Even when it became a necessary household item, getting one needed many strings to be pulled. In the mid 90s, when I wanted one for my Delhi residence, the waiting period was close to a year. I had to jump the queue with the help of local BJP MLA.

Then came its wireless avatar, which was nothing but an outrageous luxury. My first usage bill was about Rs.12 & Rs.8 per minute of outgoing & incoming calls respectively.

Yes, we have come a long way and it is no longer considered a luxury. Almost everyone has it and we keep it away from us only when we take bath since it is not waterproof.

Let me go back to the good old ‘landline’ phone. A cursory analysis of last 6 months bills indicate how poorly it is getting used. It didn’t make any sense to pay rental for paperweights. So, my beloved ‘landline phone’ was laid to rest with due respects today.

Years back, when the cassette players became history I had to literally give away hundreds of cassettes collected over two decades. Today, in that list of historical items, the poor old fixed phone has joined.

The way things are going, soon fountain pens and wrist watches might join that list. But I will not allow that to happen as long as possible. But one thing I am sure, will join that list, is the ‘CD/DVD’ players. With ‘Flash memory’ becoming cheaper by the day, the ubiquitous ‘pen-drives’ will become the medium to deliver contents before everything becomes a ‘cloud’.

I would give another 10 years for this to become the next item to join that list.

RIP – “Fixed Line Phone”

Don’t get me wrong. I am an Indian & I want to see my country do well in science & technology. Over the years, every time these ministers make such statements, they not only make a joke of themselves but of the whole nation. Exactly a year back they trumpeted $35 tablet to be available in Jan 2011. All tech journals across the world laughed at us or at best skeptical while the Indian media went gaga over that. Now what is the status? The Indian media do not bother since they have much more spicy news to publish. The people do not care since they have a short memory.

Almost all papers have published similar text, which appear to be given to the press by the ministry. Nobody bothered to get the details like:

1. Which department is working on this?
2.  What is their qualification?
3. How many models of aircraft they have already designed and manufactured?
4. Which are the carriers using those aircrafts?

The mighty Boing & Airbus are struggling with their design to perfect A380 & 777. With all their experience their budget & schedule went haywire.

I’ll be more than happy to see India actually producing such technological wonders. After all we have built a super computer & sent a rocket to the moon. We have all the expertise since most of the engineers working in path breaking discoveries across the world are Indians. If they can be brought back to India and given proper directions & leadership, we can challenge any nation.

However, I still have one fundamental question. “Does it make any business sense to build a 1700 seater aircraft?” Do they know what kind of infrastructure needed at ground level to handle that many passengers? A380 itself is giving enough headaches to the airport managers across the world.

Who sanctioned such a crazy project? Does our Kapil Sibal, minister for science & technology, who famously promised a $35 tablet last year, aware of this? Oh yes, he is busy drafting Lokpal bill!

Only in India, anything is tolerated in the name of artistic freedom. But then we have one set of opinion for MFH and another for Salman Rushdie. Today’s newspapers have covered his death with pages after pages of articles by the so-called intellectuals of India. Most of them say that they hang their head in shame for not having him die in India. Why can’t they welcome Rushdie and Taslima Nasreen with open arms?

I wouldn’t be surprised if this government gives him the highest civilian award, before the next general election! And as we all know that would be aimed at honoring his faith than his work.

‘Day & Night’ of nature;

‘North & South poles’ of the earth;

‘Black & White’ of colors;

‘Birth & Death’ of life;

‘Man & Woman’ of human race;

‘Happiness & Sorrow’ of emotions;

‘Rich & Poor’ of wealth;

‘East & West’ of ideology;

‘Right & Wrong’ of morality;

‘One & Zero’ of technology;

‘Heaven & Hell’ of destination;

‘Good & Bad’ of everything.

Two deaths, 10 days apart, has only highlighted this.

The death of a ‘Baba’ of spirituality united the world in grief.

The death of a ‘Dada’ of terrorism united the world in celebration.

From what I have read about you, I understand you live by the principles of Mahatma Gandhi. I feel good to know that more people still live by those values and set examples. I am glad the media has discovered you and giving enough attention to your cause.

But, what are we fighting for, Mr. Hazare? Corruption and Bribery. Yes, they are evil and need to be eradicated. If I am not mistaken we have enough laws and provision to take care of such issues. What we lack is the willpower to implement those. The countries that proudly stand on top of the list of corruption-free nations, do not have anything special. We all have the same kind of laws. But over there, it gets implemented. That’s the only difference.

I am expected to tip my postman, barber, waiter in the restaurant, the attendant who check my car tyre pressure, the clerk in the government who moves my paper and many more. In some restaurants, they add the service charge to the bill itself! In temples, people pay to jump the queue or spend more time in the sanctum. Contribute generously in the hundi and offer many more items to God. Wonder why it is called ‘bribe’ only when the government guy asks for it. The others who take the tip also get salary from their employers.

I understand the frustration of most people. Seven years back, I was an angry young man trying to kick-start my business venture. The red-tape was so frustrating. not only in government but also in private sector. Wanted to give up the adventure and go back to employment. But a realization that it is only a service charge that I give in almost every place, changed my perception.

I am afraid your fast and accompanying chorus would die down once the LokPal bill is passed. Does it guarantee a corruption free governance? Let’s face it – Corruption cannot be eliminated by drafting one more bill or by doubling the punishment. The key is in implementation.

A mass movement is the need of the hour. But, let us get the focus right.

In the early morning quietness, I get to overhear their discussion, as we cross each other. Most often it is about politics or about religion. Back at home, when I pick up the paper, those topics do figure prominently in there.

And what do I get to read also are on the similar lines.  With elections round the corner in Tamil Nadu, there is too much of politics in the Media. Unlike other regions, the concept of hero-worship is taken to a different level altogether here. Every film hero wants to be the next Chief Minister. With so much of educated people, wonder why these kinds of people prosper here.

Invariably every politician worth his money runs the party as a family business. After him, it must be his son or daughter. Why can’t they accept outsiders, however talented they may be, to be part of their party’s leadership?

Looking back at the thousands of years of history, we have always been ruled by Kings & Queens. Though all of them did so much for the public, the power is historically passed on to their next generation. Gullible people accepted that fact as long as their wishes were fulfilled.

Though we are officially a ‘republic’, we are still being ruled in that feudalistic tradition. Even in the 21^st century people still fall at the feet of a politician, much younger in age and experience just because his father is a powerful man. And the ‘riches’ of the powerful man is never questioned. May be because we are used to the fact or read in history that all kings were rich & benevolent. Today, a politician’s ‘riches’ is never doubted but ‘benevolence’ is.

Though I don’t have any problem with such a political system, the ‘governance’ and fruits of the same is a concern.

My work has taken me to many foreign countries, both on short and long trips. Though many of them have a very short recorded history compared to us, they are prosperous as nations and truly democratic in governance.

There, ‘genes’ never decide the succession in political system. Only merit matters. Importance to merit is given in all fields, not just in politics. As a result, I find a good idea, that benefits ‘most’ is accepted and implemented. Interestingly, even at work, I have seen senior level employees actively encouraging and accepting suggestions from juniors. This is somewhat unthinkable in the ‘hierarchy’ based systems that is in place here, which anyway get staffed by many other factors than ‘merit’.

I found such ‘merit’ based system producing amazing results all around.  As a result such countries not only have good economic conditions, but also do well in other human development indices.

Back home, as the election approaches, the list of freebies is growing. Almost everyday, I get to read some new scheme, which uses taxpayers’ money to shower largesse on the electorate. Why people accept such gimmicks? Why should a democratically elected government get into such methods to retain power?

I have learnt at school that kings used to give material gifts to people whenever they are happy or to keep the receivers happy. While they gave away their personal wealth, today’s rulers give away the taxpayers’ money. While the ‘act of giving’ is considered as a tradition, people do not question the source.

Today, the literacy rate is very high compared to those historical periods. Yet people believe in such feudal system without realizing that each one of us, is a potential king and with striving we too can reach a position of power.

The history of a country indeed influences the local culture. A positive influence is always welcome. However, in the field of ‘governance’ what we have today is not.

Last week I got an invite from an Engineering college to participate in their Governing Council (GC) meeting. I was invited to be an Industry representative, along with few others. The GC meeting is generally considered as a sacrosanct meeting in which everything about academics gets discussed. Well, that seems to be only on paper.

The reality was so different, we came back disillusioned from that meeting. If this is how the private engineering colleges work, we are heading nowhere.

Due to the nature of my work, I (& my team) have interacted with more than 100 colleges in Tamil Nadu. In almost all the cases, the Principal is a dummy who is employed only because the University demands a role like that. The Chairman and the management (read family members) do not need such formalities.

Hence, he was dummy #1 in that meeting. The chairman, an enterprising businessman, wondered why they should waste time on such exercises!!

The agenda for the meeting, as the chairman listed out, makes it clear about their priority.

1. How to get more students in the next academic year?

2. Is it necessary to buy training kits for each student? Can’t they share?

3. What are the loopholes in the AICTE’s inspection & approval process? (AICTE is the approval body in India for Engineering colleges. Every college has to renew the courses and apply for permission to start any new branch of study etc, every year)

4. How to make money out of the ‘industry collaboration’ initiative that they are required to do.

When we walked out, we know why the quality of todays engineers are like this.

Wonder why the students take this nonsense? Can’t they demand a ‘quality education’? Is it not their right?

I may sound cynical. Check out with most employers in India. Students who come out of quality institutions like IIT, go off to the USA. Best of the rest go on to join the Tier 1 companies in IT sector and become programming robots.

Only the rest think about core engineering industry. Wonder why there is hardly any innovation in India!

With liberalization, every aspect of life changed and is still changing in India. Education too changed with times. But, is it for better? That is debatable.

One question that needs to be asked is, ‘why was such a demand for both Engineer & Doctor courses in the first place?’ Well the answer is not as simple as the question. To start with, they got good salary and were seen living an affluent life. The ‘doctors’ were seen as more affluent since their income and respect grew more with time. They were the only people who can afford cars other than businessmen. And, something that happens only in India, the parents of those students need not worry about finding the right alliance for the boy or girl. It is always assured with all its miscellaneous bells & whistles.

So the parents kept pushing their children to study better for a bright future.

What should be the result of the liberalization in a changed world that we live in? To start with, we have more engineering colleges. In a span of 28 years, the number of colleges that offered engineering courses in one state, Tamil Nadu, alone increased from a mere 8 to more than 450 today. This growth was fuelled partly by an industry that reduced all thinking engineers to translators, a.k.a. ‘programmers’. Has it improved the lifestyle of those engineers? In a broader sense, the answer would be ‘yes’. But has it improved the quality of their education & life? The answer would a categorical ‘No’.

There were times when a student who got admission in a medical college, used to give up the engineering seat. As the demand for engineers increased at one stage, the reverse happened. Such was the demand. This resulted in the growth of engineering colleges like wild mushrooms. Anyone with a sizable land started one. Damn the quality. This is considered to be the best way to make some decent money. People who were successful in that business became ‘educationists’. With hardly any takers for the ‘arts & science’ courses, many colleges are dropping them to stay relevant.

Now, India is hopelessly lagging behind China in producing scientists & researchers.

In capitalism, the price of a product at the point of sale is always decided by the ‘supply-demand’ ratio. With hundreds of thousands of engineers coming out every year, their collective value has crashed.

What is the situation today? In my office, the telephone operator gets more salary than an engineer, to start with. In some cases, engineers are willing to work for few months without any salary at all. The errand-boys and the drivers are treated with kid gloves because we might not be able to get any replacements easily.

At home, getting & retaining a maid is a challenging task. Only people who are dime a dozen are engineers. And, how good are they in their trained field? Oh, that’s a different story altogether.