Bee,
Woke up to your hum today.
Your magical presence was felt
When I got up to the shining rays...
You had left silent; as usual.
Through my hazy windows
I looked through
And found you
While I was still unravelling your last hum
To me. To my being.
The clarity you were.
The silence you kept
Through my muddled waters.
You have become more colourful.
And made me too.
September 26, 2010
September 12, 2010
A Hole in the Psyche
During last week of August, a young woman died giving birth to a baby. In Delhi. Close to the Parliament. In Connaught Place. While Delhi moved with its business as usual attitude, she died after battling to cut the umbilical cord by herself. No one saw her. No one bothered to stop by and reach out.
Kairali TV flashed the shocking news and the ghastly sight first time. Just like a bag of rags, the mother’s corpse lay covered in a red shawl, flies swarming her lifeless body. Who ever watched the news, stopped to think for a minute.
The mother died. But the battle of the new born baby was yet to begin. A single woman, who owns a garment shop close by, came forward to take care of the seemingly healthy baby. But the legalities took the lead where human beings stopped to care. The baby was handed over to an orphanage and the care taker lady became nobody. She stated in an interview ‘she will fight for custody of the child.’
On 29 August, Hindustan Times carried a catchy heading – “She gave birth, died, Delhi walked by” (http://www.hindustantimes.com/She-gave-birth-died-Delhi-walked-by/H1-Article1-593243.aspx), On 4th September, The Hindu carried a column – “The other half: Dying of indifference” (http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/Kalpana_Sharma/article611470.ece).
The local newspapers in Kerala too flashed the news about callous India.
Following the news in the media, the case was discussed in Parliament and the Delhi High Court, shocked by the incident questioned the event and had asked for a report on facilities that could be availed by a poor person in a government hospital in such a circumstance. The story stands there as of now.
In the mean time, the surviving baby contracted a life-threatening disease but was rescued by the timely action by authorities and continues to be in the orphanage.
As the incident points to many poignant developmental and sociological issues of modern India – such as penury, destitution, status of pregnant mothers, changing psyche, growing callousness, etc., it also directs to a fundamental flaw in the system that tends to take corrective measures when the media intervenes or the legislation questions. Should not systems work by themselves?
Now, a different aspect. Let us think. Have we stopped to care or do we fear to care? In many cases, it is the latter. The act of helping an accident victim or any form of victim will have with it a series of attestations, witness statements, court hearings and the works. A genuine intention to help the needy, thus gets penalized. It becomes a hassle. And who wants to regularly appear in court for having helped someone who broke a leg in a hit-and-run case? Obviously no one. It is better to feel sorry and be damned in own conscience and move ahead than be a prey to a grotesque legislation and its potent unreasonableness. So what / whom do we blame? Is it time to flex laws on such singular incidents? Can we set the precedence?
On a different plane, it was to be noted that no social activist group, women’s group or any other rights group came forward to support the woman who rescued the child and wished to foster the baby. This was one case, where such groups could have, should have, shown country-wide support and helped make precedence to show that we still, as a nation, has not lost it altogether… that voice of the people do make a difference and is not totally lost in the wilderness…
Destitution is no new phenomenon for India. Streets, railway stations, and bus stations becoming the abode of the destitute is also nothing new for India. But people dying on the street just like flies, that too, in the capital city of the world’s largest democracy is not common and indeed points to a severe flaw in the system and a blow to our collective conscience. Will this incident make the rule or the exception?
Finally, this begs the question - if the media cease to maintain social vigil, will our conscience fail? Won't systems work by themselves?
Kairali TV flashed the shocking news and the ghastly sight first time. Just like a bag of rags, the mother’s corpse lay covered in a red shawl, flies swarming her lifeless body. Who ever watched the news, stopped to think for a minute.
The mother died. But the battle of the new born baby was yet to begin. A single woman, who owns a garment shop close by, came forward to take care of the seemingly healthy baby. But the legalities took the lead where human beings stopped to care. The baby was handed over to an orphanage and the care taker lady became nobody. She stated in an interview ‘she will fight for custody of the child.’
On 29 August, Hindustan Times carried a catchy heading – “She gave birth, died, Delhi walked by” (http://www.hindustantimes.com/She-gave-birth-died-Delhi-walked-by/H1-Article1-593243.aspx), On 4th September, The Hindu carried a column – “The other half: Dying of indifference” (http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/Kalpana_Sharma/article611470.ece).
The local newspapers in Kerala too flashed the news about callous India.
Following the news in the media, the case was discussed in Parliament and the Delhi High Court, shocked by the incident questioned the event and had asked for a report on facilities that could be availed by a poor person in a government hospital in such a circumstance. The story stands there as of now.
In the mean time, the surviving baby contracted a life-threatening disease but was rescued by the timely action by authorities and continues to be in the orphanage.
As the incident points to many poignant developmental and sociological issues of modern India – such as penury, destitution, status of pregnant mothers, changing psyche, growing callousness, etc., it also directs to a fundamental flaw in the system that tends to take corrective measures when the media intervenes or the legislation questions. Should not systems work by themselves?
Now, a different aspect. Let us think. Have we stopped to care or do we fear to care? In many cases, it is the latter. The act of helping an accident victim or any form of victim will have with it a series of attestations, witness statements, court hearings and the works. A genuine intention to help the needy, thus gets penalized. It becomes a hassle. And who wants to regularly appear in court for having helped someone who broke a leg in a hit-and-run case? Obviously no one. It is better to feel sorry and be damned in own conscience and move ahead than be a prey to a grotesque legislation and its potent unreasonableness. So what / whom do we blame? Is it time to flex laws on such singular incidents? Can we set the precedence?
On a different plane, it was to be noted that no social activist group, women’s group or any other rights group came forward to support the woman who rescued the child and wished to foster the baby. This was one case, where such groups could have, should have, shown country-wide support and helped make precedence to show that we still, as a nation, has not lost it altogether… that voice of the people do make a difference and is not totally lost in the wilderness…
Destitution is no new phenomenon for India. Streets, railway stations, and bus stations becoming the abode of the destitute is also nothing new for India. But people dying on the street just like flies, that too, in the capital city of the world’s largest democracy is not common and indeed points to a severe flaw in the system and a blow to our collective conscience. Will this incident make the rule or the exception?
Finally, this begs the question - if the media cease to maintain social vigil, will our conscience fail? Won't systems work by themselves?
Tying the Nose
Bee,
Looks like any season is a rainy season in God's own country ! Rain rain everyday - but come March-April, the Government goes on its power cut schedule. On the dot. With the unscheduled rains come varieties of cold, fever and the works. When home concoctions and grand mother's recipies don't work, one goes to a doctor. The doctor, these days have a long list at his / her disposal- Dengue, Chikungunya, tomato fever, HINI, stomach flu, viral... etc. Even a primary school child nowadays can cite these symptoms and rattle off these names just like he is ordering 'ala carte.' Kerala, so infested with fevers of all kinds for all seasons, still remains God's favourite, we are told.
Cold and cough had been my last week's highlights. Antibiotics dried up the system. Tablets to help one sleep (on my request)presented dreams such as leg-less elephants, fire flies turning into dragons, never-ending, winding roads, plum cakes as big as 200 square feet and lots of gigantic ants ! Man ! truly. Feel as if I had just been out of a torture camp.
Head is slighlty feeling lighter. And efforts to tie the nose that was running are near successful. Beginning to smell the air for a change from the Indo-Sri Lankan balms!
With this let me end the flu bulletin.
Jayawewa! ( by the way, that is Sinhalese)
Looks like any season is a rainy season in God's own country ! Rain rain everyday - but come March-April, the Government goes on its power cut schedule. On the dot. With the unscheduled rains come varieties of cold, fever and the works. When home concoctions and grand mother's recipies don't work, one goes to a doctor. The doctor, these days have a long list at his / her disposal- Dengue, Chikungunya, tomato fever, HINI, stomach flu, viral... etc. Even a primary school child nowadays can cite these symptoms and rattle off these names just like he is ordering 'ala carte.' Kerala, so infested with fevers of all kinds for all seasons, still remains God's favourite, we are told.
Cold and cough had been my last week's highlights. Antibiotics dried up the system. Tablets to help one sleep (on my request)presented dreams such as leg-less elephants, fire flies turning into dragons, never-ending, winding roads, plum cakes as big as 200 square feet and lots of gigantic ants ! Man ! truly. Feel as if I had just been out of a torture camp.
Head is slighlty feeling lighter. And efforts to tie the nose that was running are near successful. Beginning to smell the air for a change from the Indo-Sri Lankan balms!
With this let me end the flu bulletin.
Jayawewa! ( by the way, that is Sinhalese)
September 4, 2010
Jam!
Traffic. It is one of the biggest nightmares of an Indian on the road – be it urban or semi-urban, any time of the day (or night). India’s burgeoning vehicles – two, three and four wheelers - and the poor infrastructure facilities to support this exodus makes travelling on Indian roads a true hell on earth.
The Indian roads are a mixed grill of vehicles and people. Both mingle and make room for each other. Some often get knocked – in most cases they shout at each other and go on with life. Some cases bring forth a crowd which will decide who is right and who is wrong (that happens a lot here!). Least of cases end up in the Police stations. A point to ponder – don’t pedestrians have rights too?
There are many ingredients that spice up the issue. Indians love to take their celebrations on to roads and mind you, there are as many of them as the sands of ocean. They often translate into processions – cultural, religious, educational etc. Needless to speak of the innumerable protest marches that send fits of anger followed by a lavish supply of tear gas and brandishing of the lathi. Plus, roads are closed for VIPs or when a VIP’s family member gets married with no notice what so ever.
Do we have plausible solutions to this growing problem as its related issues such as pollution, flouting of rules and in many a case encroachment, keep piling up?
A few unrealistic options:
1. the population should decrease ( unthinkable)
2. The number of vehicles should reduce ( no, vehicles unlike those days are no more a sign of luxury but more of utility among the Indian middle class)
Now the question points to those at the helm. For them a few options:
1. Improve public transport so that people will use them more? (Do-able?)
2. Invest in infrastructure? Fix fly over(s) where roads cannot be widened and widen roads where they can be? (development assistance from biggies will work here?)
3. Can we switch to eco-friendly vehicles?
4. Toll roads to avoid congestion?
5. Strict law enforcement?
The main challenge is in maintaining quality and accessibility, both. Metros offer a sigh of relief to daily commuters to and from work, but in many cases, reaching the metros from home town still remains a nagging issue.
According to a recent UN study, India has more cellular phones than toilets! Interesting to note our priorities eh? People can defecate anywhere; the homeless on the roads and near- homeless anywhere that is close by! Do we call this skewed priorities or something else?
India has a billion living heads and the roads are just a miniature representation of this mammoth problem. Unless there is a coordinated plan for each city, the Indian roads will continue to suffocate commuters and eat into their time, which they can spend in many happy and productive ways.
It is true that massive infrastructure development will put a country like India in deep peril as it might spark off many a sociological issue such as rehabilitation of businesses, livelihoods, homeless etc due to displacement and the resultant chaos. But it does not stop one from hoping that infrastructure development and investment;and better, accessible transport facilities get due attention in the next round of five year plans which is due in 2012.
Come on, this is a country spending millions on the (corruption-driven) Common Wealth Games – Can the tax payer have the basic facilities as well please?
The Indian roads are a mixed grill of vehicles and people. Both mingle and make room for each other. Some often get knocked – in most cases they shout at each other and go on with life. Some cases bring forth a crowd which will decide who is right and who is wrong (that happens a lot here!). Least of cases end up in the Police stations. A point to ponder – don’t pedestrians have rights too?
There are many ingredients that spice up the issue. Indians love to take their celebrations on to roads and mind you, there are as many of them as the sands of ocean. They often translate into processions – cultural, religious, educational etc. Needless to speak of the innumerable protest marches that send fits of anger followed by a lavish supply of tear gas and brandishing of the lathi. Plus, roads are closed for VIPs or when a VIP’s family member gets married with no notice what so ever.
Do we have plausible solutions to this growing problem as its related issues such as pollution, flouting of rules and in many a case encroachment, keep piling up?
A few unrealistic options:
1. the population should decrease ( unthinkable)
2. The number of vehicles should reduce ( no, vehicles unlike those days are no more a sign of luxury but more of utility among the Indian middle class)
Now the question points to those at the helm. For them a few options:
1. Improve public transport so that people will use them more? (Do-able?)
2. Invest in infrastructure? Fix fly over(s) where roads cannot be widened and widen roads where they can be? (development assistance from biggies will work here?)
3. Can we switch to eco-friendly vehicles?
4. Toll roads to avoid congestion?
5. Strict law enforcement?
The main challenge is in maintaining quality and accessibility, both. Metros offer a sigh of relief to daily commuters to and from work, but in many cases, reaching the metros from home town still remains a nagging issue.
According to a recent UN study, India has more cellular phones than toilets! Interesting to note our priorities eh? People can defecate anywhere; the homeless on the roads and near- homeless anywhere that is close by! Do we call this skewed priorities or something else?
India has a billion living heads and the roads are just a miniature representation of this mammoth problem. Unless there is a coordinated plan for each city, the Indian roads will continue to suffocate commuters and eat into their time, which they can spend in many happy and productive ways.
It is true that massive infrastructure development will put a country like India in deep peril as it might spark off many a sociological issue such as rehabilitation of businesses, livelihoods, homeless etc due to displacement and the resultant chaos. But it does not stop one from hoping that infrastructure development and investment;and better, accessible transport facilities get due attention in the next round of five year plans which is due in 2012.
Come on, this is a country spending millions on the (corruption-driven) Common Wealth Games – Can the tax payer have the basic facilities as well please?
September 1, 2010
Liberation
Bee,
Scribbled in 2009
Do I feel liberated; a large way.
Freedom from fear
Freedom from insecurity
Freedom from isolation
Freedom from self deceit
Liberation from my own perceptions of the bad and the evil
Liberation from self barriers on loving and distancing
Liberation from hatred
Liberation from boundaries
Liberation from shame; from guilt
Liberation from perceived notions of inabilities, inconsistencies, inadequacies
Liberation from tears
Liberation from the fearful thought of tomorrow
Liberation from perfection - I am in agreement with disorder now
Liberation from stifle
Liberation from heaviness
Freedom to feel light
Freedom to do nothing and still feel great
Freedom to dare to love; just for the sake of it; yes. dare
Freedom to explore one plane above love and find it.
Be in it atleast for a while...and live the riches it holds..
Freedom to let go of love and still be happy
Freedom to accept that I can be abnormal
Freedom to enjoy freedom and be more responsible than ever before
Freedom to realise freedom used well is an honour
Freedom to be open to mix of good and bad and make my choice
Freedom to keep integrity
Freedom to be truthful; and still be heard
Freedom to be a voice; and not a noise
Freedom to gaze at the sky; alone
Freedom to dance alone; in perfect abandon
Freedom to cry alone; in anguish
Freedom to sob to sleep...
Freedom to question God
Freedom to be myself and have no facade...
Maturity to understand - liberation comes from within first; no matter what.
And every word of this is true.
Scribbled in 2009
Do I feel liberated; a large way.
Freedom from fear
Freedom from insecurity
Freedom from isolation
Freedom from self deceit
Liberation from my own perceptions of the bad and the evil
Liberation from self barriers on loving and distancing
Liberation from hatred
Liberation from boundaries
Liberation from shame; from guilt
Liberation from perceived notions of inabilities, inconsistencies, inadequacies
Liberation from tears
Liberation from the fearful thought of tomorrow
Liberation from perfection - I am in agreement with disorder now
Liberation from stifle
Liberation from heaviness
Freedom to feel light
Freedom to do nothing and still feel great
Freedom to dare to love; just for the sake of it; yes. dare
Freedom to explore one plane above love and find it.
Be in it atleast for a while...and live the riches it holds..
Freedom to let go of love and still be happy
Freedom to accept that I can be abnormal
Freedom to enjoy freedom and be more responsible than ever before
Freedom to realise freedom used well is an honour
Freedom to be open to mix of good and bad and make my choice
Freedom to keep integrity
Freedom to be truthful; and still be heard
Freedom to be a voice; and not a noise
Freedom to gaze at the sky; alone
Freedom to dance alone; in perfect abandon
Freedom to cry alone; in anguish
Freedom to sob to sleep...
Freedom to question God
Freedom to be myself and have no facade...
Maturity to understand - liberation comes from within first; no matter what.
And every word of this is true.
August 31, 2010
Onam is Around
Bee,
23 August 2010
Kerala is in the mirth of celebrating Onam. Though the dimensions of Onam have undergone many a change, the spirit continues to hold. When I say spirit, it could mean the 'other' spirit as well. During the celebrations Kerala hit a record alcohol consumption of over rupees 150 crores, so I heard in one of the news channels parents are glued to. Chalakkudy district was on the top of the list the first day, followed by Karunagappally (in Kollam district) the second day. Cant complain; the Mallus really do it 'grand.'
The traditional feast 'sadya' has as many curries as 15 or more, followed by the dessert 'payasam' which has loads of ghee, jaggery, cow's milk, coconut milk sugar which are ingredients to the base made of vermicilli, grams or rice/flour based biscuit like stuff called 'ada.' Well, the entire configuration that is plonked on to the plantain leaf ( traditionally, sadya is eaten on plantain leaves, though these days we get 'ready-made,' 'easy-to-use,' non-bio degradable ones in the super markets) takes several hours of cooking, often by several people who take turns to get it to the right stage. A good 500 calories in one payasam. And most often we have more than one. Well, this explains the high rate of diabetes and cholesterol in the country that God himself made with much precision. And, please note, we are just getting gym savvy so much so that in certain places you can only use the treadmill for just ten minutes or under, due to 'heavy traffic.' The time you get off the machine and use another, you can admire it being used by some one else.
Well, I digressed. With all its transformation and changing-with-the-time phenomenon, the truth is Onam still is a very important day in the Malayalam calendar - irrespective of the religious belief. It brings families together, memories together... This is one time of the year where conscious efforts are made to re-produce, present and bring out the art forms that are being forgotten or sidelined in the massive mushrooming of cable television and the growing frenzy for reality shows.
The city of Trivandrum is lit with almost all colours thinkable ( well, we have power cuts later on - from March onwards to be precise when all school and college exams begin and children sweat out) and each evening the city is an ocean of people - yes, an ocean, may be, over a hundred thousand people on the roads... amazing.
Indeed a good feeling to walk around the city and breathe in all the positive energy in the air...
Mamamtha and Seema - A flavour of Rajasthan
Mamatha and Seema, both 16 years have added a Rajasthani flavour on the main street, Palayam in Trivandrum. They are here to sell bangles of such striking colours! Women and children throng to them to buy as much as they can!
They are wanderer-traders who roam around different States during festival seasons. The entire family moves, make a small profit and get back to Rajasthan, where they are from.
Mamatha is in Trivandrum for the first time, and Seema the second. Seema who lost her elder brother and her father is the main bread winner in her family. Both girls brave the heat, ogling by many a man on the road, repeated warnings from Police to vacate site and of course the language! The struggle for existence is fought on two meals a day - the chappatis and sabji they make at the small boarding they have hired and staying empty-stomached the entire day, when the entire city is in the mirth of celebrating its national festival. They make 500 rupees a day, a good amount of which is spent on the boarding and food.
Though both girls love to learn and go to school, they have never got the opportunity. "In Rajasthan, girls are not taught..." says Seema with a tinge of sadness. " We will get married and raise children... and life will go on with what ever it has to offer us."
Mamatha and Seema are just the faces of rural Indian penury and the not-so-changed attitude towards girl children. As she said, life will go on for them, whether India shines, wines or whines....
23 August 2010
Kerala is in the mirth of celebrating Onam. Though the dimensions of Onam have undergone many a change, the spirit continues to hold. When I say spirit, it could mean the 'other' spirit as well. During the celebrations Kerala hit a record alcohol consumption of over rupees 150 crores, so I heard in one of the news channels parents are glued to. Chalakkudy district was on the top of the list the first day, followed by Karunagappally (in Kollam district) the second day. Cant complain; the Mallus really do it 'grand.'
The traditional feast 'sadya' has as many curries as 15 or more, followed by the dessert 'payasam' which has loads of ghee, jaggery, cow's milk, coconut milk sugar which are ingredients to the base made of vermicilli, grams or rice/flour based biscuit like stuff called 'ada.' Well, the entire configuration that is plonked on to the plantain leaf ( traditionally, sadya is eaten on plantain leaves, though these days we get 'ready-made,' 'easy-to-use,' non-bio degradable ones in the super markets) takes several hours of cooking, often by several people who take turns to get it to the right stage. A good 500 calories in one payasam. And most often we have more than one. Well, this explains the high rate of diabetes and cholesterol in the country that God himself made with much precision. And, please note, we are just getting gym savvy so much so that in certain places you can only use the treadmill for just ten minutes or under, due to 'heavy traffic.' The time you get off the machine and use another, you can admire it being used by some one else.
Well, I digressed. With all its transformation and changing-with-the-time phenomenon, the truth is Onam still is a very important day in the Malayalam calendar - irrespective of the religious belief. It brings families together, memories together... This is one time of the year where conscious efforts are made to re-produce, present and bring out the art forms that are being forgotten or sidelined in the massive mushrooming of cable television and the growing frenzy for reality shows.
The city of Trivandrum is lit with almost all colours thinkable ( well, we have power cuts later on - from March onwards to be precise when all school and college exams begin and children sweat out) and each evening the city is an ocean of people - yes, an ocean, may be, over a hundred thousand people on the roads... amazing.
Indeed a good feeling to walk around the city and breathe in all the positive energy in the air...
Mamamtha and Seema - A flavour of Rajasthan
Mamatha and Seema, both 16 years have added a Rajasthani flavour on the main street, Palayam in Trivandrum. They are here to sell bangles of such striking colours! Women and children throng to them to buy as much as they can!
They are wanderer-traders who roam around different States during festival seasons. The entire family moves, make a small profit and get back to Rajasthan, where they are from.
Mamatha is in Trivandrum for the first time, and Seema the second. Seema who lost her elder brother and her father is the main bread winner in her family. Both girls brave the heat, ogling by many a man on the road, repeated warnings from Police to vacate site and of course the language! The struggle for existence is fought on two meals a day - the chappatis and sabji they make at the small boarding they have hired and staying empty-stomached the entire day, when the entire city is in the mirth of celebrating its national festival. They make 500 rupees a day, a good amount of which is spent on the boarding and food.
Though both girls love to learn and go to school, they have never got the opportunity. "In Rajasthan, girls are not taught..." says Seema with a tinge of sadness. " We will get married and raise children... and life will go on with what ever it has to offer us."
Mamatha and Seema are just the faces of rural Indian penury and the not-so-changed attitude towards girl children. As she said, life will go on for them, whether India shines, wines or whines....
India’s IT Boom – Need for a Human Angle
Bee,
This was written in 2007 during a visit to Bangalore. Parts of it were published in the Indian Express.
India’s economic boom times are on. It is one of the favourite emerging markets for foreign investors. Though anlaysing the sustainability of the boom is of interest to economists and policy makers, every stakeholder of the boom likes to think that it will be sustainable, and India’s march towards development will be firm and rewarding.
India is currently one of world’s most ‘happening’ places, where the IT sector is concerned. The steady growth in the past decade in the field had been monumental with Bangalore attracting the lion’s share of its IT investment.
However, the term development is one that invites a lot of scrutiny and critical comment depending on how one views ‘development.’ The word has far surpassed its dictionary meaning due to large-scale globalization and the resultant ‘edge’ it acquired in the process.
India’s IT development makes one wonder whether we need to redefine the old proverb- ‘slow and steady wins the race.’ India’s IT sector has been fast and steady and not slow in maintaining its steadiness. The stupendous growth in the field of communication and a multitude of other signs of tangible change taking place in the social fabric comes across strongly when some one visits India on a regular basis, like an expatriate. One finds more Internet cafes now than conventional coffee shops, which used to be the hubs of heated discussions on politics and movies.
With all these overwhelming indicators of seeming development, it would also be interesting to analyse the human cost involved in our march towards further IT development– the Indian human cost.
Bangalore – a Snapshot
Bangalore, the silicon city of India, witnessed the massive growth of the IT industry. Nearly 1500 IT firms – almost all giants have invested here. Big names. Big companies. Attractive perks.
While massive infrastructure development to house the firms is galore in one part of the city, in the other part, people still answer the calls of nature in perfect abandon, watching the skies! (The fruits of development haven’t reached them- the approach had not been ‘top-down’ or ‘bottom-up’, or ‘middle-out’). If one travels by train to reach the capital city, one passes through this stark reality (between Krishnarajapuram and Majestic stations to be specific) before the Bangalore boom hits hard in the face.
Most of the IT companies hire fresh college leavers who mostly join through a campus selection. Before they complete their final year, many of them are short-listed by a prospective employer with all the big perks. Studying IT is the ‘in’ thing now for sure employment. Thus, we have a generation who are largely IT savvy (and in most cases, ‘only’ IT savvy). Their life centers around the anatomy of the hardware and software industry, or shooting troubles of some important client’s laptop or a desktop. Yes. A generation of IT whiz kids we have out there, who are mostly between 20 and 25 years of age, and even more under 30. It is easy to identify them – many are grey-haired even though they are under 30.
It may be opportune at this moment to analyse at what cost are we ‘developing?’
The body of the New Generation IT Professionals (let us call them NGIPs) functions differently, because they are used to a different biological clock – it is either 11 hours or 5.30 hours behind IST, depending on who the ‘Boss’ is. They are a day late for anything Indian. Their ‘Bosses’ (the Big Bs) control their clock, even their biological functions, including the early morning ablutions.
A major local indicator of ‘development’ is the rise in land value.
Most of these IT geniuses are immigrants from the neigbouring states of Kerala, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh who end up paying ridiculously high rates on rent for a small room they lease out for their ‘existence’ (yes it is far from ‘living’). Many in the suburbs of Bangalore make handsome money through leasing out such rooms, which has resulted in the emergence of a ‘new-rich’ class (another indicator).
Mushrooming of fast food places is yet another local indicator of ‘development.’ There is even provision where one can stand and eat (in Bangalore I have witnessed one), showing how time-bound are we in our march towards ‘development,’ and do not have half an hour for ourselves to sit and have a meal.
IT and Family
With the emergence of ‘nuclear families,’ the conventional definition of ‘family’ underwent metamorphosis. The definition is still undergoing change to match the fast-tracked modern day living. Sometimes, life’s rhythm is as fast as if it could reach a note of discordance.
NGIPs’ lives go on at this hectic pace as long as they are generally single and free from family responsibilities. Once married, the picture turns bleak. Marriage among IT professionals is even more so. “When I go to work, my husband will be asleep. When I come back after work, he will be gone to work,” said a newly married professional. “We try to match our ‘off days’ to spend some time together. Even that is not possible always; we then take leave to be together,” she added. “I am scared to even think of the day I may conceive and become a mother,” she exclaimed.
Some restrict themselves to having one child as they do not have enough time to bring up another. Some others try hard to conceive, but fail.
Infertility is a growing concern in many a metropolis now. A leading Ayurvedic doctor in Thiruvananthapuram, whose family tradition had been offering indigenous medical services, had this to say when asked about the growing trend of infertility among young people: “Most of my cases now deal with addressing the infertility problems of young females. Surprisingly, all of them are IT professionals. Changing the biological clock, haphazard eating habits, lack of physical exercise, sitting in front of computers for long hours – all these are contributing factors. This indeed is a scary phenomenon that we need to pay attention to.”
Kerala Decides to Go Smart
At last ‘Gods own country’ has also decided to join the band wagon. The Smart City concept is taking shape in Cochi after much ado. It will create enormous amount of job opportunities and make God’s own country what God couldn’t -IT savvy.
The local indicators are already up. The land value has rocketed up even in neighbouring districts. Even foreigners are eyeing to own property as they see definite indicators of stocks going up.
The Smart City may put a stop to Kerala brain drain. A large number of NGIPs are already short-listed and ear marked after campus selection for the City going Smart. (The ‘campus selection’ itself is in one way a retrograde concept as it largely hampers further academic pursuance). Thus, Cochin is also going to witness a new life-style of NGIPs, where they will also be 11 hours or 5.30 hours behind IST depending on their Bosses. The American boss will put them to sleep during day and wake them up at night. The British boss will make them do the same 5.30 hours behind IST.
There will be eateries where one has ‘no time to stand and stare’ (as the poor poet said) but stand and eat, plentiful of junk food and fizzy drinks, coffee to supplement a meal etc etc.
Not to Remain an Island, but…
Globalization is a phenomenon as old as human history, though the term is a catch phrase of the modern times. We have always been reaping its benefits though we have not been constantly made aware of it.
While globalization has brought undisputable benefits, especially in the field of communications, it seems to eat into the personal lives of people who are the direct drivers of the process, the IT professionals for example. With the concept of ‘global village’ gathering momentum, one cannot remain an island and watch the wagon from far either. At some point we need to get into it. So what do we do? We need a balance (before IT turns an ‘Inevitable Trouble’), where we are not mere consumers of a fast moving market but are also people with social and family commitments. What these New Generation IT Professionals need is more than a decent balance where their brains are not just leased out to the IT industry and the world outside is lost on them. They need an opportunity to spend time for themselves and their families, have normal biological functions and not engineered ones where they do not always live a day late than others and do not get complacent and fat with all attractive perks on offer!
Who has to strike the balance and negotiate a middle path? Is it the policy makers, investors, or the young IT professionals themselves?
April 2007
This was written in 2007 during a visit to Bangalore. Parts of it were published in the Indian Express.
India’s economic boom times are on. It is one of the favourite emerging markets for foreign investors. Though anlaysing the sustainability of the boom is of interest to economists and policy makers, every stakeholder of the boom likes to think that it will be sustainable, and India’s march towards development will be firm and rewarding.
India is currently one of world’s most ‘happening’ places, where the IT sector is concerned. The steady growth in the past decade in the field had been monumental with Bangalore attracting the lion’s share of its IT investment.
However, the term development is one that invites a lot of scrutiny and critical comment depending on how one views ‘development.’ The word has far surpassed its dictionary meaning due to large-scale globalization and the resultant ‘edge’ it acquired in the process.
India’s IT development makes one wonder whether we need to redefine the old proverb- ‘slow and steady wins the race.’ India’s IT sector has been fast and steady and not slow in maintaining its steadiness. The stupendous growth in the field of communication and a multitude of other signs of tangible change taking place in the social fabric comes across strongly when some one visits India on a regular basis, like an expatriate. One finds more Internet cafes now than conventional coffee shops, which used to be the hubs of heated discussions on politics and movies.
With all these overwhelming indicators of seeming development, it would also be interesting to analyse the human cost involved in our march towards further IT development– the Indian human cost.
Bangalore – a Snapshot
Bangalore, the silicon city of India, witnessed the massive growth of the IT industry. Nearly 1500 IT firms – almost all giants have invested here. Big names. Big companies. Attractive perks.
While massive infrastructure development to house the firms is galore in one part of the city, in the other part, people still answer the calls of nature in perfect abandon, watching the skies! (The fruits of development haven’t reached them- the approach had not been ‘top-down’ or ‘bottom-up’, or ‘middle-out’). If one travels by train to reach the capital city, one passes through this stark reality (between Krishnarajapuram and Majestic stations to be specific) before the Bangalore boom hits hard in the face.
Most of the IT companies hire fresh college leavers who mostly join through a campus selection. Before they complete their final year, many of them are short-listed by a prospective employer with all the big perks. Studying IT is the ‘in’ thing now for sure employment. Thus, we have a generation who are largely IT savvy (and in most cases, ‘only’ IT savvy). Their life centers around the anatomy of the hardware and software industry, or shooting troubles of some important client’s laptop or a desktop. Yes. A generation of IT whiz kids we have out there, who are mostly between 20 and 25 years of age, and even more under 30. It is easy to identify them – many are grey-haired even though they are under 30.
It may be opportune at this moment to analyse at what cost are we ‘developing?’
The body of the New Generation IT Professionals (let us call them NGIPs) functions differently, because they are used to a different biological clock – it is either 11 hours or 5.30 hours behind IST, depending on who the ‘Boss’ is. They are a day late for anything Indian. Their ‘Bosses’ (the Big Bs) control their clock, even their biological functions, including the early morning ablutions.
A major local indicator of ‘development’ is the rise in land value.
Most of these IT geniuses are immigrants from the neigbouring states of Kerala, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh who end up paying ridiculously high rates on rent for a small room they lease out for their ‘existence’ (yes it is far from ‘living’). Many in the suburbs of Bangalore make handsome money through leasing out such rooms, which has resulted in the emergence of a ‘new-rich’ class (another indicator).
Mushrooming of fast food places is yet another local indicator of ‘development.’ There is even provision where one can stand and eat (in Bangalore I have witnessed one), showing how time-bound are we in our march towards ‘development,’ and do not have half an hour for ourselves to sit and have a meal.
IT and Family
With the emergence of ‘nuclear families,’ the conventional definition of ‘family’ underwent metamorphosis. The definition is still undergoing change to match the fast-tracked modern day living. Sometimes, life’s rhythm is as fast as if it could reach a note of discordance.
NGIPs’ lives go on at this hectic pace as long as they are generally single and free from family responsibilities. Once married, the picture turns bleak. Marriage among IT professionals is even more so. “When I go to work, my husband will be asleep. When I come back after work, he will be gone to work,” said a newly married professional. “We try to match our ‘off days’ to spend some time together. Even that is not possible always; we then take leave to be together,” she added. “I am scared to even think of the day I may conceive and become a mother,” she exclaimed.
Some restrict themselves to having one child as they do not have enough time to bring up another. Some others try hard to conceive, but fail.
Infertility is a growing concern in many a metropolis now. A leading Ayurvedic doctor in Thiruvananthapuram, whose family tradition had been offering indigenous medical services, had this to say when asked about the growing trend of infertility among young people: “Most of my cases now deal with addressing the infertility problems of young females. Surprisingly, all of them are IT professionals. Changing the biological clock, haphazard eating habits, lack of physical exercise, sitting in front of computers for long hours – all these are contributing factors. This indeed is a scary phenomenon that we need to pay attention to.”
Kerala Decides to Go Smart
At last ‘Gods own country’ has also decided to join the band wagon. The Smart City concept is taking shape in Cochi after much ado. It will create enormous amount of job opportunities and make God’s own country what God couldn’t -IT savvy.
The local indicators are already up. The land value has rocketed up even in neighbouring districts. Even foreigners are eyeing to own property as they see definite indicators of stocks going up.
The Smart City may put a stop to Kerala brain drain. A large number of NGIPs are already short-listed and ear marked after campus selection for the City going Smart. (The ‘campus selection’ itself is in one way a retrograde concept as it largely hampers further academic pursuance). Thus, Cochin is also going to witness a new life-style of NGIPs, where they will also be 11 hours or 5.30 hours behind IST depending on their Bosses. The American boss will put them to sleep during day and wake them up at night. The British boss will make them do the same 5.30 hours behind IST.
There will be eateries where one has ‘no time to stand and stare’ (as the poor poet said) but stand and eat, plentiful of junk food and fizzy drinks, coffee to supplement a meal etc etc.
Not to Remain an Island, but…
Globalization is a phenomenon as old as human history, though the term is a catch phrase of the modern times. We have always been reaping its benefits though we have not been constantly made aware of it.
While globalization has brought undisputable benefits, especially in the field of communications, it seems to eat into the personal lives of people who are the direct drivers of the process, the IT professionals for example. With the concept of ‘global village’ gathering momentum, one cannot remain an island and watch the wagon from far either. At some point we need to get into it. So what do we do? We need a balance (before IT turns an ‘Inevitable Trouble’), where we are not mere consumers of a fast moving market but are also people with social and family commitments. What these New Generation IT Professionals need is more than a decent balance where their brains are not just leased out to the IT industry and the world outside is lost on them. They need an opportunity to spend time for themselves and their families, have normal biological functions and not engineered ones where they do not always live a day late than others and do not get complacent and fat with all attractive perks on offer!
Who has to strike the balance and negotiate a middle path? Is it the policy makers, investors, or the young IT professionals themselves?
April 2007
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