I just heard that the Delhi Police has launched an ambitious plan to ensure "free" flowing traffic all across the city well before the Commonwealth Games. Taking a cue from the old Tata Salt advertisement of free flowing salt, it has declared that well before the commonwealth games the traffic is Delhi will be flowing freely all across the city. On being contacted by yours truly the joint commissioner traffic patiently described the whole plan.
According to the JC {T}, just a humongous task can not be carried out by the police force alone, therfore the the Delhi Police for the first time has entered into MoUs with other Departments and like-minded agencies to partner. The first to sign was the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and its chief vendor Gammon India. DMRC and Gammon being full of thoughtful people like engineers and MBAs have applied the Pareto principle to the issue [they learnt it it simply as the 80:20 rule]. They have agreed that they will take care of 20% of the city that controls 80 per cent of the traffic. Accordingly, they have blocked the main arterial roads and crossings across South Delhi with men and material and barricades and also caused a major accident on a critical road connecting Moolchand to Nehru Place. With astounding results.... traffic flows in all directions at the same time giving a new twist to the constitutional freedom "to travel freely in any part of the country". The DMRC spokesperson has assured that they would continue along similar lines for many years to come. Delhi Police JC {T} was happy at the way the partnership with DMRC was working out. The Municipal Commission of Delhi, not to be left behind, has joined hands and has made it clear that they too have a few tricks up their sleeves to make sure that the Delhi traffic continues to flow "freely". Asked to elaborate, the MCD Commissioner indulgently mentioned that the plan had been in place for years and comprised the following:
1. Allow pavements to be taken over by shopkeepers [unfortunately there are very few pavement dwellers in Delhi]
2. Give a free hand to civil contractors by never focing them to clean up after themselves and allowing them to pile up materials on the roads
3. Plan to build several flyovers and never complete them
4. Pass on advance information on road construction to telecom operators and Delhi Jal Board so that as soon as road are re-laid they can start digging.
The Commissioner looked surpised that your correspondent did not know these rules, especially since they had been a great success since the days of the Asian Games in 1982.
The JC {T} generously praised the MCD for its insight and the value it brought to the partnerships and criticised the New Delhi Municipal Corporation [NDMC] for its refusal to participate in the partnership faced with political pressure. A thoughtful NDMC Commissioner explained that all the politicians and bureaucrats lived in NDMC area and would never allow such "freedom", true to their ilk.
The most effective step to ensure free flow of traffic has however been taken by the lead partner Delhi Police. Taking a leaf out of the seminal work by Levitt and Dubner - Superfreakononmics, the JC{T} suggested that the solution to all complicated problems are really very simple. We have made sure that the traffic flows "freely" throughout the city by simply putting the traffic lights out of use. We have so far covered about 50 per cent of the city's traffic lights and we are sure that we will achieve 100% success with the traffic lights well before the commonwealth games.
Your correspondent also learnt from reliable sources that Delhi drivers true to their character have taken to this new approach like fish to water and are immensely enjoying their new found "freedom"... one of them, a recent arrival in the city from Jhajjhar {haryana}, quoted an ancient authority "the city air makes you free".
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Poor, Their Lordships
For sometime now the RTI wallahs and the newspaper wallahs have been hell-bent upon forcing their lordships the High COurt and Supreme Court justices to reveal their assets - much like old directors harangue starlets to reveal their assets on screen.
After months of haranguing and harrassing their Lordships decided to give in. Perhaps not under pressure from the press or the RTI walas but under pressure from their own ilks. Once again it was the relatively new comers to the business, in this case newcomers to the high courts, who started this trend; exactly like in the movie business where the new comers are more eager to reveal their assets. It started with a smaller and newer lord in the karnataka high court folowed by another smaller lord at Chennai high court and then gradually the all their lordships decided to join the bandwagon. It was much like the movie indsutry where a relatively newcomer like Bipasa Basu starts revealing assets and everyone up the value chain right up to the top Madhuri Dixit [the then equivalent of the Chief Justice) has to reveal.
Oh what fun has it been to watch the terriers snap at the heels of their lordships forcing them to relent. But did something come out of it? Unlike in the movies, unfortunately nothing came out of it. As in much else that happens in India, it was like making a molehill out of a mountain... or its more apt hindi version Khoda Pahar Nikli Chuhiya.... Their lordships revealed that they had no assets worth revealing. The richest of them was worth around 40-50 lakhs slightly worse off than a shopkeeper in Sarojini Nagar.
It now transpires that their Lordships did not want to reveal their assets in the first place NOT because they wanted to hide their wealth, but because they wanted to hide their poverty. I think that is a fundamental right of all Indians and we should not deprive Lordships from that right.
After months of haranguing and harrassing their Lordships decided to give in. Perhaps not under pressure from the press or the RTI walas but under pressure from their own ilks. Once again it was the relatively new comers to the business, in this case newcomers to the high courts, who started this trend; exactly like in the movie business where the new comers are more eager to reveal their assets. It started with a smaller and newer lord in the karnataka high court folowed by another smaller lord at Chennai high court and then gradually the all their lordships decided to join the bandwagon. It was much like the movie indsutry where a relatively newcomer like Bipasa Basu starts revealing assets and everyone up the value chain right up to the top Madhuri Dixit [the then equivalent of the Chief Justice) has to reveal.
Oh what fun has it been to watch the terriers snap at the heels of their lordships forcing them to relent. But did something come out of it? Unlike in the movies, unfortunately nothing came out of it. As in much else that happens in India, it was like making a molehill out of a mountain... or its more apt hindi version Khoda Pahar Nikli Chuhiya.... Their lordships revealed that they had no assets worth revealing. The richest of them was worth around 40-50 lakhs slightly worse off than a shopkeeper in Sarojini Nagar.
It now transpires that their Lordships did not want to reveal their assets in the first place NOT because they wanted to hide their wealth, but because they wanted to hide their poverty. I think that is a fundamental right of all Indians and we should not deprive Lordships from that right.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Security Forces and Taj Mahal Hotel
Nah, I am not taking you back to that fateful day in November and write a rambling and critical note on the role of security forces on that fateful day. I am going to better than that and narrate two separate incidents. These are two separate incidents that seemed to be linked yet you cant pin-point the link.
The first incident happened at the terminal 1A of the Delhi Airport. As usual I was much ahead of time for the afternoon flight and approached the main entrance to the terminal at a leisurely space [1 oclock flights are always empty]. I had in my shirt pocket several A sheets neatly folded, these were various tickets etc. that one normally carries. I took out one A4 sheet and checked it an handed it over the to the CISF guard at the gate, he took 2 minutes to scrutinise it, asked for my photo id and fully satisfied let me go [I wonder where he was when someone flew on a ticket bought on my credit card for Kingfisher sometime back]. I walked confidently towards the check in counter, ut before that there was another CISF person double checking the tickets. Once again I fished into my pocket took out a A4 sheet and handed it over to hi. Once again he checked it for 2 mins reading all the details of Flight 887, matching the date, my name and much else. The he handed me back the ticket, smiled at me and let me pass. As I was folding the ticket to put it back in my pocket, I could not help but laugh out aloud. I could clearly read what the ticket said: Mumbai Central to Hazrat Nizamuddin AC1, 21 August. The ticket which let me through the second gate was my return train ticket for the next day! It came as a shock to me that the person who was inchage of checking tickets was not literate and he looked at all printed A4 sheets with some columns as a plane ticket.
The second incident happened the next day at Taj where the organisation I work for was holding a large confernce. With a view to getting some work done while listening to the speakers at the conference, I asked the ballroom incharge to provide me with a wireless password. He had no clue and promised to sent the "IT guy" across. The IT guy came soon and I requested for a password for a couple of hours. "Yes" he said and suggestively mentioned, "should I tell you the rates beforehand". I said Yes to that thinking to myself it cant surely be more than a couple of hunder rupees for an hour. To my shock I was told that the minimum charge was 2,500 Rs. I did not get the zeros wrong. I maintained my dignity and asked him if there was a lesser scheme. he said there is no scheme for ballroom. To which I sugested that I had booked the ballroom for the day and would up running a bill of at least 4 lakhs... does not that call for a scheme for me? No Sir, was the reply. I think since people have completely stopped hotel phones [remember those rip offs in the earlier era?], this is the new way some hotels are making money. What a sad commentary. If you want to make money out of internet charges why not start a chain of cyber cafes? why start a five star hotel?
The first incident happened at the terminal 1A of the Delhi Airport. As usual I was much ahead of time for the afternoon flight and approached the main entrance to the terminal at a leisurely space [1 oclock flights are always empty]. I had in my shirt pocket several A sheets neatly folded, these were various tickets etc. that one normally carries. I took out one A4 sheet and checked it an handed it over the to the CISF guard at the gate, he took 2 minutes to scrutinise it, asked for my photo id and fully satisfied let me go [I wonder where he was when someone flew on a ticket bought on my credit card for Kingfisher sometime back]. I walked confidently towards the check in counter, ut before that there was another CISF person double checking the tickets. Once again I fished into my pocket took out a A4 sheet and handed it over to hi. Once again he checked it for 2 mins reading all the details of Flight 887, matching the date, my name and much else. The he handed me back the ticket, smiled at me and let me pass. As I was folding the ticket to put it back in my pocket, I could not help but laugh out aloud. I could clearly read what the ticket said: Mumbai Central to Hazrat Nizamuddin AC1, 21 August. The ticket which let me through the second gate was my return train ticket for the next day! It came as a shock to me that the person who was inchage of checking tickets was not literate and he looked at all printed A4 sheets with some columns as a plane ticket.
The second incident happened the next day at Taj where the organisation I work for was holding a large confernce. With a view to getting some work done while listening to the speakers at the conference, I asked the ballroom incharge to provide me with a wireless password. He had no clue and promised to sent the "IT guy" across. The IT guy came soon and I requested for a password for a couple of hours. "Yes" he said and suggestively mentioned, "should I tell you the rates beforehand". I said Yes to that thinking to myself it cant surely be more than a couple of hunder rupees for an hour. To my shock I was told that the minimum charge was 2,500 Rs. I did not get the zeros wrong. I maintained my dignity and asked him if there was a lesser scheme. he said there is no scheme for ballroom. To which I sugested that I had booked the ballroom for the day and would up running a bill of at least 4 lakhs... does not that call for a scheme for me? No Sir, was the reply. I think since people have completely stopped hotel phones [remember those rip offs in the earlier era?], this is the new way some hotels are making money. What a sad commentary. If you want to make money out of internet charges why not start a chain of cyber cafes? why start a five star hotel?
Monday, June 22, 2009
Digital Content and Services: Does Mobile Hold the Key?
Doesn’t it sound interesting that after 15 years of growth based on “user generated content” the mobile phones walas are now moving towards non-user generated content and after 15 years of non-user generated content, internet walas are moving towards user generated content.
Sounds confusing? Let me try and make it easier: In the first round of growth mobile/wireless phones have thrived only on voice which is nothing but user generated content. To be slightly technical, the telecom operators have provided a platform on which we the users have contributed our voice content based on which the industry has grown to have more than 400 million customers. In case of the internet over PC/Laptop however, the beginning was made with web 1.0 where the content was provided to the user to web 2.0 where the platform is provided to the user and s/he contributes her own content.
So it appears that the that the adage “grass is greener on the other side” is coming to be true so far as digital content in India is concerned: Mobile walas are now increasing moving towards getting their customers hooked on to non-user generated content and internet walas are seducing their users by user generated content.
As of now, so far as the Indian market is concerned with its various skewed and awkward developments, it appears that the mobile walas have a distinct advantage in distribution of content and services on four fronts:
User generated content OR voice has proved to be a killer application
Which in turn has meant that benefits of “networking” is accruing to the users [more mobile phones there are more and more people would like to buy one; if you are the only mobile users you would have too few people to call
Mobile after all is a complete gadget: it allows you to talk, it provides connectivity and also acts as a tool for interaction [for using internet on PC you would at least have to have a PC/Device, a modem and a connectivity, sufficient electricity/battery supply. Mobile phones integrates all of these in a small and portable gadget]
Unlike the internet walas, the mobile walas have taught the users how to pay for content and services
It is small wonder that everyone is now trying to capture a share of the new user demand for what is perhaps a little too loosely known as mobile value added services. These services range from ringback tones on one end to mobile banking facilities on the other and anything in between.
This need for pushing content and services on mobile phones would continue to be driven by two significant factors:
The falling ARPUs, arrival of 3G and stiffer competition from new licensees would drive the telecom companies towards more and more value added content
On the other hand content and service providers which include such different entities as internet companies, film and music production houses and pure play mobile content and service providers, banks, retailers; increasingly use mobile as an important channel for distribution of content and services.
There is, however, an interesting dichotomy here: telecom users are not used to creating content and services [flourishing as they have done so far on voice]. The content and service providers on the other hand have so far not been used to paying the lion’s share of revenue for distribution [they are used to paying small commissions], and the current business models primarily dictated by telecoms irks them quite a bit.
So the current situation is somewhat like this: mobile walas need content and services to retain and obtain customers but do not know how to create it. Content and service walas are seduced by the huge customer base of telecoms, but are apprehensive of revenue models. While the industry has grown quite a bit within this constraint, it is time to break the ice and work out a sustainable model that benefits both for the telecom operators as well as the relatively smaller content and service providers.
From business models to what content would work in the future? This is a tricky one since the 400 million odd mobile users in India represent the entire universe of user type. In my view, a few things will work well [quite apart from p2p sms, premier sms and RBT that currently goes for all the content and service on mobile]: a) anything that is a part of the process of monetary transaction including actual transfers b) critical information that call for action now, c) active search for information and d) entertainment/fulfilment on the go. Interestingly again, telecom companies can not get into these businesses without losing their core competence just as much as content providers can not set up their own wireless networks to distribute their wares!
While it seems that once the telecom operators and content and service providers have developed a sustainable business model the growth of the industry is going to be unfettered; it would not be unwise to guard against a few roadblocks: a) at 400 million we have crossed all heretofore single product/service market sizes; we do not know our customers except that they want to talk, it is always difficult to service such a customer b) at 400 million we are more than 400 times over the English literate population, we still do not have local language phones worth mentioning c) at 400 million we are set to cross the total literate and numerate population of the country, will the next set of user be interested in mobile content and services at all? If so, of what kind? We do not know!
So even while the b2b issues are solved in the near future, the primary issue of “knowing” the customer, an issue that perhaps irks all mature industry will have to be faced and the industry will be limited by its knowledge or lack of it of its customer.
Sounds confusing? Let me try and make it easier: In the first round of growth mobile/wireless phones have thrived only on voice which is nothing but user generated content. To be slightly technical, the telecom operators have provided a platform on which we the users have contributed our voice content based on which the industry has grown to have more than 400 million customers. In case of the internet over PC/Laptop however, the beginning was made with web 1.0 where the content was provided to the user to web 2.0 where the platform is provided to the user and s/he contributes her own content.
So it appears that the that the adage “grass is greener on the other side” is coming to be true so far as digital content in India is concerned: Mobile walas are now increasing moving towards getting their customers hooked on to non-user generated content and internet walas are seducing their users by user generated content.
As of now, so far as the Indian market is concerned with its various skewed and awkward developments, it appears that the mobile walas have a distinct advantage in distribution of content and services on four fronts:
User generated content OR voice has proved to be a killer application
Which in turn has meant that benefits of “networking” is accruing to the users [more mobile phones there are more and more people would like to buy one; if you are the only mobile users you would have too few people to call
Mobile after all is a complete gadget: it allows you to talk, it provides connectivity and also acts as a tool for interaction [for using internet on PC you would at least have to have a PC/Device, a modem and a connectivity, sufficient electricity/battery supply. Mobile phones integrates all of these in a small and portable gadget]
Unlike the internet walas, the mobile walas have taught the users how to pay for content and services
It is small wonder that everyone is now trying to capture a share of the new user demand for what is perhaps a little too loosely known as mobile value added services. These services range from ringback tones on one end to mobile banking facilities on the other and anything in between.
This need for pushing content and services on mobile phones would continue to be driven by two significant factors:
The falling ARPUs, arrival of 3G and stiffer competition from new licensees would drive the telecom companies towards more and more value added content
On the other hand content and service providers which include such different entities as internet companies, film and music production houses and pure play mobile content and service providers, banks, retailers; increasingly use mobile as an important channel for distribution of content and services.
There is, however, an interesting dichotomy here: telecom users are not used to creating content and services [flourishing as they have done so far on voice]. The content and service providers on the other hand have so far not been used to paying the lion’s share of revenue for distribution [they are used to paying small commissions], and the current business models primarily dictated by telecoms irks them quite a bit.
So the current situation is somewhat like this: mobile walas need content and services to retain and obtain customers but do not know how to create it. Content and service walas are seduced by the huge customer base of telecoms, but are apprehensive of revenue models. While the industry has grown quite a bit within this constraint, it is time to break the ice and work out a sustainable model that benefits both for the telecom operators as well as the relatively smaller content and service providers.
From business models to what content would work in the future? This is a tricky one since the 400 million odd mobile users in India represent the entire universe of user type. In my view, a few things will work well [quite apart from p2p sms, premier sms and RBT that currently goes for all the content and service on mobile]: a) anything that is a part of the process of monetary transaction including actual transfers b) critical information that call for action now, c) active search for information and d) entertainment/fulfilment on the go. Interestingly again, telecom companies can not get into these businesses without losing their core competence just as much as content providers can not set up their own wireless networks to distribute their wares!
While it seems that once the telecom operators and content and service providers have developed a sustainable business model the growth of the industry is going to be unfettered; it would not be unwise to guard against a few roadblocks: a) at 400 million we have crossed all heretofore single product/service market sizes; we do not know our customers except that they want to talk, it is always difficult to service such a customer b) at 400 million we are more than 400 times over the English literate population, we still do not have local language phones worth mentioning c) at 400 million we are set to cross the total literate and numerate population of the country, will the next set of user be interested in mobile content and services at all? If so, of what kind? We do not know!
So even while the b2b issues are solved in the near future, the primary issue of “knowing” the customer, an issue that perhaps irks all mature industry will have to be faced and the industry will be limited by its knowledge or lack of it of its customer.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Universal Service Obligation
Before I go any further, let me warn the reader that the title is a technical term used for the obligation in India of the telecom license holders to provide services in the rural areas. I would also like to clarify, if it is not yet clear to anyone who has read my blog entries, that I like to write on things I know nothing about [sometimes in business this habit is petulantly termed as lateral thinking and sometimes it is called thinking out of the box].
So here I am writing about the Universal Service Obligation of Indian Telcos and I begin my story with not mobile phones but with electricity. In the 1960s, the government of many states had this crusaders' mentality [like they have now for telecom]. It was thought and genuinely believed in policy circles that electricity could change people's live.. some even believed that electricity in villages could actually cut down on the birth rate [I am sure u can figure out how and why. I will give u a hint, in my high school economics book one of the reasons given for high birth rates in rural India was supposed to be "lack of entertainment" in rural India!].
Be that as it may, the various state governments started pushing for ambitious electrification programmes. In Bihar this is how it happened: in the '60 wooden electric poles were erected, in the 70s these poles were completed eroded by the rains and were replaced by concrete poles, in the '80s poles had wires which were not live, in the '90s poles became live... but the last mile [that is connecinting homes with live electricity] was still not complete. That was the time I left Bihar for greener pastures and have not returned.
The fun on the entire process was that no one lost out. How? the electricity boards got huge money for ambitious plans, poles wallas got their money, the wire wallas made their money and the villagers did not have to adopt to something they were not sure about as yet. So the story ended in a happy note.
Somewhat similar is the story of the Universal Service Obligation Fund for telcos. This is how it works at present [ I may be wrong since as I said I write about things I do not know about]: the government [which is now very keen to earn money from anyone who makes money] takes 6 per cent of all revenues of telcos, puts it in the consolidated fund of India and promises that any telco which will wire up rural India, will be subsidised from this fund.
Do you see the uncanny similarity between the old electricity story and the new telcom story? How do you think this is going to end? As they say, more things change more they remain the same! I can clearly see that the telcos will start building towers, the wirewallas will supply the wires, the switch wallas will supply the switches and [god forbid] the rural folks will be saved from the mobile phones. So evey one will be a winner just as in the case of electricity.
What is the way forward? I think it's easy..... and the best way forward is to make a lose lose situation for everyone. But How? Simple, dont start from the telcos... start from the consumers and reverse the the flow of subsidies. Here is how the flow chart would look:
1. Pay Rs 1,000 to anyone in the rural areas to buy a handphone [one per family only]
2. Handset manufacturers will start making handsets for 800 Rs and set up shops in rural areas
3. Tower companies will start setting up the towers since people are waiting with handsets
4. Wire companies will quickly wire up the towers [or is it wireless?]
5. Telcos will very soon charge up the wireless, they will know how many consumers are waiting at the other end.
It will be a lose lose situation for all: the rural consumer will be burdened with a mobile phone, and all others will have to invest out their own pockets to build a rural business and the government will be hauled up by the election commission. And the process will be complicated... but then if you have decided to give away free money why not make the dsitribution process as complicated as possible?
Jai Hind
So here I am writing about the Universal Service Obligation of Indian Telcos and I begin my story with not mobile phones but with electricity. In the 1960s, the government of many states had this crusaders' mentality [like they have now for telecom]. It was thought and genuinely believed in policy circles that electricity could change people's live.. some even believed that electricity in villages could actually cut down on the birth rate [I am sure u can figure out how and why. I will give u a hint, in my high school economics book one of the reasons given for high birth rates in rural India was supposed to be "lack of entertainment" in rural India!].
Be that as it may, the various state governments started pushing for ambitious electrification programmes. In Bihar this is how it happened: in the '60 wooden electric poles were erected, in the 70s these poles were completed eroded by the rains and were replaced by concrete poles, in the '80s poles had wires which were not live, in the '90s poles became live... but the last mile [that is connecinting homes with live electricity] was still not complete. That was the time I left Bihar for greener pastures and have not returned.
The fun on the entire process was that no one lost out. How? the electricity boards got huge money for ambitious plans, poles wallas got their money, the wire wallas made their money and the villagers did not have to adopt to something they were not sure about as yet. So the story ended in a happy note.
Somewhat similar is the story of the Universal Service Obligation Fund for telcos. This is how it works at present [ I may be wrong since as I said I write about things I do not know about]: the government [which is now very keen to earn money from anyone who makes money] takes 6 per cent of all revenues of telcos, puts it in the consolidated fund of India and promises that any telco which will wire up rural India, will be subsidised from this fund.
Do you see the uncanny similarity between the old electricity story and the new telcom story? How do you think this is going to end? As they say, more things change more they remain the same! I can clearly see that the telcos will start building towers, the wirewallas will supply the wires, the switch wallas will supply the switches and [god forbid] the rural folks will be saved from the mobile phones. So evey one will be a winner just as in the case of electricity.
What is the way forward? I think it's easy..... and the best way forward is to make a lose lose situation for everyone. But How? Simple, dont start from the telcos... start from the consumers and reverse the the flow of subsidies. Here is how the flow chart would look:
1. Pay Rs 1,000 to anyone in the rural areas to buy a handphone [one per family only]
2. Handset manufacturers will start making handsets for 800 Rs and set up shops in rural areas
3. Tower companies will start setting up the towers since people are waiting with handsets
4. Wire companies will quickly wire up the towers [or is it wireless?]
5. Telcos will very soon charge up the wireless, they will know how many consumers are waiting at the other end.
It will be a lose lose situation for all: the rural consumer will be burdened with a mobile phone, and all others will have to invest out their own pockets to build a rural business and the government will be hauled up by the election commission. And the process will be complicated... but then if you have decided to give away free money why not make the dsitribution process as complicated as possible?
Jai Hind
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Diamonds for Economically Challenged, Anyone?
Ratan N Tata and his team have finally launched the Tata Nano Car. The ultimate in the world in "poor person's car". I am told that a lot of work and moolah have gone into the making of this poor person's vehicle - original reserach and development, design, engine etc etc. You name it and the car has it. The only thing retained from the heretofore known design of the cars is that the steering is still on one side [right side in this case]. I have always wondered why car steerings are on one side and not in the middle. Cars evolved from horse carriages where the coachman sat in the middle hence it would have been natural for cars to have steering wheels in the middle. That way u could also have two passenger seats in front. Perhaps someone making cars for persons who cannot even afford Nanos will make a car with the steering wheel in the middle.... someday.
But, as usual I digress. The whole point is, here is a great man from a developing country who thought of the have nots and put his resources behind making a car that is affordable by the poor. Just imagine if every industrialist and businessmen thought like him. The world would be a wonderful place to live in. So here are my suggestions to some of the biggies to make use of the recession and make pro poor products:
1. Shell, Chevron and others should start making a poor person's version of gasoline [to be used with Nano]
2. De Beers should start making poor person's diamond [we also have women to make happy, you know]
3. Boeing and Airbus should seriously start making planes for poor persons [some of us have got bored with cars anyways]
4. Central Banks should start printing poor person's money
World would be such a wonderful place to live in - there will be no class tension, no social tension, no neighbour's envy owner's pride syndrome.
Reminds me of a story I heard as a boy:
Rich Man to his new illiterate Driver: You know my only son is a IIT and IIM grad and works in Dubai
Driver: What's the big deal? My son also works in Dubai.
Thanks to Mr Tata the car industry has got Dubaied.. May his tribe increase.
But, as usual I digress. The whole point is, here is a great man from a developing country who thought of the have nots and put his resources behind making a car that is affordable by the poor. Just imagine if every industrialist and businessmen thought like him. The world would be a wonderful place to live in. So here are my suggestions to some of the biggies to make use of the recession and make pro poor products:
1. Shell, Chevron and others should start making a poor person's version of gasoline [to be used with Nano]
2. De Beers should start making poor person's diamond [we also have women to make happy, you know]
3. Boeing and Airbus should seriously start making planes for poor persons [some of us have got bored with cars anyways]
4. Central Banks should start printing poor person's money
World would be such a wonderful place to live in - there will be no class tension, no social tension, no neighbour's envy owner's pride syndrome.
Reminds me of a story I heard as a boy:
Rich Man to his new illiterate Driver: You know my only son is a IIT and IIM grad and works in Dubai
Driver: What's the big deal? My son also works in Dubai.
Thanks to Mr Tata the car industry has got Dubaied.. May his tribe increase.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Spread of Ideas
I heard this story many years back from my friend. His father, also my teacher much later than the incident described here, as a young member of the Communist Party in his younger days had participated in meeting to discuss the defeat of the Party in all seats in Punjab except one. I was told by my friend that in the meeting the young scholar had raised his hand and asked "would it not be better if, rather than dissecting the cause of defeat, we deliberate on how we won one seat and recreate those conditions elsewhere so that we could win more seats". He was hooted as a charlatan and soon after he ceased to be a member of the Party. I narrate this story as an entry to the somewhat scary story of the recent takeover of the Swat valley by the followers of Taliban and the stark fact that Amritsar is only 500 kilometres from Swat.
Apart from the obvious historical fallacy in the scaremongering [Amritsar has always been 500 kilometres from Swat and Swat has always been a land of warlords since as far as historical records go], it does give an opportunity to see how ideas spread or more importantly how the spread of ideas are restricted. Here are some examples to start a debate: Bihar is zero kilometres from West Bengal where CPM has been ruling for 28 years. The presence of a marxist party at its borders has made no impact to Bihar's own variety of politics. Ditto with Tamil Nadu and Kerala. North Korea and South Korea; China and Pakistan are other examples where the flow of ideas and therefore politics have refused to permeate each other's territories. It seems obvious to me that ideology does not spread by mere geographical proximity. Then how do ideas spread? I really don't know. Perhaps socio-economic situations help or perhaps political sponsorship does....
Be that as it may, I am not alarmed at what is happening at Swat for two reasons, a) what is happening at Swat has been happening there at least since the last 200 years or more [I think Birbal too got killed in one of Akbar's campaign in that region] without affecting any one outside that area; b) empirically, ideas do not spread by just being in the neighbourhood. So let us not rush to contain the spread of ideas by half cooked methods, that could prove to be the most effective way to bring home the idea. As the Bengali proverb goes "Dont dig a canal to bring the crocodile home".
Apart from the obvious historical fallacy in the scaremongering [Amritsar has always been 500 kilometres from Swat and Swat has always been a land of warlords since as far as historical records go], it does give an opportunity to see how ideas spread or more importantly how the spread of ideas are restricted. Here are some examples to start a debate: Bihar is zero kilometres from West Bengal where CPM has been ruling for 28 years. The presence of a marxist party at its borders has made no impact to Bihar's own variety of politics. Ditto with Tamil Nadu and Kerala. North Korea and South Korea; China and Pakistan are other examples where the flow of ideas and therefore politics have refused to permeate each other's territories. It seems obvious to me that ideology does not spread by mere geographical proximity. Then how do ideas spread? I really don't know. Perhaps socio-economic situations help or perhaps political sponsorship does....
Be that as it may, I am not alarmed at what is happening at Swat for two reasons, a) what is happening at Swat has been happening there at least since the last 200 years or more [I think Birbal too got killed in one of Akbar's campaign in that region] without affecting any one outside that area; b) empirically, ideas do not spread by just being in the neighbourhood. So let us not rush to contain the spread of ideas by half cooked methods, that could prove to be the most effective way to bring home the idea. As the Bengali proverb goes "Dont dig a canal to bring the crocodile home".
Monday, February 23, 2009
Pubs and Women
With the tragedy of the pub issue in Bangalore quickly turning into a farce with a) presentation of pink chuddy b) case against minister and c) defamation suit against chaddi party, I thought it would be appropriate to share my perspective on pubs and women and make enemies of two things I love most Women and Indian Culture.
But first a clarification: a) Pub here is stricly a pub short for a public house. Not a lounge bar we know why people go there, certainly not to drink; NOR a restaurant which also serve booze; we also know why people go there and certainly not to drink. A public house is a place orginally in UK where the public went to drink [sofas and food were incidental]. These were known as bars in the US [given the wild nature of the locals, bars had to be put at the serving counters, much like what we had in Delhi till recently].
Now the big question" "Should women go to pubs?" [strictly as defined above] and the answer is NO. especially in India. For the following reasons [mainly]
1. Women usually do not drink more than a pint or two
2. Pub is not the best place to have fruit jiuce and blue curacao and various ohter virgin drinks.
3. Even when drunk women do not usually make a fool of themselves by shouting, abusing and quarrelling.
4. They listen and note conversation to be used later rather than particiapte in it. Believe me in real pub there are no listeners only talkers except the barman.
5. They do not puke in the loo, force and abuse others to let them drive after drinking and do not indulge in any other activities that are usually called post pub syndromes.
6. Finally, in male company they never pay [resonably so since they do not drink, or do not drink so much not do they participate except as passive agents]
So what is the point in going to a pub? More relevantly what is the point in taking women to a pub [as defined above]
Disclaimer: This is not an open invitation to persons of either sex to join me at the nearest bar in my next visit.
But first a clarification: a) Pub here is stricly a pub short for a public house. Not a lounge bar we know why people go there, certainly not to drink; NOR a restaurant which also serve booze; we also know why people go there and certainly not to drink. A public house is a place orginally in UK where the public went to drink [sofas and food were incidental]. These were known as bars in the US [given the wild nature of the locals, bars had to be put at the serving counters, much like what we had in Delhi till recently].
Now the big question" "Should women go to pubs?" [strictly as defined above] and the answer is NO. especially in India. For the following reasons [mainly]
1. Women usually do not drink more than a pint or two
2. Pub is not the best place to have fruit jiuce and blue curacao and various ohter virgin drinks.
3. Even when drunk women do not usually make a fool of themselves by shouting, abusing and quarrelling.
4. They listen and note conversation to be used later rather than particiapte in it. Believe me in real pub there are no listeners only talkers except the barman.
5. They do not puke in the loo, force and abuse others to let them drive after drinking and do not indulge in any other activities that are usually called post pub syndromes.
6. Finally, in male company they never pay [resonably so since they do not drink, or do not drink so much not do they participate except as passive agents]
So what is the point in going to a pub? More relevantly what is the point in taking women to a pub [as defined above]
Disclaimer: This is not an open invitation to persons of either sex to join me at the nearest bar in my next visit.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Elections on the Net: Let’s Bring Politics to Internet!
In 1952 India had her first general elections based on universal adult suffrage. Two things at that first election determined the DNA of the election system of India: a) elections were based on universal adult suffrage, an understanding quite uncommon at that time across the world that all adults irrespective of caste, colour, creed, education and wealth, were competent and enlightened enough to choose their representative. It was actually a very bold idea at that time; b) the elections were to be conducted not by a government body but by a constitutional body called the election commission. As we now know, both these concepts had a revolutionary impact in establishing and maintaining India as a democracy for the last 60 years.
The first Chief Election Commissioner of India was a self-effacing bureaucrat Sukumar Sen of the Indian Civil Service. He served between 1950 and 1958 overseeing the first two general elections. Interestingly, he also served as the first election commissioner of Nepal and Sudan! [I got this information from the Wiki]. He was so self-effacing that he has hardly left behind any papers to enable historians assess his remarkable contribution to the election process in India. As the first Election Commissioner, he also determined the DNA of the Election Commission. While the successive Election Commissioners have not necessary followed Sen’s streak of self-effacement, they have unequivocally maintained the election commission as an independent statutory body, over the years making it one of the most efficient, effective, unbiased and progressive bodies not only in India but the world over.
If you were a senior citizen, who has participated in many elections over the years, you would not help wonder at the progress that the election process has made over the years in terms of shortening queues, better booth management, safer voting environment, ease of casting vote and above all else introduction and use of high technology in the election process.
It is quite a pleasant surprise to know how tech-savvy the working of the election commission is. Electronic voting machines are the most visible gadgets on the tech side. But the whole process of listing, weeding and maintaining voters’ lists and issuing voters’ identity cards is an enormous task given the size of the electorate and the constant stream of newly eligible voters in each successive election. Of course, it would be fair to assume that there was perhaps no alternative before the Commission but to embrace technology fully and efficiently given the enormity of the task and the streamlined nature of the commission. In the last 8-10 years, the Commission has therefore by design or default or by a judicious mixture of both, has chosen some of the most IT savvy civil servants to head its IT function who fortunately have been given a free hand to carry out their functions as long as they have produced the desired results: conducting the elections more efficiently.
Given the history and DNA of the election commission and the imperative need to make more and more use of technology — especially since the size of the electorate if growing, there is demand for more fair and efficient elections, there is need to bring more and more new groups into the election process; I think it is time that the Commission takes the next logical step and seriously considers the concept of “internet voting”. This simply means that registered voters should be given the option of casting votes on the internet.
The task prima facie sounds daunting, and it is so. But we can rely on the historical efficiency of the Election Commission to implement the project on one hand; and on the other, the number of benefits it will bring to the country on the whole.
On the first issue of the Commission’s capability, needless to say, it is important to get the Commission to think in terms of internet voting. Once the thought is accepted seriously by the commission, I am sure, it will not be too difficult for the Commission to implement it – just as it has so smoothly and efficiently implemented electronic voting machines. Of course, in the case of internet voting there is no global precedence, just as there was not precedence of electronic voting machines on such as large scale. So there is the opportunity to set a global benchmark.
On the second issue of benefits, one can safely state that they are far too numerous and important. I will just mention three top issues that can be resolved: a) Literally, millions of so called middle classes who do not come out to vote since they consider the process to long and boring will come out and vote from the comfort of their homes thus possibily changing the whole demographic challenge that elections in India face; b) It will be much safer for people to vote and not be intimidated and c) finally, due to a drastic cut down on physical arrangements such as setting up booths and deploying security forces, the government will save considerable time and money. If these are not compelling reasons, I wonder what are?
As a postscript and from a narrow personal perspective, I may also add that “internet voting” will give a new thrust to internet use in India and help in higher internet penetration – something that successive governments have failed to achieve, may as well be achieved through the good offices of the election commission. This I would say would be the best “collateral” achievement of the whole exercise.
The first Chief Election Commissioner of India was a self-effacing bureaucrat Sukumar Sen of the Indian Civil Service. He served between 1950 and 1958 overseeing the first two general elections. Interestingly, he also served as the first election commissioner of Nepal and Sudan! [I got this information from the Wiki]. He was so self-effacing that he has hardly left behind any papers to enable historians assess his remarkable contribution to the election process in India. As the first Election Commissioner, he also determined the DNA of the Election Commission. While the successive Election Commissioners have not necessary followed Sen’s streak of self-effacement, they have unequivocally maintained the election commission as an independent statutory body, over the years making it one of the most efficient, effective, unbiased and progressive bodies not only in India but the world over.
If you were a senior citizen, who has participated in many elections over the years, you would not help wonder at the progress that the election process has made over the years in terms of shortening queues, better booth management, safer voting environment, ease of casting vote and above all else introduction and use of high technology in the election process.
It is quite a pleasant surprise to know how tech-savvy the working of the election commission is. Electronic voting machines are the most visible gadgets on the tech side. But the whole process of listing, weeding and maintaining voters’ lists and issuing voters’ identity cards is an enormous task given the size of the electorate and the constant stream of newly eligible voters in each successive election. Of course, it would be fair to assume that there was perhaps no alternative before the Commission but to embrace technology fully and efficiently given the enormity of the task and the streamlined nature of the commission. In the last 8-10 years, the Commission has therefore by design or default or by a judicious mixture of both, has chosen some of the most IT savvy civil servants to head its IT function who fortunately have been given a free hand to carry out their functions as long as they have produced the desired results: conducting the elections more efficiently.
Given the history and DNA of the election commission and the imperative need to make more and more use of technology — especially since the size of the electorate if growing, there is demand for more fair and efficient elections, there is need to bring more and more new groups into the election process; I think it is time that the Commission takes the next logical step and seriously considers the concept of “internet voting”. This simply means that registered voters should be given the option of casting votes on the internet.
The task prima facie sounds daunting, and it is so. But we can rely on the historical efficiency of the Election Commission to implement the project on one hand; and on the other, the number of benefits it will bring to the country on the whole.
On the first issue of the Commission’s capability, needless to say, it is important to get the Commission to think in terms of internet voting. Once the thought is accepted seriously by the commission, I am sure, it will not be too difficult for the Commission to implement it – just as it has so smoothly and efficiently implemented electronic voting machines. Of course, in the case of internet voting there is no global precedence, just as there was not precedence of electronic voting machines on such as large scale. So there is the opportunity to set a global benchmark.
On the second issue of benefits, one can safely state that they are far too numerous and important. I will just mention three top issues that can be resolved: a) Literally, millions of so called middle classes who do not come out to vote since they consider the process to long and boring will come out and vote from the comfort of their homes thus possibily changing the whole demographic challenge that elections in India face; b) It will be much safer for people to vote and not be intimidated and c) finally, due to a drastic cut down on physical arrangements such as setting up booths and deploying security forces, the government will save considerable time and money. If these are not compelling reasons, I wonder what are?
As a postscript and from a narrow personal perspective, I may also add that “internet voting” will give a new thrust to internet use in India and help in higher internet penetration – something that successive governments have failed to achieve, may as well be achieved through the good offices of the election commission. This I would say would be the best “collateral” achievement of the whole exercise.
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