Women Power

Great news

For the last couple of months women are making headlines on front page of every national newspaper and obviously on Prime Slot in every "24 x 7" News Channel.

Here are few headlines from first page.

• Indian Air force declared our president Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil fit for fly in fighter jet.

• Chief Minister of Delhi Mrs. Sheela Dikshit Flag off Metro from Delhi to Noida.

• Chief Minister of U.P. Ms. Mayawati Flag off Metro from Noida to Delhi.

• Kareena Kapoor is in news for Kurbaan.

• Sonia Gandhi inaugurated Rajiv Gandhi Setu (Bandra Worli sea link) in Mumbai.

Many More..

Now let’s pick city page. Amazingly for years women were always in news in this part of every newspaper and obviously not in the prime hours of our "24 x 7" Media.

• Another case of gang rape of 12 year old girl in Delhi.

• 22 year old girl committed suicide due to frequent dowry demand.

• Young girl found dead in mysterious condition for marrying out of cast.

• A mother of two kids burnt alive for dowry

• Girls from North East states are easy target for rape hunters.

• Group of goons picked teenage girl in car.

Many More...

If I include all the incidents of eve teasing, harassment, chain snatching etc. then a minimum of 200 pages of news paper will be required on daily basis.

Incidents I mentioned are all from Delhi. You can imagine what kind of life women are living in rest of country. Be it is in public transport, footpath, school, college everywhere story is same. There is a major increase of phobia among girls.

I Wish..

May every man has a daughter..

May every man has a sister..

May every girl a has mother - in - law like her mother and vice - versa

Death penalty for rapist

I strongly feel until there's a public commitment, and action to back that commitment, any law or policy will only be words on paper.

Don't Forgot

Life on the planet is born of woman.

Dhiraj Srivastava

Heroes

Last Sunday I found one more reason to validate that Discovery channel is best. As usual on every Sunday I was making sure that every channel is working fine. In short just playing with remote. Thankfully I landed at Discovery with new series on Discover India. Narrator's first line was "This is patna" I thought it’s a sequel of Slumdog Millionaire but after describing the value of Ganga in patna's life. Narrator said, "This is the story of Super 30". Though I heard this term a year back but not recalling what exactly this is. I hope you too might have not heard about this.

It's an amazing institute probably unique in world. This institute is preparing under privileged students for one of toughest engineering entrance in world. Surely, best in India its IIT (Indian Institute of Technology).

Super 30 selects 30 students from extremely poor families. Many of them are wards of sweepers, hawkers, daily wage workers etc. Provides coaching for eight months with accommodation and food. All of this is FREE !!!

I am sure you are thinking about the success rate. This elite institute started in 2002. Here is the result.

2003 18

2004 22

2005 26

2006 28

2007 28

2008 30

2009 30

Just to remind you again result is out of 30.

Now, let’s come to the point. Who are our Heroes behind this mission.

1. Mr. Anand Kumar, Mathematician

2. Mr. Abhayanand, IPS officer. Presently ADG of Bihar police

Anand kumar who got the scholarship for Cambridge University but due to lack of money and premature death of this father couldn't make it. At that time he was a noted mathematician. He runs Ramanujan School of Mathematics to fund Super 30. By this initiative he is cloning 30 Anand kumar every year.

Mr. Abhayanad a topper himself in physics during his graduation. Additional Director General of Police. No need to say what kind of status he is living. Still, serving the society in real terms.

I salute!!!

When we say "India ka kuch nahi ho sakta" I think we better say "Hamara kuch nahi ho sakta". I think if we have any example in front of us then it’s quite easy to follow but if we don't have any example then again it’s quite easy to be an example for others.

In the process of "Being a Hero" :-)

Dhiraj Srivastava

Reference

http://www.super30.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_30

Few Good, Funny, Interesting and a Bad thing in US

HALLO Brother (With heavy voice),

This is probably the most used greeting in downtowns of every city in US.

This Friday night I am leaving for India. I am trying to recollect every worthwhile memory to share with you in past 8 months. Hmm.. So let’s start..

Good

· Govt. services

Correct word for government job here is “Social Service”. From my personal experience I can say these guys are rocking. I would have never imagined in getting electricity connection in just 15 mins. Getting Social Security Number, Licence, Vehical registration everything is pretty easy.

In India we always say due to huge population things are getting out of control but it’s not true every time. Here, in US they too have good number but this is all because of good organization skills. Govt. Offices opens here 8:30 A:M (Driver’s License offices are exception their timings are 7 A:M – 4 P:M). There is no concept of peon here. You don’t need any “dalaal”. Though its true in every country that government infrastructure runs on tax given by common man. But very few countries realise this fact.

The best thing is every employee knows what to do and what NOT to do.

Despite all this citizens here are not happy “at all” with public offices. I used to ask the feedback among my collogues, neighbours or the person standing in line in front of me. Here are some samples.

“There is no Wi-Fi here these guys should maintain world class services”

- While in Driver’s License office.

“What a #$&@ is this just a speed of 11 MBPS”

- Comment by a US friend on Wi-Fi at Airport

“Why the hell they are not increasing the MINIMUM speed limit on Interstates (highways) it should be 55 Miles / Hr (around 88 Km/ Hr)”

- A Taxi driver shared his thought

“Why they are not allowing Gays for getting married”

- Person quoting in a rally. Can you imagine this is the most sensitive national issue here.

“Government is not providing good facilities in Slums. Children in slums don’t have swimming pool, gym, tennis court etc etc.”

- A social worker on “the O’Rielly Factor (A famous talk show on Fox news).

I am waiting for that day when we Indians also complaint in the same fashion as they do.

· Judiciary

I have never been to court in India. I hope many of you too. Because we believe in out of court settlement J at least for traffic related issues.

Here is the case

I didn’t have the number plate on my car. Legally you can apply for title with in 30 days of purchase of vehicle. You can drive by putting A/F (applied for) and carry original papers and of course you should have driving license.

Well, I always respect law and thought to utilize all 30 days. But I have been caught by a police patrolling team on 23^rd day. And fortunately I didn’t have the papers at that time (Fortunately because if I’d the paper police never issued ticket to me to appear in front of court)

I tried my level best to avoid to go court. But not feeling comfortable to ask that 6.6 ft gaint police officer to settle case right there. Amazingly he was addressing me by saying “Sir”. This give me little confidence and I tried to come out of my car. But he politely said. “Sir you just sit inside and put your hands on steering” and eventually issued a ticket to appear in court.

While reading that ticket I thought he quoted wrong time. How can a court open at 8:30 A:M. But he confirmed the time and said court open and 7:30 A:M and staff take 1 hr. to get ready for public.

On D Day I went to court obviously I was on time. Amazingly every one in staff was working there like they didn’t go home last night. Inside hearing room I was among scores of people. A young lady of around 35 (Looks like Angelina Jolie) with pleasing smile came behind judge’s table said Good Morning to every one.

Then she started calling the name. Fortunately, I was the second one. She greeted my by Saying “Good Morning Sir, How you doing today” at that moment I thought to commit my mistake by not carrying document while driving. But before I utter a word She asked me whether I get rid from the tag problem I said yes, I got very next day of issuing ticket. She just dismissed the case.

I came out from court within 10 minutes. Isn’t it amazing ?

· Traffic rules

Since, I belong to New Delhi. The city having maximum no of car sales among all major cities in India and most probably maximum no. of road rage incidents as well. Atlanta, US faces the same problem of increasing number of vehicles but I haven’t heard about any road rage incident. Might be these guys feel it’s a sin to break traffic law. I have seen cars waiting to turn green signal at 2 A:M on country side road.

Blowing horn means abuse. Yes, it’s true if someone blowing horn that means you did some mistake.

Funny incidents

· License

While giving the driving test instructor failed me first time because I didn’t look for the speed limit board (hiding behind the bushes) on a small road and I didn’t stop “completely” on Stop sign. (on a road where probably I was the first one who came there)

Next week it’s my great luck I get in the queue of same instructor. But he didn’t recognize me and we moved for the same path. This time again I didn’t look for the board but I know the speed limit as soon as we passed that board he asked the same question “What’s the speed limit on this road”? I answered correctly. He asked my how come I know? I told him, that I looked that speed limit board. He happily said “No one ever has looked for that board. You are very attentive this city needs drivers like you” and during rest of test we talking about Indian culture and food J

· Calculation

I an amusement park I played a shooting game with 3 $ per shot. Aim was to drop three glasses in one shot. That’s another matter I realized later that ball inside the gun is too light to get down three heavy glasses and I didn’t make up.

I handed her 20 $ bill (here they call bill what we say note) and expected 17 $ in return. But after long verbal calculation she handed me 16 $. While asking 1 more dollar she told me it is difficult for her to calculate without calculator. She was around 14-15 years of age.

Interesting Facts

· Transportation

It’s a common saying here “Cities designed for cars rather than people”. Public transport is so pathetic and sometimes you feel that we are blessed that we have those killer Blue line buses in Delhi. Because distance is anyways going to kill you if you don’t have a car. Having a car here is some thing like we have a cycle or old bajaj scooter there. If someone is settled in his career and earning really well then he can thought for a motorcycle generally motorcycles are costlier than that of car.

If someone is doing exceptionally well in his career and find less items to spent for. Then he can look for a bike (yes bike means cycle).

If some one having a good bike (cycle) here that means people used to say to him “Lagta hai baap zyada paisa de kar gaya hai” or “Abe lottery lag gayi hai kya”

· Passport and Slumdog Millionaire

Believe me there is lot of similarity between these two. Around 70% of US population don’t have passport they don’t require visa in visiting many countries. But to visit India they require visa and hence passport.

Mostly people associated with software development or having offshore development center in India are visiting India and know the other face of India as well apart from what they saw in this Oscar winner.

Common American here is so busy in day to day activity that what ever they see on TV or Movies they believe on that. Unfortunately movie became bumper hit over nightly and left ugly image here. Jai Ho song is so popular here you can listen in every next store. A sales man once telling me or rather consoling me by saying “You guys really come out of tough life.”

Bad

I missed my family and friends badly. Believe me this is the only bad experience I had in last 7 months and 18 days.

Jai Ho !!

Dhiraj Srivastava

Reference

http://www.gyford.com/phil/writing/2003/01/31/how_many_america.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_passport

Feel it If you can

While in US somehow I develop a practice to read couple of Indian online newpapers. Last week I was reading the news of gang rape of 23 year old US student in Mumbai by her batch mates. Students of TISS (Tata Institute of Social Science). Established in 1936, the TISS is among the premier institutes of higher education in the country. It has over 1,150 students, including several foreign students who come for various specialised courses.

While reading the news a colleague of mine (US citizen) was standing behind me and I didn't noticed him. After sometime I realize someone behind me. But, It was too late for "Alt + Tab" 

He just said "I read that" !!

Dhiraj Srivastava

Subsidy, Is this our farmers require?

My dear Farmers,

First of all I do apologise that I didn’t find any other medium to convey this message to you despite knowing the fact of usage of internet in rural India.

Since my childhood, right from watching chitrahaar (songs like mere desh ki dharti) to 60 thousand crore rs. subsidy to our farmers. Farmers are the center of attraction right from bollywood to national politics. After giving so much since independence what went wrong with this profession which encompasses around 65% of our population. If we say our GDP growth rate is an average of 9% then we can easily assume that people associated with farming sector would have received the same growth.

Then what is the reason behind the suicides of farmers in Vidharba, Maharashtra. It is estimated that on an average a farmer commits suicide in every 8 hours.  This figure really hurts.  Now, roughly we can see that only 30-35 % population is responsible for this 9% growth.

Certainly not, agriculture plays the major role in our GDP. So, Let me try to answer this big WHY

One of the most reasons is global agriculture prices are soaring for the last two decades. Because every country has subsidised so much for so long that we have surplus stock every where.  Above this, spread of new technologies world over has revolutionized this sector. This further adds unemployment to our agriculture crises.

In this era of low prices in world market India would have purchased the stock what we have with us right now and we have to pay even less than the amount we are giving in our subsidies. But, alas! we already have surplus stock.

So, one of the best solution is to diversify the people among other sectors e.g. service sectors. But, its not so easy to move this massive population in other businesses. Then whats next?

Actually, farmer represents a powerful vote bank in all countries. So it is next to impossible to cut these subsidies. The problem is not only the rising stock in India the problem is the huge decline of prices in global market.  It doesn’t matter much to the western world or developed countries because they have only 5-10% of population involved in agriculture and also they have very good tax and credit system to cover these subsides.   

This big question is still in front of countries like India. The solution is that there should be the global agreement in lower subsidies so that the global surplus of stock declines and eventually price rise and trade expands.  What we need a global market to move our stocks. If this happened India will automatically cash its advantage in this sector.

We basically require a global agreement in reduction in agricultural subsidies under WTO or any acceptable international trade unit. But now we have one problem here is that our all agriculture ministers right from the first loksabha wants to give subsidies to their farmer and expect just reverse from other countries.

The bottom line is. Indian farmers don’t need these everlasting subsidies. They just need an international market to trade their products. This is the path of their prosperity.

At last, if we are not giving so much subsidies we can use that money in education, internal security, good highways (without any toll tax) etc etc... 

With love,

Dhiraj Srivastava

Reference

http://www.un.org

http://www.globalsubsidies.org/en/subsidy-watch/commentary/the-era-farmers-suicides-subsidies-and-indian-agrarian-crisis

Can I have my India like this ?

My Dear,

Advani ji, Gandhi Dynasty and whosoever consider themselves national level politician,

With due respect I would like to give my best wishes for forthcoming general elections. I am quite sure you people have already drafted your manifesto for this grand event. At the top we are going to have CMP (Common Minimum Program) from NDA and a one from Congress as they are not getting into any national level alliance (Since its not in their DNA before elections).

Well, If manifesto part is still pending please have a look on these issues.

One thing is quite sure that coming years is going to be very pathetic for our next finance minister as I can visualize the global recession from U.S. In many ways our economy is dependent on US. Though I am not an economist being an IT professional I can easily see the impact of current global recession in IT. In financial year 1997-98 IT industry contribution in India’s GDP was 1.2% and 5.5% in 2007-08. I think this was one of the major reason behind the sixth pay commission recommendation. Might be for other planning commission’s schemes as well. Believe me this year IT contribution is not going to be huge. Are we ready for this gap?

Though I mentioned the above issue at top but I still feel priority wise this is at bottom in our political system.

Hence, Let me be little greedy and put my demands as this is the best season to ask our favors. 

1. Fielding Candidates

Can any party declare the policy of how they select candidates for elections? Because more or less we can find rapists, murderers, hardcore criminals, illiterates, cast domination etc. with much other qualification.

What exactly we are giving to society?

2. Mushroomed political parties

Please any one put this in their manifesto to control this practice. There should be no political party based on region and religion (Very easy to find the list just look for region or religion in their name) STOP this. Because this will force national parties to focus on local issues every time.

3. Reservations

I am strong supporter of reservation. I think this is the unique way to uplift weaker section of society. Very few people know that reservation practice was introduced long before Independence in most part of India few of them having 50%.

At the same time I strongly oppose the way of its implementation. We were supposed to give reservation to socially and economically backward section. What is the definition of backwardness? Can a ward of IAS / IPS / PCS enjoy this benefit? If yes, then what else do we need to do to uplift them?

If an upper cast man is not able to meet his both ends. Then what is procedure to get him in backward class to uplift this family?

I don’t want to get more into this. However, I am still looking for answer of this. If we can convert our religion. Then why can’t cast?

I am not suggesting any solution of this ever lasting Divide and Rule strategy. I have immense faith in my politicians that they know it and can solve this. If they want.?

4. Police

I feel police is the medium to put culprits in front of law. Primary role of police is to investigate the matter without being bias. Then why there is lot of transfers of senior officials right after change in govt in any particular state? I don’t find any reason why a DGP sings Happy B’day song during official hours?

In Delhi, police is very vigilant for pillion riders not wearing the helmets. Car riders not wearing up the seat belts (Even if traffic is moving less than 5 Km/H). But they really don’t care the mess on roads. A constable can hold the collar of even VP of a MNC. He can abuse on road for any thing.

From my personal experience, A relative of mine won’t be able to lodge FIR for his lost mobile (with mobile tracker feature) Even after giving the phone no. of the person using his mobile.

But yes, the same police is very efficient in VIP security they can shoot anyone if they come between the convoy of VIP’s.

Please include this in your agenda to let police know that they are supposed to work closely with common people. There is good number of other agencies to take care of country’s internal security issues. Common man really needs good police to whom they can rely. 

My last demand is that politics is a very noble profession let it be like this. 

With Love,

Dhiraj Srivastava

Reference

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6709

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reservation_in_India

http://www.ibef.org/industry/informationtechnology.aspx

http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jan/15maya.htm