Whatever, I could make out from media reports, that both Harbhajan and Dhoni, did not even care to inform the ministry on their unavailability for the prestigious padam shree awards. It's a real shame and at the same time, should act as an eye opener for the government, who so profusely shower all accolades to cricketers. Olympic boxing champions, who brought India glory in the global arena, were ignored, when it came to conferring Padam shree. There are innumerable sports people, who deserve this award, but it seems that the government's criteria for awards is governed more by popularity quotient of the sportsmen than his real objective achievements.
In no way, the accolades that Vijendra singh, brought to India by winning the bronze medal in Boxing (olympics) is less that Dhoni and harbhajan's achievements. I would rate it higher, as boxing is a solo sport and too much depends on individual performance.
This also reflects the arrogance that cricketers have in them, due to all the attention and adulation that is heaped on them. To, refuse to attend a function of such significance due to flippant reasons just goes on to show, what respect they have for such awards.
I don't think, they deserve this award and the government instead of creating laws to obviate such act of shameless impunity, should right away nullify and announce the withdrawal of padma shree from Dhoni and Bhajji.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The Trinity:Mulayam-Laloo-Paswan
One of the most interesting thing of this general election has been the coming together of vowed enemies of yesteryear's on one platform, with an aim to cling to power at center at whatever cost. Yes! mulayam, Laloo and paswan, could be a good plot for a bollywood film called the "opportunist trinity'.
The manner of their alliance, leaves not even an iota of doubt about their motives, there is nothing veiled or enigmatic, the motto is clear, together we can bargain power, with whoever comes to center (I am sure till now that BJP will not be considered).
Individually, both Laloo and Mulayam, has huge stakes if they are not able to cling to power, both can't afford to be in a state of affairs, where they have to face a hostile Center and equally hostile state.
At state level, elections are still years away, and the interregnum, without power could prove quite costly. Moreover, fading away of icons from public memory in nothing new, and both lalu and Maulayam can't afford the same. For, the first time, both RJD and SP are not able to take Muslim votes for granted. In Bihar the MY (Muslim yadav), equation has been badly shattered, while in UP, the induction of Kalyan singh to SP, is being called a hara kiri, done by Mulayam singh, as far as Muslim votes are concerned.
Kalyan Singh, who has been widely perceived to be the man behind Babri Masjid demolition, will always be a pariah for the muslim community.
As far as Paswan is concerned, I would call his position not as precarious as Lalu and Mulayam. Paswan as it is would not be hoping to win more than 5-6 seats, and all his strategy would be based on the same. A forecast of hung Parliament, where even one MP can make a difference, paswan would have a role to play, moreover, Paswan, would not be as inimical to joining hands with parties like BJP, as Mulayam and Laloo would be.
Whatever the outcome of the elections, the thing worth waiting for would be what fate do the trinity meet, if they are able to hold to the power, through collective bargain, it would be considered a master stroke and if they don't muster up enough numbers, history would condemn them for their short sightedness...
The manner of their alliance, leaves not even an iota of doubt about their motives, there is nothing veiled or enigmatic, the motto is clear, together we can bargain power, with whoever comes to center (I am sure till now that BJP will not be considered).
Individually, both Laloo and Mulayam, has huge stakes if they are not able to cling to power, both can't afford to be in a state of affairs, where they have to face a hostile Center and equally hostile state.
At state level, elections are still years away, and the interregnum, without power could prove quite costly. Moreover, fading away of icons from public memory in nothing new, and both lalu and Maulayam can't afford the same. For, the first time, both RJD and SP are not able to take Muslim votes for granted. In Bihar the MY (Muslim yadav), equation has been badly shattered, while in UP, the induction of Kalyan singh to SP, is being called a hara kiri, done by Mulayam singh, as far as Muslim votes are concerned.
Kalyan Singh, who has been widely perceived to be the man behind Babri Masjid demolition, will always be a pariah for the muslim community.
As far as Paswan is concerned, I would call his position not as precarious as Lalu and Mulayam. Paswan as it is would not be hoping to win more than 5-6 seats, and all his strategy would be based on the same. A forecast of hung Parliament, where even one MP can make a difference, paswan would have a role to play, moreover, Paswan, would not be as inimical to joining hands with parties like BJP, as Mulayam and Laloo would be.
Whatever the outcome of the elections, the thing worth waiting for would be what fate do the trinity meet, if they are able to hold to the power, through collective bargain, it would be considered a master stroke and if they don't muster up enough numbers, history would condemn them for their short sightedness...
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Cricketer's understanding the meaning of Bottomline
Why should Saurav ganguly care, what sharukh Khan feels about his batting style? Why should rahul Dravid give two hoots to, what, vijay mallaya feels about his captaincy? Well, these questions seems quite egregious to ask. But, IPL has changed the rules of the game, when you get a Price you have to pay for it, is the simple rule of the game called IPL.
Cricketers who have been bought for huge prices, to play for respective IPL teams owned by corporates or rich individuals, are suddenly realizing the meaning of bottomline, ROI, which hitherto was relegated to the boardrooms of corporates. Yes!! IPL, has changed the way cricket is played and monetized. It has brought unprecedented glamour, money and opportunities for all the stakeholders.
I only hope , this glamour and glitz, does not make our Icons forget that the ultimate test of glory is winning for the country.
Cricketers who have been bought for huge prices, to play for respective IPL teams owned by corporates or rich individuals, are suddenly realizing the meaning of bottomline, ROI, which hitherto was relegated to the boardrooms of corporates. Yes!! IPL, has changed the way cricket is played and monetized. It has brought unprecedented glamour, money and opportunities for all the stakeholders.
I only hope , this glamour and glitz, does not make our Icons forget that the ultimate test of glory is winning for the country.
ICL should Encash on IPL's popularity
If ICL does not ring a bell in your mind, well, it is Indian cricket League, a parallel cricket series and team (apart from BCCI), announced by Mr. Subhash Chandra, ESSEL Group. The timing of ICL's announcement could not have been better, Indian cricket had reached its nadir, with failure to qualify even in the quarter finals of world cup, people across India were disillusioned, and wanted to vent out their anger on the team and state-of-cricketing affairs. ICL was the answer to it, there was a great noise around its launch, but with time, unexpectedly India team rose like phoenix, becoming well neigh invincible.
Public memory as it is short, and the success of India cricket team, coupled with launch of IPL by BCCI, made the memory of ICL fade away. For me success of any event is directly proportional to the recall of the same, which subsequently converts to sponsorships and advertisements. I can hardly recall even the names of the ICL teams, leave alone the players. But, I do know, that Mr. Chandra with his tenacity, is continuing the series, and honoring all the commitments he made to the players.
So what should one do to make ICL a brand, that it attracts advertisers and sponsorship, If I were in the branding team of ICL, I would have suggested a very drastic action, that would have created a flutter in the media and subsequently in the minds of people.
My suggestion would be to hold an open challenge to IPL's winner to play the ICL's winning team in any format 20:20 or 50:50. This would have brought some controversies like snubbing, denial, refusal, maybe by ICC or BCCI, but ultimately the need for the event could have been created by public debate and sheer weight of the challenge.
Who would not want to witness at least once, the clash between the David and the Goliaths, public always wants entertainment, and anything which excites and entertains be it a notion or an event, is always prized. Advertisers are always looking for concepts and events, which excites public imagination. I think the ICL-IPL challenge would be a perfect cocktail for both public and advertisers, a mega event, generating huge interests, and in the process, reviving ICL, which sooner or later, if something drastic does not happen, will be on ventilator.
Public memory as it is short, and the success of India cricket team, coupled with launch of IPL by BCCI, made the memory of ICL fade away. For me success of any event is directly proportional to the recall of the same, which subsequently converts to sponsorships and advertisements. I can hardly recall even the names of the ICL teams, leave alone the players. But, I do know, that Mr. Chandra with his tenacity, is continuing the series, and honoring all the commitments he made to the players.
So what should one do to make ICL a brand, that it attracts advertisers and sponsorship, If I were in the branding team of ICL, I would have suggested a very drastic action, that would have created a flutter in the media and subsequently in the minds of people.
My suggestion would be to hold an open challenge to IPL's winner to play the ICL's winning team in any format 20:20 or 50:50. This would have brought some controversies like snubbing, denial, refusal, maybe by ICC or BCCI, but ultimately the need for the event could have been created by public debate and sheer weight of the challenge.
Who would not want to witness at least once, the clash between the David and the Goliaths, public always wants entertainment, and anything which excites and entertains be it a notion or an event, is always prized. Advertisers are always looking for concepts and events, which excites public imagination. I think the ICL-IPL challenge would be a perfect cocktail for both public and advertisers, a mega event, generating huge interests, and in the process, reviving ICL, which sooner or later, if something drastic does not happen, will be on ventilator.
Monday, April 20, 2009
India launches spy satellite RISAT -2
India today announced the successful launch of RISAT-2, a spy satellite, which would help the country keep track of border movements and terrorists infiltration. Kudos to the scientist of ISRO, who made the feat look so simple. The Israeli built satellite, has advance features compared to earlier satellites, in terms of better imagery even in the worst of weather conditions, and night conditions.
Keeping in view the way Taliban, is gaining foothold in Pakistan, with the recent announcement, of their intention to make sharia the law of Pakistan, I feel it is of great strategic importance for India, to keep tab on the movements across borders, especially Pakistan.
The satellite apart from security use, will also help in disaster management, especially tracking of floods and other such natural calamities.
Keeping in view the way Taliban, is gaining foothold in Pakistan, with the recent announcement, of their intention to make sharia the law of Pakistan, I feel it is of great strategic importance for India, to keep tab on the movements across borders, especially Pakistan.
The satellite apart from security use, will also help in disaster management, especially tracking of floods and other such natural calamities.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
I am committed I want flexible timing!!!
Having talked to people across service industries, I was a bit surprised to find out that how flexible timing is becoming a bone of contention between employees and management. The logic is very simple, employees, in the services industries (which includes Fortune 500 consultancy firms) who are delivering and feel that they are on the job 24X7, want to be in office at their own convenience. They feel that if the business if not suffering and the clients are happy, what is the logic behind following a 9:30 Am reaching office discipline.
They feel that the management, is being a bit harsh, in wanting people to reach office on time, irrespective of their contribution. On the other hand, the management feels, that discipline has to be adhered to, as no organization, especially in the non-service industry allows such latitude. And any contribution of the employee is a part of their duty for which they are being compensated for.
On the face of it, the whole issue seems quite simple, but a bit of probing shows that this issue is more about asserting one's independence Vs.Organization wanting to maintain discipline.
It is true that the dynamics of the services industry is much different from any traditional industry, here client relationship, commitment to work, integrity, and team management takes a much wider role than in any other industry. The reasons are not difficult to find, as the success criterion in a service industry has always been billing and client satisfaction index.
Logically if the client is happy and the billing is on time, then noting else should matter.
I would surely want to solicit views of my readers, especially from the service industries, on what they feel about this topic???
They feel that the management, is being a bit harsh, in wanting people to reach office on time, irrespective of their contribution. On the other hand, the management feels, that discipline has to be adhered to, as no organization, especially in the non-service industry allows such latitude. And any contribution of the employee is a part of their duty for which they are being compensated for.
On the face of it, the whole issue seems quite simple, but a bit of probing shows that this issue is more about asserting one's independence Vs.Organization wanting to maintain discipline.
It is true that the dynamics of the services industry is much different from any traditional industry, here client relationship, commitment to work, integrity, and team management takes a much wider role than in any other industry. The reasons are not difficult to find, as the success criterion in a service industry has always been billing and client satisfaction index.
Logically if the client is happy and the billing is on time, then noting else should matter.
I would surely want to solicit views of my readers, especially from the service industries, on what they feel about this topic???
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Recession: Bringing sanity to job market
Being in a private sector, amidst recession is not really a good feeling, there is a sword of Damocles hanging on each one's head. There are rumors, speculations that lead to further uncertainity, as a layman its always difficult to understand the true colors of recession and how is it really impacting the economy, and subsequently our lives.
I truly believe, that India is undergoing a slowdown and not recession in truest sense of the term. Our monetary and fiscal policy has really stood the test of the day, and with so many Leviathan banks across globe's vanishing or declaring bankruptcy, Indian institutions have stood the test of the time.
I personally feel, that this slow down was imminent, as the going was to good to be true. My observations are restricted to the job market, and not a very macro one. There was a kind of an euphoria, defying all logic, youngsters, with less than two years of experience (not the IIM's and IIT's) expecting salaries and perks, much beyond their calibre and output. People had become too self centered and were overlooking the dynamic of any business, that operates in an environment. But, since it was a norm, and there were alternaltives, the employers or the companies, mostly yielded to demands.
Job hopping had become a fashion statement, and stability and long term commitment was looked down upon as weakness. Naturally good money brings better life and you tend to look at all the good things in life, which gives one, a sense of achievement and satisfaction. This led to a huge spurt in spending on consumerism, and banks and financial institutions, abetting this trend by giving credit cards, easy loans.
Alas! all good things comes to an end, and with the setting of recession, starting with the bust of Lehman Brother, the world, which seemed so good got Topsy turvy. Within no time the rules of the game changed, the same employers who pampered people for retention, brought out apt performance criterion and sometimes arbitrary, to trim down cost and work force. A whole new generation, which had never been witness to downturn, suddenly, saw an environment, where to survive you have to be diligent, disciplined and thrifty.
Suddenly, heroes turned villains, all the corporates who got into downsizing and cost cutting were labelled as shrewd, callous capitalists, who are intent on sucking the blood of innocent employees. Well I would not want to get into the morality of the debate.
One good thing which I feel this recession has brought about, is an attitudinal correction, especially among the youths, who after seeing the harsh realities of life are realizing that road to success is always through staircase and taking a lift, will always come at a price!!!
I truly believe, that India is undergoing a slowdown and not recession in truest sense of the term. Our monetary and fiscal policy has really stood the test of the day, and with so many Leviathan banks across globe's vanishing or declaring bankruptcy, Indian institutions have stood the test of the time.
I personally feel, that this slow down was imminent, as the going was to good to be true. My observations are restricted to the job market, and not a very macro one. There was a kind of an euphoria, defying all logic, youngsters, with less than two years of experience (not the IIM's and IIT's) expecting salaries and perks, much beyond their calibre and output. People had become too self centered and were overlooking the dynamic of any business, that operates in an environment. But, since it was a norm, and there were alternaltives, the employers or the companies, mostly yielded to demands.
Job hopping had become a fashion statement, and stability and long term commitment was looked down upon as weakness. Naturally good money brings better life and you tend to look at all the good things in life, which gives one, a sense of achievement and satisfaction. This led to a huge spurt in spending on consumerism, and banks and financial institutions, abetting this trend by giving credit cards, easy loans.
Alas! all good things comes to an end, and with the setting of recession, starting with the bust of Lehman Brother, the world, which seemed so good got Topsy turvy. Within no time the rules of the game changed, the same employers who pampered people for retention, brought out apt performance criterion and sometimes arbitrary, to trim down cost and work force. A whole new generation, which had never been witness to downturn, suddenly, saw an environment, where to survive you have to be diligent, disciplined and thrifty.
Suddenly, heroes turned villains, all the corporates who got into downsizing and cost cutting were labelled as shrewd, callous capitalists, who are intent on sucking the blood of innocent employees. Well I would not want to get into the morality of the debate.
One good thing which I feel this recession has brought about, is an attitudinal correction, especially among the youths, who after seeing the harsh realities of life are realizing that road to success is always through staircase and taking a lift, will always come at a price!!!
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