January 28, 2006
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com
Indian finance minister Mr. Chidambaram proudly points out that the Indian GDP is growing at 7%, and could possibly go to 8%. A sustainable growth of 7% to 8% GDP will definitely influence the Indian economic might globally. The Indian politicians in power are making statements that imply the current government policies are influencing the excellent but sustainable GDP growth. The current government is less than two years old, and it is practically impossible to influence a GDP turnaround in that short span of time. The real architects of the forward looking economic policies; Dr. Man Mohan Singh and Mr. Chidambaram who originally were in the early 1990s government of Mr. Rao, today run the country and its finances. The growth in GDP should be attributed to the long term and positive influence of the then progressive looking government, and the good fortune to have the same leadership back in power after fifteen years to enhance the opportunity to extend the economic benefits.
Independent India after getting rid of the British rule was governed under the leadership that felt that we were a country of poor people, who needed basics to live. To a large degree the first three leaders of the independent India were simply trying to deal with the aftereffects of India’s independence from the British, and tried a combination of democracy and Marxism to rule the independent India. Many a noble men and women who sacrificed their entire life to gain Indian independence from the British were freedom fighters, not politicians nor trained administrators to handle the enormous list of issues an independent India faced. The people themselves did not appreciate the value of democracy, as they perhaps did not have a feel for democratic thinking for hundreds of years under the divide and conquer rule of foreigners. The leaders of Independent India invested their entire thought process into achieving an independent republic, and perhaps never had the time to think of governing an independent country. When we finally became independent, we lost the father of the nation quickly to one of our own, and perhaps Mahatma was the best non-office seeking politician we ever had. His loss also set independent thinking amongst the freedom fighters turned politicians to frame their own agendas for the independent India. The magic of being independent India lasted for at leas the first couple of decades and perhaps Mr. Nehru and Mr. Shastri, and then the government of Mrs. Gandhi.
Mrs. Gandhi when she came into power after her illustrious father and a short span as prime minister by Mr. Shastri, was also perhaps the first leader of the Indian republic to face the reality of Independent India’s list of problems and she could not avoid them in her tenure as her predecessors did. She enjoyed the benefit of her father’s goodwill and her astute observations of the governing of India, and also understood the psychology of the Indian people before she came into power.
Mrs. Gandhi’s real challenges did not come until the 1970s. She was jubilant with war with Pakistan and supporting the separation of East Pakistan that became Bangla Desh. Although India helped Bangla Desh become independent, the long term political relationship with the neighbor has not been positive. Our relationship with Pakistan only went from bad to worse and no immediate plan to sort out the Kashmir issue. The controlled areas of Kashmir by Pakistan and China seem to be under their control for good, and the land grabbing by the neighbors seem to be OK with the international community, which clearly is undecided about the position that Kashmir belongs to India. The policies that allowed the occupation of Kashmir by the Chinese and the Pakistanis is simply lack of aggression and global astuteness of the Indian politicians. Granted that they were more concerned about how to take care of the newly independent India, but they for sure were not capable of laying claims to the land that belonged to India and keeping it as a part of India.
Ignoring the challenges of our neighbors the country’s ever growing population put a lot of demand for food and basic necessities. Hunger and poverty are the biggest diseases humans can get in contact with and India with its ever-expanding population suddenly found itself very independent and very hungry. Political parties and dissent in the congress forced the emergency rule. There were a lot of terrible decisions made by the government to keep the political power, but all said and done history tells us the Janata Party and other offshoots came into power, quickly lost it, as they did not have any better solutions, except a lot of rhetoric.
When Mrs. Gandhi came back to power she continued to be confronted with the massive problems of the huge population that was expanding faster than what was politically possible to solve. Mrs. Gandhi also made small strategic errors such as attacking Golden Temple, and believing that she was in control. Her killing was unfortunate, instead of voting her out. But again the country had already tried another government, but it was not a good option for the people. When Rajiv Gandhi became the prime minister after the death of his illustrious mother, he did bring fresh outlook into politics. I believe Rajiv Gandhi was truly forced into the leadership of a country that believed in dynasty rule. Remember that the 2006 Congress plenary in Hyderabad is demanding Rahul Gandhi to take over. Going back to Rajiv Gandhi, once he was thrown into the leadership of a vast country that needed everything, he did make great progress with policies. He hired great support cast and was open to changing the way the political structure behaved to the country’s needs. I believe he was the first leader of the post independent India to take necessary steps to meet the demands of the country. Rajiv Gandhi was surrounded with intelligent people who made some good decisions to make the country market driven. They started to take into account the reality of the resources available to the nation and what can be done to meet the needs. Although Rajiv Gandhi survived for several years, and then lost elections and then eventually assassinated by Tamil zealots, he was in my opinion the first leader of the independent India to make decisions and enforce policies that started to bring India into market economy, and move away from “Jaribi Hatavo” slogan and start doing something about removing poverty.
In any case the eventual political turmoil after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, and the coalition government of Mr. Narasimha Rao, is what I believe that started the economic powering of India that is happening today. Toady we speak of Tata acquiring companies in USA, or people from other countries hired to word in India, BPO boom, IT dominance and a host of foreign investments in every imaginable area in India. I worked in the time when India was easing restrictions on foreign investments, currency conversion and communications. Today’s Congress leaders were a part of that government and they were reformists then who promoted progress. Those policies of the early 1990s helped to create the IT and communications boom, that helped every other industry, and in turn made India grow at a rapid pace. The GDP growth over the past 15 years has been more than double that of the rest of the world, and only the Chinese may be growing at the same pace. Our current leadership is capable of driving extraordinary growth of the country.
Great countries grow over decades of extraordinary management of their policies and politics. I believe India can do the same. The politicians continue to banter about the things that are wrong but no one from the opposition seem to recognize the achievements of the Indian industry and commerce. They are simply finding faults on a personal basis, or complain of wrongdoing of people who are dead. I think the country should separate the political grandstanding and become independent of the personalized politics. A leader should become popular for what great policies and achievements on his or resume, not because of what the last name is, or what caste he belongs to or who he is associated with. Let the country’s politicians believe that they must continue to earn the right to govern the country, and not believe that they are the rulers of a country. Our democratic land has always been keen on politics and preserving the right to vote, as we did even with Mrs. Gandhi and voted her out of power when we no longer could deal with the autocratic rule. India today is independent and growing and becoming its own within the global community. Indians are smart, intelligent and politically very astute. The people in power most times are behaving well and taking notice of the needs of the people. The opposition parties by and large are focusing on the past wrongs of the dead leaders, or simply opposing the current leaders on every project or initiative. All said and done sustaining the growth of the country needs continued fiscal management and clear thinking. Politically and economically, the leaders of the independent India must continue to be progressive. The country doesn’t have time to think of the past, but look forward to the future of prosperity. We as a nation have always been world travelers with the intelligence to keep doing the right things to help our family and country.
Our independent republic slowly has been taking charge of its own destiny and the politicians who are given the opportunity can be as independent as the people who put them in power. Make independent and forward looking decisions, and make India the best place in the world to live and work. The beauty of independence is that it has a mind of its own, and nothing can stop independent thinking from progress.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Congress And Andhra Pradesh
21 January 2006
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com
As I write this week, the Congress party is having its AICC Plenary session in Hyderabad. Every Congress leader that has any position of power in India is probably in Hyderabad. It is not astonishing that every newspaper, every Internet magazine and every TV station is covering this event in great detail. It should as Mr. Man Mohan Singh and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi are both heading this up, and are in same location for 3 days. I am always fond of Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh. Also, I am fond of our food (actually all food, but partial to Indian food). I am also fond of the development these great big events will bring to the infrastructure. To enlighten myself I have been watching with great interest the happening just before this big Congress party gathering in Hyderabad. The usual stuff listed has been happening in preparation for the big gathering of Congressmen and Congresswomen in Hyderabad.
Ø Roads widened and cleaned.
Ø Buildings painted clean.
Ø Trash out of the way.
Ø Restaurants and Hotels completely full.
Ø Lot of cash spent on flowers and fruits and gifts.
Ø All tourist places full.
Ø Sonia Gandhi in town.
Ø Man Mohan Singh is also in town.
Ø City is full of posters and cutouts competing with movie posters.
Ø Tourism money and full demand for everything.
Ø Autos, busses, cars and jeeps full of congressmen and congresswomen.
Here are great details on what is happening in Hyderabad:
Busy Schedule
The three-day 82nd Congress plenary session, which commenced in Hyderabad on Saturday with the meting of the extended Congress Working Committee, will have a hectic schedule over the next two days. According to the schedule released Saturday evening, the All India Congress Committee session will commence at 9.30 am on Sunday with flag-hoisting by the Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the presence of Congress Working Committee members, Pradesh Congress Committee presidents, Congress Legislature Party leaders, AICC and CPP office-bearers and chairman, reception committee.
The AICC meeting will begin at 10 am with 'Vande Mataram', followed by a welcome speech by the chairman, reception committee. Once the condolence resolution and organizational constitutional resolutions are adopted, the AICC general secretaries will present their reports. After confirmation of the minutes of the previous AICC meeting held on August 21, 2004, the AICC will be converted into Subjects Committee.
The Subjects Committee meeting will begin with the opening remarks of the Congress president. The resolution on political affairs will be taken up for discussion around 11 am, followed by a resolution on economic affairs at 2 pm, resolution on agriculture, employment and poverty alleviation at 4 pm and resolution on international affairs at 6 pm. Members can take up any other matter with the permission of the chair at 7.30 pm. The meeting will end with the concluding remarks by the Congress president.
On the third and concluding day (Monday), the plenary session will commence with the arrival of Congress president at the venue at 9.30 am. After flag-hoisting, party functionaries -- CWC members, PCC presidents, CLP leaders, AICC and PCC office-bearers and chairman, reception committee, will escort the Congress president to the dais in a ceremonial procession.
After 'Vande Mataram' and welcome address by the chairman, reception committee, the plenary will adopt condolence resolution as well as the constitutional resolution. The Congress president will make her speech and later discussion on the political resolution will commence at 11.20 am, followed by discussion on the economic resolution at 1.20 pm.
Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh will address the plenary at 3 pm.
This will be followed by discussion on the resolution on agriculture, employment and poverty alleviation and the resolution on international affairs.
After the concluding remarks by the Congress president and vote of thanks, the plenary will conclude with the national anthem at 6.45 pm.
Great emphasis on FOOD
South Indian delicacies like the hot and Spicy Sambar, Idli, Vada, Dosa and Utappam will be among served to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and the delegates for breakfast. For the lunch and dinner the attendees would be served with three types of Chapatti, Rice, Sambar, Brinjal, Beans, Chicken, Fish, Green Salads and Fruit Salad and some Italian delicacies. Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh’s menu will mainly consist of Punjabi recipes. Three types of Punjabi Roti, Paratha and Nan were being prepared specially for him. I am sure he will enjoy them, and as well as everyone around him.According to estimates, The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee would be spending about one Crore Rupees on food during the three-day event, which will be attended by more than 11,000 delegates. Over sixty varieties of mouth-watering dishes, including the Hyderabad Dhum Biriyani, popular ''Chepala Pulusu'' made of fresh fish specially brought from West Godavari District, and ''Ulava Charu'', a special gravy made with Horse gram by coastal Andhra cooks. There will be six food courts at the plenary session with food laid out with great care. Of the six food courts, one would be exclusively for the AICC delegates, one for the media and three for PCC delegates. A small food court would cater to the over 100 members of the extended Congress Working Committee, including PCC Presidents, Chief Ministers, former Chief Ministers and former Governors. The food courts would be manned by 15 legislators to extend due courtesies to the guests. Through out the three-day sessions, snack counters will be setup to serve fresh juices, coconut water, tea, coffee and snacks, including Bondas and Samosas to the delegates. I only wish I was there to enjoy just the food.
Rahul Gandhi is coming?
As his father did from an unknown field to come into politics and did quite well as a politician, before his own people killed him, congressmen await Rahul. I am not sure of his likes or dislikes, but he is already a member of parliament and a politician. His Mom is in control of Congress and he has some experience in being a politician, and he is after all a Gandhi.
The three-day All India Congress Plenary is expected to bring Amethi parliamentarian Rahul Gandhi to the center-stage of Congress politics, which he has sought to evade for many years now.It is evident that there is a clamor among party cadres and leaders to induct the 34-year-old son of Congress President Sonia Gandhi into the high-powered Congress Working Committee and entrust him with organizational responsibility so as to groom him for taking over the reins of the party at a later stage.
The mood in the party seems to be in favor of not delaying any further the launch of the high-profile first-time parliamentarian into active politics.Though Sonia revamped the 25-member CWC, the highest policy making body of the 120-year-old party, ahead of the AICC plenary, she has left five seats vacant. This is seen by political observers as a clear move to accommodate Rahul, and four 'Generation Next' leaders of his choice into the CWC.Rahul Gandhi is the only person other than Sonia, Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and Pradesh Congress Committee President K Kesava Rao whose pictures figure in the plenary hoardings and posters put up all over the 'Pearl City'. Sonia has reportedly received requests from several PCCs and Pradesh Youth Congress Committees, asking her to nominate Rahul to the CWC.There were also speculations that Priyanka Vadra, the daughter of the Congress president, was keeping away from the plenary only to allow her brother to bask in the limelight. In all likelihood, Sonia will nominate Rahul after the AICC plenary.Prime Minister Singh has reportedly expressed a desire to induct Rahul into his ministry in the impending expansion of his Council of Ministers but the young parliamentarian is apparently unwilling to accept a ministerial responsibility at this stage. Congress managers say he would like to first work for the party before taking up an assignment in the government. Leaders close to the Gandhi family are also in favor of Rahul first taking up an organizational responsibility, like his father Rajiv Gandhi.The plenary may have significance in many ways but what party workers and the AICC delegates are keenly looking forward to be whether Rahul will oblige them by accepting an organizational responsibility.
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com
As I write this week, the Congress party is having its AICC Plenary session in Hyderabad. Every Congress leader that has any position of power in India is probably in Hyderabad. It is not astonishing that every newspaper, every Internet magazine and every TV station is covering this event in great detail. It should as Mr. Man Mohan Singh and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi are both heading this up, and are in same location for 3 days. I am always fond of Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh. Also, I am fond of our food (actually all food, but partial to Indian food). I am also fond of the development these great big events will bring to the infrastructure. To enlighten myself I have been watching with great interest the happening just before this big Congress party gathering in Hyderabad. The usual stuff listed has been happening in preparation for the big gathering of Congressmen and Congresswomen in Hyderabad.
Ø Roads widened and cleaned.
Ø Buildings painted clean.
Ø Trash out of the way.
Ø Restaurants and Hotels completely full.
Ø Lot of cash spent on flowers and fruits and gifts.
Ø All tourist places full.
Ø Sonia Gandhi in town.
Ø Man Mohan Singh is also in town.
Ø City is full of posters and cutouts competing with movie posters.
Ø Tourism money and full demand for everything.
Ø Autos, busses, cars and jeeps full of congressmen and congresswomen.
Here are great details on what is happening in Hyderabad:
Busy Schedule
The three-day 82nd Congress plenary session, which commenced in Hyderabad on Saturday with the meting of the extended Congress Working Committee, will have a hectic schedule over the next two days. According to the schedule released Saturday evening, the All India Congress Committee session will commence at 9.30 am on Sunday with flag-hoisting by the Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the presence of Congress Working Committee members, Pradesh Congress Committee presidents, Congress Legislature Party leaders, AICC and CPP office-bearers and chairman, reception committee.
The AICC meeting will begin at 10 am with 'Vande Mataram', followed by a welcome speech by the chairman, reception committee. Once the condolence resolution and organizational constitutional resolutions are adopted, the AICC general secretaries will present their reports. After confirmation of the minutes of the previous AICC meeting held on August 21, 2004, the AICC will be converted into Subjects Committee.
The Subjects Committee meeting will begin with the opening remarks of the Congress president. The resolution on political affairs will be taken up for discussion around 11 am, followed by a resolution on economic affairs at 2 pm, resolution on agriculture, employment and poverty alleviation at 4 pm and resolution on international affairs at 6 pm. Members can take up any other matter with the permission of the chair at 7.30 pm. The meeting will end with the concluding remarks by the Congress president.
On the third and concluding day (Monday), the plenary session will commence with the arrival of Congress president at the venue at 9.30 am. After flag-hoisting, party functionaries -- CWC members, PCC presidents, CLP leaders, AICC and PCC office-bearers and chairman, reception committee, will escort the Congress president to the dais in a ceremonial procession.
After 'Vande Mataram' and welcome address by the chairman, reception committee, the plenary will adopt condolence resolution as well as the constitutional resolution. The Congress president will make her speech and later discussion on the political resolution will commence at 11.20 am, followed by discussion on the economic resolution at 1.20 pm.
Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh will address the plenary at 3 pm.
This will be followed by discussion on the resolution on agriculture, employment and poverty alleviation and the resolution on international affairs.
After the concluding remarks by the Congress president and vote of thanks, the plenary will conclude with the national anthem at 6.45 pm.
Great emphasis on FOOD
South Indian delicacies like the hot and Spicy Sambar, Idli, Vada, Dosa and Utappam will be among served to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and the delegates for breakfast. For the lunch and dinner the attendees would be served with three types of Chapatti, Rice, Sambar, Brinjal, Beans, Chicken, Fish, Green Salads and Fruit Salad and some Italian delicacies. Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh’s menu will mainly consist of Punjabi recipes. Three types of Punjabi Roti, Paratha and Nan were being prepared specially for him. I am sure he will enjoy them, and as well as everyone around him.According to estimates, The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee would be spending about one Crore Rupees on food during the three-day event, which will be attended by more than 11,000 delegates. Over sixty varieties of mouth-watering dishes, including the Hyderabad Dhum Biriyani, popular ''Chepala Pulusu'' made of fresh fish specially brought from West Godavari District, and ''Ulava Charu'', a special gravy made with Horse gram by coastal Andhra cooks. There will be six food courts at the plenary session with food laid out with great care. Of the six food courts, one would be exclusively for the AICC delegates, one for the media and three for PCC delegates. A small food court would cater to the over 100 members of the extended Congress Working Committee, including PCC Presidents, Chief Ministers, former Chief Ministers and former Governors. The food courts would be manned by 15 legislators to extend due courtesies to the guests. Through out the three-day sessions, snack counters will be setup to serve fresh juices, coconut water, tea, coffee and snacks, including Bondas and Samosas to the delegates. I only wish I was there to enjoy just the food.
Rahul Gandhi is coming?
As his father did from an unknown field to come into politics and did quite well as a politician, before his own people killed him, congressmen await Rahul. I am not sure of his likes or dislikes, but he is already a member of parliament and a politician. His Mom is in control of Congress and he has some experience in being a politician, and he is after all a Gandhi.
The three-day All India Congress Plenary is expected to bring Amethi parliamentarian Rahul Gandhi to the center-stage of Congress politics, which he has sought to evade for many years now.It is evident that there is a clamor among party cadres and leaders to induct the 34-year-old son of Congress President Sonia Gandhi into the high-powered Congress Working Committee and entrust him with organizational responsibility so as to groom him for taking over the reins of the party at a later stage.
The mood in the party seems to be in favor of not delaying any further the launch of the high-profile first-time parliamentarian into active politics.Though Sonia revamped the 25-member CWC, the highest policy making body of the 120-year-old party, ahead of the AICC plenary, she has left five seats vacant. This is seen by political observers as a clear move to accommodate Rahul, and four 'Generation Next' leaders of his choice into the CWC.Rahul Gandhi is the only person other than Sonia, Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and Pradesh Congress Committee President K Kesava Rao whose pictures figure in the plenary hoardings and posters put up all over the 'Pearl City'. Sonia has reportedly received requests from several PCCs and Pradesh Youth Congress Committees, asking her to nominate Rahul to the CWC.There were also speculations that Priyanka Vadra, the daughter of the Congress president, was keeping away from the plenary only to allow her brother to bask in the limelight. In all likelihood, Sonia will nominate Rahul after the AICC plenary.Prime Minister Singh has reportedly expressed a desire to induct Rahul into his ministry in the impending expansion of his Council of Ministers but the young parliamentarian is apparently unwilling to accept a ministerial responsibility at this stage. Congress managers say he would like to first work for the party before taking up an assignment in the government. Leaders close to the Gandhi family are also in favor of Rahul first taking up an organizational responsibility, like his father Rajiv Gandhi.The plenary may have significance in many ways but what party workers and the AICC delegates are keenly looking forward to be whether Rahul will oblige them by accepting an organizational responsibility.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Corruption Of Mind
January 8, 2006
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com
Pay for performance was my dear friend Colin said, when we spoke of the financial results of our old company we both worked for in the mid 1990s. It has been long since we worked for someone else, but when a reader asked me to write about corruption this past week, I had to think of my own take on how to deal with corruption.
Much of my working life I have been a business development guy, traveling world over. I was in many countries when it was still communist or government controlled environment, and worked hard to make the two big companies I worked for many a profitable ventures. I learnt a lot from my experiences and made many friends across the world, and still keep them in cherished position. I am 100% sure that countries such as India where I worked hard on being on the teams working on privatization, have come a long way and millions of people working in the private enterprise. In a recent visit to Delhi, I was told my old employer had a multistory building that it owned. If I think of the little office space they had when I went to India first, it made me proud to think of the enterprise building that a group of us bravely undertook. A lot of my colleagues and myself faced no dilemma in finding new business opportunities for our employers, and we did what we could to find good business deals. We negotiated on behalf of the company and found many partners in then remote parts of the world, where no American company did business. I think we were rewarded well with great tour of the world, many a great friends with their diverse cultural and business backgrounds, and a taste of being one of the first global traveler’s with a budget. One thing in specific that none of our companies asked is how we got the business started in these new business environments, expect that our employers wanted high returns on their money and did not want to get senior managers involved in any controversies. We had a lot of leverage in starting the work in any country that afforded the opportunity, and the risk of our own neck with both our employment and performance. We had to get the deals done to satisfy the budgets, and we had to perform in the environment to get the business deals done. These objectives were in obvious conflict of each other, but were the only way to live happily to work and deliver to the employer.
I survived many years of serious business development in two companies, but ended up leaving both of them after achieving great financial results to both of them and their stakeholders. No regrets from me after all these years of leaving them, and no scoops to be told after all this time. I really am still fond of the times I did work for them. I will always be fond of the great times of business development in the early 1990s, especially in telecommunications.
Corruption is a serious issue in almost all countries. To be corrupt in mind is no different than blatant request for money for getting work done. Have you been to a temple in India? They have three ways of getting to see the god.
Stand in queue and wait until you get pushed to the front of the God and quickly say whatever is on your mind, and get pushed hard to be out of the temple.
Pay money to buy a ticket to see God faster than the general queue, but still get pushed around when you get into the queue, and get pushed out same way as people who don’t pay anything.
The third way is that you have influence where they stop the queue or someone escorts you to the front of the lord, and you have a few minutes in front of God, and you don’t get pushed around in the queue. But you sure make thousands of people in line wait and probably curse you.
I don’t know if we can call the influenced people corrupt. They are simply taking advantage of the available option to make others inconvenienced while they take advantage of the system that allows them privilege.
Same thing happens when you know a person who can help get you the privileges of information or access. By having a friend you get access. In business a friend is an associate or a consultant or a person who is available to make a business proposition. Simply by making corruption a global issue the access privileges of who you know will not go away. Darwin theory is simple, that the fittest will survive. In the early 1900s people brought in many a communist societies that were supposed to be equal in access and privileges to all of the citizens. At the end of the 1900s these so called perfect societies collapsed, leaving the capitalistic societies to continue to flourish. Democracies and capital societies somehow survive as they allow people to make informed choices. So, if I equate corruption to democratic principles and capitalistic societies, people who give to get favors are primarily the conduits to the process of developing the mindset for corruption. I am only a human being, and I will use the resources I have for making the most out of the situation I am faced with. When visiting a temple, developing a relationship, getting permission to do a business, gifts for my family and any potential situation where I am faced with making a choice, I am sure I will use the resources I have to get the privileges in my favor. My mind is democratic and competitive in a capitalistic society. Please don’t let me preach the theory of corruption, and we much be corrupt to get things done, and we must pay for everything. But, let me speak of the democratic mind set, and using resources to get things done. Perhaps the mind will begin to associate the degrees of corruption, make informed choices that what each instance requires and make necessary adjustments in judging the level of corruption it will tolerate. Simply think of this as a informed mind, making informed choices to make informed payments or adjustments to get things done, that are of importance to live life in a democracy.
I don’t support payoffs and favors for getting things done. I don’t support monopolies. I don’t like people asking me for money to do their jobs. I don’t like the discomfort of not being able to afford the ability to do business in any country. I don’t like talking about corruption. I don’t like to discuss how to do business in a new place. I can’t even speak to my old experiences of how I worked in so many places for my two employers, and survived so many deals. I just don’t like to speak of the anything that is not necessary.
Life is full of adjustments. People need money to make things work. Some need it more than the others. Elections cost money. Homes are expensive. Families need money. Food, clothing, comforts, cars and every single thing need to be supported. So, room for corruption exists, and the more we support the process the more expensive things get.
Mind you, it is you the individual that will have to make choices to do the right thing. Don’t push the blame of your acceptance to give as the societies acceptance to take. It is the corruption of mind that leads to the societies making corruption a part of the process. Wait in the queue, and don’t worry about how long it takes to see the Lord. The comfort factor should not make you bend the mind to accept the normality of corruption.
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com
Pay for performance was my dear friend Colin said, when we spoke of the financial results of our old company we both worked for in the mid 1990s. It has been long since we worked for someone else, but when a reader asked me to write about corruption this past week, I had to think of my own take on how to deal with corruption.
Much of my working life I have been a business development guy, traveling world over. I was in many countries when it was still communist or government controlled environment, and worked hard to make the two big companies I worked for many a profitable ventures. I learnt a lot from my experiences and made many friends across the world, and still keep them in cherished position. I am 100% sure that countries such as India where I worked hard on being on the teams working on privatization, have come a long way and millions of people working in the private enterprise. In a recent visit to Delhi, I was told my old employer had a multistory building that it owned. If I think of the little office space they had when I went to India first, it made me proud to think of the enterprise building that a group of us bravely undertook. A lot of my colleagues and myself faced no dilemma in finding new business opportunities for our employers, and we did what we could to find good business deals. We negotiated on behalf of the company and found many partners in then remote parts of the world, where no American company did business. I think we were rewarded well with great tour of the world, many a great friends with their diverse cultural and business backgrounds, and a taste of being one of the first global traveler’s with a budget. One thing in specific that none of our companies asked is how we got the business started in these new business environments, expect that our employers wanted high returns on their money and did not want to get senior managers involved in any controversies. We had a lot of leverage in starting the work in any country that afforded the opportunity, and the risk of our own neck with both our employment and performance. We had to get the deals done to satisfy the budgets, and we had to perform in the environment to get the business deals done. These objectives were in obvious conflict of each other, but were the only way to live happily to work and deliver to the employer.
I survived many years of serious business development in two companies, but ended up leaving both of them after achieving great financial results to both of them and their stakeholders. No regrets from me after all these years of leaving them, and no scoops to be told after all this time. I really am still fond of the times I did work for them. I will always be fond of the great times of business development in the early 1990s, especially in telecommunications.
Corruption is a serious issue in almost all countries. To be corrupt in mind is no different than blatant request for money for getting work done. Have you been to a temple in India? They have three ways of getting to see the god.
Stand in queue and wait until you get pushed to the front of the God and quickly say whatever is on your mind, and get pushed hard to be out of the temple.
Pay money to buy a ticket to see God faster than the general queue, but still get pushed around when you get into the queue, and get pushed out same way as people who don’t pay anything.
The third way is that you have influence where they stop the queue or someone escorts you to the front of the lord, and you have a few minutes in front of God, and you don’t get pushed around in the queue. But you sure make thousands of people in line wait and probably curse you.
I don’t know if we can call the influenced people corrupt. They are simply taking advantage of the available option to make others inconvenienced while they take advantage of the system that allows them privilege.
Same thing happens when you know a person who can help get you the privileges of information or access. By having a friend you get access. In business a friend is an associate or a consultant or a person who is available to make a business proposition. Simply by making corruption a global issue the access privileges of who you know will not go away. Darwin theory is simple, that the fittest will survive. In the early 1900s people brought in many a communist societies that were supposed to be equal in access and privileges to all of the citizens. At the end of the 1900s these so called perfect societies collapsed, leaving the capitalistic societies to continue to flourish. Democracies and capital societies somehow survive as they allow people to make informed choices. So, if I equate corruption to democratic principles and capitalistic societies, people who give to get favors are primarily the conduits to the process of developing the mindset for corruption. I am only a human being, and I will use the resources I have for making the most out of the situation I am faced with. When visiting a temple, developing a relationship, getting permission to do a business, gifts for my family and any potential situation where I am faced with making a choice, I am sure I will use the resources I have to get the privileges in my favor. My mind is democratic and competitive in a capitalistic society. Please don’t let me preach the theory of corruption, and we much be corrupt to get things done, and we must pay for everything. But, let me speak of the democratic mind set, and using resources to get things done. Perhaps the mind will begin to associate the degrees of corruption, make informed choices that what each instance requires and make necessary adjustments in judging the level of corruption it will tolerate. Simply think of this as a informed mind, making informed choices to make informed payments or adjustments to get things done, that are of importance to live life in a democracy.
I don’t support payoffs and favors for getting things done. I don’t support monopolies. I don’t like people asking me for money to do their jobs. I don’t like the discomfort of not being able to afford the ability to do business in any country. I don’t like talking about corruption. I don’t like to discuss how to do business in a new place. I can’t even speak to my old experiences of how I worked in so many places for my two employers, and survived so many deals. I just don’t like to speak of the anything that is not necessary.
Life is full of adjustments. People need money to make things work. Some need it more than the others. Elections cost money. Homes are expensive. Families need money. Food, clothing, comforts, cars and every single thing need to be supported. So, room for corruption exists, and the more we support the process the more expensive things get.
Mind you, it is you the individual that will have to make choices to do the right thing. Don’t push the blame of your acceptance to give as the societies acceptance to take. It is the corruption of mind that leads to the societies making corruption a part of the process. Wait in the queue, and don’t worry about how long it takes to see the Lord. The comfort factor should not make you bend the mind to accept the normality of corruption.
Privilege of an NRI
January 14, 2006
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com
In the past few weeks as in most of the last few weeks of December every year, the planes are busy with folks going to India and coming back. Be it Chicago, be it Frankfurt, be it Hyderabad or be it London, the planes are bustling with Indians going and coming. Lot of people are traveling and at the same time and a lot of their families are also going back and forth and adding to the big crowds at every airport that has a flight to India. No matter what airline and no matter what airport, lots of our folks are getting on planes. Travel is cheap, and the families are larger and the numbers are bigger. All of us, with NRI status and our families simply go back and forth and can afford this long journey much easier than the olden days. I mean olden days simply because, a phone call was a luxury in the days when we had smaller NRI population, but I believe a reported 1.4 million people of Indian origin now living in USA, and their extended families equally big if not bigger than the reported 1.4 million, along with huge numbers of people working in IT consulting jobs on temporary permits obtained by their companies, we have a sizeable number of our people who are occupying almost every seat on the planes going back and forth to India. Every one of us should believe that we have worked hard for their personal privilege of their success.
Non Resident Indian (NRI) is no longer a stranger to the world. They have the money and resources to yield the economic power, and command respect of the global community. Business and education, jobs and power, wealth and travel, along with name and fame are all part of parcel of what NRI has achieved, as with many an immigrant communities have done so in the United States and the West. It is a privilege to be recognized in the global community for the success of a nation’s people who work hard and contribute to their adopted lands. I am quite proud of belonging to the community of great achievers. By and large the members of the Indian community outside of India are hardworking and well mannered. The aspect of family and friends continue to be a big part of our community aspect, despite the distance we live away from our motherland.
The NRI also is quite visible in India with their contributions to the political process, business establishment, individual investments in homes and farms, building hospitals, schools and whatever their affordability to help with the perceived need of our country. For name and fame, no better way to contribute back to the society where we originally come from, and spending our holidays in India gives the motherland much needed tourism dollars and the local economies the benefit of the purchasing power of the dollar. Its great to see the NRI community spend money in India, and build things in India with their earnings from hard work abroad, and increasing the awareness of the multinational aspect of living. It’s a wonderful privilege to be able to move freely from India to wherever the NRI lives, and be able to participate in the growth of both places.
The additional privilege is that our motherland represents a place of great dignity that respects the NRI achievements and invites the NRI to be a part of its rapid growth. India needs help to grow at a much rapid pace than that of the west to bring basic amenities to its citizens, and keep creating jobs and opportunities to become a place where simple things are affordable. Water, power, transportation, communications, education and housing are continuing to be in great demand for the billion plus people in India. NRI community can help with the developmental aspects of the national needs without the need for any additional recognition to support the development. NRI already has the money and abilities, and their special skills (along with their money) need no further privileges in India, as the very privilege is to be a part of the community that is their homeland.
Awards and honors are not needed to help, especially when you can. They are reserved for outsiders, who seek recognition for their work. NRI is not a stranger, rather a part of the community fabric of India. What better privilege than a nation of advancement and rapid growth? The ability to contribute is a privilege. It’s becoming a native in America that has made the NRI the success story that is well documented, so it must be easy to do the same in India without any additional privilege.
When we travel to India, there is certain amount of anxiety (with water for me especially) with what will be the conditions that await us. Its alright to feel anxious about the time it will take to get from Chicago to Hyderabad, and weather we will get a cart that will fit those huge bags. It is all right to imagine if the first breakfast will have our favorite snacks, and plenty of them. It is OK to think if people are available and old friends still in town. It’s all right to make plans for spending time in places we grew up in, and thinking if they have changed. Just about all-personal anxieties are simply things we are used to and wanting them to be unchanged. But why expect privilege to be a part of growth of the nation if you can help with its development.
If every NRI returning to India and making an investment into it seeks privilege to its system, the country will be a place of discontent and cannot afford to develop a plural system. All things may not be right with the current system of working, but to create a system that differentiates its own people because of the wealth factor or contribution factor, it will become a bigger bureaucracy that it already is. If a system of NRI privilege is created, then it becomes a system of classes that has more money than the others, and only when privilege is given contributions are made. Isn’t that what we all campaign against everyday and why should we need any special system for helping when we can?
There is no need for special cells, there is no need for even calling an Indian person NRI, there is no need for making special allowances, there is no need for free permits, or any other privileges to NRI or anyone else who can afford to do things the same way as rest of the citizens. The community doesn’t need to bring in one more class of people who claim privilege to the workings of the nation, and add additional burden to an already needy environment. The patience to wait in line, the ability to survive in strange lands, the opportunity to contribute to ones own nation, the tenacity to be successful and the status of an NRI is already a global privilege. We don’t need any more privilege.
The best physicians, the best builders, the best engineers, the best bankers, the best communications experts, the best money managers and the best of many a fields don’t need additional privileges to be involved in India. They can simply be privileged people who can be selfless in simply be great citizens of the motherland. Citizens help without self-interest and become aggressive in contributions to their land. That will make India a place of privilege. The attractive privilege is making India a global force it can be. Every NRI should take the privilege of being an Indian, and the honor of its success. Privilege is what we are, but not what we get in return for what we do. The country doesn’t need to afford us any free passes or award us any plaques for being good citizens.
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com
In the past few weeks as in most of the last few weeks of December every year, the planes are busy with folks going to India and coming back. Be it Chicago, be it Frankfurt, be it Hyderabad or be it London, the planes are bustling with Indians going and coming. Lot of people are traveling and at the same time and a lot of their families are also going back and forth and adding to the big crowds at every airport that has a flight to India. No matter what airline and no matter what airport, lots of our folks are getting on planes. Travel is cheap, and the families are larger and the numbers are bigger. All of us, with NRI status and our families simply go back and forth and can afford this long journey much easier than the olden days. I mean olden days simply because, a phone call was a luxury in the days when we had smaller NRI population, but I believe a reported 1.4 million people of Indian origin now living in USA, and their extended families equally big if not bigger than the reported 1.4 million, along with huge numbers of people working in IT consulting jobs on temporary permits obtained by their companies, we have a sizeable number of our people who are occupying almost every seat on the planes going back and forth to India. Every one of us should believe that we have worked hard for their personal privilege of their success.
Non Resident Indian (NRI) is no longer a stranger to the world. They have the money and resources to yield the economic power, and command respect of the global community. Business and education, jobs and power, wealth and travel, along with name and fame are all part of parcel of what NRI has achieved, as with many an immigrant communities have done so in the United States and the West. It is a privilege to be recognized in the global community for the success of a nation’s people who work hard and contribute to their adopted lands. I am quite proud of belonging to the community of great achievers. By and large the members of the Indian community outside of India are hardworking and well mannered. The aspect of family and friends continue to be a big part of our community aspect, despite the distance we live away from our motherland.
The NRI also is quite visible in India with their contributions to the political process, business establishment, individual investments in homes and farms, building hospitals, schools and whatever their affordability to help with the perceived need of our country. For name and fame, no better way to contribute back to the society where we originally come from, and spending our holidays in India gives the motherland much needed tourism dollars and the local economies the benefit of the purchasing power of the dollar. Its great to see the NRI community spend money in India, and build things in India with their earnings from hard work abroad, and increasing the awareness of the multinational aspect of living. It’s a wonderful privilege to be able to move freely from India to wherever the NRI lives, and be able to participate in the growth of both places.
The additional privilege is that our motherland represents a place of great dignity that respects the NRI achievements and invites the NRI to be a part of its rapid growth. India needs help to grow at a much rapid pace than that of the west to bring basic amenities to its citizens, and keep creating jobs and opportunities to become a place where simple things are affordable. Water, power, transportation, communications, education and housing are continuing to be in great demand for the billion plus people in India. NRI community can help with the developmental aspects of the national needs without the need for any additional recognition to support the development. NRI already has the money and abilities, and their special skills (along with their money) need no further privileges in India, as the very privilege is to be a part of the community that is their homeland.
Awards and honors are not needed to help, especially when you can. They are reserved for outsiders, who seek recognition for their work. NRI is not a stranger, rather a part of the community fabric of India. What better privilege than a nation of advancement and rapid growth? The ability to contribute is a privilege. It’s becoming a native in America that has made the NRI the success story that is well documented, so it must be easy to do the same in India without any additional privilege.
When we travel to India, there is certain amount of anxiety (with water for me especially) with what will be the conditions that await us. Its alright to feel anxious about the time it will take to get from Chicago to Hyderabad, and weather we will get a cart that will fit those huge bags. It is all right to imagine if the first breakfast will have our favorite snacks, and plenty of them. It is OK to think if people are available and old friends still in town. It’s all right to make plans for spending time in places we grew up in, and thinking if they have changed. Just about all-personal anxieties are simply things we are used to and wanting them to be unchanged. But why expect privilege to be a part of growth of the nation if you can help with its development.
If every NRI returning to India and making an investment into it seeks privilege to its system, the country will be a place of discontent and cannot afford to develop a plural system. All things may not be right with the current system of working, but to create a system that differentiates its own people because of the wealth factor or contribution factor, it will become a bigger bureaucracy that it already is. If a system of NRI privilege is created, then it becomes a system of classes that has more money than the others, and only when privilege is given contributions are made. Isn’t that what we all campaign against everyday and why should we need any special system for helping when we can?
There is no need for special cells, there is no need for even calling an Indian person NRI, there is no need for making special allowances, there is no need for free permits, or any other privileges to NRI or anyone else who can afford to do things the same way as rest of the citizens. The community doesn’t need to bring in one more class of people who claim privilege to the workings of the nation, and add additional burden to an already needy environment. The patience to wait in line, the ability to survive in strange lands, the opportunity to contribute to ones own nation, the tenacity to be successful and the status of an NRI is already a global privilege. We don’t need any more privilege.
The best physicians, the best builders, the best engineers, the best bankers, the best communications experts, the best money managers and the best of many a fields don’t need additional privileges to be involved in India. They can simply be privileged people who can be selfless in simply be great citizens of the motherland. Citizens help without self-interest and become aggressive in contributions to their land. That will make India a place of privilege. The attractive privilege is making India a global force it can be. Every NRI should take the privilege of being an Indian, and the honor of its success. Privilege is what we are, but not what we get in return for what we do. The country doesn’t need to afford us any free passes or award us any plaques for being good citizens.
Saturday, November 05, 2005
A Happy India
4 November 2005
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
I am sure all Indians are happy now. I have to imagine we Indians are either farmers or cricket fans. I am sure there are people who will debate on my categorizing all Indians into farmers and cricket fans, but if someone has an issue, please forgive my generalization of the farmers and fans, as I want this week’s column to be a happy one.
India has been getting good rains, and perhaps more than necessary of rain this season. Monsoon has been on time and many a tropical storms and cyclones have been lashing India, and rivers overflowing and many areas flooded. I feel sad that many farmers lost crops and low laying areas effected with floods and lost homes, huts and livestock. But the farmers in many areas are blessed with timely rains, and good crops.
India in the last two weeks has a new captain in Rahul Dravid, and a bunch of new young players, who have been the latest Sri Lanka team as they would play with armatures, and so far have won the series 4-0 of the seven games. Although I have not seen a live match played a long time, the recent series win over Sri Lanka seems to lift my spirits to levels of happiness I used to experience when I was in India seeing India win.
I am proud of being Indian for simple stuff. We Indians seem to be happy with simple things, and as in a win in cricket and a good crop for the season. Comprehensive happiness is not possible for farmers and cricketers as each season brings its own fortunes. Continued happiness (prosperity) is only possible with prolonging the cycle of success. As with any other business, the business of farming and the business of cricket need to be nurtured with care. The current problems of earthquakes, scandals, bad politicians, bad luck, bad markets, bad karma and bad everything is a part of our life, and it is not just meant for Indians. The great part about us is that very little of happiness makes the entire population happy.
Mom always says to think of God in bad times and good times, and everything seems fine if you keep thinking of him. I agree. But beyond being fine, I want to be happy and I want to associate happy things to make sure I remain happy. I am sure the current Indian team will foster into a great team and then begin to age and start showing their age. I am sure that the current rains will some year become scarce as the rain gods will have to go somewhere else, or may get tired, and may not rain well for a season or two.
Hey you know what we should do?
The current team, its captain, its coach and the selectors should do dramatic things to encourage the current players, future players and the establishment to make moves that prolong the success cycle. Team should do team things, and ignore everything that doesn’t suit its success needs. The longer the success the more the happiness for Indians. Why not develop a long winning team that makes a nation happy for a long term. No need to panic, as even meaningless matches that our team wins, we will still be happy. It doesn’t matter what game you will, as long as you win we will be a happy nation. Give up selfishness; forget politics, make sacrifices and play with your heart (not forgetting smart) will help the winning aspects on a continued basis.
Farmers can always rejoice each good monsoon, and grow great things for themselves and the country. Great monsoons and continued seasonal rains will also need water management. Dams and canals, irrigation projects, water management and removing politics from farmer’s issues will prolong the great monsoon season’s benefits to years of drought and poor monsoon.
I always think simple things make life simpler. We Indians are simple folks and simple things make us happy. I wish for a continued success with all wakes of farming and great success for our cricket team. They both make us a happy bunch of Indians.
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
I am sure all Indians are happy now. I have to imagine we Indians are either farmers or cricket fans. I am sure there are people who will debate on my categorizing all Indians into farmers and cricket fans, but if someone has an issue, please forgive my generalization of the farmers and fans, as I want this week’s column to be a happy one.
India has been getting good rains, and perhaps more than necessary of rain this season. Monsoon has been on time and many a tropical storms and cyclones have been lashing India, and rivers overflowing and many areas flooded. I feel sad that many farmers lost crops and low laying areas effected with floods and lost homes, huts and livestock. But the farmers in many areas are blessed with timely rains, and good crops.
India in the last two weeks has a new captain in Rahul Dravid, and a bunch of new young players, who have been the latest Sri Lanka team as they would play with armatures, and so far have won the series 4-0 of the seven games. Although I have not seen a live match played a long time, the recent series win over Sri Lanka seems to lift my spirits to levels of happiness I used to experience when I was in India seeing India win.
I am proud of being Indian for simple stuff. We Indians seem to be happy with simple things, and as in a win in cricket and a good crop for the season. Comprehensive happiness is not possible for farmers and cricketers as each season brings its own fortunes. Continued happiness (prosperity) is only possible with prolonging the cycle of success. As with any other business, the business of farming and the business of cricket need to be nurtured with care. The current problems of earthquakes, scandals, bad politicians, bad luck, bad markets, bad karma and bad everything is a part of our life, and it is not just meant for Indians. The great part about us is that very little of happiness makes the entire population happy.
Mom always says to think of God in bad times and good times, and everything seems fine if you keep thinking of him. I agree. But beyond being fine, I want to be happy and I want to associate happy things to make sure I remain happy. I am sure the current Indian team will foster into a great team and then begin to age and start showing their age. I am sure that the current rains will some year become scarce as the rain gods will have to go somewhere else, or may get tired, and may not rain well for a season or two.
Hey you know what we should do?
The current team, its captain, its coach and the selectors should do dramatic things to encourage the current players, future players and the establishment to make moves that prolong the success cycle. Team should do team things, and ignore everything that doesn’t suit its success needs. The longer the success the more the happiness for Indians. Why not develop a long winning team that makes a nation happy for a long term. No need to panic, as even meaningless matches that our team wins, we will still be happy. It doesn’t matter what game you will, as long as you win we will be a happy nation. Give up selfishness; forget politics, make sacrifices and play with your heart (not forgetting smart) will help the winning aspects on a continued basis.
Farmers can always rejoice each good monsoon, and grow great things for themselves and the country. Great monsoons and continued seasonal rains will also need water management. Dams and canals, irrigation projects, water management and removing politics from farmer’s issues will prolong the great monsoon season’s benefits to years of drought and poor monsoon.
I always think simple things make life simpler. We Indians are simple folks and simple things make us happy. I wish for a continued success with all wakes of farming and great success for our cricket team. They both make us a happy bunch of Indians.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Indulging in Perfection
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
26 October 2005
I have been imagining how I can be perfect? Before the readers go on to imagine what is this guy talking about, being perfect, I still haven’t thought of what I am going to be qualified to be perfect in. So, while indulging in imagination of how I can be perfect, some potential possibility of perfection.
While people, actions, companies and things can strive for perfection, we the humans will always be human, and perhaps never perfect. Here is my take on some fine examples of things that can be close to striving to do as well as they can.
My friend last week said that Infosys, Wipro, Satyam and Tata are all brokers and did not add any value to the Indian system. My friend is a computer guy and came to the USA in the new entrants who are the information technology bunch. Me being an old guy contemplated a response, and I did contemplate for several days before I responded to him. I don’t think these companies are perfect nor they are close to being perfect. They certainly have added great wealth to their owners, created better employment for thousands of people, created export markets for abundant human resources of India, make huge profits, by and large remain focused on making money, creating expanded employment, bringing Indian IT to the world. I have no experience of working in these companies, but they seem to be continuously expanding employment, profits and Indian profile. I hope they continue to be global citizens and create vast employment opportunities, and eventually develop indigenous products that will power the world. I recently read that the Indian chip will power the new Boeing Dreamliner and Airbus next generation aircraft. Makes me proud to be an Indian. I admire Bill Gates and Microsoft, but I know people criticize Bill and Windows constantly. But can we imagine anyone else in near term duplicating what Bill’s Microsoft has done to the world? It is admirable, because of its sheer magnitude and the impact it made on the computing world. Indian IT companies and other services companies are at an advantage due to abundant talent, cost of people, government support and envy of the other industries. These Indian IT giants along with other Indian services companies can develop long term plans to enhance the outlook of their employees, create sustainable employment, develop global habits, become responsible global citizens and perhaps try to continue to perfect their internal processes to be good companies that respect customers, employees and shareholders. They may never be perfect but can continuously evolve to become better and better in managing money and people.
I got up from an afternoon nap, and on the television saw Chiranjeevi dancing. My mind immediately told me that I could never dance like him, even for a minute. I thought about individual talents and aspirations to be perfect. It is probably impossible to be perfect with any one aspect of our being. I am sure we all try and imagine becoming perfect. I like Amitabh Bacchan, and I really have to admit that he is the only actor I always liked since I was a kid. I think he tires hard and works very hard even in this sixties, and perhaps more productive with his career today than he was 30 years ago. Do you guys remember Sam Pitroda, the man who spent endless years in the 80s and 90s working to impress the magic of technology on the Indian markets? Sam is still preaching his IT mantra, but many in his mission to force rapid technology changes also shunned him. I personally worked with many Indian technocrats who were involved with the Rao government, and they were excellent listeners who embraced change as a habit. Very little is spoken of the Rao government and its contributions to the Indian economic advancement, especially after Rao was no longer in power. I believe a great number of participants in Rao’s government including the current PM Man Mohan Singh, were forward thinking people who made many changes to Indian economy possible with their forward thinking. For me it is difficult to imagine the progress with Indian markets without the changes accepted by the Rao government, which till today continue to benefit the Indians globally.
Bill Gates and Warren Buffet have been my guys (gentlemen) who I personally look up, and I read everything I can find about them. Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway are the companies they run, and the results of these companies are great measures of value creations for their shareholders for sustained periods. Perhaps one way of looking at perfection is to improve oneself on a continuous basis. I am hoping the Indian services companies will start to look at management and market models that will emulate the models of Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway; they are in my opinion excellent companies to emulate. I am sure our readers will have their own models for emulation and will find their own exemplary role models. I am certain each one of us will have great role models of people and companies we admire.
To dream to be a perfectionist is perfect. Its good to keep evolving into a better being. People and companies, governments and politicians, should strive for betterment, and continue to strive to be perfect. One last thing on being perfect is that it is to remember that we are human and only can strive for perfection, as someone else will think of doing things better, and we will continue to chase the dream of perfection. The chase to be perfect will continue.
26 October 2005
I have been imagining how I can be perfect? Before the readers go on to imagine what is this guy talking about, being perfect, I still haven’t thought of what I am going to be qualified to be perfect in. So, while indulging in imagination of how I can be perfect, some potential possibility of perfection.
While people, actions, companies and things can strive for perfection, we the humans will always be human, and perhaps never perfect. Here is my take on some fine examples of things that can be close to striving to do as well as they can.
My friend last week said that Infosys, Wipro, Satyam and Tata are all brokers and did not add any value to the Indian system. My friend is a computer guy and came to the USA in the new entrants who are the information technology bunch. Me being an old guy contemplated a response, and I did contemplate for several days before I responded to him. I don’t think these companies are perfect nor they are close to being perfect. They certainly have added great wealth to their owners, created better employment for thousands of people, created export markets for abundant human resources of India, make huge profits, by and large remain focused on making money, creating expanded employment, bringing Indian IT to the world. I have no experience of working in these companies, but they seem to be continuously expanding employment, profits and Indian profile. I hope they continue to be global citizens and create vast employment opportunities, and eventually develop indigenous products that will power the world. I recently read that the Indian chip will power the new Boeing Dreamliner and Airbus next generation aircraft. Makes me proud to be an Indian. I admire Bill Gates and Microsoft, but I know people criticize Bill and Windows constantly. But can we imagine anyone else in near term duplicating what Bill’s Microsoft has done to the world? It is admirable, because of its sheer magnitude and the impact it made on the computing world. Indian IT companies and other services companies are at an advantage due to abundant talent, cost of people, government support and envy of the other industries. These Indian IT giants along with other Indian services companies can develop long term plans to enhance the outlook of their employees, create sustainable employment, develop global habits, become responsible global citizens and perhaps try to continue to perfect their internal processes to be good companies that respect customers, employees and shareholders. They may never be perfect but can continuously evolve to become better and better in managing money and people.
I got up from an afternoon nap, and on the television saw Chiranjeevi dancing. My mind immediately told me that I could never dance like him, even for a minute. I thought about individual talents and aspirations to be perfect. It is probably impossible to be perfect with any one aspect of our being. I am sure we all try and imagine becoming perfect. I like Amitabh Bacchan, and I really have to admit that he is the only actor I always liked since I was a kid. I think he tires hard and works very hard even in this sixties, and perhaps more productive with his career today than he was 30 years ago. Do you guys remember Sam Pitroda, the man who spent endless years in the 80s and 90s working to impress the magic of technology on the Indian markets? Sam is still preaching his IT mantra, but many in his mission to force rapid technology changes also shunned him. I personally worked with many Indian technocrats who were involved with the Rao government, and they were excellent listeners who embraced change as a habit. Very little is spoken of the Rao government and its contributions to the Indian economic advancement, especially after Rao was no longer in power. I believe a great number of participants in Rao’s government including the current PM Man Mohan Singh, were forward thinking people who made many changes to Indian economy possible with their forward thinking. For me it is difficult to imagine the progress with Indian markets without the changes accepted by the Rao government, which till today continue to benefit the Indians globally.
Bill Gates and Warren Buffet have been my guys (gentlemen) who I personally look up, and I read everything I can find about them. Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway are the companies they run, and the results of these companies are great measures of value creations for their shareholders for sustained periods. Perhaps one way of looking at perfection is to improve oneself on a continuous basis. I am hoping the Indian services companies will start to look at management and market models that will emulate the models of Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway; they are in my opinion excellent companies to emulate. I am sure our readers will have their own models for emulation and will find their own exemplary role models. I am certain each one of us will have great role models of people and companies we admire.
To dream to be a perfectionist is perfect. Its good to keep evolving into a better being. People and companies, governments and politicians, should strive for betterment, and continue to strive to be perfect. One last thing on being perfect is that it is to remember that we are human and only can strive for perfection, as someone else will think of doing things better, and we will continue to chase the dream of perfection. The chase to be perfect will continue.
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Why are they very mean?
Chinni,october 22,2005
Most of us have been to a school in India and also in the America. I had been to a very good school in India. And now I am going to a College here in Chicago. I find a lot of difference in the teaching style. Teachers in India show more Interest in teaching brilliant students rather than concentrating on dull candidates. Teachers were very mean in my school. I myself faced a bitter experience when I had been to school in India. I was then very small and would take the help of my Dad to complete my homework. One day my Madam corrected my book and didn’t notice any mistakes that I had written wrong. So, then my Dad got very angry at her that he wrote a note in my notebook itself that “Please check my daughter’s mistakes before you correct them.” The next day when she had my notebook for correction She had seen the note written by my Dad. From then she started being very mean to me. Though I did my exams well, she used to complain something or the other or would not permit me to go out to drink a glass of water. I was always scared to go to the school till I got done with her class. Here I feel very comfortable with all my professors and they help us a lot and treat all the students equally. Infact I love spending time in the College rather than at home.
Most of us have been to a school in India and also in the America. I had been to a very good school in India. And now I am going to a College here in Chicago. I find a lot of difference in the teaching style. Teachers in India show more Interest in teaching brilliant students rather than concentrating on dull candidates. Teachers were very mean in my school. I myself faced a bitter experience when I had been to school in India. I was then very small and would take the help of my Dad to complete my homework. One day my Madam corrected my book and didn’t notice any mistakes that I had written wrong. So, then my Dad got very angry at her that he wrote a note in my notebook itself that “Please check my daughter’s mistakes before you correct them.” The next day when she had my notebook for correction She had seen the note written by my Dad. From then she started being very mean to me. Though I did my exams well, she used to complain something or the other or would not permit me to go out to drink a glass of water. I was always scared to go to the school till I got done with her class. Here I feel very comfortable with all my professors and they help us a lot and treat all the students equally. Infact I love spending time in the College rather than at home.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Some Precious secrets about Smoking cigarettes
Chinni,october 20,2005
When we buy a cigarette pack, we see a caption written on the back of the pack that, “Smoking is injurious for health.” Yesterday we had a friend for dinner and he wanted to go out and smoke, I got so mad at him that I said I’d not accompany him if he ever smokes again. He seriously asked me,” do you know why I smoke?” I asked why?? He seriously replied cigarettes are injurious for health that is the reason I am burning them and throwing them away. And He started telling me few facts about smoking cigarettes. The next thing He asked, you know People don’t get older at all if they smoke. I was surprised and asked him “why”? He again replied seriously that people who smoke wouldn’t survive till they get old. Then finally He asked, you know no theft will happen in any person’s home if he smokes. I was bit confused and surprised too. I asked him the same question again” why”? He again replied seriously, coz guys who smoke cough all night, so how can a thief loot their home. He was so funny that he made us laugh saying funny things about smoking cigarettes. We really had a wonderful and funny evening together. Hope you too enjoy them!
When we buy a cigarette pack, we see a caption written on the back of the pack that, “Smoking is injurious for health.” Yesterday we had a friend for dinner and he wanted to go out and smoke, I got so mad at him that I said I’d not accompany him if he ever smokes again. He seriously asked me,” do you know why I smoke?” I asked why?? He seriously replied cigarettes are injurious for health that is the reason I am burning them and throwing them away. And He started telling me few facts about smoking cigarettes. The next thing He asked, you know People don’t get older at all if they smoke. I was surprised and asked him “why”? He again replied seriously that people who smoke wouldn’t survive till they get old. Then finally He asked, you know no theft will happen in any person’s home if he smokes. I was bit confused and surprised too. I asked him the same question again” why”? He again replied seriously, coz guys who smoke cough all night, so how can a thief loot their home. He was so funny that he made us laugh saying funny things about smoking cigarettes. We really had a wonderful and funny evening together. Hope you too enjoy them!
Heart Attack or Gas
October 20, 2005
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
Our reactions to our body and mind are quite difficult to plan. I was reflecting on one of my cousin’s situation from a couple of days ago. Said she was getting heart pain and probably heart attack, and she was suffering from pain. Not much I could do except express concern as we live 10,000 miles away. I was thinking about what could be wrong, and was not sure if she was having heart attack how show could be still talking on the phone. She was going to see the doctor and get to the bottom of this. I am sure everyone was concerned, and probably worried.
The next day I called to check on the situation. She ha already been to the doctor and she had indigestion, and nothing close to any problems with heart. Probably heart burn due to a heavy lunch. Although we laughed it off, it could have been a serious situation. Reflecting on the situation in afterthought it is funny, and I am sure next time I talk to her I will have a few laughs.
We will react very quickly to what happens with our body with the little knowledge we have on what could be wrong. No one knows what is wrong with it, except to react to the situation.
A couple of weeks ago, while visiting a friend’s family and their little girl, something similar happened. The kid was less than a year old, and was crying hard. I thought it was indigestion, and needed some relief. My recommendation was to give a drop of Mylicon, and it will help the child feel better. They had never given the drops to the child, though the doctor had advised the same. My friend was running some errands, so, I ran to the store and got some. The minute we gave a drop, the kid was back to playing and making happy noises. I am neither doctor nor experience with medicine, but my reaction at the time was to think of relief.
Since that ay I know her diaper bag has a bottle of Mylicon, and her parents administer the medicine when she looks like she has gas. It is just another addition to bottles of milk, water, juice, diapers, wipes and now Mylicon. It helps.
Timely and planned life is just about impossible. Whenever we are in distress we probably are thinking everything is wrong. These instances although not rare, they are not common. Our day-to-day body functions are fairly regulated and only occasionally we get the body under stress, and it will not listen.
We love to eat and indulge in the best things in life. I mean food generally. I love to eat and most times pay for the consequences later in the day or next day. As I know Mirchi Bajjis are fantastic to eat, but they create lot of trouble to the weak stomach. I love to eat dosas, idlis, pooris and whatever else that are put in front of me. No question of thinking about the number of them I eat. I eat to my full and as spicy and hot as I can. I seldom think (at least so far I have not to date before I eat) about the size of my stomach. My mind always thinks of just the taste an never about the spice.
Although the sudden changes to our body’s constitution is medically simple to fix, when it happens it is hard for the individual to understand what is really happening. Our immediate reaction is to think of the worst possible thing happening to us, such as heart attack instead of heartburn. Luckily we get over this quickly and laugh it off by saying we panicked for nothing. Most of us might even joke about it.
It may be a wise thing to learn about simple remedies to practice just in case that our body may give occasional trouble. I am not advising we take a bag full of medicines, but try to understand the simple things that cause our individual bodies to react, and try to either don’t create the situation or understand what will give us relief. It’s not easy, but we can try. Just to be safe and have peace of mind.
I tried many times to indulge in my favorite things. It is not easy, specially being Indian. It is very difficult (personal opinion) too many sweets, too many foods and too many occasions in our colander. It never works. But all I advise is some restraint, or learn to cope with the situation with a calm mind.
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
Our reactions to our body and mind are quite difficult to plan. I was reflecting on one of my cousin’s situation from a couple of days ago. Said she was getting heart pain and probably heart attack, and she was suffering from pain. Not much I could do except express concern as we live 10,000 miles away. I was thinking about what could be wrong, and was not sure if she was having heart attack how show could be still talking on the phone. She was going to see the doctor and get to the bottom of this. I am sure everyone was concerned, and probably worried.
The next day I called to check on the situation. She ha already been to the doctor and she had indigestion, and nothing close to any problems with heart. Probably heart burn due to a heavy lunch. Although we laughed it off, it could have been a serious situation. Reflecting on the situation in afterthought it is funny, and I am sure next time I talk to her I will have a few laughs.
We will react very quickly to what happens with our body with the little knowledge we have on what could be wrong. No one knows what is wrong with it, except to react to the situation.
A couple of weeks ago, while visiting a friend’s family and their little girl, something similar happened. The kid was less than a year old, and was crying hard. I thought it was indigestion, and needed some relief. My recommendation was to give a drop of Mylicon, and it will help the child feel better. They had never given the drops to the child, though the doctor had advised the same. My friend was running some errands, so, I ran to the store and got some. The minute we gave a drop, the kid was back to playing and making happy noises. I am neither doctor nor experience with medicine, but my reaction at the time was to think of relief.
Since that ay I know her diaper bag has a bottle of Mylicon, and her parents administer the medicine when she looks like she has gas. It is just another addition to bottles of milk, water, juice, diapers, wipes and now Mylicon. It helps.
Timely and planned life is just about impossible. Whenever we are in distress we probably are thinking everything is wrong. These instances although not rare, they are not common. Our day-to-day body functions are fairly regulated and only occasionally we get the body under stress, and it will not listen.
We love to eat and indulge in the best things in life. I mean food generally. I love to eat and most times pay for the consequences later in the day or next day. As I know Mirchi Bajjis are fantastic to eat, but they create lot of trouble to the weak stomach. I love to eat dosas, idlis, pooris and whatever else that are put in front of me. No question of thinking about the number of them I eat. I eat to my full and as spicy and hot as I can. I seldom think (at least so far I have not to date before I eat) about the size of my stomach. My mind always thinks of just the taste an never about the spice.
Although the sudden changes to our body’s constitution is medically simple to fix, when it happens it is hard for the individual to understand what is really happening. Our immediate reaction is to think of the worst possible thing happening to us, such as heart attack instead of heartburn. Luckily we get over this quickly and laugh it off by saying we panicked for nothing. Most of us might even joke about it.
It may be a wise thing to learn about simple remedies to practice just in case that our body may give occasional trouble. I am not advising we take a bag full of medicines, but try to understand the simple things that cause our individual bodies to react, and try to either don’t create the situation or understand what will give us relief. It’s not easy, but we can try. Just to be safe and have peace of mind.
I tried many times to indulge in my favorite things. It is not easy, specially being Indian. It is very difficult (personal opinion) too many sweets, too many foods and too many occasions in our colander. It never works. But all I advise is some restraint, or learn to cope with the situation with a calm mind.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
My first writing experience
Chinni,Oct.18th 2005
Guyz..........dont get scared reading my article. If you are not interested,just skip reading. This is my first experience in writing something on the Internet. Ok...now let me share some of my opinions here on my blog. I came to the USA long back and spent a lot of time here. But when i go back and think what i've done all these years. Nothing comes into my mind...coz...done nothing all these years except sitting and surfing the internet and hangingout with friends. This year,hope i did something useful for my life,not the blog though. Guess?? Joining in School in my Criminal Justice program. Which i started on August 22nd. The first day went pretty well and everything was new to me in the college. It seemd exciting to me. I am having 15 credits for this fall semester and i thought it was damn easy to get graduated. First week went pretty kool.
Later started tons of tests and assignments. Though i enjoy submitting them on time and getting good grades.
I dont want you to get bored reading all about my school. Let me talk about something different.When I sit alone and think of something to write. Many ideas pop-up in my brain like friends,enjoyment and teasing. I was very happy when i was in India with all my childhood friends. We used to have a lot of fun at school and out side. My best friends were Prasanthi and Jyothi. Prasanthi is a fun loving girl like me,but Jyothi is a sort of reserved type. And there was another girl,Sowgandhi who was my classmate. Sowgandhi is an orthodox brahmin. Don't be surprised coz....i think even now we can find few more orthodox here in the USA who don't touch girls and still are completely vegetarian. That was when we were in our 8th grade. All of us used to get-together to have lunch under a tamrind tree inside our school campus. Prasanthi and myself were bit naughty in our class. We used to tease and have fun a lot more than anyothers in our class. Sowgandhi used to turn her head if she sees anybody eating non-veg. And sometimes used to throw out the food she ate. We thought it was just an over acting. So, one day Myself and Prasanthi thought a way to tease her. I forgot to tell onething,no matter lunch or breakfast,we all used to share with each other.
Jyothi got some idlis,Sowgandhi some rice with dhabbakai pickle,Myself dosa with peanut chutney and Prasanthi got some rice with meat keema(minced meat) which looks similar to carrot deep fried. So, we all shared lil of everyone's food. I like Prasanthi's food much bcoz...her mom cooks very spicy and tastey. So as Sowgandhi and Jyothi. Sowgandi had her first handfull and stuffed her mouth with the keema. She liked it so much that she wanted to share some more. Myself and Prasanthi were almost about to tell her. But Sowgandhi was lucky that we were out of time to attend our class period as our break time was up. Prasanthi told not to reveal that to Sowgandhi as she would get mad and kick our ass.
I wish Sowgandhi would not read this and get mad at us after 8yrs. Here i don't find any such friends coz...almost all of them eat beef here. So, now i gotta be careful not to eat beef or teased by any of my friends here. Hope i didn't make you guys bore. If so i am sorry!
Guyz..........dont get scared reading my article. If you are not interested,just skip reading. This is my first experience in writing something on the Internet. Ok...now let me share some of my opinions here on my blog. I came to the USA long back and spent a lot of time here. But when i go back and think what i've done all these years. Nothing comes into my mind...coz...done nothing all these years except sitting and surfing the internet and hangingout with friends. This year,hope i did something useful for my life,not the blog though. Guess?? Joining in School in my Criminal Justice program. Which i started on August 22nd. The first day went pretty well and everything was new to me in the college. It seemd exciting to me. I am having 15 credits for this fall semester and i thought it was damn easy to get graduated. First week went pretty kool.
Later started tons of tests and assignments. Though i enjoy submitting them on time and getting good grades.
I dont want you to get bored reading all about my school. Let me talk about something different.When I sit alone and think of something to write. Many ideas pop-up in my brain like friends,enjoyment and teasing. I was very happy when i was in India with all my childhood friends. We used to have a lot of fun at school and out side. My best friends were Prasanthi and Jyothi. Prasanthi is a fun loving girl like me,but Jyothi is a sort of reserved type. And there was another girl,Sowgandhi who was my classmate. Sowgandhi is an orthodox brahmin. Don't be surprised coz....i think even now we can find few more orthodox here in the USA who don't touch girls and still are completely vegetarian. That was when we were in our 8th grade. All of us used to get-together to have lunch under a tamrind tree inside our school campus. Prasanthi and myself were bit naughty in our class. We used to tease and have fun a lot more than anyothers in our class. Sowgandhi used to turn her head if she sees anybody eating non-veg. And sometimes used to throw out the food she ate. We thought it was just an over acting. So, one day Myself and Prasanthi thought a way to tease her. I forgot to tell onething,no matter lunch or breakfast,we all used to share with each other.
Jyothi got some idlis,Sowgandhi some rice with dhabbakai pickle,Myself dosa with peanut chutney and Prasanthi got some rice with meat keema(minced meat) which looks similar to carrot deep fried. So, we all shared lil of everyone's food. I like Prasanthi's food much bcoz...her mom cooks very spicy and tastey. So as Sowgandhi and Jyothi. Sowgandi had her first handfull and stuffed her mouth with the keema. She liked it so much that she wanted to share some more. Myself and Prasanthi were almost about to tell her. But Sowgandhi was lucky that we were out of time to attend our class period as our break time was up. Prasanthi told not to reveal that to Sowgandhi as she would get mad and kick our ass.
I wish Sowgandhi would not read this and get mad at us after 8yrs. Here i don't find any such friends coz...almost all of them eat beef here. So, now i gotta be careful not to eat beef or teased by any of my friends here. Hope i didn't make you guys bore. If so i am sorry!
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Why Are These Guys Yelling?
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
12th October, 2005
Our inadequacies make us angry!
One of the things I always remember and say when I deal with business, and every time I have to make a professional judgment I remember that I only get angry when I don’t have an answer. I rarely have the pleasure of yelling at people at work because no one will listen to me if I yell at them. They will simply quit working or ignore me.
Do you watch the programs covering the politicians? Two things that immediately come into the picture when the cameras are present.
1. If there are two or three parties in the same location as in the assembly, it’s really fun to watch them. No one allows the other guy to speak and keep yelling at the speaker. That poor guy must be suffering from earache from so many people really yelling at him.
2. If the politician gets the mike to himself, he will simply blame everything on the opposition party, specially the guy who is in power. It doesn’t need any rhyme or reason. Everything is the fault of the party’s leader in power.
Going back to my theory on yelling, I really think that the guys who are not in power like to disrupt the proceedings because the party in power might get to do something good. If you are in the majority and have the backing of the central government you will certainly want to continue to remain in power, and will want to start keeping some if your last election promises. At least some of them must be kept. If you are allowed to publicly show that your party is able to deliver towards the promises you made, and really keep them, people will remember those promises kept. Even if they are small promises, people will remember them if they are kept. I am sure the party in the majority will make good on their party’s referendum, even if they have the opposing party or parties simply protesting them. But if the opposition parties allow the party in power to keep their referendum, especially the promises made prior to elections and or popular programs, that too on nationally televised events it seems too much to digest.
I rather enjoy the short telecasts that give us a daily briefing on what’s happening in India. But they become yelling sessions when the congress is in session. I first (probably wrote in previous columns) thought this was entertaining. But as I watch them in sessions, it is really obvious that even the smallest thing such as amount of time a guy speaks gets objected. One of the very fashionable things that the opposition seems to do on a regular basis is to walkout. I really don’t have the resources but there must be someway of tracking if an opposition party and its leader stages a walk out, did they go to some filmy function that evening? Were they doing something worthless to the cause of the people in the time they should be legislating?
Lately lot of our politicians seems to happen in filmy parties and entertainment functions. This is not abnormal, but everyday politicians finding time to attend the filmy gatherings is surprising, if they have so many issues that they yell at in front of the cameras. No problem with protesting the wrongs of the others, but what is wrong is just yelling and not making any sense in what you are yelling at. My deduction to this is that the guy who is yelling is simply making a point of disturbing the proceedings and making a scene to get noticed. Nothing more than that is accomplished if guys simply are yelling all the time.
Also, the individual attention grabbing when a camera and a mike are stuck into a politicians face is to blame all evil on the party in power. I have to imagine no one can screw up that much to create illiteracy, poverty, floods, tsunami, global warming, famine and every imaginable evil in the few months they are in power. No imagination or planning is required to blame the guy running the show, and it simply doesn’t matter weather he is good or bad with what he does. He simply is in power and is not a good worker, not a good human being, not a good politician, not a good administrator and not good for anything. That’s exactly what we hear about the guy in power, when the opposition leader gets the mike in front of a camera. If we go specific in to AP politics, even affiliated party can raise slogans against the party that gives you minister positions in center. This must be an anomaly, as it should not be allowed even in a democracy. Politicians either believes people don’t understand them speaking in front of a camera, or think we simply don’t know what party they belong to. It is no longer entertaining to see these grown men simply keep telling that the other guy is bad, screwed-up and totally a waste fellow. Why don’t they start telling what are they doing to make life better for their constituents? Perhaps people will hear that and vote them into power so that they can deliver to their promises.
Stop yelling and do some constructive work. Everything people in power do is not wrong, or right. Each party and has its own plans and agenda, and if people don’t like the ruling party this time, they will be replaced as the last one. No point yelling as no one will listen after a while. People like to see their needs met, not watch politicians on TV simply yelling. You get no votes for yelling.
12th October, 2005
Our inadequacies make us angry!
One of the things I always remember and say when I deal with business, and every time I have to make a professional judgment I remember that I only get angry when I don’t have an answer. I rarely have the pleasure of yelling at people at work because no one will listen to me if I yell at them. They will simply quit working or ignore me.
Do you watch the programs covering the politicians? Two things that immediately come into the picture when the cameras are present.
1. If there are two or three parties in the same location as in the assembly, it’s really fun to watch them. No one allows the other guy to speak and keep yelling at the speaker. That poor guy must be suffering from earache from so many people really yelling at him.
2. If the politician gets the mike to himself, he will simply blame everything on the opposition party, specially the guy who is in power. It doesn’t need any rhyme or reason. Everything is the fault of the party’s leader in power.
Going back to my theory on yelling, I really think that the guys who are not in power like to disrupt the proceedings because the party in power might get to do something good. If you are in the majority and have the backing of the central government you will certainly want to continue to remain in power, and will want to start keeping some if your last election promises. At least some of them must be kept. If you are allowed to publicly show that your party is able to deliver towards the promises you made, and really keep them, people will remember those promises kept. Even if they are small promises, people will remember them if they are kept. I am sure the party in the majority will make good on their party’s referendum, even if they have the opposing party or parties simply protesting them. But if the opposition parties allow the party in power to keep their referendum, especially the promises made prior to elections and or popular programs, that too on nationally televised events it seems too much to digest.
I rather enjoy the short telecasts that give us a daily briefing on what’s happening in India. But they become yelling sessions when the congress is in session. I first (probably wrote in previous columns) thought this was entertaining. But as I watch them in sessions, it is really obvious that even the smallest thing such as amount of time a guy speaks gets objected. One of the very fashionable things that the opposition seems to do on a regular basis is to walkout. I really don’t have the resources but there must be someway of tracking if an opposition party and its leader stages a walk out, did they go to some filmy function that evening? Were they doing something worthless to the cause of the people in the time they should be legislating?
Lately lot of our politicians seems to happen in filmy parties and entertainment functions. This is not abnormal, but everyday politicians finding time to attend the filmy gatherings is surprising, if they have so many issues that they yell at in front of the cameras. No problem with protesting the wrongs of the others, but what is wrong is just yelling and not making any sense in what you are yelling at. My deduction to this is that the guy who is yelling is simply making a point of disturbing the proceedings and making a scene to get noticed. Nothing more than that is accomplished if guys simply are yelling all the time.
Also, the individual attention grabbing when a camera and a mike are stuck into a politicians face is to blame all evil on the party in power. I have to imagine no one can screw up that much to create illiteracy, poverty, floods, tsunami, global warming, famine and every imaginable evil in the few months they are in power. No imagination or planning is required to blame the guy running the show, and it simply doesn’t matter weather he is good or bad with what he does. He simply is in power and is not a good worker, not a good human being, not a good politician, not a good administrator and not good for anything. That’s exactly what we hear about the guy in power, when the opposition leader gets the mike in front of a camera. If we go specific in to AP politics, even affiliated party can raise slogans against the party that gives you minister positions in center. This must be an anomaly, as it should not be allowed even in a democracy. Politicians either believes people don’t understand them speaking in front of a camera, or think we simply don’t know what party they belong to. It is no longer entertaining to see these grown men simply keep telling that the other guy is bad, screwed-up and totally a waste fellow. Why don’t they start telling what are they doing to make life better for their constituents? Perhaps people will hear that and vote them into power so that they can deliver to their promises.
Stop yelling and do some constructive work. Everything people in power do is not wrong, or right. Each party and has its own plans and agenda, and if people don’t like the ruling party this time, they will be replaced as the last one. No point yelling as no one will listen after a while. People like to see their needs met, not watch politicians on TV simply yelling. You get no votes for yelling.
Friday, October 07, 2005
Tapping the Rich Markets of India
Vasu Reddy from Chicago
4th October 2005
Many of the NRI families come from rural areas and smaller towns of India. For example everyone doesn’t come from Hyderabad, although we may have a family member or a relative who live there. With almost 10 million some people in Hyderabad, it is likely that in over 70 some million people who live in Andhra Pradesh, at least we have someone who we know or somehow related to in Hyderabad. In that context the market power of the capital city is obvious. Political center, industrial center, hitech center and cultural center along with the huge population is attractive for businesses to hoard their wares in Hyderabad. Big homes, big fancy cars, multiplexes, cinema and other entertainment centers along with advertisers who constantly spend zillions of rupees in the big city is natural.
But think of the NRI families that are from smaller centers such as Vijayawada, Guntur, Nellore, Tirupathi, Proddutur, Amalapuram, Badrachalam and many other towns, and in cases villages where our families live, and have all the affluence necessary to afford the luxuries of wealth.
In reality the ratio of people who are affluent may be higher in the smaller markets rater than in the big city. From the Internet cafes to Mercedes showrooms of Hyderabad cater to the affluent folks of the city, and the rich of the rural Pradesh have to go all the way to the big city to get some of these high-ticket items. I am sure the gold and sari shops of the smaller cities are as posh as the big city. How about the big-ticket items, cars, appliances, specialist markets that are very affordable to the very rich who live in the villages, but are not advertised in the smaller communities or available easily.
I really don’t have a business model that can take every luxury affordable and available in Hyderabad and take them to the village, but there has to be a way to make things easy to acquire if you can afford them. The transportation facilities seem to be much improved since a generation ago and there is better communications with wireless networks.
May be it is time for many of our dynamic NRI to think of modeling the business strategies to develop access to their communities, where by the folks form the rural areas don’t have to go to Hyderabad or next big city to buy stuff. For example this year I have been to small communities, which are fairly affluent but have neither Internet nor mobile coverage. This is one of the small things that can help better communication. For example if my mom can see me on the Internet (for which there is a need for Internet connectivity) and can speak to me on the telephone (for which the wireless or wire line networks must work if they are there or they need to be built) then I won’t miss her as much as if I am unable to find her. By simple development the communications can be deployed. I am not sure why the private enterprise has not made inroads into small community infrastructure development?
There is a lot of development with educational facilities over the last generation, with many technical colleges springing everywhere. There is plenty of human resources all around the state, to provide for opportunity for enterprise to grow in every area of the state (for that matter the country). And thanks to the NRI wealth there is every village with a decent population that is rich and can afford all the high-ticket items. There is plenty of opportunity in all parts for business of transportation, communications, agriculture, commerce and other areas that can be upgraded to the levels of the big city.
The congestion of the big city and the extraordinary difference in cost of living is a good reason to make all parts of the state accessible. With the affordability of the rural population (it perhaps is a greater than the big city) serious efforts to bring all things that are available in the big city to all parts of the state, except the congestion and high prices. While the market is there with the rich farmers and traders along with the NRI families, only planning is necessary to capitalize on this.
I have been seriously thinking of various models that extend the infrastructure of the big city along with its big-ticket items to all parts of the state. Much has been said about development in the state with various governments including this one, but bringing the entire state with similar market system as the big city will need enterprise doing the planning and work, not just the state government. Companies, individuals and enterprise should seriously start planning for catering to the whole state and bring products and services to every community that can afford them. Think of the impulse buying people go through everyday when they go shopping. Whatever is on your list plus whatever else you see available become your targets for buying. The rural markets become the same. If it is available people will but it. Be it cars, apartments, gas stove or beans, if they are easily available they become your targets for impulse buying.
People can afford things, and are willing to pay for them and need them. I invite all NRI and the folks with people in the smaller towns to work on solutions. Every market need met, is simply better business for all people involved. Every additional service available in your town is a value addition to the family, government and the development of the state in general. It will be incredible to not rely on just going to the city to buy stuff but simply be at home in the village and have the pleasure of the product or service delivered to you. Indians are great spenders and acquirers and no question they will welcome all the luxuries money can buy into their communities, and all the services they need to be in touch with the rest of the world without traveling to the big city. I would believe that the small markets are really not that small. It is the entire state that is rich with farmers, merchants and NRI. They can make Andhra Pradesh a big market by acquiring for all things that are accessible to them. They can afford them.
4th October 2005
Many of the NRI families come from rural areas and smaller towns of India. For example everyone doesn’t come from Hyderabad, although we may have a family member or a relative who live there. With almost 10 million some people in Hyderabad, it is likely that in over 70 some million people who live in Andhra Pradesh, at least we have someone who we know or somehow related to in Hyderabad. In that context the market power of the capital city is obvious. Political center, industrial center, hitech center and cultural center along with the huge population is attractive for businesses to hoard their wares in Hyderabad. Big homes, big fancy cars, multiplexes, cinema and other entertainment centers along with advertisers who constantly spend zillions of rupees in the big city is natural.
But think of the NRI families that are from smaller centers such as Vijayawada, Guntur, Nellore, Tirupathi, Proddutur, Amalapuram, Badrachalam and many other towns, and in cases villages where our families live, and have all the affluence necessary to afford the luxuries of wealth.
In reality the ratio of people who are affluent may be higher in the smaller markets rater than in the big city. From the Internet cafes to Mercedes showrooms of Hyderabad cater to the affluent folks of the city, and the rich of the rural Pradesh have to go all the way to the big city to get some of these high-ticket items. I am sure the gold and sari shops of the smaller cities are as posh as the big city. How about the big-ticket items, cars, appliances, specialist markets that are very affordable to the very rich who live in the villages, but are not advertised in the smaller communities or available easily.
I really don’t have a business model that can take every luxury affordable and available in Hyderabad and take them to the village, but there has to be a way to make things easy to acquire if you can afford them. The transportation facilities seem to be much improved since a generation ago and there is better communications with wireless networks.
May be it is time for many of our dynamic NRI to think of modeling the business strategies to develop access to their communities, where by the folks form the rural areas don’t have to go to Hyderabad or next big city to buy stuff. For example this year I have been to small communities, which are fairly affluent but have neither Internet nor mobile coverage. This is one of the small things that can help better communication. For example if my mom can see me on the Internet (for which there is a need for Internet connectivity) and can speak to me on the telephone (for which the wireless or wire line networks must work if they are there or they need to be built) then I won’t miss her as much as if I am unable to find her. By simple development the communications can be deployed. I am not sure why the private enterprise has not made inroads into small community infrastructure development?
There is a lot of development with educational facilities over the last generation, with many technical colleges springing everywhere. There is plenty of human resources all around the state, to provide for opportunity for enterprise to grow in every area of the state (for that matter the country). And thanks to the NRI wealth there is every village with a decent population that is rich and can afford all the high-ticket items. There is plenty of opportunity in all parts for business of transportation, communications, agriculture, commerce and other areas that can be upgraded to the levels of the big city.
The congestion of the big city and the extraordinary difference in cost of living is a good reason to make all parts of the state accessible. With the affordability of the rural population (it perhaps is a greater than the big city) serious efforts to bring all things that are available in the big city to all parts of the state, except the congestion and high prices. While the market is there with the rich farmers and traders along with the NRI families, only planning is necessary to capitalize on this.
I have been seriously thinking of various models that extend the infrastructure of the big city along with its big-ticket items to all parts of the state. Much has been said about development in the state with various governments including this one, but bringing the entire state with similar market system as the big city will need enterprise doing the planning and work, not just the state government. Companies, individuals and enterprise should seriously start planning for catering to the whole state and bring products and services to every community that can afford them. Think of the impulse buying people go through everyday when they go shopping. Whatever is on your list plus whatever else you see available become your targets for buying. The rural markets become the same. If it is available people will but it. Be it cars, apartments, gas stove or beans, if they are easily available they become your targets for impulse buying.
People can afford things, and are willing to pay for them and need them. I invite all NRI and the folks with people in the smaller towns to work on solutions. Every market need met, is simply better business for all people involved. Every additional service available in your town is a value addition to the family, government and the development of the state in general. It will be incredible to not rely on just going to the city to buy stuff but simply be at home in the village and have the pleasure of the product or service delivered to you. Indians are great spenders and acquirers and no question they will welcome all the luxuries money can buy into their communities, and all the services they need to be in touch with the rest of the world without traveling to the big city. I would believe that the small markets are really not that small. It is the entire state that is rich with farmers, merchants and NRI. They can make Andhra Pradesh a big market by acquiring for all things that are accessible to them. They can afford them.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Indian Villages, Living and Factionalism
Compiled by Vasu Reddy from Chicago
30th June 2005
The Villages - Settlement and StructureScattered throughout India are approximately 500,000 villages. The Census of India regards most settlements of fewer than 5,000 as a village. These settlements range from tiny hamlets of thatched huts to larger settlements of tile-roofed stone and brick houses. Most villages are small; nearly 80 percent have fewer than 1,000 inhabitants, according to the 1991 census. Most are nucleated settlements, while others are more dispersed. It is in villages that India's most basic business--agriculture--takes place. Here, in the face of vicissitudes of all kinds, farmers follow time-tested as well as innovative methods of growing wheat, rice, lentils, vegetables, fruits, and many other crops in order to accomplish the challenging task of feeding themselves and the nation. Here, too, flourish many of India's most valued cultural forms.Viewed from a distance, an Indian village may appear deceptively simple. A cluster of mud-plastered walls shaded by a few trees, set among a stretch of green or dun-colored fields, with a few people slowly coming or going, oxcarts creaking, cattle lowing, and birds singing--all present an image of harmonious simplicity. Indian city dwellers often refer nostalgically to "simple village life." City artists portray colorfully garbed village women gracefully carrying water pots on their heads, and writers describe isolated rural settlements unsullied by the complexities of modern urban civilization. Social scientists of the past wrote of Indian villages as virtually self-sufficient communities with few ties to the outside world.In actuality, Indian village life is far from simple. Each village is connected through a variety of crucial horizontal linkages with other villages and with urban areas both near and far. Most villages are characterized by a multiplicity of economic, caste, kinship, occupational, and even religious groups linked vertically within each settlement. Factionalism is a typical feature of village politics. In one of the first of the modern anthropological studies of Indian village life, anthropologist Oscar Lewis called this complexity "rural cosmopolitanism."Throughout most of India, village dwellings are built very close to one another in a nucleated settlement, with small lanes for passage of people and sometimes carts. Village fields surround the settlement and are generally within easy walking distance. In hilly tracts of central, eastern, and far northern India, dwellings are more spread out, reflecting the nature of the topography. In the wet states of West Bengal and Kerala, houses are more dispersed; in some parts of Kerala, they are constructed in continuous lines, with divisions between villages not obvious to visitors.In northern and central India, neighborhood boundaries can be vague. The houses of Dalits are generally located in separate neighborhoods or on the outskirts of the nucleated settlement, but there are seldom-distinct Dalit hamlets. By contrast, in the south, where socioeconomic contrasts and caste pollution observances tend to be stronger than in the north, Brahman homes may be set apart from those of non-Brahmans, and Dalit hamlets are set at a little distance from the homes of other castes.The number of castes resident in a single village can vary widely, from one to more than forty. Typically, a village is dominated by one or a very few castes that essentially control the village land and on whose patronage members of weaker groups must rely. In the village of about 1,100 population near Delhi studied by Lewis in the 1950s, the Jat caste (the largest cultivating caste in northwestern India) comprised 60 percent of the residents and owned all of the village land, including the house sites. In Nimkhera, Madhya Pradesh, Hindu Thakurs and Brahmans, and Muslim Pathans own substantial land, while lower-ranking Weaver (Koli) and Barber (Khawas) caste members and others own smaller farms. In many areas of the south, Brahmans are major landowners, along with some other relatively high-ranking castes. Generally, land, prosperity, and power go together.In some regions, landowners refrain from using plows themselves but hire tenant farmers and laborers to do this work. In other regions, landowners till the soil with the aid of laborers, usually resident in the same village. Fellow villagers typically include representatives of various service and artisan castes to supply the needs of the villagers--priests, carpenters, blacksmiths, barbers, weavers, potters, oil pressers, leatherworkers, sweepers, water bearers, toddy-tapers, and so on. Artisan in pottery, wood, cloth, metal, and leather, although diminishing, continues in many contemporary Indian villages as it did in centuries past. Village religious observances and weddings are occasions for members of various castes to provide customary ritual goods and services in order for the events to proceed according to proper tradition.Aside from caste-associated occupations, villages often include people who practice nontraditional occupations. For example, Brahmans or Thakurs may be shopkeepers, teachers, truckers, or clerks, in addition to their caste-associated occupations of priest and farmer. In villages near urban areas, an increasing number of people commute to the cities to take up jobs, and many migrate. Some migrants leave their families in the village and go to the cities to work for months at a time. Many people from Kerala, as well as other regions, have temporarily migrated to the Persian Gulf states for employment and send remittances back to their village families, to which they will eventually return.At slack seasons, village life can appear to be sleepy, but usually villages are humming with activity. The work ethic is strong, with little time out for relaxation, except for numerous divinely sanctioned festivals and rite-of-passage celebrations. Residents are quick to judge each other, and improper work or social habits receive strong criticism. Villagers feel a sense of village pride and honor, and the reputation of a village depends upon the behavior of all of its residents.Village Unity and DivisivenessVillagers manifest a deep loyalty to their village, identifying themselves to strangers as residents of a particular village, harking back to family residence in the village that typically extends into the distant past. A family rooted in a particular village does not easily move to another, and even people who have lived in a city for a generation or two refer to their ancestral village as "our village."Villagers share use of common village facilities--the village pond (known in India as a tank), grazing grounds, temples and shrines, cremation grounds, schools, sitting spaces under large shade trees, wells, and wastelands. Perhaps equally important, fellow villagers share knowledge of their common origin in a locale and of each other's secrets, often going back generations. Interdependence in rural life provides a sense of unity among residents of a village.A great many observances emphasize village unity. Typically, each village recognizes a deity deemed the village protector or protectress, and villagers unite in regular worship of this deity, considered essential to village prosperity. They may cooperate in constructing temples and shrines important to the village as a whole. Hindu festivals such as Holi, Dipavali (Diwali), and Durga Puja bring villagers together (see Public Worship, ch.3). In the north, even Muslims may join in the friendly splashing of colored water on fellow villagers in Spring Holi revelries, which involve village wide singing, dancing, and joking. People of all castes within a village address each other by kinship terms, reflecting the fictive kinship relationships recognized within each settlement. In the north, where village exogamy is important, the concept of a village as a significant unit is clear. When the all-male groom's party arrives from another village, residents of the bride's village in North India treat the visitors with the appropriate behavior due to them as bride-takers--men greet them with ostentatious respect, while women cover their faces and sing bawdy songs at them. A woman born in a village is known as a daughter of the village while an in-married bride is considered a daughter-in-law of the village. In her conjugal home in North India, a bride is often known by the name of her natal village; for example, Sanchiwali (woman from Sanchi). A man who chooses to live in his wife's natal village--usually for reasons of land inheritance--is known by the name of his birth village, such as Sankheriwala (man from Sankheri).Traditionally, villages often recognized a headman and listened with respect to the decisions of the panchayat, composed of important men from the village's major castes, who had the power to levy fines and exclude transgressors from village social life. Disputes were decided within the village precincts as much as possible, with infrequent recourse to the police or court system. In present-day India, the government supports an elective panchayat and headman system, which is distinct from the traditional council and headman, and, in many instances, even includes women and very low-caste members. As older systems of authority are challenged, villagers are less reluctant to take disputes to court.The solidarity of a village is always driven by conflicts, rivalries, and factionalism. Living together in intensely close relationships over generations, struggling to wrest a livelihood from the same limited area of land and water sources, closely watching some grow fat and powerful while others remain weak and dependent, fellow villagers are prone to disputes, strategic contests, and even violence. Most villages include what villagers call "big fish," prosperous, powerful people, fed and serviced through the labors of the struggling "little fish." Villagers commonly view gains as possible only at the expense of neighbors. Further, the increased involvement of villagers with the wider economic and political world outside the village via travel, work, education, and television; expanding government influence in rural areas; and increased pressure on land and resources as village populations grow seem to have resulted in increased factionalism and competitiveness in many parts of rural India.
Village in India - Unity and Divisiveness
Villagers in India manifest a deep loyalty to their village, identifying themselves to strangers as residents of a particular village, harking back to family residence in the village that typically extends into the distant past. A family rooted in a particular village does not easily move to another, and even people who have lived in a city for a generation or two refer to their ancestral village as "our village."
Indian Villagers share use of common village facilities--the village pond (known in India as a tank), grazing grounds, temples and shrines, cremation grounds, schools, sitting spaces under large shade trees, wells, and wastelands. Perhaps equally important, fellow villagers share knowledge of their common origin in a locale and of each other's secrets, often going back generations. Interdependence in rural life provides a sense of unity among residents of a village.
A great many observances emphasize village unity. Typically, each village recognizes a deity deemed the village protector or protectress, and villagers unite in regular worship of this deity, considered essential to village prosperity. They may cooperate in constructing temples and shrines important to the village as a whole. Hindu festivals such as Holi, Dipavali (Diwali), and Durga Puja bring villagers together. In the north, even Muslims may join in the friendly splashing of colored water on fellow villagers in Spring Holi revelries, which involve village wide singing, dancing, and joking. People of all castes within a village address each other by kinship terms, reflecting the fictive kinship relationships recognized within each settlement. In the north, where village exogamy is important, the concept of a village as a significant unit is clear. When the all-male groom's party arrives from another village, residents of the bride's village in North India treat the visitors with the appropriate behavior due to them as bride-takers--men greet them with ostentatious respect, while women cover their faces and sing bawdy songs at them. A woman born in a village in India is known as a daughter of the village while an in-married bride is considered a daughter-in-law of the village. In her conjugal home in North India, a bride is often known by the name of her natal village; for example, Sanchiwali (woman from Sanchi). A man who chooses to live in his wife's natal village--usually for reasons of land inheritance--is known by the name of his birth village, such as Sankheriwala (man from Sankheri).
Traditionally, villages in India often recognized a headman and listened with respect to the decisions of the panchayat, composed of important men from the village's major castes, who had the power to levy fines and exclude transgressors from village social life. Disputes were decided within the village precincts as much as possible, with infrequent recourse to the police or court system. In present-day India, the government supports an elective panchayat and headman system, which is distinct from the traditional council and headman, and, in many instances, even includes women and very low-caste members. As older systems of authority are challenged, villagers are less reluctant to take disputes to court.
The solidarity of a village is always driven by conflicts, rivalries, and factionalism. Living together in intensely close relationships over generations, struggling to wrest a livelihood from the same limited area of land and water sources, closely watching some grow fat and powerful while others remain weak and dependent, fellow villagers are prone to disputes, strategic contests, and even violence. Most villages of India include what villagers call "big fish," prosperous, powerful people, fed and serviced through the labors of the struggling "little fish." Villagers commonly view gains as possible only at the expense of neighbors. Further, the increased involvement of villagers with the wider economic and political world outside the village via travel, work, education, and television; expanding government influence in rural areas; and increased pressure on land and resources as village populations grow seem to have resulted in increased factionalism and competitiveness in many parts of rural India.
India's caste system
India has a hierarchical caste system in the society. Within Indian culture, whether in the north or the south, Hindu or Muslim, urban or village, virtually all things, people, and groups of people are ranked according to various essential qualities. If one is attuned to the theme of hierarchy in India, one can discern it everywhere. Although India is a political democracy, in daily life there is little advocacy of or adherence to notions of equality.
Castes systems in India and caste like groups--those quintessential groups with which almost all Indians are associated--are ranked. Within most villages or towns, everyone knows the relative rankings of each locally represented caste, and people's behavior toward one another is constantly shaped by this knowledge. Between the extremes of the very high and very low castes, however, there is sometimes disagreement on the exact relative ranking of castes clustered in the middle.
Castes system in India is primarily associated with Hinduism but also exist among other Indian religious groups. Muslims sometimes expressly deny that they have castes--they state that all Muslims are brothers under God--but observation of Muslim life in various parts of India reveals the existence of caste like groups and clear concern with social hierarchy. Among Indian Christians, too, differences in caste are acknowledged and maintained.
Throughout India, individuals are also ranked according to their wealth and power. For example, there are "big men" (bare admi, in Hindi) and "little men" (chhote admi) everywhere. "Big men" sit confidently on chairs, while "little men" come before them to make requests, either standing or crouching down on their haunches, certainly not presuming to sit beside a man of high status as an equal. Even men of nearly equal status who might share a string cot to sit on take their places carefully--the higher-ranking man at the head of the cot, the lower-ranking man at the foot.
Within families and kinship groupings, there are many distinctions of hierarchy. Men outrank women of the same or similar age, and senior relatives outrank junior relatives. Several other kinship relations involve formal respect. For example, in northern India, a daughter-in-law of a household shows deference to a daughter of a household. Even among young siblings in a household, there is constant acknowledgment of age differences: younger siblings never address an older sibling by name, but rather by respectful terms for elder brother or elder sister.
Even in a business or academic setting, where colleagues may not openly espouse traditional observance of caste or class ranking behavior, they may set up fictive kinship relations, addressing one another by kinship terms reflecting family or village-style hierarchy. For example, a younger colleague might respectfully address an older colleague as chachaji (respected father's younger brother), gracefully acknowledging the superior position of the older colleague.
Purity and Pollution
Many status differences in Indian society are expressed in terms of ritual purity and pollution. Notions of purity and pollution are extremely complex and vary greatly among different castes, religious groups, and regions. However, broadly speaking, high status is associated with purity and low status with pollution. Some kinds of purity are inherent, or inborn; for example, gold is purer than copper by its very nature, and, similarly, a member of a high-ranking Brahman, or priestly, caste is born with more inherent purity than a member of a low-ranking Sweeper (Mehtar in Hindi) caste. Unless the Brahman defiles himself in some extraordinary way, throughout his life he will always be purer than a Sweeper. Other kinds of purity are more transitory--a Brahman who has just taken a bath is more ritually pure than a Brahman who has not bathed for a day. This situation could easily reverse itself temporarily, depending on bath schedules, participation in polluting activities, or contact with temporarily polluting substances.
Purity is associated with ritual cleanliness--daily bathing in flowing water, dressing in properly laundered clothes of approved materials, eating only the foods appropriate for one's caste, refraining from physical contact with people of lower rank, and avoiding involvement with ritually impure substances. The latter include body wastes and excretions, most especially those of another adult person. Contact with the products of death or violence are typically polluting and threatening to ritual purity.
During her menstrual period, a woman is considered polluted and refrains from cooking, worshiping, or touching anyone older than an infant. In much of the south, a woman spends this time "sitting outside," resting in an isolated room or shed. During her period, a Muslim woman does not touch the Quran. At the end of the period, purity is restored with a complete bath. Pollution also attaches to birth, both for the mother and the infant's close kin, and to death, for close relatives of the deceased.
Members of the highest priestly castes, the Brahmans, are generally vegetarians (although some Bengali and Maharashtrian Brahmans eat fish) and avoid eating meat, the product of violence and death. High-ranking Warrior castes (Kshatriyas), however, typically consume non-vegetarian diets, considered appropriate for their traditions of valor and physical strength.
A Brahman born of proper Brahman parents retains his inherent purity if he bathes and dresses himself properly, adheres to a vegetarian diet, eats meals prepared only by persons of appropriate rank, and keeps his person away from the bodily exuviae of others (except for necessary contact with the secretions of family infants and small children).
If a Brahman happens to come into bodily contact with a polluting substance, he can remove this pollution by bathing and changing his clothing. However, if he were to eat meat or commit other transgressions of the rigid dietary codes of his particular caste, he would be considered more deeply polluted and would have to undergo various purifying rites and payment of fines imposed by his caste council in order to restore his inherent purity.
In sharp contrast to the purity of a Brahman, a Sweeper born of Sweeper parents is considered to be born inherently polluted. The touch of his body is polluting to those higher on the caste hierarchy than he, and they will shrink from his touch, whether or not he has bathed recently. Sweepers are associated with the traditional occupation of cleaning human feces from latrines and sweeping public lanes of all kinds of dirt. Traditionally, Sweepers remove these polluting materials in baskets carried atop the head and dumped out in a garbage pile at the edge of the village or neighborhood. The involvement of Sweepers with such filth accords with their low-status position at the bottom of the Hindu caste hierarchy, even as their services allow high-status people, such as Brahmans, to maintain their ritual purity.
Members of the Leatherworker (Chamar) caste are ascribed a very low status consonant with their association with the caste occupation of skinning dead animals and tanning the leather. Butchers (Khatiks, in Hindi), who kill and cut up the bodies of animals, also rank low on the caste hierarchy because of their association with violence and death.
However, castes associated with ruling and warfare--and the killing and deaths of human beings--are typically accorded high rank on the caste hierarchy. In these instances, political power and wealth outrank association with violence as the key determinant of caste rank.
Maintenance of purity is associated with the intake of food and drink, not only in terms of the nature of the food itself, but also in terms of who has prepared it or touched it. This requirement is especially true for Hindus, but other religious groups hold to these principles to varying degrees. Generally, a person risks pollution--and lowering his own status--if he accepts beverages or cooked foods from the hands of people of lower caste status than his own. His status will remain intact if he accepts food or beverages from people of higher caste rank. Usually, for an observant Hindu of any but the very lowest castes to accept cooked food from a Muslim or Christian is regarded as highly polluting.
In a clear example of pollution associated with dining, a Brahman who consumed a drink of water and a meal of wheat bread with boiled vegetables from the hands of a Sweeper would immediately become polluted and could expect social rejection by his caste fellows. From that moment, fellow Brahmans following traditional pollution rules would refuse food touched by him and would abstain from the usual social interaction with him. He would not be welcome inside Brahman homes--most especially in the ritually pure kitchens--nor would he or his close relatives be considered eligible marriage partners for other Brahmans.
Generally, the acceptance of water and ordinary foods cooked in water from members of lower-ranking castes incurs the greatest pollution. In North India, such foods are known as kaccha khana, as contrasted with fine foods cooked in butter or oils, which are known as pakka khana. Fine foods can be accepted from members of a few castes slightly lower than one's own. Local hierarchies differ on the specific details of these rules.
Completely raw foods, such as uncooked grains, fresh unpeeled bananas, mangoes, and uncooked vegetables can be accepted by anyone from anyone else, regardless of relative status. Toasted or parched foods, such as roasted peanuts, can also be accepted from anyone without ritual or social repercussions.
Water served from an earthen pot may be accepted only from the hands of someone of higher or equal caste ranking, but water served from a brass pot may be accepted even from someone slightly lower on the caste scale. Exceptions to this rule are members of the Water bearer (Bhoi, in Hindi) caste, who are employed to carry water from wells to the homes of the prosperous and from whose hands members of all castes may drink water without becoming polluted, even though Water bearers are not ranked high on the caste scale.
These and a great many other traditional rules pertaining to purity and pollution constantly impinge upon interaction between people of different castes and ranks in India. Although to the non-Indian these rules may seem irrational and bizarre, to most of the people of India they are a ubiquitous and accepted part of life. Thinking about and following purity and pollution rules make it necessary for people to be constantly aware of differences in status. With every drink of water, with every meal, and with every contact with another person, people must ratify the social hierarchy of which they are a part and within which their every act is carried out. The fact that expressions of social status are intricately bound up with events that happen to everyone every day--eating, drinking, bathing, touching, talking--and that transgressions of these rules, whether deliberate or accidental, are seen as having immediately polluting effects on the person of the transgressor, means that every ordinary act of human life serves as a constant reminder of the importance of hierarchy in Indian society.
There are many Indians, particularly among the educated urban elite, who do not follow traditional purity and pollution practices. Dining in each other’s homes and in restaurants is common among well-educated people of diverse backgrounds, particularly when they belong to the same economic class. For these people, guarding the family's earthen water pot from inadvertent touch by a low-ranking servant is not the concern it is for a more traditional villager. However, even among those people whose words and actions denigrate traditional purity rules, there is often a reluctance to completely abolish consciousness of purity and pollution from their thinking. It is surely rare for a Sweeper, however well educated, to invite a Brahman to dinner in his home and have his invitation un self-consciously accepted. It is less rare, however, for educated urban colleagues of vastly different caste and religious heritage to enjoy a cup of tea together. Some high-caste liberals pride themselves on being free of "casteism" and seek to accept food from the hands of very low-caste people, or even deliberately set out to marry someone from a significantly lower caste or a different religion. Thus, even as they deny it, these progressives affirm the continuing significance of traditional rules of purity, pollution, and hierarchy in Indian caste system. 1995 data. India's caste system. Courtesy Library of Congress.
Although many other nations are characterized by social inequality, perhaps nowhere else in the world has inequality been so elaborately constructed as in the Indian institution of caste. Caste has long existed in India, but in the modern period it has been severely criticized by both Indian and foreign observers. Although some educated Indians tell non-Indians that caste has been abolished or that "no one pays attention to caste anymore," such statements do not reflect reality.
Caste has undergone significant change since independence, but it still involves hundreds of millions of people. In its preamble, India's constitution forbids negative public discrimination on the basis of caste. However, caste ranking and caste-based interaction have occurred for centuries and will continue to do so well into the foreseeable future, more in the countryside than in urban settings and more in the realms of kinship and marriage than in less personal interactions.
Castes are ranked, named, endogamous (in-marrying) groups, membership in which is achieved by birth. There are thousands of castes and sub castes in India, and these large kinship-based groups are fundamental to South Asian social structure. Each caste is part of a locally based system of interdependence with other groups, involving occupational specialization, and is linked in complex ways with networks that stretch across regions and throughout the nation.
The word caste derives from the Portuguese casta, meaning breed, race, or kind. Among the Indian terms that are sometimes translated as caste are varna, jati, jat, biradri, and samaj. All of these terms refer to ranked groups of various sizes and breadth. Varna, or color, actually refers to large divisions that include various castes; the other terms include castes and subdivisions of castes sometimes called sub castes.
Many castes are traditionally associated with an occupation, such as high-ranking Brahmans; middle-ranking farmer and artisan groups, such as potters, barbers, and carpenters; and very low-ranking "Untouchable" leatherworkers, butchers, launderers, and latrine cleaners. There is some correlation between ritual rank on the caste hierarchy and economic prosperity. Members of higher-ranking castes tend, on the whole, to be more prosperous than members of lower-ranking castes. Many lower-caste people live in conditions of great poverty and social disadvantage.
According to the Rig Veda, sacred texts that date back to oral traditions of more than 3,000 years ago, progenitors of the four ranked varna groups sprang from various parts of the body of the primordial man, which Brahma created from clay. Each group had a function in sustaining the life of society--the social body. Brahmans, or priests, were created from the mouth. They were to provide for the intellectual and spiritual needs of the community. Kshatriyas, warriors and rulers, were derived from the arms. Their role was to rule and to protect others. Vaishyas--landowners and merchants--sprang from the thighs, and were entrusted with the care of commerce and agriculture. Shudras--artisans and servants--came from the feet. Their task was to perform all manual labor.
Later conceptualized was a fifth category, "Untouchable" menials, relegated to carrying out very menial and polluting work related to bodily decay and dirt. Since 1935 "Untouchables" have been known as Scheduled Castes, referring to their listing on government rosters, or schedules. They are also often called by Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi's term Harijans, or "Children of God." Although the term Untouchable appears in literature produced by these low-ranking castes, in the 1990s, many politically conscious members of these groups prefer to refer to themselves as Dalit, a Hindi word meaning oppressed or downtrodden. According to the 1991 census, there were 138 million Scheduled Caste members in India, approximately 16 percent of the total population.
The first four varnas apparently existed in the ancient Aryan society of northern India. Some historians say that these categories were originally somewhat fluid functional groups, not castes. A greater degree of fixity gradually developed, resulting in the complex ranking systems of medieval India that essentially continue in the late twentieth century.
Although a varna is not a caste, when directly asked for their caste affiliation, particularly when the questioner is a Westerner, many Indians will reply with a varna name. Pressed further, they may respond with a much more specific name of a caste, or jati, which falls within that varna. For example, a Brahman may specify that he is a member of a named caste group, such as a Jijotiya Brahman, or a Smartha Brahman, and so on. Within such castes, people may further belong to smaller sub caste categories and to specific clans and lineages. These finer designations are particularly relevant when marriages are being arranged and often appear in newspaper matrimonial advertisements.
Members of a caste are typically spread out over a region, with representatives living in hundreds of settlements. In any small village, there may be representatives of a few or even a score or more castes.
Numerous groups usually called tribes (often referred to as Scheduled Tribes) are also integrated into the caste system to varying degrees. Some tribes live separately from others--particularly in the far northeast and in the forested center of the country, where tribes are more like ethnic groups than castes. Some tribes are themselves divided into groups similar to sub castes. In regions where members of tribes live in peasant villages with non-tribal peoples, they are usually considered members of separate castes ranking low on the hierarchical scale.
Inequalities among castes are considered by the Hindu faithful to be part of the divinely ordained natural order and are expressed in terms of purity and pollution. Within a village, relative rank is most graphically expressed at a wedding or death feast, when all residents of the village are invited. At the home of a high-ranking caste member, food is prepared by a member of a caste from whom all can accept cooked food (usually by a Brahman). Diners are seated in lines; members of a single caste sit next to each other in a row, and members of other castes sit in perpendicular or parallel rows at some distance. Members of Dalit castes, such as Leatherworkers and Sweepers, may be seated far from the other diners--even out in an alley. Farther away, at the edge of the feeding area, a Sweeper may wait with a large basket to receive discarded leavings tossed in by other diners. Eating food contaminated by contact with the saliva of others not of the same family is considered far too polluting to be practiced by members of any other castes. Generally, feasts and ceremonies given by Dalits are not attended by higher-ranking castes.
Among Muslims, although status differences prevail, brotherhood may be stressed. A Muslim feast usually includes a cloth laid either on clean ground or on a table, with all Muslims, rich and poor, dining from plates placed on the same cloth. Muslims who wish to provide hospitality to observant Hindus, however, must make separate arrangements for a high-caste Hindu cook and ritually pure foods and dining area.
Castes that fall within the top four ranked varnas are sometimes referred to as the "clean castes," with Dalits considered "unclean." Castes of the top three ranked varnas are often designated "twice-born," in reference to the ritual initiation undergone by male members, in which investiture with the Hindu sacred thread constitutes a kind of ritual rebirth. Non-Hindu caste like groups generally falls outside these designations.
Each caste is believed by devout Hindus to have its own dharma, or divinely ordained code of proper conduct. Accordingly, there is often a high degree of tolerance for divergent lifestyles among different castes. Brahmans are usually expected to be nonviolent and spiritual, according with their traditional roles as vegetarian teetotaler priests. Kshatriyas are supposed to be strong, as fighters and rulers should be, with a taste for aggression, eating meat, and drinking alcohol. Vaishyas are stereotyped as adept businessmen, in accord with their traditional activities in commerce. Shudras are often described by others as tolerably pleasant but expectably somewhat base in behavior, whereas Dalits--especially Sweepers--are often regarded by others as followers of vulgar life-styles. Conversely, lower-caste people often view people of high rank as haughty and unfeeling.
The chastity of women is strongly related to caste status. Generally, the higher ranking the caste, the more sexual control its women are expected to exhibit. Brahman brides should be virginal, faithful to one husband, and celibate in widowhood. By contrast, a Sweeper bride may or may not be a virgin, extramarital affairs may be tolerated, and, if widowed or divorced, the woman is encouraged to remarry. For the higher castes, such control of female sexuality helps ensure purity of lineage--of crucial importance to maintenance of high status. Among Muslims, too, high status is strongly correlated with female chastity.
Within castes explicit standards are maintained. Transgressions may be dealt with by a caste council (panchayat), meeting periodically to adjudicate issues relevant to the caste. Such councils are usually formed of groups of elders, almost always males. Punishments such as fines and out casting, either temporary or permanent, can be enforced. In rare cases, a person is excommunicated from the caste for gross infractions of caste rules. An example of such an infraction might be marrying or openly cohabiting with a mate of a caste lower than one's own; such behavior would usually result in the higher-caste person dropping to the status of the lower-caste person.
Activities such as farming or trading can be carried out by anyone, but usually only members of the appropriate castes act as priests, barbers, potters, weavers, and other skilled artisans, whose occupational skills are handed down in families from one generation to another. As with other key features of Indian social structure, occupational specialization is believed to be in accord with the divinely ordained order of the universe.
The existence of rigid ranking is supernaturally validated through the idea of rebirth according to a person's karma, the sum of an individual's deeds in this life and in past lives. After death, a person's life is judged by divine forces, and rebirth is assigned in a high or a low place, depending upon what is deserved. This supernatural sanction can never be neglected, because it brings a person to his or her position in the caste hierarchy, relevant to every transaction involving food or drink, speaking, or touching.
In past decades, Dalits in certain areas (especially in parts of the south) had to display extreme deference to high-status people, physically keeping their distance--lest their touch or even their shadow pollute others--wearing neither shoes nor any upper body covering (even for women) in the presence of the upper castes. The lowest ranking had to jingle a little bell in warning of their polluting approach. In much of India, Dalits were prohibited from entering temples, using wells from which the "clean" castes drew their water, or even attending schools. In past centuries, dire punishments were prescribed for Dalits who read or even heard sacred texts.
Such degrading discrimination was made illegal under legislation passed during British rule and was protested against by preindependence reform movements led by Mahatma Gandhi and Bhimrao Ramji (B.R.) Ambedkar, a Dalit leader. Dalits agitated for the right to enter Hindu temples and to use village wells and effectively pressed for the enactment of stronger laws opposing disabilities imposed on them. After independence, Ambedkar almost single-handedly wrote India's constitution, including key provisions barring caste-based discrimination. Nonetheless, discriminatory treatment of Dalits remains a factor in daily life, especially in villages, as the end of the twentieth century approaches.
In modern times, as in the past, it is virtually impossible for an individual to raise his own status by falsely claiming to be a member of a higher-ranked caste. Such a ruse might work for a time in a place where the person is unknown, but no one would dine with or intermarry with such a person or his offspring until the claim was validated through kinship networks. Rising on the ritual hierarchy can only be achieved by a caste as a group, over a long period of time, principally by adopting behavior patterns of higher-ranked groups. This process, known as Sanskritization, has been described by M.N. Srinivas and others. An example of such behavior is that of some Leatherworker castes adopting a policy of not eating beef, in the hope that abstaining from the defiling practice of consuming the flesh of sacred bovines would enhance their castes' status. Increased economic prosperity for much of a caste greatly aids in the process of improving rank.
30th June 2005
The Villages - Settlement and StructureScattered throughout India are approximately 500,000 villages. The Census of India regards most settlements of fewer than 5,000 as a village. These settlements range from tiny hamlets of thatched huts to larger settlements of tile-roofed stone and brick houses. Most villages are small; nearly 80 percent have fewer than 1,000 inhabitants, according to the 1991 census. Most are nucleated settlements, while others are more dispersed. It is in villages that India's most basic business--agriculture--takes place. Here, in the face of vicissitudes of all kinds, farmers follow time-tested as well as innovative methods of growing wheat, rice, lentils, vegetables, fruits, and many other crops in order to accomplish the challenging task of feeding themselves and the nation. Here, too, flourish many of India's most valued cultural forms.Viewed from a distance, an Indian village may appear deceptively simple. A cluster of mud-plastered walls shaded by a few trees, set among a stretch of green or dun-colored fields, with a few people slowly coming or going, oxcarts creaking, cattle lowing, and birds singing--all present an image of harmonious simplicity. Indian city dwellers often refer nostalgically to "simple village life." City artists portray colorfully garbed village women gracefully carrying water pots on their heads, and writers describe isolated rural settlements unsullied by the complexities of modern urban civilization. Social scientists of the past wrote of Indian villages as virtually self-sufficient communities with few ties to the outside world.In actuality, Indian village life is far from simple. Each village is connected through a variety of crucial horizontal linkages with other villages and with urban areas both near and far. Most villages are characterized by a multiplicity of economic, caste, kinship, occupational, and even religious groups linked vertically within each settlement. Factionalism is a typical feature of village politics. In one of the first of the modern anthropological studies of Indian village life, anthropologist Oscar Lewis called this complexity "rural cosmopolitanism."Throughout most of India, village dwellings are built very close to one another in a nucleated settlement, with small lanes for passage of people and sometimes carts. Village fields surround the settlement and are generally within easy walking distance. In hilly tracts of central, eastern, and far northern India, dwellings are more spread out, reflecting the nature of the topography. In the wet states of West Bengal and Kerala, houses are more dispersed; in some parts of Kerala, they are constructed in continuous lines, with divisions between villages not obvious to visitors.In northern and central India, neighborhood boundaries can be vague. The houses of Dalits are generally located in separate neighborhoods or on the outskirts of the nucleated settlement, but there are seldom-distinct Dalit hamlets. By contrast, in the south, where socioeconomic contrasts and caste pollution observances tend to be stronger than in the north, Brahman homes may be set apart from those of non-Brahmans, and Dalit hamlets are set at a little distance from the homes of other castes.The number of castes resident in a single village can vary widely, from one to more than forty. Typically, a village is dominated by one or a very few castes that essentially control the village land and on whose patronage members of weaker groups must rely. In the village of about 1,100 population near Delhi studied by Lewis in the 1950s, the Jat caste (the largest cultivating caste in northwestern India) comprised 60 percent of the residents and owned all of the village land, including the house sites. In Nimkhera, Madhya Pradesh, Hindu Thakurs and Brahmans, and Muslim Pathans own substantial land, while lower-ranking Weaver (Koli) and Barber (Khawas) caste members and others own smaller farms. In many areas of the south, Brahmans are major landowners, along with some other relatively high-ranking castes. Generally, land, prosperity, and power go together.In some regions, landowners refrain from using plows themselves but hire tenant farmers and laborers to do this work. In other regions, landowners till the soil with the aid of laborers, usually resident in the same village. Fellow villagers typically include representatives of various service and artisan castes to supply the needs of the villagers--priests, carpenters, blacksmiths, barbers, weavers, potters, oil pressers, leatherworkers, sweepers, water bearers, toddy-tapers, and so on. Artisan in pottery, wood, cloth, metal, and leather, although diminishing, continues in many contemporary Indian villages as it did in centuries past. Village religious observances and weddings are occasions for members of various castes to provide customary ritual goods and services in order for the events to proceed according to proper tradition.Aside from caste-associated occupations, villages often include people who practice nontraditional occupations. For example, Brahmans or Thakurs may be shopkeepers, teachers, truckers, or clerks, in addition to their caste-associated occupations of priest and farmer. In villages near urban areas, an increasing number of people commute to the cities to take up jobs, and many migrate. Some migrants leave their families in the village and go to the cities to work for months at a time. Many people from Kerala, as well as other regions, have temporarily migrated to the Persian Gulf states for employment and send remittances back to their village families, to which they will eventually return.At slack seasons, village life can appear to be sleepy, but usually villages are humming with activity. The work ethic is strong, with little time out for relaxation, except for numerous divinely sanctioned festivals and rite-of-passage celebrations. Residents are quick to judge each other, and improper work or social habits receive strong criticism. Villagers feel a sense of village pride and honor, and the reputation of a village depends upon the behavior of all of its residents.Village Unity and DivisivenessVillagers manifest a deep loyalty to their village, identifying themselves to strangers as residents of a particular village, harking back to family residence in the village that typically extends into the distant past. A family rooted in a particular village does not easily move to another, and even people who have lived in a city for a generation or two refer to their ancestral village as "our village."Villagers share use of common village facilities--the village pond (known in India as a tank), grazing grounds, temples and shrines, cremation grounds, schools, sitting spaces under large shade trees, wells, and wastelands. Perhaps equally important, fellow villagers share knowledge of their common origin in a locale and of each other's secrets, often going back generations. Interdependence in rural life provides a sense of unity among residents of a village.A great many observances emphasize village unity. Typically, each village recognizes a deity deemed the village protector or protectress, and villagers unite in regular worship of this deity, considered essential to village prosperity. They may cooperate in constructing temples and shrines important to the village as a whole. Hindu festivals such as Holi, Dipavali (Diwali), and Durga Puja bring villagers together (see Public Worship, ch.3). In the north, even Muslims may join in the friendly splashing of colored water on fellow villagers in Spring Holi revelries, which involve village wide singing, dancing, and joking. People of all castes within a village address each other by kinship terms, reflecting the fictive kinship relationships recognized within each settlement. In the north, where village exogamy is important, the concept of a village as a significant unit is clear. When the all-male groom's party arrives from another village, residents of the bride's village in North India treat the visitors with the appropriate behavior due to them as bride-takers--men greet them with ostentatious respect, while women cover their faces and sing bawdy songs at them. A woman born in a village is known as a daughter of the village while an in-married bride is considered a daughter-in-law of the village. In her conjugal home in North India, a bride is often known by the name of her natal village; for example, Sanchiwali (woman from Sanchi). A man who chooses to live in his wife's natal village--usually for reasons of land inheritance--is known by the name of his birth village, such as Sankheriwala (man from Sankheri).Traditionally, villages often recognized a headman and listened with respect to the decisions of the panchayat, composed of important men from the village's major castes, who had the power to levy fines and exclude transgressors from village social life. Disputes were decided within the village precincts as much as possible, with infrequent recourse to the police or court system. In present-day India, the government supports an elective panchayat and headman system, which is distinct from the traditional council and headman, and, in many instances, even includes women and very low-caste members. As older systems of authority are challenged, villagers are less reluctant to take disputes to court.The solidarity of a village is always driven by conflicts, rivalries, and factionalism. Living together in intensely close relationships over generations, struggling to wrest a livelihood from the same limited area of land and water sources, closely watching some grow fat and powerful while others remain weak and dependent, fellow villagers are prone to disputes, strategic contests, and even violence. Most villages include what villagers call "big fish," prosperous, powerful people, fed and serviced through the labors of the struggling "little fish." Villagers commonly view gains as possible only at the expense of neighbors. Further, the increased involvement of villagers with the wider economic and political world outside the village via travel, work, education, and television; expanding government influence in rural areas; and increased pressure on land and resources as village populations grow seem to have resulted in increased factionalism and competitiveness in many parts of rural India.
Village in India - Unity and Divisiveness
Villagers in India manifest a deep loyalty to their village, identifying themselves to strangers as residents of a particular village, harking back to family residence in the village that typically extends into the distant past. A family rooted in a particular village does not easily move to another, and even people who have lived in a city for a generation or two refer to their ancestral village as "our village."
Indian Villagers share use of common village facilities--the village pond (known in India as a tank), grazing grounds, temples and shrines, cremation grounds, schools, sitting spaces under large shade trees, wells, and wastelands. Perhaps equally important, fellow villagers share knowledge of their common origin in a locale and of each other's secrets, often going back generations. Interdependence in rural life provides a sense of unity among residents of a village.
A great many observances emphasize village unity. Typically, each village recognizes a deity deemed the village protector or protectress, and villagers unite in regular worship of this deity, considered essential to village prosperity. They may cooperate in constructing temples and shrines important to the village as a whole. Hindu festivals such as Holi, Dipavali (Diwali), and Durga Puja bring villagers together. In the north, even Muslims may join in the friendly splashing of colored water on fellow villagers in Spring Holi revelries, which involve village wide singing, dancing, and joking. People of all castes within a village address each other by kinship terms, reflecting the fictive kinship relationships recognized within each settlement. In the north, where village exogamy is important, the concept of a village as a significant unit is clear. When the all-male groom's party arrives from another village, residents of the bride's village in North India treat the visitors with the appropriate behavior due to them as bride-takers--men greet them with ostentatious respect, while women cover their faces and sing bawdy songs at them. A woman born in a village in India is known as a daughter of the village while an in-married bride is considered a daughter-in-law of the village. In her conjugal home in North India, a bride is often known by the name of her natal village; for example, Sanchiwali (woman from Sanchi). A man who chooses to live in his wife's natal village--usually for reasons of land inheritance--is known by the name of his birth village, such as Sankheriwala (man from Sankheri).
Traditionally, villages in India often recognized a headman and listened with respect to the decisions of the panchayat, composed of important men from the village's major castes, who had the power to levy fines and exclude transgressors from village social life. Disputes were decided within the village precincts as much as possible, with infrequent recourse to the police or court system. In present-day India, the government supports an elective panchayat and headman system, which is distinct from the traditional council and headman, and, in many instances, even includes women and very low-caste members. As older systems of authority are challenged, villagers are less reluctant to take disputes to court.
The solidarity of a village is always driven by conflicts, rivalries, and factionalism. Living together in intensely close relationships over generations, struggling to wrest a livelihood from the same limited area of land and water sources, closely watching some grow fat and powerful while others remain weak and dependent, fellow villagers are prone to disputes, strategic contests, and even violence. Most villages of India include what villagers call "big fish," prosperous, powerful people, fed and serviced through the labors of the struggling "little fish." Villagers commonly view gains as possible only at the expense of neighbors. Further, the increased involvement of villagers with the wider economic and political world outside the village via travel, work, education, and television; expanding government influence in rural areas; and increased pressure on land and resources as village populations grow seem to have resulted in increased factionalism and competitiveness in many parts of rural India.
India's caste system
India has a hierarchical caste system in the society. Within Indian culture, whether in the north or the south, Hindu or Muslim, urban or village, virtually all things, people, and groups of people are ranked according to various essential qualities. If one is attuned to the theme of hierarchy in India, one can discern it everywhere. Although India is a political democracy, in daily life there is little advocacy of or adherence to notions of equality.
Castes systems in India and caste like groups--those quintessential groups with which almost all Indians are associated--are ranked. Within most villages or towns, everyone knows the relative rankings of each locally represented caste, and people's behavior toward one another is constantly shaped by this knowledge. Between the extremes of the very high and very low castes, however, there is sometimes disagreement on the exact relative ranking of castes clustered in the middle.
Castes system in India is primarily associated with Hinduism but also exist among other Indian religious groups. Muslims sometimes expressly deny that they have castes--they state that all Muslims are brothers under God--but observation of Muslim life in various parts of India reveals the existence of caste like groups and clear concern with social hierarchy. Among Indian Christians, too, differences in caste are acknowledged and maintained.
Throughout India, individuals are also ranked according to their wealth and power. For example, there are "big men" (bare admi, in Hindi) and "little men" (chhote admi) everywhere. "Big men" sit confidently on chairs, while "little men" come before them to make requests, either standing or crouching down on their haunches, certainly not presuming to sit beside a man of high status as an equal. Even men of nearly equal status who might share a string cot to sit on take their places carefully--the higher-ranking man at the head of the cot, the lower-ranking man at the foot.
Within families and kinship groupings, there are many distinctions of hierarchy. Men outrank women of the same or similar age, and senior relatives outrank junior relatives. Several other kinship relations involve formal respect. For example, in northern India, a daughter-in-law of a household shows deference to a daughter of a household. Even among young siblings in a household, there is constant acknowledgment of age differences: younger siblings never address an older sibling by name, but rather by respectful terms for elder brother or elder sister.
Even in a business or academic setting, where colleagues may not openly espouse traditional observance of caste or class ranking behavior, they may set up fictive kinship relations, addressing one another by kinship terms reflecting family or village-style hierarchy. For example, a younger colleague might respectfully address an older colleague as chachaji (respected father's younger brother), gracefully acknowledging the superior position of the older colleague.
Purity and Pollution
Many status differences in Indian society are expressed in terms of ritual purity and pollution. Notions of purity and pollution are extremely complex and vary greatly among different castes, religious groups, and regions. However, broadly speaking, high status is associated with purity and low status with pollution. Some kinds of purity are inherent, or inborn; for example, gold is purer than copper by its very nature, and, similarly, a member of a high-ranking Brahman, or priestly, caste is born with more inherent purity than a member of a low-ranking Sweeper (Mehtar in Hindi) caste. Unless the Brahman defiles himself in some extraordinary way, throughout his life he will always be purer than a Sweeper. Other kinds of purity are more transitory--a Brahman who has just taken a bath is more ritually pure than a Brahman who has not bathed for a day. This situation could easily reverse itself temporarily, depending on bath schedules, participation in polluting activities, or contact with temporarily polluting substances.
Purity is associated with ritual cleanliness--daily bathing in flowing water, dressing in properly laundered clothes of approved materials, eating only the foods appropriate for one's caste, refraining from physical contact with people of lower rank, and avoiding involvement with ritually impure substances. The latter include body wastes and excretions, most especially those of another adult person. Contact with the products of death or violence are typically polluting and threatening to ritual purity.
During her menstrual period, a woman is considered polluted and refrains from cooking, worshiping, or touching anyone older than an infant. In much of the south, a woman spends this time "sitting outside," resting in an isolated room or shed. During her period, a Muslim woman does not touch the Quran. At the end of the period, purity is restored with a complete bath. Pollution also attaches to birth, both for the mother and the infant's close kin, and to death, for close relatives of the deceased.
Members of the highest priestly castes, the Brahmans, are generally vegetarians (although some Bengali and Maharashtrian Brahmans eat fish) and avoid eating meat, the product of violence and death. High-ranking Warrior castes (Kshatriyas), however, typically consume non-vegetarian diets, considered appropriate for their traditions of valor and physical strength.
A Brahman born of proper Brahman parents retains his inherent purity if he bathes and dresses himself properly, adheres to a vegetarian diet, eats meals prepared only by persons of appropriate rank, and keeps his person away from the bodily exuviae of others (except for necessary contact with the secretions of family infants and small children).
If a Brahman happens to come into bodily contact with a polluting substance, he can remove this pollution by bathing and changing his clothing. However, if he were to eat meat or commit other transgressions of the rigid dietary codes of his particular caste, he would be considered more deeply polluted and would have to undergo various purifying rites and payment of fines imposed by his caste council in order to restore his inherent purity.
In sharp contrast to the purity of a Brahman, a Sweeper born of Sweeper parents is considered to be born inherently polluted. The touch of his body is polluting to those higher on the caste hierarchy than he, and they will shrink from his touch, whether or not he has bathed recently. Sweepers are associated with the traditional occupation of cleaning human feces from latrines and sweeping public lanes of all kinds of dirt. Traditionally, Sweepers remove these polluting materials in baskets carried atop the head and dumped out in a garbage pile at the edge of the village or neighborhood. The involvement of Sweepers with such filth accords with their low-status position at the bottom of the Hindu caste hierarchy, even as their services allow high-status people, such as Brahmans, to maintain their ritual purity.
Members of the Leatherworker (Chamar) caste are ascribed a very low status consonant with their association with the caste occupation of skinning dead animals and tanning the leather. Butchers (Khatiks, in Hindi), who kill and cut up the bodies of animals, also rank low on the caste hierarchy because of their association with violence and death.
However, castes associated with ruling and warfare--and the killing and deaths of human beings--are typically accorded high rank on the caste hierarchy. In these instances, political power and wealth outrank association with violence as the key determinant of caste rank.
Maintenance of purity is associated with the intake of food and drink, not only in terms of the nature of the food itself, but also in terms of who has prepared it or touched it. This requirement is especially true for Hindus, but other religious groups hold to these principles to varying degrees. Generally, a person risks pollution--and lowering his own status--if he accepts beverages or cooked foods from the hands of people of lower caste status than his own. His status will remain intact if he accepts food or beverages from people of higher caste rank. Usually, for an observant Hindu of any but the very lowest castes to accept cooked food from a Muslim or Christian is regarded as highly polluting.
In a clear example of pollution associated with dining, a Brahman who consumed a drink of water and a meal of wheat bread with boiled vegetables from the hands of a Sweeper would immediately become polluted and could expect social rejection by his caste fellows. From that moment, fellow Brahmans following traditional pollution rules would refuse food touched by him and would abstain from the usual social interaction with him. He would not be welcome inside Brahman homes--most especially in the ritually pure kitchens--nor would he or his close relatives be considered eligible marriage partners for other Brahmans.
Generally, the acceptance of water and ordinary foods cooked in water from members of lower-ranking castes incurs the greatest pollution. In North India, such foods are known as kaccha khana, as contrasted with fine foods cooked in butter or oils, which are known as pakka khana. Fine foods can be accepted from members of a few castes slightly lower than one's own. Local hierarchies differ on the specific details of these rules.
Completely raw foods, such as uncooked grains, fresh unpeeled bananas, mangoes, and uncooked vegetables can be accepted by anyone from anyone else, regardless of relative status. Toasted or parched foods, such as roasted peanuts, can also be accepted from anyone without ritual or social repercussions.
Water served from an earthen pot may be accepted only from the hands of someone of higher or equal caste ranking, but water served from a brass pot may be accepted even from someone slightly lower on the caste scale. Exceptions to this rule are members of the Water bearer (Bhoi, in Hindi) caste, who are employed to carry water from wells to the homes of the prosperous and from whose hands members of all castes may drink water without becoming polluted, even though Water bearers are not ranked high on the caste scale.
These and a great many other traditional rules pertaining to purity and pollution constantly impinge upon interaction between people of different castes and ranks in India. Although to the non-Indian these rules may seem irrational and bizarre, to most of the people of India they are a ubiquitous and accepted part of life. Thinking about and following purity and pollution rules make it necessary for people to be constantly aware of differences in status. With every drink of water, with every meal, and with every contact with another person, people must ratify the social hierarchy of which they are a part and within which their every act is carried out. The fact that expressions of social status are intricately bound up with events that happen to everyone every day--eating, drinking, bathing, touching, talking--and that transgressions of these rules, whether deliberate or accidental, are seen as having immediately polluting effects on the person of the transgressor, means that every ordinary act of human life serves as a constant reminder of the importance of hierarchy in Indian society.
There are many Indians, particularly among the educated urban elite, who do not follow traditional purity and pollution practices. Dining in each other’s homes and in restaurants is common among well-educated people of diverse backgrounds, particularly when they belong to the same economic class. For these people, guarding the family's earthen water pot from inadvertent touch by a low-ranking servant is not the concern it is for a more traditional villager. However, even among those people whose words and actions denigrate traditional purity rules, there is often a reluctance to completely abolish consciousness of purity and pollution from their thinking. It is surely rare for a Sweeper, however well educated, to invite a Brahman to dinner in his home and have his invitation un self-consciously accepted. It is less rare, however, for educated urban colleagues of vastly different caste and religious heritage to enjoy a cup of tea together. Some high-caste liberals pride themselves on being free of "casteism" and seek to accept food from the hands of very low-caste people, or even deliberately set out to marry someone from a significantly lower caste or a different religion. Thus, even as they deny it, these progressives affirm the continuing significance of traditional rules of purity, pollution, and hierarchy in Indian caste system. 1995 data. India's caste system. Courtesy Library of Congress.
Although many other nations are characterized by social inequality, perhaps nowhere else in the world has inequality been so elaborately constructed as in the Indian institution of caste. Caste has long existed in India, but in the modern period it has been severely criticized by both Indian and foreign observers. Although some educated Indians tell non-Indians that caste has been abolished or that "no one pays attention to caste anymore," such statements do not reflect reality.
Caste has undergone significant change since independence, but it still involves hundreds of millions of people. In its preamble, India's constitution forbids negative public discrimination on the basis of caste. However, caste ranking and caste-based interaction have occurred for centuries and will continue to do so well into the foreseeable future, more in the countryside than in urban settings and more in the realms of kinship and marriage than in less personal interactions.
Castes are ranked, named, endogamous (in-marrying) groups, membership in which is achieved by birth. There are thousands of castes and sub castes in India, and these large kinship-based groups are fundamental to South Asian social structure. Each caste is part of a locally based system of interdependence with other groups, involving occupational specialization, and is linked in complex ways with networks that stretch across regions and throughout the nation.
The word caste derives from the Portuguese casta, meaning breed, race, or kind. Among the Indian terms that are sometimes translated as caste are varna, jati, jat, biradri, and samaj. All of these terms refer to ranked groups of various sizes and breadth. Varna, or color, actually refers to large divisions that include various castes; the other terms include castes and subdivisions of castes sometimes called sub castes.
Many castes are traditionally associated with an occupation, such as high-ranking Brahmans; middle-ranking farmer and artisan groups, such as potters, barbers, and carpenters; and very low-ranking "Untouchable" leatherworkers, butchers, launderers, and latrine cleaners. There is some correlation between ritual rank on the caste hierarchy and economic prosperity. Members of higher-ranking castes tend, on the whole, to be more prosperous than members of lower-ranking castes. Many lower-caste people live in conditions of great poverty and social disadvantage.
According to the Rig Veda, sacred texts that date back to oral traditions of more than 3,000 years ago, progenitors of the four ranked varna groups sprang from various parts of the body of the primordial man, which Brahma created from clay. Each group had a function in sustaining the life of society--the social body. Brahmans, or priests, were created from the mouth. They were to provide for the intellectual and spiritual needs of the community. Kshatriyas, warriors and rulers, were derived from the arms. Their role was to rule and to protect others. Vaishyas--landowners and merchants--sprang from the thighs, and were entrusted with the care of commerce and agriculture. Shudras--artisans and servants--came from the feet. Their task was to perform all manual labor.
Later conceptualized was a fifth category, "Untouchable" menials, relegated to carrying out very menial and polluting work related to bodily decay and dirt. Since 1935 "Untouchables" have been known as Scheduled Castes, referring to their listing on government rosters, or schedules. They are also often called by Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi's term Harijans, or "Children of God." Although the term Untouchable appears in literature produced by these low-ranking castes, in the 1990s, many politically conscious members of these groups prefer to refer to themselves as Dalit, a Hindi word meaning oppressed or downtrodden. According to the 1991 census, there were 138 million Scheduled Caste members in India, approximately 16 percent of the total population.
The first four varnas apparently existed in the ancient Aryan society of northern India. Some historians say that these categories were originally somewhat fluid functional groups, not castes. A greater degree of fixity gradually developed, resulting in the complex ranking systems of medieval India that essentially continue in the late twentieth century.
Although a varna is not a caste, when directly asked for their caste affiliation, particularly when the questioner is a Westerner, many Indians will reply with a varna name. Pressed further, they may respond with a much more specific name of a caste, or jati, which falls within that varna. For example, a Brahman may specify that he is a member of a named caste group, such as a Jijotiya Brahman, or a Smartha Brahman, and so on. Within such castes, people may further belong to smaller sub caste categories and to specific clans and lineages. These finer designations are particularly relevant when marriages are being arranged and often appear in newspaper matrimonial advertisements.
Members of a caste are typically spread out over a region, with representatives living in hundreds of settlements. In any small village, there may be representatives of a few or even a score or more castes.
Numerous groups usually called tribes (often referred to as Scheduled Tribes) are also integrated into the caste system to varying degrees. Some tribes live separately from others--particularly in the far northeast and in the forested center of the country, where tribes are more like ethnic groups than castes. Some tribes are themselves divided into groups similar to sub castes. In regions where members of tribes live in peasant villages with non-tribal peoples, they are usually considered members of separate castes ranking low on the hierarchical scale.
Inequalities among castes are considered by the Hindu faithful to be part of the divinely ordained natural order and are expressed in terms of purity and pollution. Within a village, relative rank is most graphically expressed at a wedding or death feast, when all residents of the village are invited. At the home of a high-ranking caste member, food is prepared by a member of a caste from whom all can accept cooked food (usually by a Brahman). Diners are seated in lines; members of a single caste sit next to each other in a row, and members of other castes sit in perpendicular or parallel rows at some distance. Members of Dalit castes, such as Leatherworkers and Sweepers, may be seated far from the other diners--even out in an alley. Farther away, at the edge of the feeding area, a Sweeper may wait with a large basket to receive discarded leavings tossed in by other diners. Eating food contaminated by contact with the saliva of others not of the same family is considered far too polluting to be practiced by members of any other castes. Generally, feasts and ceremonies given by Dalits are not attended by higher-ranking castes.
Among Muslims, although status differences prevail, brotherhood may be stressed. A Muslim feast usually includes a cloth laid either on clean ground or on a table, with all Muslims, rich and poor, dining from plates placed on the same cloth. Muslims who wish to provide hospitality to observant Hindus, however, must make separate arrangements for a high-caste Hindu cook and ritually pure foods and dining area.
Castes that fall within the top four ranked varnas are sometimes referred to as the "clean castes," with Dalits considered "unclean." Castes of the top three ranked varnas are often designated "twice-born," in reference to the ritual initiation undergone by male members, in which investiture with the Hindu sacred thread constitutes a kind of ritual rebirth. Non-Hindu caste like groups generally falls outside these designations.
Each caste is believed by devout Hindus to have its own dharma, or divinely ordained code of proper conduct. Accordingly, there is often a high degree of tolerance for divergent lifestyles among different castes. Brahmans are usually expected to be nonviolent and spiritual, according with their traditional roles as vegetarian teetotaler priests. Kshatriyas are supposed to be strong, as fighters and rulers should be, with a taste for aggression, eating meat, and drinking alcohol. Vaishyas are stereotyped as adept businessmen, in accord with their traditional activities in commerce. Shudras are often described by others as tolerably pleasant but expectably somewhat base in behavior, whereas Dalits--especially Sweepers--are often regarded by others as followers of vulgar life-styles. Conversely, lower-caste people often view people of high rank as haughty and unfeeling.
The chastity of women is strongly related to caste status. Generally, the higher ranking the caste, the more sexual control its women are expected to exhibit. Brahman brides should be virginal, faithful to one husband, and celibate in widowhood. By contrast, a Sweeper bride may or may not be a virgin, extramarital affairs may be tolerated, and, if widowed or divorced, the woman is encouraged to remarry. For the higher castes, such control of female sexuality helps ensure purity of lineage--of crucial importance to maintenance of high status. Among Muslims, too, high status is strongly correlated with female chastity.
Within castes explicit standards are maintained. Transgressions may be dealt with by a caste council (panchayat), meeting periodically to adjudicate issues relevant to the caste. Such councils are usually formed of groups of elders, almost always males. Punishments such as fines and out casting, either temporary or permanent, can be enforced. In rare cases, a person is excommunicated from the caste for gross infractions of caste rules. An example of such an infraction might be marrying or openly cohabiting with a mate of a caste lower than one's own; such behavior would usually result in the higher-caste person dropping to the status of the lower-caste person.
Activities such as farming or trading can be carried out by anyone, but usually only members of the appropriate castes act as priests, barbers, potters, weavers, and other skilled artisans, whose occupational skills are handed down in families from one generation to another. As with other key features of Indian social structure, occupational specialization is believed to be in accord with the divinely ordained order of the universe.
The existence of rigid ranking is supernaturally validated through the idea of rebirth according to a person's karma, the sum of an individual's deeds in this life and in past lives. After death, a person's life is judged by divine forces, and rebirth is assigned in a high or a low place, depending upon what is deserved. This supernatural sanction can never be neglected, because it brings a person to his or her position in the caste hierarchy, relevant to every transaction involving food or drink, speaking, or touching.
In past decades, Dalits in certain areas (especially in parts of the south) had to display extreme deference to high-status people, physically keeping their distance--lest their touch or even their shadow pollute others--wearing neither shoes nor any upper body covering (even for women) in the presence of the upper castes. The lowest ranking had to jingle a little bell in warning of their polluting approach. In much of India, Dalits were prohibited from entering temples, using wells from which the "clean" castes drew their water, or even attending schools. In past centuries, dire punishments were prescribed for Dalits who read or even heard sacred texts.
Such degrading discrimination was made illegal under legislation passed during British rule and was protested against by preindependence reform movements led by Mahatma Gandhi and Bhimrao Ramji (B.R.) Ambedkar, a Dalit leader. Dalits agitated for the right to enter Hindu temples and to use village wells and effectively pressed for the enactment of stronger laws opposing disabilities imposed on them. After independence, Ambedkar almost single-handedly wrote India's constitution, including key provisions barring caste-based discrimination. Nonetheless, discriminatory treatment of Dalits remains a factor in daily life, especially in villages, as the end of the twentieth century approaches.
In modern times, as in the past, it is virtually impossible for an individual to raise his own status by falsely claiming to be a member of a higher-ranked caste. Such a ruse might work for a time in a place where the person is unknown, but no one would dine with or intermarry with such a person or his offspring until the claim was validated through kinship networks. Rising on the ritual hierarchy can only be achieved by a caste as a group, over a long period of time, principally by adopting behavior patterns of higher-ranked groups. This process, known as Sanskritization, has been described by M.N. Srinivas and others. An example of such behavior is that of some Leatherworker castes adopting a policy of not eating beef, in the hope that abstaining from the defiling practice of consuming the flesh of sacred bovines would enhance their castes' status. Increased economic prosperity for much of a caste greatly aids in the process of improving rank.
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