Lawful or Awful!!?

In Bihar:
A guy from a poor family elopes and marries a girl from a wealthy family. The result: members from the guy’s family (I guess the guy is included) are invited home by the in-laws with the pretext of compromise and 8 of them are killed, beheaded and the bodies thrown into the river.

In Mangalore:
People and women in particular are attacked and this is captured on TV. The next ting, we know, it is a national debate and a seemingly insignificant person, Muthalik and his small party, Ram Sena, has now gained popularity, whether right or wrong, we all know. The police are investigating while the criminals are roaming the roads doing more damage. Now there are more jobless, mindless youth/politicians from other states who want to embrace the SENA!!

In Uttar Pradesh:
Some engineer from the government services is beaten to death for not willing to give money for a very holy cause, the Chief Minister’s birthday bash. A 8 year old poor girl is tortured and beaten by the police in full view of the public because she is accused of having stolen rupees 280.

In Hyderabad:
A car driver honks and annoys the people in the car ahead. This happens for some time and then what follows is an ugly scene on the road with both parties fighting on the road, holding up traffic and it is all over the news. The (CM) Chief Minister’s brother is in one car and a (in) famous MLA’s son in the other. This makes news for a week. This was not so long ago.

The current CM and the former CM indulge in petty politics by talking about the (in) capabilities of their sons and their family in general. The other opposition parties take the cue and start talking about the incapability of both the parties. This makes front page news.

Of course, the Satyam scam is hogging all the lime light… by now you know more than the perpetrators do. Thanks to the media.

You must see the Police, Media, law-keepers etc in a frenzy to make their money by serving these very public servants. Whose money are they eating? Yours, Mine…ours. We pay the taxes.

In India:
A terrorist is captured and now he is the most protected man. What for… International diplomatic reasons… People are dying of hunger, poverty, crime etc, there is lack of education, funds being eaten away, no proper infrastructure or accountability and the news papers report crimes by the rich and (in) famous, the mighty and the powerful, all the time. And now there is a new spice item every day, woman/girl gang raped, the offenders are not noted criminals, this is their first time, screams the TV or Newspaper.

What is this nonsense? When was the last time we heard a newspaper or the TV report ‘Politician caught red handed and arrested for taking a bribe’, ‘Famous actor jailed for breaking traffic rules and creating chaos on the road’. Whatever happened to Salman Khan?

Why is it that we the citizens and honest tax payers (especially from the middle class) have to suffer all these atrocities and illegal acts? Why are the law keepers turning law makers? What is the POWER?

I would personally like to see the people from Ram Sene who attacked the girls in Mangalore be given punishment in public, probably should be castrated. The family that beheaded 8 people should have their limbs cut off so that they live their life like a vegetable. The politicians who talk petty be given some feedback in public, by the public.

All this for the sake of rebuilding faith and trust that the people have lost in the legal and administrative system of India and letting the people know what democracy means.

Let’s stop this INSANE behavior by multiple moral armies coming up in India…NOW. (IN SENA?) (Ram Sena, Shiv Sena etc) No wonder we were so easily captured and ruled by the British. Let’s not have a false pride in our ‘Unity in Diversity’. Let’s not fool ourselves every day and moment of our lives. Let’s face it…we no longer need octogenarian politicians (mis) lead us with their moral views for the public and personal immoral living. There is no way weapons/terrorists could come into our country illegally without the support of our law keepers. There is failure in every sense. Let’s change our ATTITUDE and help our politicians change theirs.

Power is the capacity to bring about change. Let’s really mean it when we say Jai Hind!!!

My New Year...lessons from a Child!

I thought long and hard about this one. I really did!

My daughter has been quite an influence on me! She is 3years and 8months old and watching her grow has taught me a few lessons, not new lessons, these are the very same actions and feelings (or innocence) we grew up with. (This is not just what I see in my child, Iam writing about all the children) It saddens me to think that my child will grow up too and become ‘One of Us’, she too will soon forget her ‘Childhood’ and be consumed by pressure – from parents, teachers and peers, well, that’s the way life is! (You might say it too). I will be practical here and enjoy the present, ‘live in the moment’!

Iam now tempted to attempt to relive the childhood days based on the 5E’s that are constantly exhibited by my child (All children, actually)… Energy, Enthusiasm, Excitement, Expression and Experimentation…in no particular order!

My daughter exhibits boundless energy through the day, always experimenting (that’s how children learn, actually, all of us), expresses her feelings in a not-so-diplomatic or complicated way, excited about small successes (like completing her dinner on time or a glass of milk etc) and enthusiastic about being at home, a small trip in the car or just plain ‘going shopping’! There is a sense of adventure in every small experiment (like trying to use colors on the walls…which is a no-no) which eventually leads to ‘big learning’!

There is celebration for small successes; there is excitement/enthusiasm about a small gift (ranging from a pencil to a dairy milk chocolate) and innocence in expression. She is so persistent, so open, so playful, and so curious/inquisitive…so right in what she thinks or does (we actually put in the sense of judgment). She sleeps when she wants/needs to, eats when she wants/needs to, plays when she wants/needs to, basically she does what she wants to (till we tell her)!

Let’s isolate the thoughts of teaching her/them (the children) the ‘Rights and Wrongs’ (really, there is no definition, there is just acceptance) of life, I agree we need to guide them! Let’s look at the actions from a pure view point of what they actually mean. This view gives me clear insight into my day to day actions that are filled with ‘Expectations’, mine and the others’. Every action of mine is ruled by the intentions, actions, expectations and orientation of others. Then there is also social, professional and personal classifications of class, authority, power etc. Iam beginning to wonder if Iam living my life or it’s like in the movie ‘Matrix’, where everything is programmed and it is like an action sequence pulled over our eyes to view.

What does it take for me (us) to cry when we want to, laugh when we want to, play when we want to and basically live like we want to? I have no answers, maybe we are incorrigible or maybe that’s how nature willed us to grow. We have our own set of (pure) feelings with different definitions. We hurt the ones who matter the most (because of mindless expectations and misplaced priorities) and we treat everyone else (some insignificant and some significant) with respect and social etiquette. Why?

I leant the art of ‘why-why’ analysis from six-sigma tools about 8 years ago and more recently from my daughter!

This New Year I want to (I will attempt to) exhibit the 5Es and say FOFF (we use it every day) to anything that comes in the way of my dream and I… I have the license to dream, Iam a born dreamer, a Piscean!! (That’s probably the 1st thing all of us would say when we hear ‘Piscean’ … so conditioned!!)

Oxymoron...Life is!

I have a great idea! A ‘Constant Variable’!

When was the last time we felt bad about our boss (much younger readers to substitute boss with Parents, Boy/girl friend, school/college teacher etc) reprimanding us or telling us something absurd (in our esteemed opinion)? Not very long ago, right?!

We have always been told that our employers are ‘Gods…Bhagwan!’ because they pay us. Many Hindi, Tamil, Telugu (regional) movies have taught us that we need to respect and hold our employer in high esteem. One dialogue that I cannot forget is ‘Jis thali se Khaathe ho, usme chedh nahin karna’…loosely translated to read ‘never make a hole in the plate which you use to eat’…philosophically refers to the employer who gives you money (feeds you your bread and butter)...Don't wound the KING!

So with that premise we started leading a life of ‘Professional ethics’, ever since we started working…makes me feel real good when I talk about ethics…my pet topic. All of us have it but many of us choose wisely when to and when not to display it BUT we are well within our limits of decency even when we are not displaying it. Well, well ‘tis SUBJECTIVE! (pardon me!)

Our work-life revolves around ‘Corporate Culture’, ‘Politically Correct communication’, ‘Brainstorming Meetings’, ‘Controlled Aggression’ and my favorite ‘working with targets or ‘KRA - Key Result Areas’ on which our entire growth depends. (Am I hearing somebody say ‘how stupid’?! I agree with you…the boss plays a major role in developing and reading your KRA at the end of the year…Subjective Objectives!!).

Our life, growth, happiness, marital bliss, neighbors pride/envy, the banks’ survival, the pet’s happiness, friends’ happiness (subjective again…as usual Iam Gender sensitive) etc...in short the entire F...... world!! depends so much on your KRA and achievement.

Sometimes the situation is ‘Pretty Ugly’ at office/life in general, sometimes it could be ‘Seriously Funny’, some ‘Minor Crisis’, some ‘Great Depression’, some ‘Clear Confusion’ some ‘Open Secrets’, some ‘unbiased opinions’ and some ‘Near Misses’. That’s about how our life is generally lived!! Some insecurity, some loyalty, some rebellion, some responsibility and most of all Accountability and Purpose!!

Now for the idea!

Our politician…the entire government lives because we pay tax; the administration is full of ‘Public Servants’, which now makes us the employer. The Government, the Police, the Military, the Water-works, the Municipality, the Electricity Board etc are all surviving on the money we pay in the form of TAX…even the TAX Department lives off our money.
How would it be if we could be a Vice President, Manager, Assistant Manager, General Manager and CXO to prepare, discuss and measure performance of our ‘Servants'' (Iam being politically correct…Iam the PUBLIC) KRA on a monthly basis? How would it be to ‘Corporatize’ the Government functioning for us?! We live that way based on ‘Professional Ethics’ and some amount of insecurity to earn our daily bread and why should we let our employees (read servants) get away with murder and consistency in doing a bad job. They should be rated on the same scale ‘Outstanding achiever, Achiever, Meets Targets, Underperformer and FIRED’. We should strive for Perfection and tolerate only excellence! That about defines democracy for me!

Now, is this ‘Political Accountability’ a ‘Real Fantasy’ or a ‘True Dream’?! Is it like ‘Military Intelligence?!

Is it just an ‘Oxymoron’ that could be used for HUMOR?!

What ‘Sweet Sorrow’!! Let’s ‘Act Naturally’!! What would it take for us to achieve this desired setting?

This brings me to a ‘Rolling Stop’! I got to prepare for my quarterly appraisals and work on my KRA! Iam Accountable!!

Cheers!
Pavan

DND - Do Not Disturb!

It was about 11am this morning and I was sitting in a chair at an elite corporate hospital waiting my turn to see the doctor. I was surrounded by all kinds of people...sorry, patients! Some old, some young, some really young. Some had broken bones (me included), some were waiting for a 'Radiation' treatment, some for the neurologist and some for the urologist. Some were on wheel chairs and some on stretchers. I can only describe what I saw, the scene, the mad buzz, the loud wails of a child or some one waiting to be treated BUT I cannot describe the anxiety, anguish or pain one would have gone through. Surprisingly from a practical view it looked like, it's 'Business As Usual'. For the nurses, the ward boys, the doctors and the administrative staff it was just another day at work.

In the midst of such morose (in my opinion) settings, such pain and the added pain of waiting for the doctor, I was wondering about all the suffering and sorrow such small kids, such old people...age no bar...experience!! I suddenly realise (No, I didn't have a halo around my head) that Pain, Hunger, Thirst, Sorrow, Grief, Happiness that all of us experience do not have any bias. These are just like the sunlight/moonlight or the starlit sky or the Earth we walk which do not differentiate between the poor or rich, old or young, black or white (Iam tempted to mention the castes too...but I only know better) etc. It's simple, the SUN shines equally on everyone!! So what's my point now?? Wait, we have just reached the best part!

I must have spent about 2minutes in this scenario, with myriad thoughts, (I actually wrote about it in 2 paragraphs??!! Phew!) when my mobile phone rings. I pick up the call in 1 ring so as not to disturb my fellow-patients and the voice on the other side says 'Hello? (it was not a greeting, so the question mark) May I speak with Mr. Pavan Kumar?' and I said yes. The voice (a female) said, 'Good Morning sir! Iam calling from a real estate company. Could I explain our scheme to buy some open plots?'. I responded in the negative and didn't wait a second before I hung up (I was pleasant, I generally am). As soon as I hung up, my thoughts shifted to the phone calls all of us (atleast most of us) receive on a daily basis... selling insurance, investment plans, credit cards, offering loans, plots, what not!! Some of us are rude and some of us are pleasant in dealing with the callers.

I visualized the scene when many of my friends who have been hounded (they claim so) by these calls have asked many questions in anger...what kinda calls are these guys making? Don't they know when to call? Can't they understand Iam busy? They don't even know how to talk? How could they disturb me at any time they wish to? so on and so forth.

How much do we make of this innocuous call?! What a big fuss!

I sat quietly awaiting my turn with the doctor thinking about, how different are the people who are calling us? What parallels could I draw between what I see at the hospital at that moment and the calls that I receive everyday? This is not for the first time that I got into this mode of thinking, I clearly remember the occasions when I have told my friends who have taken offence to such callers (not calls) 'Boss what do you get by being rude with them. In the 30 seconds had you actually told them, thanks for your call, but Iam not interested in the offer', this could actually mean that we don't carry the bad taste forward (rather it leaves a good taste), we get on with our work and most importantly we help the caller get on with his/her work...which is, the next call!

In reality, they are actually doing their work, just like you and me, just like the hospital staff! It takes just one moment to realise the simple truth that 'Do Not Disturb' does not hold good only for us...it is common to all! I also want to share the experiences/learning I have had while training such tele-callers (I must have trained about 3000 tele-callers in my career) when I was working with the Banking and Telecom sectors. This probably would address some of the questions we ask (mentioned in the previous paragraphs).

Yes the telecallers are not greatly educated and don't have great language skills. They don't know who they are calling and they do not know that they are disturbing (how are they to know what you are doing at that time?). They just do what is being asked of them professionally and they are willing to learn. Think about it, if they were great and had good skills they would rather be sitting in your seat than calling you for some tele-sales. They actually need the money (a paltry sum) they earn, they have a family to support (most of them) and their confidence levels are not too great (they are not unlike you and me), yet they are professionals. What would it take for us to understand that we are being judgmental?! We call ourselves busy and we know the reality :)!!

Do Not Disturb!!

It's not just for you and me! Nobody likes to be disturbed in LIVING their LIFE!

Finally I did get to meet the doctor after 30minutes of waiting!!

Say Cheers mate!! Cheers to life!

Conventional Inconsistencies!!!

Antulay, Antulay, Antulay,

Karkare, Karkare, Karkare,

Thackeray, Thackeray, Thackeray,

Hindu, Hindu, Hindu,

Muslim, Muslim, Muslim,

Cricket, Cricket, Cricket

Crime, Crime, Crime

Recession, Recession, Recession

SRK, SRK, SRK,

Aamir, Aamir, Aamir,

Katrina, Katrina, Katrina,

Britney, Britney, Britney

Pakistan, Pakistan, Pakistan

BJP, BJP,

Congress, Congress

News, News, News,

Globalization, Globalization, Globalization,

Politics, Politics, Politics,

Society, Society, Society!!!

etc, etc, etc!!!

This is what we eat for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. This what we eat, sleep, drink and get a kick out of. Talk to the common man, i.e. US and you will not hear more than this in current affairs. A little more that you will hear is, my company is doing real bad, what a stupid boss I have, these guys running the government don't know a thing, a few expert comments about the recession and what should be done, something about sex scandals/women/men, some great sexual exploits, DOSTANA, a little about food, more about traffic, civic sense, how the entire system is failing!! and ofcourse some office gossip! Some wise people talk about managing marriage, bosses, girlfriends/boyfriends, Children, Career, human rights etc with the best of intentions.

I can't stop myself from making a special mention about the traffic in India... the vehicle that is breaking the rule is the one affiliated to the government! A simple rule to remember, the bigger the vehicle, the fancier the registration number the more the right to break rules and kick the asses of people who question them. They can come in the other direction, honk in peak/bumper-to-bumper traffic, overtake you from left/right or center (how's that possible you ask? Simple, they honk you to the left of the road and keep going straight) and zoom at break neck speed! Well, I had my say!!

After a tiresome day of managing your work, others' work and spending your wisdom, experience and intelligence on running the system, it is time to sleep. And then it is time to get up, look at that toothbrush, which you had always wanted to change a few days ago, brush, then shit, shave, s..., shower (as applicable, now I can't be blamed of being gender insensitive) and get dressed (now, now, there ain't no order to that, some of them manage a little multitasking in the morning). Getting dressed is quite a chore, looking for clothes that are ironed, socks, polish etc (aw come on not everyone is as organised). Then what? The process repeats itself!!

For all of us, what is that one thing that binds us? It is Sensationalism, an inexplicable affinity to controversy and the ever increasing awareness of all the wrong things around us that are waiting for our opinion through SMS or phone calls! WOW! This is quite a life to live!

Now, I have written something that I can't escape too! But there are questions to be asked,

How many of us know where our taxes are going?

How many of us have complained to the authorities about the pot holes on the road that we crib about everyday?

How many of us have caught people doing the right thing?

What measures are we taking to control the pathetic traffic condition/civic conditons?

Do we know who is accountable?

Are we ready to know the truth?

It's US, we are not independent of the system that we are blaming. What are we going to tell our children, our next generation about POLICE, LAW, RULES OF THE SOCIETY etc. Not all of us are related, even remotely, to the people in the GOVERNMENT, to be SAFE in this new WORLD and get away with murder!!

Honesty, Integrity, Sensitivity, Thoughtfulness, Compassion, Empathy, Respect etc seem to be just words. Iam writing (Blogging) for the first time to ask if we are using the greatest available resource to all of us, TIME, to create a better place.

We all have the best intentions, BUT, intentions without ACTIONS are of no use!!

Sensitivity Vs Sensationalism, Politics Vs Accountability, Compromise Vs Getting the rightful due and most of all creating a system that ensures Unity in Diversity! Quantity Vs Quality!

We are in the grip of 'Conventional Inconsistencies'. WE know it is an inconsisteny but it is so conventional and accepted that we just have to do it, for some it is second nature now!

Iam not done yet...So, what next over a cup of Irani Chai?!! Iam game!!