Mr. Arvind Kejriwal’s study leave case- A legal analysis...

Hi friends

I happened to read an interesting case study on Mr. Arvind Kejriwal. It was written by Mr. Amitabh Thakur (B.Tech IIT KGP), an officer of the IPS (1992), UP Cadre. He is a B Tech from IIT Kanpur who is presently undergoing Fellow Program from IIM Lucknow. He is also the president of IRDS (Institute for Research and Documentation in Social Sciences). It presents the facts in a clear way, and mentions that many such cases do exist. Please find below the case. I have made some changes to highlight certain information and made some changes to the grammar involved.

Mr. Arvind Kejriwal’s study leave case- A legal analysis

Mr. Arvind Kejriwal was with the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) when he was granted study leave for two years in 2000. As per information, he went on study leave from 1^st November, 2000, up to 31^st October 2002. He joined back on 1^st November, 2002. The three years got over on 31^st October, 2005 and he resigned in February, 2006.

Now, as per information in the Press, he has been asked to return his leave salary of Rs. 3.54 lakhs along with an interest of about Rs. 4.16 lakhs. There is another matter related with him where a balance amount of Rs. 54,000 over Computer loan along with Rs. 1.04 lakh of interest over that is being shown against him. I wanted to undertake a purely legal study of the matter.

I found that Rule 63(1) of the Central Civil Services (Leave Rules) 1972, dealing with “Resignation or retirement after study leave or non-completion of the course of study” states the following:

If a Government servant resigns or retires from service or otherwise quits service without returning to duty after a period of study leave or within a period of three years after such return to duty or fails to complete the course of study and is thus unable to furnish the certificates as required under sub-rule (5) of Rule 53 he shall be required to refund-

(i) The actual amount of leave salary, Study Allowance, cost of fees, travelling and other expenses, if any, incurred by the Government of India; and

(ii) The actual amount, if any, of the cost incurred by other agencies such as foreign Government, Foundations and Trusts in connection with the course of study, together with interest thereon at rates for the time being in force on Government loans from the date of demand, before his resignation is accepted or permission to retire is granted or his quitting service otherwise.

What is to be noted here is that the word used is this: “within a period of three years after such return to duty”. Thus, all it needs is that a government servant should come back to service and join his duty which Mr. Kejriwal did on 1^st November, 2002. Here, it should be mentioned that there is no requirement that the member of service shall remain in active service or any other such condition. Hence, a prima-facie reading of the rule seems to mean that a government servant needs to return to service and irrespective of the situation, which must include even the 2 years of extraordinary leave which was taken in Mr Kejriwal’s case, he is entitled to leave the service after a period of 3 years from return to duty.

Another fact that seems to give added weightage to this interpretation is that Rule 3(d) under definitions says the following:

“Completed years of service” means continuous service of specified duration under the Central Government and includes the period spent on duty as well as on leave including extraordinary leave.”

Thus, this also clearly makes extraordinary leave a part of period spent on duty.

These two rules taken together seem to legally point out that Mr. Kejriwal had completed three years in service before he finally resigned and hence was entitled to keep his study leave salary.

Regarding his computer loan, it is said that he stated that he wanted this amount to be deducted from his GPF account. This seems pretty logical and also would not have left any interest burden on him in a legal sense, if his resignation had got accepted in a stipulated time.

In fact, one very interesting fact that emerges in Mr Arvind Kejriwal's case is the delay that often occurs in acceptance of resignation from service. I have two friends from UP IPS, Mr. Dawa Sherpa who is now a leader in Gorkhaland and Mr. Kiran Jadhav, who is now in corporate world. They had resigned some 4 years ago but their cases are still pending and theoretically they are still in service. Another very case is that of Mr. Sanjay Pandey, IPS officer from Maharashtra and an IIT Kanpur graduate whose resignation has still not been accepted after so many years and who is fighting cases only to get his resignation accepted.

Thus, it seems resigning from Government is equally difficult as coming to government service.

Amitabh Thakur.

President, IRDS

Newer IIMs or existing prestigious non-IIMs?

Hi friends

I do a bit of writing outside my blog too J For the last 1 year, I have been writing regularly for a magazine catering to aspiring MBA graduates. One of the topics I happened to write about was on whether students should prefer non-IIM institutes over the newer IIMs. If I were having this dilemma, I would personally prefer joining the newly-formed IIMs over other established management institutes any day. Here are my reasons for doing so:

1. Infrastructure: Most of the critics will say “The new IIMs lack the necessary infrastructure and adequate facilities”. But one can look at it in another way – “We can make the institute the way we want it to be!” Upgrading existing classrooms at the existing IIMs takes time and patience, but the classrooms at the new IIMs will start from scratch. News reports say that the new IIMs have adopted the concept of “smart classrooms” that would connect students across the new IIMs giving students the IIMs advantage of sharing of resources, learning from each other, and networking. With the backing of the Govt. funds are available to create necessary infrastructure at a good pace.

2. Mentorship: You are not alone, especially if you are in a new IIM. Each of the new IIMs is being mentored by one of the established IIMs (IIM Trichy by IIM Bangalore, IIM Ranchi by IIM Calcutta etc.), something no other new (or established) institutes can boast about.  You will be taught the same subjects by the same professors – distance is never a criterion here as technology transcends borders J The new IIMs will have access to all the resources of the mentor IIM, including placement contacts.

3. Initiative: A new institute gives students a golden opportunity to take initiative and start things from scratch. New committees, new clubs, and new events – every student initiative would go a long way in building your institute – your IIM. Remember: Every IIM you know started as a new institute, without the necessary infrastructure or adequate facilities. But they are now the leading management institutions in the country, with their alumnus spread far and wide all across India. This is your moment to make a difference – seize it with both hands.

4. The Brand Name: IIM – these three letters carry a lot of brand equity in the industry. Using Govt. funding, the new IIMs will surely create a brand of their own in a short span of time. It makes much more sense to cash in on the brand name in the long run.

5. Student Numbers: Most of the new IIMs have a small intake (as these are early days), which brings with it many advantages. Every student would know every other student. Decision-making among the closely-knit students would be quicker, and everyone will get a chance to do something for the institute.

6. Exposure: The newer IIMs are located in smaller cities like Ranchi and Raipur. They would offer a different level of exposure to their students, and this would certainly benefit those who have lived in metros and other bigger cities all their lives. Students would be able to understand many of the local issues and can take initiative to develop their surroundings.

I know it would be a tough choice for most students to make, but keep in mind that a MBA degree takes two years to complete, but sticks with you for a lifetime. Think long term, and make a wise choice J

However, I would like to know the other side of this issue i.e. why one would prefer a non-IIM prestigious institute over a new-IIM. Any comments?

(The author is an alumnus of IIM Lucknow; Batch of 2009. You can view his detailed profile at http://about.me/varunreddy) 

Dear Interviewer...

Hi friends

Off late, I have had the fortune (or misfortune) of attending interviews for various HR positions for different firms across India. They have ranged from telephonic interviews to videoconference calls. However, I’ve noticed one commonality in all these interviews i.e. the HR Manager, who is supposed to be my future boss, acts so naïve and ignorant, it makes me think – is the quality of HR in firms really worse than what I’d imagined it to be?

Let me give you one example for a recent interview, for the position of AM – HR (Talent Acquisition) at a reputed Telecom company. The position mentioned the following roles and responsibilities:

Ø  Responsible for Talent Acquisition for entire Chennai and Kerala Circle.

Ø  Handling end to end recruitments (which I’m doing in my current profile)

Ø  Responsible for Induction and Exit Interview.

Ø  Handling entire vendor management (which I can learn quickly)

I can guarantee you that my anger
 supersedes that of Cartman any day... 

After I’d applied for the position, the consultant told me that the role involves 80% Talent Engagement and 20% Talent Management as its profile. Naturally, I assumed that I would not be shortlisted for the profile, as I have had no experience in the former area. However I was shortlisted for the Interview. Now before you read further, please note the following points:

Pt. 1: I never exaggerate in my CV. I mention exactly what I did, in plain and simple words. With reference to the work experience, I mention what I did in the specific areas I have had experience in.

Pt. 2: The HR head interviewing me has my CV in front of him.

Pt. 3: I was shortlisted after seeing my CV and considering me fit for the role (which I assume is the case with most firms)

During the Interview, I was asked the following questions:

Q1. “Ok so did you join the firm through campus placement?” “Yes sir I did”. “Ok, so why did you opt for STC?”

The response I should have given: I would request you Sir to kindly refer to my CV which says “IIM Lucknow, batch of 2009”, and recall that the year 2009 was the toughest year for placements across all B-Schools. It’s not rocket science – if you’ve been in the HR Domain for at least three years, you would understand why I joined my current firm. A more appropriate question would be “Why still in STC?”, which I would have been happy to answer.

Q2. Your CGPA is so low. Why is that so?

The response I should have given: Sir, I am not joining a MBA institute for doing my SECOND MBA. I am here to talk about my potential to work in the profile that you have advertised in various job-sites. If my CGPA did matter, why did you shortlist me in the first place? I don’t want to give excuses about my CGPA - I agree it was pretty dismal - but I can show you my mark-sheets, and prove that my FGPA for HR is more than 7, more than a point above my actual CGPA.

Q3. We are actually looking for someone who did more than what you did in your current profile ...

The response I should have given: With all due respect (read: WTF dude!), I request you not to mislead me with your current profile. I have been very honest with what I’ve been doing in my current work. If you wish you deride my past or current achievements, please do not call me for an interview. It wastes time and money, both ways. I have sent my CV for a reason – not for using it as trash paper.

I want you to consider – why would a person working in a very similar profile want to shift jobs? Especially since you are willing to offer less than the average MBA package for students from “premier B-schools” (which you desired for your current profile). And yes, I would also like to remind you that what I did in the past should have no bearing on what I am capable of doing in the future. The interview is as much to ascertain my job fit, as it is to evaluate my potential for the role being offered. If you are not a good judge of that, it’s better we don’t meet, because if we do meet and if I am told once more that I am not good enough, without proper and credible evaluation from your side, I might just have to give you a piece of my mind.

(The author is a pissed-off premier B-School grad, who works in the Personnel Division of a Mini-Ratna PSU)

Narendra Modi and the UNPSA...

Hi friends

This certificate, as reported by many bloggers, hangs
in the office of Gujarat C, Shri Narendra Modi

A few weeks ago, I happened to notice on Facebook many posts shared commending Shri Narendra Modi and the Gujarat Govt. for winning the United Nations Public Service Award, and on how this reflects on his governance in the state of Gujarat. Irrespective of my own personal feelings with regards to Mr. Modi, I decided to check on these awards, not to verify the authenticity of the claim made, but to understand what these awards are all about, and if there were any other Indians who have won this award.

The United Nations Public Service Awards are supposed to be the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service, that rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions that lead to a more effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide. The first awards were given in 2003, and they are presently given in 5 categories:

Category 1: Preventing and combating corruption in the public service

Category 2: Improving the delivery of public services

Category 3: Fostering participation in policy-making decisions through innovative mechanisms

Category 4: Advancing knowledge management in government

Category 5: Promoting gender-responsive delivery of public services

Nominees are evaluated and the Awards in each category are given within the following geographic regions:

Ø Africa

Ø Asia and the Pacific

Ø Europe and North America;

Ø Latin America and the Caribbean, and

Ø Western Asia

So, even if we consider that only one entity from one region can win in any category, we can have a maximum of 25 winners each year. However, it so happens that the number of winners is very much less than that (around 12-16 each year) because some regions might not have suitable candidates for some categories in that year, or may not be aware of these awards. In some of the years, there have been two winners from some categories in the same geographic zone, perhaps prompting the UNPSA jury to have a 1^st and 2^nd place for avoiding such conflicts. Nominations have to be made by another entity than the institution being nominated, i.e. self nominations will not be accepted.

Since 2006, Indian entities have consistently featured in the winners list of UNPSA. The names and the categories they featured in are as follows:

1. 2006: Online delivery of land records, Revenue Department, Government of Karnataka, India (Category 2)

2. 2007: Information Technology and Communications Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh, India, for “e-Procurement Project” (Category 1)

3. 2008: Programme of Communitization of Public Institutions and Services, Government of Nagaland, India (Category 3)

4. 2009: Institutionalization of community managed drinking water supply programme and user level water quality monitoring, Water and Sanitation Management Organization (WASMO), Government of Gujarat, India (Category 3)

5. 2010: State-Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology, Chief Minister's Office, Government of Gujarat, India (Runners-up, Category 1)

Based on the documents provided on the UNPSA site, there was also an Indian finalist:

1. 2008 (Finalist): Lokvani Society, Sitapur District, Uttar Pradesh (Category 1). My IIM Lucknow friends, recall the name from somewhere?

You can read more about these awards at the following link:

http://www.unpan.org/DPADM/UNPSDayAwards/UNPublicServiceAwards/tabid/1095/language/en-US/Default.aspx

So before lauding any particular person/state for his/her achievements, we could look at the complete picture and appreciate the good done by various other Governments and institutions for better service of the Indian public.


Ciao for now.

ICC - Ignorant Cricket Councillors...

Hi friends

"Sorry lads, you've to wait 8 more years
to celebrate like this once more" (c) AFP

Yes, India won the "World Cup". Congrats Team India, for managing to defeat 13 Cricket-playing nations to the top prize in the sport. And in 2015, you will have even a better chance, as you would be competing against just 9 other countries. No more having to deal with the Irish (and risk losing to an underdog), or the Canadians. 

Just 10 countries will be allowed to participate in the next World Cup of India's favourite sport. Ok, that seems to be a fair number for a game that is not played my many countries, one might say. But there is a catch - only the 10 test playing nations will be participating in it !!! Ten cricket-playing countries? Are you kidding me? It's like calling only former Football World Champions and Runners-Up teams to participate in the next world cup, and shun the rest of the teams, saying that they are not worthy of playing at the World Cup. 

So what gives Bangladesh the right to play the World Cup? It's the Test-status conferred upon the team after their historic win against Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup, after which they have managed to win three tests, (all against then-depleted sides Zimbabwe and West Indies). 34 of their 59 losses (out of 68 test matches) are by more than an innings.

What did the Irish team give to this World Cup? They managed to defeat Pakistan in the 2007 WC, but they bettered that feat by beating the English and the Dutch in the 2011 WC, and also gave a stiff fight to Bangladesh, West Indies, and India. They were professional, and more importantly, added colour to the game - the Irish did it literally, with their colourful hairstyles in support of the Irish Cancer Society.

What did the Bangladeshi team give to this World Cup? They managed to be bowled out for their lowest ever ODI total of 58, on their home-ground (Mirpur), against a team that barely managed to qualify for the QF (The West Indies). Adding salt to their wounds were the angry fans who pelted the West Indies team bus  with stones on their way back to the team hotel, bringing into question the security of the players, and also ridiculous justifications by officials saying that even the Bangladeshi team bus was pelted (so its ok according to Bangladeshi Law to pelt players with stones if they lose the match?). And in their crunch game against South Africa, they gave another stellar performance, scoring 78 runs in total, and sharing the record for most team scores below 100 with Canada, Namibia and Ireland. (all non-test playing nations), and managing to lose by more than 200 runs, their 2nd largest defeat.

As Graeme Swann put it right - they have removed the "world" from the "World Cup". This decision is a disgrace to the sport, which is supposed to be the pseudo-national sport of the country with the 2nd largest population in the world. How will this decision help for the development of the sport? What is the ICC trying to do by shunting the presence of teams that would showcase the sport to the world, to regions which watch the sport possibly once in every 4 years? And what incentive do these countries have to play the sport, if they are not given a chance to showcase their talent in front of the world? Perhaps we will never have a chance to see another Kevin O'Brien innings, or another devastating stroke-making by John Davison.

Hiral Patel's classic shot will not be seen at the next
World Cup in 2015 (c) Associated Press

I don't need to point out to the reasons why the BCCI, oops I meant the ICC, has decided on such a format, which gives the sporting body more advertising revenues for more evenly-matched games. And perhaps the next World Cup will be more evenly contested, with the ten test-playing nations possibly playing each other at-least once before the knock-outs (similar to the 1992 format). And perhaps the winner would be a true winner.

But without playing any quality cricket with the top-sides in the world, which was at-least possible in the World Cups (until recently), how does the ICC expect the Associate teams to build credible teams for the longer formats of the game? By playing 20-20 cricket - something which is not even considered as cricket my most cricket purists? The decision is ridiculous at its very least.

The worst thing about this decision - it was floated and almost agreed to in the middle of the ongoing tournament! Imagine the plight of the Irish, or the Dutch players, who found out in the middle of the tournament that this World Cup could probably be their last one ever. What would have gone on in their minds? When the players lashed out at the ICC for this decision, they were totally justified in doing so. How would you feel if you are told, in the middle of an important project, that this is your last project and that your services would no longer be required after that? That's exactly how the Irish and the other Associate teams felt. And they were very vocally critical of this decision.

Anyways, I have no stake in the ICC, or in the BCCI. I personally find cricket time-consuming as a sport. But then, it is a sport, and like every other sport, it can thrive and become a true-global sport only when every country is given a chance to improve itself and prove its mettle in front of the world.

You can follow all news related to "Axeing the Associates" at this LINK.

Ciao for now.

Brothers in Arms? Or Brothers armed with fear?

Hi friends

In a recent article in “The Hindu”, Siddharth Varadarajan (henceforth referred to as Sid) made some interesting observations into the complicated relationship between India and China, and on how the world perceives these two growing powers. It is not an unknown fact that the growing dominance of China (both militarily and economically) and its increasing presence all over Asia and Africa does make the Indian leaders uneasy and unsure of its intentions. In return, the closeness of India to the USA, and its kowtowing to the USA on many international issues, does put the Chinese leaders in a position of uncertainty.

According to Sid, based on his talks with scholars from the other side of the border, there are four problem areas w.r.t India.

1. The border dispute, which gives both sides ample talking points and reasons to doubt each other. The recent brittleness, as Sid suspects, is only due to this. 

2. The presence of the Dalai Lama in India (and his so-called Tibetian Govt. in exile) which continues to threaten Chinese sovereignty, especially in the aftermath of the 2008 Tibetan unrest in Lhasa, which also resulted in a mass-scale attack on Chinese consulates all over the world, just a few months before the Beijing Olympics. I concur with Sid that the Dalai Lama in India is much better for China as compared to the Dalai Lama in the USA, and that the Chinese and Indians have to think about a post-Dalai Lama scenario and work towards a favorable position. 

3. Chinese relationship with Pakistan, which even the Chinese scholars admit, was initially concentrated to balance the growing power of India in the region. But even the Chinese understand that the Indian juggernaut will continue to roll on, while the Pakistan is getting more unstable by the day. It is in the interest of both China and India to have a more stable Pakistan. Apart from the USA, only China wields more influence on Pakistan. 

4. The “trust deficit”, which is more strategic-related than culturally-significant. The Chinese seem to believe that the Indians look down upon them (and I agree with a general statement that we are as racist as anyone else in the world, perhaps even more). But they happen to think that India, through its close relationship with the Western World, seems to be ganging up against China and making use of its influence and are willing to be used by the USA in return. 

Over the last few years, the Sino-Indian relationship seems to be oscillating in a more frenzied manner than the usual disquiet of mistrust and uncertainty. This, in my view, is a good sign. One of the most striking factors in the Sino-Indian relationship happens to be the lack of trust between the two parties, and lack of understanding of their rising roles in World Affairs. We need to have more dialogue with them on more issues other than the border-related and trade-related issues. Yes, we may not always agree on certain issues, but with more dialogue, we can actually understand more about our neighbour and so can they.

As much as we Indians hate to admit it, the Chinese have surpassed India in many respects, both in economic and military terms. The Chinese have tried to alleviate poverty and improve the living conditions of their people. They have tried to bring upward mobility by understanding their society much more than we have ever tried to do in India. Instead of keeping the poor poor, the Chinese have tried to improve the spending power of the rural hinterlands and provide them with a more fluid income as compared to their peers in other countries. Before we try to look at the figures, we need to understand that the PRC is nearly three times as large as India, and more populated too. Yet, it is the most successful state-controlled economy that ever has been in existence. Not only has it maintained a growth rate that has befuddled economics and politicians alike, it has also expanded its presence in various countries, and realigned its strategies based on the need of the day. As neighbors, we have a lot to learn from the Chinese on how the state can uplift its citizens and yet maintain astounding growth levels.

You can read more at the following link: CLICK FOR LINK

The incident (thanks to Wikileaks once again) mentioned at the start of the article makes for a good read, and I am reproducing it here for your pleasure.

The U.S. ambassador in Paris met Michel Rocard, a former Prime Minister of France, in October 2005 for a chat. At the end, Mr. Rocard says “Speaking of the growth of India and China, along with all the other challenges confronting both of us, we need a vehicle where we can find solutions for these challenges together — so when these monsters arrive in 10 years, we will be able to deal with them.”

Talks a lot about our position in the world, right?

Obama and the American Dream...

What has been described by many in the media as a wrong move by Obama when he announced his premature withdrawal of troops from Iraq is actually a move that blatantly clarifies American policies and its vested interests. Let me highlight the points to be kept in mind before analysing further this audacious move:

1. The November 2010 elections are crucial for the Democrats to retain their stronghold over the Congress, Senate and Gubernatorial positions. Around 30 Senate seats are up for grabs, with no seat “safe” in light of the recent win of Mr. Scott Brown from the MA Senate seat that was held by the late Ted Kennedy for a long time. With the Republican Party surging ahead in many polls, it is a tough task for the Democrat contenders to retain their seats.
2.  President Obama was elected on certain promises, one of which was of withdrawal of troops before October, 2010. By sticking to his promise, he would be able to build on the goodwill and improve his steadily-declining popularity ratings (one of his lowest ever).

3)    The move was not a sudden move – it has been emphasized since the start of his term that he would be removing all American Military presence out of Iraq by 2010. It was a neatly built-up idea that is now being translated into a reality (Inception, anyone?)

Now we have to keep in mind that in the long term, this move is a testimony to what everyone has believed about the Americans – that each step they take in the name of Democracy is totally cloaked in self-interests. Surely, Iraq might not have been a Democracy before the American troops arrived, but it was at least not in shambles as it is now. And who will be responsible for rebuilding the country’s infrastructure? Well, American Firms themselves !!!

Are we not living a lie here? Is this how the cycle of growth and development should flow? American military firms need to keep running – so they use the military to bomb other countries on the pretext of Democracy (and these firms gain by supplying them the weapons used for this “mass destruction”). Then swoop – come in another set of Americans who call themselves the good guys. They help rebuild what the military has just destroyed. Hey let’s not forget the humanitarian aid that the various “American” firms send over to this country, all paid by American citizens who are “devastated” by this war.

Thanks to this, American firms become stronger and richer, and they use this power spread to other nations, employing thousands of young people who are now totally dependent on the well-being of the American economy. I do agree that the world is inter-linked, and that America, as a World Power, has spread its influence far and wide. But does it mean we should keep depending on their resources and money for each and everything concerning our lives? Well the beauty of it is, we don’t have to. But our own Government makes us so lazy that we end up depending on such firms.  Our economy might have opened up in 1991, but the minds of the politicians remain closed. It is very touch for any local firm to compete on a global stage, and the Govt. Doesn’t make it any easier. Yes, the SOPs given to some sectors are laudable, but what about the areas that do need attention? What about encouraging budding entrepreneurs instead of churning out service class for filling up more American firms? Isn’t it unfair that we live mediocre lives while our counterparts in developed nations live lavish lives, just because they happen to be living in America?

I am not trying to spread Amerophobia among you more than the Indophobia and Chinophobia that America has spread among its citizens. Although I am in favour of the increase in Visa Fees (for reasons that I shall elaborate in another post), the rhetoric used in this regard, by a man considered the most powerful man in the World, is appalling to say the least. There is also a proposed legislation against firms that do not employ more than 50% of Americans in their payrolls. This cycle will continue to escalate.

Democracy, as a concept, is not viable everywhere, and more than the Americans it is the rest of the world that needs to realize that. China, with its pseudo-democratic systems, has risen far more than any other developing economy and is growth story is the envy of every major and minor developing nation. But even it is dependent on exports (40% of its GDP), mainly to Europe and America. But even China has realized that it needs to step up domestic consumption in order to sustain its growth, and depend less on foreign economic imbalances.

I hope our leaders are making wise choices for the good of our country, and not just looking at any upcoming by-election. The increase in prices of Oil and Gas are the first steps that our Govt. is taking to reduce our dependence external powers by balancing our accounts and reducing debt. Hope things move on in the same way, to make the Indian dream come true.

Facebook in the after-life...

(Disclaimer: No offence meant to any religion here, just take this article lightly)

In my last 6 months out of blogging I have been involved into extensive chats with a lot of friends. Some of them raised a lot of funny issues, especially with the new fad called “Facebook”. In a chat with Sheekha, I once wondered how it would be like if one could actually update Facebook chats even after one is dead J Just the thought of it was funny enough, and I felt it could be one of my first posts once I re-start blogging.

Since death is a serious topic, it has to be dealt with through the viewpoint of various religions. Let us consider the case of Facebook being the common media here, and imagine how people from different religions would update their SMs on Facebook just before and after they are dead J Equally applicable to Twitter (when restricted to 140 characters)

Year: Around 2050. Location: Hyderabad, India. Middle-class old man in his 70s, about to die because of a prolonged illness. Grumpy character, young at heart. Family and friends are at his deathbed. (Else just imagine me dying at the age of 70, just to make it easier for you fellas to imagine)

Day (-2) Afternoon: Damn all this hullabaloo. Everyone wants to meet you only when you are about to die. Sickening attitude of the younger generation I say. Will update SM later on, have to “entertain” some distant relatives. Damn, these women just can’t hide their tears, can’t they?

Day (-2) Night: Good night people, hopefully I’ll get to see you tomorrow.

Day (-1) Afternoon: Yep still alive and kicking (figuratively). Too many cute kids around the bed, busy day ahead. Can’t they leave an old man in peace even when he is about to die?

Day (-1) Evening: Grandson arrives from America. Looks like he inherited his mother’s genes – looks as Chinese as any of them J He speaks strange, but am glad to have finally seen him.

Day (-1) Night: Ok another good night. Feeling really sick today. May not live to see another day. I guess “Die Another Day” doesn’t apply to be anymore.

Day (0) Morning: Yep, I am officially dead – now how cool is that!! Hmmm. A moment of silence for my soul – wait, that’s me!!!! Died peacefully in my sleep. Got to update my status to “Dead”.

Day (0) Afternoon: Breaks my heart to see all those crying relatives (HA HA HA!!!)  - I’m now free you suckers!!! Yahooooo!!! Man, I love this Candid Camera thingie – being a soul is so freaking awesome!!!

Day (0) Night: Whoa!!! Feeling depressed seeing all those sad faces. Looks like those blokes really loved me, and were not after my money. Hmmm. Now I’m feeling sad (sob sob). I’ll miss them too. But death comes to us all, I guess.

Now I explore 2 scenarios – one for a Hindu, and the other for a Christian.

Hindu:

Day (1) Morning: Man, I did not know so many people loved me. I can even see some Facebook friends down here, people who I have never seen before. I’ll miss their online company surely.

Day (1) Evening: Body up for cremation. Life comes full circle once again. Hey, just realized that cremation and creation are separated by just 1 letter J English is a veru funny language  J

Day (2): It’s fun moving all over the planet. Still waiting for Soul-Transfer order, I guess even God’s administration is run by the Government of India :D Meanwhile finally getting to see the Mona Lisa in Paris. Piece of crap it is. Thankfully never wasted real money to come this far. Will spend the night in Paris itself.

Day (3): Getting a sneak-peek inside the White House, and you will be amazed at the “affairs” of the administration J Damn, the secretaries are super-hot, I do not blame Bill Clinton even a little bit for his indiscretion!!! Amazing architecture (and I am not referring to the decorum here) :P

Day (4): Finally received orders… Looks like I’m going to be a human being once again – Yipee!!! I’m gonna be Warren Buffet III J Finally, God shows me the path to enlightenment!!! Cya folks, once I am ready to use FB once again… Signing Off…

Christian:

Day (1) Morning: Relatives pouring in, with their beautiful wives - Finally I can stare at people without making them uncomfortable :P Poor wifey seems inconsolable, but I’m finally free of her nagging!!! God is great!!!

Day (1) Evening: God gives me choice to either wait till I’m buried or start my journey towards the “Decision Box” (where my fate is sealed) right now. Decided to check out my fate than see the sorry faces of relatives.

Day (2): Moving upwards at a very fast pace… Already passed 4 galaxies and still no sight of the “Decision Box” or any life-form. Fate awaits.

Day (3): Finally reached the Box. Man, the line is long!!! Looks like God takes a lot of time to pronounce judgment on us. The stat-o-meter outside the room shows that 90% of the people end up in hell. Network reception is less here (high altitude) so will update SM once I reach the box.

Day (8) Morning: My turn next!!! Hope I end up in Heaven!!! Wish me luck fellas J

Day (8) Evening: Sad news. My Good:Bad ratio turns out to be 48:52… Was a close call. Finally God decided I must go to Hell, to set an example for other close-shaves like me (I wonder what Gillette has to say about this one :P) Got to change into the appropriate clothes in the Preparation Chamber.

Day 9: Just told that Heaven and Hell are similar, just that Hell does not have internet connectivity. My Nexus 25 will be confiscated soon (sob sob). Guess this is my last update. See you in Hell folks :D

What do you think?

Japan is to Asia what Germany is to Europe (And Aamir Khan)

Hi friends

One of my batchmates @ NIT Kurukshetra from Kerala is one awesome chap. He calls me up atleast once every 1-2 months, and gives me gyaan! A lot of gyaan! Listening to him makes you more aware of the world than you have ever been before! The best thing - he is never drunk when giving this gyaan :) Just think how much more one could learn if he were actually drunk.

Anyways, he called me up a few days ago (I remembered that I still have his number stored in my mobile - can't forget some chaps I guess) with another dose of his monthly gyaan. And it was awesome as usual. We talked about many issues (well, he talked and I mostly listened), and here are some nice theories that he postulated on two issues. I will refer to him as PJ (just a short form of his name and not meant to be taken as a pun in any way)

1. Japan is to Asia what Germany is to Europe

PJ postulated that Japanese and Germans are very similar in their attitudes w.r.t. the rest of the people in their continents i.e. Japan:Asia as Germany:Europe. Some of his points of argument were as follows:

1. Sense of Humour: How many jokes have you heard that involve either the Japanese or the Germans? Compared to that, how many jokes have you heard involving the French or the Italians or the Chinese or us Indians? I hope you get my point. The Japanese and the Germans do not see the funny side to anything. They are the "point-wise people" i.e. very practical in their attitude.

2. Product Marketing: They are two of the most brilliant manufacturing giants in the world, yet they do not carry the tag of "the best marketed products" at all. Just think about it - Aston Martin, Ferrari, Fiat and Rolls-Royce have a brand image, a very distinct brand image, although they do not certainly make the best cars. BMW and Mercedes-Benz do make some of the best cars ever, but they are the best technologically, and not exactly practical for public usage. I have also heard of the dismal state of the customer service centres of BMW. From the Japanese side, we have our very own "Sony" - which can easily rival and even beat Apple ant time. But in our minds, more often than not, Apple steals the mind share more than Sony ever did.

3. Food: How many times have you heard of specialty Japanese / German cuisine, as compared to; say Chinese / French / Italian / Thai? For them, food is something they need to eat and serve, and not for marketing it around the world.

4. The God Syndrome: The Germans (Eg: Nazis) and the Japanese suffer from the “I am God” psychology – it’s not a generalization, but history has shown that to be true.

2. Aamir Khan's movies are all the same

PJ says that most of AKs movies revolve around a similar funda in a broader sense - You don’t see the repetitiveness because of gap in timing – comes every 2 years.

Ghulam: Man starts small, grows to become big in his own way. All people opposed to him, but eventually they like him.

Raja Hindustani: Man starts small. All main people opposed to him, but eventually they like him.

Taare Zameen Par: The limelight shifted on the kid, but Aamir tries to steal the limelight (I was also like you as a kid, and look where I am now)

3 Idiots: Small-town man, big ideas; Head of the college hates him, finally loves him.

I know this is too less to generalize, but most of his movies carry very similar themes. I felt the same. But it's the case with most Hindi movies, just that with Aamir, it becomes more pronounced.

Ciao for now. Enough for today :)

SRK, MNIK and Indian security...

"When terror hit Mumbai, the Indian elite community was blowing with anger because they were affected. Abhi saale sab chup karke baithe hue hain Pune ke baad".

Hi friends

This statement, made by a friend of mine in a chat, got me thinking about this whole SRK, Shiv Sena and Pune blasts' issue. I rarely think about such issues, because I really have no views of my own on things I do not think about at all. After all, what SRK said was just a publicity stunt aimed at promoting his movie, right? And so was the reply given by the Sena and other anti-Pakistan activists in India, right?

I think simple, I hate complications in life. Hence two very simple points certainly came to my mind after thinking about this for a while.

1. What I wrote about the elite in a previous unrelated post made more sense seeing the practical visible situation in India.

2. The security apparatus in India may / may-not suck, but the lethargy of the Indian Security System is appalling. If they can provide security to so many theatres, I think they can also provide similar security to main city centres and other areas especially the ones that tourists frequent.

Let me elaborate:

1. The point that really hits my mind is the indifference shown by the elite towards anything that does not involve them at all. I know this is how they have reached the pinnacle of their careers (atleast most of them), but the common man expects something from them.

I think if everyone understands the principle of "Giving back to the society", there would be no need for Communism or Socialism, as these concepts talk about the greater good. If the elite start thinking of ways to contribute back as much as possible, the world would be a much better place and the greater good will finally happen.

2. Truly speaking, SRK works up a lot of magic. He can get villages to light up using just a tank-full of water (Swades), or in this case - one threat and the entire theatres get full security. Can't we have atleast 50% of that security in other areas on other normal days? Is it too much to ask? (P.S. I have nothing against SRK - he is a great actor and a down-to-earth guy, a very recent revelation). Do we need to be so reactive in nature?

Indians have always been reactive. We happily suffered under the British, waging our lone small battles. And we needed a dhoti-wearing baldy to come and tell us - "What the f**k are you doing? Don't you see what is happening to you and what they are doing to you?" They asked him - "What can we do?" And he gave them the mantra we still follow today - "That's the beauty of it - Don't do anything. But let them know you are suffering. The guilt will drive them away". Now as we moved on, we became so much of a passive reactionary race that we see the problem, and say to ourselves - "I see you coming. But you are so far away - so I will wait. When you come close, I will strike".

Reactive is what the common man is. Hence we elect our representatives to be the proactive people and fight it out on our behalf, to identify our problems and give us the solutions. But they are more interested in saving their arses rather than yours or mine.

Ciao for now.