Democracy : We vs They

I received a mail this morning urging everyone to wear black and come to office on 19th August, Friday. This gesture will show my solidarity to an octogenarian man fighting against corruption which is crippling this great nation. The whole nation is gripped with the wave of a second freedom movement. A movement to make India corruption free. Do I support this movement? Yes of course I do. Do I support the method of protest..well considering the method in which our politicians work I feel there is no other way out.

There is a strange irony in the whole scenario. We are up at arms against the people whom we have chosen two years ago with a landslide majority to govern the nation. So what happened in the past two years that we are ready to throw them away with a civil movement? Actually corruption was very much a part and parcel of politics but now more of these have been exposed and hence people have seen how much the politicians can stoop low.

It’s a cumulative frustration of people that have galvanized them to be a part of the movement led by Anna Hazare. People want accountability of government and want to know how their tax is utilized for nation building. Lokpal bill probably will give people the right to question their leader. But it’s difficult to pass this bill through parliament as no thug will dig his own grave. Not a single politician will support the bill tabled by Anna Hazare because it will bring an abrupt end to the business of politics where rags to riches is the most common path up the ladder.

Politicians have created another version of Lokpal bill which will safeguard their interest and yet bring about minor change in the system. This bill will probably be like our age old constitution which has everything but does nothing.

These two versions of the bill are now at loggerhead and this deadlock is not going to end soon. So it’s a war against elected representative of people and self nominated civil rights activists. The most important question now is that who represents the people’s mandate? If people don’t believe in the ruling government then that government has no right to continue in power. There are various views about the demands made by Anna Hazare or other civil society activists but one thing is for sure the political clan is very united to protect their bread butter and scams. So how does this deadlock end? There are various unanswered questions that have evolved around this crisis. The bottom line is clear corruption must be stopped at any cost but the process remains undefined.

The whole democratic process in this country and the constitution itself has been under question from changing socio-political scenario. There is a radical change required in the constitution itself and the first step to that may be this bill. When the elected representatives become arrogant and take their power for granted it’s the people who should remind them the source of their power. This is what Anna Hazare has done. It does not really matter if he is not a Mahatma or a Gandhi but what matter is the fact that he has captured the imagination of the youth and old and has fuelled an agitation which may change the face of nation.

Indian democracy is fighting its war of existence. The road it will choose from this chaos will determine the future of this nation.

127 Hours

A man and his desire to survive the worst of hopeless situation in life sums up the story of 127 Hours. The film is based on the real-life adventure of Aaron Ralston, as documented in the book “Between A Rock And A Hard Place”. The extreme biker and climber met with a freak accident in 2003 when his hand got trapped under a boulder during a climbing expedition in Utah. The mountaineer spent five grueling days all by himself in this life-threatening situation before he could extricate himself and reach out for help.

This simple plot has been woven into a compelling movie by Danny Boyle and A.R.Rahman’s haunting tune(I felt some of the tracks were used in Raavan as well) adds to the pulsating drama. Most of the movie you would stare at close up shots of James Franco who brings out the emotions of a man trapped between life and death. It’s a tough movie to sit through specially the last 15 minutes yet in the end one feels the compelling urge to celebrate life.

I won’t be surprised if James Franco wins the Best Actor award in Oscars this year. Off course I have not yet seen the Social Network but so far his performance has stood out among the movies I saw last year. The best part of the movie is the way Aaron’s inner feelings and fears are portrayed through the various pieces of memories in his mind. And how is premonition of his future gives him the strength to cut his own hand in order to survive. This movie is a classic lesson of ‘mind over matter’. It shows how hope and desire to live overcomes physical challenges. Unless you are faint hearted do watch this movie.

Enjoy another Holiday..Dont bother about Nation

On 26 January 1950, India became a republic and a new constitution came into effect under which India was established as a secular and a democratic state. So we are celebrating 61st year of being a secular republic. We are the largest democracy in the world. We are proud to have produced people who have excelled in different works of life. That’s what I get to read through email chains and scraps and tweets and blogs.
We deliberately or unconsciously ignore the underbelly of this nation. We are the nation that faces challenges from religious violence, casteism, naxalism, terrorism and regional separatist insurgencies, especially in Jammu and Kashmir and northeastern India. India has unresolved territorial disputes with the People's Republic of China, which, in 1962, escalated into the Sino-Indian War, and with Pakistan, which resulted in wars in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999.We proudly sit on top of corruption list and dirtiest cities of the world. Yet I am supposed to be a proud Indian and endorse the tricolor.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of Independent India, in his special message to his countrymen, on the birth of the Indian Republic, said:
"We must re-dedicate ourselves on this day to the peaceful but sure realization of the dream that had inspired the Father of our Nation and the other captains and soldiers of our freedom struggle, the dream of establishing a classless, co-operative, free and happy society in 'his country'. We must remember that this is more a day of dedications than of rejoicing - dedication to the glorious task of making the peasants and workers the toilers and the thinkers fully free, happy and cultured."
If we go by his word we have been a big failure as a Republic by his words yet we are we one of the strongest force of this century.

Lets look at what the preamble to our constitution was:
WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.
Going by the preamble I can question on JUSTICE,LIBERTY,EQUALITY,FRATERNITY in today’s context. We have been given FUNDAMENTAL rights. We not only forget our DUTIES but also expand our FUNDAMENTAL rights to an extent that it crosses hand with the law which is old enough not to cope with present generation.

Tomorrow when I wake up I will enjoy another holiday as the reason for holiday has long lost its importance and value. We can all hope for HOPE.

A vision through the maze

Who is a true leader? There is no concrete answer to this question. History is filled with depiction of great men who have made their mark but does it mean all of them are great leader. Looking back at Indian History we have come across people who have been able to change the course of this nation but searching through their lives you will not find many leaders.

There have been people who have been able to garner faith and respect of people and have transformed themselves to a level where people would naturally follow them. Moving up the corporate ladder makes me realize that the huge potential of the industry at the bottom of the pyramid which gets squandered because there is not many people to channelize this potential. Most people up the pyramid are leader by designation and not by ability. It’s a big statement to make but this is blunt truth. Our corporate structure is not aimed in grooming leaders so in a few years we might find a problem of plenty.

When we entered the industry (Software Industry) way back in 2004 the head count in companies were relatively low. 2004-2006 had seen the intake of huge number of people. Now the leaders we had seen during our initial period were mostly guys who have worked for 10-15 years as Computer Engineers. The catch here is when they graduated most of the students used to opt for jobs in fields like Electronics, Civil, Electrical and Mechanical etc. So we haven’t really seen the best of leaders. So whatever we learnt from them on leadership is really questionable.7 years down the line we are now in the mid management level where it’s expected that we will lead the pack. The problem is not only there are too many such people but also most of them are not well groomed. If you think this is the only problem then you are missing the point, the guys who were your leaders 7 years ago have become managers now.

So the scenario is we are getting bright and enthusiastic fresher’s who are managed by half baked leaders like us who is turn is reporting to people who once was discarded by the booming industries during their hay days. This is creating a huge gulf between expectation and outcome in all possible ways. I have observed the side effect of this situation:

• There is lack of trust and faith on leadership as we move up the pyramid

• Lack of self confidence and self belief among fresher’s who does not have many to look up to

• People changing job at the drop of hat

• Lack of vision and direction in governance

• HR under pressure to retain talent

• Management working behind closed doors like some secret society
• Lack of transparency and vision

• Lack of innovation and growth opportunity

Although I have seen people who have stood out and made a good example of themselves and have been leaders whom we can look up to. But their efforts are often overshadowed by the many who have failed to deliver. Companies are determined to make profit and maintain their growth rate so they push the managers who in turn push their subordinates and ultimately its bottom layer of this pyramid who are crushed. We are not in a sugarcane industry that by crushing more we will get better sugar!!

The companies have formulated policies to ensure that this situation does not arise but often those policies are flaunted to suit the benefit of few and eventually it harms everyone in the long run. The greatest results in life are usually attained by simple means and the exercise of ordinary qualities. These may for the most part be summed in these two: common-sense and perseverance. Problem is today the mantra have been changed. There is nothing called common sense people goes by the rule-book wherever required and flaunts the rules for his/her own benefit. Today perseverance pays you nothing unless you are smart to show off your perseverance. It’s all about marketing. It’s all about blowing your own trumpet and keeps the show running. Leadership skill or no Leadership skill if you are making profit you will be there. You PR and Communication skill will help you project as a great person whose project is making huge profit and the metrics number shows great improvement over the months. Your management will kiss you even if your team members are showing traits of being suicidal or depression.

I know there is no point writing these already known facts. There is no point raising the questions which is already known. There is no point discussing problems as I may not be able to solve the problems. I have tried to work my way out through certain situations so that I may be able to share the solution with all but not always I have succeeded.

But few things that work are:

• Accept and be indifferent

• Never be loyal to your company but be loyal to your work

• Learn as much as possible from the right people.

• Lead by example not by power points.

• Don’t try to change the system either adopt or be adopted

We can’t change but we can make a difference. Difference that may change the way our future welcomes us.