page 16, which happens to be dedicated International News, there is an article by Rashmee Roshan Lall, titled “Low Skilled EU losing out to Asian big guns”. The same article by the same columnist also appears on its Business page (page 17) under the title “Old Europe may lose out to young Asia”.<br /><br />Those in Mumbai (or subscribers of Mumbai edition) may check out the pages for a laugh. Others can log on to <a href="http://epaper.timesofindia.com/">http://epaper.timesofindia.com/</a> if you have an indiatimes (free) login, selecting Mumbai as the city. Click on international --> 16, and business --> 17 (In case one needs to check it after today, one may go to the archives.)<br /><br />I think the Times group, after being voted a superbrand, is taking its Mumbai readers too lightly. Yes, the newspaper comes in the form of a thick bundle, with N number of supplements (including the tabloid called Mumbai Mirror). But hardly any of the supplements contain anything worth being called news. With Hindustan Times and DNA biting on the heels, it will not be long before a bored audience switches over to one of these. (As for me, I have subscribed to both TOI and HT).Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15787020.post-1142059767091220082006-03-10T22:47:00.000-08:002006-03-10T22:49:27.106-08:00Formula 1: Changing Rules, Changing Fortunes?The New Formula 1 season begins today at Bahrain with the qualifying session. Last season had its share of controversies, with the Indianapolis fiasco being the major one. With only teams on Bridgestone tyres racing, Ecclestone’s vision of making F1 the #1 motorsport in Nascar country were dealt with a major blow. The last season also saw some new rules, which saw the end of Ferrari domination of the sport. This year too many changes will be seen, some in the teams, others in the rules of the game.<br /><br /> There are two major changes in rules this year, one of them being the reintroduction of tyre changes. This will be beneficial to all, as the changes in weather can be set off by changing tyres according to changing weather conditions, thus making the race fair. (The next season will see a single tyre maker rule, so that another Indianapolis can be avoided.)<br /><br />The second change is that V10 engines have been replaced by less powerful V8 ones. This will bring down top speeds. Drivers will also find lesser power and torque to get them out of tight spots, so the emphasis will shift from speed to control.<br /><br />The qualifying sessions will see a completely different format, that of a Knockout. In 2006 season qualifying will involve 3 sessions.<br /><br />Session 1, 15 minutes: 5 slowest drivers will be eliminated<br />Session 2, 15 minutes: next 5 slowest drivers will be eliminated<br />Session 3, 20 minutes: 10 drivers will compete for the grid<br /><br />(Don’t know how it will work, so be ready to tune in to watch the qualifying, live in some time.)<br /><br />On the grid, one will find old faces in new colours. Ruebens Barrichello will be seen outside his traditional Ferrari reds donning the Honda outfit. Fillipe Massa will replace him in the Ferrari team. Our local lad Narain Karthikeyan will be missing from the grid. McLaren cars will be sporting a new look, out of their traditional black to a new pink-blue combination. A new team, Aguri Suzuki will be lining up as well.<br /><br />Another bad season this year my see Schumi hang up his boots, while a championship might delay it for quiet some time. Will Barrichello be able to assert himself in his new team? Will Massa be given a free hand, or need to play second fiddle? What impact will the new rules have? Will change in colours change the fortunes of McLaren? Will Button win a Grand Prix? Answer coming up these season, do watch out!Mayankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02855774482415751689noreply@blogger.com0