I just finished reading “Every Second Counts” by Lance Armstrong, the sequel to his widely acclaimed (and extremely inspiring, I may add) book ”Its Not About The Bike”, and have this insatiable desire to talk to people right now, because what I read in these two books, a lot of it found resonance with me and my thoughts. I would urge everyone of you to pick up these 2 books and go through them, not because they offer some heavy management fundae about life & success, but because they have a quality most books of this genre rarely have- simplicity and uncluttered thought!
For those of you who don’t know, Lance Armstrong is a 5-time winner of the Tour de France, supposedly one of the most ardous and demanding sporting events of the world- a cycling course that takes the contestants 21 days to cover entire France- with all the hills and plains and countrysides, eventually ending in Paris. Lance is a cancer survivor, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996, and given by many doctors a 20% chance of surviving. He survived, defeated cancer and his opponents to become the undisputed cycling great of all time. And in these books he has taken the reader through his journey through his entire process of being diagnosed with cancer, going through the painful journey of chemotherapy, coming out of it and winning the tour.
But its not only about that, in fact, that is only the backdrop, the wider message is what he lays more stress on, and what led me to get typing. How many of you remember that line from the Spider-man movie- “We all have a choice”? Never was a truer word spoken, and a simpler one at that. But, being simple as it is, it also gets one thinking, thinking about life in general and the way we live our lives.
We all do have a choice, and that applies to every moment and every occasion of our lives. We can choose to feel good or bad, to be rude to someone or nice, to keep standing on the sidelines and not care about things, or roll up our sleeves and jump in and make a difference.
It’s a bit risky to offer advice, or lecture about how we should live our lives. Someone famous or successful can do that, but I can always be told to mind my own business, or asked what have I done about this, but the problem with being a thinking person is that there is something always knawing away inside us somewhere, something that keeps asking us if this is the life we want to live all our lives? This waking up every morning and counting down to the weekends (come to think of it, if we keep living for the weekends our whole lives, we would be alive for only 2/7th of our lives, for the rest, we would be barely existing!), bitching behind someone’s back, complaining about our bosses and colleagues, feeling jealous of our friend who has a better car/house/wife/husband than us, etc etc. Well, I sometimes feel, the best answer to this can be got by asking yourself a simple question: “How would you like to be remembered?” The scariest thought for me is the thought that when I am old and look back at my life, I don’t want to get the thought “What might have been, if I had decided to live my life that way”.
The problem that most of us (and it includes me!) face in these situations, is that we become so ensconced and comfortable in our daily lives, so taken by the luxuries this life has to offer, that it becomes a difficult thing to comprehend taking a risk. It’s a comfort zone we move into, and human beings, by their very nature, are averse to change, there is an inertia inside us that always tries and keeps us where we are, irrespective of what we might think. Or, like many of us learn to compromise with our dreams, because of circumstances, or a multitude of reasons.
They say there are two options: love what you do, or do what you love! The only problem, according to me, with the first option is that it somehow represents a non-fulfillment of our potential or the purpose we have come into this world for, and is thus, to a degree, unacceptable to me. Of course, many of us might already be doing what they love (and I count those souls blessed!) or have learnt to love what we are doing, or at least learnt to put our lives in a kind of a comfort-inducing pattern which somehow fills up our days with activity, and helps provide for our comfortable lives.
But, for the rest (which includes me), we need to keep looking, keep searching for that one thing we have been sent here for, and keep searching for some more meaning in our everyday lives, as well as keep searching for that courage to take the plunge when the realization dawns! But till the time we get there, I have a few suggestions to make our lives feel better, and to feel more alive (I have tried this and this works!). In fact, its simple really- be nice to people! Yes, ridiculous as it may sound, it’s a great way to feel more alive. And here, I mean anyone you come in touch with, it can be your driver, your servant, the traffic policeman, the cafeteria boy in office, absolutely anyone! Give them a smile when they look at you, and you will see the impact! Trust me, its much easier to be nice to people than to be rude, and when we are nice to someone, we are actually being nice to a part of us, and that’s why you will always feel bright and happy when you help someone. Its actually yourself you are helping- small things, join an NGO in the weekends, spend an hour of your week’s time with poor kids or old people, sponsor a child’s education, and I promise you, you will instantly feel more alive. You know why? Because this is precisely what distinguishes us from animals, the ability to feel/care for someone else apart from ourselves!
And of course, meanwhile, we will keep looking for that answer that eludes us for the time being, and which will ensure we live everyday of our lives, and don’t just exist, and when time comes to walk into the sunset, we do so with the satisfaction of a life well-lived! God bless!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Mile sur mera tumhara!
Some years back, when we were in school, there was this lovely jingle on tv (Doordarshan then), “Mile sur mera tumhara, to sur bane hamara”. I don’t know how many of you remember that, but it left an indelible mark on my mind, it was one of those innocent ideas we grew up with. All those people from different parts of India, walking and running together, singing songs in their own languages, and eventually everyone joining together and singing the above lines, it was a beautiful piece, and if you ask me, nothing has managed to capture the true essence of our country better than that 5-minute long song. It somehow told me that I am a part of a country whose strength lies in its diversity, and that somehow, in some strange manner, the diverse parts come together to form a beautiful homogeneous whole! And somehow, the whole always manages to exceed the sum of parts in this union.
Today, on the 62nd birthday of our young nation, this is the first thought that comes to my mind. Think of it, in how many countries on this earth would you find such an amazing range of diversity, starting from the 28 states and numerous union territories, to the amazing number of languages being spoken there, the diverse set of customs, the huge range of food habits (ranging from the mouth-watering paranthas & chicken butter masala in the north, to the dal-bati-churma in Rajasthan, to the hilsa & sweets in Bengal, to the vada-pav and pav-bhaji in Mumbai, to the spicy Chettinad chicken & biriyani in Andhra, right down to appam and stew in Kerala!), the amazing dance forms (like chou, bihu, kathak, bharatnatyam, garba, bhangra to name a few) that are as diverse from each other as salsa, tango and jive, the different dress materials, the different weather patterns in different areas of India! Think of the geographical diversity, ranging from the Himalayas up north, to the gangetic plains down below, to the Thar desert in the west and the lush green paddy fields in the east, the beautiful hills of the “seven sisters’ of North-east, to the huge coastline along the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, well I can go on and on, but you get the point!
Before leaving home, I, like many others, believed anything south of the Deccan is South India, and therefore, similar. Little did I know that Tamil Nadu and its people are as different from Karnataka and Andhra as Punjab is different from Kerala! Truth to say, I got a feel of the real diversity that exists in this country only after I left home, and that is when I truly fell in love with the idea of India! Its mind-boggling, to say the least, and if you take some time out to think of the diversity that exists, and inspite of which we manage to function as one country, united at our heart, you know why an author once proclaimed that “knowing India fully can take a lifetime, and that knowing India is like taking a peek into your own soul”.
There is a file line between nationalism and nationalistic chauvinism, a line I don’t intend to cross even given my love for my country. There are a lot of ills that plague us today, ranging from terrorism, both internal and external, the ever present spectre of corruption, which some people claim has become an inseperable part of our daily existence. There is of course, the ever-present threat of poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy & unemployment, which in turn give rise to a host of other socio-economic-political issues.
But, the eternal optimist that I am, I see scope for hope and positivity. Economically, we are ever improving, and do have sound fundamentals, we have an effective judiciary in place, and most importantly, I see the political scenario changing, slowly, but still, changing and for the better! I have always maintained that the politico of any nation is its most important section, if only for the sheer reach and scope of its influence. And herein, I see more and more sections of youth taking an active interest, more political parties realizing that they need to cater to this demanding vote bank, and I foresee a gradual cleansing of our political system in years to come (well, this bodes well for me too, given my own political ambitionsJ).
So, I end this on a positive note, with a hope and prayer, and a call (as always) to every one of us to keep the faith in our country, and start taking active interest in the goings-on of our country and our system, and I promise you guys, tomorrow is always gonna be brighter! Jai Hind!
Today, on the 62nd birthday of our young nation, this is the first thought that comes to my mind. Think of it, in how many countries on this earth would you find such an amazing range of diversity, starting from the 28 states and numerous union territories, to the amazing number of languages being spoken there, the diverse set of customs, the huge range of food habits (ranging from the mouth-watering paranthas & chicken butter masala in the north, to the dal-bati-churma in Rajasthan, to the hilsa & sweets in Bengal, to the vada-pav and pav-bhaji in Mumbai, to the spicy Chettinad chicken & biriyani in Andhra, right down to appam and stew in Kerala!), the amazing dance forms (like chou, bihu, kathak, bharatnatyam, garba, bhangra to name a few) that are as diverse from each other as salsa, tango and jive, the different dress materials, the different weather patterns in different areas of India! Think of the geographical diversity, ranging from the Himalayas up north, to the gangetic plains down below, to the Thar desert in the west and the lush green paddy fields in the east, the beautiful hills of the “seven sisters’ of North-east, to the huge coastline along the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, well I can go on and on, but you get the point!
Before leaving home, I, like many others, believed anything south of the Deccan is South India, and therefore, similar. Little did I know that Tamil Nadu and its people are as different from Karnataka and Andhra as Punjab is different from Kerala! Truth to say, I got a feel of the real diversity that exists in this country only after I left home, and that is when I truly fell in love with the idea of India! Its mind-boggling, to say the least, and if you take some time out to think of the diversity that exists, and inspite of which we manage to function as one country, united at our heart, you know why an author once proclaimed that “knowing India fully can take a lifetime, and that knowing India is like taking a peek into your own soul”.
There is a file line between nationalism and nationalistic chauvinism, a line I don’t intend to cross even given my love for my country. There are a lot of ills that plague us today, ranging from terrorism, both internal and external, the ever present spectre of corruption, which some people claim has become an inseperable part of our daily existence. There is of course, the ever-present threat of poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy & unemployment, which in turn give rise to a host of other socio-economic-political issues.
But, the eternal optimist that I am, I see scope for hope and positivity. Economically, we are ever improving, and do have sound fundamentals, we have an effective judiciary in place, and most importantly, I see the political scenario changing, slowly, but still, changing and for the better! I have always maintained that the politico of any nation is its most important section, if only for the sheer reach and scope of its influence. And herein, I see more and more sections of youth taking an active interest, more political parties realizing that they need to cater to this demanding vote bank, and I foresee a gradual cleansing of our political system in years to come (well, this bodes well for me too, given my own political ambitionsJ).
So, I end this on a positive note, with a hope and prayer, and a call (as always) to every one of us to keep the faith in our country, and start taking active interest in the goings-on of our country and our system, and I promise you guys, tomorrow is always gonna be brighter! Jai Hind!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Getting it straight!
It is kind of unfortunate that in a vibrant, thriving democracy as ours, which stands on the three pillars of legislative, executive & judiciary, making important decisions and keeping harmful & divisive elements at bay is often left to the last of the three-our courts! And have they delivered over the last few years- think of all progressive judgements coming out of our courts and it makes one thing clear- judiciary is probably the only institution that has worked well for us post-independence.
And added to the impressive list of judgments is the recent ruling by the Delhi HC pronouncing the legality of gay rights, and saying in the process that article 377, which says homosexuality- even consensual sex under the same- is punishable by law. Now this law was drafted around 150 years back by the British- a lot has changed since that time! Without going into the good and bad of the changes (for that debate is a never-ending one, one best done on a rainy holiday afternoon over tea and pakoras), it is clear to everyone that times they are a changin’, and however much it might put some of us into discomfort, we need to clearly draw a line between personal and public space, something which doesn’t come easily to us Indians! Honestly, what someone does in his/her bedroom is best left to that person, without getting unduly nosy/judgmental about the same. If you ask me, that’s the main disease that plagues us- we are too judgemental as people, jumping to conclusions is almost second nature to us.
For a long time now, society has perceived those of a different sexual orientation in a particular stereotypical fashion. What has also not helped is the portrayal in our films- the most influential medium if you talk of reach and penetration. This has only reinforced the stereotypes already existing, and frankly we all have been equally guilty of the same, forgetting that its purely a personal choice to be straight or gay.
Which is why the judgement, coming as it has from a high court, is a pleasant surprise, a landmark one at that! That the court has realized that we need to be more mature as a nation that is striving for, and may even achieve, superpower status in the new century, and also one which has always stood for plurality in society, and states equality and liberty as the paramount values that our society should stand for, is a momentous occasion.
Of course, given the peculiar political compulsions that exist in our country, with smaller parties having to pander to their particular vote banks, and our religious leaders who wield considerable clout socially and politically, getting the law repealed will still take some doing. But there is no doubt about the fact that we have taken a crucial, if small, step towards showing the world what Indian society truly stands for- freedom of choice!
And added to the impressive list of judgments is the recent ruling by the Delhi HC pronouncing the legality of gay rights, and saying in the process that article 377, which says homosexuality- even consensual sex under the same- is punishable by law. Now this law was drafted around 150 years back by the British- a lot has changed since that time! Without going into the good and bad of the changes (for that debate is a never-ending one, one best done on a rainy holiday afternoon over tea and pakoras), it is clear to everyone that times they are a changin’, and however much it might put some of us into discomfort, we need to clearly draw a line between personal and public space, something which doesn’t come easily to us Indians! Honestly, what someone does in his/her bedroom is best left to that person, without getting unduly nosy/judgmental about the same. If you ask me, that’s the main disease that plagues us- we are too judgemental as people, jumping to conclusions is almost second nature to us.
For a long time now, society has perceived those of a different sexual orientation in a particular stereotypical fashion. What has also not helped is the portrayal in our films- the most influential medium if you talk of reach and penetration. This has only reinforced the stereotypes already existing, and frankly we all have been equally guilty of the same, forgetting that its purely a personal choice to be straight or gay.
Which is why the judgement, coming as it has from a high court, is a pleasant surprise, a landmark one at that! That the court has realized that we need to be more mature as a nation that is striving for, and may even achieve, superpower status in the new century, and also one which has always stood for plurality in society, and states equality and liberty as the paramount values that our society should stand for, is a momentous occasion.
Of course, given the peculiar political compulsions that exist in our country, with smaller parties having to pander to their particular vote banks, and our religious leaders who wield considerable clout socially and politically, getting the law repealed will still take some doing. But there is no doubt about the fact that we have taken a crucial, if small, step towards showing the world what Indian society truly stands for- freedom of choice!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Sometimes...
Sometimes, life has this strange habit of throwing up perplexing issues and questions before us, questions which we often don’t have answers to, and on these occasions one has to wonder about what is right or wrong, and whether what happened was right or wrong.
A lot usually gets spoken about and written about love, over the centuries poets, writers and philosophers have put forth various views about this, many a story has been written, many a memorable character created, but at the end of the day, there still are a lot of questions left unanswered.
Of course, love in itself is a beautiful thing, weather changes pattern, colors seem brighter, people seem better, that sound of falling raindrops outside, that cool breeze, that holding hands with your loved one and walking in the rain, forgetting all your troubles and issues, and just that feeling that life is beautiful, that music in your soul, that look in the eyes, its all….magical! Something that every person should experience at least once in a lifetime, for it makes us a better person.
But, it would have been fine and perfect if it was limited to only that. Unfortunately, it doesn’t, and like everything else in life, there are two, or rather, many sides to this coin as well! Things become complicated, issues arise when you thought everything was perfect, and often things don’t end up the way we had envisaged. Sad, but I guess that’s part of what life teaches us, part of something that completes us as individuals.
They say that true love is not holding on to something/someone dear to you, true love is about letting go. Well, easy to say, but very very painful to do. I mean, you cant just overnight let someone go who was a part of your life and dreams till the other day, right? It tears you apart. But, again, part of life I guess. But the question that really arises is at what point do you let go? When do you decide that things have come to an end? Is there any end? Can you really end love? I don’t know, don’t have the answers to that one….
But, in any case, I think the best thing for us is to realize that its all part of a greater plan, and if we have undergone this pain, its for our own good. It’s a chapter added to the book of life, which we keep reading till the last day of our lives. At times we do feel a tinge of regret about what happened, we think what if I had acted that way and said that thing? Maybe things would have been different. Maybe, but that wasn’t part of the plan, that’s why that didn’t happen.
Maybe the best way to live is to live in the present, and not have any regrets about the past. We would still face those bends and crossroads of life where we are face-to-face with someone we held dear once, and we would still feel a sharp pain somewhere, but I guess that pain purges us, it makes us feel alive. And as for love, that’s something that never ends, it’s a part of who we are, and true love also doesn’t restrict us or constrict us, it actually does set us free, free to experience this beautiful world, free to love someone again, in that same passionate way, free to spread this feeling, and to see the goodness inside each and every one of us, to help the helpless, to love the shunned, and to lend a healing touch to the suffering, and to make this world a much much better place to inhabit! God bless!
A lot usually gets spoken about and written about love, over the centuries poets, writers and philosophers have put forth various views about this, many a story has been written, many a memorable character created, but at the end of the day, there still are a lot of questions left unanswered.
Of course, love in itself is a beautiful thing, weather changes pattern, colors seem brighter, people seem better, that sound of falling raindrops outside, that cool breeze, that holding hands with your loved one and walking in the rain, forgetting all your troubles and issues, and just that feeling that life is beautiful, that music in your soul, that look in the eyes, its all….magical! Something that every person should experience at least once in a lifetime, for it makes us a better person.
But, it would have been fine and perfect if it was limited to only that. Unfortunately, it doesn’t, and like everything else in life, there are two, or rather, many sides to this coin as well! Things become complicated, issues arise when you thought everything was perfect, and often things don’t end up the way we had envisaged. Sad, but I guess that’s part of what life teaches us, part of something that completes us as individuals.
They say that true love is not holding on to something/someone dear to you, true love is about letting go. Well, easy to say, but very very painful to do. I mean, you cant just overnight let someone go who was a part of your life and dreams till the other day, right? It tears you apart. But, again, part of life I guess. But the question that really arises is at what point do you let go? When do you decide that things have come to an end? Is there any end? Can you really end love? I don’t know, don’t have the answers to that one….
But, in any case, I think the best thing for us is to realize that its all part of a greater plan, and if we have undergone this pain, its for our own good. It’s a chapter added to the book of life, which we keep reading till the last day of our lives. At times we do feel a tinge of regret about what happened, we think what if I had acted that way and said that thing? Maybe things would have been different. Maybe, but that wasn’t part of the plan, that’s why that didn’t happen.
Maybe the best way to live is to live in the present, and not have any regrets about the past. We would still face those bends and crossroads of life where we are face-to-face with someone we held dear once, and we would still feel a sharp pain somewhere, but I guess that pain purges us, it makes us feel alive. And as for love, that’s something that never ends, it’s a part of who we are, and true love also doesn’t restrict us or constrict us, it actually does set us free, free to experience this beautiful world, free to love someone again, in that same passionate way, free to spread this feeling, and to see the goodness inside each and every one of us, to help the helpless, to love the shunned, and to lend a healing touch to the suffering, and to make this world a much much better place to inhabit! God bless!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
10 things I want to do before I die ....
I just thought about all those lists people draw up about the things they want to do in their lives, and so came up with the 10 things I want to do before I die (I am pretty serious about this list):
1. Write a book
2. Get a 6-pack
3. Jump off a plane
4. Go to North/South pole
5. Form a band, perform on stage
6. Open a shop/company
7. Shout at someone
8. Learn as many dance forms as possible
9. Enter politics
10. Meet Madonna
1. Write a book
2. Get a 6-pack
3. Jump off a plane
4. Go to North/South pole
5. Form a band, perform on stage
6. Open a shop/company
7. Shout at someone
8. Learn as many dance forms as possible
9. Enter politics
10. Meet Madonna
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
A Complete Citizen- Finally!
Yes, you guessed it right- I cast my first vote today, and, though many of you would have exercised this before, its giving me a good feeling- no, this wouldn’t change the wrong things around me, or make this world a better place, but this at least makes me feel like a complete citizen today, and gives me the right to raise my voice when I see something wrong happening, without feeling like I haven’t done my bit!
The last few days for me, at home, have been electorally charged. Happens when you have a politically aware household, and live in the perhaps the most politically charged city (Kolkata) in the whole country.
No kidding, guys! For those of you who have been following the election process for the last month (at least I have, and trust me, it’s a hundred times more interesting than the contrived IPL DLF maximums & Citi moments of success- ugh!!), we have been treated to voter turnout percentages of 40-60% around the country, with supposed politically aware cities like Pune registering an abysmally low (and extremely disappointing) 45%, the Mumbai glitterati in posh South Mumbai finding electoral similarities with the illiterate poor of the dusty interiors of Bihar, from the communally charged Gujarat to the extremely passionate Andhra, it has all mostly been a sorry tale of low voter turnouts. A lot was to blame, with excuses ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous- public apathy towards the continual non-governance by their elected representatives, the mid-summer heat, the IPL circus, people leaving town to take advantage of the 4 day weekend, people staying in town but refusing to leave home from fear of another Tsunami (ok, I made that up!), etc. etc. etc.
But if any of you have kept tab on the voter turnouts in West Bengal, it has been an astonishing 80% (and that is the average figure, at places it has been higher!)!! Yes, with all the attendant problems we talked about, and some more- Maoist threat and violence, non-Maoist threat and violence- I mean that unleashed by the political parties. The elections here have been violent to say the least, the usual complaints of booth jamming, rampant rigging, threatening voters with dire consequences have all been present, but all this have not been able to keep voters inside their homes. And today, when I was standing in the voter’s line for one and a half hours, the atmosphere there itself said a lot. People talking to each other, discussing politics, who will win and who deserves to rot in hell, I realized the satisfaction people derive from casting their vote, for it makes them feel powerful & relevant, even if once in 5 years! And that, my friends is the power of democracy!!
Now comes another interesting part- the post-poll analysis, the exit polls, and finally the D-day- 16th May when the results are going to be announced, and politics and arithmetic will blissfully be married time and again, for that shot at forming the government, or at least being a part of it, or even if that’s not possible, issue-based support from outside which can be withdrawn at a convenient occasion! And we would do well to keep a keen eye on the same, for even in these issueless elections, this probably is the most critical election in a long time, and who occupies the important positions at the helm might have more bearing on our lives than we care to imagine. So, let the credits roll, and the show begin!!
The last few days for me, at home, have been electorally charged. Happens when you have a politically aware household, and live in the perhaps the most politically charged city (Kolkata) in the whole country.
No kidding, guys! For those of you who have been following the election process for the last month (at least I have, and trust me, it’s a hundred times more interesting than the contrived IPL DLF maximums & Citi moments of success- ugh!!), we have been treated to voter turnout percentages of 40-60% around the country, with supposed politically aware cities like Pune registering an abysmally low (and extremely disappointing) 45%, the Mumbai glitterati in posh South Mumbai finding electoral similarities with the illiterate poor of the dusty interiors of Bihar, from the communally charged Gujarat to the extremely passionate Andhra, it has all mostly been a sorry tale of low voter turnouts. A lot was to blame, with excuses ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous- public apathy towards the continual non-governance by their elected representatives, the mid-summer heat, the IPL circus, people leaving town to take advantage of the 4 day weekend, people staying in town but refusing to leave home from fear of another Tsunami (ok, I made that up!), etc. etc. etc.
But if any of you have kept tab on the voter turnouts in West Bengal, it has been an astonishing 80% (and that is the average figure, at places it has been higher!)!! Yes, with all the attendant problems we talked about, and some more- Maoist threat and violence, non-Maoist threat and violence- I mean that unleashed by the political parties. The elections here have been violent to say the least, the usual complaints of booth jamming, rampant rigging, threatening voters with dire consequences have all been present, but all this have not been able to keep voters inside their homes. And today, when I was standing in the voter’s line for one and a half hours, the atmosphere there itself said a lot. People talking to each other, discussing politics, who will win and who deserves to rot in hell, I realized the satisfaction people derive from casting their vote, for it makes them feel powerful & relevant, even if once in 5 years! And that, my friends is the power of democracy!!
Now comes another interesting part- the post-poll analysis, the exit polls, and finally the D-day- 16th May when the results are going to be announced, and politics and arithmetic will blissfully be married time and again, for that shot at forming the government, or at least being a part of it, or even if that’s not possible, issue-based support from outside which can be withdrawn at a convenient occasion! And we would do well to keep a keen eye on the same, for even in these issueless elections, this probably is the most critical election in a long time, and who occupies the important positions at the helm might have more bearing on our lives than we care to imagine. So, let the credits roll, and the show begin!!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Why we should vote, at least this time!!
So, the once in five years circus is in town again. Yes, I’m referring to our very own dance of democracy- the general elections- the month long tandav that captivates a billion people, on which crores are spent by our mighty political parties, and the sure-shot short term TRP boost for all our news channels! April and May are going to add to the already unbearable heat of the Indian summer, thanks to the high-octane election action.
Now, and this is something I firmly believe, this election is different, or rather, should be treated differently, by both the ruling class as well as us- the ‘Youngistaan’ generation. Traditionally, as far as our generation is concerned, and by this I mean the city-bred middle class youth, we have been least bothered by the outcome of elections, and who comes to power, and the primary reason behind that has been the fact that most of us have not cared to vote at all. And for good reason, I mean, who do we vote for? The thoroughly inept and corrupt politicians almost seem a mirror image of each other, and would it really matter who comes to power this time as well?
It will. And there are reasons for that. First, rarely has the country, or indeed the world (still, I’m restricting myself to the country level for the time being) been faced with such a two-pronged trouble as it is being faced with now- terrorism and recession. The last 4-5 years have seen a march by India inc. towards a stronger economy and a louder voice on the world fora, due primarily to our companies performing creditably on the world stage, and another factor which we often tend to overlook- our being a successful democracy is something a lot of countries around the world look up to. However, all that has been briefly halted by some unfortunate events in the last 5-6 months- the shameful Satyam saga, the Mumbai attacks as well as the global recession the effects of which are being felt in India as well.
Now, what will any one who comes to power do about all this, you might ask. A lot, actually. Lets go one by one on the issues discussed. Terrorism, a critical issue at the quietest of times, is living amongst us, hatching devious schemes, and the fact that we are living in a dangerous neighborhood, as the recent SWAT deal has demonstrated, only adds to the criticality of the issue. Thus, the need becomes paramount of having the right people in power who would be able to look after internal security as well as frame pragmatic realpolitik policies, which is always a fine balancing game. Next, the recession. The past few days have demonstrated to us the importance of governments having to step in to bail out sick private sector behemoths, and having a good bunch of policy-makers and economists at the helm is all too important and can never be over-stressed to see us through this current crisis.
Of course, all said and done, first we don’t know if our politicians would actually be upto scratch to take care of all these issues in an effective manner, and even if some of them are, we are not sure if we know who they are. Of course, the perennial grouse is always there as an excuse- what difference will it make if I vote? Will the right guys come to power? Well, they will certainly not if we don’t vote, and the final argument, similar to all youth who use it against there parents when arguing in favour of love marriages, if I choose my life-partner (read-policy makers), I know I will be responsible for the state of my life (read country), now isn’t that a feeling worth having?
Now, and this is something I firmly believe, this election is different, or rather, should be treated differently, by both the ruling class as well as us- the ‘Youngistaan’ generation. Traditionally, as far as our generation is concerned, and by this I mean the city-bred middle class youth, we have been least bothered by the outcome of elections, and who comes to power, and the primary reason behind that has been the fact that most of us have not cared to vote at all. And for good reason, I mean, who do we vote for? The thoroughly inept and corrupt politicians almost seem a mirror image of each other, and would it really matter who comes to power this time as well?
It will. And there are reasons for that. First, rarely has the country, or indeed the world (still, I’m restricting myself to the country level for the time being) been faced with such a two-pronged trouble as it is being faced with now- terrorism and recession. The last 4-5 years have seen a march by India inc. towards a stronger economy and a louder voice on the world fora, due primarily to our companies performing creditably on the world stage, and another factor which we often tend to overlook- our being a successful democracy is something a lot of countries around the world look up to. However, all that has been briefly halted by some unfortunate events in the last 5-6 months- the shameful Satyam saga, the Mumbai attacks as well as the global recession the effects of which are being felt in India as well.
Now, what will any one who comes to power do about all this, you might ask. A lot, actually. Lets go one by one on the issues discussed. Terrorism, a critical issue at the quietest of times, is living amongst us, hatching devious schemes, and the fact that we are living in a dangerous neighborhood, as the recent SWAT deal has demonstrated, only adds to the criticality of the issue. Thus, the need becomes paramount of having the right people in power who would be able to look after internal security as well as frame pragmatic realpolitik policies, which is always a fine balancing game. Next, the recession. The past few days have demonstrated to us the importance of governments having to step in to bail out sick private sector behemoths, and having a good bunch of policy-makers and economists at the helm is all too important and can never be over-stressed to see us through this current crisis.
Of course, all said and done, first we don’t know if our politicians would actually be upto scratch to take care of all these issues in an effective manner, and even if some of them are, we are not sure if we know who they are. Of course, the perennial grouse is always there as an excuse- what difference will it make if I vote? Will the right guys come to power? Well, they will certainly not if we don’t vote, and the final argument, similar to all youth who use it against there parents when arguing in favour of love marriages, if I choose my life-partner (read-policy makers), I know I will be responsible for the state of my life (read country), now isn’t that a feeling worth having?
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