The unknown girl aged 23

I am sad, angry, disappointed, furious, frustrated, ashamed. I feel like crying. Deep inside me i feel so much pain and anguish. I cant explain it - but just thinking of what this girl must have gone through makes me wince. Now the crowds in Delhi are clamouring for mob justice. Hang the rapists they shout. They say this because they have lost faith in the legal processes in India. The media is making the most - calling her Nirbhaya, asking for a pledge. and people are lighting candles in her memory. So what happens next? After the law takes its course and the rapists get their due punishment? Will things go back to their usual state until another girl gets raped? or will we get so inured that even when that happens we move on? Nothing will happen unless we change our attitude towards women. Until we start supporting the right of women to get educated, to pursue careers, to make the choices they want to, their reproductive rights; until we respect them as human beings and stop treating them as objects; until we stop thinking of them as second class citizens; until we stop enslaving them; until we fight their being thrown into child marriages or into prostitution, until we stop thinking of them as just a crutch; No we all men and wome need to make this change happen at home. and in our communities. we need to respect the women in our lives and around us. and we must educate our friends and families to do the same. We must stand up to those who treat women badly or even disrespectfully. We dont need to give women any special priveleges - just give them what is due to them.

Freedom - a fundamental part of human DNA

"Freedom is never dear at any price - it is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living" - M K Gandhi

The ending of Qaddafi's regime is another reminder to all - that no matter where, authoritarian rule can never survive forever. Oppressed people will always rise up and protest against the oppressors. It's always a matter of time before a despotic ruler or government is brought down by the people - sometimes it takes a little longer than other times - but it's bound to happen. Modern history is replete with these stories - Poland, Russia, all of the former Soviet bloc countries, Egypt, Indonesia, Philippines are only a few examples of countries where despotic rulers were overthrown by the masses.

Why is this inevitable? Because I believe that all human beings fundametally seek freedom and dignity in their lives above everything else. Freedom to live a life of their choice and to lead it with dignity. Take it away from them and somewhere you have sowed the seeds of resentment and revolt. Most people dont mind rules - but they do mind being exploited, trampled and being beaten up.

In today's world with advanced means of communication and access to information, people's notions of what they will put up with has evolved as have notions of what's right and wrong. They are less willing to put with being exploited. Or have their right taken away. We saw this in Egypt - and we see that strong authoritarian governments put heavy restrictions onthe use of the internet and social media. But these governments don't realize that surpressionj of freedom wont last forever. This is how civilizations evolve.

let me end with a quote by John Adams - from a letter to James Lloyd, on October 1, 1822
"Individual liberty is individual power, and as the power of a community is a mass compounded of individual powers, the nation which enjoys the most freedom must necessarily be in proportion to its numbers the most powerful nation."

Indian or American or Indian American or neither?

I recently returned from a personal trip to India. It was combination of attending a wedding, having our two and a half year old son go through a hindu rite of passage (his motai in tamil - or mundan in hindi) and helping my parents move from a house into an apartment (or a flat we called it when in Chennai). As always, such trips are memorable for many reasons, the food, the sickness, the hot weather, the chance to catch up with relatives and friends, the minor (and some major) obstacles you overcome to get from say Ashok Nagar to Thiruvanmiyur or get a new telephone line or get Kinley to deliver drinking water. Invariably I always end up having interesting conversations with people when I am there.

One such conversation was with my parents about the identity of kids born to Indians settled in America. Now Indians from India have in the past used pejorative terms such as ABCDs (American Born Confused Desis) for them. Not that Indians in India dont have names - another term for Indians in India who aspire to come to America - NRA or Non Resident Americans. Now let me say at the outset that second generation kids born to Indian parents are great achievers and have done the community proud.

The gist of the discussion was this. Both my parents believe that it was important for Indians in America and even second generation ones to maintain their identity as Indians and their Indian traditions. I argued that it was okay to do so only to the extent where they didnt feel confused as to their identity. I strongly believe that Indians in American should first be Americans and then Indians - their identity should be through their "American-ness" first - and not through their Indianness.

Spend a few days in Silicon valley - or in the melting pot of New Jersey - You can find dozens of carnatic music schools, Bharatanatyam schools, Indian prayer and religious organizations and the like. I know parents in these areas take pride in sending their kids to dance schools or music schools or to chant slokas. And it is wonderful to see the homegrown talent that exists here. Parents also take pride in leading a supplanted Indian lifestyle here.

I cant help wondering but can these kids who grow up in a distinctly Indian environment at home ever feel at home in the US and be able to contribute to American society in a meaningful and substantive way? Can they ever become part of the American society like immigrants from say Eastern Europe or Italy or other countries? As it is Indians stand out due to their brown skin. Doesnt maintaining an ethnocentric lifestyle or upbringing only strengthen the issues associated with race?

There is one part of the Indian upbringing that I think parents should maintain - the focus on achievement and on academic accomplishment. But that is not enough. They need to get involved in giving back to American society, in becoming part of mainstream America. Many Indian Americans have already done that -but I get the feeling not enough.

Anna Hazare - why its important to pay attention - even if you dont agree

Anna Hazare's anti corruption movement is a wake-up call for all of us - even if we dont agree with his methods -and I have some sympathy here for those who think this way.

a) This is the first time anyone has taken such a strong stand and spoken out against corrupion and received such mass support
b) This is giving some hope to the aam admi that they can also take a stand against corruption
c) The anti corruption "movement" if you can call that is one more step towards creating a better civil society in India

Now I want to clarify - I am not saying that I agree with all the provisions of the Jan Lokpal bill proposed by Hazare, neither do i believe that there can be one body that should be even more powerful than the judiciary - But i do believe that it is time we stopped tolerating corruption in daily lives. It cannot be a "sab chalta hai approach" to life in India. NO - we need to stop it! SAY NO!

Chak De India in Calypso land – the day a Texan learned Cricket

I had one of the most memorable experiences of my life a few weeks ago. I was on an Oil and Gas platform, in the Atlantic Ocean, off the Coast of Trinidad, watching Dhoni lead India to a magnificent victory over the Sri Lankans. With me were a cheering and shall we say a really boisterous group of Trinidadians and a lone Texan who till that day had never really seen a game of cricket. This was internationalism, globalism.… all the isms that convey the oneness of human spirit at its best!

The day started at 5.00am – I was up early and walked down in my pajamas to the galley –or the cafeteria as we people who live onshore would call it- to see the match on a TV there. The picture was grainy – but good enough for us to follow. Zaheer was working his magic and Bhajji was keeping the Lankans wrapped around his finger. I ducked in and out as I attended meetings and grabbed breakfast. The Trinidadians were good sport – “You from India maan? Yeah Saachin – he great bat,” “Who you supportin?” We made small talk. I missed most of the Sri Lankan batting. I popped in at the 42^nd over – and the Lankans were still barely reaching 200. I walked out again thinking well maybe they will get 230-240. I had to go for a meeting which lasted a while.

Then, when I came back one of the Trinidadians asked me –“You think India gonna win?” “I said why yeah, how much did the Lankans score?” I was aghast when I heard 275. What?? Somebody must have been hammered badly! Later on I found out it was Zaheer. “Yeah, them Sri Lanka got plenty runs” piped a voice behind me. “ Gonna be tough for India” said another, adding “Malinga – watch out for ‘im”

10 mins later – I heard a loud voice on the public announcement system “Injia – nought for one, Injia, nought for one.” My mind was screaming – I ran out of the meeting room, in my heavy safety boots, to the galley. There Malinga was exulting after after trappin’ Sehwag in front of the wicket. “Well Sachin gonna make it; he in good form now” consoled a Trinidadian. About 20 of them sat there watching the game.

And as I watched it, I could see all the fun and joy of the Carribean islands in the small room 600 feet over the ocean floor. Not only did they really enjoy their cricket; they also enjoyed enjoying their cricket. Wagers flew fast around the room –after India was down three wickets, the odds went the Sri Lankan way. At over 40 the Indians were back in favour – no emotions attached to the money – just pure practicality and a genuine desire to watch good cricket and have some fun!

The other reason this day was so memorable – was because I managed to teach cricket to Dave from Texas. Now Dave had heard of a game called cricket – but beyond that he didn’t really know whether it was played on the ground or under water. But he stood there with me, my companion in one of the finest moments in an Indian’s life and watched the entire game with me! Having been exposed to baseball throughout his life, he could visualize a ball being hurled at a piece of wood held by a human being. But after that, the game was a mystery – who was a batter er.. a batsman and who was a runner? What does the runner do? Just run – oh they rotate the batting..okay – now what is a run? Well that’s easy .. but now four runs and a home run…no no six runs – wow a six runner!

By 3/4^th of the game, bug had bitten Dave. He stood there spellbound – watching this magical game being played in front of 50,000 screaming Indians and a bunch of boisterous Trinis. He watched Yuvraj and Gambhir dismantle the Lankan bowling and Dhoni send them south of the Indian Ocean! He was there screaming for India, giving me moral support and generally having a good time. At one point he shouted “That’s a six runner!” I had converted Dave to Cricket. At the end, he told me, “you taught a Texan cricket - you can teach anybody anything.” Now that’s a compliment.

So who makes constant updates on Facebook?

People who are constantly wanting to tell their freinds what they are upto, no doubt, but also:
a) having too much time and b) dont knowwhat to do with it?
c) are feeling insecure?
d) Feel comfortable giving hrly updates so because they love sharing ?
e) Love all their friends?
f) are largely E on the MBTI?
g) Love looking at pictures
h) love the idea of telling people stuff without actually having to talk to someone or seeing them in the eye?
i) Dont like shaking hands?
j) are looking for an easy way to attract attention?
k) all of the above?
l) none of the above?
m) Others?..

Populist Politics are not a Third World Hegemony

This was demonstrated by the mid term elections in the US that concluded on Tuesday, November 2. I was always under the impression that education, free speech, high standards of literacy, a robust and free media, coupled with high levels of income would make an electorate thoughtful and base their decisions on a balanced consideration of the issues before them. In other words, I thought they would be sane. I was wrong clearly and I can now fullyappreciate Jon Stewart's rally to restore Sanity. Only thing - he failed.

Over the last six months, the people of the US have been taken up by the soundbites of the Republicans - Less Government, Lower Taxes, No government in Healthcare, etc. The Republicans have had little details to offer, but I am just struck by how people respond to simplistic messages and dont bother to delve into details. The Republicans are acting like some fundamental rights have been taken away - when none in fact has been touched by the current administration. If anything, the previous government's behaviour in this aspct was questionable. In fact one Republican Pundit went on CNN to say that acccess to good Healthcare was not a Right that all American's should enjoy.

I had a conversation with a cabbie in Anchorage and he told me that Obama had no business stuffing a healthcare plan down people's throat. He also made a comment that Obama ran on the promise of transparency, but in reality he was running everything behind closed doors! Now what struck me was his perception of the whole situation. First of all, the healthcare plan hasnt being stuffed down people's throats. If anything, it is protecting ordinary people from malfeasance by Insurance Companies that as everyone knows have a well deserved reputation for being insensitive to human beings to whom they have sold a policy.

Let's look at the issues that the conservative media and politicians have been complaining about:

1. Too much government - What's unclear is where?...In the financial services sector, in the auto industry - everywhere, if the government had not intervened, the US economy would have been in SHAMBLES. We the ordinary people would have no savings, no pension funds, and would be left to slave till we die. And thanks to the government, GM is back, Citi survives, BOA does too and so do a a million other small companies that depend on these companies. The government is nt running these companies - but isnt it reasonable to say that if the government gives them some money, the government has a right to expect that these companies get their house in order?

Dinesh D Souza made a point some time ago that the government is preventing banks from paying back the money - but he misses the point that the money was given to them to fix their house so that they wouldnt collapse again and that some of the banks were trying to return money without cleaning their mess up!!

The government doesnt dictate that people need to buy healthcare from anybody. And on the education sector the government is spending money so that inner city kids can have a better chance of survival through higher quality education.

On the size of the government, everyone's conveniently forgotten that the size of the government grew faster under Republican Presidents such as Ronald Reagan (he said one thing - but his actions were different).

So where is the too much government?

2. Taxes - only families earning more than 200 k per annum will experience a small increase in taxes. In this country, people who earn 100k per annum pay a higher portion of their income in taxes to the government than those earning millions because of the convulted tax laws around how capital gains are treated (a hedge fund manager pays only 15% on a billion dollar income - while an ordinary worket can pay anywhere between 20% to 39% of their income). I guess very few ordinary American's realize that.

3. The economy and jobs - Over the last three month the private sector has been adding jobs while the public sector has shed jobs. Obama's economic policies have stabilized the economy - but most people dont realize that - and they blame him for not creating more jobs. Well - if the government hadnt propped the banks up, private companies wouldnt have recieved credit and business would have dried up and the unemployment rate would be higher than the 9.6% it is right now.

Yesterday's economic data showed that economy net - net added jobs in the last month. Most people dont realise that fixing the economy takes time and there's a lagged effect of the actions that the Fed or the Treasury takes.

Unfortunately, media like Fox news has been critical of President Obama from day one. Now he has made some mistakes along the way - the famous beer "Gate" event was an unnnecessary distraction, not making enough of an effort to reach across the aisle has been a gross mistake. But they criticized him for bowing to the Japanese Prime Minister, they criticized him for wanting to ensure that insurance companies pay up for pre-existing conditions, they criticized him for saving hundreds of thousands of auto jobs and financial sector jobs, they criticized his wife for going on her own dime to Greece, they criticized him for wanting to wave a peace flag with Iran (which is run by a lunatic no doubt, but fighting with a lunatic gets one nowhere), they criticized him for wanting to take the banks to task for paying fath bonuses on tax payer money...

Now President Obama has been undeniably standoffish, a bit aloof and too sombre at times. And his Communications and PR team has goofed up big time. But all this doesnt take away the point I make earlier - Populist Politics works everywhere - not just in an illiterate populace, but also educated, first world citizens. American Politicians are like politicians everywhere else in the world. So does every populace gets the leadership it deserves?