Does Modi Need to Go On Foreign Visits So Frequently?

“The previous PM was on Silent Mode. The current PM is on Flight Mode.” You must have read this message a hundred times by now, right? Narendra Modi has visited 17 countries in his first year, and the ‘tours’ just don’t seem to end. Someone had cracked a joke about how empty Modi’s passport was at this time last year.

So what is this showbaazi about? Senior journalist Renu Mittal slammed every move of Narendra Modi lately (surprise surprise?) and said that Modi is doing what every other Prime Minister has done. In fact, she believes that since he has 4 more years in the office, he should space out his visits and focus more on work within India. Well, she exemplifies the ignorance in a lot journalists these days - something that led to them being tagged ‘presstitutes’ and #GoHomeIndianMedia trending in Nepal and India.

Let’s leave our emotions out of the picture and think objectively about Narendra Modi’s foreign visits for some time.

Narendra Modi’s visit to Australia was the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 28 years. His visit left Russia and USA feeling somewhat queazy because of some policy agreements, most importantly a nuclear deal and landmark framework for security cooperation. India will now receive a substantial supply of uranium and collaborate with Australia in generating cleaner energy. This should, to an extent, put a tab on the bullying behavior of USA, and increase the bargaining power of India. Modi also pushed for making a resolve to ‘isolate those who harbor terrorists” and called for a “closer security cooperation, but, even more a policy of no distinction between terrorist groups or discrimination between nations’. The aim is to make India safer from Chinese and Pakistani insurgency.

Closer home, Modi has visited many Asian countries like Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Mongolia, China and South Korea. Come on! These are countries that we common folk visit on a vacation, right? (I hope you don’t mind being called common folk - anyway it’s Hindi translation is aam aadmi.) Why does a Prime Minister have to visit them instead of taking care of your and my petty problems here? Well, here are some points to ponder on.

The Prime Minister is forming good relations with neighbors, thus securing the borders of India from Chinese and Pakistani infiltration. Also, until recently, India was seen as a marketplace of a vast population, where multi-national corporations could sell their wares and make lots of money. Modi is now making India an investment centre. This will help in technology transfer (you MBAs surely know what it means. If you don’t, because you watch TimesNow and read ToI-let paper, you might have to Google it). It will also increase the number of jobs and reduce our current trade deficit because we will import lesser non-essential goods and instead, manufacture them here, and maybe even export them. The Rafale deal is a significant one because India has not had modern fighter aircrafts since the last 17 years, as pointed out by our defense minister Manohar Parrikar. Developed nations like Australia, France, Germany, USA and South Korea have agreed to invest in India. Apart from Australia, Mongolia (which no Indian PM had ever visited before) and Canada have agreed to supply India with uranium to meet the target of 10,000 MW of hydropower generation each year, which will make India less dependent on costly fuel imports. Apart from saving us time spent outraging when petrol prices rises, this will also save us an enormous amount of money and provide sustainable energy to millions of people who don't have access to it.

During his visit to China, Modi exhorted the politicians, civilians, and even students to think about the their hostility towards India. He also pointed out that China’s steel dumping in India was not ethical, something the Chinese leaders acknowledged and promised to address. Would these have been possible without a Prime Minister as dynamic and steadfast as Narendra Modi? Plus, there are talks about positive steps to work together on railway and other projects to improve the infrastructure of India.

So you see? The 3 key aims of Modi through these foreign visits are:

1. Secure India’s borders
2. Encourage foreign investment, and
3. Build a better India

If you want someone to help you, you have to reach out to them and offer them something first. The law of reciprocation kicks in and the person in front helps you achieve what you need. Common knowledge, isn’t it? And it holds true not only for you and me, but politicians and bureaucrats too. And this is exactly what Modi is doing.

Critics say that Modi is doing the same thing done during UPA II - i.e. no talks with Pakistan. However, India has always measured the effectiveness of foreign talks on the basis of interactions with Pakistan, USA and, to an extent, Russia. Should we continue with age old redundant policies or look to implement new and effective ones? It’s time for you to decide. Do you want to live in an India which progresses in leaps and bounds in the coming years? Where people have jobs and the quality of life of billions is better than today? Or would you prefer living in one where you still keep promoting ‘secularism’ and decrying corruption while the world passes you by?

“I have never seen any leader as rapturously received in Australia as PM Modi”, said Tony Abbott. Modi received stellar welcomes in USA, Canada, Europe, Japan and other countries too. We, his own countrymen, however fail to recognize the hope that he brings, and rant about money and time being wasted on these trips. Now this post is not to tell you to start supporting Modi - if you despise him, you won’t see the light even if it is shining right in your face. And if you are a Modi supporter like I am, you don’t need to be convinced about the progress and development that India can achieve in the next 4 (hopefully 9) years.

10 Similarities Between Dhoni and Modi

Despite being anti-IPL, I have been following it a lot this season, partly because I want to rally behind our players who couldn’t win the World Cup. Sounds lame, doesn’t it? But hey, I’m being honest with you here.

A couple of weeks ago was my 32nd birthday. I was thinking of keeping celebrations low-key and chilling at home. Chennai Super Kings were playing Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede stadium and I was going to watch it at home (you can figure out my birth date now). Instead, Ramya got tickets for the Sachin Tendulkar Stand. Thanks to her, I finally saw Mahendra Singh Dhoni live in action.

If you know me (or have read my posts), you know that I am a huuuuge MS Dhoni fan. More than his powerful hitting and habit of winning, I admire his philosophies on life. I consider him as Dhonicharya and myself as Eklavya, though I haven’t learnt enough from him yet.

Dhoni was his typical self in the match - calm, composed and unhurried. It was mind-blowing to see the number of CSK supporters in a stadium in Mumbai, until Dhoni came out to bat. It then hit me like a bullet in the chest. They were all Dhoni fans! While screaming “Dhoni, Dhoni” with thousand others that night, I felt like I had seen this somewhere else. Oh yes, I had seen it on TV. A lot! Only instead of “Dhoni, Dhoni”, people were chanting “Modi, Modi”.

The similarities are striking

I thought about it on the way back. Are Dhoni and Modi similar? My heart and brain emphatically said “Yes! In more respects than one.” And when your heart and brain agree on something, you really want to talk about it! So I thought of listing 10 similarities between the two veterans in their respective fields.

1. Both carry the hopes of 1.2 billion countrymen on their shoulders
   One thing that unites India is cricket. And one thing that divides India is politics. Events in both of them impact the entire country massively. Being the captain of the Indian cricket team places a colossal burden on Dhoni’s shoulders, just like being the Prime Minister of India does to Modi. The entire nation’s hopes rest on them. But why do we have high hopes of them? Well, read point number 2.
   
   
2. Both possess unwavering self-belief
   As long as Dhoni is at the crease, any target, however distant, looks achievable. Remember the last time we felt like this? Yes, it was during the Sachin Tendulkar era. Similarly, when Modi galvanizes himself and his team into action, we are left inspired almost always. Remember the wave of delight across the country when the BJP won a landslide victory in the 2014 Elections? How do these 2 real life superheroes make us believe in them? How have they been so effective in what they do? It’s because they believe in themselves. They back their abilities, and deliver more often than not. And since others see in us what what see in ourselves, people believe in Dhoni and Modi too. Their sheer presence exudes a certain charisma and gives us hope - the only emotion stronger than fear.
   
   
3. Both have brilliant perspectives on things
   Yet another commonality between Dhoni and Modi is their enviable intelligence. This intelligence stems from years of mental and physical training, empowering them to have a brilliant perspective on things. They are astute students of life, possessing the ability to look beyond the present and chart out plans to handle situations before they even arise.
   
   For instance, here is how Modi meticulously plans every action of a strategy down to the last detail. And Dhoni… well, he says “People generally have Plan B to fall back on. I have Plans B, C and D.” Unbelievable!
   
   
4. Yet, both are massively misunderstood
   In this post, Oliver Emberton has beautifully explained that the more you impact people’s lives, the more they will misunderstand you. Since 2.4 billion eyes (and a lot of foreign ones) are watching both Dhoni and Modi closely, every move they make is scrutinized and dissected. And then there are us Indians. The more the world applauds one of our own for being unconventional, the more more we hurl insults at him (APJ Kalam is an exception to this rule, thankfully!). Someone who doesn’t tell us what his intent is, becomes an antagonist. Thankfully, both Modi and Dhoni keep away from the limelight. This saves them time that would otherwise be wasted in explaining their actions to people who won’t listen anyway. How they do it? How do they soak up this pressure and still be retain their amazing attitudes? The next point answers these questions.
   
   
5. Both have mastered the art of detachment
   The Bhagavad Gita preaches about performing action without attachment towards fruit. But how many of us can follow it? Well, Dhoni and Modi are two living beings who do so every single day. "If tomorrow he has to say goodbye to all the trappings of fame, Dhoni will calmly get on his motorbike and go away. He is that rarity who treats both those impostors - wins and losses - in the same way. He simply plays the game”, said Sunil Gavaskar.
   
   
   We have read unlimited articles and posts about Modi’s simple and austere lifestyle also. The sheer dignity with which our Prime Minister conducts himself despite what people say about him shows what he thinks of critics. I would love Modi to have 2 more terms as India’s Prime Minister. But if he doesn’t, I’m sure that he will still be at peace, knowing that he gave it his all. Such remarkable clarity of thought and ability to endure cannot be accomplished without detachment - from others’ opinions about them, materialistic pleasure, results and everything else.
   
   
6. Both aim to serve Mother India
   It’s amply clear from the Indian Prime Minister’s and cricket captain's interviews and speeches that their prime goal is to serve their nation. For Dhoni, his country comes above everything else, even above his parents. Narendra Modi has dedicated his entire life to serving his nation, including valiant actions that we don’t know about to keep India united.
   
   
7. Both distrust the media
   It’s no secret that both Modi and Dhoni distrust the media. By now we’re familiar with Modi’s aversion to mainstream media. Thousands of media journos beg for an interview with him, but he and his cabinet air their views only on Doordarshan and All India Radio. And he has substantially reduced the size of the entourage of the press traveling overseas with a Prime Minister, which has pissed off many journos who now write and talk horse shit about him frequently.
   
   
   Similarly, Dhoni has instructed the Indian cricket team not to speak to the media. He has shown what he thinks about the media on multiple instances. When asked about his retirement plans recently, Dhoni said “The media should conduct a thorough research, come up with conclusions and write the exact opposite, because that will be the truth.” On another occasion, when Dhoni was asked whether a rumor about the Indian team’s dressing room would be spread, he said “Newspapers like Times of India will do that for us. So I won't bother.” And I’m a sucker for people who don’t trust mainstream media.
   
   
8. Both give credit where it's due and prefer avoiding the limelight
   The Indian cricket team is called ‘Dhoni’s boys’. The current Indian government is called ‘the Modi government’. However, rarely, if ever, do we see either of these evolved souls taking centre stage and hogging the limelight. When India wins a trophy, Dhoni is generally invisible in the team photo, often standing with the support staff in the second row. When a good budget is announced or good policies are implemented, Modi is nowhere in the limelight either. He stealthily goes about his work to make India a better place to live in for you and me. Did you see his response to #ThankYouPM?
   
   
9. Both live in the present
   There is no denying that Dhoni and Modi work with the future in mind. They have to. However, they both possess the remarkable trait of living in the present moment. I have never seen Dhoni fuss about the future - he simply focuses on the current ball of the current over in the current match. Rahul Dravid says, “He has a unique ability to ignore consequences and soak up pressure. This makes it easier for everyone else. He is calm and measured. Win, lose, he can walk away.” And when he is off the field, he simply switches off from cricket and enjoys life outside.
   
   
   Modi is no different. Yes, he thinks a lot about our future (as he should), but he works in the present. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that he asks himself “What can I do now to improve our country’s future?”, and works accordingly. The last time developmental work was carried out at such furious pace was 1991. Instead of dreaming about our ideal future, Modi prefers to act in the present. And living the current moment to its fullest is the mark of a great human being.
   
   
10. Yet, we choose to learn from neither
    Both Dhoni and Modi have infinite lessons to teach us; lessons which will make us better human beings. Yet, we refuse to learn from them and instead carry on with our mundane and hollow lives. It’s like we fear the consequences of living like them. But trust me, life is much better when you emulate Dhoni and Modi. The shackles fall off and you no longer feel like singing “I want to break free” because you already have broken free.

Each of us comes in this world to serve a purpose. I think that God sent Dhoni and Modi to inspire millions of us, apart from excelling in their fields. And boy, do they serve their purposes well or what! I hope that someday, I get to meet them and learn more about the core philosophies that govern their lives. If I can be 10 percent as honest, as genuine and as driven as either of them, my life’s purpose will be accomplished.

I’m sure that you can point many more similarities between them which are not listed here. Why not share them in comments? And for heaven’s sake, keep them positive. There is enough negativity in this world, so you don’t need to contribute to it.

What the 'India's Daughter' Documentary Will Achieve

By the time you read this post, the Delhi High Court may have taken a decision on whether to lift the ban on the India’s Daughter documentary or not. We will now know whether the documentary will freely be circulated on YouTube, FaceBook, Twitter and WhatsApp or continue to be circulated mutedly WhatsApp circles with the demand to make it go viral.

This is the second outrage in India on social media in as many months demanding freedom of speech and from imposition of ‘unwarranted’ bans after the AIB Roast video take down.

The India’s Daughter documentary has done more harm than it can ever do good. Here’s how:

One, it is against the Indian Constitution. The final verdict of the 2012 Delhi Gang Rape case is pending with the Supreme Court and publication of any material that may influence a pending case is prohibited by the Contempt of Court Act. The courts can take legal action against the BBC if they wish. I’m sure the BBC knows this - they just don’t give a fuck. By demanding the ban be lifted and watching the BBC Documentary, you will abet a media house that deliberately has broken a clause in the Indian law - the law which you so badly want upheld in our country. 

Two, the 'India's Daughter' documentary has harmed the image of the Indian male worldwide. We are now looked at as a demographic of rapists who do not respect the fairer sex. Don’t believe me? Here’s an e-mail from a German professor who rejected an Indian candidate’s application for internship because India was a country with ‘rape’ problems: “Unfortunately, I do no longer [sic] accept any male Indian guests, trainees, doctoral students, or post docs due to the severe rape problem in India. I cannot support a society which is not able to respect females in any aspect…….. Many female professors in Germany decided no longer to accept male Indian students for these reasons, and currently other European female association [sic] are joining.” Happy? Can you also imagine the number of Indian males abroad who will be ridiculed and physically assaulted because of the image of our’s that this documentary portrays of us? Just because the media won’t report them doesn't mean it won’t happen. This is going to lead to round two of ‘curry bashing’ in developed countries. Thank you BBC!

Three, a lot of wrong has been done during the filming and production of ‘India’s Daughter’. For the documentary, the accused, Mukesh Singh, demanded ₹2 lakhs from the BBC. The latter paid him 40,000 rupees. Wow! 40k for violating a girl and becoming the star in a BBC documentary! Sounds terrific, doesn't it? Plus the boy who was with Jyoti Singh (I will call her by her real name, not Nirbhaya) on that fateful night has stated that the documentary is a fake. It also shows that anyone can walk into a jail and interview a criminal.

Do you really want to watch it?

Which brings me to the following questions: Will you readily justify all this so that you can watch the documentary? Why do you want ‘India’s Daughter’ to be aired? It has been shot by a media house which is definitely not Indian. Were we not living until now without seeing something as disturbing as this? And if we really were keen on knowing the mindset of a rapist, why wasn't this shot by an Indian? We had 2 1/2 years to do it, didn't we?

Here's what you will do if the ban is lifted from the BBC documentary: Plaster social media platforms with the video, chastise derogatory comments made shamelessly in it and demand justice for Jyoti. Time that should be spent by parents in embedding values in their children will be spent on writing blog posts about how horrible our culture is, how lax the law is and how spoilt we men are. And it will all be forgotten in a few days. Remember the Sarita Devi episode? The internet broke with support for her when she refused to accept the medal. And what did we do when the International Boxing Association banned her for a year? Thenga! Sachin Tendulkar was the only person who came forward and encouraged the Indian Boxing Federation to support her.

Are your videos and blog posts going to reduce the number of cases? Each 'Like' or share brings down the number of violations by 1? If yes, please go ahead… by all means. But if not, get over this hypocrisy demanding freedom of speech and from censorship.

You don’t need to watch a fucking documentary if you want to make a difference. Most criminals (not just rapists) come from poor and broken homes. They have never known values, responsibility or respect. Their crimes stem from frustrations of poverty and the craving for recognition. The government is working hard towards the former. Why don’t you help with the latter? Teach lesser privileged children about morals and respect. Help them stand on their feet. You will be surprised at the number of stories of underprivileged people who have turned over a new leaf because someone rescued them from the dumps. That will really contribute towards the improvement of society, towards respect for women and their safety, and towards a better tomorrow.

This is my second rant in as many months. Looks like I'm growing old and grumpy like 40-year-old men. But I hope that this post convinces you that the need of the hour is not action on social media, but action in real life. I'm laying the groundwork and am ready to walk this path. Are you?

image Courtesy: Google Images

Why I'm Secretly Glad That BJP Lost to AAP in the Delhi Elections

67 out of 70 seats! ‘Landslide’ is the word being used for Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) victory in Delhi. ‘Comprehensive’ is an understatement, isn't it? I’ve started following politics pretty late, but even those who have been watching this field closely for decades will consider this worthy of being termed ‘historic’.

A disclaimer up front: I am not an AAP supporter. In fact, I am no specific party supporter - I just am anti Congress and pro growth. This is why, as you may have guessed, my current loyalties lie with Narendra Modi. The man has good intent and is working towards making India a better place, although the media conveniently fails to report more than 70% work being done.

I had a ringside view of the Delhi Elections campaigning as I was there from 3rd - 7th February. I watched news channels, spoke to the aam aadmi (common man, not the party volunteers), and witnessed political campaigns at various places. My ears rang with the '5 saal Kejriwal' song being played everywhere.

While Tarun and I agreed that it was better to vote for even the Congress rather than AAP, I am secretly glad that AAP beat the Bharati Janata Party (BJP). Can’t say that I’m happy at the mauling that the BJP received in the results though. Anyway, here is why I am glad that AAP won.

"Ro lo, behenji"

1. Kiran Bedi would not make a good CM
   Many people weren’t pleased with the BJP’s decision to bring Bedi onboard as their CM candidate. Obviously the party had its reasons which we don’t know, or it took a wrong call. Happens. But seeing that woman cry on TV saying that she was overwhelmed by the love she received, cooking roti at Gurudwaras and pulling off other antics, most of us said “Yaar, yeh nautanki hai (man, this is drama).” And it’s very hard for people to trust someone fond of drama (Arvind Kejriwal seems to be an exception though). Bedi had a lot of foot-in-mouth situations. If she had become CM, she would’ve done more of it and given BJP haters more chances to ridicule the party, further adding to Modi’s headache.
   
   
2. I stand to gain, whether I am or wrong
   I was ecstatic when Kejriwal became Delhi’s CM in 2014. Like everyone, I believed that Delhi had done the right thing. The rest, as we know, is history. Kejriwal then returned to Delhi with promises and strategic campaigning. And Delhi-ites have lapped it up. Now is the time to see how much Arvind Kejriwal lives up to his promises. After all, hasn’t the AAP lambasted Modi the most for failing to keep up to his.
   
   
   Kejriwal’s interviews on TV were interesting. He would never look at the camera, except when he was accusing others. I’m no body language expert, but have the ability to pick subtle hints thanks to reading and observations. And a man who keeps looking elsewhere when someone is talking to him - well, he’s lying.
   
   
   Most TV reporters didn’t grill Kejriwal. Even the #RavishAsksKejriwal interview on NDTV looked staged. They just asked him questions which he could answer easily. No one asked him about how he planned to interact with people whose feet he stepped on in his cameo stint, or the condition he left Delhi in. He talked about populist measures like setting up free WiFi in Delhi for 200 crore (mind you, it’s gonna cost more than that) and free water. He didn’t speak about improving the infrastructure condition in Delhi. And trust me, the condition of roads and traffic in Delhi is depressing. Also, by declaring that they will punish every corrupt person, AAP risks entering the same state as the Congress - policy paralysis. This is because bureaucrats will be terrified of pushing things forward lest they get punished. This is what got the Congress into a rut.
   
   
   Kejriwal kept repeating one thing in all interviews: “The Delhi treasury has ₹5,000 crore in it.” I get the feeling that he has an eye on it, that crony capitalism will occur even with the AAP in power.
   But you know the advantage of being a pessimist, like I am when it comes to the AAP? You’re either proved right or pleasantly wrong. If AAP proves me wrong, I’ll be glad for the people of Delhi. And if I’m proved right… well, you can expect to read an “I told you so” post.
   
   
3. The BJP can be an opposition party
   Yeah yeah. The BJP doesn’t have enough seats to be in the opposition. And the AAP has been really classy in offering the LoP position to them. But hey, this move by the AAP is more tactical than classy. They know the repercussions from the central government for denying the BJP an opposition place. And if you are reading this and saying “Oh come on! This is blackmail”, then snap out of it. Politics is rampant at your workplace, among relatives and friends, everywhere. A state and country are much bigger. Every politician has to take it in his/her stride.
   
   Rather than having to prove their mettle in Delhi like across India, BJP’s party members can simply play devil’s advocate to AAP (don’t know how effective that will be though).
   
4. The BJP won't get complacent
   However good the intentions, complacency always creeps in. In fact, it's been an Achilles' Heel in human nature. With victories in many states, complacency could have been creeping into the BJP's ranks. This demolition at the hands of AAP will stifle that. The BJP will know that they can't take anything for granted and have to work towards growth and development to stay in the good books of common man. And that was primarily why people voted for Modi in the 1st place.

Kejriwal has a second chance to prove himself in front of the same people. And that is so rare! Forget the ‘5 saal Kejriwal’ song. Kejriwal’s 1st step will be successfully manage 5 days, and then 5 months. After that, we can wonder what he plans to do for Delhi for 5 years. So all you people rejoicing over AK’s victory, remember, this is just the beginning. The true test lies ahead.

A Question to 'Freedom of Speech' And AIB Roast Supporters

I have just returned from a long awaited trip to North India. I witnessed the Kila Raipur Rural Olympics, visited the Golden Temple, Wagah border, Akshardham and saw many other places in Delhi and Punjab. I drove more than 500 miles in 5 days but barely felt exhausted because the weather was so damn good.

In Delhi, I caught up with a friend - Anmol Ahuja a.k.a. The Preachy Professor. A graphics designer by passion, he has moved up the ranks to become a manager. Anmol has always come across as a balanced and mature bloke. When we met a few days ago, being social media enthusiasts, we discussed a topic which has angered many people - the takedown of the AIB roast video. Anmol has an amazing perspective on things, backed by facts. “You’re a very wise guy. You have a mind way more mature than that of a 27 year old” I said. “I’m 23”, he corrected. Anmol is truly unique.

But I’ll shower praises on Anmol in another post (maybe). This one is addressed to the people who are furious at AIB allegedly being asked to take down their 'Roast' video. Allegedly. I love that word.

I saw the below image on Facebook with a status update which implied that abusing in real life is okay, so it should be allowed in reel life too. Well, we’re okay with having sex in real life too, right? So what’s your demand going to be? A fully blown and legal porn industry? “No. There is a huge difference in porn and profanity”, you say. But going by the above logic, because it is okay to have sex in real life (and enjoyable too), it should be okay to upload videos of consenting adults in the act watched by consenting people too. So we can make porn legal in India too and not be offended when people watch it in public places. And our culture can continue to go to hell.

We like picking outrageous things from the west. It makes us feel cool. I mean, AIB couldn’t even come up with a new name. They had to rip the one used in USA. But why ‘be inspired’ by only the bullshit? Why don’t we pick the good stuff? Like learning to respect each other the way they do, especially the lesser fortunate people who serve us at hotels and other places. Or following proper etiquette while driving. Or not littering? Why don’t we allow people to pursue different interests instead of making them choose only engineering or medicine? Why don’t we see more responsible single fathers? Why don't we see a balance of household work between men and women? Why don’t we force organizations to be more sensitive to their employees’ needs?

We know how ‘sensible’ the young parents of today are. They care more about their smartphones and tabs than about their toddlers. Imagine them watching these videos on full blast in front of 3-4 year olds. And one day, when they walk home, they are welcomed with ‘Behenchod’ by their child. They might laugh and feel proud - after all a 3 year old calling his father a ‘sister-fucker’ is funny, right? Or is it? Or imagine your mother browsing through YouTube, an AIB video filled with choicest profanity comes up in the suggestions and she innocently clicks on it. Will you laugh if she walks up to and says that she was disturbed by what she saw? (By the way, when my mom went to see Delhi Belly because it was an Aamir Khan movie, she left within 10 minutes and came home almost in tears).

Anmol made a great point.”You don’t need profanity to promote good content”, he said. “And if you are using something controversial, it was your intent to court controversy all along.” Mind you, AIB knew exactly what they were doing. And they did it to evoke these responses from you which further adds to their publicity. They don’t give a rat’s ass about what you really think. They know that they aren’t talented enough. So they resort to toilet humor and cheap antics like this to create a wave of sympathy to suck you in.

It’s time you stop paying attention to this nonsense and channelize your energy into fruitful and constructive things. Even if you protests, make sure it is for the right things, not those which probably shame your parents and your children.

Which Will Be the Fastest Growing Country in the Coming Decade?

“The old forecasting rule was to make as many forecasts as possible and publicize the ones you got right. The new rule is to forecast so far into the future that no one will know if you got it wrong.” - Ruchir Sharma.

Which is the world’s fastest growing economy currently? Without doubt, it’s China. But will China continue on the path of 9-10% growth for the next few years? Most economists think it will, but China is slowing down due to multiple reasons. It may soon witness a recession, which won’t be anywhere close to what the rest of the world encountered in 2008. China’s recession is more like a slowdown to 6% growth.

So which country will bag the gold medal for growth in the coming decade? Ruchir Sharma attempts to answer this question through his masterpiece ‘Breakout Nations’. He has analyzed the history, political scenario and sentiment of a lot of emerging markets and correlated them to the countries’ economic conditions. In this book, renowned economist Ruchir Sharma meticulously dissects countries like India, Russia, Brazil, China, South Africa, South Korea, Mexico, Turkey and others. He offers valid insights, backed up with sound stats, into the strengths, weaknesses and areas of opportunities for these emerging nations.  

'Breakout Nations' - Ruchir Sharma

Every nation has its fair share of obstacles. Whether it’s infrastructure, government overspending, policy paralysis, the refusal of political figures to give up power, stagnation or something else, each country is battling problems which have occurred due to decades of following the same patterns. Some countries like Russia, Brazil, Nigeria and South Korea have used difficult times to revamp the way they functioned, and have been rewarded handsomely. Others have chosen to stick to tried and tested (and purely functional) models which have restricted their opportunities for growth.

Ruchir Sharma isn’t just shooting from the hip like many so-called economists do.  He has toured each country extensively. He brings out astonishing details of day-to-day functioning the emerging nations. For instance, the strategy being adopted by companies in China to woo workers back from their villages after Christmas vacations. Or corporate head honchos in Brazil using helicopters to travel from one office to another within the city because of excessive traffic. Or that Russia is heavily dependent on oil prices to secure its future. Each problem (and more) has stemmed from conditions which have been building over long, and continue develop. Since this book was written in 2011, scenarios have changed a little. But most of his predictions seem on track for the coming decade.

This book is a pleasant and entertaining read for anyone who is remotely interested in economics. The language is simple yet elegant. Facts are made interesting with the help of short stories and anecdotes. It reminds me so much of Gurcharan Das’ ‘India Unbound’, another gem. Of course, after having spent years interacting with the world’s most powerful politicians and writing umpteen research papers, nothing less is expected of Ruchir Sharma. I couldn’t find a single shortcoming in the book. Partly because of my love for macro economics and also because I don’t have even 0.1% of the knowledge which the author has. Read the book to find out which are the ‘Breakout Nations’ according to the author. You will be surprised to know that they’re from among the usual suspects.

The Chinese PM Visits India - Interesting Psychological Lessons

One of the most talked about news in India currently is the arrival of Chinese Prime Minister Xi Jinping, and the promises which he brings along. This post will not focus on what Modi should’ve done, or analyze the economic and political outcomes of the meet. Many articles and discussions will cover those. Instead, I’ll talk about small psychological factors which are evident in the events as they unfold. How those aspects have the potential to change the way we think, how some of them are being used for better results… 

A report in Economic Times read “Deals worth $100 billion are said to be in the works, compared with a mere $35 billion from Japan.” So the Japanese investment news, which until now was being hyped by the Indian media is now being termed ‘mere $35 billion’. Why? Because, according to them, the amount China proposes to invest in India dwarfs the amount which Japan. By no means is $35 billion a nominal amount. But in comparison to $100 billion… well, you get the picture. This just goes to show how comparison clouds our perception. How when we compare 2 things, the smaller one may start appearing insignificant (so to speak) while it may actually be so.

2 critical concerns between India and China are not being discussed in this meeting. The Arunachal Pradesh border conflict and streamlining of processes for faster visa approvals. Many people (especially the Congress) are disappointed that these issues are not being raised. These are sensitive issues and should be addressed as soon as possible, right? Not quite. Being the shrewd tactician that Modi is, he seems to be deploying what is known as the foot-in-door technique. You make the person in front comfortable and then gradually start discussing sensitive points. Then you raise bigger concerns and can expect the person in front to be more receptive, thereby dramatically increasing chances of a positive outcome in your favor.

How Modi is extending the red carpet to China

Day 1 for Xi Jinping was spent experiencing flavors of Ahmedabad - visiting Sabarmati Ashram, savoring a full-course Gujarati thali, witnessing the infrastructure and growth of the city. Modi ensured that he displayed excellent hospitality to a politician of a country which we’re hostile towards. By doing so, he made the Chinese PM comfortable and reduced instances of the proverbial ‘cold air’. Plus, by showcasing Ahmedabad, he focused on an area which he knew as well as the back of his palm. Thus he eliminated all chances to be pointed out instances or asked questions which embarrass him. Modi was in control of every situation all the time.

So you see, however celebrated the profiles of people may be, small aspects which shape our perceptions come into play everyday. These aspects can make or break a relationship or a business deal. Keep in mind that when whether you are implementing a process, attending a meeting or doing mundane chores with your spouse, you are essentially interacting with people. Pay attention to psychological factors because they play a major role in how the person in front responds to you. Mind you, these are not to manipulate anyone; they are simply to ensure everyone walks away satisfied emotionally; no one feels like they lost out.

Are there any tips which you have to share with other readers and me? Of course you do. Share them in the comments section.

A Verdict on the AAP v/s BJP v/s Congress Debate

The AAP v/s BJP v/s Congress debate has taken the country by storm! It's like Sri Lanka v/s India v/s Zimbabwe (where the Congress is Zimbabwe). Well, it doesn't matter. The country has given its verdict. While most are overjoyed with the result, a lot of us are sour. Some call it the 'death of democracy', yet others are claiming that it's a bubble waiting to burst, and then there are those who believe that the most controversial party would've done a much better job at the helm.

This post is not for bragging about the BJP's victory. It offers insights into what transpired. It is an analysis (without statistics) of each party's actions and their repercussions.

A friend said that his relatives in Ahmednagar were happy with the Congress. The Congress had waived off farmers’ loans and electricity bills. These subsidies are what has kept them in power for 55 out of the 67 years, and will continue to do so. You see, the Congress has spoiled people below the middle class so much that they don’t want to work hard anymore. The MGNREGA has given the lower strata the easier choice of being paid without working. As a result, labour for agriculture has become expensive, indirectly impacting the price of food grains. The PDS has, as usual, led to hoarding of food grains by middlemen creating an artificial shortage. Again, prices rise. This time, the middlemen make money. Policy paralysis, countless scams and almost 0% accountability has frustrated almost everyone.

Most of India (including me) was delighted with AAP’s dominating victory in Delhi. I must admit, however, that I was sceptical of AK ever since Anna Hazare claimed that his Jan Lokpal proposition was being diluted by Kejriwal and used for selfish reasons. After forming a government over much brouhaha, the repeated U-turns made by AK and company, mindless dharnas and unfeasible economic decisions left Delhi worse off than it was. Water tankers earlier would charge 800 bucks per round. After Kejriwal’s resignation, ungoverned, they started charging 1,500 bucks per round. Imagine the plight of common man who believed in AK. Plus the number of resignations from party members and mud being slung them, the vehement abuse of all politicians by AAP members; these left a lot of people disillusioned.

It is true that most people support AAP for its cause – wiping out corruption. But in a country like India, where corruption has penetrated every aspect of our lives, it will take a mammoth effort. A mere resignation within 50 days and blaming other parties for it won’t suffice. Hell, office politics is tough because of colleagues. What gave Kejriwal the feeling that running India’s capital would be any easier?

Corruption is a major issue for the middle class and bourgeoisie, not for the lower economic classes. Their concerns are jobs, wages and prices – primarily of food items. While we were crying about Salman Khan mistreating Gauhar in Big Boss, the poor man barely had food to eat because of job losses and food prices shooting through the roof. He was left exasperated. Consequently, he turned to the only man who talked the language he wanted to hear – Narendra Modi. More than the media, immigrant workers in Gujarat carried word of his good work around. Labourers would let their friends and family in Bihar, MP, UP and other places know about how efficient the governance in Gujarat is. Lower strata people (including Delhi’s slum dwellers) then decided to vote for Modi. “Wo tarakki laayega” was their reasoning. They are hoping Modi will bring more jobs and empower them to live a better life. They’re hoping this will make them earn more so that they can live in better houses, eat better and send their children to English medium schools.

The Congress’s definition of inclusive growth is flawed. Imagine an organization paying money to its employees for years regardless of shoddy jobs being done (or none at all). How long will it survive? Apply that concept to a whole country. Now imagine an organization providing its employees a conducive environment, giving them the necessary tools to perform well, bringing in business to ensure they have work, rewarding them accordingly and expanding consistently. Now apply that concept to a whole country. Which model will succeed?

The BJP has its flaws too – lots of them. No government is clean.  Nor will they make all of India’s issues disappear. For all we know, Modi’s model might fail miserably because other states don’t have the same entrepreneurial DNA as Gujarat. But the man deserves a chance. Narendra Modi comes with a proven track record – that of 12 years. He already has made the cabinet leaner, which will hopefully lead to project approvals faster.

Indian citizens are not in favour of the BJP; they’re in favour of growth and development, which currently only 1 man seems capable of delivering. Narendra Modi has sold us Indians the only feeling which is stronger than fear – Hope! It is this emotion that has led to BJP’s landslide victory. This is a humble request to put aside all bad blood and get behind the current Prime Minister of your country. He needs your support to help you live a better life. And I think he deserves it.

Dhoni's Silence - Why We Must Care!

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s silence has intrigued us, piqued us. The match fixing allegations in the IPL, his association with some big shots, stake in Rhiti sports, India Cements and other firms – we’ve become increasingly inquisitive about the off-field life of arguably India’s most prolific cricket captain. After all, Indian cricket fans deserve answers, right? Answers to questions about how he is making money; whether he was indeed involved in match fixing during the IPL... the media and common man want his silence broken. We deserve answers, right? Do we?

Dhoni has always maintained a low profile in front of the media, be it his private life or on field strategies. He has channelized his energy towards more productive aspects – like having a major say in the team’s selection, motivating his player and developing a messianic sense of purpose in them, and chalking out elaborate game plans to surprise opponents. Ever wondered why his seemingly lucky moves pay off brilliantly? Those ‘lucky’ gambles have been thought through in his head over and over again. Leaders make Plans A and B. Dhoni says “I don’t stop at just plan B. I go on to make plans C, D and E.” True mastermind. Real genius. And the best finisher in cricket today.

MSD is the only captain to have won every tournament which has the ICC label. He has marshalled his troops to victory in Australia, England, Pakistan, West Indies, Sri Lanka, South Africa – everywhere. Yuvraj, Gambhir, Ashwin, Jadeja, the Sharmas, Dhawan, Raina, Kohli, Shami, Bhuvaneshvar Kumar and others have flourished under his wings. They’re all match winners on their own.

Why is Dhoni's silence so important?

And yet we choose to dismiss all that. We chastise his money making methods through business. We accuse him of being guilty because, as always, he has maintained a stoic silence on the match fixing allegations. Does his being silent indicate he is guilty? And what is wrong in him using his genius mind in business to make money? Is it wrong to insure your future? Have we also forgotten that we have never demanded that Sonia and Rahul Gandhi come clean on terrible allegations made against them? Why this appalling treatment towards Dhoni?

As a country which loves cricket, our job is to support the Indian Cricket Team. That is the logical thing to do. But it’s well known how good we Indians are at applying logic. This unity in diversity hogwash has fucked things up for us. We care more about a player’s performance in the IPL (for our cities) than his performance at the international level. That’s why we swarm to stadiums in herds to watch the IPL. We abuse them if they underperform in these inconsequential matches. And if they perform well but are exhausted due to the gruelling schedule, we accuse them of caring only about money. Yes, we Indians are really smart indeed!

The media and common man should rally around Dhoni and his boys to win the World T20 championship right now. Calling for the captain’s head while he carries the expectations of 100 crore Indians is nothing short of retarded. It’s a shame that we accuse him without proof while he marches on to conquer let another milestone for us. It’s time to ensure that the most important thing is to let the important things stay important and to stop sweating about matters of no consequence. The IPL is nothing but a money making scheme for some people. Dhoni hasn't been bought by us neither do we pay him a salary. He has made the Indian cricket team one of the most powerful forces to reckon with in the world today. He owes us nothing. Not the truth, not the lies and definitely not the finer aspects of his life.

So please go and find yourselves something else to rant about. Like maybe who should be in the next Big Boss episode, who’s performance was awesome at some Cine Star awards, etc. And if you can’t appreciate Dhoni’s talent, at least leave him alone.

image Courtesy: Google Images

What the IPL is Doing For Indian Cricket

The IPL auction is over. Yuvraj Singh received the highest bid worth 14 crores. We are delighted with some players’ addition to our IPL teams. Lalit Modi is still screaming hoarse about match fixing. The media (and most naïve people) are busy accusing Dhoni of match fixing allegations. Amidst all this, we gear up for the biggest entertainment bonanza of the year while the Indian cricket team continues to perform dismally abroad.

Accept it! The Indian Premier League (IPL) has ruined Indian cricket. Players don’t care how they perform at the international level anymore as long as they earn big bucks while playing for the IPL. They lack patience to ply test cricket, the resilience to slug it out with tough teams abroad and the strategy to come up trumps after 5 grueling days.

Who can blame them? Even they have mouths to feed. A secure future (one with lots of money) is always preferred to an insecure one. But this secure future is also killing uncapped players’ drive to play for the country.

Well, what about us? What about common man? We spend hours watching the IPL auction live (perhaps even reruns of it), tweet frantically, spend hours discussing it and calling the team owners all sorts of things for paying too much to pick a player or losing out on a good one. And then we complain about the amount of money being splurged. Hypocrisy! And we argue about how a player from CSK is involved in match fixing, regardless of no evidence present. Who gives a damn about him being the captain of the Indian cricket team, right?

Then the IPL begins. We claim that the IPL is not real cricket, a waste of time, a display of money by the rich and everything that is evil about society. Yet we are hooked. We watch matches on the tube, internet and in stadiums as if life depended upon it. We boo Virat Kohli when he plays for Bangalore while forgetting, as he said, that “apart from playing for RCB, I play for India.” Mumbaikars support Kieron Pollard over MSD because the former plays for Mumbai Indians. Awesome!

All this while the Indian cricket team continues to underperform. Obviously fatigue sets in. We will keep saying that the players’ motivation is just money, but it is because we are paying them… we hype the IPL to unimaginable heights. Manoranjan ka baap, right? And we completely expose our players to cricketers from across the globe, exposing their strengths and weaknesses. And then we wonder why other teams are so effective and India is not.

So before blaming Indian cricketers for not performing, look at the reasons. You are just as responsible for our international team’s dismal performance. If you care about India like you claim, stop caring about which player plays for your IPL team. Support him if he plays for India instead of snubbing him if he’s performed well against your city’s IPL team. Y’all are not children. So act your age. Think like a mature person instead of happily feeding on the media and being fooled. It’s time you stopped deciding players’ capabilities based on their IPL performances. It’s time our players stop wasting time and energy training for and playing in the IPL. They are humans just like you and me. I've given up on the IPL 3 seasons ago. Time for you to see the light too... and no, it's not a freight train coming your way.

Why This Fuss Over the Rupee?

The rupee is tantalizingly close to the 70 mark against the dollar. But why are so many Indians talking about it? Why this ruckus? Does it mean anything to us? Do we need to panic? Our lives won’t change much, will they? We still can go about watching reality shows and spending on expensive gadgets. What do we care if the SENSEX has tanked almost 2000 points in 2 months? Who invests in the stock exchange anyway? Right?

Actually, the weakening rupee will impact all our lives a lot. Let me tell you how.

Most Indian companies borrow from foreign banks because it means a huge savings in interest rates for them. While Benchmark Prime Lending Rate (BPLR) for commercial borrowing offered by Indian banks ranges between 9-11%, interest rates offered by foreign banks may be as low as 3-4%. Telecom companies like Bharti Airtel took loans as large as $52 million through External Commercial Borrowings (ECB). Almost all companies are debt laden; some more than the others. Now that the rupee has weakened, their savings due to lower interest rates have been wiped out. This not only translates to lesser pay hikes for employees but also leads to downsizing. Many blue chip companies in India are already laying people off. Imagine the stress on midsized and smaller firms. So, for one, the weakening rupee jeopardizes increments and jobs.

Now, 70% of India’s imports comprise of crude oil. This crude oil provides our country with petrol, diesel, cooking gas and more. With the rupee weakening, the government will have to shell out more for these crude oil barrels. And they’re not kind enough to bear the brunt themselves. It will be passed on to common man. As a result, we will have to shell out more for these commodities along with vegetables and daily goods. Hence the talk of increasing diesel’s price by Rs. 5 at once. Also, other imports like cars, electronic gadgets (mobile phones, cameras, TVs, etc.) will get expensive. So while our salaries won’t increase, the cost of everything else will. We won’t be able to protect ourselves from the ever increasing inflation.

Rupee v/s Dollar since 2011

Foreign funds and entities will not invest in India. They would rather prefer staying invested in a safe haven like the dollar instead of investing in India and running the risk of losing money.

The economy has spiralled out of control. It is now out of the Congress’ hands. They’ve made ½ the population so dependent upon them that getting out of this gloom doesn’t seem possible for the next year. The Food Security Bill will bleed the country’s coffers of 70,000 crore bucks. As always, it will be ridded with corruption and very few of the deserving poor will get food. Plus, schemes like MGNREGA have made labourers in villages leave farming and sit at home. By registering for this scheme, people are assured of Rs. 100 per day for 100 days. Farmers now find it very hard to get daily wage workers to toil on their farms. Even if they do, the labour is expensive. This means the cost of crops (and invariably, food) increases. Plus, labourers get used to earning without working. This leads to a slowdown in farming, infrastructure projects, fishing, manufacturing and other sectors.

While we can’t guarantee that another party will perform better than the Congress, we should give them a chance. If Modi can drive growth in our country, reduce the leeches in our economy, clear some cobwebs among pending projects, shouldn’t we give the BJP a chance? Even if they don’t do a phenomenal job and the Congress returns to power 5 years later, the latter will at least know that they can’t take their seats for granted. The Congress is complacent now. We need to do something to give them a jolt.

image Courtesy: Google images