The recent bill passed in the Parliament that allows 51% FDI in multi-brand retail has created controversy in the political space. The opposition parties are threatening to stall the Winter Session, at a time when Parliament cannot afford to miss the session. Although it is the nature of Opposition to vehemently oppose every move taken by the ruling party, this particular discussion has aroused my interest.
The Congress believes that entry of global players into multi-brand retail space will enhance the entire chain and ultimately benefit the “aam aadmi” in multiple ways, by creating many jobs, by easing prices via supply strengthening, and creating an excellent farmer-to-market infrastructure. The government has ensured this by restricting companies to invest at least $100 million and 50% of it in building back-end infrastructure. Given these rules, there is no doubt that there are going to be positive effects of the decision.
These global players were eagerly waiting to tap the potential India has. They have at least 20 years of experience in building end-to-end infrastructure, and flattening the entire retail process. The kind of technology Wal-Mart offers in retailing is second to none. It has such command over its supply chain management that it is bound to create a technology that will amaze customers. In such an age when India is considered to be one of the fastest growing economies in the world, why should India be bereft of witnessing such a transformation in technology?
The most prominent argument that the Opposition is riding on is that entry of such global players in the retail arena will kick out small retailers and famous “kirana stores”. This argument is baseless as I can think of one comparison that will make this clear. Entry of four wheelers into the market does not kick out the two wheeler market. This may sound a very crude comparison, but this is how I justify it. Big retailers and small retailers are entirely different concepts, and they both cater to different markets. People buying from malls also buy from kirana stores, the main reason being they are fundamentally different concepts of retailing.
Shopping in big malls is considered to be a one-time thing, with urban families going once every weekend or fortnight to buy essential and “non-essential” items. Yes, non-essential items, because a trip to a retail mall always brings in many extraneous items along with the essential ones (accept many families). These trips sometimes are also considered an outing or an experience rather than an absolute necessity. While the kirana stores offer customer satisfaction by giving a personal touch, they also offer home delivery, and offer credit facilities also. They are considered a necessity while malls are not, no one would like to drive 2-3 miles just to buy a loaf of bread. Kirana stores deliver items when urgency is a criterion. Also, in such busy professional life, every one would like to buy things on the way home. In such a scenario, kirana stores have still a long way to go.
One thing that amazes me is why don’t players like Big Baazar, D-Mart or Reliance oppose this move. Because they cater to the same market the big foreign players cater to. If Wal-Mart or Tesco or Carrefour enter Indian market, these are the ones who would be sharing the markets. Any customer after deciding he wants to buy a car would choose between Toyota Etios or Maruti Swift but he definitely won’t be making a choice between Bajaj Pulsar and Maruti Swift. In the same way, whenever a customer wants to go shopping in a mall, he will choose between Wal-Mart or Reliance Mart, creating competition to the big Indian players already present in the market. It is surprising to see why no politician is addressing this issue, perhaps because by addressing small retailers they want to win the votes of those people who think their logic is correct.
Either I am missing some issue on this point, or either the whole economy is shrouded by political debates alone. In my opinion, no market should be restricted, Darwin’s theory of struggle also applies to this space. Let the toughest player survive. Opening the market in 1991 has transformed the entire economy, and this is one thing we should thank Congress for - opening up the market. It is trying to do the same thing now. In such economy when inflation is not easing despite million efforts by RBI, why not give a little chance to these players as well. It won’t in any way harm the current prices, that is for sure. Lets all take one step ahead, together.
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
One Step Ahead towards Retail
Friday, 28 October 2011
Are Great people really Great?
Scores of people have come upon this earth and have contributed a lot to mankind, and we remember them as heroes or saints. Their simple acts have had profound effects on the way this world lives and breathes. These people are remembered for their good qualities, selfless nature, extraordinary intelligence, problem solving capabilities and what not. But, one question that comes to my mind is that - what will happen if people come to the know that dark side of these people? Would their opinion change? Should their opinion change?
The recent death of Steve Jobs created a wave of sadness in this world. Everyone hailed the great master and innovator of technology. We all know that without him, we wouldn’t have the digital world at our hands. PCs, iPods, smartphones, tablets - he brought a revolution, followed by millions of other similar products, leading to a price war that ultimately lead to affordability for the mass. He brought the technology of the sci-fi to the hands of the common people. Undoubtedly, in the words of Thomas Friedman, he made the world flatter. But, do we know the dark side of his persona. As the stories are revealed, there are many aspects of his personality that completely changes our perspective towards him. For example, he demanded perfection from every one of his employees. If an employee had worked all night and his work was not good, he would just tell him “what the hell did you do. you are useless”. He didn’t value hard work, he valued only innovation and perfection. And he was also notorious for firing employees in the corridor, when everyone was watching, just to humiliate the employee for his bad work. He also minced foul words for Bill Gates, Larry Page only because he did not like their work. He was selfish, and obsessive about only Apple’s progress.
Take another example, of one person that is near God to every Indian - Mahatma Gandhi. He gave us independence, gave us new weapons like Civil Disobedience, Non-Cooperation, and Satyagraha. He was an icon with a frail body but determination that no one could shake. But, he was not a good family-man. As we dig deeper inside the story of his life, we come to know that he was neither a good husband, nor a good father. He never cared for his wife nor his children. He was so preoccupied in the fight for his nation that he never had time for his family. His sons had always said “He was the father of our nation, but he could not be our father. We had to pay the price”. There are also speculations that he had left Kasturba in South Africa to live with Kallenbach, an architect. Gandhi was deeply overtaken by Kallenbach’s personality. There are also some speculations that Gandhi had slept with some of her nieces. Some people has gone so far as to call Gandhi “a very dangerous, semi-repressed sex maniac”.
Should these facts change our perspective towards Steve or Gandhi? Do these facts diminish the fact that they contributed a lot to the society? The answer is: No. These facts do not change what they gave to the world. But when such people are made icons, the negative facts are purposefully ignored or forgotten. And when such facts are revealed, it leads to protests and furor. The reason for this is that there is negativity in everyone. But people see such icons as epitome of goodness. They try to ignore the negativeness in icons because they get inspired from them. If they are told about the dark side of these personalities, they feel they possess some of that dark side too. And people can never accept their dark side. They think that “if these people can be bad, what about us? So, they cannot be bad”. They cannot accept the fact that someone so famous can have a dark side too. It is absolute denial.
And this was the only reason Dan Brown’s “Da Vinci Code” created such a controversy, because he tried to expose some facts which tarnished the image of Jesus. Great writers, poets, novelists write for one reason - to inspire people to do good from the good of other people. But there are other writers too - who are interested in telling people the dark side also. It is up to us to know both the sides, and follow the good side. The dark side of these personalities simply tells us one thing - there is good and bad everywhere. But what made the people famous and iconic is not the bad thing, but the good thing. And the good things were enough to shadow the bad things into a little corner which everyone ignores. Embrace the truth, and follow the good. That way, everyone will be happy and aware.
The recent death of Steve Jobs created a wave of sadness in this world. Everyone hailed the great master and innovator of technology. We all know that without him, we wouldn’t have the digital world at our hands. PCs, iPods, smartphones, tablets - he brought a revolution, followed by millions of other similar products, leading to a price war that ultimately lead to affordability for the mass. He brought the technology of the sci-fi to the hands of the common people. Undoubtedly, in the words of Thomas Friedman, he made the world flatter. But, do we know the dark side of his persona. As the stories are revealed, there are many aspects of his personality that completely changes our perspective towards him. For example, he demanded perfection from every one of his employees. If an employee had worked all night and his work was not good, he would just tell him “what the hell did you do. you are useless”. He didn’t value hard work, he valued only innovation and perfection. And he was also notorious for firing employees in the corridor, when everyone was watching, just to humiliate the employee for his bad work. He also minced foul words for Bill Gates, Larry Page only because he did not like their work. He was selfish, and obsessive about only Apple’s progress.
Take another example, of one person that is near God to every Indian - Mahatma Gandhi. He gave us independence, gave us new weapons like Civil Disobedience, Non-Cooperation, and Satyagraha. He was an icon with a frail body but determination that no one could shake. But, he was not a good family-man. As we dig deeper inside the story of his life, we come to know that he was neither a good husband, nor a good father. He never cared for his wife nor his children. He was so preoccupied in the fight for his nation that he never had time for his family. His sons had always said “He was the father of our nation, but he could not be our father. We had to pay the price”. There are also speculations that he had left Kasturba in South Africa to live with Kallenbach, an architect. Gandhi was deeply overtaken by Kallenbach’s personality. There are also some speculations that Gandhi had slept with some of her nieces. Some people has gone so far as to call Gandhi “a very dangerous, semi-repressed sex maniac”.
Should these facts change our perspective towards Steve or Gandhi? Do these facts diminish the fact that they contributed a lot to the society? The answer is: No. These facts do not change what they gave to the world. But when such people are made icons, the negative facts are purposefully ignored or forgotten. And when such facts are revealed, it leads to protests and furor. The reason for this is that there is negativity in everyone. But people see such icons as epitome of goodness. They try to ignore the negativeness in icons because they get inspired from them. If they are told about the dark side of these personalities, they feel they possess some of that dark side too. And people can never accept their dark side. They think that “if these people can be bad, what about us? So, they cannot be bad”. They cannot accept the fact that someone so famous can have a dark side too. It is absolute denial.
And this was the only reason Dan Brown’s “Da Vinci Code” created such a controversy, because he tried to expose some facts which tarnished the image of Jesus. Great writers, poets, novelists write for one reason - to inspire people to do good from the good of other people. But there are other writers too - who are interested in telling people the dark side also. It is up to us to know both the sides, and follow the good side. The dark side of these personalities simply tells us one thing - there is good and bad everywhere. But what made the people famous and iconic is not the bad thing, but the good thing. And the good things were enough to shadow the bad things into a little corner which everyone ignores. Embrace the truth, and follow the good. That way, everyone will be happy and aware.
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Steve's Legacy
A Legendary person has left us: Steve Jobs, the pioneer of many technologies we use today, that have changed our lives altogether. Who would have imagined, that one day the research of Steve duo - Jobs and Wozniak, would transform the world and usher in an era of Personal Computing. Yes, I am talking about Apple II - the Mac that changed the world. It is amusing to imagine that someone without a formal college education can do something so wonderful. For normal people like us, its just impossible to imagine the way Steve would have thought.
He was great not only as an innovator, but also an excellent entrepreneur. Under his tenure, Apple grew. Without him, Apple fell. He switched his field to that of Animation, and transformed it too. There is no single person who does not know what Pixar is. Wherever he went, he had one thing in him - his passion for things. In his famous lecture at Harvard, he had told “When I left Apple, it was the best thing that could happen to me. It was like taking a break from all the fame and starting again as a beginner”. This attitude really helps - the world has always an opportunity to grab, just have a vision for it.
iTunes replaced CDs and DVDs, and iPod replaced the players. Bag on the back, earphones plugged and iPod in the pocket became a symbol of modern youth. Music was being “shuffled” on the fingertips. The previous generation can laugh at themselves waiting for their favorite song to come on Doordarshan or on Aakashvani. iPod signified freedom to the youth. It is really inspiring to see that a technological product such as an iPod, can have not only a technological impact, but social and cultural impact as well. iTunes brought the world closer. It just helped making the world flatter.
iPhone is world’s first touch smartphone, and till date, it is the best. Like Apple II introduced the concept of Personal Computers and GUI, iPhone was the foundation for touchscreen technology. Before iPhone, touchscreen was a sci-fi concept, but after iPhone, we never cared when that child sitting on the next seat used touchscreen technology. iPhone was not only a smartphone and a mobile - it was a concept all together. And just when we were coming out of that shock, we suddenly had iPad and iPad 2. And today we have every mom and pop company making tablets suiting to every market.
What is common between Apple II, iPod, iPhone and iPad? Answer: the reaction that followed. Every competitor followed the suit. After Mac introduced type-face font and a rich GUI, Windows followed it. And today, we have no computer that does not use a GUI. After iPod? Every company in the world came up with their own MP3 players. But still, iPods stand above the crowd. Similarly, after iPhone and iPad, every company started making their own smartphones and tablets. Even Google, the company which is known for some of the best brains in the world - had to bow down to Apple. Many companies launch products, few companies start a revolution. And Apple started revolution not once, twice or even thrice - but four times. That is a rare feat. Steve was really awesome.
He was a real Phoenix - he rose from his ashes every time he fell. He kept going on. Although, there is some part of Steve that doesn’t make us want to respect him. He abused is employees, fired them in the corridor, and he disowned his daughter born in a wedlock. But, everyone has some yin and yang. The world wasn’t affected by his firing a few employees or disowning his daughter, but it was surely affected by his innovation. And we will always remember him for that.
He was great not only as an innovator, but also an excellent entrepreneur. Under his tenure, Apple grew. Without him, Apple fell. He switched his field to that of Animation, and transformed it too. There is no single person who does not know what Pixar is. Wherever he went, he had one thing in him - his passion for things. In his famous lecture at Harvard, he had told “When I left Apple, it was the best thing that could happen to me. It was like taking a break from all the fame and starting again as a beginner”. This attitude really helps - the world has always an opportunity to grab, just have a vision for it.
iTunes replaced CDs and DVDs, and iPod replaced the players. Bag on the back, earphones plugged and iPod in the pocket became a symbol of modern youth. Music was being “shuffled” on the fingertips. The previous generation can laugh at themselves waiting for their favorite song to come on Doordarshan or on Aakashvani. iPod signified freedom to the youth. It is really inspiring to see that a technological product such as an iPod, can have not only a technological impact, but social and cultural impact as well. iTunes brought the world closer. It just helped making the world flatter.
iPhone is world’s first touch smartphone, and till date, it is the best. Like Apple II introduced the concept of Personal Computers and GUI, iPhone was the foundation for touchscreen technology. Before iPhone, touchscreen was a sci-fi concept, but after iPhone, we never cared when that child sitting on the next seat used touchscreen technology. iPhone was not only a smartphone and a mobile - it was a concept all together. And just when we were coming out of that shock, we suddenly had iPad and iPad 2. And today we have every mom and pop company making tablets suiting to every market.
What is common between Apple II, iPod, iPhone and iPad? Answer: the reaction that followed. Every competitor followed the suit. After Mac introduced type-face font and a rich GUI, Windows followed it. And today, we have no computer that does not use a GUI. After iPod? Every company in the world came up with their own MP3 players. But still, iPods stand above the crowd. Similarly, after iPhone and iPad, every company started making their own smartphones and tablets. Even Google, the company which is known for some of the best brains in the world - had to bow down to Apple. Many companies launch products, few companies start a revolution. And Apple started revolution not once, twice or even thrice - but four times. That is a rare feat. Steve was really awesome.
He was a real Phoenix - he rose from his ashes every time he fell. He kept going on. Although, there is some part of Steve that doesn’t make us want to respect him. He abused is employees, fired them in the corridor, and he disowned his daughter born in a wedlock. But, everyone has some yin and yang. The world wasn’t affected by his firing a few employees or disowning his daughter, but it was surely affected by his innovation. And we will always remember him for that.
Thursday, 6 October 2011
iPhone 4S - wait is over
The long awaited iPhone 4S has been launched. Although people were expecting the launch of iPhone 5. Investors and Apple fans were disappointed by the looks of iPhone 4S, it was the same as iPhone 4. People had expected larger screen size, slightly thinner model, but, well Apple guys thought to delay that to iPhone 5.
Perhaps the best feature in iPhone 4S according to me is Siri, the voice recognition software that virtually talks to you. You can use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, place phone calls, setting reminders, everything. And you just talk the way you talk. It replies in its own voice. Its the single best innovation in the new iPhone, and it is first step towards the talking computers and robots we see in the sci-fi flicks. Personally, I was amazed by the level of human-like interaction offered by Siri. Hats off to Natural Language Processing.
iPhone 4S has the new Dual-Core A5 chip that promises to be the fastest smartphone processor ever. No comments on that because will have to test out the speed when I lay my hands on it, but the video shows Infinity Blade 2 being played on the phone, and it does look really awesome. The graphics are PSP like, so, they I think the A5 chip will do the trick of a next gen smartphone processor.
The camera has been tweaked too. Apart from the increase in the MPs, it has increased the aperture size and added an extra lens for sharper pictures. It also has advanced face recognition and auto white balance. It boasts of the best 8 MP camera in the phone segment. It can record 1080p videos and use a ‘stabilizing’ feature that can reduce the shaky movements while recording videos. The picture and video editing parts are also cool. You can crop images, auto balance them, edit videos, cut them, add sound effects and what not. It is just another feature of the iOS 5.
Speaking of iOS 5, the three main things they have added are - Notification Centre (copied from Android), iMessage (copied from BlackBerry) and Twitter Integration. iMessage is one reason for BlackBerry fans to move to an iPhone. Every iPhone running on iOS 5 can send unlimited message to each other via data carriers- either 3G or WiFi. People troubled by sending only 100 texts per day in India can take a breather now. Also, Twitter integration is one cool thing for twitterers like me. You can tweet directly from Safari (the browser), Photos, Camera, YouTube and Maps.
Another cool feature is iCloud - Apple’s own cloud technology. With iCloud, you can sync everything directly to the cloud. Pictures, music, videos, messages, contacts, tasks everything stays up on the cloud. The music you buy from iTunes and photos you click on your iPhone go directly to iCloud. If you own another iOS 5 device (another iPhone or iPad), everything gets seamlessly synched to your device. Although cloud is common now, but synching every device automatically still sounds cool. Although this would need good data plans and high speed internet connectivity - both of which still remain a rich person’s paradise in India.
Apart from these main features, they have introduced a new way to talk between two iOS 5 devices via Facetime - face-to-face video chatting. Nothing new though. That winds up the iPhone 4S. Sad it had to come with the death of Steve Jobs. But that is another story to tell. The probable date of launch in India and other countries is 28th October. We are waiting. And NDTV Profit guys are waiting the most.
Perhaps the best feature in iPhone 4S according to me is Siri, the voice recognition software that virtually talks to you. You can use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, place phone calls, setting reminders, everything. And you just talk the way you talk. It replies in its own voice. Its the single best innovation in the new iPhone, and it is first step towards the talking computers and robots we see in the sci-fi flicks. Personally, I was amazed by the level of human-like interaction offered by Siri. Hats off to Natural Language Processing.
iPhone 4S has the new Dual-Core A5 chip that promises to be the fastest smartphone processor ever. No comments on that because will have to test out the speed when I lay my hands on it, but the video shows Infinity Blade 2 being played on the phone, and it does look really awesome. The graphics are PSP like, so, they I think the A5 chip will do the trick of a next gen smartphone processor.
The camera has been tweaked too. Apart from the increase in the MPs, it has increased the aperture size and added an extra lens for sharper pictures. It also has advanced face recognition and auto white balance. It boasts of the best 8 MP camera in the phone segment. It can record 1080p videos and use a ‘stabilizing’ feature that can reduce the shaky movements while recording videos. The picture and video editing parts are also cool. You can crop images, auto balance them, edit videos, cut them, add sound effects and what not. It is just another feature of the iOS 5.
Speaking of iOS 5, the three main things they have added are - Notification Centre (copied from Android), iMessage (copied from BlackBerry) and Twitter Integration. iMessage is one reason for BlackBerry fans to move to an iPhone. Every iPhone running on iOS 5 can send unlimited message to each other via data carriers- either 3G or WiFi. People troubled by sending only 100 texts per day in India can take a breather now. Also, Twitter integration is one cool thing for twitterers like me. You can tweet directly from Safari (the browser), Photos, Camera, YouTube and Maps.
Another cool feature is iCloud - Apple’s own cloud technology. With iCloud, you can sync everything directly to the cloud. Pictures, music, videos, messages, contacts, tasks everything stays up on the cloud. The music you buy from iTunes and photos you click on your iPhone go directly to iCloud. If you own another iOS 5 device (another iPhone or iPad), everything gets seamlessly synched to your device. Although cloud is common now, but synching every device automatically still sounds cool. Although this would need good data plans and high speed internet connectivity - both of which still remain a rich person’s paradise in India.
Apart from these main features, they have introduced a new way to talk between two iOS 5 devices via Facetime - face-to-face video chatting. Nothing new though. That winds up the iPhone 4S. Sad it had to come with the death of Steve Jobs. But that is another story to tell. The probable date of launch in India and other countries is 28th October. We are waiting. And NDTV Profit guys are waiting the most.
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Piracy: is it really bad?
Piracy is highly condemned everywhere. It is the terrorism of software. It eats away the profit of all the developers and makes their efforts useless. The fact that piracy is wicked is even supported by the people who share stuff on torrent, who write that “If you like this game/movie, please buy it. Support the devs man”. It is really disheartening to see that after all the effort one has put into a product, someone just copies it and sells it for free.
Piracy is more of an ethical issue rather than a technological one. For every mind that protects the products from getting copied, there are ten others who have much sharper mind [probably their own co-workers] who want to get the product out for free. According to me, half of the pirated products are the efforts of the employees working on it who can do a little ding-dong and screw their company’s profits. It wouldn’t come as a surprise to me if I’d see a Microsoft employee selling pirated Windows to his neighbor.
In short, its bad. But after giving it much thought [as per what limited knowledge I have], I have found that piracy can help - if tackled like a necessary evil. In a market like India or China, I think piracy has helped Microsoft in the long term. [I’ll use Microsoft Windows to discuss the case because “its obvious”]
In a market like India, when computers were considered magical artifacts and when a Pentium I would cost you nearly Rs. 50,000, a free OS helped a lot. And at that time (the 90s era), Microsoft was slowly gaining popularity as the best OS around, because it had kicked in the concept of GUI. As a result, computer revolution began in India with a PC having Windows. At that time, India had no laws to tackle piracy. [Well, even if it had, I don’t think it would have made much difference].
The result was the rapid expansion of the market with just Windows as the concept of an OS. Pirated versions of Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT and XP [the decade of 1995-2005] did the miraculous work of making Indian people believe that Windows is part of a computer and that a PC and Windows are one and the same. Schools, colleges, universities, cyber cafes - everywhere and everyone - used pirated Windows. No one knew what Unix was. [what if it was like, 100 times better and was developed 20 years prior to Windows].
The result - today with the advent of laptops, the price of Windows is bundled with the laptop. There are many laptops with Unix as the OS, but those are rare. 95% of the laptops sold in India are shipped with the Windows OS. And in the coming years, as long as laptops and branded PCs are to stay, Microsoft has its audience, and they will pay for it. [And believe me, PCs and laptopos are staying, no pesky tablet or smartphone can play Crysis, Call of Duty or World of Warcraft].
Two words that would help me over here are - market penetration and brand building - and piracy helped Microsoft do that, at least in India. And I don’t think it suffered losses in the decade. Now imagine the utopian concept, that Windows had no pirated versions. I don’t think anyone in India would have coughed up anything between Rs 3000-7000 for something they can get for free. The result would have been the emergence of Unix as the OS of choice, Microsoft getting beaten up as “something that charges money for what we get for free”. Because here in India, the concept of good is the concept of free.
Let us take the discussion to a more general perspective of piracy. Piracy helps companies by letting the audience adapt to their products. Once you see people clinging to your products like a pole in a storm, it is time to introduce the money concept, but even that should be done incrementally. For example, music piracy helps people get the song in their head, and when there is a concert of their favorite singer, they are going to cough up money for something that they already know.
In the gaming industry, (PC specifically), the companies shouldn’t battle their pirated version getting around if they want to build a brand in terms of the game. Personally, I would buy the next Call of Duty or Battlefield game if I cannot it pirated. The thing is - for urging people to buy your products, you should arouse their interests. People will pay only if they like it, and no one can like by seeing only the demo or the trailer of the game.
Companies should get one thing straight into their mind - no one will pay for a new thing. Instead of battling against piracy, which is inevitable, the strategy should be - getting people used to your products and charge when they have not alternate definition of the product you’re selling. And then, you are dominating. And I think Microsoft has been successful in many markets by following this endeavor. [Although what we need ponder upon is whether this market strategy was intentional or accidental, and that, is what we’ll never come to know].
Bottom line - even if piracy [or shall we say, free product] hurts you in the short term, cling to it, it may reap you profits in the long term. But as people get adapted to your free product, its the responsibility of the company to manage the brand in such a way that you know how to leverage your customers into paying what they consider best. A little thinking and market research - and piracy is the industry standard for launching their first product. [Now we’re talking about utopia].
P.S: We would never know if companies have already realized this, and that is the reason why pirated products are still floating in the market.
Piracy is more of an ethical issue rather than a technological one. For every mind that protects the products from getting copied, there are ten others who have much sharper mind [probably their own co-workers] who want to get the product out for free. According to me, half of the pirated products are the efforts of the employees working on it who can do a little ding-dong and screw their company’s profits. It wouldn’t come as a surprise to me if I’d see a Microsoft employee selling pirated Windows to his neighbor.
In short, its bad. But after giving it much thought [as per what limited knowledge I have], I have found that piracy can help - if tackled like a necessary evil. In a market like India or China, I think piracy has helped Microsoft in the long term. [I’ll use Microsoft Windows to discuss the case because “its obvious”]
In a market like India, when computers were considered magical artifacts and when a Pentium I would cost you nearly Rs. 50,000, a free OS helped a lot. And at that time (the 90s era), Microsoft was slowly gaining popularity as the best OS around, because it had kicked in the concept of GUI. As a result, computer revolution began in India with a PC having Windows. At that time, India had no laws to tackle piracy. [Well, even if it had, I don’t think it would have made much difference].
The result was the rapid expansion of the market with just Windows as the concept of an OS. Pirated versions of Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT and XP [the decade of 1995-2005] did the miraculous work of making Indian people believe that Windows is part of a computer and that a PC and Windows are one and the same. Schools, colleges, universities, cyber cafes - everywhere and everyone - used pirated Windows. No one knew what Unix was. [what if it was like, 100 times better and was developed 20 years prior to Windows].
The result - today with the advent of laptops, the price of Windows is bundled with the laptop. There are many laptops with Unix as the OS, but those are rare. 95% of the laptops sold in India are shipped with the Windows OS. And in the coming years, as long as laptops and branded PCs are to stay, Microsoft has its audience, and they will pay for it. [And believe me, PCs and laptopos are staying, no pesky tablet or smartphone can play Crysis, Call of Duty or World of Warcraft].
Two words that would help me over here are - market penetration and brand building - and piracy helped Microsoft do that, at least in India. And I don’t think it suffered losses in the decade. Now imagine the utopian concept, that Windows had no pirated versions. I don’t think anyone in India would have coughed up anything between Rs 3000-7000 for something they can get for free. The result would have been the emergence of Unix as the OS of choice, Microsoft getting beaten up as “something that charges money for what we get for free”. Because here in India, the concept of good is the concept of free.
Let us take the discussion to a more general perspective of piracy. Piracy helps companies by letting the audience adapt to their products. Once you see people clinging to your products like a pole in a storm, it is time to introduce the money concept, but even that should be done incrementally. For example, music piracy helps people get the song in their head, and when there is a concert of their favorite singer, they are going to cough up money for something that they already know.
In the gaming industry, (PC specifically), the companies shouldn’t battle their pirated version getting around if they want to build a brand in terms of the game. Personally, I would buy the next Call of Duty or Battlefield game if I cannot it pirated. The thing is - for urging people to buy your products, you should arouse their interests. People will pay only if they like it, and no one can like by seeing only the demo or the trailer of the game.
Companies should get one thing straight into their mind - no one will pay for a new thing. Instead of battling against piracy, which is inevitable, the strategy should be - getting people used to your products and charge when they have not alternate definition of the product you’re selling. And then, you are dominating. And I think Microsoft has been successful in many markets by following this endeavor. [Although what we need ponder upon is whether this market strategy was intentional or accidental, and that, is what we’ll never come to know].
Bottom line - even if piracy [or shall we say, free product] hurts you in the short term, cling to it, it may reap you profits in the long term. But as people get adapted to your free product, its the responsibility of the company to manage the brand in such a way that you know how to leverage your customers into paying what they consider best. A little thinking and market research - and piracy is the industry standard for launching their first product. [Now we’re talking about utopia].
P.S: We would never know if companies have already realized this, and that is the reason why pirated products are still floating in the market.
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Klout - your Online Fame
There has been a new development on the net - klout.com. Klout is San Francisco based company that provides social media analytics that measures a user’s “influence” across their social networks. The analysis is done by collecting data from the person’s Twitter and Facebook account and measuring the size of person’s network, the content created, the interaction of other people with the content.
The influence is measured on a scale of 1 to 100 with higher scores representing higher influence. It uses four parameters to arrive to a final score, what is known as Klout Score. The parameters are:
The influence is measured on a scale of 1 to 100 with higher scores representing higher influence. It uses four parameters to arrive to a final score, what is known as Klout Score. The parameters are:
- True Reach: Number of people influenced. It is the actual engaged audience of the user and is based on number of followers on twitter and facebook friends who actually interact with the user
- Amplification: It is how much people are influenced by the user. It measures the retweets, @messages, comments and likes on twitter and facebook.
- Network Score: Influence of people on true reach. It measures how influential is the audience based on the true reach.
These parameters generate a single combined score from 1 to 100. The actual implementation of how the scoring mechanism works is kept secret (obviously) but in my opinion they have got some excellent algorithms to find out how the user is influential in his social network. It also gives a list of topics user influences most people about. This has the potential to generate lots of money. But more on that later.
This is one step ahead of social networking. Facebook has 750 million+ users and Twitter has 200 million+ users. People know what social networking is. This is the new tool to measure how you actually influence people on your social network.
It was co-founded in 2008 by two geniuses - Joe Fernandez and Binh Tran. Joe is currently the CEO and Binh is the CTO (Chief Technological Officer) of Klout. According to the data on Klout, Binh started programming at the early age of 13 and was a game programmer and then turned into a big data cruncher and then joined Klout. Joe has worked on Education and Real Estate platforms and is now currently experimenting on Social platform. Currently, Klout has scored 80 million people and is spreading slowly by word of mouth and promotions. Personally, I feel it doesn’t need advertising. It is a new thing and everybody would want to try it.
One thing that came to my mind is - how does klout earn money? Klout earns by knowing what actually people are influenced by. It is one step ahead than advertising. Social Networking only counts the number of followers or friend count - but Klout considers the actual thing that is happening. It measures what people are talking about, and what message they are spreading. According to the data on klout.com, it is being used by more than 3000 brands and applications. It lists brands like Nike, Audi, Universal, Turner, HP, Disney, Spotify, Virgin America, P&G, Subway, Fox and Paramount on its website as its clients and also has various PDFs on how some brands are actually leveraging the Klout perks (url: http://klout.com/corp/perks).
Klout has recently added LinkedIn, Tumblr, YouTube and Blogger accounts to measure the influence in a better way. klout.com is a great start. In 3 years it has rated 80 million individuals and many brands are now taking advantage of this service. In my opinion, we have just added another way to advertise. There is always something new happening in this world, and this shows that facebook and twitter are definitely not the end to it.
P.S. : My klout score is 54. And readers, you can increase it.
Sunday, 18 September 2011
Pakistan and Terrorism
On the 10th anniversary of 9/11 - the day that changed the future of this world - the Pakistan government did what was unthinkable - to advertise its support for the fight against terrorism. This incident is humorous for two reasons - the first reason being that no country has ever (in my knowledge) advertised its efforts for a holy cause, and the second and the most obvious reason is that it is the country which is the breeding site of most of the terrorist activities that are taking place today.
I would not blame today’s Pakistan government wholly for the situation there. Much what is there today is the result of the policies and practices of previous governments. The chief cause of the presence of terrorists on the soil of Pakistan is that it has been through many wars. The war of East Pakistan that lead to the formation of Bangladesh, three wars with India, and the Soviet-Afghan war. All these wars have led to the nurturing of so-called independent fighting groups by the government for achieving strategic goals. These groups are used for proxy wars and they are ideology driven self-sustained groups.
Pakistan has been long since obsessed with Kashmir. It occupies much of it illegally and considers it as its own part. No leader of Pakistan has considered Kashmir part of Indian territory. There have been numerous terrorist groups trained for the sole purpose of liberating Kashmir from India. General Pervez Musharraf had confessed that Pakistan Army used to train militant groups for fighting Indian fighters in Kashmir. The benefit of having such militant groups instead of the the Army is the deniability. If these militants are caught or killed, they cannot be associated with either with the government or the Army. Thus Pakistan gets a clean chit and the fight can continue.
The war of Afghanistan in 1991 also brought many religious extremists from all over the world to South Asia. Many of them have settled in Pakistan and have been operating since then. This has led to a mixture of terrorist groups, some home grown, some imported from Taliban in Afghanistan. And after 9/11, al-Qaeda leaders have also settled in Pakistan after US started war with Afghanistan.
Another reason for the violence in Pakistan is the sectarian and religious conflict, mainly between Shia and Sunni supporters. Few Islamist policies enacted by the previous governments have added fuel to the fire of religious conflicts. The result is the birth of highly influential religious leaders who can bend the crowd to their willing.
The violence in Pakistan today is the mixture of the home grown terrorist groups and religious leaders. There are instances when these two merge and give rise to a single terrorist group. The Pakistan intelligence group Inter Services Intelligence, or famously known as the ISI, still gives intelligence and arms support to terrorists who share a common ideology. The Pakistani government still recognizes some terrorist groups as religious bodies. And the idea of tackling terrorism is limited to having talks with these groups.
The lesson which the Pakistani government should now learn is that terrorism and violence have no demarcations. You cannot recognize one terrorist group and hope to dismantle the other. Terrorism has to be viewed from a single agenda. It has lost much in achieving its national goals via the road of terrorism. It is true that Pakistan has lost more people in terrorist attacks than any country ever. It is true that numerous political figures have become victim of this terrorism. It is true that Pakistan is fighting Al Qaeda terrorists since US has put pressure on it. But what is also true is that substantial amount of US aid for fighting terrorists has gone in nurturing those terrorist groups which it recognizes for fighting personal wars. No amount of justification can justify the use of training militants and using violence to achieve what they consider national goals.
The advertisement in Wall Street Journal dates 9/11 has drawn much flak in the US. The people have ridiculed Pakistan’s efforts of fighting terrorism. Any common man would ask only one question - how can a country that is sponsoring terrorism, fight terrorism? The answer is not so simple. The problem that Pakistan faces today is not easy to tackle. Even if Pakistan government stops sponsoring terrorist groups today, it has a long way in fighting terrorists.
If Pakistan stops giving support to the terrorist groups and starts fighting these militants, there is hope after all. It can not only save its own Security Forces and civilians, but it can send a blow to these terrorists and save many people of the world. Pakistan is currently not fighting for the safety of 7 billion people, but it can bring peace to these people if it wants. Yes, its true, only Pakistan can do it.
Saturday, 10 September 2011
A Decade After
A decade has passed by since 9/11 – an event that changed the face of this world. 9/11 was one attempt to shake the world leader position US had assumed for half a century. It was the reply of Afghan War in 1991 that hurt the sentiments of fundamentalists, who wanted to free themselves from the shackles of being under the US. 9/11 was not only a terrorist act; it was an act of liberation for millions of jihadis and fundamentalists who said that “We are still free”. Osama-bin Laden was their Pope and jihad was their Christianity.
The incident opened the eyes of US to a problem it had long since chosen to ignore – fundamentalist terrorism. It chose to ignore the snow boulder that had steadily grown since the 1991 Gulf War: al-Qaeda. And when it hurt, it hurt so much that it left such a deep scar that is probably never going to heal.
The reaction was almost immediate and expected from a world leader. It chose to strike back (something which is impossible – strategically and practically for India to do). Invasion of Iraq began barely a month later in 9/11 with war in Afghanistan. One and a half year later Saddam Hussein was toppled in 21 days into what US thought was “War on Terrorism”. Thousands of American troops fought along with British, French and German soldiers. Small amounts of contribution were even given by New Zealand, Austria and Poland. Everyone did what the leader told. They thought it was better to nip in the bud. Saddam was ousted; Iraq was restored to be a democracy, story over.
Had this been the end of the story, and US had pulled its troops out of Afghanistan, the scenario would have been different from what it is today. It would have put fear into the mind of terrorists about the brutality of American troops. But US chose to carry on the war in Afghanistan with the Taliban. That was the first mistake made by the US. Taliban was a threat, and Taliban’s support to al-Qaeda was the reason that brought at least NATO troops to the Afghan soil, majority of whom were American troops (90,000). Pakistan was strategically important to the US – and this is what fostered a long term partnership between US and Pakistan. Pakistan had US on its leverage, and Pakistan played to its weakness. This was the second mistake of the US.
Taliban fought a brave war in the US, while key elements of al-Qaeda and Afghan Taliban found safe havens in a country which had its pocket money coming from US – Pakistan. US funded Pakistan government, the government funded the ISI, and the ISI with the strategic advantage of Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders – possibly Osama Bin Laden himself, strengthened the Laskar-e-Toiba and went along to fulfil its dream to terrorize India.
Thus, what happened in India can be thought as a consequence of US’s ‘three mistakes’, the third one being the decision to come out of the Afghan war by 2014 with what they suppose is their victory over the Taliban. Of course the third mistake was bound to happen, as it was a direct consequence of the first one.
One good thing that happened between all this was the killing of Osama bin Laden and that too from Pakistan. US got the much needed tangible proof that Pakistan had been playing to its interests. The finding of number 1 international terrorist near a heavily protected Military base makes any deniability impossible. Pakistan knew he was there, and Pakistan had always wanted to protect him. It was a symbiotic relationship, protection of Osama against its strategic advantage and long experience in terrorism. Although Pakistan did suffer a lot from its own home grown terrorism due to some steps it had to take to keep the money flowing, but it was much less price to pay compared to what it had in its basket.
But US has to understand one thing – terrorism a modern Raavan, it cannot be be-headed and killed. Whether it is Osama bin Laden, Illyas Kashmiri or Fazul Abdullah Muhammad, killing of leaders won’t kill the ideology. The NATO troops are losing its ground in Afghanistan, Pakistan continues to offer safe havens to terrorists, and US, though it may appear it is winning, is losing the war. The US knows it and the terrorists know it too. There is no way Afghanistan government can stop the country from becoming a terror ground once again.
For me, the primary concern is to see where the scenario is headed for India. HuJI, LeT, JuD remain active in India primarily from Kashmir and PoK. India continues to be terrorized. The terrorists are now home grown. It is high time the leaders sit together, and bring a solution to terrorism that will put a check on its powers to conduct attacks. Terrorism cannot be eradicated, at least not in our generation. The best we can do is tackling it using intelligence and strategy and not just force.
One day remains to the 10th anniversary of the event that changed the course of this world. The US has readied itself for an imminent “unconfirmed but credible” threat. Let’s hope it does not come to that. “Let us all pledge to resolve to end terrorism so that our future generations would not have to experience the bloodshed and brutality that has horrified us and shook our lives. God bless the souls who have become the target to this madness. Amen.
The incident opened the eyes of US to a problem it had long since chosen to ignore – fundamentalist terrorism. It chose to ignore the snow boulder that had steadily grown since the 1991 Gulf War: al-Qaeda. And when it hurt, it hurt so much that it left such a deep scar that is probably never going to heal.
The reaction was almost immediate and expected from a world leader. It chose to strike back (something which is impossible – strategically and practically for India to do). Invasion of Iraq began barely a month later in 9/11 with war in Afghanistan. One and a half year later Saddam Hussein was toppled in 21 days into what US thought was “War on Terrorism”. Thousands of American troops fought along with British, French and German soldiers. Small amounts of contribution were even given by New Zealand, Austria and Poland. Everyone did what the leader told. They thought it was better to nip in the bud. Saddam was ousted; Iraq was restored to be a democracy, story over.
Had this been the end of the story, and US had pulled its troops out of Afghanistan, the scenario would have been different from what it is today. It would have put fear into the mind of terrorists about the brutality of American troops. But US chose to carry on the war in Afghanistan with the Taliban. That was the first mistake made by the US. Taliban was a threat, and Taliban’s support to al-Qaeda was the reason that brought at least NATO troops to the Afghan soil, majority of whom were American troops (90,000). Pakistan was strategically important to the US – and this is what fostered a long term partnership between US and Pakistan. Pakistan had US on its leverage, and Pakistan played to its weakness. This was the second mistake of the US.
Taliban fought a brave war in the US, while key elements of al-Qaeda and Afghan Taliban found safe havens in a country which had its pocket money coming from US – Pakistan. US funded Pakistan government, the government funded the ISI, and the ISI with the strategic advantage of Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders – possibly Osama Bin Laden himself, strengthened the Laskar-e-Toiba and went along to fulfil its dream to terrorize India.
Thus, what happened in India can be thought as a consequence of US’s ‘three mistakes’, the third one being the decision to come out of the Afghan war by 2014 with what they suppose is their victory over the Taliban. Of course the third mistake was bound to happen, as it was a direct consequence of the first one.
One good thing that happened between all this was the killing of Osama bin Laden and that too from Pakistan. US got the much needed tangible proof that Pakistan had been playing to its interests. The finding of number 1 international terrorist near a heavily protected Military base makes any deniability impossible. Pakistan knew he was there, and Pakistan had always wanted to protect him. It was a symbiotic relationship, protection of Osama against its strategic advantage and long experience in terrorism. Although Pakistan did suffer a lot from its own home grown terrorism due to some steps it had to take to keep the money flowing, but it was much less price to pay compared to what it had in its basket.
But US has to understand one thing – terrorism a modern Raavan, it cannot be be-headed and killed. Whether it is Osama bin Laden, Illyas Kashmiri or Fazul Abdullah Muhammad, killing of leaders won’t kill the ideology. The NATO troops are losing its ground in Afghanistan, Pakistan continues to offer safe havens to terrorists, and US, though it may appear it is winning, is losing the war. The US knows it and the terrorists know it too. There is no way Afghanistan government can stop the country from becoming a terror ground once again.
For me, the primary concern is to see where the scenario is headed for India. HuJI, LeT, JuD remain active in India primarily from Kashmir and PoK. India continues to be terrorized. The terrorists are now home grown. It is high time the leaders sit together, and bring a solution to terrorism that will put a check on its powers to conduct attacks. Terrorism cannot be eradicated, at least not in our generation. The best we can do is tackling it using intelligence and strategy and not just force.
One day remains to the 10th anniversary of the event that changed the course of this world. The US has readied itself for an imminent “unconfirmed but credible” threat. Let’s hope it does not come to that. “Let us all pledge to resolve to end terrorism so that our future generations would not have to experience the bloodshed and brutality that has horrified us and shook our lives. God bless the souls who have become the target to this madness. Amen.
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
Assange doesn't need a mental asylum
Mayawati’s reaction to WikiLeaks revelations has been more than humorous and hilarious - personally, it invites pity. Pity to the world she lives and thinks in. In fact, her reaction has been worse than the exposure itself.
First - the credibility of facts. I don’t doubt the credibility of the facts presented by Julian Assange. And I have no reason to doubt so. WikiLeaks does nothing except revealing those secrets that government and big people want to protect. It is neither inclined to any government nor cares about elections in the state. Mayawati needs to understand that state elections in UP are of no interest to Assange. And he has got no plot here. His endeavors to publish truth have always been met with displeasure from the government. But no government or individual has given such a reaction to the facts exposed. If Mayawati thinks that people like Mulayam, Advani, Rahul Gandhi has got something to leverage in WikiLeaks, she is so mistaken. Assange has got no allies.
Mayawati has betrayed her own dalits by showing off ostentatious amount of money. Her love for money goes beyond saying. Money garlands, branded-sandals, and a private jet planes to bring them all show her ‘penchant for corruption’ and 'an authoritarian streak’.
These cables do more than just expose Mayawati’s secrets. They expose the true image of a politician in India. Every politician, MP, MLA in India have the habit of using the money, which is obtained through 100% illegal means either to show off or hoard the money away. Mayawati’s own cabinet secretary revealing that she has a love for corruption is a little unnerving expose. Mayawati’s efforts to be a public figure for Dalit should be met with the strength and resolve to live like present day Dalits. There is no say in corruption, we have Anna Hazare and billion other people fighting that.
Assange has revealed nothing new by exposing the corruption and show off part, in fact he, in no way, deserves a mental asylum but the it is the people who 'fly jets for buying sandals’ who need an asylum. What new comes out of this episode is the way leaders think their reactions and false allegations can convince people and the media. It does nothing but invites humor and contempt towards them. I have only one message for Mayawati that my mom always tells me - Grow Up.
First - the credibility of facts. I don’t doubt the credibility of the facts presented by Julian Assange. And I have no reason to doubt so. WikiLeaks does nothing except revealing those secrets that government and big people want to protect. It is neither inclined to any government nor cares about elections in the state. Mayawati needs to understand that state elections in UP are of no interest to Assange. And he has got no plot here. His endeavors to publish truth have always been met with displeasure from the government. But no government or individual has given such a reaction to the facts exposed. If Mayawati thinks that people like Mulayam, Advani, Rahul Gandhi has got something to leverage in WikiLeaks, she is so mistaken. Assange has got no allies.
Mayawati has betrayed her own dalits by showing off ostentatious amount of money. Her love for money goes beyond saying. Money garlands, branded-sandals, and a private jet planes to bring them all show her ‘penchant for corruption’ and 'an authoritarian streak’.
These cables do more than just expose Mayawati’s secrets. They expose the true image of a politician in India. Every politician, MP, MLA in India have the habit of using the money, which is obtained through 100% illegal means either to show off or hoard the money away. Mayawati’s own cabinet secretary revealing that she has a love for corruption is a little unnerving expose. Mayawati’s efforts to be a public figure for Dalit should be met with the strength and resolve to live like present day Dalits. There is no say in corruption, we have Anna Hazare and billion other people fighting that.
Assange has revealed nothing new by exposing the corruption and show off part, in fact he, in no way, deserves a mental asylum but the it is the people who 'fly jets for buying sandals’ who need an asylum. What new comes out of this episode is the way leaders think their reactions and false allegations can convince people and the media. It does nothing but invites humor and contempt towards them. I have only one message for Mayawati that my mom always tells me - Grow Up.
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
New Life in Pune
It all started with waking at 6 AM in the morning in the train after sleeping at 3.30 AM. I had been advised by many people not to miss the Khandala and Lonavala scenes from the train. And it was awesome. It was an amazing experience. The train was “flying” within the clouds. The mountains looked as if they were covered with green blanket of huge trees. One and a half hour half of scenic beauty tantalized my senses.
Then got off the station, settled down, found my buddy Priyank waiting for me. Nice flat we’ve got here, 2 BHK, large gallery and an ‘active kitchen’. The area is very happening, loads of students flashing their id cards roaming in Aundh. If feels as if this area is a treat for all IT professionals. Aundh is the most preferred area for people who have their offices in Hinjewadi IT park. The IT park (as I have heard it, I have yet to visit it) is India’s 2nd largest software IT park with Infosys, Tata Tech, Cognizant as neighbors.
Tomorrow is my first day at job, hope it turns out to be good.
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
The Solution to Corruption: Not Lokpal
The Lokpal Bill has become the worst nightmare for Congress. The arrest of Anna Hazare before he could start the fast highlights the fact. The arrest was, no doubt, undemocratic and unconstitutional. Freedom of Speech is the fundamental right of every citizen, and its violation is the highest disregard of the principles of democracy. This act shows the half-thought panic reaction given by the Congress. The arrest has further intensified the support for Anna’s team and it looks like Congress has stabbed its own back.
Just a day after the Independence Day, a Gandhian arrested for protesting peacefully has brought the the images of Gandhi being arrested by the British Government in the minds of people. The movement has gained momentum since people see Congress as the cruel British Government and Anna as the new Gandhi. The show has cropped up a lot of patriotism in people and they have taken it to the streets. The arrest is the biggest blunder made by the Congress.
Of course, we do require a law to deal with corrupt people, and not just some, but all corrupt people, from a clerk in local municipal corporation to the Prime Minister. Yes, I agree that PM should be brought under the ambit of Lokpal Bill. But the demands of Anna Team to bring the Judiciary under the Lokpal is a little too much. Judiciary is above everything, (at least on paper it is), and that should be the way it is. If we go by the way of team Anna, Lokpal will be an all-power body which answers to no one, and such power can be exploited at will.
But my question is that are these efforts justified? I have always been a supporter of “Prevention is better than cure”. Why do we have such policies that breed corruption? Why do we require the signatures of government officials at every stage? See, for example, the Income Tax Department. Everything is computerized. Even tax returns can be e-filed now. With technology and precision everywhere, there is no place for corruption. Similarly, we should aim at altering those policies, those loop holes which give rise to corruption. It is high time we change the system and policies that are there since the British Government.
Consider the scenario: A computer program has clear guidelines for the companies eligibility for allocating 2G spectrum, and after submitting the e-documents, the computer decides the eligibility and either accepts or rejects the company’s offer to participate in the bidding. At a particular time, bidding starts online, and after few rounds of bidding, the licences are awarded online. Where is the question of corruption here? The thing that gives rise to corruption are the policies, the manual work that involves people in between. If college grads can make a virtual bidding system with full security, I think the government can do it too.
Effective way of tackling some menace is not by making new laws, but to find the root of the problem and repair it from there. We need to root out corruption, not check it. Change the policies that breed corruption, not try to control it. That is my mantra.
Friday, 12 August 2011
Why US is a Leader
Recent US debt crisis raised many questions in my mind. What is debt? What is credit rating? What happens if US defaults? As I was finding the answers to this questions, I got to know more about why US is the world leader today. It had $14.7 trillion GDP in 2010 - an unimaginable amount. It accounts for a quarter of the global GDP. It is a net exporter of food and food items and it controls almost half of world grain exports. Manufacturing occupies a very small portion of US economy as compared to other countries. Yet it is the world’s largest manufacturer with industries like petroleum, steel, automobiles, construction machinery, aerospace, agricultural machinery, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, and mining. It produces approximately 21% of the world manufacturing output, a number that has not changed since the last 40 years!!! Apart from that, the total monetary evaluation of New York Stock Exchange is $10.1 trillion (as of 2008), more than three times from the second biggest stock market - the Japan’s Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Apart from this, the median income of a US household in a year is a staggering $53000! That is huge. Compared to other countries, the US is way ahead in quality of life and per capita income. There is law and order in the country. Police is modernized. They have social benefits and health insurance plans like no other country in the world offers. Truly, the Great Migration in the early 90s to the US was justified.
I kept wondering what was the reason behind such huge success. And then as I kept reading, I came to know. The reason behind it all is one word embedded deep within the visionaries, technocrats and reformists of the US - Innovation. US leaders always encouraged innovative practices. As a fact, the United States has been the birthplace of 161 of Britannica’s 321 Great Innovations, including items such as the airplane, internet, microchip, laser, cellphone, refrigerator, email, microwave, LCD and LED technology, air conditioning, assembly line, supermarket, bar code, electric motor, and ATM. US is home to 30% of world millionaires and 40% of world billionaires, and there are 29.6 million small and large businesses that run in the US. Surely, innovation and business go hand in hand. Who would imagine a world without Apple, Google, Microsoft, IBM, General Electric, General Motors, Ford etc. These companies drive the world today.
The data left my mouth open in wonder and amazement. And shocked too. Because in Britanicca’s list, we have only 1 Indian. Since I am a patriot, I felt jealous. So I read more to determine why are the success stories in US based on innovation. The answer was obvious - quality of education in the US. Education system in US a very well-organized system. It is controlled and funded at three levels - Federal, State and Local. And as soon as a child enters middle school in the 4th or 5th year, he/she is given option of choosing subjects based on his/her interest. The subject vary and every discipline is available for study. They have a comprehensive grading system ranging from D- to A+. Apart from this, there a lot of extra-curricular activities that students participate in. Attention is given to all round development. In short, it is a self-sustaining system. And even the college education in the US is world class - we all know it - Purdue, Yale, Harvard, MIT - these are dream destinations for students worldwide.
Compared to US, education in India is far behind. Though we are a very young nation compared to the US, (US gained independence in 1776 and India in 1947) and India has an education system that invites the envy of many countries - we can still do better. At the college and university level - we are almost there, with world class institutes like IIMs and IITs breeding a young talented pool of people every year. But we need to improve education at the grassroots level.
What I remember about my school years is - importance was given only to getting high marks in the examination. Learning subjects and writing on paper, I have never done any project in my school time - a harsh reality. Although the education system is changing in the recent times, I still see much focus given only to cramming up things and getting high marks. An above average student, with excellent marks throughout the school, and studied in IITs and IIMs is not capable of doing innovation. A world class job and business - yes, but innovation - no. India has not invented anything.
There is very low scope for R&D in India, every science student is opting for engineering (including me) - no one takes Sciences. The reason: our education system doesn’t encourage innovation. We are taught so that we can have a degree and earn money in life. So we follow those jobs which are demanded the most, with no respect for our aptitudes and interests. Our IT companies do nothing but outsourcing. We do the the less brainy jobs, all the intelligent decisions are taken in the US. What Indian Software Engineers do is that they substitute US engineers for a fraction of a cost so that they can be engaged in a more fruitful and demanding job - one that requires lot of ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking and innovation.
India needs to wake up to this reality. Encouraging innovations is the only way to be a world leader. We have missed out many things, it is time we board the train and don’t miss out the future. I am neither a US fan nor a India critic. All I am saying is that they have something which is better, which we need to think about.
Apart from this, the median income of a US household in a year is a staggering $53000! That is huge. Compared to other countries, the US is way ahead in quality of life and per capita income. There is law and order in the country. Police is modernized. They have social benefits and health insurance plans like no other country in the world offers. Truly, the Great Migration in the early 90s to the US was justified.
I kept wondering what was the reason behind such huge success. And then as I kept reading, I came to know. The reason behind it all is one word embedded deep within the visionaries, technocrats and reformists of the US - Innovation. US leaders always encouraged innovative practices. As a fact, the United States has been the birthplace of 161 of Britannica’s 321 Great Innovations, including items such as the airplane, internet, microchip, laser, cellphone, refrigerator, email, microwave, LCD and LED technology, air conditioning, assembly line, supermarket, bar code, electric motor, and ATM. US is home to 30% of world millionaires and 40% of world billionaires, and there are 29.6 million small and large businesses that run in the US. Surely, innovation and business go hand in hand. Who would imagine a world without Apple, Google, Microsoft, IBM, General Electric, General Motors, Ford etc. These companies drive the world today.
The data left my mouth open in wonder and amazement. And shocked too. Because in Britanicca’s list, we have only 1 Indian. Since I am a patriot, I felt jealous. So I read more to determine why are the success stories in US based on innovation. The answer was obvious - quality of education in the US. Education system in US a very well-organized system. It is controlled and funded at three levels - Federal, State and Local. And as soon as a child enters middle school in the 4th or 5th year, he/she is given option of choosing subjects based on his/her interest. The subject vary and every discipline is available for study. They have a comprehensive grading system ranging from D- to A+. Apart from this, there a lot of extra-curricular activities that students participate in. Attention is given to all round development. In short, it is a self-sustaining system. And even the college education in the US is world class - we all know it - Purdue, Yale, Harvard, MIT - these are dream destinations for students worldwide.
Compared to US, education in India is far behind. Though we are a very young nation compared to the US, (US gained independence in 1776 and India in 1947) and India has an education system that invites the envy of many countries - we can still do better. At the college and university level - we are almost there, with world class institutes like IIMs and IITs breeding a young talented pool of people every year. But we need to improve education at the grassroots level.
What I remember about my school years is - importance was given only to getting high marks in the examination. Learning subjects and writing on paper, I have never done any project in my school time - a harsh reality. Although the education system is changing in the recent times, I still see much focus given only to cramming up things and getting high marks. An above average student, with excellent marks throughout the school, and studied in IITs and IIMs is not capable of doing innovation. A world class job and business - yes, but innovation - no. India has not invented anything.
There is very low scope for R&D in India, every science student is opting for engineering (including me) - no one takes Sciences. The reason: our education system doesn’t encourage innovation. We are taught so that we can have a degree and earn money in life. So we follow those jobs which are demanded the most, with no respect for our aptitudes and interests. Our IT companies do nothing but outsourcing. We do the the less brainy jobs, all the intelligent decisions are taken in the US. What Indian Software Engineers do is that they substitute US engineers for a fraction of a cost so that they can be engaged in a more fruitful and demanding job - one that requires lot of ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking and innovation.
India needs to wake up to this reality. Encouraging innovations is the only way to be a world leader. We have missed out many things, it is time we board the train and don’t miss out the future. I am neither a US fan nor a India critic. All I am saying is that they have something which is better, which we need to think about.
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
Computer Engineering Myths
Being a Computer Engineer is not easy. No, I am not talking about the academics part, I am talking about some myths that the Indian society has about Computer Engineers. These myths are so perplexing that sometimes you need feel like banging your head to the wall. It is so frustrating when people miscalculate our skills in computers with our academics. And when stare at them – with blank expressions – wondering what to say next.
This understanding gap is because of the fact that in the previous generation, only a fraction of people knew what a computer was. Others had only heard about it, and wondering that it would take lot of skills and knowledge to operate it. The myth still lives on, and one can find it spread across the society. I do not blame them for the myths, but sometimes, they are really funny.
So, the following messages are for people who have some inherent myths about Computer Engineering. I have experienced some personally, some I have heard of happening to my friends, and some are just thought up based on my imagination. Please read this, and spread this message, so we can have an easy life.
Computer Engineering does not teach us how to turn on and turn off a computer.
Never ever in those entire span 4 years, no one tells us. We just learn that, like a baby who learns to walk.
Studying Computer Engineering does not increase our typing speed.
Although 4 years of incessant code writing may increase our tying speed, but we do not practice “type” in our labs.
Computer Engineering does not teach us how to fix or repair a computer.
This is by far the biggest myth that has troubled me. Every relative or friend comes up to me and said “My computer is not working. Can you please repair it?” Please people, we are not taught how to repair a computer, in fact, we are fined if we try to open one of the CPUs in the lab. Although I have some basic hardware knowledge, this is not what those college people have taught me, so don’t dare tell to anyone “You are a Computer Engineer. Can’t you repair a computer?” It infuriates me.
Computer Engineering does not teach us MS Office.
MS Office is the most widely used software for office applications, and has thus gained reputation among the masses. Some people tend to think that learning Word, Excel and PowerPoint is a rare feat and can only be performed by some people. Also, they tend to think that Computer Engineers know MS Office better than others, because, well, they are Computer Engineers. No, they don’t teach us MS Office, we have to learn it ourselves, just like others.
Computer Engineering does not teach us hacking.
Another myth associated with Computer Engineers is that they are those mean hackers who can steal your passwords and hack any account on the web. One of my friends comes to me and says “Please hack my ex-girlfriend’s Facebook account; I want to teach her a lesson”. They do not teach us hacking, it is something people learn by themselves, and not all Computer Engineers are hackers, so please stop viewing us with that look on the face.
Computer Engineering does not teach us how to efficiently use Windows.
Many a times, people don’t know how to clean up a hard-disk drive, how to defragment a drive, how to make a zip file, how to create virtual drives, how to mount images, how to install complex programs, how to update an anti-virus etc. The list goes on. If I know it, it is because I have used it, and if I do not know something, it is because they do not teach us how to use things on Windows.
Computer Engineering does not teach us how to make a computer/laptop.
Some people just ask me on my face “So, now you will make computers?” No, we do not make computers; they are made in a factory, just like a car, with millions of circuits being embedded on a single chip – a technology known as VLSI, and that doesn’t mean an Electronics engineer can make a computer too – its requires firmware and assembly coding and what not. In short, we cannot make a computer at our home.
Computer Engineering does not teach us how to make robots.
This is a much less myth compared to others, but still I have found this myth present among the people. Robotics is a special field of study and all engineers – mechanical, electronics, and computers can take interest and learn it. Just because Computers and Robots both are machines that doesn’t mean at all that they teach us how to build robots. Not all Computer Engineers are robot programmers.
Computer Engineering does not teach us the specs of latest laptops in the market.
Some people come to me seeking advice in buying laptops. Ok, I appreciate it, and I help them too. But, what makes me angry is that they think we know this because we’re Computer Engineers. They do not teach us the specifications of latest laptops; we simply know it because we use it. A non-computer engineer can also know it, that doesn’t mean he should’ve taken Computer Engineering.
Computer Engineering does not entitle us to own a laptop.
This situation is frustrating for non-computer engineering folk. One of my cousins was arguing with his father about buying a laptop. He cited my example and said that he could use the laptop to read e-books, write a blog, read journals etc. His father said, he has a laptop because he is a Computer Engineer. No, being Computer Engineers does not entitle us to use a laptop, it can be used to watch movies, play games, surf the internet and what not, nothing among that is related to Computer Engineering.
Well then, the question must be, what do they teach us at Computer Engineering? They teach us Operating Systems, Database, Mobile Computing, Networks….aah leave it. It is useless to tell anyways.
Please don’t expect us to do things simply because we are Computer Engineers and please respect our skills and knowledge in Computers, don’t take it for granted simply because we are Computer Engineers. That is because they don’t teach us all this back there.
This understanding gap is because of the fact that in the previous generation, only a fraction of people knew what a computer was. Others had only heard about it, and wondering that it would take lot of skills and knowledge to operate it. The myth still lives on, and one can find it spread across the society. I do not blame them for the myths, but sometimes, they are really funny.
So, the following messages are for people who have some inherent myths about Computer Engineering. I have experienced some personally, some I have heard of happening to my friends, and some are just thought up based on my imagination. Please read this, and spread this message, so we can have an easy life.
Computer Engineering does not teach us how to turn on and turn off a computer.
Never ever in those entire span 4 years, no one tells us. We just learn that, like a baby who learns to walk.
Studying Computer Engineering does not increase our typing speed.
Although 4 years of incessant code writing may increase our tying speed, but we do not practice “type” in our labs.
Computer Engineering does not teach us how to fix or repair a computer.
This is by far the biggest myth that has troubled me. Every relative or friend comes up to me and said “My computer is not working. Can you please repair it?” Please people, we are not taught how to repair a computer, in fact, we are fined if we try to open one of the CPUs in the lab. Although I have some basic hardware knowledge, this is not what those college people have taught me, so don’t dare tell to anyone “You are a Computer Engineer. Can’t you repair a computer?” It infuriates me.
Computer Engineering does not teach us MS Office.
MS Office is the most widely used software for office applications, and has thus gained reputation among the masses. Some people tend to think that learning Word, Excel and PowerPoint is a rare feat and can only be performed by some people. Also, they tend to think that Computer Engineers know MS Office better than others, because, well, they are Computer Engineers. No, they don’t teach us MS Office, we have to learn it ourselves, just like others.
Computer Engineering does not teach us hacking.
Another myth associated with Computer Engineers is that they are those mean hackers who can steal your passwords and hack any account on the web. One of my friends comes to me and says “Please hack my ex-girlfriend’s Facebook account; I want to teach her a lesson”. They do not teach us hacking, it is something people learn by themselves, and not all Computer Engineers are hackers, so please stop viewing us with that look on the face.
Computer Engineering does not teach us how to efficiently use Windows.
Many a times, people don’t know how to clean up a hard-disk drive, how to defragment a drive, how to make a zip file, how to create virtual drives, how to mount images, how to install complex programs, how to update an anti-virus etc. The list goes on. If I know it, it is because I have used it, and if I do not know something, it is because they do not teach us how to use things on Windows.
Computer Engineering does not teach us how to make a computer/laptop.
Some people just ask me on my face “So, now you will make computers?” No, we do not make computers; they are made in a factory, just like a car, with millions of circuits being embedded on a single chip – a technology known as VLSI, and that doesn’t mean an Electronics engineer can make a computer too – its requires firmware and assembly coding and what not. In short, we cannot make a computer at our home.
Computer Engineering does not teach us how to make robots.
This is a much less myth compared to others, but still I have found this myth present among the people. Robotics is a special field of study and all engineers – mechanical, electronics, and computers can take interest and learn it. Just because Computers and Robots both are machines that doesn’t mean at all that they teach us how to build robots. Not all Computer Engineers are robot programmers.
Computer Engineering does not teach us the specs of latest laptops in the market.
Some people come to me seeking advice in buying laptops. Ok, I appreciate it, and I help them too. But, what makes me angry is that they think we know this because we’re Computer Engineers. They do not teach us the specifications of latest laptops; we simply know it because we use it. A non-computer engineer can also know it, that doesn’t mean he should’ve taken Computer Engineering.
Computer Engineering does not entitle us to own a laptop.
This situation is frustrating for non-computer engineering folk. One of my cousins was arguing with his father about buying a laptop. He cited my example and said that he could use the laptop to read e-books, write a blog, read journals etc. His father said, he has a laptop because he is a Computer Engineer. No, being Computer Engineers does not entitle us to use a laptop, it can be used to watch movies, play games, surf the internet and what not, nothing among that is related to Computer Engineering.
Well then, the question must be, what do they teach us at Computer Engineering? They teach us Operating Systems, Database, Mobile Computing, Networks….aah leave it. It is useless to tell anyways.
Please don’t expect us to do things simply because we are Computer Engineers and please respect our skills and knowledge in Computers, don’t take it for granted simply because we are Computer Engineers. That is because they don’t teach us all this back there.
Monday, 8 August 2011
WiFi through light bulbs???
Ever imagined the technology behind WiFi? Well let me give an introduction. WiFi technology uses radio waves. Radio waves travel in all directions and can penetrate walls. This is the prime reason why someone can steal your bandwidth and can access your router for internet if manual security settings have not been done. Also as physical distance increases, strength of the signal gets weak. I experience the same problem as I have a wireless router in my dad’s room and I get a puny 1-point signal in my room one floor above. One solution to this problem is to have multiple access points or to have a repeater, but these options are not viable in general and are costly.
A German Physicist, Harald Haas, has brought in a new technology - transmission of data through light waves - he calls it “data through illumination”. Visible light is used to transmit data through a LED light bulb, and he claims that the data transfer can be upto 10 megabits per second. Thats huge !!!
Also, the visible light spectrum range in 10,000 times larger than the radio waves, and thus interference among the signals is reduced to ta great extent. Also, the source of information, or “access points” are everyday light bulbs, and we already have 40 billion of them on our planet, already set up. “The infrastructure is already in place” exclaims Harald Haas.
Accessibility is greatly enhanced as light bulbs are everywhere. You can even access internet in an airplane as there would be no radio waves interfering with the pilot communication. And for people who do not like their WiFi to be used by hackers, it can only be used when you can see it. Now isn’t that a revolution?
“Do we have to keep light on all the time, even during the day?” is the question. “Yes” said Harald Haas, but he says the light can altered to such an intensity that it won’t be visible to the human eye and yet it would be enough to provide high speeds.
Personally, I am impressed by the technology. Still long time to put into effect, I would like to give a try to this simple yet effective technology of “web through light”. The ancient scriptures are so true: God said “Let there be light, and there was the world”
A German Physicist, Harald Haas, has brought in a new technology - transmission of data through light waves - he calls it “data through illumination”. Visible light is used to transmit data through a LED light bulb, and he claims that the data transfer can be upto 10 megabits per second. Thats huge !!!
Also, the visible light spectrum range in 10,000 times larger than the radio waves, and thus interference among the signals is reduced to ta great extent. Also, the source of information, or “access points” are everyday light bulbs, and we already have 40 billion of them on our planet, already set up. “The infrastructure is already in place” exclaims Harald Haas.
Accessibility is greatly enhanced as light bulbs are everywhere. You can even access internet in an airplane as there would be no radio waves interfering with the pilot communication. And for people who do not like their WiFi to be used by hackers, it can only be used when you can see it. Now isn’t that a revolution?
“Do we have to keep light on all the time, even during the day?” is the question. “Yes” said Harald Haas, but he says the light can altered to such an intensity that it won’t be visible to the human eye and yet it would be enough to provide high speeds.
Personally, I am impressed by the technology. Still long time to put into effect, I would like to give a try to this simple yet effective technology of “web through light”. The ancient scriptures are so true: God said “Let there be light, and there was the world”
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Trembling Global Economy
The recent stock market crashes in two most developing countries of the world – India and China, is just the icing on the cake. There have been a lot of developments in the past year, which threaten the existence of a peaceful, semi-utopian world. The decision by Democrats to raise the US debt ceiling at the last minute to prevent a default was an adrenaline shot to the dying economy. Fiscal stimulus and debt revisions are drug addictions for the economy on the whole, with no long-term positive effects.
This situation has just augmented the fears of a double-dip recession in the minds of many analysts and policymakers. Already, Europe is reeling under its own debt crisis with Greece, Ireland and Portugal in knee-deep waters. Austerity measures and high tax rates have paralysed the day-to-day life of citizens in these countries. Analysts expect that there is as much as 90% chance for Greece to default on payments, which would destabilise the Euro rate and in-turn cause global economy to go haywire.
Another economy which is recovering from a stygian abyss is Japan – the country with the worst stroke of luck. Although the devastation in Japan in 1945 catapulted it to its post-WWII growth story, it was a time when the US and Soviet Union were there to the guide the world. But in current scenario, it seems that the story is not quite the same. With no developed countries ready to take on the shock, we are through a rough patch.
The thing that troubles more than Europe and Japan is the US, with its dominance in the world economy. GDP of the US in 2010 was $14.7 trillion, approximately a quarter of the normal global GDP. US remains the largest manufacturer and service provider to the world. Any dent on the US economy would send shockwaves all over the world. As Russian President Putin has put it “The US spends beyond its means and lives like a parasite off the global economy”. Frustration with the US is self-explanatory for its behemoth share and contribution to the globe.
The reason for following all this so diligently is because this situation can affect me too, and since I am joining a “US based IT firm” in India this month end, I can’t stop thinking how this will affect my career path. Well for starters, Indian IT companies gain roughly 70% of its revenues from the US and the rest from Europe and other developing countries. Any spending cuts and austerity measures in the US will directly lead to lower spending and negotiations by the clients. Lower budgets for projects will lead to completion of the project pipeline and revenue crisis in the companies here. The natural option is layoffs, salary cuts and less hiring, which we have already experienced in the 2008 recession due to the collapse of Lehmann Brothers.
The domestic problems of high inflation and high interest rates have slowed industrial and manufacturing economy in India, and agriculture is bound to remain dependent on season. In such a scenario, the 8% growth figure is a distant dream for Indian economy. Coupled with a global shock, the implications will leave a scar in careers of many young like me.
I am no expert in economics; this is my naive analysis from TOI and Wikipedia. But one thing I can say for sure is that it’s time to develop the domestic economy. World Trade will always carry a risk factor .A decade has gone by and it’s not the Y2K era any more. It is time our generation builds up India to a level where we stand resilient in the trembling global economy.
This situation has just augmented the fears of a double-dip recession in the minds of many analysts and policymakers. Already, Europe is reeling under its own debt crisis with Greece, Ireland and Portugal in knee-deep waters. Austerity measures and high tax rates have paralysed the day-to-day life of citizens in these countries. Analysts expect that there is as much as 90% chance for Greece to default on payments, which would destabilise the Euro rate and in-turn cause global economy to go haywire.
Another economy which is recovering from a stygian abyss is Japan – the country with the worst stroke of luck. Although the devastation in Japan in 1945 catapulted it to its post-WWII growth story, it was a time when the US and Soviet Union were there to the guide the world. But in current scenario, it seems that the story is not quite the same. With no developed countries ready to take on the shock, we are through a rough patch.
The thing that troubles more than Europe and Japan is the US, with its dominance in the world economy. GDP of the US in 2010 was $14.7 trillion, approximately a quarter of the normal global GDP. US remains the largest manufacturer and service provider to the world. Any dent on the US economy would send shockwaves all over the world. As Russian President Putin has put it “The US spends beyond its means and lives like a parasite off the global economy”. Frustration with the US is self-explanatory for its behemoth share and contribution to the globe.
The reason for following all this so diligently is because this situation can affect me too, and since I am joining a “US based IT firm” in India this month end, I can’t stop thinking how this will affect my career path. Well for starters, Indian IT companies gain roughly 70% of its revenues from the US and the rest from Europe and other developing countries. Any spending cuts and austerity measures in the US will directly lead to lower spending and negotiations by the clients. Lower budgets for projects will lead to completion of the project pipeline and revenue crisis in the companies here. The natural option is layoffs, salary cuts and less hiring, which we have already experienced in the 2008 recession due to the collapse of Lehmann Brothers.
The domestic problems of high inflation and high interest rates have slowed industrial and manufacturing economy in India, and agriculture is bound to remain dependent on season. In such a scenario, the 8% growth figure is a distant dream for Indian economy. Coupled with a global shock, the implications will leave a scar in careers of many young like me.
I am no expert in economics; this is my naive analysis from TOI and Wikipedia. But one thing I can say for sure is that it’s time to develop the domestic economy. World Trade will always carry a risk factor .A decade has gone by and it’s not the Y2K era any more. It is time our generation builds up India to a level where we stand resilient in the trembling global economy.
Friday, 5 August 2011
The Silent Issue
It’s been more than a year since I have “blogged”. Well, I accept I am not an active blogger, but this issue specifically compels me to pen down my thoughts and vent out my frustration in Times New Roman.
Since January this year, all I have been hearing is Corruption, Anna Hazare, Lokpal. It seems like Rs. 1.76 Lakh Crore is giving jeepers to the Indian civil society and the activists. I think the attempt by Kapil Sibal and PM Manmohan Singh to expose the futility of this attempt is by rolling out a statement like “The Government exchequer has not lost anything by the 2G scam spectrum”. That statement seems a little far-fetched, but the fact, in my opinion, remains is that magnitude of efforts going in the case is futile. Especially when we know that the money is not coming back. Punishing the guilty for such heinous crimes is one thing, and politicising this issue on a national platform is another. Of course when the issue comes to coalition politics, there are bound to loop holes.
Of course, there is the media then. How else would we come to know what’s happening in that big
large red house in Delhi? TOI had a page dedicated to Lokpal for 2 weeks when Anna had gone on fast for the first time. Thousands joined, millions voted and SMSed (even gave a miss call). We were the innocent sheep for the media. I don’t blame them though, after all, it’s a business. They need to have something to feed us and in-turn feed their employees.
But, there is another pressing issue, silently creeping into our daily lives while we remain focused on Rs. 1.76 Lakh Crore. The issue is – rising costs. I have purposefully not termed the word as “inflation” because then I would find people saying that is in the limelight. When I entered my college 4 years ago, the Orientation Programme mentioned that Engineering students in Nirma get an average salary Rs. 3.0L p.a via campus placements. 4 years have passed, I landed with the same amount, and with me another 400 (approx). But in these 4 years, I have noticed the average price of Regular Gujarati Thali going up from Rs. 35 to 50, a price rise of 43%, Nirma fees going up from Rs. 27500 per semester to Rs. 73000 per semester, a price rise of 165%, average price of a 2-BHK in Ahmedabad (and many other cities) going up from Rs. 16L to Rs. 40L, a price rise of 150%. And the list goes on.
We have a 7.5% GDP growth on average for the last 3-4 years then why isn’t my salary increasing? Why does the cost always rise? The answer lies here: the GDP growth occurring in India is due to the top 0.2% of people, the industrialists, Tata, Ambanis, Adanis etc. Their revenue is increasing, but is that getting reflected on the salary? The salary hike is 10-12% once in 3 years, which is not enough to battle the rising costs.
The point I am trying to make is – I would be happy to rally myself for a fast that focuses on this issue, and with me may be another millions, because corruption, on an average, pinches lesser than the rising costs. The youth today needs to open its eyes to the reality today – is the GDP growth an overall one or a per capita one? It is true that India has the second highest growth rate in the world, but in terms of per capita, we lag far behind.
The power of democracy lies in the hands of people, and the primary function of the elected representatives should be prosperity of the nation. If these two facts are accepted true, well then, the government, the civil society, the media and the corporate honchos need to focus on this issue as well. That is all I have to say.
Since January this year, all I have been hearing is Corruption, Anna Hazare, Lokpal. It seems like Rs. 1.76 Lakh Crore is giving jeepers to the Indian civil society and the activists. I think the attempt by Kapil Sibal and PM Manmohan Singh to expose the futility of this attempt is by rolling out a statement like “The Government exchequer has not lost anything by the 2G scam spectrum”. That statement seems a little far-fetched, but the fact, in my opinion, remains is that magnitude of efforts going in the case is futile. Especially when we know that the money is not coming back. Punishing the guilty for such heinous crimes is one thing, and politicising this issue on a national platform is another. Of course when the issue comes to coalition politics, there are bound to loop holes.
Of course, there is the media then. How else would we come to know what’s happening in that big
large red house in Delhi? TOI had a page dedicated to Lokpal for 2 weeks when Anna had gone on fast for the first time. Thousands joined, millions voted and SMSed (even gave a miss call). We were the innocent sheep for the media. I don’t blame them though, after all, it’s a business. They need to have something to feed us and in-turn feed their employees.
But, there is another pressing issue, silently creeping into our daily lives while we remain focused on Rs. 1.76 Lakh Crore. The issue is – rising costs. I have purposefully not termed the word as “inflation” because then I would find people saying that is in the limelight. When I entered my college 4 years ago, the Orientation Programme mentioned that Engineering students in Nirma get an average salary Rs. 3.0L p.a via campus placements. 4 years have passed, I landed with the same amount, and with me another 400 (approx). But in these 4 years, I have noticed the average price of Regular Gujarati Thali going up from Rs. 35 to 50, a price rise of 43%, Nirma fees going up from Rs. 27500 per semester to Rs. 73000 per semester, a price rise of 165%, average price of a 2-BHK in Ahmedabad (and many other cities) going up from Rs. 16L to Rs. 40L, a price rise of 150%. And the list goes on.
We have a 7.5% GDP growth on average for the last 3-4 years then why isn’t my salary increasing? Why does the cost always rise? The answer lies here: the GDP growth occurring in India is due to the top 0.2% of people, the industrialists, Tata, Ambanis, Adanis etc. Their revenue is increasing, but is that getting reflected on the salary? The salary hike is 10-12% once in 3 years, which is not enough to battle the rising costs.
The point I am trying to make is – I would be happy to rally myself for a fast that focuses on this issue, and with me may be another millions, because corruption, on an average, pinches lesser than the rising costs. The youth today needs to open its eyes to the reality today – is the GDP growth an overall one or a per capita one? It is true that India has the second highest growth rate in the world, but in terms of per capita, we lag far behind.
The power of democracy lies in the hands of people, and the primary function of the elected representatives should be prosperity of the nation. If these two facts are accepted true, well then, the government, the civil society, the media and the corporate honchos need to focus on this issue as well. That is all I have to say.
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