Darkness at noon - Super Power India RIP

The ruling politicians have reduced this great country a corrupt anarchy. Amidst rampant corruption and poverty comes the electricity failure putting more than half of a billion people in total chaos and suffering. Many were stranded in the metros, as the electric trains stopped midway; commuters had a horrendous day, leave alone the woes in factories offices and houses. It has spotlighted the country's worsening power crisis to the entire world. India's capability to attract investors will be questioned hereafter.

The grids or networks that connect commercial and domestic consumers collapsed dramatically a second time. The entire grid, from metering to generation has to be IT enabled as elsewhere, there should be a mechanism to catch those who overdraw. But in a corrupt chaos anything can happen anywhere. Unlike elsewhere in the world where grid collapses are caused by freakish acts of nature, the latest darkness at noon is the result of poor long term planning and abysmal lack of grid discipline which can happen only in a country like in India. Delhi, the national capital and the seat of power has been plunged into darkness for the last few days and the authorities are totally powerless!
 
Half the country went dark during the biggest electricity breakout and the electricity minister who is ultimately responsible was given a promotion to the Home Ministry!      

It is known to one and all that 60% of the population is living with around  Rs20-30 a day. Half of all its children are malnutritioned or stunted. The women suffer the worst; illiterate, devoid of any right to decide their life or future they are turned into child-producing factories. Half of the entire population (more than 600 million people do not have toilets! There is no priority or planning in the spending of the national income. Defence gets a lion's share of the budget obviously with an eye on the kickbacks in purchasing weapons. the money allotted for the poverty alleviation programs are all eaten away half the way and very little trickles down to the needy. And our nation becomes one of the poorest and of course most corrupt country

India becoming a super-power? Don't joke!       

Things studied in school get lost in colleges

Many college students have told me this. Especially from arts and science colleges. How does this happen? What was taught up to X11 is probably lost in colleges. The school teachers are, though paid less, sincere and help children to learn.

A lecturer gets Rs35,000-100,000 a month  and extra(for attending exam duty, paper valuation etc.) to engage 2- 3 periods for 120-140 days in an year! Computing the total number of hours one has to attend to duty in an year and dividing them by 8, a lecturer has to work for  30-35 days in an year to get up to Rs12,00,000! The funny part: there is no accountability. They need to go to the class and engage the students. They can give notes (they took down when they studied) or draw a diagram from the text on the board, write the syllabus to be covered for the examination, read text and ‘explain’ in a monotone or simply chit-chat. Some are least bothered whether the students talk to each other, make phone calls or eat lunch. Most do not keep abreast of the developments in their subjects, employ communication and teaching methods and naturally the classes are boring. Many of them have no aptitude to teach. UGC is only an objective type exam. Passing it does not qualify one to become a good teacher.     

  

Lecturers have private tuition or other business and earn much more. They get life-long pension (around  Rs50,000/pm) too. This is taking place in a country where an ordinary clerk (who is almost equally qualified but working 8-10 hours a day except Sundays gets around Rs5000/pm without any pension. Peasants who work for 12 hours a day and get less than Rs80/-a day!  The World Bank has remarked that Kerala university graduates are ‘unemployable.’ If youngsters do not know something they can be taught but those who undergo negative training cannot be even put to the right track. The negative example of teachers is destructive. Even without teachers, the interested students (as they do now) can still study by themselves the prescribed syllabus and get a pass mark in the university examinations which are merely memory exercises!  Most of what is studied for the examination is forgotten once the exams are over. The degree holders know very little of what is taught or studied and are good for government jobs where they need not do much. There are exceptions but that is not a merit of our educational system. 

Our teachers blame the students for being lazy and aimless. But it is good to remember that youngsters model elders and teachers. As the latter so the former. If they are not sincere in their work how can they expect the students to be sincere in their studies?

Rich Govt.employees & poor public

State governments like Kerala spends around 75% of its total income for the salary and pension of the state government employees! The remaining 25% is available for all others put together like public works, education, healthcare, starting industries,  governmental spending and so on. Government servants constitute a mere 2% of the population. It thus becomes clear that 75% of the tax money of a state is earmarked for keeping 2% of the population well-taken care-of. The remaining 98% has to mend for themselves. The government is least bothered. Is it not shameful that in a socialist country like India, more than 50% of the population live with just Rs.20-30/- a day in abominable conditions?

Knowing this anomaly why are our politicians creating more and more government posts? There is a lot of bribe money in appointments, transfers, promotions and they are shrewd   to project the whole thing to the common people as ‘employment creation’. People being naïve believe them and they feel the politicians are serving them well by creating more posts in the government sector. It is common knowledge that the job of four government employees can easily  be done by just one.  Why not the government then reduce the public posts to one-fourth? Which politician is interested in the welfare of the state or country? Is the state or country going to progress by creating more unwanted, non productive government clerksl or still lower employees? Industrial and agricultural production is a must for a state to develop economically . More goods and services are to be produced either in the private or public sector.  Where is the money for starting up industries? Where is the money for developing  the  service sector? The whole resources are earmarked for the salary and life-long pension of ‘non-workers’. And the net result?  The 2% government employees with their high pay, pension and bribe- money are well-off doing nothing. While the vast majority are reeling under poverty and their plight is deplorable as they are unorganized and powerless.      

The illusion of socialism

State governments like Kerala spends around 75% of its total income for the salary and pension of the state government employees! The remaining 25% is available for all others put together like public works, education, healthcare, starting industries,  governmental spending and so on.  Government servants constitute a mere 2% of the population. It thus becomes clear that 75% of the tax money of a state is earmarked for keeping 2% of the population well-taken care-of. The remaining 98% has to mend for themselves. The government is least bothered. Is it not shameful that in a socialist country like India, more than 50% of the population live with just Rs.20-30/- a day in abominable conditions?

Knowing this anomaly why are our politicians creating more and more government posts? There is a lot of bribe money in appointments, transfers, promotions and they are shrewd   to project the whole thing to the common people as ‘employment creation’. People being naive believe them and they feel the politicians are serving them well by creating more posts in the government sector. It is common knowledge that the job of four government employees can easily  be done by just one.  Why not the government then reduce the public posts to one-fourth? Which politician is interested in the welfare of the state or country? Is the state or country going to progress by creating more unwanted, non productive government clerks?

Industrial and agricultural production is a must for a state to develop economically. More goods and services are to be produced either in the private or public sector.  Where is the money for starting up industries? Where is the money for developing  the  service sector? The whole resources are earmarked for the salary and life-long pension of ‘non-workers’. And the net result?  The 2% government employees with their high pay, pension and bribe- money are well-off doing nothing. While the vast majority are reeling under poverty and their plight is deplorable as they are unorganized and powerless.      

Who is really 'successful' in life?

You may think the rich, the political leaders  and those at the top of their careers are really successful. But to be really successful one should be happy every day, every moment.  If these people are not, then they are not truly successful. On the other hand, ordinary guys like you and me can be ‘successful’.  The real question is: ‘am I happy and peaceful at heart?

 What will make one truly happy and peaceful? 

Riches, fame and power may not. Of course, We need adequate money for our needs. But we need not have millions. Fame and power are not essential ingredients of happiness either. If these do not bring happiness, what will?

From my experience I have found if your work is something you like and love and if you feel what you do is important for you and others you will certainly be happy career wise. That is why I always ask my seminar participants to find out a profession or career  that they will enjoy.  It is not the money and perks that matter. The work should be like a play. The earlier we are able to identify our innate aptitude and identify a career in line with it, the better.  When you do something you enjoy, you tend to do it more efficiently and more money and promotions will simply follow. If on the other hand, you have landed in something which you do not like, irrespective of the money or position it brings, you will be basically unhappy doing it.

The other point, perhaps, is we should love our dear ones. If they are not happy, you cannot be happy either. This is something overlooked or bypassed by people today. Our relationships with those close to us do determine our happiness levels. May be we have to sacrifice a bit here, a bit there, and spend for them a little more of what we earn.  May be we have to spend more time for them and show more genuine consideration and love. May be we have to control our responses to make them happy and avoid hurting them in any way.

The only other point which I can think about is to develop a positive attitude and a helping mentality.

 Let us be grateful to this universe for having given birth to us at this era and let us try to help our co-travellers as  much as we can. You have here the philosophy of success.  

Are we lucky to have been born in India?

 Yes and no. Lucky in the sense we share a great civilization, the culture of a great country which dates back to pre-history.   Perhaps, civilization began in the history of the world, first,  on the banks of the Indus and later it on moved to the plains of the Ganges. We have been bestowed with the oldest and the greatest philosophical and religious books like the Vedas, Upanishads and the Bhagavat  Geetha.   Great peace-loving religions like Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism  started here and spread to the farthest corners of the world. Our forefathers cherished peaceful co-existence and were tolerant to all faiths, creeds and races. 

It is a pity that conquerors from Persia and the Middle East brought in intolerance, genocide, forced conversions and war.  Communal violence, ever since, has pierced the breast of India --before, during and after independence. The conquerors brought in a culture of violence and destruction which has bled the ethos of the cultural heritage of this great land. Later on the Europeans established their rule here exploiting the disunity of the princely states of india. The earlier conquerors and the Europeans robbed this great land of its riches and the people were oppressed for centuries.

After independence India became one of the poorest countries, which houses the maximum number of the poorest in the world. The leaders of independent India brought in massive corruption and exploited the people to their own benefit. Today, this great land has become one of the most corrupt nations on the face of the world. The political leaders have prospered beyond measure and there are people who believe the present state of affairs is worse than when the when the British ruled here. The classless socialism created the rich, corrupt leaders and government officials who loot the masses. With all the talk of the resurgent, economically progressing nation, the vast majority live with Rs20-30 a day emaciated, hungry and sick. The population increases fast and the politicians play vote –bank politics and it is a pity they are not really concerned with the development of this country.  Anyone born in India has to share poverty, malnutrition, sickness and death and we hope for the return of the good old days when peace and prosperity reigned in this great country.      

India, a corrupt anarchy

India is characterized by rampant corruption at all levels without any accountability anywhere and the rule of law has been made a mockery.  The politicians, government and public sector employees amass wealth through unfair means and hold themselves unaccountable to anything. They work little and get highly paid with life-long pension for looting the people!  There is corruption in every department. The tax authorities extract bribes rather than collect taxes. The law enforcers use the laws to get bribes and to loot the commons in the guise of implementing them.  The Indian police, supposed to serve the people, is regarded corrupt and insensitive to the people’s issues.

The politicians get a part of the bribe right from appointing people to all levels of bribe-collection. This explains why they want more appointments although further appointments are not warranted. Many of them  have very little work. It is known to many in that a PWD engineer, if he is not interested in the bribe-money, need not attend office or do any work to get fully paid.   Don’t the Chief ministers and Prime minister know that no building plan is sanctioned without giving bribe, that no electricity connection is given without giving a bribe, that hardly any file moves without greasing their palms? Most people remain at the mercy of the corrupt administration which exploits them unbelievably. Then why the hell they are paid from the tax-money collected from the people? 

The natural wealth of the country, and it has been abundantly blessed in this regard, is looted by the corrupt leaders, government officials and their cronies. Was the PM not aware that the 2G spectrum was sold to the private companies at a pittance? Was the PM not aware of the perils of the present arbitrary allocation of the auction of coal blocks which caused huge losses to the government? If the 2G case brought a loss of 2 lakh crores, the latter brought about hundreds of lakhs of crores!. All this immense wealth is gulped up by the political leaders and the officials.  It is amply clear the governments at the center and at the states is least worried about the common man. They are there to increase their wealth and that of and their cronies.  And see, half of all Indians get just Rs20-30 a day and they are at the brink of death.  Half does not have even a toilet; 50% of our children are malnourished and stunted. Where is the wealth of this great nation disappearing? Into the pockets and the foreign accounts of the leaders and officials?   

How India becomes poorer

It is known to all that political leaders amass wealth through unfair means in India. This blatant sin is  forgotten by the masses,  being brain washed by their orchestrated media lies and nonsensical vote- bank- politics. People, carried away by their rhetoric that soothes parochial and religious sentiments vote them to back to power.  A person who follows truth and justice or one who is truly interested in the development of the country can never reach a powerful position here. They can be just crusaders like Jayaprakash Narayan or Anna Hazare. Those who wield power and head departments/ministries dispensing money all seem to be corrupt to the core.  

Like any other present day socialistic country,  India  has produced two distinct classes: those who work and contribute to the tax base and those work little and eat away the tax payer’s money. The Government servants do little, enjoy a lot of holidays and free time and earn fabulous salaries and very high pension. The wealth they accumulate through unfair means is not accounted here. The private sector employees, peasants and workers have to work like donkeys but are paid much less without any pension. Pay should be proportionate to the input.  There should be accountability--one should shoulder some responsibility in proportion to the pay and perks. Let us take the University teachers in this country as an example. It is an accepted fact that our educational system is totally inefficient and makes our youth ‘unemployable.’  The college teachers do very little work ( 2-3 periods  for an average of 10-12 days a month ) but they are paid around Rs100,000/pm!  They enjoy more holidays than working days and in each 8hr-working day they have more free time than working time. Still, they are paid the fabulous salaries in this poor country where 50% earn Rs20/ a day! In the private sector an employee has to work 10-12-14 hours each day  to earn one third what these teachers get.  See the disparity. The private sector workers contribute more to nation building than these lecturers.  Even without their teaching, students can manage a good pass by studying the portions by themselves as many of them do now.  

Our UGC follows foreign norms in pay scale but are unable to bring accountability as in the developed nations.  They do not follow developed countries norms in the selection of the candidates: the process is controlled by an objective type exam (which has practically nothing to do with one’s ability to teach) and follow caste based reservations.   People allege a lot of corruption in the PSCs, and UPSCs appointments.  This applies to each public sector.  And the result:  we have inefficient people in every key area.   A socialist nation like India, no wonder, becomes poorer day by day.

How colleges make our youth 'unemployable'?

The world bank has remarked that the Kerala graduates are 'unemployable'. It is common knowledge that our university examinations are memory exercises. Anyone can  graduate/postgraduate  with a few weeks 'mugging up' the prescribed portions just  before the examination. Once the examination is over students conveniently forget the whole thing and they are back to square one. Kerala  universities do not make the students appropriate the knowledge nor apply the same in their lives. It is not important too whether a student has an aptitude towards the same. If one can  store some data in the memory neurons (with or without teachers) and vomit it out into the exam sheets one can have the degree.

The saddest part is the way the universities appoint  lecturers.  UGC exam is an objective type one to gauge the  knowledge of the candidate. Nobody ascertains whether one has an interest in the subject or teaching ability.  Without an innate aptitude no teacher can do justice to the profession. Its should be coupled with his/her determination to become an expert by updating periodically. Teaching in a very ineffective way--giving notes, reading and explaining in a monotone or simply drawing a diagram from the book on the board--is not going to produce any result. The students will not feel like listening or absorbing what is taught nor will they be inspired to go in depth into the subject. Spending the allotted time perfunctorily in classrooms (waiting for the bell to go) is of no help at all. Many of our college teachers  do not have teaching ability,  nor do they develop 'how to teach effectively.' Why should they if the employers are not bothered?

College lectureship is very attractive these days; teachers are paid 35,000-100,000 a month for doing very little.(Remember this is a country where a clerk -almost equally qualified- gets Rs.5000/ a moth for working 8-10 hrs every day of the year without pension and a farmer fails to make Rs.30/ a day if he works for 12 hours a  day)   If lecturers  engage 2- 3 periods a day for 120-140 days in an year they pocket 4.2-12 lakhs ! There is extra income for exam duty, paper valuation and so on. Income from private work or business (using all the free time) cannot be properly ascertained. Above all there is life-long  pension (around  Rs50,000 a month!). College teaching job  is like a lottery. Little work, more holidays than working days plenty of money and no accountability. They need to spend the appointed time in the class (this is very easy with the internals even for a new teacher) to get the big salary. It has been reported that even some of the senior lecturers come to the class and start drawing a diagram on the board form the text book without bothering what the students do who may be phoning, taking lunch or talking to their friends or doing a mischief. When the bell goes may be the teacher is happy thinking about the big pay cheque.  In this context,  how can we expect higher standards in our students? Even without this sort of teaching students can pass the exams by themselves (as many do now). There is no need for these teachers. What an example they set! And they always blame the students! As youngsters model teachers & elders, how can they be blamed?                           

Our inefficiency culture

With the UGC scales a college teacher here gets Rs35,000-100,000 a month  and more (for attending exam duty, paper valuation etc.) to teach 2- 3 periods for 120-140 days in an year! Computing the total number of hours one has to attend to duty in an year and dividing them  by 8, a teacher has to work for  30-35 days in an year! For this they are paid up to 12,00,000 (twelve lakhs). The funny part: there is no accountability. They need to go to the class and teach 50minutes. They can give notes (they took down when they studied) or draw a diagram looking into the text book on the board, write the syllabus to be covered for the examination, read from the text and ‘explain’ in a monotone or simply chit-chat. They have to 'teach' until the bell goes and some are least bothered whether the students talk to each other, make phone calls or eat lunch. Some of them do not update on their subject, employ communication and teaching methods to make the sessions effective. How many of them have the aptitude to teach?. UGC is only an objective type exam. Passing it  alone does not qualify one to become a good teacher.   

  

The worst side is, apart from the salary they are given life-long pension (around  Rs50,000/pm) until they or their spouses die! This is taking place in a country where an ordinary clerk (who is almost equally qualified but working 8-10 hours a day except Sundays gets around Rs5000/pm without any pension. Peasants who work for 12 hours a day and get less than Rs80/-a day!  Two distinct classes are created here;  those  who do little and earn high with life-long pension and those who work from dawn to dusk earning  a pittance without any pension. 

The World Bank has remarked that Kerala university graduates are ‘unemployable.’ If youngsters do not know something they can be taught but those who undergo negative training cannot be even put to the right track. The negative example of anyone , even teachers, will de-motivate them.  Even without  teachers, the interested students (as they do now) can still study by themselves the prescribed syllabus and get a pass mark in the university examinations.  After all our university exams are memory exercises!  Most of what is studied for the examination is forgotten once the exams are over; the degree holders are good for government jobs where they  need not do much to earn their pay and pension. There are exceptions but that is not a merit of our educational system. 

Our teachers blame the students for being lazy and aimless. But it is good to remember that youngsters model elders. As the latter so the former as children follow the elders'  examples. If they are not sincere in their work how can they expect the students to be sincere in their studies? The villain: the socialistic inefficiency pervasive in India. 

Death alone can give majority of Indians deliverance!

836 million Indians, according to a recent government-commissioned study, live on Rs 20/- 30($1/3-1/2) or so a day. That is all they can afford. If it costs more, 77 per cent of this country's population cannot afford to live! Death will be the only way out.

This is the unfortunate reality of the ‘super-power’ and ‘resurgent’ India. There are rich people like Mukesh Ambani who lives in a 27 storey mansion (all for himself) and the immensely rich political leaders who are alleged to have stacked thousands of billions of dollars in secret accounts in foreign banks like the first family. There may be one percent Indians (mostly the corrupt government officials  and  political leaders; business men included) who are rich and prosperous. There may be 10-15% middle class families who can boast about cricket and the ‘great strides’ India has made. They get lost in the glowing terms with which we describe ourselves in the international media, and in the glory that India has joined the ranks of the world's economic powers! But they forget that the vast majority of India's Real People are wallowing in utter poverty, mostly illiterate and waiting for death to give them deliverance from their sufferings. The shining malls, the fancy real estate properties, the big defense deals, nuclear tests, sending rockets to the moon to probe water there, make no difference to them whatsoever. For the vast majority of Indians and their children death alone can end their poverty, diseases and suffering.

What is life for the citizens of the Real India like? The unfortunate vast majority who live in the nation's slums, blighted areas and in rural sections go without toilet (defecating in the open) without a dwelling,  water supply or a  meal a day, grappling with all sorts of diseases from the time of birth till they die, unable to afford more than Rs 20-30 a day. Think about the war for survival, the battle may prolong only until the next day, the day of death. Which Indian leader is truly concerned about them? The ruling politicians who do all nice talk are mostly concerned about aggrandizing their power base and enriching themselves.

How Indian leaders loot the people

Recently it was reported that the Indian president Parthibha Patil spent 205 crores (almost $0.4 billion) during her tenure for her foreign trips. What useful purpose did they serve?  Yes, the presidential entourage had very comfortable tours as the Indian VVIPs.  She is simply a ceremonial head; there have been allegations of her involvement in financial misappropriation of funds when she was heading banking institutions. She is a steadfast follower of Sonia Gandhi who has elevated her to powerful positions and that is almost the whole story of her credentials. The poor Indians (50% of whom live with just Rs20- a day) 

have to meet her enormous bill. Sad indeed!

Just the other day, Kerala cabinet approved to make 35 schools of Malappuram district ( belonging to a particular community)  government aided institutions. The government will boot the entire salary and other expenditures of running them while they remain owned by the present managements. The opposition alleges big bribes in the deal and that some leaders made their billions. The keralites will be poorer as they have to meet the additional expenditure of the government for this.  Thinkers cannot be blamed if they feel the leaders loot the people.
  

It has been alleged that the weapons India buys (the Indian government’s defense expenditure is one of the highest in the world) is poorly sourced or of low standards for enhancing kickbacks . Many of them do not work after a few years and the need to buy arises again. Remember the huge Bofors Gun deal of Rajiv Gandhi and the big kickbacks alleged by some quarters. The tax payers’ money eventually lands up in the pockets of the wily political leaders. That is the fate of this country, one of the most corrupt and poorest nations on the face of the earth.  

The Real India

The previous governments have made the middle and upper classes  believe that India is almost a developed economy and a super power. There are people here who believe India is the third or so 





largest economy in the world! What is the ground reality?

About 50% Indians defecate in the open (626 million Indians do not have a toilet!) 25-30% of the entire population lives below poverty line. 300-360 million Indians live with around Rs20/- (about 30 cents) a day. They do not have a square meal a day, a dwelling, water-supply or sanitation. They sleep in ramshackle huts or on pavements or in slums or blighted areas. Another 30% live on the brink of the poverty line; the rural folks, the vast majority of the peasants are all emaciated without adequate nutrition, health care or sanitation. Infant and maternal mortality rates are very high. One out of two children suffers from malnutrition; they are sick or stunted. Women are the worst sufferers. Being a patriarchal society they are suppressed,   they cannot select a career or decide their fate. Almost 50% of them are illiterate and two-thirds are confined to the four walls of the house producing children and working from early morning to late  night. The urban women who land up in a job have to work double: at the office and at the house. Thus half of the Indian citizens do not partake in nation building.  How can a country progress in this scenario?

India houses more of the poorest of the world than any other nation. India has more hungry stomachs than any other country. More children are stunted or emaciated here than anywhere else. Still the priorities of the central government had been elsewhere. Our defense spending had been  one of the highest in the world.  Still we are nowhere near the defense capability of China. A considerable percentage of the entire money has gone to the pockets of the concerned politicians. Massive weapon buying had been initiated by the rulers seemingly for the kickbacks.

 The funds earmarked for the poverty alleviation programs landed up in the pockets of the politicians and the public servants. The black money in foreign banks builds up every day. We have a huge bureaucracy which is corrupt to the core as they follow the Congress leaders. No wonder India is ranked as one of the most corrupt nations. Wrong priorities of the government are in itself suicidal!

When half the population waqs illiterate and below poverty line they were sending rockets to the moon to find whether water exists there! They exploded crude nuclear devices and spent billions on weapons which become useless in a short time as they were sourced wrongly for the kickbacks. No significant effort was done to contain population increase, or empower women. And the educated middle class was made to believe India is advanced, progressive and powerful!           

Is there luck in life?

The immediate answer is yes. Your childhood, parents, poverty or prosperity at birth, your native country, the era of your birth are all beyond your control. One can pass his childhood in utter poverty or amidst wealth depending on the parents. Educated and wealthy parents may give a better childhood than uneducated and poor ones. Those who do not like or love each other, irrespective of their other conditions, can make a child’s life a hell. The country of birth determines to a large extend an youngster’s years. One that is born in Somalia, Ethiopia, India, or Bangladesh will have to confront diseases and wants from day one. The chances that it will survive childhood are very low. Whereas those born in the United States, Scandinavian countries, Belgium, Australia, Japan, Korea and some of the northern European nations will have far better childhood.  Childhood is beyond anyone’s conscious control.

Prince Charles is born the Prince of Wales. Rahul Gandhi is born the future PM of India.  The sons of Mukesh and Anil Ambani are born inheriting business empires. There are millions who become billionaires by virtue of their birth alone. Dynastic ascendance to power and wealth is commonly seen in many parts of the world.  At other end of the spectrum we see billions inheriting poverty, diseases and death. There is a lot of luck and ill-luck in life. By persistent efforts one can overcome debilitating poverty but he lost childhood and its sad memories will haunt him throughout life. Further everyone do not get the disposition to put in the efforts.  

All the great artistic geniuses are more born than made. One cannot, by any amount of hard work, become a Picasso, Michel Angelo, Shakespeare or Beethoven. An inherited athletic frame is very much needed to be a world champion. Anyone cannot become a Michael Jordan, Carl Louis, Mark Spitz  or Ian James Thorpe. There are people with unique voice most apt for singing like Ray Charles. There are people who sing and those who take that voice to another, otherworldly place andcreate a euphoria within themselves like Elvis Presley. Any amount of effort will not take one to their levels. How many can dream to have the sweet melodious voice of Lata Mangeshkar? How many girls are endowed with the features of Iswarya Rai, Bar Rafaeli or Jessica Homes ?

How many can become like Abraham Lincoln, Roosevelt or Mother Teresa? Even greatness is more born. The biology and the structure of one’s brain, IQ level, will and one’s EQ-which propel one to success or failure, is very much genetically transferred.  They are, by far, a product of genetic lottery and early environment. But this is not to undermine the impact of one’s personal efforts. But the urge to put in the effort emanate from one’s convictions and beliefs which, to a very great extent is influenced by the circumstances where one is raised. But there is no point in crying over what one does not have. We have to try with what we have and live a meaningful and successful life making us happy and alive.  

How do our youth become communists!

Are they attracted by the thrill of shouting slogans together against the rich, the authorities and the successful?  Is it the thrill of marching behind the red flag throwing their fist up in the air opposing everything and whatever the party wants?

Do they know the fate of those societies which have embraced it? Do they study how USSR –such a rich, vast nation with abundant natural resources, became poor? The rulers adopted fascist tactics and they eliminated thousands who stood on their way. Stalin is perhaps the greatest fascist (along with Hitler) the world has ever seen. The dictatorship of the proletariat is an authoritarian rule and there is no way one can differ or hold a different view. Dissidents simply disappear as they do in Kerala even now. Do they know how East Germany (under communism) regressed and became an underdeveloped nation while the West Germans (following market economy)became prosperous, rich and developed? (Remember these nations enjoy the same geography, climate, they speak the same language and the people belong to the same race. The only difference was one was forced to follow communism and the other capitalism. Look at Cuba-how it turned into a poor country when its neighbor, the USA became the most developed and most powerful nation on the earth! Look at Vietnam, Cambodia and a dozen E. European nations which came under communism and became poor.   

W. Bengal, Kerala and Tripura have gone down the lane too. May be communism has made the people in these three states lazy-slogan shouters clamoring for their rights and more pay but unwilling to undertake proportional responsibility or increase production. People are not willing to do the available work.  They will do what they want by force at their terms. Head load workers are examples for this sort of mentality. The governments are there to give government jobs to the people (which will ensure good pay and life-long pension without much work but with ample free time and holidays). If the revenue of the state is (at the moment 75%) devoted for the salary and pension for the ever-increasing employees, who are highly inefficient, will the state advance? Not even 2% of the population can be accommodated in the government sector. And the vast majority is poor unorganized peasants and workers eking out a precarious existence. The ‘classless socialism’ has already created two distinct classes here: the well-off government servants and the poor unorganized peasants and workers.

 No society has improved without industrial advancement, and without the hard work of the citizens. In these three states no industry gets started, those which were established earlier have been forcibly locked up with labor disputes, protests, work stoppages.  People of these states do not seem to love work; three people do what one can easily accomplish, draining the state coffers.  There is no accountability, everyone will be paid equal amounts and will be promoted based on their years of service disregarding merit or efficiency.  At this rate if the remittances from those employed abroad and outside stop, the state will become a pauper like the USSR two decades back. I fail to understand what motivates our youngsters to line up behind the parties; maybe they want government jobs ensuring a care-free life with good pay and life-long pension. Or is it the sheer thrill of protesting against anything and everything as they have no clear aim in life or profession?    

     

Is India doomed?

Today an Italian rules India.  There is a PM who is more than eager to do her bidding. He was a thorough professional and he had performed very well under a well-intentioned PM, Narasimha Rao. But today’s chief executive does not seem to be interested in the welfare or the development of the country. The Italian wife of Rajiv controls the strings of power. Her family is reported to have the highest amount of black money deposited in foreign banks. May be she thinks she can buy the country (win the elections) with her immense wealth. Her other agenda is to enthrone Rahul Gandhi, into the PM’s seat. The PM is a rubber stamp who seems to enjoy being in the chair more than anything else. He is not interested in revealing the names of those who have black money in the foreign banks as he has to shield the thieves in the ship itself. In order to protect them he has to bend laws, make the investigating agencies puppets in the hands of the rulers. Endless scams, corruptions stories and misappropriation of mind-blogging amounts of public funds surface every other day. But who cares?

60% of India’s population (626 million Indians) defecate in the open! Almost half of the entire population do not have a toilet and are living below or at the brink of the poverty line. 40-45% of India’s children suffer from malnutrion, diseases and are stunted. Women are the worst sufferers in this patriarchal society; they are by and large illiterate, unemployed and are suppressed by the males. They are mostly reproducing machines or sex objects who work in the murky and smoky house-holds tending to the ever increasing children and looking after the abusive husbands. There are a number of government welfare schemes for the poor, a greater part of the funds of which are eaten away by the bureaucrats. As almost everyone in the government is corrupt (remember India is the most corrupt nation in the world); the salaried government servants make illegal income and thrive. The government is directionless; fiscal deficits, inflation, are all very high. The defense expenditure, salary and pension for the bureaucrats are enormous. There is no serious infrastructure development and the nation seems to be doomed. Yes, the black money getting deposited abroad increase day by day as per the statements of those foreign banks. And those who keep depositing large amounts there (to the tune of thousands of crores) have a hearty laugh just like Rajiv Gandhi, the former PM (husband of Sonia) had always a smile dangling between his lips thinking about the Bofors Gun kickbacks.                        

Shut off the 'internal tape'

Studies on psychology have shown that success on whatever we undertake depends on our internal communication or tape that keeps going on with or without our conscious involvement. It is like a never ending recorded message that goes on for ever. It gives positive or negative affirmations depending on our attitude, confidence levels and above all experiences. If we keep repeating to ourselves: 'I have not been set right from the beginning' (when there is a failure) or 'this is all in my stars,' theses thoughts get indelibly marked in the subconscious and they will ensure further failures. Break these thought patterns: You have not been always set the wrong way. There has been good things happening to you too, you have achieved success as well as failures. Failure has no monopoly in your life. 

We fail not because we set out in a wrong way or due to anything else; the villain is this internal tape. Whatever we think continuously turns out into reality. Thoughts have energy of their own; bad thoughts produce negative energy. Consequently bad effort, bad associations, and bad forces come to play and we end up failing. So let us be beware of what is continuously going on in our minds. If a negative tape is on shut it off and install a positive one. Remember all the good things that have happened  in your life and allow them to fill up every nook and corner of your mind consciously. We have the option to enlarge the good stuff --goals and successes achieved, pleasant and confident experiences and happy moments. Brighten them up, enlarge them, hear whatever you heard in them louder, closer, feel intensely whatever you felt and thus shut the door of your mind for the entry of a negative tape.
 

Be not in a complaint mode

A lot of us are always in a complaint mode. We don't have this, we don't have that. We did not get a university education. we did not inherit wealth, great talent or influential relatives.....well, we have a lot to complain about. 
Let us assume whatever you complain is genuine. Still, what is the use in complaining? There are some who are born rich, famous or talented; there are others who are athletic or beautiful. But there are millions who are born blind, deaf or crippled. No one can stop this; that is the way the game of life is played down here. Those who are born rich or handsome did not ask for it. It is not their fault that they are lucky. You have no right to complain as there are billions not as lucky as you are. If you stop for a  minute and look around, you will be amazed at the good things you have around you.

Be grateful for what you have and don't regret what you don't have. However poor or unlucky you feel you are, you will be better off than so many others. You compare yourself to the less fortunate. You are blessed in so many ways: you are probably an educated, healthy,  normal individual with a steady income. Savor what you have-- your normal body and mind, your education, family, children, friends and so many others.
There may be some more things you would love to possess. Remember, as Vermon Luchies says, "if we get everything we want, we will soon want nothing wee get." If we don't enjoy what we have already, how could we be happier with more? You are sufficiently blessed and ungrateful people cannot develop happiness.

The truth is nobody is interested in your wants and deprivations, in your pains and failures. The world is not interested in your problems. People want to associate with those who have something good to share and those who are promising. Show you are worth and promising, show you are climbing up the hill and invite others to the top. .         

Make your child feel loved

Parents normally have a lot of love towards their children. But children do not feel so; they think parents do not love or understand them. A big chasm develops between the two. Parents do love their kids in all sincerity and there are many who literally live for their children. But the sad paradox is children do not feel their love. A lot of misunderstanding develops in some way or other and the gap widens as they become teens. In many of our homes today, there is hardly any relationship between parents and their teenage kids.Is there a way out?

Well, there are some simple techniques which can alter the scenario. How many of you look into their eyes with love at least once a day and hold your gaze for 10 seconds or so. Parents normally look at their children (especially if they are past eight or ten) sternly to reprimand them or in a cross examining way to find out the 'real truth'. They look at them very often angrily or disapprovingly too. But how many parents look into their eyes with love brimming in their hearts? If you do not, practice it from toady and observe the difference in their attitude to you. Remember this is not very simple or easy, especially so if your children are  grown ups.

Do you tell them you love them? You may think, 'why should we?' You have been doing everything for their good, and they must understand.  They don't as you do not tell them. Whatever you do as a parent is taken for granted by your child. Express your love in unequivocal terms. simply say, 'mummy/daddy loves you' even when they are 'grown ups.'

Touch your children. Put hands around their shoulders and walk with them for sometime.  Box with your sons or daughters in a playful mood, play with them, embrace them and and hold them nearer, let them feel your love. Touch is one of them best ways to convey your love. Touching makes them stronger and more courageous. Spend time or them exclusively, devote say half an hour every day.  Earmark one day in a month entirely for one child. Go for a movie, go fishing or sight seeing. You do not even take your mobile. Let the whole day be theirs.        

Sharpen your saw

Is it not good to reflect upon the state of ourselves occasionally? It has a physical and a mental dimension.
Are we physically and mentally fit?
Is our memory and brain in good shape?
Are we investing in ourselves to better our value in the  market place?

Physical fitness involves eating less, keeping our BMI well within limits and doing aerobic, muscle building and flexibility exercises. Above all move more as success very much depends on the quantity and quality of our movements. Do we eat more fruits, and vegetables? And avoid sugar, sugary soft drinks and salt? Do we take enough water to flush our system? Are we always fruitfully engaged?

Without keeping our brain and memory in top shape we cannot expect much from this life careerwise or otherwise. If they get rusted or unexercised, that will tell upon our lives. Apart from the chances for an attack of Alschemers or Parkinson's  diseases, our vitality, sharpness and intellectual ability depends on you keeping them exercised. Improve the left and right brain synchrony by making both the hands dexterous.Do we do some memory exercises and brain puzzles? Do we learn something new and update ourselves in our chosen fields?   If we activate our brain and memory and keep them in top shape our countenance will display energy and vitality.