Black & White

When I travel on business, it is my usual practice to talk to the taxi and auto drivers who take me from the airport and railway stations to my hotel or any other destination. Taxi and auto drivers are often illiterates and high school dropouts with interesting personal histories and unusual thinking and cultural backgrounds. I ask them how long they've been in in this profession, how they came to that city to live in, and what they like best about where they live. About politics,traffic,family and in rare cases their income, when I am convinced that they are comfortable  with me. Even if I do not get the time to ask any other questions, I always ask them about their children and about their education.

 Of course, I also ask them for advice on good local restaurants and any special attractions they'd recommend to a visitor. I've had some great experiences on my travels, thanks to the advice of taxi and auto drivers!

 I remember,once an auto driver recommended a pani puri vendor and we travelled  five kilometres to reach there to taste it. The taste and flavour of that Pani puri is still in my taste buds. These small pleasures I generally miss, as my status won’t  allow me to stand and taste a Pani puri with a local vendor in the city I live.

On one of the trips about a year ago, I was making conversation with the taxi driver, asking him my usual questions about how he came to live where he lived.His name was Saravanan and it was in Chennai. I went there to the US consulate for my US visa to go to the University of California.

During the conversation in Tamil, he got a call in his mobile phone which made me realise that he speaks broken English and also not ashamed about his broken English. He was confidently communicating and I could overhear the person on the other side speaking in English which this driver can understand. After completing the conversation, he casually told me that the person on the other side was a professor of IIT.Then I asked Saravanan my usual question about his children and their education. To my surprise, his elder son is doing his B Tech in IIT and daughter is studying in Stella Mary’s college.

’Both studies well with God’s grace” he added.

Reluctantly, I asked him how his children and their friends feel with his broken English and low education level. He laughed and I could hear the vibrations of confidence even in his laughter.

He replied. ” My son washes my taxi every day, without any compulsions and it is the right of my daughter to clean the inside of my car daily. I think, they are proud about this old man who could not go beyond  tenth standard” 

He continued after looking at my eyes and acknowledging my curiosity “They know very well that it is because of this taxi, they could come to this level”.

“It is because of you and not  because of your taxi” I encouraged him to talk and he continued

”Me and the IIT professor, just called me on the phone  were  classmates in the village  school in Thiruvannamala and I have scored more marks than him in tenth.

Without any feeling of regret,he continued “I had to stop my studies to work and support the family whereas he, hailing from a wealthy family continued his studies and even got the engineering admission by paying donation. “Those times, it was not like today and was very difficult to get admissions for engineering” He justified his friend suddenly and continued.

 “He loves me like his brother and talks to me in English and also adjusts to my butler English . It is also because of his support, I am able to speak in English to my customers.

“He advises my children telling our past and encourage them to study well”

“He became a professor and you a driver” I  said with a smile and Saravanan continued responding to that smile

” But now, our children are classmates in IIT doing the same course in the same class”.

After a pause, he said “I think, I made up the speed I lost in between like Chennai mail  and for that, the person more happier than me is him. He is a nice gentleman”

I was spellbound and could not talk further. I was thinking about where Saravanan could have reached if he could have continued his education. Of course, in a better position than the professor.

I have seen some people giving undue respect to the ones who speak English with a good accent. The same people  are having no problem when a Japanese or a Chinese speak english in their own accent.

I have even observed people laughing at people when they make small mistakes and speak in an accent influenced by the tone of their mother tongue. In the process of laughing, their heads go down, but they just can’t make the confident Saravanans heads going down.

I felt humbled and saluted him inside. He had reminded me of something I already knew, but had forgotten. If you can't find happiness inside yourself on what  you are doing, you'll never find it in the outside world, no matter where you move.

I am grateful for the wisdom of that taxi driver. And I'm grateful for all the wisdom others have shared during my travel in India and abroad

Team Anna, please free us from gunpoint

We are restlessly seeing Team Anna turning arrogant and stubborn when they saw charged crowd around them. I do not want to get identified with their  statements against some ministers and parliamentarians. When the politicians get power , they become arrogant, and the same happened in Anna's case too. Sort of dictator's style. I personally do not want his style representing me.Not agreeing to some views that he has 90% indians as his followers.

Most of us are against corruption and are a victim of that on daily basis.There should be a strong movement against corruption...no doubt. There is a move by few to paint people who distance themselves from the arrogant and rigid attitudes of Team Anna, as pro-corruption,pro-establishment and less patriot.Some questions arising now are,

Who gave license to Team Anna to represent us?

Why the hell the ruling party is opposing to the inclusion of PM and Judiciary in the Lokpal bill? Why they are afraid? Are they thinking that they are going to be in power forever?

What right the present main opposition has, to talk against corruption?

Let us support the cause and not two or three self-styled leaders blindly’. We would be happy if some young/youth leaders emerge from this movement and lead this and make it as a turning point in Indian history. If we let this movement to die due the irresponsible behavior of some members of team Anna, we will not, probably, get a chance to fight against corruption in the near future. Leadership or the approach of the people in the forefront to be changed for this movement to be active and genuine

Writing on the wall is clear. We want to get rid of corruption. All are in agreement. Team Anna asks the government to pass their version of the bill or go out. Throwing out this government and bringing another one at this charged moment would bring a wrong choice to regret later. That is not at all a solution for eradicating corruption.

It would be nice if we could stop comparing our father of nation with Anna. Let us give Sri.Anna Hazare his due respect and support the movement he is in now. Not him -blindly. We should always remember that Gandhi’s Satyagraha was during a period where the brain washing visual media was not existing.Now who would sit for a Satyagraha without a TV camera in front? When Anna got importance and following, one Ramdev emerged realising that the reward is a huge following.Now in the second coming, Anna gets more followers and people actually dislike him also acting as if they are supporting because of the reason that they want the support and votes of Anna supporters.There is a hiding danger element in it.Even one of the former chief ministers of Karnataka and the statue loving chief minister wanted to sit Dharna in support of Anna ,who is fighting against their main area of specialization- the corruption.

You have been seeing the adamant Kejriwal, Anna’s aide ( or master ?) talks like an authoritarian autocrat. When senior ministers are coming forward for discussions ,he is forcing Team Anna to go away from the discussion table .This is only raising the doubts about the intentions of this man  He  seems to be keeping away, Sri Sri Ravishankar,Swamy Agnivesh and Santhosh Hegde from discussions and negotiations. This creates a genuine feeling that the corruption is getting inside this anti-corruption movement. When we watch the scenes in Ramlila,one gets a feeling that the team Anna is not in a mood to solve this issue and trying to complicate instead.They are keeping a gun in our forehead. Today we heard Anna apologizing for harsh words against the prime minister and at the same time Kiran Bedi acting like a mimicry artist to insult the elected representatives.We have also seen the elected representatives behaving in Parliament like third rated street traders today.All are getting excited about the attention they get in the name of Anna while nobody is bothered about his health.

There is something called Brand Anna is getting developed and it has become a fashion to talk and debate for team Anna to come to the limelight .We have been seeing many using the Ramlila stage and TV talk shows to get popularity and to create their own brand using brand Anna.The visual media too-like Kejriwal- do not want this impasse to end as they are worried about their viewership. The visual media is misguiding the young viewers making them do their part of emotional outburst and clap whenever somebody say that all politicians are corrupt .One should have wisdom to realize that the India gate, freedom park and Ram Lila maiden alone are not representing India. All thinking citizen of this great country want Anna to end his fast and continue his agitation, as he has received an emotional appeal from the entire parliament. Not doing this amounts to blackmail to the ordinary citizens of this country.

If this continues like this, team Anna would suffer, and by that, the entire anti-corruption movement will suffer. Is anybody hearing?

thoughts from deep inside: Some non-corrupted thoughts

thoughts from deep inside: Some non-corrupted thoughts: Who gave license to Anna to represent me?
Why the hell the ruling party is opposing to the inclusion of PM and Judiciary in the lokpal bi...

Some non-corrupted thoughts

• Who gave license to Anna to represent me?
• Why the hell the ruling party is opposing to the inclusion of PM and Judiciary in the lokpal bill? Why they are afraid?
• What right the present opposition has, to talk against corruption?
• We are seeing this old gentleman turning as arrogant, when he saw huge charged crowd around him. I do not want to get identified with his third rated statements against some ministers. When the politicians get power , they become arrogant, and the same happened in Anna's case too. Sort of dictator's style. I personally do not want his style representing me.Not agreeing to some views that he has 90% indians as his followers.
• Having said this, do not think that I am not against corruption. I am against and am a victim of that on daily basis.There should be a movement against corruption...no doubt.It would be apt if this comes from young generation
• And finally,it would be nice if we could stop comparing our Father of nation with Anna.Let us give Sri.Anna Hazare his due respect and support the movement he is in now.Not him -blindly.
• I had a chance to speak to many -of different age group -about this.All want to reduce,if not stop this bloody thing called corruption.Fed up of it. Pained by the bad name India gets because of all these Rajas,Kalmadis and Yediyurappas.When Anna got importance and following,one Ramdev emerged realising that the reward is a huge following.Now in the second coming,Anna gets more followers and people actually dislike him also acting as if they are supporting because of the reason that they want the support and votes of anna supporters.There is a hiding danger element in it.The latest tamasha is our Yediyurappa want to sit Dharna in support of Anna ,who is fighting against Yeddi's main area of specialisation-corruption.And the Anna camp is not opposing it till this moment(hope they will).What I want to conclude is that the corruption is getting inside this anti corruption movement.
• Let us support the cause and not the individual blindly'.I would be happy if some young/youth leaders emerge from this movement and lead this and make it as a turning point in Indian history.
• Team Anna has given a two-page undertaking to police on its protest fast in Ramlila Maidan, saying they would abide by existing rules and regulations of this country.Let leaders abide by the law of the land,however charismatic they are.Be role models first.Welcome shift in approach in th positive direction
• Majority view points are not necessarily be right always.
• Writing on the wall is clear.We want to get rid of corruption. All are in agreement.Throwing out Yediyurappa &Co is bringing Gouda & Co...throwing out Sonia &Co is opening door for Yediyurappas & Mayawathis.That is not at all a solution for eradicating corruption.
• We have no escape, in our prevailing system apart from cleaning the existing system,by being part of the system.
• Only area I agree to disagree with some blind loyalists of Anna is the stye and statement of Anna till few days back.It looked like he was softening his authoritarian style by agreeing to 15 days from 30. Anna just declared that he would not leave the satyagraha ground till his Jan Lok pal bill is passed as it is and saw the once law maker Kiran Bedi cheering for it.Leaders like Anna should be role models for others and he should be a man of compromise,especially when a section of younsters declare"I am Anna'.
• The reactions started coming. Shah Rukh,Arindham Choudhari,Nandan Nilakeni and Pinarayi Vijayan distancing themselves from Anna style while supporting the anti corruption movement
• But, if the movement becomes strong,the Govt: will have no other option but to agree for an extention.That is democratic approach than having an attittude "my way is your way" or “ my way or no way”.
• With due respect to elders,I feel it is necessary to include some young educated leaders in the movement in the forefront apart from old Bhushans and Annas to give more credibility to it and also to bring more sensible youth into the anti-corruption fold.That is the only way this anti-corruption movement can succeed and the Govt:can change its attittude.Till then,only a minority will willingly say"I am Anna" in this 120 plus crore populated country.
• "I have nothing against Anna Hazare, as he is a well-meaning person. But he is ziddi (stubborn) and at times -- to use other people's words -- does not hesitate to blackmail those who do not agree with him," the veteran Gandhian Shambhu Dutt who worked with Anna alleged .Dutt is the one who actually started this satyagraha movement and stopped by request from Anna team.He alleged that Anna hijacked his idea.
• Joke:Mayawati and Yediyurappa wants to join Anna's movement
• And last the serious one-Santhosh Hegde want to mediate between the stubborn oldmen ,the PM & Hazare to meet in between.God save India.

Salute to Sachin

“He has carried our nation on his shoulders for 22 years and we are proud that we got a chance to carry him on our shoulders “. We all heard the junior in the Indian team, Virat Kholi, talking about Sachin to visual media immediately after the glorious World Cup 2011 final. What makes this man, Sachin, so special and adorable? Well, the answer is…everything about him. He is a perfect role model if you ever were looking for one. He has his head firmly on his shoulders in spite of all his towering achievements. After twenty long years in the game, he still continues to live in a bubble, unflappable and unaffected by controversies and just lets his bat do the talking. Sometimes this makes you wonder – how is this possible? All of us as individuals need to look at the lives that such individuals lead. Sachin’s life has been a primary model of success and how to achieve that success by moving ahead on the right path and inculcating the right values in ourselves. He is passionate about his game, enjoying every moment of his profession. His dedication, hard work and sincerity towards his game make him to deliver success consistently and, therefore, he is not only successful in his career but he is at top in his social life and family life - yet down to earth. He respects his family, game, country and his fans. He is honest and loyal to cricket, country, his fans and to his own family. A young prodigy, he began playing cricket at the age of two with his grandma in the family's backyard, using a broomstick for a bat. As he grew, he began playing street cricket with the neighbourhood children. Tendulkar began playing cricket as a toddler and at age of sixteen was selected to play for India's national team. He is a youth icon in our country, where he lives modestly even though his income from endorsements etc., have made him one of the world's wealthiest cricket players. Sachin Tendulkar is one person capable of bringing this whole country to a standstill. When he plays, roads are empty, shops are shut and everyone is in front of a television set. When Sachin is batting against Pakistan, the Indian television audience exceeds the population of Europe! He handles fame and adulation with such ease and still firmly keeps his foot planted to the ground. Such is the greatness of the man. The pressure he has had to handle over the years is unimaginable! He has had to carry the hopes of his entire country on his shoulders for two full decades and he continues to do so. For a person, to whom anything less than a century is considered an ordinary score, the expectations are ridiculously unrealistic. Still, he does not disappoint on most occasions. And the last word..I am not a cricket fan and rather a decrier for the over importance it receives over other games such as hockey and football. I like only the last five minutes of the one day match and more happier if it is the shorter version, 20-20.But I have to confess that I am a fervent fan of this master human - Sachin. This blog is to salute this great human being – SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR.