tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73257947454344148912024-03-06T11:10:34.019+05:30Politically Correctnibhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06176455974830822930noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7325794745434414891.post-69918368396179720102010-10-04T23:34:00.004+05:302010-10-04T23:39:42.468+05:30T- Dimension......“Opportunities favour prepared minds”<div align="justify"><em>(Co- Conceptualized by Vikrant Kishore and Nibha Jain; Writing inputs also from Mihir Gajrawala)</em></div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify"><em>“I think there is a world market for may be five computers.”<br />
</em> Thomas Watson, IBM Chairman, 1943</div><div align="justify"><em><br />
</em></div><div align="justify"><em>“640K ought to be enough for anybody.”<br />
</em> Bill Gates, 1981</div><div align="justify"><em><br />
</em></div><div align="justify"><em>“Everything that can be invented has been invented.”<br />
</em> Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. patent office, 1899</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">Even the great minds and the pioneers in their own fields don’t have that far vision. But, nothing is impossible. Technology creates opportunity. But, opportunity favours prepared minds. </div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">Human mind, by nature, is progressive and growth oriented. It is this very instinct of the human race that has led to the stupendous technological advancements in the world. For any resource constraint society, the only way to optimize their resource utilization is by way of TECHNOLOGICAL Advancements. </div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">The world today faces newer challenges like Environment, population rise, downturn in agriculture output and energy crisis. At the same time inventions like internet are rapidly changing the lifestyles of the communities all around. New businesses like social networking, m-commerce etc. are bridging the geographical divide of the globe. </div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">Numerous technologies lie untapped in the laboratories around the world, which have great societal impact and are huge entrepreneurial opportunities. For instance, DTH is a technology which is in commercial market for last 5 years, but it is a 30 year old technology which NASA was using in space ships.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">If we visualise the future 50 years ahead, we can foresee an altogether new world. With income distribution getting more equal, there will be huge consumption demand; so accordingly, societies will be producing on an unthinkable scale.</div><div align="justify">Consider this ….</div><ul><li><br />
<div align="justify">100 years ago, who knew about industries like Automobiles, music industries, Aviation Pharmaceuticals and Management consultancy?</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">30 years ago, who knew about industries like cellular phone, biotechnology, express package deliveries, coffee house, snow boards, and home videos? </div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">10 years ago, who knew about Mobile commerce, online gaming, virtual businesses,BPOs?</div></li>
</ul><div align="justify">And the opportunities for the next 2-3 decades are mind-boggling.</div><div align="justify">People are going to build space hotel on moon and moon colonies as human residence may be possible in near future. Due to the advent of super computers and rapid development in telecommunication the concepts like smart homes have come into picture. Japan is building a 500 storey building which will house an entire city. Just think the various opportunities, it throws open and possibilities we even may not visualise. People are talking about releasing movies directly in homes and theatre via satellites. So delivery systems are changing with technologies. </div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">Imagination about cities without cars, driverless cars, smart highways, is seemingly becoming feasible in near future.</div><div align="justify"><br />
With the speed of innovation becoming faster and world changing at a rate faster than ever before it becomes important that we sensitise ourselves to the technological developments that will shape the course of societies over next few decades.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><h3><strong><span style="font-size: large;">The T- Dimension </span></strong></h3><blockquote><div align="justify"><em>“Technology as a dimension for businesses”<br />
</em></div><em></em></blockquote><em></em> <br />
<div align="justify"><strong></strong></div><strong></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong><h4>What’s T- Dimension?</h4></strong> <br />
<div align="justify">Some societies like European and American, are more prosperous than other and when we try to see the reason, we find that they invested more in technological development than us and that gave them the edge over others.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">In this era, technology has become most important dimension affecting every aspect of human lives, so enterprises are also not spared.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">Big business and industrial houses like Birlas, Tatas, Bajaj etc. took two three generations to reach a level where as new generation of entrepreneurs like Bill gates, Azim Premji, Narayan Murthy, Shiv Nadar achieved heights in their own life time and the differentiator was the Technology as a source of business idea.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">Let’s start understanding this, before we are left behind in the race against time. Technology has given us again a historical chance to regain our lost glorious past when our country was called a “golden Sparrow”.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">We say time is changing, but that change is most visible through technological change. </div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">New corporate Mantra is “WHAT NEXT”?</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">Let’s try to anticipate future societies which will be knowledge based societies.<br />
<br />
</div><div align="justify">Let’s try to appreciate the Schumpeterian view that why destruction is good and desirable.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">Technology has brought human race so close to each other; no political system could do that in past. Who knows that one day it will make the whole world a border less unified entity?</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">Just imagine the ocean of possibilities when technology will enable us to communicate with each other without language barrier.</div><div align="justify"><br />
<strong>Event </strong></div><div align="justify">A convergence of technology, stakeholder institutions, people, and entrepreneurial minds</div><strong></strong> <br />
<div align="justify"><strong><br />
</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong>Purpose<br />
</strong></div><strong></strong> <br />
<div align="justify">The purpose of holding this event is to sensitise the entrepreneurial minds about the technology as a dimension and its potency, to make them envision future possibilities in convergence of technology and business.</div><div align="justify">It will also showcase some opportunities, you can pursue at your convenience.</div><h4>Vision</h4><ul><li><div align="justify">To become a well recognized national platform for technology related entrepreneurially relevant information exchange.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Enabling, sensitizing entrepreneurial minds about technology as a big business opportunity</div></li>
</ul><h4>Who would come to attend this event?</h4><ul><li><div align="justify">entrepreneurial minds</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">research institution</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">bankers, financers</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">companies</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">govt. departments</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">educational institutions</div></li>
</ul><h4><strong>Need for this kind of Event</strong></h4><h4><strong></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">As a student community we feel that we are not being sensitized enough about the potency of the technology create an impact on societal level and optimizing resource utilization. But, complaining and waiting for someone else to solve the problem will not give us a solution. We believe that every problem should be looked as an opportunity. Therefore there is an opportunity to create a Platform where all the stakeholders can come together to have meaningful and result oriented exchanges and interactions.</span></h4><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">There are indigenous technologies lying unexploited in the Indian labs with no takers because there is disconnect between research institutes and market. At first place laboratories are not able to see the market requirements and then they are not able to commercialize technologies that they build. Unlike western countries system, where there is quite vibrant connect between educational research institutes and corporate, such facilities in India are lying unutilized for lack of vision and lack of connect between industry and these institutions. That gives rise to lack of appreciation of technology at a society level. </div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">It is also a known fact that people, who develop technology, are different from those who commercialize those technologies. Entrepreneurs are the people who organize resources to create value and deliver it. </div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">This platform would address this gap and will bring together all stake holders namely entrepreneurial minds, research institutions, bankers and financiers, companies, government departments, and educational institutions to synergize their efforts in a direction to get results.</div><div align="justify"><br />
<strong></strong></div><h4><strong>Issues to be addressed</strong> </h4><ul><li><br />
<div align="justify">Technology Sensitization (Technology as Business Opportunities</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Technology Adaptation</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Rural Technology</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Technology for Social Sector</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Indigenous and International Technology Transfer Regimes and Institutions Involved</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Technology evaluation process and its importance</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Incentives and Benefits from National and International Agencies</div></li>
</ul><h4>Law of Accelerating Returns</h4>Eminent inventor and futurist of 21st century Ray Kurzweil's ‘Law of Accelerating Returns’ explains the significance of the rapid pace of innovation:<br />
<div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">An analysis of the history of technology shows that technological change is exponential, contrary to the common-sense "intuitive linear" view. So we won't experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century -- it will be more like 20,000 years of progress (at today's rate). The "returns," such as chip speed and cost-effectiveness, also increase exponentially. There's even exponential growth in the rate of exponential growth. Within a few decades, machine intelligence will surpass human intelligence, leading to The Singularity (marvel, miracle, wonder) -- technological change so rapid and profound it represents a rupture in the fabric of human history.</div><div align="justify"><strong></strong></div><strong></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong><h4>Rapid growth of technology creates an increasing demand and need for more entrepreneurs</h4><h4><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">If technology is increasing at such a rapid pace, then we're going to need an increasing number of entrepreneurs to bring these technologies to market. Otherwise, new technologies will sit on tech transfer shelves creating a loss of value for society. Ultimately, this can be considered a negative Return on Investment since we invest in the research and development of technologies, but don't invest enough in the commercialization process. Think of it as investing in a stock and the company going bankrupt. There's no value if employees (think of them as the underlying technology of a product or company) end up sitting around all day doing nothing.</span></h4></strong><strong><br />
</strong><br />
<strong>Why you can’t afford to ignore it?<br />
</strong><br />
<strong></strong> <br />
<div align="justify">Convergence of computer & telecommunication has really impacted communication making it faster, wider and indispensable. World is global village now and businesses are glocal.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">New technology enters and spreads so fast that one doesn’t realise when present technology becomes obsolete. Pager companies had no idea that cellular technology will all of a sudden arise one day; remember “creative destruction”. Similarly who knew that one day we will graduate from floppies with very small storage capacity to CD, DVD, pen drives and now to portable hard disks with capacities ranging upto one Tera bytes? Technology is so powerful that it can help create, sustain, and destroy businesses. As an entrepreneur one should better take care of technological scenarios or bear the brunt of being technology averse</div><div align="justify"><br />
Ignoring technology is a threat; threat of losing the existing business. It is also an opportunity lost; opportunity of creating wealth by cost advantage, optimizing operations to an efficient level, and having a competitive edge. When one realises this the world becomes the battlefield and all geographical barriers shatter & succumb to the entrepreneur. But, one thing is for sure that one cannot afford to live aloof from technology in this competitive era. There are many examples in the past from which we can learn. IBM, a pioneer in the computer field was a market leader in the mainframe computers till mid 1980s. But, just because it overlooked the entrance of Personal computers by some other players it slumped down very badly. But, later on IBM well exploited the disruptive technology, the internet by becoming a dominant provider of e-business solutions and services.</div><br />
<strong>It’s challenging but attractively doable<br />
</strong><br />
<strong></strong> <br />
<div align="justify">It is essential for enterprises to not only integrate technology in their business but constantly upgrade their technological capabilities. Optimum utilization of the technology has created business empires. Solely technology driven business have changed the way we work, think, act, behave, and live!. Technology development, adoption, and adaptation require capital. On doing the Cost benefit analysis effective use of technology has broadly been less capital intensive and delivers to the max. Moreover, today capital is available in ample; what is apparently unavailable is a breakthrough idea. Idea along with the technology is a combination which has transcended horizons in ways that has positively impacted the human lives. In 1970s Toyota which today is world’s number one car manufacturing company, realized that it need to change its philosophy of mass production of cars which was increasing its cost of inventory resulting in blocking of capital, had long production cycle and was not attending customers’ preferences. It was then when it developed a “flexible manufacturing system” which was solving all the above issues. This innovation enabled Toyota to produce a more diverse product range at a lower unit cost than was possible with conventional mass production.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">These days Government is also helping entrepreneurs by bringing schemes for promoting technology transfer and R & D through subsidies and tax benefits. Unfortunately most of the entrepreneurs either remain unaware about it or they show negligence towards technology</div><div align="justify"><br />
Come, be the part of future that is rich with inventions. Envision future. Enrich yourself.</div><div align="justify"><br />
Come to understand the T-Dimension 2009-10, on 11th to 14th December 2009. This event gives a chance to entrepreneurs to meet people; they normally may not get a chance to meet.</div><div align="justify"><br />
“Speech has allowed the communication of ideas, enabling human beings to work together to build the impossible. Mankind's greatest achievements have come about by talking and its greatest failures by not talking. It doesn't have to be like this. Our greatest hopes could become reality in the future. With the technology at our disposal, the possibilities are unbounded. All we need to do is make sure we keep talking.”</div><div align="justify"><br />
Stephen Hawking</div><h4><br />
</h4><h4>Event Format</h4><ul><li><h5>Aim of T-Dimension</h5></li>
<ul><li><br />
<div align="justify">Information Dissemination</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Technology Awareness </div></li>
</ul>
<li><br />
<h5>Tools</h5></li>
<ul><li><br />
<div align="justify">Technology Demonstration</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Interaction with research Institutions</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Live Case Study Presentation</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Entrepreneur Interaction</div></li>
<li><br />
<div align="justify">Expert Interaction<br />
<br />
</div></li>
</ul></ul>nibhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06176455974830822930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7325794745434414891.post-81007624623576988252010-09-19T23:49:00.000+05:302010-09-19T23:49:56.618+05:30Donkey Personified<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQZ3RcZhW8-LAAag6fIidstaGcBsxiXtAcuJ3PB5tUZvGOqbTexoBT3aT0ZbMKULiYbkfgumvj7Oj9HRmW_4agZ8fAkKc9Ji6E0iEIwE1t86rz3FS3fhhUkMsX-3LRiG8fqa7tmorcYI/s1600/donkey.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQZ3RcZhW8-LAAag6fIidstaGcBsxiXtAcuJ3PB5tUZvGOqbTexoBT3aT0ZbMKULiYbkfgumvj7Oj9HRmW_4agZ8fAkKc9Ji6E0iEIwE1t86rz3FS3fhhUkMsX-3LRiG8fqa7tmorcYI/s320/donkey.bmp" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Hello readers, I’m donkey. I have a name which is used worldwide as a weapon for doing verbal assaults by this not very kind mankind. I could never understand the reason behind using my name for expressing anger and dissatisfaction and why does it connote idiocy. I’m a very innocent and quiet by nature; is not a good thing? I’m very affectionate and enjoy the companionship of people. I need companions; if I don’t get it, I would become very depressed. Unfortunately my masters don’t understand this. My masters leave me on the urban roads amidst of heavy traffic. Some would, even tie my legs and some would paint on me. I’m not as intelligent as them and therefore can’t think of their reason for doing so. On the roads, they all come rushing, riding on round devils that can crush anyone anytime; some, have two, others have three and up to four. My reaction time is very high, and that’s why I get frightened and get struck at one place. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">I have five senses which are same in count as that of my masters. But, I don’t have a brain as sharp as them and power as great as them. God also has not been kind enough to bless me with some good features and colours; for that matter, my masters can’t even enjoy seeing me or adopt me as their pet. I think that is the reason, they punish me every time. This is so unfortunate that I can’t even celebrate what I have. I have the strength to remain without food and water for a long time; I can carry live weight of up to 30% of my body weight and dead weight of up to 20% of my body weight. It makes me a very choice for being used in the dry and tough regions for loading and transportation. My qualities still remain unnoticed to my masters. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">My life is difficult and I have no idea when my sufferings will end. But, I will live it till its end as I have faith in God as he would have definitely thought of something to take care of his weak child. God won’t overlook me. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br />
</span></div>nibhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06176455974830822930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7325794745434414891.post-88811368400941012692010-06-14T13:17:00.000+05:302010-06-14T16:22:52.986+05:30The Quintessential Indian Woman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghT-Ng0E5iKMfcRBilcMplukOHgEhP_l2dLFqdM7sSPB8rW5QyVJdo88BJh-0FWFyRCsi8I24uKSr2PXUf0a10MwhOOjlSxKpdoyhM2-UB11xuUFGj3qsikbJ4rXKMN1myKC8KwKM1CZk/s1600/DSC01571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghT-Ng0E5iKMfcRBilcMplukOHgEhP_l2dLFqdM7sSPB8rW5QyVJdo88BJh-0FWFyRCsi8I24uKSr2PXUf0a10MwhOOjlSxKpdoyhM2-UB11xuUFGj3qsikbJ4rXKMN1myKC8KwKM1CZk/s400/DSC01571.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">One day while I was driving to my workplace, I saw a middle aged sari clad woman cycling to her work in the burning heat, wearing a cap. I wished I had digital box with me at that moment to capture the scene. Nevertheless, I have the world’s finest camera with me; my mind. I have tried to recreate the picture here. She is the Quintessential Indian woman for me.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>She is traditional.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>She is hard working.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>She can take pains for her family.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>She can take up any work.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>She is not afraid of the men’s world.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">6.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>She is no longer imprisoned in her house.</div>nibhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06176455974830822930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7325794745434414891.post-88347085032657531032010-04-07T21:03:00.000+05:302010-09-16T16:02:33.472+05:30Importance of Radical ThinkingGandhi was more violent than Hitler!!! Surprised?? Well someone thinks that way...<br />
<br />
In the month of January I read an item in newspaper. There was something unusually interesting about it. Although, you may find it a raw analysis, lacking a good presentation. I still want to share it with you. Read on.<br />
<br />
There was an interview published in TOI on 10th January 2010 of Siavoj Zizek, an American philosopher who was visiting India for the first time. I had never heard about him before. TOI interviewer Shobhana Saxena had introduced him as an unusual philosopher with unfashionably left-wing views. This man thinks that everyone supports violenence. When the interviewer asked him what is his stand on political violence, he answered like this: “In an abstract sense, I am opposed to violence. But nobody is actually against violence. Look at Buddhist. They say you shouldn’t kill, but then they have all the exceptions. During the 40s, one of the great Zen philosophers was writing articles not only justifying Japanese invasion of China but also giving advice on how Buddhist enlightenment allows you to kill without guilt.” When asked that he was also critical about Gandhi; why did he call him violent, he answered, “It’s crucial to see violence which is done repeatedly to keep the things the way they are. In that sense, Gandhi was more violent than Hitler. Though Gandhi didn’t support killing, his actions helped the British imperialist to stay in India longer. This is something Hitler never wanted. Gandhi didn’t do anything to stop the way British Empire functioned here. For me, there is a problem.” <br />
<br />
My aim here is not to highlight the never ending debate of “means or ends”. I don’t have slightest intention to either invalidate Zizek’s view point or the opposite.<br />
<br />
I was surprised; I was surprised to know that someone thinks so strangely. These are radical thoughts. However, later I thought that even Gandhi’s way of non violent fight was also very radical for the world. Gandhi and Zizek are the two extremes. One had a quest to find the holistic truth the other believes what he sees. Both were born in the same world without any prenatal understanding of anything.<br />
<br />
If one analyzes, he will find that one extreme thought gives rise to its other end. Non-violence is there because violence is there. It was English rule that gave birth to a Gandhi. There was a Gandhi and there was a Bose. There are Gandhians in the society therefore, there has to be a Zizek. I think that is the reason for the existence of Maoists and Terror groups. You can think of many other extreme views existing about several other things. <br />
<br />
Extremist thinking is important as its gives way to many middle thinkers who analyzes both the ends critically. But, when I say this it doesn’t mean that I support the activities of Maoists or Terrorists. The problem that lies with them is inability to express. Gandhi believed in practicing what he is preaching. He himself practiced non-violence. Imagine if he as an individual had continued doing that without telling anyone. His thoughts would never have had become public. We would not have got a leader like him; people would not have had followed him. It is very important that extremists to express. Today, we don’t understand the reason behind the terrorist activities because they don’t express. They don’t put there demands in front of anyone, what do they want from the world. When radical thoughts remain unexpressed they either get fade away or they give rise to turbulence.<br />
<br />
Reference:<br />
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http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQS8yMDEwLzAxLzEwI0FyMDE0MDA=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-customnibhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06176455974830822930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7325794745434414891.post-30758163041706356132010-03-28T23:36:00.000+05:302010-03-28T23:48:22.249+05:30Kindness Kind People Kindly Note is Not Always Kind<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAKF59C%7E1.JAI%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; mso-font-alt:"Century Gothic"; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:150%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-IN;} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-IN">Something was going in my mind since a long time. But, I got a chance to write today because due to some fault in it, TV at my home has not been working since past two days. Also, I’m now free from the college things and as far as my new office is concerned, it’s a Sunday holiday for me. Writing needs sincerity and deliberation. Though I’m an amateur writer but, since I was editing my college newsletter till sometime back;<span style=""> </span>I feel that it’s a great responsibility on any writer who wants to share his/her work with others. I was free enough to take that responsibility today. Other than that, something happened last week which strengthened the thoughts which had originated and were getting flourished in my mind. Read on. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-IN">My father went to meet his friend at his place. My uncle (my father’s friend) is a very kind- hearted and a noble person. He is practicing Yoga since past five years. Now, he also teaches Yoga and it is his part-time but, a prominent activity. My Uncle happened to visit a municipality school in a nearby locality for teaching Yoga there to school kids. When he met my father he narrated his experience and expressed his feelings. He told my father “students in municipal schools come in ragged uniforms; nobody looks at it, and this makes me feel very sad.” My father said “you are right and I understand your feelings but the fact remains that economic classes from which the students go to the municipal schools, it more important to see that they go to school, leave the uniform aside.” Then he told his experience of the Yoga class, “I asked the children in the school to raise their hands if they drink milk daily and I was surprised to see that they were very few hands up. On the contrary when I asked if students drink tea, there were majority hands up. I explained to the kids that tea is bad for health and they should drink cow’s milk every day.” <span style=""> </span>He was seeking appreciation from my father but to his dismay my father said something else. “Do you know how much fee do the students pay in that school?”. He said, “It must be less than hundred for a month.”<span style=""> </span>My father said, “Then do you think that their families would afford to provide milk to them; they were taking little amount of it in tea and you asked them not to take even that.” Uncle, little disheartened now tried to counter argue by questioning “Jain sahib what education the students get in municipal schools? What is so great about it? You don’t know when I went there I saw teachers scolding kids, punishing them. I felt very bad for the kids. I have decided, making a declaration he said, from now onwards I’ll go and teach to them in my free hours. I want you to come along. And I have also decided to assist at least one student financially for his education.” He further said making an indication towards my father, “I’ll also ask my some friends to adopt one such student.” <span style=""> </span>With this Uncle had almost finished. Now, my father’s turn; he told uncle, “That’s a very noble idea of supporting an underprivileged student. I’m already doing that for an orphan child in MP and I would further like to do that for a deserving student without coming in the view of the student or others. But, as far as coming to teach the municipal school students is concerned, I don’t think that we should take up the work of teachers in our hands. It is not our job; it is someone else's job. When you saw a teacher scolding kids, did you try to understand at the teacher’s place? How much do you think the teacher there would be getting paid? Do you know the other work of elections and census surveys are given to them? What you should also think of doing is, motivating the teachers there to teach in a better way. They can reach to larger number of students than us. Giving a small gift like a pen or a book to the teachers in these schools would be great gesture to begin with. You can then organize a training camp for teachers.”<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-IN">My father told me about this whole conversation with uncle.<span style=""> </span>Then I thought over again about the bug that was biting me in my mind since a long time. Sometimes, we try to become so kind that we tend to look at problems from surface and not from the deep inside. And we end up doing wrong things or things with unmeasured results. We don’t uproot the disease but try to cure the symptoms. Many of my friends are associated with apparently a noble cause where they go to teach English to school kids in municipal schools. My question to them is if they have ever analysed the need to teach the municipal school students English? Students in these schools are children of mostly labourers. By teaching English are we trying show them the dreams of becoming “doctors and engineers”? Maid who works at my place has three children, two out them dropped out of the school after 4<sup>th</sup> or 5<sup>th </sup><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Standard. Third kid is very small right now. But, he also seems to have the same future. All her three children would end up becoming labourer like her. We have no right to show them a dream that will shatter just because we want to show a kind gesture towards the underprivileged people. And if at all we want to do something, we should guide them towards a right path. Government launched a Skill Development Scheme in 2008. They have more than 40 courses in vocational training. We can give an orientation to kids in municipal schools, their parents, their teachers about these courses and mind it, not in English but, in the local language. We can finance their vocational trainings also. Because, the fact is that we cannot improve the lives of this generation which studies in the municipal schools. I feel sad about their conditions, about the fact that they are not very blessed. But, we should think about a broader, long term, strategic solution. If these students get trained in the vocational courses after their elementary education, they might not get in position as god as a “Doctor and Engineer” but, certainly their next generation would be.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-IN">My aim is not to discourage good work from happening. I’m sure all the kind-hearted people would be kind enough to take my criticism positively and would come up with better thoughts. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-IN">Being kind is not enough; kindness should be for a right cause and in a right direction. All we need to be doing is ANALYSIS. <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span></span></p> nibhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06176455974830822930noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7325794745434414891.post-91154729583881989962010-03-27T00:16:00.000+05:302010-03-27T00:38:46.516+05:30Launch of "EDiOTS"<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" ></span><span><span>My friend Bhushan Bawankule recently got his Brand "EDiOTS" launched by Dr. Vijay Mallaya. "EDiOTS" is an up coming humor clothing brand. See <a href="http://www.ediots.in">http://www.ediots.in/</a> . The video has been shot and edited by me.</span></span><span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" ></span></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzwKQqtnIcxsM0O3oFgRuzN8XL7Tnv4jerwMHX_AFK-znr_lFzWi5knRI8mlC6xGE_uQhWrbt0MDtwdSjn4VQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>nibhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06176455974830822930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7325794745434414891.post-70436786041571289052010-03-26T23:45:00.000+05:302010-03-27T23:22:13.189+05:30Karuna, compassion is the basis of morality.....<span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" ></span></span></span>I was short listed for the Bharti best student award and therefore as one of judging criteria was extra curricular performance, I made this short film on the theme nature. This subject is very close to my heart. I was in standard 7th when I stopped burning crackers on Diwali. I educated my mother to minimize plastic usage. Then, I also wrote article about pollution in Roller coaster, Indian Express. This is a 10 minutes film which was made in a very less time (around 12 hours). All the pictures and videos are shot in and around EDI.<br /><br /><br /> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='393' height='321' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx1bbXhuJHvfeXDEvp4b174qB_7GE48odZWG2V--9yN_hikUJ1i19wVJAChpV6JOLW1onQ-MGPrumBBYJ-6QQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>nibhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06176455974830822930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7325794745434414891.post-70462013172993981952009-07-16T22:17:00.000+05:302009-07-17T23:28:07.775+05:30Then and Now<p><span style="color:#000000;">Our mind never stops. It constantly generates web of thoughts. Moving or jumping from one thought to another thought; generating one thought from another thought. As one chain of thoughts breaks, another starts. Until and unless one really stresses and concentrate on something, his mind would move sometimes hap hazardly like a man walking in drunken state and sometimes sequentially just like an any logical person.<br /></span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;">Few days back, I was driving back from my (training) office in Gandhinagar to my home. It is approximately 15 minutes run by car from my office to home. I normally drive at the speed of 60-70 km per hour since have learned that speeding beyond this consumes more fuel. Therefore, I was constantly giving side to the speeding cars which were showing dipper and honking at me. I noticed a sudden increase in traffic. When I was child, I used to come to Gandhinagar with my family on holidays to enjoy the peace. It was <strong>then</strong>, when I used to wonder if there is any sign of human life in Gandhinagar. <strong>Now</strong>, I see so much traffic, people standing at the bus stops, traffic police standing at the Koba Circle; ST buses have also increased in number. It is no longer the same Gandhinagar where I used to come in my childhood. Is it only the traffic or something else which is making it look so different, I thought. Also, I noticed there is a sudden decrease in the number of trees on the both sides of the Gandhinagar. It was <strong>then</strong>, when the road was so green; there were dense trees at both the sides of Gandhinagar Road. <strong>Now</strong>, it looks so naked; I can see the patches of dry land behind the thin line of trees which have been left from being cut. Like a child, I wished that it should rain nicely this year and it should again become green everywhere. A poem came in my mind which I read in 9Th standard. " <span class="transl_class" id="0" title="Click to correct">सतपुरा</span> <span class="transl_class" id="1" title="Click to correct">के</span> <span class="transl_class" id="2" title="Click to correct">घने</span> <span class=""><span class="transl_class" id="3" title="Click to correct">जंगल</span>,</span> <span class="transl_class" id="4" title="Click to correct">नींद</span> <span class="transl_class" id="5" title="Click to correct">में</span> <span class="transl_class" id="6" title="Click to correct">दुबे</span> <span class="transl_class" id="7" title="Click to correct">हुए</span> <span class="transl_class" id="8" title="Click to correct">उंघते</span> <span class="transl_class" id="9" title="Click to correct">अनमने</span> <span class="transl_class" id="10" title="Click to correct">जंगल</span>” Such a nice poem it was, the rhyming, the alliteration were superb. Satpura <span style="font-size:0;"></span>jungles must have been so beautiful that the poet could write such a beautiful and lively poem. If there would be no forest, there would probably be no poets writing romantic poems. The poems that have already been written will probably loose their meaning as there would be no one to understand and appreciate them. Next generation would not like to read such poems. All this filled me with a sinking feeling.</span></p><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;">From reading poems, I again went into flash back. It was <strong>then</strong>, when I was in primary school, I used to read so many “chitra katha”. I remembered reading and rereading picture books of Mahaveer Bhagwan, Gautam Buddha, King Ashok, Meera Bai. Tinkle was another favourite comic book of mine. It was always an excitement for me to read the main story and “Supandi” in every issue. I never used to read the second story about basic science facts and experiments which was a regular feature of it. I repented not reading them, I don’t know why. “Gokulam” and “Naandan” were other children’s magazine that we used to read. I and my sister used to walk down with my father to a newspaperwala’s shop. My sister used to complete reading at least half of the latest comic standing at the shop itself. <strong>Now</strong>, I wonder if the kids born these days with so many cartoon channels on television, laptops and mobile phones in hands really do read such “chitra katha” and children’s magazines. Suddenly, I felt one generation older. </span></p><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;">I was not really able to come out of the thoughts about my school and childhood. Until I had come in 11th standard I was so happy. Everybody in my school, my teachers, juniors, seniors knew me. In my school, one student was allowed to participate at max in three individual and two group events. It was always difficult for me to make a choice between English debate and Hindi elocution. For group events group song and General Knowledge Quiz were my most preferred choice. I was not good at dancing, that is the reason why my teachers never used to select me for any dance competitions. That is how I developed disinterest for dance. But, still I used to get lot of attention in my school. When I was young I cared less about what world is thinking about me, may be my world was small. But, slowly I was made to realise that world is not this. Pressure of 12th boards and the sentiments of so many people attached to it. This brought my detachment with my previous public activities. I started caring about what world is going to think about me. When I went to college, I found that were girls smarter than me. My detachment with public activities became stronger. World there was bigger and I became almost invisible to this new world. This confession to self made me little restless. My mind tried to go in a deceptive mode. But, then I controlled it to stand-by the truth. I don’t know how my mind linked all this with the chain of thoughts that had started with something else. </span></p><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;"></span></p><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;">I was moving smoothly until a crossing came. I applied sudden brake to let the lateral crossers go. This brake also broke the thought process for a while. I saw a person on bicycle crossing the road. After a few seconds I resumed my driving and thinking. I thought it was <strong>then</strong> when I also rode bicycle to go to school daily. <strong>Now</strong>, I have a car to drive. How fast I have graduated from bicycle to Kinetic to car. But, I no longer enjoy driving car in the wish to reach faster every time; I get so impatient when I get stuck in traffic. Not only cycle but I also used to travel in city buses so many times. My mind again dragged me to another story book that I read in my childhood. Its name was “<span class="transl_class" id="11" title="Click to correct">बस</span> <span class="transl_class" id="12" title="Click to correct">की</span> <span class="transl_class" id="13" title="Click to correct">सैर</span> ”. It was a small story about a small village girl describing her excitement of travelling in a bus. That story is definitely out dated now. These days, I don’t think I or anybody for that matter would enjoy travelling in buses. It is out of compulsion that one would choose to travel in a bus and not out of choice. It was <strong>then</strong> when calmness in the life of people that they used to enjoy living even without the things which are basic necessities of today. <strong>Now</strong> our aspirations have changed so much in fact they widened so much that we don’t even enjoy what we have in our hands. </span></p><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;">As I could have thought beyond this, the crossing for my house came and this chain got broke. From the ordeal in the sea of thoughts I came back to my usual life. Our mind never stops thinking but we are not very thoughtful always. That is the reason I thought it to be worth writing and sharing. </span></p>nibhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06176455974830822930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7325794745434414891.post-52920644111386903382009-05-12T22:52:00.000+05:302009-05-12T23:03:30.548+05:30मैं और मेरा देश<div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><strong>Do we ever bother to ask ourselves, what we have done for our country till now? We try to defend ourselves by saying what can we do for our country, after all we are not politicians, policy makers, warriors, or not even a promoter of a company to make an impact. To help get an answer for us, I would like to refer to my favourite Hindi writer, कनिह्या लाल मिश्र ‘प्रभाकर’. </strong></span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><strong>No work and no one is big or small; in a match, not just players but the audiences who are cheering the players have an importance. Making a habit, to check that we are always leading a life on the principle that every act of ours is in the favour of the nation is very important. But for this we need to understand the internal condition of the country very well and always keep it in front of us. </strong></span></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><strong>Our country at the first place needs two important things- “Sense of Power” and “Sense of Beauty”. To make it clearer; how many times it happens that sitting in groups, in trains, buses, clubs etc. we talk about the poor infrastructure of the country, problems existing in the country, poor quality of education, and the things that are not happening; and we compare and belittle India in front of other countries, in fact prove that other countries are better than our country? We often do this, we can’t deny it. This is how we hurt country’s “Sense of Power”. Here power which is being talked about is the mental power, the inner strength of our country. </strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><strong><br /> </div></strong></span><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><strong></div></strong></span><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><strong>How many times it happens that we eat something and throw the wrappers on the street, we throw garbage outside our house, spit anywhere we feel like, scratch old monuments, and keep public places, trains, buses untidy? Again, we can’t deny this fact. This is how we hurt the country’s “Sense of Beauty” by making it look untidy and destroying its cultural heritage. </strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><strong><br /> </div></strong></span><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><strong></strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><strong></strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><strong>Then the question arises, can there be a principle made which judges country’s highness or lowness on the basis of its people? Yes, there is a principle and that is election. A country whose citizens understand whom they should vote for is at height and a country whose citizen vote for wrong persons under wrong impressions is not a great country. Therefore, this is duty of every citizen to vote for a right person and this is our right to see that without taking our vote, nobody takes the seat, no matter how big, best or great that person might be. </strong></span></div>nibhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06176455974830822930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7325794745434414891.post-42429746379561075602009-05-08T18:15:00.000+05:302009-05-08T23:41:49.470+05:30My Vote was wrong; I want to take it back<div align="justify"><strong>Power to vote…Excitement to vote…Series of confusions…and a wrong vote….only repentance…<br /></strong><br /><br />Intense campaigning was going on for the election asking the young Indians to get up (Jagoo re) and vote. Television, Radio, Newspaper were screaming day and night requesting youth to vote. I also had the power to vote and I was excited about using this chance to use my <strong>power</strong>.<br /><br />Few days before the Election Day, I got a booklet at my house. When I read it, I found that it was the manifesto of a new political party called <strong>MCRM party</strong>. This party was started by an IIT graduate <strong>Rahul Mehta</strong> who belongs to a family of politicians and freedom fighters. I went on reading the manifesto; I quite liked it. This party had drafted about 120 letters demanding on various issues. Its <strong>Manifesto</strong> was very well written. I was really impressed. I thought that there is no other party who has taken pains to release and distribute their manifesto, I should vote for this party. If not this time they will at least make it to the parliament after some years. I remembered the name firmly deciding to vote to this party only. After few days I read an article about Rahul Mehta and his party in Ahmedabad Mirror. In that Rahul had quoted that he is contesting election from <strong>Ahmedabad East</strong> Constituency and taking on none other than <strong>L.K Advani</strong> in spite of knowing the fact that he will loose.<br /><br />Election Day Came. My mother was not happy with any party; she told that she would press the button “<strong>does not want to vote anyone</strong>”. But, I knew to whom I have to vote. We went to vote taking those <strong>slips</strong> which we were given to us at home. (This slip can be used along with any photo identity in case voter’s card is not there.) Now, there was another interesting thing. I read that slip while going towards the election booth. There was written the name of constituency to which we belonged. “<strong>Gandhinagar Dakshin</strong> (south)”, I read it. There was something wrong with it, but what was wrong?<br /><br />I and my Mum stood in the queue to vote. My mum’s turn came. She went towards the voting machine. By the time was getting my entry done at election officer’s desk. And Mum’s voice came, “Excuse me….. there is no “<strong>doesn’t want to vote" </strong>button”. All the election officials looked confused for a moment. My mother started giving them elaboration that from this year onwards, if one doesn’t like any candidate there will be an option for that; in case of more than 50% people pressing for this option there will be a reelection. After listening to this all the officials started laughing and giggling. One of those officials said “there is no such option and now you have no option; you will have to vote anyone. Press any of these buttons, it doesn’t matter.” My disappointed Mum had no other option and therefore she pressed some button to make election officers hear a beep sound.<br /><br />Then came my turn; I was also little disappointed with what had happened with my mother but, I went ahead towards the voting machine. I looked the voting machine with wariness and “what the hell is this” I said to myself. There were the names of all the candidates in Gujarati and there were symbol of their parties. It’s not that I couldn’t read Gujarati; though I always studied in Non-Gujarati medium school but, growing up and living in Ahmedabad since past many years had made me make out written Gujarati. There were the names of 17 candidates. Do these many candidates file their nominations for election? What for? Is it a fun thing or a hobby for them? In a state with a strong hold of only one party and with a hope that only two main national parties can win, there are people who want to fight elections. And to my wonder, they don’t even care to tell junta that they are fighting elections, leave the cause of fighting election behind. Still, this was not reason of my exclamation. The reason was more heart breaking; I couldn’t find the name of my candidate <strong>Rahul Mehta</strong>. Name of his party was no where written and I didn’t know the <strong>symbol </strong>of<strong> MCRM party</strong>. Why the hell they didn’t print their party’s symbol on their manifesto. Now what to do?? Yes…. Rahul Mehta had told in the newspaper that he is fighting against <strong>L.K Advani</strong> from <strong>Ahmedabad East</strong>. Like almost every Indian I knew the <strong>symbol</strong> of two main national parties of India. I looked for lotus...found it...but, Adavaniji’s name was nowhere along with it. There was some other candidate unknown to me. Then I recalled that in the <strong>slip</strong> constituency written was <strong>Gandhinagar South</strong>. Oh! I it was my mistake, I thought that I belong to Ahmedabad East but the fact was that I belonged to Gandhinagar South. Now, what to do, there was no point in searching for “<strong>doesn’t want vote anyone</strong>” button; Mum had already created a laughter moment for election officers. I slanted little bit to look outside the card board covering the voting machine, if <strong>parties</strong> and their <strong>symbols</strong> are written anywhere. Nothing was written, but an unclji were standing and waiting impatiently for casting his vote. I sighed, I had to vote, so I closed my eyes and pressed my button (I didn’t closed my eyes actually but to maintain the secrecy of my vote I’m saying this.)<br /><br />Story doesn’t end here. I and my Mum both dismayed were returning from the voting desk stopped at the gate and asked the security forces appointed there, “Which Constituency is this?” We got an answer, “this is <strong>Ahmedabad East</strong>”. What??<br /><br />I have no idea, what I have done. All I know is that my vote was wrong and I want it back.<br /><br />Story is now over.<br /><br /><strong>Moral of the story</strong><br /><br />We (including me) are educated youth. We therefore have not only right but access to all the information. Even if no one gives us, we should gather all the important information about the parties, candidates, and the constituency to which we belong. It was my mistake, though newspapers were telling, about the candidates I didn’t bother to read about them.<br /><br />And candidates, if they stand in the elections with a desire to win, they should seriously and professionally prepare for it. Not only they should come with their short term and long term plans, they should be transparent enough to tell their strengths and weaknesses. And making junta aware about their candidature is minimum that is required.<br /><br />Election commission should make it point that in all the election booths a chart of parties and their respective symbols is kept visible and names of the candidates and parties are written not only in local language but also in Hindi and English.<br /><br />We learn from our mistakes. It was just the second time I voted, in fact first time for lokshabha elections. But, I have learned a lot from this experience. I can not get this vote back but I can use my voting power in a better way next time. </div>nibhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06176455974830822930noreply@blogger.com14