Faisal Shah, the topper of this year’s civil services examinations

Although he is willing to be posted anywhere in the country, Faisal largely wants to serve common people in his home state. “I am ready to be posted anywhere in the country but I want to serve Kashmiri people in the capacity of an IAS officer. I know my people have been suffering for the last 20 years. They need officers who will listen to them. I will try to shrink the communication gap between the people and the administration. Here in Kashmir, authorities usually do not listen to common people. Due to this bureaucratic apathy, they are suffering a lot. I will try to change this very tendency.”

Merely a couple of days after the killing of his father, Faisal appeared for the MBBS entrance…and cracked it! He did his MBBS from Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir Medical College. “But I was not satisfied with that achievement. My aim was to become either an IAS or an IPS officer. I think that I could not have helped the masses of my conflict-ridden state just as a doctor,” he says.


Faisal was 19 when his father, Ghulam Rasool Shah, a school teacher, was killed by militants in 2002 at his ancestral home in Sogam village, more than 90 km away from Srinagar. “Will you believe that many things that my father taught me in 7th grade came handy in these exams,” asks a visibly elated Faisal. “My father was a visionary. Whatever I achieved today is because of his guidance. I feel sad that today he is not around,” he adds.

Faisal’s younger brother Shah Nawaz is also a doctor and his younger sister Talat Shah is a library assistant. Faisal, who is a great fan of noted poet Dr Allama Iqbal, knows many languages including Urdu, Persian and Arabic. He had taken up Urdu and Public Administration as subjects for the IAS examinations. “Urdu is my passion. I love this language,” he says. The topper believes that his achievement would inspire many youngsters studying in Urdu-medium schools. “I have proven that students of Urdu-medium schools too have great potential and can get through any competitive examination.”

It is a common perception in Kashmir that Muslims of the state are being discriminated against, especially in the civil services examination, so as to keep them away from the administration. But Faisal’s success disproves the opinion. “No one is discriminated against. It is a wrong perception. We ourselves are responsible for not participating in such examinations with full preparedness,” says the civil services topper.

Besides Faisal, three other Kashmiri boys— Showkat Ahmed Parray, a resident of Wizar village in Baramulla district, Mir Umair from Badgam district and Raees Bhat, a resident of Anantnag district, have passed the civil services examinations this year.

The last Kashmiri to have qualified for the IAS was Asghar Hassan Samoon who achieved the feat some 16 years ago. In 1981, Khursheed Ganai from Kashmir stood second in the civil services exam — the highest rank for anybody from J&K till Faisal’s results came. Currently, Ganai is the principal secretary to chief minister Omar Abdullah.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!

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Education System - promote more ‘idiots’

Our pedagogy should look beyond exams and help students fulfil their dreams

Dr Parth J Shah

President, Centre for Civil Society

Since decades, the education policy India should follow has been a matter of debate. Aamir Khan’s “3 Idiots” has only intensified the discussion. In the movie, there is a flashback scene where the child protagonist attends classes of his choice. The child grows up to become a renowned scientist. The film questions the system of evaluation on the basis of examination in particular and the education system in general. In my view, this is a valid criticism. The so-called classroom model of education that we follow in our country is primitive. And we keep on following it blindly. The only thing that has changed over the last 1,000 years is the architecture of school and the quality of furniture. It just reflects that we have only focussed on resources all these years while nothing has changed in the way education is provided.

There are other issues as well that have been raised in this movie. In the West, there is a system where not only the child opts for the subject of his choice but the teachers as well. In my view, this is the best way of education. If a child chooses a subject of his liking, then there are valid chances that not only will he focus on studies but will also fetch good marks. Their examination system is such that it provides a clear evaluation of the candidate taking the test. The grading and credit system is scientifically designed to evaluate the students several times in a year and, that too, on different parameters.

Now look at India. The entire evaluation of a student is done through a three-hour sitting examination. Suppose, a child falls ill on the day of the test, either he fails or fetches poor marks. His entire year’s effort, thus, goes to the dogs. In the West, however, if a candidate falls ill on the day of the examination, he is allowed to take it on another day. His entire year’s labour does not go to waste.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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The “3 Idiots” debate is raging in many corners

The “3 Idiots” debate is raging in many corners, some crucial, and some, well, idiotic. The one that’s generating the most brouhaha right now is, of course, the ‘credit crisis’. “In all honesty, the film is vastly different from Five Point Someone" says Madhavan, who plays Farhan Qureshi in the film. (read his interview on page 52) And lately, there have been dissenting voices raising concern over the portrayal of ragging in the film. These arguments, though, are fairly juvenile.

The real focus, of course, is on the education system, and whether educators, parents and students alike need a fundamental rethink of their perspective on what education and learning are about. Says actor Kunal Kapoor, “The film raises a lot of important questions and is one of those rare movies that also provide answers. I’m sure it will force us to re-look at a lot of things and make an impact at an individual level.”

Akhilesh Agarwal who is from the 1975 batch at IIT Kanpur and currently heads a manufacturing company could easily be the man Aamir's character of Rancho was modelled on. In the words of his batchmate Arvind Gupta, an internationally aclaimed educationist, Akhilesh is "perhaps the greatest mechanical tinkerer I've met. He bunked classes all the time and pursued his passions – gliding, power flying, aeromodelling, engines etc."

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Obama’s election

Whenever America finds itself in moral dilemma, it tries to absolve itself in whatever ways. As it ceded ground and reputation in the last decade, it tried to amend by selecting a Black as its president. Obama’s election as America’s president is no less than a fairy tale. In fact, for many, the excitement of the 2008 presidential election was about witnessing a moment that people would one day read about in history books. And that is what happened. A campaign that was as bitter as conservatives could have made finally saw Obama, a political novice of sorts, outflanking an ex-First Lady, a war veteran and a gun-wielding female governor. However, on the other hand, despite Obama’s election, little has changed among the fundamentals of the racial order and neither has there been any substantial shift in US’s big-brother policies.

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Japan is distancing itself from the US

It has been like that for long and this base has been playing a crucial role in furthering the American foreign policy in Asia since the Vietnam War. And thus, an otherwise subservient Japan has all along been a major helping hand. Even now, while the American assault in Afghanistan and Iraq has been going on for years, the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force plays a very critical role in refuelling the US warships over the Indian Ocean. In fact, for long, Japan didn’t have a foreign policy truly of its own – the US, since the end of World War II, playing a major role, with critics even blaming the Japanese government for literally outsourcing foreign policy to US. In all, Boston Celtics were #1 in Japan, as was Toyota in the US.

Then what exactly has gone wrong in the American behaviour towards Japan? The answer is, the Japanese behaviour towards America – vindicated, rather flamed further by the current lateral shifts in the Japanese political formations with the meteoric ascent of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), led by Yukio Hatoyama, into the helm of affairs. DPJ gave a body blow to the Liberal Democratic Party which had almost become synonymous with Japanese government in the last half a century. The victory of the DPJ should not be seen as a mere vote against incumbency but more as a sort of referendum against the US dominance in Japan’s foreign policy and military affairs. In fact, there is much pressure on the newly elected Hatoyama government to scrap several deals with US, the foremost among them being the Guam Treaty under which US expects Japan to spend nearly $6 billion for relocation of some of the US bases in Futenma in Okinawa to the American island of Guam. This, in itself, is part of a $26 billion defence package for the base realignment plan which also includes an estimated expenditure by Japan to the tune of $11 billion for the construction of a new US Marines base in Okinawa and an expenditure of $9 billion for the creation of a ballistic missile defence system.

Gavan McCormack writes in DMZ Hawai, “As the Japanese economy reeled under the shock of its greatest crisis in 60 years, these were staggering sums. It was once said, of George W. Bush, that he was inclined to think of Japan as ‘just some ATM machine’ for which a pin number was not needed. Under Obama, too, that relationship seemed not to change.”

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Satyanarayan Maheshwari - BJP leader Kiran Maheshwari's Husband

Dr Satyanarayan Maheshwari is a proud husband. His wife, Kiran Maheshwari, is the All India BJP Mahila Morcha chief. The former MP from Udaipur is currently an MLA in Rajasthan.

Dr Maheshwari, a practising CA, says: “I do not face any problem at all. In fact, Kiran is very considerate about her family. She is always with the family when she is free. We understand the responsibilities she has to shoulder as a public figure… Her achievements and the public goodwill she has earned are a matter of pride for all of us.”

He asserts that he does not feel awkward on being introduced as Kiran’s husband. A person is always identified with the more popular family members, he adds.

He himself is actively involved in social service being a member of several organisations. Dr Maheshwari says that over the years he has mastered the art of analytical presentation of fiscal laws.

“I have the satisfaction of initiating public awareness for transparency in tax administration and the unholy nexus between corrupt tax administrators and broker-type consultants,” he says.

He continues: “I was a lead member of the team that initiated necessary legal action for recovery of huge tax dues from Lions and Rotary clubs. “These clubs are violating our tax laws in the name of social service. It is unfortunate that the Central Government is not taking any step to recover the dues of more than Rs 5,000 crores from them.” Clearly he isn't somebody who likes to stay in the shadow.

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Unification heroes or headless chickens?

As the world writes eulogies on western leaders' role in the fall of the Berlin Wall, facts suggest they were as apprehensive about it as the Soviets, says SAURABH KUMAR SHAHI

On the eve of the 20th year of the fall of the Berlin Wall, eulogies were penned for the western leaders of that time. As hundreds of thousands gathered to celebrate at where the Berlin Wall once stood, names of George Bush Senior, Margaret Thatcher and Francois Mitterrand were brought back into reckoning. As people profoundly thanked these leaders for demolishing the sign of “subjugation”, nobody cared and talked about what was going on in the minds of these very leaders in the days leading to the ‘Fall’.

Interesting documents, in possession of National Security Archive based in Washington D.C., reflect the profound apprehensions and uneasiness which engulfed the capitals on both sides of the Mediterranean and beyond, on the days leading to the fall. The discomfort, in many cases, was to the point of outright opposition to the possibility of German unification. The documents, mostly minutes of the meetings, drawn from the archives of Soviet, American and European secret files conclude that perhaps all those eulogies were too farfetched. After all, George Bush Senior, Margaret Thatcher and Francois Mitterrand did not help in bringing down the Wall. In fact, far from it, they had actually liked the status quo and did not want turbulence in Europe.

For example, what Polish Solidarity hero Lech Walesa told the then West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl on the morning of the fall was, “Events in the GDR are developing too quickly” and “at the wrong time.” He was sceptical and fearful that the Wall might fall in a few weeks. He was so apprehensive that he even advised Kohl that “one must try to slow them down”. It actually fell that night only. He was fearful that if it happened, Helmut Kohl will shift his priorities to GDR. He’ll also ask the West to divert all the aid to the GDR region and thus, an apprehensive Walesa thought Poland will be left “in the background.” As if fate was taking dictation from Walesa, Kohl indeed abruptly terminated his Poland visit and flew back to Germany the same night to deal with the evolving situation.

Another interesting discussion is the one between British Iron Lady and conservative ideologue, the then Prime Minister of UK, Margaret Thatcher, and the then Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. It took place on September 3, the same year. As Thatcher was aware that her views on German unification were radical and opposite of what the West propagated, she engaged in an off-the-record conversation. However, Gorbachev’s aide Anatoly Chernyaev rushed out of the room immediately after the conversation and jotted them down. Thatcher had said that “Britain and western Europe are not interested in the unification of Germany. The words written in the NATO communiqué may sound different but disregard them.” She also tried to influence Gorbachev by saying that the US too was not very different in its thought. She wanted him to believe her at any cost. “We are not interested in the destabilisation of eastern Europe or the dissolution of the Warsaw treaty either ... I can tell you that this is also the position of the US president,” the Iron Lady had added. A perplexed Chernyaev drew the conclusion that Thatcher wanted to foil German unification “with our hands” and not hers.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Special Bureau of Investigations

According to sources in Special Bureau of Investigations, Imtiaz had a very simple modus operandi. He used to get close to unemployed youths on the pretext of offering them money to fulfill their desires and wants. They were then introduced to drugs and later, arms. He used to be assisted by five more people in providing arms training. In fact, he had already raised an impressive cadre of 50 youths for his job. Among these, Pankaj, Khurram, Amit, Sahzade and Naushad have been arrested and sent to police remand. As many as 50 mobile numbers have also been kept on surveillance. In fact, the bureau has set up an independent team to investigate the matter thoroughly.

According to reports, there are several reasons why Kanpur has been selected over other cities by the ISI. Among these, the socio-economic factor is primary. The city, once considered the ‘industrial capital’ of the state, is now a dying city for all practical purposes. The only two industries left are leather apparels and Pan Masala. Tanneries have shut down and the few that are left bring in material from Kolkata. And it is very easy to transport drugs with leather consignment. They are often transported in big containers with leather raw materials. Also, Kanpur is just off the national highway and is strategically located. Connectivity to anywhere in India is very good and access is easy.

Imtiaz also insists that it is the geographical location of the city that has made it a favourite of the ISI operatives. He also revealed that the fake currency network in cities of eastern UP and those bordering Nepal has been flourishing unhindered in last few years. So much fake currency has been deposited in the bank accounts of several banks in Basti, Dumariyaganj and Bahraich that the fake notes has become the part of the cash flow in these districts. This has been going on for at least five years. A bank manager has been arrested in this regard as well.

Sources also reveal that the system of transferring fake currency in Kanpur is very old. The youth operative is given Rs 2 for every fake Rs 100 he transfers. Therefore it was easy for Imtiaz to lay trap. Money, drugs and arms training — the process had a logical progression. Unemployed youths were readymade war materials to be moulded into foot soldiers.

Another important revelation has been that these 50 youths were selected to be trained . It has been further learnt that a special training team of Pak nationals was taking shape in India itself.

It was in this context that the Union home ministry had asked state governments to locate and hunt down missing Pakistani citizens who had jumped their visas. Many of these operatives come on the pretext of meeting their relatives in India and then jump their visa and join their ISI comrades to train local youths. They are the most potent operatives for the ISI. In Uttar Pradesh alone, as many as 260 Pak nationals have jumped visas in the last five years. They are mostly concentrated in five districts of western Uttar Pradesh and Kanpur and adjoining regions. Incidentally, the ex-MOS Home, Shri Prakash Jaiswal, is himself from Kanpur and has been returned from the seat in the last elections too. He had expressed his concern to the state government. Talking to TSI, Jaiswal said that not only did he caution the state government about the matter but he also provided the government with relevant information. According to Jaiswal, the information has helped the government to bust the ring.

There is little doubt that the state governments have to act really fast and take issues related to internal security with utmost seriousness. The Centre should not only coordinate on this front but also assure, with cooperation from the states, job opportunities for unemployed youths. This will make ISI’s task of hiring foot soldiers very difficult.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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First hand - Of horror and shame

22 years back, PAC cops shot dead Muslims in cold blood and the cases are still pending

Vibhuti Narain Rai

Retired IPS officer and author of “Combating Communal Conflict”

Some experiences stick with you throughout your life. The experience at Hashimpura on the night of 22-23 May, 1987, is engraved in my memory like a horror movie. That night I returned to Ghaziabad from Hapur. As headlights lit up the gates of the officers’ residence, I saw a shocked sub-inspector BB Singh who was in charge of the Link Road Police Station.

Singh was so horrified that he could not narrate things coherently. But, I understood that somewhere in his station area, the PAC had killed some Muslims. Singh was in his office when around 9 pm he heard gunshots from the direction of Makanpur. Singh raced towards the village on his motorcycle. Behind him sat the station officer and a constable. They had barely covered 100 yards on the kachcha road when they saw a truck racing towards them from the opposite direction. If they had not taken the motorcycle off the road, the truck would have run them over. The yellow truck had 41 written on the back. They even saw people in khaki clothes sitting inside.

Why would a PAC 41st battalion truck be coming from Makanpur at this hour? Singh got the motorcycle back on track and proceeded towards the village. The scene awaiting him was mind-numbing. There were bodies and blood stains all over the bushes under a bridge over the village stream. Some bodies were floating in the water. All Singh and his men understood was that there must be a relation between the bodies and the PAC truck. Singh headed for the headquarters of the 41st battalion, situated on the Delhi-Ghaziabad Marg near the police station. The main gate was closed. After refused entry, he came to me.

I was horrified. Ghaziabad could be in flames the next day. Since the past many weeks, Meerut was facing communal riots. I first called DM Nasim Zaidi. After that I called the ASP, a few DSPs and told them to get ready. In about 45 minutes, we were heading towards Makanpur village. I told the drivers to turn the cars towards the stream and turn their headlights on. An area, about 100 yards wide, was lit up. The stains of blood had still not dried up and blood was still dripping from the bodies. Bodies were strewn all across, some lay half submerged.

We started looking in different directions to check if anybody was still alive. We even shouted that we were not foes but friends and the injured would be taken to a hospital.


No response. Disappointed, some of us sat down on the bridge. But we had to make strategies for the next day and decided to proceed to the Link Road station. It was then that a coughing sound emanated from the stream. I ran towards it. We started yelling out again and started throwing light on each body. And there he was, hanging by both hands from a bush with half his body in the stream. He was trembling from fear and it took a lot of time to reassure him that we were saviours. His name was Babbudin who would later tell us all about the incident. A bullet had scratched him and he had fallen unconscious into the shrubs.

I started walking with him towards the bridge, took a bidi from a constable and handed it over to him. Puffing on it, Babbudin started narrating the incident. Around 50 people were made to sit in the PAC truck following a regular check. They thought they were being taken to a station or a jail. The truck was taken off the main road about 45 minutes from Makanpur and stopped at a distance down the road. The PAC men leapt out and ordered them to get down. Only half the people had got off when they opened fire.

Babbudin had not got off. The sounds of firing reached the neighbouring villages and noises started coming from them. The PAC people again boarded the truck. It reversed and sped towards Ghaziabad. It came to the Makanpur stream and the PAC men again ordered everyone to get down. This time, the horrified lot refused to get off. They were pulled and dragged down. They were shot and the bodies thrown into the stream. Those who still did not come down were shot in the truck and their bodies thrown out. We tried to guess the location of the first crime scene. Someone suggested that it could be the stream which flows near the Muradnagar Station, situated on Meerut-Ghaziabad Road. I called the station and found that we were right. Dead bodies and survivors were recovered from there.

I met Babbudin 21 years later when I was collecting material for a book I was writing on Hashimpura. He still remembered the smoke I offered him. The story after this is a narrative of a long and torturous wait in which the issues relating to the relation between the Indian State and minorities, the unprofessional attitude of the police and the sluggish judicial process may be raised. The cases which I had filed in Ghaziabad’s Link Road and Muradnagar stations are still pending in courts.

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An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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He’s come a long way

When Lucknow-based Anurag Tiwari scored 48 per cent in class 12, snide remarks and unsolicited advice came pouring in. Tiwari himself flitted between tears and tension, wondering why he couldn't match his 55 per cent from high school. His father, a cashier in UP’s state transport corporation, had no money to pay for an engineering seat. Tiwari was forced to do an arts course. “I was told I would get nowhere in life,” he recalls. Yet he signed up for a one-year computer programming diploma. Initially, the course proved a nightmare. His Hindi language background preventing him from understanding the lessons. “I read English newspapers, pored through grammar texts and practiced speaking in front of the mirror,” he says. Tiwari then shifted to Delhi and moved through several ill-paid jobs.

“The lack of marks did not hold me back. If you have experience and skill, all barriers fall through”, says the 30-year-old who, as Infrastructure Leader at the Indian arm of Steria Limited, one of the world’s technology and business outsourcing leaders, steers a team of 20 across the company’s locations in India.

Today he zips across foreign locations for projects. “People have a right to comment on your lack of success. Though the remarks hurt, take them as spurs," says the cricket buff.

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IIPM News - Breaking barriers

Keen to bring in change, Obama is the first US Prez to visit China within the first year of presidency

US President Barack Obama's wish list during his China visit this week included seeking assistance on everything, from Global Warming to North Korea’s nuclear menace. No wonder that at conventions of the G-20 countries, China’s views are invariably sought on matters such as banking restructuring and executive disbursements. Having said that, it is also true that convincing China to take a lead will be a test. Assisting Obama will be an all-star Capitol Hill cast – secretary of state Hillary Clinton, US trade representative Ron Kirk, commerce secretary Gary Locke and treasury secretary Timothy Geithner.

So, why this visit in the first place? Well, as of today, the world is looking to China to take over a hitherto alien position of international headship. At a time when American standing is waning, China’s rank is mounting increasingly.

But there is a catch. In stark contrast to the US, China doesn’t seek to restructure the globe so to say. Its age-old principles are that of “non-intervention” in the domestic dealings of other nations. Even under Chairman Mao’s period in office, China by no means sought international dominance like the erstwhile Soviet Union – though it stimulated revolution in parts of Indo-China and beyond. Now that China has for the most part discarded or redesigned socialism to suit its goals, it’s tough to come across an explanation for whatever remains of its philosophy, principles and world view.




Reacting on the visit, Kerry Brown, a China expert at London’s Chatham House told TSI, “China wants the world to respect its position first. It knows that leadership mantle will follow. Chastise it for lack of internal democracy and freedom of speech, no body can accuse it of throwing its weight around.”

There are expectations, as well, that China will use its new-fangled strategic heft – and its adroit stroke – to help determine the most serious security concerns of the times. It is not for nothing that some of US’ erstwhile “superhero” diplomats have wished for a radically slimmer G20 – a G2, the US and China – to deal with the so-called nuclear risk caused by Iran and North Korea; the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; Indo-Pak tensions and current favourite, climate change.

In the initial bonhomie, the US has affirmed that Tibet belongs to China and there can be no compromise on its "One-China" stand. US used to have diplomatic relationship with Taiwan but it switched to Mainland China in 1979. However, US remains Taiwan's largest arms supplier.

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An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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IIPM News - After dhaka, will it be beijing?

Ulfa chief Paresh Barua is reportedly in Yunan, China

rom the viewpoint of a confrontation, this could only be China’s opening of a new front in its ongoing standoff with India. After having issued stapled visas and getting involved in projects in Pak-occupied Kashmir, came its protest against the Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as its territory. Now, there are reports of a growing number of militants getting active in the restive northeast.

While security officials in Guwahati continue to remain tightlipped regarding the matter—“I have no comments to make regarding this,” Khagen Sharma, inspector general of police and Assam Police spokesperson told TSI—others here are worried that a safe haven for northeastern militants could add an entirely new dimension to separatism in the region. Such fears have only grown worse with the handing over of top Ulfa leaders Sasha Choudhury and Chitraban Hazarika by the Bangladesh Rifles to India last week, an indication that outfits such as the Ulfa, NDFB and NLFT, that have been operating out of Bangladesh, are beginning to feel the heat in that country. “The Ulfa, along with organisations such as the National Socialist Council of Nagaland’s Isak-Muivah group have always had a relationship with China,” says Mrinal Hazarika, leader of the Ulfa’s 28th battalion, which is now holding a ceasefire with the government. “The Chinese authorities did not show much interest at the beginning but that has changed over the past four or five years. I know Ulfa commander in-chief Paresh Barua visits China,” says Hazarika. And what about the Chinese arms that are found on militants? “We do not know where Barua acquires the arms from but they are delivered to us by smugglers.”

A member of the now defunct People’s Consultative Group, set up by Ulfa to negotiate with the government, meanwhile says that Paresh Barua is now lodged in Yunan in China. He, however, has his own take on the handing over of Choudhury and Chitraban Hazarika by Bangladesh. “It was essential to have a majority of the 16 central committee members of Ulfa for talks to have any value. While four leaders are in jail in Guwahati and one ailing leader at home here in Assam, Chitraban and Sasha would make seven. Three leaders were reported missing after the operations in Bhutan in 2003.” If his calculations are correct, a large chunk of Ulfa leaders could be headed for talks with the government in the months to come. Ulfa is only one of a number of major separatist groups in the region. And therein lies the catch: that with Dhaka turning on the heat on separatists, the militants would now require another base. If China is willing, India’s northeast could only see a rise in militant activity with a powerful neighbour on its side.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Bihar’s notorious Maoists

“No lack of coordination between STF, district administration”

STF chief SK Bhardwaj says the state government is keen to make good on its promises The money earmarked for Naxalite rehabilitation has not been spent while those who surrender say they have not received money promised by the government. Could there be a lack of coordination between the STF and district administrations?

There is no lack of coordination between the STF and district administration. It is just that officials in the district keep changing, so there are delays. We have every intention to make good on our promises.

There has been some confusion over identifying those who have surrendered. Some Naxalites have been kept in custody and then taken off the list and abandoned. Could this deter others from giving themselves in?

Whether a person is a Naxalite or not is the decision taken by a committee attached to the district administration. It is that committee which recommends rehabilitation. We act on it. While it is true that some mistakes did occur, we have managed to make amends.

Can you say the Naxalite rehabilitation programme is perfect, that all promises made by the government, including providing protection, have been fulfilled?

I cannot make any such claim. Some people have benefited from surrender. We are trying to reach out and identify others who have not. As for providing protection, I have not received any letter which has cited such threats. Once we get them, we will take a decision.

There are some surrendered Naxalites who say they want to join the radical movement. Is it disturbing?

If someone decides to take up crime as a career, there is nothing we can do. All I can say is that my doors are always open for those who want to surrender.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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The dry-cleaning of 70 mm

The blatant waste of water for shooting purpose in tinsel town

When it comes to controversy regarding water in Bollywood, the movie 'Water' would feature prominently in the list. But then the same word when used in movie (not as movie title!) never raises any eyebrows. The way water is wasted for shooting purposes in tinsel town is really uneconomical. The usage of water in any movie's shooting can’t be brought down to nil, but then sheer and blatant wastage of water should also not be ignored.

The usage of water has always been there in movies for almost all types of scenes be it for climax, romance, tragedy or disaster. From creating artificial rains to natural ambience, water is used (read: abused) for almost all purposes in the tinsel town. As per recent newspaper reports, a leading forthcoming movie used around 200 water tankers to shoot a city flood scene, while another movie "Tum Mile", used 200 tankers of water for a shooting sequence. Likewise "De Dana Dan", used 700 tankers of water for shooting the climax. It is estimated that 28 tankers of water, on an average, are needed for a single rain sequence, i.e., to create artificial rain. Worse, the water that is used for shooting purposes is not any normal tap water but highly purified. But the real waste can only be comprehended after diving into the details. Well, as they say, the devil is in the details — each tanker of water holds nearly 12,000 litres of water! Which boils down to the fact that on an average 3,36,000 litres are required for creating artificial rainfall for a song sequence. And this is just for one shot, and remember it takes numerous similar shots (and numerous days) to zero in any sequence!

Contrast this with the usage of water in Hollywood movies. Agreed, that even Hollywood movies do use element of water to lure the viewers and make their movie visually more pleasing. But then even movies like "Titanic" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" used less water and more special effects to create the desired effects and visuals.

The whole issue of using and wasting good quality, purified and drinkable water gets grimmer after analysing the situation of water in Mumbai and whole of India. As per UN reports, by 2050, per capita water availability in India is expected to drop by about 44 per cent, all thanks to growing populations, higher demand and a depleting water table. The Mumbai water authorities have reduced their water supplies by 30 per cent as the state faces huge problems of water shortage. As per official statements, the water in Mumbai presently is 60 per cent of the total annual storage of around 13 lakh million litres that is required. And this situation is just not confined to Mumbai but can be seen and felt across the nation in almost every household.

Any kind of shooting (be it for movies, soaps or commercials) should make sure that they at least decrease the usage of water. More emphasis should be given to sharing of resources and opting for natural ambience. It is advisable that instead of using purified water, more efforts should be given to conservation, recycling and re-usage of water, rather than wasting this precious resource blindly. This will not dilute the essence of cinematography but will actually help them in washing away the water related problems of Mumbaikars and India.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Mujib’s killing triggered Bangladesh’s backward march

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of Bangladesh, was killed by some disgruntled army officers on August 15, 1975, along with his family members, including nine-year-old son Sheikh Russel. His daughters, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, were the only survivors as they were abroad at that time.

The killers who confessed, Col (Retd) Rashid and Col (Retd) Faruk, along with some accomplices, were given capital sentences long after the murders. Most of them are now absconding while some are behind bars. The case is now in its final stage as the hearing goes on in the country’s apex court.

So, how was Bangladesh affected by the assassination of Mujib? Those involved in the plot or those who stood to benefit from this act will invariably say that the murder of Sheikh Mujib helped Bangladesh get rid of being subservient to Delhi and Moscow. It is true that Mujib and his party Awami League had and still has a pro-India image. India extended her hand of cooperation to Bangladesh’s struggle for independence. India gave shelter to 10 million refugees, trained the Bangladeshi liberation fighters, provided all sorts of supplies to them and finally, the Indian Army fought against the occupying Pakistani forces. So the good relations between Bangladesh and India during Mujib’s time was an obvious and logical conclusion of the nine months of bloody war.

Bangladesh was proud of having a modern, secular and democratic constitution just within a year of her independence. Democracy, socialism, secularism and Bengali nationalism were the four principles of that constitution and the state was getting a shape. Some may differ here, saying Mujib banned most newspapers except the four loyal to him and attempted to introduce a one-party democratic system in the country.

Mujib’s murder changed the character of the country. Then army chief Maj. Gen. Ziaur Rahman took office. The constitution was amended with social justice, full trust on Allah and Bangladeshi nationalism replacing socialism, secularism and Bengali nationalism respectively. Analysts say that the state mechanism started getting communalised from that period. But it could not influence people widely as it went against their heritage of over 1000 years.


Zia rehabilitated the anti-liberation forces and appointed Shah Aziz, one of them, as the Prime Minister in his cabinet. Mujib had initiated the trial of these collaborators of the Pakistani forces.

Another dictator, Gen. Ershad, took a leaf out of Zia’s book and declared Islam as the state religion of Bangladesh through the 8th amendment of the constitution. It helped the anti-liberation pro-Pakistan quarters gather strength to stake their claim to political power.

Mujib was hardly a socialist. He added the term ‘socialism’ to the constitution as at that time socialism was perceived to be the vehicle of equitable growth. It also brought Bangladesh closer to the Left block in the international arena.

August 15 brought a radical change in the country’s foreign policy. Dhaka did not turn her face away from friends in the Left block overnight but started pursuing a policy which leant towards the West. Within a decade of its independence, Pakistan lost its way to democracy. In 1958, Field Marshall Ayub Khan imposed military rule over the two-part country. And till 1971, Pakistan was ruled by the military junta and politicians who came from feudal backgrounds. The 1970 general elections brought Awami League a landslide victory mandating them to form government. Pakistani neo-colonialists did not agree to hand over power to Mujib or empower the Bengali people and instead ordered a military crackdown on 25 March, 1971. The war for liberation started.

Mujib's murder pushed politics back to where they were in undivided Pakistan. Military men and their subservient civil politicians came to the forefront. Both Gen. Zia and later Gen. Ershad formed political parties, namely BNP and Jatiya Party. It is beyond doubt that the August 15 incident steered Bangladesh in a totally different direction which the country might not have chosen if she had the option.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Aids fight gets a major jolt

Govt, doctors abandon HIV positive patients

Karnataka’s fight against HIV/AIDS has been hit temporarily. Some doctors, who were rendering free services to HIV positive victims, have stopped work because they allege that they are getting no help from the government. Dr I. S. Gilada, secretary of the AIDS Society of India, blames the state government for the sudden spread of HIV/AIDS in the state.

“HIV cases have come down in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu — two high-risk states. But Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, once low-risk states, have become high-risk zones. Both Karnataka and Andhra have ignored experts’ warnings to initiate awareness campaigns,” says Gilada.

But Dr S. B. Doddamani, deputy director of the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) disagrees. Calling the allegation baseless, he praises the government for taking initiatives to check the spread of HIV/AIDS. “We have not ignored directions given by experts. We always make sure that all the necessary processes are carried out successfully. We are opening more testing centres, blood banks, community care centres,” Dr Doddamani tells TSI.

However, current data, culled out by agencies, tell a different story. Karnataka, which once was a low-risk state, now occupies second place in the number of HIV positive and AIDS patients in India. There has been a surge in the number of HIV positive cases in the state. Interestingly, the government officials have no explanation. Rather they take a different stand. Says Dr Doddamani: “It is not that the HIV/AIDS cases have increased in the state as being reported in the media. Rather, we are finding hidden cases which were already there. We are making the necessary effort to combat the spread of the disease.”

But doctors are unwilling to buy this argument. Upset with the government’s clumsy approach in dealing with the dreaded disease, doctors have pulled out of free service. They are unwilling to restart their service in remote areas.

Says Dr Satish, who has been providing free service to HIV patients for the last 14 years: “I am really fed up. I don’t want to render free service anymore. Earlier, I used to put my life at risk by travelling to remote villages in Northern Karnataka to treat patients, but not anymore. I don’t want anything from the government. But it should recognise our contribution because it doesn’t even reimburse our expenses. I know many doctors who have stopped rendering their free services because of the government’s attitude.”

Unperturbed by this development, the Karnataka government plans to constitute Community Based Organisation (CBO) to bring changes at the grassroot level. From now onwards, it won’t be banking on NGOs and doctors. But what about patients languishing in the flood-hit areas of Northern Karnataka? The government and the doctors have no answers.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Nobody should meeT my fate.

There is no need for another Kamal Hassan. The next generation should go beyond me.

Do you aspire for an Oscar award?

I am not disappointed that I haven’t won an Oscar, but Rahman has. Unless I work in Hollywood I cannot get an Oscar. But I would be very happy if I bagged an Oscar for lifetime achievement like Satyajit Ray.

Who is your role model?

Sivaji Ganesan. He was the first step in my evolutionary growth.

What is more difficult – direction or acting?

Direction is a multidisciplinary job. A director has to concentrate on various things. But an actor just does his/her role. Direction is much more difficult.

Why have you never tried to convert your fan following into a political force?

People have used various ways to capture power. Cinema has also become an instrument to capture power here. Now TV channels have become an important tool. Every political party starts its own TV channel. One can do politics or social service without going through elections. EVR Periyar achieved much without plunging into electoral politics.

Who are the Hollywood and Bollywood stars you would like to work with?

Some things don’t happen even if we wish. I wanted to do one more film with Sivaji Ganesan but it didn’t happen. I wanted to act with Dilip Kumar. I wanted to act with Naseeruddin Shah and he acted in Hey Ram as Mahatma Gandhi. I would like to act with Woody Allen, William Hurt, Robert De Nero, and Clint Eastwood.

Throughout the world, Hollywood movies are copied…

If you see British TV serials of the 1970s and 80s, you’ll understand where the inspiration for today's US TV serials came from. Hollywood has copied so much from French cinema. True Lies, a Hollywood blockbuster, was lifted from a French film. We are making Unnaipol Oruvan. But we have acknowledged the source: A Wednesday. But America is different. They’ve been aggressors; they conquered the land by force and now treat it as their own. The same attitude prevails in Hollywood.


When did you become an atheist?

I don’t remember. You cannot remember when you started speaking. I did not become an atheist one fine morning. Periyar was not an avatar like Kali. He was a great man like Bertrand Russell. He played an instrumental role in my life. He initiated a process in my life that hasn’t ended yet.

Who is the most important woman in your life?

My mother. A mother’s love is unconditional. All others put conditions. I lost my mother when I was 24. I would like to experience that unconditional love through other women. But with sex there is a little confusion here. Every male faces this dilemma. There is a story about Lord Ganesha. He was worrying about not getting married. He placed his hand on his head with grief. The head had a bulge that reminded him of breasts. That reminded him of his mother. If we have a child with a protuberance in the head, we will admit him/her in a hospital. But we worship Lord Ganesha as a god.

Who is the next Kamal Hassan?

Nobody should meet my fate. I am a great fan of Sivaji Ganesan but I wouldn’t want to be regarded as the next Sivaji Ganesan. There is no need for another Kamal Hassan; the next generation should go beyond me.

How do you participate in the growth of your daughters?

I can allow them to access my experience. That's all. Their journey and vehicle are different. I can't give my wooden stick to someone who has a cell phone. The world has changed.

What kind of bonding did you have with Sridevi, your co-star in 27 films?

Many thought we were in love and would marry. But she was like a close relative. She still calls me Sir.

Nayakan was a milestone in your career. Tell us about Mani Ratnam.

Ours was an open house. Many artists would come and discuss many things. One of them was Subbu, alias Subramani. He used to come along with another person called Kitti. Both were good storytellers and I took them to director Bharathi Raja. I thought he was from a humble family and I didn’t know that he was the son of Rathnam Ayyar, proprietor of Venus Pictures. Later he became Mani Ratnam and started directing movies. When producer Muktha Srinivasan wanted to produce a film, I suggested Mani Ratnam's name. Two stories were suggested to me and I selected the Nayakan story.

On whom did you model the character of 'Nayakkar' in Nayakan?

I knew Vardaraja Mudaliyar personally and the character ‘Nayakkar’ was modelled on him.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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The old man and 'The C'

Newly declassified documents reveal that CIA had Posada on its payroll for most of the time and even recommended him for the civilian post if Castro regime falls, says Saurabh Kumar Shahi

Around one and a half years ago, this magazine had done a story on how Luis Posada Carriles, a key accused of the bombing of Cubana flight 455, got safe haven on American soil in spite of the fact that the then American president and the head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had full knowledge of his act. The organisation went extra mile to protect him and after a phony prosecution case, set him free.

Repeated requests by Cuba, to hand him over, were ignored. With the help of The National Security Archive based in Washington DC, this magazine had published overwhelming evidence against Posada that included, among others, the bomb circuit diagram used to blow up the flight, the notes about how to assemble it and the fake passport used by Posada. However, those evidence in no way had pointed out that dreaded Posada was in any way used by the CIA for any sort of open or clandestine operations. It appeared then – to the untrained eyes – that CIA was only guilty of shielding him and nothing more. That at least provided CIA the much needed cushioning. This week, that cushion was pulled away and CIA stands naked. As friends and relatives of those killed aboard Cubana flight 455 mourn 33rd year of the disaster, the Washington based National Security Archive has released other chilling documents concerning Luis Posada and his aides and masters. These documents confirm that “the Company”–as CIA is sometimes called – had excellent ties with the terrorist and it took immense pain to keep these ties strong.

Also, it discusses how “the Company” benefited from the expertise of Posada by using him as a stool pigeon on other aggressive exile factions. The papers make available all-embracing particulars on a partnership between Cuban-American militant Jorge Mas Canosa, who later turned into the most commanding leader of the hard-line émigré population in Miami, and Posada – code named AMCLEVE 15 – who came forward to work as full-time informant on aggressive exile operations for “the Company”.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Easier for them to make blunders

The situation today is nothing different. It’s true that economists can see the green shoots of recovery. But certainly they are not as strong as the market is proposing at the moment. Going by fundamentals, India’s growth GDP is still expected at just 7 to 7.5%. Other economic indicators too have not recovered completely from the global meltdown. Even global cues are still on the lower side. All these mean that the fundamentals are yet to recover and the market movement that we see at the moment is more of hype than anything else. Under these circumstances (especially with the media bombardment of news that talks of huge returns made by various investors), no doubt it’s easy for anyone, who does not have a deep knowledge, to get carried away. But the truth is, that’s exactly what the retail investors must refrain themselves from at the moment.

Moreover, it is time for retail investors to understand the difference between a ‘bad investment in a good market’ and a ‘good investment in a bad market’. While the first one ruins the investors irrespective of all situations, the latter pays even at the worst of the situations. But unfortunately retail investors, most of the times, fall for the first type. The reasons are many, it could be the fact that some big guy in the market invests in it. And another reason, the fact that the investor feels or gets tipped that the share is low priced and with a forward movement it can garner higher percentage gain for the investor. But Ashok Jainani warns such shares can be devastating for the financial health of the investors. He avers, “You need to know a lot more about the company (you are intending to invest in), seasonality in its business, the price behaviour and be able to anticipate major market shifts. Share prices constantly fluctuate as buyers and sellers haggle on a mutually agreeable price. Their fundamental worth however does not change minute-by-minute.” Thus his advice to the retail investors, who are keen to get going in the market at this moment, is to analyse the fundamentals of the company and the intrinsic value of the stock before investing in a particular stock. Investing just by being swayed by the market and media buzzes will certainly do no good to the investors.

A similar view is also expressed by Jagannadham Thunuguntla, CEO and Equity Head of SMC Capital, who is bullish on the fact that eventually the market will go up. Warning the investors that a quick money making approach may land them at a hopeless situation he adds; “Only those investors who adopt a patience approach (investing for a medium to long term horizon) will be able to make exemplary profits. Instead of jumping in to anything and everything that comes their way, investors have to be selective. Moreover, they need to pick only those stocks that have a reasonable valuation and strong fundamentals.”

It’s not possible for even the smartest of the investors to measure the exact high and low. So forget about it, as it’s nothing more than a bookish philosophy. But least an investor should do is investing a little sensibly and carefully. More so for the fact that it’s his hard earned money and he is investing it in the market to take back something, not to give something. Meanwhile, the market is again at a junction where investors need to be careful. Further they must understand that there is no fixed formula to win at the market place. So those who offer you top ten tips and twenty tricks of sure success in the stock market, ask them to keep their mouth shut and just follow the stocks with strong fundamentals.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Kapil dev - The hurricane of Indian Cricket

One of the greatest all rounder India has ever produced, he is the man who brought India’s first and last ODI World Cup. Standing on the Lord's balcony with the Prudential Cup, he showed to the world what India was capable of. ‘Paaji’ of Indian cricket gave an entirely new dimension to the sport. It is only because of him we see a brigade of fast bowlers emerging from every nook and corner of this country. Of course, how our IPL stars can forget this gentleman? He came up with ICL. To counter that move, BCCI came up with IPL. Thanks ‘paaji!'

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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