Whistleblower

Where are our better angels?

2012-01-30T02:00:00.000-08:00

Harvard Professor Steven Pinker has written a book that can change our perception of violence and give us a rare insight and a reason to smile about in this age of revolutions, cruel deposition of dictators, wars, civil strife, terrorism, and arms race. In his book, The Better Angels of our Nature, he tells us in our face, jolting our common sense, that we are living in the most peaceful period in the history of our species and that human beings have become less violent and nicer, more empathetic and caring about one another. Sounds like a crazy idea, isn't it?

This hypothesis of people becoming more serene goes against our gut feeling. If you turn on the TV, you will see news channels flashing images of terrorist attacks, bomb explosions, murders, rape and all sorts of violent crimes against women, children, minorities, animals and nature. Our newspapers are filled not with the triumphant declaration of truce, but with diktat for economic blockades with implied threats of violence to whoever not heeding it, never mind the worst affected are the helpless common people who just happen to be earning their livelihood and trying to keep the hearth in their kitchen warm. Hand grenades are easier to find than one gallon of petrol. And a dead body is cheaper than a detonator. I rest my case.

Not yet. Prof. Pinker contends that we are suffering from presentism bias, the impression that recent events are more significant and because of it, bigger incidents in the past are likely to be overlooked or belittled. Genghis Khan, the Mongol invader who lived in the 13th century, killed more people than the number of fatalities from September/9 and the America led war in Irag and Afghanistan put together. Our own June/18 is nothing compared to the number of people who got martyred during the Seven Years Devastation during 1819-26. Yet the more recent the incidents are, the stronger is the impression in our mind of their being grander in magnitude in terms of their sinisterness and outrageousness. The explosion of media and the traditional approach of media to focus on and magnify negative news have also given rise to this false impression. (Few had won an award or a grant for reporting the positive news).

Due to this notion, we have forgotten that violence was a way of life in the past and not just freak incidents like fake encounters. Digging into the statistics and data culled from the prehistory till the modern time, Prof. Pinker concludes that a person in the olden times was more prone to violence and more likely to die of it at the hands of another human being. Savagery was not a part of the cultural menu, it was the only menu.

"Cruelty as entertainment, human sacrifice to indulge superstition, slavery as a labour-saving device, conquest as the mission statement of government, genocide as a means of acquiring real estate, torture and mutilation as routine punishment, the death penalty for misdemeanors and differences of opinion, assassination as the mechanism of political succession, rape as the spoils of war, pogroms as outlets for frustration, homicide as the major form of conflict resolution--all were unexceptionable features of life for most of human history," Prof. Pinker writes.

There are four major factors that have led men towards the peaceful path. The first is the monopolization of violence by the State which has had the effect of obviating the necessity of taking pre-emptive strikes by individuals against real or potential opponents and the vicious cycle that perpetuates it. It is now taken for granted that the State exists to protect the life and property of the citizens.

Second is the increasing lifespan of Homo sapiens due to better healthcare. Life is seen to be more precious and valuable now then in the Middle Ages when the life expectancy at birth was just 30 years or so. We can expect to live longer and enjoy life with the evolving marvels of modern technology. So, gratuitous violence that can end or hurt this prospect of an amazing life ahead is best avoided.

Third, societies have realized that symbiotic coexistence and reaping the peace dividends through trade and commerce is more beneficial then waging wars and destroying the scarce resources. The collateral damage of wars is too high, and if wars are won they are most likely to be pyrrhic victories.

Fourth is the growing general revulsion against violence and discrimination of any kind directed at people because of their nationality, race, colour, gender, political beliefs, religion, sexual orientation or physical characteristics. In short, the Rights Movement has changed our attitudes. Our moral compass has never been on a higher pedestal and has moved beyond human rights to include rights of animals and natural resources. Violence has lost its cowboy allure. It is a taboo.

Because of all the above factors, world has become more peaceful and even our neighbouring States have enjoyed its fruits and taken strides in development. Yet we remain an island unaffected by the global trend towards a conflict-free existence. Manipuri society is deeply embroiled in a culture of violence and it is getting more pronounced, which begs the question: What's wrong with us, the Manipuris? Why can't we abjure violence and adopt a more humane approach to address our grievances? Is the trigger for violence built into us from birth?

There's nothing wrong with us at the physiological level. We have not descended from the African cannibals. Our chromosomes are still normal. Our frontal cortex has not shrunk. Our testosterone levels are well under limits.

The problem with us, as Prof. Pinker might diagnose, is that none has been able to exercise monopoly on violence. There are too many dispensers of violence. Violence has been democratized and the number of its franchisees has exploded in this strife-torn State.

Ideally, the State should exercise all the coercive powers to ensure that no extra-state authority has an incentive to commit acts of violence. Sadly, the existence of the State forces has not deterred the non-state players, and they have struck at will. Where a strong State should be the sole arbiter of violence by concentrating all the powers of meting out violence in its hand to enforce rule of law, what exists on ground is a competition for domination of the violence landscape in which the State is just another contestant.

The State has become too soft and its writ has been compromised by bandhs and blockades, bomb blasts, kidnappings for ransom, shootings and killings which it has not been able to stop.

If the spiral of violence has to end, then it is to be thwarted by the threat of a greater violence upon the perpetrators by a Supreme Authority enjoying a monopoly on violence. The State should reclaim the position of that Supreme Authority. It should be quite obvious that people resort to violence when it seems the better bet. They resist it when it seems riskier than the alternative.

The trick is to make violence too risky and counterproductive for a person to even contemplate it by projecting the overarching specter of a punitive and invincible State force that can decimate the potential sources of violence at their roots.

Having said this, concerns remain of the State becoming too powerful with its monopoly of administering violence, in which case institutions must exist to apply checks and balances. The democratic institutions must rap on the knuckles of the State at the slightest hint of it committing excesses intoxicated by its own might.

As Mao Zedong said, "power comes from the barrel of gun". The statement is still true and the only common language the world knows is love-and ironically violence. As one study found out, 80 per cent of people have fantasized about killing someone they don't like. When stripped of all our basic inhibitions, we are still the hunter-gatherers in Armani, grappling with the constant internal battle between our id and ego.

The happy news is: comparing data across millennia, violence has unmistakably declined in its degree of brutality and quantitatively by its occurrences in proportion to the size of the population. But apparently because of some adverse planetary configuration at the time of our racial origin, peace seems elusive for the Manipuris. Our inner demons are strangulating the better angels, while the State is too soft and has not been able to contain and defeat our dark urges.

This gloomy situation can turn around for the better without waiting for an external Messiah to save us. The key to peace resides in each of us and to find it we should bring forth and act on our inner values of empathy rather than schadenfreude, love rather than enmity and harmony rather than discord-the better angels in our nature.

And that's why I say, ladies and gentlemen, let's give wings to these angels.

(The Better Angels of our Nature is published by Allen Lane (Penguin Books) and can be ordered from flipkart.com. Price: Rs. 550).

Republic Day, 2012

2012-01-29T23:14:00.000-08:00

At the Republic Day, 2012 in Imphal on...

5 wackiest ideas in school reform

2009-11-21T22:25:00.001-08:00

(That’s not going to happen!)

By Ranjan Yumnam

I have been thinking about how we can do to improve school education in Manipur for quite a while, and who won’t think about schools when no one is going to school and education has been put on hold as if it were a commodity that can be bought anytime at one’s own sweet will. Of course, admission into schools and books can be bought but nothing can compensate for the vibrancy of receiving education in the classrooms.

After family, it is the schools and the teachers that prepare the future generation with essential life-skills and familiarise them to the core values of a society, like love, respect, tolerance and social-mindedness. With the current impasse still stuck like an arrogant mass of chewing-gum entangled in the hair, I am beginning to think in ways that only a character in Harry Potter could have thought. Here are my five wackiest ideas to rev up school education.

1. Throw away the textbooks: Yeah, I wrote it right. As kids, we had to literally buckle under the heavy load of books and notebooks in our rucksack. While weight of the books can be back-breaking and physically hazardous, quantifying education in Kilos on our back is retrograde and sends out the wrong message that education is narrow and limited. Education has no limits and no boundaries; you can’t hit a sixer in education, because knowledge is boundless. The goalposts keep shifting and the horizon of intellectual exploration is infinitesimal. Yesterday’s genius is tomorrow’s jokers. Albert Einstein’s theories will tumble someday like a pack of cards in the hands of a clumsy child, mark my words. My point of contention is that textbooks are not sacrosanct. They are only a pointer to discussions and further analytical thinking. Textbooks are like the bricks in the wall, a mental block. If we have excellent teachers, We Don’t Need No (Textbook) Education. The small print not only cramps the children’s outlook but also confines their learning to just what some potbellied professors prescribed as what we need to learn. That defeats the very purpose of education. Education is all about learning to think for ourselves and not to kowtow to some indoctrination of the current fad of what education should be. Our children need exposure to more exciting sights and sounds in the form of project works and practical hands on training. Our kids should be groomed as innovators and not just some fools regurgitating arcane mathematical formulas and Victorian English idioms. Schools education should be conditioned as an ice-breaking flirtation with the subjects of one’s aptitude which he/she can major at higher level. Take my example: I am a middle level administrator and the value of Pie that I learned in school never mattered to me in the course of my work. In fact, it will never be of use to me. Conclusion: learning in schools should be fun—a sensitisation and a socialisation process that is not supposed to be a Rote and Rot system.

2. Abolish private schools : Private schools create an oasis of privileged education in the desert and by having two sets of educational institutions; we are artificially dividing the students into two classes of humanity: Government school students and private school students. Education should be equitable, and I am saying it not because I am a Marxist but I dream of a system where everyone is assured of an equal and decent quality of education, irrespective of which family background a person is born into. Having only Government schools will also mount pressure on the State to improve the quality of its education delivery system. The State will be duty-bound to provide a uniform standard of schools system, owing to the lobby of parents, teachers and most important, the kids themselves. Let’s disown private education.

3. Fire all Government teachers : Nationalise the private schools but privatise the teachers and schools’ management. Fire all of them, if need be. Let teachers earn their salary, not steal it. Who told them in the first place that they are entitled to their pay-checks like the birthright of a princess? No work, no pay should apply to all teachers to curb the absenteeism that is rampant in schools. And with no Government teachers, qualified contract teachers will, of course, be the norm and they will compete like jealous lovers. They should love the kids anyway.

4. Make education democracy-free zone : This is the most politically incorrect statement but is also a nice way of saying “get rid of politicians”. Democracy is a doubled-edged sword. While it purports to bestow power in the people’s hand through their representatives, the same system also sabotages the ultimate welfare of the people. Instead of promoting a society based on merit, patronage and nepotism has taken over, courtesy democratic constraints or obligations of pandering to mob’s whims. As in so many other sectors, electoral politics has killed the rational planning of education.

5. Make education compulsory and free : Make the world unlivable for the uneducated. Deny them their passports, telephone connections, PDS, NREGS jobcards, whatever except on rare cases of mental retardation or physical disability. You talk of civil rights and liberties, I talk of empowering people. Make dropping out of school painful and nearly impossible. For this to happen, school education should be fully residential and free. Education should not pose a burden on families. It should be a liberation movement without blood and gunshots.

Pregnancy taste

2009-11-07T16:32:00.000-08:00

How many kids you want to have? This is the question that population researchers have been asking, and as expected answers vary from one country to another—and within a country, from one society to another. One very interesting fact emerges out of such surveys: the number of kids a woman gives birth to is always one more than she would normally want. The reasons could be illiteracy, lack of access to contraceptives, male domination or recklessness in bed.

The good news is, all over the world, the fertility rate is falling below the replacement rate of 2.1. As we know, fertility rate of 2.1 is the magic number that causes the population to stabilise at a particular point while producing enough numbers of children to sustain it. In India, the southern States have achieved that kind of fertility level, but northern behemoth States like Bihar and UP seem to be runaway baby factories and adding numbers to their population like mad.

What is significant and the point which I want to highlight in this article is the correlation between the fertility level and well-being and prosperity of the society—or family, if we take the smallest unit. It has been borne out by several studies that falling fertility goes hand in hand with rising standards of living. What is the effect and what is the cause of this phenomenon? One social experiment was conducted in the Matlab district of Bangladesh, where the researchers divided it into two demographic groups. One group was provided all sorts of family planning assistance and tools; and the other (control group) was left on its own without any access to birth control strategies. The outcome was, the households with access to birth control witnessed a marked fall in the family size and rise in the living standards. Just the opposite happened to the second group.

It is crystal clear then that family size does matter. If you want to enjoy life—and as the LG ads would want you to say “Life is Good”—then have fewer babies. And this makes sense too as our society has changed. Our grandfathers used to depend solely on agriculture and the vagaries of monsoons. Now that is not the case. From an agrarian society, we have slowly made a transition to a service economy, where education, sanitation and employment in tertiary sectors have become more important.

For instance, a family owning a large swathe of paddy field with no tractors and mechanical devices in the 19th century was justified in birthing more kids because of the advantage of getting more hands that outweigh the cost of feeding the extra mouths, but it is uneconomical and plain foolishness to have a large family in the modern age. Education, for one, costs money, and if the trend of bandhs and strikes continues unabated, you might want to send your wards to pricey foreign educational institutions. No prize for guessing how much you have to fork out to provide that kind of world class education to your kids. Same goes for the cost of maintaining a decent standard of living like enjoying good nutrition and pleasures of life. It is simple arithmetic.

It is not so simplistic either if you throw in the dynamics of politics of democracy as is being practiced in India. While I vouch for We Two, Our Two, the Good Life, Good Standards of Living line, there is another school of thought which contends that minority groups like us should not worry about standard of living for the time being but keep making babies to boost our population.

This, in fact, is a pregnant argument. Even in China which has an authoritarian regime, minority groups are beyond the purview of its One Child Policy. There is a genuine fear that larger groups might gobble up the tiny ethnic groups and eliminate them from the face of the Earth.

That is our dilemma. We are faced with a very difficult trade-off between attaining a quality lifestyle pitted against the larger common issue of collective survival as a society with its own distinct identity. Democracy has to share the blame for giving rise to such a situation.

Democracy rewards numbers and the numbers translate into power. UP and Bihar are being rewarded for their runaway population growth allowing them to usurp more political mileage and bigger pie of resources, while well behaved southern States like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have seen Central grants reduced over the years and possibly fewer MP seats in the future. It is unfair; while we try to control population explosion, the rogue States are given prizes and the performing States are being whipped.

Bihar has the highest fertility rate at 4 followed by UP at 3.8. This has great implications for the whole population of India since these two States are giant elephants of the Indian population.

At present, Manipur has a fertility rate of 2.8 against the national average of 2.7. So what model should we follow? Imitate Bihar and risks plummeting further into chaos and erosion of social fabric? Follow Kerala model and risks being penalized?

As with education, I would rather go for quality than quantity. It’s better to have quality human capital that can compete with the world than raise a bunch of semi-literate, poor and angry uncontrollable freaks that would lead to more law and order situation and pollute the world’s ecosystem.

And by the way, if we look at the human history, it is amazing how much change one person can bring in the world, for good or for bad. We just need a good leader, some more superstars in sports, arts and culture, and then jack up the education system to produce confident players in the global intellectual and economic arena.

So don’t listen to the population bigots. Keep your family small and make your State proud by producing model citizens. From More to Moods!

Me, Myself and Manipur

2007-06-04T21:23:00.000-07:00

FROM whatever angle one chooses to look, Manipur’s problems defy solution. There are several intractable issues and there is no quick-fix formula for what many observers believe are probably problems of Maipuri society’s own making, that which stem from indecisiveness, lack of resolve and self-serving orientation. This last is the most critical.

It will not be wide off the mark to suggest that most Manipuris behave like an island unto themselves and, if given the choice, would hoist their own flag and establish foreign missions. Self-interest, rather than public interest, has become their motto and a yardstick to determine their course of action in private and public life. Call it ambition or egoism — the choice is yours — individual advancement and glory are what the average Manipuri craves, compelled by the prevailing circumstances.

An example: Manipur reels under severe power cuts, yet everyone blames the government instead of doing something to alleviate the sufferance. One may marvel at their apparently sadistic stoicism, but, no, they are also defaulters when it comes to paying electricity bills. “If you don’t pay up, then shut up, no more free lunches,” says the government, even if that is a little harsh for its grilling citizens with a three-hour power cut every day. Clearly, Manipuris are suffering from electricity anorexia.

They love bandhs, dharnas, strikes and joint action committes, but not when it comes to a case of “let there be light”. Which makes one wonder whether these are the same people who erupt in uncontrollable rage against the murder of a Manorama Devi, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and the Nagalim issue. Mind you, this is the same society that gave birth to Irom Chanu Sharmila, an icon of the struggle against the Army’s presence!

It all boils down to the fact that self-aggrandisement and comfort, more than a collective shoring up of the public good, is the accepted commandment. Instead of chiding the government and following through, Manipuris resort to convenient, if not blatantly selfish, shortcuts — like buying inverters and gensets. Those who can’t, rot in darkness. Idealism, morality, civic sense, political conviction, fairness or patriotism are forgotten principles.

Every general election is instructive of these virtues (or the lack therein) among Manipuris. It is normally fashionable for them to lambast the shortcomings of the government and politicians, but come an election and they change colour overnight. Even the harshest critics rush to become cheerleaders for contesting hopefuls. Patronage in the form of jobs, plum contracts and access to the corridors of power are guaranteed if they hobnob with the right candidate. The bottomline is individual enrichment, not altruism.

So it makes for amusing reading when commentators in the local press talk of how the last assembly elections came to fruition with the peolple’s participation, and that Indian democracy had triumphed over secessionist forces. That is a hard pill to swallow given Manipuri fickle-mindedness.

That insurgents are very much involved in the election process is an open secret. Every political party or candidate is backed by one insurgent group or the other and it is difficult to agree with analysts who say that the smooth conduct of the electoral process is a clear rejection of militant organisations and people’s affirmation of their faith in Indian democracy. The ballot triumphing over bullets? That’s wishful thinking! During polls there’s calm enough, but the last ballot has been cast, the bullets take over. Bureaucrats serve merely as rubber stamps for underground organisations, and ministers too must do their bidding.

The point is, a typical Manipuri has no opinion about anything. Ask a woman if she favours the insurgents or the government and she will probably draw a blank. Depending on whether you classify her as a commodity or a confirmed opportunist, anyone can command her loyalty. She would sprint to the camp that gives her the best odds to quick and easy booty. Which is no surprise for a small state whose only bloodline entails scarce resources that everyone has an eye on. Getting access to them is guaranteed by either of two means — guns or political patronage. Mind you, the competition is tough so don’t blame Manipuris for being what they are. Their fate, until some miracle happens, is sealed.
(First published in the Statesman)

AMADA and Global Warming

2007-05-09T00:57:00.000-07:00

Going green and promoting environment consciousness is not the business of speciality NGOs alone. I mean not any more. Very few entities in the near future can claim to be socially responsible without espousing and embracing some form of green practices.

Climate change is real; it is no longer a fashionable term that we talk about to appear sophisticated and educated in cocktail parties, like AIDS used to be once upon a time among the elite circle. In many respects, it is even more dangerous than HIV.

We can avoid HIV if we take preventive measures and don't put ourselves in the harm's way. But with global warming, it's not that easy. It's hard to reverse the amount of heat trapping gases accumulated in the atmosphere if it exceeds a threshold, and that threshold is fast approaching.

Climate change is not their problem; it has become the common problem of humanity. And as the world has become flat—to use Thomas Friedman's distinctive phrase—we can no longer remain isolated islands of pristine air and be immune from the adverse effects of climate change sweeping across the globe.

My only grouse against AMADA—and here's the connection between AMADA and environment—is not with what they do with the drug peddlers and addicts, the twin parasites of our society, but with what they do with the contraband stuff they seize from them afterwards. Here's the reason for my disquiet.

AMADA's volunteers employ one of the most inefficient and dirty means of disposing their catch: setting them on fire. I suspect AMADA might have chosen this method as it guarantees a TV friendly spectacle and drama. PR is everything in a world increasingly defined by media created images and perceptions.

And by saying this, I am not implying by any stretch of imagination that AMADA is a rogue organisation that should be banned like the liquor it bans. I would be the last person to assert that burning a few litres of booze by AMADA's activists in Imphal could melt glaciers in the North Pole and raise the sea level.

On the contrary, I wish to see a perfect AMADA which is as passionate about environment as it is about its drive against drugs and alcohol consumption. Its crusade against substance abuse is laudable by any yardsticks. In a short period of time, it has demonstrated and set an example of how civil society can lead the way where the state, angels and meira paibees have tried and failed and now fear to tread.

Because it has spawned competition and inspired other organisations to join the anti-drugs movement, we may be now encountering fewer drunken slobs in the streets, in our homes, at the local tea-stalls and at our workplaces. Every alcoholic caught and chastised by the AMADA also means one abusive and irresponsible father/husband/neighbour less in the society, not to talk of increased productivity due to precious man-hours saved.

But strictly speaking, there is a flimsy link between this organisation and the global warming. Our concern, however, is not with the real effects of AMADA's activities on carbon density or their magnitude; the issue is how a mass-based organisation projects its sensitivity towards environment protection—the symbolic part that can influence people's attitudes.

The act of burning toxic materials as a way of disposing them is increasingly becoming obsolete, politically incorrect and morally pugnacious. So when some of our flagship civil society organisations tend to throw matchsticks at anything that is inflammable, there is a cause for concern.

The need of the hour is to set an example for our future generation that going green is not just Al Gore's fad, but a necessity if this planet has to survive. We can't do that by exposing our children to images of mobs setting up toxic bonfires every time they watch the ISTV news.

All these are not issues of mere academic interest. Already we are experiencing abnormal seasonal change, erratic monsoons, unprecedented level of air pollution and freak temperature fluctuations. Before we realise, the monster of climate change has reached our backyard, and its co-conspirators are our complacency and ignorance. Which brings us to the thought that if you are not worried by climate change, you are either a sadist or a very phlegmatic person.

Apart from that, our burning spree also reveals a little dark secret about ourselves. It is a manifestation of our obsession with violence and pent-up frustrations. As a society we need to introspect. We have developed a disturbing habit of setting ablaze to anything at the drop of a hat.

We raze down government buildings, our own schools and colleges, hospitals, vehicles and almost any public property—never mind the fact that it is the taxpayers' money, your and my hard-earned money, that is being annihilated.

We never ask ourselves, much less establish a deliberative culture: Will burning down an office property raise our salary; will turning our college into ashes confirm our part-time job; will petrol-bombing the library restore our linguistic heritage...

Did we ever question ourselves: Is natural justice being served to the family of a criminal when we burn their house for one person's fault; is putting the liquor on flames the only means of destroying it...the list is endless.
In most of these cases, the answer is no. Our fiery zeal for destruction reveals a vindictive psyche that pervades through all sections of society. It is not a healthy sign, nor a civilized behaviour.

So may I—as a well-wisher—suggest to AMADA that it adopt better, more peaceful and environment-friendly ways of disposing the bootleg that it seizes from vendors?

Can't it be just thrown down the drain? If this can't be done and if you are determined to kindle it anyway, then at least put the booze to a useful use, like using it as an alternative fuel to meet the energy needs of the AMADA's Mayai Loisang.

Making bonfires of liquor in plastic pouches increasingly looks like a primitive tribal ritual of spectacle, and a dirty one at that.

Whose cinema is it anyway?

2007-04-23T05:59:00.000-07:00

"I used to think; now I read the Economist," says Larry Ellison, billionaire and founder of the Oracle Corporation. Any columnist or a newspaper would only dream to be eulogised in such lofty heights by a genius like Mr Ellison (his company makes softwares that make most of the e-commerce and internet banking possible on the World Wide Web).
Well, for all my admiration for the magazine, the Economist is not without its failings, which is quite human (it supported the Irag invasion). And that's exactly the point I want to convey to the readers. That nobody has a monopoly on truth. That often, in the absence of hindsight and facts that vested interests conceal from us, we can only make an educated guess, a surmise or a wild conjecture at best.
What's important - and I think more important than finding the truth in the post-modern world of hyper reality-is asking new questions, expanding the horizons of public discourse, breaking taboos, challenging the dominant views and giving a chase to sacred cows. And as for the verdict, let's leave it to the history - and if we are lucky to the foreseeable future.
With this note of human fallibility and man's indomitable spirit, beginning today, every fortnight, this writer wishes to start a friendly CONVERSATION with the readers on a flat platform. I say friendly conversation because I believe the era of an all-knowing columnist who pontificates, sermonises and preaches has had its best days.
Yet there are extraordinary occasions when we feel so irritated by something that we might wish to punish the subject of our ire to a gruelling lecture. In this case-no, it's got nothing to do with insurgency, which the Economist called "a racket" a few days ago - it's the Manipur's filmmakers that should be meted out this treatment.
Here's why. There are cinemas and there are cinemas. What distinguishes a national cinema from another is in the degree of originality of their craft, in terms of form, content, thematic treatment and visual aesthetics.
With all my respects to the doyens of the Manipuri cinema, the plain inconvenient truth is: we have been mere copycats of foreign cinemas, movement and trends, right from our first recorded film to the last. From Mainu Pemcha (made in Hindi, ouch) to the slew of today's digital pseudo-films, one word can sum it all: creative bankruptcy.
If it was the so-called French New Wave cinema (smuggled into India by another famous Indian pirate from Bengal) during the seventies, it's now the Bollywood, Tamil and Malayalam films that serve as the stylebook of the Manipuri films along with their inevitable song and dance sequences, pelvic gyrations, musical noise, warts and all.
Yes, our films did win awards at international and national film festivals, but we need to ask on what strengths did they achieve that recognition. I have a suspicion that they got noticed for the simple reason that they conformed to the tradition of the dominant cinema of the times.
The motivation of the directors of the celluloid era was most likely: "Hey, if I make a film like the Bengalis (read: arthouse), I stand a chance at this and that festival". The idea was conformity dressed up as non-conformism, and the product was Bengali realism, that was itself an offshoot of European cinema.
To be fair to the pioneers of the Manipuri cinema, despite their failings, they should be given the credit for introducing this medium in an age where most of the Manipuris wouldn't have seen even a still camera.
Nevertheless, I keep asking whoever is related to the Manipuri cinema a straight question: What is Manipuri about the Manipuri films? Most of the time, I get blank stares, a grin, a snort or a contempt for an answer. I fear there is no positive answer to this poser, and worse, we are in the denial state.
The first thing that pigeonholes Manipuri cinema as a regional cinema is our mindless adoption of the cinematic style, codes, gimmicks of attractions and devices of the Bollywood cinema - hook, line and sinker.
Songs and dances that remotely relate to the Manipuri culture are forced-fed into our films like they are our trademark. In films after films, they have been repeated so often that it has reached what Malcolm Gladwell calls the tipping point, from where there is no return.
I don't say songs and dances per se are bad. One has to see the context. Minus the hysterics, the escapism, the melodrama overdose, the running around the trees, the lavish costume and settings and the songs and dance extravaganza, can one ever imagine Bollywood? To Mumbai based films, songs and dance are as natural to them as phanek is to Manipuri women. It is their identity that sets it apart from other national cinemas.
The problem is if we really want to establish an identity of our own, a distinct Manipuri national cinema in the pantheon of world cinema and not remain contented with the status of a poor cousin of Bollywood, then our filmmakers have got to wake up and stop playing second fiddle to an alien cultural product. Certainly we can't do it on the plank of plagiarism, as impossible it is as a cat trying to become a peacock however much it tries.
All is not lost though. There are young breed of filmmakers who understand the crisis in the Manipuri cinema and are trying to change the status quo of originality void. It's to them that we owe our support and blessings. On the brighter side, the task is not that tough also. We don't need to burn midnight oil to study the obscure film theory of Vsevolod Pudovkin, Sergei Eisentien, European auteurs and rummaged through the archives of great cinemas of the world. The beautiful thing about being original is being effortless. And being effortless means being natural - being ourself.
The audience is also waking upto the great rip off that is happening. There is hardly any film now which runs for more than two weeks in the theatre, and this despite the convenient ban of Hindi entertainers. All this reminds us of the dotcom boom in the nineties and the eventual burst of the tech bubble.
Manipuri films are going through a similar phase. According to a source from the Film Forum, Manipur, in 2005-2006, there were about 70 films released. During 2006-2007, that figure has slid to about 30 films - a drastic reduction of over 50 per cent from the previous year's record output.
The message is loud and clear: no matter which foreign location you take your crew for shooting or hire helicopters and camels to make your actors look like John Abraham, people are not going to fall for your subterfuge. The novelty factor of the digital medium alone would no longer be able to attract the audiences. That era has passed. People now want substance, not some cosmetic layer of sophistication that is showing signs of cracks.
Fret not. Originality in making films or building an identity is not a rocket science either. If you can make a film that portrays the reality of our society, her ideals, values, aspirations, contradictions and conflicts, then you are already starting to make a difference and escape the suffocating mould.
Our films should help us shape the contours of our public debate and showcase Manipuri society to others. Filmmakers should understand that they have a responsibility towards society, besides the commercial motive. Otherwise they might as well as make porn.
It is desirable that filmmakers addicted incorrigibly to the Bollywood approach should start making silent films and documentaries to exorcise the ghosts of Mumbai from their systems. This exercise, I believe, will also force them to use visual metaphors and similes and learn the distinct language of cinema.
Many a time, our directors forget films are not radio plays based on dialogues. Secondly, please spare us the songs out from our films. As long as we have them in our films, our claim to being a national cinema will be ridiculed and forever be doomed. Ask yourself whether you want to be a great copy of Ram Gopal Verma or yourself.
What perplexes me is: Why don't we find lip synching artistes funny as we would if we see Tom Cruise bursting into a romantic melody chasing Drew Barrymore in a Manhattan street in the unlikeliest of events. That's strange to me.
There's one more reason why we should now be ourselves (and it's not asking for moon). Alas, there are no more Hindi/Tamil films to be copied from; such is the speed with which we ape them.
And here comes what might be the slayer of the Manipuri digital cinemas: the very Bollywood potboilers, the mother of our lazy filmmakers, are all coming back to our living rooms, thanks to the DTH technology. And it's nobody's case to say that people would prefer the fakes over the originals.
So how would one define Manipuri cinema at this nascent stage? Perhaps as a visual radio marked by heavy imitation of Bollywood's aesthetics of attractions, songs and dance sequences and melodrama overdose that are incidental to the plot and narrative. And sorry, it's not worthy of being called a national cinema.
I don't know about you; it makes me mighty depressed.

There is no such thing as a blogger

2006-01-16T23:49:00.000-08:00

An extract from an article by Simon Dumenco:

There is no such thing as a blogger. Blogging is just writing -- writing using a particularly efficient type of publishing technology. Even though I tend to first use Microsoft Word on the way to being published, I am not, say, a Worder or Wordder. It’s just software, people! The underlying creative/media function remains exactly the same.

Power of positive thinking solved!

2006-01-09T23:58:00.000-08:00

This is what positive thinking can achieve. A young mathematician solved an unsolvable problem thinking it was his usual homework assignment. He didn't know that it was difficult, because he reached his class late after his professor issued a warning of its toughness. Had he known that it was one of the most challenging puzzles, he would not have probably cracked it. An inspiring proof of man's spirit.

A fine way of putting it

2006-01-07T09:26:00.000-08:00

How to win influential friends and win over people who matter? Simply invest in golf clubs and head to the nearest Greens.

Move over P3 parties with their share of air-kissing and falling hemlines, Delhi has found a more savvy way to unwind and network. So instead of nightclubs and discotheques, Delhi's creme de la creme are meeting at the golfing Greens. And why not, if such dos come with a snob quotient that can give any midnight revelry a run for its money? "For one, playing golf is expensive and a privilege of the few. A golf club membership cost as much as Rs 3-5 lakh and the equipments also costs a bomb," says Rishi Narain, golf manager and former Asian gold medalist in professional golf. The membership comes with add-ons like access to swimming pools, gyms, and restaurants, which are offered exclusively to the members at subsidised rates. "These are quite attractive to the spouse and family members," he adds.
The very nature of the sport also fosters social camaraderie. "There is no other game that provides four-and-a-half hours of solitude to the two players. It's more a social exercise than a sport," says SK Sinha, golf manager.
But why is golf becoming so popular in Delhi? Why not Mumbai or Bangalore, which have more corporate whizkids than Delhi does? "Delhi has beautiful surroundings and an atmosphere of old world languor. The city also has history, culture, and the monuments. And of course, it has the best infrastructure in the country. What else do you need for the perfect golfing experience?" explains Kapil Dev, who is an avid golf enthusiast. Golf has become such a big hit in Delhi that even those who don't know a birdie from a putt go to golf courses. "The putting greens are a refreshingly peaceful place where you can meet friends, and be in communion with nature. Other than that, a golf course is a place for social networking, where important contacts and business deals can be forged. If you want to go to a place where you want to meet the who's who, it has got to be the golf club," says model Shefali Talwar.
For the same reason, celebrities like Suresh Oberoi, Diana Hayden, Pooja Batra and Manpreet Brar are thronging the greens. For Manpreet, it's a style statement. "A game of golf is very refreshing," says Manpreet.

Does talent count?

2006-01-06T23:42:00.000-08:00

In a telling reminder of the things that define the times we live in -- that it's not the creativity or talent that count but sheer luck and the people you know that matter, publishers reject Booker Prize winning books and threw them into the dustbin when submitted to them as manuscripts. Among the books rejected was VS Naipual's In a Free State. Unimpressed by Naipaul’s book, a literary agent wrote: “We . . . thought it was quite original. In the end though I’m afraid we just weren’t quite enthusiastic enough to be able to offer to take things further.”

Do we lesser mortals have any chance?

Most bloggers are assholes

2006-01-04T07:24:00.000-08:00

Including me? No. I never care for traffic nor do I leave comments at other blogs to get the favour returned. This gives me great freedom of expression, not bound by any concern for what others would think about my post, as most bloggers are. I do it for myself. Follow this link to get an insight into the unspoken truth about bloggers.

The final countdown

2005-12-31T08:09:00.000-08:00

As the year draws to a close, we are subjected to the mandatory top 10 lists. As the year draws to a close, we are subjected to the mandatory top 10 lists. From top 10 movies, books, writers, chefs, plumbers, florists, there is a list for every field! Do top tens mark the death of mass culture? Quite possible, considering the fact that we no longer share homogeneity of tastes and habits.
So, not surprisingly, bloggers to tabloids are dishing out their own lists, which make perfect sense to, well, themselves! We will go one step further and make our own top 10 list of top 10 lists and celebrate the unprecedented choices at our disposal.

Top 10 sting operations: Sting operations were dime a dozen in 2005. Some were cast from the couch, and others, from the wallet.
Top 10 celebrity patients: Thanks to Amitabh Bachchan's hospitalisation, we know about diverticulitis in graphic detail...
Top 10 natural disasters: From Tsunami, Katrina to earthquakes, nature bared its fangs in full glory.
Top 10 Men of the Year: So many honourable men, but so few prizes. But then there are so many magazines... for everybody to get their share.
Top 10 fashion weeks: How many fashion weeks are there? No clarity. Every city seems to have one.
Top 10 bloggers' meets: There were many bloggers' meets in Delhi, perhaps, just perhaps more than there were bloggers?
Top 10 cricket controversies: She loves me/she loves me not... was replaced by Dada is in/Dada is out.
Top 10 celebrity reunions: It was a Karismatic year, where celebrity break-ups were passe and reunions were in...
Top 10 bad sex writers: It was the year when writers from the land of the Kamasutra marked themselves as clumsy writers of sex.
Top 10 corrupt MPs: This is the only list that threatens to become the top 100 list.

Is laziness good for society?

2005-12-23T02:18:00.000-08:00

Here's a wonderful article on the business of slacking. Imagine a world in which nobody has to work and the factory is where you get free love. Believe it or not, Marxists were the pioneers of this idyll. Read this in your leisure.

"There's plurality in the Indian media"

2005-12-22T04:47:00.000-08:00

Ted Turner, media mogul, on his charity work.

What motivated you to start the UN Foundation?
I founded the UN Foundation in 1998 to help improve the social and economic conditions of the impoverished people of the world. I have earmarked one billion dollars from my personal fortune for this cause and decided that tying up with the UN would be the best option.

Why are you focusing on South-East Asia?
That is because S-E Asia has the largest number of people in the world.

What major programmes are you going to launch in India?
Already the UN Foundation has invested about $28 million dollars in projects like eradicating polio, AIDS/HIV prevention, conservation of natural resources and developing clean energy.

Why have you chosen Narayan Murthy as a member in your board of directors?
There are lot of similarities between Murthy and myself. He started with seven colleagues, and I with 35. He set out with 250 dollars and I with one more. But seriously, he is one the best minds in the world and he can give a terrific representation for India to the Foundation.

Being the founder of CNN, what's your view about the Indian media?
When I founded the CNN, there were very few media outlets, but things have changed and the competition is stiff. I can see a plurality in the Indian media akin to the US scene.

The foolishness of Intelligent Design

2005-12-22T03:15:00.000-08:00

Intelligent Design was doomed to be a failure from the very start. Now, the verdict is out that it is what it is: another name for creationsim. Judge Jones in a scathing pronouncement said that the theory was unconstitutional and it was at best a religious view. Meanwhile advocates of ID vow to continue the fight in higher courts, with a detremination that is akin to 'missionary zeal'. ID Design is dead, long live ID Design ? You can read the verdict of the judge Jones here.

Here I am reproducing my conversation with Michael Behe, the propounder of the bogus theory, to give you a hint of the depth (or lack of it) of his fictional theory:

If God designed the universe, who designed the
Designer?

By ID's own arguments, a designer capable of creating irreducible complexity must also be irreducibly complex. Unlike with religious creationism, where the question "what created God?" can be answered with theological arguments, this creates a logical paradox, as the chain of designers can be followed back indefinitely, leaving the question of the creation of the first designer dangling. The sort of logic required in sustaining such reasoning is known as circular reasoning; a form of logical fallacy.

Michael J Behe responds: “It's a theological question and I'm a scientist. What's more, we don't have to address that question. To illustrate, let me ask two questions: 1) Who designed the first airplane? 2) Who designed the person who designed the first airplane? To answer the first question, we don't have to have an answer to the second question. The second question is separate. We can recognize that the airplane had a designer without getting into the question of who designed the designer of the airplane.”

Delhi Times anniversary coming soon

2005-12-21T06:29:00.000-08:00

The Anniversay of Delhi Times will be out on 23rd of December. The interactive special pull out will feature 11 achievers of Delhi in diffrent fields like business, sports, academics and so on. Readers will vote for the winner among them through sms. It's shaping up to be great treat fior one and all.

Female power vrooms in...

2005-11-15T10:30:00.000-08:00

Women are driving into the ultimate male territory — motor rally sports. Most people consider motor sports as a male bastion. There are only a few women who have vroomed into this high testosterone-driven sports. But it will be a huge mistake to dismiss them as insignificant dilettantes. ‘‘Indian women drivers are not pushovers and often give the boys a run for their money,’’ says Sanjay Sharma, head of motor sports of a major tyre company. And among the women, Sarika Sherawat is the indisputable poster girl in India. ‘‘We don’t say that because she is the lone female participant in the Rally of the North, but she has shown her mettle in some of the toughest rallies earlier, like Raid-de-Himalayan Motor Rally and the Great Desert Rally, where she swept the trophies in every competition,’’ he adds. But, how difficult is it for women to sustain themselves in this field? ‘‘No, when I started four years ago, I was given a very warm welcome. I always get a special treatment and when aspiring girls say I am their icon, I feel touched,’’ Sarika says. But for many women, the journey ends abruptly before they reach their destination. Sarika says, ‘‘A woman cannot forever go on driving, thanks to her biological clock and lack of family support. This is a career that needs tremendous amount of family support. My rallying career may screech to a halt next year as I plan to get married by that time.’’ But all is not lost for women drivers. ‘‘Every sport expands gradually and women ultimately became one of its important fans and players. Women have also proved to be the equals of men in all other professions. It’s a matter of time before women become the main players when it comes to motor sports in India,’’ says Revathi, a navigator in Sarika’s team. What’s the future of women in motor sports? ‘‘The Indian women have not yet made their presence felt, but soon, we hope the sport will attract more women as it becomes more popular,’’ says Nazir Hoosein, president of Motor Sports Association of India.

Caught in the shopping net

2005-11-15T10:10:00.000-08:00

More and more Internet users in India are turning to e-commerce websites for shopping purposes.

More and more Internet users in India are turning to e-commerce websites for shopping purposes, with the numbers increasing during the festive season.
If you thought that half the fun during festive season lies in the shopping trips that you undertake, then, you are in a minority. Internet users are opting to shop from the comfort of their home, avoiding the rush in markets.
According to a survey by the Internet and Mobile Association of India, increasing numbers are now turning to e-commerce sites for shopping purposes.
While 55 per cent of users purchased online, 45 per cent indulge in "online window shopping." E-commerce transactions in 04-05 were worth Rs 570 crores and this year, are likely to increase to Rs 1,180 crore.
Says Preeti Desai, president, IAMAI,"Right now, people are inhibited but as the medium becomes popular, it will pick up."
What is stopping the window shoppers from making purchases from the websites?"Security is a big concern, with 24 per cent of the respondents saying they do not buy anything online as they fear they might be leaking confidential information while 22 per cent stated that delivery costs (were) very high," says the report.
A profile of online shoppers and window shoppers reveals that a typical cyber window shopper is either a post-graduate or a degree holder and aged between 18 to 25.
"The new generation values convenience and does not hesitate to use technology. But lack of spending power has restricted it to being a window shopper," adds Preeti.
Though e-commerce sites do a steady business through the year, the season beginning from Diwali sees customer traffic sky-rocketing.
Of the 516 online gift shoppers surveyed, 52% purchased books, accessories (48%), railway tickets (47%), apparel (47%) and electronic gadgets (42%)

Will you marry me?

2005-11-15T10:08:00.000-08:00

Male CEOs have frequently wedded their secretaries but would a female boss do the same? When it comes to the shaadi business, would a 'woman of today' marry a less successful man?
The fiery feminist and the only female New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd is out with a new malebashing book called Are Men Necessary? In the book, the writer claims that men are essentially insecure creatures who prefer malleable women, to those who use their critical faculties. She writes, "The aroma of male power is an aphrodisiac for women, but the perfume of female power is a turnoff for men. Men seem to marry only their secretaries, assistants, nannies, caterers, flight attendants..." Now we reverse this hypothesis and pose this question to women who are successful in their career... Are they willing to date or marry a guy who earns less than them or is less successful?
The answer seems to be that they only marry their equals, if not social and economic betters. "Any wherewithal that will help them achieve the kind of lifestyle and aspirations they strive for is highly desirable. Given this generation's preoccupation with social climbing by any means, most women are alert and choosy in relationships. They want guys who are at least their equals," says Sita Raina, theatre personality.
But for Manpreet Brar, model, the economic background of a potential suitor is insignificant. "If a man is progressive and intelligent, he is better than a misogynistic corporate hotshot any day," she says. The underlying assumption is that intelligence a more valuable currency than money. "Any smart guy would do well in whatever he would undertake, so, a bright guy is a great investment," says Puja Nayyar, fashion designer. Adds Meera Ramachandran, principal, Gargi College, "Earlier women attached importance to monetary security and support of their spouse but now roles have reversed."

Blogged down?

2005-11-10T05:55:00.000-08:00

Despite tall claims, the city’s blogosphere is still inhabited by few, as the recently held Delhi Blogger Meet revealed...

Despite all the noise about the coming of age of the blogging phenomenon in India, the active blogging community in India is a shockingly tiny group, comprising mostly of journalists and IT professionals. Their preoccupation nevertheless continues to be slamming and analysing a very wide variety of things in an attempt to display their intellectual might.
If anything was in dispute, the 3rd annual Delhi bloggers meet just proved how big (or small) is the Indian blogosphere. Just four bloggers attended it, counting the host. ‘‘It’s a flop,’’ concluded Tarun Pall, the host. ‘‘I have booked the entire section of the restaurant,’’ he added, pointing at the empty sofas reserved for an army of bloggers that he had expected. Luckily for him, Saket, owner of a blog tracker, turned up and gave company to the lonely host.
Like Tarun, half of the Indian bloggers are IT professionals, while three-fourths of them live in the metros, according to a survey. As a result, the focus of the Indian bloggers is fairly limited. Their favourite pastime remains MSM (blog speak for mainstream media) bashing, often without caring to provide substantiations and taking cover behind free speech platitude. As Sajan Venniyoor wrote in a media watchdog site, ‘‘If blogs are to be taken seriously as an alternative medium, they should measure up to the standards of accountability and reliability of the mainstream media that the bloggers so deplore. When the IT Act 2000 comes into force, bloggers will face bigger challenges.’’
Indian bloggers are quickly realising that there are legal hurdles ahead, so they are beginning to tread cautiously. ‘‘We are in the process of forming an association in Mumbai for the protection of our rights,’’ revealed 24-year-old Saket, who works as a recruiter.
The Indian blogosphere has a long way to go before it even comes near to achieving the influence of the American bloggers, whom they emulate. We are yet to see the Instapundit of India or an Andrew Sullivan. And this is not lost on them. ‘‘We are the elite bloggers of India,’’ announced Tarun, as Aanchal and Neha, who showed up later, nodded in agreement. No one posed the question, at least not yet: When can we have our own Dan Rather moment, where bloggers forced a prominent US journalist to resign by proving that his stories were false?

Leave it to dad!

2005-10-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

Brit fathers have become eligible for a six-month paternity leave. Do we need it too?

If all goes well, British workers can soon claim paternity leave as a part of the UK government's plan to move towards a more family-friendly work culture. According to the new proposal, slated to come into force by 2007, dads in the UK would get six months to look after their babies, if the mothers return to work early.

While the Brit dads have already earned a place by the newborn's cradle, Indian men are also asking for this right. Carrying the debate forward are media, blogs and informal forums: Do Indian dads also need a paternity leave? For how long?

Argues singer Palash Sen, a doctor by profession, "Men and women should not only share equal responsibilities for raising a child, but also make equal sacrifices on the professional front. Why should only women miss work and hamper their career prospects?"

According to experts, urban women are postponing having a child in order to pursue their careers. Boardroom battles are being fought by the fairer sex even as their biological clock ticks.

If paternity leave ever comes into force, especially in the private sector, men and women can share responsibilities between themselves and thereby not mar their career prospects.

"Other than career, it's also important that the new parents spend quality time with each other. It goes a long way in building a great rapport and strengthening familial relationships. When my child was born, I used to change diapers and take care of every little want of the newborn," says fashion designer Jatinn Kochchar.

Psychiatrist Samir Parikh agrees: "The father also goes through the same emotional stress and involvement as the mother during the pregnancy. And just after the delivery of the child, the mother needs more emotional support which her husband's presence can provide. At least three months' leave is necessary for the new father."

While workers may be happy with this idea, employers – especially those in the small enterprises – may not embrace it with open arms. "If male employees started taking leave for such a long duration, small firms will face serious labour shortage.

And since the number of male workers is much higher than the female workers, the claims for paternity leave will be unmanageable. A month or a few weeks is fine, but anything beyond that will cause a lot of confusion," says SR Singh, Head Consultant, Small Scale Enterprises, FICCI.

"Instead of long paternity leave, government and private companies should provide health-care and child-care facilities and other allowances. Paternity leave may be suitable in the context of UK where nuclear family is a dominant social norm, but it is too early to be implemented in India," he adds.

However, women's groups are all out in support of this proposal. Hailing it as a step in the right direction, they believe this will help in "equating the household.

We would certainly want such a labour proposal to become a statutory requirement in the private sector," says NK Bannerjee, Director, Center for Women's Development Studies.

MSAD's Ching-Tam Musical Nite

2005-10-22T00:44:00.000-07:00

Roop Raag's artistes descended on the DU campus and entertained thousands, leaving them asking for more…

Manipuri students in Delhi had one of their most memorable moments the other day — when Manipur Students Association of Delhi, MSAD brought to reality their most cherished desire: A musical night in which their homegrown filmstars and singers came down to Delhi and performed before a crowd of thousands. “It is an event that will go down in the history of NE students in Delhi, as it is the first time that they are getting to see their idols together on stage here. We have organised the musical concert not only to fulfil the popular demand of the students but also to make them relate to their roots,” says Seram Rojesh, president of MSAD.
If those were the intentions of the organisers, they were quite successful. Students putting up in different parts of Delhi turned up in full strength – most of them studying in Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia and, ofcourse, Delhi University – to see their favourite stars. Hours before the show began, DU’s Police Ground, the venue of the programme, was packed to its capacity. One student said, “I have come here just to see Sadananda. He rocks.” The most well known actor-cumsinger didn’t disappoint and he did actually steal the scene with his foot-tapping and sentimental songs from his blockbuster movies. Though his movies have been traded among the students here, there was something special about his live performance. Students’ frenzy had reached such a climax that some of them jumped up on the stage to shake hands with him, before bouncers could come to the rescue of the startled star.
As the evening progressed and with more and more students thronging the venue, the event also doubled up as a place to find lost pals.
Besides Sadananda, other famous Manipuri singers like Ranbir Thouna, Roshibina, Umoni, Swamikumar and Nandeswari also captivated the students with vernacular songs that ignited nostalgia among the students. The extravaganza, titled Ching-Tam Musical Nite, meaning ‘unity in diversity’, continued till dawn even as sound of whistles, claps, dances and laughter reverberated through the cool and breezy moonlit night. Could they ask for more?
(Above: Screenshot of a newspaper coverage)

‘Stars help create awareness for a cause’

2005-10-20T01:26:00.000-07:00

PERIZAAD ZORABIAN, actor on celebrities endorsing social causes

You’re in Delhi to be part of a social cause. In between your shooting schedules, how do you find the time for all this?
I do manage to find the time because I’m deeply touched by the plight of special children. So, I try to help in raising funds for their welfare as often as I
can. Since my mother had worked
in schools that cared for special children, I have a certain affinity towards them.

But don’t celebrities often hog all the limelight, making the cause a secondary issue?
That’s not true. Since the masses idolise celebrities, they turn up to listen to them. And then follow the examples set by them.

Isn’t star endorsement of charities a Hollywood import?
Yes, if the stars are doing so to gain publicity. However, I’d say that one needn’t shout from rooftops about what they feel about a certain cause. These things come straight from the heart.

Tell us about your forthcoming Bollywood projects.
I am working in Ek Ajnabee which also stars Amitabh Bachchan and Arjun Rampal.

B(l)ooked your blog yet?

2005-10-20T01:21:00.000-07:00

Blooker Prize, aims to reward ‘blooks’ — books printed from blogs

Move aside Man Booker Prize, it’s time now for the ‘Blooker’ award to take centrestage. A Blook is a book whose content was originally posted on a blog and the Blooker is an annual award to recognise the writing talent in the blogosphere.
Stephen Fraser of Lulu, the organisation behind the prize says, ‘‘Blogging represents a growing literary trend. Publishers have noticed it and are commissioning books based on material published on blogs.”
Prominent blogger Cory Doctorow (of BoingBoing) and a judge for the prize says that the yardstick for judging the blooks will be similar to those for normal books. “This includes looking for things that make a traditional book noteworthy, and, of course, a blog noteworthy,” he says.
Undoubtedly, the Indian blogosphere is abuzz with the news of the prize. Says Preeti Desai, president Internet and Mobile Association of India, ‘‘The Blooker will encourage bloggers to create quality content.’’
The prize will be an annual event and is expected to be announced next year.
FAMOUS BLOOKERS:
The Clandestine Diary of an Ordinary Iraqi by Salam Pax: An account of Iraq’s US invasion
We The Media by Dan Gillmor: Story of a new emerging communication order
The Washingtonienne by Jessica Cutler: An account of the sexual exploits in Capitol Hill
Belle de jour by Anonymous: A callgirl’s account of her day-today life and intimate moments

In the lie(n) of duty...

2005-10-20T01:16:00.000-07:00

Employees are coming up with imaginative excuses when it comes to taking a day off

HR managers, did you know that nearly 43 per cent of your workers have called in sick once with fake excuses during the last year? According to a recent survey by a career website, 23 per cent of employees who call in sick are doing so just to catch up on their sleep while 27 per cent voted Wednesday as the favourite day of the week to take a sick leave. Also 26 per cent of workers call in sick on weekends.
The big question is: Why do workers want to keep away from work? ‘‘Blame the management. Most workplaces have become unpleasant as the management emphasises on productivity rather than creativity,’’ says adman Prahlad Kakkar.
With the boom in the BPO sector and the service industry, there is no dearth of career choices but this doesn’t help. ‘‘In fact, a majority of employees in all sectors yearn for a career switch,” says Vandana Jain, CEO, Impact Management Consultants, a job placement agency. Psychiatrist Jitendra Nagpal feels the absenteeism of workers is because of work’s mechanical nature. ‘‘We have sacrificed our passion for work to earn big bucks, leading to depression and mental anguish.”
Bizarre excuses
‘‘I’m too drunk to drive to work.’’ ‘‘I accidentally flushed my keys down the toilet.’’ ‘‘I had to help deliver a baby on my way to work.’’ (employee was not in the medical profession) ‘‘I accidentally drove through the automatic garage door before it opened.’’ ‘‘I’m too fat to get into my work pants.’’ ‘‘I cut my fingernails too short,they’re bleeding and I have to go to the doctor.’’ ‘‘My son accidentally fell asleep next to wet cement in our backyard. His foot fell in and we can’t get it out.’’ ‘‘I was walking my dog and slipped on a toad in my driveway and hurt my back.’’

"Hockey suffers from a middle class image"

2005-10-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

Vidya Stokes, President, Indian Women's Hockey Federation, on what ails Indian hockey.

Is women's hockey given a stepmotherly treatment in India?
That's true. Not only is the public apathetic to women's sports, even the government and media are indifferent to female players.

Why is our women's hockey team not consistent?
Our women's team is at par with the best teams worldwide. It is managed by professionals, there is transparency in team selection, and to keep players' preparedness at its peak, we organise national championships at the junior, sub-junior and senior levels. As a result of these developments, we'll see more consistency in the team's performance.

How can the standard be raised?
Indian players need more practice sessions. For this, we need training infrastructure like astro turf. Proper diet should be available to players. Besides, we need money for aspects like accommodation of players.

Why has there been a 9-year gap since the last Indira Gandhi International Gold Cup tournament for women?
Because we didn't have adequate infrastructure in Delhi and publicity-conscious sponsors insisted on supporting the event only if it was held in Delhi.

Sonu Nigam: Singers are like labourers!

2005-09-21T08:23:00.000-07:00

Sonu Nigam reveals to Whistleblower his frustration with the attidtude of the Indians towards singers and the exploitation by music companies...
Among the current lot, which is the best music director?

I can’t point out any one music director and say he is the best. I like AR Rehman and Anu Malik. Among the upcoming ones, Sandeep Chowta and Vishal Sekhar are very good. In fact, they are equally good.

What are you working on now?

My latest album Chanda Ki Doli is out and is doing quite well. I am going to be in the Indian Idol as the judge once again, which will be confirmed very soon. I am also looking at some film scripts that have come my way. But this time I am not going to accept any of them without studying them properly.

Don’t your flops at the box-office deter you?

It’s not me who wants to be an actor. It’s the directors and producers who think I have the potential and approach me. I just can’t decline their offers. I am too polite.

Does one need a godfather to become a playback singer in Bollywood?

First of all, we should have good music companies who can groom new talents and promote them. But new aspirants should not worry. There is lot of talent hunt TV programmes of which I am a part and parcel of. If you have what it takes to become a playback singer, there is nothing that can stop you.

Don’t you get threatened by the singers you have promoted in these programmes?

If I felt threatened, I would have never been a part of these talent hunts. I also work hard as any other singer is. I am one of the best singers in this country.

How much does a singer earn?

Singers get a raw deal in Bollywood. Music companies pay us peanuts, and if it were not for the shows, I would be a wearing a pyjama now. Music companies rob us of our due revenue, and pocketed it for themselves leaving singers in the cold. We are like labourers. What’s worse, in this country singers are not given respect despite the fact that music is a part of our culture. The only people who get all the limelight are the actors and cricketors. This is so different from other countries who treat their singers as national icons. Even Pakistan gives more respect to their singers. And in England, ordinary band like Spice Girls are promoted by their music company aggressively. Here, my music is promoted as a Shah Rukh Khan or a Shahid Kapur number.

Why are you not protesting?

I am getting all the singers to form an association to voice our demands and protect our rights. We will take legal recourse, if need be, to claim our rights of copyrights and royalties. Due to my activism, I am getting a lot of opposition from the music companies and they are trying hard to nullify the association.

India lacks quality IT manpower

2005-09-21T05:07:00.000-07:00

An interwview with Kiran Karnik, President,NASSCOM on problems for the IT and BPO sectors.

Whistleblower: How healthy is the Indian IT industry?
The Indian IT industry and ITES exports will see a growth rate of 30-32% in 2005-06. Last year,exports grew 34.5 % to $17.2 billion. A study by NASSCOM says this growth will be sustained till 2009,by which time exports would have rocketed to $50 billion.

Whistleblower: Does India, like the US,face a shortage of IT manpower?
In terms of numbers,we are self-sufficient. However,the quality of manpower will be a cause of concern in the future,if not now. We need to improve the quality of IT education in India and expand.

Whistleblower: Isn’t NASSCOM’s plan to create a national skills registry of IT employees a breach of privacy?
The registry will contain only such information of IT employees -- like educational background,date of birth --that is in the public domain. We are only trying to keep data in a common physical location to prevent falsification and misrepresentation. The registry will be administered by a credible third party body: the National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL).

Whistleblower: Has the image of Indian BPOs taken a beating following the Bahree case?
Absolutely not. In fact,India’s record in maintaining clients and business confidentiality is better than most countries. The Bahree case is an aberration.

Whistleblower: How can the BPO industry contain its high attrition rate?
This is an area of concern. Yes there is lot of stress in the BPO sector,but that's true of other professions too. The working environment in BPOs is excellent.

Rhyme 'n' Reason

2005-09-21T04:59:00.000-07:00

AR Rehman is shy. But don't confuse 'shy' with fear.
He's focussed and that's one reason why his music stands out in the Bollywood context.
Does he consciously work on being unique? "No, I just create music in the manner I know best," he says. "To me, good music is not just nice tunes but a collection of other good things like meaningful lyrics and production values."
That's easier said than done for Rehman lives in two cities: Chennai and London.
"I don't need to be in Mumbai to compose music, which is a universal language and can be created anywhere."Does his lifestyle leave room for family and friends? "I'm busy all the time; unlike other singers, I don't even have time for riyaaz."He pauses to hum Mangala Mangala. What next? "Akbar-Jodha, Chamki, Rang De Basanti. On the international front, I'm doing the score for Lord Of The Rings, the musical."
He's come a long way from Roja, the film that "changed" his life, working with Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and sharing the stage with Michael Jackson. "Now, I want to give back to society. That's why I'm campaigning for the elimination of poverty."
He's penned an anthem for this campaign — Pray For Me, Brother. Rehman is shy, but he doesn’t fear anything.

Techie la Sunrise!

2005-09-21T04:53:00.000-07:00

Gadgets are no longer the domain of geeks alone. Now, those sleek things are fashion accessories for the cool crowd. Whistleblower on the reinvention of Gizmoland...

Move over designer-wear. Think sexy, carry a gizmo, be it a cellphone, iPod, PDA. What then makes a gadget sexy? ‘‘The design, the curves and for youngsters, the image. But this doesn’t mean functionality is sacrificed,’’says Krishna Kumar of Living Digital.
Designer Puja Nayyar’s kinda gadget has a great body plus brains. ‘‘My iPod isn’t just a status symbol. It allows me to listen to music anytime, anywhere. Then, the plasma TV is the sexiest thing going.’’ But Jattinn Kochhar goes for features over design. ‘‘I’m not after a fancy cellphone as long as a simpler one solves my needs.’’
It’s functionality versus design. So, tech manufacturers aren’t taking chances.‘‘Our goal is to innovate and come up with attractive designs,’’ says Ravinder Zutshi, deputy MD, Samsung India. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, women influence 89% of all consumer electronics purchase decisions, and account for the majority of the $100 billionplus spent on electronics each year. Not surprisingly, manufactures are marketing products with a feminine touch. ‘‘For instance, our
MP3 players are worn by girls around their necks,’’ says Zutshi. The feminine touch doesn’t end there. ‘‘Companies have added gold and diamonds to gadgets as alternatives to jewellery,’’ says Kumar.
One problem for manufacturers is that even the most popular gadgets become passe within a few days. ‘‘I had a cameraphone of 1.00 megapixel, but I’m persuading my dad to buy me a more advanced phone.A third of my friends have the cellphone I have... I wan’t to be different,’’ says Akshay Kundu, a student of Hindu.
HI, TECH!
The kewlest gizmos going... Cellphone: With colour screen, camera, FM tuner, audio-video player.
MP3 player: iPods enjoy iconic status in today’s time. Digital camera: Credit card-size, some being just 0.4 inch thick.
Plasma TV: Who wouldn’t want a 60-inch ultra-thin, high-definition plasma display screen mounted on the bedroom wall?
Laptop: Some measure 0.75 inch (widest) and 0.3 inch (thinnest).
iMac: Computer of the elite that runs on its own operating system.
Handycam: So advanced, they bridge pro-consumer videography.
USB flash drive: External hard drive to wear around your neck.
Home theatre: With hi-fi sound and a wide screen, it rivals theatres.
Accessories: Cellphone case, iPod traveller speaker system, digital camera/laptop bag.

Techizen
Meet Jimmy Shergill, actor and techno freak
‘‘I love tech for the way it simplifies life. In fact, I’ve lost count of the gadgets I’ve bought.The cellphone I use has been voted one of the sexiest of the year. I have satellite phones, an iPod, music systems, laptops. Even before a product is launched in the market, I conduct research on it and evaluate its advantages. I’m one of the first few people to get hold of a new gadget. I don’t have a dream gadget but as of now, I’m waiting for a hybrid phone called iPhone — it has all the features of a cellphone and MP3 player.’’

India to host 2010 Commonwealth Games

2005-09-21T04:50:00.000-07:00

An interview with Michael Fennel, President, Commonwealth Games Federation

How prepared is Delhi to host the 2010 C’wealth Games?
We are on solid ground. And it’s not only India which has a stake in the successful hosting of the Games. I, being in change of overall planning, have responsibility too. I feel Delhi needs to put in place the required infrastructure without any more delay.
Infrastructure-wise, what are the major concerns?
My major concern is how fast Delhi can renovate its stadia and improve amenities. You have perfect plans and timetables, but when it comes to execution, you falter. There has been lot of delay already, like in the case of reappraisal of venues.
How will India be a different host?
India has a rich cultural heritage and this will make the Games a unique experience for participants. It will be quite different from the C’wealth Games held in Manchester in a cultural sense. The Games to be held in Delhi will more likely mirror the one in Malaysia. Only, it will happen on a mega scale.
How relevant is the C’wealth Games in these post-colonial times?
The C’wealth Games bears no resemblance to the imperial era. All participants are independent nations. Over the years,the event has celebrated equality, common values. It brings countries closer, leaving behind painful memories of the past, if any.

UAE @ BO: Total filmi!

2005-09-21T04:47:00.000-07:00

Whistleblower brings you the Dubai film industry’s English debut at the box-office

When the The Boolean Mind, with two item numbers shot in India, is released this year,it will be the UAE’s first ever English film and second film overall, —after the Emirati movie Dream launched this month — to emerge from the country’s fledgling film industry.That’s probably why Yogesh Pratap Singh, Dubai-based Indian director of The Boolean Mind, sits up to watch the film’s trailer on his laptop each night.
‘‘It’s a fast-paced psychological thriller with twists and turns that will make viewers sit up too,’’ says Yogesh.The story of an Indian immigrant couple in Dubai, the film revolves around the female protagonist played by Mumbai-based model Bhoomika Puri, who is wooed by five men, two of whom are Dubai cops. The suspense comes from one of the five men being assaulted by a hitman whose identity is a mystery,and Bhoomika’s husband possibly being a cog in the wheel of machinations.
Newcomer Bhoomika thinks the role is just perfect for her. ‘‘Because, in the film, I get to be both a sensitive, fragile introverted woman and a calculative person. Though I appear serene to others, I’m agitated inside. The film is all about resolving the crisis in my mind through means whose ethics might be debatable,’’ she elaborates.
It is this ambiguity, says Yogesh, which prompted him to call the movie The Boolean Mind.‘‘Every action can be right or wrong at the same time —that’s the concept of George Boole, a 19th century mathematician,’’ he explains. The hitch is that boolean complexity could evade the logic of the common viewer. ‘‘This movie isn’t for the dim-witted,’’ says Yogesh. ‘‘My target audience is the thinking man who is interested in understanding complex concepts.’’
Bhoomika appears pleased that she doesn’t have any kissing scenes in this ‘‘clean yet bold’’English film. ‘‘I’ve never exposed and will never do so unless the script demands it and the film is being made by a classy banner. In any case, I don’t wear bikinis in real life.’’
Next up for Yogesh’s The Boolean Mind, primarily shot in the recently inaugurated Dubai Studio City, is a screening at the Dubai Film Festival. ‘‘And yes, I already have my next film in mind.’’ Dubai, it seems, has a bright future in cinema.

All work and know play!

2005-09-21T04:39:00.000-07:00

Jack is never a dull boy when it comes to goofing off on the job. A survey reveals that the average employee wastes atleast two hours of productive time at the workplace.

Asurvey reveals that the average worker admits to frittering away 2 hours a day, not counting lunch and other scheduled breaks: that’s twice the amount of time employers expect employees to waste during office hours. According to the survey, this extra unproductive time amounts to $759 billion (Rs 356730 crore approx) annually in salaries for which companies get no apparent benefit.
What makes employees squeeze out personal time from office hours? ‘‘It’s unrealistic to expect workers to be on the job for more than 8-12 hours non-stop since they have family problems and personal matters to attend to,’’ says Vivek Chandra Gupta, CEO, Balaji Consultants. Adds career counsellor and stress-management expert Priya Warrick: ‘‘Non-productive hours are not necessarily a waste of time as they de-stress and take you away from the pressure of work for some time.’’
Some workers link time-wasting to compensation. ‘‘Why should I work for longer hours if I’m not given a commensurate package? I shorten my working hours by using creative ways,’’ says Sudhir Gupta, an HDFC exec. Warrick describes this line of thinking as ‘quid pro quo’.‘‘An employee’s ability to increase his/her pay is limited, but the ability to decrease the number of hours he/she actually works isn’t as limited.’’
Besides, technology facilitates ‘creative wastage’ of time. ‘‘Working on a computer helps the employee conduct his own business — chatting, paying bills online, messaging, playing games — unobtrusively,’’ points out Jyotsana, HR manager with an IT company. According to Bill Coleman, spokesperson for the survey: ‘‘Workers goof off partly because they put in more hours on the job. What’s more, personal and professional time is blending.’’

Top time-wasting activities
Surfing the Net (personal use): 44.7% Socialising with co-workers: 23.4% Conducting personal business: 6.8% Spacing out: 3.9% Running errands off-premises: 3.1% Making personal phone calls: 2.3% Applying for other jobs: 1.3% Planning personal events: 1.0% Arriving late/leaving early: 1.0% Others: 12.5%
Top time-wasting excuses
Don’t have enough work to do: 33.2% Underpaid for amount of work: 23.4% Co-workers distract me: 14.7% Not enough after-work time: 12.0% Others: 16.7% (Based on a survey by salary.com)

The Big Fix...

2005-09-21T04:31:00.000-07:00

The Big Fix...Even as the shadow of corruption looms large once again on India’s pet sport, we see success stories being scripted in other games. Rathore wins gold in Bangkok,Anju Bobby George wins silver in Monaco, Bhupati wins the mixed doubles at the US Open. Whistleblower on India’s sporting dichotomy

Win dose 2005 Have we found the winning credo at last? Whistleblower asks winners...
Is India finally on a winning spree?
Rathore: ‘‘Yes, I think Indians are finally on a winning spree — this proves that any obstacles that existed were in the mind. If you have determination, no barrier is strong enough for you. You’re as good as you think you are.’’
Anju: ‘‘It’s been a golden week for Indian sports, everybody seems to be winning. With Indians working harder and believing in themselves, the results are beginning to show. But it’s an illusion that we’re finally catching up with the world — a handful of winners can’t make India a giant in sports.’’
Bhupathi:‘‘We’re winning because we deserve to win. India is a treasure trove of sporting talent; it was a matter of time before we trumped the world. However, it’s a case of too little too late. We could have done a lot better.’’
Have we acquired the winner’s mindset?
Rathore:‘‘To an extent, we’ve shrugged off our inferiority complex and have got the confidence to stare into the opponents’ eyes. I have the killer instinct thanks to my military background. I admire Indian winners who’ve waded through difficulties and kept fighting, losing, fighting, winning. We should never give up.’’ Anju:‘‘Yes, we have acquired the killer instinct and credit for this must go to the hard work of sportspersons. The confidence you have is always proportionate to the hard work you’ve put in. The killer instinct is just a corollary.’’
Bhupathi: ‘‘Obviously, we’ve got past a defeatist mindset. We’re more confident and the world is our playground. Expect more winners in the future.’’
To produce more winners, India needs...
Rathore: ‘‘...a broad-based sports policy to look into problems faced by sportspersons; more learning opportunities and facilities for youngsters; a transparent selection process; material support. While importance should be given to big names, talented newcomers can’t be ignored.’’ Anju: ‘‘India lacks proper training facilities — that’s why I train abroad. Besides, we need good coaches, physios, world-class tracks, corporate and government support. Finally, equal importance should be given to all sports, not just to one or two showpiece games.’’
Bhupathi: ‘‘Kids need to start early. We should motivate them by providing them with the right ambience and facilities.’’

IT's us, not US!

2005-08-25T04:37:00.000-07:00

Surprise, surprise! Even as the population of female computer science graduates in IT 'heavyweight' US hits rock bottom, there is an ever-rising number of women in the IT industry in 'lightweight' India. The dynamics of the gender bender...

According to a recent survey by NASSCOM, the current ration of male to female professionals (79:21) in Indian software companies is likely to be 65:35 by the end of 2005.
In the ITES-BPO sector, the employee ratio is loaded in favour of women -- 31:69 (male:female).
The ratio of women workers in Wipro rose from 18.75% in April 2004 to 27% in August 2005. ''Our organisation believes in diversity and equal opportunity,'' says a spokesperson.
The percentage of female employees in Infosys rose from 17% in 2002 to 19% in 2003 to 22% in 2004 and 24% in 2005. ''Of 39,806 Infosys employees, 8,262 are women,'' informs an official of the organisation.
More and more Indian female students are opting for computer science rather than traditional subjects like humanities and pure sciences.

It's not without reason that the Indian woman is going the geek way. Elaborates Preeti Desai, president of the Internet and Online Association of India: ''One, since hiring is preceded by stringent aptitude tests, the Indian woman clearly has a natural aptitude for IT jobs. Two, IT jobs require little or no travelling at all, suiting women all the more. Three, companies realise that recruiting more women means that they have fewer cases of employees leaving. Four, women seemingly learn faster than men. Five, the big pay packets in the IT sector are proving to be a big lure.''

Besides, IT jobs are proving to be suitable for women because they offer flexible working hours, glamour, and a safer/cleaner working environment compared to manufacturing industry. ''Then, women have intrinsic advantages like being better knowledge workers than men. Of course, since IT offers more job opportunities than most sectors, it's natural for women to take the plunge and, thereby, tilt the male:female ratio in their favour,'' says Vivek Agarwal, CEO, Liqvid.

Is protest music dead?

2005-08-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

Mick Jagger writes an anti-Bush song and makes headlines. But not so long ago, pop music WAS all about protest. Delhi Times on who killed the Woodstockers' 'why'...

You call yourself a Christian, I call you a hypocrite/You call yourself a patriot, well I think you're full of shit. How come you're so wrong, my sweet neo con?

-- These are lines from the song Sweet Neo Con penned by Mick Jagger for his latest album A Bigger Bang. Though the song doesn't mention Bush or Iraq, it refers to military contractor Halliburton who has been awarded meaty commercial contracts in Iraq, making it amply clear who the main target of the song is. Jagger himself says "it is direct."

Blogosphere is abuzz with Jagger's bang. One blog attributes an uncharitable motive to the protest song: "Clearly a somewhat desperate move to remain relevant, it's atleast a year too late." Another blogger comments: "Earlier, it was fear of Richard Nixon and the FCC. Today, it is fear of the Neo Cons. The more things change the more they stay the same." But one thing is certain: 'protest' music is almost extinct. Whose fault is that?

According to Bhagwati Prasad, a student researching Hindi music: "Music companies are reluctant to back protest music as they already have enough albums that sell well and deliver profits. Protest music is uncharted area, with unwanted repercussions." Music companies, however, blame the market. "We have to see whether a project has commercial viability. Yes, sometimes, we release songs to support a cause," says Mukesh Desai, CEO of a music label.

"Who says there is no market for protest songs?" asks Bhagwati. "Music companies are afraid of investing in projects that might attract the ire of the establishment. There are many Leftist songs that support the Dalit movement, the Narmada Bachao Andolan, minority rights etc, but they remain underground or unnoticed. It's incorrect to say there are no takers for protest music. In fact, Indian Ocean's album Kandisa, which has compositions dealing with social and political messages, is a hit." Agrees ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas: "The buck stops at music companies."

Udhas feels that the entire music scene is India has declined, let alone protest music. "We need to protest against the assembly line production of remixes. There aren't any original songwriters interested in advancing social/political messages. Gutter music has gutted out music with a social conscience," he says.

Love @ 3 minutes!

2005-08-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

Yes, it’s that fast. And it can be that effective. Welcome to speed dating, the world (and Delhi’s) latest way of finding the right partner. Delhi Times on dating in the time of stopwatches...

Can you date 20 partners in less than an hour without fear of rejection, awkward silences and clock-watching? No one’s so lucky to have this kind of a privilege? Wait. It’s possible if you pay Rs 2,000 and participate in a speed dating event. ‘‘Speed dating, for the uninitiated, is meant for singletons in the fast lane of careers who don’t have enough time to socialise and find dates,’’ says Maria Arif, founder of a speed dating agency in Delhi.
Need for speed
Priyanka Chawla, an executive with a BPO firm, relies on speed dating. ‘‘I’ve been looking for Mr Right for a long time but because of the hectic schedules of my profession, I have neither the time nor the opportunity to meet a suitable partner. Last but not the least, my co-workers are either married or too young for me!’’
Done in 180 sec!
But is a mere three minutes sufficient to know a person? ‘‘Yes, you know a person not by grilling him endlessly for hours, but instinctively by the way he/she talks and behaves,’’ says Jennifer Zorensiami, fashion designer. According to Maria: ‘‘It is scientifically proven that you can decide in three minutes, and quite accurately at that, whether you want to meet a person once again after the initial meeting.’’
Indian context
For MBA student Niti, speed dating is at best a fun experience with no long-term commitments. ‘‘You can’t understand a person in 30 years, how can you find a soulmate in three minutes? Still, it’s a matter of luck and anything is possible.’’ That’s precisely why speed dating is a popular phenomenon in the West. Sceptics here, though, ask: is speed dating suitable for Indian society? ‘‘Yes, why not? Speed dating is particularly convenient for the urban Indian woman as she is a busy professional with no time for love. Unlike her Western counterpart, the single Indian woman can’t go to a bar and chat up a guy without being misunderstood. Speed dating gives her an opportunity to meet many like-minded people at one venue in a controlled environment,’’ says Gary.
According to Maria: ‘‘Anyone who says speed dating goes against Indian society is being hypocritical. Speed dating is just a harmless platform for single men and women of the same professional wavelength to meet and forge a friendship, possibly for life. Whether you agree with this explanation or not,the response to the concept of quickie dates is overwhelming in India.For instance,we got around 1,000 respondents to our ad — meaning that not all of them could be selected for our event. Aspiring speed daters had to be screened and categorised according to their age, profession, income and hobbies.’’
Fast can last
So what are the chances of speed dating leading to a walk down the aisle? ‘‘The concept of speed dating is ideal for today’s fast-paced life as it brings together 20-40 eligible single men and women and allows them to have three-minute conversation with each other. If a speed dater likes a person, he/she can set up dates with that person and take the relationship forward,’’ says Gary, organiser of speed dating events. The bottomline is speed dating works — atleast Sumit Sethi, a DJ, believes it can.‘‘I’ve got four proposals from a single speed-dating event and have to decide which girl to accept.’’ Even as Sumit is saying this, a girl in red top, apparently one of the four, comes up to him with a mug of beer in hand.‘‘At 3 pm tomorrow,’’ she says. Sumit nods. It works!

Evolution of speed dating
Speed dating was born at a Torah class in Los Angeles as the brainchild of Rabbi Yaacov Deyo, educational director of Aish HaTorah, a Jewish resource group in LA with branches across the world.Aish Ha-Torah owns the service mark SpeedDating.
Rabbi Deyo and his students formulated the concept of a speed date to help Jewish singles meet and marry.According to a speed dating website, the goal of the programme is to ‘‘directly facilitate Jewish continuity by helping Jews meet Jews.’’ From its LA origin in the 1990s, the speed-dating idea lost its religious characteristic and spread throughout the world.

Mike Tyson's nemesis

2005-08-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

Here's my interview with Evander Holyfield, Boxer, on Mike Tyson and his next big fight

So, when is your next big fight?

My next fight is in Milan on 1 October 2005. But I don't know who would be my opponent till now. Presently, I am training in Texas. After the fight, I shall visit India (on October 2, 2005) to promote peace in a one of its kind peace rally.

Do you plan to become an evangelist when you quit boxing?

I don't have such plans as of now. All I can say is that I would be involved in activities to promote global peace. We need to end bloodshed and turmoil the worldover. On the personal front, I want to live a better life.

And what about Mike Tyson?

I have forgiven him a long time ago. In fact, what happened is history. I have moved on and hope he has done the same too. However, what needs a special mention is the fact that an Indian evangelist, KA Paul helped me to abandon the path of retribution.

Would you like to compete in India?

Definitely... I would love to fight with anyone anywhere, but I doubt if there is any Indian who can challenge me. If I am asked to promote boxing in India I would not be averse to it. However, I think boxing is not a popular sport in India.

Why do Indians love arguments?

2005-08-03T07:34:00.000-07:00

If you ever need an economist's endorsement of the view that Indians are vocal with their arguments, bank on Amartya Sen. According to Sen, being argumentative is an asset rather than a liability acquired as a legacy from India's historical, cultural, racial and religious ‘heterodoxy'. "India is so full of contradictions that any generalisation about India has an opposite argument which is just as true," explains Sen. So, in his just published book, Sen -- who "enjoys putting forth arguments rather than giving advice to people" brings up the brighter side of being argumentative. Here are a few Sen specials...

* "Arguments aren't a hurdle to progress. They lead to more aspects of an issue, which need to be addressed before resolving the issue for good. People argue because they are curious and want to know the truth, which is in the interest of one and all. This may take time but the outcome is always a better one than a hastily taken decision that may backfire."

* "India may be economically behind China, but democratic India, by virtue of being argumentative, enjoys freedom and rights that can only be dreamt of in authoritarian China. Indians have a much better healthcare record, in part because public opinion forces the government to provide it. But that kind of public influence doesn't exist in China -- blame China's repressive measures. Consider the SARS episode in China, and the subsequent efforts by the authorities to hush it. Whether democracy leads Indians to develop a mindset of arguing or vice versa is open to more arguments."

* "Indians, being argumentative, have the ability to look at things with cold reasoning. When Alexander came to India in 325 BC, he was amazed as well as disappointed by the Indians' disregard for him: the world's greatest conqueror. When he asked Indian philosophers the reason for their I-couldn't-care-less attitude, he was told: "You are a nuisance to the world."

* Contrary to widespread belief, all Indians are not spiritual. There are more rationalists in India then imagined. Even the Vedas contain passages that allude to agnosticism. The Bhagwat Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata are actually treatises on arguments of epic proportions.

* "Indians like Aryabhata and Kautilya were pioneers in the systematic study of knowledge. Thanks to the Indian tradition of argumentation."

PS: For those who don't agree with Amartya Sen, feel free to argue with him!

Porn in Harry Potter?

2005-08-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

Are there hidden sexual messages in Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince? Consider these excerpts...
'There was no need to stick the wand in that hard,' he (Dumbledore) said gruffly, clambering to his feet. 'It hurt.' (p 64)
...a hole opened in the middle of all the tentaclelike branches; Hermione plunged her arm bravely into this hole, which closed like a trap around her elbow; Harry and Ron tugged and wrenched at the vines, forcing the hole to open again... (p 281)
Lupin burst out laughing. 'Sometimes you remind me a lot of James. He called it my 'furry little problem'... (p 335)
'I dunno,' said Harry. 'Maybe it's better when you do it yourself, I didn't enjoy it much when Dumbledore took me along for the ride.' (p 355)
'You see?' Dumbledore said quietly, holding his wand a little higher. Harry saw a fissure in the cliff into which dark water was swirling. 'You will not object to getting a little wet?' 'No,' said Harry. 'Then take off your Invisibility Cloak... and let us take the plunge.' (p 556)

Double entendre..no?

"These passages should be read with their context in mind. Yes, when they are read in isolation, they sound like sexual innuendoes."
-- VK Kartika of Penguin India, distributor of Harry Potter books in India

"Yes, there have been instances where they have shown Harry growing up and how he is slowly getting initiated to sexuality. In case of Harry Potter, having double entendre to express sexuality will not have a negative impact on children. Showing their role model -- Harry -- as someone with natural urges will only make children consider sex as something normal."
-- Rimi Chatterjee, lecturer of English, JU

Children's literature might not be kidstuff after all. According to Fredric Wertham's 1954 book The Seduction Of The Innocent, it is replete with sexual innuendoes. Wertham also claims that comic characters like Batman and Robin are gay.

Are Batman and Robin gay?

Wertham's logic is that the two are unmarried males living together, that they sometimes sit close together on a couch in their shirt-sleeves, and that Robin's hand is sometimes shown touching Batman's arm. They slide down poles and try on different outfits. Like girls in other stories, Robin is sometimes held captive by the villains... Robin is a handsome boy, usually showing his uniform with bare legs. He often stands with legs spread, the genital region discreetly evident. Besides, Batman's lack of commitment to women is a recurrent theme. Using similar logic, critics allege that comic books like The Authority And Superman,

The Incredible Hulk, Alpha Flight, The Flash, Tintin, Uncanny Xmen, Star Fleet Academy, The Darkness, Darkchylde and WildStorm promote the 'gay' agenda. Generations of kids have grown up reading Batman, Archie, Tintin, Noddy.

But is there any truth in Wertham's th eory? "Yes. A good part of popular children's literature is unsuitable for children, Indian or otherwise. Only few comic books don't have violence and sexual innuendoes. For instance, Barbie books feature scantily-clad females with unrealistic body proportions. Fairy tales perpetuate gender and social stereotypes," says Nirali Sanghi, editor of a parenting website. Here's more: Author Stephen King had once commented, "I couldn't believe that Archie could go on ignoring her in favour of that spoiled rich girl, Veronica. Betty was a blonde! And that figure!"

Archie & Co -- a bad influence on young minds?

"Countless strips feature Veronica in a revealing dress or bathing suit bringing boys to a libidinous swoon. And Betty, in her desperate moments, is also known to show off the goods," says Suresh Manchanda, an avid reader of Archie comics. According to Gulshan Rai, distributor of Archie comics: "Yes, many strips have characters in swimwear, but that's nothing compared to what the children see on TV, billboards, the Net and other media outlets."

Does that call for a ban on comics and fairy tales?

"Banning comics or any fairy tales don't make sense. Enid Blyton shows children as children. These books show children growing up. That's a better approach to reality," says Thomas Abraham, president, Penguin India.

Mae West, who mined the symbolic terrain of fairy tales, once quipped, 'I used to be Snow White, but I drifted'. These days, the social and sexual messages of fairy tales are no secret. Take Little Red Riding Hood.

An engraving with the first published version, in Paris in 1697, shows a girl in her dishabille, in bed beneath a wolf. In the plot, she has stripped out of her clothes, and the tale will end with her death in the beast's jaws. The message: In French slang, when a girl lost her virginity, it was said she'd seen the wolf. Penned by Charles Perrault for aristocrats at the court of Versailles, Le petit chaperon rouge dramatises contemporary sexual contradiction.

Welcome to India's rape capital

2005-05-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

The prejudice against the people of NE is for real. In just a span of about three months, two Northeastern girls have been raped in moving cars in New Delhi. An initial public outrage followed, but not without innuendoes that the victims invited the rape. Such is the prejudice of the people of the rape capital of India against the girls from NE! Each day, these girls are raped mentally by Delhi's perverts. But at the other end, the issue is not just about NE girls. Why can't girls walk in the night? Why can't they wear skimpy clothes if they feel comfortable in them? Why do we find fault with the raped women and wink at the rapists? After writing this article, I have been inundated with calls from strangers who think women should confine themselves in kitchens. Where is the liberty we brag about endlessly? Why can't we just let others live life the way they like?

Baichung Bhutia who?

2005-05-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

India has a long way to go before it becomes a soccer power. And in this we need to follow Japan's model. As Peter Velappan of the Asian Football Confederation says, Indian football is quite amatuerish. Read more...

Silicon breast implants are back!

2005-04-30T23:22:00.000-07:00

Here's a good news for the less endowed women. An FDA panel has recommended lifting the ban on silicon breast implants. Here's my report in the Times of India on this soft subject...

eLearning: the next big thing

2005-04-21T23:46:00.000-07:00

Here's my interview in Times of India with Vivek Agarwal, co-founder of egurucool.com, on the rising demand of eLearning.

2005-04-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy: E-pao
The burning down of State Central Library by the activists of MEELAL is an act of insanity. However justified a movement is, there is no forgiving the act of vandalisation of intellectual property by any sort of activists - sugar-coated or not. The arson has destroyed books worth 10 crores and deprived the budding scholars of Manipur of their prime source of reference. According to a news report, we have lost rare books which can never be replaced. What remains of them now is this: ashes.

I have a personal angle to this sad episode. I still remember sitting for hours in the library trying to figure out a passage from the Alice in the Wonderland. I grew up with Charles Dickens and Jane Eyre during my school days immersed in thier novels (which I borrowed from this library). To have lost this library is a loss of a part of my memory. Students and researchers have lost a precious storehouse of knowledge.

The agitators of MEELAL have made themeslevs vulnerable to public criticism, making them look like cheap publicity mongers.

Another fallout is the reinforcement of our image as a violent people. By such acts of indiscriminate violence, we are projecting an image of ourselves as a violence obsessed people. There seems hardly any difference between the tactics adopted by the civil society and the armed groups. We all look the same and do the same. Our civil society is civil no more.

Move over Kangla; now it's Manipur University!

2005-04-11T06:28:00.000-07:00

Continued from the previous post..

The president was all smiles but the bonhomie was shortlived. We asked for a photo-op and he happily agreed. He was just about to press the buzzer to summon the official photographer when someone among us raised the issue of AFSPA. His face grew pale. He took his finger off the buzzer, probably feeling apperenhensive that the photo could be seen as presidential endorsement of our anti-AFSPA petition. He is a quick thinker. Didn't I tell you he is a rocket scientist?

So there was no photo session, instead we had a verbal marathon session. We gave him a primer on the AFSPA and the enormous powers that it gave to the armed forces to torture the innocent people of Manipur. It's no use revisiting this issue since we, as the suffering Manipuris, know from first hand expereince how draconian this ACT is. Suffice to say that we have briefed the president sufficiently - especially the controversial extra-judicial provision - enough to elicit his surprised reaction.

"I don't think the Act contains such a mindless provision," the president said, his ignorance of the Act split wide open. We respectfully but firmly challenge him on this.

But one area on which our opinions converged was the dismantling of military camps from the Manipur University Campus. The first time I heard about it, my blood boiled. Nowhere in the world has a university campus been converted into a firing range.

Even civil police personnels should be barred from entering the hallowed premises of the educational institutions. What we see in Manipur is just the opposite of this civilized convention, which proves a suspicion that ours is a military state pretending to be a democratic one.

Forget the military state for a while, if you will, but what about the psycholgical effects on the students. Clearly the presence of the armed forces in the campus has created fear psychosis among the students. Students learn best in atmosphere of peace and freedom. When blackboards and firing targets come together, education can be an act of terror. And it is.

So what is the president of India going to do? "I am going to probe into this immediately." No doubt, APJ Kalam was as shocked at such blatant rape of academic ambience on the floor of a University.

Hopefully some action will follow at His Excellency's intervention. Already, the president has recognised Sajibu Cheiraoba as a national ocassion worth giving his greetings. It is a little gesture but symbolic of the fact how engaing Indian leaders helped our cause more than mere grumbling in the dark.

So what we need now is a meaningful dialoque with the Indian leaders so that they know our issues, take appropriate actions and appreciate our culture and history. The home ministry report can never susbtitute a hearty confabulations with the central decision makers over a cup of tea in the garden.

A date with the President of India

2005-04-10T08:06:00.000-07:00

From left to right: A. Sunil, Kapu, Ranjan Yumnam, Seram Rojesh

Our president is a cool dude

President A.P.J Abdul Kalam of India has a reputation of being a very down-to-earth person. That this is not a myth created by the media was confirmed when I, along with three other members of the Manipur Students' Association Delhi, met him on 8th April at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to discuss some issues related to Manipur.

As we were ushered to his chamber, the president flashed to us his trademark childlike grin - but nevertheless looking regal behind his large mahogany desk. His simplicity and friendly attitude disarmed us and whatever misgivings we had about His Excellency vanished into the presidential air.

But there is a thin line between simplicity and greatness. We knew that behind his outward appearance of innocence lies a great visionary of our times. Here was the man who propelled the Indian space programme. APJ Kalam is a president who is also a rocket scientist and the author of the Wings of Fire. A miniature model of a rocket taking off from the launch pad stood on his desk, in case any visitor forgets that fact about him. We didn’t.

As we sat on the chairs facing him, I introduced my colleagues and myself. The cursory introduction didn’t satisfy him though. He began quizzing us on more personal details like our educational qualifications, institutions where we studied, so on and so forth. Among us were two Ph.D students of JNU, a fact that whetted his interest. “What is the thesis of your research,” he asked A. Sunil, my friend from JNU. Ditto to the other guy.

We kept up the tempo of camaraderie by wishing him a Happy Sajibu Cheiraoba.

"Why don't you wish the people of Manipur through the media?" I asked. “The people of Manipur would be very happy by such a gesture.”

The president was game for it but wanted to confirm the date from his own calendar. I doubted his calendar mentioned anything that was called Cheiraoba. Realising this, we gave him a Manipuri calendar which he promptly looked up and placed it on top of the pile of documents lying on the desk to his left.

"Is cheiraoba a celebration of the harvesting season," he asked. "No sir, it is the New Year Day of the Manipuris," we told him. "The main reason why we came here is to wish you a happy Manipuri New Year".

The repartee continued but on the back of our mind we were waiting for an appropriate time to bring up the not-so-sweet issues that dogs Manipur today.

To be continued….

This whistleblower is a software!

2005-04-04T05:54:00.000-07:00

I am changing the title of this blog yet again. Reason: I have just found a website that has the same name as mine: http://whistleblower.sentman.com

But after visiting this website, my surprise and excitement whittled down. The website belongs to a company that markets " a server monitor and functional testing utility".

My own weblog was briefly named whistleblower 2.0. Now that I know whistleblower + a numerical suffix is a software that could be mistaken for a software, I am restoring it to its original name.

Simply whistleblower.

Coming back!

2005-01-21T13:04:00.000-08:00

I have taken a long siesta and it's time I got back to my earlier mode. I am not sure whether I would be able to post my comments with the same fervour as before. What I know is this: During my hibernation, the world has changed drastically with far reaching consequences. The Tsunami, Bush re-election, ....On the personal front, I have fired my boss (kidding) and have found a new job.

I am not worried though. There is no dearth of inspiration or topics to write about. I need only to keep my eyes and ears wide open.

I have also not written for the e-pao either; I am planning to do a weekly or a forthnightly column for it - despite the clutter of articles there, some good but mostly third rate. The latter defaces the portal, I feel.

Write back to me.

Going home

2004-10-31T22:23:00.000-08:00

Finally after two years, I am packing up for home. While I am there, besides catching up with childhood friends and relatives, I am looking forward to the smells and sights of my homeland after a long hiatus. There are many things to find out and yet little time to do so. Has the Paona Bazar got a makeover beyond recognition? Is the flyover coming to a fruition? Has the topography and demography of my leikai changed? Being an epicurean of a sort, I have made an elaborate plan to visit all my favourite eating joints and hotels to savour boras, momos, aloo chop, singju, and also learn the recipes of the best among them all. The best part is that these wont cost my pocket much. And of course, there's my mom who can satisfy my palette best. You can say that of your own mom, right?

High on my priority list the family photo-shoot.

I have been longing to see a crowd that consist of only Manipuri faces, and this wish too is just a few days away. Good for me.

Keep up the good work, Indira

2004-09-27T05:34:00.000-07:00

Recently I met with Indira Goswami, the Jnanpith Award winner and the face of literary prowess of the Northeast, at her residence in the North Campus in New Delhi. She is currently the Head of the Modern Indian Languages of Delhi University, where she probably teaches the Assamese literature. The purpose of our meeting was a planned publication of one of her short stories in the magazine for which I work, and for an interview.

We had a long chat about her works, life, and profession - invariably touching upon the issues of Northeast. What struck me was her simplicity; there was none of the attitude problem that celebrities throw up whenever journalist talks to them.

Looking around, I saw many framed photographs hanging on the walls with her momentous achievements captured forever in them: her receiving the Jnanpith Award, her participation in the Southeast Asian writers conclave, her mingling with the movers and shakers, including politicians, industrialists and of course writers, some of them quite the opposite of her in personality. From one of the photographs, Resident Megalomaniac, VS Naipaul was peering down, his big egos prominently palpable.

VS Naipaul has become so obsessed with himself that his works have become a caricature of himself. His latest book, Magic Seeds, is a banal one that would not have seen the light of the day had he not been its author. Like Naipaul writers have a way of slipping in the quality of their creative output as they age. Khuswant Singh, one of the finest writers, is suffering from the same cyclical failure. Increasingly his writings, of which I was a fan, have turned into third-rate ramblings of a dirty old man with nothing to write about, except for his scotch bottle. Read his childish column in the newspaper, you will agree with me. There are times when I think school essays are much better than his mindless compositions.

Indira Goswami, it seems, is at his creative peak at the moment. She is writing two novels right now, in which she recounts one interesting anecdote from her time as the Provost of the PG Womens Hostel of DU.

One of the girls was refusing to leave the hostel during the vacation, and a crisis erupted with the warden and other administrators having reached their wits end. When Indira finally came to know about it, she took the girl along for a private session with her, all the other staff of the hostel ordered to go out of their earshot. Now, the sobbing girl told her the real reason why she was not willing to go home: she was scared that her father would rape her!

She spoke highly of our own MK Binodini Devi. Ratan Thyam, ditto. What should I say? I have no appropriate words.

Deconstructing UNIKAS

2004-09-22T04:31:00.000-07:00

I went to the UNIKAS' annual freshers Meet recently only to storm out of the auditorium hall with feelings of anger and hurt. In case you haven't heard of this organisation, it is a students' union of Manipuri students hailing from Kakching and studying in Delhi.

The very idea behind the existence of this organisation is flawed. If every district or leikai in Manipur starts going the UNIKAS way, we will have a multitude of micro organisations in the Capital, and of course I would find myself belonging to Wangkhei-KAS. Similarly students from Uripok will have their Uripok-KAS and those from Khurai their own Khurai union and so forth.

Ours is a small state, and at this point of time we should be promoting the unity of all the Manipuris, instead of distancing ourselves from one another in our own holier-than-thou cocoons.

At the UNIKAS function which I attended, I almost felt left out and began to see myself as an outsider. The irony is that I was a Meitei and so were all the members of the UNIKAS.

UNIKAS is an organisation that serves no purpose at all, other than alienating one Manipuri from the other.

I believe there is an organisation called MSAD that aims to bring all Manipuri students in Delhi under one platform, irrespective of one’s place of birth.

Kanhailal on Ratan Thiyam

2004-08-17T00:29:00.000-07:00

Now we have it from an equally illustrious director, Mr Kanhailal that Mr Ratan Thiyam is out of touch with his roots. This is what he had to say on the outrageous claims of traditional inspiration and themes in Mr Thiyam's works:

"Ratan Thiyam is a big name in Manipuri theatre. But his plays are mostly targeted at the urban crowds of America, Japan etc. His plays hardly focus on local people’s aspirations or their travails and tribulations. Ratan’s is a sort of Art Consumerist Theatre. His views and ideas are centred around audiences abroad, unlike mine which draw inspiration from, and are all about the local people".

Read the whole interview here.

Whistleblower will be rested for a while

2004-07-12T01:45:00.002-07:00

Thanks to one and all for taking an interest in this blog. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I will not be able to post anything as I will be concentrating on a project that would demand my wholehearted attention and time. It might take months or years, but I assure you I will be coming back once it gets completed. Meanwhile, I will be occasionally writing for the www.e-pao.net, though with lesser frequency. I will be happy to get in touch with all of you through mails during this unspecified period. Take care and cheers!

Nirvana for Rs 250!

2004-07-07T06:26:00.000-07:00

MANY WAYS TO NIRVANA
By His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Edited by Renuka Singh
Viking/Penguin
Price: Rs 250
Pages: 181

Why be unhappy about something
If it can be remedied?
And what is the use of being unhappy about something
If it can't be remedied?
- Bodhicharyavatara

Many Ways to Nirvana is a nifty little book that you can read while commuting to your office. It is the succinct narrative of the wisdom of His Holiness the Dalai Lama culled from different discourses he delivered to his legions of faithfuls over years.

The book, through the Dalai Lama’s words, reveals the key to incorporate spirituality into our hectic lives, which at first seems like a contradiction. It also proves the timelessness of Buddhist texts written hundreds of years ago.

Followers of other religions would be struck by the similarities they may find in the Buddhism with their own faiths, underscoring the fact that all religions are basically rooted in some common precepts. By the way, is there any religion which does not preach the message of love, compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, discipline and contentment? Perhaps fascism.

Nonetheless, the real world is not always an epitome of goodness. In spite of (or because of) being a home to many great religions, the world in which we live in is riven by violence and hatred. What is ailing the world; what is fueling terrorism; and why is there no peace in this world? His Holiness blames it on men's weaknesses, their negative emotions and lack of resolve. According to him, the only way to counteract them is by developing a disciplined mind which exudes love and compassion.

And at the root of all our suffering lies our attachment with illusory cravings. According to the Four Noble Truths, sufferings are of three types: Suffering of suffering, which refers to things like headaches, i.e., physical discomfort. Even animals want to be free from it. The second is suffering of change: this refers to our everlasting quest for change. We are never contented; we will buy the trendiest car only to drool over another model three months later. Then there is the all-pervasive suffering induced by our desire to put an end to the first two categories of sufferings.

So how will we end this vicious cycle of suffering? The Eight Verses of Thought Transformation by Langri Tangpa, which is the Buddhist equivalent of the Moses' Commandments, shows us the way. In case you are puzzled by some of these injunctions– and sure you will be - visit the nearest bookshop and get one copy of this book for yourself, because each of them is elaborated further by His Holiness in this little ‘tome’.

In this age of fast food, fast life, fast everything…this is a book perfectly tailored for the modern readers on the lookout for instant nirvana.

I am only half joking.

Few thoughts for Ratan Thiyam

2004-07-02T05:24:00.000-07:00

Sir,
Ever since my humble opinion about you and your fantastic works was posted at the e-pao.net, I have been deluged with angry mails from your legions of fans. Some of them are so outraged by my temerity to criticise you, that they call me names even as they sling mud at me to tarnish my professional integrity and competence. I am not sure if anyone of them does indeed have your blessings, but to respond to them will be akin to stooping down - and worse, promoting and legitimising the kind of vicious personal attacks they are indulging in. I abhor their tactics. In a public discourse in a polite society, we don't use slanderous terms or resort to childish arguments that target one's age or abilities. I wish they had more discretion. I support contest of ideas, not hurtling of innuendoes back and forth. That's why I am writing this to you directly, to clarify further my thoughts and motives.

In my piece, I admitted that I had never seen any of your plays, a fact, which your fans have exploited, as a stick to punish me for my "irreverence" towards you. Never did they realise that I did so because I didn't want to dupe the readers into believing something that I am not. I was being honest. Being transparent. Being ethical.

But this doesn't mean that I didn't make any attempt to see your works from a close range. In fact, the whole idea came to me after watching "Some roots can grow upwards," an exceptionally well-produced documentary on you.

Despite what your supporters say, a fact cannot be wished away, and that is: Your works are bereft of any genuine Manipuri theme; and by that I mean non-hybrid, undiluted, untampered and pristine traditional influence. You seem to be so much obsessed with reaching out to Indian audience that you have given your roots the boot. How often do you perform for the Manipuri audience in Manipur in a year? How often have you allowed the local journalists to visit you and take a glance at your craft? Kavita Joshi, the director of the documentary boasted that she and her production crew was the only group that has been allowed such close access to the Chorus Repertory Theatre in ages.

Sir, lest I be mistaken as chronically cynical person, allow me to offer you a few suggestions. One of the arguments trotted out in your defense is that, had you not co-opted the Hindu themes in your plays, you would have never reached where you are today; you would have been a nobody, an unsung director. One of your fans say that is what "smart strategising" is all about; another points out that you are a good "businessman". I can't agree more.

I am not totally against your riding pillion on Hinduism to promote your works. What I am sugesting is that since you are already past the threshold of obscurity to being a world famous director, you can now afford to show your gratefulness in earnest to your roots. I am realistic and won't put all my eggs in your basket, but I and the rest of your less gifted Manipuris would appreciate you much if you make an attempt towards this direction. Please give us something that is truly Manipuri, like a trendbusting play with Laiharaoba theme. Can you turn original Manipuri tradition into a globally appealing genre of theatre? Can you globalise the Kuki-Naga-Meitei-Pangal cultural lore?

Now, all your fans are fans of globalisation too, and I count myself as one, but not at the expense of my own history. While globalisation is a fashionable thing to talk about, it is foolish to completely cut ties with the local tradition. Smart companies and marketing companies are now realising the value of combining local flavour and preferences with their global plans. "G-local-isation" has arrived, and it is an idea whose time has come. Never has an opportunity for you to experiment with Manipuri themes presented itself to you more favourably than now. Grab it. Don't miss the glocalisation bus.

Hope you don't mind my impudence. Keep up the good work. And all the best.

Regards,
Ranjan Yumnam

Copy to:
All your fans

Lessons from Michael Moore's America

2004-06-30T02:04:00.000-07:00

Michael Moore is not only the finest American documentary maker, he is a man with a mission, and his mission is to pull the shroud off the lies and vapidities that mark the lives of Americans, especially in politics and economics. His latest film, Fahrenheit 9/11, is shaping up to be a phenomenal trendsetter in the history of non-fiction filmmaking. Already, according to the New York Times, the anti-Bush "Fahrenheit 9/11" has become the highest-grossing documentary of all time on its first weekend in release, taking in $21.8 million as it packed theaters across the country this weekend. The film was released on 886 screens.

Michael Moore is a fiercely independent man, and his views about his country reflect that quality about him.

"They are possibly the dumbest people on the planet . . . in thrall to conniving, thieving smug [pieces of the human anatomy]," Moore intoned, referring to his fellow countrymen. "We Americans suffer from an enforced ignorance. We don't know about anything that's happening outside our country. Our stupidity is embarrassing."

Expaining America's motives behind cherrypicking the epicentres of world's evil, he said in Liverpool: "It's all part of the same ball of wax, right? The oil companies, Israel, Halliburton."

Soon after the 9/11 tragedy, he said: "We, the United States of America, are culpable in committing so many acts of terror and bloodshed that we had better get a clue about the culture of violence in which we have been active participants."

So if there is a message for us - the non-Americans, it is this: "Don't be like us, you've got to stand up, right? You've got to be brave."

Sure, that's music to ears to many of us in this uni-polar world.

In the Fahrenheit 9/11, he charged Bush administration of misleading the country to profit his oily cronies. It also "revealed" the links between Osma bin Laden's family and the Bushes, besides the lies about WMDs that never existed.

Two of the most damaging footages in Fahrenheit 9/11 are the ones hinting at frivolous and callous attitude, dumbness of George W Bush towards the events of 9/11. One clip shows Bush reading a rhyme to a classroom of elementary school children for seven precious mins, even as the news of the second plane reached him. Another video clip shows Bush at his laidback best: while speaking of hunting down terrorists, he got down to the real, golfing business. "Stop these terrorist killers. Thank you. Now watch this drive".

Obviously, half of the Americans are not amused by the black sheep's revelations, and as as Slate's movie critic, David Edelstein says, the documentary "delighted me; it disgusted me. I celebrate it; I lament it."

It impresses me.

For despite what Moore says, I am all admiration for the American society. America may invent reasons to rain missiles on weaklings to achieve her nefarious ends, but the degree of freedom of expression and liberty that she guarantees to her own citizens is remarkable. USA is a monster, a bully to the rest of the world, yes, but she is the kindest protector and provider of rights for people within her borders. ( Abu Ghraib is meant for the outsiders only).

Can you imagine Michael Moore making similar unflattering documentaries to expose the murky and sleazy world of Indian politicians? Remember how Tehelka was hounded for years. Remember too how documentaries on Gujarat riots were censored by the Establishment. Can someone stand up and peek into the world of underground organisations with a camera without getting a chill up the spine and possibly paying with life?

There is something that our civil society can learn from America. The sooner the better. Hats off to Mike to bring that urgency in sharp relief.

2004-06-28T22:28:00.000-07:00

Diary: In which I find I am 47% Indian

The tone and theme of my last few articles have been very trenchant to say the least. I have attacked people, accusing them of being unfaithful to their roots. I have blackened one entire nationality, and tried to prove that they are hypocrites and parasites of power. The recurrent theme of my outpourings was my insistence on maintaining an airtight Manipuri identity, or rather the mockery of Indianness in us, the Manipuris.

Earlier, I got some angry mails from readers, which I am reproducing below:

"I am shocked to read the aricle "Indians exposed by an indian".
This man who is calling himself whistleblower is not an indian
am sure....
I am a German. I came to INDIA 6 years back for an assignment
and what I found here was a great peace of mind and that's why
I am still here. He has given 5 of india's qualities
but can he name place where all this does not happen. I have
a personal experience being a foreigner and being in foreign
service. I have seen many counries of the world but only india
is the one where I found what I did not find anywhere. In these
6 years I have learnt a lot here. I have even learnt hindi. There
is one saying in hindi language "JIS THALI MAI KHANA USI MAI
CHHED KARNA" I'm sure you must have heard it and I dont feel
any need for explaining it. But this man that whist...... deserves
to be thrown in the dark sea. If I had the power I would have
burnt him alive and I mean it.
I have a requeat to make to the management of this site not
to give this kind of articles here."

From CHRISTINA WEBER
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dear Ranjan,

Just read your tirade on e-pao. Being a "mayang" married to a manipuri, I
know what you are talking about.

Maite [Maiteh ?]-s like you are the most Indian wanna-bees that I have seen.
Including a guy who calls himself Randeep [let me hold on to the last
name] - who has no idea that he has a "sardar" first name [he's all of 35
years young]. Plus, I have noticed that the Ranjan Yumnams of the world love
to be seen eating Indian food, love to admire, adore, adorn themselves like
the desi movie stars that they try to not be like :-)

Moreover, I dislike to hate Gandhi. When in 6th grade in Madras, I was
asked to bring my parents to reinstate me into school when I claimed
[correctly] that Gandhi would have lasted less than a minute under spanish
[rather than the gentlemen Brit] rule [the spanish took the Inca's gold and
then killed them.....].

Even in sports, the best defense is superlative offense. Just like the US
is the #1 superpower due to its overwhelming firepower, the Brits were [in
the days when the sun never set on the British empire] the superpower.
Gandhi had [I agree with you here] no choice except to embrace non-violence
[then Martin Luther King Jr. emulated him].

Oh yeah - Mr Varma could use a lesson in being more civilized - nothing like
a bloody nose to teach a person on how to be human.

Bottom-line: Desis [and you] are more like everyone else - than different.
The best defense is superlative offense, and Varma needs a bloody nose to
become more human."

From Bapcha S. Murty
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"What ever you said on Thiyam is right if you are looking from ETHNOCENTRIC prism.We are in twenty first century, please,let us learn to look beyond meitei, manipur,our religion, our culture and all bla blas.

If you look closely,Thiyam is much ahead of our time.There is an element of humanity and internationalism in his theme. Let me cite an example from history,Tagore did not take major role in Indian freedom movement inspite of his towering personality.Because his idea of nationalism was much ahead of his time.(To know more read Tagore and Nationalism).And it is a theme which you are missing in your most of the literature , you have published.

Pliz, let's not dig up too deeply that nothing comes out of it."

From Michael Achom

2004-06-23T23:36:00.000-07:00

Where are Ratan Thiyam’s roots?

I have never seen a single play of Ratan Thiyam, but deep in my heart, I respect him as any Manipuri would (and should) with a sense of awe and veneration. He is a cultural icon, one of the truest sons of the soil. Never has a Manipuri reached such heights of excellence and fame in his chosen field - be it at national level or international stage. A chance visit to his webpage has further reinforced my estimation of him as a genius. The countless number of awards and prizes and other recognitions that his theatre has earned over nearly three decades is mind boggling and colossally impressive. It makes me wonder: well, will we ever see another Manipuri who will be even a tad close to his stature and talent in any specialised discipline. And at the risk of sounding morbidly immature, it is tempting to ask - after Mr. Thiyam, who will inherit his craft and conduct it forward as nearly professionally as this guru with extraordinary results.

Ratan Thiyam is one of the directors that came into limelight as a director of "theatre of roots", a movement pioneered by other giants of Indian theatre like B. V. Karanth, Habib Tanvir, Bansi Kaul, Vijay Tendulkar, etc. in the 70s. These directors exploited traditional folktales and contemporised them in their theatrical narrative and execution. To Mr. Thiyam especially, this genre must have presented an added incentive as it enabled him to connect to his roots, an opportunity that any Manipuri would have snatched in the land of the mayangs. Indeed, he became the poster boy of the theatre of roots, dwarfing all the earlier trailblazers.

But the question remains: does his theatre really represent his roots, and for that matter the Manipuri society, its ethos and culture? If you take a cursory look at his plays, the answer would be almost negative: finding an unalloyed true Manipuri influence in his theatre will be like looking for a needle in the haystack.

"Uttar-Priyadarshi," the jewel of his ouevre - that catapulted Mr. Thiyam to the galaxy of world's greatest directors - is as Manipuri (or unManipuri) as the samosa. Why is the title of most of his plays in Hindi? His latest offering is even named in Hindi words that seem like Greek to some of us - 'Ritusamharam'. Never mind the theme that, as far as he claims, is 'rooted' in typical Manipuri season of spring when the Nature opens forth her bounty. So far, so good. But then, call it his pandering to the Indian audience or hunger for more of thier patronage, he seems to have lost his Manipuri soul when he gratuitously made 'Holi-playing' the focusing point of the play. There is nothing wrong in portraying Holi, while ignoring yaoshang; after all he has the artistic license to do whatever he like - make his work overtly sub-continental or Manipuri. In this case, his choice was undeniably Indian in theme, with heavy dose of Hinduism element thrown in. Which is well within his rights, except for one problem that he made his name solely on the notion that he represented the "theatre of roots" movement. Will someone point out where does his roots lie actually - in Kurushetra or Manipur?

I may be blamed as xenophobic, nit-picking and even ungrateful, but let me assure you I have company, and they are not even Manipuri. At a screening of a documentary on Ratan Thiyam, "Some roots grow upwards," recently in New Delhi, a young filmmaker from the audience got up to ask the director of the documentary, Kavita Joshi, if Mr. Thiyam's works were aimed at projecting a "pan Indian Hinduism" consciousness. I was astounded, not least because those were the words which were on my tongue tips, but because an outsider could also notice that hallmark of Ratan Thiyam's theatre.

Ms. Kavita presently summoned her composure and said something to the effect that Ratan Thiyam was merely using known epics as a vehicle to promote his agenda of peace and harmony, and that it was a technique that directors of all hues and colours elsewhere resorted to. Later, in a telephonic interview, she defended Ratan Thiyam, saying he could not be faulted as his works "mirror the Manipuri society" that had many layers underneath. Clearly, she believed that all Manipuris were Hindus, and pointed out that only two members in the cast crew of Chorus Repertory Theatre had Meitei names, for instance.

When Mr. Thiyam is not drawing upon Hinduism's crutches, he borrows from some other religions alien to Manipuris. After seeing his Uttar-priyadarshi at Washington, Tehreema Mitha, an Indian crtic, felt that "it presents a very Buddhist attitude towards violence," and that spawned a "confusion, since India is perceived as basically Hindu".

Mr. Ratan Thiyam should do a soul searching and change the direction of his works to make it more representative of the Manipuri society, her culture, her history, her folktales and her identity. Foisting Manipuri ideological theme on archetypal Hindu epics may earn him brownie points in the initial stage of his career - and we can understand it - but now he is 'big' enough to chart his own course and create plays that is truly Manipuri from head to tails. Instead of trying to find strained (and strange) parallels with Manipur's social and political realities in some obscure Vedic traditions, he should look for gems in his own backyard. After straying away for more than two decades in wilderness in search of his roots, atop ivory's tower, Mr. Thiyam should return to his fertile soil that gave birth to him. If he must take a leaf from his great contemporary, Tadashi Suzuki, so be it, but come back home. The rewards would be more satisfying than any foreign recognition.

2004-06-21T01:50:00.000-07:00

The judge’s logic
I received a sms yesterday that had me in splits.
A judge fined Rs. 540 against a rapist for his crime. When asked why Rs. 540 – not 500, 600 or 1000 – the learned judge retorted: “Rs 500 for rape and the remaining amount as 8% Entertainment Tax”.

2004-06-19T00:46:00.000-07:00

June 18 Uprising: Manipur's Tiananmen Square bloodshed?

One of the advantages of having anniversaries, centenaries, and other periodical observations is that they arrive - without fail. Yesterday, MSAD led students to a candle vigil in Delhi, first at Jantar Mantar and at India Gate later, in rememberance of the 18 martyrs of the Great June Uprising and as affirmation of the collective will that the cause for which they sacrificed thier lives will be continued to its logical conclusion. Long live the martyrs.
In hindsight, the June 18 event was to Manipur what Tiananmen Square bloodshed was to China's democratic assertion of popular voice. The candle weilding students in the Capital might have just managed to hammer that message to the Indian observers.
And with this, observation of Manipur's most significant event in recent memory has just gone countrywide, a manisfestation indeed of the fact that youngsters living away from the state are more politically concious, zealous about thier roots and always prapared to raise thier ethnic flag aloft, whenever any opportunity presents itself. A positive trend, I will say.

2004-06-14T01:09:00.000-07:00

Diary: Why I hate commuting + my solution
I commute daily by public transportation for at least two hours. It’s not a pleasant routine, what with Delhi’s bulging population (literally too) and busy traffic jostling for space and ease. Throw in the scorching heat of Delhi’s summer, and you have a pressure cooker on wheels. The only way to wriggle myself out of this hellish two hours is to buy a vehicle for myself or move my butt, bed and buddy to a place near my workplace. I am seriously considering the second option; it suits me more at this point of time. Have you heard of the phrase “financially challenged”. That’s me.

2004-06-10T02:53:00.000-07:00

Amnesty International anti-semitic?
One of the hazards of being a global watchdog on human rights violations is that it is prone to criticisms from different quarters who believe their case have not been adequately addressed. And that includes people like me who last week cast aspersions on the moral authority and authentity of the India report that I "thought" was too lenient on NE. One reader of this blog has even a more blighted view of the organisation, which I think is unfair. He wrote:

"If you are pro-Amnesty Intl., you are anti-semitic. Why is it that the
hoilier-than-thou Amnesty Intl. have *nothing* to say when Daniel Pearl was massacred in Pakistan, and when Nick Berg's head was chopped off in Iraq ? Is it because both were
Jewish and a bastard from the religion of peace chopped their head off ?
I would like to pee on and puke on amnesty and its supporters. Also, where
is Amnesty as China massacres thousands every year for their political beliefs ? Amnesty takes on "nice" targets like the United States - where they can use the friendly legal
system and a left-wing press to further their goals. They do not take on the real offenders like Sadddam [before the US liberation]; China [now] and the Osamas of the world.

Shame on Amnesty. and shame on the Indian liberals who quote Amnesty."

Taking his views at the face value - even though I have never met a jew in my life - I probed deeper into his accusations and found solace in the fact that he might have just gone overboard and off the mark. These are what I found:
1. AI was equally worked up like anybody else on the crudeness of the murder of Daniel Pearl and issued a statement.
2. China is one of the major countries under the spotlight of AI. Here's a report.

As for being liberal, I would choose liberalism any day over right wing fanaticism.

2004-06-08T00:16:00.000-07:00

There is a narcissist dwelling inside everyone who wants to be a cut above the rest. He craves to be appreciated, admired and if his ego is not fed, he feels unwanted, frustrated and worthless. That's why people go to expensive restaurants even if the food served there are as good (or horrible) as the homemade food of your mom or wife; that's why people waste a fortune on their marriage ceremony; that's why you splurge on that cellphone accessory that you can do without; that's why people upgrade thier cars everytime new models hit the road and so on. All these seem pointless. If you consider a human being's basic needs, they are very limited. For a man to live decently, he requires only 3 things: shelter, food, clothes; maybe in the modern days, you might add a vehicle, a phone and a computer.

Nope, I haven't forgot to tell you how important are one's physical looks to his sense of pride, and to some people that is the most crucial aspect of thier existence. An appearace freak can go to any length to look chic and sexy -- buy pricey designer clothes, get a tattoo done on the most happening part of her anatomy, dye her hair blue, expose her cleavage, pierce her navel, go for liposuction to lose weight, and what not. The latest trend on the beauty block is cosmetic surgery, and if you thought breast implant was the only miracle, think again. Name your problem part, there's just a perfect solution to bring it to glory and admiration, to kill your peers with envy.

But after you have gone the whole hog to acquire that killer look, how will you know that you are hot in the eyes of the people, preferably those belonging to opposite sex. No problem, no worries. Just visit this site www.hotornot.com, upload your most seductive photograph and wait.......Bingo, you will be rated by the world on a scale of 10 depending on how hot you look! This is a win-win thing; you don't have to meet the actual people (which can be quite embarassing) and you can obtain a few more brownie points by manipulating your pic (if you are really desperate to get a higher rating). But if you still get a lowly 2 point, just blame your photograph and take heart. Remember how beautiful you are as a person in flesh and blood. If not hot, you can still be a cool dude. All the best.

2004-06-01T22:43:00.000-07:00

BEING INDIAN: a review
By Pavan K Varma
Viking/Penguin
Price: Rs 325
Pages: 238

Being Indian is a hard-hitting book that asks some mind boggling questions and seeks to answer them with a matching candour. The author, Pavan K. Varma, a distinguished career diplomat, shocks us with his unorthodox analysis of the traits of Indians—their psychology, aspirations, motivations—and have us awed with the sheer sharpness of his observations.

The author demolishes the stereotypes about being an Indian, convincingly and rationally with recourse to anecdotes, facts, citations and his wide experience in the corridors of power.

Are Indians democratic by temperament; are they non-violent; are they spiritual, ‘other worldly’; are they secular and tolerant? It is tempting to answer “Yes”. Mr. Varma, backed by his illuminating reasoning, says “No” to all these posers; and after considering his arguments you will also invariably find yourself agreeing with him.

Sample this argument: Can a people who are cannily attuned to the validity of social hierarchy and status be considered democratic by temperament? Doubtful. Democracy in India has survived and even flourished because it was quickly seen by the masses as the most effective way to upward mobility and for gaining personal wealth and power, not because they harbour any illusions about its ideals.

Mahatma Gandhi, whom the Indians reverentially call the Father of the Nation, won the freedom of the country by relying on ahimsa; so are all Indians peaceful and non-violent? Unlikely, if you consider the number of dowry deaths, torture of undertrials, physical abuse of domestic servants — all acts of bestiality perpetrated by the educated Indians.

Indians are not spiritual people either. How can a nation which calls a trader “mahajan” or great soul, which pervasively worships Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and exalts the pursuit of material well-being, artha, as a principal goal of life be regarded as ‘other worldly’? On the contrary, Indians pursue profit more tenaciously than most.

In the same vein, Indians are no paragon of tolerance. The Hindus are the practitioners of the world’s most rigid system of exclusion in the form of caste system and untouchability against their own members.

To be fair to Mr. Varma, any generalization about India and Indians is bound to be not completely accurate. For such a large country like India with its diversity, she presents a puzzle that can only be solved in grays, not black and white.

But one thing is crystal clear: Indians are power hungry people, and will resort to any means, ethical or not, to attain it. The Indians are extraordinarily sensitive to the calculus of power. They consider the pursuit of power a legitimate end in itself, and display great astuteness in adjusting to, and discovering the focus of power. “Those who renounce the lure of power are worshipped, not because their example is capable of emulation, but in sheer awe of their ability to transcend the irresistible,” says Mr. Varma.

However, two factors will change the mindset of the Indians in the coming years: pan indianness and erosion of the social hierarchies due to democratic process. These changes in tandem with her leadership in IT will bring about a veritable revolution in her social landscape and give her a stake in the global power play. Considering that Indians have a panache for hope and the quality of resilience in the face of adversity, they may well pull their dreams off.

Being Indian reads like a thriller though it is not one. Many myths about Indians keep tumbling out from every page that will hook you till the last sentence. Highly recommended for the foreigners, and also the Indians who want to know about themselves. Honestly.

2004-05-28T03:28:00.000-07:00

Amnesty International Report: too light on NE
This year's AI country report contains all the usual suspects: killings in Kashmir, Gujarat riots, Pota abuse, social discrimination of adivasi and dalits and others. Surprisingly, the human rights situation in NE is portrayed rather perfunctorily, dismissed in a couple of sentences.

"In the states of the northeast, abuses included the torture and killings of non-combatants and attacks on civilians by naxalites (armed left-wing groups) in areas of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal".

I don't know why NE is treated alongside these unNortheasternly states, but by doing so the report seems to suggest that human rights violations are perpretrated by the rebel groups only. The state is left unscathed, nor are there any references to Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Sharmila Irom, Disturbed Area Act..

Haven't the human rights bodies in NE, particularly Manipur, alerted the AI adequately in time? Or has the situation in the state really improved? Or is the author of the report a thoroughbred Indian gentleman with little knowledge about the troubled region?

My mind is violated.

2004-05-28T02:04:00.000-07:00

Comments retrieved
Due to design changes that I have effected, all my earlier settings of this blog has gone, deleting all the readers' comments. I have retrieved them manually and thought it prudent to publish them as a post. There is certainly a risk in tinkering with a website if you are a tech novice. Fortunately, I found out a way to restore the lost feedback of my valuable readers, which is placed below:

On Power without responsibility
sonia was actually washing her hands from everything, she wanted to run away form the problem, that's all you don't need to put all your efforts to describe her meaningless actions.

i hope you dont get irritated with my comments, after all you are a journalist.

he he he ...
-- Unknown

Hmm..I am not irritated at all. On the contrary, every bit of your opinion has given me a new perspective. Feel free to leave your comments, any comments, but please be restrained in your language so that I won't need to wipe them out later. Ideas matter, not the desperation. And abuse, no no.
– ranjan yumnam

On What women want?

Tamo Ranjan,

By "space on commntaries", I guess wannabe-whistleblower was indicating the 12 dotted lines in your article. Maybe he did not realize that the dotted lines were an integral part of the story.

I always enjoy your posts. They make a really interesting read. Keep up the great work!

- bm

Could you please clarify what actually you mean by reducing the "space on commntaries"?

ranjan yumnam

Thanks for that enlightening definition of whistleblower. I am aware that the word connotes a rather negative overtones, and is often used to refer to disgruntled employees within an organisation (usually successful ones)who have a vested interest in blowing the lid on inner malpractices of that company. I chose the word as I liked the phonetic feel of the word; I don't actually fancy myself as a whistleblower in the true sense of the term. I am planning to move the entire blog to ranjanyumnam.com, the domain name which I am soon registering with a techie friend of mine.

ranjan yumnam

PLEASE LEAD THE WAY!!!!!
reduce the space on commentaries...

whis•tle•blow•er or whis•tle-blow•er or whistle blower ( P ) Pronunciation Key (hwsl-blr, ws-)
n.
One who reveals wrongdoing within an organization to the public or to those in positions of authority:
"The Pentagon's most famous whistleblower is... hoping to get another chance to search for government waste" (Washington Post).

A Whistleblower is really a slang term that is now generally used in practice to describe a person that alerts civil authorities of wrongful acts being committed by HIS EMPLOYER AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.

In the US, Whistleblowers are protected from retaliation by the Federal Whistleblower Protection Act.
A remedy that may be used by the Whistleblower, beyond just protection, is to file a Qui Tam action. In Qui Tam, the

Whistleblower sues on behalf of the government and will share in any recovery.

Wannabe-whistleblower

On A taste of Gmail

Home Studio Enthusiast ??
You like A R Rahman, dude ??
And hey, thanks for the free Gmail lesson. I dint know that one can upload large songs into Gmail.
YABADABADOOOOO !!

Ru

well written. can't agree better.
bm

On Things we can’t do

But don't say no Manipuris make it to Bollywood, I know many who work as xtras, ppppssssttt, pppppssstttt. If you wish I can pin-point some "dalals" who brockerage these xtras. And mind you, they are doing brisk business. Next time, look closely at those college themed Pepsi Ads, Cola Ads, Dance sequence of College themes etcetera, you might be lucky and spot a few of our own people. Gulp!
Brajeshwar
Ranjan, I agree with your posting. Manipuris are able to shine in most fields - education, technology, media etc. But when it comes to Bollywood, I guess we don't stand a chance. But it's not that I regret it though. It is just one of those things we have to learn to live without.

I do enjoy Hindi movies - for timepass of course. Though I have to wait quite some time for them to arrive.

bm

Well, well, who are (a) Kamala (b) Medha. And why do Manipuri have to do the "nautanki" stuff. We watched these actors in movies for our entertainment; they are a separte bunch of their own community; people no longer crave for them at the streets save for a few. Let them do it and let us watch.
Anyway, I think you will not miss the points to discuss people like the Laxmi Mittal, The Ambanis, The Tatas, The Birlas etcetera.
Brajeshwar

Very interesting reading indeed!
Bale

On Miscellaneous

Not that I am good at but from a usability point of view, can you have the comment and trackback link at the bottom of each post and not on top, it is confusing and I am sure a common user will definitely be confused and yours is the first blog I came across with comment at the top of a post!
Brajeshwar

Cool that you took to blogging! My Best wishes to you.
Brajeshwar

Dear Ranjan,
Great though of a free bird. All the best and looking forward to reading some great stuff-no matter how long or short.

Arhan Writwik

2004-05-25T03:17:00.000-07:00

Power without responsibilty

Yes, I agree that Sonia Gandhi stands shoulders and above the petty politicians of BJP. To club them together will not only be inappropriate but also amount to insulting the honesty and sincerity of the Italian born Congress President.

But, I somehow never can't tomtom like the rest of the media that she is a great "renunciant" who doesn't crave for power. This is not a hard nut to crack; just consider the irony that the renunciant is the most powerful person in India at the moment.
In the days to come, I bet we will also be subjected to news of political intriques within the Congress party - bewteen the Sonia coterie and the PM camp.

Well, the reason why sonia refused to lead the party in 1991 and 1998 is precisely the same one why she declined the post of Prime Minister now: she is incompetent for the job. To her credit, Sonia is graceful enough to accept this fact and pass on the baton to good ol amiable doctor. That's why I said Sonia is honest and sincere at the outset, no doubt about that. She knows too well she never can't give an extempore speech without someone ghostwriting it for her before. Being PM means you have to accomplish far more serious and complex duties that she wouldn't be able to handle competently, or without looking like a fool.

So, in a masterstroke, she renounced the PM post and that decision has catapulted her to a high moral pedestal in the eyes of the Indians. But most significantly, the arrangement has given her unprecedented power without responsibilty, which might be exactly what Sonia wanted.

Earlier Imocha Huidrom wrote:

Read you rather cynical take on Sonia Gandhi's refusal to become PM. While I'm no big fan of the Congress party and understand the necessity of 'objectivity' in journalistic columns, your inconsistent theory does not explain why she had refused to take up the leadership of the party in 1991 and 1998. Yes, the move is certainly a smart one on her part, but you cannot also discount the renunciatory element. And for that alone, Sonia's act puts her way above the Uma Bharati's and Sushma Swaraj's of Indian politics, who stand exposed as nothing but power hungry and venal who'd stop at nothing.

2004-05-13T03:31:00.000-07:00

Pun riot
Newspapers are becoming more fun to read, especially during these elections. The headlines are innovative, puns are amusing and the graphics that go along with the stories are simply rib tickling, if not satirical. Consider these one liners used to describe IT savvy Chandababu's rout in Andhra Pradesh.
Key Rajiv man siezes Ctrl, Deletes TDP, set to be Alt CM and Reboot Andhra. (Times of India)
Hindustan Times is not far behind, and comes up with this:
System failure: Cyber CM logged out. This was accompanied by a cartoon graphic showing Naidu tapping furiouisly at the keyboard with the screen displaying a message: Access denied. Rediff.com had this: Ctrl+Alt+Del for Chandrababu Naidu
But the most accurate headline appeared in the New York Times that read: Indians voters turn cold shoulder to high technology.

I will keep scanning for more bytes like these. Let me shutdown for the moment. END.

2004-05-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Things we can’t do – IV
(We can’t be Prime Minister)
If the pollsters are to be believed, it’s not going to be a cakewalk for the BJP at the hustings after all. Speculations are ripe that NDA may get a beating and find themselves occupying the opposition benches in the parliament when the next sitting takes place. Names like Mayawati, Mulayam Singh Yadav, V.P Singh, Jyoti Basu are doing the rounds among the political chatterati, with Sonia Gandhi being the favourite. There will be kingmakers and kings-in-waiting.
This is not a joke; Mayawati may actually become the most powerful person of the world's largest democracy. And to know that her USP is caste politics really makes me sick. Does she know a Rouble from a Pound? The post of Prime Minister is up for grabs, and this country has only a few dimwits fighting for it, while deserving people like Manmohan Singh are pushed to the margins.
But my point is not this. It is: Can any Manipuri become a PM of this country? Foolish me. There are not enough Manipuris for a Manipuri PM hopeful to play the caste card to outsmart the likes of Mayawati, Laloo, Modi…. We have a real logistics problem here.

2004-04-29T03:02:00.000-07:00

What women want
You must have read all those jokes about women - rednecks, blondes, etc., floating in the net, which are funny but neverthelss uncharitable to the fairer sex. Why a bottle of beer is better than a woman sort of jokes are dime a many, and off course they are often a near reflection of a woman's true nature. Browsing one website that cataloques such misogynistic jokes, I am surprised to find this one, which exactly is not a joke. Read it; it is poignant, gripping, and touching, with a twist in the end.

*******************************************************************************

"Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom. The monarch could have killed him, but was moved by Arthur's youthful happiness. So he offered him freedom, as long as he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer; if, after a year, he still had no answer, he would be killed.

The Question: What do women really want?

Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and, to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query.

Well, since it was better than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end. He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everybody: the princess, the prostitutes, the priests, the wise men, the court jester. In all, he spoke with everyone but no one could give him a satisfactory answer. What most people did tell him was to consult the old witch, as only she would know the answer. The price would be high, since the witch was famous throughout the kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.

The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no alternative but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer his question, but he'd have to accept her price first: The old witch wanted to marry Gawain, the most noble of the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend! Young Arthur as horrified: she was hunchbacked and awfully hideous, had only one tooth, smelled like sewage water and often made obscene noises. He had never run across such a repugnant creature. He refused to force his friend to marry her and have to endure such a burden.

Gawain, upon learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He told him that nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the preservation of the Round Table.

Hence, their wedding was proclaimed, and the witch answered Arthur's question:

What a woman really wants is to be able to be in charge of her own life.

Everyone instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth and that Arthur's life would be spared. And so it went. The neighboring monarch spared Arthur's life and granted him total freedom.

What a wedding Gawain and the witch had! Arthur was torn between relief and anguish.

Gawain was proper as always, gentle and courteous. The old witch put her worst manners on display. She ate with her hands, belched and farted, and made everyone uncomfortable. The wedding night approached.

Gawain, steeling himself for a horrific night, entered the bedroom. What a sight awaited! The most beautiful woman he had ever seen lay before him! Gawain was astounded and asked what had happened.

The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her (when she'd been a witch), half the time she would be her horrible, deformed self, and the other half, she would be her beautiful maiden self. Which would he want her to be during the day and which during the night?

What a cruel question! Gawain began to think of his predicament:

During the day a beautiful woman to show off to his friends, but at night, in the privacy of his home, an old spooky witch? Or would he prefer having by day a hideous witch, but by night a beautiful woman to enjoy many intimate moments?

What would you do?

What Gawain chose follows below, but don't read until you've made your own choice.

......................

......................

......................

Noble Gawain replied that he would let her choose for herself!

Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time, because he had respected her and had let her be in charge of her own life.

Isn't that beautiful?

But really now, what is the moral of this story?

If you don't respect women, things are gonna get ugly!"

2004-04-28T05:31:00.000-07:00

A taste of Gmail
As a regular user of blogger, I now have access to gmail, which offers 1 GB of storage, for free. I tried to send myself heavy MP3 files, and hey, it worked!!! The uploading was a breeze, despite the size of the attachements. The inbox comes inbuilt with a search box to enable the user to dig out old mails. The ads that privacy hawks lose their sleep over, are conspicous by their modesty. All my thumbs are up, except for this: it is not yet available to public. I have to wait to share my music with my friends (I am a home studio enthusiast). My new email id is : ranjanyumnam@gmail.com.

2004-04-26T23:57:00.000-07:00

Democracy inaction
I am already eligible to cast my vote as a citizen of India, but I have never exercised my adult franchise. Either I was too young; and when the Election Commission finally included my name in the voters' list, I happened to be away from home, as I am now. From a detached vantage point in Delhi, I am only following the elections in Manipur, choosing not to be a part of the great Indian political shopping.

I have no regrets, though. Had I been in Manipur, I would not have cast my vote at all. The elections have become an exercise in which you choose the lesser evils, not a capable leader. It's a ritual that has lost its meaning, other than murdering your conscience just to keep the democracy running.

The real irony can be read in the measly voters' turnout. Reports in E-pao say it is about 50%; the winner may well get only 20% of votes and rot in the parliament for the next five years - dumb and speechless. And I have problems with leader who gets chosen by a minority of voters, at the expense of the majority of us who cast the ballot (or don't).

But, people get the leader they deserve. At least, the same can't be said about me as I have not inked my nail yesterday. That's why I don't regret my staying away from polling booths. Nobody can now point fingers at me and say "You have also a role in putting that illiterate moron in the Parliament".

2004-04-23T23:57:00.000-07:00

Things we can't do-Take 3
(We can't be promiscuous)
We, unlike the more promiscuous Americans, lead a conservative life. We tie the knot only once, and our marriage is far more stable, rock solid. Divorces, separation and adultery are alien practices, which we identify only with the Hindi maa bahu soaps in the National Doordarshan and newspaper reports of Beckham-Loos-Victoria kind. We are a clean society with no dirty khudei to wash in the public. Or in private.

But this girl defies everything I know about Manipuri women
I know a woman who has been in a live-in relationship with a guy since the last four years. I have nothing against this, and I always thought they would marry each other ultimately. They were a perfect couple; sometimes I envied them. In part because they seem to be so happy, and in part because I was a singleton, who had none to accompany me to walk into the sunset hand in hand and exchanged sweet-nothings with me.

But, just recently, a storm hit their relationship, and sadly and beyond my belief, the girl ran away with another guy and got married. All these happened so swiftly as if the main players in the story had only a few days to live.

What shocked me the most was not that the woman threw the original boy in the bathtub (he is 5 years younger), but that she came back to live with him, barely 5 days after the marriage. Her husband lives and works in another city. The husband apparently agrreed to live separately on her insistence that she would not leave her job in Delhi.

Based on the accounts of the boy, it is also very clear that she sleeps with both. Either her husband is the most stupid man in the world or he is the epitome of liberalism gone too far. I am confused, maddened and shocked. What should be my proper reaction to this rare event in my life?

Are they really aliens?

2004-04-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

Things we can't do - Take 2
(We can't be street beggars)
How often have you seen beggars in the streets of Manipur? You can count on the finger. The beggars I have seen were all mentally deranged people who didn’t know what they were up to. They picked up rags, worn wall-clocks in their necks or swaggered like a character straight out of Charles’ Dickens’ novels in the broad daylight. I used to watch them as a child, amused and frightened at the same time; their sightings were few and far between. I have never seen a pauper who talks like you and me, and was normal.

Oh yes, few victims of Kuki-Naga clashes once came to my house asking for food and clothes. But, I don’t consider them beggars; they were actually barterers. They brought with them bamboo and cane products of high craftsmanship, like mora, phak, and so on – all items we really needed but didn’t find the convenience of time to purchase from market. My mother gave them old clothes and rice, and they would leave us with valuable household items. The exchange was to the advantage of both the parties.

So, is the lack of beggars in Manipur an indication that ours is a prosperous state? I vote a big NO. It only means that we are an incorrigibly proud people who think it is beneath ourselves to beg. Our ego takes precedence over the hunger pangs. We can steal, extort, rob, cheat the bank, anything…hey, but no begging! Our parents are wonderful. They almost always give in to the persistent nagging of their son to buy the latest Nike shoes and the Enticer motor-bike for a fortune, with money loaned by some local usurer.

Though we are never reduced to the condition of a street beggar, we are nevertheless beggars – big time beggars. The state is in a financial mess; it can’t even pay the salaries of the workers. Our leaders are tigers in the state, but are kittens outside it. Every time they go to Delhi, I suspect they hide a big begging bowl in their briefcase.

The hypocrisy is split wide open when they open it before their masters at Delhi, who threw crumbs on their faces.

Meaning we are not street beggars. We are only beggars.

2004-04-17T02:01:00.000-07:00

Hope
After a week-long, non-stop backbreaking exam, I am finally breathing a little easier. I had my last exam yesterday. I thought I should enjoy a well-deserved nightcap, and so planned to buy myself a bottle of claret or beer. Great idea. With soft caressing music of Norah Jones in the background and with some good food, I would be winding down, free from all the tensions of the world. But none of these happened.

Reality
As soon as I reached home, I threw myself to bed like a log of wood. After about half an hour, I woke up to a phone call, chatted for a while and exchanged some sms with a friend. I was too tired to go out and buy the stuff for indulging myself. Meanwhile my roommate brought in the dinner. A very ordinary dal and rice. Then I drank lot of water.

Life’s like that.

2004-04-10T12:06:00.001-07:00

Things that we can't do - Take 1
A Manipuri, how handsome or pretty he/she is, stands very little - almost nil - chance of becoming a Bollywood star like Salman Khan or Preity Zinta. You know the answers: First the language, second the Korean looks we are born with, and third our different cultural ethos. Can you imagine Kamala committing a "Murder" in the shoes of Mallika Sherawat? Would Medha agree to star in Jism as the seductress, the role originally essayed by Bipasha Basu, complete (or incomplete) with G strings and suggestive lingeries? Can any Manipuri hunk holler like "Kutte kamine Main tera Khoon Pijawunga," with as much gay abandon as Dharmendra? Just ponder.

(I will be serialising on this theme for a while. Check out daily, and send me your thoughs too. May be I will compile them into an article)

2004-04-08T01:25:00.000-07:00

Brave new generation
LAISRAM INDIRA'S contention that the exodus of Manipuris to metros is not a feature in permanence is, well, not a permanent truth. The mindset is changing at a breakneck speed, and three out of every five working Manipuri professionals whom I know have confided in me that they are not returning to their homestate. The reason is not far to seek: going back practically means self-annihilation. You stand to lose your assidously built career, prospects and the financial security that jobs afford you. It's a suicide. Realising that no bed of roses is awaiting them at the Tulihal airport, the younger crop of Manipuri careerists are now gravitating towards the idea of settling in the cities where they work. Welcome the brave new generation.

2004-04-06T03:10:00.000-07:00

Exam Blues
I haven't posted anything in the last few days. My exams are closing in, and what adds to the panic is my lack of time for any preparation. I took some notes to office to pore over during breaks. Lucky that there are also some holidays ahead this week. And don't be surprised if my posts get shorter and shorter. The situation won't change until 16th April, when I will be breathing a sigh of relief from these exam blues.

2004-04-02T08:37:00.000-08:00

Media's dilemma
Yesterday's gruesome mob attack on the four American "private security workers" in Falluja, Irag was reported widely by the international media. Editors of the major news outlets agonised over the merit of publishing the photographs that showed the charred remains of the bodies being mutilated by the mob. Chunks of flesh were hung from a telephone line and railing of a bridge, while the Iraqis looked on, cheering. Some of the readers and viewers were shocked by the images, which they said were offensive and gratuitous. Editors, however, maintain that showing the grisly pictures were central to conveying the exact news as it happened. They are caught between the journalistic instinct to publish the unfiltered news and respecting the readers' sensitivities.
Look at this interactive graphics at NYT. (You will need to register)

2004-04-01T09:12:00.000-08:00

Why I love Google and KaZaA
Internet is a great leveller. I have access to the same amount of information as Bill Gates does, and I can research about Zulu tribes of Africa as fast as him, and maybe even faster. If this billiionaire can communicate with his programmers in India, sitting in his Microsoft's office in Redmond, I can also chat with my friend in Australia from the comfort of my rented apartment. I can even spam his hotmail inbox.

I don't have a grudge against the richest man on the planet; in fact I salute him for his contributions to making the myriad possibilities of the internet a reality. But two men whom I hold in awe and are more deserving of our praise is Sergey Brin and Larry Page: co-founders of Google.

Google has become a part of my life, and for that matter, any netizen's. Google is the place where you take your first step in any online journey -- be it for news, serious research materials, images, games, downloads, or just cheap thrills. It's simple, minimalist design with its almost funny logo has endeared itself to internet novice as well as hardened cyber animals.

The meteoric rise of google also symbolises a story that we all love: triumph of the underdog over giants. In 1998, when google first came into the internet scene with its search only utilty, few people recognised its worth. Now, it is the world's most popular search engine, and riding on this strength, google is eyeing other lucrative avenues in cyberspace: today's google homepage introduces a shopping channel, froogle, that will soon rival that of Yahoo, its chief competitor. Google also has announced that it will also foray into the email service, a decision that might have already sent chills down the spine of Yahoo and MSN. I am eagerly waiting for the google's email service to start functioning, not because I am a 'goonatic'(I just coined it) but because it will solve two of my worst enduring nightmares -- limited mail storage capacity and spams. Gmail, google's email service, is offering -- hold your breath -- 1000 MB of storage free, with in-built search functionality to boot, and no ad banners. Google is also rolling out its IPO, which is shaping up to be to hottest offering from the Silicon Valley in many years after the dotcom bust.

I suppose I don't have to wax eloquent on why I am a Kazaa fan. Internet is all about freedom of choice, and if some music labels think that is ruining their business, it's because we have realised thier greed, and no longer willing to be taken for a ride. Even mainstream artist like George Michael has railed against the exploitative tactics of record companies; he has decided to release his album through internet to escape their stranglehold. Following him is Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall, who described recording contracts as an “absolute disgrace” which belonged to “a Dickensian era”. He is particularly against industry practise in which singers pay for recording and the music labels retain the rights, keeping to themselves all the profits while the artists get peanuts. Fed up with this "immoral" system, Mr Hucknall has set up his own company and plans to re-record old output and release it in competition with existing recordings.

It should delight both Michael and Mick that Kazaa is already undermining the records' abillity to dupe the public; sales of CDs and cassettes are going south as file-sharing takes on a global proportion.

Then, Kazaa, like Google, is also a great leveller. I downloaded the Billboards' top 10 without having to pay a penny. Isn't this great? All talks about North-South disparity should end here. Long live Kazaa!!!

2004-03-31T09:03:00.000-08:00

Cannibalistic dreams
I often see dreams in which I am a cannibal. Just yesterday, I had one such dream. Though I am a quiet and peace-loving person, in my dreadful dreams, I am a monster who kills people, rips thier bodies apart, gulps down blood, and cooks the flesh. Sometimes, I also skin the the victims. These cannibalistic dreams keep recurring, but I don't know why I see them, and what they mean. If anyone has any clue, please let me know.

Bad dreams apart, a few days ago, I read an article about the real cannibals of the Democratic Replublic of Congo. Two tribes are at war in that African country. Nothing unsusual about it; tribal and inter-racial conflicts flare up everywhere in the world. But, the conflct in Congo is terryfying for one element: cannibalism. The warriors capture and kill each other, the victims ending in a cooking pan.

Eliza Griswold went to the cannibalism-hit war zone to find out the truth. One of the survivors told her, "They cut off my arm and took it outside where they had made a fire. They cooked it, while they were drinking our mandro, and ate it with the rest of the beans and rice." The fighters kill only the men, which they make a meal of, and rape their women, for which they set up special camps. (I wonder why women always have to pay for their men's depredations).

This is not the first time cannibalism has been reported in Congo. Historically, the white colonialists were believed to be fond of African flesh. They killed the African natives for consumption in such large hordes, that sometimes they "never managed to eat all the flesh so they saved the rest in tins, like corned beef."

Fortunately, I am a cannibal only in dream.

2004-03-29T11:08:00.000-08:00

Will Manipur become another Bihar?

New Delhi: A question that my senior colleague posed to me the other day shocked me in a rude manner. He asked, “What would happen to your home state if all her talent migrates to big cities in the mainland India? Who will man the administration; manage the education, supervise the development of the state?”

I have never thought about these, but when I started pondering on them, the implications are indeed worrying -- at least to me. Would Manipur become just another Bihar, a state which has produced many achievers in India but never been even remotely as developed as the star states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, etc?

On the face of it, a similar fate is awaiting Manipur. Like most of the Biharis, people in Manipur today look for greener pastures beyond the seven hills that border their state. In the case of Manipur, two grim realities have forced the people out of their homes. One, landing a decent job in Manipur is as difficult as looking for a needle in the haystack, and if you are extremely lucky to get it at all, you must forget regular paychecks. Second, the political and law-and-order situation in Manipur is crippling education (for which majority of Manipuris go outside), nor is it favourable for trade and commerce that can boost her economy.

But more than anything else, it is the quest for freedom, which one enjoys living in a city like, say, Delhi, that is driving Manipuris to railway stations and airports. Living in a cosmopolitan city gives you that quaint feeling of having escaped from a suffocating cage all of a sudden; you breathe free. No more midnight knocks. You almost miss them for a while.

Besides this freedom, a city also offers many other irresistible attractions: uninterrupted, if not better education, promise of jobs, exposure to a cosmopolitan culture, opportunity to prove your merit - overall a qualitatively better life.

Two recent phenomenons have strengthened this magnetic pull further: the BPO boom in India and the expanding community of Manipuri expatriates. Call centers have sprung up in most of the Indian cities, led by Bangalore, and city suburbs like Gurgaon and Noida, which are transforming into world class cities. Recruitment ads for call centre executives fill up almost 90 per cent of any newspaper’ classifieds. Lapping these offers are youngish 20 somethings, who are barely out of their college -- not a bad thing to do considering they are earning quick dough -- usually beginning from Rs. 8000 to upwards of 20, 000, a big sum for anyone hailing from a small state like Manipur. All of these youngsters would take up these jobs, thinking it would be just a time-pass, but once they have tasted luxuries that money can buy and other perks, there is no looking back.

They are not afraid to settle down here either, and the last thing they worry about is loneliness. Manipuri population in any major Indian city has accumulated to a critical mass. Social circles have swelled, and you feel, a mini Manipur, is well possible right here in the city. You have Ningol Chackouba, Cheiraoba, Thabal Chongba, etc. -- though all in mutated forms -- being celebrated here. The emotional isolation that these Manipuris felt so acutely when they were away from home is being obliterated, slowly but surely. Then there are virtual platforms (e-pao for example) that act as psychological palliatives. A unique social identity and cohesion is becoming a reality, within an alien city, and that has given the Manipuri expatriates a sense of security and confidence.

Despite this euphoria, there is also a cause for concern. If all the productive people in their prime age range have come here, never to return home, or forced by their jobs to stay put here, the future is indeed gloomy for Manipur. The more pessimistic among us will see a future Manipur run by goons, because all her talented and bright sons-of-the-soil will have left her.

Whether that foreboding will materialize is uncertain. What is quite possible is this: traditional family ties will crumble, with siblings living away from their parents in different cities. Telephone line will replace emotional tie -- relationship conducted the call centre way. How apt. This trend is already showing up.

Fragmented family ties can be mended, but career crisis is a hard nut to crack, and my primary fear is on that count. Can anyone imagine what a devastation it will wreak if the BPO industry suddenly goes bust, either owing to anti-outsourcing legislation in the west or simply under the vicissitudes of a global economy? Isn’t a call center job just another stop-gap arrangement? Is life all about blah-blah-ing into a microphone, tongue twisted, when you should be sleeping like a dog? Do the skills gained from a call centre count for anything elsewhere, should you want a change? I dread to think about these questions.

However, the purpose of this outburst is not to belittle those who have chosen to work in call canters, but to warn the young generation to exercise more caution while choosing their career and future. This generation is in the cusp of a major social change, in which it will play a significant role. Much will depend on them whether Manipur will become another Bihar or, for that matter, Kerala. I would rather hope that Manipur would morph into another Kerala, a state whose economy survives entirely on remittance from Malayali workers living in Gulf. It is not for nothing that the southern state is known for its money-order economy. We have a model there.

2004-03-27T11:08:00.000-08:00

Everybody seems to be having a blog of his own. Especially in the western countries, blogging has become a part of one's life, so much so that one is not considered to exist if he doesn't have a blog address. But, the reason why I have decided to blog is entirely different. When I need to get across my views, I have to write 900 words to fit into the format of an article for publication in a website or a newspaper. I find this rule quite inconvenient, sometimes due to lack of time, or because all ideas are not worth turning into a major essay. At best, they are just a little seed of a bigger idea, and I want to present them as they are -- not as a half-baked gibberish. With the constraint of word limit gone, I would be also able to publish anytime whatever that strikes my mind, from anything significant to highly trivialistic. I am the king in my blog; I don't have to worry about the big brother breathing down my shoulders. A condition which just suits me, a freespirit as I am. Welcome to my world.