Reasons I know I turned into a FOB within just 4 months
May 5, 2009 at 7:44 pm | In Chennai, FOB, comparison, culture | 3 CommentsMy friends and family have started to make fun of me now that….
1. I catch myself spelling words like “flavor” with an “ou” before realising–whoops, realizing– that’s not how it’s spelled in America.
2. I find the weather in Gainesville somewhat chilly.
3. I would prefer to lounge around my house in a cotton salwar kameez rather than jeans and a t-shirt.
4. I tell people to send me an SMS if I am unable to pick up my mobile.
5. I fight the urge to start or end all my sentences addressed to superiors or strangers with, “Sir,”
6. I can appreciate “mokkai” jokes.
7. I ask for warm water at restaurants.
(….I’ll add ‘em as I catch ‘em….)
At The Hindu: NRI voters disenfranchised
May 1, 2009 at 2:04 am | In Chennai, Chennai. The Hindu, Indian elections, NRIs, absentee voting, voting | Leave a CommentWhen Suresh Subramaniam visited the Indian embassy in Muscat to find out how he could vote, he was shocked to find that there was no system in place to include them in electing their leaders. Living beyond the borders of their country, Indian citizens find that once they are out of sight, they are also not given a thought by their government. “There is no procedure available,” Mr. Subramaniam said.
He joins millions of others globally who are “disenfranchised” by India and by the countries that have taken them in.
Non-Resident Indians, unlike the Overseas Citizens of India, retain Indian citizenship as they study or work abroad. However, once they have remained outside of India for an extended period, they lose their “ordinary resident” status, as defined by Section 20 of The Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1950. Their names are deleted from the electoral roll, which is usually reviewed in January, according to Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta.
Even for citizens registered on the electoral roll but abroad during the elections, the Act only permits the use of absentee postal ballots by some categories of people, such as members of Armed forces and bureaucrats stationed overseas.
So it’s not that NRIs are prohibited from voting per se, said Vayalar Ravi, Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs; but RPA does not allow them to use postal ballots. Plus, allowing them to vote in absentia would prove too cumbersome. “What electoral control can there be?” Mr. Ravi said. “It’s not possible.” While the NRIs argue this disenfranchises an estimated 20 million people, Mr. Ravi said the task of collecting ballots of such magnitude is daunting.
Even the existing absentee voting system is inadequate, according to former army medical corps doctor Major R.S. Rengan. “The ballot doesn’t come in time and there is no online facility,” he said, “Never once could I vote.” After serving in the Armed and Peace Keeping Forces for 15 years, Dr. Rengan said only since he left in 2001 has he been able to cast his vote.
But Mr. Gupta said the EC distributes ballots as soon as the list of candidates is finalised, although he admitted that by the time the ballots go through the unit officers, there may be some delay.
When the absentee voting system has not worked properly for the Armed forces at India’s borders, can the NRIs expect the logistics for overseas voting to be worked out?
Vetri T.V., a brand manager in Shanghai, suggested using an online absentee ballot. “You send an e-mail to the government and verify your information. They give you a password and it’s very secure.”
Others like Uma Mahesh V. in the U.S., said having Indian embassies distribute and collect postal ballots according to the electoral roll would make the process feasible.
Distance is the only thing that’s keeping them from voting. Otherwise, NRIs say they have India’s interests at heart.
J.S. Dattakumar, an accountant in Sharjah, said national security is the issue of primary concern for him. He would like to see some new faces in the political spheres. “I want to see some young people who will give importance to national security,” he said. Allowing NRIs to vote would provide global perspective, because they have seen how issues are dealt with in other countries.
Thus it’s on issues of national scale that NRIs want to be represented. Mr. Mahesh conceded that allowing NRIs to elect local MLAs is not practical. But electing MPs would at least help them have a voice in the Lok Sabha. The option of having a “virtual NRI constituency” has also been suggested by some people.
Additionally, remittances sent by NRIs is more than $25 billion, generating about 3 per cent of India’s GDP, according to Shivakumar Jolad of Voters Without Borders, a group of Indian citizens abroad. “This figure varies widely across states, with Kerala and Punjab topping the list,” Mr. Jalod said. “In Kerala, about 20 per cent of the state GDP is contributed by NRIs residing mainly in Gulf states.”
Now, Mr. Srivatsava said NRIs have an online petition, urging Indian officials to include them in the electoral process. Perhaps their vision is not so far-fetched. Mr. Ravi said an attempt was made to amend RPA was but he hopes this year, members of parliament will take it into consideration.
Scribbed in the margin: Indians: leaders or laborers?
April 22, 2009 at 4:31 pm | In Chennai, India, brain drain, internship diary, jobs, labour, success, super power | 2 Comments
Perhaps we’ve all been fooling ourselves under the impression that India will dominate as a world super power within the next 50 years…..Some others feel India is doomed to forever remain a slave to the West.
I went to the book release ceremony today of Krishnan Arunachalam’s “Indian: An Ideal Labour or Slave.” The title itself might shock some people, but as I skimmed through the pages (just an initial glance) it seemed like the author made some good points. From the comments other readers had to say about the book too, I was convinced it’d be a pretty interesting read. Of course, I myself have still got to read it to form a true opinion.
The author thinks Indians, at the most basic level, are programmed to serve the West. He says Indians have a fundamental “psychological weakness” to please the West and be accepted. History has shown that India’s labor history “is not all that great.”
After noticing several advertisements by European companies seeking Indian employees over the years, Arunachalam was 
inspired to research the management models that place the West in superior positions and Indians in submissive, serving positions. Arunachalam’s account dates back to when Indians were traded as slaves in international markets during medieval times. However, he argues that not much has changed since then, now that “IT coolies” (*cringe* forgive me for using the term) are being outsourced in India.
Some facts and ideas that are presented in the book may be hard for many Indians to accept, but Arunachalam’s point is that today, the best of India’s IT professionals are content with working as outsourced employees in the BPO’s. This itself is acceptance of a form of indentured servitude, he says: “We are blindly proud of something that doesn’t belong to us.”
Plus, as he says, “until you recognize there is a problem, you cannot find a solution.”
Though the man who reviewed the book, M.R. Venkatesh, said the author himself provides no solution to the questions he raises, Indian Express columnist, S. Gurumurthy, noted that Indians should not completely abandon their involvement in international markets, either: “The pool of talent India has is an important medium for India to connect with the world,” he said. Instead, one guest suggest Indians become solutions providers rather than business seekers.
One thing is certain: Arunachalam stressed that the West is not to be blamed for the exploitation; Indians, he said, must change their fundamental psychology and abandon their “slavish” tendencies. Citing Leo Tolstoy’s letter to Gandhi, Arunachalam said it was the fault of Indians (200 million at the time) to have given into the clutches of the East India Company, a single commercial enterprise. Indians have only themselves to blame for their own servitude.
Along these lines, Venkatesh added that 2 % of Indians who live outside of India amass a GDP of one trillion–equivalent of the entire GDP generated in India as a whole. “It means something is not right here,” he said.
So I ended up buying the book when the function was over. (Published by Pentagon Press. Sold for Rs. 595).
I’ll keep you posted on how it really fares.
(Flickr photos by gopal1035 and harpreet thinking, respectively.)
The lesser of two evils
April 15, 2009 at 3:57 am | In BJP, Chennai, Congress, Indian elections, L.K.Advani | Leave a CommentThere’s a game young teens in America play, where one person presents a scenario, suggests two unfavorable plans of action, and the other person has to decide which one they would “rather” go for, given the dilemma.
As election campaigning picks up speed here in India, I’m reminded of that game.
A picture on the front of today’s newspaper, “Civil and politically correct,” of Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate L.K Advani and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (Congress) sitting side by side, made me think of all the the people I’ve heard criticizing Singh’s leadership (or lack thereof) until now.
I know many people see Singh as weak, soft-spoken, and ineffective. As unattractive as these qualities are in a leader, I have to admit it’s also refreshing to see someone who’s not prone to pick fights around the clock, or so combatant that he can’t think straight. While Singh scores low with regard to assertiveness, even the polls show Indians consider Singh the most trustworthy leader, over Advani, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, and Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Personally, I value honesty and sincerity more than I do decisiveness. And if strong leadership is what Singh is lacking, at least there’s Sonia Gandhi to give him a nudge in the (right?) direction. (But I also have to point out that the same poll shows votes don’t really feel any one of them is worth choosing over the other as a leader).
Plus just yesterday, papers reported that media persons were surprised at Singh’s aggressive stance against Advani’s hypocricy, because it is not usually his nature to dole out stinging remarks:
“Unlike the NDA’s prime ministerial candidate, I will not be found weeping in a corner while hoodlums tear down a centuries-old mosque. Nor will I be found wringing my hands in frustration while one of my Chief Ministers condones a pogrom targeted at minorities,” he said.
I know, I know. It’s easy to be aggressive when it’s simply against an opponent during election season and Singh’s bold speech should translate into action with regard to bold moves to protect national security. But it shows that Singh is human, and he does have it within him to at least put up a fight if needed. Perhaps his slow responses and inclination to avoid confrontation really stems from his preference to weigh out his options and maintain international relations. What could be interpreted as stupidity and inaction may really be consideration and diplomacy. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
(I’ll also admit, it may just be my weakness for Singh’s grandfatherly appearance that makes me have a soft spot for him.)
Still, when it comes down to supporting a national leader (which doesn’t actually apply to me as I am an American citizen, but for kicks…) although Singh’s leadership may not be the most ideal, given the choice between Advani and Singh, I would “rather” choose the more reasonable and level-headed Singh.
The mynah incident
April 13, 2009 at 5:44 pm | In Chennai, Chennai. The Hindu, journalism ethics, photojournalism | Leave a CommentTwo weeks ago, Chennai readers were shocked to see in the paper a doctored photo of two mynah birds appear on the second page of The Hindu.
While the Editor-in-chief apologized immediately following the complaints from readers who said the image was obviously tampered with, today, in his ONLINE AND OFF LINE column, the Readers’ Editor issued an extended explanation of what happened and how the photo managed to pass through not only the photo department, but the editing department as well.
Although the paper maintained that the senior photographer was “severely punished,” specifically how he was punished was left open interpretation…but I could tell from reading the column this morning that the photographer must have still been on staff:
“His otherwise excellent service record of 24 years mitigating the severity of the action taken.”
Ironically, when I went to a press meet this evening, I was surprised to find out it was the offending photographer who was assigned to cover the same event for which I was assigned from the reporting department. I was further astonished when he admitted to me upon introducing himself that he was the one who had doctored the photo. I couldn’t tell if it was out of shame and guilt that he was admitting this error to me upon our first meeting, or if it was lack of care.
Either way, I was taken aback. First, that this photographer was still being assigned freely to cover events, and second, that I could find no pang of remorse in his tone when he mentioned the breach of ethics.
I guess the doubt I raised this morning was confirmed by nightfall.
At The Hindu:Vibrance and vigor mark Baisakhi festivities
April 13, 2009 at 1:23 am | In Basakhi, Chennai, Chennai. The Hindu, Punjabi, South India, celebration, harvest festival, internship diary | Leave a CommentCHENNAI: It was more than just dhol beats that marked Baisakhi festivities in Chennai recently.
An interfaith celebration hosted by Developers India, an organization that promotes India’s development and unity, recognized the liveliness and resilience of Punjabi Sikh community, as well as the common threads that tie Punjabi Sikh culture to that of Tamilians.
Baisakhi, the Punjabi harvest festival that symbolizes happiness and prosperity, has significance all over India, the founder and secretary-convener of Developers India, Harbhajan Singh, said.
But the festival’s celebration “in the tip of India” carried an even greater message, because it represented the building of bridges between the two societies which, upon first glance, seem very different. He added that Baisakhi’s proximity to the Tamil New Year also gave it more weight in the southern State. Many of the dignitaries, alongside their Baisakhi greetings, echoed “Puthandu vazhthukkal” wishes as well.
General Commanding Officer for A TN K & K Area E.J. Kochekkan said that all Indians could follow the Punjabi example because Punjabis exhibit vigor in all aspects of life: they work hard, make merry, and are fierce fighters as well.
At The Hindu: Government follows through with bright idea
April 11, 2009 at 1:20 am | In Bachat Lamp Yojana, Chennai, Chennai. The Hindu, Greenpeace India, carbon footprint, energy efficiency, environment, global warming, incadescent light bulb, internship diary | Leave a CommentCHENNAI: It may be a small step to change a single light bulb, but a giant leap towards eliminating India’s carbon footprint: as the first step taken by the government toward fulfilling India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change, the price of the Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) has now been reduced to Rs. 15, according to Greenpeace volunteers.
Commemorating the official launch of the city’s ‘Bachat Lamp Yojana,’ a campaign to replace 400 million incandescent bulbs with CFLs by 2012, celebrities, volunteers, and passers-by gathered at the Gandhi Statue on the Marina on Friday. Although the campaign was initiated by Greenpeace in 2007, volunteer Senthil Kumar said that only now the government had reduced the price of CFLs to Rs. 15, making these energy-efficient bulbs more affordable to the general public. Previously, the price of these bulbs started at Rs. 100.
The campaign aims at distributing 11-15 w CFLs at Rs. 15 each, in the place of 60 w and 100 w incandescent bulbs, which are the most commonly used across the country.
Whereas the CFLs will not be readily available in the market just yet, Finny Gerald, Greenpeace Direct Dialogue Recruiter in Chennai, said 14 electricity supply companies from 12 States nationwide enlisted themselves with the initiative to provide these bulbs to consumers.
Mr. Kumar said the CFL bulb could last up to four times as long as an incandescent bulb, and was more environment-friendly.
Thus, by phasing out the 400 million incandescent bulbs, Greenpeace volunteers predicted India would save 10,000 MW of electricity and reduce 55 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year – the equivalent of shutting down four power plants, according to Mr. Gerald.
A supporter of Greenpeace’s efforts, Bengali actor Dhritiman Chatterjee, said this initiative provided an option to those who were environmentally conscious, but had often felt helpless with regard to taking action.
“Simplicity, sympathy, and sharing: Although it sounds lofty, using these three basic principles in whatever way we think possible, we can find specific ways to reduce our daily energy consumption,” he said.
Director Vasanth, who attended the campaign, agreed that he himself takes routine steps to reduce his contribution to global warming.
“I make sure to check my tyres everyday. It’s one small thing, but I am conscious of protecting the environment,” he said.
At The Hindu: How to add humanity to health care
April 10, 2009 at 1:16 am | In Chennai, Chennai. The Hindu, Meenakshi Medical University, health, internship diary, medicine, profession | Leave a CommentCHENNAI: The human touch and sincerity of doctors that makes health care in India unique is also what needs to continue to expand, according to Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University K. Meer Mustafa Hussain.
Addressing the convocation of Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute, Enathur, on Wednesday, he said that there is tremendous need in the nursing, physiotherapy, and dental surgery fields, and these are areas which call for the most contact with patients.
“It’s the nurses who spend 24 hours with the patient, not the medical officers,” he said, adding that patients overcome their inhibitions to ask nurses and therapists questions they would not have asked doctors.
Globally, he said there is a shortage of 10 lakh nurses and 2 lakh dental surgeons, but gradually, awareness among Indians about the importance of dental hygiene is helping the case of the latter in India.
Furthermore, the notoriety associated with self-financed colleges 25 years ago hindered their proliferation, he said. Such colleges were thought to be set up along the business ethic, that is, merely for “swelling the pockets” of the private administrators who had financed their development; but today it is agreed that self-financed medical colleges have contributed to society and its growth. Dr. Hussain said policy makers wish to see a doubling in the number of medical colleges, to provide more postgraduate seats.
“Think globally, act locally,” Dr. Hussain advised the graduates. He urged them not to stop their educational pursuits or research after graduating from medical school. “Only if you completely research, you can compete with others,” he said.
Vice-Chancellor of Meenakshi University T. Gunasagaran explained that currently, 30,000 students pass out in India every year, but there are only 10,000 postgraduate seats available in the approximately 160 medical colleges in the country.
That means the remaining 20,000 Indian health professionals should qualify themselves further in other countries, especially now that India has started recognizing some international qualifications.
He felt this is “a welcome step,” in the right direction, so Indians who complete their studies abroad can come back to fill teaching positions here.
A total of 196 received their degrees at the convocation.
At The Hindu: 7Up switches up cricket rules
April 9, 2009 at 1:10 am | In 7Up, Chennai, Chennai Super Kings, Chennai. The Hindu, Indian Premier League, cricket, internship diary | Leave a CommentCHENNAI: Thought the T-20 was as intense as cricket could get? Think again. Thanks to 7Up’s Lemon Pattalam contest, seven amateur cricketers from Tamil Nadu will get to travel to South Africa not only to watch the IPL live, but also play in a 7Up style match against the Chennai Super Kings—that means 7 balls per over and 7 overs per innings.
“It will be a challenge for fielding, but we’re turning the rules of cricket on its head,” said Alpana Titus, Executive Vice-President of Flavors, PepsiCo India.
She said the revamped rules allow players to score 7 runs as well, as 7-Up will implement an extra boundary outside the sixer range.
“This kind of stimulating cricket is what excites young people,” said CSK Director of Cricketing Operations V.B. Chandrasekar.
As if bringing Indian gully cricket to South Africa wasn’t exciting enough.
But not all hope is lost for the athletically challenged who wish to attend the match overseas, too. The “Gaana Paadu, South Africayil Aadu” contest by 7Up’s radio partner Hello FM will allow four musical winners from Tamil Nadu to cheer on the Kings and walk alongside M.S. Dhoni to the coin toss.
These contestants will have to submit team cheers to be aired on Hello FM.
Team registration for the contests, which are open to boys and girls who are above the age of 18, will begin on April 15 and run through May 3.
Teams of seven can pick up registration forms and rules at 7Up retailers.
Through inter-city matches, a champion from each city will be selected to play against each other.
Participating cities include Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem, Tirupur, Tiruchi and Tirunelveli.
At The Hindu: Unrivaled skill of unravelling puzzles
April 9, 2009 at 1:07 am | In Aishwarya Sriram, Chennai, The Hindu, autism, internship diary, puzzles, skill, talent | Leave a CommentCHENNAI: Whether 20 pieces, 50 pieces, a 100 or a 1,000, numbers don’t matter when Aishwarya Sriram is determined to solve a jigsaw puzzle.
“Aishy can solve puzzles, but she herself remains a puzzle,” her parents, Gayatri and Sriram, say. After all, her impenetrable focus to finish puzzles late into the night is unrivaled by anyone else they’ve seen. But like many people with autism, 27-year old Aishy’s diligence is the expression of her special skills.
Autism is a developmental disorder which affects the brain. While children who are autistic usually lack social communication or interactive skills, they usually show unique abilities in other ways. For Aishy, it’s her heightened visual-spatial judgment.
Governing Body member of Vidya Sagar Spastics Society of India actor Revathy inaugurated an exhibition of Aishy’s puzzle collection here on Tuesday. Aishy’s completed works include puzzles of the Mona Lisa, the Last Supper (her favorite), and a silver KRYPT, a monochromatic puzzle which requires piecing together solely based on each piece’s shape.
“She has a photographic memory of each piece, so she doesn’t need any images to refer to,” her mother says.
When Aishy was 3 years old, her parents noticed her speech progressing slower than that of their first daughter’s. After a visit to a paediatric psychiatrist, they learned Aishy was autistic. Since then, family friends say the parents have been supportive of all of Aishy’s accomplishments, including her most ardent hobby, jigsaw puzzles.
She first discovered puzzles when she was 10, after crying for her teacher’s attention while at Vijay Human Services, a school for special children. A box of cardboard cut-out pieces fell from a cupboard, and Aishy’s teacher was pleasantly surprised to find a completed puzzle and content child upon her return.
Her parents say working on jigsaw puzzles, which started as a mere “time pass,” became an intense hobby, and now family friends from all over the world send Aishy puzzles instead of chocolates or souvenirs. Aishy’s sister, Abhirami, says the family keeps a stock of puzzles at home to quell Aishy’s spontaneous and voracious appetite for puzzles, and now, she has completed 74 puzzles to-date.
Nandita Krishna, director of the C P Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation applauded the family’s support of Aishy’s accomplishments through the puzzle exhibition: “Just as you would celebrate the graduation or diploma of a normal child, you should encourage and take pride in the achievements of special children.”
Ms. Krishna said she has witnessed many families in which the fathers abandon the autistic child, leaving the single mother to cope with the struggles of earning for the family as well as nurturing the child.
However, Ms. Gayatri assures that it is her husband’s commitment has been instrumental to Aishy’s growth.
“He always says these (special children) are divine souls, and God has given us the opportunity to raise such a child,” she said.
For the Sriram family, Aishy is a perfect fit.
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